Tech Support one click away in Windows 10

 

All current versions of Windows don't excel when it comes to providing users with assistance when it comes to troubleshoot issues on the system.

 

The help is nearly useless and while some automated troubleshooting tools are integrated in newer versions of Windows, it is more often than not the case that more assistance is required to resolve an issue.

Microsoft maintains an official support website for customers and non-customers.

This ranges from chat and phone support to Microsoft's Answers community, a large web forum bringing users and Microsoft employees and MVPs together.

Quality of responses ranges from tips that are dead on to copy and paste responses that don't help out at all.

Starting with Windows 10 Build 10049, tech support options have become available directly in Windows 10.

Instead of having to visit Microsoft's Support website or Answers community, Windows 10 users get those options now directly in form of an application.

You open the application for now from them start menu by searching for Contact Support. It is unclear if options will be integrated into troubleshooting tools as well to inform users about those options but it would make sense if Microsoft would do so.

Three support options are displayed when you start the application that narrow down the support request.

• My device is for Windows, software and device related issues.
• Microsoft account & billing for account related help.
• Microsoft online services for the company's cloud based offerings such as OneDrive or Office365.

My Device

Four support options are provided on the my device page of which the first, ask the community, is the only one that is redirecting you to another website (the Microsoft Answers Community web forum.

Chat online with a Microsoft Answer Tech opens a chat interface right in the app highlighting the wait time and language support.

The last two options submits a request to Microsoft to call you back either immediately or on schedule. The wait time for the immediate option is displayed in the app window so that you know the approximate wait time.

Microsoft account & billing

This option redirects you to the Microsoft Account website.

Microsoft online services

Offers the same option as My Device. Open a chat with a support agent, schedule call backs or get redirected to the Microsoft Answers Community to get support there.

Closing Words

The support options are not entirely new but integration into the operating system itself makes lot of sense considering that users experience issues most of the time while using the system.

It depends a lot on the visibility of the application though. It may not help much if users don't know about the app or cannot locate it on the system.

Integration in the operating system's troubleshooting tools would make sense as it would improve the apps' visibility significantly.

Now You: Have you used Microsoft's chat or phone support before? How was it?