Fixes to Common Windows 8 PC Problems That Anyone Can Do

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Poor Windows 8. It’s like the awkward middle child. Its radical new direction made many users want to stay on Windows 7, even after Windows 8.1 had addressed a lot of the most common issues. And when Windows 10 arrived on the scene, everyone who wanted the latest systems jumped ship.

It’s still a great operating system, though, so if you’re still on board, here are some common computer problems and their easy fixes to make your journey as comfortable as possible.

WIN8: give your PC a speed boost

Is Windows 8 performing slower and slower every day? Many things could be dragging your system down. You may think you need an expert to solve them, but in a lot of cases you can do a lot of good yourself.
Free hard drive space is incredibly important to a smooth running Windows system. If you are storing data on your Windows/system drive then we would recommend moving these files to another internal drive, or an external drive.
Another solution would be to manually clean out all the temporary junk files that Windows accumulates over time. To do this, simply run the Windows 8 app called Disk Cleanup and follow the instructions.
The best option of all would probably be CleanMyPC, an app that was made for inexperienced computers users. Not only does it remove junk files, clean registries, make certain applications are properly uninstalled, and so much more, it does everything automatically with just a click needed to start each operation.
To clear junk files with CleanMyPC:

CleanMyPC will now do all the dirty work for you, just click "Clean" button.

WIN8: speed up your startup

Is Windows taking longer and longer to start? It could be because you’ve installed too many programs, many of which like to automatically run when Windows starts, even if they aren’t needed. An IT guy who comes out to help you will definitely look at your startup programs to try and limit how many of them load.
Want to know how he does it? This is how:

  • Type “msconfig” into the search
  • Run the app
  • Click on the “services” tab
  • Check the “Hide all Microsoft services” box
Now just look through the list and if you see a program that you know you don’t use very often, turn it off and “apply”.
If that sounds too confusing, CleanMyPC once again presents an easier solution. Just open the app and click on the “Autorun” section. Now you can immediately toggle on and off startup programs. It’s safe and easy and if you toggle off something you realize you need running, just open the app and turn it back on.
How easy is that?

WIN8: turn on laptop touchpad

Many Windows 8 laptop users have encountered the problem of their touchpad not working. Not too big of a problem if you have a mouse to plug in but a real annoyance if you travel a lot and like to use your laptop on the go. Luckily, the problem is usually that the trackpad is simply turned off.
To turn it on, plug in a mouse and then follow these steps:
  1. Press Windows key + C
  2. Click on “settings” and then “change PC settings”
  3. Go to PC and devices > Mouse and touchpad
  4. Make sure Touchpad is enabled

WIN8: sharpen blurry text

Windows 8 caters for devices that have high-resolution displays. If you could zoom in, you’d see that these displays effectively have more dots. A common Windows 8 problem is when an old application isn’t able to scale itself to this resolution. When this occurs Windows jumps in to save the day by doubling the size of the interface.
Thanks, Windows! (happy tone)
The problem is that now the text is often blurry.
Thanks, Windows! (sarcastic tone)
If you would prefer a smaller interface with sharper text, follow these easy steps:
  1. Right click on the application’s shortcut
  2. Click on the “compatibility” tab
  3. Turn off “display scaling on high DPI settings”
  4. Now restart the app and enjoy sharper text.

WIN8: enable delete confirmation dialog box

If you were recently a Windows 7 user, you would have noticed that, unlike in 7, in Windows 8 a deleted file moves into the recycle bin without warning. This saves time for power users, but if you aren’t as comfortable at the keyboard, you probably want an extra step before a file is moved to the trash. Luckily you can turn the warning dialog back on by following these steps:
  1. Right click on the Recycle Bin and select “Properties”
  2. Turn on “Display delete confirmation dialog box”
  3. Click “OK”
Now, next time your finger accidentally taps delete, you’ll be saved by the warning.

Windows 8 PC problems fixed? You did it! 

Don’t let anyone tell you Windows 8 is awful. Especially now that you’ve solved a lot of the more common Windows 8 problems. Let this be the beginning of a new way to look at your relationship with your computer. It doesn’t rule you anymore. You are in control.

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