When something goes wrong — simple checks and who to ask

When a device “does not work,” the cause is often something small. This course is not a tech-support contract and it will not walk you through a force-restart on a shared phone — those steps differ by model, and guessing at buttons can make things worse. Try this calm list first.

1. Power. Is a charger or power cable connected? A dark screen may mean an empty battery, not a broken computer. If nothing happens after you connect power and press the power button once, stop and ask for help.
2. Wake and lock. Press the power button or a key to wake the screen. If you see a lock screen, sign in the way you already do (Lesson 2). On Windows, Windows key + L locks the computer without closing your work; signing in again should bring that work back.
3. Volume and sound. If a video or call seems silent, look for a volume key or a volume control in Settings rather than tapping at random.
4. Internet. If a page will not load, check whether Wi-Fi is on and whether you joined the network you meant (Lesson 5). Get Cyber Safe says you can turn Wi-Fi off when you do not need it — so it may be off on purpose.
5. Settings and search. Open Settings (Lesson 1 and 2) and search for the word you need, such as volume or Wi-Fi, instead of browsing every menu.

If the screen is frozen, do not keep pressing keys harder. On Windows, Microsoft lists Ctrl + Alt + Delete as a way to open a security screen where you can lock, switch user, sign out, or open other tools. Ask a tutor before you sign out of a shared machine, because unsaved work can be lost. On a phone, ask staff rather than holding unfamiliar button combinations.

You are not expected to fix everything yourself. Good people to ask:

• A tutor or library staff member, for a machine in that building.
• A family member you already trust, for a home device — without handing them every password (Lesson 9: never share your password).
• Your phone or internet service provider, for a lost phone or a network that will not come back after the simple checks.
• Local police, if a device is stolen.

Get Cyber Safe says you should never leave a phone in a vehicle or unattended in public, and you should keep a record of the make and model. If the device goes missing, their steps are:

1. Contact your service provider. They can help deactivate the device and restore it to factory settings, and they can place the phone on a national blacklist so it will not work on any Canadian wireless network.
2. Report it to local law enforcement. If you can find the device’s coordinates, give that information to the authorities. Never attempt to recover stolen property by yourself.

Those steps are safety information, not legal advice. This course cannot blacklist a phone for you and cannot contact police for you.

Be careful about “help” that appears on the screen without you asking: a pop-up that names a phone number, a person in a café who offers to “fix it if you unlock it,” or a message that asks for remote access. Use the people and numbers you already know, or that staff give you.

You now have a short set of habits that work on a phone and on a computer:

• Name the device and find Settings (Lesson 1).
• Power on, lock the screen, and use auto-lock (Lesson 2).
• Tap, scroll, go Home or Back, and use a few Windows shortcuts (Lesson 3).
• Find a file in File Explorer or the Files app, and save with a clear name (Lesson 4).
• Join a known Wi-Fi network and treat public Wi-Fi with care (Lesson 5).
• Use official app stores and say yes to updates (Lesson 6).
• Search, then check the address and the security status (Lesson 7).
• Send a plain practice message, and skip surprise links or attachments (Lesson 8).
• Use a strong, unique passphrase and never share it (Lesson 9).

The capstone below asks you to try five of those skills on a real device, with staff nearby for Wi-Fi. You do not have to be fast. You do not have to own a new phone. A library or council computer still counts. If a brand’s labels differ from a practice screen, ask — screens differ, and this course said that from the first page.

When you finish the capstone, take the final exam. It is multiple choice, it is the only graded piece, and the pass mark is 70 percent. You have two attempts. The certificate is a sample of completion; it is not college credit and not a tech-support licence.

Run the simple-check list on the device in front of you (without changing other people’s settings):

1. Confirm power.
2. Wake and lock the screen once.
3. Find Settings.
4. If something still fails, ask a tutor rather than guessing.

Then complete the capstone checklist.

Who would you ask first at home, at the library, and if a phone were missing? What information (make and model, not a password) would help them?