Describes methods to prevent users from connecting to a USB storage device that is connected to a Windows XP-based, Windows Server 2003-based, or Windows 2000-based computer.

Use this app to try to recover lost files that have been deleted from your local storage device (including internal drives, external drives, and USB devices) and can’t be restored from the Recycle Bin.

If your PC is running low on free space, you might not be able to install important Windows updates, and your PC’s performance may be affected. Here are some ways to free up space so you can keep your PC up to date and running smoothly.

Plug the USB drive or external storage device into your Windows 10/11 PC. Open File Explorer. Right-click your USB drive or external storage device. From the pop-up menu, select Format. In the File system dropdown menu, select NTFS. Select Start to begin formatting.

Find out how much storage your PC has. Windows 10. Select the Start button, and then select Settings . Select System > Storage . Check your storage.

How to reduce your cloud storage. Find out how to free up space on your device by deleting unnecessary files, uninstalling apps, and moving files to other drives.

The paging file is an area on your hard disk that Windows uses like memory. There's a setting in Windows 10 that manages the page file size automatically, which can help improve your PC’s performance.

Use System restore to make restore points when you install a new app, driver, or Windows update, and when you create a restore point manually. Restoring won’t affect your personal files, but it will remove apps, drivers, and updates installed after the restore point was made.

PC Health Check app brings you up to date info on your Windows device health, helping you take action to improve your device performance and troubleshoot performance problems. It is periodically updated based on customer feedback to help you make the most of your Windows PC.

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.