Do you want to learn how to get rid of the error messageThis product key cannot be used to install a retail copy of Windows? If the answer is yes, then follow the instructions listed below to find out how to quickly resolve this issue and get your Windows 8 or Windows 10 working again.
Usually the message “This product key cannot be used to install a retail copy of Windows” appears when you try to install the Windows 10 operating system on a new device perhaps newly bought. So, if you want to use a retail version of the operating system, you can very easily do this in a few minutes of your time.
SOLVED: This product key cannot be used to install a retail copy of Windows
You will first need a Windows 8 or Windows 10 retail ISO copy. Note: This copy of the operating system must be the same version as the original one you are using on your laptop or desktop (Example: Professional 64 bit or others).
Install the ISO file to a bootable DVD or CD.
Restart your operating system and boot from your DVD.
You will need to install your Windows 8 or Windows 10 from the DVD using a generic key. Note: You can see on Microsoft’s website exactly where you can find a generic key for your device or you can just Google it by writing the full name of the Windows version and followed by the “generic key” words.
After your Windows 8 or Windows 10 installs, you will need to left click on the “Start” button you have in the lower left side of the screen and left click on the “Command Prompt Admin” icon to open it. Note: It is very important to open the command prompt window with administrative privileges.
In the Command Prompt window, you need to write “slmgr /upk” without the quotes.
Press the “Enter” button on the keyboard.
This command you typed in will remove the generic product key from the system.
Download the application “RW Everything” by following the link below.
After you downloaded and installed the “RW Everything” application, you will need to open it by double clicking on the executable file.
Left click or tap on the “ACPI” button from the application.
Now left click or tap on the “MSDM” tab situated in the upper side of the window.
You will need to copy your key which is situated under the “Data” field.
Open again the “Command Prompt Admin” window as you did above.
Write in the command prompt window the following line “slui 3” without the quotes.
Press the “Enter” button on the keyboard.
In the window you just opened, you will need to paste or write the key you got from the “RW Everything” program.
After doing the above steps, you will see now that you key has been activated and you can use your Windows 8 or Windows 10 as you wish. If you have any questions regarding the matter, let us know in the comments below.
Quick note: Scouring Microsoft’s forums, we noticed that many users who bought an OEM laptop complained about this issue. Keep in mind that if it’s an OEM embedded key, you cannot use it on another PC. In other words, you cannot transfer OEM keys from one PC to another.
A more and more rising number of our Windows 10 users are having issues regarding the denied access to the operating system.
Well, we are here to help you through these bad times and reassure you that after you read all this article has to offer you will be able to have access to the system once again.
So, you might experience this unpleasant access error at the moment.
You might not be able to access your program files, the whole Windows 10 partition, or perhaps you are unable to copy, delete, or paste into the device without authorization.
Well, learning how to fix all these on your PC is done in just a few steps below.
How do I fix the Denied Access error in Windows 10?
If you lack the time to go through all the below steps, then your safest bet is to do a full virus and malware scan of your system.
There are cases when a virus can prevent you from using the operating system properly, like not letting you open certain folders, copying certain files, or accessing it at all.
This is where the great specialized antimalware utility steps in. Malware can destabilize your Windows PC and prevent you from accessing certain components of the operating system even after it has been removed.
In general, the best way to deal with a severe virus is to simply clean the PC. Even if you delete all of the malware, the harm has been done, and it has made subtle changes to your PC to allow it to re-enter after removal.
A robust malware removal application, such as TotalAV, will also rapidly get your PC back on track while also preventing future attacks.
2. Activate permission for your system
Double-click the Desktop icon on the start screen.
Double click the C partition or the partition you have the Windows 10 operating system installed.
Double click on the Users folder.
Find your username and right-click on it.
Left-click on the Properties feature.
Left-click or tap on the Security tab.
Under the Group or user names topic left-click or tap on the user you have.
Left-click or tap on the Edit button.
Now, under the topic Permissions for system, you can place a checkmark next to every topic you have there.
After you are done left-click or tap on the OK button.
Left-click or tap on the OK button in the second window.
Reboot the PC and see if you still have trouble accessing the stuff on your PC.
3. Change the user
Now if you are having issues accessing a specific folder from an external drive, right-click on the folder from the external hard drive.
Left-click on Properties.
Left-click or tap on the Security tab.
Left-click on the Advanced feature situated at the lower side of the window.
Now in the Advanced window left click or tap on the Owner tab.
Left-click or tap on the Edit button you have in the window.
Left-click or tap on Yes if you are prompted by a user account control window.
In the Change owner to topic, you will need to left-click on your user.
Left-click or tap on the OK button situated on the lower side of the screen. Note: In the Advanced Security Settings window the owner should now be changed to your user.
Left-click or tap on the OK button again.
Left-click again on OK in the second window.
Reboot the Windows 10 device for the changes to fully take effect and try using the folder afterward.
4. Try individual fixes for Access Denied errors
This method is more selective as you need to know what is your type of error. Depending on what Windows 10 elements you cannot access, the solution will be different.
The big plus is that you can fix those specific issues without interfering with your general system functionalities. Here’s a list of Access Denied errors and how should they be fixed:
Search for your specific error and try to fix the problem. In case you did not find the specific fix, search in our site’s search engine.
There you have it, a few easy methods can make you access the Windows 10 computer again. You can check out this Windows 10 Errors Hub if you’re curious to find easy-to-apply fixes for all your issues.
You can also write below, in the comments section, if you have any other questions on your mind regarding this particular subject.
We fixed the issue resulting in the Clock & Calendar flyout sometimes not appearing until you clicked Start or the Action Center. This same issue impacted both notifications and the taskbar jump lists appearing. Thank you to all the Windows Insiders who gave feedback on this issue.
We fixed an issue that could result in an unexpected sihost.exe error when entering Safe Mode.
We fixed an issue where Timeline’s scrollbar didn’t work with touch.
We fixed an issue where when naming a tile folder in Start it would commit as soon as you pressed space.
As some keen eye’d Insiders noticed, we’ve been working on our scaling logic and you should find apps resize better now after monitor DPI changes. As always, we appreciate feedback in this space, so let us know if you have any issues.
We fixed an issue where the enabled/disabled state of Fast Startup would be reset to default after upgrading. After upgrading off of this build your preferred state will persist.
We fixed an issue where the Windows Security icon in the taskbar systray would become a little bit blurrier every time there was a resolution change.
We fixed an issue where the USERNAME environment variable was returning SYSTEM when queried from an un-elevated Command Prompt in recent builds.
We’ve updated the messaging in Snipping Tool to more closely align with the commitment we made here. You’ll also notice in the message that we’re exploring renaming our updated snipping experience – bringing together the old and new. The app update with this change hasn’t flighted yet, but if you have any feedback on the subject we’re open to hearing it.
As for known issues for users and developers,
The dark theme File Explorer payload mentioned here is on its way to Skip Ahead, but not yet there. You may see some unexpectedly light colors in these surfaces when in dark mode and/or dark on dark text.
When you upgrade to this build you’ll find that the taskbar flyouts (network, volume, etc) no longer have an acrylic background.
When you use the Ease of Access Make Text bigger setting, you might see text clipping issues, or find that text is not increasing in size everywhere.
When you set up Microsoft Edge as your kiosk app and configure the start/new tab page URL from assigned access Settings, Microsoft Edge may not get launched with the configured URL. The fix for this issue should be included in the next flight.
You may see the notification count icon overlapping with the extension icon in the Microsoft Edge toolbar when an extension has unread notifications.
On Windows 10 in S Mode, launching Office in the Store may fail to launch with an error about a .dll not being designed to run on Windows. The error message is that a .dll “is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error. Try installing the program again…” Some people have been able to work around this by uninstalling and reinstalling Office from the Store. If that doesn’t work, you can try to install a version of Office not from the Store.
When the Narrator Quickstart launches, Scan Mode may not reliably be on by default. We recommend going through the Quickstart with Scan Mode on. To verify that Scan Mode is on, press Caps Lock + Space.
When using Narrator Scan mode you may experience multiple stops for a single control. An example of this is if you have an image that is also a link. This is something we are actively working on.
If the Narrator key is set to just Insert and you attempt to send a Narrator command from a braille display then these commands will not function. As long as the Caps Lock key is a part of the Narrator key mapping then braille functionality will work as designed.
There is a known issue in Narrator’s automatic dialog reading where the title of the dialog is being spoken more than once.
When using Narrator Scan mode Shift + Selection commands in Edge, the text does not get selected properly.
Narrator sometimes does not read combo boxes until Alt + down arrow is pressed.
Known issues for Developers
If you install any of the recent builds from the Fast ring and switch to the Slow ring – optional content such as enabling developer mode will fail. You will have to remain in the Fast ring to add/install/enable optional content. This is because optional content will only install on builds approved for specific rings.
That’s a wrap on Insider preview 18214. Make sure to join the comment thread below to let us what parts of the new build you enjoy vs. the ones you can’t wait to see fixed before the official update.
Earlier this year, Microsoft acquired VR social platform company Altspace VR, apparently saving it from shutting down. Now this week, infused with Microsoft’s support, the company has released a new set of tools to make creating shareable spaces in VR easier.
According to their blog post (via VentureBeat), Altspace VR is starting by releasing some basic space-building kits, with plans to release more kits with more customization options in time. The first kits, Campfire and Alien Planet, include abilities to:
create virtual hangout spaces for friends and community.
create custom versions of Campfire and Alien Planet.
host multiplayer social games in VR.
import and showcase all your in-world photography snaps.
add teleporters to common spaces (Campfire/Origin) or straight to your friends’ world.
change the mood of your World with different skies and sounds.
create labels.
You can check out the blog post for a YouTube demonstration, and join live demos happening over the next few days with your RSVP.
Microsoft needs to collect a lot of data and information relating to diverse physical characteristics to improve its products and services, especially in the mixed reality ecosystem.
I came across a booth that the company had set up outside the Microsoft Store in San Francisco looking for volunteers for its research and data collection efforts.
The booth had some equipment set up to map motion data. The Microsoft folks at the kiosk were urging shoppers and visitors at the mall to give their five minutes in exchange for a gift card good for Chipotle or Jamba Juice or something.
The sign up did not require any personal information – except name and signature on the participation form granting Microsoft the right to user our data, name, likeness, image, voice, et al for the development of its products and services. Although, not all of them were recorded in this exercise and it was more of an overarching participation document.
When one was ready for the activity, the person recording the data also asked for age (although it wasn’t mandatory) and I’m assuming he also noted the gender without asking explicitly.
To allow them to record the user data, one had to stand at a marked position and move left and right which was captured by 3D camera equipment set up. And also smile and frown to probably catch facial expressions. The exercise was repeated from three marked positions farther away from each other, and that’s that.
The combined user data of thousands of individuals via this and similar activities help Microsoft in its mixed reality as well as NUI (natural user interface) efforts.
Twitter overnight updated their Windows 10 PWA, adding the ability for users to send multiple threaded tweets with one click. Also known as a “tweet storm,” users can find this latest feature by pressing on the “+” button in the Tweet compose box (via Windows Observer.)
Threaded tweets have Twitter’s standard 280 character limit, but give you the chance to further express your thoughts. This feature also makes it so that your threaded thoughts will show up with a “Show this thread” button in your followers Timeline. It’s a nice addition since it takes away the manual work of having to head to your Timeline and manually reply to each of your tweets to create a thread.
The Twitter PWA last updated three weeks ago with faster image uploads and screen rotation for older devices. As always, though, PWA updates are automatic, so you won’t need to head to the Windows Store to get this feature.
In a short six years, the Microsoft Surface lineup has come a long way. Initially marketed as a device that can replace a laptop, the main Surface lineup has since seen the addition of a Pro, Laptop, Book, Studio, and even a Hub. Well, after a brief flirt (and disaster) with the Surface RT and Surface 3, there is now the Go, Microsoft’s newest 10-inch Windows 10 tablet.
There are actually two models to choose from at Microsoft, the $399 model with 64GB of eMMC storage and 4GB RAM, and the model we are reviewing here, with 128GB SSD and 8GB RAM. Costco also has their own variant, with 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD, and a Type Cover included. All models have the same Intel Pentium Gold processor.
Regardless of which model you choose, Surface Go is the little device that can do (almost) everything you want it to do. No, this doesn’t mean that it will do the dishes or your chores, but this tiny little Surface device packs a lot of power under the hood for any of your productivity tasks. It’s also safe and secure, and after spending some time at home and then three days on vacation with it, I’m really a big fan of the Surface Go.
Specs and Pricing
The Surface Go which I’m reviewing is available for $549. It comes with 8GB RAM and a 128GB SSD running Windows 10 Home in S mode. It also is powered by a fanless Intel Pentium Gold 4415Y Processor at 1.6 GHz. Please keep in mind, the keyboard is not included in the purchase, and you’ll need to fork up $129 for the Alcantara keyboard I used, and $99 for a Surface Pen. You can see below for other notable and more detailed specs.
Display: 10-inch touch screen display at 1800(x) 1200 resolution. 217 PPI, and 3:2 aspect ratio. Contrast ratio: 1500:1
Storage 128GB SSD (Around 92GB is usable out of box)
Ports: USB C, microSD card, Surface Connect, headphone jack
Pen: Surface Pen, up to 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, with tilt support
Cameras: Front facing 5MP Windows Hello Camera, Rear facing 8MP auto-focus camera
Connectivity: Qualcomm Atheros (QCA61x4A) Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth 4.1
Audio: Dual front-facing speakers
Dimensions: 9.6″ x 6.9″ x .33″ (245mm x 175mm x 8.3mm)
Weight: 1.15 lbs (0.52 kg) without keyboard/1.7lbs (0.77 kg) with keyboard
In all fairness, if you go for the complete premium package, you’ll need to end up spending a good $777 on a 128GB Surface Go. That’s still cheaper than the base model Surface Pro 2017, which is $799 for a similar performing Core m3 model, with half the RAM, and without any keyboard or pen. For any casual usage (and what I wanted it for) the price of the high-end Surface Go is still worth it. If opting for the cheaper Surface Go models, the performance might not be there, but it is a nice way to introduce someone to the world of Surface, without breaking the bank.
Even Apple’s lowest cost 256GB 10.5-inch iPad pro is $799, plus an additional $99 for the Apple Pen, and $159 for the keyboard. In comparison, that’s a total of $777 for the full Surface Go package and $1,057 for a full iPad Pro. Plus, with Surface Go, you’re getting a full blown computer, with the option to switch out of the Store-only S-mode and install any of your other apps for free.
Overall build & design
I’m the type of person that spends money on a PC for premium design, and that is exactly what I ended up getting with Surface Go. Not only is it premium, but it is literally a slimmed down version of the Surface Pro 2017. This means you’ll find Microsoft’s infamous platinum colored magnesium material all around on the Surface Go, except along the top where there are plastic cutouts for the antennas and Bluetooth radios. There’s also the kickstand, same as the Surface Pro 2017, which articulates down to 165 degrees. It is strong enough to hold down pressure when inking upright. This is a big change from Microsoft’s last budget Surface device, the Surface 3, which had a kickstand in 3 positions.
Side view of Surface Go
In terms of weight and thickness, Surface Go wins for me in that category too. It’s a little over 1.15 pounds, so it is easy to carry around. I threw Surface Go in my bookbag to use as my main machine when traveling to my cousin’s wedding in Canada, and I barely even felt that it was there. It easily slid in between my clothes and didn’t add any extra weight or bulk to my limited space.
Finally, though not as thin as the iPad Pro (8.3 mm on Surface Go vs. 6.3 mm on iPad Pro) Surface Go is relatively thin and it has nice rounded corners which fit right in your palms. For me, this ended up making it nice to use for inking, but I’ll have more on that later. This is also slightly thinner than a Surface Pro 4, which was 8.4 mm thin.
The beautifully rounded corners
Ports and connectivity
There aren’t that many ports on the Surface Go, but they all are on the right side of the device. From top to bottom you have the headphone jack, the USB C port, and the proprietary Surface Connect port. There’s even a Micro SD card slot under the kickstand, allowing you to add more storage. It was also nice to see the headphone port move to the right side, as that meant there is no need to have headphone cables dangle over the device when in use.
Fans of USB C should now be happy, as Microsoft has finally ditched the Display Port and USB A for USB C. One port now serves as your way to connect up displays, charging via USB C and also for your other accessories like printers, USB drives, etc. But please, bear in mind this USB C port doesn’t support Thunderbolt 3.
Anyway, as you may recall, Microsoft Surface chief Panos Panay came out against USB C, saying it would “take away the port they need today and tomorrow to achieve a technology milestone.” After traveling with the Surface Go, I kind of understand what Panos was talking about.
Ports on the Surface Go
One night, I was sitting in my hotel room after my cousin’s wedding, and I wanted to copy some pictures off my iPhone to my Surface Go to show them to my family. Coming from using a Surface Pro 4, I naturally tried to plug my iPhone cable into the side of Surface Go, but, nope, it didn’t work. I instead had to pull out my ridiculous looking Lenovo dongle and plug that in first to get started.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge advocate for USB C, but the Surface lineup has always been tied to legacy ports, and it felt really weird having to use a dongle with Surface Go. The benefits outweigh the negatives though, and USB C means Microsoft does not have to worry about space and thickness when jamming in ports into the device. Sadly, it also means you’ll need to buy dongles to properly use Surface Go, and that’s more money out of your pocket.
The Lenovo USB C dongle
Display
Just as I noted in the build and design section, the display on the Surface Go really seems like a shrunk down version of the Surface Pro. The display is only 10 inches, so the resolution is ultra low at 1800 x 1200. That’s 217 PPI on Surface Go, a change over the 214 PPI and 10.8 inches and 1920 x 1280 display on the Surface 3. It’s also significantly smaller and less sharp than the Surface Pro 2017, which comes in at 12.3 inches, 2736 x 1824 resolution, and 267 PPI.
All that said, the display still gets pretty bright, almost on the same levels of my Surface Pro 4. When I was sitting in my hotel room, I watched replays of Chase Elliott’s first NASCAR Cup win at Watkins Glen. Colors from the cars and road course were all bright, and despite the letterbox mode, I didn’t need to amp up the brightness settings past 30%. I also used Surface Go to transfer and showcase pictures from my cousin’s wedding. The brightness levels really helped spice up the look of my photos, and the screen is not too glossy, which helps gets rid of that glare when outdoors.
Looking at wedding photos on Surface Go
Similarly, when using Surface Go to write about a new Windows 10 build on a Friday night, I didn’t need to amp up the settings past 30%, as the screen was already bright enough for my needs. I did, however, need to head into the settings and tweak down my display scaling for more room to multi-task. Even with the 3:2 aspect ratio, I suggest you do this too, so you can get the most of your display.
My review comes about two weeks after the large media outlets have posted their impressions, and a lot of people seemed to have an issue with the large bezels on Surface Go. I said this during my live unboxing, and I really have to disagree with them. The bezels are there for your comfort when inking in tablet mode, as I discuss later.
Side bezels, and a look at the sharp display on Surface Go
Performance, heat, and usage when traveling
Surface Go released just in time for my cousin’s wedding in Canada, and I traveled with the device on my trip up north. For three days, it was the only Windows 10 device that I had, and I did most of my performance testing while I was literally on the go in my hotel. Please keep in mind that I opted to keep my Surface Go device in the Microsoft Store only S-mode, so I could not do the usual Geekbench or other related tests with classic Win 32 .exe apps. Instead, I’ll be discussing performance in terms of my usage.
There were a couple instances when I used Surface Go in my hotel room. One time, a new Windows 10 build dropped, so I ended up having to multi-task in Edge with both WordPress and the Insider blog open side by side. I tweaked display settings to the lowest options, and everything performed just as did on my Surface Pro 4, though the text on the screen was super small. It initially felt a bit weird, but I adapted and I was kind of surprised to see that you could stack things side by side, and actually get work done.
Hey. I've just settled into my hotel and a new build just dropped. First real world test. Using Surface Go to write it up. First real test of the "Go" Part. And uhh, feels weird as I'm used to a 15 inch Dell Xps 15. pic.twitter.com/QxLBavCWe2
In another instance, I was getting bored of sitting around my hotel, so I went and launched up the apps and websites I usually have open when working on my Surface Pro 4. Just for fun, I also copied 10 or so photos off my iPhone and to Surface Go in the background. With WordPress, YouTube, Twitter, and the Insider blog open in Edge, the memory was still at 3.9 GB, with CPU usage at 20-30%, peaking at 60% when under high loads. I also had NextGen reader, and the Twitter UWP open as well, and I easily ALT+TAB between them all with nothing re-loading or freezing.
A separate set of 30 photos and videos copied over real quick, and it was all a rather surprising experience to see this Surface Go’s processor handle things so well, but there were still some issues. First off, Surface Go had some troubles rendering photos in the Windows 10 Photos app. It would open them in this weird zoomed in stage and then zoom out to a full picture after a few seconds. The device also got very hot and toasty around the back when I was using it. This is likely due to the processor overworking to its 1.6 GHz frequency when I tried to copy 60 photos at once.
In a third instance, I handed Surface Go to my dad so he could complete his time sheets for his job and also check up on our credit card charges. He liked the device and was initially touching items with Surface Pen, but Edge had some troubles rendering the webpage, and I had to take over. My instinct was to try it in Chrome, but I couldn’t do that in S-mode, so I just tried it InPrivate mode in Edge instead and it worked just fine.
Task Manager on the Surface Go when under pressure
When I came home from the wedding on a Tuesday, I hooked up Surface Go to my monitor and did some of the same I listed above. There was also no freezing, and I was able to use Surface Go for my blogging work just as my Surface Pro 4. All my usual tabs in Edge worked just fine, and though YouTube and a few other Google websites were slow to load, nothing ever lagged, re-loaded or froze.
At the end of the day. I think that Surface Go is able to handle productivity tasks you throw at it. It’s definitely not meant to be the main editing machine for anyone, but it can keep up with some demanding casual and web browsing tasks. It’s a surprising feat, and the machine really does feel like a mini Surface Pro 4 at some periods of use.
Inking
The display on the Surface Pro 4 might look small for when using with Type Cover keyboard, but the real champion is the way in which it handles inking. I pointed this out in my initial review, but despite the lack of an inking co-processor, inking on the Surface Go is more natural than on any of the other Surface devices. You’ll need to pay up $99 for a pen for this, but it is worth every bit of money.
The small form factor and rounded corners really make the Surface Go feel more like a clipboard or a notebook, especially since the pen can magnetically (and strongly) attach to the top. However, unlike with the Surface Pro 4, Surface Go is not too tall, nor is it too wide. It fits in your hands nicely, in the same space and area as a notebook. Pressing the pen down to the screen just feels more natural than it does on a Surface Pro device, and I experienced this when I did my nightly journals in OneNote. Also, my arms and wrists didn’t get cramped from long-term writing and dragging the pen across such a large screen. The large bezels actually give you room to rest your palm and make inking comfortable, with zero latency.
Inking on Surface Go
If using the newer Surface pen, you’re also getting tilt support and the same 4,096-levels of pressure sensitivity as the Surface Pro. I didn’t want to shell out the $99 for a new pen and used my Surface Pro 4 pen instead, but I honestly felt no different than the newer pen I used in the Microsoft Store. Artists and professionals, though, might want to opt for the new pen, but for casual users, picking up a used or cheap Surface Pro 4 pen might be the better option.
Inking in the drawing mode on Surface Go also felt pretty natural to me. I preferred the vertical clipboard mode for inking, but inking in portrait mode also worked out very well, with the Surface Go always picking up the movements of the pen and fingers.
Surface Go Inking
Type cover, and trackpad
I initially complained a lot about the type cover on the Surface Go, but I’ve since had a big change of mind. Once I spent a full day using the shrunk down Type Cover, I found out it was just fine. In fact, I typed this entire review on my Surface Go with minimal mistakes. The keys are backlit to three levels and are indeed smaller and jammed closer together compared to Surface Pro devices. However, when I put Surface Go on a table, lap, or desk, and arced my hands and positioned my fingers over the keycaps in an “up” position and I was just fine when speed typing.
All in all, I still think that you’ll definitely need the Type Cover for the best Surface Go experience, especially since tablet mode in Windows 10 is not ideal just yet. You can choose the $99 standard black version, or the $130 fancy Alcantara versions in three colors. There’s no real difference between the two, other than the Alcantara keyboard having a more flashy and fluffy look and feel. But once you choose, you will be happy, as the corner keys on the Type Covers are curved for extra cuteness. Also, please keep in mind that older Type Covers will not work with Surface Go, so you’ll either need to buy a Bluetooth or USB keyboard if you don’t want to shell out the extra cash for a type cover.
The Signature Type Cover
As for the trackpad, it is about the same size as the one on the Surface Pro Type Cover, and it gets the job done right. It comes in at 56mm in width, so I had plenty of room to move my fingers around when doing Windows 10 gestures. I really appreciate that Microsoft didn’t shrink the trackpad down, as if they did, it would have been painful to use Surface Go in laptop mode.
Bad battery life
Microsoft promises that you’ll see 9 hours of battery life with Surface Go, but I didn’t get anywhere near that. In my daily usage of Surface Go (at 30% brightness and on “Better Battery) for productivity-related tasks in Edge or with UWP apps, I got anywhere between 4-5 hours. Plugged into a monitor, I only got to 3 hours. It is kind of surprising to see the battery life this bad, especially since Surface Go has such a small display and also runs Windows 10 in S-mode. Microsoft, though, can come up with some firmware updates to hopefully change this battery life, so I will keep my hopes up.
Four hours of battery before Windows started crying
Anyway, the battery life might be bad, but there are no worries when it comes to charging. I was able to charge from 5% to 100% in 1.5 hours with the included compact 24W power supply. That included charger powers up the device via Microsoft’s Surface Connect port, but it also ditches the USB A port on the power brick. Everything on the charger is now compact with some prongs that retract. I also charged via USB C with an Anker power brick, and it was very satisfying for me. Just like the Micro USB on the Surface 3, I can see USB C charging useful for when you’re on the Go and not near a power outlet.
Charging with a portable power brick
Conclusion:
At the end of the day, Surface Go is worth the money. If you’re looking for a solid first tablet or computer or introduction to Surface, then this model of the Surface Go is the way to go. It performs just as good as a Surface Pro, but with the limits and security of S Mode and the benefits of USB C. The design and build are both excellent, and inking is just so natural. The keyboard and type cover might be extra costs, and initially uncomfortable, but it adds up in the long run for multi-tasking and getting work done. Surface Go is well worth the money, and I hope that you think so too.
You might come to a point in time where you will have issues regarding your Windows 8.1 operating system. And if it is an unrecoverable issue then the settings that you made will normally get lost. But Windows 8.1 has the great feature that allows you to make a backup copy of your settings thus even if you get a blue screen for example or an error that you cannot get rid of you can anytime use the backup copy you created in Windows 8.1.
In the tutorial posted below, you will see a detailed step by step introduction on how to backup your Windows 8.1 settings. You should always be aware that even if you have this feature in Windows 8.1 it won’t start automatically and it will not record every modification that you make to the system settings unless you program it to do so.
Detailed tutorial on how to backup Windows 8.1 settings for your device:
1. Backup manually
For this tutorial to work you will need to reboot the Windows 8.1 device, log in with the administrator user and follow the simple steps below.
On the start screen in Windows 8.1 you will be presented with a “Desktop” icon, you will need to left click on it.
Move the mouse cursor to the lower right corner of the screen to open the menu available in Windows 8.1.
Left click on the icon that says “Settings”.
In the “Settings” window you opened look for a “Control Panel” icon.
Left click on the “Control Panel” icon.
In the next window that opened up left click on the feature that says “System and Security”.
In the “System and Security” window you opened you will need to left click on the “File History” feature present in the right side of the window.
After you left clicked the “File History” feature you will need to look for the “Windows file recovery” option.
Left click on the “File recovery” feature.
In the “File recovery” feature you opened up left click on the “Create a system image” option in order to start the process of backing up your settings.
From the menu and options, you are presented In this window you will have to choose the location where you want your backup settings to be stored. Note: preferably store backup image to another partition or to an external storage device.
Once you have selected to a destination, you only have to left click on the “next” button in the lower side of the screen.
Left click on the “Start backup” button you will have on the screen.
Now the process will start and it will take up to one hour depending on what you have installed on your Windows 8.1 device.
After the process is completed left click on “Close”.
Reboot the Windows 8.1 device and check if your backup has been created.
2. Backup using EaseUS Todo Backup
Using a third-party tool is a great idea as it has many useful features incorporated. You are safe from different errors and file loss as it creates a full backup package. We recommend EaseUS Todo Backup as one of the best on the market. How do you backup in this software:
Select the files you want to backup (choose between ‘File type’ or ‘User defined’)
Select your files and folders
Select a destination (choose an external source)
Customize your backup: compression, password, priority, etc.
Start the backup process
So now perhaps you can sleep a little bit better tonight knowing that you have a full backup of your Windows 8.1 settings ready to use whenever you have an issue with the system. Write to us below in the Comments topic for any input regarding this article.
Encrypting your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 files can solve a lot of security-related issues; basically, it encrypts your passwords for the Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 system so that someone that doesn’t have the specific encryption key cannot access your data thus lowering the exposure risk to your operating system files.
In Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 you have access to the feature specifically designed to encrypt your files and folders, you will only have to find out how to properly use this feature and you can start encrypting your files. Also for a more comprehensive understanding about how this encrypting feature works in Windows 8.1, Windows 10 you can read the below tutorial.
Tutorial for encrypting files in Windows 8.1 and Windows 10
In order to properly encrypt your files, you will need to use the “device encryption” feature.
You will need to sign into your Microsoft account you made when you first installed Windows 8.1 or Windows 10. Note: You will need to sign into your account with administrative privileges to have access to this feature.
Move the mouse cursor to the lower right side of the screen to open the Charms bar.
In the charms bar left click on the “Settings” icon available there.
In the Settings window, you will need to left click on the “Change PC Settings” feature.
Left click on the “Accounts” feature present in the “Change PC Settings” topic.
From the “Accounts” window left click on “Switch to a Microsoft account”.
Log in from there to your Microsoft account with administrative privileges.
Now to turn device encryption feature on you will need to move the mouse cursor to the lower right side of the screen.
Left click on the “Search” feature you have on that menu.
In the search box that pops up type “encryption”.
You will need to left click on the “Change device encryption settings” feature.
From the “Change device encryption settings” window you will only need to follow the instructions on the screen to activate the encryption to your system if it is not already activated. Note: The encryption key will be saved to your Microsoft account so if you ever need it just log into the account and you can access it from there. Note2: Now that you have enabled this feature you should know that you will probably need it when your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 device will go into recovery mode, when the system will detect a hardware change or when the system will detect a hardware malfunction.
File encryption tips
Encrypting a file is not the only way to experiment with its security. You may also need to use it and to keep it safe. We will list below some of the most searched articles related to file encryption that will help you getHow to encrypt familiar with encryption. Here they are:
Now you can encrypt and keep safe your files just by following the simple tutorial posted above. For any question that you may have on the subject, you can write us in the comments section a little bit below.
Details on Microsoft Power BI’s August update have been announced on the official Power BI blog and there’s quite a few features users will appreciate.
The biggest change in the Power BI August update is the new ability to export reports as a PDF file, a feature that was apparently the most-requested in Microsoft’s UserVoice. Other changes include the introduction of bookmark groups, theming being made generally available, improvements to Q & A, and a better experience when viewing content between Power BI Desktop and Power BI Premium.
Here’s the full release notes.
Reporting
Print reports through Export to PDF
Create bookmark groups
Theming generally available
Slicer restatement
Analytics
Conditional formatting by values
Python integration (preview)
Q&A improvements
Q&A in Power BI Desktop generally available
Better matching experience for Power BI Desktop and Power BI Premium
Modeling
Data categories for measures
Statistical DAX functions
Custom visuals
3AG Systems – Column Chart with Variance
Scatter Chart by Akvelon
Small Multiples Line Chart
Add Natural Language Summaries for BI
Pivot Slicer
Data connectivity
Spark connector generally available
Are you a Power BI user? What aspect of this update do you like the most? Let us know in the comments below and then like us on Facebook for more Microsoft news.
Are you having trouble downloading and installing Windows 8 or Windows 10 language packs? In this case, check out the tutorial below to learn how you can easily fix your Windows 10 language pack if it doesn’t work. All this will only take 5 minutes of your time.
When Windows 8 or Windows 10 users try to download a new Language pack for a specific language, the download progress bar basically freezes and gives you an error message. This issue is not very common but it prevents you from installing the language you wish on to your operating system.
How to fix language pack install stuck in Windows 10
1. Run SFC
Move the mouse over to the upper right side of the screen.
Left click on the “Search” feature.
Write in the search box the following “Command Prompt”.
After the search is finished right click on the “Command Prompt” icon and select the “Run as administrator” feature.
Left click or tap on “Yes” if you get a window from user account controls.
Write in the “Command Prompt” window the following line: “sfc /scannow” but without the quotes.
Press the “Enter” button on the keyboard.
Let the scan complete.
Reboot your Windows 8 or Windows 10 device.
Try and see if you can download and install your language pack now.
2. Delete temporary Internet files
Press and hold the button “Windows” and the button “C”.
After the Charms bar has opened up, you need to left click or tap on the “Search” feature.
You will get to an “Apps” window.
Left click or tap on the “Control Panel” icon.
In the “Control Panel” window, left click on “Internet Options”.
Left click or tap on the “General” tab you have in the upper side of the “Internet Options” window.
Left click or tap on the “Delete” button you have there.
Now in the new window that shows, you will need to check the box next to: “Temporary Internet files and website files” and “Cookies and website data”.
Left click or tap on the “Delete” button in the lower side if the window.
Reboot the Windows 8, Windows 10 device.
Try and see if your Language Pack will work after the restart of the operating system.
3. Install a fresh copy of Windows 10, 8.1
Now, this is a more extreme method, but if you did not solve your Language pack issue by following the options above, then if you want a specific language pack installed, I suggest you do it with a fresh copy of Windows 8 or Windows 10.
This means that you should reinstall your Windows operating system once more on your system and install the language pack of your choosing afterwards.
For more information on how to install a fresh copy of Windows 10, you can check out these guides:
If the Language pack download or installation is interrupted for any kind of reason, it will not work a second time. So, be very careful after your reinstall your operating system so that your download or install process won’t close accidentally.
4. Run DISM
If you don’t want to use complex solutions such as solution number 3, you can try to run DISM. Launch Command Prompt (Admin), type the following commands and hit Enter after each one:
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Restart your computer and check if the issue persists.
5. Update your OS
Some users confirmed that installing the latest Windows 10 version on their computers helped them fix this problem – at least partially. So, if you haven’t checked for updates in quite a while, go to Settings > Update & Security and hit the Check for updates button.
In case you are not able to download and install the Marathi language pack on your Windows 10/11 computer, the reason could corrupted files, you can use these steps to fix the issue.
One of the key features Windows 8 and Windows 10 operating systems have offered to users is the screen calibration feature. What if laptop screen calibration doesn’t work? Follow the instructions listed in the troubleshooting guide below to learn how you can quickly fix the problem.
This feature will help you set the color quality in which your laptop’s screen is displayed, the shadow details, and the highlight detail but for these options to work on your Windows 8 or Windows 10 operating system. You will also need a compatible display on your laptop to fit with these features as well as a good and working Windows 8 system.
How do i calibrate my laptop screen in Windows 10?
You might have this feature turned off, so in this method, you will learn how to properly enable it.
Move the mouse pointer over to the upper right side of the screen in Windows 8, Windows 10.
Left click or tap on the “Search” feature you have there.
In the search box you will need to write the following: “Color Management”.
After the search is done, you will need to left click or tap on the “Color management” icon.
Left click or tap on the “Advanced” tab you have in the upper side of the window.
Left click or tap on the “Change system defaults” button presented in the “Advanced” tab.
Now, in the new window that appeared, you will need to left click on the “Advanced” tab you have in the upper side of the window.
Now, you will need to check the box next to “Use Windows default calibration”.
Left click or tap on the “Close” button.
Left click on the “Devices” tab you have in the upper side of the window.
Select the “Set as default profile”.
Reboot the Windows 8 or Windows 10 device and see if your calibrate screen feature is OK now.
2. Uninstall display drivers
Press and hold the button “Windows” and the button “R”.
Now a Run window will appear.
Type in the “Run” window the following: “devmgmt.msc”.
Press the “Enter” button on the keyboard.
A “Device manager” window will open in which you will need to double click on the “Display adaptors” on the left side to expand it.
Double click or tap on the display adapter you have for your graphics card.
After the “Properties” window pops up you need to left click or tap on the “drivers” tab situated in the upper side of the “Properties” window.
Left click or tap on the “Uninstall” button.
Left click on the button “yes” if you get a message to continue with the uninstall.
Now, you will need to close all open windows and reboot your Windows 8 or Windows 10 device.
After the restart of the system, the drivers should install automatically.
Try and see if your calibrate screen feature works now.
If you want to fix the calibration issue on your laptop screen, it might be useful to reinstall your display driver. With this method, you have the chance to repair a possible damaged driver.
Although, uninstalling a driver can be risky if you don’t have the necessary knowledge on how to perform it correctly.
It can actually cause more severe system malfunctions by installing the wrong drivers for your devices. Fortunately, you have an efficient alternative.
Using dedicated software, you can reinstall any of your drivers automatically, with the latest version of the right drivers. All of this can be done safely with Fortect Driver Updater solution.
3. Install display color calibration software
If you don’t really like changing your computer settings, you can install dedicated software to do it for you. We already compiled a list of the best display calibration software to install on your Windows 10 computer. Simply download the tool that you like best, launch it and it will automatically change your display settings so as to display clear vivid colors.
There you have three useful methods on how to calibrate your laptop screen if it isn’t working as it should. For any questions and suggestions about this guide, use the comments section below.
There are a few things that changed in Microsoft’s Internet Explorer versions over time . One of them is the email icon you knew that was in the Command bar of the application. Read this post to learn what happened to it and how you can enable the Internet Exploreremail icon in Windows 10 orWindows 8.1 in no time.
This email icon has been changed in Internet Explorer for Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 to the Read mail icon. Although this icon in Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 has similar functionality, it also has some additional features. Continue reading this post to find out how you can find and use this icon to your liking.
Enable email (Read Mail) icon in IE in Windows 10, 8.1
Move the mouse over to the upper right side of the screen.
When the Charms bar opens, left click or tap on the “Search” icon you have there.
In the search box, you will need to write “Internet explorer”.
Left click or tap on the Internet Explorericon that shows after the search is finished.
Right click on the “Command bar” you have in the Windows Internet explorer.
Move the mouse over to the “Customize” feature and left click or tap on the “Add or remove commands” option.
Right under the topic “Available toolbar buttons” you should have the “Read email” option.
Left click or tap on the “Read email” button and Left click or tap again on the “Add” button in that window.
Left click on the “Close” button situated in the lower side of the screen.
Now you should restart your IE application in order for the changes to fully take effect.
Open again the IE app and see if you have the “Read email” button present on the command bar.
So, now you have your email icon or read mail icon for the newer versions of Internet Explorer on your command bar and ready for use. You can enable or disable this icon whenever you wish by following the tutorial above. If you encountered any issues while following this tutorial, please let us know by writing us in the comments section below.
UPDATE: Microsoft no longer supports old Internet Explorer versions. As a matter of fact, Internet Explorer 11 is the only IE browser version currently supported. For an optimal browsing experience, we suggest using Microsoft Edge or other third-party browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera One, Vivaldi or the Tor browser.
Windows 10 apps have disappeared, what can I do? This is a very common question among Windows 10 users. In this guide, we’ll list 4 solutions that you can use to fix the problem.
Have you logged in to your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 operating system and you noticed that all your apps went missing? Follow the tutorial below to learn what options you have in order to get your apps back and what should you do to prevent this from happening again.
The apps in Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 might be deleted or it might be a system malfunction. But with the help of the system restore feature in Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 we can get all of these apps back and also see what caused this issue to happen.
How to get your Windows 10 apps back if they’re gone
We will try first to reboot your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 device and check to see if after the reboot your apps are back to your start screen.
After the reboot, you also need to run an antivirus scan using your antivirus software. Scan all the partitions you have and make sure that you don’t have any viruses infecting your system.
2. Open System Restore
Move the mouse cursor over to the upper right side of the screen.
You now have in front of you the Charms bar.
Left click or tap on the “Search” feature you have there.
In the search box, you need to write the following: “Control Panel” but without the quotes.
Left click or tap on the “Control Panel” icon after the search is finished.
You will have a search box in the new “Control panel” window you opened. In the search box, write the following: “Recover” without the quotes.
Left click or tap on the “Recovery” feature after the search is finished.
From the “Recovery” window, you need to left click or tap on the “Open system restore” feature.
From there, you need to follow the instructions on the screen to finish the system restore process and bring back your operating system to a previous point in time where you did not had any apps issue in Windows 8.1 or Windows 10
If you still can’t find your apps, try clearing the Windows Store cache. To do this, open a new Run window and simply enter the following command: WSReset.exe.
4. Install the latest Windows 10/ Microsoft Store updates
If you’re running outdated Windows 10 OS versions or it’s been a while since you last updated the Windows Store App, this may explain why your Windows 10 apps have disappeared. To fix this issue, you need to install the latest Windows 10 and Microsoft Store updated.
Go to Settings > Update & Security > Update and hit the ‘Check for updates’ button.
To update the Microsoft Store apps, click on the app menu, go to Download and updates and install all the pending updates.
That is pretty much it. You most likely caught a virus or malicious code that might have deleted your apps on the Start screen on your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 PC. Checking your system for viruses and launching system restore on the operating system will most definitely bring back the apps you once had. If you have additional questions on this article, let us know in the comments below and we will help you as soon as possible.
PaperPort 14 is the fastest and easiest way to scan, share, search, or organize your documents. It now has a PC version that can deliver access to your most important files using the Nuance Cloud Connector. But for some, PaperPort is only scanning the first page.
Some users have raised concerns over PaperPort not scanning multiple pages or the page quality not being optimal. Keep reading to find out all about it!
Why PaperPort won’t scan multiple pages?
The problem occurs when using the automatic document feeder (ADF) scanner in PaperPort, and this may not manage to scan multiple pages at one go without user intervention.
It also happens when you’re using an outdated scanner driver or when you haven’t properly configured the scanner to run in PaperPort 14.
How do I scan multiple pages on PaperPort?
1. Update TWAIN driver on your scanner
In order to update the scanner driver, contact the scanner’s manufacturer to get the latest TWAIN scanner driver. You can download it from the website. A good example here is if you’re using Brother Scanner, go to the official Brother website and check for the driver.
They’re usually found under the Support menu. Download the latest TWAIN driver for the Brother scanner you’re using (the exact model), and ensure the driver is designed to run on the installed operating system. Don’t forget to install the latest Paperport updates as well.
If this solution doesn’t work, try the next one.
2. Enable ADF in Scanning profile
Open PaperPort 14, and go to Scan or Get Photo pane.
Select the scanning profile (the one in use).
Click Settings and then go to the Scan tab.
Set the Source option to ADF (you can also set it to Duplex ADF if available).
Click OK.
Scan a document to verify if the PaperPort 14 won’t scan multiple pages issue is resolved without prompting for user intervention. In case PaperPort is still only scanning the first page, head to the next fix.
3. Complete Scanner setup wizard
Go to Scan or Get Photo pane.
Click Select.
Click Advanced setup under the Available Scanners window and follow the on-screen instructions.
Test the connection to the scanner and click Next again. If you get a message saying Scanner not found, check your cables and click Try again.
Select the Basic scan test from the list.
Select Check ADF capabilities and click Next.
Click Next again to start the tests
Select the appropriate settings for the scanner and click Scan. If there’s no image, click the missing image and try scanning again
The wizard will detect the ADF scanner type that is connected. Select the correct option and click OK.
Place multiple pages in the paper holder and click Next to start the test. If prompted, remove the pages and proceed.
Click Next again and click Finish to complete testing.
Click on Advanced setup, and then click No when prompted to download the latest scanner database
Click Next and then select Custom Mode from the list.
Enable Perform Tests and click Next, then click OK to continue.
Click Next to establish communication with the scanner, and choose Advanced settings.
Select Enabling Hiding (or Hide native user-interface) and click OK.
Enable any scanning tests to perform.
Click Next and then on Finish when testing is complete
When Paperport is only scanning the first page, a quick solution is to modify the scan settings and hide the scanner’s native user interface.
5. Contact support
If none of the above solutions worked and PaperPort 14 won’t scan multiple pages, even when you’re using a properly configured ADF scanner, contact the PaperPort manufacturer’s tech support.
So, if PaperPort is only scanning first page, one of these solutions should have helped.
The File History feature available in the new Windows 8.1, Windows 10 is a very useful program to have because it will rapidly and easily provide you with a backup copy of the library folders, Desktop, Internet Explorer and Contacts list. Unfortunately, this feature has some bugs in it. One of them being that when you restore a backup archive of the File history, it will not to place the case-sensitive letters in the name of the folders you backed up.
After the backup copy is restored, the folders will change for example from “Library” to “library” or from “Games” to “games”. Normally, this little bug won’t affect your usage of Windows 8.1, 10 but if you are using an application, for example, and you define certain case-sensitive folders, this might affect the work you are trying to accomplish.
SOLVED: Case-sensitive errors while using File History
Unfortunately, there is no option you can check while doing the File History backups which can assure you that the case-sensitive folders will be restored with capital letters.
The only option we have until Microsoft fixes this bug is to manually restore the proper name to the desired folders by simply renaming them .
Right click on the specific folder.
Left click on the “Rename” feature.
Name the folder with a capital letter.
Press the “Enter” button on the keyboard.
This is the simplest way we can fix this until Microsoft updates this File History feature to prevent a future folder name change during the process.
So, we will come back to you with more updates on this subject as soon as they are available for the Windows 8.1, Windows 10operating system. If you have any other questions on this subject, let us know in the comments below and we will help you further with this situation.
UPDATE: If you want to access File History on Windows 10, first you need to find Control Panel. Locating the Control Panel on Windows 10 is a bit difficult compared to previous OS versions as Microsoft prefers to somehow hide it from users.
Speaking of backing up your files and folders, for more information about the best backup software to use on your computer, you can check out this guide. Read the description for each tool and download the one that best suits your needs.
The new Windows 10 comes with new and improved features one of which is the start list which allows you to pin the apps you frequently use in the upper left side of the Start menu. By reading the lines posted below you will find out how easy it is to customize the start list in Windows 10 and make it more suitable for your everyday needs.
Customizing the start list in Windows 10 is done by accessing the Taskbar and Start menu Properties feature and just by doing a few clicks you can easily add a favorite app to the start list or perhaps disable one of your choosing.
How to customize the start list present in your Windows 10, 8.1 Start Menu?
Right-click or hold tap on a free space on your Taskbar situated in the lower side of the screen in Windows 10.
Left click or tap on the “Properties” feature you have in the menu that appears on the screen.
You should now have in front of you the “Taskbar and Start menu Properties” window I have told you about above.
In the upper side of this window you will need to left click or tap on the “Start Menu” tab.
Now in this tab you will have to left click or tap on the “Customize” button situated in the middle right side of this window.
Now you have a full list of features under “You can customize how links, icons and menus look and behave on the Start menu”.
In the list you are presented there you need to scroll down until you find the “Pin to Start list” feature.
Now under “Pin to Start list” you will have several items you can choose to pin to the start list like: “Control Panel”, “Devices”, “Documents”, “Help” and many others.
In order to pin an option to the start list you will only need to left click or tap on the box next to it in order to place a check-mark.
After you are done you only need to left click or tap on the “OK” button present in the lower side of this window.
Close the “Taskbar and Start menu Properties” window and left click on the Start button in order to see the changes.
If you would like to pin a favorite application to the start list you only need to drag and drop the application icon to the start list.
You can also play a little bit with the tile sizes so you put an accent on the most used apps and groups. The only thing you need to do is to right-click on the tile you want, select ‘Resize’ and play with the proposed dimensions. If you have live tile updates on and they annoy you everytime they pop up, just right-click on a tile, select ‘More’ and then click on ‘Turn live tile off’.
Now that you know how to customize your start list in Windows 10 you only need to try it yourself and see how it works. Also if you have any other questions on this article that you would like to find an answer to you can write us below in the comments section of the page and we will respond as soon as possible.
READ ALSO: Default Reader App for Windows Addresses Fixes More Problems for PDF, XPS, TIFF Files
A new Xbox One 1810 build is out today for Preview Alpha and Skip Ahead Insiders, bringing some important fixes to the various audio issues that some Insiders have been experiencing with beta releases. Streaming apps such as Netflix, Hulu, Plex and Youtube should no longer crash after installing the new bits, and the Xbox team also fixed some issues with Groups being buggy or disappearing in certain circumstances.
Xbox One Insiders – Preview Alpha & Alpha Skip Ahead users the relnotes for today's 1810 build at 2.00pm PDT 8/9/18 are posted on our blog https://t.co/96wGH4WkM3
As usual, this new build also comes with a list of known issues, including one where some users using headsets may have an issue with the mic not working. The Xbox team also mentioned other issues affecting Microsoft Edge, OneGuide and the Virtual Keyboard, and we invite you to check the full release notes to learn more.
Microsoft is also testing a new UI for the different filters in My Games and Apps, and the team will listen to feedback before shipping it to more Insiders. That’s pretty much the only notable change in this build, but more new features are still in development for the Xbox One 1810 update including the redesigned Xbox Live Avatars, support for Dolby Vision and more.
Microsoft alongside the Windows 10 Technical Preview version has released the quick user guide which will help you better understand this new operating system as well as learn how the official Windows 10 will look after it will be released. You will learn how to download this Windows 10 quick user guide by following the lines below.
The Windows 10 technical preview user guide will explain two main stages of Windows 10 which are the Windows Insider program that will help you get all the versions that will be available in the future regarding Windows 10 and the Windows Technical Preview guide which will tell you everything you need to know about this new operating system Microsoft has offered us.
How to download Windows 10 quick user guide?
The steps you need to take to access and download the user guide for Windows 10 are posted below:
Go to the desktop feature of your Windows operating system.
Double click (left click) the internet browser icon you are using Note: this tutorial is made for Mozilla Firefox but it has the same principle as the other browsers you might use.
Now you will need to left click or tap on the link posted below
Now after accessing the link you should have the quick user guide in front of you but in order to download it you will need to left click or tap on the download button situated in the upper right side of the Mozilla Firefox window.
Now you will need to left click or tap on the “Save file” feature you get in the next window.
Left click or tap on the “OK” button in order to start the process.
Now in order to access the Windows 10 Technical Preview guide you will need to left click or tap on the arrow pointing down situated in the upper right side of Mozilla Firefox.
Right click on the User Guide in the list that appears and left click or tap on the “Open containing folder” feature.
You should now have in front of you the folder in which the file was saved.
Double click or tap on the file in order to open it and you are free to start learning everything there is to know about the new operating system Windows 10.
You also can try to download the Windows Quick User guide from other sources but you must be careful. Many of the sites proposing these guides in different formats may just try to illegally access some of your data through these files. We strongly recommend you to try to download this only from the Microsoft official page, as even PDF files may contain something harmful for your PC.
There you have it, a quick and simple way to download and access the quick user guide for Windows 10 Technical Preview. Also if you have any additional questions on this subject please don’t hesitate to contact us by posting in the comments section of the page a little bit below.
Have you found yourself looking for the groups and apps in Windows 10, 8.1 that should be present in the Start Screen when you first log in to the operating system? You don’t need to be alarmed because you can fix this and get the apps you have installed and the groups back to your Start Screen in Windows 8.1 just by following the tutorial steps below.
There are several methods which you can do in order to bring back your apps on the Start Screen again but the quickest way is to simply pin them to the Start screen and also find out how to view the groups you have previously made just by making a click with your mouse. So go ahead with the steps below and find out how you can do these things in a few minutes of your time.
How to get back apps and missing groups in Windows 10 Start screen?
Use PowerShell to reinstall the missing apps/folders
Open your ‘Start Menu’ and type ‘Powershell’
Right-click on it and run and click ‘Run as Administrator’
When PowerShell is opened, paste this command in it and press ‘Enter’: Get-AppXPackage | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml”
Restart your PC and see if the apps and/or folders appeared.
Get apps back to the Start screen
You will need to swipe on the Start Screen from the center of the window all the way to the upper side of the screen.
This should get you to the “All Apps” view feature in Windows 8.1
Now find the app you want to place on your Start screen in Windows 8.1
Go with your mouse cursor over it and right click on it or hold tap.
Left click on the “Pin to Start Screen”.
Now you should have your app you pinned to the Start Screen present there. Note: you can do this with all the apps you would like to have present on the Start Screen.
Find Groups in Windows 8.1
You can use your fingers and move them together on the screen or simply left click on the “Zoom” icon situated in the lower right corner of the Start Screen.
This should give you a glimpse of the groups you have in Windows 8.1 Note: you can also drag the groups around to rearrange them as you wish either with the touch screen feature or with your mouse by holding the left click on it and dragging it where you wish.
This is all you need to do in order to find your groups on the Start Screen or get your apps back to the Start Screen menu. Please write us below if you have any questions regarding these two subjects and we will help you further so that you can use your Windows 8.1 to fit your needs.
Microsoft has announced that ID@Xbox is set to host the 5th annual pre-PAX open house. The event will be on Microsoft’s Redmond campus and will feature over 50 Xbox games from independent developers, and 8 new games.
Registration is open now (for free) and you can join in on August 30 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. to enjoy the games, and meet developers. You don’t need a PAX ticket to attend, and there will also be the chance to win a prize raffle. Other planned events can be seen below.
Meet and chat with other teams at Microsoft.
Say hello to the Xbox Ambassadors and spin their prize wheel to win some swag!
Head to the Mixer area to try out the latest MixPlay experiences and get a glimpse at the future of interactive gaming.
Chat with the Microsoft User Research team to share your personal feedback and help them make better products for you and everyone.
The 8 new titles available for play at the pre-PAX open house include Bot Rods, La-Mulana2, Museum of Simulation Technology, Orphan, Revenant Dogma, Super Retro Maker, Thunder Rally, and Where the Bees Make Honey. Free parking will be available in the area, and there will also be buses taking attendees directly to and from the event at the Washington State Convention Center.
At the BlackHat security conference held in Las Vegas this week, Microsoft released its latest list of “Top 100 Security Researchers,” an annual tradition that recognizes top security researchers around the world and their contributions to making Microsoft products more secure. Last week, Microsoft posted a “Making of” explainer for how these researchers were chosen, and at Black Hat, they released the 100 names, which you can check out in a follow-up blog post.
Security research continues to be a hot issue both at big companies like Microsoft, and for independent vendors and for end users. At the Black Hat conference, Google’s Director of Engineering and head of Project Zero, the controversial Google system of “deadline driven” exposure of software vulnerabilities that promises to release info on software problems 90 days after vendors have been notified, spoke at the opening keynote and noted that companies (Microsoft apparently included) have made significant changes in the way they handle these vulnerabilities based on the 90 day disclosure project. In the keynote, Parisa Tabriz noted that 98% of these vulnerabilities are now fixed within the 90 day period, up from only 25% before Project Zero was begun in 2014.
BlackHat seems to be both highlighting the work being done across the industry on security, and also bringing more attention to the problems being faced, and companies large and small seem to be taking security much more seriously. Tabriz’s call to examine root causes and for collaborative work across the industry to solve security problems, like Brad Smith’s call for a “Geneva Convention” on security, and the popularity of events like BlackHat, show that even as security problems become more complex, the industry is taking bold steps to combat them.
Yesterday, Microsoft and Agile Networks announced they have reached an agreement to help 110,000 people in rural Ohio get access to the internet. This is the latest leg of Microsoft’s Airband initiative, which is aiming to bring broadband access to 2 million unserved people in rural America by 2022.
Under the agreement, Agile Networks will use its telecommunications infrastructure throughout the state, and TV White Space technology. There are also plans for Agile to enhance public safety across the state of Ohio while still providing competitive, affordable broadband access options to rural consumers and businesses.
In the words of Shelley McKinley, Microsoft’s head of Technology and Corporate Responsibility:
“In today’s digital economy, broadband access has become a necessity across industries including healthcare, agriculture, business and education. Our partnership with Agile will help deliver broadband internet access to rural communities across Ohio so that they can take advantage of today’s and tomorrow’s opportunities and the latest cloud technologies.”
The agreement should also benefit medical clinics and rural hospitals, schools, oil and gas wells, agriculture operations, and households. Microsoft previously announced the winners of Airband Grants across New York, West Virginia, California, Maine, and Texas, with those groups also aiming to help bring broadband internet access to rural communities.
If you’re still holding onto an older Xbox console and itching for an update, or just have a PlayStation 4 and want a switch Xbox, you’re in for a treat. Microsoft announced yesterday that you can now get up to $300 towards an Xbox One X with a qualifying trade-in at Microsoft Store or Gamestop.
Microsoft is also running an additional offer where you can save $10 on select Xbox wireless controllers. It is defintley nice to see both these offers as it entices more people to upgrade or switch to the most powerful Xbox ever. Check out the trade-in offers for yourself, and let us know in the comments below if you’ve taken advantage.
Starting today through Sunday, August 12, Xbox Live Multiplayer will be free for everyone on Xbox One and Xbox 360. Microsoft announced the new Free Play Days session in a video that was published on YouTube earlier today. As usual, those of you who don’t have an active Xbox Live Gold subscription will be able to try multiplayer on every game you own, but this is also a good opportunity to try free multiplayer games such as the massively popular Fortnite: Battle Royale.
This is the second time this year that Microsoft will be opening the gates of online multiplayer to all Xbox gamers (the last time was in February). Last but not least, Xbox One gamers will also be able to try The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind and the vehicular combat game Onrush for free this weekend.
Now that in Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 you can log on to the system using your email account you might need to know how to change the Microsoft email if you ever need to. So by following the lines below in the short tutorial posted you will find out how to change the Microsoft email in Windows 8.1 or Windows 10.
Changing the email account you currently use in Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 with a new one will be done by changing your Microsoft account to the local one and registering back to another online email from the Microsoft feature you have in Windows 8.1 or Windows 10.
How to change your Microsoft email in Windows 10 or Windows 8.1?
Log in to the Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 with the account you currently have and you would like to change.
Move the mouse cursor over to the lower right side of the screen.
Now you should have in front of you the menu Charms bar of the Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 operating system.
Left click or tap on the “Settings” feature you have in the Charms bar menu.
After you selected the Settings feature you should have on the right side of the window the “Change PC settings” button.
Now in the “Change PC settings” window, you will need to left click on the “Accounts” button.
In the “Accounts” topic you will need to left click or tap on the “Your account” feature.
Now on the right side of the screen, you will need to left click or tap on the “Disconnect” link.
You should now have in front of you a “Switch to a local account” window.
In the above window you will need to write next to the “Current password” field the password from the account you signed into the Windows operating system.
Left click or tap on the “Next” button situated in the lower right side of that window.
In the next window that follows you will need to write your password again in the “Password” field.
Retype the password in the “Reenter password” field.
And in the “Password hint,” you will need to choose a hint that you will remember.
Left click or tap on the “Next” button you have in the lower right side of the screen.
In the next window that appears you will need to left click or tap on the “Sign out and finish” button situated in the lower right side of the screen.
Now you will need to re-log into your Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 operating system using the new password that you changed. Note: This time the operating system will sign into the local account and not the Microsoft account you have.
Now follow the steps posted above in order to get to the “Account” window again.
Left click again on the “your account” topic on the left side of the screen.
Now on the right side, you will need to left click or tap on the “Connect to a Microsoft account” link.
You should have in front of you a window with “Switch to a Microsoft account on this PC”.
You have there a “Current password” field in which you will need to write the password for the local account you signed in with.
Left click or tap on the “Next” button you have in the lower right side of this window.
Now in the “Sign in to your Microsoft account” window you will need to write the email and the password of the account you want to be the Microsoft account.
Left click or tap on the “Next” button in the lower right side of the screen. Note: If you don’t have an account you can make one by left-clicking or taping on the “Don’t have an account?” link in the lower left side of the window.
You can also simply add an ‘alias’ account. That means that you simply add a new email address to your current Microsoft account. If you want to switch from an Outlook address to a, let’s say, Yahoo or Gmail, you only have to follow few simple steps (Note: this solution does not work if you have forgotten your credentials for logging in Microsoft account). Here they are:
In the navigation bar at the top of the page, you must find the ‘Your Info’ tab; click it
Click ‘Manage how you sign in to Microsoft’
Click ‘Add email’ to create an alias
Choose between ‘create a new’ and ‘add an existing’ mail addresses
Check the mail you just added for the verification mail and verify the new address
Choose ‘make primary’ if you want this address to be primary
This changing process may take up to 48 hours until it gets through all Microsoft security verifications so do not bother if this won’t work immediately.
There you go, a simple and very quick way to change your Microsoft email in Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 in just a few minutes. You can also write us below if you have any other questions on changing your Microsoft account and we will help you as soon as possible.
While the new Xbox Avatars haven’t yet rolled out to the general public, many Xbox Insiders have already begun testing them on their consoles. To help these Xbox Insiders better understand how these new Xbox Avatars will work, Microsoft has published a new faq answering some of the questions Xbox gamers may have about them.
In addition to the expected reminder that not everyone has these new Xbox Avatars yet, the faq does make an important mention about a short delay that will happen whenever an Xbox One user switches over to these avatars. Turns out that these new Xbox Avatars won’t show up immediately and will be delayed by about 10 seconds while the system processed the change.
This new faq also confirms that the new Xbox Avatars will appear on user profiles, in the Activity Feed, on leaderboards, when comparing Gamerscore, on GameHubs, and in Clubs. These new creations may also show up on the Home page of the Xbox One’s dashboard and as notifications when friends come online.
Do you think the new Xbox Avatars will launch soon? Do you like their style? Share your thoughts with the community in the comments below and make sure to follow us on Pinterest for more Xbox gaming content.
In July 2018, Microsoft announced that it would discontinue Skype 7.0 (Skype Classic) in September 2018. The company confirmed the newly updated Skype 8.0 would replace 7.0. However, after something of a backlash on its forums, Microsoft has gone back on its original announcement by stating that it will extend support for Skype 7.
Microsoft’s original announcement that it will ditch Skype 7 in favor of 8.0 did not go down a storm. Microsoft was pushing a lot of users into updating the app when they actually preferred the 7.0 version. Lots of users rate Skype Classic more highly as they can open chats in separate windows and customize contact notifications. One user stated:
With the previous Skype I had (I think it might have been the Classic) I was able to set it up so that each person I was chatting with had their own window. I looked in the settings for Skype for Windows 10 and couldn’t find those options.
Users initially expressed their concerns regarding speculation that Microsoft might abandon Skype 7 in June. When the company confirmed it in July, some users could hardly believe it. After many posts on Microsoft forums lamenting the company’s announcement to discontinue Skype 7, the software giant has now reconsidered ditching Skype Classic.
Babs (Skype) updated an original forum post seeking feedback for the update. Now that forum post states: “UPDATE: Based on customer feedback, we are extending support for Skype 7 (Skype Classic) for some time. Our customers can continue to use Skype Classic until then.” Thus, Microsoft has now confirmed that it will continue to support Skype Classic beyond September.
Many Skype users are delighted Microsoft listened to feedback. One user stated, “WHOOPEE! We’re all watching – let’s hope what you have to offer in the near future is a decided improvement on the impoverished Skype you were about to offer!” Maybe now Microsoft will look for a way to incorporate simultaneous chat window support in the latest Skype 8.0 as widely requested.
So you don’t need to update to Skype 8.0 by September 2018 after all! Exactly how long Microsoft will continue to support Skype 7.0 remains unclear, but for now users can still stick with the classic Skype desktop app. Until Microsoft implements some of the changes users have requested for Skype 8.0, Skype 7 will probably retain a substantial user base.
Microsoft’s Windows Community Toolkit has reached version 4.0 and with that update comes a handful of new additions and improvements.
Microsoft announced today that users of the Windows Community Toolkit v4.0 should look forward to:
New DataGrid with fluent design for all UWP developers
Two new Microsoft Graph controls. PowerBIEmbedded enables embedding PowerBI dashboards in your UWP apps and PlannerTasksList allows users to work with Microsoft Planner tasks
The Twitter, LinkedIn, and Microsoft Translator services have moved to the .NET Standard services package and available to even more developers, including desktop and Xamarin developers
Strong-named packages for those developers that require strong-named assemblies
Dark theme support for the sample app and theme chooser for each sample
When creating a system image file in Windows 8.1 and your partition has certain errors on it or you don’t have enough free space on it you will most likely get the following error message: “There is not enough disk space to create the volume shadow copy of the storage location (0x80780119)”. Well, you can follow the tutorial below to find out more about this issue and how to fix the error code 0x80780119 in your Windows 8.1 operating system.
The space you require to make a backup copy of the system is not only in the regular partition of the Windows operating system but also refers to the volume shadow copy of the image. This copy will be placed on the OEM Recovery partition which windows creates but in most of the cases the partition doesn’t have enough free space on it in order for the shadow copy to be placed there.
Fix error 0x80780119 in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1
1. Shrink your recovery partition
Open your “Disk Manager” feature available in your Windows operating system by pressing on the arrow situated in the lower side of the screen or just swipe up to open the app window.
Now in the Apps screen swipe to the right side of the screen to open “Windows System” feature.
Left click or tap on the “Control Panel” feature available there.
In the “Windows System” category you should find “System and Security” link.
In the “System and Security” feature you should left click or tap on the “Administrative Tools” feature situated in the lower side of the screen.
In the “Administrative Tools” window you should double click (left click) on “Computer management”
In the “Computer Management” window left click or tap on the “Disk Management” button. Note: You will need to expand the “Storage” option in order to see the “Disk Management” feature.
You should have in the “Disk Manager” window the partitions made in your device.
Look for the “Recovery Partition” that should be around 500 MB in size.
Right click on this partition and left click or tap on the “Shrink Volume” feature available in the menu that appears.
You should now have in front of you the “Shrink” window of the partition you selected.
Next to “Total size before shrink in MB” you should have 500 MB or more.
Now for example if the partition is 500 MB as above you will need to write a “10” next to “Enter the amount of space to shrink in MB” in order to bring under 500 MB the “Total size after shrink in MB” (if you write a 10 in that field as explained above, for a partition of 500 MB you should get in the “Total size after shrink in MB” the value of 490 MB) Note: If this partition is larger than 500 MB you will need to write in the field next to “Enter the amount of space to shrink in MB” the number necessary to bring the MB in the ” Total size after shrink in MB” field under 500 MB.
Left click or tap on the “Shrink” button situated in the lower side of this window.
After the process is completed your partition should be at 490 MB.
You will need to reboot the Windows 8.1 operating system.
Try to see if you can make the backup copy now.
2. Run a Disk Check
Open Computer (This PC)
Right-click on the drive you want to check and open its Properties
Click on Tools tab, after that click Check Now (located under Error-checking)
Click on ‘Automatically fix file system errors’ if you want your PC to do it automatically
There you go. Now you have a method which you can use to fix the error code 0x80780119 in your Windows 8.1 or Windows 8 operating system. You can write us below if anything is unclear and we will help you further with this issue.
The Xbox app in Windows 10 provides many handy options for Xbox gaming. However, some users can’t always log in to their Xbox apps. One Xbox app sign in error message states: We can’t sign you in right now. Try again later (0x406). Here are a few resolutions for fixing the 0x406 sign in error.
Windows 10 includes a handy Reset option that’s always worth noting when an app throws out an error message. The Reset option will reset the app‘s data, but not your account data. This is how you can Reset your Xbox app.
Press the Type here to search (otherwise Cortana) button on Windows 10’s taskbar.
Enter the keyword ‘apps‘ in the search box.
Click Apps & features to open a list of UWP apps in Settings.
Enter ‘Xbox‘ in the Search this list box.
Select the Xbox app and click Advanced options.
Press the Reset button shown directly below.
Click Reset again to provide further confirmation.
Error 0x406 can be due to missing built-in apps that the Xbox app depends on. Thus, restoring missing built-in apps can fix error 0x406. You can ensure Windows includes all required apps as follows.
First, open the Cortana app.
Enter ‘Powershell’ in the Cortana app’s search box.
Right-click Windows PowerShell and select Run as administrator.
Then enter (or copy and paste) Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers| Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml”} into PowerShell, and press the Enter key.
3. Add the Xbox Identity Provider App to Windows 10
Also note that you need an admin account to sign in to your Xbox app. So make sure you’re opening the app within an admin account. You can quickly set up an admin account as follows.
Right-click the Start menu to open the Win + X menu.
Select Command Prompt (Admin) to open the Prompt’s window.
Now enter ‘net user administrator /active:yes’ in the Command Prompt’s window, and press the Return key.
Close the Command Prompt.
Press Ctrl + Alt + Del to selectSign out.
Then log in with your new admin account, and open the Xbox app.
Those are a few of the resolutions that will probably fix error 0x406 so you can sign in to your Xbox app again. Note that Windows 10 also includes an app troubleshooter you can open from Settings which might also come in handy for fixing error 0x406.
While reinstalling the Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 operating system some of our users accidentally formatted the wrong partition which may include several important data like movies, music, files or work-related documents. You will be glad to know that there is a fix to this issue and you will learn what you need to do in the lines below in order to solve your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 if you formatted the wrong partition.
There are some useful applications that you can install in order to bring back your important data in Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 that you previously lost to the partition format action you made by mistake. Some of them you can get for free and some of them cost just a few dollars so mainly if you have very important data that you need to get back I don’t think a few dollars can stand in your way.
How to get back your partition if you formatted it by mistake in Windows 8.1 or Windows 10
1. Use Remo Software
Left click or tap on the link posted below in order to download “Remo software” software. Note: This application will restore most of your files including videos, documents, music, emails, files and many others.
Go to the folder where you downloaded the application and run the application file in order to start the process. Note: Install it where the default path is in the installation process.
After the installation process is completed you can go on your Windows desktop and run the icon from there.
After you open the application you should have in front of you the main page.
Left click or tap on the “Recover Partition/Drives” feature presented in the main page.
Left click or tap on the “Partition Recovery” feature.
You will have a list of available drives that you can recover data from.
Left click or tap on the drive you want to recover your data from.
After you start the process you will have to wait a couple of minutes (approximately 25 minutes)
After the scan is finished you will be displayed with the data available that you wish to recover. Note1: You can save the files you want to recover on any partition or removable stick in your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 operating system Note2: As a safety precaution it is recommended to always make a backup copy of the system before you attempt to format a partition or a full drive.
Left click or tap on the “Save file” button you get on your screen after you left click or tap on the link above.
Save it anywhere you like in your Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 system. Note: This application is free
Install the application on a different partition then the one you formatted.
After the installation is completed you will need to go on the desktop and open ” iCare Data Recovery” icon.
In the main window of the application, you will need to left click or tap on the “Format Recovery”.
Now you will need to left click or tap on the partition that you previously formatted.
Left click or tap on the “Recover” feature presented in this window.
After the scanning device process is finished you will have the formatted partition there.
Select the formatted partition and left click or tap on the “show files” feature. Note: After you selected “Show Files” feature you will have in front of you the files that were on your partition before you formatted it.
You only have to save the files that you lost to another partition on the Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 device and you are all done.
3. Use other partition software
The tools presented below work well on Windows 10, 8.1 but you might know other partition software that you have used already. Some of them like MiniTool Partition Wizard, Paragon Partition Manager or EaseUS Partition are known worldwide and will help you. However, before downloading one of them, be sure that they have a backup feature so you can recover your wrong formatted drive.
On our site, you can find more partition formatting software that will help you. They are selected for Windows 10 users and have advanced formatting features. Be sure you choose the right one in order to fix your problem.
There you go; two quick methods on how to get back your lost data if you formatted the wrong partition in Windows 8.1 or Windows 10. Please write us below for any additional questions you may have on this subject and we will help you further with this issue as soon as possible.
READ ALSO: Microsoft to Discuss Windows 10 on Tablets and Phones Next Week at a Special Event
Hey, a Wednesday 10am new build, woohoo! Microsoft has just released a new RS5 build, version 17733. Included are a dark theme for File Explorer, a retraction of XAML shadows, some fixes to Narrator, and much more. We’ll have all the details up soon, but for now get to downloading!
If you’re the kind of person that likes to change up your desktop and theme, you’re in for a treat. Microsoft has recently added a new Artistic Endeavors Windows 10 theme to the Microsoft Store, and it looks pretty cool.
The full theme comes with a total of 19 hand-painted images for your Windows 10 PC. There are pictures of calming flowers, birds, and landscapes in the pack, and you can tweak your theme settings to have it cycle through every once in a while. If you want, you can also head to the themes folder after the theme is unpacked, and choose a specific image to use persistently.
Microsoft has also recently unleashed a Ninja Cat pack, for Windows 10 to celebrate the mascot for the Windows Insider Program. Anyway, our favorite image in this collection happens to be the one with the bicycle, and we’re curious as to which one you like too. Head to the Windows Store now to download and let us know in the comments below!
Upgrading the OS has several benefits, be it a better UI, enhanced feature set, or a user-friendly experience. But it’s not all pros. Several users, after upgrading, reported that a right click on the desktop freezes or hangs Windows 11.
You will most likely get this issue when you update/upgrade the OS, and some applications are incompatible with the new system. In most cases, the Autodesk Inventor application will make your operating system react like this.
Keep reading to find solutions when your Windows 11 desktop freezes after a right click.
What can I do if a right-click on desktop freezes Windows 11?
1. Disable contextmenuhadlers
Tip
It is very important to make a backup copy of the Registry Editor keys or create a restore point before you modify or delete keys in case something goes wrong.
Look exactly at which folders or file types you are having the right-click issue.
Press Windows + R to open Run, type regedit, and hit Enter.
Now if you have issues with the right-click on a specific file type, you will need to navigate to the location below and disable or delete contextmenuhandlers:
Install the app and run a scan to view all the shell extensions on your PC.
Look in the results window that shows the shell extensions, left-click or tap on the Type button in order to sort them.
Now scroll down until you find the context menu handlers of the system.
Find the Autodesk Inventor context menu handler and disable it.
When third-party apps conflict with the functioning of the computer and a right click freezes Windows 10 or the latest iteration, using ShellExView might help.
Open the Registry Editor and navigate to the following path:Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\New
If you have any other third parties folders, we suggest you make a backup of them and remove or disable them one by one and check if your desktop reacts to the right-click action.
If Windows 11 freezes or hangs when you right-click on the desktop, modifying the registry to remove any third-party conflicts should fix things.
Before you leave, find out how to speed up Windows 11 and make the PC run faster than ever.
Please write us below in the comments section any other questions you may have on this article, and we will help you further with this issue.
Microsoft has started testing a new Spotify Add-in with Skype Insiders running the version 8.26 builds or higher. The new feature is only available for Insiders in the US for now, but a global roll out is coming soon.
We are excited to introduce the Spotify Add-in to #SkypeInsiders! You can preview and share songs in Skype ???????? Now in the US on 8.26 builds and higher. Very soon to all Insiders around the world. Check it out & share your feedback! ???? https://t.co/pHtqicNc1J
For those unfamiliar, Skype Add-ins are all the third-party services you can access right from your Skype chats by clicking the + icon. With the new Spotify add-in, you’ll be able to preview Spotify songs in Skype and share them with any of your contacts. On this support page, Microsoft notes that not all Spotify songs have a playable preview in Skype, and in that case your contacts will need to click the “Play on Spotify” button to listen to the song on the music streaming app.
Microsoft has already teamed up with the music streaming service to allow Groove Music Pass subscribers to transfer their playlists to Spotify, so we’re glad to see that both companies are continuing to work together. Spotify is one of the most popular players in the music streaming space these days, and this new Add-in may well make the controversial version 8 of Skype a little more bearable for music fans.
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