If your system is asking you for your BitLocker recovery key, the following information may help you locate your recovery key and understand why you're being asked to provide it. Important: Microsoft support is unable to provide, or recreate, a lost BitLocker recovery key.

If you can't find a file on your computer or you accidently modified or deleted a file, you can restore it from a backup (if you're using Windows backup) or you can try to restore it from a previous version. Previous versions are copies of files and folders that Windows automatically saves as part of a restore point.

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.

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.

In Windows 11, apps don't automatically get added to your desktop. Learn how to pin apps to your desktop or taskbar in Windows 11 or Windows 10.

Follow these steps to automatically diagnose and repair Windows security problems by turning on UAC, DEP protection, Windows Firewall, and other Windows security options and features. Select the Download button on this page.

If you don't recognize a charge on your account, go to the Manage your payments page of your Microsoft account dashboard and select "Investigate". Learn more. Here are the most likely causes for an unrecognized charge: A Microsoft subscription has recurring billing enabled.

Make sure apps have access to the microphone. If your microphone isn't detected after updating Windows 11, you may need to give your apps permission to use it. Here's how: Select Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone and make sure Microphone access is turned on.

Wired connections: Activate and use any wired connections, including Ethernet, USB, and Serial communications between your device, the internet, and other devices. Learn how to locate and manage your app permissions on Windows devices. Some apps or games need specific permissions to work properly.

Select the Files or Shared tab in the meeting chat, channel, or meeting in calendar. Find and select the file. Select More options > Download . Only the meeting organizer can download the recording. To learn more about editing transcript permissions, see Edit or delete a meeting transcript in Microsoft Teams .