How to Run Any Troubleshooter on Windows 10 and 11

To run any troubleshooter on Windows 11, open Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters and select Run next to the problem. On Windows 10, open Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters, pick one and select Run the troubleshooter.

On current Windows 11 releases, those Run buttons open the troubleshooter inside the Get Help app, because Microsoft retired the old MSDT troubleshooters. This guide covers every way to launch a troubleshooter, which one fits which problem, where results are logged, what to do when one is missing, and the next steps when a troubleshooter finds nothing.

How to open the troubleshooter in Windows 11 and 10

Your situation	Use this	Why
Windows 11, you know the problem area	Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters	Every supported troubleshooter has its own Run button
Windows 10	Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters	Windows 10 still runs the legacy built-in troubleshooters
You want to describe the problem in plain words	The Get Help app	Search for the troubleshooter by name, such as printer troubleshooter
You want the Troubleshoot page in one step	Windows key + R, then ms-settings:troubleshoot	Opens the page directly on both versions
Keyboard, Power or Search and Indexing problems	The missing-troubleshooter section below	Microsoft removed those troubleshooters from newer Windows 11 releases

Run a troubleshooter in Windows 11 Settings

This is Microsoft’s own route on Windows 11. On releases newer than 22H2, the Run button hands the job to the Get Help app.

1. Select Start > Settings.
2. Select System, scroll down and select Troubleshoot.
3. Select Other troubleshooters.
4. Find your problem. Windows Update, for example, sits under Most frequent.
5. Select Run next to it.
6. If Get Help opens, accept the diagnostics prompt and follow the on-screen instructions.
7. Restart the PC when it finishes, then test the thing that was broken.

Get Help ends each run with what it found and the remedies it suggests. If nothing changed, work through the last three sections of this guide.

Run a troubleshooter in Windows 10 Settings

Windows 10 is not affected by the MSDT retirement. It keeps running the legacy built-in troubleshooters from Settings.

1. Select Start > Settings > Update & Security.
2. Select Troubleshoot in the left pane.
3. Select Additional troubleshooters.
4. Under Get up and running, select the one you need, such as Windows Update, Playing Audio or Internet Connections.
5. Select Run the troubleshooter.
6. Follow the prompts, apply any fix it offers, then close the window.
7. Restart and check whether the problem is gone.

The network troubleshooter has its own shortcut on Windows 10: Settings > Network & Internet > Status > Network troubleshooter. It opens a window titled Troubleshoot problems.

What Windows troubleshooters can and cannot do

A troubleshooter runs a fixed set of checks for one problem area and applies the fixes it knows. Knowing its limits saves you running the same one five times.

Troubleshooters can	Troubleshooters cannot
Restart and reset services tied to the problem, such as Windows Update or BITS	Fix failed hardware, such as a dead speaker or broken Wi-Fi card
Detect common misconfigurations in audio, network, printer, camera and Bluetooth	Fix problems inside a router, printer firmware or your internet provider’s network
Report each finding as fixed, not fixed, or not found	Guarantee a fix; a run can end with the problem detected but not fixable
Suggest remedies in Get Help when no automatic fix exists	Repair corrupted Windows system files; that is the job of DISM and sfc
Apply some fixes in the background through recommended troubleshooting	Override settings your organization enforces through Group Policy

Use Windows search to launch troubleshooters quickly

1. Select Start or the search box on the taskbar.
2. Type troubleshoot.
3. Select the Troubleshoot settings result.
4. Select Other troubleshooters on Windows 11, or Additional troubleshooters on Windows 10.
5. Select Run next to the troubleshooter you need.

To skip the list, type get help in the same box and search for the troubleshooter by name inside the app.

Use the Get Help app for modern troubleshooting

Get Help is where Windows 11 troubleshooters now live. You need to be signed in with a Microsoft personal account or a work or school account. Our guide to getting help in Windows 11 covers the app’s other options.

1. Select Start, type get help and open Get Help.
2. Type the troubleshooter’s name, for example audio troubleshooter or windows update troubleshooter.
3. Select Start on the troubleshooter that appears.
4. Agree to diagnostics when asked.
5. Answer its questions about the problem and follow the instructions.
6. Read the findings and suggested remedies at the end, and apply the ones that match your case.

Get Help also holds Microsoft 365, classic Outlook, classic Teams and Copilot troubleshooters. It replaced the Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant for those Office problems.

Use the right troubleshooter for common problems

Pick by symptom. The Get Help search term is the phrase Microsoft lists for each one.

Problem	Troubleshooter	Get Help search term	Windows 10 entry
No internet or Wi-Fi keeps dropping	Network and internet	connect to network and internet	Internet Connections or Network Adapter
No sound or wrong audio device	Audio	audio troubleshooter	Playing Audio
Microphone not picking up	Audio	audio troubleshooter	Recording Audio
Printer offline or jobs stuck in the queue	Printer	printer troubleshooter	Printer
Windows Update fails	Windows Update	windows update troubleshooter	Windows Update
Bluetooth device will not pair	Bluetooth	Bluetooth troubleshooter	Bluetooth
Webcam not detected	Camera	camera troubleshooter	Use Get Help
Videos stutter or will not play	Video playback	Video playback troubleshooter	Video Playback
Older program will not open correctly	Program compatibility	Run the Windows Program Compatibility troubleshooter	Program Compatibility Troubleshooter
Downloads or updates stall in the background	BITS	Background Intelligent Transfer Service troubleshooter	Background Intelligent Transfer Service

Windows Media Player has its own entry too: search for Windows Media Player troubleshooter in Get Help. For update errors specifically, our walkthrough of the Windows Update troubleshooter goes further.

Run troubleshooters from Settings commands

Settings pages have their own addresses. The Troubleshoot page is ms-settings:troubleshoot, and it works from Run, a desktop shortcut or a script.

start ms-settings:troubleshoot

Run it in Command Prompt or PowerShell, or type just ms-settings:troubleshoot in the Run box (Windows key + R). Settings opens on Troubleshoot, showing Other troubleshooters on Windows 11 or Additional troubleshooters on Windows 10.

To keep it on your desktop, right-click the desktop, select New > Shortcut, enter ms-settings:troubleshoot as the location and name it Troubleshoot. Related pages have their own addresses: ms-settings:windowsupdate, ms-settings:sound and ms-settings:bluetooth. Fixing a setting there sometimes solves the problem without a troubleshooter.

Run troubleshooters from Control Panel

The classic Troubleshooting item in Control Panel is the front end for the legacy MSDT troubleshooters. Use it on Windows 10; on newer Windows 11 releases those troubleshooters are redirected to Get Help or removed.

1. Press Windows key + R.
2. Type control.exe /name Microsoft.Troubleshooting and press Enter.
3. Browse a category such as Hardware and Sound or Network and Internet.
4. Select the troubleshooter and follow its prompts.

To see past runs instead, open control.exe /name Microsoft.Troubleshooting /page HistoryPage.

About msdt.exe and legacy troubleshooter commands

MSDT, the Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool, is the engine behind the old built-in troubleshooters. Microsoft announced its deprecation in January 2023 and retired it on newer Windows 11 releases in three phases.

Year	What Microsoft changed	Effect on you
2023	Began redirecting some troubleshooters to Get Help	Legacy troubleshooters showed a retirement notice
2024	Finished the redirection and removed the rest	Nine troubleshooters moved to Get Help; fourteen were removed
2025	Removed the MSDT platform	msdt.exe commands are no longer a reliable route on Windows 11
Windows 11 22H2 and older, Windows 10	Not affected	Legacy built-in troubleshooters keep running

Moved to Get Help: Audio, Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Bluetooth, Camera, Network and Internet, Printer, Program Compatibility, Video Playback and Windows Media Player.

Removed: Connection to a Workplace using DirectAccess, Devices and Printers, Hardware and Devices, HomeGroup, Incoming Connections, Internet Explorer Performance, Internet Explorer Safety, Keyboard, Power, Search and Indexing, Speech, System Maintenance, Shared Folders and Windows Store Apps.

Run a troubleshooter as an administrator

Many fixes change services or network settings, so Windows asks for administrator approval. Without it, the troubleshooter skips those fixes.

1. Sign in with an administrator account, or have the administrator’s password ready.
2. Start the troubleshooter from Settings or Get Help as usual.
3. When User Account Control appears, select Yes or enter the password.
4. On a work or school PC, contact IT if your account is refused; policy may block troubleshooting.

Legacy troubleshooter results are stored per user in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Diagnostics, and elevated runs in %LOCALAPPDATA%\ElevatedDiagnostics.

View troubleshooting history and results

The history list shows every troubleshooter that ran, including the ones Windows ran on its own.

• Windows 11: Start > Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Recommended troubleshooter history.
• Windows 10: Start > Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > View troubleshooting history.

An automatic Windows Update repair, for example, is listed as Windows Update troubleshooter – Automatically repair system files and settings to improve device security. A legacy run reports each cause as fixed, not fixed, detected but not fixable, or not found. “Not found” means the fault lies outside what that troubleshooter checks.

Control recommended troubleshooting

Recommended troubleshooting lets Windows apply fixes for known problems by itself. Critical fixes run automatically by default. Choose your level on the Troubleshoot page in Settings.

Level	What Windows does	Tells you
Off	Applies no troubleshooting	No
Critical (default)	Fixes critical problems automatically	No
Prompt	Fixes critical problems and asks before fixing others	Yes, before other fixes
Notify	Fixes critical and other problems automatically	Yes, after a fix
Silent	Fixes critical and other problems automatically	No

On Pro, Enterprise and Education, an administrator can lock the level with the policy Troubleshooting: Allow users to access recommended troubleshooting for known problems, under Computer Configuration > System > Troubleshooting and Diagnostics > Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool.

What to do if a troubleshooter is missing

The Hardware and Devices troubleshooter is gone

Microsoft removed Hardware and Devices, and Devices and Printers, in the MSDT retirement. Run the troubleshooter for the specific device instead (Audio, Bluetooth, Camera or Printer) from Other troubleshooters or Get Help, then check the device in Device Manager as described below.

Keyboard, Power or Search and Indexing troubleshooters are missing

These were removed on Windows 11 releases newer than 22H2, with no direct replacement. For search results that miss files, open Settings > Privacy & security > Search and review Find my files and the indexed locations. For anything else, describe the problem in plain words in Get Help.

Why can’t I run a troubleshooter on Windows 10?

You are usually signed in without administrator rights, or a policy has turned troubleshooting off.

1. Sign in with an administrator account and try again.
2. On a work PC, ask IT whether the recommended troubleshooting policy is set to Off.
3. Install pending updates from Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, then restart.
4. Run sfc /scannow from an administrator Command Prompt, then retry.

Get Help opens but the troubleshooter will not start

Sign in to Get Help with a Microsoft personal account or a work or school account, search for the troubleshooter by its exact name, and accept the diagnostics prompt.

What to do when a troubleshooter does not fix the problem

Internet still does not work after the network troubleshooter

1. Type cmd in search, right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
2. Run netsh winsock reset, then netsh int ip reset.
3. Run ipconfig /release, then ipconfig /renew.
4. Run ipconfig /flushdns and restart the PC.

Windows Update still fails

Restart, then select Check for updates again (Settings > Windows Update on Windows 11, Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update on Windows 10). Microsoft recommends running the Windows Update troubleshooter a second time if the error returns.

Problems keep coming back across several areas

Corrupted system files are a likely cause, and no troubleshooter checks for them.

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
2. Run DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth and wait for it to finish.
3. Run sfc /scannow and leave the window open until verification reaches 100%.
4. Restart and run the troubleshooter again.

Our guides to System File Checker and DISM RestoreHealth explain each result message.

The problem started after a new app, driver or update

1. Press Windows key + R, type rstrui.exe and press Enter.
2. Select Next and choose a restore point from before the problem began.
3. Select Scan for affected programs to see what will be removed.
4. Select Next, then Finish. Personal files are not affected.

Troubleshooting couldn’t identify the problem: what to try

Check the device in Device Manager

Right-click Start and select Device Manager. A yellow warning icon marks a device with a driver problem. Right-click it and select Update driver, or Uninstall device and restart so Windows reinstalls it.

Look for repeated errors in Event Viewer

Press Windows key + R, type eventvwr.msc and press Enter. Under Windows Logs, open System or Application and look for errors that appear at the same time as your problem. The source and event ID give you something precise to search for.

Try a clean boot to rule out software conflicts

A clean boot starts Windows with only essential drivers and startup programs, so you can tell whether background software is causing the fault.

1. Select Search, type msconfig and open System Configuration.
2. On the Services tab, select Hide all Microsoft services, then Disable all, then Apply.
3. On the Startup tab, select Open Task Manager and disable each enabled startup item, noting which ones you changed.
4. Close Task Manager, select OK in System Configuration and restart.
5. If the problem is gone, re-enable items in small groups until it returns. Undo the changes when you are done.

Tips for getting better results from troubleshooters

Do this	Why it helps
Reproduce the problem just before running the troubleshooter	It finds more while the fault is live
Pick the narrowest troubleshooter, such as Printer	Each one only checks its own area
Plug in and switch on the device first	A disconnected printer or headset is reported as not found
Approve the administrator prompt	Without it, service and network fixes are skipped
Restart after the run	Some fixes only take effect after a restart
Note the findings before closing	The cause it names is your lead for the next fix

Windows troubleshooter FAQ

How do I run a troubleshooter in Windows 10?

Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters. Pick one under Get up and running, such as Windows Update, and select Run the troubleshooter.

How do I run a troubleshooter on Windows 11?

Select Start > Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters, then Run next to the problem. On releases newer than 22H2, the button opens the troubleshooter in the Get Help app.

Where do I find the Windows troubleshooter?

On the Troubleshoot page of Settings: under System on Windows 11 and under Update & Security on Windows 10. Type ms-settings:troubleshoot in the Run box to jump straight there.

How do I run the Windows hardware troubleshooter?

The general Hardware and Devices troubleshooter was removed from newer Windows 11 releases. Run the troubleshooter for the specific device, such as Audio, Bluetooth, Camera or Printer, and check the device in Device Manager.

How do I run a Microsoft troubleshooter?

Open Get Help from Start, type the troubleshooter’s name, such as windows update troubleshooter, and select Start. Get Help holds the Windows, Microsoft 365, classic Outlook, classic Teams and Copilot troubleshooters.

Does msdt.exe still work?

Microsoft deprecated MSDT in January 2023 and removed the platform from newer Windows 11 releases in 2025. Windows 10 and Windows 11 22H2 and older keep the legacy troubleshooters, but Settings and Get Help are the supported routes.

Do Windows troubleshooters run automatically?

Yes, for critical problems by default. Recommended troubleshooting applies known fixes on its own, and every automatic run appears in the troubleshooting history.