There are few pieces of advice more tried and tested in the tech world than 'have you tried turning it off and on again?', yet many people don't actually know why this has proven to be as effective as it is over the years.
It's genuinely surprising quite how many tech issues can be solved by simply turning your device off and on again, as what seems like a simple reset proves to be a technological magic bullet in practice.
Whether you've done something unexpected with no way to revert it, or you've encountered an issue that stops you from using the gadget altogether, it's often the case that a full reset has your back.
It's unlikely that you've ever truly wondered why this is the case though, and how so many tech experts have provided this simply tip as the first port of call whenever you're encountering an issue.
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As shared by IFLScience, there are a number of reasons why resetting your PC and immediately turning it back on proves to be so effective, with the first being related to the system memory.
Modern devices utilize an ever-increasing amount of random access memory, or RAM for short, to keep up with any and all tasks you throw at it, yet that can get corrupted over time as you use it.
Performing a full reset can clear this up by returning the PC into a 'clean' state, as experts over at Your IT Department explain:
"Electronic devices are state based machines, as in they start at one state and go to the next in steps [...] Restarting an electronic device give it 'a fresh state' and re-initialises the device, resetting it back to the initial state."
You also might have heard that there's a big difference between shutting down your PC and restarting it, as while it might seem like they do the same thing, the process is very different.
Some experts like to use a 'kitchen' metaphor where restarting is like leaving the kitchen and coming back without doing the dishes, whereas shutting down involves cleaning up completely so that there's a fresh start when you return.
One commenter on Reddit offers a similar explanation, noting: "Imagine you get lost in the woods. It's easier to start at the beginning of your hike than it is to try and figure out how to find the trail again when you're lost."
Turning a device off and on again can also help with any overheating issues that might occur as it effectively gives you PC time to breathe, and the same is true if you go one step further and pull the plug out of the wall, as it removes the small amount of electricity that still circulates as part of the current.
Technology has improved over time and thus there aren't as many issues that can be solved through this method anymore — yet it still proves to be an effective thing to check first before trying any other issues, as if it does work it'll save you a lot of time and brainpower in the long run.