Age of Empires 4 is the most recent title from the popular series, and it brought the real-time strategy genre to a new level of graphics and gameplay.
Note from the start that it will set you in the middle of historical battles that shaped the world as we know it but this time, you can change the balance of the war.
If strategy is your preferred genre, this is the next title to enjoy right now. We have prepared all the instructions on how to download and play Age of Empires 4 but let’s start with the game’s requirements.
What are the Age of Empires 4 system requirements?
To avoid any problems running Age of Empires 4, you have to comply with the game’s minimum system requirements.
Being a strategy game, you won’t need any fancy graphics cards, but it won’t hurt at all to have a better configuration for your PC.
System requirements
Minimum
Recommended
OS:
Windows 10 64bit or Windows 11 64bit
Windows 10 64bit or Windows 11 64bit
CPU:
Intel Core i5-6300U or AMD Ryzen 5 2400G | CPU with AVX support
3.6 GHz 6-core (Intel i5) or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 | CPU with AVX support
Memory:
8 GB RAM
16 GB RAM
Graphics:
Intel HD 520 or AMD Radeon RX Vega 11
Nvidia GeForce 970 GPU or AMD Radeon RX 570 GPU with 4GB of VRAM
There is also the choice to visit Can You RUN it and after you download a small app, it will check your system configuration with the game requirements automatically.
Now that you know if you can play the game, we can go over on how to download and play Age of Empires 4.
We also need to specify that getting and running Age of Empires 4 is identical on Windows 10 and Windows 11 so if you upgraded, you will only experience minor graphics differences.
If you don’t have a Game Pass, you are offered to join for a minimum fee but keep in mind that there will be a monthly subscription to pay afterwards.
In the next window, click on the Join button.
Now, click the Next button.
Enter the payment data and go through the process to get a Game Pass subscription.
If you don’t have the Xbox app yet, go back to the website and hit the Download the app button.
Install the app, make sure you log in with the account you used for Game Pass, then click on Age of Empires 4.
Next, hit the Buy button. You will have a special offer if you have a Game Pass account.
In the next window, pick a way to pay, complete the data form, then hit Next. The game will be added to your account.
After you buy the game, it will install, and you can hit Play in your library.
The whole process is a lot more simple if you already have a Game Pass subscription. Basically, you can pick it up from step 7, search for Age of Empires 4 in the Xbox store and buy it from there.
2. Get Age of Empires 4 using the Steam app
Open the Steam app and click on the Store button.
Type age of empires 4 in the search box and click on the game from the results.
Select your option and click on the Add to Cart button.
Click on the Purchase for myself button. You can also buy it as a gift for someone and in that case, click on the second button.
Select the payment method, complete the form with the necessary data, and hit Continue.
After you review the data and complete the purchase, te game will start downloading and installing. Go to your Library tab, click on Age of Empires 4, and click the Play button.
3. Get Age of Empires 4 from Microsoft Store
Click the Start button, type store and click on Microsoft Store from the results.
After the app starts, click the Search option from the top right corner.
Type age of empires 4 in the search field and select the version you want to get.
In the next window, click the Buy button.
Log into your Microsoft account, pick the payment option and after you fill in the form, click Next.
After you finish the purchase procedure, you will get a download link for the game. Clicking on the file will start the installation process. If you selected the option to create a shortcut on the desktop, clicking it will launch the game.
As you probably know, Microsoft Store has changed a little bit in Windows 11 but the process is identical so if you switched to the new OS, you will only see minor graphical differences in the store.
You can also get Age of Empires 4 from other vendors and benefit from some great discounts in the process.
Feel free to check some other cool Age of Empires 4 offers available on G2A, GreenManGaming, or Amazon.
How can I play Age of Empires 4 on Windows?
Age of Empires 4 didn’t change in terms of gameplay and the principles remained the same. So, if you played the previous version, you will know what you need to do.
If you’re new to the series, the whole game revolves around exploring your surroundings, gathering resources, training military units, and building structures that will lead you to victory.
How do you win in Age of Empires 4?
Obviously, the objective of the game is to grow your empire in military strength, technology, or both and emerge victoriously.
However, there are three possible conditions to win the game against your opponents:
➡ Landmark Victory – Destroy your opponent’s landmarks using your magnificent army.
Sieging your opponent castle
➡ Sacred Victory – Protect and maintain specific spots on the map.
➡ Wonder Victory – You have a time limit to build the Wonder of your civilization and protect it until the time runs out.
Go through with the Art of War challenges
At the start of the game, you will be brought into a Mission Zero scenario that will teach you all the basics of the mechanics.
You will learn how to gather the four resources of the game (food, wood, gold, and stone), how to produce villagers who will handle the collecting, to construct buildings, and how to produce and command the units on the map.
If you’re new to the game, we recommend starting the Ar of War challenges that will help you practice what you’ve learned in the tutorial.
There are 5 challenges to complete:
Early Economy – This challenge will be about constructing a Landmark and you will also advance from the Dark Age to the Feudal Age.
Late Economy – You will learn how a strong economy can influence your advance to the Imperial Age.
Basic Combat – Use the counter system and the terrain to lead your army to victory.
Early Siege – Sieging the buildiengs of your enemy is crucial and in this challenge section you will learn about the basic strategy and siege units.
Late Siege – You will learn about Trebuchets and Bombards and how to distroy an enemy fortress.
Now you are prepared to face your opponents in Age of Empire 4 battles and obtain a crushing victory.
Of course, it’s also very important to study all 8 civilizations within the game because all have their strengths and weaknesses.
Playing with the Roman Empire has a clear advantage when it comes to the economy but the English have a great defense and the Mongols come with awesome mobility.
After you complete the challenges, you can take on the campaigns and even play online against players like yourself.
Even more, a lot of users playing this game have reported being unable to change the graphics settings. If you happen to encounter the same issue, modify either the game files, update Windows, or apply a bunch of other tips detailed in our guide.
Have you started playing Age of Empires 4? Tell us all about your experience in the comments section below.
If you are a Diablo fan, you surely know that Runes are a type of socketable item introduced in Diablo 2: Lord of Destruction.
You can insert them into socketed items to add many magical attributes, making you a lot stronger a more likely to succeed in your endeavors.
These overpowered sockets can increase the power of an item beyond what it can achieve on its own, so it’s very much worth having some.
But where can you find these Runes? Well, you can find them in various containers throughout the world, you can loot them off the creatures you kill, or craft them yourself using the Horadric Cube.
There are also High Runes, which are, of course, more powerful and a lot more desired by players, because of their high value and rarity.
We’re about to show you some of the best places where you can farm Runes, so you can better prepare yourself for the hard battles ahead.
What’s the best way to find Runes?
You can use Runes in different sockets of your gear pieces, such as your chest armor, head armor, weapons, and shields. You can even create rarer and powerful Runewords by sequencing Runes you already have.
However, the chance of you finding a Rune is pretty low, and if you are fortunate enough to find one, the quality will be low.
But we’re about to show you how you can greatly increase your chances of finding some pretty useful ones.
Act 1 – The Forgotten Towe in the Black Marsh
Black Marsh is an excellent place to farm Runes. Towers in the Black Marsh area can provide you with a good number of these valuable artifacts if you know where to look.
On the Nightmare or Hell difficulty, locate the Forgotten Tower in Black Marsh. We understand that these difficulties may not be for everyone, but they are recommended because, with them, the quality of the Rune improves.
Step into the Forgotten Tower, and, once you’ve entered, go all the way up to level 5. As you progress, enter the room next to the level 5 Entrance. You’ll also have to deal with some minions there, so be prepared.
You’ll see the Countess once the minions are out of the way. Take her out as well, and depending on your luck, she’ll drop between 1-3 runes.
There’s is also a good chance you’ll find a gem or two while you’re at it, and if you are very lucky, she’ll actually drop even 6 runes per kill.
And since we were talking about Act 1, another source, although not as good as the first one, is the last boss. Killing Andariel in the above-mentioned difficulties can also result in you looting some juicy Runes.
Act 2 – The Arcane Sanctuary
Arcane Sanctuary is another place where you can expect to obtain good high-level Runes. We all know this as the area where we find the which is the real tomb of Tal Rasha, out of all the seven we find throughout the desert.
All the ghosts in this place have a limited drop pool, so by killing them, you automatically have a higher chance of dropping runes.
However, if you want to improve your chances, make sure not to kill them off the path, and also check the end of the paths for additional chests.
These chests carry high-level loot within them, including these highly desired Runes, which can make the difference.
Another spot where you can try your luck is Tal Rasha’s tomb, where you find the last boss of Act 2, which is Duriel. He too can drop some pretty good ones, if you are lucky.
Act 3 – Travincal
Another location to farm for Runes, High Runes especially, is Travincal. Compared to other places in the game, this location has a much higher drop rate, so the probability of you obtaining a valuable high Rune would be bigger.
To quickly locate Travincal while in Upper Kurast, head to the northeast corner of the map. This will lead to the short Kurast Causeway bridge, which then leads to Travincal.
The farming technique for Travincal is similar to other places in the game, which is to keep killing the enemies that spawn till you get your hands on the rune. Pretty simple, right?
Act 4 – The Hellforge
The Hellforge is also a great place to look for Runes, provided you dare to proceed inside on the highest difficulties. All you need to do to get the Runes from here is break Mephisto’s Soulstone.
First, you have to slay Hephasto the Armorer, who guards the Hellforge. When you defeat him, you will obtain his Hellforge Hammer, which is required to break the stone.
Once you have the hammer, Mephisto’s Soulstone will appear and you will be able to smash it. After you do so you’ll get a rune and a few gems.
Act 5 – Mount Arreat
We’re about to let you in another awesome area where you can farm Runes. We are talking about Mount Arreat, accessible in Act 5, and you’ll always get three runes here, but the quality of the runes is low.
Despite their lower quality, they are still extremely useful because they can be used in Horadric Cube to create higher-level Runes later on.
All you have to do is free 15 Barbarian Warriors at the request of Qual-Kehk, the Barbarian captain. This will complete the Mount Arreat quest and award you three runes.
The Cow Level
By far one of the most lucrative locations to farm both Runes and High Runes in Diablo 2 Resurrected is the Secret Cow Level.
But don’t get too excited just yet, because you will need to prepare a bit before tackling this particular task. To create the portal for the Cow Level, you would first need to have killed the final boss, Baal, on the difficulty you are playing.
While standing in the Rogue Encampment, in Act 1, combine a Wirt’s Leg & a Tome of Town Portal in the Horadric Cube.
Doing so will open a red portal leading you to the Secret Cow Level. The enemies within this realm will spawn at a high rate, therefore, the chances of looting High Runes along with chests will be much higher.
And you’ll also be able to polish your fighting skills, considering the constant array of enemies that spawns and comes for you.
The Chaos Sanctuary
To perform a Chaos Run, players have to go through the Chaos Sanctuary, which is one of the most difficult locations in the game to clear.
Chaos Sanctuary is the place where Lord of Terror Diablo himself is hidden under multiple seals, so you can imagine the difficulty yourself.
You need to first get to the Chaos Sanctuary, which is situated beyond the River of Flame. From the River of Flame Waypoint, proceed to the upper right corner and continue straight at that angle, you’ll end up at its entrance.
To yield maximum benefits from the Chaos Run, you have to play in Hell difficulty, because we know that the higher the difficulty, the higher the reward.
However, if your level is under 60 or your resistances aren’t high enough, one can play in Nightmare difficulty too, but it’s most effective on Hell with the appropriate levels.
Similar to the Cow Level, you will be bombarded with an army of monsters with a decent drop rate for High Runes. Slash and defeat the countless monsters till you find your desired high rune.
These are all excellent places for farming Runes, or High Runes, so go right ahead and give it a go, if you were looking for ways to enhance your powers.
However, some are much harder than others, so make sure you take the appropriate time to prepare for what comes.
Also, if you’re a true Diablo fan, you might want to know that the release for Diablo Immortal has been postponed to 2022.
Which out of the places we listed were the best farming spots for you? Let us know in the comments section below.
If you spend a large portion of your day in front of the PC, then you know how important overall comfort and efficiency are.
These elements are very important no matter if you’re an average user exploring the web, doing your job, or even gaming.
If you’re gaming, no matter if professional or not, your experience will greatly improve if you invest in a good gaming mousepad that will offer you enough space, and even give you an edge against your online adversaries.
If you’re an average internet explorer or want some comfort and stability while doing your PC work, investing in a smaller and comfortable mouse pad would be the way to go.
To accompany the mouse-pad, it is also very important to have a good mouse that offers great multitasking features, like seamless connection to multiple devices, customizable buttons, and others. The best thing is that these mouse options can be used without problems for both gaming, working, and everyday browsing.
In today’s guide, we will dive a bit deeper into choosing the right small mousepad for your everyday PC experience. We made sure to try out a variety of options with different features to cover a wide spectrum of needs and price ranges.
How we chose the best small mousepads
Our team of expert testers, with a combined experience of 15 years, has tackled a variety of testing tasks for any device you could imagine.
Their experience comes into play as a very important element when choosing the products we described in this guide, and a large variety of factors have been taken into consideration.
The options that have been chosen offer great quality and cover the entire spectrum of price ranges, thus enabling everybody to find something that fits their needs both financially and otherwise.
The G440 from Logitech is our top pick when it comes to small mousepads.
This model is suitable both for everyday usage, but also for gaming, by offering you a high DPI gaming surface that allows you to react fast and with precision.
To offer you this feature, the surface of this mousepad is built with a material that offers low surface friction, and a consistent surface texture.
The rubber base keeps the mousepad in place on your desk offering stability and great overall performance.
Even though this accessory is designed specifically to work with gaming mice, the surface doesn’t disappoint no matter what task you throw at it.
This mousepad has a multi-layered design that ensures a long-lasting life and provides a sturdy and efficient surface for your PC usage, with a strong polymer core.
MROCO has created a great ergonomic mouse pad that ensures that the long hours spent in front of the PC will not affect your wrist badly anymore.
What makes this item stand out from the crowd is the amazingly-comfortable Memory Foam filling found in the wrist rest which supports your hand gently, while also providing you with enough stability to move the mouse without any impediments.
To ensure a smooth gliding surface, this item comes with a Lycra cloth surface which is the perfect texture for a smooth gliding experience with great accuracy.
The soft non-skid PU base ensures that the mousepad sticks to your desk, and will not be moving even when it is used with high intensity.
This item is also extremely durable, as the edges are finished with a reinforcement that ensures that no deformation will occur.
The ergonomic mousepad from Gimars is another great option for those of you who are worried about wrist issues.
This great item comes in a variety of colors and patterns, allowing you to choose the one which best fits your environment or taste.
The top of this mousepad is made out of Lycra, which not only provides a smooth sensing surface for any type of mouse but also does so without limiting the efficiency of the tracking.
To ensure that you have enough space to move your mouse, this item is 11 x 8.26 inches in size, with an elongated shape, while at the same time not compromising in portability.
The foam that makes up the wrist support is incredibly soft and offers amazing support, even for those that have bigger hands.
The QcK small mousepad is another great option that works great both for everyday usage and gaming.
Even though it is specifically designed for gaming, the quality micro-woven materials used in the upper of this item provide a perfect surface for any type of mouse or activity.
The micro-woven cloth on the upper ensures that any mouse movement will be captured and represented on the screen, working perfectly for both low and high DPI movements.
The company has had over 20 years of experience when creating mousepads that offer what users need, and this item is 9.84 x 8.27 inches, making it suitable for small desks, and offering great portability.
To ensure that the mousepad will not be moving while you’re using it, the base of this item is equipped with non-slip rubber.
The small mousepad from Audimi comes at a very affordable price and measures 8 x 6 inches, ensuring a smooth experience and without taking any space in your office or backpack.
This great pad comes in 6 colors, including the black one you can see in the image above, but also in blue, green, orange, pink, and purple. Having these options allows you to spice up your office without the need for any extravagant items.
The Audimi mousepad is so small and thin that it can easily be put into the laptop bag without any worries, and provide you with great mouse traction whenever you need it.
The surface of this mousepad ensures a smooth gliding experience by the use of a specialized cloth, and the non-slip rubber base ensures that the mousepad will not move even with heavy mouse usage.
Bottom runners
Even though we have already chosen some of the best small mousepads and discussed them in our main product list, some other options have caught our attention.
This item has a beautiful floral design and comes with other great image prints as well, thus allowing you to choose the one that fits your needs the best.
It also has a small gel pad to ensure wrist comfort when spending a lot of time at the PC.
This round mousepad also comes with an incredible array of great prints, allowing you to integrate the mousepad seamlessly in almost any environment.
Even though it doesn’t have a pad, the surface is round and offers a smooth experience when using the mouse.
As you can see from our guide, there are a variety of options to choose from, no matter if you’re interested in a longer design for the pad, protecting your wrist with memory foam padding, or want to impress your visitors with some great designs.
We included a variety of small pad options covering a wide range of prices, so everybody can choose one that fits their desk size and room design, without needing to spend too much money.
Don’t hesitate to let us know which item you chose and why by using the comment section below.
FaceTime, one of the most popular video-conferencing platforms, is now available in Windows. Ever since its release back in 2010, it catered exclusively to Apple devices. But with iOS 15, you can finally use Facetime in Windows 11 and its previous iterations.
Apart from Windows, FaceTime is available for Android and Linux users as well. Also, you can now access iCloud on Windows 11, though, unlike Facetime, it won’t be available for the earlier iterations.
If you have been planning to switch to an Apple device just to be part of Facetime calls with friends and family, sit back and read along to find out how you can join Facetime calls from your Windows 11 computer.
Can I host a FaceTime call from a Windows computer?
Unfortunately, the answer is No. Although Windows users can be a part of FaceTime calls, it still won’t be possible for them to create or host one. The option to initiate a FaceTime call is only available to Apple users, namely those using iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
To join a FaceTime call, you just need the link to it. Ask the host to share the link through any of the preferred channels and follow the steps listed next to join.
How can I join FaceTime calls from a Windows 11 computer?
This is a three-step process – the first is the creation of a FaceTime invite link, the second is joining the call on a Windows 11 PC, and the third is to approve the request. We have listed all three to help you understand how to host a call as well as be a part of it, in case it’s hosted by another Apple user.
1. Create a FaceTime invite link (Apple device)
NOTE
The steps listed here are to create an invite link on iPhone or iPad. The process on Mac is quite similar and once you get an idea from here, it wouldn’t be difficult to create one. If you already have a link, head to the next step.
Tap on the FaceTime app icon.
Next, tap on the Create Link button.
Tap on Add Name to to give a name to the FaceTime call.
Enter a name in the text field and tap on OK to save it.
Choose an option to share the FaceTime link with Windows 11 users. You can send it via messages, email, WhatsApp, or other messaging platform. You can also tap on Copy and share the link via other channels, in case they are not listed here.
Now, tap on the link that you just created listed under Upcoming.
Tap on Join.
Once the call is started, you can wait for those on Windows 11 to join FaceTime. Every time someone wants to join, you will have the option to approve, as discussed in the last step.
Also, it’s not necessary to give a name to the link and you can very well create one without it.
2. Join a Facetime call (Windows PC)
Click on the link that you received to join FaceTime in Windows 11.
Enter your name in the required section and click on Continue.
Click on Allow to let FaceTime access your microphone and webcam, and then click on Join. You will will asked for the grant permission the first time.
Wait for the host to approve and let you in.
The process to join a FaceTime call from a Windows 11 PC is quite simple. However, you have to wait for the host to approve. Once that’s done, you can start interacting with those present in the call.
3. Approve joining request (Apple device)
After someone clicks on the link and joins the call, a notificaiton is received on the host’s end. Simply tap on the GreenTick button to approve.
Once the request is approved, you will right away join the FaceTime call, and no more be missing out on one of the most popular video conferencing platforms.
How can I share the link of FaceTime call in Windows?
Click on the ellispis (three dots) near the bottom left corner.
Now, click on the Share Link button placed right under the list of people who are in the call.
Choose the required channel to share the link from the options listed here.
Although you cannot create a link, FaceTime still allows you to share it with other Windows and Apple users. Once you are in, you can invite as many people. But, keep in mind that the maximum number of participants in a FaceTime call is 32.
Can I use SharePlay and screen sharing on FaceTime in Windows 11?
You can’t use either SharePlay or screen sharing when using FaceTime on your Windows 11 system, though they would have been a great addition.
SharePlay allows you to do a lot more than just talk. Participants can watch movies or listen to songs together while in the FaceTime call. Screen sharing, as the name suggests, is simply sharing your screen with others in the call.
Can I use FaceTime in Windows 11 on all web browsers?
The answer would be No. Apple recommends using the latest version of Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge for the best FaceTime experience. When we tried using other browsers to join a call, it seemed to work fine on Opera.
However, when using Mozilla Firefox, it showed that the current browser is not supported and we need to switch to another one.
In case you use any other browser, check if you are able to join a FaceTime call. In case you receive an error, we recommend, and so does Apple, that you switch to Chrome or Edge.
That’s all there’s to using FaceTime in Windows 11. Now, you don’t need to purchase an Apple device to use FaceTime. But with the limited functionality, it’s just plain and simple and doesn’t offer a plethora of options as the other video-conferencing apps out there.
With the release of Age of Empires 4, the latest in the series, users have been nothing but thrilled. However, some of them reported that the Age of Empires 4 hotkeys are not working.
Given the amazing graphics and fascinating gameplay, problems with the hotkeys prove to be a major disappointment. Now, this could be due to a bunch of issues, either a faulty keyboard, conflicting apps, issues with the game files, amongst others.
In order to liven up your experience, we have listed some of the most effective methods to get your Age of Empires 4 hotkeys working.
What do I do if the Age of Empires 4 hotkeys are not working?
1. Restart the computer
Navigate to the Desktop and press Alt + F4 to launch the Shut Down Windows box.
Click on the dropdown menu and select Restart from the list of options.
Next, click on OK to reboot.
Wait for the computer to restart, launch Age of Empires 4 and check if the hotkeys are working.
If this is the first time you are encountering problems using the hotkeys, a simple fix would be to restart the computer. Sometimes, when Windows is booting, a bug may creep in and cause trouble. When you restart the PC, the OS is reloaded and any such bug is eliminated.
Also, before restarting the computer, make sure you save any open files to avoid loss of data.
2. Check if the keyboard is properly connected
Though this may seem obvious, a lot of users later realize that the keyboard wasn’t properly connected. Check if you can use the keyboard on other apps and across Windows in general. Also, verify if the hotkeys for other games work fine.
If there’s an issue, unplug the cable for the keyboard and replug it firmly. You can also refer to our guide to fix issues with a Bluetooth keyboard. Though it’s for Windows 10, we checked and it works just as well on the latest version.
3. Check the integrity of Age of Empires 4 game files
Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu.
Search for the Steam app in the text field at the top and click on relevant search result to launch it.
Navigate to the Library tab.
Right-click on the Age of Empires 4 icon and select Properties from the context menu.
Select Local Files from the navigation pane on the left.
Click on Verify integrity of game files and wait for the process to complete.
After it’s done, check if you are able to use the hotkeys in Age of Empires 4.
If you use the Steam app to play Age of Empires 4, it’s even simpler to fix trivial bugs. Simply verify the integrity of games files and if any issues are found, they would be fixed automatically.
Select Windows Update tab from the ones listed in the navigation pane on the left.
Again, click on the Windows Update option on the right.
Click on Check for updates and let Windows scan for any pending updates. If there are any available, download and install them.
It’s always recommended that stay up-to-date on Windows. With each update, a bunch of features and patches are released, and these may fix the problems with hotkeys in Age of Empires 4.
Along with that, DirectX, a critical system requirement for Age of Empires 4 is also updated along with the Windows, another reason to check and install any pending updates.
5. Disable/uninstall conflicting applications
NOTE
You can disable a problematic app from its built-in settings. Since the process is different for each app, we recommend that you check the FAQ section on the official app website. In case disabling it doesn’t work, follow the steps listed below to uninstall the app.
Press Windows + I to launch the Settings app.
Select Apps from the tabs listed on the left.
Click on Installed apps, the first option on the right.
Locate the app that you believe may be conflicting with Age of Empires 4, click on the ellipsis next to it, and select Uninstall from the list of options that appear.
Again click on Uninstall to confirm removing the app from the computer.
In some cases, it could be another app that’s conflicting with the functioning of Age of Empire 4, and thereby, the hotkeys are not working. But the real question here is, how are you going to identify the problematic app?
A simple, yet highly effective, approach is to recollect when you first encountered the error and think of the apps that were installed around the same time. Now perform a thorough research as to whether any of these apps are known to cause trouble with Age of Empires 4 or other games.
Now, uninstall the ones that could be leading to the problem with hotkeys. After removing each app, check if the problem is fixed. Once you have uninstalled the problematic app and the game works fine, reinstall the ones that were removed prior to it.
If nothing else works, you are left with no option but to reinstall Age of Empires 4 to fix the hotkeys not working issue. To reinstall, first, simply uninstall the app as we did in the previous fix, and then reinstall it from Steam or any other source that you choose earlier.
This will work, in case the issue lies with the installation of Age of Empires 4 itself. So, if you come across the error in the initial days or the first very first time you are playing the game, reinstalling it would be an effective fix.
Can I change the hotkeys in Age of Empires 4?
There are certain hotkeys that cannot be changed in Age of Empires 4 and you are left with no option but to use the preset ones.
There is no one way to set the hotkeys, it is an individual preference and users like to set them as per their convenience. But, with Age of Empires 4, that’s not the case. We went through several forums where users shared how the inability to change certain hotkeys will dampen their experience.
Whether it will attract more people or send the existing fans away, the jury is still out. What we know for certain is that you can’t customize all the hotkeys in Age of Empires 4.
The fixes mentioned above will resolve any issues preventing the hotkeys from working in Age of Empires 4.
The availability of Windows 11 has been increased as we are leveraging our latest generation machine learning model to offer the upgrade to an expanded set of eligible devices. More information can be found on the Windows release health dashboard. https://t.co/hw6FkgJ03j
PowerToys 0.49 brings new Find My Mouse tool and modern Windows 11 UI
A new update for PowerToys, version 0.49, has brought a new Find My Mouse feature, making it easier to find the location of your mouse pointer on the screen. A design refresh has also brought in a Windows 11-style UI.
AdDuplex sees Windows 11 already running on over 5% of surveyed PCs in October
Nearly a month since the launch of Windows 11, the latest data from AdDuplex suggests that just over 5% of surveyed PCs are running Windows 11 as of October.
That’s it for this week. We’ll be back next week with more Windows news.
Microsoft acquires Xbox, Minecraft, MSN content moderation provider Two Hat
Content moderation provider, Two Hat, has been acquired by Microsoft. The company provides moderation services for Xbox, MSN, and Minecraft. Under Microsoft, the two will aim to bolster its moderation technology to keep online communities safe and clean.
You can now stream PC games on Xbox consoles with GeForce Now
GeForce NOW working on the Xbox Series S Edge Browser and surprisingly smooth. Video will be up later covering the Edge browser support across PC and Console. #geforcenow#Xboxpic.twitter.com/AmmslJ43uj
Microsoft announced some big updates for Microsoft Whiteboard, its digital canvas that allows users to collaborate and share ideas with other people. This release brings a new Whiteboard experience to iOS and Windows, with personal account support coming to the Android and Web apps. There are also a few new features for all platforms.
New collaboration features for iOS and Windows
First off, the new Whiteboard experience brings several new collaboration features for Windows and iOS users that are already available on Teams, Android, as well as the web. The list includes over 40 new customizable templates, multiple shades of sticky notes & note grids, reactions support, as well as inking improvements. There is also the ability to add, reposition, and align images and shapes.
New OneDrive integration
Microsoft Whiteboard now integrates with OneDrive for Business, allowing users to add recent documents to Whiteboard directly from Microsoft Teams channels and OneDrive. It should make it easier for users to collaborate on PowerPoint presentations, PDF files, and other content as well. Other improvements include support for multiple images to make shared Whiteboard content more appealing and eye-catching for the audience.
Personal accounts support on Android and the web
The collaborative workspace already supports personal Microsoft accounts on iOS and Windows, and users can now add their consumer accounts to the web and Android versions of the app. It’s great to see that the Microsoft Whiteboard app now offers a more consistent experience across all platforms.
If you are using Microsoft Whiteboard on iOS, you can head to the Apple App Store to download the latest update. However, the new Whiteboard experience is gradually rolling out on Windows PCs via a Microsoft Store update, and it should hit general availability by the end of this year.
As you know, Icon cards feature some of the best legends to ever grace the football pitch, and it was a great idea to allow gamers to play as some of their heroes.
But these awesome cards are not free, they do cost a lot of coins, due to their quality, and a lot of them fit the meta stats needed to be good in FIFA Ultimate Team.
And there are a lot in the game, but we’re just going to focus on the ten best ones, and hopefully, this will help you decide which ones to use in the game.
Top 10 Icon Cards in FIFA Ultimate Team 22
It’s important to know that each player who is featured as an Icon actually has three Icon cards, but we are going to focus on each Icon’s highest rated card.
Players might believe that the price of a player shows how strong they are at the game, but when it comes to Icons this is not the case.
Some are a lot rarer than others, and the price is also influenced by the football fan base, as some legends of the game are more loved than others. Makes sense, right?
If we’re talking about attackers, you need to make sure that they have good finishing, dribbling, pace, and passing.
However, when it comes to more defensive players, you need to make sure their pace is decent, and they also have good defending and physical stats.
Of course, we are going to start this Top 10 from the worst and work out way up to the best. When we say worse, we actually mean the weakest out of the ten selected for this roster.
10. Paolo Maldini
Paolo Cesare Maldini is an Italian former professional footballer who played primarily as a left-back and central defender for AC Milan and the Italy national team.
He is widely regarded as one of the greatest ever defenders and as one of the greatest players of all time, so it comes as no surprise that he made this Top 10.
If you want Paolo Maldini as your defender in FIFA Ultimate Team, you have to pay a total of 1.9 million coins for him.
9. Johan Cruyff
The former Dutch national is one of the most sought after Icon Cards within FUT 22, and a lot of players will pay whatever is necessary in order to get him
This central forward is excellent for any team combination you have in mind, but just don’t rely on him when it comes to defense, as you might be disappointed.
With a rating of 94, Johan Cruyff will set you back 3.5 million coins if you want to add him to your roster.
8. Patrick Vieira
Owning the Patrick Vieira Icon Card in FUT 22 is clearly one of the best choices you can make. This brilliant defender has amazing defending capabilities and he’s also very creative.
He might not be the fastest-paced player in the game, but he surely is among the ones that can turn the tide when you most need it.
However, if you want to get your hands on this card, you better have 3.6 million coins saved up, otherwise, forget about it.
7. Zinedine Zidane
Although this legend comes at a price that is just a bit lower than previous ones, you can ve sure of the fact that having Zinedine Zidane as your attacking midfielder is a huge threat for your opponents.
His passing, shooting, and ability to dribble are excellent weapons to use in a match you really want to win. The French captain will not disappoint and will be the center of attention without a doubt.
And the good news is that you only have to spend 3 million coins if you plan to add him to your roster.
6. Ronaldinho
Absolutely no introductions are needed here, as we are sure that everybody around the world has heard of Ronaldinho at least once.
Whether it was during his debut years at Paris Saint Germain, or his golden age at Barcelona, this card is definitely one you should have at your disposal.
True, his defense stats are lousy, but let’s be honest, nobody is buying Ronaldinho for that. If you want this Brazilian legend to help you get those hard wins, you need about 3.3 million coins to bring him on the bench.
5. Eusebio
This Portuguese legend can be the difference between a victory or a loss in most cases, so don’t ignore this Icon Card if you come across it.
He’s fast, he can easily dribble his way into the opponent’s box, and most importantly, his shot is one to be reckoned with, making most goalkeepers wish they were substitutes that day.
And you can get him for the same price you would pay for Zidane, so a pretty sweet deal if you ask us.
4. Ruud Gullit
Here’s another Icon Card that we strongly recommend you add to your collection if you are serious about dominating your opponents in FIFA Ultimate Team.
The Dutch midfielder/striker is one of the favored choices of millions of players worldwide, which means that he is truly a formidable foe to go up against.
However, don’t get excited just yet, because owning this card comes at a higher price than the ones we’ve presented so far. The Ruud Gullit Icon Card is worth 5.7 million coins so you better start saving up.
3. Diego Maradona
Not much can be said about the late Argentinian legend except that he was one of the greatest to ever play this noble sport.
And even though his fan base is in the hundreds of millions, you can get this exceptional card for what we consider to be a bargain.
His dribbling skills will put even the most talented players to shame and he is, without a doubt, a player you must add to your roster if there are any available spots.
Have we mentioned that this card is a steal? Oh yes, we did, and you can acquire it for only 2.3 million coins, making this the second cheapest one in this Top 10.
2. Ronaldo
Even though Ronaldo only managed to secure the second position in our Top 10, he definitely is everything that every young football player aspires to be.
The former Brazil national team and Real Madrid striker is most likely the only attacker you will ever need, scoring with every opportunity he has.
This goal machine is a dream addition to anyone that plays FUT 22, but not everyone can afford this card. Well, at least not right away.
This is by far the most expensive Icon Card on this list so you better have some saved-up coins if you want Ronaldo to join your team because he costs 8.3 million coins.
1. Pele
Still regarded by many as the best football player in history, Pele definitely deserves the first spot in our list or any list for that matter.
Let’s just say that there are amoeba on Saturn that heard about Pele, so there’s no point in contesting if he is the best ever or not.
His stats are very similar to Ronaldo’s and they sometimes had the same role assigned on the pitch, but you can get the Pele Icon Card for a lot less than his co-national.
If you want to secure this player for your all-star team, all you need to do is come up with 5.2 million coins and he will gladly sign the contract.
There are way too many Icon Cards to go through them all right now, but out of all of them, these are the best ten.
EA also added four new icons in FIFA 22, among which are Wayne Rooney, Iker Casillas, Robin Van Persie, and the former Brazilian national and AC Milan defender Cafu.
What is your favorite Icon Card in FIFA Ultimate Team 22? Let us know in the comments section below.
Sometimes while browsing the web you might get the Warning visiting this website may harm your computer message.
Many users are alarmed by this message, and rightfully so, but in today’s article we’ll explain to you what this message does and how to deal with it in your Google Chrome browser.
Warning visiting this website may harm your computer message can appear when visiting certain websites.
It often appears when trying to access a website that contains malicious code, but sometimes you might see this message when trying to view ordinary websites.
How to solve This site may harm your computer in Chrome?
If you keep getting Warning visiting this website may harm your computer message on almost any website, it’s possible that your system is infected by malware.
Usually, this message appears when you’re trying to visit an obscure and potentially malicious website, but if the message appears when visiting reliable websites, the problem might be something else.
To make sure that your system is not infected by malware, be sure to scan it using dedicated antivirus software for browsing antivirus. Sometimes malware can interfere with your browser and cause this message to appear, so it’s important that you scan your PC. If your PC is clean, you should move to the next solution.
2. Try accessing the website from a different device
The Warning visiting this website may harm your computer message can appear only on your PC. In order to make sure that your PC is the problem, try accessing this website from a different device.
If the problem doesn’t appear on other devices, it’s possible that your PC configuration or malware infection is causing this error.
Keep in mind that this solution applies only to trusted and reliable websites. If you’re trying to access an obscure website that you’re visiting for the first time, you should avoid this solution.
3. Turn off the Safe Browsing feature in Chrome
Click the Menu button in the top right corner and choose Settings from the menu.
Scroll all the way down and click the Advanced button.
Scroll down to the Privacy section and disable Safe Browsing feature.
Warning visiting this website may harm your computer message usually appears in Google Chrome, and it’s caused by the Safe Browsing feature.
This feature is actually quite useful, since it will scan websites that you’re trying to visit, and if a specific website has malicious code on it, you’ll get this message.
However, you can always disable the Safe Browsing feature if you want. To do that, just follow the above steps.
After doing that, you should be able to access any website without this message. Keep in mind that by disabling this feature you might put your system at risk.
As a rule of thumb, it’s advised to disable this feature only when visiting familiar and safe websites.
Keep in mind that other browsers have similar features as well, so you don’t use Chrome, be sure to check the privacy section in your browser and disable the Safe Browsing feature.
4. Reinstall the browser
According to users, the Warning visiting this website may harm your computer message can sometimes appear if you have any issues with your browser.
This message appears usually on problematic websites, but if you see this message often, even on websites that you used to visit frequently, the issue might be your installation.
To fix this problem, users are suggesting reinstalling your browser. There are several ways to uninstall your browser, but perhaps the best one is to use professional uninstaller software.
In order to completely remove an application, it’s important to remove all its files and registry entries, since they can cause certain issues.
5. Ignore the message and proceed to the website
On the warning screen locate the URL that you’re trying to visit and copy it and try to open it in the new tab. Alternatively, some users are suggesting to visit to highlight the URL, right-click it, and choose Open in new tab.
You should now see a different screen. Click Details and then click visit the unsafe site link.
Many users get worried when they see the Warning visiting this website may harm your computer message on their screen and rightfully so.
However, sometimes this message can appear on a familiar website that you frequently visit.
If you get this message, you might be able to ignore it and just visit the website. To do that, follow the above procedure.
After doing that, you should be able to visit the website without any problems.
Keep in mind that this warning message is there for a reason, but if this message appears while trying to visit a familiar and safe website, you might be able to avoid it using this method.
If this method doesn’t work, you can always disable the Safe Browsing feature in your browser and that should fix the problem for you.
6. Switch to a different browser
If the Warning visiting this website may harm your computer message keeps appearing on familiar websites, the problem might be your browser.
If that’s the case, consider switching temporarily to a different browser until you manage to fix the problem.
You can use Microsoft Edge since it comes with Windows 10, but you can use other browsers such as Firefox or Opera One.
Bear in mind that these browsers might have a similar feature available, so they might also block this website.
7. Make sure that your browser is up to date
Warning visiting this website may harm your computer message can appear if your browser is out of date. An outdated browser can encounter various issues, therefore it’s important that you keep it up to date at all times.
Most browsers download the latest updates automatically, but sometimes you might skip a couple of updates. However, you can always check for updates manually.
To do that, open the browser’s menu in the top right corner and choose Help > About.
From there you should be able to see the current version that you’re using, and the browser will automatically check for updates. Once the updates are installed, check if this problem is still there.
Bear in mind that this process might be slightly different on your browser, but you should be able to figure it out on your own.
Removing these files by hand can be quite tedious, therefore it’s better to use uninstaller software that will remove the desired application along with all of its files.
Once you remove your browser, install it again and check if that solves your problem.
Warning visiting this website may harm your computer usually appears before you try to access a malicious website.
However, sometimes this message can appear on trusted and reliable websites, and if that happens, be sure to try some of our solutions and see if that solves your problem.
This issue can be quite annoying, and speaking of that, users reported the following problems as well:
Visiting this website may harm your computer Firefox – This message can appear in any browser, and if you encounter it, perhaps it would be a good idea to scan your PC for malware.
This site may harm your computer Firefox – According to users, this message is caused by the Safe Browsing feature, and in order to stop it from appearing, just disable this feature in your browser.
Google malicious website warning – Sometimes you might get this warning message in Chrome. If that happens, simply choose the option to ignore it.
Warning the website contains malware. Visiting this site may harm your computer – This message can appear due to numerous reasons, but you should be able to fix it using our solutions.
Since the 2014 movie, the Guardians of the Galaxy have served as the heart of the MCU. There were already enough characters representing the brains and brawn and honor, but the ragtag crew of misfits as presented by James Gunn, et al, gave us something we hadn’t yet seen in a franchise that, at the time, needed an injection of levity.
Still, while the original movie will always rank as one of my favorites, I wasn’t expecting much from Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy game. The trailer gave that same uncanny valley feeling, as I was watching characters that kind of looked and kind of sounded like the heroes I knew. Within an hour, those fears were blown away like so much drifting space debris.
Besides some of the aesthetics and character touches, the game takes very little directly from the MCU. In fact, it barely takes a lot directly from the comics universe either in terms of its actual story. It’s set in a time when the Guardians are already a team, but a fledgling one, having only been on 13 missions together and still very much finding their place.
All for one
Peter Quill, aka Star Lord, remains the human core of the group. He’s the one we, arguably, relate to more as there’s still so much about the universe he doesn’t know. This is not the MCU Star Lord, but it’s not far off. He’s still a well-intentioned clown, always quick with a joke or an excuse but never failing to pull out the goods when he needs to. Playing as Quill allows us to learn things he learns, but it also positions us at the center of the group in such a way that we can call on them at any time during battle.
Rocket Raccoon, though, might as well be the very same version from the duology. He’s foul-mouthed and mean-tempered, but oddly he has some of the most emotional moments. You can collect odds and ends then discuss them with the group later aboard the Milano, and learning through this medium about his traumatic time spent as an experiment on Halfworld is genuinely quite moving.
In fact, all the characters have an incredible dimension to them – even the villains you meet along the way. The dynamic between Gamora and Drax is superb. She is the adopted daughter and former assassin of Thanos, the supervillain who killed Drax’s family and who Drax, in this universe, was the end of. They don’t hate each other, exactly, but Drax’s open hostility is so honest it’s almost endearing, and Gamora does her best to shrug it off despite the fact that she continues to do everything possible to atone for her past.
Dancin’ in the stars
And Groot… well, Groot is Groot, as he repeatedly confirms in his three-word language that Rocket unreliably translates for us. But even Groot has his moments. On top of the great characterization, there’s also a great soundtrack, filled with licensed tracks that evoke that retro-futuristic spirit at all times.
Quite surprisingly, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is a game about choice and consequence. Throughout the story, you’ll make many, many choices, some obvious and binary, presented as clear-cut dialogue options. These may force you to take one side or another in an argument, or go with one teammate’s plan over another. The characters remember your choices for the entire game and will even bring them up again hours later.
Other choices are more subtle and in fact, you may not even realize you’re making one. Opting to, for example, wander off the obvious path can lead to one or more of the Guardians following you for a conversation you may not have experienced otherwise. Sometimes it will simply lead to them chastising you for wasting their time.
We are Groot
The more hours you play, the more you’ll see certain lines and exchanges repeated, but there is a ton of dialogue in this game. It’s not all pure gold, but the majority of it absolutely nails the Guardians brand. And the voice acting is some of the very, very best I’ve ever heard. Kimberley Sue-Murray and Alex Weiner as Gamora and Rocket respectively absolutely powerhouse their roles, but the other actors remain on point throughout too.
In an original story that sees the Guardians bungle a fairly simple ruse and end up indebted to the Nova Corps and up to their necks with a savage monster dealer, the crew hop between some incredible locales. And in these locales, of course, are some pretty wild alien enemies.
Sadly, though, the combat is probably the weakest element in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. It’s not bad, exactly, but there’s a messiness to it that never manages to quite come together. As Star Lord you’ll use elemental attacks and standard blasters and can command your allies to activate any of a trio of unlockable moves. Drax can stun the enemy, Groot can entangle them, Rocket blows stuff up, and Gamora has devastating attacks that can obliterate single weakened enemies.
Teamwork makes the dream work
You’ll find scrap hidden all over the place (along with alternate outfits for the team) that let Rocket apply upgrades to your attacks and gear to give you an edge in battle and make exploring worthwhile.
But there’s so much combat and it’s so scrappy that it’s not always easy to see what’s going on or keep track of where characters even are. At certain points, you’ll be able to activate an ultimate ability called the Huddle, which causes Quill to call his allies in for a pep talk.
As an element in a Guardians game, it’s easy to see what Eidos Montreal were going for. It’s pure Guardians fun – however, these moments break up the combat to such a degree that they become a hindrance. I don’t want to take a break mid-wallop to hear Gamora whine or Drax grumble about his lot in life. And if you fail a Huddle, which is easily done, you lose out on a group damage buff. Hardly a major issue and something else that renders them a little superfluous.
Motley crew
Misfiring gimmick aside, though, the combat in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy at least brings the team together in a meaningful way. As you progress, you’ll see the bonds between them strengthen in ways you may not even notice. At the start of the game, you’ll need to ask them to do things for you, such as Groot bridging a gap with his roots or Gamora leaping to a high cliff face to give you a boost.
By the late game, they do this without your agency, showing that they are beginning to synergize as a team. Likewise, the sharp dialogue and verbal lashings begin to soften as the characters find common ground even in seemingly random dialogue exchanges. It’s not just a cool system, it’s one of the best examples of character development I’ve seen in an action game.
If there’s a major downside here it’s in the performance. Whether I kept the graphical settings high or dropped them to accommodate, I still experienced areas of massive slow down and frame rate drops. Twice it kicked me back to desktop after a Huddle, and there are all sorts of physical glitches like vibrating characters and animation bugs.
There was nothing that ruined my fun, but a triple-A should be in better condition at launch. Also, if you’re playing with a controller, look out for a weird bug that repeatedly scrambles the control prompts across Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch inputs. That one is a lot of fun during QTEs, as you can imagine.
Completion and achievements
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy will take around 15 to 18 hours to beat, but if you want to explore every nook and cranny for hidden collectibles and outfits it will take more than 20.
There’s a full suite of achievements on PC that ape the console list, so if you’re a trophy hunter there’s plenty to get stuck into. You can unlock all trophies in one run, but there are missable achievements ties to the collectibles, so you may want to use a guide here.
Final thoughts on Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
Pros
Perfectly nails the Guardians atmosphere
Stunning alien worlds
Incredible soundtrack
Cons
Struggles technically
Huddle system is a bit of a misfire
Combat can feel a little tedious
Final Score: 4/5
Despite some annoying bugs and a few hit-and-miss gimmicks, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is an exceptional cinematic adventure. The choice system is excellent and feeds into the stellar character development in ways you may not even realize at the time.
Crucially, it doesn’t outstay its welcome or get bogged down in filler. The combat isn’t always a winner though, which is a shame because there’s so much of it. Ultimately, this game is just a lot of fun, with some genuinely touching character moments sprinkled in that will give you pause for thought among all the wise-cracks. Don’t let the bugs put you off: Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is a fantastic blast of intergalactic adventure.
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is available on PC for around $49.99. It’s also available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X and S. You can see its recommended specs on the Steam page.
*Disclaimer: Reviewed on PC. Review code provided by the publisher.
Age of Empires 4 is the fourth game in the very popular series, and it definitely refined the real-time strategy genre to a new peak.
However, no recently launched game is bugproof and Age of Empires 4 is not the exception you were hoping for.
If Age of Empires 4 is not working or keeps crashing on your PC, we’re here to give you a few solutions to fix these problems as quickly as possible and get you back to gaming.
What are the Age of Empires 4 system requirements?
Let’s start with the basics because the most common cause of game crashes and malfunctioning is not meeting the minimum system requirements or just barely touching them.
So, you can confront your configuration with the table of system requirements provided by the developer and see if your PC can handle the game or you need an upgrade.
System requirements
Minimum
Recommended
OS:
Windows 10 64bit or Windows 11 64bit
Windows 10 64bit or Windows 11 64bit
CPU:
Intel Core i5-6300U or AMD Ryzen 5 2400G | CPU with AVX support
3.6 GHz 6-core (Intel i5) or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 | CPU with AVX support
Memory:
8 GB RAM
16 GB RAM
Graphics:
Intel HD 520 or AMD Radeon RX Vega 11
Nvidia GeForce 970 GPU or AMD Radeon RX 570 GPU with 4GB of VRAM
DirectX:
Version 12
Version 12
Storage:
50 GB available space
50 GB available space
The alternative is to go to a checking website like Can You RUN it and there you will be able to install a small app that automatically looks into your system and crosschecks them with the requirements.
For instance, our PC was disqualified for not having enough storage space, and although the integrated GPU met the minimum requirements, we strongly recommend running the game on a PC with a discrete graphics card.
If your PC passed the needed requirements, we can start tackling the problems that prevent you from playing the game properly.
How can I fix Age of Empires 4 if it’s not working?
1. Update the graphics driver
Right-click the Start button and select Device Manager from the list.
Click on the Display adapters section to expand it, then right-click on the component, and select Update driver.
Select Search automatically for drivers.
If the system finds a new driver, it will install it and you will need to restart your PC. If it doesn’t, you can click on Search for updated drivers on Windows Update.
You will be taken to the Windows Update section where you can click on the Check for updates button.
If there aren’t any new ones, click on View optional updates.
Click the Driver updates section to expand it, then check if there are any updates related to your graphics card, click their box, and hit the Download and install button below.
If you want sure you didn’t miss any new drivers, you can also go to the manufacturer’s website and download the driver from their support page.
For automatic scans of missing or outdated drivers, we recommend using a dedicated tool such as Outbyte Driver Updater.
2. Check the integrity of the game files
Open Steam and click on the Library tab.
Right click on Age of Empires 4 and select Properties.
Select LOCAL FILES from the left, then click on Verify integrity of game files…
The app will detect if there are any problems and attempt to fix them.
Right click on Age of Empires 4 and select Properties.
Select GENERAL from the left menu, then uncheck the fox for Enable the Steam overlay while in-game.
4. Temporarily disable the antivirus
Click the Start button, type security, and select Windows Security from the results.
Choose Virus & threat protection.
If you don’t have a third-party antivirus, in the next window click on Manage settings and turn off protection for Windows Defender. If you do, click on Open app and turn off your third-party antivirus from its settings.
For instance, in Bitdefender, you can deactivate protection from it’s Advance settings menu.
Check if the game runs fine after disabling the antivirus. If that doesn’t work, uninstall your antivirus temporarily because it may block your updates.
Press the Windows key + R to open Run, type msconfig.msc, and click OK to openSystem Configuration.
Open the Services tab and check theHide all Microsoft Servicesbox.
Click the Disable All button. This will disable all the non-essential and third-party services.
In the System Configuration window, click Apply and OK to save the changes.
Next, right-click on the taskbar and select Task Manager.
In the Task Manager Window, open the Startup tab.
Right click on the apps one by one and select Disable, then close Task Manager.
Restart your PC.
After the restart, your computer should run smoother and faster and if any process was interfering with the game it’s now gone.
6. Uninstall and reinstall your game
Click the Start button and select Settings.
Now select the Apps section.
Select Age of Empires 4 from the list and click on Uninstall.
Now install the game from your kit or redownload it from Steam.
If you have made any progress in the game, don’t forget to back up your saved games before uninstalling.
How do I stop my game from crashing?
There are a lot of reasons why a game is not loading or crashes unexpectedly but it’s mostly due to some bugs or lack of resources.
That’s why you can take a few precautionary measures that you can undertake before starting the game.
➡ Keep your game updated
Especially when it comes to new games, the developers issue a lot of patches to fix possible glitches so make sure you update is as often as possible.
Verify that you have the Always keep this game updated feature checked. It is activated by default but you never know what might happen.
➡ Close any unnecessary background apps
We already showed you above how you can get rid of startup apps and unnecessary services but you also stop any other tasks and apps from running in the background.
You can do that from Task Manager. Just identify the processes you don’t need and select End Task to stop them.
➡ Make sure you have enough space
Storage space is the worst enemy of a game. So, when is the last time how much space you have left on your drive?
Just press the Windows key + E to start File Explorer and look at the drive where you stored the game. It’s always reassuring to see that you have at least a couple of GBs left.
Age of Empires 4 is a great strategy game but if it keeps crashing or it’s not loading at all, this can ruin your day.
We hope that our guide helped you fix any Age of Empires 4 issues that might prevent it from running properly on your PC.
The Age of Empires franchise, one of the most highly rated strategy games, is here with Age of Empires 4. And this one certainly does offer a lot, both in terms of content and graphics. However, certain users have reported that they can’t change graphics settings in Age of Empires 4.
In this case, whenever they try to make changes to the graphics settings, the screen either went black or the game crashed.
While some had issues with the system’s graphics settings or driver issues, others found compatibility or the app setting itself to be the culprit.
In a bid to bring forth the best solutions, we went through a lot of forums where users have posted about this and other similar issues.
And, in the following sections, we have listed the most effective solutions in case you are unable to change the graphics settings in Age of Empires 4.
What are the minimum system requirements for Age of Empires 4?
Ever since the release of Age of Empires 4, fans have been nothing but thrilled and eager to check if their PC can run the game. You can find that out from our guide that details the system requirements for Age of Empires 4.
Also, it’s recommended that your computer at least meets the minimum requirements, if not the recommended one. This will ensure that you don’t run into errors while playing the game, similar to the one we discussed here.
What can I do if I can’t change the graphics settings in Age of Empires 4?
1. Restart the PC
Navigate to the desktop and press Alt + F4 to launch the Shut Down Windows box.
Click on the dropdown menu and select Restart from the list of options that appear.
Click on OK to restart Windows.
If it’s a bug that’s preventing you from changing the graphics settings in Age of Empires 4, a simple restart would fix the issue. When you reboot the system, the OS is reloaded and any temporary bugs are eliminated, thereby solving the problem.
2. Edit Age of Empires 4 game files
Press Windows + E to launch File Explorer.
Navigate the following path or paste it in the address bar at the top and hit Enter:Documents\My Games\Age of Empires 4\Users\NewProfile3.xml
You can use Notepad++ or any other XML editor to make the changes here.
Now, locate the line with optiongrfxres and replace it with this:<Setting Name="optiongrfxres">1920 x 1080</Setting>
Save the changes, and it should reflect in the game.
Apart from the resolution settings we set here, you can check for the other available options in the dropdown menu for the same, and use them as well. Just replace the resolution value in the above line and the graphics settings in Age of Empires 4 would be changed.
3. Change Age of Empires 4 compatibility mode
Press Windows + E to Launch the File Explorer, as you did earlier.
Navigate to the same path that you did in the last fix to open the XML file:\Documents\My Games\Age of Empires 4\Users\NewProfile3.xml
This time, instead of changing the resolution, we will modify the compatibility mode.
Locate and delete this line in the XML file:<Setting Name="optiongrfxwindowmode">false</Setting>
Now, paste this instead:<Setting Name="optiongrfxwindowmode">true</Setting>
After changing the mode, you should now be able to make the desired changes in the game settings.
If the last fix didn’t work, you can try changing the compatibility mode in the XML file and see if it helps. Most users who couldn’t change graphics settings in Age of Empires 4 found this method helpful.
4. Update Windows 11
Press Windows + I to launch the Settings app.
Select Windows Update from the tabs listed in the navigation pane on the left.
Again, select the Windows Update option on the right.
Click on Check for updates to explore any available updates and download and install them.
If you are running an older version of Windows, chances are that it’s causing the problem when changing the graphics settings in Age of Empires 4. With each update, certain enhancements along with patches are released, and these could help fix the issue.
Another important feature for the effective functioning of Age of Empires 4 and other high-end games, is that you must have the latest version of DirectX installed.
And the best part, you will receive updates for it via Windows Update only. So go ahead and check if there’s a newer version available and download it.
5. Update graphics drivers
Right-click on the Start button or press Windows + X to launch the Quick Access menu, and select Device Manager from list of options.
Locate and double-click on Display Adapters to expand and view the devices under it.
Right-click on the graphics adapter and select Update driver from the context menu.
Click on Search automatically for drivers from the two options listed here. Windows will now search for the best available driver on your computer and install it.
In case you are running an outdated version of the graphics driver, it’s likely to cause a bunch of issues. These may range from problems while playing games to executing tasks on Windows.
If Windows is unable to find a better version on the system, you can try other ways to update the driver. After you have the latest driver installed, check if you can change the graphics settings in Age of Empires 4.
It’s also recommended to scan your PC with reputable third-party driver updater software. A third-party driver updater such as Outbyte Driver Updater is ideal in that regard.
6. Disable/uninstall conflicting apps
NOTE
You can disable an app from its built-in settings section. It’s recommended that you check its official website to find the procedure to disable the conflicting app. In case disabling it doesn’t work, follow the steps listed below to uninstall the app.
Press Windows + I to launch the Settings app.
Select the Apps tabs from the navigation pane on the left.
Click on Installed apps on the right.
Locate the app you want to remove, click on the ellipsis next to it, and select Uninstall from the list of options that appear.
Click Uninstall on the prompt that appears.
Certain apps are known to cause trouble with the functioning and while changing the graphics settings of Age of Empires 4. These could be third-party antiviruses or other similar apps.
An easy way to identify the app that’s causing the trouble is to recollect when you first encountered the error, and make a list of apps that were installed around the same time.
When you have a list ready, uninstall them one at a time and check if the problem is resolved and you can change the graphics settings.
Once you find out and uninstalled the app behind the issue, reinstall the others that were removed before it.
These are all the ways you can fix what’s preventing you from changing the graphics settings in Age of Empires 4. And, once the problem is resolved, you can choose the desired resolution and other settings for the finest gaming experience.
Tell us about your experience of the game and the fix that worked for you in the comments section below.
No matter if you work online or in an office, the interface with which you control your PC is of paramount importance, both when it comes to overall productivity, but also including your daily comfort.
The same principles apply even if you don’t use a PC for work, but dabble daily in browsing the internet and playing games.
Both of the consumer types mentioned above will benefit greatly from using a mouse that enables multitasking, but another important category includes people that run high-end gaming systems.
These systems will usually have a good mechanical keyboard that has a greatly reduced latency when it comes to inputs and provide more tactile feedback to the user.
Besides this, a good gaming rig will also feature a capable high-quality monitor to show off the gaming rigs’ capabilities.
In the latter case, accuracy, speed, and comfort become even more important, as every split second can be a matter of virtual life-and-death.
Indiferent of which of these categories apply to you, or which exact mix of them you use frequently, having a versatile and multitasking-capable mouse is of paramount importance.
How we chose the best mouse for multitasking
Our team of expert testers, with a combined experience of 15 years, has tackled a variety of testing tasks for any device you could imagine.
Their experience comes into play as a very important element when choosing the products we described in this guide, and a large variety of factors have been taken into consideration.
The options that have been chosen offer great quality and cover the entire spectrum of price ranges, thus enabling everybody to find something that fits their needs both financially and otherwise.
The MX Master 3 Advanced is one of the best mice on the market when it comes to multitasking, allowing you to easily use the set of buttons and scrolls to multitask on your PC.
This mouse works amazingly well both in a work environment, with lots of applications and documents opened simultaneously, but also performs very well in the gaming department.
What makes it stand out from the crowd besides its ergonomic design, is the fact that every button present on the mouse can be customized to fit your needs from the mouse’s software.
The upper scroll wheel allows incredibly precise and fast scrolling, which uses electromagnetic technology to achieve this result.
It can be connected to up to three devices at the same time, and the transition between them is performed seamlessly, while the powerful 4000DPI sensor ensures precise movements.
To round this device up perfectly, the mouse can be used both with a cable and without, by the means of the USB-C rechargeable port.
The Logitech MX Master is our next top pick when discussing mice capable of multi-tasking, and as you might have noticed already, it is the previous release of the model we chose in the 1st place.
These positions were chosen for a very good reason, with the MX Master series being some of the most appreciated mouses ever released.
Like the MX Master 3 Advanced, the MX Master is built with two scroll wheels – one at the top which allows incredibly fast scrolling speeds, and one next to the thumb area.
Added to this, the mouse also has 4 fully-customizable buttons, one at the top, two on the side (next to the thumb scroll), and one on the thumb resting place.
All these elements combined with easy-to-use software that allows you to customize the actions each of these buttons performs, the MX Master is fully deserving of the name of master when it comes to multitasking.
The G903 LIGHTSPEED from Logitech is our top pick when it comes to multitasking mice that are designed for gaming, offering you versatility, and an amazing futuristic design.
To ensure that you don’t have to stop your gaming session to plug the charger in, the mouse comes with the Powerplay wireless charging feature included, but you will have to buy the Powerplay charging system separately.
With an average response rate of 1ms, this device works perfectly for eSports, as virtually no lag is present.
The Hero 25K sensor mounted on this device can be upgraded completely free from the G Hub application, offering a 1:1 tracking, 400+ ips, and a maximum of 25.600 DPI.
As mentioned previously, even if it is designed for gaming, the customizable buttons allow you to also use it for everyday multitasking without issues.
As the name suggests, the MX Anywhere 3 from Logitech is a great compact mouse that can be used in any setting whatsoever.
This comfortable and useful mouse, even if it doesn’t look futuristic like the previously-mentioned models, provides some great features, and the price is acceptable in comparison.
Offering you access to customizable buttons, the same fast scrolling feature found in the MX Master options, and also a 4000DPI capability makes the MX Anywhere a worthy opponent to any other option.
The ultra-soft silicone side-grips ensure amazing comfort, the compact design makes it portable and easy to blend into any environment, and it also comes with USB-C quick charging, which ensures that a 1-minute charge makes it usable for 3 hours.
As the other MX devices we discussed, the MX Anywhere 3 also is a multi-device and multi-os mouse, and the switch can be easily performed by the tap of one button.
The G604 from Logitech, even though not as good as the powerful G903, offers some great features and also at a more affordable price.
This useful device ensures your multitasking needs are covered by the use of 15 fully-customizable buttons, which include 6 found in the thumb area.
Of course, these buttons come in very useful even when gaming, but using the G Hub software allows you full control.
The G604 Lightspeed features dual connectivity, which allows you to choose from Bluetooth, and also an ultra-fast Lightspeed tech that offers 1ms latency.
It also features a Hero 25K sensor which can be updated by using the same G Hub application, reaching 400+ ips, and allowing you to customize the DPI level, with a max value of 25.600.
The device doesn’t feature a rechargeable battery but can run on one single AA-type battery for 240 hours with Lightspeed mode, or up to 5 months by using Bluetooth connectivity.
Bottom runners
As our main list could not include more than 5 products, the bottom runners section will present you with some other very good options which are worth considering:
This device hasn’t made the list above for a simple reason – other options offered better features. But this mouse also offers some great features which are worth evaluating.
With an ergonomic shape, a 3-year battery life, and featuring the world-renowned Hyper-Fast scrolling, the Marathon is a great choice and comes at a good price.
The Anker vertical mouse also had to be mentioned, as some people prefer this type of design, which allows your wrist a more comfortable position.
Offering some great features like adjustable DPI, and useful multitasking buttons, makes this mouse a very good option, and one of the most affordable on the list.
The mouse from iClever also allows your wrist to maintain a more natural position across time, also has adjustable DPI, and it is fully compatible with Mac and Windows devices.
The 6 buttons come in very handy when dealing with multitasking, while the design ensures great ergonomics.
The list you’ve read through offers you a wide array of mice for multitasking, which ensures fast access to a variety of application-dependent actions, great ergonomics, and a wide spectrum of prices.
Combining a great mouse from this list with a comfortable and stable mouse pad will ensure that your multitasking experience works out perfectly.
Don’t hesitate to share your choice with us by using the comment section found below this guide.
By far the most controversial system requirement that Windows 11 came with was the required TPM 2.0 addition, which apparently a lot of people were missing, making it impossible for them to upgrade, at first.
Many were actually thinking that it was time to go out and buy a module so they can check that requirement box as well.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t really work like that, because either your PC already meets Windows 11’s hardware requirements or you’ve decided to buy new com[atible hardware.
The truth is that many CPUs already include a firmware version of TPM 2.0, which just needs to be enabled in your BIOS settings before you install Windows 11.
Here’s why you shouldn’t buy a TPM for Windows 11
Now let’s talk about PC owners with unsupported hardware, and clarify that they don’t actually need a TPM to clean install Windows 11.
Even for computers that lack firmware TPM altogether, buying a module won’t solve your biggest problem in dealing with Windows 11.
It’s already known that all systems with unsupported hardware run the risk of being opted out of the inner circle and not receiving any Windows updates at all.
So sure, you can get a physical module to pair with an older CPU, assuming you have a motherboard with a TPM header.
But you won’t stay as secure as supported PCs, however, in the end, you’re winning one battle only to lose another.
Users seeking a physical TPM to keep its primary functions separate from their CPU, because they believe isolating components offer more security are also in for a surprise.
The physical module doesn’t protect against every kind of TPM attack, so you might want to keep that in mind.
Microsoft doesn’t favor a particular kind of TPM for Windows 11. In the TPM recommendations, the company mentions discrete, integrated, and firmware TPM and specifically says Windows uses all compatible modules in the same way.
On the off-chance you do want a physical module to bypass needing your recovery key for an encrypted drive after a CPU upgrade, again, you need to stop.
We say that because having a discrete TPM doesn’t bypass this kind of headache, and you can trigger the need for a recovery key even after motherboard firmware changes.
So the question here is what should people with unsupported hardware do, if not buy a physical TPM for Windows 11?
The best option you have right now is sticking with Windows 10, as you get a hassle-free experience with solid security, and some of the Windows 11 features are still coming to the previous OS as well.
Windows 10 will also get support for another four years, so you have little pressure to upgrade your hardware in the near future.
The bottom line is that if you really want to run Microsoft’s new operating system, your best chance is sourcing a new, compatible machine for it.
All this TPM he said, she said is just wasting everybody’s time and the results are really not that impressive overall.
Were you planning to purchase a Trusted Platform Module just to run Windows 11 on your unsupported machine? Share your experience with us in the comments section below.
Microsoft has released a new set of animated Clippy stickers for Microsoft Teams. The company has announced on its feedback portal that it has revived its former Office assistant as a sticker pack, which is now available on the Teams desktop and web clients.
This new sticker pack includes more than 30 animated Clippy stickers to add some fun to the chat and channel conversations in Microsoft Teams. “Yes, it’s true – Clippy has agreed to come out of retirement! Whether you loved him or hated him, Clippy is back with a Retro Sticker Pack in Teams,” a Microsoft representative explained on the feedback portal for Microsoft Teams.
Clippy, the former Microsoft Office assistant, shipped first in Office 97 to help users by providing writing suggestions and tips for using the software. However, it was poorly received by most Office users and was eventually killed off in favor of new features in Office 2007 for Windows and Office 2008 for Mac.
In 2019, a group of employees released a Clippy sticker pack on GitHub, but it disappeared a day later. This time around, it looks like Clippy is here to stay for good in Microsoft Teams, and the company is also planning to replace the paperclip emoji with Clippy across all Microsoft 365 apps and services.
Have you spotted the fun animations included in the Clippy sticker pack in Microsoft Teams? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Spectacular Sparky is a game deliberately out of its time. While younger audiences might be turned off by its aesthetics and gameplay, it’s very much designed for a certain type of gamer. It’s a true homage from start to finish, not to any game in particular, but to a suite of 1990s action games the likes of which you rarely see on modern platforms.
If you ever played games like Sonic the Hedgehog when it was new, or Cool Spot or Dizzy, Spectacular Sparky will transport you back to those early days of console games, where bosses were huge, the music was relentlessly charming or charmingly relentless, and everything was, above all, cute.
Bounty bunny
Sparky is undeniably cute, too. His ears have actual stars on the end, his face is 60% smile, and his voice has that sickly pitch usually reserved for Saturday morning cartoon protagonists. He may be a rabbit of some kind, only, y’know, a space rabbit. But his demeanour is a trick, for he’s also one of the galaxy’s most ruthless bounty hunters.
Alongside his pig-like associate, Shigg, Sparky’s job is to scour the stars for the most dangerous wanted criminals in existence and bring them to justice one way or another. Levels are presented in a side-scrolling fashion, with Sparky travelling from left to right, impeded now and then by a cavalcade of enemies that need dealing with.
It’s all almost completely devoid of context, of course. All that matters is that you keep blasting and stay alive long enough to reach the end-of-stage boss. The opening stage has a handful of tutorials in the form of the 2-Tor-E-L radio station. I don’t know who provides the voice acting for DJ Cosmosis, but he’s brilliant. His delivery is smooth, weirdly believable and genuinely funny, and it’s a shame he’s not in it more.
Smashing fun
These tutorials give you an overview of Sparky’s various abilities. For a start, you can reach higher ledges using Sparky’s long ears like wings. Mashing the jump button will allow you to climb through the air, but it drains your stamina. Likewise, you can dash through obstacles and enemy projectiles with generous i-frames. Again, though, this uses up stamina. It only takes a second or two to replenish though, and so you’ll be dodging plenty.
Finally, you have the ability to stand still and shoot, or move backwards and shoot forwards. Playing this on a gamepad, felt somewhat fiddly. I kept using the trigger to shoot instead of to hold me in place, thanks to years of muscle memory getting in the way. Also, while you’ll often need to stand still while shooting so you don’t wander off a ledge, it’s not always wise to stand still.
Some areas in Spectacular Sparky, especially either later in the game or on a higher difficulty level (there are five to choose from), feel almost like bullet hell. Even playing on the default difficulty, Sparky isn’t the most resilient yellow space bunny. Death only sends you back to the nearest checkpoint, which is most generously placed, but it can be annoying to keep replaying some encounters.
Bouncing mad
Thing is, Sparky can feel a little sluggish to move, and sometimes when you’re being pelted by projectiles, dodging diving enemies, and trying to shoot in eight directions, it gets very tricky to stay alive. Enemies drop bombs or throw things, some of them charge at you screaming, and environmental traps like spikes, flames, and buzz-saws only add to the strife.
Defeating enemies drops golden stars which replenish Sparky’s health, but you need to keep an eye on your weapon’s heat meter. If it overheats it’ll stop working for a moment, which in this game is often long enough to overwhelm you.
There aren’t many different weapon types to use, sadly. You have a multi-shot cannon, a flamethrower, a laser blaster and homing missiles, which are by far the best weapon in any situation. It would have been nice to see more variety and maybe some zanier ideas. Instead, what’s here is a fairly basic line-up, all of which you’ve sampled by the end of the first area.
Space Hopper
At the end of each stage, you’ll face a boss battle, and it’s no surprise that in a pile of over twenty there are some stinkers. In fact, the bosses are often so basic that they’re more of a nuisance than a real threat. Although the difficulty ramps up as you progress, the mechanics of each is more or less the same. You just shoot them while dodging, jumping or outrunning their attacks. They do get tougher, but they never really become big complicated affairs.
Now and then a level will see you jump into a vehicle instead. There’s Sparky’s trusty spaceship, of course, as well as a hang-glider, and a jet-ski for navigating treacherous lava pools. You’re unable to jump or dash in vehicles, but these missions are more straightforward in terms of enemy mix and objectives. You just blast, dodge, and make it to the end.
One thing Spectacular Sparky does very well is humour. While not all the jokes land, it is fully voiced, and most of the humour will find its mark. It never quite veers into crude or adult comedy, but it comes close now and then.
Sparky himself has a knack for winding people up and tends to mock bosses as he blasts his way through their various phases. There isn’t much of a narrative being told, but there’s enough to give your adventures context at least – which is probably all it needs.
Completion and achievements
Spectacular Sparky isn’t a very long game. There are 24 stages split across five worlds, and it won’t take more than five or six hours to get through them. The difficulty spikes may give you some pause, but you can always adjust the difficulty setting if it gets too much.
After beating the game the first time you’ll unlock Frenzy mode, which is an absolute bonkers challenge for anyone who found the main game a little too simple.
Final thoughts on Spectacular Sparky
Pros
Simple fun
Quite funny in places
Charming aesthetic
Cons
Difficulty spikes can ruin the flow
Boss fights are hit and miss
Not much variety
Final Score: 3.5/5
This is a game for old school platformer fans who miss the heady days of Sam and Max, Earthworm Jim or Conker’s Bad Fur Day. It’s a frenetic mix of blasting and platforming, with some enjoyable voice acting and a deliberately retro aesthetic.
Despite some difficulty spikes and a lack of overall variety, it’s a likeable throwback to a simpler time when games were just about having fun. Irreverent, funny, and playable, it’s worth checking out for fans of retro action and old school thrills.
Microsoft officially released Windows 11 earlier this month, and the new OS has just started rolling out to a larger pool of eligible PCs. Due to stricter minimum hardware requirements, Windows 11 will likely leave many old PCs on the sidelines, and it’s a pretty similar story for Mac users.
If you were planning to use Apple’s Boot Camp tool to install Windows 11 on a separate partition on your Mac, you’re out of luck: Windows 11 isn’t supported on Intel-based Macs, as these machines don’t have the TPM 2.0 security chip and Secure Boot feature that the OS requires. As for Apple’s new M1-based Macs, Boot Camp is not supported at all on these machines, so you can’t install Windows 11 on ARM or even Windows 10 on ARM on a separate partition.
This is where virtualization software like Parallels Desktop for Mac comes to the rescue. Parallels Desktop 17, the latest version of the app released earlier this summer was a cornerstone release, bringing support for Windows 11 on both Intel and M1-based Macs.
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been using Parallels Desktop 17 for Mac to run Windows 11 on ARM on an M1-based Mac Mini, and the experience has been pretty seamless so far. With Apple still in the process of transitioning its whole Mac line to Apple Silicon throughout 2022, Parallels had no choice but to optimize its software for Apple Silicon Macs and ARM versions of Windows. So far, the company did a very good job, but some important questions still remain.
What it’s like to run Windows 11 on an M1 Mac
Windows 11 on ARM pretty much flies on the M1 Mac Mini I have which has 16GB of unified memory. Windows 11 requires a two-core CPU and a minimum of 4GB of RAM, and Parallels Desktop can automatically choose the amount of RAM and CPU cores your Windows 11 VM needs. It’s still possible to manually choose your CPU and memory settings, but Parallels Desktop also offers different profiles (Productivity, Software testing, Gaming, etc.) with optimized settings.
Once you’ve downloaded a Windows 11 on ARM ISO from Microsoft’s website, installing Windows 11 on an M1 Mac is pretty straightforward. A recent Parallels Desktop update also enabled the new virtual TPM 2.0 chip by default to ensure that the minimum requirements for Windows 11 are met. You can activate Windows 11 on ARM with a regular Windows 11 key when the installation is done, though that’s not necessary.
Running Windows 11 on ARM on an M1 Mac via Parallels Desktop feels like a no-compromises experience, and Windows 11 really improved compatibility and performance with Windows apps that have yet to be recompiled for the ARM64 architecture. Playing games isn’t a great scenario, though, as Parallels Desktop 17 doesn’t support DirectX12. However, most DirectX11 games that don’t require a specific GPU should work just fine, as explained in the video below.
Macs have never been great for gaming, and the situation has gotten worse after Apple dropped support for all 32-bit apps and games with macOS Big Sur. Parallels Desktop improves the situation significantly for Mac gamers, and it’s quite fascinating to see Win32 games being emulated on Windows 11 on ARM, all running in a virtual machine on a Mac. You would imagine that there would be a significant performance cost, but a competitive multiplayer game like Overwatch runs just fine on an M1 Mac.
For me, Parallels Desktop’s killer feature remains Coherence Mode, which lets you completely hide the Windows VM and run Mac and Windows apps side by side on your main Mac desktop. This is especially important when the Windows version of an app has more features than its Mac counterpart. When in Coherence mode, you can even access the Windows 11 Start Menu from the macOS dock to quickly launch Windows apps right from your Mac.
Coherence Mode brings Windows apps and the Windows 11 Start Menu on the macOS desktop.
Microsoft doesn’t officially support Windows 11 on M1 Macs
Thanks to Parallels Desktop 17, Windows 11 on ARM runs great on M1 Macs, there’s no question about it, though it’s important to keep in mind that this isn’t an officially supported scenario. Microsoft still isn’t selling Windows 10 or Windows 11 on ARM to consumers, so Parallels Desktop for Mac users are pretty much forced to run unlicensed Insider Preview versions of these operating systems.
In some ways, using Windows 11 on M1 Macs with Parallels Desktop is almost like running Windows 11 on an unsupported PC: It works fine for now and the virtual TPM 2.0 chip support in Parallels Desktop 17 makes Windows 11 believe that you’re running the OS on a supported PC, though there’s no guarantee that this will always be the case.
Parallels Desktop 17 ensures that Windows 11 recognizes Secure Boot and the virtual TPM 2.0 chip.
The lack of official support for Microsoft could pose a risk for Parallels, though the company doesn’t seem too worried about it. With Intel-based Macs soon going away, Parallels has no choice but to remain committed to serving its Mac customers the best it can during the Mac’s transition to Apple Silicon.
I asked the company to comment on the lack of official support for Windows 11 on M1 Macs, and I received the following statement:
Our Parallels team is focused on serving our customers with powerful tools that enable them to run any software on any device. More than 200,000 different Windows applications can be run using Parallels’ virtualization technology and we know just how mission critical our software is to so many people. Since 2006, millions of customers have relied on Parallels Desktop to run Windows on their Mac devices and our team is deeply committed to providing the best possible Windows experience on their favorite Mac hardware, whether it’s Intel or M1 based. And currently, our Parallels Desktop 17 (and update 17.0.1, which further enhances the user experience) can run Windows 11 on ARM Insider Preview on Apple M1 Mac computers with excellent performance.
While we can’t comment specifically on another company’s statement, it’s not unusual for software manufacturers to have policies regarding the hardware requirements and environments they officially support. And throughout the tech industry, there are many examples of software use cases and configurations that may not be officially supported, but remain very popular in both corporate and individual end user environments.
Could Windows 365 make virtualization software irrelevant?
If Parallels Desktop for Mac probably remains the best way to run Windows apps on a Mac, I’m starting to wonder if Windows 365, Microsoft’s new Cloud PC offering could soon beat running Windows in a virtual machine. With Windows 365, enterprise customers can pay a subscription to stream a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC on any device, with the convenience of having personalized apps, content, and settings right from the go.
Microsoft launched Windows 365 earlier this year, and the company offers different tiers for SMBs and bigger enterprise customers. However, the ease of use of Windows 365 definitely comes at a cost, and a Cloud PC is also useless in rare cases when you don’t have an Internet connection. Parallels has its own remote working solution with Parallels Remote Application Server, which provides access to virtual apps and desktops anywhere, but Microsoft obviously has the scale to make a service Cloud PCs really ubiquitous with Windows 365.
I don’t believe that Parallels Desktop for Mac is going to lose Mac customers in the short term, and the app still supports macOS and Linux virtualization in addition to Windows. However, the deprecation of Boot Camp on Apple Silicon Macs and the lack of official support from Microsoft for running Windows 11 in Parallels Desktop for Mac aren’t really good signals. I’m sure that Parallels remains deeply invested in Parallels Desktop for Mac and I’ll continue to rely on it every day, though I can increasingly see the appeal of accessing a Windows 11 PC from a web browser, with zero maintenance necessary.
Microsoft has acquired Two Hat, which is a content moderation solution provider used to keep the online Xbox experience safe and clean. Together as one, the two companies are hoping to share advancements in moderation technology and also help protect diverse, global online communities.
Microsoft and Two Hat actually go way back, and this acquisition is a natural one for the Redmond giant. Two Hat’s technology has been used in Xbox, Minecraft, as well as MSN. Their technology helps users to decide what they are comfortable with and what they aren’t. In the case of Xbox, that includes text filters that hide potentially offensive messages.
Under the acquisition, Two Hat will continue to operate with its existing customers still in tow and Microsoft won’t stop supporting them. In the words of Dave McCarthy, Corporate Vice President, Xbox Product Services:
I’ve witnessed the impact they’ve had within Xbox, and we are thrilled that this acquisition will further accelerate our first-party content moderation solutions across gaming, within a broad range of Microsoft consumer services, and to build greater opportunity for our third-party partners and Two Hat’s existing clients’ use of these solutions.
So far in 2021, this is just the latest acquisition by Microsoft. It’s been a busy year, and despite failing to acquire big-name entities like TikTok, Discord, and Pinterest, Microsoft has picked up a lot of smaller companies in hopes of boosting Teams and its other services. For example, the list includes OKR company Ally.io, video stream company Peer5, and Spend Intelligence company Suplari.
Microsoft has released a new update for its PowerToys suite of tools for Windows. The version 0.49 includes a few new features and capabilities, Windows 11 inspired UI improvements, bug fixes, and more.
First of all, Microsoft has introduced a new Find My Mouse utility that helps users find the current location of their mouse pointer on the screen by pressing the left CTRL-key twice. “This is ideal for large, high-resolution displays and low-vision users, with additional features and enhancements planned for future releases,” the PowerToys team explained on GitHub. It’s possible for users to enable/disable this functionality in the PowerToys settings or prevent it from activating when playing games.
In addition to the Find My Mouse feature, the latest PowerToys update also brings the Video Conference Mute tool to the Stable builds. The feature has been available in preview since last year, and it enables users to mute their audio and video feeds in meetings globally with a keyboard shortcut.
Microsoft has also announced that the PowerRename tool is getting a new look that matches the design of the new Windows 11 OS. These UI improvements should make it easier for users to rename files in bulk on Windows PCs. Additionally, there are a few improvements and bug fixes for some other PowerToys utilities, including Color Picker, FancyZones, and PowerToys Awake.
As usual, new users can grab the PowerToys version 0.49 from the GitHub releases page, and those who are already using the app can check for updates by heading to the General tab. Moreover, Windows 11 users can also choose to download PowerToys from the Microsoft Store.
Ages of Empires IV is set to be released on Thursday. It is a strategy game set in medieval times. Players in the game take control of the Holy Roman Empire or the Islamic Abbasids caliphate with the aim of taking over the world.
The game has received positive reviews from fanatics, with an average of Metacritic. Thus, placing Ages of Empires IV at the helm of the top 10 new PC games. The game is available to both Xbox and PC users. Xbox’s availability and affordability is limited to the chosen few. Creating a PC version of the game expanded and extended its reach to countries like China and South Korea.
Microsoft capitalizes on PC games
Microsoft benefits from PC games in several ways. For instance, PC games encourage and increase the demand for high-end computers. Gamers opt for these kinds of computers because of the compatibility of the game, visuals and smooth gameplay.
Majority of the console games are available for purchase on Steam. Steam is the most popular PC game store, it has shifted its focus from making console sales to subscription services that work across PC, mobile devices and consoles.
Majority of the Xbox games were initially computer games, for instance Minecraft and PUBG. Microsoft launched a new Flight Simulator last year, the first one in 14 years. According to Metacritic, it was rated the third-best game in 2020. The Xbox Series X also got a version of the game about three months ago.
Sony also has plans underway to implement the same strategy Microsoft used. They are planning to get a couple of the Playstation games to the PC.
PC gameplay
However, the Age of Empires IV and Flight Simulator gameplay was specifically tailored for PC gamers. Microsoft acknowledges that PC and console gamers have different wants and needs. Regardless, it is important for Microsoft to ensure that they are able to provide a quality and worthwhile experience to PC gamers as they do to console gamers.
Microsoft’s debut in the game industry dates back to 1982, this is when they released the original Flight Simulator. It was on a floppy disk.
Over the past decade, Microsoft has dedicated most of its time farming out Age of Empires (mobile versions) to studio masters. However, some of the fans and gamers are still stuck on the previous versions. This has seen people joining forces with the aim of recreating the experience and interactions that they had with the game at the onset.
Microsoft later formed a Community Council where they assembled a group of veteran players and die hard fans of the game. The Community Council now has 109 members. Their input helped Relic to include naval combat and enhance the functionality of in-game buttons simpler.
The Age of Empires now comes with a fully mobile civilization, the Mongols. The feature allows gamers to pick and move everything.
What are your expectations of the Ages of Empires IV? Let us know in the comment section below.
Some users prefer using Media Center for their multimedia needs, but sometimes issues with this application can appear. Speaking of issues, today we’re going to show you how to fix the most common Media Center errors.
There are many issues that can occur with Media Center, and as for issues, here are some common problems that users reported:
Windows 10 Media Center not working, stopped working – This problem can occur due to third-party applications. To fix the issue, it’s advised to perform a Clean boot and remove the problematic applications that are interfering with Media Center.
Windows 10 Media Center decoder error – Sometimes your drivers can be the problem, so if you’re having issues with Media Center, perhaps updating your drivers will fix the problem.
Windows Media Center Windows 10 won’t start – This is one of the problems that can occur with Media Center, but you should be able to fix it with one of our solutions.
If you’re having issues with Media Center on your PC, perhaps you might be able to solve the problem simply by performing a Clean boot. In case you don’t know, by performing a Clean boot you’ll completely disable all startup applications and services.
This is quite simple to do, and you can do it by following these steps:
Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog. Now enter msconfig in the input field and click OK or press Enter.
The System Configuration window will appear. Navigate to the Services tab and check Hide all Microsoft services. Now you need to disable all non-Microsoft services. To do that, just click the Disable all
After you disable all startup services, you need to do the same for applications. Head over to the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager.
List of startup applications will now appear. Right-click the first entry on the list and choose Disable from the menu. Repeat this process for all startup applications on the list.
After you disable all startup applications, close Task Manager and go back to the System Configuration Click Apply and OK to save changes and restart your PC.
Once your PC restarts, check if the problem with Media Center is still there. If not, it’s almost certain that one of the disabled applications or services was causing the issue. To pinpoint the cause, it’s advised to enable applications and services one by one until you manage to pinpoint the cause of the problem.
Bear in mind that you’ll have to restart or at least log out after enabling a set of services or applications in order to apply the changes. Once you find the problematic application or service, you can uninstall it or keep it disabled.
Solution 2 – Perform a chkdsk scan
In some cases, problems with Media Center can occur because the files on your hard drive are damaged. To fix this, it’s advised to perform a chkdsk scan and repair the files. This is actually quite simple to do, and you can do it by following these steps:
Open Command Prompt as administrator. To do that, press Windows Key + X or right-click the Start button. Now choose Command Prompt (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin) from the menu.
Command Prompt should now start. Type chkdsk /f :X and press Enter. Bear in mind that you need to scan your system drive, so replace :X with your system drive letter. In most cases, that would be C.
You’ll be asked to schedule a restart at next reboot. Press Y to confirm.
Now restart your PC. Once the PC boots, the chkdsk scan should start automatically. Bear in mind that this scan can take about 10-20 minutes, depending on the size of your system drive.
Once the scan is finished, check if the problem is still there. If certain files are damaged, the scan can take an hour or more, so keep that in mind.
Solution 3 – Make sure that your drivers are up to date
Right click on Windows Start button and select Device Manager
Right click on the Display adapters and select Update driver option
Select Search automatically for drivers option to install best available drivers
See if the best drivers for your PC are already installed
Sometimes problems with Media Center can be caused by your drivers. In order for your hardware to work properly with Media Center, your drivers need to be up to date. To fix this problem, you’ll need to ensure that all-important drivers are up to date.
To update your drivers, you’ll need to visit your hardware manufacturer’s website and download the appropriate drivers for your hardware. This can be a bit tedious, especially if you need to update multiple drivers.
However, you can speed this process simply by using third-party software that can download the latest drivers automatically with just a couple of clicks.
If you’re having problems with Media Center, the issue can be caused by EpgListings directory. To fix the problem, some users are recommending renaming or removing this folder. This is quite simple to do, and you can do it by following these steps:
Navigate to the C:ProgramDataMicrosofteHomePackages
Locate EpgListings directory and rename it.
After doing that, the problem should be completely resolved.
Solution 5 – Download the latest updates
If you’re having problems with Media Center on your PC, it’s possible that the issue is caused by certain glitches on your system.
Glitches can sometimes appear if your system isn’t up to date, so to prevent this problem from appearing, it’s important that you keep your system up to date.
Windows 10 usually installs the missing updates automatically, but sometimes issues with Windows updates can occur and you can miss certain updates. Of course, you can always check for updates manually by doing the following:
Open the Settings app. You can do that quickly by using the Windows Key + I shortcut. Once the Settings app opens, navigate to the Update & Security section.
Click the Check for updates button in the right pane.
Windows will now check for available updates. If updates are available, Windows 10 will download and install them automatically.
Once your system is up to date, check if the problem is still there.
Solution 6 – Remove the problematic applications
Type Control Panel in the Search bar
Find Programs and click on Uninstall a program
Check the list to uninstall the problematic programs
If you’re having problems with Media Center on your PC, the issue might sometimes be other applications. Third-party applications can interfere with Media Center and they can lead to various issues.
Speaking of problematic applications, many users reported that LogMeIn software and TeamViewer caused these issues to appear. To fix the problem, it’s advised to find and remove these applications from your PC.
There are several ways to do that, but the most effective one is to use uninstaller software.
Uninstaller software is a special application that can remove the selected application from your PC completely. To do that, uninstaller software removes all files and registry entries associated with the application you want to remove.
Once you remove the problematic applications using this software, check if the problem is still there.
Solution 7 – Perform a System Restore
If the problem with Media Center is still there, you might have to perform a System Restore in order to fix the problem. If you’re not familiar, System Restore is a useful feature that allows you to restore your system to and fix various problems.
This feature is incredibly simple to use, and you can restore your system by doing the following:
Press Windows Key + S and enter system restore. Choose Create a restore point from the list.
The System Properties window should now appear. Click the System Restore button.
System Restore window will appear. Click Next to proceed.
Check Show more restore points option, if it’s available. Now select the desired restore point and click the Next button.
Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the process.
Once your system is restored, check if the problem is still there.
Media Center is a useful tool, but sometimes problems with it can occur. However, we hope that you managed to solve your problem after reading this article.
When a user wants to claim ownership of a file or folder, the error messageUnable to display current owner can sometimes pop up.
Oftentimes this error message can lead to another error message known as Access is denied.
What prevents Windows from displaying the current owner?
These are some common causes for the Unable to display current owner message.
The user does not have full access
The folder or file the user is trying to access has corrupted files
The folder might be locked thereby denying access for the user
These types of problems usually occur if you don’t have the necessary privileges. By gaining full control over the affected directory you should be able to fix the problem.
Below are simple solutions that can be followed to get this error message solved.
How can I bypass Unable to display current owner error?
Type chkdsk /f X: and press Enter. Be sure to replace X with the drive you want to scan.
If the message This volume will be checked the next time the system restarts appears afterward, press Y, close the Command Prompt , and reboot.
After rebooting, the scan will start automatically before the Windows 10 boots. Once your PC boots, check if the problem is still there.
3. Enable the administrator’s account
Start Command Prompt as administrator.
In the Command Prompt, type net useradministrator /active:yes and hit Enter.
As soon as this is done, log out of your current useraccount and you will see a new user named Administrator. Click on it to log in.
After you log in to the new administratoraccount, try to access the file you have issues with.
Once you’re done, log out, start Command Prompt as administrator and run net useradministrator /active:no command to disable the Administrator account.
4. Give ownership to all administrators
If the previous solution didn’t work for you, you can fix the problem by granting ownership to all Administrators on your PC. To do that, follow these steps:
Start Command Prompt as administrator.
Type takeown /F “complete path of folder or file” /a /r /d y in the Command Prompt and press Enter.
Type icacls “complete path of folder or file” /grant administrators:F /t into the Command Prompt and press Enter. It will show a message Successfully processed 1 (or more) files if successful and Failed processing 1 files or Successfully processed 0 files if it failed.
If the command was successful, try accessing the folder you have problems with.
Folder lock on your system or any kind of software that operates like it may tend to help you protect your files by locking them. However, this software can sometimes cause Unable to display current owner message to appear.
More so, this software might not allow some files or folders to open. To fix the issue, all you got to do is to remove the folder lock software.
There are several ways to do that, but the most effective is by using uninstaller software to make sure that any traces of the respective program are removed.
Dedicated software can make the process quicker and easier. Removing all leftover files can make your system run smoother and allow you to reinstall the software in the future without facing any issues.
The best uninstaller software come with additional optimization features such as browser cleaners, registry fixers, and defrag. These can significantly boost the performance of your PC.
When the uninstallation is finished, try to see if the problem is remediated.
There you go, these are just a couple of solutions that might help you fix Unable to display current owner error. Let us know in the comments section if our solutions were helpful to you.
In order to conserve the energy we often put our computers into Sleep mode or into Hibernation.
Users have reported that their computers are shutting down after they wake up Windows 10 from Hibernation so let’s try to fix that today.
Hibernation is one of the best ways to save your work and to conserve energy and since it doesn’t require any power.
This means that you can put your computer into Hibernation, unplug it completely and connect it whenever you want and continue where you left off.
Although waking up from Hibernation is a bit slower than waking up from Sleep mode it will preserve your data indefinitely while requiring no power to do so.
As you can see, Hibernation is quite useful and many Windows 10 users are using it, but it has been reported that their computers would unexpectedly shut down after waking up from Hibernation.
This can cause some inconvenience, or in some cases make you lose your data, but there’s a way to fix that in Windows 10.
Unexpected shutdown after hibernation can disrupt your work, so it’s important to fix this issue. Speaking of this issue, here are some similar problems that users reported:
Unexpected shutdown Windows 7, 10 – This error can appear on other versions of Windows, but even if you’re not using Windows 10, you should be able to apply almost all of our solutions.
Unexpected shutdown event id 41, 6008 – Sometimes this problem can come with an error message. To fix the issue, you might have to change your power settings.
Unexpected shutdown due to blue screen – Many users reported that an unexpected shutdown was followed by a blue screen. This is usually a driver-related issue, and to fix it, you have to find and remove the problematic driver.
Unexpected shutdown after sleep, reboot – Shutdowns can occur in other instances, but you should be able to fix the problem using one of our solutions.
What to do if PC keeps shutting down when on hibernate?
1. Change how hibernation works
Press Windows Key + X to open Win + X menu. Now select Command Prompt (Admin) from the list. You can also use PowerShell (Admin) if you want.
When Command Prompt starts, just type the following into Command Prompt and press Enter to run it: bcdedit -enum all
Now you should look for Resume from Hibernate line in the output. It should look something like this: Resume fromHibernate---------------------identifier {3d8d3081-33ac-11dc-9a41-806e6f6e6963}device partition=C:path Windowssystem32winresume.exedescriptioninherit {resumeloadersettings}filedevice partition=C:filepath hiberfil.syspae Yesdebugoptionenabled No
Now, you need to copy the identifier value from the previous step. In our case it was {3d8d3081-33ac-11dc-9a41-806e6f6e6963}, but it will different for your computer.
Of course, remember to use the identifier value that you got in Step 3. After running that command Hibernation should work without any problems.
2. Uninstall the network driver
Open Device Manager.
When Device Manager opens, locate your network adapter, right-click it and choose Uninstall device.
When the confirmation dialog appears, check Remove driver software for this device, if available. Now click Uninstall.
After removing the driver, click the Scan for hardware changes icon.
Windows will now install the default driver.
As we briefly mentioned in one of our previous solutions, your drivers can sometimes cause unexpected shutdowns to occur after hibernation.
Several users reported that their network driver caused the issue to occur.
It’s also worth mentioning that other drivers, such as Intel(R) Management Engine Interface can cause this problem as well.
To fix the problem, it’s advised that you uninstall your network driver. This is quite simple to do, and you can do it by following the above steps.
After installing the default driver, the issue should be resolved. To keep your system running smoothly, it’s always recommended to download and install the latest driver.
You can download the latest driver right from the manufacturer’s website. Downloading the drivers manually can sometimes be a hard task, especially if you don’t know the exact model of your device.
However, you can use third-party tools to automatically update all your drivers with just a single click.
Driver updater software scan your PC for out-of-date drivers and automatically install the latest driver version that is suitable for your specific hardware.
3. Change power settings
Press Windows Key + S and type power settings. Select Power & sleep settings from the list.
The Settings app will now appear. Navigate to Additional power settings in the Related settings category.
You should now see all the power plans on your PC. Locate your power plan and click Change plan settings next to it.
Click Change advanced power settings.
Expand the Hard disk category and set Turn off hard disk after to 0 minutes. Now click Apply and OK to save changes.
If you’re getting an unexpected shutdown after hibernation, the problem might be your power plan settings.
According to users, their hard drive was set to turn off automatically after being idle for some time, and it seems that this setting caused the unexpected shutdown.
However, you can fix this issue by making a couple of changes to your power plan. To do that, just follow the above steps.
After making these changes, the problem with unexpected shutdowns should be completely resolved.
Some users are suggesting to set the value to 2180 minutes, or any other high value, so you can try that as well.
4. Remove MotionJoy software and drivers
Some users are using their PlayStation controller on their PC via MotionJoy software.
This is a third-party software, and although it allows you to use a PS3 controller on your PC, it can sometimes cause the unexpected shutdown to occur after hibernation.
To fix this problem, users are suggesting to remove MotionJoy driver and software from your PC. This is relatively simple to do, and you can do it right from the Settings app.
However, we have to mention that this method although simple isn’t always the most effective.
There are times when certain applications can leave files or registry entries behind once you remove them, and those files can still cause this issue to occur.
If you want to completely remove an application along with all files and registry entries, we suggest using an uninstaller software tool.
5. Prevent your PC to turn off USB devices in order to save power
Press Windows Key + X and choose Device Manager from the list.
When Device Manager opens, locate your mouse on the list of devices and double-click it.
Go to the Power Management tab. Make sure that Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power option is disabled. Now click OK to save changes.
Sometimes unexpected shutdown can occur after hibernation due to your USB devices. Your PC will sometimes turn off unused USB devices in order to save power.
This is the default behavior, but it can sometimes cause issues to occur. However, to fix the problem with the unexpected shutdowns, you just have to disable this feature for your USB devices.
After making these changes, check if the problem is still there. Keep in mind that other USB devicesor even devices such as keyboards and monitors can cause this issue to appear.
So, repeat these steps for as many devices as you can. Some users are suggesting to uncheck Allow this device to wake the computer.
Therefore, you might want to try disabling this option as well and check if it works.
6. Use default power plans
Windows is quite customizable, and as such it allows you to fine-tune your power plans. However, sometimes non-default power plans can cause an unexpected shutdown to occur.
To fix the problem, users are suggesting to stick to default power plans.
To change your power plan simply follow the instructions from Solution 3 and pick one of the three default power plans.
If other solutions didn’t fix the unexpected shutdown issue, the problem might be related to your BIOS.
Sometimes there might be slight incompatibility issues with your BIOS and hardware and that can lead to this problem.
To fix it, some users are suggesting to update your BIOS to the latest version. This is an advanced and slightly risky procedure, so keep in mind that you’re performing it at your own risk.
We already explained briefly how to flash your BIOS in this useful article. You can also check your motherboard manual for detailed and exact instructions on how to update your BIOS.
As long as you follow the instructions from the motherboard manual carefully, you won’t have any problems with the BIOS update. Once you update your BIOS, the issue should be resolved.
Unexpected shutdown after hibernation can be quite annoying, but we hope that you managed to fix this problem using one of our solutions.
Friends, we have all gathered here to talk about one of the most expected games of 2021, and by that, we are obviously talking about Age of Empires 4.
As you might know, the last mainline Age of Empires game was way back in 2005. Since then, we’ve seen a lot of remasters, re-releases of the original games, which were all pretty good.
But now, the time has come to embark on an entirely new voyage and relive the stories of some of the world’s greatest ancient civilizations.
We’re about to have a look at the playable factions that World’s Edge and Relic Entertainment introduced to their brand new title. Spoiler alert, there are eight of them.
Age of Empires 4 has eight playable civilizations
Yes, you’ve heard correctly, there are a total of eight playable factions within Age of Empires IV, all unique in their own ways, and from totally different parts of the world.
Creators chose these civilizations due to their rich heritage, the historical impact they’ve had, and also to add a bit of flavor and make sure there’s a little bit of everything in the game, to satisfy everyone’s taste.
We’re about to break each of them down individually and see what they look like, and also figure out their strengths and weaknesses. Are you ready to embark on a legendary voyage into the past?
The Rus
As described by the game’s developers, the Rus are ruthless, highly skilled hunters that grow more powerful as they expand to new frontiers through the ages.
In Age of Empires 4, the Rus civilization tells the story of a fledgling empire caught between powerful opponents over the years 882-1552 CE.
Hardened by devastating invasions, political instability, and bitter winters, the Rus people were definitely built for survival.
Masters of hunting, trade, and wooden construction, they would rebuild their realm as their leaders fought to birth a new empire under Moscow.
Why play the Rus?
Playing the Rus means the wilderness is yours to command. You can reap key benefits from your surroundings, particularly in gathering resources to build up a strong economy quickly.
Enemies facing the Rus will find it difficult to disrupt their growth, as they gain steady incomes of Gold from the Hunting Cabin, which acts as a standard mill, and the unique Bounty score when killing Gaia animals.
With the Bounty system, players earn Gold when killing any animal on the map. This contributes to the player’s Bounty total, as it increases, food harvest and Hunting Cabins’ gold rate also increase.
Rus unique units
Horse Archers are a unique ranged cavalry unit available in the Castle Age. They are highly mobile and effective against slower melee units.
The Streltsy is a high damage, light gunpowder infantry unit with a stronger rate of fire when stationary. They employ a huge axe that is potent against melee attackers.
Warrior Monks are a military-minded support unit that improves combat capabilities of nearby units after they attack. They can pick up Relics, convert enemy units, and capture Sacred Sites.
The Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire is a civilization that is shaped by a powerful infantry army, made stronger by the support of their most valuable unit, which is the Prelate.
The Holy Roman Empire in Age of Empires 4 spans the years 936-1517 CE, centered in a region that comprises modern Germany, claimed to be the rightful successor to the ancient Roman Empire.
Its emperors controlled central Europe with a stalwart infantry of exuberant Landsknechte and aimed to capture the center of the Christian world itself: Rome.
Why play the Holy Roman Empire?
Well, one of their biggest perks is the fact that, through careful use of the Prelate, players will be able to buff Villagers, speeding up their economic growth.
This is a powerful infantry-based civilization, able to fend off opponents with several options for defensive turtling.
Facing them in battle will require careful consideration, as the Holy Roman Empire can recover quickly from attacks and their Landsknechte’s devastating area-of-effect capability is sure to make advances against them difficult.
Their structures are highly durable and difficult to destroy, further enhanced by upgrades improving their strength.
Outposts, Towers, and Keeps can garrison Relics for bonus armor and damage, making the Holy Roman Empire a truly impenetrable civilization.
Holy Roman Empire unique units
As you would imagine, the Prelate is a support unit that heals and inspires nearby armies, granting them benefits.
The Landsknecht is a light infantry unit with a two-handed sword, adept at area-of-effect damage.
The Chinese
Creators describe the Chinese civilization as one with impressive constructions, gunpowder strength, and a dynasty system that provides unique benefits and varied strategies to overcome the opponent.
In Age of Empires 4, the Chinese are a thriving, unique civilization that grows through their dynasty system over the years 907-1644 CE. They are powerful defenders behind formidable fortifications.
The engineering prowess of the Chinese dominated the world for centuries, a trait present in Age of Empires IV.
You live through history as Chinese culture, strength, and innovations created ripples across Eurasia, growing your empire as you move through vibrant Tang, Song, Yuan, and Ming Dynasties.
Your units speak Mandarin Chinese, a Sinitic language originating in North China.
Why play the Chinese?
At the dawn of their civilization, the Chinese have a head start with additional Villagers. This lays the foundation for a robust economy, fueling the needs of a great, expansive civilization.
City planning is an important growth strategy. A special trait of the Chinese civilization is their dynasty system, which offers several advantages when triggered, like unit bonuses and access to unique buildings.
This gives several routes in strategy and ways to leverage all that the Chinese civilization has to offer.
Also, the military prowess of the Chinese lies in their mighty gunpowder units. They have access to multiple unique gunpowder units, making them a fierce civilization to go up against in battle.
Chinese unique units
The Imperial Official is an official produced from the Town Center that collects gold from nearby buildings.
Fire Lancer is a cavalry unit from the Yuan Dynasty equipped with a fire lance.
Nest of Bees is a powerful siege weapon that fires an immense burst of rocket arrows in an area.
The English
The English are a defensive powerhouse in Age of Empires 4. Their strength is unparalleled, reinforced by the power of their archery units, a firm control over castles and defensive buildings, and a highly dependable food economy that sustains them through the Ages.
Age of Empires 4, introduces the English civilization during the Anglo-Saxon era in Great Britain spanning from 850-1555 CE.
As you progress from the Middle Ages to the Late Renaissance in the 16th century, you bear witness to the story of a civilization that survived the fall of empires, conquerors, and plagues.
The game will have you you build up the English civilization across four eras: the Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-Norman, English Gothic, and Tudor eras.
Each Age has its distinct style from architecture to armor, with populations speaking Old English in the Dark Age and evolving to Early Modern English by the Imperial Age.
Why play the English?
Simple! Because playing as the English in Age IV opens the door to several key advantages, creating an exciting battlefield for resources and victory.
The English have access to cheaper farms compared to other civilizations, giving them a highly dependable source of food to greatly expand upgrades and armies throughout matches.
Also, this faction specializes in their network of castles: Town Centers, Outposts, Towers, and Keeps trigger an alarm when an enemy approaches, prompting nearby units and defensive structures to fire faster for a short period.
Their Keeps can produce all units, allowing for the English defense to reign supreme in a match.
The English Villager is the humble unit of the civilization and the key to starting a powerful economy. They have light fighting abilities with a ranged bow attack.
Longbowman is an unrivaled Archer unit, making it a powerful foe on the battlefield with their long range and powerful upgrades.
English Man-at-Arms is a sturdy infantry unit, available earlier than other civilizations and has an extra armor upgrade.
The Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate civilization is at the forefront of technological innovation. They have a strong focus on research and defense, with an edge in technological advancement over other civilizations.
In the game, the Delhi Sultanate civilization is based on the powerful empire formed from the invasion of the Ghurid Dynasty (originating in Persia) into northern India spanning the years 879-1526 CE.
For 300 years, this empire shaped an independent Indo-Islamic region, adopting technology present in India.
Advancing through the Ages will actually allow us to experience this civilization’s rich and vast history.
With the first Age reflecting the Turkish and Iranian Ghurid Sultanate, playing the Farsi/Persian-speaking Delhi Sultanate civilization brings you through the Mamluk and Khalji Dynasty, Tughlaq Dynasty, and the Sayyid and Lodi Dynasty.
Why play as the Delhi Sultanate?
Strategic decisions in the early Ages of the match are essential for the Delhi Sultanate civilization, which emerges as a dominating force in the late game.
The Delhi Sultanate army can be terrifying to encounter: the core of their army, the War Elephant, is a melee unit of staggering raw strength capable of high damage.
This faction’s specialty lies in research. Not only do they have access to several upgrade options throughout the Ages, but their unique Scholar Research System provides an advantage in research that no other civilization has.
You can research technology with no resource cost but at a greater time investment. To offset this, the Delhi Sultanate uses Scholars, each of which speeds up research.
While biding their time growing their strength through the Ages, the Delhi Sultanate can tap into their defense through foot units’ abilities to construct defensive structures.
Once their military reaches full heights, this proud civilization’s power is a force to be reckoned with.
Delhi Sultanate unique units
Scholars are the civilization’s equivalent of the Monk with a unique ability to speed up research and technology upgrades.
The mighty War Elephant is a powerful melee unit with high health and damage against units and structures.
Not very different from the second one, the Tower War Elephant is a devastating unit with a ranged attack: Two archers mounted in a tower on a War Elephant.
The Mongols
The Mongols are an agile civilization, excelling in hit-and-run military strategies and capable of expanding armies rapidly.
You witness the Mongols through the Ages, spanning from 1000-1500 CE, as a disciplined civilization, recognized for changing history in connecting the East to the West.
In the game, Mongols are known for their unique structure and are at their most powerful when playing to their strengths in tight groups. They speak Mongolian, which is the most widely spoken of the Mongolic languages.
Why pay as the Mongols?
This is described as being one of the best factions for beginners. A fearsome force, one may not meet them in massive throngs, but even in small numbers, their army can outmaneuver enemies with ease.
Their aggressive military production capabilities force the opponent to be on the defensive early.
They are a nomadic civilization with the ability to move their bases. Combined with early access to cavalry units and speed granted from Outposts, the Mongols reign supreme in flanking enemies and retreating quickly before enemies have a chance to catch up.
You can build up your economy with unique buildings, like the stone-mining Ovoo. The Mongols’ need for resources for their army can trigger a dramatic battle for resources as they pursue total domination.
Mongols unique units
The Khan is a unique horse archer unit. His Signal Arrow ability supports and strengthens the Mongol army, making him a fearsome foe.
Mangudai are the star of the Mongols’ fearsome military, a supreme horse archer that excels at hit-and-run tactics.
The Abbasid Dynasty
The Abbasid Dynasty is a highly adaptive civilization due to its ability to research unique upgrades at the House of Wisdom.
These upgrades impact and alter core game elements and mechanics, providing a unique way to build your empire.
In this game, the Abbasid Dynasty civilization spans the years 750-1517 CE and is based on the Abbasid Caliphate and the Mamluk Sultanate.
The empire was born in modern-day Iraq, but after the Mongols destroyed its capital of Baghdad in 1258, the seat of power moved to Cairo.
You will experience the Golden Age of Islam playing the Abbasid Dynasty. This period saw flourishing technological innovations as the medieval world raced towards the modern era.
This faction ruled the spiritual heart of the Islamic world for nearly 800 years, surviving civil wars, the Crusades, the Mongol invasion, relentless piracy, and rebellions.
Why play as the Abbasid Dynasty?
The Abbasid Dynasty civilization is centered around their House of Wisdom, which provides unique upgrade opportunities and acts as the basis of their Golden Age mechanic.
As buildings are constructed around the House of Wisdom, the tier of their Golden Age increases, bringing with it increases to gather, research, and production rates.
Unique to their civilization, the Abbasid Dynasty receive Camel Archers and Camel Riders, which serve as unique anti-cavalry cavalry units.
This civilization’s unique ability to construct Landmarks and advance through the ages without needing to assign active villagers enables the Abbasid Dynasty to continue gathering resources, construct buildings, or perform other tasks allowing uninterrupted growth.
Abbasid Dynasty unique units
Camel Archers is an anti-cavalry cavalry unit that reduces damage from nearby enemy cavalry units. Their expanded attack range and higher damage than average Horse Archers allows them to pick away at enemy cavalry from a safe distance.
The Imam is an inspirational community leader that can be created from the Abbasid’s Mosque building.
The French
Known for their cavalry, the French are a fearsome army whose armored knights and charges can tip the tides of battle.
The French civilization in Age of Empires 4 spans the years 840-1559 CE and is based on a medieval France that fought its way from adversity to prosperity.
Overcoming invasions, plagues, and revolt, France emerged as a powerful modern nation with a lot to offer.
Playing the French will take you through the age of chivalry and honorable combat, to the time of Joanne d’Arc and France’s darkest hour, to the formation of a disciplined standing army capable of liberating the nation with the roar of cannon fire.
Why play as the French?
This faction’s strength lies in their formidable army of knights, gunpowder siege weapons, and advantages in trade. French Traders have the unique ability to bring back any resources needed, a valuable trait during a resource shortage.
French cavalry charges can break enemy lines and give bonus damage, useful for hit-and-run tactics. French units also have access to several upgrades, ranging from special health to defense bonuses available only for certain French troops.
They also have a unique Influence system, where units cost less from Archery Ranges and Stables around the Keep. Their Town Center can produce units quicker with each Age, a key advantage in hastening their economy.
French unique units
The Royal Knight is the French civilization’s heavily armored knight, with their fearsome charge ability.
Arbalétrier are a powerful range unit, who gains a special ability called Pavise, a deployable shield for ranged defense.
The Cannon is a mobile gunpowder siege weapon unique to the French. Unlike the Bombard, the Cannon does not need to pack and unpack.
These are the eight civilizations that are playable in Age of Empires IV, with their strengths and all the unique units at their disposal.
Whichever you choose to play is up to you, but we are more than sure that no matter which one you pick, you will have a blast.
We’re not sure yet, but creators could add a couple of new factions along the way, making this awesome game even more entertaining than it already is.
Which civilization will you pick as your first one in Age of Empires 4? Share your opinion with us in the comments section below.
Many users use att.net email, but sometimes this email provider might not work properly with Outlook. This can be a problem, but in today’s article, we’ll show you how to fix this issue on Windows 10.
Att.net email has a number of users, but some of them reported various issues with att.net mail and Outlook. Speaking of issues, here are some common problems that users reported:
att.net email not working with Outlook 2010 – This issue can affect almost any version of Outlook, and Outlook 2010 isn’t an exception. However, you should be able to fix the problem using one of our solutions.
att.net email won’t send – Sometimes your att.net emails can’t be sent at all. However, you might be able to fix the issue by reconfiguring your att.net account.
Att.net email not working with Outlook, how to fix it?
1. Make sure that your account is properly configured
Sometimes att.net email isn’t working with Outlook because the email account isn’t configured properly. This is a common problem with almost any email provider, but you can fix it if you properly configure your email account. To add an att.net email account to Outlook, you need to do the following:
Open Outlook and go to File > Add Account.
Now choose Manual setup or additional server types.
Select Pop or IMAP and enter the desired display name and your email address.
Set the account type. You can use IMAP or POP3.
Depending on the selected account type, you configure your incoming and outgoing server:If you’re using IMAP server, use the following settings:Incoming mail server:imap.mail.att.net
Outgoing mail server: smtp.mail.att.net
As for POP3 server, use the following data: Incoming mail server:inbound.att.net
Outgoing mail server: outbound.att.net
Enter your full email address and paste your secure mail key. Make sure to check to Remember password and Require logon using Secure Password Authentication.
After setting the server, you just need to configure ports and a few more settings:
Click More Settings and check My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication. Now select Use same settings as my incoming mail server.
Now you just need to configure your ports. For incoming server use: 993 (for IMAP) or 995 ( for POP3). For outgoing server enter: 465 (works for both IMAP and POP3).In Use the following type of encrypted connection section, select SSL for both Outgoing and Incoming server.
After doing that, click OK and then Next. Outlook will now test your connection. If everything is in order, click Finish.
As you might’ve noticed, we mention that AT&T email requires a secure mail key in order to create a new email account. This is a security feature that should provide extra security to your email client.
If you don’t have a secure mail key generated, you’ll stop the account creation process and generate the secure mail key. This process is quite simple, and you can do it in a minute or two. To generate a secure key, do the following:
Go to your AT&T profile and choose Sign-in info.
Select your email account and scroll to the Secure mail key section and select Manage secure mail key.
Select your email address, and click Add secure mail key. You can set a nickname for that secure mail key in order to recognize it in the future.
Choose Create secure mail key and click Copy secure mail key to clipboard. Click OK.
Go to your email client and use the secure mail key instead of your password.
This procedure might be a bit overwhelming at first, but if you follow the instructions carefully you should be able to add and configure your att.net email without too much hassle. Just be sure to create a secure mail key and have it available when needed.
2. Check your antivirus
Before we start fixing this issue, it’s always a good idea to check your antivirus and make sure that it’s not interfering with your applications. Third-party antivirus tools can cause issues to appear, and in order to fix them, you’ll need to disable certain antivirus settings.
If that doesn’t work, your next step would be to disable your antivirus altogether. In the worst-case scenario, your only option might be to uninstall your antivirus. If removing the antivirus fixes the issue, you should seriously consider switching to a different antivirus.
3. Use IMAP instead of POP account
As you might know, there are two types of email accounts, IMAP and POP, and IMAP is newer between the two. As a newer standard, it also offers certain features, such as the ability to sync your emails across all devices.
With the introduction of IMAP, the POP standard became outdated, and many email providers are moving away from it, including AT&T. If you have any issues with att.net email and Outlook, it might be because you’re using a POP account.
To fix that, you need to change your account settings in Outlook and set your email to use the IMAP server. To see the addresses and ports related to the IMAP server, check Solution 2.
After switching to an IMAP account type, the problem should be resolved.
4. Remove your email profile
If your att.net email isn’t working with Outlook, you might be able to fix the problem simply by removing your email account and recreating it. Removing your profile will remove files stored locally on your PC, but all your email messages that are on the server will be preserved.
To remove your profile you need to follow these steps:
Go to File > Account Settings > Manage Profiles.
Now click on Show Profiles. Select your account and click Remove.
After doing that, add your att.net email by following the steps from Solution 2. Once your account is added again, check if the issue is still there.
5. Use webmail or a different email client
If you’re still having problems with att.net email and Outlook, you might want to try using the webmail version as a temporary workaround. Webmail version doesn’t require any configuration, and while it might not be as convenient as Outlook, it should allow you to check your emails without issues.
If you prefer using email clients and want a proper Outlook replacement, you might want to try out Mailbird.
This amazing tool brings everything you may ever need to enjoy fast, efficient, and secure email sending and receiving, including encryption, message translation, calendar and tasks, notes, and more.
With all of these tools, it can double as both an email client and a personal information manager, just like Outlook.
If att.net email is not working with Outlook, the issue might be Outlook settings or add-ons. Sometimes these add-ons can interfere with Outlook and cause issues to appear. To check if your settings or add-ons are the problems, we advise you to start Outlook in Safe Mode. This is quite simple to do, and you can do it by following these steps:
Press Windows Key + R and type Outlook /safe.
Press Enter or click the OK button.
When a new window appears, click OK to continue.
Outlook will now start, and you should check if the issue still appears. You can also start Outlook in Safe Mode by doing the following:
Locate Outlook shortcut.
Press and hold the Ctrl key and start Outlook. Once you do that, Outlook will start in Safe Mode.
If the issue doesn’t appear in Safe Mode, it means that one of your settings or add-ons was causing the problem, so you need to find it and disable it.
7. Switch to Google DNS
Click the network icon on your Taskbar.
Select your network.
Choose Change adapter options.
List of all network connections on your PC will now appear.
Right-click your network and select Properties.
Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) from the list and click the Properties button.
Select Use the following DNS server addresses.
Enter 8.8.8.8 as the Preferred and 8.8.4.4 as Alternate DNS server.
Click OK to save changes.
In some instances, the problem with att.net mail can be caused by your DNS. However, users reported that they managed to fix the problem simply by switching to Google’s DNS.
After saving the changes, check if the issue with att.net email and Outlook is resolved.
Many users use AT&T, and if att.net email isn’t working with Outlook, you should be able to fix this issue using one of our solutions.
The above-mentioned solutions also work if you have encountered the following issues:
Att.net email not syncing in Outlook – Some users reported that the emails they received from ATT.net don’t sync when using Outlook.
Windows 10 is a massive step forward in many categories, with a lot of stability improvements and timely support.
Nonetheless, even though we can expect a lot from Windows 10, there’s still an abundance of issues that need to be addressed.
Yes, we are talking about update errors and the inability to get scheduled updates.
The error we’ll try to troubleshoot today goes by the code 0x800703ed. This error is mainly caused by faulty drivers or system files corruption.
So, in case you’ve encountered an error with this code, follow the steps below.
How can I fix Windows 10 update error 0x800703ed?
Update error 0x800703ed can be problematic and prevent you from installing the latest updates. Speaking of update errors, here some similar issues that users reported:
Windows 10 update failed dual boot – According to users, this issue can occur if you’re using dual boot on your PC. To fix the problem, simply make your system partition as active and check if that helps.
0x800703ed Windows 10 upgrade – If you’re having this problem, the issue might be your drivers. However, you can fix the problem by updating your drivers to the latest version.
Solution 1 – Use SFC and DISM scans
If you can’t update your Windows to the latest version due to error 0x800703ed, you might want to check your system for file corruption. To do that, you just need to run an SFC scan. This is relatively simple, and you can do it by following these steps:
Press Windows Key + X to open Win + X menu. Now choose Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu. If Command Prompt isn’t available, you can also use PowerShell (Admin).
When Command Prompt starts, enter sfc /scannow and press Enter to run it.
SFC scan will now start. Keep in mind that the scan can take up to 15 minutes, so don’t interrupt it.
Once the scan is finished, check if the problem is still there. If you can’t run SFC scan, or if the issue is still there, your next step would be to run DISM scan. To do that, follow these steps:
Open Command Prompt as administrator.
Now run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth command.
Wait for the DISM scan to finish. This process usually takes up to 20 minutes, so be patient.
Once the DISM scan if completed, check if the issue is still there. If you weren’t able to run SFC scan before, try running it again and check if that solves your problem.
Solution 2 – Use batch file to reset Windows Update components
We are aware that the troubleshooting can occasionally be quite annoying, especially with complex issues like this. Furthermore, if you are not experienced enough, you can cause additional issues that may prove even harder to resolve.
Good thing is that tech enthusiasts created the script that can do everything instead of you. You’ll just need to download and run it. Follow these instructions to utilize this helpful tool:
After the process is finished, check for the updates.
Additionally, you can use this script to troubleshoot any kind of update-related issue.
Solution 3 – Update BIOS
One thing that is of utmost importance for all-around system performance is updated BIOS. Some of the users weren’t able to even install Windows 10, while others experienced a variety of issues after the installation.
Because of that, we advise you to replace the outdated BIOS drivers with the latest ones.
On the other hand, the process is risky and involves some advanced knowledge. So, we further recommend you to ask something else before pursuing flashing procedure and updating BIOS firmware, in case you’re not sure what you’re doing.
Solution 4 – Update GPU and Network drivers
According to users, outdated drivers can cause this issue to occur on your PC. If you’re getting error 0x800703ed, we would have to recommend that you update your drivers.
In most cases this problem occurs because your GPU and network drivers are out of date, and in order to fix the problem, it’s advised to update them.
To update your drivers, simply visit your hardware manufacturer’s website and download the latest drivers for your hardware. This is a relatively simple procedure if you know the model of your hardware and how to download your drivers.
If you don’t want to manually download the drivers, you can always use an automated tool to download the necessary drivers automatically.
According to users, you might encounter error 0x800703ed if you’re using both Linux and Windows in a dual boot mode. To fix the problem, you need to set your PC to use Windows boot instead of Linux boot.
To do that, you’ll need a third-party application such as easyBCD. Simply set your PC to use Windows boot and the issue should be completely resolved.
Solution 6 – Check your antivirus
Antivirus is the common cause for update errors, and if you’re having error 0x800703ed, be sure to disable certain antivirus features. If that doesn’t work, you might have to completely disable or remove your antivirus.
If removing the antivirus solves your problem, this might be a perfect time to consider switching to a different antivirus solution.
Why not go with an antivirus that won’t stop your Windows from working as it should? Or won’t interfere with any Windows Updates.
Solution 7 – Make sure that your system partition is set to Active
According to users, this issue can occur if your system partition isn’t set to Active. To fix the problem, you just need to change your partition settings. This is relatively simple, and you can do it by following these steps:
Press Windows Key + X to open Win + X menu. Now choose Disk Management from the list.
Right-click your system partition and choose Mark Partition as Active from the menu.
After doing that, try to install the update again. If you don’t want to use Disk Management, you can use any other third-party disk management tool.
Solution 8 – Disconnect all unnecessary devices
If you can’t update Windows 10 due to error 0x800703ed, the problem might be your USB devices. Sometimes other devices can interfere with your PC and that can lead to this and many other errors.
To fix the problem, users are suggesting to disconnect all devices from your PC, except for your keyboard and mouse.
If you have a second monitor, be sure to disconnect it as well and check if that solves your problem. Some users are also recommending to change your resolution to 1024×768 before trying to install the update, so you might want to try that as well.
Solution 9 – Change update settings
According to users, sometimes update error 0x800703ed can be caused by your update settings. Your settings can interfere with your system, and that could lead to this and many other errors.
However, you can fix the issue simply by changing a couple of settings. To do that, just follow these steps:
When Settings app opens, go to Update & Security section.
Now choose Advanced options.
Scroll all the way down and select Delivery Optimization.
Disable Allow downloads from other PCs option.
After doing that, try to install the update again.
Solution 10 – Repair system with USB/DVD system installation media
Besides the clean installation, we’ve got one last solution for you. If the previous workarounds fell short, you can use USB/DVD drive with system installation to repair the update issues.
The process is a bit lengthy, but it is certainly worth trying. Follow these instructions closely:
Insert DVD or USB with Windows 10 installation (the same architecture and version you have running on your PC).
Open the drive and double-click Setup.
Wait for the Setup to prepare.
Choose to Download and Install Updates.
After updating, Accept the License Terms.
Choose what you want to keep.
And now you’ll just have to wait for the process to finish.
If the update issues are still there, your only hope is the clean reinstallation.
That should be that. Additionally, we are available for your questions and suggestions. Be free to share them with us in the comments section.
eM Client is a popular email client, but users report that the Email section is often disappearing out of the blue. While this can seem like a major problem, rest assured that it is not.
In fact, you can easily restore all your emails by using this guide.
What to do if the Email section has disappeared in eM Client?
1. Use the context menu
In the left pane, you should see a list of sections. Right-click any list item.
From the context menu, be sure to check Mail.
After doing that, the Mail section will appear in the left pane.
If the Email section is missing in eM Client, you can get it back in two clicks. You just need to complete the above procedure.
2. Reinstall eM Client
Sometimes this problem can occur if there’s a glitch with your application, and to fix it, you need to reinstall it.
By using a dedicated professional uninstaller software, you can remove the eM Client safely. Using a specialized tool to do so can assist you in completely removing the clutter left behind by uninstalling the app from your computer.
Essentially, the uninstaller is used to undo modifications made to the database when you have installed the email client. Because all modifications performed during installation are reversed, the app may be removed without leaving any junk files.
Once the application is removed, download the latest version and install it.
3. Check if the issue appears in other email clients
If Email is missing in eM Client, perhaps you should try using a different email client as a temporary workaround. There are various eM Client alternatives that seek to benefit on its benefits while reducing its drawbacks.
You may want to test the free versions of different email clients to see the differences for yourself for a better understanding and experience.
Following confirmation that another app works, the next steps will assist you further with eM Client.
4. Try using the web version
The easiest workaround is to use the web version of your email service as a temporary workaround.
For this purpose, you can use any web browser, but if you want to make sure that you’re safe online, there are browsers such as UR Browser.
This browser is privacy-oriented, and it won’t send your data to Google or to third parties. In addition, it comes with tracking, malware, and phishing protection.
For an extra layer of security, there’s a VPN available as well.
If the Email section has disappeared in eM Client, you should be able to get it back using our solutions. Also, do note that they may be applied when dealing with these issues as well:
eM Client Exchange email disappearing – With eM Client, you are supposed to add as many accounts as you want without ever worrying about missing important Exchange emails. This clearly doesn’t happen, so you’d better reinstall the eM Client.
eM Client missing emails Gmail has them – Even if eM Client is a popular email client for Windows, it seems that it doesn’t always handle Gmail emails with care. Refer to the above procedures for quick solutions.
5. Try out a reliable email client
Mailbird is a top email client for the Windows operating system that differentiates itself from eM Client by focusing on usability and letting you truly manage multiple email accounts with ease.
Mailbird is an intuitive program that will show you how amazing is to have all your emails in one inbox, instead of two or even more.
It goes without saying that they will never disappear. On top of that, it works flawlessly even when it’s integrated with other applications and services.
This includes WhatsApp, Facebook, Google Calendar, and much more, since it is designed with simplicity in mind.
Mailbird
When most of your precious eM Client emails keep disappearing, Mailbird is a powerful alternative to enjoy.
The ActiveX error 429 is a run-time error that some end users have encountered in Windows. The error usually ensures that an open application comes to an abrupt halt and closes.
It also returns an error message stating, “Run-time error ‘429’: ActiveX component can’t create object.” Error 429 is most frequent for MS Office applications, such as Excel, Word, Access, or Outlook, with automated Visual Basic sequence scripts.
Error 429 is largely a consequence of software attempting to access corrupted files. Thus, the automation sequence can’t operate as scripted. This could be due to a corrupted registry, deleted OS files, incomplete installation of software, or corrupted system files.
So there are various potential fixes for ActiveX error 429.
How can I fix ActiveX runtime error 429 on Windows 10?
1. Reregister the Program
If a specific program is generating the ActiveX error, the software might not be correctly configured. You can fix that by reregistering the software with the /regserver switch, which resolves issues with the automation server.
This is how you can reregister software with Run:
First, make sure you have admin rights with a Windows admin account.
Press the Win key + R hotkey to open Run.
Enter the full path of the software followed by /regserver in the text box as shown below. Enter the exact path, including the exe, of the software you need to reregister.
Press the OK button.
In some cases, this error is confused with connection-related issues such as Proxy Error 429, so make sure you’re troubleshooting the right problem. This guide will walk you through the best fixes.
2. Reregister the Specified File
If the ActiveX error message specifies a particular .OCX or .DLL file title, then the specified file is probably not correctly registered in the registry.
Then you can feasibly fix the ActiveX issue by reregistering the file. This is how you can reregister specified OCX and DLL files via the Command Prompt.
Close all open software windows.
Open the Command Prompt in Windows 10 by pressing the Win key + X hotkey and selecting Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu. Alternatively, you can enter ‘cmd’ in the Start menu’s search box to open the Prompt.
Now enter ‘regsvr32 Filename.ocx’ or ‘regsvr32 Filename.dll’ in the Command Prompt window. Replace filename with the specified file title.
Press the Return key to reregister the file.
3. Run a Virus Scan
It might be the case that a virus has corrupted, may be deleted, and files pertinent to the runtime error. As such, running a full virus scan of Windows with third-party anti-virus software can feasibly fix the ActiveX error 429.
You can find a lot of antivirus software options that fit all types of needs and budgets. Some of the best antivirus solutions that are compatible with Windows 10 PCs come with full-feature free trials, so you can try them out before buying a license.
4. Check for Windows Updates
You should also check for and install Windows updates. Microsoft is usually updating system files that might be associated with error 429. So updating Windows with the latest service packs and patches can help resolve runtime errors.
You can update Windows as follows:
Enter ‘Windows update’ in the Cortana or Start menu search box.
Then you can select Check for updates to open the update options directly below.
Press the Check for updates button there. If there are available updates, you can press a Download button to add them to Windows.
5. Run the System File Checker
Many system errors are due to corrupted system files, and that includes the ActiveX 429 issue. As such, fixing corrupted system files with the System File Checker tool could be an effective remedy.
You can run an SFC scan in the Command Prompt as follows:
First, enter ‘cmd’ in the Cortana or Start menu search box.
Then you can right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator to open the Prompt’s window.
Enter ‘sfc /scannow’ in the Command Prompt, and press the Return key.
The SFC scan might take up to 20 minutes or longer. If the SFC fixes anything, the Command Prompt will state, Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.
Then you can restart Windows.
6. Scan and Fix the Registry
Runtime errors are usually generated from the registry, so an effective registry scan will fix the invalid or corrupted registry keys.
Specialized registry cleaner software is able to scan your registries and identify any problems quickly. You can then instruct the tool to apply fixes, which may even include downloading new system files to replace the broken ones.
7. Undo System Changes with System Restore
The System Restore tool undoes system changes by reverting Windows back to an earlier date. System Restore is Windows’ time machine, and with that tool, you can revert the desktop or laptop back to a date when your software wasn’t returning the ActiveX error message.
However, remember that you’ll lose software and apps installed after the restore point date. You can utilize System Restore as follows:
To open System Restore, enter ‘System Restore’ in the Cortana or Start menu search box.
Select Create a restore point to open the System Properties window.
Press the System Restore button to open the window in the snapshot below.
Click the Next button, and then select the Show more recent points option to open a full list of restore dates.
Now select an appropriate restore point to revert back to.
Press the Next and Finish button to confirm the restore point.
If you’re interested in more info on how to create a restore point and how would that help you, take a look at this simple article to find out everything you need to know.
Those are some of the numerous potential fixes for the Windows ActiveX runtimeerror 429. If none of the above fixes resolve the issue, uninstall and reinstall the software generating the error
If you have further suggestions for fixing ActiveX error 429, please share them below. Also, if you have any other questions, feel free to leave them there.
Mozilla Thunderbird is one of the most trusted email clients on the market, available on various platforms used not only as an email client but also as an RSS feed and much more. And the best part? It’s an open-source project.
However, even though this email client is frequently updated and well-coded, users are experiencing several issues with the software.
One is critical, and it’s related to sudden crashes after startup. For this purpose, we prepared a simple but helpful workaround that should help you resolve it.
Why won’t Thunderbird open?
If you have issues opening Thunderbird, there are a few elements that users have attributed to this. Some of them include the following:
Outdated software version – If the software is outdated, you will need a new version to respond properly.
Insufficient resources – In some cases, users may have run out of device storage. This will mean some applications will cease to respond.
Corrupted profile– If the user profile has been corrupted, you generally will have issues using certain applications, including Thunderbird.
Firewall or antivirus issues – Users have experienced that, at times, the firewall may block out the Thunderbird app.
Corrupted files – If the software installation file has been corrupted, you will likely face a few bugs, including difficulty starting the application.
Although a solid email client, many users reported that Thunderbird wouldn’t open on their PC. This can be an issue. Speaking of Thunderbird, here are some similar issues reported by users:
Thunderbird not responding – Many users reported that Thunderbird isn’t responding at all. This can be due to your Thunderbird profile, but you can fix that by deleting parent.lock file.
Thunderbird won’t start/ missing profile in Safe Mode – These Thunderbird issues can appear on any version of Windows, but even if you don’t use Windows 10, you should know that most of our solutions can be applied to both Windows 8.1 and 7.
Thunderbird won’t start already running – If you’re getting this error message, open Task Manager and close all Thunderbird instances. After doing that, try to start the application again.
Thunderbird won’t launch – Many users reported that it wouldn’t launch on their PC. This can be a problem, but you can fix it simply by running Thunderbird in Safe Mode.
Thunderbird won’t start after crash – Sometimes, a crash can damage your Thunderbird profile, and to fix that, try reinstalling the application.
What can I do if Thunderbird won’t open?
Before trying our fixes, you should restart and reset your modem. Several users reported that they fixed the issue with Thunderbird simply by restarting their modem. This is relatively simple, and to do it, you need to press the Power button on your modem, wait for a few seconds and then turn it back on again.
You can also consider switching to a different email client. For example, if the previous solution didn’t fix the problem with Thunderbird, this might be an excellent time to consider switching to a different email client.
Many great email clients are available, but if you want one similar to Thunderbird, we recommend you try Mailbird.
Due to its seamless integration with other email clients like Gmail and Outlook, Mailbird is one of the best software options on the market.
You can quickly transfer complicated schedules from your calendar and also add contacts from other third-party software, allowing you not to worry about your data not being compatible.
Or, as an alternative, use a portable version of the app. This version doesn’t require installation, and it won’t add any information to the registry so the previous Thunderbird installation won’t affect it in any way.
Once you download the portable version, run it and check if that solves your problem. If the issue doesn’t appear, you might have to switch to the Portable version until you fix the problem.
1. Delete parent.lock file
Close Mozilla Thunderbird.
Right-click on the Taskbar and open Task Manager.
Under Processes, find and kill all Thunderbird-related processes.
Press the Windows key + R to bring up the Run command.
Type %appdata% in the command line and press Enter.
Open the Thunderbird profile folder.
Find and delete the parent.lock file. You may need administrative permission to do so.
Start Thunderbird again. It should now function without any problems.
These steps should also correct any issues with your Thunderbird user profile in case it is corrupted.
2. Reinstall Thunderbird
Press Windows + R, type appwiz.cpl, and hit Enter.
Search for Thunderbird from the app list, click it, and hit the Uninstall button.
Double-click on the downloaded file and follow the wizard to complete the installation.
According to users, sometimes Thunderbird won’t open if your installation is damaged. This can be a big problem, but one of the easiest ways to fix the issue is to reinstall Thunderbird. There are several ways to do that, and you can do it right from the Settings app.
We recommend you use dedicated software to uninstall Thunderbird. Sometimes, uninstalling from the UI or the settings app can leave behind unwanted files.
Not only will these files take up space on your PC for no reason, but they may also prevent you from reinstalling the app and creating all sorts of errors in your system.
We suggest you look into the best uninstaller software and pick your best bet. They are specifically created to remove stubborn programs along with lingering files.
On top of that, many of them include additional PC optimization features that keep your system clean and high-functioning.
3. Start Windows in Safe Mode
Press Windows Key + I to open the Settings app.
Go to Update & Security section.
In the left pane, select Recovery. In the right pane, click Restart now in the Advanced startup section.
Now select Troubleshoot, then Advanced options.
Click on Startup Settings, then Restart.
Once your PC restarts, you’ll have a list of options. Press F5 or 5 to select Safe Mode with Networking.
Once you start Windows in Safe Mode, try to rerun Thunderbird. If the issue still exists, start Thunderbird in Safe Mode and check if that helps.
If you want a more user-friendly way to start Thunderbird in Safe Mode, locate the Thunderbird shortcut, press and hold the Shift key and start the application.
After doing that, a new window will appear. Just click Continue in Safe Mode to start the Thunderbird. If the issue doesn’t appear, your add-ons or toolbars are causing it.
To permanently fix the problem, repeat the process, but this time check Disable all add-ons and Reset toolbars and controls. Now click the Make Changes and Restart button.
This is useful if your configuration or third-party add-ons cause the issue. For example, Thunderbird supports a wide array of add-ons allowing you to enhance its functionality. Still, sometimes specific add-ons can interfere with your system and prevent you from starting Thunderbird.
Hopefully, your email client now works. However, if you have any remarks or questions regarding the subject, use the comments section below!
No matter if you want to invest in a gaming laptop, or if you would prefer getting a gaming desktop PC if you’re serious about your gaming endeavors, one of these options need to be chosen.
Of course, there are situations in which you might already have the setup you want, and the peripherals are the only element left to consider.
Even though not as important as choosing the right GPU for your system, or other elements like the type and amount of storage you have on your device, having the right peripherals for gaming can provide you with a more immersive overall experience.
Investing in a good gaming keyboard will ensure that no input lag will ever stop you from going on a long killing-spree in your favorite FPS games, while also providing you with an edge when compared to other gamers.
Another aspect of your gaming setup will also come in the form of a customizable gaming mouse that will allow fast reactions in first-person shooters. This applies especially if you’re a professional gamer.
Once you have all the devices required to play games, one other important aspect that needs to be covered when dealing with your gaming is the need for an oversized mouse pad for gaming.
As this will be the surface on which all mouse movements will take place, choosing the best oversized mouse pad for gaming will ensure that your quick reactions will be transmuted without any hiccups into your favorite first-person shooter game.
The designs of mouse pads have evolved considerably in the last decade, and many extra features have been added which can improve your gaming experience.
Here are some of the most useful add-ons:
RGB lighting – ensures an immersive gaming experience
Wireless charging
Smooth gliding surface – improves accuracy
Gel pads – wrist support while playing games
Choosing the right type of mouse will most certainly come down to personal user preference, but some elements like wireless charging for compatible mice and a surface that ensures smooth gliding can be of the essence.
How we chose the best gaming mouse pads for first person shooters
Our team of expert testers, with a combined experience of 15 years, has tackled a variety of testing tasks for any device you could imagine.
Their experience comes into play as a very important element when choosing the products we described in this guide, and a large variety of factors have been taken into consideration.
The options that have been chosen offer great quality and cover the entire spectrum of price ranges, thus enabling everybody to find something that fits their needs both financially and otherwise.
The QcK Gaming Surface XL from SteelSeries has been one of the top picks of the eSports professional gamers for almost 20 years, and there are good reasons for that.
This XL size gaming mouse pad offers you a dynamic 2 zone RGB feature that can provide both illumination and great visual effects.
One of the best features of this mouse pad is that the RGB lighting can match the game lighting and also reacts to Discord notifications, thus ensuring an even more immersive gaming experience.
The material used for this item is made out of the world-renowned Qck micro-woven cloth that offers amazing control and accuracy at every movement of the mouse.
The RGB version comes in two sizes, the XL we’re discussing now, and the 3XL which covers your entire gaming station. Both provide enough coverage to never be bothered by hitting the edge of the pad while playing FPS games.
The RGB Large Gaming Mouse Pad from KTRIO is another very good item that will take your FPS gaming experience to the next level.
Even though a lot more affordable than the previous model, this mouse pad still provides amazing gaming features and is large enough to fit your gaming needs without problems.
This item has stitched edges, making it more durable than its non-stiched variants, and has an LED lighting feature that will make it especially useful when gaming at night.
The mouse pad from KTRIO uses a micro-weave cloth as the gaming surface, ensuring smooth swipes of your gaming mouse, and at the same time provides a stable surface with the use of a non-slip base.
The RGB version comes in the X-large version which measures 31.5 x 11.8 inches, but can also be ordered in the XXX-Large option, which measures 35.4 x 15.7 inches.
The RGB gaming mouse from Blade Hawks is another great option for playing FPS games without needing to worry about not having enough space to move your mouse.
Measuring 31.5 × 12 inches, which is wider and taller than other options, this pad can accommodate your mouse and keyboard without any issues, and also allows space for your phone, tablet, etc.
The RGB lighting installed on this mat has 7 static modes and 3 dynamic ones, giving you a wide range of customization options. Added to that, it also remembers the settings you had when turning it off, and activates the same options once turned on.
This item uses an anti-slip rubber base that ensures the mat will essentially stick to your desk, and will only allow movement if you lift it.
The Blade Hawks RGB pad uses a micro-textured cloth surface for optimal mouse control and smooth movements, while also being waterproof.
The GIM RGB gaming mouse pad is another amazing option that will complete your gaming setup.
This great XXL mousepad ensures that your mouse tracking is more accurate and faster, and thus can provide you with an important edge in FPS games.
Besides the built-in RGB lighting feature which can be controlled with ease by using a button on the edge of the mat, this item also includes a USB hub with four ports.
The RGB lighting feature includes 14 lighting modes and ensures that even in the darkest of nights, you will be able to game without problems. This includes 11 monochromatic lights, 1 RGB rolling subtitles, 1 RGB rainbow, and 1 RGB breathing effect.
To round this device up completely, the matt is also slip-resistant, uses a smooth surface for effective mouse movements, and is also waterproof.
The Glorious XXL Extended gaming mouse pad is another very useful option that has a great work surface and is built out of very qualitative materials.
This model has an 18 x 36 inches size, which will allow you to include your mechanical keyboard, mouse, and other devices without worrying about them falling off the desk.
It also comes in other shapes and colors, but this has caught our eye from the start.
The smooth cloth surface ensures that your mouse, no matter what type it is will work without lagging or interruptions, and features a non-slip base that will ensure no sliding will occur even in the most intense FPS gaming session.
The anti-fraying stitching on the side of the matt ensures a great lifespan, and also makes it look professional. Even more, this mousepad can be washed inside a washing machine without any issues.
Bottom runners
Even though these options didn’t make it to the main list of our guide, they are still worthy of being mentioned, as they offer some good capabilities, even though not comparable to the main choices.
Even though it has a plastic surface, this mouse pad can still be useful for some users, as it provides an ultra-thin 11 x 9.4 inches surface for FPS gaming.
This item didn’t make the main list selection as it is not extremely useful for gaming considering its reduced size, but it will work without issues for amateur gamers.
The feature which makes this mouse pad stand out is the built-in wrist rest, which ensures that no additional strain comes to your hands.
As you can see, our guide provides you with a wide array of some of the best oversized mousepads for gaming that fit both professional FPS gamers’ needs and also normal gamers, and come at a variety of price ranges as well.
The details presented in this guide will surely provide you with enough data to make an informed decision, no matter if you plan on investing in a powerful gaming setup or not.
Don’t hesitate to share your choice with us by using the comment section below.
Microsoft has announced that a preview of the feedback portal for Microsoft Teams is now available. Based on the company’s own Dynamics 365 Customer Service tool, the new portal is one of the ways Microsoft hopes to collect feedback from Teams users after it was originally announced back on October 8.
According to Microsoft, this new portal will allow users to submit their own feedback and view other submitted ideas. The new portal also makes it easy to track Microsoft responses, see top-voted ideas, and upvote the feedback from other users. You’ll even be able to easily track your favorite ideas through the ‘star’ icon and receive notifications when your own ideas are responded to by Microsoft.
You can now get to the feedback portal by going to https://aka.ms/TeamsFeedback. We checked it out, and it seems like a very clean experience, letting you filter feedback for Teams and Edge by platforms and various categories. You also sort by most votes, newest feedback, oldest feedback, most comments, or least comments. Evens sharing an existing feedback entry is easy, with a share button at the top of the screen.
This new feedback portal comes after outrage in March when Microsoft quietly shut down its various Office 365 UserVoice forums, which allowed users to suggest ideas, comment, and vote for them. Let us know what you think of this new portal by dropping us a comment below.
Hackers are at it again are they are now sending out phishing emails containing QR codes in a campaign designed to harvest login credentials for Microsoft 365 cloud applications.
Make sure you don’t fall prey to these malicious third parties because usernames and passwords for enterprise cloud services like Microsoft 365 are a prime target for cybercriminals.
These shady individuals or organizations can exploit them to launch malware or ransomware attacks or even sell stolen login credentials onto other hackers to use for their own campaigns.
Attackers now attach QR codes to phising emails
Hackers have found yet another ingenious way to trick victims into clicking links to phishing websites designed to look like authentic Microsoft login pages, accidentally handing over their credentials.
One of the more recent phishing campaigns, which was observed and reported by cybersecurity researchers at Abnormal Security is using emails loaded with QR codes.
These codes are actually designed to bypass email protections and steal login information. All this is known as a quishing attack.
What is unique is that these messages contained QR codes offering access to a missed voicemail, handily avoiding the URL scan feature for email attachments present in secure email gateways and native security controls. All the QR code images were created the same day they were sent, making it unlikely that they have been previously reported and would be recognized by a security blocklist. In total, six unique profiles were used to send messages for the campaign, with most designed to appear related to the same industry as the target.
QR codes can be effective weapons when used by malicious third parties because standard email security protections like URL scanners won’t pick up any indication of a suspicious link or attachment in the message.
The above-mentioned campaign is actually run from email accounts that have been previously compromised.
This ingenious scheme allows the attackers to send emails from accounts used by real people at real companies to add an aura of legitimacy, which encourages victims to trust them.
These phishing emails are said to contain a voicemail message from the owner of the email account they’re being sent from and the victim is asked to scan a QR code in order to listen to the recording.
Also important is that all of the QR codes analyzed by the security experts were created the same day that they were sent.
While using the QR codes method can more easily bypass email protections, the victim needs to follow many more steps before they reach the point where they could mistakenly give their login credentials to cybercriminals.
For this to even work, the user needs to scan the QR code in the first place, and if they’re opening the email on a mobile, they’ll struggle to do this without a second phone.
To make sure you don’t also fall victim to these quishing emails, you should be extremely wary of scanning QR codes presented in unexpected messages, even if they look like they come from known contacts.
Also, enabling multi-factor authentication for Microsoft 365 accounts can help protect login details from being stolen.
Have you received any such suspicious emails containing QR codes? Let us know in the comments section below.
As you know by now, Microsoft just released a new preview version for Windows 11, through which they are introducing the new settings page for Microsoft accounts.
However, don’t get too excited just yet, because this new feature is only available for some Insiders at this time.
Your Microsoft Account has been added to the Settings menu
The Redmond-based tech company has chosen to slowly roll out the new Your Microsoft Account settings page to their Insider community.
This page allows quick access to information on the Microsoft account directly in the Settings menu of Windows 11.
Of course, this includes information on subscriptions for Microsoft 365, links to the order history, payment details, and also any Microsoft Rewards you might have earned.
We are beginning to roll out a new entry point for “Your Microsoft account” under Settings > Account. Clicking this new entry point brings you to a new settings page that displays information related to your Microsoft account, including your subscriptions for Microsoft 365, links to order history, payment details, and Microsoft Rewards. This allows you to access your Microsoft account directly within Settings in Windows 11. We are beginning this rollout to a very small set of Insiders at first and then will ramp it up over time.
If you were among the lucky ones to receive this new Settings page for your personal Microsoft account, you will find that it is extremely easy to access.
All you have to do is:
Press Windows Key + I to access the Settings menu.
Select the Accounts category, then click the Your Microsoft Account button.
Pretty easy, right? Remember that for the time being, only a limited number of Insiders received this new feature, so don’t feel bad if you didn’t, because we will all get it shortly.
Apps & Features has been split into two categories
Another one of the changes implemented by the Redmond tech giant through this new build is still related to the Settings app.
But this time, we are talking about the Apps & Features category, which got split up into two mini-categories, instead of just one.
So, from now, under the Apps category, one subpage will be dedicated exclusively to applications already installed on your P, while the other one will be for settings related to these apps.
Not a bad initiative at all, considering that this will speed up the process of finding installed software and properly managing it.
The Windows 10 AutoPlay feature lets you play multimedia automatically, but many Windows 10 users reported that iPhone AutoPlay is not working.
According to users, even the AutoPlay window doesn’t come up even though you may occasionally hear the sound acknowledging that you have plugged in your iPhone.
So, how do you restore your iPhone’s AutoPlay feature for Windows 10 machines?
What to do if iPhone is not listed in AutoPlay devices?
1. Reset Windows 10 AutoPlay settings back to default
Press Windows Key+S keys and type control panel. Choose Control Panel from displayed results.
As soon as your Control Panel opens, select AutoPlay.
In the AutoPlay settings, check the box next to Use AutoPlay for all media and devices.
Now, tap on the Reset all defaults This resets Windows 10-iPhone AutoPlay settings back to default.
If iPhone AutoPlay is not working, try the above procedure. Now test if your AutoPlay starts when you connect your iPhone.
You can’t open Control Panel? Take a look at this step-by-step guide to find a solution.
You may also opt to alter your AutoPlay settings via the Settings app:
Click Start, then select Settings.
Select the Devices section.
Click AutoPlay from the left-hand side of the menu and choose the options that says Ask me every time (on the right-hand pane) for Removable drive as well as a Memory card.
2. Modify the registry
Copy the following text in Notepad.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00[HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesExplorer] "NoDriveTypeAutoRun"=dword:00000091
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesExplorer]"NoDriveTypeAutoRun"=-
Save the Notepad your desktop then close the note pad.
Now right-click this file (on the desktop) and rename it with a .reg extension.
Now right-click on the saved file then choose Run as administrator to alter the registry.
In some instances, iPhone AutoPlay is not working due to your registry setting. You should hence run a text file to amend the troublesome registry entries.
Then, just reconnect your iPhone and retry the AutoPlay feature.
3. Run the ShellHWDetection command
Click on the Start button and type cmd (in the search box).
Right-click on the cmd option and select Run as administrator.
When the Command Prompt window starts, type net start shellhwdetection then press Enter.
Restart your computer.
The ShellHWDetection command helps manage the Shell Hardware Detection, a service that provides notifications for Windows 10 AutoPlay.
If iPhone AutoPlay is not working, perhaps this service is the problem, so complete the above procedure.
4. Turn AutoPlay off then back on
Click Start, then choose Settings.
Select Devices, then AutoPlay.
Find the Use AutoPlay for all media and devices tab and slide it to off.
Wait for some moments then slide it back on.
5. Update your drivers
Outdated drivers can cause problems with AutoPlay. As a reminder, you should always make sure that your PC’s drivers are properly updated.
Not only should this keep your computer in good working condition, but it also has an impact on all functions and apps, including AutoPlay.
Then, don’t forget to perform a simple restart for the changes to take effect. Besides that, keep in mind that this is your chance to solve all driver-related issues.
Moreover, you can automatically search for drivers updates on your computer to check if any of your system drivers need an update. If yes, you should proceed with simple steps in order to get the latest drivers.
Thus if you need a helping hand regarding the update process for your drivers, you can find some best driver update software to streamline the method even more.
If iPhone AutoPlay is not working, try to disable the AutoPlay feature temporarily, as described above.
6. Run Windows 10 hardware/devices troubleshooter
Click on the Start button and type troubleshooting in the search box.
Select Troubleshooting from the list of results.
Choose View all and then tap on Hardware and Devices.
Click Next, then follow the on-screen instructions.
Running your computer’s hardware and devices troubleshooter may help if iPhone AutoPlay is not working. Now check if the problem is resolved.
If the Troubleshooter stops before completing the process, fix it with the help of this complete guide.
7. Reinstall the driver
Open the Device Manager.
Right-click on Portable devices.
Look for the Apple iPhone entry and right-click on it.
Select Uninstall device and follow the instructions on the screen.
Plug in your iPhone to the USB. Windows will reinstall the driver software. If not, go back to Device Manager and right-click on the iPhone and choose Update driver.
In case the driver update doesn’t help, try reinstalling your Apple iPhone driver.
8. Disconnect other USB devices
Can you try to disconnect all other USB devices before reconnecting your iPhone? Though rather odd, this solution sometimes works.
If iPhone AutoPlay is not working on your PC, be sure to try all of our solutions, and let us know in the comments section if we managed to solve your problem.
No matter which device you’re on, whether it is an iPhone or Android, your Surface Pro will work with it, so you can get the most out of them.
When used together, you can access your photos, music, documents, and other favorites, but you can also connect to your mobile phone as a hotspot, via the tethering functionality.
Both the Surface Pro 4 and iPhone work just great together, but there are times when the Surface Pro 4 won’t connect to your iPhone’s hotspot, either because of network settings, or another underlying cause.
This article looks at how to fix this connection issue using the solutions below.
How do I fix Surface Pro 4 not connecting to the hotspot?
1. Check special characters on the SSID name
Select General.
Then select About.
Afterward, select Name.
Change the name of your iPhone without using spaces, then switch on Personal Hotspot on your Surface Pro and it will connect.
Sometimes your Surface Pro 4 won’t connect with the iPhone hotspot because of special characters used in the iPhone name, which makes the device not recognize the characters, therefore you need to change it.
Note: Numbers are special characters too, so delete spaces and apostrophes, but numbers as well. E.g. don’t write Bob’siPhone, write BobsiPhone instead.
2. Disable Network Device
Go to Desktop.
Swipe from the right and tap Settings.
Select Control Panel, then select Network and sharing center.
Tap on Change Adapter Settings.
Select the Wi-Fi adapter and click ‘Disable this Network Device’
Wait a few seconds and enable it again. It should show up now.
Go to Control Panel, then tap on Hardware and Sound.
Afterward, select Devices and Printers.
Set the iPhone as a Wireless Network. The password for this is in Personal Hotspot.
One other solution is to disable your network device on your Surface Pro 4. In order to do this, you need to fiddle with your adapter settings and transform your other device into a wireless network.
3. Check WiFi settings on your Surface
Go to Start and select Settings.
Select Network & Internet.
Tap on Wi-Fi and check if it is On.
Then check that the Airplane mode is Off.
Lastly, check if your iPhone hotspot is in the list of available networks but you cannot connect to it.
Sometimes, simply checking if your Wi-Fi connection is actually on is all you need to do. Also, the Airplane mode needs to be off in order for your internet to work, because if it is enabled, it will block any time of data transfer from your phone.
4. Check your network on another device
If your iPhone hotspot appears in the list of available networks on your Surface Pro 4 but you can’t connect, ensure the network is working properly on another device. Also, make sure that the device has a working internet connection that could be transferred through the hotspot.
If it doesn’t work on any other devices, the problem might be with the network or hardware itself, preventing it from properly connecting to your Surface Pro.
5. Check the date and time settings
Tap Start and select Settings.
Select Time & language.
Make sure the info is correct or make changes as necessary.
Try to connect to your Wi-Fi network.
You can also check and, if needed, correct your date and time settings on your Surface Pro 4. This information can interfere with your connection if the date and time on your devices do not correspond with each other.
6. Check to see if MAC address filtering is enabled
Find the Physical Address. This is the MAC address for your Surface.
Turn off MAC filtering temporarily to see if that is preventing your Surface Pro 4 from connecting to your iPhone hotspot.
Add the MAC address of your Surface to your iPhone’s authorized list.
MAC filtering can bring up the Surface Pro 4 won’t connect to the iPhone hotspot issue. If it is turned on, change it by following the aforementioned steps.
7. Check the signal
If you have limited or no connectivity, then you may be out of range so you need to check your signal. In the taskbar, select a wireless network and check to see how many bars are lit up in the cellular icon.
If you have only one lit bar or none, you are likely on the edge of or out of your operator’s range. To reconnect, you need to move to get back in range.
Losing a wi-fi signal is easy, especially if you’re in a different room or far away from your router. The wi-fi radio waves have a hard time passing through concrete walls, so keep that in mind.
8. Allow roaming
Tap Start and select Settings.
Select Network & Internet.
Afterward, select Cellular, and look at the right side of the interface.
Select the name of your mobile operator, then select Connect automatically.
Select Allow Roaming.
If you are traveling outside of your mobile operator’s network coverage area and want to use an iPhone hotspot connection, make sure that roaming is turned on.
Roaming allows you to connect to the Internet even when you are away from your mobile operator’s network.
Some operators charge extra for roaming or have a different data plan with this included. Set your Surface so roaming turns on by default when you are out of your mobile operator’s range.
This sums up all the possible fixes for your issues regarding the Surface Pro 4 connection to a mobile hotspot.
Did any of these solutions help get your connection back? Share with us in the comments section below. Also, leave any other suggestions or questions that you may have and we’ll be sure to check them out.
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