Cortana and Alexa have arrived on the Xbox One, bringing fresh commands and new functionality to the console.

You can still use the legacy Xbox One voice commands with Kinect if that's your preference, but if you enable Cortana or Alexa on your console you'll be able to issue commands via a headset microphone or a connected smart speaker, and access features that make multitasking far easier. Here's everything you need to know about Cortana or Alexa commands on Xbox One.

• How to activate Cortana or Alexa on Xbox One
• How to set up a smart speaker for Xbox One
• Activate the Cortana app on Xbox One
• Using the Cortana app on Xbox One
• Alexa and Cortana voice command list

Related reading

• Best Alexa and Cortana voice speakers for Xbox One
• Is the Harman Kardon Invoke the best voice speaker for Xbox?

How to activate a Cortana or Alexa speaker on Xbox One

If you want to use a product like an Amazon Echo speaker or a Harman Kardon Invoke, you'll need to first enable digital assistants on your Xbox One. These are available with the October 2018 update, currently available only to Xbox Insiders.

1. Double tap the Xbox logo button on your controller. Or, if you're using a Kinect, just say "Xbox, go to settings" and skip to step #3.
2. Select Settings. It is the gear icon.
3. Select All Settings.
4. Select Kinect & Devices.
5. Select Digital Assistants.

6. Tap the A button on your controller to enable digital assistants.

Note: Cortana or Alexa support is currently only available in the US. You can change your language settings in an unsupported region to enable Cortana or Alexa connectivity, but this might not give you full access to their features, and in the case of an Amazon Echo, may restrict what features you can actually use on your speaker.

Set up a smart speaker for use with Xbox One

To use Alexa or Cortana with Xbox One, you'll need a compatible smart speaker.. Note that at present, these services are only available for US customers, with more territories planned for 2019.

1. First, activate the corresponding skill on your speaker. Click here to activate the Alexa Xbox beta skill, and click here to find and activate Cortana for Xbox.
2. You'll have to sign in with your Xbox-connected Microsoft Account to both services in order to use them.
3. Follow the instructions in each corresponding app, and select enable to connect your speaker to your console.

How to activate the Cortana app the Xbox One

Cortana is an app you can activate on Xbox One for use with a Kinect microphone, or headset microphone. You don't need to do this in order to use a Cortana or Alexa speaker, this is purely if you want to use a microphone connected directly to your console.

1. Double tap the Xbox logo button on your controller. Or, if you're using a Kinect, just say "Xbox, go to settings" and skip to step #3.
2. Select Settings. It is the gear icon.
3. Select All Settings.
4. Select System.
5. Select Cortana Settings.

6. Tap the A button on your controller. You will then be guided through some telemetry agreements and prompted to reboot your Xbox.

Note: Cortana is currently only available in select regions, with more features supported in the US. You can change your language settings to enable more features on Cortana, but some features may not work as intended.

For information on how to disable Cortana, hit the link below.

How to disable Cortana on Xbox One

Using the Cortana app on your Xbox One

To use Cortana directly on your Xbox, you either need a (now discontinued) Kinect or a compatible microphone connected to your console. Any Xbox One compatible headset microphone should work.

1. To trigger Cortana, simply say "Hey Cortana." In my experience, she takes a little while to "warm up" after the first use.

2. Follow up "Hey Cortana" with your voice command.

   With the legacy voice commands, it was usually a good idea to leave a brief pause after saying "Xbox." It seems less necessary to do that with Cortana on Xbox One. Simply saying "Hey Cortana is Daniel Rubino online?" should trigger the correct command, even without a pause after "Hey Cortana."

List of Xbox-specific Cortana or Alexa commands

When you're using Cortana directly on your Xbox One, you need only say "Hey Cortana," followed by your command. If you're using a connected smart speaker or mobile device with Alexa or Cortana, you need to say "Hey Alexa/Cortana, tell Xbox to" or "ask Xbox to," followed by your command.

Turn on your Xbox

• "Turn on my Xbox."
• "Start my Xbox."
• "Xbox on."
• "Turn on."

Turn off your Xbox

• "Turn off my Xbox."
• "Turn off."
• "Xbox off."
• "Reboot."

Capturing game footage

• "Take a screenshot."
• "Broadcast."
• "Stop broadcasting."
• "Record that."
• "Record the last (number) minutes."

Find out what your friends are currently doing

• "What is (Gamertag / real name) doing?"
• "Is (Gamertag / real name) online?"

Invite friends into parties

• "Invite (Gamertag / real name) into a party."
• "Start a party with (Gamertag / real name)."

Send messages

• "Send a message to (Gamertag / real name)."

Select items on screen

• "Select."
• "Make a selection."
• "Select mode."
• When you've finished making a selection, say "stop listening."

Open apps and games

• "Open (app/game name)."
• "Go to (app/game name)."

• "Snap (app name)."

  Note: Universal apps like Baconit and Cast currently cannot be snapped.

Switch between and close snapped apps

• "Switch."
• "Change view."
• "Unsnap."

Media controls

• "Pause."
• "Play."
• "Rewind."
• "Fast forward."

TV controls

• "Watch/go to TV."
• "Watch (channel name)."
• "Open/show OneGuide."
• "Volume up (number)."
• "Volume down (number)."

• "Mute."

  Note: Some TV-specific commands require either the Xbox One S, X, or Kinect's IR blaster to function.

General navigation

• "Go home." To return to the dashboard.
• "Go back." To cycle backward through previous actions.
• "Show/open menu." To open menus in certain apps.
• "Show/open guide." To open the Xbox quick guide.
• "Show/open notifications."
• "Show/go to my Friends List."

Signing in

• "Sign in as (Gamertag/name)."
• "Sign out."

Search the Xbox Store

• "Search the store for (app/game name)."
• "Search the store for (movie/tv show name)."

Help

• "What can I say?"

Redeem a code

• "Redeem a code."

Pairing a specific speaker to a specific console

• "Pair my device."

List of Bing-powered Cortana Xbox One commands

If your console region is set to the US or the UK, you can perform dozens of commands and queries using Cortana's cloud-powered search engine. If you have a Windows 10 PC, you are likely already familiar with these commands, but if not, here's some of the most useful. These commands seem to only work while using Cortana directly on your Xbox One, rather than via a speaker.

Internet search

• "Search the web for (search query)."

Open websites in Microsoft Edge

• "Go to (website.com)."

Weather queries

• "What's the weather like in (location)?"
• "What's the weather like at the moment?"

Dictionary

• "What's the meaning of (word)?"
• "Define (word)."

Time

• "What's the time in (location)?"
• "What time is it?"

Calculations

• "Convert 10 kilograms into stone."
• "Convert 15 American dollars into British pounds."
• "What's 10 multiplied by 10?"
• "What's 5 divided by 3?"

Directions

• "How do I get to (location)?"
• "How far away is (location)?"
• "How do I get from (location) to (location)?"

Facts

• "How old is (famous person)?"
• "What is (company's) share price?"
• "Who was the director of (movie)?"

Fun stuff

• "Tell me a joke."
• "Tell me a riddle."
• "Sing me a song."
• "Do an impression."
• "Tell me something interesting."
• "Tell me something funny."
• "Tell me a scary story."

There are dozens of additional commands Cortana can perform and even some hidden ones. You can say to Cortana "what can you do?" to get more suggestions, and sometimes she'll make her own suggestions when she's snapped.

Bookmark this article and check back for future updates on how Cortana and Alexa work on Xbox One, as we'll be consolidating all the latest information into this piece.

What's your favorite Cortana or Alexa command? Are there any missing from this list? Do you have any questions? Let us know in the comments!

Need more?

• How to turn Cortana on the Xbox One off and on
• Best smart speakers for Xbox One

Update October 2, 2018: We've updated this article with information on how to get started with Cortana and Alexa-powered smart speakers.

Best answer: The Logitech C922 is one of the best webcams to use with a Windows PC, and that includes for Skype.

Amazon: Logitech C922 ($80)

Plug and play support for all Windows apps

The Logitech C922 is a simple plug and play affair on a Windows PC. That is, as soon as you connect it to your computer over USB, Windows will recognize it as a camera.

That, in turn, means apps which can use a camera can see the webcam, including Skype. With Skype specifically, you have an option in the app's settings menu to test the video before you use it to make sure everything is working OK.

It doesn't need drivers, but there are some companion apps that will help you get the most from it. One allows you to remove the background through software like a virtual green screen, though it's fairly processor intensive.

The Logitech C922 has a built-in microphone

This webcam has not just one microphone, either, but two, so you can deliver stereo audio. They're positioned on either side of the webcam, and while you won't be recording a podcast or anything with them, the built-in microphones will sound great if you're video conferencing or recording a Skype call.

Choose between 720p or 1080p video

Being able to change resolution is important if you're struggling with bandwidth issues, but you still want to look good. The C922 delivers great quality video with solid backlight enhancements and will do 720p or 1080p video in Skype.

At 720p you can up the frame rate to 60 FPS, while at 1080p you'll be limited to 30 FPS. Whichever you choose, Skype will handle it with no problems and you'll look just grand to folks at the other end.

Our pick

Logitech C922

$80 from Amazon

One of the best webcams for Skype.

While great for Skype, the C922 is also just one of the best webcams you can buy for a Windows PC. It ticks all the boxes.

Now's a good time to pull out of the Windows Insider Program — here's why, and two ways to do it.

Microsoft is releasing the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809), and this means that now is a good time to opt-out of the Windows Insider Program.

The Insider program was created to allow enthusiasts and developers to get early access to new features and enhancements to provide feedback and help to shape the future of Windows 10. Although the latest builds have been more stable, as the October 2018 Update is released, Microsoft is mergeing the previews of the 19H1 development already available in the Skip Ahead into the Fast ring, and as a result, devices will once again start getting unstable, buggy, and incomplete builds.

If you don't want to be part of that, or you want to use a stable release for a change, it's possible to pull out of the Windows Insider Program without having to modify your current installation. The reason is that at the time the October 2018 Update is signed off as final, during a short period, both the public release and the latest preview build share the same version of the code.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to safely remove your device from the Windows Insider Program without losing your files, settings, and apps. Also, we look at the steps to opt-out even after installing new previews for the next version of the OS.

• How to opt-out of the Windows Insider Program before new version releases
• How to opt-out of the Windows Insider Program after new version releases

How to opt-out of the Windows Insider Program before a new version releases

If you want to take a break from buggy test previews, and you want to stay in the stable version of Windows 10, you can gracefully opt-out of the Windows Insider Program using these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Update & Security.
3. Click on Windows Insider Program.

4. Click the Stop Insider Preview builds button.

5. Select the Keep giving me builds until the next Windows release option (or the Stop Insider builds completely option).

6. Click the Confirm button.
7. Click the Restart Now button.

Once you've completed the steps, future test previews, part of the October 2018 Update development, will continue to install automatically. However, as soon as the new version is complete, your computer will gracefully pull out of the program, and it'll continue to receive cumulative updates just like any other machine.

These instructions will work as long as you do this before the Fast ring merges with the Skip Ahead previews. If you don't remove your device on time, and new builds for the 19H1 development become available, your computer will continue to install them, and the steps outlined above will not work to stay on version 1809.

How to opt-out of the Windows Insider Program after a new version releases

Alternatively, it's possible to opt-out of the Windows Insider Program without losing your apps, settings, and files after installing the first preview for Windows 10 19H1 once the October update releases, but you'll need to go through some additional steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Update & security.
3. Click on Recovery.

4. Under "Go back to the previous version of Windows 10," click the Get started button.

5. Select any reason from the list.

6. Click the Next button.

7. Click the No, thanks button.

8. Click the Next button.

9. Click the Next button again.

10. Click the Go back to earlier build button.

11. Open Settings again after your device is back to version 1809.
12. Click on Update & Security.

13. Click the Stop Insider Preview Builds button.

14. Select the Keep giving me builds until the next Windows release option (or the Stop Insider builds completely option).

15. Click the Confirm button.
16. Click the Restart Now button.

After completing the steps, your device will no longer download and install preview builds, your device will stay in the October 2018 Update, and you'll continue to receive cumulative updates.

If the option to go back to the previous version isn't available in the Settings app, then the only way to opt-out of the Windows Insider Program is to perform a clean installation of Windows 10.

The only thing that you need to be aware of is that Windows 10 automatically deletes the backup of the previous version after ten days. This means that the instructions outlined above will only work during the week and a half since your device installed the first build of Windows 10 19H1.

Are you thinking on opting out of the program or will you continue testing previews for the next version of Windows 10? Tell us in the comments.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Running low on space after upgrading to the October 2018 Update? Here are the steps to clean up the drive to reclaim the storage.

On Windows 10, the October 2018 Update (version 1809) installation process makes a copy of the current setup in the event that your device needs to undo the changes as a result of problems during the upgrade.

Although it's a useful mechanism to protect your data from unexpected problems, the backup files (residing inside the Windows.old folder) can use a relatively large amount of space. If you delete these files, you can reclaim around 20GB of space, which can be a substantial amount if you have a device with limited storage.

If you're confident that Windows 10 version 1809 is running smoothly, or you're running out of available space, you can use the Settings app or the Disk Cleanup tool (for now) to get the space back.

In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through three methods to get rid of the previous installation files to free space on your computer's hard drive.

• How to free up space post-upgrade using Storage sense
• How to free up space post-upgrade using Temporary files
• How to free up space post-upgrade using Disk Cleanup

Important: The previous installation files are required to rollback to an earlier version. If you remove the backup files, and later, you need to go back to a previous version, the only way to rollback is performing a clean installation of the older version of Windows 10.

How to free up space post-upgrade using Storage sense

Once you upgrade to the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, you can use Storage sense to delete the previous installation files using these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Storage.

4. Under "Storage sense," click the Change how we free up space automatically link.

5. Under "Free up space now," check the Delete previous versions of Windows option.

6. Click the Clean now button.

After completing these steps, the previous installation of Windows will be deleted from your device, along with other temporary files you may have selected, freeing up space for more important files.

How to free space post-upgrade using Temporary files

Storage sense also includes additional disk cleanup options that allow you to remove the backup files to rollback to the previous version, as well as other temporary files.

To reclaim hard drive space on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Storage.

4. Under "Storage sense," click the Free up space now link.

5. Under "Remove temporary files," check the Previous Windows installation(s) option.

   Quick Tip: While on this page, you can also select other temporary files you want to remove to reclaim even more storage.

6. Click the Remove files button.

Once you complete these steps, the Windows.old folder, along with other temporary files you may have selected, will be permanently deleted from your device.

How to free up space post-upgrade using Disk Cleanup

Although Microsoft is retiring the legacy Disk Cleanup feature, it's still possible to use this tool to delete the previous installation files after an upgrade using these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Disk Cleanup, click the top result to open the experience.

3. Click the Clean up system files button.

4. Check the Previous Windows installation(s) option.

   Quick Tip: While in Disk Cleanup, you can also select other junk files (such as Windows upgrade log files, Diagnostic data viewer database files, Delivery Optimization Files, Recycle Bin, etc.) that you want to delete to free up even more space.

5. Click the OK button.

After completing the steps, similar to using the Storage sense settings, the previous installation files will be deleted from your computer giving you several extra gigabytes of storage.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Best answer: The C922 is great value, but its predecessor the C920 is almost identical and a fair bit less expensive, so it's the one to go for if you're on a budget.

Amazon: Logitech C920 ($58)

Almost identical to the Logitech C922

As the numbers in the names might suggest, the C922 is a successor to the C920, which for a long time was the best all-round webcam for Windows PCs and a favorite of streamers.

The C920 is capable of delivering great quality video at both 720p and 1080p, but unlike the C922, is limited to 30 FPS in both cases. You also don't have the background removal software on the C920 as you do with the C922.

Like the C922, it has stereo microphones, though streamers likely will still want to use a dedicated mic for maximum quality, and it also has the same built-in backlight enhancement you get on the C922.

Compatible with all major streaming software

Like the C922, the C920 is entirely plug-and-play with a Windows PC and a byproduct of that is you'll encounter no issues using it with all the major streaming applications. Whether you use OBS, XSplit, Streamlabs OBS, Elgato Game Capture, AVerMedia RECentral, or something else, the C920 will work at up to 1080p resolution in all of them.

Pair with a green screen for best effect

One of the big, streamer-friendly features of the C922 is that you can remove the background with software and simulate a green screen. You can't do that with the C920, but you're not really missing out, so don't worry. It's a pretty processor intensive thing to do, and the effect isn't close to as good as using a proper green screen.

So as with anyone using the C922, our recommendation is to pair the C920 with a green screen if you want to make your stream look better without your background clutter!

Our pick

Logitech C920

$58 from Amazon

$30 cheaper and almost the same.

The Logitech C920 is almost identical to the C922 save for a couple of minor features and at $30 cheaper, it's the one to pick for streamers on a budget.

Uncover hidden treasures of the British countryside with our guide to Forza Horizon 4 barn finds.

Microsoft has debuted its latest entry in the Forza Horizon series, taking the fanatical festival to the roads of Britain. Like its predecessors, Forza Horizon 4 features a dense open world, packed with motoring events and vehicles to uncover. The mysterious "Barn Finds" also return, providing the chance to secure long-forgotten treasures scattered throughout the countryside.

Forza Horizon 4 features 15 barn finds in total, yet the full collection isn't available from launch. Some barn finds are harder to locate than before, while new seasonal barns rotate weekly alongside the game world. We've broken down every Forza Horizon 4 barn find, and how to locate it yourself.

See at AmazonSee at Microsoft Store

1983 Audi Sport Quattro

The 1983 Audi Sport Quattro is an icon of German engineering, best performing in road and rally. This gem can be found just south-east of the slate quarry, in a small forest beside the Derwent Reservoir.

1986 Ford Escort RS Turbo

This aged RS Turbo can be found high in the sky, west of the Glen Rannoch signage on the world map. Ascend among the highlands and head to the indicated location, which leads to a 1986 Ford Escort RS Turbo and a breathtaking view.

1993 Jaguar XJ220

One of our list's first true British classics is the 1993 Jaguar XJ220, offering a modern take on the timeless luxury of Jaguar design. Head down a small private road just east of Ambleside to find this vehicle's resting place.

1961 Jaguar E-Type S1

Heading south-east of Tarn Hows, players will stumble upon the 1961 Jaguar E-Type S1. This locale can be found nearby a small body of water, hidden among the depths of the trees.

1997 Lotus Elise GT1

Exploring the south-west forest surrounding the slate quarry will uncover the not-so-long-lost 1997 Lotus Elise GT1. Venturing only slightly away from the pit ledge will uncover this admired touring car, among the best of the barn find vehicles.

1966 MG MGB GT

Another British classic, the 1966 MG MGB GT, can be found deep in the fields of Astmoor. After driving to the designated location, follow the line of trees bordering the field to find the barn.

1965 Mini Cooper S

The 1965 Mini Cooper S can be found south-west of Derwent Water. Just off the waterside, the barn is among a small area of trees.

1998 Subaru Impreza 22B STI

This formidable rally car is found along the southern side of Lakehurst Forest, among dense foliage. You'll find a small opening containing the bar, unlocking the 1998 Subaru Impreza 22B STI.

1962 Triumph Spitfire

The 1962 Triumph Spitfire can be hard to find unless you know where to look. Head to the east side of the Express railyard, looking for a group of trees surrounding the barn.

1998 TVR Cerbera Speed 12

The Greendale Airstrip stows the 1998 TVR Cerbera Speed 12, located just east of the runway. Visiting the indicated location, find the barn running against a line of trees.

1930 Bentley Blower

The 1930 Bentley Blower is the hardest barn find to obtain in Forza Horizon 4, requiring some hefty playtime. This vehicle is a property exclusive, locked behind the purchase of "Bamburgh Castle" on the east coast. Priced at 10,000,000 CR, it requires some heavy investments to unlock the barn. However, once acquired, the barn is just a few meters down the coastline.

Summer Season Exclusive - 1962 Peel P50 (Summer exclusive)

Forza Horizon 4's dynamic seasons are a key draw of the new entry, meaning an ever-changing landscape every week. Summer-exclusive cars like the 1962 Peel P50 will return every four weeks on Friday. Once summer returns, head to the forest between Ashbrook and Uffington White Horse to uncover this tiny vehicle.

1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato (Fall exclusive)

Like other season-exclusive cars, the 1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato is only available in the fall. Just a short drive south of the Horizon Festival Site, this is an easy find once the season turns.

Winter-exclusive barn find

Once the temperature drops, an unknown car will hit the streets of Edinburgh. Details on this car are limited, though we'll update this guide as more information surfaces.

Spring-exclusive barn find

We're also yet to see any information on Forza Horizon 4's spring barn find. We'll have more details once the season comes around.

Your thoughts

Which Forza Horizon 4 barn finds have you tracked down? Drop into the comments with your discoveries. Alternatively, Forza Horizon 4 is now available, starting at $59.99.

See at AmazonSee at Microsoft Store

Microsoft's latest version of Windows 10 appears to be wiping out users' data. If you're planning to upgrade, remember to create a full backup before proceeding. Just in case.

The Window 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809) is now available for download, but along with the new features and improvements, it appears that some users are not having a smooth upgrade experience.

Shortly after the new version became available as a manual download (using the Media Creation Tool, Update Assistant, and Windows Update) several users started reporting that the upgrade process is wiping out their documents, pictures, and other personal files along with previously installed programs.

Sometimes, when you perform an upgrade to a new version of Windows 10, the setup may move the user files to the previous installation backup located inside the "Windows.old" folder. However, according to those users experiencing sudden data loss, they looked everywhere, and their personal files are nowhere to be found.

On Reddit, user tksn said:

I downloaded the assistant, and it started downloading. When I woke up this morning the download AND the install had finished (might be a bit scary to some, but okay - I was going to upgrade anyway). I then proceeded to go about my daily routine. Upon opening my music mixing program, I noticed something strange. Some of the packaged content had disappeared, and so had my user library. Upon further inspection of the containing folders ("C:\Users\Public\Documents" and "C:\Users\user\Documents") the files had suddenly completely vanished.

In a separate thread, user mrStov3 shared a similar story:

I finished the update and restarted my PC. Upon arriving at the desktop, I quickly realized that several files and programs were missing. I grabbed a cold beer in anticipation of the rage to follow. Programs like Spotify and Discord were gone (no big deal, redownloaded) but I also found that all of my Rainmeter skins and files were COMPLETELY gone, along with EVERYTHING FROM PICTURES AND DOCUMENTS.

User Nordrynn at Reddit complained about the same problem:

So after updating I discovered that my documents, pictures, music, videos are gone.

In addition, at the official Microsoft forums, Robert Ziko reveals:

"I have just updated my windows using the October update (10, version 1809) it deleted all my files of 23 years in amount of 220gb. This is unbelievable, I have been using Microsoft products since 1995 and nothing like that ever happened to me."

Although not everyone is detailing the steps they used for the upgrade, which could be one of the reasons for data loss, user tksn said that this happened using the Update Assistant tool.

We're not sure if these are just a few isolated cases and how many users are affected, but this should be taken as a reminder of the importance of creating a backup of your computer before going through any upgrade. Here's how to do just that.

How to create a full backup on Windows 10

If you're planning to upgrade manually, you can use the following the steps to create a full backup of your computer before proceeding with the installation of the October 2018 Update:

To create a backup using Windows 10's system image tool, you need to connect an external storage with enough available space and then use these steps:

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Click on System and Security.

3. Click on Backup and Restore (Windows 7).

4. On the left pane, click the Create a system image link.

5. Under "Where do you want to save the backup?" select the On a hard disk option.

6. Using the "On a hard disk" drop-down menu, select the storage to save the backup.

7. Click the Start backup button.

After completing the steps, the wizard will proceed to create a full backup of your computer, which you can use to recover your files and previous installation if Windows 10 version 1809 causes any problems. (You can backup your data using these alternative methods.)

If your device still hasn't received the new version, remember that you can delay the upgrade until you know for sure that data loss and other problems have been resolved. You can also check out our troubleshooting guide to help fix common problems during the upgrade process.

Are you experiencing any issues with the new version of Windows 10? Tell us in the comments.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Windows 10 introduces a new clipboard experience, and in this guide, we'll show you how to use it.

On Windows 10, you've been able to copy and paste text and images for a long time, but it's been an experience somewhat limited that only supported copying one piece of content at a time and no interface to view the things you copied.

To overcome these limitations and to make the experience more useful, starting with the October 2018 Update, Windows 10 introduces a new clipboard that tracks the text and images (up to 4MB) that you copy. Also, you can finally view and paste content from the clipboard history, and even pin items that you copy and paste more frequently.

In addition, leveraging the same cloud technology use to sync your Timeline content, your clipboard history can now roam and be accessible across all your devices.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to set up and use the new cloud-powered clipboard experience included with the October 2018 Update.

• How to enable clipboard on Windows 10
• How to sync clipboard history on Windows 10
• How to clear clipboard history on Windows 10
• How to use clipboard on Windows 10

How to enable clipboard on Windows 10

On Windows 10 version 1809, you can enable the new clipboard experience using the Settings app and the new keyboard shortcut.

Enabling clipboard using Settings

To enable clipboard in the Settings app, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Clipboard.

4. Turn on the Clipboard history toggle switch.

Enabling clipboard using a shortcut

Alternatively, to enable clipboard using a keyboard shortcut, use these steps:

1. Use the Windows key + V keyboard shortcut.

2. Click the Turn on button.

After completing the steps, you can start using the clipboard experience and manage many other settings.

Disabling clipboard on Windows 10

The clipboard history device using the sis disabled by default, but you can check or disable it if the feature is turned on using these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Clipboard.

4. Turn off the Clipboard history toggle switch.

Once you've completed the steps, the new clipboard experience will no longer be available without affecting the old clipboard functionality.

How to sync clipboard history on Windows 10

Perhaps one of the most interesting features about the new clipboard is the ability to paste text and images on your other devices. However, for privacy reasons, it's a feature that you must enable and configure manually using these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Clipboard.

4. Under "Sync across devices," turn on the toggle switch.

5. Select the automatic syncing option you want to use:

   • Automatically sync text that I copy: Your clipboard history will sync to the cloud and across your devices.
   • Never automatically sync text that I copy: You must manually open the clipboard history and select the content you want to make available across devices.

After completing the steps, your content history will sync to the cloud and across devices using the settings you specified.

How to clear clipboard history on Windows 10

If you want to delete your clipboard history because you no longer want to use experience or something isn't working correctly, and you want to reset the history to see if that fixes the problem, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Clipboard.

4. Under "Clear clipboard data," click the Clear button.

Once you've completed the steps, your clipboard content will be deleted from your device and Microsoft account, but pinned items will remain in the history until you remove them manually.

If you're looking to delete one or two clips, instead of clearing the entire history, you can open the Windows key + V experience, and click the X button for each content you want to delete. Alternatively, you can also click the Clear all button in the history interface to erase the list.

How to use clipboard on Windows 10

Although the new clipboard introduces a new interface and several new features, it's not an experience complicated to use.

The new clipboard complements the old experience that you already know. Once you upgrade to the October 2018 Update, you can still use the Ctrl + C shortcut to copy and the Ctrl + V shortcut to paste. The same is true using the right-click context menu.

However, you can now use the Windows key + V shortcut to bring up the new clipboard history. In this new interface, you'll find a list of items (such as text and images) that you have copied from different applications, such as Microsoft Word, Snip & Sketch, OneNote, etc.

If you want to copy and paste content from your history, use these steps:

1. Select the text or image from an application.
2. Right-click the selection, and click the Copy or Cut option.
3. Open the document you want to paste the content.

4. Use the Windows key + V shortcut to open the clipboard history.

5. Select the content you want to paste.

You can also pin the items that you paste frequently for faster access using these steps:

1. Use the Windows key + V shortcut to open the clipboard history.

2. Click the Pin button for the content you paste frequently.

When you no longer need the content, click the button again to unpin or the X button to delete the item.

Using the clipboard history, there are some obvious limitations as no everything you copy will appear in the history or sync across devices. For example, you can copy the name of a file, but copying a file to move it to another location will not appear in the history.

Also, the cloud clipboard supports images, but only if you copy the image within a document. You cannot copy an image file and expect it to appear in the history or sync across devices.

Wrapping things up

Although the new clipboard experience can sync your history across devices, you can only access your history on computers running Windows 10 version 1809 or later and when using the same Microsoft account.

If you choose to enable this feature, make sure that you also understand the potential security risks. For example, if you're one of those that usually copy sensitive information (such as passwords, addresses, names, etc.), anything you copy to the clipboard will store in plain text, and anyone with access to your computer will now be able to see this information by just using the Windows key + V shortcut. In addition, if you enable the sync option, you'll also be uploading your history to the Microsoft servers.

What do you think about the new clipboard experience on Windows 10? Are you enabling the syncing option too? Let us know in the comments.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Windows Defender Security Center is now simply "Windows Security," and these are all the new improvements coming with the October 2018 Update.

Starting with the October 2018 Update (version 1809), Windows 10 is renaming the Windows Security Center app to "Windows Security," and with a new name, you're also getting a new set of new changes to help you keep your data and devices protected against the toughest malware and malicious individuals.

In this new version, Windows Security includes some interface tweaks using Fluent Design elements. Some of the settings have been re-organized and updated to make it easier to use. Additionally, you'll find several improvements with Windows Defender Application Guard (WDAG) and more.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll take a look at the new features and changes included with the Windows Security app available with the October 2018 Update.

Windows Security improvements

Here are the most important changes shipping in this new version of Windows Security:

Home

In this new release, the dashboard is receiving an update that brings the Fluent Design Reveal effect when hovering items throughout the experience.

When jumping between pages, you'll notice that the left pane includes a notch that takes the system color to indicate the page you're viewing, and the title of the page no longer changes color when hovering over it.

Starting with Windows 10 version 1809, each section of Windows Security includes a new column on the right surfacing links to common questions and help.

Virus & threat protection

The Virus & threat protection page and sub-pages are getting a number of tweaks.

For example, in the "Current threat" section, you'll now see more information about the most recent scan, and the "Run a new advanced scan" link has been renamed to "Scan options."

Starting with the October 2018 Update, you no longer have to click the section title to access additional settings. Now, each section includes a dedicate link within the section to access these pages (for example, "Threat history,""Manage settings,""Check for updates," and "Manage ransomware protection").

Scan options

Inside the Scan options page, you'll now find information about the most recent malware scan, and along with the list of options, you can now select and perform a quick scan.

Threat history

On the Threat history page, you won't find new features, but the page also now includes information about the last scan.

Ransomware protection

The Ransomware protection page includes the settings to enable and manage Controlled folder access — a feature that prevents ransomware and other types of malware from hijacking your device and data.

Starting with version 1809, the settings on this page have been updated to give you a new option to allow apps that have been blocked without having to completely disable the feature.

To allow an app, click the Add an allowed app button, choose the Recently blocked apps option, and select the app you want to allow.

Firewall & network protection

As part of the improvements for the default firewall available in Windows 10, in this updated version of Windows Security, you'll also find minor additions, such as the ability to add rules for windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) processes when using the default firewall in Windows 10.

In addition, the firewall now will show notifications for Windows System for Linux processes.

Device performance & health

The Device performance & health page isn't getting significant changes, but if Windows 10 detects the wrong time is set on your device, and time-syncing is disabled, you'll now see an option to re-enable it under "Health report" to show the correct time in the clock.

Windows Defender Application Guard

Windows Defender Application Guard is a feature designed to sandbox web pages on Microsoft Edge to provide an additional layer of security to protect your device from malware and zero-day attacks.

In this new release, the security feature is introducing several improvements, including performance enhancements to make the experience feel faster and smoother on Microsoft Edge.

You can download files from a Windows Defender Application Guard session, but this feature is only available for Windows 10 Enterprise, and it's an option that you need to enable manually.

Windows Security now includes an interface to enable and configure Windows Defender Application Guard without you having to modify the Registry. Additionally, if your computer is an organization-managed device, you'll now be able to check the settings that have been configured by your IT administrator.

The new settings are available on supported versions of Windows 10, and they can be found in the App & browser control page, under the "Isolated browsing" section.

Image source: Microsoft

If it's available on your installation, you can enable the feature by clicking the Install Windows Defender Application Guard option, and after the installation, you'll need to restart your computer. Then you can configure the different features selecting the Change Application Guard settings link form "App & browser control."

Image source: Microsoft

Settings

In the Windows Security Settings page, you'll notice a new "Security providers" section that allows you to see a list of all the security software running on your computer, including antivirus, firewall, and web protection.

Also, the page offers easy access to security apps, and details to resolve potential issues reported by Windows Security.

In the Settings page, you'll not longer find the options to control notifications. However, you can still manage notifications for the antivirus, account protection, and firewall by accessing the new Manage notifications page.

Finally, at the bottom of the Settings page, there's an Answer forum link, which takes you to the Microsoft forums website, where you can ask questions to configure, troubleshoot, and fix problems using the updated Windows Security app.

Wrapping things up

This time around, we're not getting significant features with the Windows Security app. However, Microsoft is introducing a lot of tweaks, minor changes, and visual improvements with the October 2018 Update that should help make the experience a little easier to use by everyone, which is also key to help keep devices and data secure against hackers and malware.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

The series' very own Nemesis System.

Assassin's Creed Odyssey introduces its own Mercenary System that's a spin on Assassin's Creed 2's Notoriety mechanic combined with the Nemesis System from Warner Bros.' Middle-earth series. Since it's new to the Assassin's Creed franchise, we'll break down how it works in Odyssey and what it means to you.

• What is the Mercenary System?
• What do the tiers mean?
• How do I move up or down between tiers?
• How can I find mercenaries?
• What kind of information can I gain from the menu?
• Can I avoid being hunted?

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What is the Mercenary System?

When you commit illegal acts, a bounty will be placed on your head that mercenaries in the world will attempt to cash in on. The more illegal acts you commit, the higher your bounty will be. It's a game of cat and mouse as you try to kill them off before they hunt you.

These mercenaries exist in the world whether you have a bounty on you or not, however, they will only actively hunt you once your bounty reaches a certain point on its scale. Think of it like something similar to Grand Theft Auto's Wanted Level, but instead of a five-star scale, Odyssey uses a five-mercenary helmet scale.

What do the tiers mean?

On the Mercenaries section of your menu, you'll notice nine different tiers, with Tier 9 being the weakest and Tier 1 being the strongest. Like the Nemesis System, the Mercenary System is dynamic in that mercenaries can move up or down within the ranks depending on power shifts that occur. If you take out one mercenary, another will take their place.

Because of Odyssey's level scaling, the weakest mercenaries will always be close to your own level. Despite this, the most powerful mercenaries can be dozens of levels higher than you. Though most tiers are comprised of five mercenaries, Tier 1 only has one, and this mercenary is at level 50.

How do I move up or down between tiers?

To move up between tiers, you need to eliminate more powerful mercenaries. If a mercenary kills you, you'll fall lower in the ranking.

How can I find mercenaries?

You can discover most mercenaries throughout the world by either learning about them through NPCs or by crossing paths with them while out exploring. So long as you don't have an active bounty on you, these mercenaries will not be hostile if you are in sight.

Certain mercenaries will require you to enter the fighting Arena to take them out.

What kind of information can I gain from the menu?

Aside from displaying a mercenary's level, you can also view where they are located within the world (so long as you have previously discovered them), their resistances and weaknesses, and what type of loot you'll receive upon killing them.

Can I avoid being hunted?

Yes! If you don't like the Mercenary System at all and don't want to deal with the constant threat looming over your head, you can pay off your own bounty.

In our review, we called Assassin's Creed Odyssey "another win for Ubisoft's leading design team."

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Don't let Odyssey's naval gameplay get you down.

One of the most contentious features of the Assassin's Creed franchise is undoubtedly its naval gameplay. Whether you love it or hate it, you likely have a strong opinion on its inclusion in any entry. To some's dismay, naval combat and gameplay made a return to the series once again in Assassin's Creed Odyssey. If you're one of the people who happens to loathe this, we'll give you some tips to make sailing the Aegean Sea as painless and unobtrusive to your adventure as possible.

• Upgrading your ship
• Avoiding conflicts
• Battle tactics

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Upgrading your ship

Assassin's Creed Odyssey isn't quite as naval-focused as Black Flag was, but you'll still want to take good care of your ship, the Adrestia, for when you do run into trouble. Like in previous Assassin's Creed games, you can upgrade your ship with various resources found throughout the environment. The upgrade system isn't as deep as the one found within Black Flag, so this makes doing so a whole lot easier.

Over on the Ship section of your menu, you'll see it's divided into five parts: Arsenal, Weapons Damage, Ship & Crew Endurance, Special Lieutenants, and Ship Cosmetics. The main categories you'll want to focus your upgrades in are Ship & Crew Endurance as well as Weapons Damage. Special Lieutenants give minor stat boosts, but none that make a noticeable difference if you try your best to avoid confrontation on the water. In regards to your Arsenal, you get by most of the game just keeping it at the bare minimum.

With Ship & Crew Endurance, focus on the Hull. Boosting this stat will improve the Adrestia's resistance to damage by increasing its overall health and armor. If you find yourself under heavy fire a lot, also consider upgrading your Crew Armor to improve your bracing damage reduction.

As for Weapons Damage, focus on the Arrows and the Ram. While upgrading your Arrows may seem like a no brainer, the Ram is just as important. In Odyssey, players can cleave ships in half by ramming through them. A better Ram means a better chance of doing so, completely ending some fights before they may even start.

If you're still having trouble after focusing on those upgrades, that's when you should turn to upgrading your Arsenal, which will give you additional Arrow Volleys and Javelin Throws along with Fire Braziers.

Gathering resources

Though you can gain resources like wood and iron metal from plundering ships, you can also do so by just wandering around on land. Resources are abundant in the world, you can hardly go a minute without running across some olive wood and various stones. There's enough to snatch up while you're out exploring that you shouldn't need to go out of your way too often to get them. And there are plenty of animals you can hunt and kill in one shot to obtain soft leather.

The only resource that you may need to worry about are Ancient Tablets. These contain long lost engineering wisdom that boost the Adrestia's power when used in upgrades, and usually, every upgrade will consume a few of them. These can be found in ancient ruins or temples, making them more difficult to obtain as they will be guarding by a few enemies.

Avoiding conflicts

You can avoid the sea for as long as possible, but certain sections are unavoidable. You will be required to sail your ship one way or another, and even take out some blockades. Because Odyssey is set during a time of great conflict at the beginning of the Peloponnesian War, you'll find yourself frequently attacked by pirate ships. You won't often encounter friendly ships to come to your aid; everyone is out to get you. Luckily, you can mitigate this problem and avoid naval combat for the most part.

You can boost the Adrestia to its top speed for a short amount of time, allowing you to outrun any threats. It's quite simple to just skirt around most ships and continue on your way. They will give chase for a brief period and you may need to brace your ship for arrows every so often, but your enemies eventually give up without you being any worse for wear.

Battle Tactics

If you find yourself surrounding by several enemy ships, target the weaker ones first or whichever already has less health. Don't try to take them on all at once or you'll easily become overwhelmed. Doing small bits of damage to several ships is less effective then dealing a big dose of damage to one. Maneuver your ship and pick them off one by one and your time on the Aegean Sea will be a lot less painful.

So long as you don't sink a ship, you can board it just like in Black Flag. After killing its crew and looting its cargo, the Adrestia will gain back its health, meaning you won't be stuck battling the rest of your enemies with only a fraction of health.

It's a bit of a slow process, but it's one that makes the whole ordeal less frustrating and more manageable. Take out one ship, replenish the Adrestia's health, rinse and repeat.

Sparta Kick

What would a game set in ancient Greece be without the good ole Sparta Kick ability? It's more useful than just letting you live out your 300 fantasies. By kicking an enemy off of a ship you'll avoid needing to fight them. While soldiers can technically swim and will stay alive after you do so, they will not rejoin the fight onboard, letting you complete the entire boarding process without breaking a sweat.

And let's be honest, it's just a fun ability to use.

In our review, we called Assassin's Creed Odyssey "another win for Ubisoft's leading design team."

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The Microsoft Edge learning tools can improve your reading experience when browsing the web or reading a book. Here's how to use them.

Alongside its web browsing features, Microsoft Edge also includes learning tools that can help you to improve your reading experience regardless of your age and ability.

These learning tools are available when reading a website in Reading View or EPUB books, and they implement a number of techniques known to boost reading fluency and comprehension.

While the tools have been available on Microsoft Edge for a long time, starting with the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809), the browser introduces a lot of improvements.

In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the steps to get started with the Microsoft Edge learning features to improve your reading experience with the October 2018 Update.

How to use Microsoft Edge learning tools

The learning tools are available for websites that you're viewing using Reading View, or when reading EPUB books locally stored on your device or books that you purchased from the Microsoft Store.

To get started with the tools, use these directions:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Browse to any web article on the web.

3. Click the Reading View button in the address bar.

4. Click anywhere on the page to bring up the toolbar.

5. Click the Learning tools button.

While in the learning tools, you'll notice three tabs, including "Text options,""Grammar tools," and "Reading preferences," all of which include features to help you improve your reading experience.

Text options

In the Text options, you can turn on the Text spacing toggle switch to add wider spacing between letters and words to help improve your reading fluency.

Using the Page themes, you can now select from 22 different background colors that best suit your eyes, which could help prevent eye strain while reading a website or book.

Grammar tools

The Grammar tools tab houses a couple of features to help you improve your reading comprehension. However, these tools aren't available by default, and you need to install them manually by clicking the Get button.

Once the tools are installed, you can enable the Syllables toggle switch to break words into syllables.

Using the Parts of speech option, you can highlight nouns, verbs, and adjectives on a page.

As you turn on the parts of the speech that you want to highlight, using the drop-down menu on the right, you can select a different color to highlight the words.

In addition, at the bottom of the tab, you can check the Show labels option to display a label above the part of the speech that you're highlighting.

The Grammar tools work in English and other languages as long as they are installed on your device.

Reading preferences

On the Reading preferences tab, you'll find the Line focus option that can help you focus on the content you're reading by highlighting one, two, or three lines of text at a time while dimming the rest of the page.

If you enable this feature, you will need to use the controls that appear in the bottom-right corner to move up and down within the page.

While the learning tools are available for books and websites, the Reading preferences are only available when using Reading View.

What do you think about these tools bundled with Microsoft Edge? Tell us in the comments.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Best answer: For most people, Amazon is the easiest place to get a Logitech C922 with frequent deals and a global presence.

Amazon: Logitech C922 ($76)

A global presence

One of the easiest reasons to recommend shopping at an online giant such as Amazon is the global reach. Most of the major locations are covered with their own store.

Not only that, but many items can be shipped internationally from Amazon's main U.S. store or within territories such as Europe. Shipping costs may go up a little, but it's usually a pretty good way to get hold of items that may not be stocked where you are. Plus, you don't have to leave your couch, which is always a plus.

Free shipping with Prime

Amazon Prime is one of the best reasons to shop with Amazon for any product. One of the perks is free shipping, which depending on your location can really help take some of the total price down if you're a member.

If you're not a member, everyone can get a 30-day free trial, so you could still benefit from a great price and free shipping on a C922 webcam.

Use CamelCamelCamel to track prices

CamelCamelCamel may have a silly name but if you're shopping on Amazon it's an invaluable tool to help you find the best prices and deals.

It allows you to compare and track pricing with custom alerts to help you get what you want at the best possible price.

Amazon prices change a lot and the benefit of using a tool like this is that you can track the pricing trend and see how low it has been dropped in relation to the current price.

Our pick

Logitech C922

$76 from Amazon

One of the best webcams at a great price.

Webcams aren't something you can just pick up at any local store, and with fast, free shipping and frequent deals, Amazon is probably the place to get one.

Join the warring Spartans or Athenians on the battlefield.

Assassin's Creed games have taken place during wars before, notably the American and French Revolutions, but Odyssey kicks it up a notch by allowing players to join in on the fray in ways that weren't possible before. We'll break down what exactly these Conquests are and what you'll need to know about them before jumping in.

• What are Conquests?
• How do I participate in a Conquest?
• Which side should I fight for?
• What are my objectives and how do I win?

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What are Conquests?

Conquests are optional, large-scale battles between Athenian and Spartan soldiers that determine which army rules a specific region. When viewing the world map, you'll notice that any region you hover over will either have a blue or red outline, denoting the ruling army, as well as a description displaying its leadership power.

How do I participate in a Conquest?

By weakening the Nation Power of a region, you can take part in these battles. On the map where you see a region's display of its leadership power, there will be a three-tiered bar that shows how fortified or weakened it is. Once weakened enough to a Vulnerable state, you can trigger these Conquests.

Weakening the Nation Power of a region is as simple as killing soldiers that belong to the ruling army, killing the leadership in the area, burning war supplies in forts, and taking out commanders and captains at forts. If a leader in an area remains undiscovered, you can usually find them at their house, which is denoted by a purple icon on the map.

Though a region may have a ruling army, that doesn't always mean that every fort in the region is part of that army. Before you take out a fort, look at the banners hanging across its walls. If they are red, that's a Spartan fort, and if they are blue, it's Athenian. Don't just rush in and kill everyone before realizing you were attacking the wrong fort.

Which side should I fight for?

In the grand scheme of things, which side you fight for doesn't make a huge difference. It all comes down to personal preference, whether you like one side over the other, and this could be affected by certain missions you undertake.

If you're just interested in the biggest reward, then you'll want to fight for the invading side. Though invading is a harder challenge than defending, you are rewarded with more Epic loot and more experience.

How do I win Assassin's Creed Odyssey's conquests?

Each side begins with a set amount of soldiers that are indicated through two bars at the top of the screen. The more soldiers that die, the lower the bar regresses. Your goal is to deplete the enemy's bar before yours runs out.

The battlefield looks chaotic at first, but you shouldn't just rush in and kill the first enemy you see. Instead what you'll want to do is take out the other side's captains, which diminishes their bar even further. Captains are denoted with yellow symbols surrounding their level above their heads. Run around and find these first before focusing on basic foot soldiers. Mercenaries can also join the fray if you have a bounty on your head, so it's best to pay that off first.

In our review, we called Assassin's Creed Odyssey "another win for Ubisoft's leading design team."

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Microsoft Edge now includes an option to stop websites from playing media automatically. In this guide, we show you how to use it.

The Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809) ships with an improved version of Microsoft Edge that bundles new features and a slew of tweaks. Among these new improvements, perhaps the most exciting addition is the ability to control media playback on websites.

One of the most annoying things while browsing the internet are websites that start playing videos automatically. If you're a Microsoft Edge user, starting with version 1809, you can use the new media playback controls to moderate or disable videos from auto-playing entirely for one or all sites.

In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the steps to prevent (or at least limit) websites from playing audio and video automatically without your consent using the new settings available with the new version of Microsoft Edge.

• How to disable video autoplay globally on Microsoft Edge
• How to disable video autoplay per site on Microsoft Edge
• How to allow video autoplay per site on Microsoft Edge

How to disable video autoplay globally on Microsoft Edge

To completely disable websites from playing videos automatically on Microsoft Edge, use these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Click the Settings and more button (Alt + X).

3. Click the Settings option.

4. Click on Advanced.

5. Under "Media autoplay," select the option that best suits your situation:

   • Allow — Keeps media autoplay enabled, letting sites control video playback in the foreground.
   • Limit — Disables media autoplay when videos are muted, but when clicking anywhere on the website will enable autoplay again.
   • Block — Prevents videos from playing automatically until you interact with the video. (The only drawback with this option is that it may not work with all websites as a result of design enforcements.)

Once you complete these steps, websites should no longer play videos automatically depending on the option you selected.

How to disable video autoplay per site on Microsoft Edge

If you're looking to only stop media autoplay on specific sites, use these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Browse to the website you want to restrict playback.
3. Click the Lock button at the left side of the address bar.

4. Under "Website permissions," click the Media autoplay settings link.

5. Use the "Media autoplay" drop-down menu, and select the option that best suits your situation:

   • Allow.
   • Limit.
   • Block.

After completing the steps, refresh the page to load the content again, but this time around you'll control how the site plays videos.

How to allow video autoplay per site on Microsoft Edge

If you're blocking one or every site from playing content automatically, you can use these two ways to change their settings.

Using address bar settings

To quickly allow a website to play videos automatically, use these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Browse to the site you want to control content autoplay.

3. Click the Clear permissions button.

Using Advanced settings

Alternatively, if you're restricting media playback in multiple websites, you can use the Microsoft Edge advanced settings to manage their media autoplay settings using these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Click the Settings and more button (Alt + X).

3. Click the Settings option.

4. Click on Advanced.

5. Under "Website permissions," click the Manage permissions button.

6. Click the X button for the website you want to stop restricting media autoplay.

   Quick Tip: If you want to change its permissions, select the website from the list, and then use the drop-down menu to update the settings.

Once you complete these steps, those websites you allowed will now play audio and video without restrictions.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Notepad is getting updated with Windows 10 version 1809. These are the new improvements.

Alongside the extensive list of tweaks and several new features coming with the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809), Microsoft is also updating the good old Notepad app.

While you won't find a modern interface in this updated version (like in those apps from the Microsoft Store), the note-taking app is getting some highly requested additions that should improve the overall experience, including support for wraparound while using find and replace, support for Unix and Linux line endings (LF) and Macintosh line endings (CR), and zoom.

In this Windows 10 guide, we highlight the most worthy improvements shipping with the Notepad app for the October 2018 Update.

Notepad's new improvements

Here are all the new changes included with Notepad starting with version 1809.

End of Line (EOL) support

Previously, Notepad only supported Windows Carriage Return (CR) and Line Feed (LF) (CRLF) End of Line for text documents. As a result, the note-taking app couldn't display the text of files crafted on macOS, Linux, and Unix with the correct format.

Notepad without macOS, Unix, Linux End of Line support.

However, starting with Windows 10 October 2018 Update, Notepad is getting an update that finally introduces support for Unix and Linux line endings (LF) and Macintosh line endings (CR) to display contents with the correct format.

Notepad with macOS, Unix, Linux End of Line support.

The change doesn't mean you'll be able to create files using the new support, as Notepad will continue to default to the End of Line supported in Windows 10, but you'll now be able to view, modify, and print contents created with other OSes.

Wraparound find and replace

In the past, you've only been able to search or replace text using one word. In this new update, Notepad is adding a "wraparound" option that allows you to search a phrase when using the find or replace dialog box.

Additionally, the app can now remember the values you typed in the box and the options you checked, and it'll populate the next time you open the dialog box automatically. Even further, you can select some text in the document, and when you open the find or replace dialog, the text will automatically be added to the text box.

Search with Bing

If you need to research a word or phrase (for example, a command line), it's now possible to select the text, and find more information using the "Search with Bing" option in the Edit menu.

Alternatively, you can also select the text and use the Ctrl + E keyboard shortcut to quickly get a Bing answer using Microsoft Edge.

Text zooming

Before the October 2018 Update, the only way to make the content of a text file bigger was to change the font size within the format settings. In the new update, the note-taking app is incorporating new zoom options.

Using the View menu, you'll now notice a new Zoom option that allows you to quickly zoom content in and out, including an option to restore the default zoom level.

To avoid extra steps, you can also zoom using the new keyboard shortcuts:

• Ctrl + plus key — Zooms in making the text larger.
• Ctrl + minus key — Zooms out making the text smaller.
• Ctrl + mouse wheel — Zooms in or out depending if you're scrolling forward or backward.
• Ctrl + zero — Restores the default zoom level.

Other Notepad changes

Along with the new improvements, Notepad also introduces some small but useful changes, including the ability to use the Ctrl + backspace key to delete the previous word you typed.

There is a new status bar, which comes enabled by default, and displays the line ending that the text file is using, line and column number with or without word-wrapping enabled, and current zoom level.

In addition, there have been improvements in performance when opening large text files. When saving a file, the line and column number will stop resetting to 1, and the app will correctly display the lines that don't fit on the display.

Wrapping things up

Although nowadays most people use word processing apps and services, such as Microsoft Word and Google Docs, there are still a large number of users who prefer Notepad for editing configuration files, creating scripts, reviewing code, and more. And now, thanks to the new additions, users can be a little more productive, even when working with text files created with other note-taking application in macOS, Linux, and Unix.

What do you think about the Notepad changes included with the Windows 10 October 2018 Update? Tell us in the comments.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Windows 10 can now improve video visibility in a bright environment, and in this guide, you'll learn how to enable the feature.

Alongside the new features and improvements, the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809) also introduces a new viewing mode that aims to improve the visibility of videos when you're in a bright environment.

The new feature works in combination with the ambient sensor on your computer, and when enabled, it detects the lighting of the environment and adjust the video brightness accordingly.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to enable the new feature included with the October 2018 Update to adjust the brightness automatically when watching videos depending on the lighting around you.

How to enable automatic brightness for videos on Windows 10

To allow Windows 10 to adjust videos automatically on a very bright environment, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Apps.
3. Click on Video Playback.

4. Turn on the Adjust video based on lighting toggle switch.

Once you've completed the steps, Windows 10 will automatically adjust the brightness depending on your lighting environment to make videos as visible as they can be.

Checking for ambient light sensor

This new feature works only if your device includes an ambient light sensor. Although most laptops and tablets come with one of these sensors, you can check if you have one using these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Display.

4. Check for the Change brightness automatically when lighting changes option.

If the option is available, then your computer includes an ambient light sensor. Otherwise, the option will not appear in the Video playback settings page, or it'll appear grayed out.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Notepad now supports End of Line for text files created on different OSes, but if it's causing problems or you don't need it, here are the steps to disable this behavior.

Starting with the October 2018 Update (version 1809), Windows 10 is introducing an updated version of the legacy Notepad app that bundles a bunch of new changes, including support for End of Line characters for text documents created with Unix and Linux line endings (LF) and Macintosh line endings (CR).

Although this has been among the most highly requested features to display text files content created with another OS with the correct format, it's not a behavior that works on every scenario. For that reason, version 1809 includes a couple of Registry keys that you can modify to revert to the old experience that only supports the Windows CRLF (Carriage Return (CR) and Line Feed (LF)) End of Line.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to disable the End of Line support for files created with Unix, Linux, or macOS and restore the old Notepad behavior available before the October 2018 Update.

How to bring back the old EOL support to Notepad

If you're having problems displaying content with Notepad, or you only need support for Windows CRLF End of Line, then to bring back the old behavior use these steps:

Warning: This is a friendly reminder that editing the Registry is risky, and it can cause irreversible damage to your installation if you don't do it correctly. It's recommended to make a full backup of your PC before proceeding.

1. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command.
2. Type regedit, and click OK to open the Registry.

3. Browse the following path:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Notepad

   Quick Tip: On Windows 10, you can now copy and paste the path in the Registry's address bar to quickly jump to the key destination.

4. Double-click the fPasteOriginalEOL REG_DWORD, and set the value from 0 to 1.

5. Click the OK button.

6. Double-click the fWindowsOnlyEOL REG_DWORD, and set the value from 0 to 1.

7. Click the OK button.

Once you've completed the steps, restart Notepad to start using the app with the old behavior.

If you change your mind, you can always revert the changes using the same instructions, but on step No. 4 and No. 6, make sure to change the values to 0.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Windows 10 now includes the Snip & Sketch app to take screenshots, and in this guide, you'll learn the steps on how to use it.

Starting with the October 2018 Update, Windows 10 is modernizing the experience to take screenshots with the new Snip & Sketch app, which combines the legacy Snipping Tool with Screen sketch (previously part of Windows Ink Workspace).

The result is a single experience to take and annotate screenshots of the desktop, apps, and games without the need for third-party tools, and an app that will be frequently updated through the Microsoft Store.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to get started with the new Snip & Sketch app to take screenshots with the October 2018 update.

• How to take screenshots with Snip & Sketch
• How to enable Print Screen button to use Snip & Sketch
• How to edit screenshots with Snip & Sketch

How to take screenshots with Snip & Sketch

Using Snip & Sketch, there are at least three ways to access and take screenshots on Windows 10:

Using Snip & Sketch app

The easiest way to get to the snipping tools is to use the Snip & Sketch app with these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Snip & Sketch, click the top result to open the experience.

3. Click the New button in the top-left corner.

4. Select the type of snip you want to use, including:

   • Rectangular Clip.
   • Freeform Clip.
   • Fullscreen Clip.

5. Take the screenshot.

Using Action Center quick button

If you want to take a screenshot to paste on a document, you can use the new Screen snip button using these steps:

1. Open Action Center.

   Quick tip: Use the Windows key + A keyboard shortcut, or click the Action Center button in the notification area to open the experience.

2. Click the Expand button.

3. Click the Screen snip button.

4. Select the type of snip you want to use, including:

   • Rectangular Clip.
   • Freeform Clip.
   • Fullscreen Clip.

5. Take the screenshot.

Using the Print Screen button

If you enabled the option, you can take screenshots on Windows 10 using the Print Screen key.

1. Hit the Print Screen button.

   Quick Tip: Alternatively, you can use the Windows key + Shift + S shortcut to open the snipping toolbar.

2. Select the type of snip you want to use, including:

   • Rectangular Clip.
   • Freeform Clip.
   • Fullscreen Clip.

3. Take the screenshot.

Unlike using Snip & Sketch app when using the Screen snip button or the Print Screen key, the screenshot will copy to the clipboard. If you want to annotate the snip or save it into a file, you need to click the Snip & Sketch notifications in Action Center.

How to enable Print Screen button to use Snip & Sketch

You can also bring up the screen snipping tool using the Print Screen button on the keyboard, but it's an option that you need to enable manually using these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Ease of Access.
3. Click on Keyboard.

4. Under "Print Screen shortcut," turn on the Use the PrtScn button to open the screen snipping option.

After completing the steps, you can hit the Print Screen key on your keyboard to take screenshots on Windows 10.

How to annotate screenshots with Snip & Sketch

Alongside the ability to quickly take screenshots on Windows 10, the app includes a number of tools to annotate images virtually any way you like.

Once you've taken the screenshot (or you can use the open (folder) button to load an image), the image will open in Snip & Sketch. While in the experience, you can use a number of tools to annotate the screenshot, including ballpoint pen, pencil, and marker. All of which you can click to customize the color and thickness.

In addition, there's an eraser to delete one or all the strokes from the screenshot. You can use the digital ruler to draw straight lines, and there's a cropping tool to trim the excess.

These tools have been designed to work best using a stylus on a touch-enabled device, but they also work with a keyboard and mouse.

On the far-right corner, you'll find the options to save the snip as a PNG file. You can also use the copy button to copy the image to the clipboard, which you can then paste on any document.

Finally, there's the share button that brings up the experience to send the screenshot to another person using email, nearby sharing, or another supported application.

Do you like the new experience to take screenshots on Windows 10? Tell us in the comments.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Do you need to set up a kiosk device? The Windows 10 October 2018 Update makes it super easy — Here's how to do it.

On Windows 10, Assigned Access is a feature that allows network administrators to configure a PC as a kiosk device to serve a specific purpose. Usually, such configuration can be found on a PC in a lobby to allow guests to browse the internet, or on devices that display visual content like digital signs.

When using kiosk mode on Windows 10, the device signs in automatically, and only runs one Microsoft Store app in full screen inside a restricted local user account (above the Lock screen) that prevents anyone from accessing the desktop, switch apps, or change settings.

Although kiosk mode isn't a new feature on Windows 10, starting with the October 2018 Update, Microsoft has redesigned the experience to make it easier for anyone to configure and manage as single-app kiosk machine.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to configure and manage kiosk mode to run a single app in full screen with the settings available starting with the October 2018 Update.

• How to configure kiosk mode on Windows 10
• How to disable kiosk mode on Windows 10

How to configure kiosk mode on Windows 10

To use Assigned access to set up and adjust kiosk mode settings on Windows 10, use these steps:

Setting up kiosk mode

To configure kiosk mode, do the following:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. Click on Family & other users.

4. Under "Set up a kiosk," click the Assigned access button.

5. Click the Get started button.

6. Type a short, but descriptive name for the kiosk account.

7. Click the Next button.

8. Select a Microsoft Store app from the list.

   Info: We're selecting Microsoft Edge, which includes additional configuration options, but the settings for other apps may be different.

9. Click the Next button.

10. Select the option that suits your environment. (In this guide, we're selecting "As a public browser," to configure a device that will be used by guests to browse the internet.)

11. Click the Next button.
12. Type the web page address you want users to use for the home page, start page, and new tab page.

13. Specify the time before Microsoft Edge restart the InPrivate session if no one is using the device.

14. Click the Next button.
15. Click the Close button.

Once you've completed the steps, restart your computer to start in kiosk mode.

If you want to exit the experience to shutdown or restart the computer, or access an administrator account, you'll need to use the Ctrl + Alt + Del keyboard shortcut to bring up the Lock screen to access the sign-in screen and power options.

Changing settings

If you want to change the kiosk mode settings, using an administrator account, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. Click on Family & other users.

4. Under "Set up a kiosk," click theAssigned access button.

While in the kiosk settings page, you can change a number of settings depending on the application you're using.

If you want to use a different app, under "Kiosk info," do the following:

1. Select the app, and click the Change kiosk app button.

2. Choose another application.
3. Click the Next button.
4. Continue with the on-screen directions to finish setting up the experience.

If the app has configurable settings, you can adjust them within the kiosk setup page. For example, when using Microsoft Edge, you can change the mode and adjust some basic browser settings.

How to disable kiosk mode on Windows 10

If you no longer need to use a PC with kiosk mode, you can remove the experience using an administrator account and these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. Click on Family & other users.

4. Under "Set up a kiosk," click the Assigned access button.

5. Under "Kiosk info," select the account, and click the Remove kiosk button.

6. Click the Remove button.

Once you've completed the steps, the account and any data associated with kiosk mode will be deleted from your device.

Assigned access on Windows 10 is a feature designed to set up kiosk devices on organizations, but anyone can enable and use it to turn, for example, an older machine into a jukebox or a Netflix-only streaming device.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central