Describes how to use the System File Checker tool to troubleshoot missing or corrupted system files in Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7 or Windows Vista.

Find your BitLocker recovery key. Windows 11 Windows 10. A BitLocker recovery key is needed when BitLocker can’t automatically unlock an encrypted drive in Windows. This key, which is a 48-digit number, is used to regain access to the drive.

BitLocker Drive Encryption allows you to manually encrypt a specific drive or drives on a device running Windows Pro, Enterprise, or Education edition. For devices managed by an organization, BitLocker Drive Encryption is usually managed by the IT department, as encryption might be required by organizational policies.

Follow these steps to automatically diagnose and repair Windows security problems by turning on UAC, DEP protection, Windows Firewall, and other Windows security options and features. Select the Download button on this page.

For Windows 8.1, see Create a USB recovery drive. To download Windows 11 installation media, see Recovery options in Windows. Create a recovery drive so you can reinstall Windows 10 or Windows 11 in case you experience a major issue such as hardware failure.

BitLocker is a Windows security feature that protects your data by encrypting your drives. This encryption ensures that if someone tries to access a disk offline, they won’t be able to read any of its content.

You can use installation media (a USB flash drive or DVD) to install a new copy of Windows, perform a clean installation, or reinstall Windows. To create installation media, go to the software download website, where you'll find step-by-step instructions.

Blue Screen errors (also called bug checks, STOP code errors, kernel errors, or BSOD errors) can occur if a serious problem causes Windows to shut down or restart unexpectedly to protect itself from data loss.

Automatically repair Windows Firewall problems, such as Windows fails to start Windows Firewall service (0x5) or Windows remote assistance is not working.

Learn about the recovery options in Windows. Find out how to reset your PC, go back to a previous version of Windows, or use media to reinstall Windows.