A popular tactic of criminals is the "fake order" scam. The way it works is that you get a message, usually in email or text, that appears to be a routine confirmation for an order. Of course, you never ordered whatever product or service it's confirming. The message looks common enough, and it says that money will be charged to your credit ...

If you feel like you’ve been the target of a technical support scam, you can help Microsoft stop cybercriminals by reporting it. Learn more about avoiding technical support scams.

The easiest way to get language packs for Windows 8.1 and Windows RT is to download and install them using the Language Control Panel. Download and install additional languages to view menus, dialog boxes, and other user interface items in your preferred language.

ReadyBoost lets you use a removable drive, like a USB flash drive, to improve your PC’s performance without opening your PC and adding more memory (RAM). To use ReadyBoost, you’ll need a USB flash drive or a memory card that has at least 500 MB free and a high data transfer rate.

Possible causes. Make sure your PC, the external display, and the cable all support DisplayPort or MHL alternate modes. Make sure the device or dongle is connected directly to your PC. Make sure the device or dongle is connected to the USB-C port on your PC that supports the correct Alternate Mode.

You can easily insert a check mark (also known as a "tick mark") in Word, Outlook, Excel, or PowerPoint. These marks are static symbols. If you're looking for an interactive check box that you can click to check or uncheck, see: Add a check box or option button (Excel) or Make a checklist in Word.

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

TPM 2.0 is used in Windows 11 for a number of features, including Windows Hello for identity protection and BitLocker for data protection. In some cases, PCs that are capable of running TPM 2.0 are not set up to do so. If you are considering upgrading to Windows 11, check to ensure TPM 2.0 is enabled on your device.

Use Game Bar to play and chat with friends. Performance (9) – Track your game’s frames-per-second (FPS) and other real-time stats. For more info, go to: Track your PC’s performance with Game Bar. Resources (10) – See what apps and processes are using system resources to help you optimize gaming performance.

Remove or block notifications in Edge settings. In Edge, go to Settings and more in the upper right corner of your browser window. Select Settings > Cookies and site permissions and select Notifications. Under Allow, you will find a list of websites that are currently sending you notifications.