About Steady PC Guide
A free, independent publication that explains common computer problems in plain English, one steady step at a time.
Why we started
When a computer suddenly says it is infected, or an antivirus program flashes red, most people feel a jolt of panic. That panic is exactly what scammers count on. They put a phone number on the screen, a timer in the corner, and a stranger on the line who offers to "fix" everything for a fee.
Steady PC Guide exists to be the calm alternative. Our guides explain what is really going on, what is safe to ignore, and what to do about it yourself, using the tools already on your computer. The name comes from a spirit level, the builder's tool with a bubble that settles in the middle when things are straight. That is how we want readers to feel when they reach the end of a guide.
What we publish
We publish free, step-by-step guides. That is all we do. Most of them are about computer security:
- recognizing and removing viruses and other malware with Microsoft Defender, which comes with Windows;
- telling real warnings from fake ones, and recovering after a scam;
- independent self-help steps for popular antivirus software such as McAfee, Norton and Microsoft Defender;
- everyday problems such as a slow computer, a printer that says it is offline, and Wi-Fi that will not load anything.
Every guide is free to read. There is no account to create and nothing to download or install.
What we do not offer
We are a publication, not a service. We do not sell or provide technical support, repairs, virus removal, software installation, data recovery or remote access. We have no phone line, we do not sell software, and we will never ask to connect to your computer.
Stop and read this
If a website, email, pop-up or caller claims to be Steady PC Guide and asks you to phone a number, install something or pay for a fix, it is not us. Close it, hang up, and if you have lost money, contact your bank.
Who runs this site
Steady PC Guide is published by Steady Guides Media, based in Columbus, Ohio, USA. You can reach the editor by email at hello@steadypcguide.info. We read every message, although we cannot always reply to each one individually.
How we stay independent
Steady PC Guide is not McAfee, Norton (Gen Digital), Microsoft, a printer manufacturer, an internet provider or any other company whose products we write about, and none of them pays us. We do not use affiliate links, we do not accept sponsored articles, and we do not rank products in exchange for money.
Brand names appear only so you can tell which product a guide is about, or to compare products fairly. Every guide about a specific product links to that company's official website for account, billing and subscription questions, because only the company can help with those.
The site is paid for by its publisher. We may advertise our guides on search engines so that people who need them can find them. Advertising never influences what we write.
How we write a guide
- Start with the checks that are quickest and least likely to cause harm.
- Explain what a step does before asking you to do it.
- Put a clear warning before any step that changes important settings, and suggest a backup first.
- Write the words on buttons and menus exactly as they appear on screen.
- Send you to the company's own website when a problem goes beyond general self-help.
Read the full detail in our editorial policy, or contact us if something in a guide is wrong or out of date.