If your system is asking you for your BitLocker recovery key, the following information may help you locate your recovery key and understand why you're being asked to provide it. Important: Microsoft support is unable to provide, or recreate, a lost BitLocker recovery key.

If some Windows functions aren't working or Windows crashes, use the System File Checker to scan Windows and restore your files. Though the steps below might look complicated at first glance, just follow them in order, step-by-step, and we’ll try to get you back on track.

If you can't find a file on your computer or you accidently modified or deleted a file, you can restore it from a backup (if you're using Windows backup) or you can try to restore it from a previous version.

Your PC isn't working well and you recently installed an app. Restore from a system restore point. You suspect your device has been infected. Use installation media to reinstall Windows 11. Select one of the recovery options below and follow the steps to try to get things working again.

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.

You can now restore lost or accidentally deleted favorites in Microsoft Edge with our new favorites recovery feature. You'll need to be signed in to your Microsoft account and have the sync setting turned on to use the favorites recovery feature.

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.

Learn how to activate Windows using a product key or digital license, check your activation status, and link your Microsoft account.

Select Start > All apps and search for the app in the list shown. Press and hold (or right-click) on the app, then select Uninstall. Uninstall in Settings. Select Start > Settings > Apps > Apps & features . Find the app you want to remove, select More > Uninstall.

Use System restore to make restore points when you install a new app, driver, or Windows update, and when you create a restore point manually. Restoring won’t affect your personal files, but it will remove apps, drivers, and updates installed after the restore point was made.