To activate Windows 10 using an internet connection: As Windows 10 will automatically activate if you are connected to the internet, you can confirm your activation status by selecting Start > Settings > Update & Security > Activation and looking under Windows.. If online activation fails, first try the activation troubleshooting in Activate Windows 10.

Communities help you ask and answer questions, give feedback, and hear from experts with rich knowledge.

Check the device. If the device doesn't appear to work at all (no lights appear on the device when it’s plugged in, or the cursor doesn't move or doesn't appear on the screen), connect the device to another PC and make sure the device works on that PC.

The Advanced Boot Options screen lets you start Windows in advanced troubleshooting modes. You can access the menu by turning on your computer and pressing the F8 key before Windows starts.

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.

Note: If it’s been fewer than 10 days since you upgraded to Windows 10, your previous version of Windows will be listed as a system file you can delete.If you need to free up drive space, you can delete it, but keep in mind that you'll be deleting your Windows.old folder, which contains files that give you the option to go back to your previous version of Windows.

Tips: 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.. For the most complete scan, run Microsoft Defender Offline. For more about that see Help protect my PC with Microsoft Defender Offline.

Internet Explorer 11 support ended on June 15, 2022. We recommend you use Microsoft Edge for a faster, more secure and more modern web browsing experience.

Note: If you start to play a DVD or VCD in the Player Library, the Player automatically switches to Now Playing mode. The Blu-ray Disc format is not supported in Windows Media Player. To play a Blu-ray Disc, you need to use a non-Microsoft program that supports Blu-ray playback and a device capable of reading Blu-ray Discs.

If you can’t locate a lost file from your backup, then you can use Windows File Recovery, which is a command line app available from the Microsoft Store.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.