80+ Hilarious “Users Will…” Tech Support Rules (and the Redditors Who Survive Them)
There’s a secret handbook in every IT department—not a formal one, but a mental list that grows every time a user calls helpdesk to say, “My computer won’t turn on and also, the Internet is gone.” This unofficial code, lovingly crowd-sourced by the r/TalesFromTechSupport community, is the “Users Will…” Rules: a collection of 80+ hilarious, painfully accurate, and sometimes soul-crushing truths about end users.
If you’ve ever worked tech support, you’ll recognize these rules instantly (and probably have a few of your own). If you’re a mere mortal user, consider this a peek behind the curtain. Buckle up: things are about to get delightfully exasperating.
Tech Support’s Immutable Laws: “Users Will…”
What started as u/morriscox’s attempt to catalog the eternal quirks of users has become a veritable Rosetta Stone for IT pros. The “Users Will…” rules cover everything from the classic (users will never follow instructions) to the sublime (users will expect you to know everything about their home computer, even if you run a corporate datacenter).
Some highlights:
- Users will never follow instructions. And if they do, they’ll blame you when they mess up. (Rule W1, W1A)
- Users will delete system files because “they looked like clutter.” As u/ecp001 shared, one user wiped all their .dll files—because, “I’ve never typed dot dll to run anything so I figured all those files were just clutter.” Ouch.
- Users will call everything “the computer”—including power strips. (Rule W11B)
- Users will click “Download Now!” on every ad—except the one they actually need. (Rule W27, W27A)
- Users will blame you for every problem, especially if you ever touched the device. (Rule W38, W38A, W38B)
- Users will never read the manual, ever. (Rule W62, W62A, W62B—and as u/Dougally quipped: “This User: TLDR. I did get to W28 and became very amused though.”)
And, as many Redditors pointed out, there’s a universal Rule 0: Users lie. As u/ardinatwork declared (to thunderous agreement), “This has been Rule 0 for 30 years. Users LIE.” Whether it’s “Yes, I rebooted!” (spoiler: the system uptime says 15 days) or the classic “I didn’t do anything, it just broke,” IT folks know to trust but verify.
The Comedy (and Tragedy) of Comments
The best part? The comment section reads like group therapy for anyone who’s ever had to explain what a “browser” is.
- “If you fix it quickly, they won’t want to pay.” (Rule W22) The classic catch-22 of tech support. Fix it fast and you’re a wizard—who shouldn’t charge for your “two seconds” of work.
- “Users will try to type uppercase numbers.” (Rule W25) If you’ve never watched someone struggle with Caps Lock and the number row, congrats—you’re not in IT.
- “Users will expect you to be available 24/7.” (Rule W96) u/ChatahoocheeRiverRat recounted the classic, “I got an error that said ‘error number something, something, blah, blah, blah, so I clicked the button to go back to the thing.’ She wanted me to figure out what had happened.” Because, of course, IT has psychic error log access.
- “Remote users will say they can’t check the plug because the power is out.” (Rule 64C, thanks to u/Head_Razzmatazz7174), who worked in a call center and actually heard this: “I can’t see if it’s plugged in, the power’s out in my house.” Sometimes, reality outpaces satire.
Some commenters even confessed their own “user” moments. u/Aln76467 admitted to being guilty of “waiting too long, not being on the right screen, and storing files in the wrong places.” And haven’t we all, at some point, mashed buttons until an error went away? (Rule W84)
The Relatable Pain—and Unexpected Camaraderie
What’s so cathartic—and genuinely funny—about this mega-list is how it unites the tech support world in shared suffering and laughter. As u/badpatchcable detailed, some users do all the wrong things (and even admit it!): “They know they did something we don’t like but won’t tell us, because we’ll say that’s the problem (because it probably is). Like, don’t tell us what you did and we won’t do anything to help you.”
But the rules aren’t just about user shortcomings—they’re a roadmap for surviving tech support with sanity intact:
- Expect the unexpected. (Rule W83)
- Document everything, because users will forget, misremember, or change their stories. (Rule W85, W85A)
- Laugh when you can. As u/NotYetReadyToRetire described, even the most stubborn users eventually reveal the truth—sometimes only when the boss is watching.
And if you’re a user reading this and feeling targeted? Take comfort in this: even IT folks are occasionally guilty of Rule W18 (waiting too long to ask for help) or Rule W91C (complaining to each other instead of reporting the issue).
Why Every IT Pro Needs These Rules (and So Do You)
The “Users Will…” rules aren’t just a venting exercise—they’re a survival guide. They remind techs they’re not alone, that every baffling support ticket and facepalm-worthy call is part of a grand tradition.
They’re also a reminder to users: IT isn’t magic, and support staff aren’t mind readers with access to the Do What I Mean (DWIM) button. As much as you may want them to, computers (and the people who fix them) are bound by the rules of reality—and the occasional deleted .dll file.
So next time you find yourself in IT purgatory, remember: someone’s probably already written a rule about what you’re about to do. And somewhere, a helpdesk worker is reading this list, nodding along, and laughing through the pain.
What’s your favorite “Users Will…” rule? Got a story that proves (or defies) the list? Drop it in the comments—because if there’s one thing IT and users can agree on, it’s that we all have a tale to tell.
Original Reddit Post: Rules of Tech Support - Users Will - 02-13-2026