Windows Tips Features
How To: Get Rid of Microsoft's Annoying Ads on the Windows 10 Lock Screen
For the past three or four months, Microsoft has been pushing advertisements onto the lock screens of some Windows 10 users as part of its "Windows Spotlight" feature. This feature normally shows you scenic photographs and gives you the option to learn more about them by launching an Edge window once you log in. However, the aforementioned users have reported seeing the image below for the new Rise of the Tomb Raider game. Rather than taking you online in Edge to learn about it, you're given ...
How To: Create an Invisible Folder in Windows
Have you ever wondered how to create an invisible folder? I mean an invisible folder, not a hidden folder. Nowadays, we are facing lots and lots of problems requiring us to keep our data safe and secure. There are millions of hackers all around the world that are trying to steal our information whenever we get onto the internet. Even some of our friends are trying to lay their hands on our personal and confidential information.
How To: Use Quick Actions to Toggle Settings Easily in Windows 10
The world's most commonly-used desktop operating system is getting a huge makeover in the form of Windows 10. While there are many sweeping changes in this new version, some of the smaller tweaks may prove to be the most useful.
How To: Use & Customize the New Start Menu in Windows 10
The desktop Start menu is finally back! After receiving a lot of negative user feedback, Microsoft ditched the touchscreen-first approach of Windows 8 and went with a more traditional setup for mouse-and-keyboard users in Windows 10.
How To: Disable Startup Programs in Windows 10
Microsoft had boasted that Windows 10 starts up as much as 30% faster than Windows 7 would on the same device, but depending on your setup, this can still be incredibly slow. Many programs choose to start up alongside Windows, which can make booting your PC quite a hassle.
How To: How Anyone (Even Pirates) Can Get Windows 10 for Free—Legally
Windows 10 is due to be released on July 29th, and the majority of existing Windows users should be eligible to upgrade to the newer version for free.
How To: Hack Lets You Fully Activate a Bootleg Copy of Windows 8 Pro for Free
Anything free is cool, but getting a fully upgraded operating system for the great price of nothing is downright awesome. A recent exploit was uncovered that allows users to get a free copy of Windows 8 Pro directly from Microsoft's own website. Seriously.
How To: Run a Full Version of Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich on Your Windows PC
Being able to run mobile apps on a computer is nothing new. Maybe you don't have a mobile device, or maybe you just like seeing the apps on a larger screen. Whatever the reason, with programs like Bluestacks, you can use your laptop to Instagram, play Angry Birds, and run countless other apps made for smartphones.
How To: Add a Custom Background Image to Your Windows 8 Start Screen
Like most new things, the Start Screen in Windows 8 has its adorers and detractors, but either way you slice it—it's here to stay. I'm still getting used to the Start Screen, so I'm not sure if it's a love or hate feeling yet, but I do know one thing—I want my own background!
How To: Use Gestures to Control Windows 8 Touchscreen Devices
Windows 8 has been reimagined to take full advantage of touchscreen devices as the "future" of computing. A few years ago, touchscreen devices were super buggy and only played well with smartphones, but with the advent of the iPad and a ton of other tablets, touchscreen capabilities have spread to full-sized desktops and even televisions.
How To: Get Mac OS X's App Dock on Your Windows PC
The dock in Mac OS X is intuitive, customizable, and aesthetically pleasing, which is a stark difference from its clunky Windows alternative. In fact, in Windows, it takes both the Start menu and taskbar to accomplish what Apple's dock does—but it doesn't have to be like that. Below, I'll show you how to add an OS X-inspired dock on any PC running Windows XP or higher. Step 1: Install Aqua Dock
How To: Get Rid of the Search Bar & Task View Button in the Taskbar on Windows 10
More than likely, the first thing you noticed after booting up Windows 10 initially was a handful of new items in the taskbar across the bottom of your screen. Windows 8 users were probably glad to see the Start menu button back from the dead, but just to the right of that Windows logo are a pair of brand new entries.
How To: Go Retro with These Classic-Style Start Menus for Windows 10
Windows 95, which introduced the Start menu to the world, recently celebrated its 20th birthday! The feature was an instant hit, becoming a core component of Windows operating systems. Well, it was removed in the mistake that was Windows 8, but you should know by now that the Start menu has been reincarnated for Windows 10.
How To: Use the Cortana Voice Assistant in Windows 10
Microsoft's new voice-enabled virtual assistant, Cortana, is a lot like a blend of Siri's personality and Google Now's predictive capabilities—but the best part is it's baked right into the taskbar in Windows 10.
How To: Recover Forgotten Wi-Fi Passwords in Windows
I spend a lot of time helping friends and family with their tech problems, like clearing a browser's cache, scanning a Windows computer for malware, and speeding up a Mac. However, the issue I deal with most frequently revolves around forgotten network passwords.
How To: Bring Back Confirmation Prompts When Uninstalling Apps in Windows 10
Uninstalling programs in Windows is not the nicest procedure. Some programs bundle a nice uninstaller with them which helps to ease the process. Other programs, mainly those that utilize the Windows Installer technology, begin the uninstall process right away. This can potentially be problematic for users who are trigger-happy with the mouse.
How To: Creep Out Your Workmates on Halloween: Windows Edition
Want to get even this Halloween? Want to scare somebody with nothing but a few lines of code? Here's how it can be done...
How To: The Best New Hotkeys & Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows 10
These days, operating systems are becoming more and more touch-oriented, or at the very least, heavily mouse-driven. Nonetheless, while novice users will find it easier to tap and click their way around, power users know that keyboard shortcuts are still the fastest way to get things done.
How To: Bring the Classic Start Menu Back in Windows 8
Microsoft's most anticipated OS has finally arrived, and there's no doubt that all of you out there who snagged a copy of Windows 8 are excited to see what's new. But while Windows 8 has received plenty of rave reviews, some users are upset about one controversial change—the missing Start menu. The implementation of the new Metro interface has rendered the old Start menu unnecessary, but some folks just want what they're used to. If you're one of those users who wants the classic Start menu i...
How To: Play SNES Games on the Windows Surface RT and Windows 8 with This Free Emulator
In a huge win for Windows 8 and Surface owners everywhere, a free SNES emulator appeared in the Windows Store last month called Snes8x—and it's awesome.
How To: The 10 Best Free Games in the Windows 8 App Store Right Now
As people continue to upgrade their PCs to Microsoft Windows 8, more and more developers are adding content to the Windows Store. While the offerings are not as vast as Google Play or the iTunes App Store, it does have some solid apps for both productive users and those looking to just while away the time.
How To: Share Your Windows 8 PC's Internet with a Phone or Tablet by Turning It into a Wi-Fi Hotspot
These days, there is hardly a place in America that doesn't have access to the internet. But with web usage fees and ridiculous cell phone provider contracts, sometimes it's still necessary to go a little DIY when it comes to staying connected.
How To: Use Windows 10's Task Manager (Everything You Need to Know)
Task Manager got revamped quite a bit in modern versions of Windows. First introduced in Windows NT 4.0, it's become pretty popular among more advanced users. In Windows 10, Task Manager is not just a task manager anymore, it's also a system monitor, startup manager, history viewer, user controller, and the list goes on.
How To: Get Daily Weather Info Right from Your Windows 10 Calendar
The Calendar app that ships with Windows 10 has a nice little feature that will help make your days more productive by showing the current five-day weather forecast.
News: How to Change Title Bar Colors & Context Menus in Windows 10
The release of Windows 10 marked a big visual overhaul for the world's most popular desktop operating system, but Microsoft isn't done tweaking the interface just yet.
How To: Create Multiple Desktops in Windows 10
Linux and Mac users have long enjoyed the use of multiple virtual desktops to free up clutter on their home screen and keep individual workflow environments separated, but Windows users have always been stuck with one solitary desktop.
How To: Missing Time in Windows 8? Add a Free Live Tile Clock to Your Start Screen
What time is it? It's a question that you'll find yourself asking a million more times throughout your life, but one that hardly goes unanswered. When you're on your phone or at your desktop, there is almost always some type of clock available to immediately give you the time.
How To: Pimp Out Your Windows 10 Command Prompt
For those times when you can't get something done by clicking a few buttons with your mouse, the Windows command prompt has always been an indispensable tool. But as much as advanced users have relied on this useful utility, it hasn't seen a significant update since the Windows 95 days.
How To: Get the Windows 8 Desktop and Start Screen (Or Taskbar and Start Screen) on the Same Display
I've been using Windows 8 for a few months now, and it's definitely not as terrible as some people say, but it definitely isn't as revolutionary as the big wigs at Microsoft had hoped for.
How To: Speed Up & Fix Your Family's Windows Computer During the Holidays
It's officially the holiday season, which means everyone will soon be traveling home to spend time with loved ones. And anyone who has any knowledge whatsoever of computers knows what else that means—family members left and right asking you to fix their various technical woes.
How To: Get Your Computer Ready for the Windows 10 Update
The day has finally come, and after quite a bit of hype and buildup, Windows 10 is now officially available. The update itself is on a staged rollout, which means it will be slowly becoming available to users over the coming weeks and months, so don't panic if you haven't already received an update notification. Besides, you have until July 29th, 2016 to download your free copy of Windows 10 if you're eligible, so there's plenty of time to get your ducks in a row.
How To: Block Ads in Microsoft Edge
Although they're often times the primary source of income for websites, on-site advertisements can annoy even the most tolerable reader. That's why ad blockers have been some of the most popular downloads on Firefox and Chrome for some time now, demonstrating that when it comes down to it, most people just want nothing to do with ads shoved in their face.
SWEAT: A Better Way to Edit and Replace Your Text in Windows 8
Editing and formatting large amounts of text can be a hassle. From finding and replacing words to creating uniform spacing, text editing can be a real drag. But with this Windows application, you can take your text edit skills to the next level.
How To: Extend Battery Power on Your Windows 10 Laptop or Surface
Historically, battery life has not been a strong suit for machines running Windows. Poor decisions by hardware manufacturers combined with the resource-hogging behavior of Windows are to blame. However, Microsoft is trying to resolve this issue, once again, with the release of Windows 10.
How To: Your Complete Guide to Using Remote Desktop on the Microsoft Surface and Windows 8
Remote Desktop gives you access to your Windows 8 PC or device from wherever you are to run your applications and access your files remotely.
How To: Use the Most Important Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows 8
So, you've got Windows 8 now, but what about all of those keyboard shortcuts that took you years to memorize? Just because Windows 8 is geared more toward touch interactions, doesn't mean keyboard shortcuts are gone—they're just a little different.
How To: Take Screenshots in Windows 10
Screenshots are an indispensable tool when it comes to relaying information about what's currently showing on your monitor. Whether you need help troubleshooting an issue or you just want to save and share a protected image, screenshots are often your best bet.
How To: Theme Windows with Mac OS X, Ubuntu, & Other Skins
Windows has always been pretty customizable, and there are a ton of ways to change up the way your PC looks—though, it hasn't always been easy. In the past, changing anything other than wallpapers, titlebars, and fonts involved long hours of switching out system files with modified versions and changing icons to no end, but that's not the case with SkinPacks.
How To: Top 7 Surface Book Hacks for Artists
The Microsoft Surface has been the go-to device for many professional artists since its initial release back in 2012. Since then, the Surface line has continued to offer customers a portable, high-powered machine that's a near perfect value for both casual and professional artists. And the Surface Book is its best model yet—a full laptop convertible with a detachable screen and a dedicated GPU.
How To: What You Need to Know About Using the New File Explorer in Windows 10
Quite a few things have changed with Windows 10, but one of the more central features that has received a makeover is the old Windows Explorer program, which has been renamed to File Explorer in this version.