During the hour-long call with investors, Nadella and chief financial officer Amy Hood tag-teamed a combo of talking points for investors that included how many businesses use the company’s Cognitive Services, access GitHub and Visual Studio or Azure PaaS services, how many employees are connected to Dynamics 365, the increase in PC demand, the explosion of cybercrimes and even how 3rd party titles underperformed expectations for Game Pass.
However, through the morass of numbers and highlights for the quarter it was the five times Nadella mentioned the metaverse that will have investors ears perk up over the coming years as they seek explanations for future expenditures from Microsoft.
Nadella mentioned metaverse when talking specifically about bringing Azure IoT, Digital Twins and Mesh to help businesses analyze and visualize processes. Nadella then went on to mention the metaverse again when strictly talking up Teams, as a way to “have watercooler-type conversations and even whiteboarding sessions.” Nadella’s last specific example of metaverse inclusion came when discussing the recent Activision Blizzard acquisition where the company plans to make gaming physically more accessible to players can “play great games wherever, whenever, and however they want.”
Satya Nadella
Nadella caps his entire conceptualization of Microsoft’s proposed metaverse in a response from a question posed by investor Mark Moerdler who asked blankly, with all the hype around the phrase, what are the key components to a metaverse and how many does Microsoft currently have. Tom Warren from The Verge captured the metaverse portion of the earnings call:
listen to how Microsoft CEO @satyanadella describes the metaverse for gaming, Teams, and devices. He says it's "essentially the next wave of the internet. I think the next wave of the internet will be a more open world where people can build their own metaverse worlds." pic.twitter.com/KZJrd40QlH
Up the stack, I would say. Dynamics, Dynamics 365 Connected Spaces, that’s a solution that’s in preview today. That’s about really being able to take a retail space or a connected factory or a building and essentially create a complete new software category, which is about managing physical processes. Just like CRM and ERP and supply chain management, we now have a suite which is all driven by Connected Spaces, which is going to automate physical processes.
Teams is going to have Mesh meetings or these immersive meetings, which will start first of all on 2D screens, whether it’s PCs or phones, and then lead up to even immersive experiences if you wear your VR or AR goggles. That’s another place.
And then, of course, gaming, that will be a natural place for us. And today, if you think about the activity, when I talked about the Forza numbers, right, that’s a place where you could say already people are investing in their avatars, people are building Minecraft worlds. And so very naturally, you can see us extend gaming as the metaverse evolves.
On the devices side, one of the things we’re very excited to be doing is what we’re doing with HoloLens and all the experience we’re gaining on the optics, on the silicon side, and all the way to the cloud in terms of some of the foundational services, driven by all the HoloLens use cases in the enterprise.
That’s the broad portfolio. We’re going to invest across the entire tech stack. The demand will come in different forms for different categories, but we feel very well-positioned to be able to catch what I think is essentially the next wave of the internet, right? Just like the first wave of the internet allowed everybody to build a website, I think the next wave of the internet will be a more open world where people can build their own metaverse worlds, whether they’re organizations or game developers or anyone else.
Microsoft has many of the components to realize its own metaverse currently, the burden now rests on the company to execute a successful transitioning of businesses, customers and consumers to integrating and creating a sense of dependency on future metaverse.
In the digital age, privacy is the most pressing issue to be concerned about. We may have observed or come across individuals who have taped their cameras or disabled the microphones on their computers.
Consider the following scenario: you are working on your laptop when you notice that the web camera light is flashing. Wouldn’t it be nice to know which program is using your webcam and be able to identify it?
The software in question could be legitimate (such as Skype), or it could be malicious (such as ransomware). It is critical that you look into this further, especially if this occurs more than once.
Our discussion today will cover how to determine which application is using your webcam in the background on Windows 11, as well as how to pick which applications can utilize or access your camera right after we see some of the scenarios in which we could get spied on.
Can I know if someone is spying on me though the camera?
You may be familiar with the term Zoom Bombing, which refers to when hackers interrupt online meetings with a barrage of junk emails. Whether this has happened to you or someone you know, your computer’s webcam has never been more important than it is now.
However, webcams, like any other technological gadget, are susceptible to hacking, which can result in significant and unprecedented exposure of personal information.
A webcam hacker does not require much in order to gain control of your webcam. All that is required is the development of malware that hijacks a webcam, remotely installs it into your computer, and then begins taking films and photographs of you without your awareness.
Always keep an eye out for signs that the camera is moving or rotating without your permission. Observe for any strange movement, as this could be an indicator that someone is spying on your every step.
In the event that a hacker uses your webcam to record video or audio, such video or audio recording will be preserved among your other existing storage items. That means that if a file appears out of nowhere, it would be considered a red flag by the system.
Look for files you did not create, especially in your webcam recordings folder, and delete them if you find them. You can’t completely rule out the possibility that the hacker has moved some of their files and some of your files to new directories or to a location.
Is your webcam’s indicator blinking oddly or turning on by itself without your prompting? Then someone could be in control of your computer without your knowledge or consent.
Maintain a constant state of alertness. Malware can sometimes be disguised as legitimate software and installed on your computer. This is especially true if you have a habit of downloading programs from untrusted sources, which allows a malicious app to gain access to your OS.
How can I find out which app is using my camera in the background on Windows 11?
Access Privacy & security
Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app, and navigate to Privacy & security in the left panel followed by Camera from the right side.
Here you will find a list of apps that have or don’t have access to your camera. If you want to change the permission to a certain app, simply click on the toggle next to it.
Finding out which application is using your PC’s camera is a straightforward process. Detailed information can be found in the Privacy & security settings of your computer.
In the same way, you may view the usage of Location and Microphone services and disable access to them at any time.
We recommend that you check which apps have access to your peripherals regularly to make sure no malware has gained access to them in the meanwhile.
Malware infection is software that infects your computer in order for cybercriminals to gain access to, or harm, your system or device, including accessing your camera.
Note that malware is an abbreviation for malicious software which is used to steal information and carry out malicious operations on the Internet.
It is most commonly spread through the download of programs into your computer or mobile device. For example, you can unknowingly download a software application that appears to be genuine but is actually malware designed to compromise your computer’s security.
However, direct downloads while surfing websites aren’t the only way to install malware onto your computer. You may infect your computer or device by opening or downloading attachments or by clicking on links in emails or text messages that have been sent to you.
Installing antimalware software solutions is one of the most effective methods of protecting oneself from malware. The use of it adds an extra layer of protection when you are downloading something.
It is possible to configure the software to run automatically, allowing files to be inspected while they are being downloaded. Alternatively, you can configure your antimalware software to run scheduled scans of your computer system.
When downloading something from the Internet, it is vital to be cautious about your actions. You and your machine are both safer when harmful software is stopped at the source. Downloading programs, upgrades, and customizations should be done through legitimate app stores.
Communication is never easy. Nowhere does this fact hold more water, than when you have to express yourself in written format. Thankfully, as far as online communications are concerned, we’ve emojis to fall back on.
And if you’re a Teams user, you’ll be spoiled with options; especially since the time Microsoft revamped all existing emojis of the Teams app. In what follows, we’ve covered everything and anything you can do with emojis on your Teams app and keep those conversations alive. So let’s jump right in.
Sending sticker in Teams
Like many other messaging platforms today, Teams has made using emojis feature a simple affair. Here’s how you use emojis in Teams:
When you are sending a message, click on Emoji.
You’ll then get a list of emojis to choose from.
Pick a specific emoji that best describes your emotions.
Click on it to add it to your message.
The emoji will be added to your message. All you now have to do is press Send for the emoji to appear along with your message.
React to Chats and Messages
Apart from sending different emojis in your text messages, you also have an option to react to text from your teammates. Liked the opinion shared by colleague? Hover over the text until you get a host of default emojis to pick from. It will be a series of most commonly used Smilies and the thumbs up sticker.
Click on a single emoji and your reaction will appear instantly for everyone to see. Also, the sender of the text will get notified about your reaction.
A lot to choose from
In our opinion, what makes Teams interesting are not only the emojis you can send—almost all apps have this feature, but the fact that you get a dearth of options to select from.
In the step 1 above, when you click on Emoji you’ll get the list of options to select from. There are Smilies, as shown above. But there are quite a few other emojis as well: Hand gestures, People, Animals, Food, Travel and Activities, are some of the categories that make up the emoji feature of Teams a success.
Wrapping it all up
Expressing your feelings through the written word is hard. By using the emojis provided by the Teams app, you can ease the process (and possibly) make your interactions more satisfying. We hope that these pointers helped you in getting the most of the Microsoft Teams. However, don’t stop here; we’ve covered a lot of ground on making the most out of Teams.
If your second monitor is not detected in Windows 11, the issue can be caused by incorrect settings, cable problems, or hardware compatibility issues. Fortunately, Windows offers multiple built-in methods to help you connect and extend your display successfully.
What do I do if Windows 11 is not detecting my second monitor?
1. Restart your PC
Open the Start menu from the left side of your taskbar.
Then click on the Power icon from the right.
Select Restart from the list of options to restart your PC.
Restarting your PC is the easiest solution to apply if the second display is not detecting. It can be a temporary problem, and a simple restart of Windows is enough to fix it. In fact, the resolution has worked on Windows 10 PCs as well.
If you are using a laptop connected to an external monitor for a better viewing experience, then simply closing its lid is said to work for many users.
Often the reason behind the error can be a conflicting program that is running in the background. However, when you restart the computer, the program running gets closed, and you may get away from the issue.
2. Update the display driver
Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
Type devmgmt.msc on the search field and hit the Enter button.
Locate and expand the Display Adapters tab on the Device Manager window.
Right-click on your graphics card, and from the list of options, select Update driver.
Select the Search automatically for drivers option as the Update driver window opens.
Now, wait until Windows completes the search for the latest driver.
Finally, follow the simple on-screen process to update your display driver to its latest version.
An outdated display driver can cause conflicts between the software and hardware components of your PC.
Thus, if you haven’t updated the display driver recently, following the steps above will update it and fix the issue.
You can also opt for driver update software toolsto keep your display driver updated automatically and fix every driver on your PC.
Press the Windows key + I to open Settings on your PC.
Then, click on the Display tab under System settings.
Now, scroll down and click on the Advanced display option.
Then, from Select a display to view or change its settings tab, choose the display for which you want to change the frequency.
Finally, from the Choose a refresh rate tab, select a refresh rate that both the displays support.
Having a different refresh rate on the second monitor can cause a temporary software conflict on your system.
Eventually, that may lead to Windows not detecting the monitor. However, you can resolve the issue by changing the display frequency settings.
4. Roll back the graphics card driver
First, click on the Search icon on the toolbar and type Device Manager.
Now, open Device Manager from the search result.
Then, locate and expand the Display adapters tab from the list in the Device Manager window.
Right-click on your graphics card driver and select Properties on the list.
On the Properties window, click on the Driver tab and select the Roll Back Driver option.
On the warning pop-up, select the option Previous version of the driver performed better.
Finally, click on the Yes button below.
Occasionally, an updated driver version comes with bugs. Rolling back to the previous version will resolve the problem in that case.
6. Check physical connections
Ensure the cable is firmly connected to both your PC and the monitor. If possible, test with another cable or port type (HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C) to rule out hardware issues. A loose or damaged cable is one of the most common reasons for a monitor not detected in Windows 11.
7. Use the Detect Displays option
Windows can manually search for connected displays. To do this:
Press Windows + I to open Settings.
Go to System > Display.
Scroll down and click Multiple displays.
Click the Detect button next to “Detect other display”.
This forces Windows to recheck connected hardware and may make your external monitor appear.
8. Set the correct input source on the monitor
If the monitor is on the wrong input channel, Windows will not be able to display an image. Use the monitor’s on-screen menu to ensure the selected input matches the cable type you’re using (e.g., HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C).
9. Check projection mode settings
Sometimes the display is connected but not configured to extend or duplicate. To check:
Press Windows + P to open the projection menu.
Select either Duplicate or Extend.
If it’s set to “PC screen only,” the second monitor will remain inactive.
How do I customize my second monitor?
While using a second monitor with your PC, Windows offers four different options. Depending on your need, you can select one and start working with it.
Here is an overview of how to customize your second monitor as per your work requirement.
As you connect the second display with your computer, Windows 11 will mirror your primary display on it. If you need to change the usability, follow the steps below.
Press Windows key + P on your keyboard.
Then from the list of following options, choose the one that suits your purpose.
PC screen only will allow you to see things on a single display
The Extend mode will let you see your desktop across multiple screens where it’s possible to use two displays for different activities
The Duplicate option comes by default, as it mirrors the primary display on the second one
With The Second screen only feature, you can see everything only on the second screen
There are various dual monitor tools for Windows 11 available that may help improve your experience in a dual monitor setup. Third-party dual monitor solutions allow you to customize a lot more than you can usually do on Windows.
Hope the workarounds were helpful to you. Do not hesitate to use the comments section below to tell us which method worked for you.
Since the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, dealing with apps providing online team collaboration—and Microsoft Teams in particular—has become a crucial aspect of the job for most white-collar professionals. In fact, as those of us enmeshed in the Microsoft ecosystem have realized, if your work involves any sort of communication, Teams is one of those tool that you simply can’t work without anymore. Apart from a host of handy features, the Teams app lets you share important files with your colleagues.
If there are some files that you’ve to access regularly, it’s better if you pin them in the Teams app, so you can get instant access to the essential files; moreover, this will also help you organize things in a neat and easy manner.
Let’s get started.
How to pin a file in Microsoft Teams
You can easily stick a file at the top of your Teams app. After you’ve launched the Microsoft Teams app, follow the steps below for pinning your file in Microsoft Teams:
Head to the File tab. From there, pick the document you’d like to pin and click on the circle at its left.
A host of options will pop up; choose the Pin to top in the toolbar.
That’s it; you’ve just successfully pinned a file in Teams. To unpin it again, select the file and click on the Edit from the top. Then click on Unpin. Note that you can only pin three files at any given time.
Also, if you’ve pinned multiple files at a time, you can also move them around rather easily. Just click on Edit Pin, and select Move Left or Move Right to shuffle them around.
Pinning files in Microsoft Teams
And that’s all, folks. If you use some files frequently, pining them to the top of Teams apps is a suitable approach to workflow organization. Hopefully, following the above steps helped you pin your files in Teams without any hassles. But that’s not all; Microsoft Teams has a lot to offer, so make sure you’re making the most of it.
Among some of the interesting tidbits from Microsoft’s latest earnings call are some new numbers on the Windows front. The company’s CEO Satya Nadella reported that there are now 1.4 billion monthly active Windows 10 or Windows 11 devices.
The new milestone, which seems to now consist of all types of devices running modern Windows (Hololens, Xbox consoles, and also Windows 11 devices themselves,) is just a small uptick from Microsoft’s last report. Back in April 2021, the company said there were 1.3 billion monthly active Windows 10 devices. However, at that time, Windows 11 was not released and wasn’t in that figure.
Even with the uncertainty of the “Windows 11 difference” in the numbers, this hints that Windows is still key in Microsoft’s profits despite the pandemic slowing down the PC industry. Windows OEM revenue was up 25%, and Surface revenue increased 8% overall this quarter for Microsoft.
Windows 11 was released back in October of 2021, and it’ll be four months since then this February. Reports have said that Windows 11 adoption is approaching 10%, which could be seen as quite low, but enthusiasts have shown a positive reaction to the new OS.
RARLAB, which if you didn’t know is the developer of the archiving software WinRAR, just released WinRAR 6.1 this month.
This totally fresh version of WinRAR changes the system requirements, and therefore support for Windows XP has been totally and permanently dropped in 6.1.
So, if you still haven’t decided to move on from this obsolete Windows version, we strongly recommend you do, for safety reasons, and also to be able to keep using your favorite software.
Windows XP loses support for the latest version of WinRAR
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as many developers have already ended support for Windows XP and will pretty soon end it for other versions of the OS as well.
For the time being, the minimum required operating system for WinRAR 6.1 is Windows Vista, which by the way is not supported by Microsoft anymore, and Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 are supported until January 2023.
As a matter of fact, WinRAR 6.1 is the first version of the application that supports Windows 11’s new context menus, as Microsoft changed the File Explorer right-click context menu in its Windows 11 operating system.
The tech giant added a newly designed context menu to File Explorer but kept the classic context menu as one of the options so that users can open it if required.
As a result, numerous third-party application entries are not displayed in the new context menu right now as companies need to publish updates to support it.
However, one of the limitations of the context menu is that programs are allowed a single top-level entry or menu item only, thus the new WinRAR context menu on Windows 11 lists all WinRAR commands when selected.
Keep in mind that users can change the functionality in the Cascaded context menus section of the Preferences, option which determines whether a submenu with all WinRAR commands is displayed.
Disabling the option changes the context menu items to a single extraction or archiving command, which users may select under Context Menu Items.
Also worth mentioning is the fact that the new Legacy context menus option may be used by WinRAR users if menu items are missing from the legacy context menu of Windows 11 or in the context menus of third-party file managers.
And before you get the wrong idea, we need to clarify that the setting is only available on Windows 11 devices.
WinRAR 6.1 introduces several other changes and improvements. The archiver supports the extraction of .zst and .zipx archives now.
The option to create RAR5 recovery records has a new maximum limit; it is now 1000%, which means that the recovery volumes size can be up to 10 times larger than the actual size of the RAR volumes.
A recovery file size larger than 99% of the archive is only supported by WinRAR 6.1 or newer, and the same is true if the number of recovery volumes is greater than the number of protected RAR volumes.
If you want to use this latest version of WinRAR you don’t have to go to extreme lengths to get it, just download it from the official page.
Microsoft has just released the KB5008353 update for Windows 11, a new optional patch that fixes various issues related to audio devices, app icons in the taskbar, as well as multi-monitor setups. As usual, this patch is part of Microsoft’s non-security preview “C” releases for all supported versions of Windows, and all bug fixes included in these optional patches will roll out to all users with next month’s “Patch Tuesday” updates.
Today’s KB5008353 patch includes a fix for an issue causing some devices to stop working when connected to multiple displays, and Microsoft has also addressed the bug preventing some apps from rendering colors correctly on select HDR displays. You can find a detailed list of bug fixes and quality improvements in the KB5008353 patch below:
Updates an issue that causes the audio service to stop responding on some devices that support hardware-accelerated Bluetooth audio.
Updates an issue that affects icons for apps when the apps are not running. On the taskbar, these icons might display as active as if the apps are running.
Adds a new Your Microsoft Account page to the Accounts category in Windows Settings for Home and Professional editions.
Updates an issue that incorrectly shows the volume icon in the taskbar as muted.
Updates an issue that causes a device to stop working when it’s connected to multiple displays.
Updates an issue that affects the auto-hide feature of the taskbar. The taskbar might not reliably appear when you hover over the primary or secondary display.
Updates an issue that might prevent icons from appearing on the taskbar of a secondary display.
Improves auto brightness to provide a better response under low light conditions on all the supported systems.
Updates daylight savings time to start in February 2022 instead of March 2022 in Jordan.
Adds the HelpWith feature, which uses Microsoft Bing technologies to suggest Help topics that are relevant for each Settings page.
Updates an issue that displays outdated battery percentages for connected Bluetooth devices on the Bluetooth and other devices page in Settings.
Updates a known issue that might prevent some image editing programs from rendering colors correctly on certain high dynamic range (HDR) displays. This frequently affects white colors that might display in bright yellow or other colors.
You can download this optional patch from Windows Update right now, though be aware that Microsoft has acknowledged an issue causing recent emails that are stored locally to not appear in the search results of the Microsoft Outlook desktop app. It’s possible to mitigate this issue by disabling Windows Desktop Search, which will force Outlook for Windows to use its built-in search feature. However, Microsoft is already working on a more permanent fix that will come in a future Windows 11 patch.
Whether you moved on from Windows 10 and upgraded to the new operating system or not, you might want to know that something is stirring behind Microsoft’s gates.
Thus, Windows 11 testers could soon begin receiving near-final bits from the next major feature update codenamed Sun Valley 2.
Do you remember Sun Valley? Everyone was talking about it last summer when we thought that Windows 10 was in for a major revamp.
However, it turned out that the Redmond-based tech company was actually working on Windows 11, instead of the Sun Valley update for the previous OS.
And, it appears that we’re about to learn what this project is all about really soon.
Windows 11 22H2 is on its way to our PCs
For the time being, Windows 11 is receiving early builds from the active development channel (rs_prerelease) which ultimately is expected to be designated as the Sun Valley 2 or Windows 11 22H2 release.
Insiders are constantly getting new builds from the Dev Channel, but Microsoft officials have confirmed that current releases are not tied to a specific feature update.
What this technically means is that the current and upcoming preview features or improvements may or may not ship with the final version of Windows 11 22H2.
We have to keep in mind that Microsoft could take some, all, or none of the features in the existing rs_prerelease builds and move them into any Windows 11 release, in October 2022, October 2023, or later.
A new document has appeared online suggesting that the main base of Windows 11’s current development branch will be declared Feature Complete internally by March 4.
This doesn’t mean Microsoft will stop adding features to preview builds in Dev Channel, so don’t be alarmed if you haven’t seen some of your favorite features added yet.
On April 4, Windows 11 Nickel release will be declared Config complete, and no other major changes will be introduced.
Microsoft has confirmed that it is focusing on bug fixes and under the hood improvements for Windows 10 rather than any new features, which will be reserved for Windows 11.
Excited about Sun Valley 2 for Windows 11 and all of its new features? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
The wedding slideshow is the only photo album that will serve as a lasting reminder of your special day after the vows have been said and rings have been exchanged.
Despite the fact that having an album with printed images is unquestionably more romantic, you are most likely eager to share the wonderful news with the entire world, or at the very least with the entire Internet.
By using IceCream Slideshow Maker, you can build a slideshow presentation using your wedding images and use it to help spread the news about your event. Continue reading to find out how to create one right after we see what the advantages of using this software are. Follow along!
What are the advantages of using IceCream Slideshow Maker?
Being able to keep up with the quick pace of technological advancement can be difficult on occasion. Our occupations require a great deal of us, such as the acquisition of new abilities that we must learn. In order to create a professional-looking presentation, it is necessary to possess a wide range of abilities.
It’s a good thing that IceCream Apps was able to find a solution. They offer a large number of software solutions for beginners. The IceCream Slideshow Maker is one of the applications they developed that stood out from the rest.
The second edition of the app starts off with a bang, as it includes a slew of significant enhancements, such as the ability to create slideshows more easily, the ability to upload photos more quickly, photo shuffle, drag and drop, and an improved graphic user interface, as well as several bug fixes.
Making a slideshow with Adobe Premiere or Corel VideoStudio necessitates extensive knowledge of the software and necessitates a significant investment in other applications. However, to use the IceCream Slideshow Maker Pro, you do not need to have advanced technical abilities.
More than that, you can quickly and easily create a professional slideshow that will make you stand out from the competition. The program includes intuitive controls that allow you to perform miracles and exhibit ordinary photographs in a visually amazing manner.
Before pressing the last button, we made a point of double-checking everything. When it comes to playing back the transitions, this slideshow video generator is really user-friendly. An included media player allows you to preview the transition effects and the complete slideshow.
IceCream Slideshow Maker Pro provides its users with a plethora of transition options, with over 26 different transitions to choose from. You may also adjust the display time of each photo in the slideshow by selecting the type and duration of transition effects, as well as the time between each shot.
How can I create a wedding slideshow in Windows 11?
There are two ways to add files to the program. The first one suggests adding single files by clicking the Add photo option or Add file to start your photostory button, or you can add more files with the Add Folder button. JPG, JPEG, BMP, or TIFF formats are supported.
When the files are added, the main window is divided into two sections: file queue at the left and preview zone with settings at the right. First and foremost, decide on the duration of the slides. You can choose the values from 1 to 20 seconds in the Time section.
The program offers over 20 transition effects (Pixelate, Zoom, Wipe), and also the Random and None options. Preview them by pressing Play on image’s thumbnail in the queue.
You can move the items in the queue by selecting one of them and using the arrows at the side. Alternatively, just drag and drop it to a desired position in the queue. You can delete certain files from the queue by clicking on a recycle bin icon in front of it.
Find the Resolutions option under the preview zone and choose a necessary resolution from the dropdown menu. Then, configure the Transition duration setting in the same way. Check the Scale to fit box if you want all your images to fit the screen.
A romantic piece of music should be playing in the background of your wedding slideshow. To include a song in the slideshow, select Add audio from the settings panel. You can set the audio offset or fade options right below, or even loop the song.
Before making a wedding slideshow, click on the Preview button to make sure the presentation looks good. Finally, hit the Create button in the bottom right corner to start the process.
While the slideshow is being constructed, you can use the buttons at the bottom right to pause, resume, or cancel it at any time.
When the project is completed, a popup window will appear immediately following the completion of the project. Click on the Open folder option in this window to see the slideshow. And finally, simply click on the YouTube button, and the video will be uploaded to your channel immediately.
Next you will need to sign up for free. To ease the process use your google account.
Now type wedding slideshow in the search bar and make sure that the Videos option is selected.
From the list of templates you can choose any you want, for now we will choose Beautiful Wedding #2. Note that to use an existing template you will have to upgrade to the Premium version.
From the left side you can click on Text to customize it, Media to add new pictures or videos or even use existing ones, and Music to change the background audio and edit it.
If you hover over the video on the bottom side you will find that an Edit button will show up. Here you can choose to change the Color filters, Trim, Duplicate or Replace the video.
Next, you can click on the play button to see what the video looks like so far, and lastly click on the Save & Preview button to finish your slideshow. That’s it!
What are some alternatives to a wedding slideshow?
A priority for the majority of couples is figuring out an innovative approach to preserve their wedding photographs in perpetuity for years to come.
Both you and your photographer put a lot of effort into planning. However, while wedding albums or slideshows are unquestionably the tried-and-true tradition and are unquestionably sufficient, they are not your only option for keeping your precious memories.
Even if you have a large book filled with every beautiful image from your wedding day or a short slideshow video, consider how often will you actually look at it. When you’re celebrating an anniversary, when guests come to visit, and when you’re feeling nostalgic, but what about other times of the year?
Probably not on a regular basis. If you don’t want to keep your wedding images hidden away and only look back on rare occasions, we enjoy the concept of presenting them in creative ways that you can view on a regular basis, if not every day.
A lovely wooden box to hold all of your wedding memories should be found or made. It’s even possible to include your invitations and dried flowers from your bouquet in the box, which will help to bring the box to life.
Instead of a static album, your heritage box is organic and can alter and develop together with you as your family grows. We adore the idea of showcasing your wedding images as original artwork in a gallery setting.
Also, a Blog Wall Collage for the bride and groom is a wonderful way for couples who want to tell the tale of their wedding rather than just show a single photo to do it.
Wondering what goes on behind closed doors at Google? Well, the company is planning to make a big change to Chrome’s picture-in-picture mode that will allow users to open non-video content.
And, this new version of picture-in-picture might even support interactive media contents such as images or certain types of embedded content like audio while you continue to browse the web.
Google Chrome’s existing picture-in-picture feature can only play videos. However, soon, it will be possible to play interactive HTML content in the picture-in-picture mode, making multitasking easier for users.
This new project is currently called PIP 2.0 and it aims to enable interactive HTML content in the PiP window.
Keep in mind that interactive content is a subjective term, so we don’t how the search engine giant is planning to upgrade picture-in-picture mode, but you can expect support for audio, embed, iframe, img, and more.
This is part of a series for the new picture-in-picture v2 feature that allows always-on-top windows with arbitrary content.
The CL introduces the new window subtype and sets the Z layer to show it on top of other content, and Followup CLs will add additional behavior changes.
All this information was provided by Google, as they updated one of the latest posts on Chromium.
There’s even another Chromium post stating that a new code in Chrome will hide the window frame and location bar (after a timeout) when the [PiP] window loses focus and add it again when the focus is regained.
The promise will allow a clearer async API and would offer a way to expose that interactive isn’t supported by the platform.
Google also mentioned the fact that it will disable permission prompts and autofill or similar sensitive features and also remove regular keyboard events to reduce the attack surface of the Picture-in-Picture window.
In addition to upgraded picture-in-picture, Google is also believed to be working on additional design improvements for Chrome on Windows.
Excited about this new feature for the Chrome browser? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
Dark Souls players out there will surely agree that the game is already difficult enough, without any bugs or glitches transforming into literal hell, as some users so elegantly put it.
And, as if the difficulty alone hasn’t deterred tens, maybe hundreds of users from playing it, it turns out that playing it online could open up your computer for malicious third parties.
Furthermore, cybercriminals can swoop in, steal sensitive data, and brick it completely if that’s what they choose to do.
Dark Soul online servers are currently down
Dexerto reports that playing the popular game online comes with a Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability.
As you might know, RCEs are usually considered among the most dangerous vulnerabilities, as they allow third parties to run any code on the affected device, which includes ransomware, malware, and infostealers.
This vulnerability was demonstrated on a live stream from The__Grim__Sleeper, who was playing the game for his 70,000+ viewers on Twitch when the game crashed.
Much to his surprise, immediately after, a Microsoft PowerShell opened up by itself, and the text-to-speech feature was triggered, causing Microsoft’s robotic voice to start criticizing the streamer’s performance.
like a Trojan Horse. And more nasty stuff.
It's highly suggested to NOT PLAY ONLINE DARK SOULS 3 in it's current state. Avoid any online activity from Ds3.
In addition, if you haven't already everybody and their mother can recommend the Blue Sentinel modhttps://t.co/lposZRzbr1
The actual story here is, believe it or not, that delivering the message was the whole point of the whole Twitch demonstration.
Apparently, the hacker responsible for the attack first tried to contact FromSoftware, Dark Souls developers, to raise awareness about the issue, but wasn’t taken seriously.
Thus, FromSoftware has now shut down its servers for Dark Souls, Dark Souls 2, and Dark Souls 3, which all seem to be vulnerable to the flaw.
Fans are even worried that the premiere of upcoming game Elden Ring could also be vulnerable, but creators did promise that they will look into it.
There is, allegedly, an anti-cheat mod for Dark Souls 3, called Blue Sentinel, which was developed by the game’s community, and was patched to protect endpoints against the vulnerability.
Bandai Namco, the game’s publisher, took to Reddit to thank the community for drawing their attention to the flaw. The servers are expected to come back online once the issue is permanently fixed.
In a January 24 Tweet, U.S. President Joe Biden indicated his support for the right for consumers to repair their own devices. The President also specifically mentioned Microsoft by name, right alongside Apple, indicating that both companies are now changing their policies.
When you own a product, you should be able to repair it yourself. That’s why I included support for the “right to repair” in my Executive Order.
Now, companies like Apple and Microsoft are changing their policies so folks will be able to repair their devices themselves.
It’s likely that Biden is referring to Microsoft’s recent decision to hire a third-party organization to study the environmental and social impacts of increasing consumers’ options to repair their devices. Additionally, there’s the fact that Microsoft also highlighted the repairability of the Surface Laptop SE and partnered with iFixit on Surface repair tools for authorized repair technicians.
On the political side, President Biden has long been tough on this issue which was first raised under the administration of former President Trump. Back then, the FTC looked into how device makers are restricting the rights of consumers to fix products. Under Biden’s administration, the FTC published a report, indicating that it has the right to take action against groups who stop end-users from fixing products. Biden himself also signed an executive order which enforces the FTC rule.
It’s important to note, though, that Biden sees the right to repair as a competitive issue since reduced repair options could increase costs for end-users and shut down smaller repair shops. On Monday, Biden mentioned both tractors, as well as smartphones when talking about right to repair.
As for the Apple side of the story, Apple recently detailed how it would make it easier to repair iPhones at home. In November, the iPhone maker launched a Self Service Repair program, which allows tech-savvy customers to complete iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, and even M1 Mac repairs on their own using official genuine Apple parts and tools.
There are many ways a business can market itself online, and in this day and age having an online presence for your business is critical.
The look and feel of your web page or YouTube channel can severely impact the way you are perceived and that can mean losing or gaining customers/subscribers.
Your YouTube channel should represent who you are and the types of videos you want to make. Your channel art should represent everything you want to do and people should see it too.
In order to properly represent your YouTube channel, you will need specialized software that allows you to create interesting banners that fit your channel and personality perfectly.
In this article, we will explore some of the best software and web options that allow you to achieve professional results.
Best YouTube banner software to grow your audience
Adobe Creative Cloud Express is the best online YouTube banner, maker. This app helps you create a good-looking banner for your YouTube channel with ease.
You can pick the YouTube channel art option when visiting the site. Having this option at your disposal allows you to create the YouTube banner in the right format.
This tool is very useful and has easily customizable features that allow you to easily modify the background of images, and try different styles before applying them to your banner.
Anything from original backgrounds, photos, text, music, videos, and voice content to make your banner truly stand out from the crowd.
Adobe Creative Cloud Express is available for free on the official website.
Adobe Creative Cloud Express
Make your channel stand out from the crowd with this efficient and feature-rich software!
Canva is one of the well-known YouTube channel banner creator software that comes loaded with a wide range of designer layouts, colors, fonts, and images.
One of the best features of Canva is that it contains millions of stock images and also about 100 professional layouts and lots of stunning filters.
Plus, you can add numerous graphic elements like icons, graphics, shapes, and even audio or video features. So, it’s likely to finish your banners in minutes with this platform.
The free version of Canva offers a comprehensive range of features that enables you to create YouTube banners and the paid version allows you to upload your brand elements and access additional ones.
Canva
Acquire greatly expressive YouTube banners using this free online editor with thousands of graphics and templates.
Fotor is one of the best professional tools for banner creation for your YouTube channel. This software became popular because of its advanced features and ease of use.
This program is a little difficult to use for beginners but it still is a powerful free tool. The wide range of one-click filters in this tool makes it easy to create banners.
Fotor has a wide range of image-enhancing tools and filters that allow you to customize every part of your channel banner. It supports the most popular file formats and even allows you to process RAW images.
You can use artificial lighting, sunset, portrait, landscape, and theater to enhance your pictures based on the conditions in which they were taken.
Fotor
Make your graphic projects effortlessly with this visionary editing app that offers valuable banner or poster products.
With Visme you can create beautiful distinctive projects using professional tools for making various graphics, including YouTube banners.
The software will help you design YouTube banners immediately, with drag and drop features and professionally designed banner templates.
Thus, you can customize your images with resize and crop tools and choose the perfect icons, graphics, shapes, or texts to express the message you need on your YouTube profile.
That being said, using this editing tool you will decorate your entire channel using self-created banners or thumbnails.
Photovisi is a web-based tool that allows you to easily create banner art for your YouTube channel. You can easily design, save, and share your customized banner.
This app automatically adjusts the size of your banner to the right size, allowing you to skip trying to fit your artwork in the format requirements.
Hence, you will be all ready to create the most expressive and eye-catching banners with this famous banner editor. That way you can get the results you desire, grow your YouTube community, and more.
Bannersnack is another great website option that allows you to create wonderful YouTube banners and has an easy-to-use interface. You can create animated and static HTML5 with ease.
You have the option to choose from a wide range of templates or you can create your own banner from scratch.
This tool allows you to add texts, shapes, images, and animations to create unique banners. You can save a banner design as JPG, PNG, MP4, HTML5, and even as GIF.
You can choose from a wide range of templates, or if you’re feeling creative, you can design everything from scratch.
BeFunky allows you to create meaningful banners for YouTube business and is simple enough to be used by beginners as well.
This platform consists of numerous options for banner designs and one of the best features is the fact that you can easily drag and drop images in it.
All you have to do is select one of their banner templates, then upload the image you want in your banner to BeFunky. After the upload is completed, you can customize the image to fit your needs.
PicMonkey is a browser photo editing software that offers a very simple interface that enables you to easily create banner art for your YouTube channel.
PicMonkey offers a toolbar with a good range of editing features, such as cropping and rotating your picture. This web-based photo-editing software allows you to add text, overlays, and frames to pictures.
PicMonkey also gives you the features needed so you can transfer images to your smartphone via Bluetooth.
iPiccy is a free online photo editor that can help you create YouTube banners easily. This tool has a Designer feature that has layer support and includes the option to create vector images.
You will find lots of interesting and useful layouts and templates, and also the option to share the photo created on Facebook or download it to your computer in either the JPG or PNG file format.
Fotojet is another great tool for creating customized Youtube banners. The templates offered on Fotojet are categorized by topics, giving you an easier way to find and choose the best option.
Fotojet offers you over 700+ templates that you can make full use of to create the best designs for your youtube banners.
You simply need to choose a template, edit it by adding photos and other customizations you want, and then save it to your PC or share the banner online.
The tools we’ve covered in this guide will help you design YouTube banners fast. The features included in this list of options offer you high-quality templates, along with a wide range of customization options.
You can also choose from a large number of layouts appropriate for YouTube banners. This feature allows you not to worry about the size details of your banner.
What software do you use to create YouTube banners? Let us know in the comment section below.
Outlook is still the main email client for Windows, mainly in the business sector, but the app crashes often, resulting in email loss. But it’s important to know that you can retrieve the information using an OST to PST converter.
If you have a Microsoft account, it’s free to use but it’s also available together with Microsoft 365 if you want the desktop version.
However, Outlook is not always the most comfortable app to work with and it’s riddled with all sorts of bugs that prevent you from using it or accessing your Inbox folder.
But lately, we discovered OST to PST Converter, an app and online tool that helps you repair your Inbox by converting the data storage files in Outlook.
If you use Microsoft Exchange Server or use IMAP mail protocol in Microsoft Outlook, OST files are created on the disk imperceptibly for you.
An OST file is simply a buffer between the mail server and the local Outlook. Generally, you would never need to know about the existence of this file on your computer.
But sometimes there is trouble and only converting OST to PST will help you save your e-mails, contacts, appointments, notes, files, and others from Microsoft Outlook.
Let’s look at some situations when you might urgently need an OST to PST converter tool:
Microsoft Exchange Server Enterprise is unavailable or not working.
Corporate Windows Domain Controller is unavailable or not working. As a result, you cannot log in to the corporate network.
The corporate network is not available.
Gmail/Outlook/Hotmail and/or other mail server is unavailable or cannot be authorized, or the account has been deleted or the account has been hacked.
You were fired from your job and deprived of access to corporate mail.
Synchronization with the mail server via IMAP fails.
In these or other similar situations, you have a local version of the emails and contacts stored in the OST file.
But Microsoft Outlook does not allow you to just open this file without authorization on the mail server or Windows Domain Controller.
In all these cases, the conversion of OST to PST will allow you to open your data in Outlook and continue using them.
How can the Online / Offline OST to PST Converter help you?
As we’ve mentioned above, the OST and PST files are Outlook’s data storage files. The OST files store the offline data while the PST covers the information stored on your local disk.
When you can’t access your emails, you basically can’t access these databases even if the messages are still there.
That’s where this OST to PST Converter ingenious tool comes into play that helps you convert a possibly damaged OST file into PST, MSG, EML, VCF, and TXT files.
Basically, with this OST PST conversion tool, you recover all the content from your Outlook, including the messages, contact details, and more, even if they are encrypted.
This tool can be used online, but the desktop version has no limit for the number of OST files, or their size and you don’t have to upload your database on the web.
Long story short, how to convert an OST to PST file and how to repair your Outlook emails easily.
How can I fix Outlook emails using OST to PST Converter?
Read the agreement, check the box if you accept it and click the Next button.
Select the folder where you want to install the program (we recommend leaving the default selection) and hit Next.
Set the folder for the Start menu and click Next again.
Check the boxes if you want to create additional shortcuts and select Next.
Finally, hit the Install button.
After the process is done, click on the Finish button.
2. Repair your OST files
The OST 2 PST converter app should start automatically after the installation but if it doesn’t, you can just click on the app from the Recently added list.
Now, you can either click on the folder icon to indicate the location of the file or select the Search button right below. We opted for the latter to help you find the OST files if you don’t know where they are.
Indicate a folder on your drive. We picked the Users folder because that where you will most likely find the OST files. Click on Search Now.
As you see in our screenshot, we found the OST file from our Outlook email client. Click on it and select OK.
You will return to the previous window and with the OST file selected, click on Next.
Now, you have three options:
Recovery mode will try to restore as much as possible from the damaged database
Converter mode can be used to transform your OSF file into PST or extract data from the OST
Scan for deleted data is self-explanatory; if you’ve deleted some emails by mistake, this is how you retrieve them
We chose the second one, clicked Next and the app started to scan all the content of the OST file. The process will take a few minutes, depending on the size of the file.
Now, you can simply check the folders or emails that you want to recover and hit Next.
Click the folder icon to indicate the folder where you want to save the data and select Next.
Again, you have two options, you can either save the data as PST files or as separate files. We picked the second option.
Next, choose the format of the saved files and click Save in the end.
In the free version, you may only save 5 objects per folder. If you click Buy now and get a license, that will be unlimited.
After the file is uploaded, enter your email address and select Next Step.
The online app will start analyzing and converting your OST file and you will be able to retrieve your files. However, we remind you that this way, you will be limited on the size and number of the files.
You’ve seen how to convert OST files to PST files easily and transform the catastrophe of losing some important emails into the triumph of recovering them in only a few minutes.
The tool is fast, it does the job perfectly and you don’t need to be an expert to use its friendly interface and menus. The app practically guides you to the end result.
Open Outlook, click on File, then select Account settings and choose the first option called the same.
Select the Data Files tab, select the existing OST file and choose Remove.
Now go back to the File menu and select Open & Export.
Next, use the available options to import the files you retrieved earlier back into Outlook.
Other important advantages of using OST to PST Converter
First of all, if you download the desktop version, you won’t be needing any Internet connection for any of the procedures.
The tool can even convert OST in UNICODE format (Outlook 2007 or higher) and can even read password-protected OST files.
With the desktop version you are not limited to a certain size of the files and, as you’ve seen in our guide above, you are able to preview the contents of the files, even if they are damaged or encrypted.
You will not need any authentication from a Microsoft Exchange Server or a Windows Domain Controller to retrieve the content.
The only catch of the whole operation is that you need to have Microsoft Outlook installed on your PC in order to operate with the OST file.
Final notes
We know all about the panic and frustration of losing precious emails that contain important information for you or your business.
That is why we’re excited to share this information on how to get them back using this simple tool called OST to PST Converter.
In our test, it performed excellently and we managed to recuperate all the files and folders from our email in a matter of minutes, including the installation process.
This tool is extremely small, doesn’t put any pressure on the system resources and it’s clearly very easy to use even if you’re inexperienced.
And it has a decent price compared to other solutions out there. A license for personal use is only $50 and the one dedicated to businesses is only $75.
The price for Online OST to PST conversion is $10 per 1Gb of source *.ost file.
We hope that this piece provided you with all information on how to repair your emails using OST to PST Converter and you managed to get back your information.
If you have any suggestions or advice, we invite you to leave your notes in the comments section below.
Microsoft Defender for Business, a new endpoint security solution for enterprise customers will soon roll out to organizations with a Microsoft 365 Business Premium plan. The new security offering was first announced at Microsoft’s Ignite conference in November, and it became available in preview for select customers a month later.
As small and medium-sized businesses are facing an increasing number of cyberattacks, Microsoft has designed Microsoft Defender for Business as a straightforward and cost-effective enterprise-grade endpoint security solution for organizations with up to 300 employees. For bigger organizations, Microsoft offers two separate Microsoft Defender for Endpoint plans with different security features.
The core pillars in Microsoft Defender for Business include antimalware and antivirus protection, Automated investigation and remediation, as well as integrations with the Microsoft 365 Lighthouse admin portal and third-party security tools. If Microsoft Defender For Business will be included as part of Microsoft 365 Business Premium ($20/user per month), it’s also available as a standalone offering ($3/user per month). The solution also supports customers having their email and productivity apps on-premises.
Microsoft expects to start rolling out Microsoft Defender for Business to companies with a Microsoft 365 Business Premium plan in late February, and all customers should have it by early Match. If you want to participate in the public preview, you can learn more about how to get your organization on board on this page.
Despite Microsoft’s numerous annoying tactics to push Edge, it is a solid browser. Did you know that there is a Super Duper Secure Mode on Microsoft Edge? In an attempt to lure more security-conscious users, Microsoft offers a new “Super Duper Secure Mode,” or SDSM, on Edge.
JIT exists to speed up your browsing experience, but Microsoft says disabling it doesn’t always have negative effects on performance. SDSM also enables Control-flow Enforcement Technology (CET), an Intel hardware-based security exploit prevention tool to bring more security for the browser.
1. Open up Microsoft Edge on Windows 10, Windows 11, Mac or Linux and click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner of Edge and go to Settings.
2. Go to the Privacy, Search, and Services.
3. Scroll down to “Enhance your security on the web” and toggle the switch on. In older and other versions of Edge, the section is titled “Enable security mitigations for a more secure browser experience.”
Now that you know how to turn it on, you may be interested to know that the “Balanced” security level is enabled by default and is the recommended option. The Balanced security level adds security mitigations for sites you don’t visit frequently, most sites work as expected and blocks security threats.
If you are not happy with that level of security, you can also opt in for the Strict option. The Strict option adds security mitigations for all sites, parts of sites might not work and blocks security threats.
One of the last options in this section is Exceptions. In Exceptions, you can indicate which specific websites you want to be exempt from security mitigation. So if you use a handful of websites and you need every feature on the website to work flawlessly, it’s probably a good idea to add your most frequently visited websites to Exceptions so that the websites will work as they are intended.
Windows 11 not using all RAM can have a serious impact on performance. You need this memory to tempoarily store your in-progress files and if you don’t have enough, you’ll run into errors and possibly lose progress.
To help you prevent that, we’ll explain how to use all RAM in Windows and give you a glimpse into the most common causes of it.
Let’s get started.
How to use all RAM in Windows
1. Run the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool
Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu, enter Windows Memory Diagnostic tool in the text field at the top, and then click on the relevant search result that appears.
Now, select Restart now and check for problems (recommended) from the two options listed here.
Windows Memory Diagnostic identifies problems with the RAM and automatically eliminates them. Before you run it, save any open files to avoid data loss, because your computer will restart.
2. Check page file
Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu, enter View advanced system settings in the text field at the top, and click on the relevant search result that appears.
Click on Settings under Performance in the Advanced tab.
Navigate to the Advanced tab in the Performance Options window.
Click on Change under Virtual memory.
Untick the checkbox for Automatically manage paging file size for all drives.
Select the drive, check the No paging file option and then click on the Set button.
Click Yes on the warning box that appears.
Repeat the process for all drives if they have a page file, and then click on OK at the bottom to save the changes.
Finally, restart the computer for the changes to come into effect.
The page file is a set space on your storage drive that is used to store data temporarily when the RAM (memory) starts to fill up. If there are problems with it, you may notice that Windows 11 is not using all the RAM.
If disabling the page file doesn’t fix the problem, revert the changes you made earlier, and continue with the next fix.
3. Modify the usable RAM
Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu, enter System configuration in the text field at the top, and click on the relevant search result that appears.
Now, go the Boot tab and click on Advanced options.
Tick the checkbox for Maximum memory, enter the installed RAM on your system in the text field underneath, and then click on OK at the bottom.
Again, click on OK to save the changes and close the System Configuration window.
Restart the computer, if prompted.
In case it doesn’t work, uncheck the Maximum memory checkbox in BOOT Advanced Options window, and save the changes.
To calculate the value in the text field earlier, check the installed RAM in your system, and multiply it by 1024 to find the value in MB (Megabyte). For instance, your computer has 16 GB RAM, so the value to be entered becomes 16 x 1024 = 16384 MB.
4. Modify the registry
Press Windows + R to launch the Run command, enter regedit in the text field, and either click on OK or hit Enter to launch the Registry Editor.
Click Yes on the UAC (User Account Control) prompt that pops up.
Now, enter the following path in the address bar at the top and then hit Enter. Alternatively, you can navigate the path using the pane on the left:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management
Locate and double-click on the ClearPageFileAtShutdown DWORD to modify its value data.
Enter 1 under Value data and click on OK to save the changes.
Close the registry, and restart the computer.
5. Enable memory remapping in BIOS
NOTE
The method to enter the BIOS and its interface are different for every manufacturer. Therefore, we recommend that you check the FAQ or Support section of your OEM’s website for the exact steps. The steps listed below you should give you an idea though.
Restart the computer, hit the F12 key as soon as the diplay lights up to enter the BIOS, navigate to the Advanced tab, and then select the System Agent Configuration option.
Now, select the Memory Remap Feature and Enable it.
Enabling memory remapping is known to increase the available RAM to Windows on the system. But, the feature is not available on all devices, so do check if you have it before proceeding with the method.
Once done, check if Windows 11 now uses all the available RAM.
6. Rearrange the RAM modules
If you have multiple slots available, rearranging the RAM modules could help. To do that, turn off the computer, open the back panel, remove the memory modules and change their slots.
Check if that fixes the issue.
Also, some systems require you to arrange the RAM in a certain order when all the slots are not being used. For instance, if you have four slots available but are using only two memory modules, you may be required to use the first and third slots.
7. Take your PC to a repair center
If you have reached this part of the article after executing the methods listed above and the issue persists, it’s likely an issue with the hardware itself.
It could be broken or malfunctioning slots, issues with the connections, or other similar problems.
In such cases, we would recommend taking your PC to a repair center since the components we are dealing with here are fragile and the connections intricate. Any lapse on your part can severely damage the system.
Why isn’t Windows 11 using all RAM on my PC?
First of all, your computer would never use all the available memory or RAM. For instance, the Dell Inspiron laptop that is being used to write this article has 16 GB of installed RAM while only 15.7 GB of it is usable.
But if you notice that the OS isn’t able to utilize even the available RAM, it could be due to misconfigured settings, problems with the slot, or the RAM itself.
Apart from that, certain devices, say the graphic card, are also known to reserve a certain amount of RAM/memory.
By now, you are fairly acquainted with the concept and in a far better position to troubleshoot the problem. Let’s now walk you through the most effective fixes to eliminate the Windows 11 not using all the RAM issue.
If the installed RAM is low or you are using too many too programs at once, there’s a chance that the RAM usage becomes high, which will likely be evident through the poor system performance. The programs may lag or freeze, or the system may crash altogether.
That’s all there’s to eliminating issues preventing Windows 11 from using all available RAM. Once you are done executing these, the system performance will most likely be a lot better.
MSI Afterburner is an overclocking tool that works with most graphic cards. Along with that, you can also use it to monitor the system’s performance. However several users have reported that MSI Afterburner is not working in Windows 11.
This could be due to several reasons, and we have discussed them in the following sections. However, when this situation arises, it prevents you from altering or monitoring the performance while playing a game.
As expected, this poses a major challenge to gamers. This is why we have dedicated this guide to help you understand the issue, and walk you through the most effective fixes for the MSI Afterburner not working in Windows 11 problem.
Why is MSI Afterburner not working in Windows 11?
While it works seamlessly for most users, those who cannot get it up and running generally have misconfigured settings, NVIDIA or Steam overlay, problems with the compatibility, amongst other issues.
Also, several users have reported that using an outdated version of MSI Afterburner caused the issue in their case, which is easily fixable. Also, issues with the driver are found to affect its functioning.
Now that you understand the underlying causes fairly, it’s time we head to the fixes. Execute them in the listed sequence to quickly and effectively troubleshoot the error.
What can I do if MSI Afterburner isn’t working in Windows 11?
1. Disable Steam overlay
Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu, enter Steam in the text field at the top, and click on the relevant search result that appears.
Now, right-click on the game you are facing trouble with and select Properties from the context menu.
Untick the checkbox for Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game.
Overlay of any program may affect the working of MSI Afterburner in Windows 11, and Steam is commonly found to be the culprit. Therefore it’s recommended that you disable the overlay and check if that fixes the issue. If not, head to the next method.
2. Disable NVIDIA overlay
Launch the NVIDIA GEFORCE EXPERIENCE panel, and click on the Settings (gear) icon near the top-right corner.
Next, disable the toggle for IN-GAME OVERLAY.
3. Run MSI Afterburner with administrative priveleges
Press Windows + E to launch the File Explorer, paste the following path in the address bar at the top, and hit Enter:C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner
Next, right-click on the MSIAfterburner.exe file, and select Properties from the context menu. Alternatively, you can select the file and hit Alt + Enter.
Navigate to the Compatibility tab in the Properties window.
Now, tick the checkbox for Run this program as an administrator, and click on OK at the bottom to save the changes and close the window.
If the MSI Afterburner lacks the permissions to run with administrative privileges, you may encounter problems while using it when playing games, as is the case with other apps as well.
4. Manually select detection level to high in RivaTuner
Press Windows + E to launch the File Explorer, paste the following path in the address bar at the top, and hit Enter to navigate to it:C:\Program Files (x86)\RivaTuner Statistics Server
Double-click on the RTSS.exe file to launch the RivaTuner tool.
Click Yes on the UAC (User Account Control) prompt that pops up.
Next, click on the Add button at the bottom.
Navigate to the location where the game is saved, select its executable (.exe) file, and click on Open.
Now, select High under Application detection level.
The RivaTuner Statistics Server is a tool bundled with MSI Afterburner that helps monitor hardware and overclock the graphics card.
If MSI Afterburner is not working in Windows 11 on a specific game or a bunch of them while it works on the others, changing the application detection level to high in RivaTuner might help.
In case this resolves the issue, apply the same changes to all the games you are facing trouble with.
5. Run MSI Afterburner in compatibility mode
Press Windows + E to launch the File Explorer, type/paste the following path in the address bar at the top, and then hit Enter:C:\Program Files (x86)\MSI Afterburner
Right-click on the MSIAfterburner.exe file and select Properties from the context menu.
Now, navigate to the Compatability tab from the top.
Tick the checkbox for Run this program in compatibility mode for and select each option one at a time from the dropdown menu under it, until the error is fixed.
Finally, click on OK at the bottom to save the changes and close the Properties window.
If the methods listed above have not worked, you may try running MSI Afterburner in compatibility mode with an older version of the OS. This has been found to fix the problem for a lot of users.
6. Disable the integrated graphics card
Press Alt + F4 to and select Restart from the dropdown menu in the Shut Down Windows box.
Click on OK to restart the computer.
As soon as you see the manufacturer’s name on the screen, hit the F12 or Del key (or other relevant key for your system) to enter the BIOS. Since you will have just a few seconds here, hit the key multiple times to be on the safe side.
Once in the system BIOS, navigate to the Advanced tab from the top.
Click on Chipset from the options listed here.
Next, click on SouthBridge Configuration.
Select the Primary Graphics Adapter option.
In the box that pops up, make sure you select the option that has PCIE listed first and the IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) at the last.
After making the changes, navigate to the Exit tab, and click on Exit & Save Changes.
If you have both the external and integrated graphics card enabled, there are chances of MSI Afterburner not working in Windows 11. In which case, it’s best that you disable the integrated graphics card.
The method to do it will differ for every computer since the BIOS interface is different. But, the steps listed above should provide you with a basic understanding of the process.
Also, it’s recommended that you do not make any other changes to the BIOS unless you are fully aware of its effects, since it could prove detrimental to the functioning of the computer.
7. Reinstall the MSI Afterburner app
Press Windows + I to launch Settings, and select Apps from the tabs listed in the navigation pane on the left.
Click on Apps & features on the right.
Now, locate the MSI Afterburner app, click on the ellipsis next to it, and select Uninstall from the menu that appears.
Again, click Uninstall in the prompt that pops up.
In many cases, it is a problem with the MSI Afterburner app itself that prevents it from working in Windows 11. Also, if you are using an outdated version of the app, there’s a possibility of encountering similar issues.
In this case, a simple fix would be to uninstall MSI Afterburner and then install the latest version of it. If you are not sure how to do the latter part, check the next section to find out.
The file will most likely be compressed (Zip format), and you will have to extract it before proceeding to the installation. Once done with these steps, MSI Afterburner is ready for use, and you can both monitor and overclock the GPU.
These are all ways to fix issues preventing MSI Afterburner from working in Windows 11. In most cases, you wouldn’t have to execute them all, since the problem would be fixed within the first few methods.
Portable Document Format is among the most universal file formats, along with the ones from Microsoft Office.
Millions of users save their documents as PDF documents, so they can easily share and exchange them with colleagues irrespective of hardware and operating systems.
How can encrypting PDF files help you?
Some users need to secure PDF files with password encryption before sharing them via email for security reasons.
That’s because there have been many situations where the inboxes were hijacked and the data has been stolen.
It’s also a good precaution if someone else has access to the email of the recipient. This way, you ensure only the people you send the file have access to the contents of the document. Not only that, anybody can encrypt a PDF for Gmail or other email providers using suitable methods.
You can even protect a file for editing, thus making sure that the recipient cannot alter the information in the document.
Various PDF software packages enable users to apply password encryption to PDF files. There are also a few ways you can encrypt PDF documents without PDF software.
If you don’t know how to password-protect a PDF in Gmail or encrypt a PDF file for email for free, then keep on reading. The guide below will help you secure your files on different platforms, including Windows, Mac, or Outlook.
2. Encrypt the PDF so it cannot be shared using Locklizard
Open Protect Documents from Locklizard and select your PDF file.
Now, select a folder where to store the file, enter a new file name for the result and hit the Publish button from the bottom-right corner.
The resulted file will be encrypted but you can customize a lot more settings like including a watermark, set the recipients who can access it, limit the printing rights, number of views and a lot more.
You can control who can open your PDF files and how they can be used. Its one major advantage is that it does not use passwords to protect PDFs.
The main issue with password protecting PDF files is that users need to know the password to open the PDF you send them. You, therefore, have to:
Use a strong password so it cannot be easily removed if the email is intercepted
Find a way of transmitting the password securely
Trust that the recipient won’t either share or remove the password
Trust that the recipient won’t remove any restrictions (edit, print, etc.) applied to the PDF
Locklizard solves all of the above with a transparent key licensing system and DRM controls that are part of the PDF document.
There are no passwords to distribute, enter or remove, and PDF documents are locked to authorized users’ devices so they cannot be shared.
Locklizard uses a wide range of DRM controls to prevent users from copying, pasting, editing, printing, and screenshotting document content.
Any watermarks you add are permanent (unlike those added with a PDF editor they cannot be easily removed) and you can automatically expire PDFs and instantly revoke access.
You can also track when your PDF files are viewed and printed and apply a lot of other mechanisms to protect your PDF.
Let’s go through some of its best features:
Protect PDF documents without password
Set the exact recipients who can view the file
Limit the number of views and restrict the file from printing
Insert text and image watermarks
Extensive DRM controls
Locklizard
Easily encrypt and send your PDF files using email by taking advantage of the amazing capabilities of this software.
3. Archive the PDF document with a compression tool
Open WinZip and click Create/Share on the top options.
Activate the Encrypt option in the right Actions menu.
Place your file into the center window. The set your password window will appear.
After setting your password, you also will need to activate the encryption setting
We showed you an example of how to protect the archive with a password using WinZip, but you can do that with many other compression tools.
Alternatively, you may secure a PDF by archiving it. Just use a dedicated file archiving tool that will help you quickly compress and archive your documents and keep your data private.
The best compression tools on the market include some sort of file encryption features and many let you create password-protected files.
These utilities are usually lightweight and intuitive. They generally support all major compression formats such as RAR, ZIP, ARJ, or TAR.
To encrypt your PDF file with this type of utility, you just have to select what type of compressed file you want to create.
Then set up a password, wait for the process to finish, and add your file to the email as you would with any other attachment.
Click the Choose File button to select a PDF to encrypt.
Then enter a password for the PDF document.
Press the Encrypt PDF button.
Then press the Download button to save the encrypted document to your PC.
You can use this online tool to password protect a PDF with an extremely simple and quick procedure described in the steps above.
5. Send secure emails by using browser extensions
To send secure emails for PDF attachments with Gmail, click the Add to Chrome button on the SendSafely extension page.
Next, click the extension button on Chrome’s toolbar.
Click the Register Now for Free button to establish an account.
With an account established, input your access credentials, and click the Go button.
Click the Google Mail Integration button to enable Gmail integration.
Open Gmail within a browser.
Click the Compose button in Gmail.
Then toggle the Message Encryption option on.
Alternatively, you can click the Upload button within Gmail’s message editor to encrypt PDF file attachments only.
Yes, you can also use a simple browser extension to send encrypted mail messages. At least the extension recommended above does this job perfectly so try it.
6. Send the attachment’s message with an encrypted email service
There are also numerous encrypted webmail services with which users can send PDF attachment emails more securely without needing additional extensions.
You don’t have to look any further because we have an excellent list with the best-encrypted webmails to use right now.
That’s how you can encrypt PDF files for emails and send them more securely. If you happen to know any other solutions we didn’t cover or you’ve tested some of these solutions, leave us a comment below.
Most PDF programs come with their own options for disabling functionalities such as copying or printing, or feature passwords to protect documents and prevent unauthorized access.
While PDF cracking tools may disable protection, there are some tools that assure users that their methods will prevent copying after processing a PDF document.
How can locking a PDF from editing help me?
The obvious reason why you need to lock a PDF from editing is to preserve the contents of the document from being modified.
It’s one of the most basic ways of copywriting a file and it’s especially used by a lot of businesses that issue documents for their customers.
Ready to discover the best password-protected PDF file software tools? Our list of solutions will precisely show you how to protect a PDF from being edited by others.
How can I password protect a PDF file?
1. Use Adobe Acrobat DC PRO
Launch the Acrobat app and open your PDF.
Go to theTools menu and select Protect.
Now the easiest way is to click on Protect Using Password but you can also go through the Advanced Options and select the Encrypt with Certificate or Encrypt with Password options.
With the first option, you just need to select the type of protection, to restrict the viewing or editing, write a password twice in the corresponding fields, and hit the Apply button.
The last thing to do is to choose where you want to save the file and you’re done.
Sensitive information requires enhanced protection and Acrobat DC delivers just that.
Its protection covers all fronts so that you can pick the weapon of choice that best fits your needs from password encryption to setting up file permissions.
To prevent reviewers from copying, editing, or printing your PDFs, you can:
Secure the files from all your Office programs (prevent your PDF from being copied/modified by restricting editing in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)
Add passwords (encrypt your PDF file with a certificate or password)
Publish Sensitive Information feature (redact, password protect a PDF, and save your file with edit and copy restrictions applied automatically)
Customize your protection (create custom security policies to apply for PDF password protection and permissions the same way every time)
2. How to lock a PDF without passwords using Locklizard
Open Protect Documents from Locklizard and select the PDF file you want to encrypt.
Next, select the destination folder, type the name for the resulting file and click on the Publish button from the bottom-right corner.
Now check the destination folder where you will see the protected PDF. That is only the basic action to encrypt the file but you can do a lot more like setting the recipients who can access the file, including a watermark, limit the number of views or preventing the file from being printed and a lot more.
Unlike restrictions that are applied with a PDF editor or similar application, Locklizard’s copy protection is permanent and cannot be easily removed.
All of these copy protection features are enabled by default when you protect a PDF using the Locklizard Writer application.
Another useful feature it includes is dynamic watermarks. When you protect a PDF, you insert variables into your watermarks that are replaced by actual user data when the PDF document is viewed or printed.
This is used to discourage users from taking photos or photocopies and adds another layer of copy protection if required.
Here are some of Locklizard’s most important features:
Locks PDF files to authorized users devices so they cannot be shared
Stops copying and copy/paste of content
Prevents editing and modification of content and forms
Blocks users from screen grabbing content using screen grabber utilities
Prevents printing, or if you want to allow printing then it prevents printing to PDF and other file drivers
Locklizard
Locklizard will fully protect your documents from copying and editing.
Enter the name of the new Vault, type the password, confirm it, add a hint, and hit the Create button.
Click the Done button.
Finally, enter the password you entered earlier and select Done.
That will open the vault and now you can click on Add item to create protection for a lot of types of credentials.
After taking into consideration the encryption settings that protect some of the most popular password managers, Icecream Password Manager also came up as a reliable choice.
Even if it’s free, rest assured that it easily matches the capabilities of other paid software solutions when it comes to protecting your private PDF files.
Besides that, it’s clear that you’re tired of having to remember dozens of passwords for all the accounts that you use daily.
Icecream Password Manager steps in as a first choice to keep in mind just one master password and get immediate access to all your sensitive data.
Here you’ll find some key features that Icecream Password Manager brings to the table:
Simple way to manage your passwords
Intuitive user interface
Form filler within a single click
Leading encryption standards
Plugins for Chrome and Firefox
Access for up to no less than ten users
Can I make my PDF uneditable?
Yes, you are able to make both editable and uneditable PDF files on your PC. In most cases, the users are using Adobe Acrobat to edit their files or lock them in order to gain more security.
You can therefore protect PDFs from editing without a password and locking the files using other protection options.
These are the best methods of protecting your PDF files from unauthorized access. Of course, there are numerous other options available, both free and paid.
We picked the most efficient ones that are guaranteed to offer you the necessary level of protection for your PDF documents.
To celebrate the start of Lunar New Year celebrations on February 1st, Microsoft is giving gamers the chance to win a one-of-a-kind Xbox Series S console inspired by the Year of the Tiger.
Microsoft is testing an interesting new feature in the Canary version of its Edge browser. Spotted by a Twitter user, a new “Quick Actions” sidebar looks to give Edge users fast access to Microsoft Rewards, games, and other content (via Windows Central.)
Today's canary preview build of Microsoft Edge includes a new sidebar for quick actions and links.
We’re not currently seeing the feature on our end, but it adds a narrow space to the right side of Edge, directly next to the scroll bar. In that space are five icons for the various quick actions. From top to bottom, one lets you “discover” topics, the second lets you get into Microsoft Rewards, the third lets you test your Internet. The final, two, meanwhile, let you play games, or access Microsoft 365. Note that the games section appears very similar to the Games Panel, which was previously tested in Edge Canary. It just links out to MSN games. Check it out in the images below.
In addition to that, there are also some controls for customization. Though limited, users can turn off the sidebar, or enable and disable colorful icons. Users suggest it’d be better if Microsoft could let people pin websites to the space, however.
With Edge being as busy as is, this is another interesting space for Microsoft to add to its web browser. Of course, though, since this feature is in Canary, it might not make it to the final version of Microsoft Edge at all, as Microsoft looks for feedback first. Do you like this new quick actions sidebar? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Microsoft is still working on its new “One Outlook” client for Windows and macOS, which is also called “Project Monarch” internally. We’ve already seen an early version of the app last year, and today’s ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley is reporting that Microsoft could be ready to officially reveal the app in Spring 2022.
According to previous reports, Microsoft was expected to release its One Outlook app last year, but it ultimately didn’t happen. However, the company is still testing the app internally and the new client looks a lot like the current version of Outlook on the web. The app is expected to use this same UI across Windows and macOS. As a reminder, here’s what the app looked like in a previous leak from last year.
“Microsoft could be ready to get a test version of the new Outlook to Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta channels by late March or early April 2022, my contacts say,” Foley wrote. “By late July or August this year, Microsoft is hoping to be able to get it to Insiders in the Slow Channel, though this target date could slip until the fall, my contacts said.”
According to Foley, Microsoft will make this new “One Outlook” available as an option in the next major updates for Windows 10 and Windows 11 coming in Fall 2022, and the app should be pinned alongside the existing Mail and Calendar UWP apps. Microsoft also won’t be forcing users to move away from the existing versions of Outlook for Windows and Mac, which supports power user features that many enterprise users still need. However, the Mail and Calendar UWP apps which haven’t received significant updates in years are likely on the way out.
If you have Windows 11 installed on your computer, you know that there are a number of apps that can use your camera to make video calls or use your microphone to record a song. However, not all apps use the camera or microphone when they are not in use.
Privacy is an increasingly important part of many people’s lives in the digital era. Some people tape over the camera on their webcams, while others cover their PC’s microphone with a piece of tape or remove it entirely.
These are all understandable approaches to protecting privacy, particularly as technology that tracks users’ location and other usage becomes more advanced and prevalent.
Want to know if your microphone or camera is being used by an app? Windows 11 has a way to check. In this article, we’ll tell you how to do it.
How to see apps using your Microphone or Camera in Windows 11
Press the Windows key + I key simultaneously to launch the Settings App.
Then, click on Privacy & Security on the left panel of the window.
Scroll down the window and click on the Apps permission option.
Click on each and every individual tab to check its usage. You will be able to find out if the app has access to your microphone and camera.
Turn off the option accordingly if you do not want the application to have access to the microphone and the camera.
Restrict the accessibility of your data and personal files
Whether you are a blogger, a YouTuber, or a gamer, where you sit and what you do on your Windows 11 device is always under the watchful eye of hackers. They want to steal your information and use it for personal gain.
A good way to protect yourself from cybercrime is by monitoring your microphone use, location, and camera on your Windows 11 device.
Moreover, you can also adjust the settings of an application once you install it. This will help you regulate the number of features it has access to on your device.
Also, be sure to check out our guide on how to test your microphone in Windows 10 in case you are encountering any difficulty. (Yes, even though the guide speaks about the Windows 10 OS, the same steps can be followed by Windows 11 users).
We hope that this article was insightful and it helped you beef up security and privacy on your device. Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.
Back in 2020, Microsoft announced a partnership with FedEx to boost the efficacy of a joint platform titled FedEx Surround. FedEx Surround is an enterprise tool that organizations can use to get visualizations in real-time of their supply chains.
Fast forward to January 2022, and the two companies are following up their previously announced partnership an additional solution born out of their joint efforts and a multiyear collaboration in “logistics as a service” for businesses.
The companies announced plans to introduce a unique data integration coupling data insights from FedEx with Dynamics 365 Intelligent Order Management to help brands access new information and capabilities to better fulfill, ship and service customer orders while easily integrating with their existing e-commerce platforms. This cross-platform approach helps brands deliver modern, high-value experiences directly to their customers including faster, more cost-effective delivery; near real-time delivery status communications; and convenient, frictionless returns with approximately 60,000 drop-off locations and printerless QR codes. For brands facing increased pressure to build affinity while managing higher order volumes, ensuring cost-effective fulfilment and reducing costly customer service calls, this new technology brings unprecedented opportunity to leverage existing systems of record, optimize fulfillment and deliver on their order promises with increased precision, while benefiting from a more complete view of their customer.
The newish platform is referred to as Dynamics 365 Intelligent Order Management and will use data and AI to help give businesses an omnichannel order management application. The omnichannel app produced by Dynamics 365 Intelligent Order Management can be integrated with existing businesses resources through the multitude of CRM, ERO and EDI supports Microsoft currently host.
More than just a single feed to monitor, business can also use Dynamics 365 Intelligent Order Management for order intake, cross-channel order fulfillment and delivery, create rules-based order actions with low or no-code environments, all while leveraging Microsoft’s Azure cloud machine learning and AI services.
Microsoft and FexEd are expected to roll out availability to Dynamics 365 Intelligent Order Management to US-based customers in the second half of 2022, with no further word on an international rollout at this time.
For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been using a Surface Laptop SE from the “consumer” point of view. I purchased one out of curiosity to try out the Windows 11 SE operating system and came to some interesting findings from the Windows and Surface fan’s point of view.
But it’s important to note that this device is the first Surface specially made for K-8 students with some unique features just for education. That’s why Microsoft recently reached out to me and provided me with a sample tenant so I could review the Laptop SE from the student’s point of view.
With the sample tenant, I gained access to some features that I didn’t have access to before when using the Surface Laptop SE with a personal Microsoft account. So, here’s a look at what students and teachers can get with Windows 11 SE on the Surface Laptop SE.
Educators & teachers
I’ll start first with teachers and educators. This goes back to how my editor Kip dubbed the device as “no-frills.” The Surface Laptop SE is a device that’s meant to be distraction-free. It’s simple, only works with apps approved by IT admins (and Microsoft,) and is also safe, since it blocks student access to core system functions like Command Prompt.
The biggest point of the simplicity is the pre-installed learning applications built into each Surface Laptop SE system image. These include Minecraft, Flipgrid, full-blown Microsoft Office, as well as the Microsoft Edge browser. Microsoft even removed the Widgets experience in Windows 11 SE, to help remove distractions from students.
Note that full-blown Office is a huge deal in this case on the Surface Laptop SE. It’s not a user-based license, but rather a device-based license. So, if a device gets handed back to a school from a student, an IT admin can hand it back to someone else in fewer steps with the school’s Microsoft 365 licenses.
In providing me with a sample education tenant, I did get access to some additional apps on my Surface Laptop SE that I didn’t have when using it with a personal Microsoft account. Only IT admins can download and install apps directly to Windows 11 SE devices, but the sample tenant automatically installed these for me.
Google Chrome running on the Surface Laptop SE
Clearly, Microsoft wants to give schools and educators a choice with Surface Laptop SE and Windows 11 SE. I experienced this when both Zoom and Chrome loaded up and worked fine once my Laptop SE was configured with a sample education tenant.
Yet Windows 11 SE also delivers broad support for web-based and third-party apps, including the most common test-taking, accessibility, content filtering, and classroom orchestration apps. Windows 11 SE also offers up compatibility with Chrome extensions and other online tools.
Students
For students, there are three core things that make Surface Laptop SE great for education. This includes online and offline capabilities, keeping focus, and battery life.
I’ll start with online and offline capabilities. Students can begin a homework assignment in OneNote, PowerPoint, or Word at home, without internet access, and then have it sync to the cloud once the internet is available. Even when online, everything is saved to the cloud on Windows 11 SE. I tried this out by toggling my internet connection off, and typing in Word, only to have it sync up to my OneDrive later on.
Now, for focus. These are some of the things I’ve already got to when talking about Windows 11 SE from a consumer’s point of view. In the Start Menu, students can see recommended files to quickly access documents and assignments. It’s different from regular Windows 11 in that it is limited to four options.
The Start Menu in Windows 11 SE
Another thing in this area is apps launching in full screen, for a distraction-free experience. That then fits in with the limit on Snap Layouts. There are only two apps that can be snapped at a time. This fits well with common apps like Edge and PowerPoint.
Finally, for battery life, Microsoft promises up to 16 hours based on typical Surface device usage. This is one of the greatest strengths of the Surface Laptop SE as 16 hours is more than enough for a student to make it through a school day, and then go home with a device. As I’ve said in my time with the Laptop SE, this is very much more than true.
Other education features
Windows 11 SE and Surface Laptop SE are just two ways that Microsoft has gone all-in on education. There are many other features that the company has which put students and educators first. This includes reading progress in Teams, which enables students to practice their skills in a secure, student-centric environment. There’s also Immersive Reader, which helps make content easier to read and understand for students. There’s even Microsoft Translator which is embedded in Teams, and Education insights, which provides educators real-time analytics on student engagement.
Microsoft OneDrive is a cloud storage solution that allows you to keep your files in sync on all your devices. You can also password protect any number of folders within your OneDrive account using the Personal Vault feature. This ensures that only those you choose to share the vault with have access to the files within.
OneDrive Personal Vault is a nifty security feature that provides an extra layer of protection for your files and folders. Since anyone with access to your computer can see everything in your Documents, Pictures, and Videos folders, it’s important to lock them down so only authorized people can see what’s inside.
Protecting a folder or file with a password is an easy way to keep people out of your stuff if you’re sharing files with someone who doesn’t need to see everything in the folder. If you are looking for the best way to password protect a file or folder using OneDrive Personal Vault, then this article will help you. Here’s how you do it:
How to best protect your files using OneDrive Personal Vault
To set up Personal Vault, open the OneDrive desktop app and, under the File tab, select OneDrive. In the Personal Vault area, click Set up and follow the wizard.
To access your OneDrive Personal Vault, first, click the OneDrive icon. Then open the OneDrive folder and select Personal Vault if prompted to enter your security code.
To upload a file or folder to your Personal Vault: Right-click the Personal Vault and select Upload Files or Folder.
To protect a file or folder using the Personal Vault, you must first upload the items to your OneDrive account. From there, you can use the OneDrive client to access them on other devices.
Encrypt your files
Password protection is a crucial security feature. It keeps your computer data safe from others who have physical access to it but also prevents your data from being accessed by hackers remotely.
Therefore, if you have confidential data on your computer, you may want to protect it with a password. This is not only for security purposes but also because of privacy laws.
When you upload a file or folder to OneDrive Personal Vault, it is encrypted and digitally signed with a key that only you have.
Furthermore, when you want to access the contents of the Personal Vault, you enter a password that unlocks your private key.
The key is then used to decrypt the file or folder in your browser. If you lose your password, you lose access to your vault. Personal Vault is your best bet, as it prevents people from snooping around.
We hope that the above steps were able to help you to password protect your files on OneDrive using Personal Vault. Let us know how it is working out for you in the comment section below.
Nothing is probably easier than creating new files and folders in Windows. Just right-click in the blank space, select New and choose whatever you want to create: a File, a Folder, or even a shortcut.
But what if you need to create multiple folders at a single go? How about, say, a hundred folders? What about a thousand? Thankfully, Windows doesn’t limit you here either, that is, by only allowing your folders to be created one at a time.
Instead, all you have to do is use either the free built-in tool provided by Microsoft or a third-party solution, and you’re good to go. So let’s quickly go over the methods and create our folders without any hassles.
1. Create multiple folders at once with Command line
The Command line, also called the Command interface or the Command prompt, is a text-based interface that allows you to view, manage, and manipulate your Windows files right from your keyboard.
It’s an alternative to Windows GUI, where you have to use your mouse for managing your files. Known for the control its gives to the power users, you can use it for creating multiple files at once as well. Here’s how:
Go to the Start menu search bar, type in ‘Command prompt,’ and select the Best match.
Once you’ve launched the Command prompt, navigate to the place you’d like to create your folders at, and there, type in md and follow it with the name of your folders.
So, for example, let’s say you want to create folders for all the months of the year. In that case, your command will be the following:
md January February March April May June July August September October November December
Type the above command and hit Enter. You can verify the command by checking whether the folders have been created in your set location or not.
Note: Check out our complete guide on changing directories in Windows if you’re not well versed with Command prompt, or perhaps just need a refresher.
2. Use a third-party app
We get it. Not everyone is a fan of the dry and boring CLI. For those of us who like to keep things simple, there are a plethora of apps out there that make our lives easier.
Unsurprisingly, there are a few apps that can help you create multiple folders at once, without getting your hands muddled in CLI land.
One such app is Soboloft. While the app is available in both free and paid versions, the free version does the jobs just as well (with some limitations, of course). To create multiple folders at once with the app, follow the steps below:
After you’re installation is finished, launch the app.
On the app’s main menu, click on the folder destination, enter the number of folders you’d like to create, and set relevant names for your folders.
Finally, click on Start creating folders. Your folders will be created in a few seconds.
Creating multiple folder at once on Windows 10 or Windows 11
Creating multiple folders at a single go is a big time-saver, and it can especially come in handy when you have many folders to be created. Hopefully, this short piece helped you open your folders at once.
Welcome back to our Windows news recap, where we go over the top stories of the past week in the world of Microsoft’s flagship operating system.
Google Play Games beta launches on Windows PC in 3 regions
Google’s Google Play Games has launched on Windows PC’s in beta, across 3 regions. The service allows users to play video games designed for Android on their PCs, with the addition of full keyboard and mouse support.
Audible points Windows 10 users to web app ahead of app removal
As Amazon prepares for the end of its dedicated Audible app on Windows 10, it has sent out emails to users to point them to the web app if they wish to continue accessing their Audible library.
Windows 11 third-party widgets may be coming via the Microsoft Store
New reports suggest that Microsoft may soon address a complaint with the widget pane in Windows 11, with a possible announcement of supporting third-party widgets via the Microsoft Store, which would allow users to make use of this widget area based on their own needs, rather than for News and Weather.
Information about third party widgets, publishing widgets and more. Looks like Microsoft is soon going to announce third party widgets officially.#Windows11pic.twitter.com/ASRD98IMI6
When you try to open a PowerPoint document and get an error message saying the file is corrupted and cannot be opened/saved, it is a sure indicator that the file you’re trying to open or change is damaged.
Some of the signs that come with a damaged presentation include an error message saying ‘this is not a PowerPoint presentation’, thatthe PowerPoint program cannot open the file type, or that a part of the file is missing.
Along with those error messages include other types such as invalid page fault, low system resources, general protection fault, and illegal instruction.
To determine whether the presentation is actually damaged or corrupted, try opening it on another computer and see if the unexpected behavior happens on that PC as well.
You can also create a new file in PowerPoint and see if the same behavior persists.
If you cannot open or save the newly created presentation, check for any updates in Office and install them then try the solutions listed below to resolve the problem.
How do I fix PowerPoint file is corrupted and cannot be opened/saved?
1. Try another presentation software (recommended)
PowerPoint can be a very powerful and effective tool if used to its full potential, but since you’re on this page, it means that your presentation has been corrupted and no longer works.
An alternative to going through this again is to use another professional presentation tool developed from the ground up to present information in an aesthetically pleasing manner.
Do you want to wow your Instagram followers with a cool post? How about Facebook? With these sorts of tools, you can create professional presentations, web pages, animated videos, and much more with just a few clicks.
Although all presentation software works in the same way, their target audiences are distinct. Bloggers and small businesses will benefit from some apps, while designers and entrepreneurs will benefit from others.
In such cases, feature releases will be based on the target audience’s needs, including pricing and sharing capabilities, among other things. If you’re looking for a quick way to complete your task, a PowerPoint alternative can be the best option.
Follow the next steps if you believe troubleshooting will help you better.
2. Perform a clean restart
Log on using an account that has administrator rights.
Click Start, and in the search box insert the code below and then press Enter: msconfig.exe
The System Configuration utility will open.
Go to General tab.
Click the Selective startupoption.
Click to clear the Load startup itemscheckbox. (The Use Original Boot.inicheck box is greyed out)
Go to the Services tab.
Click to select the Hide all Microsoft services checkbox.
Click Disable all.
Check Office performance and then resume the usual startup.
3. Repair PowerPoint
Click Start and type Control Panel.
Go to Programs and Features.
Select your version of Microsoft Office.
Right-click and then Select Change.
Do a quick repair first, and an online repair later.
4. Drag the presentation to the PowerPoint program file icon
Right-click Start and select Run, then type the following commands based on your MSI version of PowerPoint installed on your computer:
MSI version of PowerPoint 2013, type any of the codes below then press Enter: %ProgramFiles%Microsoft Officeoffice15 (PowerPoint 2013 64 bit) or %ProgramFiles(x86)%Microsoft Officeoffice15 (PowerPoint 2013 32 bit)
PowerPoint 2013 Click-to-Run, insert one of the codes below followed by Enter: C:Program FilesMicrosoft Office 15rootoffice15 (PowerPoint 2013 64 bit)or C:Program Files(x86)Microsoft Office 15rootoffice15 (PowerPoint 2013 32 bit)
MSI version of PowerPoint 2016, write the code recommended below then click Enter: C:Program Files(x86)Microsoft OfficerootOffice16
PowerPoint 2016, insert one of the codes below then press Enter: C:Program FilesMicrosoft OfficerootOffice16 (PowerPoint 64 bit) or C:Program Files (x86)Microsoft OfficerootOffice16 (PowerPoint 32 bit)
Click OK.
Go to Windows Explorer and locate exe icon.
Drag the damaged presentation icon from one window to the Powerpnt.exe icon in the other window.
If you are still confronted with the file being corrupted and cannot be opened the PowerPoint issue, then try the next solution.
5. Insert damaged presentation as slides into a blank presentation
Create a blank presentation.
Insert the damaged presentation as slides by clicking Home tab, and select the arrow next to New slides in the Slides group.
Click Reuse Slides.
In the Reuse Slides task pane, click Browse.
Click the damaged presentation.
Click Open.
Right-click one of the slides in the Reuse Slides task pane.
Click Insert All, in order to insert all the slides from the damaged presentation, except the slide master, into the new presentation.
Click Save (with a new name for the presentation).
Type a new name for the presentation, and then click Save.
You can also apply the damaged presentation as a template if it doesn’t look as you expected it to, do this:
Go to the File menu.
Click Save as.
Type a new name for the presentation, and then click Save to create a backup copy of the restored presentation.
Under the Design tab, click Morein the Themes group.
Click Browse for Themes.
Click the damaged presentation, and then click Apply. The slide master of the damaged presentation will replace the new slide master.
If you get unexpected behavior after this, the template may have damaged the presentation. In this case, use the backup copy to re-create the master slide.
If the backup copy of the new presentation still is damaged like the original presentation, go to the next solution.
6. Open the temporary file version of the presentation
Rename the file, and then try to open it in PowerPoint
Right-click and select Rename.
Change the old file-name extension from .tmp to .pptx so that the file name resembles the following filename: PPT ####.pptx.
Start PowerPoint, go to the Filemenu and click Open.
Go to the folder with the renamed file.
Try opening the file in PowerPoint.
When you edit a presentation, PowerPoint creates a temporary copy of the file named PPT ####.tmp.
Where #### represents a random four-digit number, and this temporary file may be located in the same folder as the location to which the presentation is saved, or in the temporary file folder.
Note: More than one file may correspond to the temporary file that was created the last time that you saved the presentation so open each file to see whether one is the temporary copy of the presentation.
If there is no such document or you see the same PowerPoint file that still won’t open, try the next solution.
7. Try to open the presentation in PowerPoint Viewer
Open Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge.
Go to PowerPoint 2010 Viewer Microsoft website.
Install PowerPoint Viewer by clicking Download and click Run.
Click Download.
Click Run.
Click to select the Click here to accept the Microsoft Software License Terms checkbox, and then click Continue.
Click OK.
Open the damaged presentation in PowerPoint Viewer by clicking Start thenAll Apps and then Microsoft Office PowerPoint Viewer (2007/2010).
Click Accept.
Click the damaged presentation and select Open.
If it opens in PowerPoint Viewer, then the copy of PowerPoint 2013 or 2016 installed on your PC may be damaged. If you cannot open it, copy the file and paste it on a blank space.
If it cannot be copied, it is damaged or resides in a damaged part of the hard disk. If you can copy it, open the copy in PowerPoint 2013 or 2016.
8. Run Scandisk on the hard disk drive
Open File Explorer.
Right-click the hard disk drive that has the damaged presentation.
Click Properties
Click the Tools.
In Error-checking, click Check Now.
Select the Automatically fix file system errors checkbox.
Select the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors checkbox.
Click Start.
Scandisk may verify that the presentation is cross-linked and may repair it but this doesn’t guarantee that PowerPoint 2013 or 2016 will read the presentation.
9. Uncheck all options under Protected View
Open PowerPoint.
Click on File then Options.
Select Trust Centerthen Trust center settings.
Select Protected view.
Uncheck all the options under Protected View and click OK.
Restart PowerPoint and try to open the presentation
10. Save the presentation as a Rich Text Format (RTF) file
Open the presentation.
On the File menu, click Save As.
Select Other Formats.
In the Save File As Type list, click Outline/RTF(*.rtf).
In the File Name box, type the name that you want to use.
Select a location in which to save the presentation, and then click Save.
Close the presentation.
Note: Any graphics, tables, or other text in the original presentation will not be saved in the .rtf file.
Open the .rtf file by clicking File then Open then access Files of type list then All Outlines or All Files then click the RTF file saved and click Open. This will recreate the presentation based on the original outline view.
11. Manually set component security settings back to the default settings
Click Start, in the search box and type: dcomcnfgin
Click dcomcnfg in the Programs.
In the navigation pane, expand Component Services.
Expand Computers.
Right-clickMy Computer, and then click Properties.
Open the Default Properties tab, and then set the following values: Default Authentication Level: Connect, Default Impersonation Level: Identify.
Click OK.
12. Use Open and Repair command
Click File, then Open.
Go to the location or folder where the presentation is stored.
Click Open.
Click the file you want, and then click the arrow next to Open, and click Open and Repair.
As you can see there are various solutions to solving the PowerPoint is corrupted and cannot open file error.
Despite its age, Fallout: New Vegas has endured the test of time and is still considered to be one of the best role-playing games available for the PC platform today.
However, it still encounters errors such as settings not saving, or the difficulty option resetting. Note that this guide will also apply for Fallout 76 and Fallout 4 as players reported the same errors in these editions as well.
Even in these conditions, many of the game’s technical components aren’t quite up to par with what most gamers would expect, and both the aesthetics and the fighting could use to be improved.
Fortunately, installing some of the fantastic mods created by the Fallout community will allow you to completely modify all of these aspects of your game. Check out our list of the greatest Fallout: New Vegas mods available for PC before seeing how to fix the settings issues.
What are the best Fallout: New Vegas mods?
In light of the fact that New Vegas is an aging game with less-than-ideal stability and performance, prepping it for modding is a little more difficult than preparing other Fallout and The Elder Scrolls titles. Fortunately, the process isn’t overly time-consuming or complex at this point.
New Vegas is infamous for crashing at least once or twice during every given play session, but you can avoid this by using a bug-fixing mod.
In addition to fixing hundreds of issues that were present in the base game and its DLCs, the NVAC mode also solves a slew of bugs that appeared in them. The flaws that have been squashed are primarily linked to gameplay, although this mod has also addressed a number of performance and stability concerns.
FNV Mod Limit Fix is recommended for individuals who have placed high load orders because it significantly improves New Vegas’ capacity to load and operate a large number of mods without experiencing any issues. Depending on how many mods you have loaded, it can also result in improved frame rates.
Rudy ENB is preset for the popular ENB injector software, which is used to change the lighting in video games. The lighting in New Vegas has been given a warm, reddish makeover by it, which complements the game’s Nevada location and looks significantly better than the original game.
What can I do if FNV settings aren’t saving?
1. Change Steam library location
Navigate to Program Files by opening a new File Explorer window then clicking on This PC, followed by the Local Disc (C:).
Now click on Program Files then search for the Steam folder, if you can’t find it go back and access Program Files (x86) and continue. Cut the folder by right-clicking on it and selecting the scissors icon, then paste it inside the C: Local Disk. That’s it!
2. Reset the game
NOTE
When you reset the FNV game, all of the information that had been previously stored in the application will be gone as well. So before you begin the process of resetting your app, we strongly advise you to back up any vital data you may have on it first.
Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings window and click on Apps followed by Apps & features.
Once you’re inside the Apps & features window, search for the Fallout: New Vegas game by typing it in the search bar and click on the three-dot menu, followed by Advanced options. If you want to reset the Fallout 4 or 76 versions, type their name in the search bar instead.
Scroll down until you find the Reset section, then click on the Reset button.
3. Update your drivers
Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app, and click on Windows update from the left panel followed by Advanced options on the right side.
Scroll down until you find the Additional options section then click on Optional updates.
Now click on the Driver Updates option then select all the driver updates you are presented and lastly click on the Download & install button.
Although Windows is often responsible for driver updates, if you are experiencing a problem, you can manually search for newer drivers. When it comes to automatic scanning for outdated drivers, a specialized tool such as Outbyte Driver Updater is strongly suggested.
Just like before, you can certainly try this solution as well for the other game versions, Fallout 4 and 76 respectively as the bug is similar and the games’ configurations are also similar.
4. Uninstall and reinstall the game
Press the Windows + S key to open the Search bar, then type Control panel, and click on the most relevant result.
Once the menu opens up, click on Programs followed by Programs and features.
The next step is to look for the problematic game and right-click on it to choose Uninstall.
The identical instructions apply for Fallout 76 and Fallout 4, except that instead of going to FNV, you should access the links to those games.
How can I optimize FNV?
The way your Windows installation is configured is almost as crucial as any in-game option you might choose. Slightly sub-optimal OS settings, as well as out-of-date drivers, are the root causes of many problems and performance issues in Fallout: New Vegas, most notably stuttering and crashes.
As a result, it is highly advised that you devote the necessary time to properly optimize your Windows system. At the very least, make sure that your graphics drivers are up to date with the most recent version available.
When your frame rate is too slow, your gaming gets choppy and sluggish, and your game becomes unplayable. Low FPS occurs when your computer is unable to support the game, and as a result, it becomes unresponsive.
It is a good thing that Windows updates are performed automatically because they frequently contain security fixes. However, downloading an update while participating in an online gaming session can consume a significant amount of bandwidth, thus disabling automatic updates is recommended.
This advice is less of an FPS booster and more of a sanity saver because no one wants to be distracted by messages when they’re in the midst of a game session. You should disable notifications and enable them once you are out of the game.
When you turn off the pointer precision function in Windows 11, your cursor will travel quicker depending on how quickly you move your mouse. However, turning off pointer precision will allow you to optimize Windows 11 for gaming.
Lowering the resolution of your game also allows your GPU to generate more frames per second. Because there are fewer pixels to worry about, your graphics card can concentrate on increasing your frame rate. You can find the resolution settings in the game’s options menu.
Despite the fact that the game is a lightweight game that can be played on a variety of different systems, it contains a number of bugs that can interfere with your experience such as Dota 2 settings not saving.
Dota 2 is a video game that is categorized as a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA). It was created and released by Valve. It is played in matches between two teams of five players, with each team occupying and defending their own independent base on the map as they battle it out.
It made the switch to the Source 2 engine in 2015, which had a significant influence on reducing the number of issues that plagued the game. However, it also introduced new issues, which caused players to search for solutions all over the internet.
Follow along as we will walk you through a comprehensive list of solutions that you can try in order to fix the settings saving issue, right after we respond to one of your most asked questions.
Can I play Dota 2 without a graphics card?
Aside from the game’s content and features, note that Valve is constantly updating the game in order to improve its visual compatibility and accessibility. Data 2’s performance is totally dependent on the quality of a computer’s CPU, GPU, and memory.
A system with the proper specs is required to play Dota 2. A high-end graphics card is necessary in order to play it at its peak performance.
Many Dota 2 players, on the other hand, do not have access to such a powerful graphics card. Nevertheless, every computer and laptop is equipped with an Intel or AMD processor.
Integrated chipsets are capable of providing an above-average gaming experience with a good frame rate despite the limitations of the hardware.
If you play custom maps in the arcade mode, the difficulty of the map may vary depending on its complexity. It makes little difference if you have the same specifications on your PC or your laptop; there is no significant difference between the two.
The primary difference between a laptop and a computer is that laptops with powerful graphics cards heat up far more quickly than PCs. Whilst the latter is equipped with a sophisticated cooling system, which can be further enhanced by the addition of extra cooling materials.
Furthermore, the processor in the PC is a little more powerful than the processor in a laptop of the same model. Any laptop that is capable of running Dota 2 is acceptable, and there are no hard and fast restrictions that state the game can only be played on a computer that is capable of running it.
What can I do if Dota 2 settings aren’t saving?
1. Change the Config file
Open a new File Explorer window then type or paste in the following command in the search bar from the top side: C:\Steam\SteamApps\common\dota 2 beta\dota\cfg
Now go to the Config file, right-click on it to choose Properties, then check the box next to the Mark as read only option.
When you start Dota2, it appears as though the choices are re-downloaded from the cloud. Thus, by making the file a read-only one, it will not update every time your start the game.
2. Reset the game
Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings window and click on Apps followed by Apps & features.
Once you’re inside the Apps & features window, search for the Dota 2 game by typing it in the search bar and click on the three-dot menu, followed by Advanced options.
Scroll down until you find the Reset section, then click on the Reset button.
When you reset the Dota 2 game, all of the data that was previously stored in the program will be lost. As a result, before you begin the process of resetting your device, we recommend that you make a backup of any important data.
3. Update your drivers
Press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app, and click on Update & Security from the left panel followed by Advanced options on the right side.
Scroll down until you find the Additional options section then click on Optional updates.
Now click on the Driver Updates option then select all the driver updates you are presented and lastly click on the Download & install button.
Although Windows is usually responsible for driver updates, if you have an issue, you can manually check for updates. A specialist program like Outbyte Driver Updater is highly recommended for automatic scanning of outdated drivers.
4. Uninstall and reinstall the game
Press the Windows + S key to open the Search bar, then type Control panel, and click on the most relevant result.
Once the menu opens up, click on Programs followed by Programs and features.
Now look for the problematic game and right-click on it to choose Uninstall.
On the web, you can find several configuration files to replace yours and boost the fps. Honestly, we don’t like this approach because we want to know exactly what we are changing and so should you.
These adjustments are useful if you are struggling to reach an acceptable amount of fps as you are using a low-spec PC, but also if you have a monitor with a high refresh rate as you bought it to gain an edge in a competitive game such as Dota 2.
Since your native resolution is desirable for a better view, if you badly need a performance boost, decreasing the resolution will greatly improve your fps. 720p is usually a solid compromise between quality and performance.
Full Screen is the best choice performance-wise, but you might prefer a borderless window if you have a multi-monitor setup and you wish to move quickly on another display.
We suggest disabling all the lighting and bloom options as they generate visual effects on your screen that do not influence negatively only your performance, but also your gameplay.
Regarding the others, it mostly depends on what you are trying to achieve. If you aim to maximize the fps, just disable all the extra visual elements.
Microsoft announced yesterday that it has started pushing Windows 10 version 21H2, also known as the November 2021 Update, to devices still on Windows 10 version 20H2 that are approaching end of servicing. The company is once again using machine learning models to determine which devices will have a “smooth update experience.”
“Windows 10, version 21H2 is available for users with select devices running Windows 10, versions 2004 and higher who manually seek to “Check for updates” via Windows Update. (…) We also started the first phase in our rollout for machine learning (ML) training, targeting devices on Windows 10, version 20H2 that are approaching end of servicing to update automatically to Windows 10, version 21H2,” the company explained on the Windows Health Dashboard.
We started the first phase in the Windows 10, version 21H2 rollout for machine learning (ML) training. We are targeting devices on Windows 10, version 20H2 that are approaching end of servicing to update automatically to version 21H2. https://t.co/l7RbiFyq3O
As a reminder, Windows 10 version 21H2 is a minor update that only brings improvements for Wi-Fi security, Windows Hello for Business, and the Windows Subsystem for Linux. For users still on Windows 10 version 2004 or newer, the installation process should be pretty fast as Windows Update will just be downloading an enablement package to turn on the new features on Windows 10 PCs.
If Windows 11 is now getting most of the Windows team’s attention these days, there are probably many Windows 10 devices that won’t be eligible for a free Windows 11 upgrade. That’s why Microsoft is committed to supporting Windows 10 until the OS, though the OS will only receive new “major” updates once a year going forward.
The Stereo Mix has become an essential feature, of late, and it should work fine. However, users have been facing certain problems with it and reported that Stereo Mix is not working on Skype in Windows 11.
Stereo Mix allows you to record the audio output from the computer after combining all available channels. For those using it with Skype, the problem arises when they want others to listen to the audio output of their computer.
In the following sections, we will walk you through the most effective methods to get Stereo Mix working on Skype in Windows 11.
Why is the stereo mix not working on Skype in Windows?
The problems with Stereo Mix in Skype could arise due to several reasons, both pertaining to the connected audio device and software issues. We have listed them all below:
Problems with the audio device
Misconfigured settings
Outdated audio drivers
With a basic understanding of the underlying issues, you are now in a far better position to proceed to troubleshoot. Let’s now head to the methods to get Stereo Mix working in Skype in Windows 11.
What do I do if the stereo mix is not working on Skype?
1. Check the connected device
The very first thing you must check when Stereo Mix is not working on Skype is whether the connected devices are working properly.
To do this, disconnect both the microphone and speaker if you are using external ones. Now check for any damage to cables or the port they are plugged into. If none are found, reconnect and check if Stereo Mix starts working in Skype.
Also, you can connect the same set of peripherals to another system and check if Skype works perfectly there. If that’s the case, the problem lies with the app or misconfigured settings, and you can proceed to the other fixes listed below.
2. Run the built-in audio troubleshooter
Press Windows + I to launch the Settings app, and select Troubleshoot from the options listed on the right in the System tab.
Click on Other troubleshooters.
Locate the Playing Audio troubleshooter and click on the Run button next to it.
Choose the appropriate response, if and when prompted, and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
Whenever you encounter an issue in Windows, your primary approach should be to look for a relevant built-in troubleshooter. Microsoft offers these to help users easily diagnose and eliminate problems affecting the performance.
3. Enable Stereo Mix
Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu, enter Change system sounds in the text field at the top, and click on the relevant search result that appears.
Go to the Recording tab.
Next, right-click on the Stereo Mix entry and select Enable from the context menu.
Click on OK to save the changes and close the window.
Now, launch the Skype app, click on the ellipsis at the top, and select Settings from the context menu.
Navigate to the Audio & Video tab from the navigation pane on the left.
Click on the dropdown menu next to Microphone and select Stereo Mix from the list of options.
4. Update sound card driver
Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu, enter Device Manager in the text field, and click on the relevant search result that appears.
Locate and double-click on Sounds, video and game controllers entry to expand and view the devices listed under it.
Right-click on the audio device and select Update driver from the context menu.
Next, select Search automatically for drivers from the options listed in the Update Drivers window.
Wait for Windows to find the best available version on the system and install it.
Drivers help relay commands between the OS and the hardware. Updating the drivers ensures the best performance along with the introduction of new features added in the subsequent versions.
The Device Manager method listed above only scans the storage drive for the driver and not the web, thus acting as an offline update. This reduces the chance of finding a newer version.
In case that feels like too much trouble, you can always use a reliable and effective third-party app for the job. We recommend using Outbyte Driver Updater, a dedicated tool that checks all available sources for the latest version and keeps the installed drivers up-to-date.
After updating the sound card driver, check if the Stereo Mix not working problem in Skype is fixed.
5. Set speakers as the default device
Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu, enter Change system sounds in the text field, and click on the relevant search result.
Go to the Playback tab.
Right-click on the desired speaker, and select Set as Default Device from the context menu.
Click on OK at the bottom to save the changes.
If the wrong speakers have been set as the default playback device, you are bound to encounter problems with the Stereo Mix in Skype. Therefore, make the necessary corrections and check if the issue is eliminated. If not head to the next fix.
6. Check if the audio device is muted
Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu, enter Change system sounds in the text field at the top, and click on the relevant search result that appears.
Navigate to the Playback tab.
Right-click on the default speaker and select Properties from the context menu.
Go to the Levels tab from the top.
Check if the output is muted, and click on the Mute icon to unmute it.
Click OK at the bottom to save the changes.
7. Repair/reset the Skype app
Press Windows + I to launch the Settings app, and select Apps from the tabs listed in the navigation pane on the left.
Next, click on Apps & features on the right.
Locate the Skype app, click on the ellipsis next to it, and select Advanced options from the menu.
Click on the Repair button and wait for the process to complete.
Now check if the problem is fixed. If not, click on the Reset button.
Again, click on Reset in the prompt that appears.
If the above methods haven’t yet worked, it’s likely that the issue lies with the Skype app itself. In which case, it’s best that you first try to repair it, and if that doesn’t help, reset the app.
Repairing the app identifies problematic files and replaces them, verifies the Registry entries, and checks the installation files without affecting the cache or configured settings.
On the other hand, resetting the app will remove everything and will take it to a state similar to when you first installed it.
What are some good software tools for audio enhancement in Windows 11?
A simple Google search would show hundreds of different software, with each claiming to outperform the other. This often confuses users and they are unable to choose the right one.
By the time you reach this section of the article, the Stereo Mix should be working on Skype and you know a lot of software that could be used both for audio enhancement and recording.
Encountering errors that cause the game to crash is a gamer’s worst nightmare. And, several users have been reported facing the Fatal Application Exit error when playing Resident Evil 7.
When you encounter it, the screen turns black with just the error box visible, and the progress is lost. Many also faced the issue when launching the game. This could be caused due to a plethora of issues, both pertaining to hardware and software.
In the following sections, we will discuss the underlying causes and walk you through the most effective methods to eliminate the Fatal Application Exit error in Resident Evil 7 in Windows 11.
Why do I encounter the Fatal Application Exit error in Resident Evil 7?
There is no single reason behind the Fatal Application Exit error in Resident Evil 7. It could be due to problems with the display adapter, an outdated graphics driver, or your antivirus might be conflicting with the functioning of the game.
Apart from that, overheating is also one of the known reasons behind crashes while playing games. If you identify overheating in your system, just head to the relevant fix below to eliminate the underlying problems.
How do I fix Fatal Application Exit error in Resident Evil 7?
1. Disable the display adapter
Press Windows + R to launch the Run command, enter devmgmt.msc in the text field, and either click on OK or hit Enter to launch the Device Manager.
Double-click on the Display adapters entry.
Next, right-click on the graphics adapter, and select Disable device from the context menu.
This method has proven to fix the error for several users, though it’s bound to affect the display. The graphics will lower a bit and the pictures wouldn’t appear as crisp, but it should eliminate the error for most.
After disabling the display adapter, check if the Fatal Application Exit error is fixed in Resident Evil 7. In case it persists, re-enable the adapter, and head to the next method.
2. Update the graphics driver
Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu, enter Device Manager in the text field at the top, and click on the relevant search result.
Next, double-click on the Display adapters entry.
Right-click on the graphics adapter, and select Update driver from the context menu.
Now, select Search automatically for drivers from the two options that appear in the Update Drivers window.
Drivers play a critical role in the functioning of the system by relaying commands between the hardware and the OS. With each driver update, certain enhancements and performance upgrades are introduced along with patches for previously known bugs.
Wait for Windows to identify the best available driver on the system and install it. The only drawback of this method is that it only checks for the drivers on the system, and if you haven’t downloaded the latest one previously, the update wouldn’t go through.
The whole processing of checking for driver updates may seem tiresome to many, which is where third-party apps come to your rescue. We recommend using Outbyte Driver Updater, a dedicated tool that will scan all available sources for updates and get the installed drivers up-to-date.
3. Disable the antivirus
NOTE
The steps listed below are to disable the built-in Windows Security in Windows 11. In case you are using another third-party antivirus, we recommend you head to their official website to identify the steps to disable it.
Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu, enter Windows Security in the text field, and click on the relevant search result that appears.
Click on the Virus & threat protection option.
Next, click on Manage settings under Virus & threat protection settings.
Now, disable the toggle under Real-time protection.
Click Yes on the UAC (User Account Control) prompt that appears to confirm disabling the antivirus.
4. Verify integrity of game files using Steam
Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu, enter Steam in the text field at the top, and click on the relevant search result that appears.
Navigate to the LIBRARY, right-click on Resident Evil 7 listed on the left, and select Properties from the context menu.
Next, select the LOCAL FILES tab from the navigation pane on the left.
Finally, click on Verify intergrity of game files and wait for the process to complete.
If the above methods haven’t yet worked, you can try the Verify integrity of game files option in Steam. It will scan all the files associated with the game and identify any missing or corrupt ones.
In case any are found, they will be downloaded or replaced respectively. Once the process is complete, check if this Resident Evil 7 Fatal Application Exit dx11.cpp fix works.
5. Check for overheating
Overheating is responsible for a lot of problems and directly affects the functioning of the PC. After going through several forums, we discovered that it causes the Fatal Application Exit error in Resident Evil 7 as well.
Another common issue reported by users was the improper installation of the graphics card. In this case, we recommend removing the graphics card, wiping it gently with a clean piece of cloth, and then placing it back.
If you are not sure about the removal process, seek professional help. In no case, do not meddle with the hardware without a basic understanding of it, since it could dagame the fragile components.
7. Reinstall Resident Evil 7
Press Windows + I to launch the Settings app, and select Apps from the list of tabs listed in the navigation pane on the left.
Click on Apps & features on the right.
Now, locate the Resident Evil 7 app, click on the ellipsis next to it, and select Uninstall from the menu.
Finally, click Uninstall in the prompt that appears to confirm.
If the problem lies with the game itself, and one that Steam couldn’t fix, the last option is to reinstall it. After uninstalling, go back to Steam, and again install Resident Evil 7.
Though after the reinstall, certain configured settings and other app data might be removed.
What do I do if Resident Evil 7 won’t launch on my system?
Apart from the Fatal Application Exit error in Resident Evil 7, several users have reported that the game won’t launch at all, no matter how many times they tried. As was the case earlier, this issue too could be due to several reasons.
That’s all there is to eliminating the Fatal Application Exit error in Resident Evil 7. By the time you reach this part of the article, the game should launch just fine without throwing any errors.
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