If some Windows functions aren't working or Windows crashes, use the System File Checker to scan Windows and restore your files. Though the steps below might look complicated at first glance, just follow them in order, step-by-step, and we’ll try to get you back on track.

Automatically fix Windows security issues. 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 cannot open your Outlook data file or suspect that the file is damaged, use the Inbox Repair tool (scanpst.exe) to repair errors in the file.

Turn off, disable, or uninstall OneDrive. If you just don't want to use OneDrive, the easiest solution is to unlink it - see the steps below. Tips: If you want to stop OneDrive for a while, or not use all of it, here are some other solutions: If you want to stop syncing for a short time, learn How to pause and resume sync in OneDrive.

Change your screen saver settings. Select the Start button, then go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen, and select Screen saver settings. In the Screen Saver Settings window, choose a screen saver from the drop-down list.

Uninstall or remove apps and programs in Windows. There are different ways to remove apps and programs, so if you can't find the one you're looking for, you can try another location. Note that some apps and programs are built into Windows and can't be uninstalled.

The Microsoft Defender Offline scan will automatically detect and remove or quarantine malware. Learn how to remove malware from your PC. Use Microsoft Defender Antivirus in Windows 10 or Windows 11 to scan your PC for malware, viruses, or other threats.

You can start a scan for malware any time you like. Note: Microsoft Defender currently offers anti-malware on Windows, Android, and macOS. If you want a deeper scan, instead of selecting Quick scan in step 3, select Scan options and choose the type of scan you want.

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.

In the search box on the taskbar, type disk cleanup, and select Disk Cleanup from the list of results. Select the drive you want to clean up, and then select OK. Under Files to delete, select the file types to get rid of. To get a description of the file type, select it. Select OK.