Quick Android refresh: Hold the power and volume-up buttons simultaneously to do a soft reboot. Think of it as a fast way to end processes and speed up your phone.
The secret (better) way to restart your Windows PC
One way to fix PC problems is to reboot. That’s the most common solution IT professionals will tell you to begin with. But you may have to ring up the help desk if your computer’s still acting up after restarting it.
You know what that means: long wait times that put your patience to the test. Luckily, there’s a free tool you can use. Use this site to determine how long the wait time will be before you call.
Then again, you could always try this secret solution. Many people don’t know there are multiple ways to restart a computer. If the classic computer reboot doesn’t work, try this.
The best way to restart your PC
Most of us are familiar with restarting our computers through a “normal” shutdown. When you click the Restart button, the computer goes through a process that saves some of its memory, or RAM.
This helps the computer start up faster when you turn it on again. However, not everything is closed out during a normal shutdown. Some background processes and open apps may still be running.
This is why regular shutdowns are sometimes called “hybrid” shutdowns. They can fix most computer issues, but you can try a shift shutdown to wipe the slate completely. This particular type of shutdown fully closes all processes and apps. Plus, it clears the RAM completely.
RELATED: How to see how much RAM is in your PC
Hold down the Shift key before you hit Restart to do a shift shutdown on a Windows computer. Keep holding it until the PC powers down. When it restarts, you’ll see a screen like this:
Select Continue so you can load normally. This can fix many issues you can’t fix with a regular reboot. So the next time your computer is acting up, try it before calling customer service. You could save a ton of time you’d otherwise waste listening to elevator music!
Sick of computer issues? It’s time to upgrade your setup
Easy tricks to speed up your slow computer
Picture this: Your phone is barely a year old and running at a snail’s pace. You blame the manufacturer and mumble something about planned obsolescence. Before you go off on a rant, check out our guide to the top seven reasons your phone is running slow.
1x a week
How often the National Security Agency says you should reboot your phone. Sounds like a no-brainer, but it works to combat zero-click exploits. Zero-click flaws mean a hacker can get in simply by sending you the right code. Avoiding that is def worth a weekly restart.
Fix your Wi-Fi: 10 ways to get faster speeds
You’re relaxing on your sofa with a bowl of popcorn and a remote. You start to stream a popular show, but the dreaded buffering circle rears its ugly head. Nothing is playing, so you whip out the nearest internet-connected device and type, “How to get faster speeds for streaming” or “Tips to speed up a slow streaming service” into the search bar.
Sick of slow Wi-Fi? Move your router
For how important it is, it sure is easy to forget about your trusty router that works 24/7.
Routers are crucial to sending strong, reliable internet to your devices, but when’s the last time you made sure it’s locked down from hackers? Here are my five essential router security settings to keep hackers out of your network.
Quick Android refresh: Hold the power and volume-up buttons simultaneously to do a soft reboot. Think of it as a fast way to end processes and speed up your phone.
“Hey, how come no one told me that sooner?” Try this if you have a Windows PC. Before you restart, hold down the Shift key. Keep holding until the machine powers up, then click Continue. This will shut down all the processes running for a true reboot.
So long, farewell: Anyone who upgraded to Windows 11 on an old PC that technically doesn’t meet the latest operating system requirements is out of luck. Folks are reporting their tech dinos are stuck in a reboot loop. If you’re in the market, our IT genius, John, recommends this solid PC for under $650 that’ll last for years. If you edit video or need more power, here’s his pick for well under $1,000.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Don’t just hold down the power button: There’s a better way to reboot your grumpy PC that shuts down all the background processes. Before you click to restart, hold down the Shift key. Keep holding until the machine powers up, then click Continue.
True or false: You should reboot your computer every day
There are few certainties in life: Death, taxes and turning your computer off and on when there’s a problem. This is usually the first piece of advice you get from friends, family and tech support.
Rebooting your computer helps keep it running smoothly. It clears the memory, stopping any tasks that are eating up RAM. Even if you’ve closed an app, it could still tap your memory. A reboot can also fix peripheral and hardware issues. If your computer is still running slow, this one trick could help.
The only way tech pros reboot their routers
When your modem or router screech to a halt, it can lead to webpages that won’t load, streaming videos that keep buffering, and blood pressure to shoot through the roof.
The common solution in these scenarios is to restart the router or modem to get back on track. And, in many cases, it’s common to rip the plugs out of the back and hope that when it’s plugged back in, things will work like they’re supposed to. Tap or click here for better Wi-Fi.