Quick Tips and Tricks for Supreme Windows 11 Performance
Finally upgraded to Microsoft’s newest OS, but the performance is a bit sluggish? Here are a few useful tips you may not have thought about that could significantly transform your experience!
How to speed up Windows 11?
1. Disable startup programs
There are many programs that launch right on startup that really aren’t essential. This, in turn, causes your PC to launch and run more slowly.
To check which programs are enabled on startup, go into the Task Manager and select the Startup tab. Find every program that doesn’t need to launch immediately, right-click on it and press ‘Disable’.
This will not shut down the program in that instant. It’ll just prevent it from running automatically as you turn on your PC. You can always launch it manually when you need it.
2. Expand your memory and storage
If you want your PC to run super smoothly, you need to have enough memory to support that. This is especially significant for those of you who love to multitask. Upgrading your RAM gives your PC more space to store the temporary data it needs to complete processing tasks. In other words, processing takes a lot less time.
Your long-term storage is equally important. Hopefully at this point you’re already using SSD over HDD, since this type of storage offers a faster boot time.
Credit Marc Pezin on Unsplash
In any case, we recommend expanding your storage capacity. The more files and data you store, the more there is to load, significantly influencing your PC’s speed. Larger storage capacity means new data and essential updates can be stored comfortably, preventing any strain on your PC’s performance.
3. Clean up disk space
If you aren’t willing to upgrade your storage just yet, the least you can do is clean up your storage right now.
Aside from manually deleting stuff you no longer need, you can also get rid of temporary files that clutter up your storage and eat up performance for no reason. To get to them, click Windows + X and select ‘Run’ (or just type it in the search bar).
A small window will pop up, where you need to type %temp%. This will take you to a whole folder full of all the temporary files you can remove without thinking twice.
For those who upgraded from Windows 10, there’s a neat trick to get rid of potential leftover files you don’t need on your brand new iteration. Only do this if you’re 100% sticking with Windows 11, though. Go to System > Storage > Temporary files. Make sure to only leave ‘Previous Windows Installation’ and ‘Windows Update Clean-up’ checked and click on ‘Remove files’.
Lastly, make use of Windows 11’s fantastic Storage Sense feature. Turning it on will enable your PC to constantly watch out for junk or unused files to optimize your PC’s performance to the maximum.
4. Install pending updates
This one should go without saying, but pending updates can be detrimental to your Windows 11 performance. The longer you leave them untouched, the more bugs the outdated programs and patches can cause. So, make sure to regularly check for updates and install them as soon as they’re available.
5. Disable visual effects
As cool as visual effects, animations, shadows and transparency are, they can also put quite a toll on your computer’s speed. On a newer setup this generally shouldn’t be a problem, but if you do notice a drop in performance, definitely consider turning off some of these settings.
To do this you can go to the Control Panel, System Properties and click the ‘Advanced’ tab. In the Performance section, choose Settings. If you’d like a quicker way to get to the dialog (Performance Options) with Visual Effects, you can also type sysdm.cpl in the search bar.
Once there, you can either have your PC choose what’s best, choose the best appearance or the best performance. The other option is to manually toggle the effects off and on. The biggest obstacles to speed are taskbar animations, window shadows, control/element animations and animations upon minimizing/maximizing.
Credit Windows on Unsplash
In the same vein, you should go to Settings > Personalization > Colors and disable Transparency, to prevent your computer from doing overtime just to hit the aesthetic appeal.
6. Get rid of bloatware
Bloatware is one of the biggest culprits of slow computer speed.
Pre-installed software that’s pretty much useless but takes up valuable system resources has been around since day one. No matter which device or platform you’re talking about. Luckily, a lot of it is removable, making it easy to lighten the load on your device.
To boost your Windows 11 computer, go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps.You’ll probably see a bunch of apps you don’t want or need. Click on the three dots next to each one you want to remove and press ‘Uninstall’.
Aside from helping optimize performance, removing bloatware has another great benefit. Unfortunately, often this pre-installed software is quite vulnerable, exposing you to great risk of cyberattacks. So, removing it definitely improves your device’s security and gives you at least some peace of mind.
Summary
These are a few of our fastest tips for boosting performance. There are other, more complex and time-consuming ways, of course. If you’ve tried these quick ones and still need advice on how to improve your PC’s speed, feel free to reach out!
When Windows 11 update is available but you do not wish to restart right away because you are in the middle of using a computer, you can schedule a restart for up to 7 days. It is very easy and we will show you how to do it.
Press ⊞ WINDOWS + I to open settings
Click on Windows Update
At the top, under the Restart required to click on Schedule the Restart
Click the switch under Schedule a Time to turn it ON
Use the Pick a Time and Pick a Day menu to set time and day when you want to update
Go back to one screen and visually confirm that the date is set
Close the settings
The scheduled restart will be confirmed in a message on the Windows Update page.
If you’re having some problem browsing multiple websites on the Firefox browser on your Windows 10 computer, then this post might be of help. One of the most common problems you could encounter in Firefox is mostly related to HTTPS and one of them is the MOZILLA PKIX ERROR MITM DETECTED or ERROR SELF SIGNED CERT or SEC ERROR UNKNOWN ISSUER error which means that Firefox was unable to trust certificates issued on secured websites.
If you encounter the MOZILLA_PKIX_ERROR_MITM_DETECTED error in Firefox, this indicates that something in your network or system is interrupting your connection and injecting certificates and when that happens, Firefox won’t trust it. In such cases, one of the culprits is malware. Malware will try to replace a legitimate certificate with its certificate. Another cause is security software where it keeps a tab on a secure connection and creates a false positive, for instance:
“In Microsoft Windows accounts protected by Family Safety settings, secure connections on popular websites like Google, Facebook and YouTube might be intercepted and their certificates replaced by a certificate issued by Microsoft in order to filter and record search activity.”
And if you are connected to a corporate network, there might be a monitoring/filtering product that could be replacing certificates. Moreover, there are also users who reported getting this issue when they use the Nightly version of Firefox. And if that’s the case, you have to try accessing secure websites using only the stable build especially when it comes to payments. However, if you are not doing that, then here are some options you need to check out.
Option 1 – Try turning off HTTPS Scanning on your security and antivirus programs
Each security-based software has a security option that allows you to turn off the HTTPS scanning functionality. They may be available under different names such as HTTPS Scanning, Scan SSL, Show safe result, Do not scan encrypted connections, etc. Find what is applicable for your security or antivirus software and then try turning it off temporarily and see if it helps in fixing the MOZILLA_PKIX_ERROR_MITM_DETECTED error in Firefox.
Option 2 – Try to disable security.enterprise_roots.enabled
The next thing you can do if the first option didn’t work is to disable security.enterprise_roots.enabled which is an HTTPS certificate check on Firefox. Note that this is not recommended but you have to at least try in order to fix the error.
Open Firefox and then type “about: config” in the Firefox address bar and hit Enter.
After that, if an info message appears, confirm it.
Next, search for the security.enterprise_roots.enabled preference and once you found it, double click on it.
Then change its value to true and restart the Firefox browser once. This will import all the custom certificates from the other security software into Firefox. As a result, it will make sure to mark those sources as trusted and you won’t get the MOZILLA_PKIX_ERROR_MITM_DETECTED error.
Having a PC is a great thing, more often we are enjoying it than we have issues, but as time passes it seems that our computer is slowing more and more as new applications and games are coming which demand more powerful computers.
Before you decide to throw away your computer and buy a new one because you feel it is a bit slow, read through this guide where we will guide you to common tips & trick to make your PC run faster:
Keep your PC clean and tidy
Slowdowns and many other issues, even hardware failures can come from dirty PC. Make sure your PC is clean and tidy for maximum performance.
Optimize airflow through PC casing
Airflow is very important so your GPU and CPU and overall all hardware components can be kept in optimal working temperatures. If any device inside the casing is working in abnormal temperatures you will experience slowdowns and freezing on daily basis. Make sure that all fans are working and that your temperatures are in the optimal range to prevent overheating and make sure to have maximum performance.
Check PC for malware
Viruses, worms, and overall all malware can drastically reduce system performance. Make sure that your protection software is up to date with the latest definitions and that you have the latest Windows updates installed.
Create a Hi-Performance power plan
Windows power plans can be a very useful feature, especially if you are working on laptop but in order to boost performance and drain maximum, you will need to switch to a hi-performance power plan.
Free space on the system drive
Having little to no space on your Windows system drive can lead to extreme slowdowns, make sure that your hard drive is not on red when viewed from File explorer or you will experience even 50% poorer performance.
Choose startup applications
If you have many applications starting up with your Windows and many of them running in the background you will experience performance issues. Each application that runs in the background is taking RAM and CPU time for themselves which could be free and used for the program that you need.
Do not open too many tabs in Browser
Having too many tabs in Browser while working on a computer can also cause slowdowns, each tab is taking RAM for itself and even can cause Browser poor performance if a tab is LIVE and refreshing with new content all the time.
Remove browser extensions
Speaking of browser, having too many installed extensions which are active as soon as the browser is up and running can also lead to poor performances. Remove all which you really do not need and your computer will gain in speed.
Make hardware upgrade
Sometimes your system is just a little outdated, upgrading more RAM or switching to a new SSD with the greater speed can cause a world of difference in PC performance. Check to see how RAM is standard and upgrade accordingly, you can also upgrade the CPU and other bottlenecks in your system this way instead of completely buying a new PC.
Format and reinstall system
Drives, application traces, registry entries, etc. are piling up in your system over time, and if enough time is given it will clog your computer. From time to time it is a good idea to backup files and do a completely clean full format of HD and install a new and fresh copy of Windows with new and clean copies of applications and drivers.
That's it, 10 tips on how to make your Windows and PC perform better and speed it up. I hope that you found the read informative and helpful and I hope that I will see you soon.
Recently, a number of users reported that they weren’t able to download anything from the internet after they’ve updated their Windows 10 computers. This kind of problem occurs because of some Internet options settings located in the Control Panel. Based on the reports, this issue has been known to occur in all kinds of browsers and not only on Microsoft Edge.
Not being able to download anything from the internet is a huge problem since almost everything is wrapped around the internet. To resolve this problem, here are some suggestions that you can try.
Option 1 – Temporarily disable Firewall and third-party antivirus
Firewall and antivirus programs are known to block files the instant it detects a threat to the system. However, there are some cases when it can also block a file even when it’s a safe one. Thus, your antivirus or firewall programs might be the reason why you can’t download anything on your Windows 10 computer. To isolate the issue, you need to temporarily disable both the Firewall and antivirus programs and then check if you can now download anything from the internet. Do not forget to enable them again as disabling them can leave your computer vulnerable to cyber threats.
Option 2 – Try changing the Internet Options settings
According to users, changing the Internet Options settings helped them resolve the problem. There are times when the drive location in your Internet Options settings is not the system drive, chances are, it will cause the error to pop up which is why you need to make sure that it’s correct.
Go to Control Panel and search for Internet Options and open it.
Next, go to the General tab and click on Settings.
From there, check if the drive location is “C:”. If it is, close the window, otherwise, click on the “Move folder…” option, and then select your preferred folder under drive C: and click OK.
Now restart your computer and check if changing the Internet Options settings helped in fixing the problem.
Option 3 – Try clearing browser data
There are instances when browser data can cause issues in downloading files online. And so you can try to clear your browser’s data. This might be a very basic solution but oftentimes it works in fixing this kind of error. Follow the steps below to clear the data in your browser.
Open your Google Chrome browser.
After that, tap the Ctrl + H keys. Doing so will open a new panel that allows you to delete the browsing history and other data in your browser.
Now select every checkbox that you see and click on the Clear browsing data button.
Then restart your Chrome browser and check if you can now open any website or not.
Option 4 – Get rid of any conflicting browser extensions
Open Chrome and press Alt + F keys.
Go to More tools and click Extensions to look for any suspicious browser extensions or toolbars.
Click the Recycle bin and select Remove.
Restart Chrome and press Alt + F keys again.
Proceed to On Startup and mark Open a specific page or set of pages.
To check if the browser hijacker is still active, click Set pages, if it is active, overwrite the URL.
Option 5 – Try to remove Proxy
Removing the Proxy might also help you in fixing the connection issue in Cortana. Here’s how you can do it:
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Then type “inetcpl.cpl” in the field and hit Enter to pull up the Internet Properties.
After that, go to the Connections tab and select the LAN settings.
From there. Uncheck the “Use a Proxy Server” option for your LAN and then make sure that the “Automatically detect settings” option is checked.
Now click the OK and the Apply buttons.
Restart your PC.
Note: If you are using a third-party proxy service, you have to disable it.
Option 6 – Try reinstalling your browser
If none of the options given above worked in fixing the problem, you can try to reinstall your browser. There are times when the browser wasn’t installed properly which can cause several issues like not being able to download anything from the web. Thus, reinstall your browser and see if that helps.
We’ve already covered disabling Security Questions If you want to disable Security Questions on your Windows 10 computer then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you in doing exactly that. In this post, you will be disabling Security Questions using a PowerShell script. This PowerShell script is called “Update-AllUsersQA”. It is designed to remove or disable the security questions and answers for local users on a Windows 10 computer. It lets administrators take control of the security questions in the environment and at the same time minimizes the risk that comes with them.
If a user has a Microsoft account that’s configured to sign in to Windows 10 then he will not probably notice the Password Recovery questions. On the other hand, if he has a chosen local account for installing Windows, he will e prompted to create three security questions that can be used to reset the password and log into the Windows 10 account in case there is any misfortune. However, if you do not have much use for these Security Questions, then you can definitely have them disabled using a simple PowerShell script which you can download from GitHub.
For more details on how to disable security questions in a Windows 10 machine, refer to the steps provided below.
Step 1: You need to first download the .ps1 file from the GitHub repository.
Step 2: Once you’ve downloaded the file, open the PowerShell window with admin privileges.
Step 3: After that, navigate to the folder where you had saved the .ps1 file. Then copy the address of the folder location.
Step 4: Next, change the directory by using the following command:
cd "folder location address"
Step 5: After that, enter the following script to disable the security questions:
Update-AllUsersQA
Once you’ve completed the steps above, the Security Questions should be disabled and you will be notified with a message stating that the feature has been disabled. On the other hand, if you have a change of heart and you want to enable the Security Questions back, here are some steps you need to take:
Step 1: First, open the PowerShell window as admin.
Step 2: Next, run the same script with one more parameter such as:
Update-AllUsersQA -answer SecretAnswer
Step 3: And that’s about it. Do not forget to replace the Secret Answer with your preferred one and once you’re done, it will be set as the answer for all the Security Questions.
Step 4: Now all that’s left to do is go to the Settings app to change the answer to the questions and you should be good to go.
Where all have been there, we are downloading something and for any kind of reason chrome closes, internet breaks, etc. And our download is interrupted and gone forever, and we need to start again.
You will be glad to hear that chrome has side a download manager which tracks each download you made and you can use this manager to resume interrupted downloads.
Please note that some websites have certain scripts that will prevent you to resume interrupted downloads, in this case, using chrome's download manager will not work and you will have to start the download again.
All of this being said, if your download has been interrupted, and went away, pin Chrome press CTRL + J to open download manager, find your interrupted download, and press the resume button.
That's it, you have successfully resumed your download.
There are a lot of reasons to ban or block different websites in your Windows. From wanting to limit yourself from distraction to block certain sites for sake of kids not going into them. Whatever your reason might be, keep reading in order to find out how you can block any website inside Windows for all browsers.
The technique I am going to share with you is universal and not tied to Windows versions, they will work in any Windows from XP onward. Also, the technique will block desired websites on any browser, already installed or even ones that will be installed after doing the trick. And we will also be looking at applications that can help you in this task if you do not wish to do it manually.
Block websites using dedicated software
A small free application called Focal Filter which can be found here: https://www.focalfilter.com/ is a software solution for your needs. It is a pretty straightforward and easy-to-understand application and not really much can be said here about it. You simply download and install it, set your websites, and you are done, the app does rest.
Blocking manually via host file
Another method besides mentioned one using the dedicating application is to manually set site addresses inside the Windows host file.
The first thing, of course, is to open the host file, run a notepad with administrator privileges, go to file open, and navigate to c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts.
Once the file is opened go all the way down and add:
127.0.0.1 SITENAME
For example: 127.0.0.1 www.youtube.com or 127.0.0.1 www.facebook.com
This way each time user on a PC tries to access a listed website computer will reroute it to the given address which is your PC's local address and asked website will not be able to load.
Stop 0x000000A is a type of blue screen of death error associated with Windows XP. It occurs either during or after the installation of Windows XP. In other cases, the stop 0x000000A error may occur when the device driver uses an incorrect memory address, causing an IRQ conflict.
The Stop 0x000000A error message means that a process or a driver attempted to access a memory section without permission. The stop error message is displayed in the following format:
Stop: 0x0000000A (parameter1, parameter2, parameter3, parameter4) IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL *** Address x has base at x - filename
Solution
Error Causes
The stop 0x000000A error is triggered due to multiple reasons. These include:
Faulty hardware
The poor device driver installation
Incompatible device driver
Viruses and malware attack
Disk fragmentation
Blue screen of death errors like the stop 0x000000A error code is critical. These errors may pose serious PC threats. When this error occurs the computer screen turns blue, the program running on the system stops and if the error is not fixed in time it may also result in a system crash and failure.
Further Information and Manual Repair
To resolve the Stop 0x000000A error on your PC, here are some solutions that you can try:
1. Roll Back Drivers
To do this, click on the start button and go to the control panel. Then double click the system icon and locate the ‘System Properties’ window. After that click on the ‘hardware’ tab and then click the ‘Device Manager’ button. Here locate the device that you recently updated which could be causing the IRQ conflict.
Now double click the device recently updated and click the driver tab. Then click on the ‘Roll Back Driver' button. Wait for the process to finish and then simply reboot your system.
2. Specify the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL)
Another method to resolve the Stop 0x000000A error on your system is to specify the hardware abstraction layer (HAL). This can be done during Windows XP installation startup. Simply press the F5 button on your keyboard while the “Setup is inspecting your computer’s hardware configuration’.
When prompted, make sure that you specify the correct computer type and HAL (the Hardware Abstraction Layer). Most computers use a single processor, if your computer also has a single processor then simply select ‘Standard PC HAL’ computer type from the menu. Now reboot your PC and then reinstall the Windows XP operating system.
If the error is still not resolved then try turning off features in CMOS settings
3. Turn off Features in CMOS Settings
Turn off all the following features in the CMOS settings:
All caching, including L2, BIOS, internal/external, and write back caching on disk controllers
Plug and Play
All shadowing
Any BIOS-based virus protection feature
After turning off these features, try reinstalling Windows XP again. If this works, then that’s great! However, if it doesn’t, then try method 4; maybe the cause of the stop 0x000000A is associated with incompatible drivers.
4. Install Windows XP compatible Drivers
Sometimes device driver compatibility can also shoot up the stop 0x000000A error message.
First, remove the drivers that are incompatible with Windows XP. Now obtain and install new Windows XP compatible drivers. To do this, go to the start menu and the control panel. Now double click on Add or Remove Programs icon. Select the drivers that are incompatible with Windows XP and click on the remove button.
After that restart PC and install Windows XP, compatible drivers, for the hardware devices on your system.
5. Scan for Viruses and Repair the Registry
If all the methods discussed above do not resolve the stop 0x000000A error on your PC, then it means either your computer is affected by an infection virus or the problem is associated with the registry like disk fragmentation and invalid entries.
To scan for both viruses and registry issues simultaneously in seconds, it is advisable to download Restoro.
Restoro is an advanced and multi-functional PC repair tool integrated with powerful utilities including a registry cleaner, antivirus, and a system optimizer. It also scans for Active X controls and class ID errors.
The registry cleaning utility scans your entire PC for all possible registry issues triggering different error codes including the stop 0x000000A error. It wipes out all the unnecessary files cluttering and damaging the registry including cookies, temporary files, junk files, and invalid entries.
It repairs the fragmented disk and the registry thereby resolving the stop 0x000000A error on your system.
The privacy error utility functions like an antivirus. It detects all kinds of malicious software on your system including malware, adware, spyware, and viruses. These are removed immediately thus making your PC error-free.
Restoro is safe, efficient, and user-friendly. It is compatible with all Windows versions including XP. It has a sophisticated interface and a neat layout which makes it quite easy to operate and workaround.
Click here to download Restoro and repair your PC and resolve the stop 0x000000A error code now!
Error code 0x800ccc0f is an error that occurs when users attempt to send/receive emails in Outlook or Outlook Express. Though information regarding the error is limited and sometimes difficult to decipher to those unfamiliar with error code issues, the following are possible symptoms users can expect when this error occurs:
Unexpected termination of the connection
Inability to access email messages sent to one’s account
Inability to send email messages
Solution
Error Causes
Errors in Outlook or Outlook Express may occur due to a multiplicity of reasons. It may be due to a problem with your network connection or the server. You may also encounter this problem after an extended period of inactivity.
Since the error could be due to one of many issues, several solutions are recommended. However, note that these suggestions require you to make changes that come with various risks. Be sure to implement these instructions correctly to avoid causing more problems to occur.
If you are not confident that you will be able to successfully implement the solutions below, get help from a certified Windows technician or IT professional.
Further Information and Manual Repair
As with other error codes, manual procedures are available which users can take to correct the problem. To implement manual repair, follow the methods suggested below:
Method one: Troubleshoot your Internet Connection
Since error code 0x800ccc0f may manifest itself due to an issue with your network, you can seek to rectify the problem by first checking your connection. To do this, open an Internet browser. Type a valid web address in the address bar and click Enter.
If you are unable to access the website, you may then seek to fix the Internet connectivity issue by using Microsoft Automated Troubleshooting Services. These free tools are available for download on Microsoft’s website.
Not only can these tools fix your Windows Firewall – if this is the cause of your connectivity issues. These automated troubleshooting tools can also resolve other issues related to your Internet browser or network.
However, if after downloading and running these tools error code 0x800ccc0f still persists in Outlook or Outlook Express, implement the solution below.
Method two: Verify your Network Connection
Verifying your network connection is another way you can resolve your Outlook issues, i.e. once the issue is in fact a network-based problem.
To verify your network connection, make sure your computer’s network devices are turned on and fully functioning. Also ensure that the cables that connect your computer to a network are secure. You may also contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to verify your connection.
If there is no issue with your network and error code 0x800ccc0f persists, you will need to implement method three.
Method three: Check your Firewall or Router Settings
Problems with sending or receiving email messages based on the 0x800ccc0f error code could also be due to configuration issues for individuals who connect using a router. If this is a misconfiguration issue, you may be able to resolve the problem by bypassing the router and connecting through your modem.
Before doing this, however, be sure to check if your firewall is turned on as connecting directly can leave your machine vulnerable. Prevent attacks by checking your Windows Firewall setting. After making adjustments where necessary to ensure the firewall is turned on, test your connectivity to ensure you can access a connection. Also, check Outlook to see whether the error message has been resolved. If the error persists, consider the next solution.
Method four: Disable Third-party Security Apps
Third-party apps like anti-virus software can sometimes cause interference, leading to errors. For this reason, check if the antivirus on your device is the source of the issue. Start by disabling the antivirus software. You may also turn off the software’s email scanning feature to verify whether or not that is the cause of the error.
Note that disabling your antivirus is only a temporary solution as it is not recommended that you use your computer without such protection in place. Consider replacing your antivirus or uninstalling and reinstalling for a permanent fix if indeed your issue with error code 0x800ccc0f was caused by interference from third-party apps.
Method five: Automated Tool
Also, consider downloading a powerful automated tool to protect your machine from possible errors in the future.
One of the most sophisticated Artificial Intelligence or AI assistants there is in the market is Cortana. However, no matter how sophisticated this AI assistant may be, there are still times when you encounter issues with it. So if your Cortana is not connecting to the internet, worry not for this post will guide you in fixing the problem.
This connection issue in Cortana might have something to do with the settings, network connectivity, or your Microsoft account. In addition, it could also be that the Firewall or antivirus program interferes with its connection. Whichever the case is, here are some possible solutions that could help you resolve the problem.
Option 1 – Try to power cycle the modem, router, and computer
Connect the modem, router, and the PC hard-wired and then switch all of these three devices off.
Turn on the modem and wait for 30 seconds.
Turn on the router and wait for 30 seconds as well.
Finally, turn on the computer and check if you can now successfully connect to the internet.
Option 2 – Check if your router or ISP is properly working
Since the basis for this issue is that Cortana is not connecting to the internet even though you are able to access websites using your browser, you might want to check your router or ISP (Internet Service Provider) and see if they’re functioning properly.
Option 3 – Try changing your internet connection
You can also try changing your internet connection and see if it fixes the problem. If you are using Ethernet, you can try connecting to a Wi-Fi connection and see if Cortana is able to connect or not.
Option 4 – Try to run the Search and Indexing troubleshooter
You might also want to run the Search and Indexing troubleshooter in Windows 10 as it checks whether the settings for Cortana are in place and automatically corrects any issues if the update or software installation has changed the settings. To run it just click on the Start button and select Settings > Updates and Security > Troubleshoot. From there, select the Search and Indexing Troubleshooter.
Note: You can also run the Network Troubleshooter as it can also help in resolving the issue especially if the problem is in the network.
Option 5 – Try to remove Proxy
Removing the Proxy might also help you in fixing the connection issue in Cortana. Here’s how you can do it:
Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Then type “inetcpl.cpl” in the field and hit Enter to pull up the Internet Properties.
After that, go to the Connections tab and select the LAN settings.
From there. Uncheck the “Use a Proxy Server” option for your LAN and then make sure that the “Automatically detect settings” option is checked.
Now click the OK and the Apply buttons.
Restart your PC.
Note: If you are using a third-party proxy service, you have to disable it.
Option 6 – Verify your Microsoft account
In some cases, Cortana might not be able to connect to the internet because your Microsoft account is no longer verified. This usually happens when you use a two-step authentication system with your Microsoft account. To verify it, just open Settings and click on Accounts. After that, check if you have a Verify hyperlink under your Microsoft account or not then click on Verify. Afterward, follow the next on-screen prompts to verify your Microsoft account. Once your account is verified, restart your computer.
Option 7 – Try resetting Cortana
Open Cortana and go to the Settings section where you’ll see the “Turning off Cortana clears what Cortana knows on this device, but won’t delete anything from the Notebook. After Cortana is off, you can decide what you’d like to do with anything still stored in the cloud” option. Turn this option off.
Restart your PC.
After your computer boots, launch Cortana again and check.
Option 8 – Try to reinstall Cortana
If none of the options given above works, you must consider reinstalling Cortana.
First, right-click on the Start button and click on the Windows Powershell (Admin) option from the list.
Next, type the following command and hit Enter to execute it:
When Windows 11 update is available but you do not wish to restart right away because you are in the middle of using a computer, you can schedule a restart for up to 7 days. It is very easy and we will show you how to do it.
