When you try to install the Microsoft Print to PDF feature on a system running Windows 11 24H2 OS build 26100.4061 or 26100.3915, the feature doesn’t install. It fails with the error 0x800F0922.Read more
optionalfeatures
Fix: Wireless Display Optional Feature Fails to Install
Wireless Display is a feature-on-demand (FOD) package that adds the Connect application. This application allows other devices to wirelessly project to this computer and requires Miracast-capable hardware.
When you install the Wireless Display FOD package via Optional Features in Settings, it may not install successfully. Some of the common errors you may encounter are 0x80070490 and 0x800f0950.
“Turn Windows features on or off” Default Settings for Windows 10
We may sometimes mess up with the Optional Features (“Turn Windows features on or off”) setting and don’t remember exactly what they changed. You wonder how to restore the system default settings for the “Turn Windows features on or off” (OptionalFeatures.exe) dialog without resetting Windows.Read more
How to Install Windows Sandbox in Windows 10 and 11
This article explains how to uninstall and reinstall Windows Sandbox in Windows 10 and 11.
Windows Sandbox provides a lightweight desktop environment to safely run applications in isolation. Software installed inside the Windows Sandbox environment remains “sandboxed” and runs separately from the host machine.Read more
Fix: Internet Explorer is Missing from Windows Features
Internet Explorer is a legacy component in Windows that can be installed or uninstalled via Windows Features (Optional Features) dialog box. On some systems, Internet Explorer may be completely missing in the Windows Features classic dialog as well as the “Manage Optional Features” modern Settings page on your Windows 10 or 11 device.
As a result, you’re unable to install Internet Explorer on your Windows 10/11 computer. Although officially retired by Microsoft, Internet Explorer is still needed by users who have installed legacy software (e.g., security camera app) that needs IE to work.
Also, when this happens, none of the following DISM commands may help restore IE:
dism /online /Add-Capability /CapabilityName:Browser.InternetExplorer~~~~0.0.11.0 dism /online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64
The DISM commands may throw the following error(s):
Error: 0x800f080c Feature name Internet-Explorer-Optional-amd64 is unknown. A Windows feature name was not recognized. Use the /Get-Features option to find the name of the feature in the image and try the command again.
Error 1168 Element not found
As Internet Explorer is missing, attempting to load a web page in IE Mode in Microsoft Edge causes the following error:
Internet Explorer can't be found. You need to re-install or re-enable Internet Explorer
Microsoft Edge’s IE mode requires Internet Explorer to be installed.
Let’s see how to add Internet Explorer to the Windows Features dialog and install it.
How to Restore Missing “Print Management” Console
After installing a Windows 10 Feature update (v2004 or higher) or Windows 11, you may observe that the Print Management MMC console is missing from the system. Print Management is a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in that lets you install, view, and manage all printers on your local computer or the network. You can add or delete printer driver packages, manage the print queue, and do much more.
This issue can occur in Windows 10/11 Professional or Enterprise edition. Note that the Print Management console is not available on Home editions of Windows. If you’re using Windows Home Edition, this article doesn’t apply to you.
The Print Management shortcut may be missing in the Administrative Tools folder. And, when you attempt to run printmanagement.msc
directly, you’ll see the following error:
Windows cannot find 'printmanagement.msc'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again.
Also, copying the file printmanagement.msc
file from another Windows 10 computer and running it would cause the error “couldn’t load the snap-in” since the supporting files are missing from the computer.
[Fix] Turn Windows Features On Or Off is Blank in Windows 10/11
The Windows Features dialog box (optionalfeatures.exe
) lets you add or remove additional or optional Windows features. For instance, you can remove Media Features → Windows Media Player using the Windows Features (“Turn Windows Features On Or Off”) dialog box if you no longer plan to use WMP.
Sometimes, the “Turn Windows Features On Or Off” box may be completely empty.Read more
How to Reinstall Microsoft Print to PDF After Deleting it Accidentally
Windows 10 and 11, as you know, includes the Microsoft Print to PDF virtual printer built-in that can print (convert) documents to PDF format from any application.
Microsoft Print to PDF is a handy tool in Windows 10/11. In the previous Windows Operating Systems, users needed to use a third-party tool or virtual printer driver to convert documents or web pages to PDF. Most users, including me, have been relying upon the Cute PDF Writer driver or similar drivers supplied with PDF reader applications — e.g., Adobe Acrobat or Fox It Reader. And don’t forget Microsoft’s own Office Add-in: Microsoft Save as PDF or XPS.
Interestingly, many Windows 10/11 users accidentally delete Microsoft Print to PDF and wonder how to restore it. This post explains how to restore/reinstall the Microsoft Print to PDF printer if you’ve accidentally deleted it.Read more