How to fix Hardware and devices troubleshooter missing on Windows 10
Windows has a built-in troubleshooting tool. It’s been a feature since before Windows Vista. The troubleshooter is generally for hardware and hardware-related problems. It can, for example, reset a network adapter, but if needed, it can also change network settings and allow you to connect to a network you’re having trouble connecting to.
Windows 10 Hardware and devices troubleshooter missing [FIX]
Up until Windows 10, the troubleshooter was one app that would run diagnostics on all hardware components. With Windows 10, its functionality was split into smaller versions, each targeting a different hardware component. These components don’t cover everything the Hardware and devices troubleshooter on Windows 10 did, which is why you may still need to run it. Unfortunately, it is no longer directly accessible from the Settings app.
Hardware and devices troubleshooter
The general Hardware and devices troubleshooter was removed in Windows 10 1809. To use it on later versions of Windows 10, tap the Win + R keyboard shortcut to open the run box. In the run box, enter the following;
msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic
Tap enter, and the hardware and devices troubleshooter will open. Go ahead and run it and allow the app to check your hardware for configuration problems.
While the above is for Windows 10 1809 and later versions, it will also work on older versions of Windows 10.
Other troubleshooters
Windows 10 has other hardware-specific troubleshooting apps. To access them, open the Settings app and go to the Update & Security group of settings. Select the Troubleshoot tab, and select one of the troubleshooters to run.
The troubleshooters are for;
- Internet connections
- Playing Audio
- Printers
- Windows update
- Bluetooth
- Incoming connections
- Keyboard
- Network adapter
- Power
- Program compatibility troubleshooter
- Recording audio
- Search and indexing
- Shared folders
- Speech
- Video playback
- Windows store apps
Going by the above list, it seems there are troubleshooters for almost every hardware component, but that isn’t the case. For example, there isn’t one for the webcam. If you’re having trouble with your webcam or a scanner, touchpad, mouse, or USB device, you won’t be able to use any of the above-listed troubleshooters to fix the problem. You will need to run the general hardware and devices troubleshooter.
The troubleshooter is for general problems, regardless of which type you choose to run. If you’re having network connecting trouble, the general hardware and devices troubleshooter will be able to diagnose it the same as the dedicated network troubleshooter. Neither is more capable than the other, which means the fix that either one offers up will only be effective to a certain extent. There may be problems that are outside its scope, and you will need to try other fixes for your problem.
