If you can’t install, uninstall, or update a desktop program in Windows 10, the Program Install and Uninstall troubleshooter can automatically fix common issues such as corrupted registry keys or incomplete uninstall data.

When critical Windows system files are missing or corrupted, your operating system may begin to malfunction. Common symptoms include Windows features not working properly, system errors, or Windows becoming unresponsive or freezing.

This article explains how to repair apps and programs in Windows 11 and use Settings to fix common app issues without reinstalling. You can repair some apps and programs if they're not running correctly. Note that you won't see repair, change, or modify options for all apps and programs. Repair options from the Settings page.

To find out if an app or program is installed in Windows, select Start > Settings > Apps.

System Configuration is a system utility that allows you to troubleshoot issues with Windows startup. It provides options to customize the startup process, including the ability to enable or disable software, control startup services, and access other advanced system settings.

To fix this problem automatically, run the "Fix problems that programs cannot be installed or uninstalled" troubleshooter to repair issues that block program installation or removal because of corrupted registry keys. Important To perform many of the methods and steps in this article, you must be logged on to your computer as an administrator.

Get Help has troubleshooters, or diagnostic tests, that can check your system configuration for anything that might be causing issues using your devices. View troubleshooter results. After you run any troubleshooter, Get Help provides details on any findings and suggestions for possible remedies.

Learn how to optimize system performance by managing startup applications in Windows.

Get Help has troubleshooters you can run for many common scenarios. These often help resolve issues without the need to contact support. If a troubleshooter is available for your issue, select Start to run that troubleshooter. After you run any troubleshooter, Get Help provides details on any findings and suggestions for possible remedies.

Windows 11 might shut down or restart unexpectedly when a serious problem occurs, causing you to briefly see an error message, such as “Your device ran into a problem and needs to restart.” Windows 11 will then restart automatically.