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Windows 11 PC won't boot? Microsoft's new tool tries to fix it before you even panic - here's how

Published on: 2025-05-20 18:55:00

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Have you ever run into trouble trying to boot up your Windows PC? Boot-up errors are among the most challenging to troubleshoot and fix. Now, Microsoft is launching a new tool that will step in when your computer refuses to boot properly. Also: Microsoft just blocked this popular Windows 11 local account trick - but workarounds remain Known as Quick Machine Recovery, or QMR, this feature is ready for testing in the latest Windows 11 Insider build. Though Microsoft touts it as a tool for IT administrators, it is also available for home use, where it is turned on by default. How it works The Windows Recovery Environment, or WinRE, is a dedicated recovery partition on your computer that attempts to repair boot-up problems. Normally, you might have to trigger WinRE manually, but with QMR, the process is designed to be more automatic. When a critical boot-up problem occurs, your PC will enter WinRE mode, connect to your network, and then send diagnostic da ... Read full article.