These seven PowerShell commands cover the things most Windows users end up needing — full system specs, bulk app updates, killing runaway processes, removing Microsoft bloatware, restarting the print spooler, checking active network connections, and chaining DISM with SFC and an automatic restart. Every command works on Windows 10 and Windows 11 with the built-in Windows PowerShell 5.1 — no install, no PowerShell 7 required.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: May 13, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Get-ComputerInfo returns full system specs (CPU, RAM, BIOS, Windows edition, install date) without installing a third-party tool.
• winget upgrade –all –accept-package-agreements –accept-source-agreements updates every winget-managed app on the system in one command, with no Y/N prompts.
• Get-Process | Sort-Object CPU -Descending | Select-Object -First 5 shows the top five CPU hogs even when Task Manager is too slow to open.
• Get-AppxPackage piped to Remove-AppxPackage removes built-in Microsoft apps (including the Microsoft Store) that the Settings app refuses to uninstall.
• Restart-Service spooler restarts the print spooler in one line — much faster than opening the Services panel.
• Get-NetTCPConnection -State Established and netstat -nob together show every active network connection and which app owns it — useful for privacy checks and malware detection.
• Chaining commands with semicolons (DISM ; SFC ; shutdown /r /t 0) runs DISM, then SFC, then auto-restarts the PC — no manual steps between each phase.

Quick Steps

1. Right-click the Start button and pick Terminal (Admin) on Windows 11, or search for Windows PowerShell and run as administrator on Windows 10.
2. Run Get-ComputerInfo for full system specs.
3. Run winget upgrade --all --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements to update everything at once.
4. Run Get-Process | Sort-Object CPU -Descending | Select-Object -First 5 to find the top CPU consumers, then Stop-Process -Name "ProcessName" to kill one.
5. Run Get-AppxPackage -Name "Microsoft.WindowsStore" | Remove-AppxPackage to uninstall built-in apps Settings won’t remove.
6. Run Restart-Service spooler to fix print spooler problems instantly.
7. Run Get-NetTCPConnection -State Established and netstat -nob to see every active network connection and which app owns it.
8. Chain DISM, SFC, and a restart in one shot: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth ; SFC /scannow ; shutdown /r /t 0.

A Quick Note on PowerShell 5.1 vs PowerShell 7

Windows 10 and Windows 11 both ship with Windows PowerShell 5.1 built in. Every command in this guide runs in that version — you do not need to install PowerShell 7. PowerShell 7+ is a newer, cross-platform release of the same shell, and it is worth having for advanced scripting, but it is a separate install.

If you do want PowerShell 7, the official Microsoft documentation on installing PowerShell on Windows walks through the supported install methods, and the latest builds live on the PowerShell GitHub releases page. For everything below, the built-in shell is enough.

How to Open Windows PowerShell as Administrator

On Windows 11, right-click the Start button and choose Terminal (Admin). Windows Terminal opens to a Windows PowerShell tab by default, already elevated. On Windows 10, search for Windows PowerShell in the Start menu (not Windows PowerShell ISE), right-click it, and pick Run as administrator.

If you don’t see Terminal or PowerShell in the Start button menu, the search method works on every supported version of Windows 10 and Windows 11. Hold Ctrl and scroll up on the mouse wheel inside the window to enlarge the font — small thing, but it makes a real difference if you’re working through a long output.

Command 1: Get-ComputerInfo — Full System Specs in One Line

When you need a full breakdown of a PC — CPU, RAM, BIOS version, Windows edition, install date, OS language, architecture — and you don’t want to install Speccy or another third-party tool, run this:

Get-ComputerInfo

The command dumps everything in one long block. You’ll see the Windows Edition ID (Professional, Home, Enterprise), the OS display version (e.g. 25H2), BIOS information, OS architecture (64-bit or 32-bit), and the OS language. On a virtual machine you’ll see VM-reported hardware; on bare metal you’ll see the real CPU and motherboard details.

Tip: The output is long. Pipe it into more (Get-ComputerInfo | more) to page through it, or filter to specific properties — for example Get-ComputerInfo | Select-Object OsName, OsVersion, CsTotalPhysicalMemory — when you only want a few fields.

Command 2: winget upgrade — Update Every App Without the Prompts

winget is Microsoft’s built-in package manager — it ships pre-installed and works out of the box on Windows 11. To list every app on the system that has a winget update available:

winget upgrade

That just shows the list. To actually install all of them in one shot, with no Y/N prompts, run:

winget upgrade --all --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements

The two --accept flags are what make this hands-off. Without them, winget pauses at every package and waits for you to type Y. With them, it just downloads and installs the lot one after another, and reports back when it is done.

Note: winget only updates apps that exist in the winget repository. Anything you installed manually from a vendor’s site that isn’t in winget will be invisible to this command. On a fresh Windows 10 install, winget may not be present yet — Windows 11 has it ready by default.

Command 3: Find the Top CPU Hogs (and Kill One) Without Task Manager

When the PC is so slow that Task Manager won’t even open, PowerShell can still tell you what is eating the CPU. This command grabs every process, sorts by CPU usage descending, and shows the top five:

Get-Process | Sort-Object CPU -Descending | Select-Object -First 5

Once you have a process name from that output, end it without going anywhere near Task Manager:

Stop-Process -Name "msedge"

Replace msedge with the process name shown by Get-Process. Run the get-process command again afterwards to confirm it is gone. In a computer repair context this combination is gold — when a system is so loaded that the GUI is unresponsive, you can still free resources from the shell.

Command 4: Remove Built-in Microsoft Apps (Even the Ones Settings Won’t Touch)

The Microsoft Store, Xbox Game Bar, and several other built-in apps don’t expose an Uninstall option in Settings > Apps > Installed apps. PowerShell does. First, find the exact package name with a wildcard search — the example below looks for anything with “store” in the name:

Get-AppxPackage -Name "*store*"

That returns full package details for every match. Copy the exact Name field of the package you want to remove (for example Microsoft.WindowsStore), then pipe it into Remove-AppxPackage:

Get-AppxPackage -Name "Microsoft.WindowsStore" | Remove-AppxPackage

That removes the package for the current user. To remove it for every user account on the machine, add -AllUsers:

Get-AppxPackage -Name "Microsoft.WindowsStore" -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage -AllUsers

Heads-up: Some system packages are protected and won’t remove no matter what. If a removal fails, leave that one alone — forcing it usually breaks more than it fixes. The Store example above is for demonstration; do not uninstall the Microsoft Store unless you have a specific reason and know how to get it back.

This is exactly how debloating tools work under the hood — they build a list of package names and run the same Get-AppxPackage / Remove-AppxPackage pair against each one. If you’d rather not type these out for every app you want gone, my Winhance app wraps this whole process in a UI, with the option to keep removed apps from coming back after Windows updates. There’s also a written walkthrough of removing Windows bloatware without third-party software if you want to stay fully manual.

Command 5: Restart-Service spooler — Fix Printer Problems in One Line

Anyone who has supported printers knows the routine: search for “services,” wait for the Services panel to open, scroll to Print Spooler, right-click, restart. PowerShell collapses all of that into:

Restart-Service spooler

It runs silently — no confirmation message — so to verify the service came back up, check its state:

Get-Service spooler

If a print job is stuck in the queue, restarting alone usually isn’t enough — you need to stop the spooler, clear the stuck jobs from C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS, then start it again:

Stop-Service spooler
# clear stuck files in C:\Windows\System32\spool\PRINTERS
Start-Service spooler

The same Get-Service, Restart-Service, Stop-Service, and Start-Service cmdlets work for any Windows service — replace spooler with the service name. Hours of repair-shop time would have been saved if I’d known about these earlier.

Command 6: See Every Active Network Connection and Who Owns It

For privacy checks, malware investigation, or just curiosity about what your PC is talking to, this PowerShell-native command lists every established TCP connection along with the local and remote address, ports, and the owning process ID:

Get-NetTCPConnection -State Established

That gives you process IDs, but not the friendly app name. The older netstat command fills that gap — run it alongside the PowerShell version to see exactly which executable owns each connection:

netstat -nob

The -nob flags display addresses numerically and show the owning executable for each connection. You’ll see entries like msedge.exe, svchost.exe, and the start menu host process, each tied to specific connections. For some lower-level connections Windows may not surface the owning process — that’s normal and not a sign of anything wrong.

Used together, these two commands are pure gold for diagnosing whether a system is reaching out to anything it shouldn’t. If you suspect malware, pair them with the steps in my Windows troubleshooting guide and a full system scan.

Command 7: Chain DISM, SFC, and an Auto-Restart in One Shot

The classic Windows repair flow is well known: run DISM to repair the component store, then run SFC to repair system files using that good source, then restart. The annoying part is that you have to babysit it — wait for DISM to finish, run SFC, wait again, then remember to restart.

You can chain all three with semicolons in PowerShell so the next command runs automatically as soon as the previous one finishes:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth ; SFC /scannow ; shutdown /r /t 30

The ; tells PowerShell “when this command finishes, run the next one.” DISM goes first because it repairs the source files SFC pulls from. SFC then uses that repaired source to fix damaged system files. Once both finish, shutdown /r /t 30 reboots the PC after a 30-second countdown so you can read the scan results before the restart.

Set the /t value to whatever fits your workflow:

• /t 0 — restart immediately when both scans finish
• /t 30 — 30-second window to glance at the scan output
• /t 300 — five-minute window if you want to read the full SFC report

If you’d rather kick off the chain and walk away, /t 0 is the cleanest option. For a deeper walkthrough on what these commands actually fix, see my guide on fixing the Blue Screen of Death on Windows 10 and 11, which uses the same DISM and SFC flow.

Want a UI Instead of Typing Commands?

If the bloatware-removal command is what you came for and you’d rather not maintain a list of package names by hand, my free open-source app Winhance handles it at scale through a proper interface. You can pick which apps to remove, save the removal scripts so apps stay gone after Windows updates reinstall them, and apply optimizations the same way. The full project (and downloads) lives at winhance.net.

For a broader collection of “every Windows user should know” tools that pair well with these PowerShell commands, my PowerToys guide covers Microsoft’s official utility set — different category, similar spirit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need PowerShell 7 to run these commands?

No. Every command in this guide runs in Windows PowerShell 5.1, which is built into Windows 10 and Windows 11 by default. PowerShell 7 is a newer cross-platform release and worth installing for advanced scripting, but it is not required for any of these commands.

Why does Stop-Process or Remove-AppxPackage say “access denied”?

You’re running PowerShell as a standard user. Both commands need elevated rights. Close the window, right-click the Start button on Windows 11 and pick Terminal (Admin), or right-click Windows PowerShell in the Start menu on Windows 10 and pick Run as administrator.

Can I undo Remove-AppxPackage if I uninstalled the wrong app?

Most built-in apps can be reinstalled from the Microsoft Store. The Microsoft Store itself is the trickiest case — if you removed it, the recovery path is documented in my guide on reinstalling the Microsoft Store on Windows 10 and 11. Always test removal commands on a virtual machine or a non-critical install first.

Does winget upgrade –all update everything on my PC?

It updates every app that has a winget package and an available newer version. Apps you installed by downloading an installer from the vendor’s website are not tracked by winget unless they ship a winget package, so those won’t be updated by this command. For Windows itself, use Windows Update — winget does not handle OS updates.

Is it safe to chain DISM, SFC, and a restart in one command?

Yes. The semicolon chain runs each command sequentially — the next one only starts when the previous one exits cleanly. DISM and SFC are Microsoft’s own repair tools, designed to be run together in this exact order. The auto-restart at the end simply applies any fixes that need a reboot, which is the same step you’d run manually.

This post 7 PowerShell Commands EVERY Windows User Should Know! first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

To fix the blue screen of death (BSOD) in Windows 10 or 11, start by identifying what changed recently — new hardware, software, or driver updates are the most common causes. Then work through driver rollbacks, RAM testing, disk health checks, and system file repair to resolve the issue.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: March 31, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Drivers cause 70% of all blue screens — graphics and network drivers are the most common culprits
• Most BSODs are fixable without replacing hardware — driver rollbacks, system file repair, and Windows updates resolve the vast majority of cases
• Use BlueScreenView (free) to read your crash dump and identify the exact driver or process that caused the crash
• Work through fixes in order: undo recent changes, fix drivers, test RAM, check disk health, repair system files, Safe Mode, clean install
• If BSODs persist after a clean install, you are looking at faulty hardware — RAM, SSD/HDD, GPU, or motherboard

Quick Steps:

1. Undo any recent hardware or software changes
2. Roll back or update problematic drivers in Device Manager
3. Test your RAM with Windows Memory Diagnostic or MemTest86
4. Check disk health with Check Disk and manufacturer tools
5. Run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth then sfc /scannow to repair corrupt system files
6. Boot into Safe Mode or use System Restore if Windows won’t start normally
7. Clean install Windows as a last resort

What Causes the Blue Screen of Death in Windows?

A blue screen of death (BSOD) means Windows encountered a critical error that prevents it from running safely. Rather than risk corrupting your files, Windows stops everything and displays an error screen with a stop code that identifies the problem. On newer versions of Windows 11 (24H2 and later), this screen appears black instead of blue, but the troubleshooting process is identical.

I spent over 10 years fixing blue screens in my computer repair shop, and the good news is that 90% of them are caused by the same few things. Here is the breakdown of the most common causes:

• Drivers (70% of all BSODs) — Bad, outdated, or recently updated drivers, especially graphics and network drivers. Common stop codes: IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL, DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
• RAM/Memory (15%) — Faulty, failing, or incompatible RAM sticks you might not know about. Common stop codes: PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA, KERNEL_SECURITY_CHECK_FAILURE
• Disk/Storage (10%) — Failing hard drive or SSD with bad sectors or file system corruption. Common stop codes: KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR, CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED
• Software (5%) — Antivirus conflicts, bad Windows updates, unstable overclocks, or software that corrupts system files. Common stop codes: SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION, DPC_WATCHDOG_VIOLATION

Despite the name, a blue screen of death usually does not mean your computer is dying. In most cases, it is a software issue that is completely fixable.

How to Identify What Caused Your Blue Screen

Windows saves a crash dump file every time a blue screen occurs, and a free tool called BlueScreenView by NirSoft can read these dumps and tell you exactly what went wrong. Download the zip file from the official NirSoft page, extract it, and launch the application.

BlueScreenView displays a list of every blue screen your computer has experienced. The two most important columns are the Bug Check String (the stop code, like CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED) and the Caused By Driver column, which identifies the exact driver or executable that failed critically.

With this information, you can search for the specific stop code or driver name online, or ask an AI assistant to help you troubleshoot. But if you would rather skip the crash dump analysis, the fixes below are organized from most common to least common cause and will work regardless of your specific stop code.

Fix 1: Undo Recent Hardware or Software Changes

In my computer repair shop, the first question I always asked customers was: what changed recently? This single question solved the majority of blue screen cases because the answer almost always points directly to the cause.

New hardware: If you recently installed a new graphics card, RAM, SSD, hard drive, or even a USB peripheral and the blue screens started right after, remove or disconnect what you added and boot up again. If the blue screens stop, the hardware is either faulty, incompatible with your system, or was not installed properly. Try reinstalling it once more — if the blue screens return, replace it or return it.

New software: If you recently installed a new program, antivirus, VPN, or overclocking utility and the blue screens began right after, uninstall that software and see if the problem goes away.

Windows Update: If the blue screens started after a Windows update, navigate to Settings > Windows Update > Update History > Uninstall Updates and remove the most recent update. This is more common than most people think — bad Windows updates have caused widespread blue screen issues multiple times, including as recently as January 2026.

This is usually the quickest and easiest fix, and it normally does not require any special tools.

Fix 2: Roll Back or Update Problematic Drivers

Drivers account for nearly 70% of all blue screens in Windows, making them the single most common cause. Graphics drivers and network drivers are the most frequent culprits, but any driver that was recently updated or corrupted can trigger a BSOD.

To troubleshoot drivers, right-click the Start button and open Device Manager. Here you can see every driver category — display adapters (GPU), network adapters, disk drives, and more.

If you know or suspect which driver is causing the issue (BlueScreenView can tell you this), navigate to that device in Device Manager, right-click it, select Properties, go to the Driver tab, and click Roll Back Driver. You will be prompted for a reason — select any option and click Yes. This reverts to the previous driver version, which is often more stable.

If the Roll Back Driver option is grayed out, use Update Driver > Search automatically for drivers instead. Windows will check for a newer, potentially more stable driver and install it if available.

Tip: Windows Update can install driver updates without your knowledge. Check Settings > Windows Update > Update History to see if any drivers were recently updated. If they were, you can roll them back in Device Manager using the steps above.

I have dedicated tutorials that show you exactly how to install or update drivers. Check them out if you need more help:

You can also read my written guides on how to install drivers on Windows 10/11 and how to install missing drivers using Snappy Driver Installer Origin.

Fix 3: Test Your RAM for Errors

Faulty RAM is the second most common cause of blue screens, and your computer could have a bad memory stick without showing any obvious symptoms other than occasional crashes. Windows includes a built-in tool called the Windows Memory Diagnostic that can test for memory errors.

Search for “Windows Memory Diagnostic” in the Start menu and open it. Select Restart now and check for problems. Your computer will restart and display a diagnostic screen that tests your RAM for errors. This process can take quite a while depending on how much memory you have — just be patient and let it complete.

If the diagnostic tool crashes during the test, that is a strong indicator that your RAM is faulty. If you have multiple RAM sticks, you will need to remove all but one and test each stick individually to identify which one is bad.

Once the test completes and the computer restarts, if you do not see results automatically, open Event Viewer (search for it in the Start menu), navigate to Windows Logs > System, click Find, and search for MemoryDiagnostics-Results (this is case sensitive — type it exactly). The results entry will tell you whether any errors were detected.

The built-in Windows Memory Diagnostic is a decent starting point, but it is not the most thorough test available. For a definitive RAM test, I always recommend MemTest86, which runs outside of Windows and catches errors the built-in tool can miss. I have an in-depth tutorial on how to use it:

Read the full written guide on how to test RAM for errors with MemTest86.

Fix 4: Check Your Hard Drive or SSD Health

If your RAM tests come back clean, the next thing to check is your storage drives. A failing hard drive or SSD with bad sectors or file system corruption can cause blue screens with stop codes like KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR or CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED.

To run a disk check, right-click the Start button and open Terminal or PowerShell as Admin. Run the following command:

chkdsk C: /f /r

Replace C: with whatever drive letter you want to test. If you have multiple drives, test each one. When prompted, type Y and press Enter to schedule the check for the next restart. Restart your computer, and when you see the message about skipping disk checking — do not press any key. Let it run the full check.

If your computer crashes during the Check Disk process, that is a strong sign that the drive is failing and may need to be replaced.

Check Disk is a good start, but it can only detect certain types of errors — it cannot check for physical issues or predict drive failure. For a more thorough test, I recommend using your SSD manufacturer’s diagnostic software, or the SeaTools desktop edition which works with any hard drive or SSD brand:

Read the full guide on how to test your hard drive or SSD health.

Fix 5: Repair Corrupt Windows System Files

Corrupt Windows system files can cause blue screens even when your hardware is perfectly healthy. Windows includes two built-in repair tools — DISM and SFC — that can scan for and fix corrupted files automatically. Run these commands in order from an Admin Terminal or PowerShell (right-click the Start button to open it).

First, run the DISM command:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

This scans the Windows component store for corruption and repairs it using Windows Update as a source for clean files. It can take 10-30 minutes depending on your system — be patient and let it finish completely.

Then, run the SFC command:

sfc /scannow

This performs a second verification pass on all protected system files. It is faster than DISM and will tell you if it found and repaired any corrupt files. After running both commands, restart your computer and check if the blue screens have stopped.

Fix 6: Boot into Safe Mode and Use System Restore

If you have reached this point, your system probably will not boot normally and you are stuck in a blue screen loop during startup. When this happens, Windows should automatically bring you to the Windows Recovery Environment after a few failed boot attempts.

To enter Safe Mode: From the Recovery screen, go to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings, click Restart, then press 4 on your keyboard to enable Safe Mode. Safe Mode starts Windows with only the most essential drivers and services, which lets you troubleshoot without the problematic driver or software interfering.

Once in Safe Mode, you can perform all the fixes from earlier in this guide — uninstall recently added software, uninstall Windows updates, roll back drivers in Device Manager, and run the DISM and SFC commands. After making changes, restart and see if Windows boots normally.

To use System Restore: If Safe Mode does not help, go back to the Recovery screen and navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > System Restore. Click Next, and you will see a list of available restore points — previous snapshots of your system from when it was working properly. Click “Show more restore points” if needed, select one from before the blue screens started, and click Finish to begin the restore.

Note: System Restore only works if your computer had restore points enabled. If no restore points are available, you will need to move on to the next fix.

Fix 7: Clean Install Windows (Last Resort)

If nothing else has worked, your last software-based option is a fresh Windows installation. This wipes everything and gives you a clean slate, which eliminates any software-related cause of the blue screens. There are two ways to do this.

Option 1 — Reset this PC: From the Recovery screen, go to Troubleshoot > Reset this PC. Choose Keep my files (removes apps and settings but preserves personal files), then select Cloud download to get a fresh copy of the Windows system files directly from Microsoft.

Option 2 — Full clean install (recommended): For the most reliable result, do a complete clean install using a USB drive with a fresh Windows ISO. I have a full tutorial on how to use Winhance’s Windows Installation Media Utility to create a custom ISO that is already debloated and optimized from the moment you reach the desktop:

Important: Before doing a clean install, back up all of your important files to a separate drive. A clean install completely wipes the drive you are installing Windows to — everything on it will be permanently deleted.

What If Windows Still Blue Screens After a Clean Install?

If you are still getting blue screens after a completely fresh Windows installation, you are almost certainly dealing with faulty hardware. At this point, the problem is either failing RAM, a dying hard drive or SSD, a faulty graphics card, or in rare cases a failing motherboard or CPU.

If you have already tested your RAM and drives using the methods above and they passed, the next step is to stress test your graphics card for errors:

If the GPU also passes, I would recommend taking your computer to a professional repair shop or contacting your system manufacturer. Motherboard and CPU failures are difficult to diagnose without specialized equipment.

Secure Your Connection with ProtonVPN

While troubleshooting your PC, it is worth securing your internet connection too. I personally use ProtonVPN — they have a genuinely free tier with unlimited bandwidth and no logs, which is rare for a VPN provider. The free version auto-connects to the fastest available server, making it great for everyday private browsing.

If you need to pick a specific country (like for streaming), you will need their paid plan. This video is not sponsored by ProtonVPN, but the links below are affiliate links — if you decide to upgrade, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, and it helps support the channel.

• ProtonVPN Free (Unlimited Data)
• ProtonVPN Plus (Special Deal)

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a blue screen of death mean my computer is broken?

Not usually. The majority of blue screens are caused by software issues — bad drivers, corrupt system files, or problematic Windows updates — all of which can be fixed without replacing any hardware. You should only suspect faulty hardware if blue screens continue after a clean install of Windows.

What is the most common cause of BSOD in Windows?

Drivers are responsible for approximately 70% of all blue screens in Windows 10 and 11. Graphics card drivers (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel) and network adapter drivers are the most frequent culprits. Rolling back a recently updated driver or installing the latest stable version from the manufacturer’s website usually resolves the issue.

How do I find out what caused my blue screen?

Download the free tool BlueScreenView by NirSoft. It reads the crash dump files that Windows automatically saves each time a blue screen occurs and displays the exact stop code and the specific driver or process that triggered the crash. You can then search for that stop code or driver name to find a targeted fix.

Can a Windows update cause a blue screen?

Yes, this happens more often than you would expect. Windows updates can install new drivers or change system components in ways that cause instability on certain hardware configurations. If your blue screens started right after an update, go to Settings > Windows Update > Update History > Uninstall Updates and remove the most recent update to see if that resolves it.

Will I lose my files if I get a blue screen?

In most cases, no. The blue screen is actually Windows protecting your data — it halts everything before file corruption can occur, and your files should be intact after a restart. However, if the blue screens are being caused by a failing hard drive or SSD, there is a real risk of data loss over time. This is why I always recommend having regular backups of your important files on a separate drive.

This post SOLVED: Blue Screen of Death in Windows 10/11 (EVERY Fix!) first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

If the Microsoft Store won’t open on Windows 10 or 11, the fastest first step is to run wsreset.exe to clear the Store cache — it takes under a minute and fixes most cases. If the Store still won’t open, uninstall it through PowerShell and reinstall it cleanly via the Xbox app. As a last resort, an in-place upgrade or using Winhance to reinstall the Store can bring it back without losing any files.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: May 27, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Running wsreset.exe clears the Microsoft Store cache and resolves most “Store won’t open” issues in under a minute — try this first before anything else.
• If wsreset doesn’t help, resetting the Store through Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Microsoft Store > Advanced options > Reset wipes the app data without uninstalling it.
• The nuclear option is to uninstall Store via PowerShell with Get-AppxPackage -allusers *WindowsStore* | Remove-AppxPackage and reinstall through the Xbox app — this clears fully corrupted installations.
• If none of the above work, an in-place upgrade repairs core Windows components without wiping your files, and restores a working Microsoft Store in the process.
• Winhance has a built-in option to reinstall the Microsoft Store with one click, which is the easiest method if you already have it installed.

In This Guide

This guide covers four methods to fix the Microsoft Store not opening, starting with the quickest and least invasive:

• Method 1: Run wsreset.exe — Clears the Store cache in seconds. Try this first. (Recommended starting point)
• Method 2: Reset the Store via Settings — Wipes app data without uninstalling. Good middle step.
• Method 3: Reinstall Store via PowerShell + Xbox App — Full uninstall and clean reinstall for corrupted installations.
• Method 4: In-Place Upgrade or Winhance — Last resort options if everything else fails.

Quick Steps

1. Press Win + R, type wsreset.exe, press Enter — wait for Store to reopen automatically
2. If that fails: Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Microsoft Store > Advanced options > Reset
3. If that fails: Open PowerShell as Administrator and run Get-AppxPackage -allusers *WindowsStore* | Remove-AppxPackage
4. Download the Xbox app from Xbox.com, install it, click Browse the catalog
5. Click “Review now” on the missing components banner, find Microsoft Store, click Install
6. Restart your PC once installation completes

Why Microsoft Store Stops Opening

In my years running a computer repair shop, the Microsoft Store refusing to open was one of the most common app complaints I dealt with. It almost always came down to corrupted app files or a stuck cache. This can happen after a Windows update goes wrong, after an interrupted Store update, or after using certain debloating scripts that accidentally strip out files the Store depends on.

The good news is there are multiple fixes that escalate from a 30-second cache clear to a full reinstall. Work through them in order — most people only need the first or second method.

Method 1: Run wsreset.exe (Start Here)

The wsreset.exe tool is built into Windows specifically to clear the Microsoft Store cache. It runs silently, clears the cache files, then automatically relaunches the Store. On Windows 10 and 11, this fixes the “Store won’t open” issue roughly half the time.

Press Win + R to open the Run dialog, type the command below, and press Enter:

wsreset.exe

A blank Command Prompt window will appear and stay open for about 10-15 seconds while the cache clears. Don’t close it. When it’s done, the Microsoft Store will launch automatically. If the Store opens normally, you’re done — no further steps needed.

Tip: You can also search for “wsreset” in the Start menu and run it from there — same result.

Method 2: Reset the Store via Settings

If wsreset didn’t fix it, the next step is to reset the Microsoft Store app through Windows Settings. This wipes the app’s local data and resets it to defaults without fully uninstalling it — a deeper clean than wsreset but less drastic than a full reinstall.

Open Settings and navigate to Apps > Installed apps. Find Microsoft Store in the list (you can search for it), click the three-dot menu next to it, and select Advanced options. Scroll down to the Reset section and click Reset, then confirm. The reset takes a few seconds. Once it’s done, try opening the Microsoft Store again.

Note: On Windows 10, the path is Settings > Apps > Apps & features > Microsoft Store > Advanced options > Reset.

Method 3: Reinstall Store via PowerShell and Xbox App

When the Store’s installation is genuinely corrupted — not just cached data but the actual app files — resetting it won’t be enough. The fix is to fully uninstall the Microsoft Store via PowerShell, then reinstall a clean copy through the Xbox app. The Xbox app is the cleanest path because Microsoft Store is listed as one of its required dependencies, giving you a one-click reinstall option from inside the app.

Step 1: Uninstall Microsoft Store via PowerShell

Right-click the Start button and select PowerShell (Admin) or Terminal (Admin). If you don’t see either option, search for PowerShell in the Start menu, right-click it, and choose “Run as administrator.”

Once PowerShell is open, paste in this command and press Enter:

Get-AppxPackage -allusers *WindowsStore* | Remove-AppxPackage

Wait for the command to finish, then close PowerShell. The Microsoft Store is now uninstalled. You won’t be able to open it until you complete the reinstall steps below.

Step 2: Download and Install the Xbox App

Open your browser and go to Xbox.com (or search for “Xbox app for Windows”). Scroll down to find the “Download the app” button and click it. Once the installer downloads, run it, accept the terms, and click Install. When installation finishes, click “Let’s go” to open the Xbox app.

Step 3: Reinstall Microsoft Store Through the Xbox App

In the Xbox app, click Browse the catalog. Near the top of the screen, you should see a banner that says there are missing components for the Xbox app. Click Review now to see the full list of dependencies, which includes Microsoft Store. Click Install next to Microsoft Store.

If you don’t see the missing components banner, click the sign-in button in the top-right corner of the Xbox app, then go to Settings > General. The dependency list will be there even without the banner. Find Microsoft Store in the list and click Install. It may take a few minutes. When it’s done, you’ll get a notification confirming the Store was installed. Try opening it normally now.

Tip: If the Xbox app itself won’t install, make sure Windows is up to date via Settings > Windows Update. Missing system updates can occasionally block app installations.

Method 4: In-Place Upgrade or Winhance (Last Resort)

If the reinstall via Xbox app didn’t fix things, the issue likely goes deeper than just the Store files — something in the underlying Windows component infrastructure may be broken. At this point there are two solid options.

Option A: In-Place Upgrade

An in-place upgrade reinstalls Windows over itself, repairing all core system files and restoring default apps including the Microsoft Store — without wiping your personal files, apps, or settings. I have a full guide on how to perform an in-place upgrade on Windows that walks through the process step by step. It takes about 30 minutes and is one of the most thorough repair options available without doing a clean install.

Option B: Reinstall Store via Winhance

If you have Winhance installed, it includes a built-in option to reinstall the Microsoft Store with a single click. Open Winhance, go to the Apps section, find Microsoft Store under Windows Apps, and use the reinstall option. This handles the PowerShell commands in the background so you don’t have to do them manually. If you previously used Winhance to remove the Store and now want it back, this is the easiest restoration path.

You can also check the consolidated guide on reinstalling a missing Microsoft Store for additional methods and scenarios, including cases where the Store was removed intentionally through debloating and needs to be restored.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will uninstalling Microsoft Store delete my installed apps?

No. Uninstalling the Microsoft Store app itself does not remove any apps you already have installed on your PC. Your games, tools, and apps stay exactly where they are. You just lose access to the Store interface until you reinstall it.

Why did the Microsoft Store stop opening in the first place?

The most common causes are corrupted app files from a failed Windows update, an interrupted Store update, or third-party cleanup tools that accidentally removed files the Store depends on. It can also happen after using certain debloating scripts that strip out core app components without accounting for dependencies. Running Winhance instead of unverified scripts is a safer way to debloat because it tracks what’s removed and provides restore options.

Can I install apps while the Store is broken?

Yes. Most apps can be downloaded directly from the developer’s website or installed using WinGet from the command line. WinGet is a package manager built into Windows 10 and 11 that lets you install thousands of apps without needing the Store at all. If you need apps that are Store-exclusive, the reinstall steps above are the way to go.

What if the PowerShell uninstall command returns an error?

The most common cause is not running PowerShell as Administrator. Right-click the PowerShell or Terminal icon and confirm you selected “Run as administrator” before entering the command. If you see an access denied error even as admin, try restarting Windows first and then running the command again from a fresh admin terminal.

Does Microsoft Store not opening affect other Windows features?

In most cases, no. The rest of Windows continues working normally even when the Store is broken. However, some built-in Windows apps (like the Xbox Game Bar) do rely on Store infrastructure and may behave unexpectedly if the Store’s underlying components are corrupted. Fixing the Store usually resolves those secondary issues too.

This post How to Fix Microsoft Store Not Opening on Windows 10 & 11 (4 Methods) first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

The January 2026 Windows 11 update KB5074109 caused remote desktop failures, Windows 11 23H2 shutdown problems, classic Control Panel crashes, and reports of random black screens. If you are still affected, install the follow-up out-of-band patch from the Microsoft Update Catalog that matches your Windows version, or uninstall KB5074109 entirely.

Applies to: Windows 11 (24H2, 25H2), Windows 11 23H2 Enterprise, Windows 10 22H2 with Extended Security Updates, and Windows Server 2023 and 2025 | Last updated: May 15, 2026

Key Takeaways

• KB5074109 (January 2026) shipped 114 CVE patches plus the prior month’s optional preview features — and the bundled feature payload caused most of the breakage, not the security fixes themselves.
• Microsoft has confirmed three bugs: Remote Desktop failures, Windows 11 23H2 Enterprise shutdown failures, and classic Control Panel crashes. Out-of-band fixes for the first two shipped in late January 2026; Control Panel was patched in the February 2026 cumulative.
• If you already installed KB5074109, install the matching follow-up update from the Microsoft Update Catalog (different KB per architecture and Windows build), or uninstall KB5074109 outright via Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates.
• If you have not installed it yet, pause updates for one to two weeks and let the dust settle. Microsoft now offers up to a 5-week pause from Settings > Windows Update.
• Do not enable “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” on production PCs. That toggle opts you in to the optional preview pipeline that broke this update.

Quick Steps to Recover From KB5074109

1. Identify your Windows version: press Windows + R, type winver, and press Enter.
2. Open the Microsoft Update Catalog and download the matching out-of-band patch (24H2 x64, 25H2 x64, 24H2 ARM64, or 25H2 ARM64).
3. Double-click the downloaded .msu file and follow the installer.
4. If the patch does not resolve your issue, uninstall KB5074109 from Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates.
5. Pause updates for at least a week: Settings > Windows Update > Pause for 1 week.
6. Turn off Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available in Settings > Windows Update.

What KB5074109 Broke, and What Microsoft Has Since Fixed

The January 2026 cumulative update (KB5074109 on Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2, different KB numbers on 23H2 Enterprise, Windows 10 ESU, and Windows Server 2023/2025) shipped on January 14, 2026 with 114 CVE patches. Within 72 hours, Microsoft acknowledged three issues on the Windows release health dashboard.

• Remote Desktop connections failing — initiating an RDP session would time out or drop immediately. Patched in an out-of-band update on January 18, 2026.
• Windows 11 23H2 Enterprise will not shut down — the system hung on “Shutting down” indefinitely. Patched in the same out-of-band update.
• Classic Control Panel crashes on launch — opening any legacy Control Panel applet immediately closed the window. This one took longer and was resolved in the February 2026 monthly cumulative (KB5081xxx series).

Beyond Microsoft’s confirmed list, community reports flagged random black screens during normal use, broken USB peripherals in some configurations, and intermittent File Explorer freezes. If you ran into something unusual that lined up timing-wise with this update, you were almost certainly not imagining it.

Why Did This Update Break So Many Things?

According to Microsoft’s own Windows Monthly Updates Explained blog, the KB5074109 release notes specifically state that it “includes non-security updates from last month’s optional preview release.” That language is the smoking gun.

Optional non-security preview releases ship in the fourth week of each month and are intended as a beta channel for next month’s features. Microsoft then bundles those features into the following month’s mandatory cumulative security update. The result: you cannot patch CVEs without also accepting whatever features made it through the preview pipeline, however buggy. I think that is the wrong trade-off. Security updates and feature updates should be installable separately, the way they were on Windows 7.

The setting that opts you into the preview pipeline is Settings > Windows Update > Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available. Toggling this on signs you up to receive optional preview builds before they ship in the monthly cumulative. On a test machine or virtual machine, that is useful. On a production PC, it is a recipe for the exact situation KB5074109 caused.

Fix 1: Install the Out-of-Band Patch From Microsoft Update Catalog

Microsoft published rushed out-of-band patches for the Remote Desktop and 23H2 shutdown bugs on January 18, 2026. They are not delivered through normal Windows Update — you have to download them manually from the Microsoft Update Catalog.

The catalog lists separate downloads per architecture and per Windows version. You need the one that matches your system exactly:

• Windows 11 24H2 x64-based systems
• Windows 11 25H2 x64-based systems
• Windows 11 24H2 ARM64-based systems
• Windows 11 25H2 ARM64-based systems

To check which version you have, press Windows + R, type winver, and press Enter. Note the version (24H2 or 25H2) and confirm the architecture in Settings > System > About > System type. Then download the matching .msu file, double-click it, and the Windows Update Standalone Installer will apply the patch and prompt for a reboot.

Note: If you are on Windows 11 23H2 Enterprise, Windows 10 22H2 with Extended Security Updates, or Windows Server 2023/2025, the out-of-band patches use different KB numbers. Search the catalog for the KB referenced in the Windows release health dashboard entry for your build.

Fix 2: Uninstall KB5074109 Entirely

If the out-of-band patch did not resolve your issue, or you would rather just back out of the bad update, uninstall KB5074109 directly. This rolls your system back to where it was the day before the January 2026 cumulative installed.

1. Open Settings > Windows Update > Update history.
2. Scroll to the bottom and click Uninstall updates.
3. Find 2026-01 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 (KB5074109) in the list and click Uninstall.
4. Restart when prompted.

Once it is gone, immediately pause updates so Windows does not reinstall the same KB on its next check. For a deeper walkthrough that covers the update cache too, read my full guide on uninstalling Windows 11 updates and clearing the update cache.

Fix 3: If You Have Not Installed KB5074109 Yet, Pause Updates

If your PC has not pulled the January 2026 cumulative yet, do not let it. The cleanest way to defer it is the built-in pause feature:

1. Open Settings > Windows Update.
2. Next to Pause updates, click the dropdown and select one to five weeks.
3. While you are there, confirm Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available is toggled off.

For finer-grained control — like blocking specific feature upgrades while still pulling security patches — see my guide on locking your Windows version with the registry. Winhance, my free Windows enhancement utility, exposes the same settings through a UI and includes additional update controls.

My Personal Approach to Windows Updates

I do not install Windows updates the moment they release, and I keep the Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available toggle off on every production machine. The only place I enable it is in a virtual machine, so I can test Winhance against the newest builds and record videos about new features.

For my main PCs I wait two to three weeks after a cumulative releases before installing. Microsoft almost always ships a follow-up out-of-band patch in that window for whatever the latest cumulative broke, and waiting lets me install both at once with the worst bugs already filtered out. It is not a perfect approach, but it has saved me from every major buggy update since I started doing it in 2024.

A Pattern of Buggy Windows Updates

The January 2026 mess is not an outlier. 2025 was full of similar incidents and each one followed the same arc: cumulative ships, breakage gets reported, Microsoft confirms a subset of the bugs, an out-of-band patch follows. Notable examples:

• July 2025 — Start menu, taskbar, File Explorer, and Settings broke after the monthly cumulative because core shell components stopped initializing correctly.
• October 2025 — Task Manager’s close button hid the window but left the process running. Memory usage climbed as ghost instances accumulated.
• USB devices in WinRE — A 2025 update broke USB keyboard and mouse input inside the Windows Recovery Environment, making it impossible to use the recovery tools to fix the very PC the update had broken.
• November 2025 — A bad Nvidia driver shipped through Windows Update caused widespread gaming stutter and crashes.

Buggy Windows updates are not new — Windows 7 and Windows 10 had their share. What is new is that there is no longer a way to opt out of a feature while still taking the security patch. On Windows 7 you could right-click an individual update and hide it. On Windows 11 you take the whole bundle or you take nothing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is KB5074109 fixed now?

The two bugs Microsoft fixed first — Remote Desktop failures and the 23H2 Enterprise shutdown hang — were patched on January 18, 2026 via out-of-band updates on the Microsoft Update Catalog. The Classic Control Panel crash was rolled into the February 2026 monthly cumulative. If you install the February 2026 cumulative or later, you should not need to take any of the manual steps in this guide.

Is it safe to uninstall the January 2026 Windows update?

Yes, uninstalling KB5074109 is safe and reversible. You will temporarily lose 114 CVE patches, so it is worth pausing updates and reinstalling the next monthly cumulative when it ships — which by definition includes everything KB5074109 contained, plus the fixes. Do not leave an uninstalled cumulative state for longer than a couple of weeks if your PC is exposed to the internet.

Why does Microsoft bundle features with security updates?

Microsoft calls it “continuous innovation.” Features get tested in the optional non-security preview release in week four of each month, then ship to everyone via the next month’s mandatory cumulative. The trade-off is that you cannot patch CVEs without also accepting whatever feature changes rode along, which is exactly what burned everyone with KB5074109.

How do I keep buggy updates from installing automatically?

The easiest method is the built-in pause in Settings > Windows Update — up to five weeks at a time. For more durable control, you can lock your current Windows version via the registry to block feature upgrades while still receiving security patches. Winhance exposes the same registry-level controls through a UI.

What other Windows 11 updates caused problems in the past year?

2025 had several. The July 2025 cumulative broke the Start menu, taskbar, and File Explorer. October 2025 introduced the Task Manager ghost-process bug where closing the window left the process running and consuming RAM. A 2025 update also broke USB input inside the Windows Recovery Environment. November 2025 shipped a bad Nvidia driver through Windows Update. The January 2026 release fits the pattern.

This post Windows 11 January 2026 Update (KB5074109) Issues & Fix first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

To remove the “Learn more about this picture” icon from your Windows 11 desktop, right-click the desktop, choose Personalize > Background, and change Personalize your background from Windows spotlight to Picture or Solid color. If that dropdown is greyed out or the icon keeps coming back, add a DWORD called DisableSpotlightCollectionOnDesktop set to 1 under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent and restart. Both methods are reversible.

Applies to: Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: May 18, 2026

Key Takeaways

• The icon is part of Windows Spotlight — it only shows up when your desktop background is set to Windows spotlight, the rotating wallpaper feed from Microsoft
• The fastest fix is to switch your background — Personalize > Background > Picture or Solid color removes the icon immediately without touching the registry
• If the Background dropdown is greyed out, a registry DWORD called DisableSpotlightCollectionOnDesktop under HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent set to 1 hides the icon while keeping Spotlight wallpapers running
• Winhance can do this for you — the desktop tweaks in Winhance disable Spotlight desktop content as part of a wider Windows debloat
• Everything here is reversible — switch the background back to Windows spotlight or change the DWORD to 0 to restore the icon

Quick Steps

1. Right-click an empty area of your desktop and select Personalize
2. Click Background
3. Change Personalize your background from Windows spotlight to Picture or Solid color — the icon disappears straight away
4. If that dropdown is greyed out, open Registry Editor as administrator
5. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent (create the CloudContent key if it does not exist)
6. Create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value named DisableSpotlightCollectionOnDesktop and set it to 1
7. Restart your PC — the “Learn more about this picture” icon will be gone

In This Guide

This guide covers four ways to get the icon off your desktop, from the simplest one-click fix to a full Spotlight disable:

• Method 1: Change your desktop background — fastest fix, no registry, no restart. (Recommended)
• Method 2: Registry edit (manual) — for when the Background dropdown is greyed out or the icon keeps coming back.
• Method 3: One-line reg add command — same registry change as a copy-paste command for Terminal or Command Prompt.
• Method 4: Disable Windows Spotlight entirely — removes the icon and the rotating wallpaper feed in one go.

Why the “Learn More About This Picture” Icon Appears

The icon is added by Windows Spotlight, the feature that rotates curated wallpapers on your desktop and pulls a short caption for each image. When Spotlight is set as your background, Windows 11 drops a desktop shortcut so you can click through to learn more about whatever photo is currently on screen.

It is a cosmetic feature, not something Windows needs to function. If you do not use it, the icon just clutters an otherwise clean desktop. Removing it does not affect file shortcuts, system icons, or any other part of Windows 11 — only that one Spotlight icon goes away.

Method 1: Change Your Desktop Background (Recommended)

This is the fastest way to remove the icon. Because the “Learn more about this picture” shortcut only exists while Spotlight is your active background, switching to a regular picture or solid color removes it instantly. No restart, no registry, no admin rights needed.

1. Right-click an empty area of your desktop and select Personalize. Settings opens straight to the Personalization page.
2. Click Background.
3. Under Personalize your background, change the dropdown from Windows spotlight to Picture, Solid color, or Slideshow.

The icon disappears the moment you change the background. You can pick any of Windows 11’s stock wallpapers, browse for your own image, or pick a solid color — whichever you prefer. If you change your mind later, switching back to Windows spotlight brings the icon back.

Tip: If you like Spotlight’s rotating wallpapers but hate the icon, skip to Method 2 — that registry tweak keeps Spotlight running but hides the desktop shortcut.

Method 2: Registry Edit (Manual Walkthrough)

Use this method if the Background dropdown is greyed out, if the icon keeps reappearing after a Windows update, or if you want to keep Windows Spotlight wallpapers running and only hide the icon. The registry change sits in the user hive, so it does not need an elevated Windows account — only the Registry Editor itself runs as administrator.

1. Click the Start button and type Registry Editor. Right-click Registry Editor in the results and choose Run as administrator. Click Yes on the UAC prompt.
2. Copy the following path and paste it into the address bar at the top of Registry Editor, then press Enter:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent

If the CloudContent key does not exist, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows, right-click Windows, choose New > Key, and name it CloudContent. Then open it.

3. In the right pane, right-click the empty space and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
4. Name the new value exactly:

DisableSpotlightCollectionOnDesktop

5. Double-click the new DWORD, change Value data from 0 to 1, and click OK.
6. If you spot any other Spotlight-related DWORDs in the same key that you did not create (some debloat scripts add conflicting entries), delete them so your new setting takes priority.
7. Close Registry Editor and restart your PC. After Windows boots back up, the “Learn more about this picture” icon is gone, even if Spotlight is still your background.

Note: The registry path lives under Policies, which is the same area group policy uses. On Windows 11 Pro you can also enable this via gpedit.msc > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Cloud Content > Turn off Spotlight collection on Desktop. The end result is identical.

Method 3: One-Line reg add Command

If you would rather skip clicking through Registry Editor, the same change can be applied with a single command. Right-click the Start button, open Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin), and paste the line below:

reg add "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent" /v DisableSpotlightCollectionOnDesktop /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

This works in both Command Prompt and PowerShell. The /f flag tells Windows to overwrite the value without asking, and the command creates the CloudContent key automatically if it does not exist. Restart your PC for the change to take effect.

To reverse it, run the same command with /d 0 instead of /d 1, or delete the value entirely:

reg delete "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent" /v DisableSpotlightCollectionOnDesktop /f

Method 4: Disable Windows Spotlight Entirely

The “Learn more about this picture” icon is just one symptom of Windows Spotlight being active. If you also want the rotating wallpapers gone — including the Spotlight icons on the lock screen and in Search Highlights — turning Spotlight off entirely is the nuclear option. The icon goes away as a side effect.

I have a full walkthrough on every place Spotlight shows up in Windows 11 and how to disable each one: how to disable Windows Spotlight on Windows 11. If you want the cleanest desktop possible, that is the post to follow next.

If you would rather not edit anything manually, Winhance disables Spotlight desktop content as part of its standard Windows debloat. One toggle removes the icon and a stack of other Microsoft promotional content at the same time — no registry edits, no command line, fully reversible from the Winhance UI.

Related Customization Tweaks

If the Learn More icon was bothering you, there are probably a few other Windows 11 defaults worth tidying up while you are in this mood. A few popular ones from the site:

• Full Windows 11 desktop customization guide — taskbar, icons, themes, and Start menu cleanup in one place.
• Customize the Windows 11 right-click context menu — bring back the classic menu and trim entries you do not use.
• Disable News and Interests on Windows 11 — another registry-driven cleanup for the taskbar widget.
• Remove Windows 11 bloatware using Microsoft’s official method — covers the wider preinstalled-apps cleanup on 25H2.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will removing this icon disable Windows Spotlight wallpapers?

Not if you use the registry method. The DisableSpotlightCollectionOnDesktop DWORD only hides the desktop icon — Spotlight keeps rotating wallpapers as normal. If you use Method 1 and switch your background type to Picture or Solid color, you lose the rotating wallpapers along with the icon, because the wallpapers are the Spotlight feature itself.

Does this affect other desktop icons like the Recycle Bin?

No. The fixes in this guide target only the Spotlight “Learn more about this picture” shortcut. Recycle Bin, This PC, your installed application shortcuts, and any files or folders you have on the desktop are untouched. You can still right-click the desktop and use View > Show desktop icons as a global on/off switch if you ever want everything gone.

Why does the icon keep coming back after a Windows update?

Feature updates and some cumulative updates re-seed Personalization defaults, and if Spotlight ends up active again the icon comes with it. The registry method (Methods 2 and 3) survives most updates because the policy DWORD persists. If it ever does get cleared, re-running the one-line reg add command from Method 3 takes about two seconds to put it back.

Does this work on Windows 10?

Not directly. Windows 10 has Spotlight on the lock screen, but the desktop-Spotlight feature that adds the “Learn more about this picture” icon is a Windows 11 addition. If you are on Windows 10 and still see something similar, it is more likely a shortcut from a third-party wallpaper app — check Settings > Apps for anything you did not install yourself.

Can I undo these changes later?

Yes — both methods are fully reversible. For Method 1, set your background back to Windows spotlight in Personalize > Background and the icon returns. For Methods 2 and 3, either change the DWORD value from 1 to 0 or delete the value entirely with reg delete "HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent" /v DisableSpotlightCollectionOnDesktop /f, then restart.

Is editing the registry safe for this tweak?

This specific change is safe — it sits under the user-policy hive and only affects Spotlight desktop content. The general rule still applies though: do not touch other values in Registry Editor while you are in there, and consider creating a System Restore point before you start if you are new to it. If anything looks wrong, the one-line reg delete command in Method 3 removes the value cleanly.

This post Remove Learn More About This Picture on Windows 11 (4 Ways) first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

If the Extend Volume option is greyed out on your C drive in Windows 10 or Windows 11, a recovery partition is sitting between your C drive and the unallocated space and blocking the extension. The fix is to disable the recovery environment with reagentc /disable, delete the recovery partition with diskpart, extend the C drive, then recreate and re-register the recovery partition with reagentc /enable.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: April 30, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Extend Volume is greyed out when a recovery or boot partition sits between the C drive and the unallocated space — Windows can only extend into space that is contiguous and immediately to the right of the partition.
• Disk Management cannot move partitions, so the recovery partition has to be deleted with diskpart‘s delete partition override command, then recreated after the C drive is extended.
• Save the original recovery partition’s Type ID and GPT Attributes before deleting it — you need both values to recreate a working recovery partition.
• The boot/EFI partition cannot be moved with built-in tools, so a few hundred megabytes of unallocated space may remain unreachable; a third-party partition manager like AOMEI Partition Assistant can shift it if you need every byte.
• Always run reagentc /enable at the end to register the new recovery partition — without it, Windows recovery features (reset, advanced startup) will not work.

Quick Steps

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run reagentc /disable.
2. Launch diskpart, select your disk (list disk → select disk 0), then list partitions and select the recovery partition.
3. Run detail partition and copy the Type ID and Attributes into Notepad.
4. Run delete partition override to remove the recovery partition.
5. Right-click your C drive in Disk Management and choose Extend Volume to claim the freed space.
6. Shrink 1 GB back off the C drive, create a new simple volume, and apply the saved Type ID and Attributes.
7. Remove the auto-assigned drive letter, exit diskpart, and run reagentc /enable.

Why Is Extend Volume Greyed Out?

Disk Management can only extend a volume into unallocated space that sits immediately to the right of it on the same physical disk. If anything is in between — a recovery partition, an EFI/boot partition, or a leftover Windows installer partition — the option is greyed out, even when there is plenty of free space further along the disk.

I ran into this myself while making my Install Windows 11 without a USB drive guide — the installer left a partition behind, and the recovery partition sitting between my C drive and that unallocated space made the Extend Volume option unavailable. Disk Management has no built-in way to move partitions, which is why we have to delete and recreate the recovery partition manually.

Warning: This procedure touches system partitions. One wrong selection in diskpart can leave your PC unbootable. Back up important files first, and if you are not comfortable with command-line work, use a third-party partition manager (covered later) instead.

Before You Start

• Administrator account on Windows 10 22H2 or Windows 11 (any build).
• At least 1 GB of unallocated space sitting after the recovery partition.
• A current backup of important data — diskpart will not warn you twice.
• Notepad open and ready to paste the recovery partition details.

Step 1: Delete Any Leftover Installer Partition

If you followed my Windows-without-USB guide, there will be a Windows installer partition on the same disk. Right-click it in Disk Management and choose Delete Volume — it is just a temporary holding area and is safe to remove. The space becomes part of the unallocated block.

Step 2: Disable the Recovery Environment

Open Start, type cmd, and run Command Prompt as administrator. Disable Windows RE before touching the recovery partition:

reagentc /disable

You should see “Operation Successful”. This unbinds the running OS from the partition so deleting it will not break the recovery configuration.

Step 3: Capture the Recovery Partition Details

Stay in the same Command Prompt window. Launch diskpart and select the disk that contains your Windows installation:

diskpart
list disk
select disk 0
list partition

Find the Recovery partition (usually 500 MB to 1 GB and labelled Recovery), select it, then ask for its details:

select partition 2
detail partition

Replace 2 with the actual partition number from the list. The output shows a Type GUID and an Attributes hex value — copy both into Notepad. You will need them at the end to recreate a working recovery partition.

Step 4: Delete the Recovery Partition

With the recovery partition still selected, delete it. The override flag is required because Windows otherwise refuses to delete system partitions:

delete partition override

Diskpart confirms with “DiskPart successfully deleted the selected partition.” If you have an EFI/boot partition between the C drive and the freed space, it will stay in place — that is normal and you cannot remove it with built-in tools.

Step 5: Extend the C Drive

Switch back to Disk Management. Press F5 to refresh, right-click the C drive, and choose Extend Volume. Walk through the wizard, accept the maximum available space (or set a custom amount), and finish. The C drive now occupies the freed-up space.

Step 6: Recreate the Recovery Partition

Right-click the C drive again and choose Shrink Volume. Enter 1000 MB (1 GB) and click Shrink — that gives you exactly enough room for a new recovery partition. Right-click the new unallocated block and pick New Simple Volume, click Next through every screen, and finish with default settings.

Back in Command Prompt, return to diskpart and select the new 1 GB partition:

diskpart
list disk
select disk 0
list partition
select partition 2

Use the partition number that matches the new volume. Now apply the saved Type ID and GPT attributes from Notepad — substitute the actual values you copied earlier:

set id=de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac
gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001

Tip: The values above are the standard Windows recovery partition Type ID and required hidden/system attributes — they will work in most cases, but always prefer the exact strings you captured from your own system in Step 3.

Step 7: Remove the Drive Letter and Re-enable Recovery

Setting the partition type does not remove the drive letter Disk Management auto-assigned. List volumes, find the new “New Volume” entry, select it, and remove the letter:

list volume
select volume 1
remove letter=D

Replace 1 with the actual volume number and D with the actual drive letter. Exit diskpart and re-register the recovery environment:

exit
reagentc /enable

“Operation Successful” confirms Windows RE is bound to the new partition and Reset, Advanced Startup, and the recovery menu work again.

When Some Space Stays Stranded

If your EFI partition sits between the C drive and the unallocated space, a few hundred megabytes will remain unreachable after this procedure — in my own setup, 529 MB stayed stranded next to the boot partition. Do not try to delete the EFI partition; doing so will prevent Windows from booting.

If you need every byte, a tool like AOMEI Partition Assistant can move the EFI partition without breaking the boot configuration. For most users, leaving 500 MB stranded is a reasonable trade-off compared to the risk of moving boot files.

Alternative: Skip Diskpart Entirely

If the diskpart route looks too risky, two safer paths get you the same result:

• Third-party partition manager. AOMEI Partition Assistant or MiniTool Partition Wizard can resize and move system partitions inside Windows with no command-line work. Both have free editions that handle this scenario.
• Clean install with proper partitioning. If you are due for a fresh start anyway, a clean Windows 11 install with WimUtil sets up partitions correctly from the beginning. Pair it with my Winhance utility afterward to debloat and configure the new install.

Troubleshooting

Extend Volume is still greyed out after deleting the recovery partition

Another partition is still in the way — usually the EFI/boot partition or a hidden OEM recovery partition. Press F5 in Disk Management to refresh, then look at the partition layout. The C drive can only extend into space that touches its right edge with no other partition between them.

reagentc /enable returns an error

Verify the new partition has the correct Type ID and GPT Attributes from your Notepad capture, that it is at least 500 MB, and that the C drive contains winre.wim at C:\Windows\System32\Recovery. If winre.wim is missing, copy it from install.wim on your Windows ISO before retrying.

The recovery partition keeps showing a drive letter

Run diskpart, select the volume, and run remove letter=X again. If it returns after a reboot, set the GPT Attributes value to 0x8000000000000001 (hidden + required) — Windows respects that flag and stops auto-assigning a letter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose data when I delete the recovery partition?

No — the recovery partition only contains winre.wim and the recovery environment files. Your personal files live on the C drive and are untouched. The recreated recovery partition restores full Windows recovery functionality.

Does this work on Windows 10 too?

Yes. The diskpart commands and reagentc switches are identical on Windows 10 22H2 and every supported Windows 11 build. The only difference you might see is the Type ID GUID, which is why Step 3 captures the values from your own system rather than hard-coding them.

Can I delete the EFI/boot partition for more space?

No. The EFI partition holds the boot loader and removing it makes Windows unbootable. Either accept the small amount of stranded space, or use a third-party partition manager that can move the EFI partition safely.

What if reagentc /enable cannot find a recovery partition?

Windows looks for a partition with the correct Type ID and the hidden/required attributes. If reagentc /enable cannot find one, the new partition’s Type ID or Attributes are wrong — go back into diskpart and reapply the values you captured in Step 3.

Is there a faster way next time?

Use a third-party partition manager like AOMEI Partition Assistant from the start — it can move and resize the recovery partition in one step without disabling Windows RE. The diskpart method is only worth using when you want to stay with built-in Windows tools.

This post Extend Volume Greyed Out in Windows 10/11? Fix It With Diskpart first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

To reinstall Windows without losing your files, boot from a Windows USB, choose Custom: Install Windows only, and pick the existing Windows partition without formatting it. Windows Setup automatically moves your old Windows, Users folder, Desktop, Documents, and Downloads into a folder called C:\Windows.old that you can pull files from after the new install boots. Pick the correct boot mode (UEFI for GPT drives, Legacy/CSM for MBR drives) — a mismatch is the number-one reason Setup refuses to install onto the existing partition.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: April 15, 2026

Key Takeaways

• A “reinstall without losing data” works by installing the new Windows into the existing partition without formatting. Setup moves old files into C:\Windows.old, where you can rescue them afterwards.
• Programs and installed apps are not preserved — only user files. After install, reinstall apps manually or restore them from a UniGetUI bundle saved before the reinstall.
• Check your disk’s partition style with diskpart → list disk. An asterisk under GPT = GPT; no asterisk = MBR. This determines whether you boot the installer in UEFI or Legacy mode.
• If Setup shows “Windows cannot be installed on this disk — the selected disk is of the GPT/MBR partition style”, you booted the installer in the wrong mode. Reboot, change the boot mode, and pick the matching USB entry.
• Windows.old is kept for 10 days after the reinstall, then automatically deleted. Copy what you need off within that window.

Quick Steps

1. Create a Windows installation USB using Ventoy or Rufus.
2. Check the current drive’s partition style with diskpart (GPT or MBR).
3. Enter BIOS/UEFI, set the matching boot mode (UEFI for GPT, Legacy/CSM for MBR).
4. Boot from the USB using the correct firmware path (UEFI or Legacy) from the boot menu.
5. Run Windows Setup, choose Custom: Install Windows only.
6. Select the existing Windows partition without deleting or formatting it, click Next.
7. After Setup finishes, copy your files from C:\Windows.old\Users\[YourName]\ into the new user profile.
8. When you have confirmed everything is rescued, remove Windows.old via Disk Cleanup.

When This Method Is the Right Choice

This method is for when Windows is broken to the point where you can’t recover it — bootloader corrupted, Windows update failed, system files damaged, or a ransomware infection that can’t be cleaned — but the drive itself is still readable. The new Windows installs over the old one on the same partition, and your personal files survive in Windows.old.

It is not a substitute for a real backup. Before you start, if the PC still boots long enough to copy files off, do that — external drive, cloud storage, or another internal drive. Something going wrong mid-install is rare but always possible, and the only truly safe path is to already have the data somewhere else before you touch the installer.

If the PC won’t boot at all, the process still works — you’ll skip Steps 1-2 and go straight to booting from the USB. The partition-style check can be done from the installer’s Shift+F10 command prompt.

Step 1: Check the Disk’s Partition Style (GPT vs MBR)

Booting the installer in the wrong mode for your existing drive is the single most common reason a “reinstall without losing data” fails. Check the style first.

If Windows boots, open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:

diskpart
list disk
exit

Look at the Gpt column in the output. An asterisk (*) means the disk is GPT. No asterisk means it is MBR. Remember this — it drives which boot mode you pick in Step 3.

If Windows Won’t Boot

Boot into Windows Recovery by interrupting boot three times in a row (press and hold power during the spinning dots to force shutdown, repeat twice more — on the third failed boot, Windows enters Recovery automatically). Pick Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Command Prompt, then run the same diskpart / list disk commands.

Step 2: Create a Windows Installation USB

Download the latest Windows ISO and write it to a USB drive. You have two good options:

• Ventoy — my preferred multi-ISO USB tool. Install Ventoy once, then drag ISOs onto it like regular files. See my Ventoy rescue disk guide.
• Rufus — the dedicated Windows USB installer. Writes a single ISO to a USB. See my Rufus bootable USB guide.

For the ISO itself, use my Windows 11 ISO download guide or Windows 10 ISO guide — both download straight from Microsoft.

Tip: Match the ISO to your existing install where possible. Reinstalling Windows 11 24H2 over an existing Windows 11 24H2 is smoothest. Reinstalling Windows 11 over Windows 10 is also fine, but expect the upgrade to take longer.

Step 3: Set the Correct Boot Mode in BIOS/UEFI

Reboot and press the BIOS access key as the manufacturer logo appears — typically Del, F2, F10, or Esc. Your boot screen usually displays the key briefly.

Find the Boot or Boot Options section (it’s in different places in different BIOS interfaces). Look for a setting labelled one of:

• Boot Mode — typical on MSI, Asus
• CSM (Compatibility Support Module) — typical on Gigabyte, ASRock
• Boot Mode Selection / Legacy Boot — typical on Dell, HP, Lenovo

• If your existing disk is GPT, set this to UEFI (or UEFI Only, or disable CSM).
• If your existing disk is MBR, set this to Legacy (or Legacy Only, or enable CSM).

Save and exit the BIOS (usually F10). On modern systems, most drives ship GPT with UEFI. Legacy/MBR is mostly seen on drives cloned from older Windows 7 / 8 installs.

Step 4: Boot From the USB in the Matching Mode

Press the boot menu key at startup — usually F12 on Dell/Lenovo, F11 on MSI/ASRock, F10 on HP, Esc or F9 on Acer. Your USB drive often appears twice — once labelled UEFI: [USB name] and once as [USB name] alone. Pick the entry that matches:

• GPT disk → UEFI entry
• MBR disk → Legacy entry (without the UEFI prefix)

Pick the matching entry and press Enter. Windows Setup loads.

Step 5: Install Windows Over the Existing Partition

1. Pick your language, time, and keyboard layout. Click Next.
2. Click Install Now.
3. Product key screen: click I don’t have a product key. Windows will reactivate automatically from the digital licence stored against your hardware.
4. Pick the edition that matches your previous install (Home or Pro).
5. Accept the licence terms.
6. Install type: choose Custom: Install Windows only (advanced).

On the Where do you want to install Windows? screen:

1. Click the existing Primary partition that contains your current Windows install — usually the largest one.
2. Do not click Delete or Format. Just click Next.
3. Setup warns that any existing Windows installation on this partition will be moved into a Windows.old folder. Click OK to confirm.

Common Error: Disk Partition Style Mismatch

If Setup shows one of these errors:

• “The selected disk is of the GPT partition style”
• “The selected disk has an MBR partition table”

you booted the installer in the wrong mode. Reboot, go back to the boot menu, and pick the other USB entry. Do not convert the disk between GPT and MBR — that would destroy the partition table and your data along with it.

Windows Setup now copies the new install, reboots a few times, and drops you into OOBE. Configure a new user account (or re-use the same name — Windows appends a suffix if there’s a conflict). When you land on the new desktop, you’re ready to rescue files.

Step 6: Rescue Files From C:\Windows.old

Everything from your old install now lives under C:\Windows.old\. Your personal files are under:

C:\Windows.old\Users\[YourOldUsername]\Desktop
C:\Windows.old\Users\[YourOldUsername]\Documents
C:\Windows.old\Users\[YourOldUsername]\Downloads
C:\Windows.old\Users\[YourOldUsername]\Pictures
C:\Windows.old\Users\[YourOldUsername]\Videos
C:\Windows.old\Users\[YourOldUsername]\Music

Copy Files into the New Profile

1. Open File Explorer (Win + E).
2. Navigate to C:\Windows.old\Users\ and double-click your old username.
3. If Windows prompts about permissions, click Continue — it will grant you access to the old profile’s files.
4. Open each folder (Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Videos, Music), select the contents (Ctrl + A), copy (Ctrl + C), navigate to the matching folder in your new profile (C:\Users\[NewUsername]\), and paste (Ctrl + V).

Tip: Open two File Explorer windows side-by-side by holding Shift when you click the taskbar icon. Use Win+Left/Win+Right to snap them, then drag files across. Much faster than copy-paste for large folders.

What’s Also in Windows.old Worth Looking For

• AppData\Roaming\[AppName] — saved settings for portable apps (e.g., Thunderbird profiles, Notepad++ config).
• AppData\Local\[AppName] — app data like game saves for titles that stored progress outside the cloud.
• Favorites / Bookmarks — browser bookmarks if you did not have sync enabled.
• C:\Windows.old\Program Files\[App] — some portable apps can be copied directly back and will work.

Step 7: Reinstall Your Apps and Clean Up

This reinstall method preserves files, not installed apps. To get your software back quickly:

• Install UniGetUI and re-install your usual tools in bulk. If you had exported a bundle before the reinstall, import it now.
• Install drivers with Snappy Driver Installer Origin — it catches anything Windows Update missed.
• Debloat and apply sensible defaults with Winhance.

Delete Windows.old (Once You Are Sure)

Windows.old takes 20–40 GB of disk space. Once you have confirmed every file is rescued, delete it via Disk Cleanup (the only supported way — regular Shift + Delete will not work because of file permissions).

1. Open Start → type Disk Cleanup → launch it.
2. Pick the C: drive.
3. Click Clean up system files.
4. Tick Previous Windows installation(s). Click OK and confirm.

Windows keeps Windows.old for 10 days automatically, then deletes it for you. Use Disk Cleanup if you want the space back sooner.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do my installed programs survive a “keep data” reinstall?

No. Only personal files in the Users folder are preserved — Windows, system settings, and installed apps are all replaced. You will need to reinstall programs afterwards. A UniGetUI bundle exported beforehand makes this painless.

What is the difference between GPT and MBR?

GPT (GUID Partition Table) is the modern partition style — required for UEFI boot, supports disks larger than 2 TB, and allows more than 4 primary partitions. MBR (Master Boot Record) is the older style from the BIOS era — limited to 2 TB and 4 primary partitions, but still used on older systems. You cannot change one to the other without destroying data, so the boot mode you pick must match what is already on the disk.

What happens if I choose the wrong boot mode?

Windows Setup refuses to install and shows an error message. No data is lost from the mismatch — you simply reboot, change the boot mode, select the matching USB entry from the boot menu, and try again. The error is Setup’s safety catch; it won’t overwrite the partition with a broken boot record.

Can I reinstall without an internet connection?

Yes. The install itself doesn’t need the internet — Windows Setup reads everything from the USB. You will need a network connection eventually for Windows Update, driver downloads, and Microsoft account sign-in (which you can skip with the BypassNRO trick — see my local account bypass guide).

How much space does Windows.old take?

Typically 20–40 GB, depending on how much was installed on the old Windows — Program Files, Windows Update cache, and per-user AppData all add up. Copy off what you need, then use Disk Cleanup’s “Previous Windows installations” option to reclaim the space. Windows automatically deletes Windows.old 10 days after the reinstall anyway.

Is this the same as Reset This PC?

Not quite. Reset This PC → Keep my files inside Windows does something similar without needing a USB, but it only works if Windows is bootable and the system image is intact. This manual method works when the system is unbootable or the Reset option is broken. For a full factory reset walkthrough, see my factory reset guide.

This post How to Reinstall Windows Without Losing Data: Step-by-Step Guide first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

Ventoy turns one USB drive into a multi-ISO boot menu — install or copy as many ISO files as you want to the drive, plug it into any PC, and pick which one to boot. That makes it the single most useful tool you can keep in your toolkit: one 32 GB USB stick can hold Windows 10, Windows 11, a recovery environment like Hiren’s BootCD PE, a Linux live disk, and a partition tool all at once. This guide walks through creating the drive, loading it with the ISOs I actually use for repairs, and dealing with Secure Boot when a machine refuses to boot it.

Applies to: Windows 10, Windows 11 (any edition) — Ventoy installer runs on Windows; the resulting USB boots any UEFI or legacy BIOS PC
Last updated: April 2026

Key Takeaways

• One USB, many ISOs. Ventoy installs a small bootloader to your drive, then you just copy ISO files onto it — no reformatting between ISOs.
• Works on UEFI and legacy BIOS, so the same stick boots old and new hardware. Secure Boot works too, with a one-time key enrollment.
• Essential ISOs to keep on it: Windows 10, Windows 11, and Hiren’s BootCD PE. Add Linux live distros or partition tools if you want them.
• Updates are drag-and-drop. Replace an ISO file on the drive and the next boot menu reflects it — no rebuild needed.

Quick Steps

1. Download Ventoy from the official GitHub releases page and extract the Windows zip.
2. Run Ventoy2Disk.exe, select your USB drive, click Install (this wipes the drive).
3. Download the ISOs you want — Windows 10, Windows 11, Hiren’s BootCD PE.
4. Copy the ISO files to the Ventoy partition (it’s a normal exFAT drive once installed).
5. Boot the target PC from USB. Ventoy shows a menu listing every ISO on the drive.

What You’ll Need

• A USB drive, minimum 16 GB. I use 32 GB or larger so there’s room for multiple ISOs — Windows 11 alone is about 6 GB.
• A Windows PC to run the Ventoy installer.
• Administrator privileges on that PC — Ventoy writes directly to the disk.
• Internet access to download Ventoy and your ISO files.

Warning: Installing Ventoy wipes everything on the target USB. Double-check the device selection in Ventoy2Disk before clicking Install — it’s easy to pick the wrong drive if multiple USBs are connected.

Step 1: Download and Install Ventoy

1. Go to the Ventoy releases page on GitHub and download the latest ventoy-x.y.z-windows.zip.
2. Extract the zip to any folder.
3. Run Ventoy2Disk.exe from the extracted folder. No installation needed — this is a portable tool.

Step 2: Install Ventoy onto Your USB Drive

1. Plug in the USB drive you want to turn into a rescue disk.
2. In Ventoy2Disk, pick the correct drive from the Device dropdown.
3. Click Install. You’ll get two confirmation prompts warning that everything on the drive will be erased — confirm both.
4. When Ventoy finishes, the drive will show up in Explorer as an empty exFAT volume labeled Ventoy.

If your USB is larger than 32 GB and you want to use the full capacity with exFAT, Ventoy handles it automatically. For NTFS, change the Option → Partition Style before installing — some UEFI firmware prefers GPT, which matters only on very specific old machines.

Step 3: Download the ISO Files You Want

These are the three ISOs I keep on every rescue drive. Any ISO you add beyond this is bonus — Ventoy supports hundreds of distros out of the box.

Hiren’s BootCD PE (the rescue environment)

Hiren’s BootCD PE is a Windows-based live environment packed with repair utilities — partition managers, data recovery, antivirus scanners, password reset tools, browser, Explorer, the works. Download the latest ISO from the official Hiren’s BootCD PE site. The file is about 2 GB.

Windows 10 ISO

Grab the latest Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft. Full walkthrough in my how to download the Windows 10 ISO guide — there’s both a Media Creation Tool method and a direct-download trick.

Windows 11 ISO

For Windows 11, use the Windows 11 ISO download guide. If you want an older build for a specific reason (driver compatibility, testing), I also maintain a download old Windows 10/11 ISO files guide.

Tip: Keep both Windows 10 and Windows 11 ISOs on the drive. You never know which version a machine you’re repairing expects, and some older hardware refuses Windows 11 without a hardware bypass.

Step 4: Copy the ISOs to Your Ventoy Drive

1. Open File Explorer and navigate to the Ventoy drive.
2. Drag your ISO files straight onto the drive. No folders needed — Ventoy finds them anywhere on the partition.
3. Wait for the copy to finish. A 6 GB Windows 11 ISO on USB 3 takes around three minutes.

Step 5: Boot from Your Ventoy USB

1. Plug the USB into the target PC and power it on.
2. Press the boot menu key during POST. This is usually F12 (most Dells, Lenovos, HP desktops), F9 (HP laptops), F8 (ASUS), or Esc — check the boot splash or motherboard manual.
3. Pick the USB drive from the boot menu. Ventoy loads its menu showing every ISO on the drive.
4. Use the arrow keys to highlight an ISO, press Enter, and Ventoy boots it as if it were the only thing on the drive.

Fixing Secure Boot Errors

On modern UEFI machines with Secure Boot enabled, the first boot of a Ventoy drive usually throws a “Verification failed” message. This is expected — Ventoy isn’t signed with Microsoft’s Secure Boot certificates, so the firmware asks you to trust it manually. The process takes about 30 seconds and only needs to happen once per machine.

1. At the error screen, press Enter (or any key the prompt asks for) to continue to MOK Manager.
2. Select Enroll key from disk.
3. Browse to the Ventoy EFI partition and pick ENROLL_THIS_KEY_IN_MOKMANAGER.cer.
4. Confirm with Continue → Yes, then reboot.

If you’d rather not enroll the key, you can disable Secure Boot in BIOS temporarily, use the drive, and re-enable it afterwards. For PCs you’re repairing regularly, enrolling once is less annoying.

Keeping the Drive Up to Date

Windows ISOs rotate every six months or so, and Hiren’s BootCD PE gets occasional updates. You don’t need to reinstall Ventoy itself — just:

• Delete the old ISO from the drive and copy the new one over. Done.
• To update Ventoy itself (bugfixes, new distro support), run a newer Ventoy2Disk.exe and click Update with your existing drive selected. This keeps your ISO files intact — only the bootloader is replaced.

Related Guides

• How to create a bootable USB with Rufus — for single-ISO drives or when Ventoy isn’t supported
• Download the Windows 11 ISO
• Download the Windows 10 ISO
• Reinstall Windows without losing data
• Install Windows 10 from USB

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Ventoy different from Rufus?

Rufus writes one ISO to a USB drive, replacing whatever is on it. To switch to a different ISO, you reformat and rewrite. Ventoy installs a bootloader once, then you just copy ISO files to the drive — the drive stays usable as normal storage, and you can have multiple ISOs available at the same time. For a one-off Windows install USB, Rufus is faster and simpler; for a rescue disk you’ll keep in your toolkit, Ventoy wins.

Can I keep using the USB drive for normal file storage?

Yes. After Ventoy installs, the drive appears as a normal exFAT or NTFS volume in Windows. You can drop regular files on it alongside your ISOs and they’ll be accessible from Windows normally. The ISOs become the boot menu entries automatically.

Does Ventoy work with Secure Boot?

Yes, but it needs a one-time key enrollment on each machine where Secure Boot is enabled. The first boot shows a MOK Manager prompt where you select Enroll key from disk and pick the Ventoy certificate. After that, the drive boots normally on that system. Disabling Secure Boot temporarily is an alternative if you can’t or don’t want to enroll.

What can I actually fix with this rescue disk?

With Windows 10/11 installer ISOs and Hiren’s BootCD PE on the same drive, you can:

• Reinstall or repair Windows — boot into the installer and use Repair or the Command Prompt for startup repair
• Recover files from a PC that won’t boot — Hiren’s PE has a full file manager with network access
• Reset a forgotten local account password (NT Password Edit is on Hiren’s)
• Clone, image, or resize partitions (AOMEI, Macrium, MiniTool variants are bundled)
• Run offline antivirus or malware scans
• Diagnose hardware — memory tests, disk tests, CPU stress tools

How often should I refresh the ISO files?

Update Windows ISOs whenever Microsoft releases a new feature update (currently roughly annual — 24H2, 25H2, etc.). Hiren’s BootCD PE releases are infrequent; just grab the latest when you notice. Ventoy itself usually releases every few months — updating it is optional unless there’s a new Linux distro you want to boot that needs newer Ventoy support.

Does Ventoy work with all ISO files?

It supports the vast majority — Windows installers, Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, Kali, Arch, Clonezilla, GParted Live, and so on. The Ventoy site keeps a compatibility list. If a specific ISO doesn’t boot, there’s usually a plugin (ventoy/ventoy.json) that fixes it, and in the rare case nothing works, Rufus is a fallback for that one ISO.

This post How to Create a Multi-Boot USB Rescue Disk with Ventoy first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

To fix Bluetooth issues on Windows 10 or 11, start by confirming the Bluetooth driver is installed in Device Manager, then update or reinstall it using Snappy Driver Installer Origin. If the driver is fine, restart the Bluetooth Support Service in services.msc and re-pair the device. When all of that fails, a $5 USB Bluetooth dongle bypasses a faulty internal adapter.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: May 4, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Bluetooth issues on Windows are almost always driver-related — about 80% of cases I see in my repair shop are fixed by reinstalling or updating the Bluetooth driver in Device Manager.
• If Bluetooth is missing entirely from the Settings app or Quick Actions panel, the driver itself is missing or disabled — Windows hides the toggle when no Bluetooth radio is detected.
• The Bluetooth Support Service (bthserv) must be running and set to Manual or Automatic. If this service is stopped, no devices will pair even with a healthy driver.
• Snappy Driver Installer Origin is the safest free way to find and install the right Bluetooth driver — only download it from snappy-driver-installer.org to avoid bundled malware on mirror sites.
• A USB Bluetooth 5.0 dongle ($5–$15) bypasses a failing or absent internal Bluetooth adapter and is plug-and-play on Windows 10 and 11.

Quick Steps

1. Open Device Manager (right-click the Start button) and check for a Bluetooth section.
2. If Bluetooth is missing, install or update the driver with Snappy Driver Installer Origin.
3. Restart the Bluetooth Support Service from services.msc.
4. Toggle Bluetooth off and on in Settings > Bluetooth & devices.
5. Run the built-in Bluetooth troubleshooter from Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
6. Remove the device from Settings and re-pair it from scratch.
7. If nothing works, plug in a cheap USB Bluetooth dongle as a hardware bypass.

In This Guide

• Fix 1: Check for the Bluetooth driver in Device Manager
• Fix 2: Install or update the Bluetooth driver with Snappy Driver Installer Origin
• Fix 3: Restart the Bluetooth Support Service
• Fix 4: Run the built-in Bluetooth troubleshooter
• Fix 5: Remove and re-pair the device
• Test Bluetooth and connect a device
• Last resort: USB Bluetooth dongle

Fix 1: Check for the Bluetooth Driver in Device Manager

Bluetooth problems on Windows 10 and 11 are almost always driver issues, so the very first check is whether Windows even sees a Bluetooth radio. Right-click the Start button and choose Device Manager.

In Device Manager, click View > Show hidden devices so any disabled or partially-installed Bluetooth devices show up. Then look for a top-level Bluetooth section in the device tree.

Expand the Bluetooth section. You should see at least two entries — your radio (for example, Intel Wireless Bluetooth or Realtek Bluetooth 5.0 Adapter) and a Microsoft Bluetooth Enumerator entry. If the entire Bluetooth section is missing, the driver is not installed and Windows is not detecting any Bluetooth hardware.

While there, scan the rest of the tree for any device with a yellow exclamation mark — those are devices Windows can’t drive properly, and any one of them could be your missing Bluetooth radio sitting under Other devices with no driver.

Tip: If your laptop has a physical Bluetooth/Wi-Fi function key (often Fn + F2, F5, or F10), make sure airplane mode is off. Some manufacturers also let you disable Bluetooth in BIOS — worth checking on older ThinkPads, EliteBooks, and Dell Latitudes.

Fix 2: Install or Update the Bluetooth Driver with Snappy Driver Installer Origin

If Bluetooth is missing or has yellow exclamation marks in Device Manager, the cleanest fix is Snappy Driver Installer Origin by Glenn Delahoy. It scans your hardware, downloads only the drivers your specific PC needs, and installs them offline — no telemetry, no bundled junk.

Important: only download it from the official site. Mirror copies of older Snappy Driver Installer builds have shipped with adware in the past.

• Go to snappy-driver-installer.org and click Download Now.
• On the next page, scroll to the Download Application section and download the Snappy Driver Installer Origin ZIP.
• Right-click the ZIP and choose Extract All, then open the extracted folder and double-click SDIO_x64.

On the welcome screen choose Download indexes only — this is the right option for fixing one specific driver. Then click the green ribbon at the top of the window, leave Indexes ticked, choose This PC only, and click Accept. SDIO downloads the driver index and detects what is missing.

When the index loads, look for an entry like Realtek Bluetooth 5.0 Adapter or Intel Wireless Bluetooth. Tick the box next to it and click Install. SDIO downloads just that driver pack and installs it. The progress bar at the top tells you how long the install has left — usually a few minutes.

Once the driver finishes installing, restart the PC. After the reboot, open Device Manager again and confirm the Bluetooth section now shows your adapter without any yellow exclamation marks. For more depth on this process, see my full guide on installing missing drivers with Snappy Driver Installer Origin and my general Windows driver installation guide.

Fix 3: Restart the Bluetooth Support Service

If the driver is healthy but devices still won’t pair, the Bluetooth Support Service (bthserv) is often the culprit. Windows starts this service on demand, and a failed update or crashed app can leave it stopped.

Press Win + R, type the command below, and press Enter:

services.msc

Scroll down to Bluetooth Support Service, right-click it, and choose Restart. If the option is greyed out (the service is stopped), choose Start instead. Then double-click the service and set Startup type to Manual — that’s Microsoft’s recommended setting and matches a clean Windows install.

While you are in services.msc, also check that Bluetooth Audio Gateway Service and Bluetooth User Support Service are running if you use Bluetooth audio devices.

Fix 4: Run the Built-in Bluetooth Troubleshooter

Windows includes a Bluetooth troubleshooter that resets the radio and re-registers the stack — it is more useful than people give it credit for, especially on Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2.

On Windows 11: open Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters, then click Run next to Bluetooth. (On Windows 11 24H2 and later, the link is now Get help with Bluetooth — it routes you through the same automated diagnostics.)

On Windows 10 22H2: open Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters > Bluetooth > Run the troubleshooter.

The troubleshooter takes about a minute. When it finishes, restart the PC even if it claims no issues were found — the reset alone often clears stuck pairings.

Fix 5: Remove and Re-Pair the Device

If a previously paired device (headphones, mouse, controller) suddenly stops working, Windows is usually holding onto a stale pairing record. Remove the device fully and pair it from scratch.

• Open Settings > Bluetooth & devices on Windows 11, or Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices on Windows 10.
• Find the problem device, click the three-dot menu, and choose Remove device.
• Power-cycle the device (turn it off and back on) and put it in pairing mode.
• Click Add device > Bluetooth in Settings and pair fresh.

For audio devices, Windows occasionally pairs successfully but routes audio to the wrong output. After re-pairing, click the speaker icon in the system tray and confirm the Bluetooth device is set as the active output.

Test Bluetooth and Connect a Device

Once the driver and service are healthy, search the Start menu for Bluetooth and pick the Bluetooth and other devices settings result. Confirm the Bluetooth toggle is on.

Click Add device > Bluetooth. Windows scans for nearby discoverable devices. Pick the one you want to pair — for a phone, the on-screen PIN must match what shows up on the phone. For most audio devices and accessories, no PIN is needed.

For quick access, scroll to More Bluetooth settings and tick Show the Bluetooth icon in the notification area. That puts a Bluetooth icon in the system tray — right-click it for one-click options to add a device, send or receive a file, or open settings.

Last Resort: USB Bluetooth Dongle

I have spent days troubleshooting Bluetooth on otherwise healthy laptops where the driver is installed, every service is running, and Windows insists everything is fine — but devices still refuse to pair. Sometimes the internal Bluetooth radio is just dying.

The cheapest reliable fix is a USB Bluetooth 5.0 dongle. They cost $5 to $15, are plug-and-play on Windows 10 and 11 (Microsoft ships generic Bluetooth drivers), and instantly take over from a faulty internal adapter.

Before buying a dongle, disable the internal Bluetooth radio in Device Manager (right-click the adapter > Disable device). That way Windows uses the dongle exclusively, with no conflict between two radios.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Bluetooth missing from my Windows 10 or 11 settings?

Windows hides the Bluetooth toggle when no Bluetooth radio is detected. The cause is almost always a missing or disabled driver. Open Device Manager, click View > Show hidden devices, and look for a Bluetooth section or an unknown device under Other devices. Install the correct driver with Snappy Driver Installer Origin and the Bluetooth toggle reappears.

How do I know if my Bluetooth driver is up to date?

In Device Manager, expand Bluetooth, right-click your radio (for example, Intel Wireless Bluetooth), and choose Update driver > Search automatically for drivers. For a more thorough scan that pulls from a much larger driver index than Windows Update, run Snappy Driver Installer Origin — it tells you the exact version installed and whether a newer one is available.

Why does my Bluetooth keep disconnecting on Windows 11?

The most common cause is Windows turning the radio off to save power. Open Device Manager, double-click your Bluetooth adapter, go to the Power Management tab, and uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power. Wireless interference from a nearby Wi-Fi router on 2.4 GHz is the next most common cause — keep the PC and the Bluetooth device within about 10 metres of each other.

Can I use any USB Bluetooth dongle on Windows 10 or 11?

Most modern USB Bluetooth dongles (CSR, Realtek, and Cambridge Silicon Radio chipsets) are plug-and-play on Windows 10 22H2 and Windows 11. Look for Bluetooth 5.0 or newer for the best range and battery life. Avoid no-name dongles that require Chinese-language driver CDs — Microsoft’s generic Bluetooth driver covers the standards-compliant ones automatically.

Can I send files using Bluetooth on Windows 10 or 11?

Yes. Right-click the Bluetooth icon in the system tray and choose Send a file or Receive a file. The receiving device must accept the transfer prompt, and both devices need to be paired first. For large files, a network share or cloud sync is faster than Bluetooth — Bluetooth file transfer is limited to a few MB/s in practice.

Will reinstalling Windows fix my Bluetooth issues?

Sometimes — if the cause is a corrupt service or registry entry, a clean Windows install will fix it. But if the cause is hardware (a dying radio or loose internal antenna cable on a laptop), reinstalling Windows changes nothing. Try the driver, service, and dongle fixes in this guide first. For a clean install, my Winhance utility can build a debloated Windows ISO, and UnattendedWinstall automates the post-install setup.

This post How to Fix Bluetooth Issues on Windows 10/11 (2026 Guide) first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory

If sound stops working on Windows 10 or Windows 11, the fix is almost always one of three things: a missing or outdated audio driver, the wrong device set as default playback, or audio enhancements interfering with output. Open Device Manager, update the driver under “Sound, video and game controllers”, then confirm the correct playback device is selected in Settings > System > Sound. That resolves the majority of cases within a few minutes.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: April 30, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Most Windows audio problems are driver-related — update the driver under Device Manager > Sound, video and game controllers, or use Snappy Driver Installer Origin if Windows can’t find one.
• If you have multiple playback devices (HDMI monitor, speakers, headphones), Windows often picks the wrong default — set the correct one as default in Settings > System > Sound.
• Audio enhancements (Bass Boost, Loudness Equalisation, spatial sound) can silence output entirely on some hardware. Disable them on the Enhancements tab when troubleshooting.
• Restarting the Windows Audio service (services.msc) fixes the “no sound after sleep” bug that affects many Windows 11 24H2 systems.
• If headphones work but laptop speakers don’t, the issue is hardware (a damaged speaker or detection switch), not Windows.

Quick Steps

1. Right-click Start > Device Manager > expand Sound, video and game controllers.
2. Right-click your audio device > Update driver > Search automatically for drivers.
3. If no update is found, install Snappy Driver Installer Origin and let it locate the audio driver.
4. Open Settings > System > Sound and confirm the correct device is selected as Output.
5. Right-click the speaker icon > Sound settings > Properties > Enhancements tab > tick Disable all enhancements.
6. If sound is still missing, restart the Windows Audio service via services.msc.

In This Guide

This guide walks through five fixes for sound issues, in the order I’d run them in the repair shop:

• Fix 1: Update Audio Driver via Device Manager — Solves most driver issues.
• Fix 2: Snappy Driver Installer Origin — When Windows Update can’t find the right driver.
• Fix 3: Set the Correct Default Playback Device — Most common cause when sound “just stops working”.
• Fix 4: Disable Audio Enhancements — Bass Boost, Loudness Equalisation, and spatial sound conflicts.
• Fix 5: Restart the Windows Audio Service — Specific to “no sound after sleep” bug.

Fix 1: Update Audio Driver via Device Manager

1. Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager.
2. Click the View menu and select Show hidden devices so disabled or virtual audio devices appear.
3. Expand Sound, video and game controllers. Look for entries like Realtek High Definition Audio, Intel Smart Sound Technology, NVIDIA High Definition Audio, or your headset name.
4. Right-click your main playback device, choose Update driver, then Search automatically for drivers.
5. If Windows says “the best drivers are already installed”, select Search for updated drivers on Windows Update — newer optional driver updates often live there.

If a yellow exclamation mark appears next to the device, the driver is broken or missing entirely. Right-click and choose Uninstall device, tick “Delete the driver software for this device” if shown, then reboot — Windows will reinstall a fresh copy. For a generic guide that works for any driver, see my graphics driver installation walkthrough; the same pattern applies to audio.

Fix 2: Use Snappy Driver Installer Origin

If Windows Update doesn’t have a current driver for your hardware, Snappy Driver Installer Origin (SDI Origin) is the offline driver tool I always trusted in the repair shop. It maintains its own driver pack repository and works without an internet connection if you download the full pack — useful when audio is dead on a freshly installed machine that has no network drivers either.

1. Download SDI Origin from the official site and extract the ZIP.
2. Run the executable that matches your system (32-bit or 64-bit).
3. Choose Download Indexes Only on first launch — this keeps the download small and fetches only the drivers you need.
4. Tick the audio driver SDI flags as missing or outdated, then click Install.
5. Reboot when prompted.

Tip: SDI Origin’s full driver pack is over 50 GB. Stick with the indexes-only mode unless you regularly fix offline machines — otherwise it’s overkill for a single audio issue.

Fix 3: Set the Correct Default Playback Device

If sound suddenly stopped after plugging in a monitor, dock, or external display, Windows likely switched the default output to that device’s HDMI audio. The fix is to manually pick the right device.

1. Right-click the speaker icon in the system tray and select Sound settings (Windows 11) or Open Sound settings (Windows 10).
2. Under Output, choose your speakers or headphones from the dropdown.
3. Click the device name to open its properties and confirm Allow this device to be used is on.
4. Use the Test button to confirm sound is coming through.

For the legacy Sound control panel (which still exposes options the new Settings page hides), open Run with Win + R and run:

mmsys.cpl

Right-click your speakers in the Playback tab, choose Set as Default Device, and click Apply.

Fix 4: Disable Audio Enhancements

Some Realtek and Conexant drivers ship with audio enhancements that silence output entirely on certain hardware combinations. If sound works in headphones but not speakers (or vice versa), enhancements are usually the cause.

1. Open mmsys.cpl (legacy Sound panel).
2. Right-click your default playback device and choose Properties.
3. Switch to the Enhancements tab.
4. Tick Disable all enhancements and click Apply.
5. If you don’t see an Enhancements tab, your driver doesn’t expose any — skip this fix.

Fix 5: Restart the Windows Audio Service

The “no sound after sleep” bug on Windows 11 24H2 is caused by the Windows Audio service failing to resume properly. Restarting it forces the audio stack to reinitialise.

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
2. Find Windows Audio in the list, right-click it, and select Restart.
3. Also restart Windows Audio Endpoint Builder (the service immediately above it).
4. Set both to Automatic startup type if they aren’t already.

Or run both restarts from an elevated PowerShell window with one command:

Restart-Service -Name AudioEndpointBuilder, Audiosrv -Force

When to Suspect Hardware Failure

If headphones work but the built-in speakers don’t, the speakers themselves or the headphone jack switch are likely faulty. Most laptops use a small mechanical switch in the headphone jack that disconnects the speakers when something is plugged in — if that switch sticks, the laptop thinks headphones are always connected. Try wiggling a 3.5mm plug in and out of the jack a few times; if the speakers come back, the switch is dirty or damaged.

For desktops, swap to a known-good pair of speakers or headphones to rule out the audio output port itself. If the front panel jacks don’t work but the rear ones do, the front panel header on the motherboard isn’t connected — easy fix on a tower, harder on a small form factor case.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my sound stop working after a Windows update?

Windows Updates occasionally replace OEM audio drivers with generic Microsoft ones that are missing features or aren’t compatible. Roll back the audio driver in Device Manager (right-click device > Properties > Driver tab > Roll Back Driver), or reinstall the OEM driver from your laptop manufacturer’s support page.

What if my sound device isn’t listed in Device Manager?

Click View > Show hidden devices first. If it still doesn’t appear, look under Other devices for an unknown device with a yellow warning icon — that’s your audio chip with no driver. Use Snappy Driver Installer Origin or your manufacturer’s support page to install the right driver.

Why can I hear sound from headphones but not laptop speakers?

Almost always a hardware issue with the headphone jack switch — the laptop still thinks headphones are plugged in. Wiggle a plug in the jack a few times; if speakers come back, the switch is dirty. If not, the speakers may be physically damaged.

How do I fix sound issues after waking from sleep on Windows 11?

Restart the Windows Audio and Windows Audio Endpoint Builder services from services.msc, or run Restart-Service -Name AudioEndpointBuilder, Audiosrv -Force in an elevated PowerShell. This is a known bug in 24H2 with several USB and HDMI audio devices.

Will the Windows audio troubleshooter fix this for me automatically?

Settings > System > Sound > Troubleshoot common sound problems handles simple cases like wrong default device or muted volume. For driver issues, default-device confusion, or service failures, manual fixes from this guide are faster than letting the troubleshooter cycle through tests.

This post How to Fix Sound Issues on Windows 10/11 (5 Methods) first appeared on Memory's Tech Tips and is written by memory