🛠️CommonFixes

Every fix in one place

Filter by the kind of trouble you are having, or type a word or two that describes it.

Everything🖥️ Screen troubles⏻ Will not start🐌 Slow and freezing🔊 Noise, heat and battery📶 Internet and Wi-Fi🎧 Sound and camera🖨️ Printers, USB and mouse🗂️ Files and storage🛡️ Pop-ups and safety🌐 Browsers and websites🔄 Updates and Windows🔑 Accounts and email📄 Documents and cloud📦 Programs and installs🎨 Pens, HDR and creative gear🎮 Games and performance

Showing 17 fixes

🗂️Files and storageMedium

The issue

You deleted an important file

You are probably asking

“I deleted a file by mistake and the recycle bin is empty. Can I get it back?”

⏱ 20 min•5 stepsFix it →
🗂️Files and storageEasy

The issue

The drive is full and warnings keep appearing

You are probably asking

“My C drive is full but I do not know what is using the space.”

⏱ 20 min•5 stepsFix it →
🗂️Files and storageEasy

The issue

A file will not delete because it is in use

You are probably asking

“It says the file is open in another program but nothing is open.”

⏱ 10 min•5 stepsFix it →
🗂️Files and storageCareful

The issue

A drive asks to be formatted

You are probably asking

“My flash drive says you need to format the disk before you can use it. Are my files lost?”

⏱ 20 min•5 stepsFix it →
🗂️Files and storageMedium

The issue

A file will not open in anything

You are probably asking

“Why does my Word document say the file is corrupt and will not open?”

⏱ 15 min•5 stepsFix it →
🗂️Files and storageEasy

The issue

USB stick does not show up

You are probably asking

“I plugged in my USB drive and nothing happens. How do I get my files?”

⏱ 10 min•4 stepsFix it →
🗂️Files and storageEasy

The issue

Your disk is almost full

You are probably asking

“Windows keeps warning me that my disk is full. What can I safely delete?”

⏱ 15 min•4 stepsFix it →
🗂️Files and storageMedium

The issue

An Office file refuses to open

You are probably asking

“Excel or Word says the file is corrupt or cannot be opened. Can I still get my work back?”

⏱ 10 min•4 stepsFix it →
🗂️Files and storageMedium

The issue

The drive is full but you cannot see what is using it

You are probably asking

“Windows says my disk is full but my files are small. Where did the space go?”

⏱ 15 min•4 stepsFix it →
🗂️Files and storageEasy

The issue

A file says no app is associated with it

You are probably asking

“What does 'this file does not have an app associated with it' mean?”

⏱ 10 min•6 stepsFix it →
🗂️Files and storageCareful

The issue

'The parameter is incorrect' when opening a drive or copying files

You are probably asking

“How do I fix 'the parameter is incorrect' error?”

⏱ 20 min•6 stepsFix it →
🗂️Files and storageCareful

The issue

New drive is not initialised

You are probably asking

“Why does Windows say my new hard drive is unknown and not initialized?”

⏱ 15 min•7 stepsFix it →
🗂️Files and storageMedium

The issue

You do not have permission to open this folder

You are probably asking

“Why does my laptop say 'you don't currently have permission to access this folder'?”

⏱ 15 min•6 stepsFix it →
🗂️Files and storageEasy

The issue

Show file extensions in File Explorer

You are probably asking

“How do I get file extensions to show in File Explorer?”

⏱ 3 min•6 stepsFix it →
🗂️Files and storageEasy

The issue

Drag and drop stops working in Windows 11

You are probably asking

“How do I fix drag and drop not working on the Windows 11 desktop or in folders?”

⏱ 5 min•6 stepsFix it →
🗂️Files and storageMedium

The issue

USB drive shows 0 bytes and will not format

You are probably asking

“How do I fix a USB flash drive that shows 0 bytes, RAW format and cannot be formatted?”

⏱ 25 min•6 stepsFix it →
🗂️Files and storageEasy

The issue

File Explorer crawls with a green loading bar

You are probably asking

“Why does File Explorer open very slowly with a green loading bar saying working on it?”

⏱ 10 min•6 stepsFix it →