This might seem obvious but if you're having an problem with your computer, phone, or other device, this is a great first step. Powering off then powering back on can fix a lot of common problems and is a great way to get your tech back up and running without any cost. For instructions on rebooting your specific device, keep reading.

Linux:

To reboot on a Linux machine, you can open a terminal window and type the command; "reboot". If you can't open a terminal window, there should be a physical power key on your device which you can press and hold until the device powers off. For help finding yours, search "your-device power button". If you use your physical button, remember to turn the device back on!

Windows:

To reboot a device running Windows, move your mouse to the bottom left of the screen and click the Windows logo, or press the Windows key on your keyboard. This should open a window with a power button at the bottom right corner. Clicking this will provide several options. Click the "Restart" button and wait. Alternatively, if this doesn't work, your device should have a physical power button which you can press and hold until your device shuts off. For help finding yours, search "your-device power button". Then just power your device back on!

MacOS:

Your Mac device can be rebooted by holding the power button on your keyboard, pressing "fn" and "f12" then selecting "Shutdown", or clicking the Apple logo in the top left corner of your screen and select the "Shut Down..." button. Then turn the device back on with the power button!

iPhone:

Restarting your iPhone is as simple as pressing and holding the power button. This should bring a slider up on the top of the screen. Drag the slider towards the right edge and the phone should power off. Then hold the power button until the white Apple logo appears. Your phone should then be powered on!

iPad:

Force restarting your iPad requires holding one of your two volume buttons and the power button down and dragging the slider towards the right edge then, once the device has powered off, holding the power button until it turns back on. If your iPad has a home button, holding the volume button is not required.

Android:

To restart your Android device, hold the power button for 20s until the screen goes black. Certain devices require your to hold both the power/side button and the volume down button.

Seriously, we mean everything. EVERYTHING. Operating system, software, drivers. For information on how to update these things search for "your-device update system/software/drivers" and follow the instructions provided.

Another step, should a restart or update fail to fix your problem, is reinstalling whichever software you're having issues with. Of course, if your operating system is the problem, this won't help but it's a decent option for simply issues. Certain software comes with a dedicated uninstall option so, if you're uncertain, search for "your-software uninstall" and follow those instructions.