In both Windows 10 and 11 operating systems, you have built-in tools to clean up your system. You can also manually clear your unwanted folders and files if you want.

Remove Unwanted Apps To Clean Up Your PC

If you have any unused apps sitting on your PC, it’s best to remove them to clear your storage space. You can do so using the Settings app on both Windows 10 and 11.

1. Open the Settings app on your PC by pressing Windows + I keys at the same time.
2. Select Apps on the Settings screen.

3. Find the app that you’d like to remove and select that app.
4. Select Uninstall in the section that opens for your app.

5. Choose Uninstall in the prompt that opens to remove the selected app.

6. Your app should now be removed.

Follow the above process for each app that you want to uninstall on your computer.

Use Disk Cleanup to Clean Up Your Windows 10/11 PC

Disk Cleanup is a built-in tool in Windows that you can use to find and delete unwanted files from your system. This tool automatically scans for junk files and helps you get rid of them.

1. Open the Start menu, search for Disk Cleanup, and select Disk Cleanup in the search results.

2. Choose the drive you’d like to clean up and select OK.

3. Wait for Disk Cleanup to analyze the selected drive.
4. On the Disk Cleanup window, choose the files that you’d like to let go from your computer. Then, select OK at the bottom.

5. Select Delete Files in the prompt that appears to remove the selected files from your machine.

Delete Large Folders To Make Space on Your Windows PC

Nothing occupies more space on your hard drive than those old and unused large folders. Luckily, Windows has a built-in tool to quickly find those memory-hogging folders on your computer. You can then manually remove those folders if you want.

1. Press the Windows + I keys simultaneously to open the Settings app.
2. Select System on the Settings window.

3. Choose Storage from the sidebar on the left.
4. Select Other in the pane on the right.

5. You’ll see a list of folders that occupy a significant chunk of your storage space.

6. Select a folder to open it in File Explorer. You can then manually delete the folder in File Explorer.

Uninstall Built-In Apps and Make Your PC Bloatware-Free

Both Windows 10 and 11 come preloaded with certain apps. If you don’t make use of these apps, you can remove these apps and clean up your PC.

1. Access the Start menu and find the built-in app you’d like to remove.
2. Right-click on the app and select Uninstall from the menu.

3. Select Uninstall in the prompt that opens to remove the app from your PC.

Use these steps to remove any other built-in apps from your computer.

Empty the Recycle Bin

When you delete a file from your PC, that file goes straight into the Recycle Bin. This means, if you don’t clear the contents of the Recycle Bin on a regular basis, the Bin will grow large.

Luckily, there’s a single option you can use to empty the entire Recycle Bin at once:

1. Locate the Recycle Bin shortcut on your desktop.
2. Right-click the Recycle Bin shortcut and choose Empty Recycle Bin from the menu.

3. Select Yes in the prompt that appears.

Defrag Your Drives

By defragging your drives, you bring the relevant data together on your disks. This doesn’t change how the files appear on your PC as these changes are only internal.

1. Open the Start menu, search for Defragment and Optimize Drives, and select that option in the search results.

2. Select your main hard drive on the Optimize Drives window and choose the Optimize button.

3. Wait for Windows to defrag your drive.

Disable Startup Apps To Make Your PC Boot Up Faster

Your PC has certain apps, called startup apps, that automatically launch when you turn on your computer. If your computer takes too long to boot up, you should remove non-essential apps from this startup apps list.

This doesn’t delete your apps, and you can always re-add your apps to the startup apps list.

1. Launch the Settings app by pressing Windows + I keys simultaneously.
2. Select Apps on the Settings window.
3. Choose Startup from the sidebar on the left.
4. Find the app you want to stop launching on your PC’s boot. Then turn the toggle for that app to the off position. Repeat this process for each app you don’t want to launch when you turn on your machine.

Remove Browser Extensions and History

While cleaning your Windows 10 or 11 PC, cleaning your web browsers is also important as they are part of your system. In most browsers, you can clean up the contents by deleting your browsing history and removing unused extensions.

In most web browsers, you can remove the extensions by right-clicking the extensions and selecting Remove.

You can clear your browsing history by heading into your browser’s Settings menu and choosing an appropriate option. You can remove cookies and other site data as well.

Built-In Tools Make It Easier To Clean Up Your Windows 10/11 PC

Whether your PC has already become sluggish, or you don’t want your PC to ever get there, the methods outlined above should help you keep your PC clean and tidy. We hope the guide helps you out.

In most cases, you can fix the Windows 10 memory leak issues yourself. You can close resource-intensive apps, disable certain startup apps, and perform similar tasks to fix a memory leak.

Restart Your PC

An easy way to clear the contents of your PC’s memory is to restart your PC. This should fix the memory leak issue in most cases, at least temporarily, until you can find a permanent fix.

1. Open the Start menu on your PC.
2. Select the power icon in the Start menu.
3. Choose Restart to restart your PC.

Use Windows Memory Diagnostic to Fix a Windows 10 Memory Leak

Windows 10 comes preloaded with a tool called Windows Memory Diagnostic. You can use this tool to find and fix issues with your PC’s RAM.

Since the tool automatically detects the issue with your memory, you don’t have to be computer-savvy to use the tool.

1. Open the Start menu, search for Windows Memory Diagnostic, and select that tool in the search results.

2. Select Restart now and check for problems (recommended) in the tool.

3. Your computer will restart, and the tool will try and fix your memory issues.

Close the Problematic App to Resolve the Windows 10 Memory Leak Issue

Most Windows 10 memory leak issues occur due to a problematic app that you’ve installed on your system. This app usually eats up all your RAM and leaves no memory for other apps to use.

In this case, you can fix the issue by closing the problematic app on your PC. Task Manager should tell you what app is using what amount of RAM. If you find an app using an unusual amount of memory, that app might be the culprit.

1. Right-click the Windows taskbar and choose Task Manager from the menu.

2. Select the Processes tab in Task Manager.
3. You’ll see a list of apps along with the memory amount they use. If you find an app using too much memory, right-click that app and select End task to close the app.

Repeat the above process for each app that uses a lot of memory. If your Windows 10 memory leak issue gets resolved by doing that, you know what apps are causing the problem. You can then manually uninstall those apps on your computer.

Disable Startup Programs

If your PC starts showing signs of a memory leak as soon as you turn on the PC, a startup app might be the culprit. These apps automatically launch at your PC’s boot.

In this case, you can remove the problematic app from the startup apps list. The app will no longer automatically open when you turn on your computer.

1. Open Windows 10’s Settings app by pressing Windows + I keys simultaneously.
2. Select Apps on the Settings window.

3. Choose Startup from the sidebar on the left.
4. Find the app you don’t want to launch at your computer’s boot on the right pane.
5. Turn the toggle for that app to the off position. Repeat this process for each app you don’t want to launch when you turn on your machine.

Update Your Device Drivers

Outdated device drivers cause various issues, including Windows 10 memory leak issues. If this is the case with your PC, you should get all your drivers updated to the latest versions.

It’s free and easy to update drivers on Windows 10.

1. Open Device Manager by accessing the Start menu, searching for Device Manager, and selecting that option in the search results.

2. Find the device you want to update the drivers for on the Device Manager window. Usually, you need to update the graphics, sound, and network drivers to fix a memory leak problem.
3. Right-click your device and select Update driver.

4. Select Search automatically for drivers on the following window to let Windows 10 automatically find the latest drivers for your device.

5. Install the new drivers if they are available.
6. Restart your PC when the drivers are installed.

If you use an Nvidia graphics card, you can also manually update your drivers.

Run an Antivirus Scan to Get Around the Windows 10 Memory Leak Problem

Sometimes, a virus or malware ends up using your entire memory, which leads to a Windows 10 memory leak problem. In these cases, use your PC’s built-in antivirus tool to find and remove any viruses from your computer.

If you have a third-party antivirus installed on your computer, you can use that, too.

1. Launch the Start menu, search for Windows Security, and select that app in the search results.

2. Choose Virus & threat protection on the following screen.

3. Select Scan options on the right pane. Then, choose the Full scan option and select Scan now.

4. Wait for the antivirus to scan your entire PC.

Disable Sysmain on Windows 10

Sysmain is a feature in Windows 10 that automatically preloads your frequently used apps in the RAM. This makes launching those apps faster.

But, if you ever experience any RAM-related issues, it’s worth turning off that feature to see if that makes any difference. You can always re-enable the feature later.

To turn off Sysmain:

1. Open the Run box by pressing Windows + R keys simultaneously.
2. Type the following in the Run box and press Enter:
   services.msc

3. Find Sysmain on the Services window, right-click the service, and select Stop.

4. To ensure the Sysmain service doesn’t run when you reboot your PC, right-click the service and choose Properties.

5. Select Disabled from the Startup type dropdown menu. Then, select Apply followed by OK at the bottom.

6. Close the Services window.

Your Windows 10 Memory Leak Problem Should Now Be Fixed

Memory leak issues are pretty common on Windows PCs. If you ever experience this problem on your machine, you now know what to do to get around it. In a nutshell, stay away from any untrusted apps, and you should be just fine.

In this article, we’re going to troubleshoot Windows 10 WiFi by exploring the most common issues. Let’s get started.

Limited Connectivity

Many Windows 10 users get a limited connectivity message and it’s challenging to figure out what’s causing it. It can be triggered by outdated drivers, a faulty Ethernet cable, your network adapter, or even the antivirus software you use. The only thing you can do is troubleshoot WiFi one step at a time and hope for the best. 

We’re going to try the most common solutions, but make sure to try other fixes mentioned in this article if those don’t work.

Run the Networking Troubleshooter

The first thing you should try is the built-in Windows 10 networking troubleshooter. In a lot of cases, WiFi problems can be solved automatically.

The easiest way to access this resource is to type troubleshoot in the search box and select the Find and fix network problems option.

This opens the Internet Connections panel. 

Let Windows diagnose the networking issues and apply any suggested fixes. If this doesn’t help, you should also troubleshoot the network adapter. Type troubleshoot network adapter in the search box and follow the same steps.

Reset TCP

If the troubleshooter found an error that says WiFi doesn’t have a valid IP configuration, you should reset the TCP/IP. This is the most common solution to this problem, although outdated drivers can also cause it.

To reset the TCP, type command prompt in the Windows search box. Before you launch the prompt, make sure to right-click and select the Run as administrator option otherwise some commands might not work.

Next, type the following commands separately by pressing the Enter key after each one:

netsh winsock reset

ipconfig /release

ipconfig /renew

netsh int ip reset

ipconfig /flushdns

Restart your computer and check if your wireless connection works now. If it doesn’t, continue to troubleshoot wifi using our tips below.

Check Your Antivirus

Having antivirus software is important, but it can sometimes cause a conflict that leads to a limited internet connection message. Take note that Windows Defender, the antivirus that comes with Windows 10, shouldn’t cause any problems with your wireless connection.

Most users report that third-party antivirus software can block WiFi. So if you’ve been struggling with trying to figure this out, try disabling your antivirus. If BitDefender, Avast, AVG, or a similar antivirus is indeed the culprit, uninstall it. 

Missing WiFi Icon

In some cases, wireless is disabled. You can’t find the WiFi icon and if you dig deeper into your network settings you won’t find a wireless section. 

A lot of users report this problem, especially after a clean Windows 10 install. This is usually due to missing or outdated WiFi drivers. The WiFi module might also be the culprit if you purchased one so make sure it’s properly connected. 

That said, there are several solutions you can try.

Check for Updates

Start looking at your drivers, especially if you just installed Windows 10. A lot of users install the operating system without connecting their machine to the Internet. As a result, Windows can’t install any drivers automatically during the installation process, so some of them will be missing.

1. Navigate to the Settings panel and select Updates & Security.

2. Next, you need to check for driver updates by clicking on View optional updates.

3. Click on Driver updates to see if you have anything to download.

In your case, you should have other drivers than the ones seen in this image. Hopefully, one of them is the WiFi driver. Make sure you’re connected to the Internet through a network cable or your smartphone’s connection and download the drivers.

Reinstall the WiFi Driver

In some cases, the WiFi driver is corrupted, and updating it won’t do anything. What you need to do is reinstall it. To do that, you need first uninstall the driver and then either check for updates using the previous solution or download it from the manufacturer’s website.

To remove the existing driver, head over to the Device Manager and look for your WiFi driver under Network adapters.

Select your wireless driver, double-click to launch the Properties panel, and navigate to Driver. There you’ll find the Driver Details button, which will tell you everything you need to know about the driver. 

You need this information if you want to download and install the driver from the WiFi card manufacturer’s website.

Now, go back to the driver inside the device manager, right-click on it, and select the Uninstall device option. This will remove the driver from your computer so that you can properly install it.

Once the driver has been removed, you can either go back to the Check for Updates panel we talked about above or to the manufacturer’s website. Either way, install the driver and restart your computer.

WiFi Disconnected After Sleep Mode

Your wireless connection works just fine until your computer enters Sleep/Hibernate mode? Chances are you’re dealing with an annoying power-saving option that keeps your computer from returning your WiFi connection after it wakes up. To fix this, type Power Plan in the Windows search bar and select Edit Power Plan. This opens your computer’s current power plan settings. Then click on the Change advanced power settings option.

Scroll to Wireless Adapter Settings, expand it, and change the Power Saving Mode to Maximum Performance.

Other WiFi Troubleshooting Tips

There are a few other things you can try at this point if none of the previous tips fixed your WiFi connection.

Configure Your Network Adapter

Are you sure your network adapter is properly configured? Go to Network and Sharing Center and click on Change adapter settings to open the Network Connections page. Right-click on your WiFi adapter and select Properties.

You need to find Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4). Select it and click on the Properties button.

Are the Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically options selected? If they aren’t, enable them.

Reset Your Router

Router configurations can sometimes interfere or conflict with your computer’s WiFi settings. This issue can pop over time or if you played with the router’s settings. Either way, you should try resetting it to its default settings.

There are a few ways of resetting your router. Generally, you can either press the tiny, hidden reset button or go to the router’s configuration page and do it from there. 

For more details on how to reset a router, check out our dedicated article.

Check the WiFi Switch

Some laptops still come with a switch that enables or disables WiFi. If that’s the case with yours, make sure to check that it’s set to ON.

Device Interference

Certain devices can interfere with the WiFi signal. Check the frequency specifications of your microwave oven, phone, speakers, and other electronic devices. If they match the same frequency used by your router, you should try turning them off.

If your problem is caused by a household device, the solution is to move the router away from it. 

Last Resort – Update or Reset BIOS

If you tried every single troubleshoot wifi step above, you should try this solution.

Updating BIOS used to be something most people avoided at all costs, but nowadays with modern motherboards, it’s quite easy to do. Just make sure you read the instructions that came with your motherboard and backup your data. 

Alternatively, you can also try resetting BIOS to its default settings.

As mentioned at the start of the article, a lot of things can make your WiFi go haywire. Hopefully, one of our solutions has worked for you. If not, then you probably have a hardware problem and you should inspect the wireless module. Let us know in the comments how you fixed your WiFi!

Enable Auto-Login for Windows 10 Using SysInternals Autologon

Using SysInternals Autologon is the simplest, easiest way to enable auto-login in Windows 10. SysInternals Autologon is a small application provided by Microsoft. There’s a suite of SysInternals tools to help with many things, including troubleshooting Windows. Head to the Autologon download page, download the file, and unzip the folder.

1. Select the correct Autologon version for the computer. Plain Autologon is for 32-bit Windows and Autologon64 is for 64-bit windows. 

2. A User Access Control (UAC) window will open asking for permission to run the app. Select Yes.

3. The Autologon License Agreement window opens. Read and select Agree to continue.

4. Autologon will already be filled in with the Username and Domain. Enter the Password for the user and select Enable. 

To disable auto-login later, just open Autologon and select Disable.

Enable Auto-Login for Windows 10 Workgroup PC Through Settings

Maybe we don’t want to use an app to enable auto-login for some reason. That’s okay, this can be done manually, too.

1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run panel.
2. Type <pre>netplwiz</pre> and press Enter. The User Accounts window will open.

3. Uncheck the box that reads Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer. Select OK.

4. The Automatically sign in window will open, pre-filled with the user name. Enter the Password and Confirm Password. 

Once we’re back in the User Accounts window, select the Advanced tab. Find Require users to press Ctrl + Alt + Delete to login and make sure it’s unchecked. Select OK and on the next login, Windows won’t ask for a password.

How to Enable Require Users Checkbox

What if the checkbox isn’t there? That’s common in Windows 10. There are a few ways to get the checkbox back, but only one way guaranteed to work. It requires editing Windows Registry. Always make a backup of the registry before making any changes.

1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run panel.
2. Type regedit and press Enter. 

A User Account Control (UAC) window opens asking, Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device? Select Yes.

3. When the Registry Editor window opens, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows NT > CurrentVersion > PasswordLess > Device.

4. Double-click on the DevicePasswordLessBuildVersion key and change the Value data from 2 to 0. Select OK. 

Close the Registry Editor and restart the computer.

If the registry key doesn’t exist, it can be created. Open the CMD prompt or PowerShell as Administrator.

Enter the command reg ADD “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\PasswordLess\Device” /v DevicePasswordLessBuildVersion /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f and press Enter. 

When the response The operation completed successfully appears, restart the computer.

5. Once the computer has restarted, go through the steps related to using the netplwiz command above. The Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer checkbox is now there.

Enable Auto-Login for Windows 10 PC in a Domain

This isn’t recommended for everyday use. Enabling auto-login without the proper security precautions can compromise the domain. It might be useful for a display system though, like in fast-food restaurants or airports. 

In case of a power outage, the devices would automatically log back in when restarted. The ideal situation is to have an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) on the devices.

The changes we’ll make can be done as a Group Policy Object (GPO) that can be applied as needed within the domain.

1. On the domain controller, open Group Policy Management and navigate to Domains > YourDomain > Group Policy Objects. Once there, right-click on Group Policy Objects and select New.

2. Enter a descriptive name, like Auto Login, for the new GPO and select OK.

3. Right-click on the Auto Login GPO and select Edit…

4. The Group Policy Management Editor opens. Navigate to Computer Configuration > Preferences > Windows Settings > Registry.

5. Right-click on Registry and select New > Registry Item. We’ll create 5 registry keys with this part of the process. We’ll go through the first one. Repeat the steps accordingly for the other 4 registry keys with the properties provided below.

6. In New Registry Properties, leave Action as Update and Hive as HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM). Select the ellipses or three-dots (…) next to the Key Path field. The Registry Item Browser window opens.

Navigate to HKLM > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows NT > CurrentVersion > Winlogon then choose Select to set that as the path for the key.

7. Back in the New Registry Properties window, enter AutoAdminLogon in the Value Name field. Leave Value type defaulted to REG_SZ and enter 1 in the Value data field. The 1 means enable AutoAdminLogon. If we wanted to disable it, we’d change that to zero (0). Select OK to set the registry setting in the GPO. 

Repeat steps 5 to 7 using the following values:

To set the domain name to be used by autologon:

Key Path: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Value type: REG_SZ

Value Name: DefaultDomainName

Value data: YourDomainName – in this example, it’s CORP

To set the default username used by autologon:

Key Path: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Value type: REG_SZ

Value Name: DefaultUserName

Value data: YourUsername – in this example, it’s AutoLogonSvc

To set the default password used by autologon:

Key Path: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Value type: REG_SZ

Value Name: DefaultPassword

Value data: The password of the user set in the previous key

To prevent the username from being shown on reboot:

Key Path: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Value type: REG_SZ

Value Name: DontDisplayLastUserName

Value data: 1

8. Once the keys are created and in the order shown below, apply the GPO in the Group Policy Management window by dragging and dropping it on the desired groups. 

The next time the devices are restarted, they’ll pick up the GPO and apply it within their registry.

Notice that the password was stored in plain text. Be tremendously cautious about using autologon in a domain. If anyone can open the Registry Editor, they can read the password and username. They will now have access to anything accessible with those credentials. Two precautions can be taken; prevent anyone from accessing the registry editor and use a service account with limited permissions for the autologon.

Will You Use Auto-Login?

Now that you know how to configure auto-login, what are you going to use it on? Do you already use auto-login? If so, in what scenario and have you come across anything we should be aware of? We’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

1. Reboot Your Computer

It’s easy to keep a Windows session going for days, weeks or even months. Windows is just that stable these days. That’s great, but the downside is that apps can slowly start clogging things up by not playing nice with memory and CPU resources. If your Windows computer is sluggish, first try turning the computer off and on again to see if it helps.

2. Use an SSD

While it’s going to cost you a little money, one of the biggest speed boosts you can give to Windows is installing it on a Solid State Drive (SSD). These drives are many times faster than mechanical spinning hard drives. 

You don’t need to spend a fortune either. If cost is a concern, consider buying a relatively small SSD (e.g. 250GB) and then using it as your Windows install drive along with a few of your core applications. On almost any computer, swapping to an SSD brings instant and dramatic speed improvements.

SSDs can be a little complicated, so we have some recommended reading for you before you whip out your credit card. Check out SATA 3 vs M.2 vs NVMe, SSD Buying Guide and Everything You Need To Know About SSD Wear & Tear.

3. Install More RAM

Random Access Memory (RAM) is the fast working memory space of your computer. When there isn’t enough of it to contain all of your active application and operating system data, Windows is forced to swap data in RAM to and from your hard drive. This is one of the biggest performance disasters a computer can encounter, slowing everything to a painful crawl. The most straightforward solution is to add more RAM to your system.

First, familiarize yourself with Windows’ RAM requirements to make sure you have enough. Also, check the RAM requirements of the applications you want to run at the same time to get an idea of how much RAM you need.

You may not actually have to spend money on an upgrade just yet, try the suggestions in 7 Ways to Clear Memory and Boost RAM on Windows and How to Allocate More RAM to Specific Apps in Windows.

4. Tune Your Paging File for Better Performance

If you have to rely on a RAM paging file for your current workload and things are slowing down far too much, you should consider optimizing your paging file. Luckily we have a simple guide on how to do it, so head over to How To Optimize The Paging File In Windows and spend some time getting the right balance of paging file size.

5. Run Disk Cleanup

There are many nooks and crannies where random trash accumulates on your hard drive. These temporary files can slow down your system long after your need for them is gone, but manually finding and removing them would be quite the chore. Instead, try running Disk Cleanup to automatically find and remove these files. We have a guide for disk cleanup at How to Run Disk Cleanup in Windows 10.

6. Change Windows Performance Settings

Windows has a lot of attractive visual settings, but they come at a price! On lower-end computers turning off some or all of the Windows visual decorations can free up system resources:

1. Open the Start Menu and select the settings cog icon.
2. Select System.

3. Select About.
4. Select Advanced System Settings.

5. Select Settings under Performance and then Adjust for best performance.

6. Select OK.

Now Windows won’t be quite as flashy, but it should be faster.

7. Streamline Your Startup Applications

With every restart of Windows, there’s probably a long list of applications waiting to be run at startup. Many of these can have a massive impact on how long it takes before you can start using your PC. It’s a good idea to go through all of the apps that are set to start automatically with Windows and disable the ones you don’t need. Have a look at How to Disable Or Change Startup Programs In Windows 10.

8. Enable High Performance

Windows is a very power-conscious operating system and may be limiting your computer’s performance to save battery power or reduce your monthly electricity bill. However, if your system is plugged in at the wall, why not unlock its full potential? All you have to do is :

1. Open the Start Menu and select the settings cog icon.
2. Select System.

3. Select Power & Sleep.
4. Select Additional Power Settings.

5. Select High Performance.

Your computer will now be given as much power as it needs to reach its peak performance.

9. Enable Fast Booting in the BIOS

Most motherboards have a fast booting option toggle that you can use to cut down on the number of things the BIOS does at startup and to remove any artificial delays, such as the one that waits for you to press the button that launches the BIOS. Check your motherboard manual for specific details on how to do it on your system.

10. Use Sleep or Hibernation

Instead of turning your computer off completely, consider using either sleep or hibernation modes, which are both faster to start from than a cold boot. If you don’t know what either of these modes is, please read What Is the Difference Between Sleep and Hibernate in Windows 10?

11. Pause or Stop Cloud Apps From Syncing

Cloud apps such as OneDrive, Google Drive and Dropbox are convenient ways to backup and share files on your computer, but if they are using your disk while you try to do something else it can cause performance issues. 

So if you’re running any of these or similar cloud-sync applications on your computer consider disabling auto-sync or scheduling syncing overnight when you’re not trying to use the computer.

For an example of how this works, check out How To Disable OneDrive On Your Windows 10 PC.

12. Disable Search Indexing

In order to ensure that you get instant search results in Windows, there’s a file indexing program running in the background at certain intervals. On some computers search indexing can cause performance issues, but you can disable it without much trouble. Just read Turn Off Indexing in Windows for Better Performance for the details.

13. Check for Malware

There are all sorts of malware that can bring your computer to a halt, so it’s always a good idea to run antivirus and antimalware software to rule out malicious software as the culprit behind a laggy Windows experience. If you aren’t sure how to do that, read How to Remove Malware Completely With Free Tools.

14. Update Your Drivers

Incorrect or outdated drivers can often be the culprit behind bad performance. Manually checking that your drivers are up to date is a pain, so you’ll probably want to read our guide on how to automate device driver updates.

15. Disable Background Apps

If your computer isn’t particularly high-end, then programs running the background can eat into your hardware performance pool. To disable background apps:

1. Open the Start Menu and select the settings cog icon.
2. Select Privacy.

3. Select Background apps.
4. Either toggle all background apps off or do it for individual apps you don’t need.

For most modern computers you don’t need to do this, but on severely constrained machines it’s one of those small performance boosts that can really add up in the end.

That wraps up our list of speed-boosting Windows 10 tips. Feel free to share your own performance-enhancing knowledge with the rest of the community in the comments below. As a bonus, check out our super guide on 99 ways to make your computer fast.

Let’s walk through the process of setting up surround sound on Windows 10.

If You Need to Set Up Surround Hardware

Before you can do the software setup side of surround sound on Windows 10, you need to get your hardware in order. To get help with that, you may want to read How to Set Up a Surround Sound System before reading this guide.

Remember to Update Your Drivers and Software

Surround sound on your Windows computer is dependent on the drivers for the audio device and additional software utilities that come with that hardware. Download the latest version of its driver software from your sound device’s manufacturer page.

Picking the Right Audio Device

Your computer may have multiple audio devices, and not all may support surround sound. The surround sound output will appear as a separate audio device to your regular headphone or stereo speaker output with some sound cards. 

For example, your sound card’s digital output to a surround receiver will be a different audio device.

Setting Up and Testing Surround Sound

With the preparation done, it’s time to make sure that you have set your surround sound device as the currently selected audio device. Following that, we’ll choose the proper speaker configuration and then test it.

1. Left-click on the speaker icon in the notification area in the Windows taskbar.
2. Select the name of the currently active audio device above the volume slider.
3. From the pop-up list, choose your surround sound audio device.

The surround sound audio device is now the active audio output for your computer. Any application should now play its audio through that device.

Choosing Your Speaker Configuration

Next, you need to tell your computer what speaker setup you have.

1. Right-click the speaker icon in your notification area.

2. Select Sounds.

3. Switch to the Playback tab.

4. Scroll to the surround sound audio device and select it.

5. Select the Configure button.

6. Use the Speaker setup wizard to tell Windows:
   • The speaker setup you have. 
   • Make sure all speakers are working.

7. Under Audio channels, choose the option that corresponds to your actual speaker setup. If you do see the exact configuration, choose it here. If you don’t, it’s still alright. For example, if you have a 5.1 setup but only see the 7.1 option, you can fix that in Step 11 below. 

8. To the right of the Audio channel selection box (in the picture above), note the representation of your speaker setup.

9. Click on any speaker to see if the correct real speaker plays a sound. 
   • If it doesn’t, double-check that you’ve correctly wired your speakers. 
   • You can use the Test button to run through all the speakers in sequence quickly. 

10.  Select Next.

11. You can now customize your speaker setup. If your physical speaker setup doesn’t have any speakers listed, uncheck them in the list below. If you don’t have a subwoofer, you should remove it from this list. 

12. Select Next.

13. Specify which of your speakers are full range or satellite. 
    • Full range speakers reproduce bass, mid and treble audio. 
    • Satellite speakers produce mid and treble sounds, relying on the subwoofer to fill in the rest.

14.  If Windows confuses a full range speaker for a satellite, you won’t get the most out of those speakers. 
    • If only your front left and right stereo speakers are full range, check the first box. 
    • If all your speakers (besides the subwoofer, obviously) are full range, check both boxes. 

15.  Select Next. 

16.  Select Finish, and you’re done! 

Activating Virtual Surround Sound With Windows Sonic

Whether you can select surround sound audio channels depends on whether your device supports them or not. For example, in this guide we used a pair of USB surround-sound gaming headphones. Although it doesn’t physically have seven speakers inside it, the built-in sound card reports to Windows that it has 7.1 audio channels and then translates it to virtualized surround in the headphones.

What if you just have a basic set of stereo headphones? Windows has a built-in surround virtualization feature called Windows Sonic.

To activate it, make sure that your stereo headphones are selected as the active audio device:

1. Right-click on the speaker icon.

2. Select Windows Sonic for Headphones. Your headphones should now provide simulated surround sound.

3. To enable the other options, such as Dolby or DTS, you will need to pay a license fee in the Windows Store.

For more detailed information on Windows Sonic, check out How to Set up Windows Sonic for Headphones on Windows 10.

Hopefully, you can now enjoy immersive surround sound on your Windows 10 computer. If you’re looking for surround sound advice for a home theater setup, head over to The Ultimate Smart Home Theater System: How To Set It Up.

If you trigger the right keyboard shortcut, you can see and access your clipboard history and sync it through the cloud for easier access on any Windows 10 device. Here’s how to view and clear clipboard history in Windows 10.

How to Access the Windows 10 Clipboard 

If you copy content from, say a document, but forget to paste it, you can find the Windows 10 clipboard history content. The clipboard history supports text, images less than 4MB, and HTML, and stores entries from newest to oldest. If you don’t pin an item to the clipboard, it will disappear because the history list resets each time you restart your device to make room for new items.

1. If you’ve never used the Windows 10 clipboard, you can turn it on by selecting Windows logo key + V and then select Turn on.

2. Once you turn on the clipboard, enable the sync feature to sync your clipboard items to your computer and access them from any Windows 10 device. Select Start > Settings > System > Clipboard and then select On under Sync across devices. 

Note: If your clipboard isn’t syncing to your Windows computer, select Start > Settings > System > Clipboard> Automatically sync text that I copy. The sync option is linked to your work account or Microsoft account, so you’ll need to sign in with the same login credentials across your devices to access the clipboard history.

How to View Windows 10 Clipboard History 

Now that you’ve enabled clipboard history, you can open the clipboard and view the list of items you copied recently while using any app.

1. Press the Windows logo key + V.

2. The most recent items you copied will appear at the top of the list, and you can click on any item to paste it into an open document or other application. 

3. You can also remove items by selecting the three dots next to the entry you want to delete, and then choose Delete from the pop up menu.

4. To remove all entries on the clipboard history list, select Clear All in the ellipses menu.

The Windows 10 clipboard can only hold up to 25 items, so you can use a third-party clipboard manager if you want. A clipboard manager can hold more items and allow you to change the formatting or text case, create permanent clips, search clips, join clips together, and sync clipboards, among other functions.

How to Clear the Clipboard in Windows 10

If you share your device with other users, you can protect any private information you may have copied to the clipboard by clearing the clipboard history.

1. Select Start > Settings > System > Clipboard to open the clipboard. 

2. Next, select Clear clipboard data and then choose Clear.

Alternatively, you can press the Windows logo key + V and then select Clear all to clear your device’s clipboard history. 

Note: If you just want to clear one item from the clipboard history, press Windows logo key + V to open the clipboard and select Delete next to the item you wish to remove.

How to Disable Windows 10 Clipboard History

If you don’t want the items you’ve copied to be saved in the clipboard, you can turn off clipboard history through Windows 10 Settings. 

1. Select Settings > System > Clipboard to open the clipboard.

2. Find the Clipboard history section and toggle the switch to Off.

3. You can confirm whether the clipboard history is disabled by pressing the Windows logo key + V. A small window will appear alerting you that the clipboard history cannot be displayed because the feature is turned off.

Manage Windows 10 Clipboard History

Viewing and clearing your clipboard history in Windows 10 is fairly easy. Also, check out what to do if copy and paste isn’t working on Windows 10 and how to copy and paste across Apple devices using Universal Clipboard.

Leave a comment below and let us know if this guide helped you view and clear your clipboard history in Windows 10.

Let’s explore ten troubleshooting steps that can fix keyboard delay when typing. 

Close Unused Apps

Your keyboard’s response time may begin to lag when your computer is running slow. More precisely, when it’s low on core system resources (CPU and/or RAM). Close unused applications and check if that improves the keyboard input speed.

You can also reference this guide on boosting Windows’ speed to learn why your PC slows down and how to fix performance issues.

Troubleshoot the Keyboard Connection

If you’re using a wired external keyboard, make sure the cable is tightly plugged into your PC’s USB port. Unplug the keyboard and plug it back into the port, or switch the keyboard to a different USB port. You could also use the keyboard on another computer. If the typing delay persists, the keyboard is probably faulty.

Other USB accessories can also interfere with your keyboard connection and cause it to lag. Unplug other USB devices connected to your PC and check if that fixes delays in typing speed.

For wireless keyboards, ensure the USB receiver/dongle is plugged correctly into your computer. If you have connected it to a USB hub, plug it directly into your computer. Additionally, check that the keyboard’s battery isn’t low. Otherwise, plug the keyboard into a power source or replace its batteries. 

Also, ensure the keyboard is near the dongle/receiver or your computer. This also applies to Bluetooth-powered keyboards. Using a wireless keyboard several yards away from your PC could lead to input delay.

Disable Filter Keys

Do you often press a key multiple times before your PC receives the input? Does your computer fail to register keystrokes when you press a key briefly? You might have activated “Filter Keys” by accident; holding the right Shift key for 8 seconds enables the feature. Filter Keys prevent unwanted keystrokes by decreasing the keyboard input speed.

Microsoft designed the Filter Keys functionality to make typing easier for users with neurological disabilities like hand tremors or stiffness. If Filter Keys is active on your computer, turn it off and check if that normalizes the keyboard response speed.

1. Open the Windows Settings menu select Ease of Access.

2. Scroll through the sidebar and select Keyboard.

3. In the keyboard settings menu, toggle off Filter Keys and uncheck “Allow the shortcut key to start Filter Keys.”

Alternatively, launch the Control Panel, select Ease of Access Center, and select Make the computer easier to use.

Uncheck the Turn on Filter Keys option and click OK to save then change.

Run Windows Hardware Troubleshooter

Windows can fix itself sometimes depending on the nature of the problem. Windows 10 ships with a built-in troubleshooting tool that can diagnose and fix delays in typing with your PC’s keyboard. Use this tool to resolve problems with a particular key or the entire keyboard.

Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Keyboard and select the Run the troubleshooter button.

Wait for the troubleshooting to scan your computer—that could take about 1-5 minutes—and follow the instructions on the next page. Try the next recommendation if the troubleshooter doesn’t detect any problem with your keyboard. 

Reboot Your Computer

Close all apps and documents (so you don’t lose unsaved changes) and restart your computer. If you’re using an external or wireless keyboard, disconnect it from your PC before performing a reboot. Plug or reconnect the keyboard when your PC comes back on and see if that resolves the typing delay. 

Update Keyboard Driver

Device drivers determine how the internal and external hardware components of your PC (e.g. display, keyboard, speakers, disk drives, etc.) communicate with Windows. A device may malfunction if its driver is outdated.

If your keyboard delays the input of keystrokes when typing, head to the Windows Device Manager and check if the keyboard driver is updated. 

1. Right-click the Start menu icon (or press Windows key + X) and select Device Manager.

2. Expand the Keyboards category, right-click the keyboard driver, and select Update device.

3. Select Search automatically for updated driver software.

Connect your PC to the internet for the best result. Wait till Windows completes the check and install any available driver update. If Windows says you have the latest driver version, uninstall the driver (see the steps below) and try again.

Reinstall Keyboard Driver

You may experience delays when typing if your PC’s keyboard driver is corrupt or incompatible with the keyboard. Fix this by uninstalling the driver; Windows will install a fresh copy afterward. 

1. Launch the Device Manager, right-click the keyboard driver, and select Uninstall device.

2. Select Uninstall on the confirmation prompt to proceed.

3. To reinstall the keyboard driver, select Action on the Device Manager’s menu bar and select Scan for hardware changes.

Rebooting your PC will also reinstall the keyboard driver.

Modify Keyboard Properties

One good thing about Windows is that it offers extensive customization options. If the delay occurs when you hold a key or press it multiple times, follow the steps below to adjust your keyboard’s “Character repeat settings.”

1. Press Windows key + R to launch the Windows Run box.

2. Type or paste control keyboard in the dialog box and click OK.

3. Adjust the “Repeat delay” or “Repeat rate” slider to fix the delay when typing. Before you do so, here’s what both options mean:

• Repeat delay: This describes how long you have to hold down a key before Windows repeats the input on your screen.
• Repeat rate: This option describes the speed at which you want Windows to repeat the keystroke input when you hold a key.

To fix keyboard delay when typing, increase the “Repeat rate” (from Slow to Fast) and shorten the “Repeat delay” (from Long to Short). Note that fast repeat rate and short repeat delay could also lead to unintentional duplication of keystrokes. Experiment with these options until you find the perfect balance.

4. Click the blank dialog box and hold down any key to test the keyboard repeat rate before closing the window. Select OK to save the changes.

Troubleshoot Wi-Fi Interference

You may experience lag when typing on a wireless keyboard if your Wi-Fi router is close to your computer. That’s because the signal from your router may interfere with the Bluetooth keyboard’s signal. To prevent this, you can either disable Wi-Fi or move your PC away from the router. That fixed the issue for some Windows 10 users.

Perform a Clean Reboot

Several system (and third-party) apps and services start up automatically when you boot your computer. While some of these services help your PC function, they can sometimes slow down your PC and other apps.

A clean boot will load Windows with only essential apps, drivers, and programs. That may resolve the conflict and help you determine if an app or service is responsible for the lag when typing. Refer to this guide on performing a clean boot in Windows 10 to learn more.

Check for Dirt and Hardware Damages

Your keyboard may fail to register key presses if there’s dirt, dust, or other foreign material stuck underneath the keys. The problem could also be due to physical damage to the keyboard or your PC’s memory module.

Clean the keyboard, and if you can, take out your PC’s memory module and plug them back in properly. We recommend taking your computer to an authorized service center to get these done. Don’t try to do it yourself so you don’t further damage the keyboard and other device components. 

Enjoy Lag-Free Typing

Should the keyboard delay persist, try resetting the keyboard’s settings to factory default. You could also try performing a system restore if the problem started after installing a new driver, OS update, or third-party software.

The good news is that there are various fixes for the “Media is Write Protected” error in Windows. Let’s have a look, starting with the most obvious fixes.

Check Your Media for a Write Protection Switch

If you’re having trouble formatting or writing to a USB flash drive, SD card or similar external storage device, check for a write protection switch. This is a physical sliding switch that can be toggled on and off, as shown in the picture above.

If it was accidentally pushed into the write protection position, you won’t be able to format or write to the drive till you toggle it back. Be sure to eject the drive first before toggling the switch!

Removing Write Protection from Files and Folders

If your problem is write protection of specific files and not the entire disk, it’s easy to fix:

1. Open File Explorer.

2. Navigate to the files and/or folders that are write protected.
   
3. Select the files and/or folders.

4. Right-click on your selection and select Properties.

5. Under the General tab, make sure the box labeled Read-Only is unchecked.

6. Select Apply and then OK.

If you’ve selected a folder that contains other files and folders, you’ll be asked to confirm that the attribute change should also be applied to all files and folders inside the primary folder.

Run a Disk Scan

One good bit of housekeeping to do before you start messing around with the guts of your operating system is to do a physical scan of the drive in question. If the disk is damaged or corrupted, that may cause a write protection error.

To run a full disk scan in Windows:

1. Open File Explorer.

2. Right-click on the drive you want to scan and select Properties.

3. Go to the Tools tab.

4. Select Check.

5. Select Scan and Repair Drive.

If the scan detects and repairs any problems on the drive, try to use the drive again.

Run a Full Malware Scan

Certain malware may write protect drives to prevent their own deletion. It’s not the most likely reason you’re getting the write protection error, but since a malware scan is quick and easy to do, it’s worth performing one anyway.

If removing the malware from the system or disk doesn’t fix the issue follow the steps mentioned below to return the drive to normal.

Check System Files for Corruption

The final piece of essential prep work when trying to make a drive writable again is to run the System File Checker (SFC). This will compare all of your crucial system files to the gold standard originals. If any files have been altered or corrupted, pristine new versions will be downloaded and installed.

Check out Use These Command Prompt Commands to Fix or Repair Corrupt Files for instructions on how to use SFC.

Use Advanced Formatting Tools

If all you want to do is format a drive, but you’re being blocked by write protection, then the answer may be to use a formatting utility with a little more muscle. Many users swear by the HP USB Formatting Tool to bully write protected external disks into cooperating. 

It’s also one of the few utilities that lets you format large disks into FAT32 format, something that’s necessary from time to time. Bear in mind that you need to run this app with administrator privileges for it to work. Results are reportedly mixed, but the following solutions are a little more complex, so if you want to take a chance with a formatting utility app first this is one option.

Remove Write Protection With DiskPart

DiskPart is a powerful command line utility in Windows that can remove attributes from entire disks or specific partitions.

1. First, insert the USB drive that is write protected, if applicable.

2. Open the Start Menu and type diskpart.

4. Select the diskpart run command from the results.

5. If you’re asked for administrator permissions, say yes.

6. At the command line for DiskPart, type list disk and press Enter.

7. Look for your USB disk in the list of drives, make a note of its disk number. You’ll need it shortly!
   
8. Now, type select disk #, but replace the # with the correct disk number. Then press Enter.

9. Type attributes disk clear readonly and then press the Enter key.

10. After receiving the confirmation message, type Exit and press Enter.

Remove Write Protection with Regedit

Sometimes a drive is marked as write protected and you’ll get the “Media is Write Protected” error because the corresponding value in the Windows registry is incorrect. If possible, avoid messing around in your registry. If this is your last resort, please consider backing up your registry in case something goes wrong. 

With that being said, here’s how to remove write protection from a USB drive in Windows:

1. Insert the drive you want to modify into a USB port.

2. Open the Start Menu and type Registry Editor.

3. Select Registry Editor from the results.

4. In the registry editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > Control > StorageDevicePolicies.

5. Double-click WriteProtect. This will open the Edit DWORD window.

6. Look for the Value data box, then enter 0 as the new value.

7. Select OK and close the registry editor.

8. Restart your computer and check the disk again.

What if there is no StorageDevicePolicies value to change?

Creating StorageDevicePolicies 

If you’re unlucky enough not to have the right registry value to change, you’re just going to have to make it yourself. Don’t worry, you’ve got this.

1. Open the Registry Editor as detailed above.

2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > Control.

3. Right-click in an empty area of the right-hand pane and select New > Key.
   
4. Name the new key StorageDevicePolicies and press Enter to confirm.

5. Select StorageDevicePolicies.

6. Again, right-click in the empty space of the right hand pane and select New > DWORD(32-bit) Value.

7. Name the new DWORD value WriteProtect and press Enter to confirm.

8. Double-click WriteProtect. This will open the Edit DWORD window.

9. Look for the Value data box, then enter 0 as the new value.

10. Select OK and close the registry editor.

11. Restart your computer and check the disk again.

Phew! Hopefully this last resort will solved the “Media is Write Protected” issue in Windows for you!

You can view the hidden files and folders in both File Explorer as well as command-line tools like PowerShell and Command Prompt.

Show Hidden Files and Folders in File Explorer

Follow the steps below to configure File Explorer to show all hidden contents in your directories.

1. Open the Start menu, search for This PC, and select This PC in the search results.

2. Select the View tab at the top of the This PC window.

3. On the right of your screen, enable the Hidden items checkbox.

4. File Explorer will start displaying hidden files and folders on your computer.

5. To re-hide your items, deselect the Hidden items box in File Explorer.

Show Hidden Files and Folders From Control Panel

If you prefer the Control Panel, you can use an option in this utility to get Windows 10 to display hidden files and folders.

1. Access the Start menu, search for Control Panel, and select the utility in the results.

2. In the Control Panel, select the menu next to View by and choose Category.

3. Select the Appearance and Personalization option.

4. Choose Show hidden files and folders under the File Explorer Options.

5. You’re now in the View tab of the File Explorer Options window. Here, select the Show hidden files, folders, and drives option. Select Apply followed by OK.

6. Windows File Explorer will now display all your hidden files and folders.

7. To hide hidden items, select the Don’t show hidden files, folders, or drives option. Then, select Apply followed by OK.

Show Hidden Files and Folders From Settings

Windows 10’s Settings app also includes the option to show hidden contents on your PC.

To use this method:

1. Press Windows + I keys to launch the Settings app or search and select Settings in the Start menu.

2. Select the Home button if you’re not on the main settings page shown in Step 3. 
   
3. Select Update & Security.

4. Select For developers from the left sidebar.

5. Scroll down the right pane to Change settings to show hidden and system files. Choose Show settings.

6. Enable the Show hidden files, folders, and drives option. Then, select Apply and select OK to save your settings.

View Hidden Files and Folders in PowerShell

If you prefer command-line methods, you can use a command in Windows PowerShell to retrieve a list of all your hidden files and folders.

1. Click on Start or the Windows Icon on the bottom left and type PowerShell. Select Windows PowerShell from the results.

2. In the PowerShell window, type cd, type a space, and then enter the full path of the folder where your hidden files are located. For example, if your hidden files are in a folder called MyDocuments on your desktop, you’d use the following command replacing USER with your username. Then, press Enter.
   
   cd C:\Users\USER\Desktop\MyDocuments

3. Type dir -force and press Enter. This reveals your hidden files and folders.

4. If you aren’t sure what folder contains the hidden files, type cd, type a space, enter the full path of the folder whose subfolders could have the hidden files, and press Enter. Then, run this command:
   
   dir -recurse -force

5. Hidden items in the selected folder and sub-folders should appear in the PowerShell window.

Keep in mind that this method only shows hidden files in a PowerShell window; it doesn’t make hidden items visible in File Explorer.

View Hidden Files in Windows Command Prompt

Another way to view a list of hidden files and folders is to use Command Prompt. Follow the steps below:

1. Press the Windows key to open the Start menu, search for Command Prompt, and select the utility in the search results.

2. Type cd, type a space, and then enter the full path of the folder where your hidden files are stored. Then, press Enter.

3. Type dir /ah  to view a list of the hidden files and folders.

4. If you don’t know what folder contains the hidden files, you can run a hidden file scan on a parent folder. This will scan all of the subfolders in that main folder. To do this, type cd, type a space, enter the full path of the folder, and press Enter. Then, run the following command:
   
   dir /ah /s

5. The Command Prompt window now lists the hidden items from the specified folder and sub-folders.

The above method doesn’t make any changes to File Explorer options and only lists the hidden files.

Show Hidden Operating System Files

There are certain operating system files that won’t appear even if you enable the hidden files option in File Explorer. Follow the steps below to toggle on a separate option to view these hidden OS files:

1. Press the Windows key to open the Start menu, type Show hidden files, and select that option in the search results.

2. Scroll to Change settings to show hidden and system files and select Show settings.

3. Scroll down to Hide protected operating system files (Recommended). Uncheck the box for this option.

4. Select Yes if a warning pops up. Then, select Apply followed by OK.

A Word of Caution

On the internet, many resources may ask you to use the attrib command from the Command Prompt or PowerShell to view your hidden items. It’s generally not safe to change the attribute of a system file as this may have unexpected consequences.

Do let us know, in the comments below, which method worked for you. 

You can use a built-in app, select an option on the login screen, and even utilize an installation drive to start Windows 10 in safe mode.

Use Settings to Boot Windows 10 in Safe Mode

Use Settings to boot your PC in safe mode if you are able to turn on and log into your PC without any issues. 

Make sure you save your unsaved work and close all your apps before you perform this procedure. 

1. Launch the Settings app by pressing Windows + I keys at the same time. You can also search for Settings in the Start menu to launch this app.

2. Select Update & Security at the bottom.

3. Select Recovery from the left sidebar on the Update & Security screen.

4. Select the Restart now button under Advanced startup in the middle of the Recovery screen.

5. On the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot.

6. Choose Advanced options on the following screen.

7. Select Startup Settings.

8. Select the Restart button.

9. On the following screen, type 4 to enter safe mode. Type 5 to boot in safe mode with networking. Use number 6 to enter safe mode with access to Command Prompt.

Start Windows 10 in Safe Mode From the Login Screen

If your PC turns on but won’t go past the login screen, you can use an option on this screen itself to boot into safe mode. 

1. While you’re on the login screen on your PC, hold down the Shift key on your keyboard, select the power icon at the bottom-right corner, and choose Restart.

2. When you get to the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.

3. Enter the BitLocker key when prompted if you’ve encrypted your contents with BitLocker.
4. You now have various options to reboot your PC. Press number 4 to enter safe mode, number 5 to use safe mode with networking, and number 6 to use Command Prompt in safe mode.

Use System Configuration to Boot Windows 10 in Safe Mode

Windows 10 includes a utility called System Configuration where you can boot your PC in safe mode by following the steps below. 

Note: Your PC will always boot in safe mode until you disable the safe mode option in the System Configuration utility.

1. Open the Start menu on your PC, search for System Configuration, and select the utility in the search results.

2. Select the Boot tab at the top.

3. Enable the box for Safe boot under Boot options. Furthermore, choose the Network option if you want to access the local network or the internet in safe mode.

4. Select Apply and then select OK at the bottom of the window.

5. A prompt will appear asking you to reboot your PC. Select Restart in this prompt to boot your PC in safe mode.

To stop your computer from starting in safe mode, open System Configuration, go to the Boot tab, and disable the Safe boot option. Then, select Apply and select OK to save your changes.

Enter Windows 10 Safe Mode From a Blank Screen

If your PC only displays a blank or black screen, you can still reboot your PC into safe mode.

1. Turn off your Windows 10 PC.

2. Press the Power button to turn your PC on. 

3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2, 3 times. 

4. When you turn on the PC for the 3rd time, windows will take you to the Choose an option screen. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.

5. On the following screen, press the number displayed next to safe mode to boot your PC in safe mode.

Start Windows 10 in Safe Mode From an Installation Drive

In a situation where your PC can’t turn on and you’re unable to access the login screen, you can use Windows 10’s installation media to get into safe mode.

Plug in the Windows 10 bootable media into your PC and follow the steps below:

1. On the Windows Setup screen, select a language, choose time and currency formats, select a keyboard method, and select Next at the bottom.

2. Choose Repair your computer at the bottom.

3. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt to open a Command Prompt window. 

Now here’s where things get a little tricky. Depending on your version of Windows 10 and how your computer’s boot partitions are set up, you may need to perform some additional steps before trying step 4. First, go ahead and try to type in the command below from the default drive, which will most likely be X: as shown below. 

4. Type bcdedit /set {default} safeboot minimal on the Command Prompt window and press Enter.

If you get a message stating that the command “bcdedit” could not be found, then you have to try other drive letters and get to the Windows/System32 directory. To do this, you can start with drive C. 

At the prompt, type in C: and press Enter. Then type dir and press Enter. If you don’t see the Windows directory, try the next letter, D: and then E: followed by the dir command. Eventually, you’ll see one of them has the Windows directory where Windows 10 is installed. 

Now type in cd Windows/System32. This will bring you into the directory where bcdedit.exe is located. Now you can type in the command in Step 4 again and it should work. 

5. Close the Command Prompt window.

6. Select Continue on your screen and your PC should boot into safe mode.

Initially, this method didn’t work for us in our testing, however, once we found the Windows partition and navigated to the correct folder, we were able to run the command. 

Bonus Tip: How to Exit Safe Mode

To boot your PC back into normal mode:

1. Open the Start menu while your PC is in safe mode.
2. Type in system config and click on System Configuration. 

3. On the General tab, go ahead and select the Normal Startup radio button. 

4. On the Boot tab, go ahead and uncheck the Safe boot box. 

5. Finally, click on Start, select the Power option and choose Restart.

6. Your PC will reboot into normal mode.

Did any of these methods enable you to boot your Windows 10 PC in safe mode? Let us know which method worked in the comments below!

Even stubborn malware infections can be removed using these tools, but you may need to run a boot-level scan using portable software on a USB drive, especially if Windows isn’t safe to run with malware. To run an offline virus scan using Microsoft Defender or a third-party antivirus solution, you’ll need to follow these steps.

Running an Offline Virus Scan Using Microsoft Defender on Windows 10

If Windows is still running and the malware infection isn’t as serious, you may be able to use Microsoft Defender to run a bootable antivirus scan without using the portable (and older) Windows Defender Offline tool. 

This option is only recommended, however, if Windows is still able to run and remains isolated from other PCs on your network. 

For instance, if you intend to use this method, make sure that your PC is disconnected from your local network. This will prevent any malware from potentially spreading to other PCs before you can clear the infection. You may wish to restart Windows in Safe Mode before you proceed. 

1. To begin, right-click the Start menu and select Settings.

2. In the Window Settings menu, select Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection.

3. In the Virus & threat protection menu, select Scan options. 

4. Select Microsoft Defender Offline scan from the list provided, then select Scan now to schedule the scan.

5. Windows will confirm that your PC will need to restart. Close any unsaved applications at this point, then select Scan to restart your PC and begin the bootable antivirus scan using Microsoft Defender.

6. After a few moments, Windows will restart and boot into the Microsoft Defender boot scan menu. Microsoft Defender will automatically begin scanning your PC for malware—allow this process to fully scan your PC. If it detects any malware, follow any additional on-screen instructions to confirm how you wish to fix, remove, or quarantine any infected files.

Once the offline virus scan is complete, your PC will reboot back into Windows. Any malware will be removed or quarantined based on your actions above. At this point, the malware infection should be resolved, but you may need to follow additional steps to repair or restore your Windows installation (depending on the damage).

Using the Older Windows Defender Offline Tool to Scan for Malware (Older Versions of Windows)

While Windows 10 allows you to conduct an offline virus scan using Microsoft Defender without any additional tools or hardware, you can also use the older Windows Defender Offline tool on a portable USB drive or DVD to conduct a boot-level scan when Windows can’t (or shouldn’t) boot.

While this portable version of Defender was originally made for Windows 7 and 8.1, it can still be used to scan for malware on some Windows 10 PCs, depending on the version. However, the tool itself is outdated (although the virus definitions are up-to-date) and won’t work with newer versions of Windows.

For this reason, this tool should only be used on older PCs running an older version of Windows 10 (or an earlier version of Windows). If it doesn’t work, you may need to use a third-party antivirus as an alternative, or schedule a Microsoft Defender Offline scan in Safe Mode using the steps above instead.

Creating the Windows Defender Offline Tool USB or DVD Media

1. If you want to try this method, you’ll need to download the 64-bit version of Windows Defender Offline from the Microsoft website from a non-infected Windows PC. Once the file is downloaded, run the tool and select Next.

2. At the next stage, confirm you accept the license agreement by selecting the I accept button.

3. You’ll need to select where you want to install Windows Defender Offline. Select the appropriate option (such as On a USB flash drive that is not password protected) then select Next to confirm.

4. If you’re using the USB flash drive method and you have more than one USB device connected, select the device you wish to use based on the assigned drive letter using the drop-down menu, then select the Next option.

5. The tool will format and reflash the USB drive you’ve selected. Make sure to back up any files previously saved to the device first, then select Next to continue.

6. The Windows Defender Offline creator tool will download the necessary files to flash your USB drive or DVD (including up-to-date virus definitions). Once the process is complete, you’ll need to restart your PC.

Scanning Your PC Using the Windows Defender Offline USB or DVD Media

7. When you restart your PC, you’ll need to configure your BIOS or UEFI bootloader to boot from your USB drive first, rather than from your Windows system drive. You’ll usually need to select a keyboard key such as F1, F12, or DEL to boot into this menu and change these settings—consult your PC’s user manual for additional information on how to do this, as the steps vary, depending on manufacturer.

8. Once you’ve changed your boot order, a minimal and isolated Windows environment running Windows Defender will boot. If your version of Windows 10 supports this tool, the scan options will become available to you. Otherwise, an 0x8004cc01 error will appear, and you’ll need to try an alternative method.

9. If Windows Defender tool can run on your version of Windows 10, however, follow the on-screen instructions to scan your PC and deal with any infected files. Once the process is finished, your PC will reboot and the malware should be removed. Make sure to remove your USB drive or DVD at this point and restore the correct boot order in your BIOS or UEFI settings to ensure that Windows will correctly boot up afterwards.

Running an Offline Virus Scan Using Third-Party Antivirus Software

While Microsoft Defender is a suitable built-in antivirus for Windows 10 users, you can also use third-party antivirus tools to perform an offline virus scan of your PC. All major antivirus providers support this feature, including the free-to-use Avast Antivirus, although alternatives to Avast are available and are perfectly suitable.

1. To start, you’ll need to download and install Avast on a non-infected PC (or, if that isn’t possible, on your infected PC if your PC still boots). Once installed, open the Avast UI by selecting the Avast icon on the taskbar. From the Avast menu, select Protection > Virus Scans.

2. In the Virus Scans menu, select the Rescue Disk option.

3. If you’d prefer to create a rescue disk using a CD or DVD, select the Create CD. Otherwise, connect a portable USB flash drive and select Create USB instead.

4. Avast will need to format and reflash your drive with the correct files. Back up any files you wish to save from the drive first, then select the Yes, Overwrite button to proceed.

5. Allow some time for the process to complete. Once Avast has created your rescue disk, safely remove it from the PC you’re using and connect it to your infected PC. If you used your infected PC to create the Avast rescue disk, reboot your PC at this point.

6. Before you boot into the Avast rescue disk, you’ll need to change the boot order in your BIOS or UEFI settings by selecting F1, F12, DEL, or similar key (depending on your hardware) to boot into this menu. Make sure to prioritize the DVD or USB flash drive that you’ve created, then restart your PC. 

7. Once you restart, select any key on your keyboard to boot into the Avast rescue disk. Using your mouse, select AvastPE Antivirus.

8. In the Avast Antivirus options menu that appears next, you can choose to scan all connected drives or only scan certain folders/files. Select your preferred option, then select Next.

9. Avast will begin to scan your drives to search for malware. Follow any additional on-screen instructions to confirm how you wish to handle infected files, such as fixing, quarantining, or removing them. 

Once the process is complete, exit the Avast rescue disk software, restart your PC, and remove the rescue disk to boot into Windows. You may need to repeat the steps above to restore the original boot order in your BIOS or UEFI settings menu before you can do this, however.

Keeping Windows 10 Free From Malware

Whether you’re using Microsoft Defender or a third-party antivirus like Avast, you should be able to use these tools to free your PC from a damaging malware infection. If you’re still having issues, however, you may need to think about wiping your hard drive and reinstalling Windows to start again with no infected files.

While we’ve demonstrated how to use Avast to remove malware, it isn’t the only third-party option available. You can easily uninstall Avast on Windows and try another solution like Webroot instead. If all else fails, however, don’t forget to use Microsoft Defender to quickly remove malware from your Windows PC.

There are multiple ways to make a bootable Windows 10 installation drive. You can use Microsoft’s own tool or use a free and open-source third-party app to create your bootable drive.

Create a Bootable Windows 10 USB Drive With the Media Creation Tool

If you haven’t already downloaded Windows 10’s ISO file, use Microsoft’s media creation tool to make a Windows 10 bootable USB drive. The tool automatically downloads the ISO and helps you install it on your USB drive.

Before you begin, ensure your internet is stable and has a good download speed because you’re going to download a file that’s several GBs in size.

You will also need a USB drive with at least 8GB storage capacity. The procedure below will wipe everything off the drive so make sure nothing important is saved on the drive.

To start:

1. Open a browser on your PC and go to the Windows 10 download site. You can also go to the media creation page directly. 

2. Select Download tool now to download the media creation tool.

3. Launch the downloaded media creation tool.

4. The tool displays license terms on the first screen. Select Accept to continue.

5. Next, select the Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC option. Select Next at the bottom.

6. The tool now asks you to select the language, edition, and architecture for the Windows 10 operating system that you want to download. Select these options if you want, or enable Use the recommended options for this PC. Select Next.

7. Select USB flash drive on the Choose which media to use screen to create a bootable USB drive. Select Next.

8. Plug your USB drive into your computer. 

9. Select Refresh drive list in the media creation tool.

10. Your USB drive appears in the list. Select the drive and then select Next.
    

11. Wait for the tool to make a bootable USB drive. This will take some time.

12. When the bootable USB drive is ready, select Finish.

Use Rufus to Make a Bootable Windows 10 USB Drive

If you’ve already downloaded Windows 10’s ISO file, use Rufus to flash the file on your USB drive. Rufus is a free and open-source app that allows users to create bootable drives of various operating systems, including Linux and Windows.

To use Rufus:

1. Insert your USB drive (that has at least 8GB space on it) into your computer.

2. Head over to the Rufus website and download Rufus to your computer.

3. Double-click the downloaded Rufus file to launch the tool.

4. Select Yes in the User Account Control prompt.

5. The Rufus window opens to let you configure your bootable drive. Steps 6 to 17 refer to the image below.

6. Select your USB drive from the Device dropdown menu at the top.

7. From the Boot selection menu, select Disk or ISO image (Please select). Choose Select next to this option, navigate to where you’ve saved Windows 10’s ISO file, and select the file to add it to Rufus.

8. Make sure Standard Windows installation is selected in the Image option dropdown menu.

9. Select GPT from the Partition scheme menu.

10. Select UEFI (non CSM) from the Target system menu.

11. In the Volume label field, enter a descriptive name for your bootable drive. For example, Win10USBDrive is a pretty descriptive name.
    
12. Select Show advanced format options.

13. Enable the Quick format option.

14. Activate the Create extended label and icon files option.

15. Select Start the bottom of Rufus to begin creating your bootable USB drive.

16. Select OK in the prompt that appears.

17. Select Close in the secure boot prompt.

Your Windows 10 bootable USB drive is now ready.

How to Boot Your Computer From a Bootable Windows 10 USB Drive

To boot your computer from the newly created bootable drive, you need to change the boot order in the BIOS settings menu of your PC. Also, you need to disable the secure boot option in the same BIOS menu.

On most computers, you can access BIOS by pressing and holding down the F2 key while your computer is booting up. Read our guide to enter the BIOS.

1. Plug-in your bootable USB drive to your PC and turn off the PC.

2. Press and hold down the F2 key on your keyboard.

3. While the F2 key is held down, press the Power button to turn on your PC.

4. You should now be in BIOS. On this screen, press the right-arrow key to select the Boot tab.

5. Highlight Boot Option #1 and press Enter.

6. Select a boot drive from the menu. Select your newly created bootable USB drive and press Enter.

7. Use the right-arrow key to access the Security tab and highlight the Secure Boot option and press Enter.

8. Highlight Secure Boot Control and press Enter.

9. Choose Disabled from the menu and press Enter.

10. Press the Esc key, go to the Save & Exit tab, select Save Changes and Exit, and press Enter.

11. Select Yes in the prompt.

Your computer will boot from your newly created Windows 10 bootable USB drive. You may now repair your computer or install a fresh version of Windows 10 using this drive.

Bonus Tip: Create a Windows 10 Bootable USB Drive From Command Prompt

If you prefer command-line, there’s a command to make a bootable Windows 10 USB drive. This creates the exact same drive that the methods outlined above do; the requirements still remain the same, though.

Organizing your files, removing old programs, and updating applications not only improves the speed and efficiency of your computer, but also helps you find the files you are looking for that much faster. Here are a few tips to help you get your digital life organized and declutter your Windows PC.

1. Search for and Remove Old Apps

Older, unused applications take up space on your drive that could be used for other purposes. On top of that, many applications–especially those that have not been updated recently–pose security threats. If you want to keep your machine running as smoothly as possible, take the time at least once a year to remove applications you have not used. 

Open Settings > Apps > Apps & features to see the list of currently-installed applications on your PC. You can sort by name, size, or install date. We recommend sorting by size. Since your digital spring cleaning is focused on efficiency, look at the largest programs you have installed.

Do you see any you do not use? If it’s something you haven’t used in over a year, remove it. Click the program to open the menu and then click Uninstall. The specific uninstall process differs from application to application, but it all has one end result: more space on your PC.

If you see an app you do use, make sure it’s up to date. While you’re at it, make sure you’re running the latest version of Windows (or macOS) too.

2. Clean Up Your Browser

Your browser automatically stores cookies that can slow down your browsing experience. These cookies enable automatic logins on different websites, as well as form autocompletes.

The browser also stores the cached version of different websites. Sure, while the content might change each time you visit Reddit, the images and specific settings do not. These are stored in your browser and load almost instantly. A cached version of a website hastens load times and reduces the amount of time you spend staring at progress bars.

It’s good to clear your cache at least once a year, though. Not only does this eliminate many of the problems that arise from cached information (after all, one of the main troubleshooting tips is to clear your cache), but it also ensures you have the most recent versions of web pages and increases the performance of your PC. 

To clear your browser in Chrome, click the three buttons in the top-right corner and click Settings. Click Clear browsing data and choose Cookies and other data and Cached images and files. Once you have chosen these two, click Clear data.

3. Delete Unnecessary System Files

Your system accumulates a variety of different files during operation. Some of these are related solely to the installation of an application and are never used again, while others are log files and error reports that are only valid until the next time you launch a program. The problem is that many of these files are never deleted.

The good news is that Windows 10 has an integrated, built-in tool that helps you clear out these files and free up storage space. Open Settings > System > Storage > Temporary files. This displays a list of all temporary files on your PC. You can choose between individual sections or select all of the files and delete them.

Select Temporary Internet Files and Temporary files and then click Remove Files at the top of the window. This will permanently delete these files, but don’t worry–any necessary files will automatically be generated and configured when you launch a program that needs it. 

4. Clean Your Inbox

Every Spring-cleaning day has at least one task you don’t want to tackle. Maybe it’s the bathrooms, or maybe it’s that upstairs closet you haven’t opened in two years. In your digital life, this obstacle to getting your digital life organized is most likely your inbox.

The ideal goal is to reach Inbox Zero, but if you have a limited amount of time just aim to delete older emails. Anything more than a year old is likely safe to delete. If older emails contain something you want to keep, download it to your computer.

Your inbox has a limited amount of space, whether you host your own address or use a Gmail account. Deleting old emails and their attachments frees up space for new messages. 

5. Run a Virus Scan

Another thing you should do is perform a virus and malware scan on your system. Often, the most harmful digital infections are those that don’t make a splash–they sit on your drive for weeks or months collecting information. Passwords, credit card numbers, and more can all be put at risk and you might never know until someone begins spending your money.

If you don’t already run periodic virus scans, you should schedule one at least once per month. Perform both a virus scan and a malware scan on your PC as part of your digital cleaning. This will let you know if anything is hiding out in some dusty sector of your hard drive and help you remove it. 

6. Check Your Privacy and Security Settings

In addition to the malware scan above, you should also check your privacy and security settings on Windows 10 just to make sure everything is up and running. Firstly, go through our guide on how to secure Windows 10, which walk you through making sure your firewall is enabled, your privacy settings are correct, flash is disabled, you hard drive is encrypted and more.

You should also read our guide on how to disable telemetry in Windows 10, which is basically data that Microsoft collects about your computer.

7. Update Your Software

It’s never a glamorous job and it can sometimes lead to more problems, but updating the Windows operating system and all of your hardware drivers is normally going to make things run smoother. With the big Windows updates that come out every 6 months (usually around April and October), it’s best to wait at least a month after the release before updating.

Whatever issues and bugs are in the first release will usually all be fixed after a month or so. Updating your drivers is important as there manufacturers are always releasing updates to improve performance, compatibility and stability.

Take the chance this spring to straighten up your PC. You’ll find that it runs better, is easier to navigate, and safer to use. It doesn’t have to take long–most everything on this list can be accomplished in an hour or two. 

While it’s entirely possible to use a computer without a mouse, you probably want to get your pointer back. So let’s walk through the things you can do when your mouse keeps disappearing.

Before you try anything, use some shortcut keys to see if you can get the cursor back. Try Fn + F3, Fn + F5, Fn + F9, or Fn + F11 and see if any of those work. This basically re-enables your mouse if it got disabled for some reason. If this didn’t help, keep reading.

1. Restart Your Computer

Yes, we’re starting off with the standard advice. Turn your computer off and then on again. Sometimes it’s so obvious that people forget to do it at all. This eliminates any temporary glitches that may never happen again.

2. Check the Connection & Batteries

USB technology is very reliable these days, but it can still be finicky. So unplug your mouse, wait a second and then plug it in again. You may also want to try a different port, which sometimes also solves the issue.

In addition, if your mouse is connected through a docking station or hub, try connecting it directly to the computer or unplug the hub and reconnect it.

Lastly, in terms of connections, try disconnecting all other devices except the mouse and see if that helps.

If you’re using a wireless mouse, the issue could be as simple as having to replace the batteries. On Apple products, it’ll usually give you a message stating that you need to replace the batteries, but this doesn’t always happen in Windows.

3. Test the Mouse on Something Else or Try Another Mouse

If those two quick fixes don’t do anything, it becomes important to determine whether the problem is with the mouse or the computer itself. The easiest way to do this is by either trying a different mouse with the computer in question, or plugging the problematic mouse into another mouse-supporting device. 

If the mouse works elsewhere, you’re probably looking at a software or computer hardware issue. If the mouse doesn’t work anywhere else, well the mystery of the disappearing mouse has been solved.

4. On Laptops, Check for a Mouse Toggle Key

Most laptops have a large touchpad below the keyboard and many users who use an external mouse or type a lot find it distracting. It can happen that you accidentally touch it with your thumb while using the keyboard, causing the pointer to jump.

This is why most laptops have a toggle to disable the touchpad. If you have no external mouse connected and the touchpad has been disabled, you may not see your mouse pointer.

The good news is that this takes just a few seconds to fix. Refer to your manual for specific instructions, but in the vast majority of cases the toggle will be one of the function keys.

You’ll see a small pictographic of a touchpad or something similar on that key. To activate the toggle, you usually have to hold down the Fn button first, which changes the functions of the keys on the function key row while depressed.

5. Disable “Hide Pointer While Typing”

Sometimes your mouse disappearing is the result of a setting somewhere that’s been accidentally activated, or switched on by another user. If you see your mouse pointer only going away while you type, there’s a good chance the “Hide Pointer While Typing” option has been turned on. 

To check if this has happened:

1. Open the Start Menu.
2. Type Mouse Settings and select it when it appears.
3. Select Additional Mouse Options.

4. Select the Pointer Options tab.
5. Uncheck Hide pointer while typing.

6. Roll Back Recent Changes

If your problem happens right after something on your computer changes, you should consider undoing those changes if at all possible. This includes recent Windows updates, mouse driver updates or new software that you’ve installed.

Correlation does of course not equate causation, but having a system change happen close to a problem does raise the odds of a connection somewhat. Here’s how to roll back a driver in Windows 10.

7. Update Mouse Firmware or Software

Even without installing proprietary software, all USB and Bluetooth mice conform to generic interface standards for both types of connection. Well, that’s supposed to be the case, but sometimes your mouse will only start working after installing the manufacturer’s configuration utility. 

With some wireless mice, such as those from Logitech that use their in-house receiver, you may have to pair the receiver and mouse first using the utility.

8. Check if the Mouse Is Switchable

Some Bluetooth mice, such as the MX Master series, support multiple device profiles. So you can switch between different devices at the touch of a button. If your mouse has this feature, make sure it’s set to the correct profile for the computer you want to use it on.

9. Do Some Driver Maintenance

While Windows usually does a good job of keeping things up to date, you may want to manually check that your mouse drivers are up to date. Alternatively, perhaps you should roll back a new mouse driver which may be causing problems. It can also be that your GPU driver needs to be updated, so that it plays nicely with a newer mouse driver.

10. If Your Pointer Only Disappears in Certain Apps

Sometimes a mouse pointer disappears only when it moves over certain applications. Common examples include video player applications and web browsers such as Chrome. This might happen because that application is trying to use hardware acceleration to render things more quickly and smoothly. 

Unfortunately, this sometimes means that the pointer disappears because of compatibility problems. Updating the application and your GPU drivers should be your first action, but if that doesn’t work check the software’s documentation to see where you can toggle hardware acceleration off.

11. Use Alt+Tab or Task Manager to Release a Captured Pointer

Sometimes your mouse pointer keeps disappearing because an off-screen application has captured it. This can happen when certain applications don’t close properly and don’t give the mouse back.

There are two quick ways to rectify this. The first is to press Alt and Tab together on your keyboard. This will switch app focus to a different app and hopefully release the mouse. If that doesn’t work, use Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open the Task Manager. Then select the suspected application and end its process by right-clicking on it and selecting End Process.

If your mouse didn’t release when switching to the Task Manager, you can simply press Alt + E to end a highlighted application.

12. Check for Malware

The last potential cause of a missing pointer is a long shot, but if it does turn out to be the case then it’s a serious issue. Some malware can take control of your system, which includes input devices such as the mouse and keyboard.

A missing pointer could be a symptom of this, so just be sure, disconnect your computer from the internet and then run anti-malware software on it. You may have to do this from a bootable flash drive, but in most cases you’ll be fine with simply installing and running applications such as Malwarebytes.

Getting to the Point(er)

There are so many possible reasons why your mouse pointer may have gone AWOL, but the solutions we’ve listed here are the ones with the highest likelihood of success as well as some of the fastest to try. 

If after all of this you still don’t have a mouse pointer on screen, you may have to consider installing or repairing Windows itself. You can try to boot up a live version of Linux from a flash drive or DVD to 100% confirm that Windows is the issue, but once you are sure Windows needs a fresh chance, head over to 3 Ways to Wipe & Reinstall Windows 10.