When something on your computer suddenly stops working, it’s normal to feel confused or stressed—especially if you’re not a “computer person.” But many small issues have very simple fixes. Before calling your Managed Service Provider (MSP), there are a few quick steps you can try that often solve the problem right away.

First, try restarting your computer or device. It might sound too simple, but restarting clears out temporary glitches and fixes more problems than most people realize. If something looks frozen or won’t open, a restart is one of the easiest and fastest ways to get things back to normal.

Next, make sure your internet connection is working. Try opening a website you don’t normally use, like weather.com, just to test it. If it doesn’t load, check your Wi-Fi symbol or make sure the cable to your modem or router hasn’t been unplugged by accident. Sometimes the internet itself just needs a quick reset.

After that, check if the problem is happening only on your device or on others around you. If your coworkers can use email but you can’t, it may be a small issue with your computer. Try closing and reopening the program, signing out and back in, or refreshing the page. These simple steps can solve many everyday problems.

Finally, remember that your MSP is always there to support you. If the issue doesn’t go away after trying these basic steps, that’s exactly when you should call. And by trying a few things first, you can give your MSP helpful information about what you already tested—so they can fix the problem faster and get you back to work with less stress.