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Windows 11 troubleshooting

Fixes for Windows 11 problems, from stuck updates and blue screens to Wi-Fi, sound, Bluetooth and Start menu issues, starting with the safest steps.

A frustrated person holding their head in front of a laptop
Troubleshooting Uninstall Windows 11 Update: Settings, Recovery and Go Back How to uninstall a Windows 11 update from Settings or the recovery environment, roll back a feature update within 10 days, and stop it reinstalling right away. October 14, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Battery Drain: Find the Cause and Fix It Stop Windows 11 battery drain: find power-hungry apps in Battery usage, use Energy saver and power mode, fix sleep drain and check battery health with powercfg. October 14, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Boot Loop: How to Stop a Restart Loop for Good Break a Windows 11 boot loop: unplug devices, reach the recovery environment, run Startup Repair, uninstall a bad update, use safe mode or System Restore. October 14, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Disk Usage 100%: Causes and Fixes That Work Windows 11 disk usage at 100%? Find the busy process in Task Manager, free up space, pause sync and scans, check drive health and drivers, then repair Windows. October 14, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 High CPU Usage: Find the Cause and Fix It Fix Windows 11 high CPU usage: find the busy process in Task Manager, tame startup apps and scans, check power mode, drivers and heat, then repair Windows. October 14, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Keyboard Not Working? Causes and Real Fixes Windows 11 keyboard not working? Check connections and Filter Keys, use the on-screen keyboard, reinstall the driver in Device Manager and test in UEFI setup. October 14, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Microphone Not Working: Privacy and Driver Fixes Windows 11 microphone not working? Check mute switches, mic privacy access, the input device and volume in Sound settings, app settings and audio drivers. October 14, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 No Internet? Step-by-Step Fixes for Wi-Fi and LAN Windows 11 no internet? Work through airplane mode, the network troubleshooter, forgetting Wi-Fi, DNS, ipconfig commands and, as a last resort, Network reset. October 14, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Printer Problems: Offline, Stuck Jobs and Drivers Fix Windows 11 printer problems: printer offline, jobs stuck in the queue, print spooler errors, missing printers and bad drivers, with the exact menu paths. October 14, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Search Not Working? Fixes for Blank Results Windows 11 search not working or showing blank results? Restart SearchHost, check the Windows Search service and indexing, rebuild the index and repair Windows. October 14, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Slow After Update? Causes and Fixes That Work Windows 11 slow after update? Why it happens (indexing, background work, new drivers), what to check in Task Manager, and how to uninstall a recent update. October 14, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Taskbar Not Working? How to Get It Back Fast Windows 11 taskbar not working, frozen or missing? Restart Windows Explorer, check taskbar settings, remove shell add-ons, run SFC and DISM and repair Windows. October 14, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 System Restore: Turn It On, Create and Undo Use Windows 11 System Restore: turn on System Protection, create restore points, roll back with rstrui or from recovery, and undo a restore that went wrong. October 14, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Touchpad Not Working: Settings and Driver Fixes Windows 11 touchpad not working? Check the touchpad key and Touchpad toggle in Settings, reset gestures, reinstall the driver in Device Manager and spot faults. October 14, 2026
A frustrated person holding their head in front of a laptop
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Update Stuck? How Long to Wait and How to Fix It Windows 11 update stuck on a percentage? Learn how long to wait, then use the troubleshooter, free up space, clear the update cache and repair Windows. October 14, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Update Failed: Read the Error Code and Fix It Windows 11 update failed? Find the error code in Update history, run the troubleshooter, free space, clear the update cache and repair with DISM and SFC. October 14, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 USB Device Not Recognized: How to Fix It Windows 11 USB device not recognized? Rule out the port and cable, read the Device Manager error code, reinstall USB drivers and fix drives with no letter. October 14, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Webcam Not Working? Fix Privacy, Driver, Apps Windows 11 webcam not working? Check the privacy shutter, camera access in Settings > Privacy & security > Camera, the Cameras page, drivers and blocking apps. October 14, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 WiFi Keeps Disconnecting: Causes and Real Fixes Windows 11 WiFi keeps disconnecting? Check the router, forget and rejoin the network, stop power saving on the adapter, update drivers and use network reset. October 14, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Activation Watermark: Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 Activation Watermark: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Apps Not Opening: Common Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 Apps Not Opening: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Audio Not Working? How to Get Sound Back Windows 11 audio not working? Check the output device and volume mixer, run the audio troubleshooter, turn off enhancements, restart services, fix drivers. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Battery Not Charging: Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 Battery Not Charging: what to check first on a Windows 11 PC, how to rule out drivers, which maker tools to use and when to stop and get a repair. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 BIOS UEFI Settings: Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 BIOS UEFI Settings: what to check first on a Windows 11 PC, how to rule out drivers, which maker tools to use and when to stop and get a repair. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 BitLocker Recovery: Find Your Key and Unlock Stuck on the Windows 11 BitLocker recovery screen? Find your 48-digit key in your Microsoft account, work account, printout or USB, and match the key ID. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Black Screen with Cursor: Fixes to Try First Windows 11 Black Screen with Cursor: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Bluetooth Not Working? Fixes That Actually Help Windows 11 Bluetooth not working? Check the toggle and Airplane mode, run the troubleshooter, restart Bluetooth Support Service, fix drivers and re-pair. October 13, 2026
A broken old monitor lying on a tiled floor
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Blue Screen: Read the Stop Code and Fix the Cause Windows 11 blue screen or black stop-code screen? Read the stop code, roll back the driver or update, use safe mode, Reliability Monitor and a memory test. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Clipboard Not Working: Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 Clipboard Not Working: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Copy Paste Not Working: Quick Fix Checklist Windows 11 Copy Paste Not Working: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting DISM RestoreHealth Windows 11: Commands, Order and Fixes DISM RestoreHealth Windows 11 guide: CheckHealth, ScanHealth and RestoreHealth explained, plus how to repair from a mounted ISO with /Source when it fails. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 DNS Not Resolving: Common Causes and Fixes Windows 11 DNS Not Resolving: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Dual Boot Linux: Safe Checks Before a Repair Windows 11 Dual Boot Linux: what to check first on a Windows 11 PC, how to rule out drivers, which maker tools to use and when to stop and get a repair. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Error 0x80070002: Common Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 Error 0x80070002: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Error 0x80070005: Common Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 Error 0x80070005: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Ethernet No Internet: Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 Ethernet No Internet: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Explorer Crash: Common Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 Explorer Crash: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Fan Noise: Common Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 Fan Noise: what to check first on a Windows 11 PC, how to rule out drivers, which maker tools to use and when to stop and get a repair. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 File Explorer Slow: Common Causes and Fixes Windows 11 File Explorer Slow: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 HDD Clicking Noise: Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 HDD Clicking Noise: what to check first on a Windows 11 PC, how to rule out drivers, which maker tools to use and when to stop and get a repair. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 High Memory Usage: Common Causes and Fixes Windows 11 High Memory Usage: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Laptop Overheating: Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 Laptop Overheating: what to check first on a Windows 11 PC, how to rule out drivers, which maker tools to use and when to stop and get a repair. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Microsoft Edge Problems: Quick Fix Checklist Windows 11 Microsoft Edge Problems: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Network Discovery: Common Causes and Fixes Windows 11 Network Discovery: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 No Display on Boot: Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 No Display on Boot: what to check first on a Windows 11 PC, how to rule out drivers, which maker tools to use and when to stop and get a repair. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 OneDrive Sync Issues: Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 OneDrive Sync Issues: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Outlook Not Working: Common Causes and Fixes Windows 11 Outlook Not Working: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 RAM Upgrade: Common Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 RAM Upgrade: what to check first on a Windows 11 PC, how to rule out drivers, which maker tools to use and when to stop and get a repair. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Random Shutdown: Safe Checks Before a Repair Windows 11 Random Shutdown: what to check first on a Windows 11 PC, how to rule out drivers, which maker tools to use and when to stop and get a repair. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Reset This PC Windows 11: Which Options Should You Choose? Reset this PC Windows 11 options explained: Keep my files vs Remove everything, Cloud download vs Local reinstall, what is kept and the BitLocker key. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Right Click Slow: Common Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 Right Click Slow: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Safe Mode: 4 Ways to Start It (and Get Out) Start Windows 11 safe mode from Settings, the sign-in screen, the recovery environment after failed boots, or msconfig, and how to undo Safe boot afterwards. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 SD Card Not Reading: Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 SD Card Not Reading: what to check first on a Windows 11 PC, how to rule out drivers, which maker tools to use and when to stop and get a repair. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Secure Boot Enable: Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 Secure Boot Enable: what to check first on a Windows 11 PC, how to rule out drivers, which maker tools to use and when to stop and get a repair. October 13, 2026
A desk with a monitor showing a terminal, a keyboard and cables
Troubleshooting SFC Scannow Windows 11: How to Run It and Read the Results How to run an sfc scannow Windows 11 check properly, after DISM, what each result message means, and how to read CBS.log to find files SFC could not repair. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Slow Performance: Causes and Fixes That Work Fix Windows 11 slow performance: find the culprit in Task Manager, trim startup apps, use Storage Sense, change power mode and visual effects, scan for malware. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 SMB File Sharing: Common Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 SMB File Sharing: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 SSD Not Detected: Safe Checks Before a Repair Windows 11 SSD Not Detected: what to check first on a Windows 11 PC, how to rule out drivers, which maker tools to use and when to stop and get a repair. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Start Menu Not Working? Safe Fixes, in Order Windows 11 Start menu not working or not opening? Restart Windows Explorer, install updates, run SFC and DISM, and test a new user account to find the cause. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Store Not Working: Common Causes and Fixes Windows 11 Store Not Working: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Stuck on Loading Screen: Quick Fix Checklist Windows 11 Stuck on Loading Screen: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Time Sync Error: Common Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 Time Sync Error: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Touchscreen Not Working: Quick Fix Checklist Windows 11 Touchscreen Not Working: what to check first on a Windows 11 PC, how to rule out drivers, which maker tools to use and when to stop and get a repair. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 TPM 2.0 Enable: Common Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 TPM 2.0 Enable: what to check first on a Windows 11 PC, how to rule out drivers, which maker tools to use and when to stop and get a repair. October 13, 2026
A frustrated person holding their head in front of a laptop
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Troubleshooting: A Step-by-Step Repair Ladder Windows 11 troubleshooting in the right order: restart, updates, troubleshooters, SFC and DISM, safe mode, clean boot, System Restore, then Reset this PC. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 VPN Not Connecting: Common Causes and Fixes Windows 11 VPN Not Connecting: a short checklist of safe fixes to try first, from restarts and troubleshooters to SFC, DISM, safe mode and reset. October 13, 2026
Troubleshooting Windows 11 Wont Turn on: Common Causes and Safe Fixes Windows 11 Wont Turn on: what to check first on a Windows 11 PC, how to rule out drivers, which maker tools to use and when to stop and get a repair. October 13, 2026