What is Angle Snapping on Mouse & Why Should you Enable It

Posted on by Vladimir Popescu

Some of our readers encountered terms like Angle Snapping that they found hard to understand while reading mouse reviews or press materials for mice. 

If no one has explained to you what it means or how to enable Angle Snapping mouse, this article will provide you with all you need to know about it.

What is angle snapping mouse?

Have you ever attempted to draw a circle or a straight line? It’s quite difficult to do it freehand unless you’ve had a great deal of practice. The same can be said when we use a mouse.

Assuming you have a (good) gaming mouse or a mouse without angle snapping, you would probably fail if you opened Paint right now and tried to draw a pixel-perfect straight line.

You would fail because it’s nearly hard for most people to draw a perfectly straight line on their first try. However, you can accomplish that with the aid of angle snapping.

Although your actual movements aren’t straight at all, an Angle Snapping mouse predicts when you want to draw a straight line and artificially maintains that line on the screen.

Why should you enable it?

Using the angle snapping feature is only beneficial for one purpose which is to gain more precision while gaming. Sometimes, the mouse cursor will fail to lock to your game and interrupt gameplay.

Angle snapping is a feature that may be enabled to reduce unnecessary movement during target snapping while playing games and is a useful tool for inexperienced players.

For instance, it can help you track your opponent as he runs across the field, keeping you scoped on the head and not sinking below or rising above.

If you want to enable the Angle Snapping feature for your mice, you can explore the steps provided below to get the help you need.

How can I enable angle snapping mouse?

Before engaging in any advanced settings tweak, you should consider performing the preliminary check below;

  • Confirm that your mice are eligible for the Angle Snapping feature. This is because most contemporary gaming mice lack angle snapping. After all, the sensors used in high-quality products nowadays are all perfect. In other words, they don’t use performance-limiting modifications like smoothing.

Since the Angle Snapping feature can only be enabled on an eligible gaming mouse, the next section will discuss how to enable it from the software of the mouse’s manufacturer.

1. Enable Angle Snapping using the Republic of Gamers website

  1. Go to the ROG Armoury II official website to download the application.
  2. Launch the program after installing it.
  3. Navigate to the Performance tab under the Mouse section.
  4. Under the Angle Snapping option, click on the straight line option to enable it.
  5. Restart your PC.

After installing the software to your PC, make sure you restart your PC for the feature to take effect.

2. Download the Lioncast Software to enable Angle Snapping

  1. Visit the official website for Lioncast to download and install the Lioncast software depending on the mouse.
  2. Launch the application and click on the Sensor tab.
  3. Then, enable Angle Snapping and scroll to adjust the limit.

You can access Angle Snapping if you purchase your gaming mouse from Lioncast.

3. Download Corsair’s (iCUE) software to enable Angle Snapping

  1. Visit Corsair’s official website to get the iCUE program.
  2. Install the program, then run it. The Dashboard menu will then appear.
  3. Choose the Home tab, move the mouse pointer over the choices, and select Device Settings.
  4. Scroll down and turn on Angle Snapping in the newly opened window.

Gamers can use the above steps to enable Angle Snapping in their mice depending on the manufacturer’s support for the model.

Installing any additional third-party software could interfere with the game’s anti-cheat features and result in a permanent ban, so we strongly advise players to stick with the supplied software.

Alternatively, if you need help with the best mouse to improve your gaming performance, you should check out these Asus gaming mice.

Moreover, having gaming-efficient keyboards could also improve your gaming performance, so check out a list of the best Razer keyboards.

If you have any questions or suggestions, do not hesitate to use the comments section below.

Fix: Teams Blue Screen When Opening Files

Posted on by Vladimir Popescu

Many of our readers have been experiencing a blue screen in Microsoft Teams upon opening files in the app. This transparent blue screen appears when you click to access any document from the file tab. If the blue screen is causing inconvenience, this guide will provide effective solutions to get rid of it.

What causes a blue screen in Teams when opening files?

There can be several reasons why you encounter a blue screen on Microsoft Teams when opening files:

  • Corrupt cache – If the corrupt cache files of the Teams app can cause random errors like the partial blue screen in Teams.
  • Slow internet connection – An unstable or poor internet connection can result in a blue screen when opening files.
  • Buggy update – The current Microsoft Teams version can be buggy and cause a blue screen to appear every time you try opening files.
  • Hardware Acceleration is enabled – When enabled, hardware accelerated GPU scheduling can trigger the Teams blue screen error upon opening files.
  • Outdated display drivers – Obsolete display drivers are a potential cause for several display-related problems, including the Teams blue screen problem.

Now that we know the reasons for the blue screen when opening files in Microsoft Teams, let’s find out how to get rid of the inconvenience.

How can I fix the blue screen in Teams when opening files?

Before moving on to the complex solutions, we recommend trying these basic workarounds:

  • Restart your computer to get rid of the temporary technical glitches.
  • Ensure that you are signed into Microsoft Teams using the correct email account.
  • Check the Teams app for new updates and install them on your PC.
  • Connect to a different network, such as a mobile hotspot, and then access files in the Teams app.
  • Check and install the available Windows updates to resolve the underlying bugs.

If you still encounter the blue screen upon opening files in Teams, perform the actions mentioned below.

1. Restart Microsoft Teams

  1. Right-click the Windows icon on the taskbar and select Task Manager from the Quick Links menu.Teams blue screen when opening files
  2. Look for Microsoft Teams in the Processes tab, right-click it, and choose End Task from the context menu.Teams blue screen when opening files
  3. Press the Windows key, type teams in the search bar on top, and select the app from the search result.Search Microsoft Teams from Start menu

Restarting the app can help resolve the temporary bug causing the blue screen when you try opening files in Teams.

2. Clear the Microsoft Teams cache

  1. Make sure you close the Teams app.
  2. Use the Windows + R shortcut to launch the Run dialog box.
  3. Type the following command in the text box and press the Enter key to directly access the Microsoft Teams folder. %appdata%\Microsoft\TeamsTeams blue screen when opening files
  4. Use the Ctrl + A shortcut to select all the files and folders in the directory and press the Delete key.Teams blue screen when opening files

Now restart the Teams once again, and hopefully, you will no longer witness the Teams blue screen while opening files.

Like other apps, Microsoft Teams accumulates the cache data to deliver better performance. Over time, the cache folder grows in size and may get corrupt and cause random issues like the one at hand.

3. Restore the default theme

  1. Launch Microsoft Teams.
  2. Click the Menu icon (horizontal three dots) located next to your profile picture on the top, and choose Settings from the drop-down menu.Teams blue screen when opening files
  3. Select Default instead of Dark and High Contrast theme from General settings.Teams blue screen when opening files

The default theme will now be applied as soon as you make the selection.

As reported by several of our readers, the partial blue screen appears on files only when the dark or high-contrast theme is applied in the Teams app. So restoring the theme settings to default can do away with the Teams blue screen that appears upon opening files in the app.

4. Disable the hardware acceleration

  1. Press the Windows key to launch the Start menu, type teams in the search bar, and select Microsoft Teams from the search result.
  2. Click the Menu icon (horizontal three dots) located on the top right and choose Settings from the drop-down menu.Teams blue screen when opening files
  3. Enable the checkbox preceding Disable GPU hardware acceleration option under the Applications section.Disable GPU hardware acceleration

When the GPU hardware acceleration is enabled, CPU and RAM usage by Teams increases tremendously. Consequently, your PC delays responding to the requests when you double-click to access the file and displays a partial blue screen.

5. Update the display driver

  1. Right-click the Windows icon and select Device Manager from the Quick Links menu.Teams blue screen when opening files
  2. Double-click the Display adapters category to expand the list of devices.
  3. Right-click the graphics card and choose Update driver from the context menu.Teams blue screen when opening files
  4. Select the Search automatically for drivers option from the Update Drivers window.Teams blue screen when opening files

Your computer will search for the latest update for your graphics card and automatically download and install them without your intervention. Hence, Installing the latest available driver can easily fix the Teams blue screen that appears when you open any files within the app.

These workarounds can help fix the partial blue screen in Teams that appears when you try opening the different files. Also, we recommend that you go through this guide if you are unable to download files from Microsoft Teams.

Let us know if these solutions helped you get rid of the blue screen. Also, if you have any other questions or suggestions, you can leave them in the comments section.

How to Make Outlook Automatically Open Replies & Forwards

Posted on by Loredana Harsana

Microsoft Outlook typically opens replies and forwards in the same window by default when you click Reply or Forward from the reading pane. But, some of our readers have requested to know how to make Outlook pop out reply in a new window.

In case you have been wondering how to deal with this task in Outlook too, you can explore this guide to learn how to resolve it quickly and easily.

What does it mean to automatically pop out replies in Outlook?

In Outlook 2013, 2016, and Microsoft 365, email replies and forwards are done in line by default. This means, your reply or forward message is typed within the preview pane.

However, with the Outlook pop out reply feature, users can modify Outlook’s default configuration, which opens replies or forwards in the same window, to automatically open replies and forwards in a separate window.

In the section below, we will take you through a simplified process of how to tweak this setting.

How to configure Outlook to open replies and forwards in Pop out Window?

1. Via the Outlook app

  1. Launch the MS Outlook app.
  2. On the File tab, click on the Options button.
  3. From the Outlook dialog box that opens immediately, click Mail on the left pane.
  4. Now, scroll down to the Replies and forwards section and check the box with Open replies and forwards in a new window option.
  5. Then, click the OK button to save the changes.  

Now, when you click Reply, Reply All or Forward from the reading pane, a new window will be displayed at once.

2. Use the Outlook Web version

  1. Sign in to your Outlook account via your web browser and click on the gear icon.
  2. Now, click on Options from the menu.
  3. Under Layout, click on the Reading pane.
  4. Finally, under When writing email messages, select Type in a new window.

The setting should be automatically changed once you’ve applied the settings. You can also check our detailed guide for the best browsers to use for all purposes here.

Alternatively, if you’re having issues with opening your Outlook app in Windows 11, you can fix it in the 6 steps provided in this article.

And that’s it on how to make Outlook automatically open replies and forwards. If you have any questions or suggestions, do not hesitate to use the comments section below.

High CPU Usage on Apex Legends: 3 Ways to Lower It

Posted on by Vlad Turiceanu

Several players have recently reported encountering the Apex Legends high CPU usage issue when starting the game on a Windows PC.

If your CPU usage rate on Apex Legends has been abnormally high, do not worry. In this article, we have compiled some steps to lower it to enable the game to run smoothly without crashing.

What causes high CPU usage on Apex Legends?

  • Corrupted or damaged game files – There is a high chance that corrupted and faulty game files cause Apex Legends’ high CPU usage issue. Infected game files have a history of lowering game performance and raising CPU use on your computer. It may also trigger the Apex game logic error.
  • Outdated Graphics Driver – Out-of-date graphics and other device drivers can also trigger this problem. Therefore, update your GPU drivers if you haven’t done so in a while. By doing this, you’ll be able to eliminate any problems or bugs causing CPU usage to increase.
  • Corrupted Cache associated with the game launcher – The Apex Legends’ high CPU usage could be caused by a corrupted cache linked to the game launcher, such as Origin or Steam. To resolve the problem, try clearing the Origin or Steam cache if the scenario applies.
  • In-game overlays – In-game overlays may also be the root of the current problem. Therefore, turn off in-game overlays.
  • In-game Graphics Settings – The Apex Legends’ high CPU usage may occur if you have high graphics settings enabled. Instead of this, modify the game’s visual settings.

Now that you know some of the possible reasons behind the Apex Legends’ high CPU usage issue, let us proceed to how you can lower it.

How can I fix high CPU usage on Apex Legends?

Before engaging in any advanced troubleshooting or settings tweaks for the Apex Legends high CPU usage error, restart your PC, update your computer drivers, and close unnecessary applications or windows you have opened.

1. Run Apex Legends with Administrative privileges

  1. Press the Windows + E keys to open File Explorer.
  2. Locate the main executable file of Apex Legends. Right-click on the ApexLegends.exe file and select Properties from the context menu.
  3. Next, navigate to the Compatibility tab and check the box with the Run this program as an administrator.
  4. Then, click the Apply and OK buttons to save changes.

Running Apex Legends as an administrator has worked for several players. However, you can check the next fix if it doesn’t work for you.

2. Clear Origin or Steam Cache

2.1. How to clear the Origin cache

  1. Press the Windows + R to open the Run dialog box. Type %ProgramData%/Origin in the text field.
  2. Next, in the opened directory, delete all the folders except for the LocalContent folder.
  3. Then, open the Run command dialog box again. Type %AppData% in the text field, and clear the  Origin folder.
  4. Alternatively, open the Run command dialog again, and type %userprofile% in the box.
  5. Open the AppData folder, navigate to the Local folder, and delete the Origin folder.
  6. Restart your PC.

You can now relaunch Origin and Apex Legends to check if the problem is fixed.

2.2. How to clear the Steam cache

  1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run command dialog box. Type %appdata% in the text field.
  2. Locate the Steam folder in the opened location. If you can’t see the folder, you can show hidden files/folders.
  3. Next, delete the Steam folder and close File Explorer.
  4. Finally, restart your PC and launch your game1 to see if the high CPU usage problem is fixed or not.

Some users have reported that clearing the cache from Steam and Origin has helped them with the high CPU usage. You should try it too.

3. Update your Graphics drivers

  1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run window. Type the following in the search box devmgmt.msc, and press Enter.
  2. Choose Display adapters by double-clicking from the search results. Right-click on the graphics driver and select Update driver from the context menu.
  3. Now, select Search automatically for drivers.
  4. Restart your computer after the updating process is complete.

You can also get the latest graphics driver from the manufacturer’s website, such as Intel, AMD, or Nvidia, depending on your GPU.

Instead of manually searching and updating the drivers, which can be risky and cause other issues, you can use a secure and automatic method.

There is software that can scan your PC entirely and find outdated drivers, thus updating them with the official versions with one click.

⇒ Get Fortect Driver Updater

The issue should be fixed after updating your graphics drivers. However, if the error persists, you can explore our dedicated guide on how to fix Apex Legends if it’s not using the GPU for further assistance.

Alternatively, you can work through the steps provided in our best ways to limit the CPU usage of a process troubleshooting guide.

And that’s how to lower high CPU usage on Apex Legends. Moreover, make sure your graphics drivers & network drivers are up to date to prevent issues like Apex Legends Anticheat error.

Still, on Apex errors, ensure your time synchronization is in check to prevent issues like the clock code error.

If you have any questions or further information regarding Apex Legends’ high CPU usage issue, please use the comments section below.

4 Ways to Fix Office 365 Error Code 0x80048823

Posted on by Vladimir Popescu

While using Office 365, some users reported that the error code 0x80048823. The error prevents Microsoft Office from working as you’ll be unable to login to the website.

In this article, we’ll take a brief overview of the Office 365 error code 0x80048823, its causes, and provide you with 4 of the best ways to resolve the error. 

What causes office 365 error code 0x80048823?

The following are some of the common causes of the Office 365 error code 0x80048823:

  • Wrong Sign in Credentials – If you’re attempting to sign into Office 365 with the wrong credentials, you’ll be unable to access the service. Errors like the 0x80048823 are likely to occur in such cases.
  • Corrupt System Files – The Windows OS consists of a host of system files and applications that enable the computer to run correctly. Sometimes, these files can get corrupted while using your PC. Forced shutdowns, viruses, etc, can all corrupt such files. If your PC has corrupt system files, it can trigger the error code 0x80048823.
  • Viruses and Malware – A PC infected with virus usually causes lots of errors and bugs. If you’re experiencing the Office 365 error code 0x80048823, your PC might be infected with malware.

How can I fix office 365 error code 0x80048823?

If you’re currently facing the 0x80048823 error code in Office 365, here are a few troubleshooting techniques you can attempt:

1. Delete the Office365ServiceV2 from the Task Manager

  1. Press the Windows key + S, type in Task Manager, and hit Enter.
  2. In the Task Manager window, locate the Microsoft Office365ServiceV2 process. Right-click on the process and select End task.
  3. Close the Task Manager window to check if the error persists.

There are times when the Task Manager may not respond. If you encounter this, do not hesitate to check out our guide.

2. Verify your Microsoft Account

  1. Locate Office from your Desktop, and double-click the icon to launch Office 365.
  2. In Office 365, navigate to Settings, and click on Email and Accounts.
  3. Check to see if your Microsoft account is synchronized properly and if it needs attention.
  4. If you see that it needs attention, click on Account, and re-enter your password.
  5. Check to see if the error persists.

3. Run a Windows Clean Boot

  1. Press the Windows key + R, type in msconfig, and hit Enter to launch the System Configuration Utility.
  2. On the General tab, select the Selective startup option, and then clear the Load startup items checkbox by clicking the checkboxes.
  3. On the Services tab, select the Hide all Microsoft services check box and click the Disable all button.
  4. Click OK, then click Restart to restart your PC with a Clean Boot.

A clean boot restricts certain third-party functionalities in your PC. If the error code 0x80048823 is triggered as a result of such third–party features, performing a clean boot can help eliminate the error. 

4. Run a Windows System Restore

  1. Press the Windows key, type in create a restore point, and hit Enter.
  2. In the popup window, click the System Restore button, and click the Next button.
  3. In the next window, select the specific restore point you wish to revert your system to, and click Next.
  4. Click the Scan for affected programs button to confirm apps that will be removed after the System Restore.
  5. Select the Close button, and click Next.
  6. Click the Finish button to complete the system restore.

System Restore is a very useful feature in Windows that enables users to restore their PCs to an earlier state which was functional and free of errors. 

If you noticed the error after making changes to Windows, you can easily revert to an earlier state of Windows using System Restore.

However, you’ll need to have created a restore point before you can utilize this fix. Here is a detailed guide on how to create a restore point in Windows. 

Resolving the error code 0x80048823 in Office is pretty straightforward and can be achieved by following the steps listed in our guide. 

If you’ve come across this error in the past, and successfully resolved it using alternative solutions, you can let us know in the comments below.

Rust keeps crashing: Causes & How to Fix It

Posted on by Vlad Turiceanu

Rust is an online multiplayer game available for Windows and other platforms. While playing the game, users have triggered the Rust keeps crashing error, preventing the game from launching.

If you’re experiencing the Rust keeps crashing error, we’ll brief you on the causes and provide you with steps to help resolve the error.

Why does Rust keep crashing?

Here are some of the common reasons why rust keeps crashing:

  • Outdated Graphics Driver – Rust like most PC games requires a graphics driver to function optimally. If your PC’s graphics card is outdated, it can cause rust to crash when launched.
  • Insufficient RAM – Background applications use a lot of your PC’s internal memory. If your PC possesses an average memory, opening too many applications at once could cause lagging which can trigger the rust keeps crashing error.
  • Low System Specs – When games are released, the developers specify a list of PC requirements needed to run the game without hitches. If your PC doesn’t meet Rust’s minimum system requirement, it can cause the game to crash when launched.
  • Outdated Windows OS – An outdated Windows OS can lead to a series of errors for the PC and applications installed on it. If you’re running an outdated Windows version, it could be the reason why Rust keeps crashing.
  • Corrupted Game Files – In some cases, the error Rust keeps crashing can be triggered when the game’s files are corrupted. Game files can be corrupted due to viruses, forced system shutdowns, etc. If any of Rust’s files are corrupted, it can trigger the error Rust keeps crashing.

What can I do if Rust keeps crashing in Windows?

Before we proceed with more advanced solutions, here are a few quick tips you can attempt:

  • Restart your PC.
  • Close and Relaunch Rust.
  • Check to see if your PC meets the minimum system requirements.

If those steps couldn’t resolve the error, here are more advanced troubleshooting techniques you can attempt:

1. Update Graphic Drivers

  1. Press the Windows key, type in Device Manager, and hit Enter.
  2. In the Device Manager window, locate Display Adapter, right-click on the device, and select Update driver.
  3. Choose Search automatically for drivers and wait for Windows to scan for available drivers.
  4. Restart your PC after the update and relaunch Rust to see if the error persists.

2. Update Windows

  1. Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app.
  2. Click on Windows Update and select Check for Updates. If there are any available updates, click on Download and Install to initiate the update process.
  3. Restart your PC once the update is complete and check to see if the error persists.

3. Run the Steam as an Administrator

  1. Locate the Steam app icon on your Desktop, right-click on it, and select Properties.
  2. Navigate to the Compatibility tab and check the box next to Run this program as an administrator.
  3. Click Apply and then click OK.
  4. Relaunch Steam and open the Rust app to see if the error persists.

You can run most games without admin privileges but if you’re experiencing the Rust keeps crashing error, you should Run the app as an administrator to see if it’ll resolve the error.

Here is a guide showing you how to make yourself an administrator in Windows.

4. Close Background Programs

  1. Right-click on your Start button and select Task Manager.
  2. Under the CPU and Memory usage tab, check to see which processes are consuming the most resources. Right-click on the Process and select End Task.
  3. Repeat this step until you’ve closed all resource-hogging programs and relaunch Rust to see if the error persists.

Background applications use up a lot of memory and can cause apps to crash if they’re too many opened. Closing background apps ensures that your PC can allocate memory for more important tasks and help speed up your system.

5. Verify the Integrity of Game Files

  1. Locate the Steam app from your Desktop and double-click the app icon to launch it.
  2. In the Steam app, click on Library. Right-click on Rust and select Properties.
  3. Click the Local Files tab and select Verify Integrity of Game Files.
  4. Wait for the scans to be complete and relaunch Rust to see if the error is fixed.

If the game files get corrupted or missing, you’ll have to verify the integrity of the game files to determine if that’s the cause of the error.

6. Change the Power Options

  1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run box, type in powercfg.cpl, and hit Enter.
  2. In the popup window, select the High-Performance option.
  3. Close the window, and restart your PC to see if the error persists.

The Power Option of most Windows PCs is set to Balanced. It helps conserve the battery but at the expense of reducing the performance. 

While trying to change your power options, you can run into the Power options greyed out error. Be sure to read our guide to resolve the error.

7. Reinstall Rust

  1. Locate the Steam icon on your Desktop and double-click it to launch the app.
  2. Click Library and locate Rust from the list of apps. Right-click and select Uninstall.
  3. Click Delete to complete the uninstallation.
  4. Close the Steam app.
  5. Press the Windows key + E to open File Explorer.
  6. In the File Explorer window, copy and paste this C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common in the address bar, and hit Enter.
  7. Click on the Rust folder and press the Del key on your keyboard to delete the folder.
  8. Relaunch the Steam client and reinstall Rust.

Reinstalling Rust is one of the best ways to resolve the Rust keeps crashing error. In addition, a reinstall often clears other crash issues and errors that you’ve been experiencing from the game.

However, you should reinstall only when you’ve attempted all the troubleshooting techniques and the error remains unfixed.

There are tons of ways you can get rid of the Rust keeps crashing error on Windows. In this article, we’ve provided you with 8 of the best steps to help resolve the error. If you follow through carefully, you should get Rust up and running in no time.

If you’ve experienced the error in the past and have alternative solutions that helped resolve the error, you can let us know in the comments below.

Latest Dev build lets you disable annoying notifications in the Start menu

Posted on by Alexandru Poloboc

Recently, we spoke about the newest Windows 11 Dev Channel build (23419) released through the Windows Insider program.

Back then, we told you that a small change with some Windows Insiders where the Recommended section of the Start menu is changed to For you.

We know that many of you aren’t at all happy about this, so just know that there is a tiny back door you can creep through.

By that, we mean that there is a still hidden feature in the update, which will give you the possibility to turn them off.

Is Microsoft letting us disable notifications in the Start menu?

As we’ve said, the latest cumulative update preview for Windows 11 has introduced a change that sparked a lot of controversies, in the form of Microsoft Account notifications in the Start menu.

Many of the involved users agree that those notifications are nothing but native ads that bait customers to click by creating a false sense of urgency.

A lot of people are asking themselves if backing up the Documents folder really that important to place a banner in the Start menu.

After probably listening to some customer feedback, Microsoft may actually let you do just that. By just that, we mean disabling these notifications, just so we’re clear.

Windows 11 build 23419, currently available for Windows insiders in the Dev Channel, contains a hidden feature for turning on or off account-related notifications in the Start menu.

If know what you are doing, know that a little bit of digging it up allows disabling the ads by heading to the appropriate section in the Settings app.

Keep in mind that Microsoft has not announced the option, so whether it will ship it to all customers in the Stable Channel remains an open question.

As a side note, this hidden feature is only available for Dev Channel users. Not even Canary Channel Insiders have this ability.

Thus, if you are using Dev builds and want to remove Microsoft Account notifications from the Start menu, you will need the help of ViveTool for this one.

That being said, know that enabling hidden experimental changes could lead to instabilities and bugs. We highly recommend that you back up important data before using the ViveTool app.

What is your opinion on the new Microsoft Account notifications in the Start menu? Share your thoughts and opinions with us in the comments section below.

How to Remove Write Protection from Pen Drive

Posted on by Loredana Harsana

You may encounter a prompt that says this disk is write-protected when you attempt to modify the contents of a pen drive. This can be frustrating as you are prohibited from writing, deleting, or changing any data on the pen drive.

You may initially think that the pen drive is no longer usable, but surprisingly, it is possible to remove the write protection from your pen drive. Let’s find out how.

Why is my pen drive write-protected?

Generally, Pen drives or USBs are write-protected to prevent someone from copying or modifying the files. However, there can be other reasons as well that you should take into account:

  • Individual files have read-only attributes – A pen drive may become write-protected if a file is marked as read-only and cannot be deleted.
  • BitLocker is enabled – If BitLocker is turned on, you won’t be able to make changes to files and locked pen drives.
  • No storage space – Insufficient disk space on the USB or pen drive can also cause a write-protected error.
  • Write protection switch is enabled – The physical write protection switch on the pen drive has been enabled accidentally.
  • Virus or malware infection – A virus infection or malware attack on the pen drive can also make it write-protected.

So, if you’re struggling to access a write-protected pen drive, you should know that there are several methods to remove write protection from your pen drive or USB. This guide lists the most effective ones and explains the step-by-step procedure.

How do I remove write protection from the pen drive?

Before employing the software-related workaround listed below, make sure to perform the following:

  • Look for the physical write protection lock and move it to the off position in case your pen drive has one.
  • Scan your pen drive for viruses and malware infections using Windows Defender or any third-party antivirus.

If these simple actions could not remove the write protection from your pen drive, move on to the workarounds listed below.

1. Change pen drive properties

  1. Insert the pen drive into a USB port on your computer and use the Windows + E shortcut to launch File Explorer.
  2. Choose This PC from the left navigation pane and locate your pen drive in the list of available drives.
  3. Right-click your pen drive and select Properties from the context menu.Remove write protection from pen drive
  4. Switch to the Security tab of the Properties dialog box and press the Edit button to modify the permissions for the pen drive.Remove write protection from pen drive
  5. In the permission window, Allow or Deny the permission to perform a write operation for each group and user name.Remove write protection from pen drive
  6. Click Apply to save the changes and OK to close the Properties window.

Once you’ve changed the read-write properties of the pen drive, it will no longer be write-protected, and you should be able to save, delete, and modify files on the pen drive as needed.

2. Remove read-only attributes using Command Prompt

  1. Press the Windows key to launch the Start menu, type cmd in the search bar on top, and select Run as Adminstrator from the result section.Remove write protection from pen drive
  2. Type or paste the following command and press the Enter key to execute it. Diskpart
  3. Next type the following command to view all the disks connected to the computer and note down the number representing your pen drive. list diskRemove write protection from pen drive
  4. Execute the following command and replace # with the number you copied previously. select disk #
  5. Now type the following command to disable the write protection on your pen drive. attributes disk clear readonlyRemove write protection from pen drive

When the disk attributes are cleared successfully, exit the command prompt window. The attribute command in Windows Command Prompt can remove read-only attributes from files or directories.

3. Modify the registry to disable write protection

Note icon NOTE
Modifying the Windows registry can be risky, so before proceeding, you should ensure you have a backup of your registry and understand the potential risks involved.
  1. Launch the Run command window using the Windows + R shortcut key, type the following command in the text box, and press the Enter key. regeditRemove write protection from pen drive
  2. Type the following path in the address path of the registry path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies
  3. Look for the WriteProtect value, right-click it, and choose Modify from the context menu.Remove write protection from pen drive
  4. Assign 0 as the data value instead of 1 and press OK.Remove write protection from pen drive

Now reconnect your pen drive, and you will see that the write protection is eliminated.

If you don’t see the StorageDevicePolicies folder in Registry, you can create one and then follow the steps above.

4. Disable BitLocker using Windows PowerShell

  1. Press the Windows key to launch the Start menu, type powershell in the search bar on top, and choose Run as Administrator.Remove write protection from pen drive
  2. Type or copy-paste the following command and press Enter key to execute it. Make sure to replace E with the letter representing your write-protected pen drive. Disable-BitLocker -MountPoint "E:” How to remove write protection from pen drive
  3. Exit the command prompt after the BitLocker is successfully disabled on your system.

The decryption process can take several moments, depending on the contents of the pen drive. Once the process is complete, your pen drive will no longer be write-protected.

So that’s how easy it is to remove write protection from a pen drive and perform the write operation as required.

We also recommend reading another guide to repair a Kingston Flash Drive if it has become corrupt.

Let us know in the comments if any of these methods were successful in removing the write-protected limitation from your pen drive.

How to Clean a Mouse Scroll Wheel [Easiest Methods]

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

A computer mouse tends to get dirty very quickly, and the buildup of debris can cause it to become less responsive or even stop working. Whether you use your mouse for work or for gaming purposes, a clean scroll wheel is essential for a seamless experience.

Why should I clean the mouse scroll wheel?

There are not one but many reasons why you should consider cleaning your mouse scroll wheel regularly. Some of the obvious ones are: 

  • Cleaning your mouse screen wheel preserves the life of your computer mouse and keeps it working properly. 
  • Food particles and dead skin cells clogged in the scroll wheel can damage the internal mechanisms of the mouse. 
  • A dirty mouse scroll wheel makes it difficult to scroll the web pages and affects your productivity. 

Now that you know why keeping a mouse scroll wheel clean is necessary, let’s proceed to the different methods to clean the mouse scroll wheel without investing much time and effort.

How do I clean a mouse scroll wheel? 

1. Things you need 

  1. Compressed air can – To blow away the dust or debris stuck on and around the scroll wheel
  2. Q-tip/Cotton swab – To clean the scroll wheel with disinfectant. 
  3. Jeweler’s screwdriver – To loosen the small screws that hold the mouse panels together 
  4. Isopropyl alcohol – To disinfect the scroll wheel and clean the oil buildup.
  5. Microfibre cloth – To wipe and dry the scroll wheel and internal circuit of the mouse

2. Cleaning Process 

  1. Unplug the mouse and remove the batteries if it is a battery-powered wireless mouse.How to clean mouse scroll wheel
  2. Turn over the mouse such that its bottom faces upwards. Identify the screws that hold the panels together and use a jeweler’s screwdriver to loosen and remove them, keeping them in a safe place. Some models have a central screw instead of several screws. 
  3. Gently lift the top panel upward to remove it and reveal the scroll wheel and internal circuit. Remove the wheel and both attached springs by pulling the plastic assembly upward.How to clean mouse scroll wheel
  4. Hold the can of compressed air about four inches above the wheel and the internal circuit. Now blow short bursts of air on each side of the wheel to remove all trapped dust and debris particles. Repeat the process until the mouse looks completely clean.
  5. Dip the Q-tip or cotton swab in isopropyl alcohol and gently wipe the tip around the wheel’s circumference to clean away any oily buildup and dirt. 
  6. Use the microfibre cloth to dry the scroll wheel and internal circuit, and maintain extreme caution. 
  7. Once the internals of the mouse is completely dry, place the wheel back and reposition the assembly in the center. A small click sound will ensure that the wheel is well seated in its correct position. 
  8. Now fit the top panel back in place, flip over the mouse to replace the screws, and tighten them using the screwdriver.how to clean mouse scroll wheel 
  9. Test your mouse to make sure it works flawlessly.

How do I clean the mouse scroll wheel without taking it apart?

1. Things you need

  1. Q-tips – To clean the scroll wheel. 
  2. Microfiber cloth – To dust and dry the mouse wheel without leaving any lint behind. 
  3. Toothpick – To reach hard-to-reach areas where Q-tip won’t reach.
  4. Isopropyl alcohol or contact electronic cleaner – To sanitize and disinfect the mouse from viruses and bacteria.

2. Cleaning Process 

  1. Ensure your mouse is disconnected from your PC. If you have a wireless mouse, power it off and take out any batteries to avoid causing damage.
  2. Put your mouse under a bright light source and turn it over. 
  3. Slowly roll the scroll wheel with your hands and run a toothpick around to loosen the stubborn dust and grime stuck in the scroll wheel and surrounding areas.How to clean mouse scroll wheel
  4. If your scroll wheel feels sticky or not functioning properly, take a Q-tip dipped in isopropyl alcohol or electronic contact cleaner and carefully disinfect the scroll wheel and the ridges around it. Apply minimum pressure to avoid damaging the scroll wheel mechanism. 
  5. Use a microfibre cloth to dry alcohol or contact cleaner completely before using the mouse again.How to clean mouse scroll wheel
  6. Once the cleaning is done, reconnect the mouse to your computer and turn it back on.

It’s easy to wipe clean the scroll wheel of your mouse without taking it apart, unlike most people think. But it would be best if you exercise caution when doing so.  

That’s it! You can thoroughly clean the mouse scroll wheel by applying minimal effort. You may want to check out our guide that explains what you should do if the right click is not working on your mouse. 

If you have any queries or suggestions, feel free to contact us in the comments section below, and we’ll be in touch as soon as possible.

The new Bing Ai-Chat will soon feature ads in its answers

Posted on by Alexandru Poloboc

We’re pretty sure you’ve heard about this Chat GPT 4 versus BARD AI battle. People are now torn between which of these software solutions has the better answers.

This subject has sparked massive controversy in the IT world, with users’ opinions pouring on social media platforms and dedicated forums.

The new AI-powered software chatbot has undergone several changes since it was recently launched and it will become more restrictive when competitors use it.

It has also become more accessible and you can use it directly from the Windows 11 taskbar. And, pretty soon, it will also feature annoying ads.

Prepare for a ads to be incorporated in your answers

There have been several reports of ad links being spotted in Microsoft’s Bing Chat service in the past few weeks, but today the Redmond company has made it official.

Microsoft has just posted a new Bing blog entry that describes the plans it has for monetizing the chatbot with ads.

The above-mentioned blog post stated that Microsoft’s goal with Bing Chat is to drive more traffic to publishers in this new world of search.

In fact, Yusuf Mehdi, the company’s Corporate Vice President & Consumer Chief Marketing Officer, stated that early progress is more than encouraging.

Based on data gathered from the preview, the company vouched for driving more traffic from all types of Bing AI ChatGPT users.

Redmond claims it has brought more people to Bing/Edge for new scenarios like chat and we are seeing increased usage.

There is also talk of uniquely implemented ways to drive traffic to publishers including citations within the body of the chat answers that are linked to sources as well as citations below the chat results to learn more with links to additional sources.

Furthermore, officials also state that the company has met with some of the businesses that are partners in the Microsoft Start news feed service.

These partners provided feedback to Microsoft on how they could use Bing Chat to link to their content and services. Microsoft added a couple of early ideas.

  • An expanded hover experience where hovering over a link from a publisher will display more links from that publisher giving the user more ways to engage and driving more traffic to the publisher’s website.
  • For Microsoft Start partners, placing a rich caption of Microsoft Start licensed content beside the chat answer helping to drive more user engagement with the content on Microsoft Start where we share the ad revenue with the partner. We’re also exploring placing ads in the chat experience to share the ad revenue with partners whose content contributed to the chat response.

Keep in mind that, since Microsoft still considers these ad plans to be early ideas, it’s more than likely that formatting and the overall ad experience will change in the coming months for Bing Chat.

What is your take on this entire situation? Be sure to share your thoughts and opinions with us in the comments section below.

How to enable Desktop Stickers in Windows 11 22H2

Posted on by davew

Desktop stickers are a fun and creative way to personalize your Windows 11 desktop and add a touch of personality to your workspace. In this guide, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of enabling desktop stickers in Windows 11 22H2 and give you some tips and tricks to make the most of this exciting feature.

At this time of this writing, Microsoft has yet to announce Desktop Stickers in Windows 11 22H2, so this guide may change, but you need to be running at least Windows 11 build 22621 (version 22H2 or newer) on your PC.

To check your Windows version, press the Windows key + R shortcut to bring up Run, type winver and press Enter to see what version of Windows 11 you have. DESKTOP STICKERS IN WINDOWS 11

Once you verify that you have the correct Windows 11 version, you can continue to the next step to enable desktop stickers in Windows 11 22H2.

Enabling Desktop Stickers in Windows 11 22H2

desktop stickers in windows 11 22H2

Desktop Stickers are not enabled by default in Windows 11 22H2. To enable Desktop Stickers, follow these steps:

  1. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to bring up Run, type regedit and press Enter. After you approve the User Account Control prompt, the Registry Editor will open.
  2. Navigate to the following location:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\current\device
  3. Right-click the device key and create a new key called Stickers.
  4. In the Stickers key you just created, create a new DWORD (32-bit value) and rename the new value to EnableStickers and change its value data to 1 and click OK to save the changes.
  5. Restart your computer for the new registry edit that you just made to be enabled.

Once you may the registry edits and restart your computer, you are now ready to use desktop stickers in Windows 11 22H2.

How to add, edit, or delete Desktop Stickers

Please note that the button to add or edit stickers will not work if you use the slideshows option to change the background of your desktop. Switch to using a single picture of Windows spotlight to enable desktop stickers in Windows 11 22H2. Once the feature is enabled, follow these steps to add, edit, or delete stickers on your desktop.

  1. Right-click anywhere on your screen and select Add or edit stickers. DESKTOP STICKERS IN WINDOWS 11
  2. Another way you can access desktop stickers in Windows 11 22H2 is using the Settings app and navigating to Personalization > Background and click Add Stickers. DESKTOP STICKERS IN WINDOWS 11
  3. Once you click Add or edit stickers or Add stickers the sticker menu will appear at the top of your screen giving you the option of browsing through the stickers or usinga keyword to find the stickers you want to use. DESKTOP STICKERS IN WINDOWS 11
  4. Once you find the sticker that you want to use, click or tap on it to add the sticker to your desktop. Once added, you can click to resize it or reposition where you want to see it on your desktop. If you want to delete the sticker, you can always use the trash icon below the sticker when you want to delete it. DESKTOP STICKERS IN WINDOWS 11
  5. You can add as many stickers as you want, just click the sticker menu at the top when you want to add more. If you want to exit the menu, just click the X button that appears to the right on the Desktop Stickers menu.

How to disable Desktop Stickers in Windows 11

If you want to disable Desktop Stickers in Windows 11 22H2, you will need to go back to the Registry Editor and make a few edits, just follow these steps:

  1. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to bring up Run, type regedit and press Enter. After you approve the User Account Control prompt, the Registry Editor will open.
  2. Navigate to the following location:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\PolicyManager\current\device\Stickers
  3. In the Stickers, change the value of EnableStickers from1to 0 and click OK to save the changes.
  4. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

You can also delete the Stickers key altogether, but you will have to repeat the steps in the beginning of this guide to re-enable Desktop Stickers in Windows 11 22H2.

Keep in mind that disabling Desktop Stickers in Windows 11 22H2 does not remove the existing stickers. You will need to remove the stickers BEFORE disabling this feature, or otherwise change the desktop background to something different to avoid displaying a background that already contains Desktop Stickers.

We hope that this guide has been helpful in enabling desktop stickers in Windows 11 22H2 and giving you some ideas for how to make the most of this fun and creative feature. By following the steps outlined in this guide and using our tips and tricks, you can add a touch of personality and style to your desktop and make your workday more enjoyable. Thank you for reading, and happy desktop-stickering!

Google claims Microsoft still anti-competitive in European Cloud

Posted on by David Allen

Google isn’t happy with the recent changes Microsoft made for European cloud vendors. A recent Reuters report takes a look at Google’s stance and includes comments from Google Cloud President, Amit Zavery.

The news comes just days after a Reuters report that Microsoft had offered to change some of its cloud practices for several small European Vendors.  Google believes Microsoft is cherry-picking vendors for its deals in an effort to maintain market dominance, not make genuine changes.  In an interview, late Wednesday Zavery further explained Google’s stance.

Microsoft definitely has a very anti-competitive posture in cloud. They are leveraging a lot of their dominance in the on-premise business as well as Office 365 and Windows to tie Azure and the rest of cloud services and make it hard for customers to have a choice.

When speaking with Reuters Microsoft give reference to a blog post in May of 2022, and a spokesperson shared a statement.

We are committed to the European Cloud Community and their success.

Microsoft introduced changes in October 2022, in response to feedback from European cloud providers.  Zavery still believes Microsoft is offering targeted deals or even buying out smaller vendors and not making deals available to everyone.

Whatever they’re offering, there should be terms across for everybody, not just for one or two they’ve chosen and pick, and that shows you that they have so much market power they can kind of go and do those things individually.

The European Commission has declined to comment.  Microsoft still faces another EU antitrust complaint for CISPE, whose members include Amazon. The trade group has rejected Microsoft’s changes.

Via Windows Central

0x8007054f: How to Fix This Windows Update Error Code

Posted on by Henderson Jayden Harper

Updating the Windows operating system helps it fix bugs affecting the current version and install new features to improve performance. However, our readers report a Windows update error 0x8007054F preventing them from doing that.

Alternatively, we have a detailed article about Windows 10/11 not installing and effective ways to fix it.

What causes the update error code 0×8007054f?

Many factors can cause the error message Something went wrong. You can contact Microsoft support for help with this error. Here is the error code: 0x8007054F on your PC. Some are:

  • Network-related issues – The error may occur due to network connection issues causing the Windows Update services not to connect to the server.
  • Corrupt system files – When the system files are corrupt, it makes them inaccessible or damaged. Hence, it can prevent the Windows update process from accessing them when needed, resulting in the 0x8007054F error.
  • Third-party app interference – The Windows update process on your PC may be impeded by installing third-party apps like antivirus software. They are liable to interfere with the connection between your PC and the Windows update service, resulting in error 0x8007054F.
  • Issues with Windows Update components – If the services are not running or intact, it can cause the Windows Update error because it won’t have any support on your PC.

Fortunately, we have come up with some effective and easy fixes you can use for resolving the 0x8007054f error.

How can I fix the Windows update error code 0×8007054f?

Before attempting any advanced troubleshooting steps, go through the following:

If you can’t resolve the error, go ahead with the solutions below:

1. Run Windows Update troubleshooter

  1. Press Windows + I key to open the Settings app.
  2. Select System, Troubleshoot, then click on the Other troubleshooters.
  3. Navigate to Most frequent and select the Run button beside Windows Update.
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete, then restart your PC to check if the error is resolved.

Running the Windows Update troubleshooter will find and resolve issues impeding the updates process on your computer. Read our guide on other ways to run the Windows Update troubleshooter on Windows 11.

2. Reset the Windows Update components

  1. Left-click the Start button, type Command Prompt, and click the Run as administrator option.
  2. Click Yes on the User Account Control prompt.
  3. Copy and paste the following commands and press Enter after each one: net stop wuauserv   net stop cryptSvc   net stop bits    net stop msiserver
  4. Copy and paste the following command one after the other: ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old   ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old
  5. Type the following commands and press Enter after each one: net start wuauserv   net start cryptSvc   net start bits    net start msiserver
  6. Exit the Command Prompt and restart your PC.

The above steps will reset the components involved in the updating process and fix the problems causing the 0x8007054f update error.

If you encounter issues running the Command Prompt as an administrator on Windows 11, read our guide for quick fixes.

3. Run an SFC scan

  1. Left-click the Start button, type Command Prompt, and click the Run as administrator option.
  2. Click Yes on the User Account Control prompt.
  3. Type the following and press Enter: sfc /scannow
  4. Restart your PC and check if the Windows update 0x8007054f error persists.

An SFC scan will find and repair corrupt system files preventing the computer from installing the Windows update. Do not hesitate to check our guide on how to repair corrupt system files on your PC.

As a time-saving option, you can try dependable software that will help you find all corrupt files after a thorough scan and replace them with fresh parts from its repository.

4. Clear Windows Update cache via File Explorer

  1. Press Windows + E to open File Explorer.
  2. Navigate to Local Disk (C), right-click on it, and click on Properties from the drop-down.
  3. Select Disk Clean-up, then click the Cleanup system files button.
  4. Check the boxes for Windows upgrade log files and Temporary Windows Installation files, then click OK.

Deleting the Windows update cache files will clear the corrupt files affecting the update process and allow the system to write new files.

Read our article on what to do if File Explorer keeps crashing your PC.

Further, you may be interested in our article about fixing slow Windows updates on PCs. Also, we have a detailed guide on Windows Update error 0x8007045b and some fixes.

If you have further questions or suggestions concerning this guide, kindly drop them in the comments section.

Surface Hub 2S to become a Teams Rooms device with upgrade later this year

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft announced that a second-generation Surface Hub 2S is making its way to Microsoft Teams Rooms later this year with a new version of Windows called Teams Rooms on Windows.

“When all new Surface Hubs ship with the Teams Rooms experience starting later this year, Surface Hub 2S will become the first touch-enabled board running Teams Rooms on Windows,” says Microsoft. The second-generation devices will ship with a similar design as before, that is, the 50-inch and 85-inch.

Teams Rooms on Windows ships with a host of new capabilities that are designed to enhance the meeting experience for both users and admins such as Front Row, persistent chat, consistent remote management capabilities, and more. Windows Central’s Zac Bowden also indicated that the new experience features a new user interface that’s quite similar to the one on Teams Rooms for Android devices.

thumbnail image 1 of blog post titled Surface Hub 2S: Now a Microsoft Teams Rooms on Windows device

Microsoft has indicated that it will continue supporting the existing Surface Hub 2S till it hits its end-of-support date which is slated for October 14, 2025. It’s worth noting that the Surface Hub 2S currently runs on Windows 10, which is also set to reach its end of support on the same date.

The company has further indicated that it will be rolling out the new Teams Rooms on Windows update to second-generation devices, existing Surface Hub 2S devices running on Windows 10 will be able to access the update at a later date.

Microsoft hasn’t given a precise date indicating when it intends to make this launch, neither has it given a price tag for these devices.

Registry Preview is coming to PowerToys

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft is set to introduce a fresh addition to its open-source PowerToys suite, the Registry Preview tool. This forthcoming feature is specifically designed for advanced users and will enable them to preview the impact of importing a .reg file into the registry, along with registry editing options. The disclosure of integrating this tool into PowerToys was recently publicized on the project’s GitHub repository.

Registry Preview is set to introduce its own in-built registry editing tool, which will eliminate the need for adjustments through .reg files using external software like Notepad. Moreover, the team is working towards implementing a context menu entry for effortless access to Registry Preview and its manifold range of features. However, it is worth noting that the current stage of development is uncertain, and the release schedule will depend on a multitude of factors, such as finalizing a well-rounded set of functionalities and options.

Registry Preview is a tool that helps Windows administrators preview Registry files before importing them into the Registry. Rather than opening the file in a text editor, administrators can use this app to view the contents of the file, including the keys and values that it contains. This makes it easier to audit and edit large Registry files with many lines of code. The tool acts as an intermediary between the Registry file and the user, making it more accessible and user-friendly.

Moreover, the Registry Preview tool is furnished with several supplementary options. For instance, it can write content directly to the Windows Registry or open the Registry Editor. The latter is especially useful for verifying existing settings or creating a backup of the Registry before importing any data. Additionally, changes can be saved to Registry files, which maximizes its efficiency and productivity.

The latest iteration of PowerToys is equipped with a novel feature that allows users to modify their Registry files through its interface, thereby enhancing their experience. You can access this functionality by simply clicking on the “edit file” button, which automatically displays any changes made as previews directly in the interface.

Via Beta News

Play Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and 3 more games with Xbox Free Play Days

Posted on by Robert Collins

Four games are available to play at no additional cost this week with Xbox Free Play Days, which is a perk of having an Xbox Live Gold or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. It’s a stacked lineup of exciting titles playable from now through Sunday, April 2, so let’s have a look at this week’s Xbox Free Play Days slate.

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition (10% off at $16.99)

For years, we’ve battled armies and conquered history. Now it’s time for the next evolution. Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition is now available across Xbox platforms. Enjoy a new way to play this much-loved game on console including optimizations for playing with a controller and new tutorials to get you into the fun quickly. Or if you prefer playing with a keyboard and mouse you can easily plug into your console or play on PC.

Enjoy 200+ hours of historical campaign gameplay, 1,000 years of human history and 35 civilizations now from the comfort of your living room.

Embr (70% off at $5.99)

Team up with friends to become the most über firefighters money can buy. Rush into burning buildings filled with dangerous hazards, valuables, and top-of-the-line security systems. Fight fires, save lives, salvage goods, and make life-changing money. Buy high tech tools with advanced upgrades, and fresh outfits that unlock new ways to play.

There’s plenty of fire to go around! Play by yourself or join a response crew of up to 4 players online, with dynamic difficulty that adapts to the size of your team.

Play through 25 unique levels across 3 districts filled with traps, hazards, and escalating danger.

There’s more than one way to be a hero. Break down doors, smash windows, fix electrical circuits, clear gas leaks, evade security systems, and do whatever you can to get the job done and get paid.

Indivisible (75% off at $9.99)

Indivisible is an action RPG / platformer featuring stunning hand drawn art and animation combined with unique real-time combat mechanics. Immerse yourself in a fantastical world with dozens of playable characters, a rich storytelling experience, gameplay that’s easy to learn but difficult to master, and the trademark razor-sharp quality that Lab Zero Games is known for!

Our story revolves around Ajna, a fearless girl with a rebellious streak. Raised by her father on the outskirts of their rural town, her life is thrown into chaos when her home is attacked, and a mysterious power awakens within her.

The game’s huge fantasy world, characters and aesthetic design are inspired by various cultures and mythologies. Throughout Ajna’s quest she’ll encounter many “Incarnations”: people whom she can absorb and manifest to fight alongside her. There are many Incarnations to recruit, each with their own story and personality. By uniting people from faraway lands, Ajna will learn about herself, the world she inhabits, and most importantly, how to save it.

Journey to the Savage Planet: Employee of the Month Edition (20% off at $23.99)

The definitive edition of the hilarious first-person adventure game Journey to the Savage Planet! Fully optimized for new hardware, running at a snappy 60 frames per second, includes all patches, all that juicy DLC, and a few new cinematics for your viewing pleasure.

You have been sent to a distant alien world by your semi-competent employer, Kindred Aerospace, with the aim of finding a new home for humanity! But the world that awaits you is filled with challenges, humor, and surprise, and sadly, Kindred forgot to equip you with any of the gear you will need, meaning you have to go find it and craft it yourself.

Play alone or in two-player co-op as you explore a beautiful and surprising alien world to solve the mystery that lurks at its heart before deciding whether or not to return to Earth! Four unique biomes, each with their own flora and fauna to explore. Dozens of wacky creatures to find, catalog, and photograph. A plethora of tools, weapons, and throwables let you tackle the challenges the way you want! Jet Boots! A Grapple! Acid grenades! And more! You’ll laugh, you’ll cheer, you’ll uncover secrets, and you can do it all with your best friend!

Wrap up

It’s a pretty sweet lineup for Xbox Free Play Days this week with four awesome game to try out. Keep in mind that featured games are typically discounted, so if there’s something you want to hang on to here this would be the time to act.

What do you think of this week’s Xbox Free Play Days games? Let us know down in the comments. And if you would like to learn more, head on over to the Xbox Free Play Days FAQ page.

Featured image via IGN. 

How to Download and Install Microsoft Office for Free (Step-by-Step Guide)

Posted on by Henderson Jayden Harper

You can now download and install Microsoft Office for free on your Windows PC, and in today’s guide, we’ll tell you all you need to know about it. Microsoft rolled out a free ad-supported version. Find all the setup steps you need to get started as soon as possible.

Step-by-Step Methods to Install the Free Microsoft Office

Table of contents

1. Download the Setup File from Microsoft’s Official Website

If you’re in a supported region, the simplest way to access the Microsoft 365 free version for Windows 11 is by downloading Office directly from the official website.

Follow these steps:

  1. Go to the official Microsoft Office site.
  2. Look for a version that mentions “Free with ads”, “Basic Office for Windows 11”, or “Office for Windows”.
  3. Click the download button for the setup file.
  4. Run the installer and wait for it to complete.
  5. Launch any Office app (Word, Excel, or PowerPoint).
  6. On the sign-in screen, click “Skip for now.”
  7. On the welcome screen, click “Continue for free.”
  8. Confirm that your files will be saved to OneDrive only.

📌 This version is not available worldwide. If you don’t see this option, your region may not be eligible.

If you’re looking for more general instructions, here’s a helpful guide on how to download Microsoft Office with various installation routes, including the official suite and third-party sources.

2. Install Office from the Microsoft Store (If Available)

You can also find a lightweight Microsoft 365 free version through the Microsoft Store, which includes access to apps like Word and Excel with limited features and integrated ads.

Here’s how:

  1. Open the Microsoft Store from your Start menu or taskbar.
  2. Type “Microsoft Office” in the search bar.
  3. Locate the listing that offers Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for free with ads.
  4. Click Install and wait for the apps to download.
  5. Open any installed app.
  6. Click “Continue for free” on the welcome screen.
  7. Agree to save files via OneDrive only.

⚠️ If this listing isn’t visible, the free version may not be available in your location.

Previously, Microsoft allowed users to install Office apps on Windows for free, but those promotions were time-limited and region-based, similar to the version discussed here.

3. Confirm Eligibility and Activate the Free Version

Even if Office apps appear on your device, you’ll need to activate the free Microsoft Office version to use them without a subscription.

Steps to activate:

  1. Open Word, Excel, or PowerPoint from your Start menu.
  2. When prompted to sign in to OneDrive, choose “Skip for now.”
  3. On the next screen, click “Continue for free.”
  4. Confirm OneDrive-only file saving.

📝 If the “Continue for free” option doesn’t appear, your system may not be part of Microsoft’s test rollout for this version.

If you run into installation problems, like the common error message “We had a problem installing your Office program”, this fix-it guide provides troubleshooting steps to get you back on track.

Other Free Ways to Access Microsoft Office

If the ad-supported version isn’t available, try these official options:

  • Free Trial: Get full access to Microsoft 365 for 1 month via the Microsoft 365 Free Trial. It includes desktop apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Just cancel before the trial ends to avoid charges.
  • Student or Teacher Access: If you have a school email, you may qualify for Microsoft Office for Education, which provides Microsoft Word, Excel, and more for free.
  • Web Version: Visit Office.com to use Microsoft 365 free in your browser. It’s limited compared to the desktop version but works well for basic editing.

Important Notes About This Version

  • The free Office version is ad-supported and displays banners or short videos.
  • It only saves documents to OneDrive. Local storage is not supported.
  • Many standard features are removed (like SmartArt, macros, pivot tables, and more).

While it may not replace a full subscription, the free offering is a great option if you simply need a Microsoft Word free download or a Microsoft Excel free download for basic editing tasks without paying for Microsoft 365.

You can find a complete list of Microsoft Office programs to better understand what’s included and what’s missing in this pared-down release.

Also, some users upgrading to newer versions like Office 2024 may encounter licensing conflicts. Microsoft has detailed a workaround if you’re ever switching between versions.

Summary

To install the free version of Microsoft Office on Windows 11, start by downloading it from Microsoft’s official website if you’re in a supported test region. If that doesn’t work, try the Microsoft Store. Lastly, check if it’s already on your device and activate it using the “Continue for free” flow.

This lightweight version is best for basic editing and cloud-only workflows. It’s ideal for casual users who don’t need advanced features or offline storage but still want access to Word and Excel at no cost.

FAQs

Is the free version of Microsoft Office available worldwide?

No, it’s only available in select regions as part of a limited test rollout.

Can I save files locally with the free version?

No, documents are saved to OneDrive only. Local saving is not supported.

Does the free version include all Office apps?

It includes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint with limited features

Patent for Turtle Beach Xbox controller with touchscreen surfaces online

Posted on by Robert Collins

It appears that third party gaming accessory maker Turtle Beach has patented a new Xbox controller that will feature a touch screen. As reported by Game Rant, a patent image that have surfaced online show a schematic for what the image dubs as a “Stealth Controller,” with a touchscreen interface at the top of the controller above the Xbox button.

As seen in the image, this touchscreen displays tabs for audio, loadouts, performance, social and a home screen. A notifications bell, battery status bar, and profile data can also be seen. Going off this schematic, the touch display could be used to save custom controller loadouts, track player performance in a game, and connect to social media. Reportedly the patent also mentions compatibility with mobile phones and other external devices via a dedicated app.

 

This isn’t the first such Xbox controller to appear recently. Asus announced its in-development Rakiri Pro OLED Xbox controller earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show. A month prior, Microsoft filed a patent of its own for a controller with an LCD display.

With all these touch screen controllers in development, it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to think that touch displays will become standard controller features in the near future.

Via Video Games Chronicle. 

Featured image via IGN. 

Researcher breaks in to Bing, Office 365 via AAD misconfiguration, now fixed

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Wiz, a cybersecurity firm discovered a major security flaw affecting Microsoft’s Bing search engine earlier this year. The bug not only allowed users to make changes to search results but also grant them access to personal credentials and information from Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and even Office 365.

Upon further analysis, Wiz researchers narrowed down the high-risk vulnerability to Microsoft’s Azure Active Directory, which is used as the authentication mechanism for Azure App Services and Azure Functions apps. However, it was found to be flawed thus allowing unauthorized users to access these apps.

Microsoft’s Azure Active Directory ships with support for various types of account access, which includes apps using the service’s multi-tenant permissions. Any user that’s part of any Azure tenant can access the apps. However, with elaborate measures in place, this can be prevented.

Wiz has further highlighted that 25% of the multi-tenant apps lacked proper validation. It’s the developer’s responsibility to ensure that they are checking for the user’s original tenant and that there are policies in place to prevent unauthorized users from gaining access to their apps.

And Microsoft’s case is quite similar according to Wiz’s findings, with its Bing Trivia app falling victim. The researchers were able to tap into the app using their own Azure accounts which then grant them access to a content management system (CMS) that was linked to Bing.com. From this point, they were able to manipulate search results.

Wiz states that from this point, it would have been very easy for the researchers that had access to launch phishing attacks (BingBang) on unsuspecting users. “A malicious actor landing on the Bing Trivia app page could therefore have tampered with any search term and launched misinformation campaigns, as well as phished and impersonated other websites,” indicated Wiz.

While looking further into the matter, Wiz came to the discovery that Bing and Office 365 were linked. This allowed the researchers to access the users’ Outlook emails, calendars, Teams messages, SharePoint documents, and OneDrive files. Multiple apps and websites belonging to Microsoft were also found to be susceptible to the same misconfiguration exploits, they included: Centralized Notification Service (CNS) API, Contact Center, PoliCheck, Power Automate Blog, and Cosmos.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Ami Luttwak, the chief technology officer at Wiz stated that “A potential attacker could have influenced Bing search results and compromised Microsoft 365 emails and data of millions of people. It could have been a nation-state trying to influence public opinion or a financially motivated hacker.”

According to Wiz:

The issues we identified in this research may affect any organization with Azure Active Directory applications that have been configured as multi-tenant but lack sufficient authorization checks. Based on data from our scans, we assess that exposure is significantly more common across Azure App Service and Azure Functions applications, where validation responsibility is unclear to developers.

The cybersecurity firm details that attackers hadn’t leveraged the vulnerability to deploy their phishing attacks to unsuspecting users. Wiz reported the issue to Microsoft’s Security Response Center on January 31. Microsoft quickly acknowledged it and issued a fix on Feb 2, a few days before The new Bing’s debut. The vulnerability affecting the rest of Microsoft’s application listed above was also patched towards the end of February.

The new entry has played a significant role in helping Bing hit and cross the 100 million daily active users mark. Had the issue not been patched in time for the launch or not discovered at all, the potential risk and threat in place would have been unimaginable. Microsoft has indicated that it is invested in putting elaborate measures to ensure that the user’s security and privacy is maintained.

It’s important for admins to ensure that multi-tenant access is properly configured. Wiz has since received a $40,000 bug bounty reward from Microsoft that they said they’d donate.

via: The Verge

Word for Windows 11: How to Download It For Free

Posted on by Henderson Jayden Harper

Microsoft Word is one of the most popular word processors in the world, offering a variety of features and tools for creating professional documents. With the release of Windows 11, many users ask how to download Microsoft Word for free.

Therefore, we will examine how to download and install MS Word for free on your Windows 11. Likewise, you can read about free Word Processors for Windows 11.

Table of contents

How can I download MS Word for Windows 11?

1. Download MS Word free trial

  1. Navigate to the Microsoft 365 Official free trial page.
  2. Select your subscription plan and click the free Try 1 Month Free button.
  3. Create a Microsoft account or log in with your existing Microsoft account.
  4. Select the 1-month free trial and click the Next button.
  5. Choose your means of payment, input your payment details, and click Save.
  6. Press the Start Trial, Pay Later button and click the Continue button after confirming your subscription.
  7. Select the Download the Desktop Apps button, and click the Install Office button from the new tab.
  8. Choose the language and the version you want to download, and click the Install button.
  9. Select the storage location to download the file and click on Save.
  10. Double-click the downloaded file, and Microsoft will automatically install the entire collection of Microsoft 365 apps to your computer.

Microsoft allows you to download their free 30 days trial before subscribing. Should you include your card details, you may be automatically charged for a subscription when the free trial elapses.

After you install the app, you can follow our step-by-step guide on how to use Microsoft Word so you can start creating and saving documents right away.

2. Download Microsoft Word for student

  1. Open your browser and visit the Microsoft Office website.
  2. Input your student email address and select the Get started button.
  3. Select the I’m a student option if you are a student.
  4. Microsoft will send a confirmation link to your school email address.
  5. Click the link in your email address and proceed to create your password.

Microsoft allows students to use its Word software for free if their institution supports it. Also, other institutions like non-profit organizations can use it for free.

Check our article about downloading and installing free Microsoft Office for students on Windows.

3. Use the online version of Word

The MS Word online version allows you to use the Word tool for free with your internet connection. The web-based version has a 5GB storage space to store your Word document.

It uses Cloud base storage and saves your file in real time, preventing data loss. Also, it saves files in .docx format, which makes it easy to share files with others like the Google docs counterpart.

FAQ

How can I download Microsoft Word on Windows 11?

You can download Microsoft Word from the official Microsoft Store or via the Microsoft 365 website after signing in with your Microsoft account.

Is Microsoft Word free on Windows 11?

Word isn’t completely free, but you can access a free online version through Office.com or get a free trial of Microsoft 365.

Can I install Microsoft Word without Microsoft 365?

Yes, you can purchase and download Word as a standalone app from the Microsoft Store without subscribing to Microsoft 365.

Why can’t I install Word on Windows 11?

Installation issues often happen due to pending system updates, lack of storage, or corrupted files—restart your PC and try again.

In addition, try to read our complete guide on opening and using Microsoft Word in your browser. You can also read about how Word compares to Pages.

Check our detailed guide on how to fix Microsoft Word that hasn’t been activated on your device.

In conclusion, check our guide about how to fix Microsoft Word not opening on your PC. Also, you can read about how to repair a corrupted Word document on your PC.

If you have further questions or suggestions, kindly drop them in the comments section.

Kojima Productions partners with Gresham Blake to launch Death Stranding apparel line

Posted on by Robert Collins

Kojima Productions has entered into a collaboration with famed designer Gresham Blake to create a Death Stranding-themed clothing line. The seven-piece unisex collection is now available over on the Kojima Productions Store.

The collection includes tracksuits, tee shirts, hats, jackets and more. The collection is considered luxury apparel, and a few examples can be seen below.

Gresham Blake x Death Stranding Tracksuit
Gresham Blake X Death Stranding Tracksuit $245.00

For those unfamiliar,

Gresham Blake is a design led tailoring business and ready to wear clothing brand, creating bespoke, made to measure & limited edition luxury clothing, shoes & accessories for both men and women.

With stores situated in the heart of Shoreditch, London and Brighton’s famous North Laine.

Our website offers worldwide shipping, simple returns and exchanges alongside unparalleled customer service.“—From the Gresham Blake site’s About Us page.

Gresham Blake x Death Stranding Silk Jacket
Gresham Blake X Death Stranding Silk Jacket $1,050.00

The collection was previewed rather surreptitiously at The Game Awards back in December when Kojima wore the Death Stranding Silk Jacket onstage during the Death Stranding 2 presentation. Senior Director of Marketing and Communications at Kojima Productions Jay Boor had htis to say on the launch of the Gresham Blake X Death Stranding Collection.

Death Stranding has inspired porters around the globe through its thought-provoking storytelling, amazing cast and unique gameplay. We continue to be humbled by the passion shown from our player community and now we are excited to offer them a new way to engage with the franchise through the launch of a bespoke fashion line that pays homage to the game.”

Featured image via Kojima Productions Store. 

PowerPoint for the web lets you add videos from your device to presentations

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

If you often interact with PowerPoint to make your presentations, then you’ll be happy to know that Microsoft has added a new feature. 

While it has been possible to add videos to your presentation from online platforms like YouTube and Vimeo, PowerPoint didn’t support the incorporation of videos from a user’s own device.

Microsoft is now rolling out this long-requested feature to PowerPoint for web users. This means that you can now insert videos into your presentation directly from your computer.

To access this feature:

  1. Launch a new or existing presentation in PowerPoint for the web.
  2. Next, select Insert > Video > Video from the device.Video menu showing the Video from device command
  3. Then, pick the video you’d like to add to your presentation and click on the Open button to insert it.Selected video file and highlighted Open button

Note: Once the video appears in your slide, you can resize, move, or even apply shape effects to it.PowerPoint for the web presentation with newly added video from computer

It should also be noted that the maximum size of the video you can include in your presentation is 256MB. Microsoft also recommends a .mp4 video file format for a better and quality experience.

Your internet connection also plays a major role and determines how fast you are able to insert a video into your PowerPoint presentation. In related news, users can also be able to convert their presentations to animated GIFs.

How to Enable Internet Explorer (IE) Mode in Microsoft Edge

Posted on by Loredana Harsana

One of the neat features of Microsoft Edge is that it allows users to access legacy websites without switching browsers. This functionality is possible through the Internet Explorer Mode feature. Hence, if you’ve been searching for a way to enable IE mode in Microsoft Edge, this article will provide the steps needed to enable the feature in Microsoft Edge.

Can you use Internet Explorer on Edge?

The short answer is yes, you can use Internet Explorer on Windows. Microsoft Edge is Windows’ upgraded browser developed to replace Internet Explorer.

Even the latest version of Internet Explorer has become obsolete and rarely used. However, some of the browser’s functionalities are still used by some people, especially Web Developers. 

Microsoft retired Internet Explorer on June 15, 2022, but you’ll still be able to access some of the functionalities and utilities in Microsoft Edge.

Users can access Internet Explorer’s functionalities through Internet Explorer Mode.

How can I Enable IE Mode in Microsoft Edge?

If you’d like to enable the IE Mode to access Internet Explorer’s functionalities, follow the steps listed below:

  1. Press the Windows key, type in Microsoft Edge and hit Enter.
  2. In the Browser window, Click the More (Ellipsis) button in the top right corner, and click on Settings.
  3. In the Settings window, click on the Default Browser tab from the list of options.
  4. Under the Internet Explorer compatibility section on the right pane, set the option to Allow next to the Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode (IE mode).
  5. Then, click the Restart button to save your changes and refresh the browser.

In addition, you can also use Internet Explorer mode to open specific incompatible websites. To open an incompatible webpage, follow these steps:

  1. Press the Windows key, type in Microsoft Edge, and hit Enter.
  2. Then, click the Settings after the More (ellipsis) button in the top right corner.
  3. Hover on More tools, and click on Reload in Internet Explorer Mode. 

Edge will automatically reload the page and render the page like an Internet Explorer web page. Also, the web page will display an Internet Explorer logo to confirm that you’re viewing the page in IE mode. You can click on the logo to get more information. 

Further, if you want to exit Internet Explorer mode, there’ll be an exit button at the top of the page. Click on the option to exit Internet Explorer mode.

The Internet Explorer mode is not a very common feature among regular PC users. However, the feature proves very useful to some users as it allows them to view older web pages without switching between browsers.

This is rather a useful trick, especially if you’re dealing with Your browser is not supported in Hikvision error, as enabling IE mode can easily fix that issue.

After reading this article, enabling the Internet Explorer (IE) mode in Microsoft Edge should be a piece of cake. 

Teams 2.0: What do all the performance improvements mean?

Posted on by Rafly Gilang

Microsoft said that a newer, speedier, and more energy-efficient Teams app is coming soon — some calls it as Microsoft Teams 2.0.

Speaking in a blog post, Redmond official Anupam Pattnaik said that the app has arrived for preview release for several select insiders as an experiment before rolling it out for all mobile and desktop users in the June 2023, including on Mac and web devices.

The app has never been far from performance issues since it first came out, not to mention the endless loop of its over-the-top data usage.

“The preview of the new Teams app is currently only available to our commercial users on Windows. We’re working on extending the preview of the new Teams to a broader set of customers, including Education, Government Clouds, and platforms such as Mac, VDI, and Web later this calendar year.”

Previously, rumors about Microsoft Teams 2.0 have been circulating. Several tech publications reported the same thing: a rebuilt version, dubbed Teams 2.0, is coming and it will be a ground-up revolution & a nice upgrade to Edge Webview 2 and Javascript library React-powered technologies.

What does Microsoft Teams 2.0 mean?

While Redmond officials do not officially call it a “Teams 2.0,” the brand-new app will boast a plethora of nice updates, especially in speed and performance.

Installing, launching, joining a meeting, and switching between chats and channels will at least be twice faster as the current version. It will also consume less memory by half and less disk space by almost a third of four.

Not only that, but the new Teams will also support a swift and smooth switch between emails, and it can be super helpful for those working in different organizations eg: one for work and one for school.

Microsoft also adopts Trusted Types and implements a more stringent Content Security Policy to protect users’ data from cyberattacks, especially cross-site scripting.

What do you think about this? Let us know in the comments!

iMessage for Windows 11: How to Get & Use

Posted on by Loredana Harsana

The Apple ecosystem comprises products and applications exclusive to Apple Devices like Mac or iPhone. This makes it virtually impossible to access Apple applications like iMessage from a non-apple device.

However, there are a few workarounds that you can attempt to help you access iMessage on Windows. This article provides you with the necessary steps on how to get and use iMessage on Windows.

Can MacOS apps work on Windows 11?

Traditionally, the Apple ecosystem was designed so that non-Apple devices like Android and Windows can’t access their products and applications. Apple created the ecosystem this way to help improve the security of their devices.

However, you can access macOS applications on a Windows computer. You should note that the steps involved are not straightforward, and it often takes quite a while to get familiar with the workaround.

In summary, macOS applications aren’t designed to work on Windows, but with a few tweaks, you should be able to get your desired app working on your Windows PC.

How can I get and use iMessage for Windows 11? 

1. Access iMessage using Chrome Remote Desktop

1.1 Install Remote Desktop

  1. Launch Chrome and navigate to the Chrome Remote Desktop extension page.
  2. On your Macbook, launch the Google Chrome browser, and navigate to the Chrome Remote Desktop extension page. 
  3. Click the Download button on the right pane under the Set up remote access section.
  4. You’ll need to download the extension on both systems.
  5. In the next window, click the Add to Chrome button on the far-right corner and click on the Add Extension button.
  6. Wait until the installation is complete and close the Chrome Web Store. 

1.2 Set up Remote Desktop for iMessage

  1. Once the extension is downloaded, the Remote Desktop automatically downloads the host file for both Windows and Mac.
  2. While in your browser, navigate to the Chrome Remote Desktop page, and click the Accept and Install button on the right–pane. 
  3. In the next popup window, select Yes to allow Chrome to open the downloaded.msi for Windows.
  4. Select Yes again in the User Account Control (UAC) window to allow Windows to set up remote access.
  5. In the next window, type in your preferred name for your PC or leave it at its default and click Next.
  6. Enter your preferred PIN to connect your PC remotely and click Start to complete the setup.
  7. Click Yes again in the next UAC window to allow your PC to set up a remote connection.
  8. Type in your Mac Administrator password to allow Chrome Remote Desktop Host permissions.
  9. The Chrome Remote Desktop setup will be complete on both Windows and Mac in a few seconds.
  10. Keep Chrome running on your Windows PC and return to the Chrome Desktop page on your Mac.
  11. Click on the Remote Support tab and Generate Code under the Share this screen section.
  12. On your Windows PC, navigate to your Chrome Remote Desktop window, select Remote Support, type in the code generated on your Mac, and click Connect.
  13. Open iMessage on your Mac to access the app from your Windows PC.

To keep the iMessage app running on your Windows PC, your Mac must be running and connected to the internet. You’ll also need a Mac with iMessage and a computer running Windows 11. 

2. Use the iPadian Simulator

  1. Launch your preferred browser, navigate to the iPadian official website on your Windows PC, and click on the Download button.
  2. You’ll need to complete the payment process to download the simulator. You can choose to pay with Paypal or a Credit/Debit card.
  3. Once you’ve purchased, press Windows + E to open File Explorer.
  4. Navigate to the Downloads folder, locate the just downloaded .exe file, and double-click on it to install the simulator.
  5. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process and close the installer window after completing the installation. 
  6. Press the Windows key + S, type in iPadian simulator, and hit Enter.
  7. In the iPadian simulator window, locate the search bar, and type in iMessage.
  8. Click on the iMessage app from the search results, and log in to your account with your correct Apple ID.

After successfully logging in, you can use the iMessage app on your Windows PC.

Accessing iMessage via the iPadian simulator is one of the most seamless processes requiring little to no technical know-how. The only downside is that you’ll need to pay for a subscription to get the software. 

However, considering the intuitiveness and simplicity of accessing iMessage from the iPadian simulator, it’s most likely your best bet if you have the cash to spare. 

How do I use the iMessage app?

Once you’ve successfully accessed iMessage on your Windows PC, it’s time to learn how to use it. Here are the steps you should follow to use the iMessage app on Windows 11:

  1. Launch the iMessage app on your Windows PC.
  2. In the iMessage app, navigate to Settings, and select the iMessage button.
  3. Then, log in with your Apple ID to gain access to the iMessage app.
  4. Click on the Compass button to write and send messages. You can also click the Attach button to attach files and documents to your messages. 

3. Use Windows’ built-in Phone Link app

1. Make sure to have Bluetooth activated and Link to Windows app installed on your phone.

2. Open the Phone Link app. Click iPhone.

3. Open your iPhone’s camera and scan the QR code displayed.

4. Still on your phone, click Pair your devices, then Open.

5. On Continue pairing with Bluetooth screen, click Continue.

6. Click Pair on both your PC and mobile and you’re set!

The Apple ecosystem is designed to prevent non-Apple devices from accessing its products and services. Applications like iMessage are built exclusively for iOS devices.

However, by following the above workarounds, you should be able to get iMessage running on your Windows 11 PC.

If you didn’t upgrade your OS yet, we also have a guide on how to get iMessage on Windows 10. To learn more about this software, be sure to check our guide on how to select multiple messages on Mac.

For any other questions, hit the comments section below and let us know what’s on your mind about the subject.

How to Add & Use The Zoom Plugin for Outlook

Posted on by Srishti Sisodia

If you use Zoom for attending meetings and your day is planned according to Outlook and its calendar,  it is a wise option to add Zoom to your Outlook as an add-in.

The Zoom for Outlook plugin enables you to manage and schedule meetings within your Outlook web or desktop app. This guide will discuss how we can install and use it on desktop, mobile, or web apps. Let’s start!

How can I add the Zoom plugin for Outlook?

1. Use Office 365 Admin Portal

1.1 Install the add-in from the Integrated apps option

  1. Visit the Office 365 Admin Portal.
  2. From the left pane, select Settings, then Integrated apps.
  3. Click the Get apps option.Get apps zoom plugin for outlook
  4. In the search bar, type Zoom and select Zoom for Outlook from the results. Zoom for outlook
  5. Click Get it now on the next page.Get it now
  6. On Confirm to continue page, click Get it now.Get it now 2 Continue zoom plugin for outlook
  7. Now on the admin portal, you can see Zoom, click Deploy.Click Deploy
  8. Under Apps to be deployed, select Accept Permissions.Permissions
  9. You will be asked to choose your Microsoft admin account; select that and click Accept.Accept
  10. Click Deploy.Deploy 2
  11. Click Done.Done Microsoft Outlook

1.2 Edit deployment settings

  1. From the Integrated apps list, double-click Zoom to open details.
  2. Go to Configuration.Select configuration zoom plugin for outlook
  3. Click Add-ins under Advanced Settings.ADDINS
  4. Select Zoom for Outlook.
  5. On Edit Zoom for Outlook page, for Assign Users, select Everyone or Specific users/groups; for Deployment Method, select Fixed, Available or Optional.Select settings zoom plugin for outlook
  6. For Status, toggle on the switch and click Save to confirm the changes.

2. On the Outlook Web app

  1. Launch Microsoft Store.
  2. Search for Zoom for Outlook and select the appropriate result.
  3. Click Get it now.GET IT NOW OWA zoom plugin for outlook
  4. Select the account that you want to use.MAPP
  5. Follow the onscreen prompts to complete the process.

3. On Older version of Outlook (2013, 2016)

  1. You must add a Microsoft Exchange account to Outlook to install Zoom for Outlook on your desktop app. To check that, go to File, then Account Information. However, you can use Zoom for Outlook on the web app if you have an IMAP account. ME zoom plugin for outlook
  2. Once done, go to File, then under Account Information, select Manage Add-ins.Manage ADDIN
  3. From the Add-Ins for Outlook option, type Zoom for Outlook and select the appropriate option.ZOOM FOR OUTLOOK ODA
  4. Click Add.
  5. Follow the instructions to add it to the desktop app.

4. On the mobile app

  1. Launch the Outlook app on your Android or iOS.
  2. Tap on your profile icon. Click Settings.Settings mobile app zoom plugin for outlook
  3. Scroll and tap Add-ins.Add-ins
  4. Locate Zoom and tap the + icon to add it.ZOOM ADDIN MOBILE
  5. Click Continue.Continue zoom plugin for outlook

How can I use the Zoom plugin for Outlook to schedule meetings?

1. On the Outlook web app (OWA)

  1. Open Outlook on your preferred browser and log in.
  2. Click the Calendar icon, then click New event.Add event zoom plugin for outlook
  3. Click Open in the new window icon.Click
  4. Enter the meeting details and click Zoom. From the drop-down, select Add Zoom meeting.Add a meeting ZOOM OWA
  5. On the pop window, select Allow.Allow
  6. Sign in to your Zoom account and click Save.
  7. To edit, join or delete the meeting, click Calendar event, select the meeting, and choose an appropriate option.Zoom meeting

2. On the Outlook desktop app

  1. Launch the Outlook desktop app. Go to the Home tab, click New items, then select Meeting.Meeting zoom plugin for outlook
  2. Enter details like title, timings, and attendees’ email addresses.
  3. Go to Zoom and click Settings.Settings ZOOM
  4. You will be prompted to sign in; once done, click Add Zoom Meeting.Add meeting zoom plugin for outlook

So, this is how you can install the Zoom plugin for Outlook on your web, desktop, and mobile apps. Now scheduling and joining a meeting on Zoom will become quick and hassle-free. Try it and tell us about your experience in the comments section below.

You can read this if you are experiencing connection issues while using Zoom.

Outlook for Windows 11: How to Download & Install

Posted on by Henderson Jayden Harper

Downloading Outlook on Windows 11 is easier than you think. All you have to do is hit the Microsoft Store. Of course, you may also download the Microsoft 365 suite or simply use it online.

Find below all possible methods to download and install Outlook on your PC;

How can I download and install Outlook on Windows 11?

Table of contents

1. Download Outlook for Windows from Microsoft Store

  1. Go to Microsoft Store and download Outlook for Windows.
  2. Now install the app on your PC, log in with your Microsoft account and you’re all good to go.

The easiest way to get Outlook is to download it straight from the Microsoft Store, as shown above. The app has been refurbished and it works great on Windows 10 an 11.

2. Download Microsoft 365

  1. Open the Microsoft 365 official website on your browser.
  2. Input your Microsoft account credentials or create a new one if you don’t have an existing account.
  3. Click the Buy Microsoft 365 Office button.
  4. Select the subscription plan you want.
  5. Select a payment method, fill in your payment detail, and click the Subscribe button.
  6. Click the Installs tab and select the Install Office button.
  7. Select the version of Office you want and click the Install button to download the Microsoft Office file.
  8. Click the downloaded file in your browser to install it and follow the on-screen command.
  9. Press the Windows key, type Outlook after the Office installation, and press Enter to open it.

Check our guide on where you can get an Office click-to-run installer for your PC.

3. Use Outlook online

The easiest way to use Outlook is online. Just head over to the Outlook page and sign in with your Microsoft account.

This will spear you of any trouble with actually downloading the app and you can use it in all the major browsers, including Chrome.

If Outlook won’t open we prepared handy troubleshooting tips for you to try.

In conclusion, check our guide about ways to fix Outlook couldn’t set up your account on your PC. Also, feel free to read about how to fix Outlook PST cannot be found on Windows.

If the new Outlook was installed automatically on your PC, we have a great guide on how to remove new Outlook from Windows 10, so don’t miss it.

What is Error 0x80300024, and How to Quickly Fix It

Posted on by Henderson Jayden Harper

We have received many complaints from our readers who have encountered error code 0x80300024 when installing Windows. It pops up irrespective of whether you are installing a newer or older OS version.

Fortunately, we have some fixes to resolve the error. Further, you can check our article about failed Windows 10 installation and ways to fix it on your PC.

What is error 0x80300024?

Error code 0x80300024 appears while you’re trying to install any version of the Windows OS. It is usually accompanied by a message saying Windows is unable to install to the selected location. Error code 0x80300024.

Furthermore, numerous factors may contribute to the occurrence of this error. Some are:

  • Issues with the hard disk partition – It can be due to the target disk, partition, or volume where you are trying to install Windows doesn’t have enough storage space or another file stopping it.
  • Corrupted or damaged Windows installation media – 0x80300024 error will also occur if the USB flash drive or DVD that helps with installing a new copy of Windows is corrupt or incompatible.
  • Hardware or software issues – Having many external devices and peripherals connected to the system can cause Windows installation failure. Also, the activities of third-party software running on the computer may influence or trigger the error.

Nevertheless, we’ll take you through some basic steps to fix the error below.

How can I fix the error code 0x8030002?

Try the following preliminary checks before proceeding with any advanced troubleshooting steps:

  • Temporarily disable third-party antivirus software.
  • Disconnect unnecessary external devices.
  • Plug in the Installation Media to a different USB port – The USB port may be faulty, so switch the flash drive and insert it into another USB port to see if it works.
  • Restart Windows in Safe Mode.

If you can’t fix the problem still, try the solutions below:

1. Format the installation device

  1. Plug in the bootable Installation media to your PC and power it off.
  2. Restart your computer and select Boot from the plugged-in installation media option.
  3. Set up your language, keyboard layout, and other preferences.
  4. Press the Custom option on the kind of Windows installation prompt.
  5. Click on Drive options (advanced) when asked where you want to install Windows.
  6. Select the destination hard drive partition where you want to install Windows, then press the Format button and confirm the process.
  7. When the formatting is complete, click the Next button to continue the installation.

Formatting the hard drive partition where you want to install Windows will remove corrupt data interfering with the installation. Read about how to create a Windows 11 bootable USB drive on your PC.

2. Set the target hard drive at the top of the Boot Order

  1. Ensure the system is off.
  2. Press the Power button, and press F1, F2, or Del keys to boot into the BIOS setup.
  3. Go to the Boot tab, then locate the Boot configuration/order.
  4. Find the hard drive where you want to install Windows, then move it to the top of the list.
  5. Under the Boot mode option, select UEFI.
  6. Press the F10 key to Save the changes and exit BIOS.
  7. Restart Windows and check if the Windows Installation Error 0x80300024 appears.

The above steps will set the hard drive on which you want to install Windows above others and allow it to run with priority.

3. Run the DiskPart command

  1. Left-click the Start button, type Command Prompt, and click the Run as administrator option.
  2. Click Yes on the User Account Control window.
  3. Type the following commands one after the other and press Enter: diskpart list disk
  4. Identify the number for the disk partition where you want to install Windows. Based on the partition number, type and enter a command like the below one: Select Disk 1 (change 1 to the disk number).
  5. Type the following command and press Enter: Clean
  6. Restart your PC and check if the error appears.

These commands examine the disk drives on your computer and repair the corrupt hard disk. Check our guide on what to do if Command Prompt keeps crashing on your PC.

In addition, you may be interested in fixing Windows 11 if it’s stuck in a reboot loop. Also, read about what to do if Windows 10 installation is failing in the safe OS phase.

If you have further queries or suggestions, kindly drop them in the comments section.

Windows 10 Boot Repair Tool: 7 Best We Tested

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Having trouble booting into Windows 10? You’re likely facing a corrupt bootloader, bad update, or missing system file. A dedicated Windows 10 boot repair tool can help fix these issues quickly – no tech skills required.

In this guide, we’ll show you the best tools to repair Windows startup problems and get your PC running again.

What is a boot repair tool?

A boot repair tool or software is a simple program that specifically focuses on boot problems and fixes them in just a couple of clicks. Usually, the best Windows boot repair software comes in a light installer package and they have a very easy-to-use interface.

All of them are pretty simple to use, have multiple features that are useful and can improve PC health and some are free or have free trials.

ProductOperation SystemOur RatingLink
Tenorshare Windows
Boot Genius 		Windows 11, Windows 10,
Windows 8, Windows 7,
MacOS		⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐➡️Get The Deal
Minitool
Partition Wizard		Windows 10, Windows 8,
Windows 8.1, Windows 2000, XP, Vista		⭐⭐⭐⭐➡️Get The Deal
Paragon
Hard Disk Manager		Windows 11, Windows 10,
Windows 8, Windows 7		⭐⭐⭐➡️Get The Deal
Iolo System
Mechanic Pro		Windows 11, Windows 10,
Windows 8 /8.1, Windows 7, XP
and Vista		⭐⭐⭐➡️Get The Deal
AOMEI Partition
Assistant		Windows 11, Windows 10,
Windows 8/ 8.1, Windows 7		⭐⭐⭐➡️Get The Deal

What is the best boot repair tool for Windows 10?

Tenorshare Windows Boot Genius – Easy to use with no tech expertise

Tenorshare 4DDiG Data Recovery review

Windows Boot Genius is a professional bootable Windows repair tool that can fix computer booting issues, repair crashed or corrupted Windows, recover lost data, and restore broken partitions.

Also, thanks to this tool, you don’t have to worry about BSOD or black screen issues while trying to start your computer. Instead, you can gain access to your system after fixing it with a boot CD, DVD, or USB disk.

Additionally, Windows Boot Genius allows you to create a bootable CD or USB using a .iso file, and an extensive range of related fixes, like boot file repair, sector repair, registry repair, and a helpful registry editor.

Ensuring that your system can be reverted to its original state, this software also allows you to reset Windows local and domain passwords easily and back up or restore all system elements, including hard disk setups and partitions.

To get started, just put the bootable CD in your CD/DVD drive, plug the USB drive into your PC, and restart your computer to begin the system recovery process.

To create a bootable CD/DVD or USB drive, run the Windows 10 boot repair software tool, insert the preferred media into your PC, then click Burn.

After the setup is done, keep the rescue device connected to the PC before restarting. Then, you should spot the Windows Boot Genius icon when accessing the WinPE environment.

Clicking the icon sends the corrupt PC to Windows Rescue mode. Here, you can recover boot files in Boot File Recovery mode or locate a master boot code in MBR Recovery mode.

Lastly, we must note that Windows Boot Genius requires no kind of expertise, so you can safely use it to create an emergency disk and fix your Windows 10 operating system when it fails to boot.

Some other useful features:

  • Recover lost, deleted, or formatted data
  • Recover Microsoft product keys for Windows 10, Microsoft Office, etc.
  • Wipe data to make it unrecoverable
  • Optimized UI for easy use
Tenorshare Boot Genius

Tenorshare Boot Genius

Fix your computer and ensure proper maintenance with this portable software.
Check Price Visit Website

Minitool Partition Wizard – Complete set of partition manager features

ssd management software

MiniTool Partition Wizard is a great partition manager that you can download and use for personal and business purposes. The application is packed with an easy-to-use interface and has a wizard that helps you complete all partition-related tasks in just a few steps.

MiniTool Partition Wizard is an all-in-one utility with full partition control to create, format, delete, copy partitions, and organize your hard drive to ensure storage media capacity and performance.

With Minitool, you have access to a space analyzer to check which files are taking up too much space on your disk so you know exactly how to clean your partition

It’s an incredibly intuitive Windows application that comes bundled with easy wizards to help you swiftly carry out various operations related to disks, partitions, and volumes.

In addition, you can use several customization features to set partitions as active or inactive, show labels, change drive letters, change partition type IDs, change serial numbers, etc.

The tool also offers a solution for users concerned about storing sensitive data. With MiniTool, you can show or hide partitions with just a few clicks, ensuring that no one can access your information without your knowledge.

The key features of MiniTool Partition Wizard include:

  • Copy system and non-system disk
  • Migrates OS to SSD/HDD
  • Disk Cleanup
  • Disk benchmark
  • Convert FAT to NTFS

The software’s Partition Recovery Wizard works like a charm and enables users to recover all partitions. MiniTool Partition Wizard also supports all hard disks such as IDE, SCSI, and external USB disks.

minitool partition wizard cta

MiniTool Partition Wizard

Take full control over partitions and keep your computer in top shape with this intuitive software.
Check Price Visit Website

Paragon Hard Disk Manager – Robust boot correction wizard

Part of Paragon Hard Disk Manager, Paragon Rescue Kit is a Windows 10 boot repair software solution with excellent compatibility and usability features.

It works with older Windows versions, too, including Windows XP. This program boasts a wide range of features, works fast and safely, and has a user-friendly interface.

Also, this software allows you to repair drive letters in the System Registry of a selected Windows installation, fixes boot.ini issues, restores BCD files from partitions, fixes booting records, and also enables you to change serial numbers or partition IDs.

Additionally, you can easily repair the MBR executable code, reorder primary partitions to fit your needs, and allow you to create, display, and save a boot correction report, which can be very useful if performing any back-end troubleshooting on your system.

Furthermore, all these elements are contained in an easy-to-understand interface that enables quick access to any of these options and provides efficiency. Additionally, the software automatically creates a log for each change performed to ensure no information is lost after performing any action.

To ensure the security of your system even further, the Paragon Hard Disk Manager enables you to create back-ups for your system’s sectors efficiently and allows you to recover them with just a few clicks of your mouse.

The recovery feature can also be optimized further to take effect on an entire disk, on separate partitions, and even when it comes down to specific files.

Like all the other Windows 10 boot repair software solutions presented in this article, Paragon’s tool can create a system recovery environment using a CD, DVD, or USB flash drive.

Finally, its Boot Correction Wizard is among the most powerful features on the market.

Some other useful features:

  • Robust Recovery Media Builder
  • Easy sector backup to save on-disk information
  • Backup to local or externally mounted storage
  • Backup to network shares and virtual disks (VHD, pVHD, VMDK, VHDX)
  • File Transfer Wizard
  • Undelete Partition Wizard
  • Network Configurator Wizard
Paragon Hard Disk Manager

Paragon Hard Disk Manager

Repair windows and easily manage computer settings with Paragon Hard Disk Manager.
Check Price Visit Website

Iolo System Mechanic Pro – Complete PC health provider

Iolo System Mechanic is an overall health PC provider and Windows 10 boot fix tool for many operations. 

This solution has your name if you want to achieve high computer safeguarding through AI protection. And about booting issues, it detects and fixes all the system problems automatically. 

So, this tool can deliver various services that help any PC to function properly. Thus, it increases CPU and RAM availability speed, removes bloatware, or eliminates confidential browsing activity. 

Decluttering your system while detecting and removing malware threats using AI Technology, the System Mechanic offers a complete set of recovery tools for your system.

Additionally, it can repair a whopping number of 30.000 issues by replacing the damaged files with the correct ones stored in the IOLO Labs database.

Furthermore, regarding System Mechanic’s functions, it’s good to inform you about services like advanced cleaning of risky files, removal of bloatware at startup, or optimizing the internet speed. 

Finally, this strong software will perfectly support your system in combating operational issues in no time. 

Some other useful features:

  • Removes slowing down bloatware from the system 
  • Protection of data security and privacy
  • Cleans up more than 5 types of junk files 
  • Accelerate boot time considerably 
Iolo System Mechanic

Iolo System Mechanic

Repair any Windows 10 issue with this professional tool.
Check Price Visit Website

AOMEI Partition Assistant – The all-round partition help

AOMEI Partition Assistant is an extremely practical tool that resolves any partition requests. 

This solution is a fit for anyone who needs to make hard drive or partition changes, free up the storage, or perform any other tasks related to disk partition management. 

Additionally, the partition manager helps you be completely safe before making any major changes on a PC that may cause boot problems. 

Thus with this free partition tool, you can manage everything, from changing partition labels, merging partitions, moving, cloning and others. 

On the other hand, you can clone your disk, test the disk surface, or completely erase the hard drive. Also, it comes with different wizards to help computer beginners with clone disk wizards.

Some other useful features:

  • Initializes disk surface test and checks partition 
  • Converts file system between FAT32 and NTFS 
  • Allocates free space 
  • Splits partitions 
  • Hides or unhides partitions 
  • Changes drive letter or disk labels 
  • Create, format or merge partitions 
  • Partially wipes disks or hard drive 
  • Disk copy wizard 
AOMEI Partition Assistant

AOMEI Partition Assistant

Take control over hard drive impediments while protecting your PC with this partition assistant.
Check price Visit Website

Ultimate Boot CD – Lightweight boot repair tool

Ultimate Boot CD is a lightweight Windows 10/11 boot repair tool that can help you troubleshoot and rescue your damaged PC.

Firstly, it creates a bootable ISO on a CD, DVD, or USB pen drive and offers some great diagnostic tools.

Also, because floppy drives are already a thing of the past, Ultimate Boot CD can run floppy-based diagnostics from CD-ROM or USB drives at a higher speed.

Wrapped in an interface similar to BIOS, the Windows 10/11 boot repair software utility works by creating a virtual instance of the floppy. It also has a script you can use to access its features from a removable drive.

Developed over 15 years, Ultimate Boot CD is a bootable collection of the best freeware tools for various rescue tasks.

Lastly, you can easily use it directly from your USB device without requiring installation.

Some other useful features:

  • Clone or selectively copy from dying drives
  • Check individual hardware components
  • Update the BIOS to the latest version
  • Determine what’s gone wrong with your hardware
  • CPUID V2.19, ASTRA V6.50, G4u V2.6, and HDClone V.7 support
  • Q&D Unit/Track/Head/Sector
  • Q&D Vital Data Manager

⇒ Get Ultimate Boot CD

Hiren Boot CD – Free repair option

Hiren Boot CD

Hiren’s Boot CD is a popular system rescue solution specially made for Windows computers. It has every required tool to make your computer operational again.

Also, this Windows 10/11 boot repair software tool is a pre-installation environment with bonus tools.

This way of dealing with your Windows 10/11 booting problems offers you a Windows-like visual platform that will run beside your damaged Windows installation.

Hiren’s Boot CD is made for modern workstations, which supports UEFI booting and requires a minimum of 2 GB RAM. You can solve many PC issues with useful tools inside the BootCD ISO. Besides, it’s completely free to use.

Additionally, after the installation, Hiren’s BootCD pre-installation environment sets up the graphics card, sound, wireless, and Ethernet card drivers for your specific hardware configuration.

One of its most valuable features is the support for UEFI booting from DVD and USB flash drives. Hiren’s Boot CD has an ISO2USB portable tool specifically designed to accomplish that process more efficiently.

Lastly, it requires administrator privileges to run it, but it’s free for commercial and non-commercial use.

Let’s quickly look at its key features:

  • BCD-MBR tools: – BootIce, EasyBCD
  • HDD defrag – Defraggler v2.22
  • HDD diagnostic – GSmart Control, HDDSCAN
  • Hard Disk tools/ Data recovery
  • HDD imaging – Acronis TrueImage, Macrium Reflect PE
  • HDD security – HDD Low-Level Format Tool
  • Antivirus – ESET Online Scanner
  • System tools – Speccy v1.32, Ccleaner v5.4, Windows PowerShell
  • Network – TeamViewer, Chrome, PENetwork

⇒ Get Hiren Boot CD

Does Windows 10 have a repair tool?

Yes, Windows 10 does come with a built-in repair tool that aids in troubleshooting common computer problems. But frequently, it can turn out to be insufficient.

Windows 10 has a useful feature called the Windows Startup Repair Tool. The Windows Startup Repair Utility can be used to resolve problems if Windows is not starting up correctly or if you have other issues that point to system corruption.

How do you repair Windows 10 if it does not boot?

Don’t give up if Windows 10 won’t boot; many workarounds are available, and any of the following fixes would be a good call:

  • Clear or reset the CMOS – Your device’s BIOS can be reset to help you progress with a computer that won’t boot. However, it is essential to remember that this strategy is more straightforward to use on a desktop than on a laptop.
  • Boot from a USB – This is a workaround that gives you access to your computer and an opportunity to investigate and repair the damaged files.
  • Repair corrupted system files – Once you gain access to your computer, probably by booting with a USB, you should run some script to repair damaged files.

Once you have tried any of these abovementioned solutions, you should be able to boot your Windows 10 PC.

How do I run Startup Repair from the Command Prompt?

  1. Press the power button to force your PC to shut down and repeat this operation a few times (until Windows automatically boots into the Recovery Environment).
  2. Then, select Troubleshoot.
  3. Go to Advanced options, and Command Prompt.
  4. Once the CMD windows open, there are several commands you can try:
    sfc /scannow rstrui.exe systemreset -cleanpc BootRec

Some might require a bootable installation media, downloading a repair utility, etc. In contrast, others imply that previous measures should be implemented (such as creating a system restore point) to work.

As you can see, a fair amount of tweaking is involved, and the procedures can be laborious, risky, and time-consuming. Not to mention that these native tools are not infallible themselves.

How do I fix Windows 10/11 without boot repair tools?

Windows 10 has many recovery options, such as Safe Mode, Last Known Good Configuration, and Startup Repair. You can even take action if the factory reset doesn’t work.

However, if these tools don’t fix the issue and you don’t want to reset your system, you have to turn to software specialized in Windows 10/11 boot repair, system rescue, and data recovery. Here are some of the cases a repair tool would help:

  • Boot-Repair-Disk
  • Boot-Repair USB
  • Boot-repair GRUB

For instance, if your problems are caused by malware, you can explore antivirus tools with a boot scan. But malware removal isn’t enough if critical system files or even the hard drive structure is damaged.

It’s time to look into solutions to fix your Windows 10 boot. In this article, we are exploring the best Windows 10 boot repair software for 2022.

This article suggested some of the best Windows 10/11 boot repair software solutions.

Even if you don’t currently have any issues with the boot sequence, downloading, installing, and using one of the programs on this list is still a good idea.

Note that you should only try PC repair tools that are safe to use to avoid introducing malware into your computer.

This way, you can prepare for the worst-case scenario and create an emergency disk to salvage your Windows operating system if disaster strikes.

Finally, let us know your opinion about our software picks and if you have other Windows 10/11 boot repair recommendations, and feel free to share them with us via the comments section below.

The Last of Us bugs: 4 most common & how to fix them

Posted on by Rafly Gilang

Sony’s beloved PlayStation exclusive, The Last of Us, has finally arrived on PC.

Dubbed ‘Part I,’ the game centers around Joel, a man in a post-apocalyptic world, as he travels across the country to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie. Little does he know, the pair will develop an unlikely father-and-daughter figure, but not without its ups and downs. 

On top of its top-notch storytelling, the game boasts rich visuals—at least on PlayStation 4 & 5. On PC, however, it is horrible, and it seems like it kills the hype that its HBO adaptation has created in recent weeks. 

On Steam, for example, users are tearing apart the game’s PC port. Some users reported that they waited for hours for the game to build shaders while crashing in the main menu every 5 minutes. Others also stated that on its medium settings, it consumes over 8 GBs of VRAM, and they were unable to boot it despite meeting the minimum system requirements. Unfortunately, the list could go on and on. 

Naughty Dogs, the devs behind the game, said that the team is working closely to investigate all the issues, promising that they will be fixed in upcoming patches that are coming in days or weeks. 

In the meantime, until they released those patches, we’ve covered some of the most The Last of Us bugs, but we’ll expand the list as updates on forums and Naughty Dog’s official page show up. 

What are the most common The Last of Us bugs?

1. Shade bugs

New tlou pc graphic ?
byu/Dremcis inthelastofus

Some users said that The Last of Us on PC takes forever to load its shaders. Then, at the same time, its performance is super unstable and stuttering while the shaders are loading. For a game with visuals of this caliber, it’s not a good look. Joel and Ellie have seen better days. 

“I really wanted this to be good. And there are a lot of good things here, but the game is ruined by severe stuttering. Shouldn’t be shader compilation stutter, so I’m guessing it has to do with asset streaming.”

2. Stuttering & out-of-sync problems

For some users with PCs that tiptoe on The Last of Us’ minimum requirement, it’s common to see horrible stuttering and drops in fps. Then, the video and audio are also out of sync, and it can get annoying.

“For me I’ve been getting near constant stuttering in game (even in the main menu), cinematics stutter as well and even going out of sync almost every time, everything takes forever to load.”

“Please don’t waste your time with this terrible port, and don’t listen to people telling you how great it is… the only people defending it saying ‘yOu gUyS hAvE bAd pCs’ are all people privileged enough to have the best parts money can buy for the performance issues to not matter to them or they’re delusional enough to ignore clear poor optimization.”

3. Unable to boot

Or, better yet, the game is not booting at all despite meeting the minimum requirements. Keep in mind that The Last of Us has AMD Ryzen 5 1500X or Intel Core i7-4770K for CPU, AMD Radeon 470 (4 GB), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 (4 GB), or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti (4 GB) for GPU, and 16 GB RAM as its minimum requirement. 

“Unfortunately this port is not worth it in its current state, I´ve tried the game for 3 hours, one of which was compiling the shaders, the rest was waiting on loading screens inside the game, I think i have a pretty capable machine, at least it has handled everything i´ve thrown at it so far, but it´s not handling this game whatsoever.”

4. Potential memory leak issue

The potential memory leak issue comes from a discovery that The Last of Us’ devs used a buggy 2.9.6 version of the Oodle decompression library, which has had memory-leaking issues problems in the past. 

“The developers/porters used a bugged release of the Oodle decompression library (2.9.6) which has confirmed memory leaking issues.”

“Several UE4/UE5 games use v. 2.9.5 of ODL. It’s not a perfect solution, but using an older version of ODL is working for me right now much better than the version they shipped with.”

How to fix common The Last of Us bugs?

1. Shade bugs

The long waiting time for shaders to reload is usually caused by errors from its decompression library. Although each of these bugs is connected to the other, we’d recommend you wait for Naughty Dogs’ upcoming patches. As the devs promised, they’re working closely to fix these issues as soon as possible. 

2. Stuttering problem

1. With the game open, press Esc to go to the pause menu.

2. Lower the Graphics option to Medium, or even lower. 

3. Reboot the game to find out if the problem persists. 

3. Unable to boot

Again, as we mentioned, it’s best to wait for developers to step up and fix this issue with their patches. 

4. Memory leak issue

To bypass that, this Redditor recommends finding its 2.9.5 version and rewriting it on TLOU’s install directory. You can do it if you have FIFA 23, Warframe, or Destiny 2. Or, you can also download it from a third-party website, but it would be very risky. 

1. Open C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\[THE NAME OF THE GAME]\Tools\Oodle\x64\oo2core_9_win64.dll

2. Right-click and hit Copy, then Paste it somewhere else. 

3. Go to your TLOU install directory, also at C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\The Last of Us\Tools\Oodle\x64

4. Paste oo2core_9_win64.dll there.

There you go, these are some of the most common bugs that The Last of Us players on PC are facing. We will keep you updated once Naughty Dog or Sony have had their say in patches, but until then, let us know if you have any comments!

Posted in Fix

Win32bridge.server.exe: Fix The Incorrect Function Error

Posted on by Henderson Jayden Harper

The Win32Bridge.Server.exe has been a recurring error our readers complain about on their PCs. The annoying thing about the error is that it can show up at any time and disrupt your activities. Hence, we’ll discuss ways to resolve the error and fix your system.

You may also check out our detailed guide on how to fix the SystemSettings.exe error on Windows 11.

What causes win32bridgeserver.exe?

Several variants of error messages accompany the Win32Bridge.Server.exe, and many factors can cause the error. Some are:

  • Corrupt system files – Win32Bridge.Server.exe may not be associated with any program but is a corrupt system file impeding the activities of other apps.
  • Cortana issues on your PC – The main cause of the Win32Bridge.Server.exe error is the Cortana app running on the computer. It will interfere with the task or activity you’re trying to perform, resulting in the error code saying the app can’t start correctly.
  • Recent Windows updates – Many of our readers complained about the error appearing after installing a recent update on their computers. So, the installed updates may be faulty or corrupted, causing the system to malfunction.

Though the error can be confusing to tackle due to its varying error messages, we’ll outline some of the best tweaks to fix it.

How can I fix win32bridge.server.exe?

Try the following preliminary checks:

If the error persists, try the solutions below:

1. Reset the Cortana app

  1. Right-click on the Start button and click on Installed apps from the menu.
  2. Find Cortana, click the options icon, and click on Advanced options.
  3. Scroll down and click Terminate under the Cortana menu, then click the Reset button.
  4. Restart your computer and check if the Win32Bridge.Server.exe error appears.

Disabling and resetting the Cortana app will fix any interference it’s causing your system and resolve the error.

2. Run the SFC and DISM scans

  1. Left-click the Start button, type Command Prompt, then click Run as administrator.
  2. Click Yes on the User Account Control (UAC) prompt.
  3. Type the following and press Enter: sfc /scannow
  4. Type the following commands and press Enter: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
  5. Restart your PC and check if the error persists.

Running SFC and DISM scans will find and repair corrupted system files causing the error on your PC. Read about ways to fix the run as administrator option if it’s not working on Windows 11.

You can also try reliable software to minimize the effort by automatically repairing the corrupt or broken files found after scanning your computer with new components from its vast online database.

3. Uninstall unnecessary apps

  1. Left-click the Start button, type Control Panel, then open it.
  2. Click on Programs, then select Programs and Features.
  3. Find the app you want to uninstall, right-click on it, then select Uninstall from the drop-down.
  4. Follow the onscreen instructions and Restart your PC to see if you can resolve the error.

Uninstalling unused programs prevents the threats they may cause the system and removes their components.

4. Disable the Connected Devices Platform Service

  1. Press Windows + R key to open the Run dialog box, type services.msc, and press Enter to open the Services window.
  2. Navigate to Connected Devices Platform Service and double-click on it to open its Properties.
  3. On the General tab, select Disabled from the list of Startup type options. Click the Stop button under Service status.
  4. Click Apply, then OK to save the changes.
  5. Restart your PC to see if the error persists.

The above steps will stop the service from running and prevent any connected device activities from causing the Win32Bridge.Server.exe error.

5. Run System Restore

  1. Press Windows + R key to open the Run dialog box, type control, then press Enter to open the Control Panel.
  2. Type recovery, select it from the results, then click Open System Restore.
  3. Click Next in the Restore system files and settings window.
  4. Choose the restore point you want to restore from, then click Scan for affected programs, and click Next.

The System Restore will backdate your PC to an earlier created point and remove data that may cause the error. Read how to fix Restore Point if it’s not working on your PC.

There are times when the exe files will not open on your PC, so check out our guide on what to do to get them working again.

Also, you may be interested in our expert guide on antivirus software blocking .exe files on your PC and how to troubleshoot it.

If you have further questions or suggestions, kindly drop them in the comments section.

How to Fix the New Bing Error Code E010006

Posted on by Claire Moraa

When using Bing AI, you may come across the error code E010006. This error prevents you from making any further queries. Some users even reported that they found themselves back on the waitlist after encountering this error.

Most Bing AI error codes have something to do with an overloaded server, given the high number of people trying out the feature. Still, we look at other possible causes of this issue and subsequent fixes in this article.

What is the Bing error code E010006?

From what we have gathered from most community groups, users are facing a new Bing error code, E010006. Users are being kicked out of their accounts and back on the waitlist.

If you’ve been following closely on Bing AI, Microsoft had introduced a waitlist for users to be among the first to try it out before it was made available to the general public.

Now that they gained access and started using it, they have since been kicked out, and whenever they try to log in again, they find themselves on the waitlist.

Speculations indicate it could be a region/location issue, as most of the complaints received were predominantly from one area.

How can I fix the Bing error code E010006?

Before you embark on the slightly complex solutions, try the following:

  • Sign out, sign in again from your account, and check if the issue persists.
  • Refresh your browser.
  • Check for any browser updates and update accordingly.
  • Try the Bing AI from another device or another browser.

1. Clear browser cache and cookies 

  1. Launch your Edge browser and click on the three ellipses at the top right corner.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Click on Cookies and site permissions on the left pane, then select Manage and delete cookies and site data option on the right pane.
  4. Next, click on See all cookies and site data.
  5. Now click on Remove all.

2. Disable your VPN

  1. Click on the Start Menu icon and select Settings.settings windows 11
  2. Next, select Network & internet and select VPN in the right-side menu.
  3. Select the VPN connection you want to disable, click on the drop-down, and select Remove.remove VPN

With the VPN issue, if disabling it does not work, try enabling it and selecting different server locations. Sometimes, servers from a particular location may be experiencing downtime, and switching to another can resolve the issue as you wait.

To that effect, we have an excellent recommendation for VPNs that are not geo-restricted.

3. Reinstall the Bing AI app 

If you were using the Bing AI app on your phone, you can reinstall it. Android and iOS users can download the Bing AI app from the Google Play store and Apple store, respectively.

Also, when downloading the Bing app, ensure you’re not downloading from untrusted third-party sites, as they could come bundled with malware. Further, check your phone for any viruses that may infect the program and prevent it from working properly.

With some errors, Bing support may be able to help, especially if it’s a new error code not listed on their website. You can leave feedback through their Email, Facebook, or any other channel provided by the Microsoft page. 

For users who reinstalled the app and found themselves on the waitlist again, clicking the Join waitlist button automatically redirected them to their AI page.

That’s all we had for this article and the Bing error code E010006. If you’re enjoying the AI wave, we have more AI software that could help you automate your tasks on Windows.

Also, check out how Bing AI compares to ChatGPT 4 if you’re still deciding which AI to settle for.

Feel free to drop us a comment if you have any other solutions that worked for you.

Microsoft Security Copilot Review: How Secure is it?

Posted on by Alexandru Poloboc

The Redmond-based tech giant has announced Microsoft Security Copilot, a friendly AI assistant for cyber security experts, which keeps an eye on cyber threats for them.

In this comprehensive review of Microsoft Security Copilot, we learn about its capabilities and how it can help an organization monitor IT work environments in real time.

Benefits of Using Microsoft Security Copilot

  • AI security guidance informed by 65 trillion daily signals can enhance your IT team’s strength.
  • Security experts can now respond to cyber threats and security incidents within minutes instead of hours or days.
  • Empowers security defenders to locate malicious activities & prioritize threat signals that might go undetected.
  • It bridges the gap created by the constraints of limited team size and the innate limits of human attention, allowing security teams to effectively navigate and respond to the ever-evolving landscape of threats and challenges.

Features of Microsoft Security Copilot

Threat intelligence

Threat intelligence - Features of Microsoft Security Copilot

With real-time threat intelligence sourced from a company’s security products and Microsoft’s comprehensive daily threat signals, this AI assistant makes sure that security teams are updated with the latest insights on cyber criminals and their strategies.

Apart from this, it comes with analysis and reporting capabilities, helping in visualizing the threat intelligence your company is taking in. Security Copilot also uses this intel and recognizes pertinent patterns to provide actionable insights, thereby helping organizations preemptively address vulnerabilities.

Language modeling

It is based on OpenAI’s GPT-4, a large language model that can generate natural language responses to various prompts, and a Microsoft security-specific model, which combines threat intelligence from Microsoft’s global network and security skills.

When the product receives a prompt from a security professional, Security Copilot uses security security-specific model to its fullest and uses skills & queries to harness the capabilities of the latest advanced language models.

Ongoing attack protection

Ongoing attack protection

Microsoft Security Copilot analyzes the incident as a security expert, generates steps for threat response, and suggests ways to eliminate risks, thereby speeding up the recovery process.

Closed-Loop Learning system

The feedback feature of Microsoft Security Copilot means it allows users to provide explicit feedback and learn from their experiences & interactions. Due to this, it is continuously improving and optimizing security-related actions & recommendations.

Bing chatbot interface

With a familiar interface like Bing chatbot, Microsoft Security Copilot provides a user-friendly experience for users and timely response, encouraging users to ask security-related questions more often. Although, it doesn’t respond to general queries like Copilot in Outlook.

However, it is sourcing results from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s vulnerability database, and Microsoft’s own threat intelligence database.

The Prompt book feature of Security Copilot is an important aspect as it contains a set of automation that people can store into a single prompt.

Threat Hunting capabilities

Threat Hunting capabilities - Microsoft Security Copilot review

Threat handling starts with forming a hypothesis on what to look for within your environment. Microsoft Security Copilot helps by offering insights into tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used by threat actors, thereby aiding in detecting potential threat scenarios.

With these insights, the security experts can create custom hunting queries utilizing Security Copilot’s integration with Microsoft’s Advanced Hunting in Defender for Endpoint and Sentinel.

This enables them to look for attack data like suspicious activities, IOCs, and evolving cybersecurity threat patterns.

OpenAI’s GPT-4 Integration

Powered by OpenAI GPT-4 and Microsoft’s own security-specific model, the security product, though looks like a simple prompt box that accepts natural language inputs, is designed to improve the efficiency of security analysts.

With 65 trillion daily signals in Microsoft threat intelligence collection and security skills, it ensures faster detection, thorough investigation, and rapid response at the time of crisis.

Vulnerability management

Vulnerability management - Microsoft Security Copilot review

Security Copilot can pull real-time security data from all your ending point devices and servers to check software versions & test them against known vulnerabilities gathered from threat intelligent feeds. If found vulnerable, it can provide remediation steps and defense hardening to eliminate the risks involved.

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint already does this, but AI factors like generating preemptive steps, performing complex risk mitigation activities, or patching software without manual intervention speed up the security improvement process of an organization.

Moreover, the security product allows users to prompt the tool with queries about potential vulnerabilities in their tech stack.

This is how Microsoft Security Copilot keeps the threats at bay; another great AI assistant, Windows Copilot, is now available and can help customize your computing experience & perform general tasks like changing the mode on your computer. To know about it, read this guide.

Deployment and management of Microsoft Security Copilot

Microsoft Security Copilot is only in preview and available for only selected customers. You can sign up for Microsoft Security updates to know about the product release, security insights, and updates. To sign up, follow these steps:

  1. Visit the Microsoft website on your web browser. Click the All Microsoft option, and select Microsoft Security.Microsoft Security - Copilot review
  2. Click the appropriate option; usually, it is For enterprise.Select Enterprise
  3. Next, go to the Products option, then Security AI, and select Microsoft Security Copilot. Products list - Microsoft Security Copilot review
  4. Click Subscribe for updates.Subscribe
  5. You need to enter the company name, email address, and security contact information. Once you have completed the registration process, you need to wait for approval from Microsoft.
  6. After approval, you can access Security Copilot through the Microsoft Security Center.

How does Security Copilot handle your data?

  • Your data is your own, stays under your control, and you can choose how you want to use and monetize it.
  • The data will not be used to train or enhance foundational AI models by external parties. AI developed from your data or business will only benefit your company.
  • At every step, your data and AI models are protected using powerful enterprise compliance and top-tier security measures, proving comprehensive protection.

Pricing & Support for Microsoft Security Copilot

As of now, to use Microsoft Security Copilot is available for enterprises, & you need to subscribe to one of Microsoft’s security products, such as Microsoft Intune, Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Purview, etc., and then sign up using the steps above.

Microsoft has not announced the public release date for the security product and how it will be available, licensed, or priced.

But, given the prices of the recent AI-powered products like Microsoft 365 Copilot, it might be available on a monthly basis.

If you are a coder and want AI-generated suggestions right into your editor, you can try out GitHub Copilot or wait for Copilot X, the next-gen tool.

Overall, Microsoft Security Copilot can answer your queries related to security concerns using information from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The chatbot can help with security investigations, create reports & summarize security events.

Microsoft Security Copilot is an innovative step in the future of cybersecurity that will empower security defenders with domain-specific knowledge about their organization’s infrastructure, making them effective at detecting and defending against security incidents. Also, find out more about Copilot vs. Copilot Pro and the versions for the general audience and advanced users.

What do you think about the security product? Feel free to mention your thoughts in the comments section below.

Fix & Enable: Browser Does not Support Mapbox GL [Chrome]

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

If you are seeing this error message, it means that the web browser you are using does not support Mapbox GL, a technology essential for rendering maps on AllTrails. So, what browser supports Mapbox-GL?

Currently, Mapbox.com and its associated subdomains, such as docs.mapbox.com, are compatible with all available web browsers, including Internet Explorer 11.

In fact, it’s supported by all browsers that support WebGL, a GPU-propelled JavaScript-based technique for rendering dynamic 3D graphics. If, for instance, your browser suddenly failed to initialize WebGL, you’ll have a hard time running 3D content in games and such.

However, the error stating that the browser does not support Mapbox GL can pop up even though your browser does support Mapbox GL. For instance, we were able to trigger this error in Firefox, which is considered a Mapbox GL-compatible browser along with Chrome, Safari, and Edge.

Why does my browser not support Mapbox-GL?

Here’s what you can expect to see:

  • the map container element should be empty, otherwise the map’s interactivity will be negatively impacted. if you want to display a message when WebGL is not supported, use the Mapbox GL supported plugin instead.
  • your browser does not support WebGL so cannot display maps
  • Mapbox not working in Chrome
  • MapboxGL is not defined

When you see this error, you will either need to switch to a new browser or update your current browser to the most recent version.

If you do decide to go for a Mapbox alternative browser, we encourage you to give Opera a try and we can guarantee that it does a fine job at working with WebGL-based technologies.

Should you use a particular browser and want to enable WebGL or have already upgraded to the most recent version but are still encountering this problem, check the browser’s settings to see if you can make the changes.

There are several configuration changes you may make to guarantee that Mapbox GL is turned on. Keep on reading to find out more about it!

How do I fix a browser that does not support Mapbox GL?

1. Update your browser to the latest version

  1. Launch Chrome and click on the three vertical dots icon in the upper-right corner.
  2. In the Settings menu, identify the Help option and hover over it with your mouse.
  3. Select About Google Chrome in the new window. Your browser will automatically search for updates and install them if available.
  4. Finally, restart Chrome and check if the error stating your browser does not support Mapbox GL is still there.

As always, you should not ignore outdated browser warnings and make sure you always have the latest version available installed in order to avoid web errors and other incompatibility issues.

2. Allow hardware acceleration

  1. Open Google Chrome and click on the three-dot menu from the top right corner to select Settings.three-dot-chrome browser not allowing redirects
  2. Scroll down and select Advanced, followed by System.system-chrome browser not allowing redirects
  3. Next, allow the Use hardware acceleration when available option. use-hardware-chrome browser not allowing redirects
  4. Refresh or restart Chrome to apply the changes made. This way, the Mapbox not working in Chrome issue will be resolved.

3. Enable WebGL

3.1. Allow WebGL on Chrome

  1. Launch Chrome and type the following in the URL address bar: chrome://flags/
  2. Use the search box to look for WebGL-related options and make sure you set the value to Enabled.  
  3. Finally, click Relaunch Now to restart Chrome.

3.2. Allow WebGL on Firefox

  1. Open Firefox and paste about:config in your URL bar in order to search for the webgl.enable-webgl2 option.about-congif-firefox browser does not support mapbox gl
  2. Once you find it down the page, make sure it is set to true. If it isn’t, click on the reverse icon to the right in order to set the option to true.treu-reverse browser does not support mapbox gl
  3. Next, look for the webgl.force-enabled option and check whether it is set to true. If it isn’t, set it just like we did in the second step.enable-true browser does not support mapbox gl
  4. Lastly, search for webgl.disabled and make sure this preference is set to false.false browser does not support mapbox gl
  5. Restart or refresh Firefox in order to apply the changes made. That’s it! Even if Mapbox GL is supported, you will have to tweak the above settings.

3.3. Allow WebGL on Safari

  1. Open Safari and from the menu bar, click Safari, then select Preferences.
  2. Navigate to the Websites tab.websites-tab-safari browser does not support mapbox gl
  3. Select WebGL from the list on the left side of the window. Note that this will only be displayed if it is displayed. If you can’t find it, it means it is enabled already.
  4. Refresh or restart Safari to apply the changes made.

What is the difference between Mapbox and Mapbox-GL?

Mapbox GL JS is a client-side JavaScript framework that you can use to build online maps and web apps. The best part is that you can view Mapbox maps in a web browser or client by using this technology.

Additionally, using this same tool, you can add user interactivity and modify the map experience within your application.

Instead of being generated statically on a server, Mapbox GL JS maps are dynamically produced in the browser by merging vector tiles with style rules (mapbox-gl/dist/mapbox-gl css).

This allows for the style and the data presented on the maps to be altered in response to user input.

  1. Head to Mapbox’s docs website.
  2. Copy the embedded script and paste it into your website’s code to have Mapbox integrated into it.embed browser not allowing redirects
  3. Change any additional parameters that you want to customize your map.

If your browser does not support Mapbox GL in Strava, we recommend you look at our post on what to do if your browser does not support WebGL, as you will find more solutions there.

The map service offered by Mapbox is highly versatile. You can also include it in mobile applications by using the SDKs that are specific to iOS and Android.

Of course, there is also a Mapbox GL API and plugin available. As far as Mapbox troubleshooting is concerned, you needn’t worry. If your browser does not support Mapbox GL, update it first, then make sure WebGL is enabled. Should none of that work, simply go for an alternative browser that supports Mapbox-GL.

Was this guide useful to you? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment in the section below and share your thoughts with us. Thanks for reading!

Microsoft Edge Not Updating? How to Manually Force It

Posted on by Claire Moraa

Microsoft Edge is the default browser for Windows. It’s not a bad browser, but it’s often criticized for being slower than its counterparts. More so, recent versions of Windows are forcing it on users as the only browser. Still, Edge has some notable features that put it ahead.

However, while Microsoft Edge may be a better web browser than its predecessor, some issues with the software keep people from using it full-time. One issue is that Microsoft Edge sometimes stops updating itself automatically. We find out why this happens and how to resolve it.

Why is Microsoft Edge not updating?

  • Third-party plugins – While most plugins or extensions enhance the functionality of your browser, some can cause performance issues. 
  • Virus infection – A virus may have found its way to your system and altered your PC’s functions. This can cause such anomalies as your Edge browser not updating.
  • Firewall settings – Sometimes, your firewall settings may prevent updates.
  • Incompatible OS – Browser updates are usually released for specific OS versions. They will fail if your OS is not compatible with the browser update.
  • A pirated copy of Windows – If you’re running a non-genuine copy of Windows, the Edge browser update may fail because it does not recognize the version of Windows installed on your PC.

How do I force Edge to update?

We recommend you try the following basic checks before the more advanced troubleshooting: end all Microsoft Edge processes from the Task Manager that may be blocking the update, verify that Windows is up-to-date, check your PC for any malware, disable any Microsoft Edge extensions that may be interfering with the software update, verify that your firewall is not blocking your Microsoft Edge browser.

1. Run the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter 

  1. Hit the Windows key and click on Settings.settings windows 11
  2. Click on System on the left pane, then Troubleshoot on the right pane.Open system troubleshooter
  3. Select Other troubleshooters.other troubleshooters
  4. Scroll down, locate Windows Store Apps, and click the Run button.clicking run windows store apps troubleshooter

2. Restart the Microsoft Edge Update service 

  1. Hit the Windows + R keys to open the Run command.
  2. Type services.msc and hit Enter.run services.msc command
  3. Locate Microsoft Edge Update service, double-click on it, and select Properties.
  4. Navigate to the General tab, under Startup type, select Automatic from the drop-down options, and click on the Start button.
  5. Next, click Apply and then OK.

The Microsoft Edge Update service updates your application whenever new updates are available. If disabled, the app will be exposed to security vulnerabilities that may prevent it from detecting updates.

3. Repair Microsoft Edge

  1. Hit the Windows key and click on Settings.settings windows 11
  2. Click on Apps on the left pane, then Apps & features on the right pane.
  3. Locate the Microsoft Edge app, click on the three vertical ellipses, and select Modify.
  4. Click on Repair.

4. Clear the Microsoft Edge cache folder

  1. Hit the Windows + E keys to open File Explorer.
  2. Navigate to the following location: appdata/Local/Microsoft/Edge/User Data
  3. Right-click on the Default folder and select the Delete icon.
  4. Go back and try updating Edge again.

5. Reinstall Microsoft Edge

  1. Hit the Windows key and click on Settings.settings windows 11
  2. Click on Apps on the left pane, then Apps & features on the right pane.
  3. Locate the Microsoft Edge app, click on the three vertical ellipses, and select Uninstall.
  4. You can download Microsoft Edge from the Microsoft Store or its official website.

Before you reinstall the application, ensure you have cleared any software remnants that may have been causing Microsoft Edge not to update.

You can also try updating Edge using the offline installer, especially if your internet connection is unstable.

How do I download the latest version of Microsoft Edge?

Like many other browsers, Microsoft Edge receives software updates occasionally to improve features or fix bugs. Some users’ browser settings are automatic, so new browser updates are automatically downloaded whenever available.

For others, you may have to trigger the updates manually to enjoy the new version. The issue arises when you can no longer update your browser, even after manually triggering them. 

Aside from update problems, there are also some instances where Microsoft Edge is not connecting to the internet. If you have encountered a similar issue, check out our article on how to fix it. And you can also discover what to do to stop Edge from importing bookmarks and data.

We appreciate your feedback, so please let us know of any solution that may have fixed this issue but is missing from our list.

KB5023778: A closer look at this new cumulative update

Posted on by Alexandru Poloboc

The time has come for stable Windows 11 users to get new features delivered via cumulative updates, so Insiders need to sit on the sideline for this one.

If you haven’t yet upgraded to the latest Windows 11 version (22H2), we have a guide that will show you where to get it and how to install it.

And, speaking of upgrading, know that the Steam gaming platform will no longer work on older versions of the Windows OS, such as Windows 7, 8, and 8.1.

Also, don’t forget to check out a new security tool that can prevent hacking attempts in Microsoft’s cloud, in case you were on the lookout for something of that nature.

What should I look for in KB5023778?

Now, if you use a stable Windows 11 release and do not mind installing a cumulative update, here is a new release from the Redmond giant for you.

That being said, KB5023778 (build 22621.1485), is now available with several notable changes and non-security fixes.

Please note that Microsoft is changing how it delivers preview versions of its cumulative updates, so another thing you should definitely check out.

On that note, beginning April 2023, the company will ship optional non-security updates every fourth Tuesday of the month.

In other words, Windows users will now have two Patch Tuesdays rollouts, one mandatory and one that is optional.

0

This latest update introduces notifications for Microsoft accounts in the Start menu. This is only available to a small audience right now, and it will deploy more broadly in the coming months.

Furthermore, the search box on the taskbar will be lighter when you set Windows to a custom color mode, which can be changed in the Settings app.

KB5023778 also addresses an issue that affects the Notepad combo box in Settings, one that fails to show all the available options.

The issue that affects Microsoft PowerPoint, making it stop responding when you use accessibility tools, is history and we no longer have to deal with it.

There was also an annoying problem that affected Microsoft Narrator and it failed to read items in dropdown lists in Microsoft Excel. Microsoft has dealt with that as well.

Before we get into the rest of the changelog, know that this update addresses an issue that affects USB printers, so you can kiss that goodbye.

Improvements

  • This update adds many new features and improvements to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. For more information, see Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
  • This update addresses an issue that affects complexity policy settings for PINs. They are ignored.
  • This update addresses an issue that affects the Fast Identity Online 2.0 (FIDO2) PIN credential icon. It does not appear on the credentials screen of an external monitor. This occurs when that monitor is attached to a closed laptop.
  • This update addresses an issue that affects a Clustered Shared Volume (CSV). The CSV fails to come online. This occurs if you enable BitLocker and local CSV managed protectors, and the system recently rotated the BitLocker keys.
  • This update addresses an issue that affects Active Directory Users & Computers. It stops responding. This occurs when you use TaskPad view to enable or disable many objects at the same time.
  • The update addresses an issue that affects the Remote Procedure Call Service (rpcss.exe). The issue might cause a race condition between the Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) and the Microsoft Remote Procedure Call (RPC) endpoint mapper.
  • This update addresses an issue that affects Microsoft PowerPoint. It stops responding on the Azure Virtual Desktop. This occurs while you are using Think-Cell Features.
  • This update addresses an issue that affects Windows Search. Windows Search fails inside of Windows container images.
  • This update affects the Group Policy Editor. It adds Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.3 to the list of protocols that you can set.
  • This update affects the Arab Republic of Egypt. The update supports the government’s daylight saving time change order for 2023.
  • This update affects jscript9Legacy.dll. It adds ITracker and ITrackingService to stop MHTML from not responding.
  • This update addresses an issue that affects the Microsoft HTML Application Host (HTA). This issue blocks code execution that uses Microsoft HTA. This occurs when you turn on Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) User Mode Code Integrity (UMCI) enforced mode.
  • This update affects the Group Policy Management Console. It addresses a scripting error in the Group Policy Preferences window.
  • This update addresses an issue that affects the Windows Remote Management (WinRM) client. The client returns an HTTP server error status (500). This error occurs when it runs a transfer job in the Storage Migration Service.
  • This update addresses an issue that affects Desired State Configuration. It loses its previously configured options. This occurs if metaconfig.mof is missing.
  • This update addresses an issue that affects the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) option 119 – Domain Search Option. The issue stops you from using a connection-specific DNS Suffix Search List.
  • This update addresses a rare issue that might cause an input destination to be null. This issue might occur when you attempt to convert a physical point to a logical point during hit testing. Because of this, the computer raises a stop error.
  • This update addresses an issue that affects the Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol (SCEP) certificate. The system reports some SCEP certificate installations as failed. Instead, the system should report them as pending.
  • This update addresses an issue that affects the new Windows Runtime (WinRT) API. This issue stops an application from querying for location information using MBIM2.0+.
  • This update addresses a known issue that affects kiosk device profiles. If you have enabled automatic logon, it might not work. After Autopilot completes provisioning, these devices stay on the credential screen. This issue occurs after you install updates dated January 10, 2023, and later.

Known issues

  • Using provisioning packages on Windows 11, version 22H2 (also called Windows 11 2022 Update) might not work as expected. Windows might only be partially configured, and the Out Of Box Experience might not finish or might restart unexpectedly. Provisioning packages are .PPKG files which are used to help configure new devices for use on business or school networks. Provisioning packages which are applied during initial setup are most likely to be impacted by this issue. For more information on provisioning packages, please see Provisioning packages for Windows.
  • Copying large multiple gigabyte (GB) files might take longer than expected to finish on Windows 11, version 22H2. You are more likely to experience this issue copying files to Windows 11, version 22H2 from a network share via Server Message Block (SMB) but local file copy might also be affected.Windows devices used by consumers in their home or small offices are not likely to be affected by this issue.
  • Updates released February 14, 2023 or later might not be offered from some Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) servers to Windows 11, version 22H2. The updates will download to the WSUS server but might not propagate further to client devices. Affected WSUS servers are only those running Windows Server 2022 which have been upgraded from Windows Server 2016 or Windows Server 2019. This issue is caused by the accidental removal of required Unified Update Platform (UUP) MIME types during the upgrade to Windows Server 2022 from a previous version of Windows Server. This issue might affect security updates or feature updates for Windows 11, version 22H2. Microsoft Configuration Manager is not affected by this issue.
  • After installing this or later updates, Windows devices with some third-party UI customization apps might not start up. These third-party apps might cause errors with explorer.exe that might repeat multiple times in a loop. The known affected third-party UI customization apps are ExplorerPatcher and StartAllBack. These types of apps often use unsupported methods to achieve their customization and as a result can have unintended results on your Windows device.

What can I do if I can’t install KB5023778?

  1. Press Win+ I to access Settings.
  2. Select the System category and click on Troubleshoot.w11 troubleshoot
  3. Press the Other troubleshooters button.other troubleshooters windows 11
  4. Press the Run button next to Windows Update.windows update troubleshooter

Make sure to report any other issues you might come across, in order for Microsoft to address and improve the overall OS experience for us all.

This is everything you can expect if you are a Windows 11 user. Leave a comment below if you found any issues since installing this build.