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How to change the default OneDrive folder location on Windows 10

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When you're running out of space on your primary drive, use this guide to help move your OneDrive files to another location on Windows 10.

While you can choose from many cloud storage services, OneDrive remains the best solution for Windows 10 PCs, mainly because of its deep integration with the operating system that allows you to seamlessly sync your files across all your devices.

However, the OneDrive sync desktop client no longer offers the placeholder feature to let you access hundreds of gigabytes of files, while utilizing only a fraction of your computer's local storage. Instead, OneDrive uses selective sync that forces you to download all the files you want to have available on your computer.

The problem with selective sync arrives when you have a device with limited storage, or you're running out of space on your hard drive. However, there is a solution to overcome this limitation. You can relocate the default OneDrive folder to another partition or another hard drive with more available space.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to change the default folder location of OneDrive. In addition, you'll learn to move all the old content to the new location to avoid wasting time and unnecessary bandwidth syncing your files again.

How to relocate the OneDrive folder on Windows 10

  1. Right-click the OneDrive (cloud) icon from the notification area and select Settings. (If you don't see the icon, click the arrow to view all the hidden icons.)

  2. Click the Account tab.
  3. Click the Unlink OneDrive button.

  4. You'll now see the Set up OneDrive page, but don't try to set up your account just yet, as you want to move the content from the old to the new location. Relocating the content already available offline will help you to save time and bandwidth. Use the Windows key + E keyboard shortcut to open File Explorer.
  5. Click This PC from the left pane.
  6. Navigate to the following path C:\Users\YourUserName and select OneDrive:

  7. In the Home tab, click the Move to button, and select Choose location.

  8. Select the destination to where you want to move the OneDrive files already synced to your computer. You can choose another partition, secondary internal hard drive, or even an external USB hard drive. (Just remember that it needs to be storage that will be connected all the time to your computer.)
  9. Click the Move button.

  10. Return to the OneDrive setup, enter your email or phone number associated with your account and click Sign in.

  11. Enter your Microsoft Account credentials and click Sign in.

  12. Click the Change location link.

  13. Browse to the location you moved the OneDrive folder to and click the Select Folder button.
  14. On the OneDrive prompt click Use this location to merge the files.

  15. Click Next.

  16. Select the folders and files you wish to sync and click Next to complete the task.

Now that you have changed the default location to store your OneDrive files to another drive, you'll be able to sync more content without worrying about running out of space on your main drive.

While this can benefit many users, you should consider changing the default location for OneDrive only in the event you really need to, and you must make sure the new drive doesn't fall into the wrong hands -- keep it secure.

More Windows 10 resources

For more help articles, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources:


How to combine multiple hard drives into one volume on Windows 10

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You can group two or more hard drives on your Windows 10 PC to create a single large volume to store your data. Here's is how to do it.

When you have multiple hard drives on your computer, it can quickly become hard to keep track where your files are located. However, similar to previous versions, Windows 10 includes two features that can enable you to combine all the drives on your PC into a single large volume.

These two features are known as "Spanned" and "Striped" volumes, and both offer similar functionality, but they use different methods to write data to the hard drive.

If you use a Spanned volume, you can combine two or more hard drives of different sizes to create one large volume. On Spanned, drives are utilize sequentially, meaning data won't be written to the second hard drive until the first hard drive is full.

On the other hand, if you use a Striped volume, you can also combine two or more hard drives to create one large volume. However, if you want to use the entire available space, you'll need to use hard drives of the same size. On Striped, data is written across all participating drives, offering better performance than the Spanned option.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps creating one large volume combining multiple hard drives.

How to combine multiple hard drives into one large volume

It's important to note that you will erase the content of the hard drives participating of the Spanned or Striped volume, as such make sure to backup the data before proceeding.

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Disk Management.
  2. Right-click the hard drive volume and select Delete volume.

  3. Click Yes to confirm the deletion of the current volume and all its content.
  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 on the hard drives you want to combine.
  5. Right-click the unallocated space of the drive and select New Striped Volume (or New Spanned Volume).
  6. Click Next.

  7. Select the additional disks, one by one, and click Add.
  8. Click Next.

  9. Leave the default drive letter assignment and click Next.
  10. Make sure the file system is set to NTFS, allocation unit size is set to default, and choose a volume label.
  11. Check the Perform a quick format option.
  12. Click Next.

  13. Click Finish.

  14. You'll be prompted to convert the hard drive from basic to dynamic, click Yes to complete the task.

Another difference between these two solutions is that you can easily add more hard drives to your computer to extend a Spanned volume, something that is not supported on Striped volumes.

The only caveat with these solutions is that you cannot use hard drives containing a Windows installation as the operating system can't boot from a Dynamic disk. In addition, both Spanned and Striped volumes do not use parity, which means they the don't provide fault tolerance — if one drive fails you will lose the data on all hard drives —so make sure to create regular backups of your computer.

The best solution for you will depend on what you're trying to accomplish. If you're looking to combine different hard drive sizes to create a large volume, then your better option may be Spanned volume. If you're looking to increase read and write performance, while creating a large volume from multiple drives, perhaps Striped volume is the best solution.

While you can use Spanned or Striped volume on Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro, you can also use these instructions on Windows 8.1 and even Windows 7.

Finally, it's worth pointing out that thanks to Windows 10 flexibility, you can also use Storage Spaces to create a single volume using multiple drives.

More Windows 10 resources

For more help articles, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources:

How to clean your keyboard

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How to clean your keyboard

Keep tidy what you touch most with this easy guide to cleaning your keyboard.

The two most common keyboards, membrane and mechanical, get dirty fast — oil from your fingers, crumbs from your sandwich, and stickiness from your smoothie will eventually cause something to fail. Cleaning your keyboard is never a bad idea whether or not your keyboard has reached the point of failure. We cover both a quick clean for surface dirt, or a deep clean for when you've experienced a failure or want to make things look new again.

Quick clean for surface grime

Before beginning this process, either power off your laptop or disconnect the keyboard from your PC.

  1. Tap lightly on the back of your keyboard after turning it over. Crumbs and dirt will fall out, so consider placing something beneath the keyboard to catch the mess.

    Tap the back of your keyboard.

  2. Blow compressed air in and around your keycaps. This will loosen any dirt that stayed behind after a pat on the back.
  3. Wipe the keycaps using isopropyl alcohol (standard rubbing alcohol) and a cotton swab or lint-free cloth.

    Note: Do not use ethyl alcohol — it will likely remove the printed lettering on your keys and other surface finishing.

    Wipe the keycaps using isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth.

Deep clean for embedded dirt

Before beginning this process, either power off your PC or disconnect the keyboard. This process is recommended for PC keyboards only, as most laptop keycaps are more difficult to remove, and can, in some cases, void the warranty when removed.

  1. Take a photo of your entire keyboard. We're about to take off all the keys, so you'll want this photo as a reference for reassembly.
  2. Gently pry up the keycaps using a small flat-head screwdriver.

    Gently pry up the keycaps with a small screwdriver.

  3. Blow away dirt using compressed air, or suck up the dirt using a small vacuum. Be careful as to not damage any exposed mechanics or electronics.

    Blow away dirt using compressed air.

  4. Wipe the keyboard base using isopropyl alcohol and a cotton swab or lint-free cloth.

    Wipe the key base using a cotton swab and isopropyl alcohol.

  5. Scrub each removed keycap with a toothbrush and isopropyl alcohol.

    Note: Do not use ethyl alcohol — it will likely remove the printed lettering on your keys and other surface finishing.

    Scrub each keycap using a toothbrush and isopropyl alcohol.

  6. Replace the keycaps when you're satisfied with the keyboard's cleanliness. Reference that photo you took earlier so that you can get each key back where it belongs.

    Replace keycaps.

Laptop keyboards

As mentioned, laptop keyboards can be tricky to deal with, and doing so can sometimes void the warranty. Other than a quick clean for surface grime your best option is to buy a laptop keyboard cover. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and you should have no problem finding the right one for your device.

Check out these keyboard covers for our favorite laptops:

Keyboards for the dirt-prone

If you work in an industry that sees a lot of dirty hands (looking at you, auto mechanics and daycare staffers), you should consider a keyboard designed specially for dealing with messes.

Logitech washable keyboard

The Logitech K310 is a completely washable membrane keyboard that is clearly designed for a deep clean. A brush is included for when you need to scrub keycaps, and the lettering is more durable to avoid rubbing off.

See at Amazon

Corsair Vengeance

Corsair makes a great mechanical keyboard that features keycaps raised from the deck. This means that dirt and hair will have a harder time holding on, and you'll have an easier time cleaning without taking apart the entire keyboard.

See at Amazon

How do you keep your keyboard clean?

Do you have a folk remedy for keeping your clacker clean? Let us know in the comments section below any tips or methods we overlooked.

Skype Preview for Windows 10 Mobile is awesome, and you can install yourself

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Skype has an all new version of the app headed to Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile this summer. Built from the ground up using the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) the app looks to bring a decent Skype experience finally to PCs and phones.

Over the last few weeks, my colleague at XDA Jeremy "snickler" Sinclair has been toying with a ripped appX version of the Skype Preview for Windows 10 Mobile. Last night, he finally got a working version of it that can be sideloaded to any Windows 10 Mobile device running Redstone (Insider Slow or Fast Ring; 10586 builds will not work). If you follow me on Twitter (@daniel_rubino) you may have seen me tweeting out some screenshots late last night.

Today, snickler has made the file available to all who want to try out over at XDA in a forum thread.

My first impressions? It's awesome, and it looks fantastic. Now, to be clear there are a few areas left that needs polishing and most importantly it does not yet make nor receive Skype calls at least on my device. So keep that in mind if you rely on Skype. For messaging, however, it works great.

How to Install

You can find the full directions and discussion over at XDA, but here is the short version. Remember, use this at your own risk. It is not recommended to sideload external files off the internet, but in this case, I can vouch for snickler and this file.

Before you get started you need to have your phone set to Developer Mode. To do that head to Settings > Updated & security > For Developers and enable Developer Mode.

  1. Download the appX file from Mega
  2. Open the file using File Explorer (double tap)
  3. Say yes to the prompt to install
  4. It may take up to a minute or more to install, and there will be no install dialog/progress bars during the process; it all happens in the background

Once it installs you should see Skype Preview in your app listing. It did replace my 8.1 Skype app. The sideloaded app can be uninstalled just by a long press and selecting uninstall like any other app.

Initial thoughts

Compared to Skype Preview for PC, which is officially available for those on the Insider PC Slow or Fast Ring, I have to say that this app is starting to look superb. Some quick considerations:

  1. It's fast and loads very quickly
  2. It's fluid with very little if any lag (tested on Lumia 950)
  3. The black background and colors look great; I think it looks better than the PC version
  4. The app is intuitive to use
  5. Notifications come in, but only the last one shows up in the Action Center; they are also not actionable yet.

Now, having said that seeing as I could not make nor receive calls explains one reason why this is not yet available! Also, notifications are not entirely fleshed out yet. But, overall, this is a great start and a huge improvement over the current 8.1 model, and it at least gives me hope for a much improve and finally a pure experience for those that use Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile.

Finally, now that Skype is going to be a UWP that means we should see very frequent updates akin to how we get regular updates for Outlook Mail, Messaging, even Calculator gets updated at a bizarre pace. The change in development also means that deeper integration into the OS and even Cortana should be possible, opening up a whole new area for Skype experiences.

If you are on the Slow or Fast Ring Insider build for Windows 10 Mobile I say grab it, see what it's all about and enjoy. Snickler notes that over at XDA he will be updated the appX frequently as new updates come from Microsoft. Of course, Microsoft will eventually release this for all Insiders in the coming weeks making this adventure purely optional.

How to mount a hard drive as a folder in Windows 10

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When you have multiple hard drives connected to your computer, use this guide to ditch drive letters by mounting hard drives as folders on Windows 10.

As soon as your computer starts running out of space, you typically install a new hard disk, and you're ready to go. However, as times goes by many drives will show up on your computer, which is not the best solution you want to have.

Instead of using RAID or another method to group drives logically, you can also use a feature found in Windows 10 (and in previous versions) that lets you assign a mount-point folder path to a hard drive to appear as a folder on your computer rather than using a drive letter.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to use Disk Management to assign a mount-point folder path to a hard drive connected to your computer.

How to assign a folder path mount-point to a hard drive

  1. Use the Windows key + E keyboard shortcut to open File Explorer.
  2. Navigate to a folder location you want the mount-points to appear and create a folder with a descriptive name. For example, StoragePool.
  3. Double-click the newly created folder and create a folder for each hard drive you want to mount with a descriptive name. For example, HardDrive1 and HardDrive2.

  4. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Disk Management.
  5. Right-click the new empty drive you want to mount as a folder and select New Simple Volume.

  6. Click Next.
  7. Click Next again.
  8. Select the "Mount in the following empty NTFS folder" option and click Browse.

  9. Select the folder you want to assign the mount-point. For example, C:\StoragePool\HardDrive1.
  10. Click OK.

  11. Click Next.
  12. Leave the default options, make sure to change the drive label with a descriptive name, and check the Perform a quick format.
  13. Click Next.

  14. Click Finish to complete the task.

Perhaps one of the best features of this approach is that it's non-destructive, which means that adding or removing a mount-point path folder won't erase your data. However, this only works with drives formatted with NTFS file system.

How to assign a mount-point folder path to a drive with data

If the drive already contains data, you can use the following steps in Disk Management to remove the drive letter and assign a mount point.

  1. Right-click the drive and select the Change Drive Letter and Paths option.

  2. Click Add.

  3. Select the "Mount in the following empty NTFS folder" option and click Browse.

  4. Select the folder you want to assign the mount-point. For example, C:\StoragePool\HardDrive2.
  5. Click OK.

  6. Click OK again to complete the task.
  7. Right-click the same drive and select Change Drive Letter and Paths again.
  8. Select the old drive letter and click Remove.

  9. Click Yes to confirm the drive letter removal.

Remember that you can use the same steps mentioned above to remove the mount-point folder path and revert to the drive letter.

Setting a mount-point folder path will not only come in handy to reduce the number of drive letters on your computer, but it will also help you to organize your drives better, even in that rare case where you probably connected too many drives, and you begin to run out of letters.

This solution is also ideal when you're sharing a folder on the network, and you're running out of space. Instead of creating a new network share, you can just mount a drive as a folder inside the folder already shared in the network.

It's important to note that each hard disk will continue to work independently, which means that if one drive fails, you won't lose the files on the others. However, we always recommend making a full backup before modifying anything on your computer.

If you're looking to group multiple hard drives with redundancy, you can use our previous guide that will help you to setup Storage Spaces.

More Windows 10 resources

For more help articles, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources:

What does RAID mean and why do I want one?

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What does RAID mean?

Acronyms abound in this explanation of RAID and what it means to you.

RAID has been around since the late 80s, and chances are if you've spent time around a PC you've heard the acronym spoken aloud. So what does RAID mean, and why does it matter to you?

What is RAID?

What is RAID?

The Redundant Array of Independent/inexpensive Disks (RAID) was created in 1988 in order to deal with costs of high-performing disk drives. The inventors argued that an array of inexpensive disks could outperform a single expensive disk. Several iterations of RAID have since been created (and in some cases mostly abandoned), each tackling a certain set of problems.

RAID 0

The first RAID version created, RAID 0 is intended to provide users with fast read and write speeds and thus fast performance. Despite its name there is no data redundancy — data is striped across drives, meaning each drive holds a piece of the overall information. Striping means quicker data access, but if one drive fails they will all fail, resulting in a complete loss of data. Speeds are measured by the number of drives in the array, so consider an array with four drives to be four times faster than a single drive — it can read from four different spots at a time, after all. RAID 0 setups are favorites among computer gamers where performance trumps fault tolerance.

RAID 1

A RAID 1 setup consists of at least two drives that are mirrored to contain the exact same information. This RAID setup contains fault tolerance, as one drive going down will not result in the other drives going down as well. As long as one drive works the array will continue to operate, making this a favorite of those who require high reliability.

There is, however, a blow to write performance and storage capacity. When data is written to the array it must be written to each drive independently, meaning write speeds are based on the slowest drive-speed of the group. Likewise, storage capacity is dependent on the size of the smallest disk — you can't store more data on a single drive than you can on any other.

RAID 1 is the expensive choice since its efficiency can basically be described as the number of drives divided by its own number. For example, if you have two drives (the minimum number for a RAID 1 setup), you're only getting the storage space of one drive since the other is a backup. This equation is the same no matter how many drives you have — a ten drive setup will still only have one drive's worth of information stored within (but some pretty impressive redundancy).

RAID 5

RAID 5 is the most popular setup due to its striping capabilities (very fast read and write speeds!) as well as a parity function that is distributed across drives. In the event of a drive failure an Exclusive Or (XOR) logic gate is used to piece together the lost drive using parity information on the other drives. This can be accomplished even while the other drives continue their regular function; you will not experience any down time if you lose a drive. For this reason a RAID 5 setup requires at least three drives.

A RAID 5 setup with three drives will still essentially lose 33% of its space for parity, but is still more cost efficient than a RAID 1 setup. It can also, as mentioned, repair a drive that was lost without experiencing any downtime. A RAID 5 setup with four drives is a favorite of many private users, as you only lose 25% of storage to data redundancy.

Is RAID right for you?

No doubt memories of 10MB hard drives costing thousands of dollars are still fresh in some of your minds. RAID was originally invented to cut the costs of 80s storage prices while simultaneously accounting for the high fail-rates of some early technology. RAID setups are still primarily used in large servers — think of corporations that require 24/7 access to their critical data.

Now, though, with storage on the cheap, RAID setups are used privately in conjunction with specialized tasks, and to avoid monthly fees and privacy concerns when dealing with cloud storage services.

What tasks require RAID setups, you ask? Many users of computer-aided design (CAD) and multimedia editors take advantage of the fast transfer rates and high fault tolerance found with RAID. There is nothing worse than watching your project disappear as your lone drive goes down without any backups. Computer gamers also love RAID setups, as they provide faster performance in an arena where milliseconds count.

Some people have taken a stand against cloud services due to privacy concerns, security risks, and high costs. Network-attached storage (NAS) is basically a computer managed by RAID that handles data from other computers on the network. You can buy pre-made NAS devices to which you simply add hard drives — we recommend QNAP or Synology.

RAID NAS setups available for purchase

As mentioned, RAID 5 setups with four drives are a bit of a sweet spot. You lose only 25% of storage space, and in the event of a drive failure you won't experience any downtime.

QNAP TS-453A

QNAP TS-453A

The QNAP four-bay NAS has 4GB of RAM and holds up to four drives. Users say it is great for streaming 4K video — it is quiet and can wirelessly transfer about 50mb per second.

See at Amazon

Synology Disk Station 4-Bay Network Attached Storage

Synology 4-Bay

The Synology four-bay NAS holds up four drives totaling 24TB of space and has a 1.6GHz Dual Core CPU. Users claim its built-in operating system is simple to use and has provisions for several uses, including security camera storage and mail server support.

See at Amazon

Both companies provide expandable RAID variants that let you extend existing RAID volumes. Check out more information on NAS setups and if they're right for you.

What is your RAID setup?

Let us know in the comments section below what badass setup you have running!

How do I update Dell XPS BIOS and drivers?

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How do I update Dell XPS BIOS and drivers?

Update the BIOS and drivers to keep Dell XPS laptop running in top form.

Your Dell XPS 13 and Dell XPS 15 can benefit greatly from BIOS and driver updates — experience greater battery life, better performance, and improved security. Here's what these key software bits do for your XPS laptop and how to update them.

What is BIOS?

The basic input/output system (BIOS) of your XPS is a small chip housed in your motherboard that gets your computer running when you first start it. As the name implies, it also controls information between Windows and the hardware attached to your motherboard (hard drive, mouse, keyboard). Keeping your BIOS updated helps improve things like battery life, security, and stability.

What are drivers?

A driver is software that controls a specific piece of hardware attached to your computer. All hardware needs a driver to work properly — think of it as a translator for the various and disparate hardware components that make up your computer. As your operating system updates, your drivers must also be updated. If drivers and operating systems are not fully compatible, communication can break down and performance will be compromised.

Update XPS BIOS and drivers

Dell has made the process of updating your XPS BIOS and drivers super easy:

  1. Open Dell's support webpage using your XPS 13 or XPS 15.
  2. Click Detect Product.
  3. Click Detect Drivers.

Click Detect Product. Click Detect Drivers.

If your XPS does not have the most recent drivers and BIOS you will receive the option to update.

Because updating your BIOS is getting at the core of your computer, you'll want to be sure you plug your XPS into a power outlet and close all apps when updating the BIOS. The battery part is particularly important — remember, this is the first bit of software that gets your computer running when you turn it on, so the last thing you want to do is brick your computer by losing power in the middle of an update.

Automatically free up hard drive space with the Disk Cleanup tool on Windows 10

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Instead of manually trying to remove unnecessary files from your computer to free up disk space, use the Disk Cleanup tool on Windows 10 to automate the process. Here's how!

Disk Cleanup is a maintenance tool that has been part of Windows for a long time, and it allows you to reclaim hard drive space to make room for more of your valuable content. With it you can quickly find and get rid of temporary and system files, such as previous Windows installation files and updates, which otherwise would be nearly impossible for regular users to find and remove — and those files might be taking up gigabytes worth of space!

However, even on Windows 10, Disk Cleanup remains a tool that you have to run manually. What you probably may not know is that you can configure the tool to run automatically to delete certain files from your computer.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the process to configure the Disk Cleanup tool and use the Task Scheduler to remove unnecessary files from your computer making space for new content.

How to automate Disk Cleanup on your PC

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Type the following command and press Enter:

    cleanmgr /sageset:11

    In this command, we're using the switch /sagest:n to open the Disk Cleanup settings and at the same time create a registry key that will store the settings you choose. The n number, which is also stored in the registry, indicates the settings you want to use with the tool.

    The number can be anything from 0 to 65535, and it's basically like a filename that points to all the specific settings you want to use. This way, you can set different numbers to run the tool with different settings at different times.

  3. Once the Disk Cleanup Settings opens, check the items you want the tool to remove automatically from your system from the extensive list. Some of the files you can clean up include:

    • Windows Update Cleanup
    • Downloaded Program Files
    • Temporary Internet Files
    • Temporary files
    • System error memory dump files
    • Files discarded by Windows upgrade
    • Windows ESD installation files
    • Previous Windows installations
    • Recycle Bin
    • Temporary Windows installation files
  4. Click the OK button to save and store the settings in the registry.

  5. Open Start, do a search for Task Scheduler and click the result to open the utility.
  6. Right-click Task Scheduler Library, click New Folder and name the folder something descriptive like User Defined Tasks.
  7. Right-click the newly created folder and click Create Basic Task.

  8. Name the task, add a description you like, and click Next.

  9. Select when you want the task to run and click Next. These options are very flexible as you can set different times, in addition to set specific events to trigger the task. For the purpose of this guide, we'll be choosing Monthly.

  10. Select the date and time, and click Next.

  11. On Action, select Start a program and click Next.

  12. Type the path to open the Disk Cleanup tool: C:\Windows\system32\cleanmgr.exe and include the argument /sagerun:11. (Remember to change the number 11 to the number you that you chose in step 2 to use the settings you have configured.)
  13. Click Next.

  14. On the Summary page, click Finish to complete the task.

After completing the task, the Disk Cleanup tool will run at the time you specified, deleting all unnecessary files from your computer. If for any reason, you need to change the current settings for the task, open the Task Scheduler, open the folder you created, double-click task, and update the configuration.

How to run Disk Cleanup out of its schedule

You can use the following steps, in the case, you want to run Disk Cleanup before the specified schedule:

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Type the following command and press Enter:

    C:\Windows\system32\cleanmgr.exe /sagerun:11

    Remember to change 11 to the number you have chosen. After running the command, the Disk Cleanup tool will open and run immediately, removing all the files you have configured on the tool.

How to modify Disk Cleanup settings

If you want to add or remove items you want Disk Cleanup to delete automatically, then use these steps:

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Type the following command and press Enter:

    cleanmgr /sageset:11

    Remember to change 11 to the number you have chosen to store the settings.

  3. As you execute the previous command, you will notice that the Disk Cleanup tool will open with all the settings you have previously configured. Now simply modify the list by checking the new items and removing the ones you don't want.
  4. Click OK to complete the task.

Disk Cleanup is a great tool that continues to come included with Windows 10, and it can help you to reclaim space on your hard drive. In the latest version of the operating system, it's also a great way for users in the Windows Insider Program to check periodically and delete previous installations of the operating system, which are known to take up several gigabytes after a new build of Windows 10 is installed.

Important: Deleting previous installation files will prevent you from rolling back to the previous version of the operating system.

Furthermore, you can also use this technique to help family and friends to keep their computers free of clutter by automating Disk Cleanup to remove unnecessary files, such as those in the Recycle Bin, common temporary files, old Windows updates, and other files.

Finally, remember that even though we're focusing these steps for Windows 10 PCs, you can also use the same concept to clean up files and reclaim space on Windows 8.1, Windows 7, and other versions of the operating system.

Do you usually remember to clean up unnecessary files from your Windows 10 PC? What kind of utility do you use? Tell us in the comments below.

More Windows 10 resources

For more help articles, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources:


How to change the system language across your whole Windows 10 PC

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Sure, you can change the language on your Windows 10 account, but what about the entire PC? Here's how.

You computer has a default system-wide language set in Windows 10, but you don't have to be stuck with it if your needs are different. With Windows 10 you can set the language settings for single accounts through the Settings app, but what about setting it for all accounts, the Lock Screen, and everywhere else on your PC? For that you'll need the Control Panel.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to properly change the default language across on your entire computer.

How to change the language globally on your PC

Before we dive into this guide, it's important to note that if you're using a Microsoft Account, this preference will sync across devices. If you only want to change settings on one particular computer, you should go to Settings > Accounts > Sync your settings and turn off the Language preferences option.

  1. Use the Windows key + I keyboard shortcut to open the Settings app.
  2. Click Time & language.
  3. Click Region & language.
  4. Under Languages, click Add a language.

  5. Click the language you want to add, and select the specific variation if applicable.

  6. Select the new language and click Options (and download any the language packs as necessary).

  7. On Region & language, select the new language, and click Set as default.

  8. If applicable, under Country or region, select your location to enable the Windows 10 to give you local content.
  9. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Control Panel.
  10. Click Add a language.
  11. Click the Advanced settings link in the left pane.

  12. Click the "Apply language settings to the Welcome screen, system accounts, and new user accounts."

  13. On the Administrative tab, under the "Welcome screen and new user accounts", click the Copy settings button.

  14. Check the Welcome screen and system accounts and the New user accounts options.
  15. Click OK.

  16. Click OK again.
  17. Reboot your computer and upon restart, you should see the new default language globally set through the operating system.

You'll find this feature especially useful when you work on a mixed-language environment where you need to configure workstations with different preferences to accommodate users. In addition, this feature will help in those times when you happen to purchase a new computer that ships from another country with a different language, or even when you move to another region of the world and you want to change your PC preferences to match the local settings.

More Windows 10 resources

For more help articles, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources:

How to use DiskPart to clean and format a storage drive not working on Windows 10

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If you think your drive just went bad and it could simply be a software issue, use DiskPart on Windows 10 to fix it.

When you have an external storage drive connected to your Windows 10 PC, such as a USB flash drive or hard drive, or even an SD Card that isn't working correctly because of data corruption or another serious issue. Many times the Format tool may not be able to fix the problem, and this is when DiskPart can come in handy.

DiskPart is a powerful command-line utility that has been part of Windows for a long time, and it allows you to manage storage devices, partitions, and volumes with features that other tools such as Format or Disk Management can't fix.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to use DiskPart to successfully clean, format, label, and assign a drive letter using the Command Prompt.

How to use DiskPart to clean and format a drive

Important: Using DiskPart will completely erase everything on the drive you select, making it impossible to undo any changes. It's crucial that you correctly choose the drive you want to clean and format. We always recommend making a full backup of your system before proceeding.

  1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt (Admin).
  2. Connect the drive you want clean and format to your computer.
  3. Type the following command and press Enter:

    diskpart

  4. Type the following command to list all the available drives and press Enter:

    list disk

  5. Take your time and very carefully, on the output from the previous command, identify the drive you want to clean.

    For example, in the screenshot below, we can see that we have four different drives listed, including Disk 0, which is 30GB, and we can quickly determine that it's the primary system drive. And because we're trying to clean an 8GB drive, we can easily spot that Disk 3 is the drive we need to select.

    Use the following command to select the drive and press Enter:

    select disk 3

    Remember to change 3 in the command with the number of the drive you want to clean. If you fail to choose the correct number will erase all the data from the wrong drive.

  6. Type the following command to clean the drive and press Enter:

    clean

  7. Type the following command to double-check the drive still selected and press Enter:

    list disk

    If the drive still selected, you will notice an asterisk (*) next to the disk.

  8. Type the following command to create a partition and press Enter:

    create partition primary

  9. Type the following command to select the partition you just created and press Enter:

    select partition 1

  10. Type the following command to set the partition active and press Enter:

    active

  11. Type the following command to format the partition using NTFS and to set a label, and press Enter:

    format FS=NTFS label=WC-Drive quick

    Remember to change the WC-Drive in the command with the drive name you want to use.

  12. Type the following command to assign a drive letter and press Enter:

    assign letter=W

    Remember to change W in the command with a letter you want that isn't in use by another drive on This PC.

  13. Use the exit command to close DiskPart to complete the task.

Again, using this guide, remember to take your time and carefully select the drive you want to repair. If you have multiple external drives connected to your computer, it's a good idea to temporary disconnect them before proceeding to reduce the chances of erasing the wrong drive.

Keep in mind that while there is many other tools to format a drive, DiskPart is likely to be your best choice when you're dealing with data corruption, drive inaccurately showing the storage capacity, and other serious problems.

Have you ever used DiskPart on Windows? Tell us your experience in the comments below.

How to set up and configure your Razer Naga gaming mouse

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Razer Naga Hex

The Razer Naga line of mice are superb options for those seeking solid peripherals to aid their performance in MMORPGs (Massive Multiplayer Online Games) and MOBAs (Massive Online Battle Arenas). As a gamer, you have three options, the Naga Hex V2 (this is the successor to the original Hex, same price), Naga Epic Chroma and Naga Classic. While setting up the available mice is a fairly standard affair when it comes to Razer peripherals, it's worth noting the differences between them and who they're aimed at.

The former is your ideal companion for the Rift (or any other competing battle arena you enjoy) and will enable you to assign skills and items to thumb-activated buttons on the left-hand side. The Naga Epic Chroma goes all out with 12 buttons for your thumb, perfect for online RPGs that require you to hit a million skills in quick succession. Finally we have the Naga Classic, which is the more affordable variant for those who won't pay out for the Epic Chroma.

Razer Synapse

Razer Synapse is the heart of Razer peripherals and is the suite you'll be firing up every time you wish to make some alterations — be it changing the color of the lighting or switching out profiles and re-programming available buttons. Once you have your shiny new Razer Naga mouse plugged in, simply install Razer Synapse and everything should be detected for further configuration. Before we continue, be sure to login with your Razer account on Synapse and activate your peripheral warranty.

Having your Razer account connected to the suite will also aid in saving your configurations and profiles to the cloud, which can then be loaded onto another PC.

Customize

Razer Synapse

The Customize screen is the initial section of the Synapse app you'll be greeted with when selecting the device you wish to configure. This area enables you to set up profiles, load existing ones and re-program available buttons on the mouse. Selecting each button number will open up a new window where you can re-map what that button does when activated from a list of predetermined functions.

But what if you wish to map the right-click to something strange, but do not wish to have to activate/revert it each and every time you wish to play said game? There are profiles! These handy little save files will take note of your configuration and save everything to the cloud. When you wish to activate a certain button layout, simply choose the appropriate profile before heading in-game. Better yet, you can configure Synapse to automatically switch profiles when games are loaded.

Performance

Razer Synapse

The Performance area of Synapse will let you fine tune how the mouse tracks movement and whether or not you desire any cursor acceleration. Sensitivity is determined by the level of DPI (Dots Per Inch) that are detected by the mouse and turned into cursor movement on-screen. The higher this number, the more sensitive your mouse will be and the further the cursor will travel.

Going from low DPI to higher settings can cause issues in-game so be sure to spend some time getting acclimated to your new configuration. I have anywhere between 1500 and 3500 DPI, even though this particular model (Naga Hex V1) can reach 5600 DPI. Higher DPI doesn't necessarily mean better performance, which is something you should note when looking for a new mouse.

If you wish to increase the speed of which your cursor moves compared to the mouse itself without messing with sensitivity, you'll need to play with the acceleration bar below the DPI setting. Higher numbers selected here will result in the cursor whizzing around your screen with little effort. Just like your button settings, everything configured under Performance will be saved to profiles automatically.

Lighting

Razer Synapse

This is a fairly straightforward screen that allows for different lighting settings to be configured, depending on what peripheral you're currently setting up. For peripherals that aren't Chroma with millions of color combinations, you'll have only but a few options to turn on and off available lighting. Those of you with Chroma gear will be able to select exactly which color will be blasted into your surroundings.

You're now set up and ready to get in-game!

RzStats

Razer Stats

After you've enjoyed many sessions with your new Razer mouse, the company can actually show you statistics as to how you used the connected mouse of keyboard to interact with objects on-screen. The number of mouse clicks, distance travelled, wheel rotations, macros deployed, profiles switched and keymaps are all available for viewing for the last session in a game, the day as a whole, week or all time.

A list of supported titles can be found on the left-hand side. You can view details and statistics for each game by selecting them from the list. As well as checking out how many times you mashed that mouse button, you can also see just where on-screen you moved the mouse and did some hardcore clicking.

Razer Stats

The heat maps available can show mouse clicks, mouse movement and even keystrokes from connected keyboards. The tools can provide some unique insights into how you use the peripherals and can even be used to help improve your game by enhancing movement or deploying new techniques. All-in-all, it's a great set of tools that can help you both in and out of your favorite titles.

How to set up and configure your new Razer BlackWidow keyboard

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Razer BlackWidow

Razer's family of mechanical keyboards under the BlackWidow banner are a popular choice for gamers due to the build quality, switches used and satisfaction while in-game. In order to properly set up and configure a Razer keyboard to your liking, you'll need to make full use of Razer's Synapse software, which allows you to alter all manner of things.

Before we crack into this guide — which should work for most Razer keyboards with only a few differences — should you be interested in picking up a new keyboard and are looking to see what Razer has to offer, there are a few options within the BlackWidow family, depending on what you require.

Razer BlackWidow

First up we have the BlackWidow Chroma, which sports all the bells and whistles with an insane choice of color for the LED backlighting. This particular keyboard can be purchased with either green or orange Razer switches. Next we have the Razer BlackWidow X Chroma, which strips away the outer shell around the keys to showcase the mechanics underneath. This also makes it much easier to clean.

Both the Razer BlackWidow Tournament Edition Chroma and BlackWidow X Tournament Edition Chroma are essentially the same as the two keyboards aforementioned, but they do not have the numberpad and are more compact for enhanced mobility and less of a footprint on desks. The Ultimate and X Ultimate are your classic BlackWidow standard keyboards with green backlighting and the BlackWidow Tournament Edition is the most affordable keyboard with no backlighting.

As we noted in our recent guide on how to set up your Razer Naga mouse on Windows, the company's Synapse suite is where you'll be doing most of your customization and configuration for Razer peripherals. This is no different when it comes to keyboards.

Customize

Razer Synapse Customize

The Customize section of Synapse will let you configure each and every key on your Razer keyboard. You'll be able to select from a drop-down list of pre-defined functions, but you can essentially switch around where keys are located and create new macros. Wish to switch around your "T" and "Y" keys? You can do just that.

Should your keyboard also have some macro keys available on the left-hand side, you can use them for advanced programmable functions and macros without losing functionality on other keys. For example, you could program M3 to actually emulate you pressing F+D+R+E+Q+W in quick succession without having to physically hit the corresponding keys.

Just as you would with a Razer mouse, profiles can also contain configurations, lighting and other settings that can be switched out depending on which game you're currently playing.

Lighting

Razer Synapse

This area of the suite enables owners of capable Razer keyboards to configure lighting controls and options. The choice of settings here depends on which keyboard you've purchased — be it a standard Ultimate BlackWidow or the Chroma. With the latter, you'll be able to choose what color you wish to have beamed into your surroundings, as well as attached patterns. No matter which you go for, everyone will visit this page to change how their peripheral illuminates the darkness.

With the BlackWidow Ultimate, you have the option for pulsating lights or a constant level. The latter can further be configured to be at different brightness levels. (This can also be achieved on the fly by FN + F11/F12.) Lastly, there's the option for the keyboard to shut off its lighting should the display be disconnected/turned off.

Gaming Mode

Gaming Mode

Gaming mode enables you to disable certain shortcuts and functions when in-game. Things like ALT + F4, ALT + TAB and the Windows key can be disabled from this section of the suite. This should help prevent those accidental moments when you've been returned to the desktop, either by hitting a shortcut or by inadvertently killing the game's process.

The best part about Razer Synapse (and other manufacturer solutions) is how everything is relatively straight forward to use. With your keyboard fully configured, you'll now be able head in-game and take full advantage of the power of mechanical.

RzStats

Razer Stats

When you've played a session or few and wish to see just how you're using the keyboard to interact with in-game functions, be sure to check out the Razer Statistics suite. Just like mouse clicks and movements, Razer's software can also track keystrokes and showcase just which keys you're mainly using in any particular session.

Razer Stats

It can also reveal how many profile switches you do, what number of macros were deployed and what distance you achieved through key pressing. As we noted in our previous guide, be sure to remember to activate your warranty on your Razer account, which is worth setting up for cloud storage and synchronization of your profiles and configurations.

Do you need a Wi-Fi extender?

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Almond router + repeater

Router in the basement and no signal on the second floor? You might need an extender.

If you have a weak Wi-Fi signal in your home, but you know you have a decent router, then you may benefit from a Wi-Fi extender (sometimes called a "booster" or a "repeater"). There are, however, quite a few things to consider before buying one and potentially wasting your money.

How does a Wi-Fi extender work?

Wi-Fi extenders help to boost your Wi-Fi signal by acting as a sort of lightning rod, receiving the signal from your router and broadcasting it to the area of your house that could use a signal boost.

Not all extenders work the same. Some involve two devices that plug into your wall outlets and transfer your connection via your home's electrical wiring. One plugs into your wireless router and the other plugs into an internet-ready device, like a smart TV or laptop.

The other type of extenders are generally known as "wireless repeaters." These comprise two wireless routers: one for picking up the signal, which transfers it on to the second router, which then transmits the boosted signal.

If you're looking for a wireless option to signal boosting, then go with a repeater. We recommend the TP-Link RE200 for most folks, since it's easy to set up and works like a dream.

What to consider before you buy a Wi-Fi extender

Before delving into the world of wireless extenders, there are a few things you should double-check.

Is your wireless router in an optimal spot?

If your router isn't in a place in your home that's most conducive to a solid signal, then an extender isn't going to help you all that much. Try moving your wireless router around your home until you're completely sure that an extender is necessary.

If it's in a corner of your basement, you may find that moving it to the center of your basement helps. Play around with it and see.

Is your wireless router any good?

First of all, your router should offer 802.11ac support, which is the current standard. You can still buy wireless N routers, but you shouldn't; 802.11ac offers more than twice the maximum speed of 802.11n and is backward compatible with older devices, so don't worry about upgrading and just do it if you haven't already.

Use signal-mapping software and test your speeds

There are apps you can use to help determine just how strong your current Wi-Fi signal is and where in your home it may be dipping. WiFi Analyzer is available for free and can help you find the best placement for your router and the best Wi-Fi channel to use.

You'll also benefit from a speed test, which will let you know if you internet is properly functioning (and giving you at least the speed your were promised when you signed up).

Consider your usage

Are there 10 people with smartphones on your Wi-Fi network, plus a smart TV that's streaming Netflix, a laptop searching the web, and an Xbox connected to Xbox Live? That could be your problem. If your internet isn't fast enough to support many users at once, an extender isn't going to help you.

However, if it's just you, your phone, and Netflix, and Netflix keeps stopping to buffer, then your router sucks or you need an extender.

Is it more practical for you to use a wired connection?

If you absolutely depend on a consistent internet connection, then you may want to consider going with a wired setup. It's the only way to guarantee a decent connection and, unless your ISP is having issues, you shouldn't have any either. Also, any device you remove from your wireless network frees up bandwidth for other devices.

How to use the refresh tool to do a clean install of Windows 10

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The Windows 10 Anniversary Update includes an easier way to refresh your computer and remove bloatware, and here we tell you how to use the new tool.

When your computer is not working properly, or you simply want a setup free of bloatware, the best solution is to start from scratch doing a clean install of Windows 10. However, it can be a tedious process, and even though Microsoft offers a reset feature to reinstall the operating system, it only restores the copy of Windows 10 that originally came with your computer, which may also contain a lot of software and configurations you don't need.

On an effort to make it easier to start with a clean install of Windows 10, Microsoft is introducing "Refresh Windows". It's a tool that lets you easily reinstall the operating system on your desktop, laptop, or tablet while wiping out any bloatware and configurations installed by your PC manufacturer.

"Refresh Windows" is currently available for users in the testing program of Windows 10, but it'll be out for everyone with the Anniversary Update later in July.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through all the steps to use the new refresh tool to reinstall the most recent version of the operating system on your computer.

How to use the 'Refresh Windows' tool

  1. Use the Windows key + I keyboard shortcut to open the Settings app.
  2. Click Update & security.
  3. Click Recovery.
  4. Under More recovery options, click the "Learn how to start fresh with a clean installation of Windows". (The link will direct you to a Microsoft Answers post where you can download the tool.)

  5. Right-click the Download tool now link and select Save target as to download the file. Here's the direct download link.
  6. Double-click the RefreshWindowsTool.exe to start the process.
  7. Click the Accept button to agree to the license terms.

  8. You'll get two choices to reinstall Windows 10: You can choose Keep personal files only, which will delete all your apps and settings, but retain your files during reinstall. Or you can select Nothing, option that will wipe your computer without retaining anything. Select the option that suits your needs and click Install.

Now the tool will proceed to download and automatically reinstall the most recent version of windows 10 on your computer. After the installation completes, you'll go through the out-of-box experience (OOBE) to finish configuring the operating system.

Follow the on-screen directions to set your language and region settings, choose your personalization settings, setup your Microsoft Account, and activate Cortana.

Once you're back into the desktop, remember to go to Settings > Update & security > Windows update to download the latest patches and missing drivers.

It's also a good idea to check Device Manager to make sure peripherals and other hardware are correctly installed on your computer. (You can open device manager by using the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut and selecting Device Manager.)

If some of the device drivers are missing, make note of the devices, and visit your computer manufacturer's support website to download and install the latest drivers.

Important details before using the tool

Before proceeding to use the "Refresh Windows" tool to clean install Windows 10 on your system, there are a few details you need to know.

While the tool is part of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, currently it's available for Insiders running Windows 10 build 14352 or later, and only in three languages, including English, Chinese, and Japanese.

Your computer must also be running the 32-bit or 64-bit of the Home or Pro version of Windows 10.

Unlike the reset feature, the refresh tool requires an internet connection to download the most recent version of the operating system, which could be around 3GB in size. In addition, for the download and installation process, make sure to have at least 16GB of free space available on your hard drive.

If you're planning to use the tool, it's important to understand that the feature still under development. Microsoft explains that while the refresh tool will download the most recent version of Windows 10, before the Anniversary Update releases, it's not guaranteed that you'll get the latest preview build. Until the functionality is fully integrated, the tool sometimes will install an older build.

Furthermore, if the tool cannot install the latest version, you'll be unable to keep your personal files, in which case you'll get an option to cancel the setup if you don't wish to continue.

In the case, you proceed with the installation; you may also have to rejoin your computer to the Insider program to get the latest build through the Fast or Slow ring by going to Settings > Update & security > Windows Insider Program and changing the corresponding settings.

Using the Refresh Windows tool will wipe out your system's hard drive, removing all applications that you have installed and configured, including Office and applications provided by your PC manufacturer (even device drivers). However, apps that come bundled with Windows 10 will reinstall again automatically during the installation process.

Until the functionality is fully integrated, Microsoft doesn't guarantee digital licenses, digital content associated with applications, or digital entitlements for certain apps will carry over using the new preview tool.

Wrapping things up

Although you can use the reset tool to reinstall the operating system, the new refresh tool will come in handy especially when you buy a new computer, and you want to start with a clean version of Windows 10 without any bloatware installed by your PC manufacturer. It's also a good solution for those times you come across an issue, and for some reason the reset tool doesn't work.

The only caveat is drivers. Even though many device drivers are available through Windows Update, there will be times when a specific driver for a particular piece of hardware will have to be installed manually, which can end up being an issue for non-technical users.

Of course, tech-savvy users can always download the Windows 10 ISO file directly from Microsoft and perform a clean install, but Refresh Windows aims to simplify many of the steps.

Finally, it's important to point out that while the preview period, it's not recommended to use the tool on your main computer to prevent unexpected results. However, if you do make sure to keep a full backup of your system at all times.

Have you tried the tool to refresh Windows 10? Tell us in the comments below.

How to fix Windows 10 Settings search not displaying results

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How do I fix the Windows 10 Settings search if it won't display results?

There's nothing more frustrating than a convenient feature failing you when you need it most. Some users, for whatever reason, find that the search function in the Settings window won't display results.

Luckily, fixing this problem should only take a few minutes. Here's how to re-index your Settings folders and get back to the search Windows 10 intended.

How to fix Windows 10 Settings search not displaying results

  1. Press the Windows key and R key simultaneously to open the Run window.
  2. Type %LocalAppData%\Packages\windows.immersivecontrolpanel_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState into the Open: field.
  3. Click OK.

    Type the code into the Open field. Click OK.

  4. Right-click the Indexed folder.
  5. Click Properties.

    Right-click the Indexed folder. Click Properties.

  6. Click Advanced.
  7. Click the checkbox beside Allow files in this folder to have contents indexed in addition to file properties so that a check mark appears.

    Click Advanced. Click the checkbox beside Allow files in this folder to have contents indexed in addition to files properties.

  8. Click OK.
  9. Click Apply.

    Click OK. Click Apply.

  10. Click OK. A window with a progress bar will pop up as the folder is indexed.
  11. Click OK when the indexing progress is finished.

    Click OK. A window with a progress bar will appear as the folder is indexed. Click OK.

Your Settings search

Have you had to deal with the Settings search flaking out? What did you do to fix it? Let us know in the comments section below!


What's new with Task View in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update

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Task View has received some big improvements in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update.

With the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, Microsoft has introduced a couple of new improvements around the Task View feature, which gives users an overview of all their open apps as well as access to virtual desktops. In the past, Task View was pretty basic, but with the Anniversary Update, Microsoft has added a few additional options that make using it far more productive.

Window-Pinning

The first new addition to Task View is the ability to pin an open window so it's available on every virtual desktop. Doing this is easy, simply right click an open window while in Task View and you will be presented with two options:

  • Show this window on all desktops
  • Show windows from this app on all desktops

Both functions do pretty much the same thing, except the latter makes it so if an app has multiple windows open, all those windows will be pinned rather than just the one. There's also additional support for multiple-monitor users too, with the option of pinning an app to any particular monitor regardless of the virtual desktop.

Gestures

Microsoft has also added a new touchpad gesture for Task View too, making it super easy to switch between Virtual Desktops without needing to open Task View first. With 3 fingers on a precision touchpad, swipe left and right when multiple desktops are open and you'll find you can switch between all your open desktops with ease.

Stay tuned at Windows Central for more tips, tricks, how-to's and walkthroughs on the lead up to the launch of the Anniversary Update on August 2nd for Windows 10 PCs, tablets, mobile, and Xbox One.

How to disable Windows Phone notifications in Windows 10 PC

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Windows Notifications mirroring

If you own a Windows Phone, you'll be able to see its notifications on your PC when the Windows 10 Anniversary Update releases on August 2nd. If you don't want to wait, you can preview the Notification Mirroring feature with recent builds from the Windows Insider Program. While it can be useful to many people, I don't like my PC getting bombarded with notifications from my phone. If you feel the same, I'll show you how to disable the Windows Phone notifications on your PC, or change the settings to make them more manageable.

  1. Go to Settings > System > Notifications & actions

  2. Scroll down to Windows Phone and switch it to off

    Windows notifications

  3. That's it! You'll no longer see Windows Phone notifications on your PC.

There's another way to deal with Windows Phone notifications that I recommend on your PC. I've disabled the notification banners but still keep them visible in the Action Center. Here's how to set that up:

  1. Go to Settings > System > Notifications & actions

  2. Tap or click Windows Phone

    Windows notifications

  3. Keep Notifications on, but turn off Notification banners and leave on Action Center.

That's it! You can also choose whether you want your PC to play a sound when a Windows Phone notification arrives. All these options are also available for other notifications, too, so play around with the settings to get the best experience.

Are you disabling Windows Phone notifications on your Windows 10 PC? Let us know in the comments!

How to disable auto-enhance in Photos on Windows 10

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How to disable auto-enhance in Photos on Windows 10

How do I disable auto-enhance in Photos on Windows 10?

The Photos app in Windows 10 is built to work across multiple devices, making it an optimal way to store pictures you want to share with your friends, family, or the social media world.

While Photos is a simple app, it does have a few features that make it more than just an app to view your images, one of the more prominent — some might say annoying — features is auto-enhance.

Auto-enhance will adjust the brightness and contrast of your photos to help balance the lighting in the shot, straighten and crop your photo to modify the composition of the shot, and will even mess around with the tint and saturation — making colors look slightly different. Of course, this is all supposed to make your photos look better; however, art is subjective and these changes may not be everyone's cup of tea.

How to disable auto-enhance in Photos on Windows 10

By default the Photos app should be located in your Start Menu, but if you've removed it from the Start Menu, it's easily accessible through the File Explorer.

  1. Click on the Start Menu button. It's the windows icon in the bottom left corner of your screen.
  2. Click on Photos.

    Click on the Start Menu button and then click on Photos.

  3. Click on the Settings button. It's the little gear icon in the bottom left corner of the Photos app.
  4. Click on the switch underneath the heading Automatically enhance my photos.

    Click on the Settings button and then click on the switch underneath the heading automatcially enhance my photos.

If you ever want to turn Auto-enhance on again, just follow the exact same steps we outlined above.

How to upgrade the SSD in your Dell XPS 13

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Dell XPS 13

You might find yourself needing more storage space on your Dell XPS 13. Fortunately, it's really easy to add some.

It doesn't matter exactly why you find yourself needing more storage, it's a perfectly reasonable thing to come up against. You could use the cloud to help you out, but more local storage space is usually the way to go.

Fortunately on the Dell XPS 13, the latter of those two options is actually very straightforward. With a little know-how, a screwdriver, and the time to do it, you can swap out the existing SSD for a larger one.

Here's what you need to know.

What you need

In order to do this there are a few things you'll need.

  • A new m.2 SSD
  • A USB 3.0 enclosure for m.2 SSD drives
  • A Torx T5 screwdriver
  • A Philips screwdriver
  • Cloning software
  • A blunt edge such as a pry tool or a credit card

For this guide we're going to be going from the stock 256GB SSD up to a 500GB model from Crucial. This SSD also comes with a copy of Acronis True Image, a piece of software you can use to clone the existing drive.

Samsung is another brand we'd recommend if you're shopping for an SSD. They too ship with some cloning software that, while different in user interface, ultimately achieves the same thing.

You also need to backup any important information on your laptop before going any further. If anything goes wrong, you don't want to be left without. Check out our guide on backing up in Windows 10 if you need some help with that.

Cloning the existing drive

Before you go taking anything apart you want to have the new SSD set up and ready to roll. As it's a direct replacement and not a secondary drive, you need to do it first, and outside of the laptop.

That's where the USB 3.0 enclosure comes in. This one is relatively inexpensive; it's basically a box with an m.2-to-USB interface board. It allows you to connect the new SSD to a laptop via a regular USB 3.0 cable for cloning.

Open up the enclosure and fix the unused SSD to the board using the screws provided, and then re-assemble. Plug the drive into the XPS 13 using the included USB 3.0 cable.

Then we're going to head into the cloning software of choice. The actual steps may vary from software to software, but the overall process should be pretty similar. If you want to see an example using Samsung's SSD and software check out this guide on doing a similar upgrade on the Dell Inspiron 15 7559 gaming laptop.

You need to choose the source drive and the target drive and very little else. Hit the magic button and allow the software to do its thing. In this case, we're going from a smaller to a larger SSD you shouldn't encounter any space issues.

Now you should have a brand new SSD drive set up exactly as the old one. So then it's time to grab the screwdriver.

Opening up the XPS 13

XPS 13

Flip the laptop over so the XPS logo is staring back at you. Grab the screwdriver and remove each one of the screws in turn. Be sure not to lose them, with a good trick being to use a magnetic parts tray if you can get one easily. Don't forget to lift the XPS flap, either, as you'll find a final screw lurking under there. The outer screws are T5, while the one beneath the flap is a regular Philips.

XPS 13

Once they're all removed the bottom of the laptop will come away but it'll need a little persuasion. Here's where the pry tool or credit card comes in. Slide it into the edges of the laptop and gently press the back cover away until you can lift it off completely.

The good news from here is that you don't have to dig too far into the belly of the laptop.

Swap the SSD drives over

The current SSD drive will be looking right at you, secured with a single screw. Carefully remove the screw and the SSD will pop up slightly. Then pull it away from its mounting, holding the outer edges while you do it.

Installing the new one is the reverse of this process. Carefully hold the edges and slot the new SSD into the mounting, gold contacts first. You should have a new screw in the packaging as it is, so go ahead and secure the drive with it once it's in place. You'll know you're good when you can't see the notches on the new SSD drive any more.

And that's all there is to that. While you're looking at the naked bowels of the XPS 13 you'll see that upgrading beyond the SSD isn't possible. But it's pretty remarkable to see how much Dell managed to cram in.

Cross fingers and boot up

Look after the existing drive carefully. Don't do anything with it right now and certainly don't think about wiping it just yet. You may still need it! A safe bet is to install it into the housing you used to clone to the new drive.

Because you've cloned the existing drive to the new one, in theory you should now just boot up as normal. Hit the power button on your XPS 13, cross your fingers and watch it boot up. If anything did go wrong you still have the existing drive that you can re-insert to troubleshoot the process.

What to do with the old drive?

Certainly don't throw the old drive away once you're done with it. Once you're booted up and sure everything went well, you can use the USB enclosure you have to format this and leave it empty. From there, keep it inside the enclosure all the time and you've got a nifty, highly portable SSD drive.

If the existing drive is 256GB or higher, you could also plug it in to your Xbox One to expand your game storage a little. If you need guidance on what to do there, we've got a handy guide for you.

And that's it. With SSDs readily available now in large capacities, you've got a not massively expensive way to increase your internal storage should you need to on your Dell XPS 13.

How to install Windows Ink apps for Windows 10

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Windows Ink Collection

One of the new features on the Windows 10 Anniversary Update is Windows Ink, which expands on Microsoft's vision for digital writing on PCs. An all new Windows Ink Workspace is added to the taskbar which lets users with an active pen access core features such as writing sticky notes, doodling in a sketchpad, or annotating screenshots with Screen Sketch. The workspace also makes it easier for users to find apps that support the use of an active pen.

  1. Tap the Windows Ink Workspace icon on the taskbar.

  2. Tap Get more pen apps under the Suggested area.

    Windows Ink Workspace

  3. The Windows Store opens the Windows Ink Collection, where you can browse all the apps that support the pen. Select an app and tap install.

    Windows Ink Collection

That's it! Here are some recommended apps to get you started:

FluidMath– This app lets you ink math formulas onto digital paper, solve linear algebra, and automatically graph those pesky quadratic equations with ease. It's one of the Windows 10 gems we covered recently. Download FluidMath

DocuSign– Provides a fast, easy and secure way to electronically sign documents and collect signatures from others. Download DocuSign

Sketchable– Allows you to scribble a note, snap and edit a photo, import and augment an image, or paint a masterpiece. Download Sketchable

Zen: coloring book for adults– Select a page and start coloring! The activity can be beneficial for adults for its de-stressing power. Download Zen: coloring book for adults

Drawboard PDF– Open or create a new PDF document, markup using an extensive array of tools, then save it back as a compatible PDF. Download Drawboard PDF

Make sure to keep checking the Windows Ink Collection at the Windows Store to discover new apps. Are you excited about Windows Ink on Windows 10? Let us know in the comments!

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