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.

The sfc /scannow command will scan all protected system files, and replace corrupted files with a cached copy that is located in a compressed folder at %WinDir% \System32\dllcache. The %WinDir% placeholder represents the Windows operating system folder. For example, C:\Windows.

An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability might bypass secure boot and load untrusted software. This security update addresses the vulnerability by adding the signatures of the known vulnerable UEFI modules to the DBX. To learn more about this security vulnerability, see the following advisory:

How to open PC Health Check. In Windows, use Search on the taskbar to search for “PC Health Check,” then select it from the list of results. If a PC Health Check update is available, you can quickly install it for the latest version.

Recovery options in Windows. Learn different ways to locate your BitLocker recovery key in Windows, and learn about how BitLocker might have been activated on your system.

The enablement package is a great option for installing a scoped feature update like Windows 10, version 21H2 as it enables an update from version 2004, or 20H2, or 21H1 to version 21H2 with a single restart, reducing update downtime. This enables devices to take advantage of new features now.

Learn how to enable virtualization through the UEFI (or BIOS) of your PC to run the Windows Subsystem for Android or Windows Subsystem for Linux.

Microsoft Defender Antivirus is a powerful tool that finds and removes malware from your PC. Here's how to use it in Windows 10 or 11 to scan your PC. Important: Before you use Microsoft Defender Offline, make sure to save any open files and close apps and programs. Open your Windows Security settings.

A digital license (called a digital entitlement in Windows 11) is a method of activation in Windows 11 that doesn't require you to enter a product key. A product key is a 25-character code used to activate Windows. What you'll see is PRODUCT KEY: XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX.

Find the Recycle Bin. If your desktop shows no icons at all, right-click (or press and hold) the desktop and select View. If Show desktop icons has no checkmark, click it to add one. If that doesn't work, try this: Select Start > Settings > Personalization > Themes > Desktop icon settings.