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.

Fix your audio drivers. Hardware problems can be caused by outdated or malfunctioning drivers. Make sure your audio driver is up to date and update it if needed. If that doesn't work, try uninstalling the audio driver (it will reinstall automatically).

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.

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.

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.

We know that having your account blocked is frustrating, but we also want to protect you from fraud or abuse. Here's how to unblock your account. Note: If either your Outlook.com mailbox or your OneDrive storage is full, you cannot send or receive email.

Find out how to submit a request for a refund for a purchase of digital Xbox content.

If you can’t set the power mode in Power & battery settings, open Control Panel, select System and Security > Power Options, then choose a Balanced power plan. Learn how to change the power mode on your Windows PC to preserve your battery, limit notifications, and background activity.

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.

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.