If you currently have a Windows 10 machine, you will have access to some amazing and new features. But, like every other new operating system, there will be glitches and issues. There will be some recurring or common issues and you will need to learn how to fix them.
Below, we discuss common issues faced by Windows 10 users and their solutions.
- PC Boots Slowly- Several Windows users feel their machines boot relatively slow. Usually it could be because there is some malware or your system isn’t updated. If you feel its a malware issue, then you can take the following steps-
- Press the Windows key and “I”
- Choose Update & Security
- Select Windows Defender
- Click on Open Windows Defender
- Press Full Scan and the Scan now
Once its finished scanning, follow the instructions on the screen. You can check for updates in Settings and install updates if you haven’t already.
- Windows uses 4G Data- Windows sometimes lets the background processes eat up your data and bandwidth. If you use a hotspot to connect over the internet, it is best recommended to set a metered connection.
- Click on the Start menu and choose Settings
- Click Network & Internet
- Select Wi-Fi, then Advanced Options
- Switch “Set as metered connection” to the ON position
- Incessant Notifications- Windows 10 can feel extremely cluttered with notifications and annoy you if you are working. You can also switch it off if you feel you don’t really need that many notifications.
- Go to the Start menu and choose Settings
- Click on System, then choose Notifications & Actions
- Use the toggle switches to control how and when notifications appear, or if they appear at all. You can control system-level notifications or set them on a per-app basis.
- Default Privacy Settings Not Customized- The default privacy settings in Windows 10 allows access to many apps to your personal data and information. It can feel intrusive to many users. There is a way to change it.
- Go to Settings from the Start menu
- Choose Privacy
- Go through each section on the left-hand side in turn (General, location, camera, microphone, etc)
- Review the settings in each section and use the toggle switches to adjust them to suit your preference
- Not Enough Space- Windows 10 often does not have enough space to install new updates. You can use something like CleanMyPc, a PC Cleaner, which will remove all unnecessary apps and files and create space for your software updates. You can select which files to delete or let the cleaner decide on its own. Another way to create space is to auto-free up space on your hard drive or SSD. There is a built-in disk cleanup tool for users to freeing up space.
- Click on the Start menu
- Choose All Programs
- Select Accessories, then System Tools
- Click on Disk Cleanup
- Under the Files to delete heading, choose which file types you want to remove
- If you’re not sure about which file types to get rid of, select each one in turn and read its description
- When you’ve selected the file types to delete, click OK
- Files open in the wrong application- The file association in Windows can be broken which means if you double-click on a file, it won’t open in the app. You can fix that by clicking on the Start menu and choosing Settings. Click on the System tab and look for the category labeled “default apps.” In there, you can choose what app opens each type of file and specify an app for different file extensions.
- No DVD movies- Windows 10 doesn’t have its own built-in DVD player anymore. It’s mainly because everybody usually watches movies online. You can download VLC or other media players if you want to watch a video or a movie through a DVD.
- Missing System Restore- Microsoft has turned off System Restore. You will have to turn it on.
- Click on the Start menu and type ‘system restore’ into the search box
- Select Create a restore point
- When you see the System Properties panel, click on the System Protection tab
- Make sure your C: drive is selected and press Configure
- Click the radio button next to Turn on system protection
- Use the slider to specify how much of your hard drive to use for restore points — 5-10% should be enough for you.
- Too many Popups in Edge- The default pop-up advert blocker in Edge is switched off. To turn it on, launch Edge, click on the More button, and choose Settings, then View Advanced Settings. Set Block Pop-Ups to ‘On’. It is definitely needed as the constant pop up adverts will annoy you while browsing and working.
- Printer Issues- Printer issues are very common and often caused because you may not have the latest drivers or updates.
- Go to Control Panel, then choose Devices and Printers.
- Right-click on your printer and choose to remove it.
Now, go to your printer’s company website and download the latest drivers or software updates for your printer model. Install them as instructed and your printer should be working fine.
