Microsoft generally releases the MSRT on a monthly cadence as part of Windows Update or as a standalone tool. (For exceptions, see Skipped releases.)Use this tool to find and remove specific prevalent threats and reverse the changes that they made (see Covered malware families).For comprehensive malware detection and removal, consider using Windows Defender Offline or Microsoft Safety Scanner.

Most software that you buy directly from Microsoft, like Office, Windows, and Xbox games, comes as a digital download that you can download, install, or reinstall.

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Right-click the app, select More, and then select Open file location.This opens the location where the shortcut to the app is saved. If there isn't an option for Open file location, it means the app can't run at startup.

All Xbox digital codes are 25 characters long, include both numbers and letters, and are formatted in five blocks of five characters (xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx).

Learn how to tell if your Office software is genuine. To help determine if your Microsoft software is genuine, go to our How to Tell site for more information. Here you'll learn about authentic packaging, including what to look for with product key labels, and Certificate of Authenticity (COA), how to report counterfeit software, and find out what your shopping and licensing options are.

A family group is a set of individuals connected through the Microsoft Family Safety app on their Windows, Xbox, or mobile devices. Establishing a family group is an easy, effective way to encourage healthy online habits and manage busy schedules.

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After you turn on two-step verification or set up the Authenticator app, you may run into issues if you use older devices (like Xbox 360 or a mail-sending security camera) that don't support two-step verification. For those devices, you can sign in with an app password instead. An app password is a long, randomly generated password that you provide only once instead of your regular password ...

Alternatively, you can install any website by going to the top corner of the browser and select Settings and more … > Apps > Install this site as an app.