How to Fix Another Instance Error in Windows 10

 Another Instance is Running error in Windows 10 has worried many users. Usually, this error is triggered when launching one or more specific applications on your PC. Here we provide you with solutions to fix this error on your PC.

Fix 1 – Set workstation service to Automatic

Follow the steps below to set the Workstation service status to Active :

Step 1 : Press Win + R keys ; Then type servies.msc in the Run box and click Ok .

Step 2 : In the Services window , scroll down until you find Workstation service . When you find it, double click on it.

Step 3 : In the Workstation Properties window that opens, make sure the Startup type is set to Automatic .

Then click Ok .

Fix 2 – Uninstall Web Companion from PC

As reported by many users, this error appeared while starting the PC. It has been discovered that this error has occurred due to the presence of the Web Companion software on their PC. This software usually comes bundled with Ad-Aware anti-spyware software. To fix this problem, you need to uninstall Web Companion from your PC.

Step 1 : Open Settings app on your PC by pressing Win + I keys on your PC. From there, select the Apps option .

Step 2 : From the left panel, go to Apps > Features option . On the right you will find a list of the software installed on your PC. From this list, look for the Web Companion app and select it to expand it. From the options, click the Uninstall button .

After uninstalling the app, restart your PC and check if the error appears.

Fix 3 – Update Windows 10

If Web Companion is not installed on your PC, you may want to start updating Windows 10.

Step 1 : Press Win + I keys at the same time to open Windows Settings app. From there, select the Update > Security option .

Step 2 : In the new window, select Windows Update on the left panel and then click Check for updates on the right panel.

If an updated version of Windows is available, the download and installation will begin. Follow the on-screen instructions to start the process. If the "Another instance is running" error is not resolved, continue to the next solution.

Fix 4 - Clean boot PC from safe mode

Some of the users reported that they performed a Clean Boot on their PC from Safe Mode. Here are the steps you need to follow:

Enter Safe Mode

Step 1 : Open Settings and go to Update > Security by following the steps from the previous method.

Step 2 : Go to the Recovery option in the left pane and then click under . click the Restart now option Extended startup area .

Step 3 : Your PC will now restart in Advanced Repair Mode. From there, click on the Troubleshoot option .

Step 4 : On the next screen, select Advanced options .

Step 5 : Now on the next screen select the option Startup Settings .

Step 6 : When the next screen appears, click on the Restart button now .

Step 7 : Your PC will restart again. This time you will see different boot options. Choose option #4, that is Safe Mode .

Now your PC will start in safe mode. Go ahead and follow the steps below to perform a clean boot.

Clean PC

Step 1 : Open the Run dialog box by pressing Win + R keys at the same time . In the box , type msconfig and press Enter .

Step 2 : The "System Configuration" window will open. On the General tab , ensure that the Load startup items option is unchecked. After unchecking the option, click Apply .

Step 3 : Next, open the Services tab . Here, check the Hide all Microsoft services box and click on the Disable all option . Click the Apply button again .

Step 4 : Go to the Home tab . Click on the Open Task Manager option .

Step 5 : In Task Manager you will see a list of programs installed on your PC. Select each of these programs individually and click the Disable button .

When you're done, restart your PC in normal mode. If the problem persists, follow the next solution.

Fix 5 – Run SFC scan

The SFC command scans and repairs files on your PC that may be corrupt or need to be repaired. To run the scan:

Step 1 : Press the Start button and type cmd in the Start menu search box. In the results, right- click Command Prompt and click Run as administrator .

Step 2 : Copy and paste the following command into the Command Prompt window and then press Enter :

sfc/ scan now

Let the scan run and restart your PC once it is complete.

Fix 6 - Run DISM scan

If the SFC scan did not fix the "Another instance is running" error, try running the DISM scan. There are two types of DISM scans. Let's start with the first:

Standard-DISM-Scan

Step 1 : Run Command Prompt in Administrator mode by following the steps from the previous method.

Step 2 : Copy and paste below given command into Command Prompt and then press Enter :

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

When the scan is complete, restart your PC and check for errors. If the problem is not resolved, try the next scan.

DISM scan using Windows installation media

Before you begin this process, note that you can only run this command if you have Windows installation media with you. It could be a flash drive or a DVD.

Step 1 : Insert the installation media into your PC.

Step 2 : Open Command Prompt in Administrator mode as shown above,

Step 3 : Type the following command and press Enter :

dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth

Step 4 : Type the next command again and press Enter :

dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

Step 5 : In the final step, you need to copy and paste the command given below into the Command Prompt window, but you need to replace the X with the name of the drive where the installation media was mounted on your PC. After that, press Enter .

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /source:WIM:X:SourcesInstall.wim:1 /LimitAccess

Let the scanning process finish without interrupting the process. Once done, restart the PC and check if you still get the Another Instance is Running error on your Windows 10 PC.

Fix 7 - End problematic process via task manager

You may encounter Other Instance is Runnin issue while launching or installing certain program on your PC. For example, one of the users reported that the problem occurs while installing AutoCAD. When it was checked in Task Manager, the AutoCAD process was already running. The issue was resolved by killing the AutoCAD process. If you are facing a similar issue, follow these steps:

Step 1 : Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys at the same time .

Step 2 : In the Process tab, look for processes with the name of the application you are having trouble with. When you find it, right-click on it and click End Task button .

Close Task Manager and check if the problem is resolved.

Fix 8 – Reinstall the problematic software

One of the ways many users have been able to fix this problem was by reinstalling the problematic software/application/game. You can also try completely uninstalling and reinstalling the software from your PC.

Fix 9 – Create a new user account in Windows

Many users have fixed this particular problem by creating a new user account and using it as their primary account. That's how it's done:

Step 1 : Open Settings app by pressing Win + I keys and then select Accounts option .

Step 2 : In the new window, select Family and other users on the left tab and then select Add person on the right panel. from otherwise on this PC .

Step 3 : In the next window, select I don't have this person's sign- in information option .

Step 4 : Now on the next screen , select Add a user without a Microsoft account .

Step 5 : Enter the new username and password and then click Next .

When the new user account is created, log out of Windows and log back in with the newly created account.

If the issue is resolved, continue using the new account.

Fix 10 – Kill lolpatcher process

If you encounter the "Another instance is running" issue when running the League of Legends game, it may be due to the Lolpatcher process that starts with the game.

To fix the problem, open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys at the same time. Locate the lolpatcher process on the Processes tab. Once you find it, select it and click the End Task button .

Fix 11 - Run netsh command

Some users suggested using the netsh command to solve the problem. To run the command:

Step 1 : Open Command Prompt in Administrator mode by following the steps from the previous methods.

Step 2 : In Command Prompt, copy and paste the following command and press Enter :

Netsh-Winsock-Reset

After the command has been executed, restart the PC and check if the "Another instance is running" issue still occurs.

Fix 12 – Run app as administrator

If you encounter the "Other instance is running" issue when launching a software or game, try running it as an administrator. To do this, right-click the application's icon and then select the Run as administrator option .

Fix 13 pin icon to taskbar

One of the users reported that when starting League of Legends, the game's icon appeared twice in the system tray, which caused the error "Other instance is running". To avoid this, pin the League of Legends icon to the taskbar works as a solution. If you have a similar problem with League of Legends or other apps, try the same method.