Along with software updates for Windows 10 or Windows 11, it's important to make hardware updates, also known as updates for drivers and firmware. You can quickly check the health of your Surface drivers and firmware using the Surface app. Open the Surface app.

It's a good idea to create a recovery drive. That way, if your PC ever experiences a major issue such as hardware failure, you'll be able to use the recovery drive to reinstall Windows 11. Windows updates to improve security and PC performance periodically, so we recommend you recreate the recovery drive annually.

If some Windows functions aren't working or Windows crashes, use the System File Checker to scan Windows and restore your files. Though the steps below might look complicated at first glance, just follow them in order, step-by-step, and we’ll try to get you back on track.

If you can’t boot from your USB recovery drive or don’t see the Recover from a drive option, you may need to ensure that the boot-from-USB function in the Surface BIOS is enabled or configure the boot order so the USB drive is the first option. For more info, see Boot Surface from a USB device.

If you feel like you’ve been the target of a technical support scam, you can help Microsoft stop cybercriminals by reporting it. Learn more about avoiding technical support scams.

Find operating system info in Windows 11. To find out which version of Windows your device is running, press the Windows logo key + R, type winver in the Open box, and then select OK. Here’s how to learn more: Select Start > Settings > System > About . Open About settings.

Get help and support, whether you're shopping now or need help with a past purchase. Contact Microsoft Support. Find solutions to common problems, or get help from a support agent.

Open Device Manager. In the search box on the taskbar, type device manager, then select Device Manager from the menu. Was this information helpful?

Virtualization lets your PC emulate a different operating system, like Android™ or Linux. Enabling virtualization gives you access to a larger library of apps to use and install on your PC. If you upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11 on your PC, these steps will help you enable virtualization.

Command Prompt and Windows Powershell for Windows 11. In Windows 11 22H2, the default app used to host console windows has been changed to Windows Terminal. After the October 2022 update, Command Prompt, Windows PowerShell, and other console apps will appear inside an instance of Windows Terminal.