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 Hardware problems can be caused by outdated or malfunctioning drivers.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).

How to open PC Health Check. In Windows, use Search on the taskbar to search for “PC Health Check,” then select it from the list of results. If a PC Health Check update is available, you can quickly install it for the latest version.

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.

Check the Xbox services, games, and apps for any service outages.

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 you pre-ordered a game and want to cancel, you can do so up to 10 days before the game launches at: Order history. After this time, you may be billed, and you’ll need to request a refund to cancel your order. For more info about digital game pre-orders, see: Pre-order Xbox digital games in the Microsoft Store.

Press the Windows logo key + R. Type msconfig in the Open box and then select OK. Select the Boot tab. Under Boot options, clear the Safe boot checkbox. Find out how to boot into safe mode in Windows from Settings, the sign-in screen, and a black or blank screen.

Record game clips and take screenshots. While you’re playing a game, press the Windows logo key + G to open Game Bar. Choose Widget Menu > Capture. Choose Start recording, Take screenshot, or Record last…. Record last… turns the most recent moments of play into a game clip when background recording is turned on.

Add an app to run automatically at startup in Windows 10. Select the Start button and scroll to find the app you want to run at startup. Right-click the app, select More, and then select Open file location. This opens the location where the shortcut to the app is saved.

Earn points toward rewards by doing the stuff you do every day. It’s easy and it’s free. All you need to do is sign up, and Microsoft Rewards will be included in your Microsoft account: Microsoft Rewards. Once you’ve signed up, sign in to your Microsoft account to see your current points.