Go to Settings > Apps > Apps & features to change whether you're shown app recommendations when trying to install apps from outside the Store.

You can use installation media (a USB flash drive or DVD) to install a new copy of Windows, perform a clean installation, or reinstall Windows. To create installation media, go to the software download website, where you'll find step-by-step instructions.

The following are some problems that the troubleshooter might fix. If you receive an error code and none of the steps below help, see Get help with Windows activation errors . For more info about activation, see Activate Windows. For help with your product key, see Find your Windows product key.

Choose the apps that will run when you start your device. Go to Start > Settings > Apps > Startup. Open Startup settings. For any app in the list, select the toggle to set it to On. If you want to change the advanced settings for that app, select the arrow and make changes as desired.

For Windows 8.1, see Create a USB recovery drive. To download Windows 11 installation media, see Recovery options in Windows. Create a recovery drive so you can reinstall Windows 10 or Windows 11 in case you experience a major issue such as hardware failure.

Use Remote Desktop on your Windows, Android, or iOS device to connect to a Windows 10 PC from afar. Here's how to set up your PC to allow remote connections and then connect to the PC you set up.

The Privacy page won't list apps with permission to use all system resources. You can't use the Privacy settings to control what capabilities these apps can use. Windows Desktop apps fall under this category. To see the permissions for an app, go to the app product page in Microsoft Store or online.

Getting ready for the Windows 11 upgrade. How to check if your device meets Windows 11 system requirements after changing device hardware. Learn how to use the PC Health Check app to help you improve your device performance.

The easiest way to get language packs for Windows 8.1 and Windows RT is to download and install them using the Language Control Panel. Download and install additional languages to view menus, dialog boxes, and other user interface items in your preferred language.

TPM 2.0 is used in Windows 11 for a number of features, including Windows Hello for identity protection and BitLocker for data protection. In some cases, PCs that are capable of running TPM 2.0 are not set up to do so. If you are considering upgrading to Windows 11, check to ensure TPM 2.0 is enabled on your device.