Microsoft was a bit late to announce it this time, but all the details about the Xbox Games Pass August update are finally out: Headliners include the Xbox One launch title Ryse: Son of Rome, Hitman Season 1, as well as the remastered versions of Dead Rising 2 and Kinect Rush: A Disney Pixar Adventure.
Other additions include the cyberpunk top-down shooter Ruiner, Metroidvania game Dandara and The Escapists: The Walking Dead. Hitman: Season 1, which was released back in 2016 as the sixth entry in the Hitman series (and the first one on 8th gen consoles) is probably the main highlight this month. This was the first Hitman game to experiment with an episodical format, a change that was met with a positive reception. The game was also enhanced for the Xbox One X last year, with support for 4K graphics, HDR and a 60FPS mode.
With Ryse: Son of Rome, Microsoft is bringing another Microsoft Studios game to the catalog, but there are still plenty left that have yet to be added including Ori and the Blind Forest, Minecraft, or any of the old Forza games. As Microsoft is offering Forza Horizon 2 to Xbox Live Gold subscribers this month, it’s a bit surprising that Xbox Games Pass won’t have feature any Forza game until the release of Forza Horizon 4 in October.
If you’ve finally moved on from Windows Phone or purchased an Android device, you’ll likely be wanting to port all the information from your Outlook.com/Office 365 account over on your new phone. Though using the Outlook app may appear to be the best way to leverage your Microsoft information, you can also sync your Outlook emails, calendars, and contacts using the native dedicated apps on your Android device.
You may want to do that if you prefer task-focused apps over all-in-one apps like Outlook for Android. The latter is a solid email client, but Microsoft replacing the Contacts tab with a new Search tab in the app bar was a polarizing change. This adds an additional tap to access your full contact list, and using your phone’s native Contacts app is usually much faster. Now, the Outlook Android app can sync your Outlook.com/Office 365 contacts to your phone’s address book, but you actually don’t need to install the app to do that. Microsoft explained it all on this support page, but configuring your Outlook.com/Office 365 account on an Android handset is not as straightforward as it is on iOS and Windows Phone. So buckle in and follow along as I explain how to make the best of the native apps on your Android phone.
On the Gmail App
The Gmail app is the default mail application on most modern Android phones (and it’s not just for Gmail accounts), so we’ll be starting with this first. To get started with adding your Outlook.com or Office 365 account, first visit the Google Play Store and make sure that the Gmail app is updated to the latest version. Also, please keep in mind that your Gmail contacts (if you have some) will still show up after adding your Microsoft account, but you can easily switch between the two. Gmail accounts need to be added as part of Android set up, so you will have to deal with seeing your Gmail emails, calendars, and contacts no matter what settings you choose.
Anyway, after you do this first step, open up the Gmail app, then tap the menu icon in the upper left corner. Navigate to Settings, Add Account, and choose Exchange and Office 365. Please DO NOT choose Outlook, Hotmail, and Live, as this will just sync your emails and not your contacts. You can then enter in your Outlook.com/Office 365 email and password.
Next up, follow any prompts on the screen until you get to your inbox. From then on, open the message from Microsoft, and click “Use another Mail app instead.” This will grant Gmail the server permissions to read your Outlook account.
Going through the Gmail settings
If you’re on an older version of Android, you can also do this by pulling down from the Android notification bar, and tap the “Unable to sync calendar and contacts” message. Not everyone will see this message but if you do, please press on this and then “Allow” to allow for syncing. The sync process will take a few minutes, but once you’re done, you’ll be able to use Gmail as your mail client and Google’s Contacts and Calendar apps to manage your Outlook.com/Office365 address books and calendars.
On the Samsung Email App
Samsung’s Galaxy phones, the most popular brand of Android phones, come with a different default email application called “Samsung Email.” This application is a bit different from Google’s Gmail app, but the setup process is similar. Just as before, ensure that the Samsung Email app is updated to the latest version before you proceed.
Next up, open the Samsung Email app and tap on “Add Account.” Alternatively, you can go to settings, and tap “Add account” if you already have other accounts set up. Anyway, you can then enter in your Outlook.com/Office 365 email and password, and then tap Sign in. After that, if you’re prompted, choose “Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync” from the list to proceed. You might not see this, so don’t worry if it does not show up.
Setting up Outlook in Samsung Mail
In the next few steps, you may also see the settings screen which asks you to change your settings or account name. You can tweak to your own liking to show all your mail and calendar from all time, and not just the last few months. Next up tap “Yes” or “Ok” to confirm the setting and permissions, and allow the syncing to proceed.
If you’re on an older Samsung phone, you might see a message that says “Action Required to Sync,” so be sure to press on it and head to settings enable Syncing. Just as with the Gmail app, check the message from Microsoft, and choose “Use another Mail app instead” to proceed with syncing. Please be aware that syncing email, calendar, contacts, and tasks may take a few minutes.
Just to double check…
Once you’re up and running following these steps, you should be able to use the native Contacts, Calendar, and Mail apps on your Android phone to sync information from your Outlook.com or Office 365 account. You can now skip the trip to the Google Play Store and won’t need to download the dedicated Outlook Android app.
On most phones, opening the Google Contacts app will list Gmail contacts, but you can press the hamburger menu and clicking on the Outlook icon to swap between Gmail and Outlook contacts.
On Google’s Calendar app, all of your Calendars will appear on the right when you press the hamburger menu. You can hide the Google account and use ONLY your Outlook Calendar exclusively by unselecting the checkbox under the Google account name.
Samsung Calendar and Google Contacts
On Samsung phones, things are a bit different and you can ONLY show your Microsoft Outlook Contacts. From Samsung Contacts, you can press on the (…) menu on the top, followed by Settings, then “Contacts to Show” and choose the button for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync.
Finally, with the Samsung Calendar app, you can manage your calendars by tapping the (…) menu on the top right, followed by Manage Calendars. This will let you unselect the Google Calendar, and use the Microsoft Outlook account exclusively.
Samsung Calendar and Contacts
Syncing with the Outlook App installed (and without following the above steps)
If you’ve opted to install the Outlook app on your phone, you can obviously use it as an email client for your Outlook.com/office 365 account, but the app can also sync all your contacts in your phone’s native Contacts app without following the steps above. Simply go Outlook settings, choose the Outlook/Office 365 email account and enable “Sync contacts.” Unfortunately, going this route will NOT sync your Calendars or Emails, and you will still need to follow the steps above. Additionally, syncing contacts through the Outlook app will create double versions of contacts you’ve already added through the steps above.
Changing Outlook sync settings
At the end of the day, the support for setting up your Outlook.com/Office 365 account on an Android phone showcases the beauty of technologies built on open standards. You’re not being forced to use Microsoft’s all-in-one Outlook app to manage your emails, contacts, and calendars, and you should be fine using just the native apps on your Android phone. Microsoft’s Outlook Android app is perfect for power users, but the average Joe will likely be more comfortable with task-focused apps like on Windows Phone.
The Sport White Special Edition controller is compatible with Xbox One consoles and Windows 10 PCs and features a unique design and a rubberized grip.
Here’s the official product details. You can buy your own controller, while they last, here.
Equip yourself with the Xbox Wireless Controller – Sport White Special Edition, featuring a fresh white design with mint and silver accents, and rubberized diamond grip for enhanced comfort. Enjoy custom button mapping and plug in any compatible headset with the 3.5mm stereo headset jack. And with Bluetooth technology, play your favorite games on Windows 10 PCs and tablets.
Do you like to buy the new controllers for more Xbox One or computer? Do you collect them? Share your thoughts with the community in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest for more Xbox content.
You probably are among the few with their Bluetooth keyboard connected but not working. This, among other Bluetooth-related issues are not uncommon.
The issue could arise for many reasons, and we will go through every one of them and offer you the best solutions in this guide.
Why is my wireless keyboard connected but not typing? First, you should not put the blame entirely on your keyboard because we have noticed that it happens even while using the best Bluetooth keyboards.
Interference – This may be the case if many other Bluetooth devices are close. They may conflict with each other.
Connection issues – If you have an unstable connection between the wireless keyboard and PC, you may experience this problem.
Physical damage – In some cases, you may have a damaged Keyboard. This means it can no longer function mechanically even though it can connect.
Driver problems – The most common of these are outdated or corrupt drivers. Once your drivers fall into any of these categories, you may expect a range of malfunctions.
The solution you will adopt will depend on the specific trigger in your case. So since you now know the possible causes, please pick from the resolutions we offer below.
What can I do if my Bluetooth keyboard is connected but not working on Windows 10?
1. Restart the Bluetooth Support Service
1.1 Restarting the service
Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter.
Right-click on the Bluetooth Support Service and select Stop.
Now right-click on it and select Start.
A better solution may be to set this service to start automatically. You can do so using the steps in the section below.
1.2 Setting the service to Automatic
Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter.
Double-click on the Bluetooth Support Service.
Change the Startup type to Automatic and click the Start button.
Click Apply and OK.
2. Reinstall Keyboard drivers
Press Windows + R, type devmgmt.msc, and hit Enter.
Expand the Keyboards category, right-click on your keyboard, and select Update driver.
Select Search automatically for drivers.
Restart your computer.
You may also Update your Bluetooth driver using the same process explained above.
Another option will be to look for your drivers from the manufacturer’s website, but this may be a bit more complicated.
If you don’t want the hassle of searching for drivers on your own, you can use a tool that will do this for you automatically.
Therefore, a specialized tool like Fortect Driver Updater would be handy to prevent PC damage caused by installing the incorrect versions and automate the updating process of the drivers.
Press Windows + R, type devmgmt.msc, and hit Enter.
Expand the Keyboards category, right-click on your keyboard, and select Uninstall device.
Confirm your choice and restart the computer.
You may perform these steps again but this time for the Bluetooth driver. If the drivers are faulty or corrupted, uninstalling will allow your device to replace them with a functional version after rebooting.
If none of these solutions work out for you, then chances are that this could be caused by mechanical damage. In this case, you would need to replace your Bluetooth keyboard.
We hope your Bluetooth keyboard connected but not working problem is now a thing of the past. Let us know using the comments section below what worked for you.
Do you have issues while trying to switch between your programs in Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 with your ALT + TAB buttons? Well, you are lucky because after you finish reading this article, you would have fixed your ALT+ TAB issue in the Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 operating system. Seems that when you have two files of the same kind like a Word document or an Excel document open, you will not be able to switch between them unless you minimize the first file opened. One of the main causes of this issue might be the fact that you installed a third party application that is interfering with your ALT+ TAB feature.
Move the mouse cursor over to the lower right side of the screen.
From the menu that appears left click or tap on the “Settings” feature.
Now within the Settings menu you will need to left click or tap on the “Change PC settings”.
Left click or tap on the “PC and Devices” feature inside the “Change PC settings” window.
Left click or tap to open the “Corners and Edges” feature.
Now you will need to search for the “Allow switching between recent apps” and turn it ON.
Now after you turned on the option above you should reboot your Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 device.
When the device starts check again if your alt + tab feature works correctly in your Windows operating system.
2. Boot into Safe Mode
In this method, we will try to boot your device into the Safe Mode feature which uses only the minimum requirements for your device to run and see if the alt + tab feature works there. If it works then proceed with method three below.
Left click or tap on the Power button situated on the log in screen.
Now keep the “Shift” button pressed down and left click or tap on the “Restart” feature.
Now if you kept the Shift button pressed down after the device reboots you will have in front of you the “Choose an option” window.
From the “choose an option” screen left click or tap on the “Troubleshoot” feature.
Now left click or tap on the “Startup Settings” feature present in the Troubleshoot menu.
Left click or tap on the “Restart” button after you chose the “Startup Settings” feature.
Choose the “Safe mode with networking” feature.
Now it will take you to the log in screen in which you will need to write the administrator account and password.
Check to see in safe mode if you can switch between programs with the alt + tab features.
You can access the Safe Mode with networking feature quicker by going to System Configuration > Boot tab. All you need to do is check the Network option under Boot options, as shown in the screenshot below.
3. Clean boot your computer
By doing the steps below you will power up you device with only the necessary programs at startup and thus seeing which application is causing your alt + tab feature to react in such a way.
Move the mouse cursor over to the lower right side of the screen.
From the menu that appears left click or tap on the “Search” feature presented there.
Write the in the search box the following: “msconfig” without the quotes.
After the search process has finished left click or tap on the “msconfig” icon.
Left click or tap on the “Services” tab situated in the upper side of the “System Configuration” window you opened.
Check the box next to “Hide all Microsoft services” situated in the lower left side of the Services tab.
Left click or tap on the “Disable All” button next.
Left click or tap on the “Startup” tab situated in the upper side of the System Configuration window.
Now in the Startup tab left click or tap on the “Open Task Manager” link.
Now in Task Manager you will have to left click or tap on the “Startup” tab.
For all the applications in the list presented you will need to left click on them and then left click or tap on the “Disable” button situated in the lower right side of the screen.
Now close the Task Manager window.
You will have to left click or tap on the “OK” button in the “System Configuration” window.
Restart your Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 device.
After the device starts if your Alt + Tab feature works correctly, it means that one of the startup applications you disabled previously is causing your device to react in this manner. Note: You will need to disable the apps one by one and see exactly which app is causing your system to react like this.
To bring back your operating system to normal startup you need to move the mouse cursor over to the lower right side of the screen.
Left click or tap on the “Search” feature again.
In the search dialog box write the following: “msconfig” without the quotes.
Left click or tap on the msconfig icon after the search has finished.
Left click or tap on the “General” tab situated in the upper side of the window.
Left click or tap on the “Normal startup” feature.
Left click or tap on the “Services” tab and uncheck the box next to “Hide all Microsoft services”.
Now you need to tap or left click on the “Enable all” button.
Left click or tap on the “Startup” tab.
Tap or click on the “Open device Manager” link again.
Now in the list of applications from your Device Manager you can select each application you disabled and left click or tap on the “Enable” button.
Tap or left click on the “OK” button in the Device Manager window.
Now you will need to reboot your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 operating system.
That’s it folks, was it hard? I know that someone with a basic knowledge of the Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 operating systems will be able to do the steps above easily. If you need further assistance regarding this subject, you can use the comments section below to let us know and we will help you further.
Speaking of additional help, if you still can’t use the ALT+TAB key combination, you can also check out our in-depth ALT_ TAB troubleshooting guide for Windows PCs. While the instructions available in this guide apply to both Windows 8.1 and Windows 10, the solutions listed in our in-depth guide are valid for all Windows versions.
Apple devices, namely iPhones, iPads, and iPods, and the Windows OS are commonly used together and, in most cases, work seamlessly. But, for several users, the iPod is not recognized by the computer.
In some cases, the iPod is charging but not recognized by the computer, while on other occasions, there are no signs of a connection between the two altogether. Sometimes, even Windows 11 has trouble recognizing iPod, but the fixes are simple, and you should have things running in no time.
Why won’t my computer recognize my iPod?
Here are a few reasons the iPod Classic isn’t recognized by the computer:
Improper connections: An improper connection is the most likely reason you are facing issues connecting the iPod to Windows.
The device is turned off: When the iPod or even its display is turned off, it won’t be listed on the PC.
Missing permissions: Frequently, it’s the missing permissions, generally the Trusted Device prompt, that lead to iPod Nano not being recognized by a computer.
Third-party apps triggering conflicts: A third-party antivirus or a similar security software could also be blocking the connection between the two devices, thus triggering the error.
What can I do if iPod is not recognized by computer?
Before we start making major changes, try these quick tricks:
When connecting the iPod to a Windows PC, tap on Allow if a prompt appears.
Connect the iPod to a different USB port. Say, if it’s connected to a USB 2.0, plug it into USB 3.0, and vice-versa.
Restart both the iPod and the computer while the two are connected.
Make sure the cable is not damaged. In case there’s a spare cable lying around, use it, and verify whether iPod Touch 4 is still not recognized by the computer.
Disconnect all other devices from the computer and plug in the iPod.
Don’t use a USB hub or any other connector.
Disable any third-party antivirus or security software installed on the computer.
Make sure you have iTunes installed on the PC.
If none work, move to the solutions listed next.
1. Reinstall the relevant driver
Press Windows + X to open the Power User menu, and select Device Manager.
Expand Universal Serial Bus devices, right-click on the Apple entry, and select Uninstall device.
Tick the checkbox for Attempt to remove the driver for this device, and click Uninstall.
Once done, restart the computer, and Windows will automatically install a fresh copy of the driver.
If it’s the driver to blame when the computer does not recognize iPod, a quick solution is to reinstall it. The process is quick and shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.
2. Update iTunes
NOTE
The steps listed here are for the Microsoft Store’s version of iTunes, which Apple recommends users download. In case you are on the version downloaded from the web, click on Help and select Check for updates.
Launch Microsoft Store, and then click on the Library icon near the bottom left.
Click on Get updates.
If an update for iTunes is available, wait for it to install.
Once done, restart the computer for the changes to come into effect.
Now, connect your iPod to the computer and verify whether it’s recognized.
3. Uninstall recent Windows updates
Press Windows + I to open Settings, and click on Update & Security.
Click on the View update history option.
Now, click on Uninstall updates.
Select the recent update from the list after which the problem first appeared, and then click Uninstall.
Click Yes in the confirmation prompt.
For many, the iPod was not recognized by the computer after an update, and after uninstalling the Windows update, things got up and running just fine.
If the current version of iTunes from downloaded from Microsoft Store, you will have to uninstall it from Settings, as iTunes won’t appear in Progams and Features.
Press Windows + R to open Run, type appwiz.cpl in the text field, and hit Enter.
Select the iTunes entry here, and then click Uninstall.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
Similarly, uninstall any other applications that have to do with Apple.
Once done, head to Apple’s official website and then use one of the available options to download iTunes.
If you didn’t choose the Microsoft Store option, run the setup to complete the installation.
That’s it! After you have reinstalled iTunes, the iPod not recognized by the computer problem should be gone for good. Also, some users recommend that the downloadable version of iTunes could help fix things, so try that one if you had earlier downloaded iTunes from Microsoft Store.
5. Switch out of S mode
If nothing previously worked, your PC likely runs Windows in S Mode, a version more focused on security and performance, allowing fewer apps to run. Thus, it can often lead to trouble for a lot of users.
So, in this case, switch out of S Mode in Windows 10, wait for the changes to apply, and reconnect the iPod. And, in all likelihood, things should work fine now.
That’s it! One of the solutions here should have worked when the Windows computer does not recognize the iPod, and you should now be able to access the media on the iPod and make changes to it.
Are you one of our users who is getting a prompt in Windows 10 or Windows 8.1, 8 every time you try to delete or modify a specific folder or file? Well, all you need to do is follow the steps listed below and you’ll be able to fix your ASP.NET MACHINE ACCOUNT issue in Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 in order to resume your everyday activities in no time at all.
There is a feature in Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 that you will need to disable first called control userpasswords2. You need to uncheck the check mark next to the “Users must enter a username and password to use this computer” option. If this does not solve your issue, we have a couple of more methods below depending whether you are using the asp.net development toolkit or not.
How do I fix ASP.NET MACHINE ACCOUNT password issues?
Place the Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 installation media disk into the device.
Reboot your Windows 10, 8 operating system.
After the device reboots, you will get to a black screen where it will tell you to press any key to boot from the CD or DVD in which case you will need to press any button on the keyboard.
In the first window that appears, you will need to set the correct time and keyboard type.
Left click or tap on the Next button.
Now in the next screen, you will need to left click or tap on the “Repair your computer” feature situated in the lower left side of the screen.
In the window “Choose an option” left click or tap on the “Troubleshoot” feature.
From the Troubleshoot window, left click or tap on the “Advanced Options” feature.
Left click or tap on the “System Restore” feature presented in the menu.
Follow the instructions on the screen to finish the System Restore process and then reboot your operating system.
Check again if you still get the pop up message regarding the ASP.NET Machine Account.
You can also open System Restore from Control Panel, as shown in the screenshot below:
Reboot again your operating system with the Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 Installation Media disk inside.
Press any button on the keyboard when the message “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD” appears.
Choose again the time and keyboard type and press the Next button.
Left click or tap on the “Repair your computer” feature situated in the lower left side of the screen.
From the “Choose an Option” window left click or tap on the “Troubleshoot” feature.
Now left click or tap on the “Refresh your PC” feature.
Follow the instructions on the screen to proceed with the system refresh of the operating system.
6. Create a new user account
Some users confirmed that creating a new user account with administrative privileges fixed the problem. So, if none of the solutions above helped you solve the problem, go ahead and create a new user account.
And that is it, if you followed the methods above in the order they are listed, you should have managed to fix your ASP.NET Machine account pop up message in Windows 8.1 or Windows 10. If you’ve run into issues along the way in this tutorial, please use the comments section below to let us know and we will help you further as soon as possible.
It’s been almost a week since Microsoft released Windows 10 Insider build 17723 for Windows Insiders in the Fast Ring, and today the company is following suit with Windows Server 2019 Insider build 17723 and the Windows 10 SDK Preview builds 17723. If the new SDK, which is available to download here brings bug fixes and the usual API changes, the latest version of the server OS is probably the most interesting release.
In the Windows Server 2019 build 17692, Microsoft introduced System Insights, a new feature that brings local predictive analytics capabilities natively to the server OS. After installing the latest Insider build, IT Admins will be able to add new predictive capabilities to System Insights without having to install OS updates. “This functionality enables developers, including Microsoft and third parties, to create and deliver new capabilities mid-release to address the scenarios you care about, Microsoft explained.
Other highlights in this new Windows Server 2019 build include the ability to deploy Kubernetes on Windows Server, as well as a new network congestion control provider called LEDBAT. You can download this new build from the Windows Server Insider Preview download page.
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Double Agent and Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist are now backward compatible on the Xbox One, Xbox’s Major Nelson announced today. These two games were released on the Xbox 360 in 2006 and 2013, respectively, with the latter being the latest installment in the stealth video games franchise.
If you don’t already own it, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Double Agent is a $19.99 purchase on the Microsoft Store, but please note that the more recent Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist doesn’t seem to be available for purchase digitally (it may still be available in select regions). Anyway, those of you who still own the digital versions or physical discs can play both games right away on Xbox One.
Overall, Microsoft brought 10 new games to the Xbox One Backward Compatibiliy list in July, including Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, Assassin’s Creed Liberation HD, Silent Hill: HD Collection and Dante’s Inferno. You can see more of the latest entries on Major Nelson’s website.
The flood of free content updates seems to do well for Sea of Thieves, as Microsoft has just announced a new five million players milestone for the pirate game. This includes players on both Xbox One and Windows 10, and those who play the game with their Xbox Games Pass subscription.
“Being able to share that we’ve welcomed more than five million players to Sea of Thieves since launch is both inspiring and humbling,” wrote Joe Neate, Executive Producer at Rare. “Home to players from all over the world, the thriving Sea of Thieves community includes an army of content creators who have helped the game rack up 300M views on YouTube and more than 40M live broadcast hours on Twitch.
Despite Sea of Thieves getting mixed reviews at launch, Rare managed to keep players engaged with free content updates, and today marks the release of the second one called “Cursed Sails.” This new update brings new gameplay elements including a new Alliance feature allowing and the Brigantine three-player ship. But the main addition is the limited-time Cursed Sails campaign, which will put pirates against terrifying skeleton ships.
The Cursed Sails campaign and its skeleton ships will be available for three weeks in Sea of Thieves, but all the new gameplay features including the new Brigandine ship will remain once the limited-time campaign ends. Rare is already working on a new content update for its pirate game and we should learn more about it in the coming weeks.
The Microsoft Surface Go won’t be out for another few days, but local Microsoft stores here in the US already have units on display. I had actually already pre-ordered the top range model just a few days ago, but I wandered down to the 5th Ave Microsoft Store in NYC yesterday to try one out for myself before the arrival date. In just spending 15 minutes with the 128GB SSD/8GB RAM Surface Go, I’m already somewhat happy about my pre-order, feeling satisfied with the overall design, performance, and inking. There are a few things which worried me though, and I am looking forward to diving deeper later in the next few weeks with my full on review with my own personal Surface Go.
Design that pops
Microsoft appropriately displayed the Surface Go right alongside the other members of the Surface family, and you can right away see that it’s different. Not only is the device smaller, but its corners are more rounded off, making the Surface Go look just so beautiful. It also makes the device feel much lighter and easier to hold in your hands, especially when in portrait mode. I won’t dive too deep into the rest of the design, as I’m saving that for my review, but for now, the look and feel have got to be the #1 highlight of Surface Go for me.
Peep the more rounded Surface Go on the left, and the Surface Pro 2017 on the right
Inking feels natural
One of the first things I did when I arrived at the Microsoft Store was detach Surface Go from the Type Cover and do some inking. At first, the Surface Go had a rough time accurately tracking the tip of the pen. Some of my movements were not being picked up, but a Microsoft Store rep told me that could just be due to the fact that this display unit was “popular” and was being messed with before. Anyway, after spending a good 4 minutes inking in Paint 3D, everything was smooth and accurate. I actually moved the pen from the Surface Go to the Surface Pro and didn’t feel any difference between the two. Inking on the Go and in a sample PDF file was just as good as the Pro, especially when in comfortable “clipboard” mode.
Inking in clipboard mode on the Surface Go (Sorry, vertical picture, I know)
Cramped Keyboard
When Microsoft first showed off Surface Go, the keyboard was a major concern for me. It initially seemed like the keys were jammed too close together, and it wouldn’t make for a good typing experience. These fears all came true when trying the display unit, as my fat fingers jammed more than one key at a time when attempting to speed type. I wasn’t able to get to my usual 100WPM typing speed, and on the Bing.com typing test, I only got to 51WPM. I only spent about 5 minutes typing and my speed increased over time, so I think that once my fingers get used to the small layout It’ll be okay. Sadly, the Surface Pro keyboards won’t work on the Surface Go, so this small keyboard and the comfort level is definitely something that I’ll keep an eye on and dive deeper for my final review.
The cramped Surface Go Keyboard
Performance
Since Surface Go runs Windows 10 in S Mode, I was assuming that it would perform very well, and these beliefs were confirmed in my time at the Microsoft Store. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to do any Geekbench testing as the display units were locked to S Mode. I instead put it through my usual web-based stress tests. I opened up YouTube, OnMSFT, and Microsoft website in Edge, and the Surface Go still stayed snappy and speedy. Pages opened fairly quickly and nothing ever froze up. The RAM went up to 3.5GB/7.9 GB, and the CPU usage was anywhere between 60-73%. I opened up Word in the background and also Excel, and again, nothing froze up and slow down. I honestly think the performance is great on this 128GB SSD/8GB RAM variant of the Surace Go, but I wish Microsoft had the base eMMC unit on display so I could compare. Time will have to tell as my full review Surfaces.
Performance on the Surface Go when using Edge
At the end of the day, I’m excited to spend some more time with Surface Go once my unit gets here on August 2nd. I’m traveling to Canada for a family wedding the same weekend as Surface Go releases, and I’ll be keeping my Surface Go right by my side. Be sure to keep it tuned right here to OnMSFT, as I’ll be doing an in-depth review.
Some users have reported that they didn’t have any problems using Windows 10 or Windows 10 Technical Preview since they’ve installed it, but recently, a strange error which says “Your computer needs to be repaired” shows up, preventing the normal work of the system.
How to Fix ‘Your Computer Needs to be Repaired” Error in Windows 10
Your computer needs to be repaired error can prevent you from starting your PC. This can be a big problem, and speaking of this issue, here are some similar problems that users reported:
Your PC needs to be repaired 0xc000000f, 0xc000014c, 0xc0000225, 0xc0000098, 0xc0000185, 0xc0000034 – Various error codes can appear with this message, but you should be able to fix this and many other errors by using one of our solutions.
Your computer needs to be repaired blue screen – Sometimes this problem can appear due to missing updates. If you can enter Windows, be sure to download and install the latest updates on your PC.
HP, ASUS your computer needs to be repaired – This issue can affect any PC brand, and HP and ASUS aren’t exceptions. All of our solutions are universal, so you should be able to apply them regardless of the PC brand you’re using.
Your PC needs to be repaired a required device is not connected, the boot configuration data file is missing, kernel is missing – Sometimes this issue can occur if the boot records are damaged or if your system files are corrupted. However, you can fix the issue by running a few commands in Command Prompt.
Solution 1 – Run Windows Update
According to users, Your computer needs to be repaired message can appear due to missing updates. However, you should be able to fix it simply by downloading and installing the latest updates.
By default, Windows 10 installs the missing updates automatically, but sometimes you might miss an update or two. However, you can always check for updates manually by doing the following:
Windows will now check for available updates and download them in the background. Once the updates are downloaded, they’ll be installed as soon as you restart your PC. After your system is up to date, the problem should be resolved.
Since Windows Update runs automatically in Windows 10, and it downloads new builds and other updates automatically, not receiving the latest build probably means that Windows Update process is disabled. So, we’re going to check, and enable it again, if it’s disabled. To check if Windows Update process is running, do the following:
Go to Search, and type services.msc, and open Services.
Find Windows Update service and right-click on it, and go to Properties.
See if the process is running, if not, select Startup Type as Manual, and click on Start.
Solution 2 – Change BIOS Date
Another thing that could cause this problem is wrong BIOS date. Your current Windows 10 Build reads the date of your BIOS, and according to that date, it ‘decides’ whether it’s still valid or not. So if the BIOS date is wrong, the Build may ‘think’ that it’s expiration time, and you’ll have problems. So, just in case, enter your BIOS settings, and check if the date is right.
To check if your BIOS date is valid, do the following:
Restart your computer.
On the boot, press the key which allows you to enter BIOS settings (it’s usually DEL, but it varies on different computers).
Find date and time of your BIOS, it’s usually under General tab.
Follow the instructions from BIOS on how to change your date and time, and set it to the current date.
Exit BIOS and start your computer again.
Unfortunately, we can’t give you precise instructions about changing your BIOS date and time, because it could be different on some computer, so if you’re having trouble changing the date and time of your BIOS by following our instructions, search the internet, and try to find instructions which fit well with your computer.
According to users, sometimes this problem can occur due to issues with your boot records. However, you can fix that problem by running a couple of commands. To do that, first you need to start Command Prompt outside of Windows. You can do that by following these steps:
Restart your PC several times during the boot sequence.
Now select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Command Prompt.
Run the following commands one by one:
bootrec /scanos
bootrec /rebuildbcd
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
After running all commands, restart your PC and check if the problem is resolved.
Solution 4 – Delete the EFI partitions
Several users reported that Your computer needs to be repaired message can appear due to EFI partitions that remained from the old Windows installation. To fix the problem, users are suggesting to create a bootable media and boot your PC from it.
This will start the installation process. Select Advanced settings and look for EFI partitions from the older Windows installation. Once you find and remove those partitions, the problem should be completely resolved.
Solution 5 – Use Automatic Repair feature
If you can’t boot to your PC due to Your computer needs to be repaired message, you might be able to fix the problem by using Startup Repair feature. To do that, follow these steps:
Restart your PC few times during the boot sequence. After a couple of restarts you’ll be presented with the list of options.
The repair process will now start. Wait for the few moments to complete.
Once the process is finished, your PC will restart and everything should start working again.
Few users are suggesting to fix this problem by booting from the installation media and choosing the repair option. Once you start the repair option, follow the instructions from above to repair your PC.
Solution 6 – Remove unnecessary hardware and peripherals
According to users, sometimes your peripherals or hardware can cause this issue to appear. If this problem started recently, be sure to remove any non-essential peripherals from your PC. If you have any USB devices connected, except your keyboard and mouse, be sure to remove them. The same goes for additional monitors.
As already mentioned, your hardware can cause this problem to appear, so be sure to check your hardware as well. If you installed any new hardware recently, check it and make sure that it’s working properly.
Solution 7 – Make sure that correct partition is set as active
Sometimes Your computer needs to be repaired message can appear if the incorrect partition is set as active. To fix this problem, you need to start Command Prompt outside of Windows and run a couple commands. To do that, follow these steps:
Restart your PC several times during the boot sequence.
Now choose Troubleshoot > Command Prompt from the menu.
When Command Prompt opens, enter the following commands:
diskpart
list part
Now find out which partition needs to be selected as active. Enter select partition X and replace the X with the matching number.
Now enter active and press Enter.
After doing that, you can close Command Prompt and check if the problem with your system is resolved.
Solution 8 – Perform SFC and chkdsk scans
According to users, sometimes this error can occur if your system files are corrupted. However, you can fix this issue by performing both SFC and chkdsk scans. To do that, just follow these steps:
Start Command Prompt outside of Windows like we showed you in one of our previous solutions.
When Command Prompt starts enter the following command:
sfc /scannow /offbootdir=c: /offwindir=c:windows
Once the SFC scan is finished, check if the problem is still there. If the issue is still there, you might have to run one more command.
In some cases the files on your hard drive might be corrupted, and to fix them, run chkdsk c: /r command. Once your hard drive is scanned, check if the problem is resolved.
That would be all, I hope this article cleared up the situation for you, and that these solutions were helpful. If you have any comments, or questions, just let us know in the comments.
If you’ve been following tech for a while, you likely remember Apple’s “Get a Mac” campaign, and maybe even Microsoft’s “Scroogled” ads. In both instances, the tech giants were mocking their rivals— Apple taunting Microsoft’s Windows, and Microsoft attempting to mock Google’s search engine. Well, fast forward to 2018 and Google is bringing back the hate and mocking both Apple and Microsoft with a new Chromebook ad.
Google’s latest ad mocks older versions of Windows by throwing up “fake” error screens and even a fake Blue Screen of Death. We see tons of errors from Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8, but Windows 10 is not put in focus for longer than 2 seconds (at the 0:18 mark.) There’s even a piece where we see a fake tech support scam pop up on the screen, and hear “a serious error has occurred” on a loop.
The search engine giant also mimics Apple’s macOS with similar popups messages about disc errors. They also throw in the infamous “App Updates are available” pop up notification, and the “Application quit unexpectedly” error too.
These various segments essentially tell users that if you don’t error screens, and want a laptop you can count on, buy a Chromebook. It’s fun marketing yes, but it would have been more interesting if Google specifically targetted Windows 10, the most secure and current version of Windows where these errors are less common.
Have you upgraded to the Windows 10/Windows 8.1 operating system and you are having trouble connecting to a certain Homegroup or perhaps your own Homegroup? Well, I can tell you that by the time you’ve reached the end of this article your Homegroup in Windows 10, 8.1 will be available and you can connect your laptop to it as you normally do.
The issues that might occur when trying to connect to a certain Homegroup in Windows 10, 8.1 can be caused by the Windows Firewall, Antivirus or some registry errors that might occur in Windows 10, 8.1. After following the tutorial below in the order it is described, you can fix this problem in the shortest time possible.
Move the mouse cursor over to the lower right side of the screen.
From the menu that appears left click or tap on the Search feature.
In the search dialog box write the following: “troubleshooting” without the quotes.
After the search has finished left click or tap on the “Troubleshooting” icon.
Left click or tap on the “Network and Internet” feature present in the troubleshooting menu.
From the next window left click or tap on the “HomeGroup” feature. Note: If you get prompted by a user administrator window you will need to write in your administrator user and password.
Left click or tap on the “Next” button to proceed.
Follow the instructions on the screen to finish the troubleshooting process.
Reboot your operating system after you are done.
Check again if you can connect your Laptop to the Homegroup.
Move the mouse cursor over to the lower right side of the screen.
From the menu that appears left click or tap on the Search feature.
In the search dialog box write the following: “date and time” without the quotes.
After the search has finished left click or tap on the Settings option.
Left click or tap on the “Date and time” icon.
Left click or tap on the “Change date and time” feature. Note: If you are prompt by a user account control window you will need to write in the administrator account and password.
Make sure the correct settings for the date and time are correct and then reboot your operating system.
Try again your laptop to see if you can connect to the Homegroup.
6. Check the name of your computer, domain and workgroup
Make sure your Laptop has its own unique name, domain and Workgroup settings by doing the steps below.
Move the mouse cursor over to the lower right side of the screen.
From the list left click or tap on the “Search” feature.
In the search dialog box write the following: “System” without the quotes.
After the search has finished left click or tap on the “System” icon.
Check your PC name under the “Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings” topic and make sure it is uniquely assigned only to your Laptop.
If there are other PCs with the same name you will need to change the Laptops name to another one.
On Windows 10, you can quickly check and modify your computer’s name by going to Settings > System > About, as shown in the screenshot below.
Move the mouse over to the lower side of the screen.
Left click or tap on the “Search” feature.
In the search dialog box write the following: “advanced sharing” without the quotes.
After the search has finished left click or tap on the “Manage advanced sharing settings” icon.
Next to the “Private network profile” topic you will need to left click or tap on the drop-down arrow.
Left click or tap on the “Turn on network discovery” feature.
Left click or tap on the “Save changes” button. Note: If you are prompted by a user account control window write in your administrator account and password.
After you changed the setting reboot your Windows 8.1 operating system.
8. Leave HomeGroup and then join it again
Move the mouse cursor over to the lower right side of the screen.
Left click or tap on the Settings feature.
Left click or tap on the “Change PC settings” button.
Left click or tap on the “Homegroup” button.
Left click or tap on the “Leave” button next.
Then try connecting again to your Homegroup and see if it works.
Move the mouse cursor over to the lower right side of the screen.
From the list that appears left click or tap on the “Search” feature.
In the search dialog box write the following: “firewall” without the quotes.
After the search has finished left click or tap on the “Windows Firewall” icon.
Left click or tap on the “Turn Windows Firewall on or off” option. Note: If you are prompted by a user account control write in the administrator account and password.
Now under each network you will need to choose the “Turn off Windows Firewall (not recommended)” option.
Left click or tap on the OK button.
Try connecting again to your Homegroup.
10. Repair network problems
Move the mouse cursor over to the lower right side of the screen.
Left click or tap on the Search feature presented there.
In the search dialog box write the following: “Identify and repair” without the quotes.
When the search has finished left click or tap on “Identify and repair network problems”
Follow the instructions on the screen to finish the troubleshooting issues.
Reboot your operating system.
Check again if you can connect your Laptop to the Homegroup.
Note: The steps listed above to repair network problems apply only to Windows 8.1 systems. On Windows 10, you can simply go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > select Internet Connections and run the troubleshooter.
And you are done, we hope one of these methods helped you solve the Homegroup issues that you are having in Windows 10, 8.1. If the problem persists, and you still can’t join your HomeGroup, here are a few additional troubleshooting solutions that you can use:
After pioneering subscription-based gaming services on Xbox One and Windows PCs, EA is pushing forward with Origin Access Premier, a new premium tier for its subscription service for PC gamers. The new membership tier, which is available today for $14.99/month or $99.99/year will give subscribers early access to full versions upcoming games (additional content included) such as Battlefield 5, FIFA 19 or Anthem.
This is exactly what Microsoft did with Xbox Games Pass, which will now include all future Microsoft Studios games on launch day. To sweeten the pot, Origin Access Premier members will also enjoy an evolving collection of PC games plus 10% off on Origin digital purchases
Nothing changes for the pre-existing Origin Access service, except the new “Origin Access Basic” name. These subscribers will still get access to the latest EA games after waiting a couple of months after their release, as well as limited-time trials for new EA games. Origin Access Basic members can also upgrade to the new Premier tier at any time on the Origin website.
EA didn’t say if a “Premier” tier could also come to EA Access, the equivalent to Origin Access on Microsoft’s Xbox One console, but it would certainly be a welcome addition. EA Access preceded Xbox Games Pass on the Xbox One, and the service now has its own dedicated tab in the “My Games and Apps” section of the Xbox dashboard. Microsoft and EA share the same forward-looking approach about subscription-based gaming services, and it remains to be seen if other big publishers such as Ubisoft could follow suit.
A couple of weeks ago, Microsoft started testing with select Xbox Insiders a new Xbox Games Pass on the Xbox One Dashboard. The new tab replaced the “Entertainment” tab, which used to showcase content from Microsoft Movies & TV, Netflix, Spotify and other entertainment apps, and you may remember that this Entertainment tab previously replaced the “OneGuide” tab last year.
Well, after receiving “overwhelmingly positive feedback” from Xbox Insiders, the new Xbox Games Pass tab is rolling out to all Xbox One users today. “This new tab makes Xbox Game Pass even more discoverable to new members and will help our current members check out what’s new every time they turn on their console,” the blog post reads on Xbox Wire. “It also up-levels popular titles in the catalog, highlights newly-added games, spotlights the latest deals on games and DLC for members, and recommends games based on your interests so that you can easily find your next favorite game.”
Xbox Games Pass content was already accessible from the Microsoft Store and the “My Games and Apps” section, and some users may not be happy to be another “ad” for Microsoft’s game streaming service. For those of you who will miss the Entertainment tab, Microsoft says you’ll still be able to find entertainment content in the Store tab, Apps Category tab and Microsoft Movies & TV app. “These will continue to showcase the latest and greatest in trending and popular movies, TV and music across our Microsoft service, as well as our many 3P Partners,” Microsoft said.
Microsoft today has just announced the introduction of support for the Web Authentication specification in Microsoft Edge. This support should make it easier for users to leverage the power of Windows Hello, and log into websites without the need for passwords.
Support for this feature is present in the most recent Windows Insider Build, 17723. The implementation supports a wider variety of authenticators compared to other browsers, with examples including FIDO2 Security Keys, Facial Recognition, a PIN, and even fingerprint. Microsoft is also supporting FIDO U2F devices, for websites which are not yet ready for moving to a passwordless model.
Passwords are easily hacked, but Windows Hello technology is not. Microsoft has long been on a journey to a passwordless and more secure web and actually shipped the first preview implementation of the Web Authentication API in Microsoft Edge back in 2016.
Microsoft is working with its partners to bring this feature to more experiences across the web, but for now, developers can get started by checking this guide.
If you’re a Windows Insider sporting a HoloLens, it is time to head to your settings and install a new build. Indeed, HoloLens has just got its first Windows 10 Redstone 5 preview, bringing a new Miracast projection feature, UI changes, and more (via MSPoweruser.)
This Insider Redstone 5 build will show up for those who are running the Windows 10 April 2018 Update on their HoloLens device. If the device is not yet already opted to receive Insider builds, you can do so by heading to Settings -> Update & Security -> Windows Insider Program and selecting Get started. Anyway, the following new features come for everyone running this version 10.0.17720.1000 Redstone 5 build on HoloLens.
Stop video capture from the Start or quick actions menu: To start recording, select Start > Video. To stop recording, select Start > Stop video.
Project to a Miracast-enabled device: On Start, select Connect. Select the device you want to project to.
View and respond to notification toasts on HoloLens, just like you do on a PC: You’ll now see notifications from apps that provide them. Gaze to respond to or dismiss them (or if you’re in an immersive experience, use the bloom gesture).
You’ll now see overlays such as the keyboard, dialogs, file picker, etc. when using immersive apps.
When you use the volume up/down buttons on your HoloLens you’ll see a visual display of the volume level.
A loading indicator was added during the boot process to provide visual feedback that the system is loading.
Addition of the Windows Nearby Sharing experience, allowing you to share a capture with a nearby Windows device.
Share button is now available on Microsoft Edge windows on HoloLens.
The build also brings new features to developers and commercial users. Developers are getting support for Holographic Camera Capture UI API, and some improvements to Mixed Reality Capture. Commercial users, meanwhile, are getting post-set-up provisioning, assigned access with Azure AD groups, PIN sign-in on profile switch, and more. Feel free to check out Microsoft’s documentation here for more on what’s new and changed for devs and commercial users.
PowerPoint is one of the most widely used apps from the Office suite. Millions of students and business users rely on this program to create powerful presentations for school and work. But many found that PowerPoint is not responding.
Just like every other program or app in Windows, PowerPoint might suddenly become unresponsive at some point. If this happens once a month, there’s nothing to worry about, but frequent occurrences point to a critical problem.
According to Microsoft, various factors can cause PowerPoint problems in Windows, including an outdated version of the program, a conflicting add-on, or an outdated antivirus software that conflicts with PowerPoint.
Keep reading to find out what to do when PowerPoint is not responding or stops opening in Windows.
How do I fix PowerPoint not responding?
Tip
There’s no way to predict if or when PowerPoint will become unresponsive. But, you can secure yourself from losing your work if such an issue happens simply by having the Office suite (including PowerPoint) connected to the OneDrive account.
Before we move to the slightly complex solutions, here are a few quick ones:
Make sure you are running the latest version of Microsoft Office and Windows. If there are any pending updates, install them.
Disable any third-party antivirus or security software installed on the PC. If that works, uninstall the program.
If none work, head to the fixes listed next.
1. Remove conflicting add-ons
Click on the Start Menu, type PowerPoint /safe, and hit Enter.
If the issue is resolved, on the File menu, click Options, and then click Add-Ins.
Select COM Add-ins, and then click Go.
Click to clear all the checkboxes (Disable the Add-ins) in the list, and then click OK.
Restart PowerPoint.
Some PowerPoint add-ons actually aren’t good for the program. In case you installed such an add-on, you might experience problems. So, go to PowerPoint, and make sure none of the installed add-ons conflicts with it.
If you notice that the problem doesn’t occur while having add-ons turned off, start turning them on one by one until you find a troublesome extension. However, if none of the add-ons causes your PowerPoint to crash, your problem is caused by something else.
2. Repair Office
Close any Microsoft Office applications that are running.
Open Control Panel, and click on Programs and Features.
In the list of installed applications, right-click your version of Microsoft Office, and then click Change, select Quick Repair, and click Repair.
In case a Quick Repair doesn’t work, go with the Online Repair option.
If some internal error leads to PowerPoint not responding, resetting Office will bring it back to normal.
Go to File, select Options, and navigate to Advanced.
Locate Hardware Acceleration under all the entries and disable it.
After doing that, start Microsoft Office again.
3.2 Via the Registry
Open Registry Editor.
In the left pane, navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office16.0\Common key.
Right-click on Common, choose New, and select Key.
Enter Graphics as the name of the new key.
Now, right-click the Graphics key, select New, then DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it DisableHardwareAcceleration.
Double click DisableHardwareAcceleration value and set its Value data to 1. Click OKto save changes.
Close Registry Editor and check if the problem is resolved.
Hardware acceleration is one of the most common causes of various Office issues and is often why PowerPoint is not responding. So, it’s probably the best idea to disable it.
That’s about it, we hope that at least some of these solutions helped you with the crashing problem in PowerPoint. Once again, we highly recommend you have your Office and OneDrive account connected, just in case of issues like this.
If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, just let us know in the comments below.
The Settings app on Windows 10 is the new modern control center to make changes in a lot of the components on Windows 10. Windows 10 was developed as an operating system that not only home users but also the office users could use.
When you use Windows 10 in an office, chances are that many settings and programs on Windows 10 are disabled by default by your organization. This is a measure taken by companies to make sure that their employees are not able to access any kind of setting or part of the operating system that they are not allowed to.
It is totally understandable if your company has restricted use of Cortana on your office/company machine but if you have a PC at home and you still see this message, then it might be disappointing for sure. This is an error on Microsoft’s part and can happen cause of a lot of reasons.
Reasons such as having your work or school Microsoft Exchange account setup on your PC can restrict you from using Cortana at all! But you can actually fix this pretty easily. You can just remove that email account from work or school that is restricting you from using Cortana. Let’s see how to fix this.
What to do if Cortana is Disabled by Company Policy
Solution 1 – Make sure your PC is running Cortana supported region and language
Follow the steps to verify the language and region settings. This should fix this error.
Open the start menu and then look for Settings.
Now go to Time & Language Settings.
The look for the Region & Language Settings.
Set the United States and set the English (United States) as the default for the machine.
Solution 2 – Delete your work/school email account
Follow the above steps and you will not see the error message. But if you still see the message, move to the Mail app on Windows 10. Most of the users who received the machines either from school or from their workplace have a Corporate Exchange account configured in the Windows 10’s Mail app. These accounts may not allow Cortana to be used. To fix this follow the below steps.
Open the start menu and type Mail and open the first result.
Click on Accounts then click on the corporate account and a new window will open up.
You will now see an option that says Delete account and upon clicking that button, you will be able to remove that account from your computer.
Solution 3 – Check Regional settings
If you were able to use Cortana seamlessly before the update, and now it’s not available, there’s a great chance that something with your Region settings is wrong. Either you have installed an unsupported language by mistake or the installation changed the settings on its own. In both cases, you can resolve this issue in a few easy steps.
Open Settings.
Go to Region & Language.
Under the Country or Region drop-down menu, select one of the supported regions/countries.
Now, go to Speech.
Under the Speech Language drop-down menu, select one of the supported spoken languages.
Restart your PC and the Cortana should be placed on the taskbar after the system is up
Solution 4 – Run the Apps Troubleshooter
We can also use Windows 10’s built-in troubleshooting tool to resolve problems with Cortana. Here’s what you need to do:
Go to Settings
Head over to Update & Security > Troubleshoot
Find Windows Store apps, and click Run the troubleshooter
Follow further on-screen instructions
Restart your computer
Solution 5 – Reset Cortana
If none of the previous solutions resolved the problem, let’s try resetting Cortana. To reset Cortana, just follow these instructions:
Go to Search, type powershell and run Windows PowerShell as administrator.
When PowerShell starts, run the following command: Get-AppXPackage | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml
Solution 6 – Enable Cortana in Registry
If there’s no other way to activate Cortana, there’s a useful Registry tweak you can try. To enable Cortana in the Registry Editor, do as follows:
Go to Search, type regedit, right-click regedit and choose Run as Administrator.
Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSearch.
Change the BingSearchEnabled value from 0 to 1.
Make sure all of the Cortana flags are set to 1 instead of 0.
Restart PC and check out Cortana again.
Solution 7 – Run the SFC scan
If Windows 10’s troubleshooter didn’t get the job done, we can try with the SFC scan. Here’s how to run it:
Right-click on the Start Menu button, and open Command Prompt (Admin).
Enter the following line and press Enter:sfc/scannow
Wait until the process is done (it may take a while).
If the solution is found, it will automatically be applied.
Now, close the Command Prompt and restart your computer.
Solution 8 – Run DISM
And the last troubleshooter we’re going to try is DISM. Here’s how to run DISM in Windows 10:
Open the Command Prompt as shown above.
Enter the following command and press Enter:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
Wait for the process to finish.
Restart your computer.
In case the DISM can’t obtain files online, try using your installation USB or DVD. Insert media and type following command:
Make sure to replace the ”C:RepairSourceWindows” path of your DVD or USB.
Follow further on-screen instructions.
Fix “Managed by your organization” message
“Managed by your organization” message mostly appears when to try and change the settings for Microsoft’s default telemetry program. If you don’t know what a telemetry program is, then let me explain it to you. As you know Microsoft collects a bunch of anonymous usage data from your Windows 10 machine. Telemetry helps them in capturing and sending the data from your PC to Microsoft’s servers where Microsoft will look at your data and see how people are using their PC to enhance the experience in a better way. You need to make some changes in order to make sure Cortana works.
Open the start menu and then open the Settings app.
Open the Privacy settings and then scroll down and choose Feedback & diagnostics.
Change the Diagnostic and usage settings to either Full or Enhanced.
Windows 10’s Cortana and some other services need this setting to be at ‘Enhanced’ or even ‘full’ mode. After changing these settings, Cortana will work on your machine normally.
If you’ve recently redeemed some Microsoft Rewards points and not received an email confirmation or an email with your reward, fear not. Microsoft has placed an alert on the Microsoft Rewards dashboard alerting users to an issue with emails.
Redemptions are still being processed, but to see them, you’ll need to view your Order History within the Microsoft Rewards dashboard.
Points can be earned and redeemed as normal. This issue only affects the sending of email confirmations.
Microsoft news recap is a weekly feature highlighting the top Microsoft news stories of the past week. Sit back, grab some coffee, and enjoy the read!
Voice messaging is coming to LinkedIn
Linkedin is rolling out voice messaging across its apps, with the aim of voice messages being to build a “more personal connection”. The rollout will take place over a number of weeks, but all LinkedIn users should have access to the feature within the next few weeks.
Redesigned Outlook.com adds Dark Mode option, gets ready to drop beta tag
Microsoft reportedly planning a low cost cloud-based gaming console along with next gen Xbox
Microsoft’s plans for the future of its Xbox console lineup appears to becoming more apparent. A new report claims the company is planning to release a low-cost console that plays games from the cloud, rather than requiring all of the hardware on-board, built for game streaming. Microsoft believes it has a solution to the latency issues often experienced with game streaming.
That’s it for this week. We’ll be back next week with more Microsoft news!
Windows Insiders on Windows 10’s Release Preview ring are receiving a new Windows Maps update. The update brings a number of new features that will make the app more useful, particularly for those travelling and exploring areas that they don’t often visit.
Here is the changelog for version 5.1806.1911.0:
View the house numbers directly on the map
Save the places you are looking for
Find locations near you easily with shortcut menus
Going for a drive? We’ll show you the scenic route
The update for Windows Maps is available from within the Microsoft Store, for Windows Insiders. It is likely to be released to the general public in the near future.
Have you bough a new Surface device or laptop with Windows 10 incorporated? If you are one of those users who are continuously getting the error 0xc03f4320 while trying to buy certain applications from the Windows Store, then you are in luck. After following the tutorial below, you will be able to fix your Windows 10 computer and buy all the apps you wish.
The error message 0xc03f4320 appears when your Windows 10 account on your Surface device or Windows 10 laptop is not set up correctly. So, creating a new account is the next step in this tutorial. Also, please follow the steps in the order they are listed in order to fix the error 0xc03f4320 in the shortest time possible.
Press and hold the “Windows” button and the “W” button.
Write in the dialog box the following “Allow apps to use my location”.
Press the Enter button on the keyboard.
Turn on the feature “Allow apps to use my location”.
Also turn on the feature “Let apps use my location”.
Reboot your Windows 10 operating system and try again purchasing an app.
Note: Depending on your Windows 10 version, you can also allow apps to use your location by changing some privacy settings. Go to the Settings page > select Privacy > click on Location and enable location services.
3. Disable Proxy Server
Open your Internet explorer application.
Left click or tap on the “Gearbox” feature situated in the upper right side in Internet Explorer.
Left click or tap on the “Tools” feature.
From the Tools menu left click or tap on the “Internet Options” feature.
Left click or tap on the “Connections” tab situated in the upper side of the window.
From the Connections tab left click or tap on the “LANsettings” option.
Now uncheck the box next to the “proxy server for your LAN” feature.
Left click or tap on the “OK” button next.
Reboot your operating system.
Check again if you are able to purchase your applications via Windows Store.
If the error persists, try resetting the Windows Store app. This quick solution can help you fix a wide array of Microsoft Store error codes, so it’s worth giving it a try.
All you need to do is launch a new Run window, enter the WSReset.exe command, hit Enter and wait for a couple of seconds. Restart your computer and check if error 0xc03f4320 still occurs.
5. Contact Microsoft Support
If you still get the same error message after you successfully made another account, then you will need to write to Microsoft about your issue because it might be an internal problem from them.
And you are done. You now have a good Microsoft account and therefore you should be able to buy the apps you wish from the Windows Store platform. If you have further questions regarding this subject, you can always write us in the comments section below. We will help you further as soon as possible.
Are you trying to play your games on the new Windows 10 OS and they crash? It seems that some Windows 10 users who use PCs powered by the AMD R270X video cards are getting all sorts of errors. In some cases, there is only a black screen that appears instead of the actual game. I am pleased to tell you that we have found a few fixes to solve these issues. Follow the steps listed below for a detailed explanation on how to fix this issue.
The error messages you get while trying to play your games on Windows 10 OS appear mainly because the video card driver is not fully compatible with your Windows 10 OS version. In this tutorial, you will learn how to properly install the driver in compatibility mode and see how it goes from there.
1. Reinstall your display adapter driver and run it in compatibility mode
Press and hold the “Windows” button and the “R” button.
You should have the Run window in front of you.
In the run dialog box write the following: “devmgmt.msc” without the quotes.
Press the Enter button.
Now the Device Manager Window will be in front of you.
On the left side pane you will need to left click or tap on the “Display Adapters” to expand it.
Right click or hold tap on the device in the list.
Left click or tap on the “Uninstall” feature from the menu.
Check the box next to “Delete driver software“.
After the uninstall process has finished reboot your Windows 10 PC.
After the device starts go on the manufacturer’s website and download the latest driver you have available. Note:Be sure to check with what version of Windows the driver is compatible.
After the download has finished go to the directory where you saved it.
Right click or hold tap on the driver executable file.
From the menu that appears left click or tap on the “Properties” option.
Left click or tap on the “Compatibility” tab situated in the upper side of the Properties window.
Put a check mark next to ” Run this program in Compatibility mode”.
From the drop down menu left click or tap on the operating system for which the driver is compatible. Note: Windows 8.1 will work for most updated drivers.
Left click or tap on the “OK” button to save the changes.
Now right click or hold tap again on the driver executable.
Select from the menu the “Run as Administrator” feature. Note: If you are asked for an administrator account and password please write them in.
Follow the instructions on the screen to finish the installation process.
Reboot your Windows 10 PC and see if you still have gaming issues as you did before.
Note: Before attempting this step please make a back up copy of all your important files, folders and applications.
Left click or tap on the Start button.
In the search box of the start button write the following: “refresh”.
Press the Enter button on the keyboard.
After the refresh has finished left click or tap on the “Refresh your PC without affecting your files”
Under the section “Refresh your PC without affecting your files” left click or tap on the “Get Started” button.
Follow the instructions on the screen to finish the system refresh.
Reboot your device after the refresh has completed.
Check again your games to see if they work properly in Windows 10.
In order to boost your game performance and get rid of slowdowns, lags, low FPS and other annoying issues, we recommend downloading Game Fire (free).
3. Disable overclocking software
If you’ve overclocked your computer, try to disable these tools and check of the issue persists. If you’re using really old AMD R270X graphics cards, chances are they’re not fully compatible with your overclocking software. In this case, you can quickly fix the problem by simply disabling your overclocking tools.
4. Run SFC scan
AMD R270X driver issues or crashes may occur if certain Registry entries are missing or are corrupted. You can fix this issue by repairing your Registry. Before you do anything Registry-related, you need to first back up your computer — just in case anything goes wrong and you need it to restore it to a previous working state.
Go to Start > typecmd > right-click Command Prompt > select Run as Administrator
Type thesfc /scannowcommand > hit Enter
Wait for the scanning process to complete and then restart your PC. All the corrupted or missing files will be replaced on reboot.
And that is it, you have reached the end of our tutorial. If you followed the steps above in the order they are listed, then you should now be able to play your games in Windows 10 without any issues. If you did encounter additional issues, let us know in the comments section below. We will help you further as soon as possible.
Windows Mixed Reality is a series of Windows 10virtual reality headsets that mixes VR with AR. Microsoft updated Windows 10 and Edge to fully support Windows Mixed Reality last year. Now the software giant has introduced a Flashlight option that will enable WMR users to take a peek into the real world without removing their headsets.
Microsoft’s Mr. Sarkar announced Flashlight along with the latest Windows 10 preview builds for the Redstone 5 and 19H1 updates. Flashlight is one of the new things Microsoft has included within the latest Windows 10 build previews. Thus, Windows Insiders on the Skip Ahead and Fash rings can try out Flashlight with their WMR headsets. Mr. Sarkar stated on Windows Blogs:
Today we are excited to announce that we are adding the ability to peer into your physical environment through Flashlight – without removing your headset! With the latest Windows Insider Program build, you can open a portal into your real world at any time via the Start menu, a button shortcut, or a voice command.
A YouTube video (below) shows Flashlight in action. The video shows that you can activate Flashlight with a “Flashlight on” command or by pressing a button shortcut pretty much as Mr. Sarkar stated on the Windows Blogs. When users turn on Flashlight, a circular ring appears that includes a monochrome video feed of the real world that they can move around.
Flashlight could be a very handy addition to WMR headsets. For example, without Flashlight you would need to remove the VR headset to pick up a drink glass on a table. Now you can activate Flashlight to pick up a drink with the headset on.
Aside from Flashlight, the new Windows 10 preview builds also include additional emojis. The new build previews include 157 new Unicode 11 emojis to select on the Emoji Panel. Superheroes, pirate flags, llama and softball are among the new emojis in the latest build previews.
However, Flashlight is undoubtedly the most notable new addition in the latest Redstone 5 preview. The new Flashlight will certainly be a handy new video mode for WMR headsets, which are still lagging behind the likes of the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. You can activate the new Flashlight mode when Redstone 5 rolls out in October 2018.
Hyperkin has been getting deeply involved in the classic console market, releasing the “Duke” controller in March of this year and showing off neon variants at this years E3.
The company is now turning its head towards the display connector. They are planning to release a new HDMI cable that allows the console to be connected directly to a HDMI port on a monitor and display at a resolution of up to 1080i (via Neowin). The original Xbox made use of proprietary cables and component cables, but this solution will make it easier for direct HDMI use.
Hyperkin’s HDMI cable is likely to be licensed and approved by Xbox, which sets it apart from other cables that already provide similar functionality.
Are you interested in trying the new Windows 10 versions? Did you already install them on a VirtualBox system?
It seems that a few Windows 10 users are having issues with the video driver for the virtual machine when they try to install Windows 10 on it.
Well, we can tell you that the fix for the video driver issue is very simple. All you need to do is follow the steps below in the order they are listed and you should fix the problem in less than 5 minutes.
So, basically, the most important features affected by the video driver issues in VirtualBox are the auto-resize option that you use for the guest display to work properly, the clipboard sharing feature, and also the mouse integration process.
After the device starts, open the settings page of the Windows 10Virtual Machine.
Left click or tap on the “Display” settings which you can find on the left side panel.
On the right side of the Settings window, look for the “Extender Features” topic.
Under that section, check the box next to the “Enable 3D Acceleration” feature.
Also, check the box next to the “Enable 2D video Acceleration” feature.
Left click or tap on the “OK” button to save your changes.
You can open now the Windows 10Virtual Machine.
After the Windows 10Virtual Machine opened, the system will activate the drivers properly.
Check again if your video driver in VirtualBox is working properly for Windows 10OS.
To restore proper display resize, clipboard sharing, and mouse integration in your Windows 10 virtual machine, you should install VirtualBox Guest Additions, since it installs the drivers and services that make these features work correctly in VirtualBox.
2. Update your graphics driver
Since this is a video driver-related issue, make sure that you’ve installed the latest graphics driver updates on your computer. The best solution is to download the latest drivers from your GPU manufacturer’s website.
If you prefer to quickly update your drivers, then you can use a dedicated tool that helps you solve many issues related to your computer drivers.
Using specialized driver updating software to update or fix your drivers is definitely more efficient than doing it manually, plus you can finish really fast.
Hence, update all drivers quickly with such practical tools, and avoid other critical issues because of installing the wrong drivers.
You have reached the end of this article. If you followed the steps above in the order they were listed, you should now have a working video driver for Windows 10.
Also, if you encountered other errors along the way regarding this specific issue, let us know in the comments section below. We will help you further as soon as possible.
While Microsoft has seemingly divested its business interests into two oddly contradictory buckets in cloud productivity software and services and gaming; the company sees a line between the two. Over the past few months, we’ve seen Microsoft talk up a future where the resources of its cloud platform will power portions of its gaming business.
While the notion of Microsoft leveraging its cloud platform to boost its gaming efforts seems like nothing more than a Skittles bag of buzzwords, the company may be putting its vision into motion sooner rather than later with a new project that will use cloud powered AI to prevent cheating on the Xbox One.
According to the Next Web, Microsoft recently applied for a patent that would filter cheating behavior on Xbox by using AI to search for suspicious behavior, ranks or achievements in a users accounts.
The patent application was published by the US Patent and Trademark Office last month. Unlike other efforts by the likes of Valve, this AI wouldn’t just look for cheaters within active games. Instead, it would snoop through the interactions between game and platform, such as “notifications of achievements, game scores reported to the platform, and/or a player rank achieved on the platform based upon game activities.”
Unlike other platform attempts, Microsoft is attempting to target cheaters outside of games but rather going after the spoils of said cheating to discourage the behavior.
Microsoft’s approach will also minimize console resource demands where the company can offload its AI processes to the cloud rather than using additional cycles during already resources demanding games.
The Internet has arguably become a dual edge sword for most users. Easy and free access to the world knowledge base, but a cesspool of unfiltered negativity and danger due in part to the inherent anonymity it offers users.
Microsoft would like to try and address the latter claim by penning an open letter to U.S. law and policy makers. The letter from Microsoft’s Council for Digital Good, calls on lawmakers to address the meshing of real and digital issues of sextortion and cyberbullying by promoting modern laws that would essentially help to protect in-school education.
“As young people who have encountered some of these problems firsthand, our goal as the Council for Digital Good is to provide strategies, solutions and resources for other young people in these situations,” council members wrote. “For our sake and for that of future generations, it is imperative that we amplify discussions about making the internet a more productive, civil, and safe place.”
Microsoft would like lawmakers in Washington, D.C. to help tout the real world consequences when internet users, children in particular, succumb to digital risks. Microsoft’s council for well being of internet users is recommending that internet behavior and safety become a prioritized portion of in-school online education.
Offering more than penned letters, Microsoft’s CDG council members held a two-day summit where panels discussing the importance of cyber safety the promotion of kindness and maturity online, were held. The first lady, Melania Trump also met with council members, teens and other individuals to discuss projects and presumably align her own anti-bullying “Be Best” campaign tenants.
Last month, we noted that Xbox Forums would be moving to the Microsoft Community Forums. The move was part of Microsoft’s plans to “empower users with discussions,” but there wasn’t an exact timeframe for when things would fully transfer over. Well, it looks as though part of the move is now complete as an official announcement is now out (via MSPoweruser.)
The announcement can be seen in full here, as posted by Mister Quimby, a Microsoft Agent, Ambassador, and Moderator. He explains that “the time has come for the forums to move” adding that “very soon, we’ll be redirecting all of the forum threads to open only in their new home in the Microsoft Community forums.”
It is being urged for Xbox forum members to head to the Microsoft Answers Forums and start using it today. Users can still view all their threads via forums.xbox.com or the Community forums, but it’s still best to try out the Microsoft Answers forums and fill out this survey.
Per Mister Quimby, forums.xbox.com will be turned off once all the features od the Xbox area of the community forums are fully finished and tested. So it’s best to try out our right now and get yourself acquainted.
In a surprise announcement yesterday, Slack revealed a new partnership with Atlassian, owner of several popular enterprise-focused apps such as HipChat, Stride and Jira. Slack will purchase the IP for HipChat and Stride (a successor to HipChat), and help customers transition to Slack before Atlassian’s apps are discontinued next year.
… • Atlassian is making a small but symbolically important investment in Slack • We’re committing teams on both sides to create deeper and more powerful integrations between Slack and the Atlassian family of products — there’s so much to do here!
The partnership will allow Atlassian to focus on its other assets such as its issue tracking solution Jira and the project management app Trello, and the company will also be making a “small, but symbolically important investment” in Slack. On the other hand, the latter will be able to boost its user base thanks to users migrating from HipChat and Stride, something that the company will need to compete with the increasingly popular Microsoft Teams.
Earlier this month, Microsoft announced a free version of Teams, which is now available worldwide in 40 languages. The Redmond giant says that more than 200,000 businesses are now using Teams across 181 markets, while Slack claims it’s already being used by 500,000 organizations. With its free tier, Slack quickly become popular among startups and small businesses, but the company can’t really afford to underestimate Microsoft Teams and all its synergies with other Office 365 apps.
“Hundreds of thousands of teams are already using Slack with JIRA, Confluence, Bitbucket, Trello, etc. — this will have a big impact,” said confidently Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield. It’s true that Slack is still enjoying some great momentum this year, but the footsteps from Teams should certainly get louder in the near future.
The National FFA Organization and Microsoft yesterday announced a new partnership which will help more than 650,000 US students learn digital skills. The partnership will also bring science, research, and entrepreneurship opportunities to classrooms across the US as part of a Blue 365 initiative.
For those unfamiliar, the National FFA Organization provides leadership, personal growth and career success training through agricultural education. It is expected for Blue 365 to be unveiled in Indianapolis, Indiana, this October at the 91st National FFA Convention & Expo.
Blue 365 aims to solve the most critical challenges facing farming communities, like respecting the planet or feeding the world. This partnership was announced at an event in Fargo yesterday with National FFA CEO Mark Poeschl and Microsoft’s Brad Smith and Mary Snapp. As explained by Brad Smith, President and Chief Legal Officer at Microsoft:
“While digital technology is transforming every part of the American economy, not everyone is acquiring the skills to thrive…As a company, we’re focused on ensuring everyone, regardless of their geography or circumstance, has access to the digital skills they need to compete and prosper. And our partnership with the National FFA will expand this work, helping students across the country prepare for digital jobs and the farms of the future.”
Mary Snapp, Corporate Vice President and Lead for Microsoft Philanthropies, dived deeper into the partnership in a blog post on LinkedIn. She also penned another post which revealed that Microsoft is investing $500,000 in partnerships for two computer science and STEM learning opportunities for students of color in Seattle.
The open beta for EA Sports NHL 19 is now live on all Xbox One consoles. The beta version of the game can be downloaded from the Store for free and gamers can now dive right in.
The proper, full version of NHL 19 isn’t due for release until September 14th so those participating in the open beta should keep in mind that this is an early version of the game, that it’s being used for testing, and that it may differ from the final version of the game when it comes out in a few months.
NHL 19 is a hockey video game that allows players to create their own character and team and play against over 200 famous hockey athletes. The game will feature over 900 customization options and apparently will feature improved responsiveness over previous entries in the series.
Microsoft is quite attached to UWP apps and their development that there’s a little space for the old Windows programs. Microsoft Essentials 2012 was the last iteration which provided users with Windows Live. And that suite was a fan favorite for a long time. Now, many of users who moved to Windows 10 had a hard time getting used to the UWP successors.
Download and configure Windows Live Mail in Windows 10
Now, even though the Essentials suite was discontinued back in January of 2017, you can still use it. This includes Windows Live Mail, which is, based on the opinions of so many users, much better choice than the subpar built-in Mail & Calendar app. In regards to lack of support, we’re glad to inform you that it won’t take much out of Windows Live. Even though security patches are not available and this email client isn’t the safest one to use, it’s still available. If you can deal with it, the app still can be used on Windows 10.
There are no too much available sources to get the application suite, though. Since it was officially discontinued, the download links are either rather scarce or come from suspicious third-party sources. Luckily, we find and tested one semi-official download link and it worked out just fine. The installation and configuring settings is just like with any third-party email client.
Here’s how to get Windows Live as the part of the Essentials 2012 suits:
The Facebook app found in Microsoft Store is only recently getting a larger number of users. Lots of folks are still gravitating towards browsers, even though this UWP port-like Facebook app is not bad at all. If we exclude Facebook‘s practice to mandatory pair it with Facebook Messenger.
All in all, the app is useful and we can recommend it. However, lots of good things a social network like Facebook offers are diminished by the lack of sound. That’s exactly what some users experienced as they were unable to reproduce sound while playing videos.
How to fix sound issues on the Facebook app for Windows 10
The first thing we suggest is running the Store Apps Troubleshooter. This built-in troubleshooting tool found in Settings should address the usual issues concerning Microsoft Store app. If it doesn’t resolve them, it should at least give you a better insight into what’s causing the sound distortion.
If you’re not sure where to find this troubleshooter, follow the steps we provided below:
Open Settings.
Choose Update & Security.
Select Troubleshoot under the left pane.
Expand the Store Apps Troubleshooter.
Run the troubleshooter.
You can also run the Sound troubleshooter under the same section. It might resolve the sound-related issues.
2: Check the sound and video drivers
After that, let’s confirm that sound and video drivers are properly installed and up to date. Of course, this expands to overall system performance, so you’ll probably already be aware of the faulty sound device and graphics card. However, you can try and update them or even better, install the drivers from the official source instead of relying on Windows Update.
To resemble the app troubleshooting on some other platforms, Microsoft offers factory reset of individual apps in Windows 10. That option can come in handy, especially since lots of apps are seemingly performing below the initial expectations.
Now, the Facebook app is a rather good UWP port (by UWP standards, at least). But there are certainly some issues surrounding it. So if the sound suddenly starts missing when playing videos in the Facebook app, resetting the app should help.
Here’s how to reset the Facebook app in Windows 10:
Right-click Start and openSettings.
ChooseApps.
Under theApps & features, search forFacebook.
Expand Facebook and selectAdvanced options.
Scroll down and click Reset.
4: Reinstall the app
If the resetting fails, reinstallation should take it the step further. With one little tweak included. If you just reinstall the app which malfunctions, chances are it’ll continue doing. On the other hand, if you perform a clean reinstallation (clear all remaining associated files prior to installation), the issues won’t reoccur.
Here’s how to reinstall the Facebook app in Windows 10:
Navigate to Settings > Apps > Apps & features and look up for the Facebook app.
Click Uninstall to remove it.
Run one of the free uninstallers we suggested in this list.
Navigate to Microsoft Store and install Facebook again.
5: Reduce the sound sampling rate
Some user reports state that the sample rate is the core of the problem. Namely, after reducing the sample rate, the sound issues on Facebook (and other apps, for that matter) completely stopped. This can be done in device sound settings. Once you’ve done it, the sound in the Facebook app should restore fully.
Right-click on the Sound icon in the notification bar and open Sound options.
Click on the Device properties.
Select the Advanced tab.
Change the default format to a lesser value and confirm changes.
Restart your PC and open Facebook.
6: Re-register apps
Finally, if the issue is wide-spread, you can try and re-register the whole Store. This helped some users, while others decided that the alternative wrapper is a better deal than the official Facebook app. The re-registering procedure is rather simple and you’ll need to use the PowerShell elevated command-line to execute it.
When it’s done, close the PowerShell and open the Facebook app and give videos another try.
That’s it. In case you still have sound issues in the Facebook app, try some wrappers found in the Microsoft Store. Either way, if you succeed or fail, make sure to keep us posted. That’s the purpose of the comments section below.
