The five minute fixes that solve 90 percent of tech problems

[DistantSequence]

After years of being the family IT department, I have concluded that most tech support is five moves repeated forever. Restart it, check the cable, check for updates, clear the cache, and try a different browser or account. It feels almost insulting to suggest them, and yet

The trick is doing them in order and actually doing them, not saying you did. The number of times restart it has fixed something after the person swore they already restarted is beyond counting. Sleep mode is not a restart, and yes I will die on this hill

So what belongs on the list that I have missed? Give me your universal fixes, the boring ones that work, so we can pin the ultimate lazy troubleshooting checklist

[Annie71]

Check if it is plugged in properly. Not just plugged in, properly. Half seated cables are gremlins

[Saka31]

Log out and log back in deserves its own entry, separate from restarting

[Amy]

For wifi issues, forget the network and rejoin. Fixes a shocking amount

[Sam]

Am I the only one who thinks clear the cache is cargo cult advice most of the time? It fixes web app weirdness and basically nothing else

[Karen_37]

Fixing web app weirdness is like half of all reported problems though, so it earns its spot

[WearyScholar]

Try another cable. HDMI and USB cables fail silently and everyone blames the device

[Grim Socket]

What is the polite way to ask a relative if they really restarted? Because they lie. They all lie

[AlexaBliss]

Ask them to hold the power button until it goes fully black, then you both know it actually happened