Quick fixes before you call us.

Can't boot properly, apps crashing, or Windows just feels broken? Start here before anything drastic.

• Try Safe Mode first: Settings → System → Recovery → Advanced startup → Restart now, then choose Safe Mode. It loads only the essentials, which usually reveals whether a driver or app is the culprit.
• Roll back with System Restore: search "Create a restore point" → System Restore → pick a date before the problem started.
• Reset This PC: Settings → System → Recovery → Reset this PC. Choose "Keep my files" first — it reinstalls Windows without touching your documents.
• Startup Repair: if Windows won't boot at all, interrupt the boot process three times in a row (hold the power button) to trigger the Recovery Environment, then Troubleshoot → Advanced options → Startup Repair.

Setting up Office for the first time, or reinstalling after a new machine? Here's the short version.

• Install the apps: sign in at office.com with your work or personal Microsoft account, then "Install Office" from the top-right menu.
• Activate your license: open any Office app → File → Account → you should see "Product Activated." If not, sign out and back in with the correct account.
• Set up Outlook: File → Add Account → enter your email. Most work accounts auto-configure; personal accounts may need IMAP settings from your provider.
• Get OneDrive syncing: search "OneDrive" in the Start menu, sign in, and choose which folders to sync so your files back up automatically.

• Restart the router and modem: unplug both for 30 seconds. It resolves a surprising number of connection issues on its own.
• Forget and reconnect: Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi → Manage known networks → Forget, then reconnect and re-enter the password.
• Run the built-in troubleshooter: Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters → Internet Connections.
• Check for a wider outage: if every device is affected, it may not be your setup at all — check your provider's status page before troubleshooting further.

Locked out of a Microsoft or work account? Don't panic — most lockouts are self-service.

• Reset a Microsoft account password: go to account.live.com/password/reset and follow the verification steps.
• Work or organisation account: use the "Can't access your account?" link on the sign-in page — your IT admin may need to approve the reset.
• Set up MFA properly: use the Microsoft Authenticator app rather than SMS where possible — it's faster and more reliable for future sign-ins.

• Reinstall the driver first: Settings → Bluetooth & devices → Printers & scanners → remove the printer, then add it again.
• Clear a stuck print queue: search "Services" → find "Print Spooler" → Restart. This clears jammed jobs that block everything behind them.
• Check the physical connection: for USB devices, try a different port; for Bluetooth, remove and re-pair the device.

• Turn on File History: Settings → Update & Security → Backup → Add a drive, and pick an external drive or network location.
• Check OneDrive sync status: click the OneDrive cloud icon in the taskbar — a red X or exclamation mark means a file didn't sync; click it for details.
• Free up space with Files On-Demand: right-click OneDrive → Settings → enable "Files On-Demand" so files stay in the cloud until you open them.

• Restart first — it genuinely fixes more than people expect, especially after weeks of uptime.
• Check for pending updates: Settings → Windows Update. A stuck update can quietly eat resources in the background.
• Review startup apps: Task Manager → Startup apps → disable anything you don't need running the moment you log in.
• Run Disk Cleanup: search "Disk Cleanup" → select your main drive → clean up system files.

• Watch for the warning signs: unexpected pop-ups, a browser homepage that changed itself, programs you don't remember installing, or a fan that's suddenly always running.
• Run a full scan: Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Scan options → Full scan.
• Stop if a scan finds something you don't understand, or your files have been encrypted or renamed — that's exactly the kind of moment worth a real conversation with us before you do anything else.