Question 1

I clicked a phishing link or entered my password on a fake site

Accepted Answer

Disconnect from Wi-Fi or unplug the network cable immediately. Call Client Support at (480) 800-3549 right away — do not email, call. Do not power off the device unless we tell you to (we may need forensic data). Change your password from a different, trusted device only after we confirm.

Question 2

I think my computer has ransomware or a virus

Accepted Answer

Disconnect from the network immediately (Wi-Fi off, unplug ethernet). Do NOT power off the device. Call Client Support immediately — this is treated as a P1 incident. Warn nearby coworkers not to open shared files until we give the all-clear.

Question 3

My laptop or phone was lost or stolen

Accepted Answer

Notify your manager and call Client Support immediately. We will remotely lock and/or wipe the device, revoke its Microsoft 365 sessions, and reset your password. File a police report if appropriate — we can provide the device serial number.

Question 4

A fraudulent wire / invoice / vendor change email is in question

Accepted Answer

Do NOT act on the request. Do NOT reply to the email. Call the vendor or coworker on a known phone number (not one in the email) to verify. Forward the original email as an attachment to Client Support so we can investigate.

Question 5

My computer is running really slow

Accepted Answer

Save your work and fully restart the computer (Restart, not Shut Down). Close browser tabs and apps you aren't using — Chrome and Teams are usually the worst offenders. Check Windows Update or macOS Software Update and install pending updates. If it's still slow after a restart, open a ticket — we'll check disk health, memory pressure, and startup apps remotely.

Question 6

My computer won't turn on at all

Accepted Answer

Confirm the power cable is fully seated at both ends (laptops: try a different outlet). Hold the power button for 30 seconds with the charger unplugged, then plug back in and try again. For laptops: check that the charging light comes on when plugged in. If still nothing, open a ticket — we'll arrange a loaner if needed.

Question 7

I can't sign in to my computer or Microsoft 365 account

Accepted Answer

Confirm Caps Lock is off and you're typing the correct email (work email, not personal). Try signing in from a private/incognito browser window at portal.office.com to rule out cached credentials. If you see 'account locked' or 'too many attempts', wait 5 minutes and try again. Still locked out? Call Client Support — we can verify your identity and reset the account.

Question 8

MFA / Microsoft Authenticator isn't working

Accepted Answer

Make sure your phone has internet and the correct time/date (auto-set). In the Authenticator app, pull down to refresh the code, then enter it quickly (codes rotate every 30 seconds). If you got a new phone, your old MFA won't transfer automatically — open a ticket to re-register. Use the 'Use a different verification method' link on the sign-in page if available.

Question 9

My password expired or I need to reset it

Accepted Answer

Go to passwordreset.microsoftonline.com and follow the self-service prompts (requires MFA enrolled). If self-service fails or isn't set up, contact Client Support for a verified reset. After resetting, sign out and back in on Outlook, Teams, and your phone to update saved credentials.

Question 10

Windows is stuck on an update or 'Preparing Windows'

Accepted Answer

Give it 30–60 minutes — large updates can genuinely take that long. If truly frozen for 2+ hours, hold the power button to force restart; Windows will usually roll back. After two failed update attempts, open a ticket before trying again.

Question 11

Outlook won't connect or keeps asking for my password

Accepted Answer

Close Outlook completely (check the system tray) and reopen. Restart the computer if the prompt keeps reappearing. Check outlook.office.com in a browser — if email works there, the issue is the local Outlook profile. Open a ticket so we can rebuild the profile or refresh stored credentials.

Question 12

Emails I expected aren't arriving

Accepted Answer

Check the Junk Email and Other (Focused Inbox) folders. Search by the sender's domain in case the message was filed by a rule. Ask the sender to confirm the address — typos are the #1 cause. If it's a legitimate sender being blocked, send us the sender's email and we'll allow-list them.

Question 13

I got a suspicious or phishing email — what do I do?

Accepted Answer

Do NOT click links, open attachments, or reply. Use the 'Report' button in Outlook (Report Phishing) to send it to our security team. If you already clicked a link or entered a password, see the Emergencies section above.

Question 14

Teams audio, video, or screen sharing isn't working

Accepted Answer

Click the gear icon → Devices and confirm the correct mic, speaker, and camera are selected. Quit Teams fully (right-click the tray icon → Quit) and reopen. Check Windows Privacy settings → Camera/Microphone and ensure Teams is allowed. If only one meeting is broken, leave and rejoin. If every meeting is broken, open a ticket.

Question 15

OneDrive is stuck syncing or showing errors

Accepted Answer

Click the OneDrive cloud icon in the system tray to see the error message. Pause syncing for 10 minutes, then resume. If a specific file is stuck, check its name — illegal characters (\ / : * ? " < > |) will block sync. Sign out of OneDrive and back in if pause/resume doesn't help.

Question 16

I need access to a shared mailbox, calendar, or distribution list

Accepted Answer

Have your manager email Client Support with the mailbox name and the access level needed. Once granted, the mailbox will appear in Outlook within 15–30 minutes (you may need to restart Outlook).

Question 17

Calendar invites aren't showing up or look wrong

Accepted Answer

Check the time zone in Outlook → File → Options → Calendar. If invites land in Deleted Items, an inbox rule may be moving them — open a ticket. Try accepting the invite from outlook.office.com to bypass the desktop app.

Question 18

I have no internet

Accepted Answer

Check whether others in the office are also offline — if yes, it's likely the circuit or firewall. If only you're offline, restart your computer and confirm Wi-Fi is on (or your ethernet cable is seated). Try a different Wi-Fi network or hotspot to confirm your laptop's adapter works. If the whole office is down, call Client Support — we monitor circuits and may already be working on it.

Question 19

Wi-Fi is slow or keeps dropping

Accepted Answer

Move closer to the access point and remove obstructions. Forget the network and reconnect with the password. Restart the laptop (don't just sleep/wake it). Report which area of the office is affected — we may need to tune access points or add coverage.

Question 20

VPN won't connect

Accepted Answer

Confirm you have working internet on the same device first. Quit and reopen the VPN client; if it has 'reset connection' or 'reconnect', try that. Restart the computer if the second attempt fails. Open a ticket with the exact error message and a screenshot.

Question 21

Specific website or app won't load (but others work)

Accepted Answer

Try the site in a private/incognito window to rule out cached data. Test from your phone on cellular — if it works there, the site may be blocked by our content filter. If it's a legitimate work site, open a ticket with the URL and we'll review.

Question 22

Printer is offline or won't print

Accepted Answer

Confirm the printer has power, paper, and no error lights. Cancel any stuck print jobs in the queue. Restart the printer (power off for 30 seconds, then back on). Try printing from a different computer to isolate whether it's the printer or your PC.

Question 23

Scan-to-email isn't working

Accepted Answer

Confirm the printer has internet (try printing a network status page). Check that your email address is spelled correctly in the printer's address book. Look for the scan in Junk/Spam folders. If multiple users are affected, open a ticket — vendor SMTP settings sometimes change.

Question 24

Print jobs come out blank or with weird characters

Accepted Answer

Cancel all jobs in the print queue and try a fresh document. Reinstall the printer driver from the manufacturer's website (or open a ticket and we'll deploy it). Try printing as PDF first, then printing the PDF, to bypass app-specific issues.

Question 25

My second monitor isn't displaying

Accepted Answer

Confirm the monitor is powered on and set to the correct input (HDMI/DisplayPort/USB-C). Reseat the video cable on both ends. Press Windows key + P and pick 'Extend'. If still nothing, try a different cable or port — open a ticket if the issue persists.

Question 26

Headset or microphone isn't being detected

Accepted Answer

Unplug and re-plug the headset, ideally into a different USB port. In Windows: Settings → System → Sound, and pick the correct input and output device. In Teams/Zoom: open device settings and select the headset explicitly. Restart the computer if it still isn't recognized.

Question 27

Laptop battery drains very fast or won't charge

Accepted Answer

Try a different charger and outlet to rule out cable failure. Close background apps — Chrome and Teams are heavy battery drains. In Windows: Settings → System → Power → Battery saver. Battery health declines over 2–3 years; if it's the original battery, open a ticket for a replacement quote.

Question 28

Dock isn't working (no monitors, no ethernet, no peripherals)

Accepted Answer

Unplug the dock from power and from the laptop. Wait 30 seconds, plug power first, then laptop. Try a different USB-C / Thunderbolt cable — these wear out. Connect one device at a time to isolate which port is failing.

Question 29

Outlook on my phone stopped syncing

Accepted Answer

Force-quit the app and reopen. Confirm the phone has internet (browse a website). Sign out of the account in Outlook mobile, then sign back in. If you recently changed your password, this is almost always the cause.

Question 30

Authenticator app on my new phone — how do I move it?

Accepted Answer

Authenticator does NOT transfer with normal phone migration. Before switching: from your old phone, open Authenticator → Settings → Cloud backup to back up. If you already switched phones, open a ticket — we'll reset MFA after identity verification.

Question 31

Working from home — I can't access a file share or app

Accepted Answer

Confirm your VPN is connected (if your environment uses one). Try the resource from outlook.office.com or SharePoint — most file shares have a cloud equivalent. If a specific line-of-business app needs office network access and VPN is connected, restart the app. Open a ticket with the exact app or path and any error messages.

Question 32

VoIP / Teams call quality is bad (choppy, echo, dropouts)

Accepted Answer

Switch from Wi-Fi to a wired connection if possible. Close bandwidth-heavy apps (YouTube, large downloads, OneDrive sync). Use a wired USB headset instead of Bluetooth. If the issue affects every call, open a ticket so we can check your network QoS.

Question 33

Desk phone shows 'no service' or won't register

Accepted Answer

Confirm the ethernet cable to the phone is seated (both phone and wall jack). Power-cycle the phone by unplugging it for 30 seconds. If multiple phones are down, call Client Support from a cell phone.

Question 34

Voicemails aren't arriving in email

Accepted Answer

Check Junk/Spam for missed voicemail notifications. Confirm the email address on the extension is correct (open a ticket if unsure). Test by leaving yourself a voicemail and waiting 5 minutes.

Question 35

A USB drive or website was blocked — is that normal?

Accepted Answer

Yes — our security stack blocks unknown USB devices and risky sites by policy. If you need access for legitimate work, open a ticket with the device name or URL and the business reason and we'll review.

Question 36

I'm getting MFA prompts I didn't request

Accepted Answer

DENY the prompt — never approve a prompt you didn't trigger. Change your password from a trusted device. Open a ticket immediately — this often means someone has your password and is trying to bypass MFA.

Question 37

Browser is showing 'Not Secure' or certificate warnings

Accepted Answer

Don't enter passwords or sensitive info on the page. Confirm the URL is spelled correctly (phishing sites often use lookalike domains). If it's a known internal site, open a ticket with a screenshot — a certificate may have expired.

Troubleshooting Guide

Emergencies — Call First

Email & Microsoft 365

Internet & Wi-Fi

Printers & Scanning

Hardware & Peripherals

Mobile & Remote Work

Phones & VoIP

Security Concerns (Non-Emergency)

Still stuck?