Windows 11 Problems and Solutions

Microsoft’s latest operating system, Windows 11, is slowly rolling out for every supported device. It comes with quite handy new features and an all-together refreshed UI. Though Microsoft claims that Windows 11 is one of the most secure OS, users are facing problems while installing it or while using it after installation. Since Windows 11 is still in its early release phase, installation problems and compatibility issues are common to face.

Additionally, though it comes with pretty shiny features, some of those can be useless and annoying for a few users, and they might want to disable them.

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If you are facing any type of problem on Windows 11, from installing it to using it, this guide will provide you with quick ways to deal with them. We will also discuss some Windows 11 annoyances and their solutions.

  Guide to Windows 11 Optimization for Maximum Performance

Windows 11 Problems and Solutions

Windows 11 Installation Problems and Fixes

After the official release of Windows 11, many users try to upgrade their devices to it using several ways. Some of them are facing problems during the installation process. If you are unable to install Windows 11 on your system, do follow these:

Check Windows 11 Hardware Requirements

If you are having trouble installing Windows 11 on your device, it might be because your system does not comply with the prerequisites of Windows 11. Microsoft is pretty strict about some of the hardware requirements for Windows 11, such as TPM 2.0, secure boot, 8th gen, and higher processor. Check your device for the following requirements:

Processor1 GHz or more with two or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor Generation 8 or newer
RAM4 GB
Storage64 GB of free storage for installation (more for keeping it updated)
Graphics CardCompatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver
TPMTrusted Platform Module version 2.0
FirmwareUEFI, Secure Boot capable
DisplayHigh Definition (720p)
Screen SizeGreater than 9″ Diagonally

Check whether your PC meets all the listed specifications and, if possible, upgrade some hardware components that you can replace, like RAM, to make your machine Windows 11 ready.

Check Windows 11 Compatibility

If you cannot verify your device compatibility or are unsure about some requirements, Microsoft has provided a simple tool that would help you in it. The PC Health Check App was removed by Microsoft because of the controversy it created. However, Microsoft has recently updated and relaunched it.

  1. On your Web Browser, navigate to this URL(https://aka.ms/GetPCHealthCheckApp ) to direct download the PC Health Check App from Microsoft.
  2. Install the app upon its download and launch it.
  3. On the App window, click on Check now button under the Introducing Windows 11 heading.PC health app check now button
  4. If your PC ticks all the requirements for Windows 11, you will see this box.this pc meets Windows 11 requirements
  5. Click on See all results to know in detail about the hardware configuration of your device that matches with the Windows 11 demands.Windows 11 specs more results
  6. In case your PC is incompatible with Windows 11, the app will display this pop-up.this pc cant run Windows 11

Fix TPM Issue

TPM 2.0 is one of the primary requirements for Windows 11 installation. It might be possible that your PC has TPM but it is not enabled.

If the TPM is disabled, you will have to turn the TPM state chip to ON directly from BIOS.

Note: Procedure to reach BIOS settings might differ depending on the device manufacturer

  1. Restart your system
  2. Press the F2 key (or fn+F2) during boot up to navigate to the BIOS menu.
  3. Using the arrow key, navigate to the Security tab.
  4. Find a listing for either TPM, Intel Platform Trust Technology (IPTT), or AMD CPU fTPM.
  5. Enable the TPM and press F10 to Save & Exit.enable TPM

Fix Secure Boot Issue

Like TPM, your computer might also have Secure Boot, but it might be disabled.

If Secure Boot is OFF, enable it from the BIOS.

  1. Restart your system
  2. Press the F2 key (or fn+F2) during boot up to navigate to the BIOS menu.
  3. Using the arrow key, navigate to the Security tab.
  4. Find the Secure Boot setting, and if it is disabled, set it to enabled. The Secure Boot setting can also be found under the Boot tab or the Authentication tab.enable secure boot

Fix Slow Internet Connection

Many users are facing slow Wi-Fi or internet connection after upgrading to Windows 11. You can try the following methods to fix that.

Update Network Driver

An outdated network driver can be a major cause of a weak internet connection. Follow these steps to update your network driver in Windows 11:

  1. Right-click on the Start and select Device Manager.
  2. Expand the Network adapters section to see the list of drivers.
  3. Right-click on the Wireless Driver and choose Update driver.
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions to update the driver.
  5. Restart your computer after the update process.

If the problem persists, you can try uninstalling and re-installing the driver.

Run Internet Troubleshooter

Windows 11 let you run troubleshooters for common problems like Network Issue, Sound Issue, Display issue, and more. If you are experiencing a slow internet connection on your Windows 11 system, try the following steps:

  1. Open Windows 11 Settings, switch to the System Settings from the left pane, and select Troubleshoot from the right.
  2. Click on the Other troubleshooters option.
  3. On the next page, click on the Run button next to the Internet Connections.
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions and check problem persists after the whole process.
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Windows 11 File Explorer still looks like Windows 10

After upgrading to Windows 11 from Windows 10 operating system, some users are experiencing the same old UI; for example, File Explorer still looks like Windows 10’s. If you are experiencing the same problem, follow these steps to get back the Windows 11 File Explorer:

  1. Launch Windows File Explorer.
  2. On the top of the File Explorer taskbar, select View.
  3. Click on Options to launch the Folder Options window.
  4. In the Folder Options window, switch to the View tab and ensure that the Launch folder windows in a separate process option is unchecked.launch-folder-windows
  5. Click Apply and OK.
  6. Restart the Windows File Explorer.
  How to Get Windows 10's File Explorer in Windows 11?

Fix Empty Widget Board

Windows 11 comes with a Widget Board that has widgets for quick access to News, Weather, Calendar, and more. After installing or upgrading to Windows 11, users have reported the empty Widget Board problem. Fortunately, it is pretty easy to fix that. 

Launch Widget Board by pressing the Windows + W key combination on your keyboard, and click on Add widgets button.

Next, click on the Sign out option at the top right corner and sign in to your account again.

sign-out-of-the-widget-box

After signing in, you can add the widgets you want, which would be displayed on the Widget Board.


Fix Windows 11 Unresponsive Start Menu

On upgrading to Windows 11, many users have reported that they cannot access the Start Menu because it is unresponsive. This issue can be solved with a simple Restart or by fixing the corrupted file.

To restart the device without using the Start Menu, use Alt+F4 and select Restart from the drop-down menu of the Shut Down Windows window.

restart-using-alt+f4

If the problem persists, try the following methods to fix the corrupted files that might be responsible for the issue.

Run DISM Command

Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) re-deploys the system image all over. During the re-deploying process, it fixes any system error on its way. So, it is possible that Windows 11 unresponsive Start Menu error can be solved using this.

  1. Open Command Prompt with the admin rights.
  2. Type the following command and press the enter key: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealthDISM command
  3. The scan would take some time to finish.
  4. After the scan is completed, restart the device.

Use SFC Command

SFC scan is a command-line tool that scans your system for any errors and glitches and automatically repairs them. If you are still struggling with Windows 11 unresponsive Start Menu error, you can try the SFC scan. 

Here are the steps for that.

  1. From the Windows search bar, search and launch the Command Prompt with the administrator rights.open command prompt
  2. Type this command and hit the Enter key: sfc/scannow.SFC-scan-start
  3. The scanning would start, and it would take some time to complete depending on your system configuration.
  4. After the scan, if it found any problem, the solution would be automatically applied.
  5. Close the Command Prompt window and restart your system.
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Fix Windows 11 Memory Leak Bug

One of the most typical troubles many Windows 11 users are facing is the Memory Leak. It occurs when the OS is unable to manage the memory allocations. Users have reported that even after closing the File Explorer, it remains in the RAM, unnecessarily consuming its power and thereby causing the Memory Leak. A memory leak can highly slow down the system and make it unresponsive.

Since Microsoft has not acknowledged the problem yet, there is no official solution to the problem as of now. The only thing you can do is restart your File Explorer every time you experience this issue.

To check whether your system is the victim of this bug, check the RAM consumption from the Task Manager. If the File Explorer is consuming a lot of RAM even after no use, it means the bug is causing the Memory Leak.

  How to Find Memory Leak in Windows 10 and Fix it

Fix 100% Disk Usage

100% Disk Usage is one of the pretty common Windows OS problems. It usually occurs on HDD when the hard disk’s read/write speed has exceeded the 100 -150Mbps threshold. You can quickly diagnose this problem by accessing the Task Manager.

To fix 100% Disk Usage of Windows 11, you need to apply the following methods:

Disable the SysMain

SysMain, formerly known as Superfetch, is a service that runs in the background in Windows systems and quietly analyzes the RAM and applications that your system uses most.

It then preloads frequently used applications into the RAM to load them much faster with subsequent launches. The drawback to SysMain is that it constantly hogs the CPU and RAM, slowing down applications considerably.

Although it does not harm your computer, it is safe to disable it if your system is continuously sluggish because of 100% disk usage.

To disable SysMain on Windows 11, follow these steps:

  1. Press Windows + R to launch the Run command box.
  2. Type services.msc and hit the enter key.windows 11 services
  3. The ‘Services’ window will open, displaying all the running services on your PC. Scroll down and locate the ‘SysMain’ option.
  4. Right-click on ‘SysMain’ and select the ‘Stop’ option as shown below.stop-sysmain-in-Windows-11
  5. The process would be stopped with immediate effect.

You can permanently disable the SysMain by following these steps:

  1. Right-click on the ‘SysMain’ and select Properties.SysMain-Properties-win-11
  2. From the drop-down menu, next to Startup type, select Disabled. 
  3. Click Apply and OK.

Run CHKDSK

Run a chkdsk command to scan and fix issues with your hard drive.

  1. Launch Command Prompt as Admin.run command prompt as admin
  2. Type chkdsk /f C: and hit the enter key
  3. ​The system will notify you that the drive is currently in use and execute the command when you restart the system.approve chkdsk
  How to Fix 100% Disk Usage in Windows 10

Fix Missing DLL Files 

Windows OS has a shared library that contains the DDL files. The DLL files are the system files that are necessary to launch certain applications on the system. However, if your PC is missing a DLL file required to run a specific app, that app will not work.

The easiest solution to this issue is manually downloading the DLL file and placing it in the app’s folder. To download the missing DLL files, navigate to DLL‑files.com.

Be careful while downloading the DLL files. Many sources might provide you with infected files in the name of genuine ones to infiltrate your system with a malware program.


Fix Stucked Update

A stuck Windows update can be a nasty beast. They can be either stuck at the download stage with the completion bar never hitting 100%. Or they can download but pause part ways through installing when you restart your computer. And in rare cases, Windows may refuse to find updates or throw up an error message saying they can’t be installed. 

To fix such issues here is what you can do:

  1. In Windows, launch a Command Prompt (Admin) window by searching for it, right-clicking its icon, and selecting Run as administrator from the menu. 
  2. In the terminal, type net stop wuauserv and hit Enter. This will prevent Windows Update from running and give a few repair options.
  3. Now, open a File Explorer window and go to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution. Select all the files in this folder and hit Delete. This will delete all the files that Windows Update has downloaded and forces them to be downloaded again. 
  4. Once this is done, open up the Admin Command Prompt window again, type net start wuauserv, and hit Enter.
  5. Restart your computer, and you should be good to go again.

Windows 11 Frequent Annoyances and Fixes

Show Hibernate in Power Menu

Hibernate is a power-saving state in which all actions on your computer are stopped. It is very similar to sleep, but instead of saving your open documents and running applications to your RAM, it saves them to your hard disk. That means while in hibernate state, your computer use zero power. However, when you start your computer from hibernation, it will take more time than Sleep Mode. 

To support the Fast Startup feature, Microsoft has completely removed the Hibernate option from the Power menu of Windows 11. However, you can easily restore it by following these steps:

  1. Press Windows + R to launch the Run Command window. 
  2. Type powercfg.cpl in the given space, and hit the enter key.
  3. On the left pane, click on Choose what the power button does option.Choose what power button do
  4. On the System Settings window, click on “Change settings that are currently unavailable”.change-unavailable-settinsg
  5. Now, under Shutdown settings, tick Hibernate checkbox and click on Save changes to show it in the power menu.enable-hibernate-in-the-power-menu
  Difference Between Sleep, Hibernate and Hybrid Sleep

Shutdown/Restart without Installing Updates

Windows always seem to wait to install updates on your PC, often at just the moment when you want to quickly shutdown and restart your computer. Fortunately, there is a command that you can use to shut down or restart your PC  in peace immediately and prevent the updates from being installed.

Using Command Prompt

  1. Launch Command Prompt with administrator right.
  2. Use this command to restart your computer without installing updates: restart /s /f /t 00
  3. Use this command to shut down your computer without installing updates: shutdown /s /f /t 00

From Power Settings

You can use Power Settings to set the power button to shut down your computer without updating.

  1. Press Windows + R to launch the Run Command window. 
  2. Type powercfg.cpl in the given space, and hit the enter key.
  3. On the left pane, click on Choose what the power button does option.
  4. From the drop-down menu, next to When I press the power button, select Shutdown. shutdown-using-power-button
  5. You can do it for both On battery and Plugged in.

Manage Windows Updates

Microsoft frequently releases updates to Windows OS for fixing bugs and securing the OS with the latest security patches. However, many users might not want to update their Windows 11 system for a particular period. To manage Windows updates and schedule them as per your convenience, you can follow these steps:

  1. Open Windows Settings and switch to Windows Update on the left pane.
  2. On the right pane, click on Pause for 1 week to pause updates for a week. You can pause updates for up to 5 weeks. Since I have joined Insider Program, I can do it only for a week.pause-updates-for-a-week
  3. On the same Windows 11 Update settings, click on the Advanced options.windows-11-advanced-options
  4. Under Active hours, you can set when you don’t want to restart your device for updating. If you choose Automatically, Windows will automatically detect when your device is not in use and install updates. On the other hand, you can also manually set the Active hours of your device so that you are not disturbed during that time.adjust-updating-hours

Enable System Restore

Windows 11 comes with a helpful feature known as System Restore that can undo system changes by reverting your device to a previous restore point. Despite having such usefulness, it is surprising that the feature is turned off and not in Windows settings. Even if you enable it, it automatically gets disabled after every update.

Luckily, you can turn ON the System Restore point easily. Here are the steps for that:

  1. On the Windows search box, type View Advanced System Settings and click on its icon to launch.view-advanced-system-settings-windows-11
  2. Switch to the System Protection tab, and under the Protection Settings, select your system drive and click on Configure.configure-system-restore
  3. On the next window, under Restore Settings, click the bullet button next to Turn on system protection.configure-restore-settings
  4. Under the Disk Space Usage, set the Max Usage, click Apply and OK.

Stop USB devices from going to Sleep

Windows likes to power down USB devices when your screen is off. This is done for a good cause, in an effort to conserve battery life. But while this can be a helpful feature, it can also cause problems and headaches, particularly for attached storage hardware like an external USB hard drive.

The last thing you want is your backup process interrupted because of this pesky little setting.

To adjust this setting, follow these:

  1. Open Windows Settings, click on Bluetooth & devices from the left pane, and select USB settings.usb-settings
  2. Under USB settings, turn OFF the USB battery saver.switch-off-USB-battery-saver

Now your USB devices will remain active even if your screen is turned off.


Listen with One Earpiece

A handy little option lies hidden away in Windows 11 that lets you convert stereo sound to mono. This is quite a lifesaver if you have a hearing problem in one ear or are using a single earpiece for some reason so that you can hear what’s going on around you. Whatever the case, Windows 11 offers a solution.

Depending on the recording, you may miss out on half the audio. But not if you convert it to mono.

  1. Open Settings, choose System from the left pane, and click on Sound settings.sound-settings
  2. Turn on the Mono audio by toggling the button.turn-ON-mono-audio
  3. This will combine left and right audio channels into one.

Stop Annoying Notifications

Windows 11 sure do like to show you more notifications like Windows 10. Usually, this is a good thing, but when other apps start to pop up banners and play sounds, it can get a bit distracting. Luckily, you also get a fair amount of control here and can select which apps are allowed to notify you.

  1. Open Windows Settings, navigate to System -> Notifications.windows-11-notification-settings
  2. You can turn OFF the Windows 11 notifications entirely or for some specific apps.turn-off-Windows-11-notifications

Block Windows Ads

Microsoft started littering advertisements through OS starting from Windows 10 and continuing on Windows 11. New adverts are delivered directly to your computer, promoting Microsoft products or other apps and games. But the good thing is that there are options to turn all this off.

Here is how you can do that:

  1. Navigate to Settings -> Privacy & security.windows-11-privacy-&-security
  2. Click on General settings.
  3. Turn Off the advertising settings.turn-off-ads
  How to Disable Targeted Ads in Windows 10 Apps

Enable or Disable Optional Features

Windows 11 is a feature-rich operating system; however, you might not need all of them. You may want to get rid of some unwanted features like Microsoft XPS Document Writer, Windows PowerShell 2.0, or Windows Media Player.

To disable Optional Features, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Run Command box.
  2. Type optionalfeatures and hit the enter key.optionalfeatures-command-box
  3. On the Windows Features window, turn off the features by unchecking the box.disable-optional-features
  4. Additionally, you can also enable the features you need, like Hyper-V and others.

Change the Default Applications

One of the most annoying things about Windows 10 is how it handles default applications. In many cases, you will try to perform a specific task, only to find an unexpected app like Edge launching and opening that file.

Sadly, Microsoft has made it challenging to set an app as default. Now you have to delve into the more manual system in the Settings app. That too, every time the operating system resets your defaults after each major update.

Here is how you can set the default application in Windows 11:

  1. Open Windows 11 Settings.
  2. Navigate to Apps -> Default apps.change-default-apps
  3. Choose the app that you want to set as default.set-default-app
  4. You have to set the default app for every file type.set-default-app-for-every-file-type
  Windows 11 will make it Hard to Change Default Web Browser

Set Metered Connection

Suppose you are working on an internet network with a limited data allowance. In that case, it might be disastrous if all the available data is consumed in Windows update or other non-essential processes.

To stop this, you can set the metered connection on that particular network using these instructions:

  1. Open Windows Settings.
  2. Switch to Network & internet settings, and click on WiFi to open its settings.Windows-11-wifi-settings
  3. Click on the WiFi network name to open its properties.click-on-WiFi-properties
  4. Toggle the button next to Metered connection to switch it ON.enable-metered-connection

After enabling the metered connection on a network, Windows will not use it for updating and other optional processes that require the internet.

  Windows 10 Tutorial: Use A Metered Internet Connection

Bottom Line

So these are the most common Windows 11 Problems and Annoyances that most users are facing after the launch of the initial release. Microsoft is likely to provide solutions to most problems in the next update. Till then you can follow the methods listed in this guide to get rid of those problems and annoyances.

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