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.

The recommended (and easiest) way to get SP1 is to turn on automatic updating in Windows Update in Control Panel and wait for Windows 7 to notify you that SP1 is ready to install.

Find out how to use Game Bar to capture game play, chat with friends, track achievements, and more.

The Snap feature is a great way to improve your productivity by sharing many app windows in a single screen. Different layouts are available with many sizes to choose from, so you can get the most from your favorite apps when you are working on specific tasks.

Try it! Universal search. Select Search on the taskbar or press Windows logo key + S, then type what you want to find.You'll get personalized search results for people, email, and files in local and shared sites, or from the web. Desktop groups

Microsoft's products and services work best if you use the same language and region across all your devices, and in all of your app and Store settings.

Note: If you forgot your account info and had to reset your security info, you must wait 60 days before closing your account.

Note: You might not be able to change the power mode when a custom power plan is selected.If you can’t set the power mode in Power & battery settings, open Control Panel, select System and Security > Power Options, then choose a Balanced power plan.

To see where your browser is saving downloads, look in your browser's settings. For example, in the new Microsoft Edge , select Settings and more > Settings > Downloads .The file path for your downloaded files (for example, C:\Users\[your name]\Downloads) is listed under Location.. In Microsoft Edge Legacy , select Settings and more > Settings .

Updates to the default screen and sleep settings now help you use energy more efficiently and extend battery life. You can find efficiency settings in Windows 11 at Settings > System > Power & battery.. For a guided walkthrough of how each of the power and battery settings can improve your device's performance, click the button to open the Get Help app: