How to use the Windows 11 Troubleshooter step by step

If you use Windows If you use your computer daily, sooner or later you'll encounter some strange glitch: the Wi-Fi keeps cutting out, the sound disappears, Windows Update won't download anything, or system activation gets stuck in a loop. For all these headaches, there's a built-in tool that many people overlook: the Windows 11 Troubleshooter and its specific assistants.

These assistants are small, automated programs capable of detecting and correcting common errors without much effort on your part. Even so, it's helpful to know how they work, where to activate them, and what they can (and can't) fix for you. Throughout this guide, you'll see How to use troubleshooters in Windows 11 step by step, what types there are, and in what situations it's worth running themincluding specific cases such as Windows activation and update errors.

What exactly is the Windows 11 Troubleshooter?

In Windows 11, Microsoft includes a collection of automatic utilities designed to detect and repair common PC errors. It's not a single magic button, but rather a several troubleshooters specializing in specific areas such as network, sound, printers or updates, in addition to recommended troubleshooting options that run almost transparently.

A troubleshooter is essentially a small wizard that analyzes a part of the system, identifies incorrect configurations or unresponsive services, and applies fixes without you having to touch the registry or anything. commands advanced. In Windows 11 you'll find specific wizards for Internet connections, Bluetooth, camera, keyboard, network adapters, power, Windows Update, Microsoft Store apps and other common components that often cause problems.

In addition, Windows keeps a log of these executions. This means you can Consult a history of critical and recommended troubleshooters that have been applied to your computerSee what they detected and what changes they made; this is very useful if you want to understand what was failing.

It's important to keep in mind that these assistants aren't infallible. They can detect and resolve common issues, but for more serious or very specific problems, they might only be able to give you clues. Even so, Before you start trying complex solutions, it's always worth running the appropriate troubleshooter.especially regarding network, sound, or updates.

How to access troubleshooters in Windows 11

Windows 11 groups most of these tools within the Settings app. From there you can decide how to perform the recommended troubleshooting, review the history, and manually launch each wizardEverything is done with a couple of clicks, without needing to open the classic Control Panel.

You have two main ways to get to the general troubleshooting screen. The most direct is to use Windows search: Type “Troubleshooting Settings” in the Start menu search bar Select the option with the Settings icon, then click "Open". This will take you directly to the section where the entire system is managed.

If you prefer to navigate the menus manually, you can also do so from the Settings app itself. Click the button Go to Start, then Settings, then the System section, and within it, locate the "Troubleshooting" section.From that panel you can configure the behavior of the recommendations and launch the various additional assistants.

Once on that screen, you'll see the key blocks: the recommended troubleshooting settings, access to the History of executed troubleshooters and the button that leads to "Additional troubleshooters" (or "Other troubleshooters", depending on the version of Windows 11 you have installed).

From a practical standpoint, it's a good idea to get used to this centralized access. Knowing where it is will allow you to... react quickly when the network goes down, the printer fails, or a program stops respondingwithout having to search the entire system for each assistant separately.

Configure recommended troubleshooting in Windows 11

In addition to the assistants that run when you ask them to, Windows 11 incorporates a layer of "intelligence" that can launch troubleshooters automatically when it detects certain critical or recurring errorsThis is called recommended troubleshooting, and it's controlled from the same Settings section.

In this section, you can decide what kind of behavior you want the system to have. Windows offers several options to choose from. How are those recommended fixes implemented when your team receives them?Although the exact names may vary slightly depending on the edition, the concept is the same: let the system act on its own or ask it to always consult first.

The usual possibilities are something like: Run automatically without warning, run automatically and show notification afterward, always ask before running, or simply don't run any recommended troubleshooterThe most automatic option minimizes your intervention; the strictest allows you to review each action before it is applied.

It's important to know that this function depends on an internet connection. Windows itself clearly states this: Recommended troubleshooting is only enabled when the computer is connected to the networkThe reason is that in many cases the system downloads updated rules and diagnostics from Microsoft servers to apply the appropriate fixes.

If you're concerned about privacy or simply prefer more control, you can choose a less automatic level and review the notifications. Conversely, if you don't want to be monitored at all, you'll probably be interested in... allow Windows to launch and apply these fixes without asking youespecially in office equipment or computers used by people with little technical knowledge.

View history and use additional troubleshooters

The history is one of those sections that almost no one visits, but it can give you some very interesting clues. From the troubleshooting screen, you can click on Click “View troubleshooting history” to see which troubleshooters have been run on your computer, both the recommended ones and those that were launched manually.

In that list, you'll see what type of problem was attempted to be solved, when it was executed, and whether the operation completed successfully. This information is useful for detect patterns, for example, if the system has had to correct a network adapter or Windows Update failure several timeswhich may indicate a deeper hardware or configuration problem, such as peripheral recognition issues after updates.

In addition to the history, in the same Settings area you'll find a link called something like "Additional Troubleshooting" or "Other Troubleshooters." That's where you'll find it. The complete list of specialized assistants that you can manually run depending on the error you are experiencing..

Upon entering, you will see that the problem solvers They are grouped into categoriesEach option has a "Run" button. The most common options are usually listed at the top, and the advanced options are listed below. Simply press the corresponding button to start the wizard analyzing that specific area of ​​your system.

Once started, the process is almost always the same: Windows performs automatic diagnostics, tries to find the cause, It applies the suggested corrections and shows you a short report with what it has done or the steps you need to complete.Finally, it is highly recommended to restart your computer so that all changes take effect correctly.

Top troubleshooters available in Windows 11

Within the additional troubleshooters section, you'll find a good collection of wizards. Each one focuses on a specific area of ​​the system, so you can Choose the one that best fits the symptom you are seeing on the screen.It is not necessary to try them all at once; normally you should go directly to the one that corresponds.

Among the most used, you will have at your disposal solvers for Internet connections, Audio playback, printer driver problems and Windows UpdateThese four are responsible for many everyday problems: network outages, no sound, printers disappearing, or updates getting stuck.

In addition to the above, Windows 11 includes wizards for other key components such as Bluetooth, camera, incoming connections, keyboard, network adapter, power, USB ports or program compatibilityEach of them attempts to adjust settings, restart services, or apply internal patches to resolve detected errors.

There is also no shortage of specific solvers for somewhat less obvious tasks, such as audio recording, file searching and indexing, file previews or video playbackThese are activated especially when you notice that the system responds slowly when searching for documents, that you cannot find content in the Start menu search, or that certain videos do not play normally.

Finally, there is an assistant dedicated to the Windows Store (Microsoft Store) appsThis is useful when an app downloaded from the store crashes on startup, doesn't update properly, or displays unclear error messages. The troubleshooter checks permissions, caches, and other internal elements related to the store.

Basic steps to run a troubleshooter in Windows 11

Although each assistant focuses on a different area, the way to use them is quite similar. The goal is for any user to be able to Launch a troubleshooter without needing to know the intricacies of the operating system, following a guided process of a few steps.

First, open the Settings app from the Home button, then go to System and then Troubleshooting. From there, access the list of Click “Other problem solvers” to see all available optionsYou can also get there faster by typing “Troubleshooting settings” in the search bar and opening the result that appears.

In the list, locate the type of problem that most closely resembles what you are experiencing (for example, “Internet Connections” if you have no network or “Audio Playback” if you cannot hear anything) and press the button “Run” located to the right of the assistant's nameIn some cases, the system groups the most frequently used solvers into a "Most Frequent" section for faster access.

During the analysis, Windows will check configurations, services, and components related to the selected area. In many cases, the system It will automatically apply changes and notify you that the problem has been fixed.In others, it will show you suggestions and ask you to confirm or complete some steps, such as reconnecting a device or choosing a different controller.

When the troubleshooter finishes, it's highly recommended to restart your computer, especially if you've made adjustments to drivers, services, or network settings. If you still see the same problem after restarting, you can Run the wizard again or try another related troubleshooter. (for example, the network adapter in addition to the internet connection).

Windows 11 Activation Troubleshooter

Activation is a critical step because it allows Microsoft to verify that your copy of Windows 11 is legitimate and that it isn't being used on more devices than permitted by your license. When something goes wrong during this process, Watermarks may appear on the desktop, customization limitations may be in place, and activation error messages may appear. which are quite annoying.

For these cases, Windows 11 includes a specific activation troubleshooter. It's only available when the system detects that your copy isn't activated, so The option disappears as soon as the system is properly activated.This avoids confusion and leaves the activation section cleaner when everything is in order.

To launch this assistant, go to Settings from Start, then to System, and look for the activation section within the system options (depending on your version, you might find the Troubleshooting section directly when activation fails). From there, You will see a link or button to start the activation troubleshooter, provided the system detects that it has not yet been activated.

It's important to note that you must use an account with administrator privileges to perform these types of actions. If you are not an administrator of the team, you will need to Log in with an administrative account or ask the person managing the PC to perform the process. (And if you suspect the account has errors, consult our guide on problems with corrupted user accountsWithout these permissions, diagnostic and correction options may appear blocked.

Once running, the troubleshooter will attempt to detect typical causes: changes in hardware Recent issues, digital licenses associated with your Microsoft account, temporary connection errors with the activation servers, or incorrectly entered product keys. If the troubleshooter fails to resolve the problem, the system itself recommends Consult the specific activation error guide or contact Microsoft technical support so that they can review your specific case.

Using the Windows Update troubleshooter in Windows 11

Windows updates are essential to keep the system protected and stable, but they are also one of the most common sources of errors. Downloads that get stuck, installations that don't finish, cryptic error codes… For all these cases, Windows 11 offers a specific troubleshooter for Windows Update.

If you encounter an error code while downloading or installing an update, the first thing to do is open Settings, go to System, then Troubleshoot, and then access... “Other troubleshooters” to locate the “Windows Update” entryWithin the group of most frequent assistants, you will see a "Run" button next to that option.

Upon launch, the troubleshooter will check the status of update services, the integrity of Windows Update components, and any potential damage to the Temporary files installation. If it detects anything unusual, It will attempt to repair it automatically and show you if the operation has been completed successfully.When finished, it is recommended to restart the device so that all changes take effect.

After the restart, return to the Windows Update section in Settings and tap on “Check for updates” to see if downloads and installations are now proceeding normallyIn many cases, this combined process (troubleshooter + restart + new scan) is enough to unlock the update system.

If you're still getting errors, you can run the same wizard again to see if any new details appear, or, in persistent cases, refer to the advanced Windows update troubleshooting guide, which suggests more technical manual steps such as restarting specific services or clean the SoftwareDistribution folder.