10+ Everyday Windows Problems and How to Fix Them

If you use Windows, you may have encountered a bunch of annoying glitches that can really throw a wrench in your productivity. Some are minor headaches, while others can make you want to throw your computer out the window and start fresh.

I’ve been using Windows for a long time now, and I’ve come across my fair share of big and small issues. But what I’ve learned is that you can actually solve most of these problems on your own, without having to call in the pros.

In this post, I want to share with you some of the most common Windows issues I’ve encountered, along with some easy fixes that you can try yourself. So check out the list below, and who knows, these tips might just save your day.

I can’t see my drives in File Explorer

Have you ever opened File Explorer and discovered that one or more drives have mysteriously disappeared? It can be frustrating, but there are a few things you can try to fix it. First, right-click on any empty space in File Explorer and choose “Refresh.” This might bring back your missing drives.

If that doesn’t work, it’s possible that your drives are hidden. To check, double-click on the “Hard Disk Drives” option at the top of File Explorer. Your drives should appear. You can also try restarting your computer to see if that resolves the issue.

If none of the previous solutions work, there’s one more thing you can try. Press the Windows key and the R key at the same time. A small “Run” dialog box will appear. Type “compmgmt.msc” into the box and press Enter. This will open the “Computer Management” window. In the left panel, click on “Disk Management” to view all your drives.

Imagine this: you’re facing the frustrating problem of one or more missing drives. But don’t worry, I’m here to help! First, let’s take a deep breath and reach for that trusty mouse. Now, oh-so-carefully, right-click on the missing drive or drives. See that nifty little menu that pops up? Great! Hover your cursor over the option that says “Change drive letter and paths,” and click it with confidence.

Now, brace yourself for a new window that will open up. This is where the magic happens! It’s time to shake things up by assigning a letter to your missing drive. Simply choose a letter from the dropdown menu, and voila! You’ve given that drive a fresh new identity. Doesn’t that feel empowering?

But wait, there’s more! Before you celebrate too much, make sure to confirm your decision by clicking the “OK” button. After all, we wouldn’t want any unwanted surprises, right? Once you’ve clicked that button, take a moment to revel in your accomplishment. You’ve just conquered the missing drive mystery like a champion!

And there you have it – a simple, yet powerful solution to an annoying issue. Keep this handy tip in mind the next time you encounter a rogue drive. You’ve got this!

Now let’s make a small change to get those drives back in the file explorer. Just click on the “Change” button and choose a different drive letter on the next page.

Oops! I can’t find the search field in my Start Menu!

Have you ever had the search field mysteriously disappear from your Windows Start Menu? It can be frustrating when you can’t find what you’re looking for. But don’t worry, I have a solution!

First, let’s open the “Control Panel” from your Start Menu. You can find it by clicking on the little windows icon in the bottom left corner of your screen. Once the Start Menu pops up, just look for the “Control Panel” option and give it a click.

Now that we’re in the Control Panel, we’ll want to find the “Uninstall a Program” option. This can usually be found under the “Programs” section. Just look for it and click on it.

When you want to make changes to your Windows features, start by clicking on the “Turn Windows features on or off” button on the left side. This will open the “Windows Features” window where you can find the option for Windows Search. Simply check the box next to it and click “OK” to save your changes.

I’ll provide you with steps on how to fix the issue of a file not opening in your preferred program. First, you need to restart your computer. When prompted, confirm the restart. This should resolve the issue and restore the search functionality.

Now, let’s address the problem of files not opening in your desired program. It can be really frustrating when you double click on a file and it doesn’t open in the program you want. This happens because some programs change the default program for certain file types during installation, which can lead to your desired program being replaced.

Thankfully, changing the default program for any file type in Windows is actually quite simple. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Right-click on the file that you want to open.

2. Hover your mouse cursor over the “Open with” option.

3. From the side menu that appears, click on “Choose default program”.

By following these steps, you’ll be able to select your preferred program as the default for opening that specific file type. This way, you won’t have any more issues with files opening in the wrong program.

Okay, so here’s what you need to do. Take a look at the list of programs and pick the one you want to use as the default program for that type of file. Make sure to check the box that says “Always use the selected program.” This way, every time you open a file of that type, it will automatically open with your chosen program.

My Windows keeps falling asleep!

Did you know that by default, Windows is programmed to go to sleep after a certain period of inactivity? I find it pretty annoying because sometimes I have things running on my computer that I need to keep going, like when I’m watching a video. If you feel the same way, don’t worry! You can easily change this setting in the power options.

• To open the power options, press Windows + R keys and type “powercfg.cpl” in the “Run” dialog.
• Next, click on “Change plan settings” and select “Never” from the drop-down menu next to “Put the computer to sleep”. By doing this, you can prevent your PC from going into sleep mode automatically.

Having trouble with the Windows slideshow?

Using slideshow wallpapers and themes can keep your desktop looking fresh. However, there are times when Windows may disable the slideshow feature to save power. If you’re facing issues with the slideshow feature, here’s how you can enable it:

• I want you to go to power options once again, just like we did before, and this time click on “Change advanced power settings”.
• Next, you need to expand the “Desktop background settings” option, and then expand “Slideshow”.
• Now, from the drop down menu, I want you to select “Available”.

Why does it take so long for my computer to go into Sleep Mode?

The sleep feature is supposed to put your computer to sleep in just 3-5 seconds, but if it’s taking more than 15 seconds, that might be because you’re using the hybrid sleep feature. With hybrid sleep, the computer first saves all your work to the hard disk before going to sleep. This is a good thing because it helps prevent data loss in case of a power outage. However, it also makes the process of putting your computer to sleep take a lot longer.

If this feature isn’t quite your cup of tea, you can effortlessly transition to the standard sleep mode.

• To stop hybrid sleep on Windows, go to the “Advanced Settings” in the “Power Options” menu. From there, expand the “Sleep” option and then expand “Allow hybrid sleep”.
• Next, choose “Off” from the drop-down menu to disable hybrid sleep.

Why does Windows keep waking up from Sleep Mode?

There could be two reasons why Windows keeps waking up from sleep mode. Either a connected device is causing it to wake up, or there is automatic software that needs the PC to wake up in order to complete a task.

If you want to prevent apps from waking up your computer, follow these steps: First, go to the “Advanced Settings” in the “Power Options” menu again. Then, find the “Sleep” option and expand it. Next, locate the “Allow wake timers” option and expand it as well. Finally, select the “Disable” option to ensure that no program can wake up your computer while it’s asleep. By doing this, you’ll be able to keep your computer undisturbed during its sleep mode.

Why aren’t my changes showing up in folders and files?

Ever made changes to a file or folder, only to find that the updates aren’t immediately visible? It’s like you’re staring at the screen, scratching your head, wondering why the description hasn’t changed or the image size hasn’t been updated. You might even feel this frustration when you rename a file.

If you ever find yourself in this situation, don’t worry—I’ve got a solution for you. Just right-click anywhere and choose “Refresh” from the menu that appears. This magical option repaints everything, making sure your changes are synced and displayed. It’s like a little refresh button for your files and folders.

Now, if for some reason the refresh option doesn’t do the trick, there’s another trick you can try. All you have to do is go back from your current folder and then come back again. It’s like a little journey that fixes everything up and gets your changes to show. Pretty neat, huh?

How to stop apps from running in the background in Windows 10

Hey there! Let me help you customize your Windows 10 settings. Follow these steps:

• Open the Start Menu and click on “Settings”.
• In the “Settings” menu, click on “Privacy” and scroll down to “Background Apps”.
• Select “Off” next to the Windows 10 apps that you don’t use.

By doing this, you’ll disable the apps’ background processes but still be able to use their features.

How to Bring Back Hibernate Mode in Windows 10 Power Options

If you can’t find the Hibernate option in your Windows 10 Power Options, follow these simple steps:

• Hold down the Windows key and press the R key to open the “Run” dialog box.
• Type “powercfg.cpl” in the box and hit Enter to open the “Power Options”.

As I look at this task, I can see that there are a couple of steps I need to follow. First, I need to click on “Change settings that are currently unavailable” at the top. After that, I should scroll down and check the checkbox next to “Hibernate”. Let’s get started!

You know what? I’ve got some great news for you! I just discovered that the hibernate option is now available in a bunch of places, including the Start Menu. How cool is that?

How to Enable the Delete Confirmation Dialog Box in Windows 8.1/10

So, here’s the deal: in Windows 8 and 10, they decided to skip the whole confirmation process when you delete something. I mean, come on! They just dump it into the recycle bin without even asking. It’s a little too quick for my taste. But don’t worry, my friend. If you’re like me and sometimes accidentally hit that delete button in a frenzy, there’s a way to bring back that handy confirmation dialog box.

• To change the way the “Recycle bin” behaves, follow these steps:
  1. First, right-click on the “Recycle bin”.
  2. Select “Properties” from the menu that appears.

• At the bottom of the dialog box that appears, you will see a checkbox.

  Check the box next to “Display delete confirmation dialog”.

  Finally, click “OK”.

From now on, every time you want to delete something, you will need to confirm it first.

Having issues with the Right-click Menu crashing Explorer?

If you find that right-clicking anywhere causes everything to freeze and then crashes the Explorer, the problem might be a corrupted context menu entry. You can solve this by disabling the context menu entries one-by-one until you find the culprit. If you need help with disabling context menu entries, you can refer to my article on managing the Windows context menu.

Sign into Windows 10 without typing your password

Do you get frustrated when you have to log in to Windows 10 every time you use your computer? Well, guess what? There’s a way to automate that process!

To get started, I’ll walk you through the process of logging into Windows 10 automatically, without having to enter your password every time. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Press the Windows key and the letter “R” on your keyboard simultaneously. This will open the “Run” dialog box.

2. Type in “netplwiz” (without the quotation marks) and hit Enter.

3. In the User Accounts window that appears, select the username that you want to set up for automatic login.

4. Uncheck the box that says “Users must enter a username and password to use this computer.”

5. To confirm this change, you’ll need to enter your username and password.

6. Once you’ve done that, the selected user will no longer have to enter a password every time Windows 10 starts up.

Now you can log into Windows 10 effortlessly, without the hassle of entering your password each time.

Next, let’s address another common issue you might encounter – the “There is a problem with this website’s security certificate” error.

If you’re seeing this error, don’t worry! I can help you fix it.

All you need to do is adjust the time and date on your computer. It’s as simple as that!

If you’re experiencing any other issues with your Windows system or have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below. I’m here to assist you!