Razer is among the most popular peripheral manufacturers for PC gamers. The company also ships the Razer Synapse suite, which can be deployed to personalize the experience of accessories like mice and keyboards. We'll take a quick look at how you can get started with the software and set up new profiles.

First things first, though: you'll need to plug in your shiny new Razer toy and download the Synapse suite. It doesn't matter whether you have a mouse, keyboard or both — everything that can be configured will use the same software.

1. Download Synapse from the Razer website.
2. Install the Synapse suite.
3. Restart your PC.

Great! We're now good to go. One thing you will need to decide on as we mess around with settings and whatnot is whether you'll want to create a Razer Account. Doing so will unlock cloud-saving functionality, allowing you to log into your Razer Account on another PC and pull down these profiles we'll have set up. It's not mandatory, but is handy if you switch between computers.

Adding macros

Customizing your Razer keyboard couldn't be easier. Having profiles for different games and software can help remove the requirement to fine tune the experience should you happen to be switching back and forth. It also means you only have to configure all your macros once.

1. Select your keyboard from the bottom menu, if not already selected.
2. Hit "+" under Select Profile to create a new profile. The trash icon deletes the selected profile and the contextual menu lets you import/export.

3. Name the new profile. (Tip: I use game titles.)

4. Add a keyboard shortcut to switch to this profile on the fly. (FN + number keys.)
5. Link this profile to a game or program.

Linking the profile to a specific program will cause Razer Synapse to load up the settings of this profile when the target software is launched. For example, as shown in the screen shots here, should League of Legends launch and be detected by the suite, the "LoL" profile will be loaded as it's configured to launch alongside League of Legends.

Fine-tuning clicks

Likewise with the mouse, there's nothing more bothersome than having to re-do all your button customizations and fine-tuning the sensitivity when switching between games. Some prefer a more sensitive experience in first-person shooter games, only then to lower sliders when hopping into DOTA2. Setting up profiles in Synapse will help make it a seamless transition.

1. Select your mouse from the bottom menu, if not already selected.
2. Hit "+" under Select Profile to create a new profile. The trash icon deletes the selected profile and the contextual menu lets you import/export.

3. Name the new profile. (Tip: I use game titles.)

4. Add a keyboard shortcut to switch to this profile on the fly. (FN + number keys.)
5. Link this profile to a game or program.

You're all set! You can now configure and made alterations to individual profiles without affecting how the mouse performs in games and software with dedicated profiles.

Take your profiles with you

The import and export functionality is for local back-ups and restoration. You can move these files around with you, which is ideal for LAN events and should you need to update profiles on another PC. Razer also allows for a Tournament Drivers installer to be created using Synapse, which contains profiles, settings and macros that have been configured. Simply take this file with you and install it on a PC to load up all your personalizations.

That said, if you do wish to make things that little bit easier, then be sure to set up a Razer Account. It only takes a minute and everything will subsequently be saved to the cloud for convenient retrieval. All you need to do to get started is to hit the arrow in the top right-hand corner and you'll be able to either register a new account or log into an existing one.

What are some advanced crafting recipes in Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta?

Now that you've taken a crash course on crafting and have survived your first night, it's time to branch out into intricate recipes that produce items used throughout your Minecraft life.

• How to craft transportation items
• How to craft redstone items
• How to craft food items
• How to craft accessibility items
• How to craft miscellaneous items

How to craft transportation items

Name		Resource(s) used:	Used primarily for:	Stackable?
Rail		Iron ingot, Sticks	Railways	Up to 64
Powered rail		Gold ingot, Redstone dust, Stick	Railways	Up to 64
Detector rail		Iron ingot, Redstone dust, Stone pressure plate	Railways	Up to 64
Activator rail		Iron ingot, Redstone torch, Stick	Railways	Up to 64
Minecart		Iron ingot	Transport	No
Minecart with chest		Chest, Minecart	Storage	No
Minecart with hopper		Hopper, Minecart	Catching items	No
Minecart with TNT		TNT, Minecart	Explosions	No
Boat		Wood planks, Wooden shovel	Sailing	No
Carrot on a stick		Fishing rod, Carrot	Riding saddled pigs	No
Compass		Iron ingot, Redstone dust	Navigation	No
Empty map (1)		Paper, Compass	Navigation	Up to 64
Empty map (2)		Paper	Navigation	Up to 64
Map with location marker		Map, Compass	Places a marker on a map made with only paper	No
Map - zoomed out		Map, Paper	Navigation	No
Map - clone		Map, Empty map	Add more empty maps for more clones	Up to 64

How to craft redstone items

Name		Resource(s) used:	Used primarily for:	Stackable?
Redstone torch		Stick, Redstone dust	Redstone contraptions	Up to 64
Redstone repeater		Stone, Redstone torch, Redstone dust	Redstone contraptions	Up to 64
Redstone comparator		Stone, Nether quartz, Redstone torch	Redstone contraptions	Up to 64
Lever		Stick, Cobblestone	Redstone contraptions	Up to 64
Wooden button		Wood plank	Redstone contraptions	Up to 64
Stone button		Cobblestone	Redstone contraptions	Up to 64
Piston		Cobblestone, Iron ingot, Redstone dust, Wood plank	Redstone contraptions	Up to 64
Sticky piston		Piston, Slimeball	Redstone contraptions	Up to 64
Daylight sensor		Wood slab, Nether quartz, Glass	Redstone contraptions	Up to 64
Observer		Cobblestone, Nether quartz, Redstone dust	Redstone contraptions	Up to 64
Dropper		Cobblestone, Redstone dust	Redstone contraptions	Up to 64
Wooden pressure plate		Wood plank	Redstone contraptions	Up to 64
Stone pressure plate		Stone	Detector rails, Redstone contraptions	Up to 64
Weighted pressure plate - light		Gold ingot	Redstone contraptions	Up to 64
Weighted pressure plate - heavy		Iron ingot	Redstone contraptions	Up to 64
Tripwire hook		Iron ingot, Stick, Wood planks	Traps	Up to 64

How to craft food items

Name		Resource(s) used:	Used primarily for:	Stackable?
Sugar		Sugar cane	Crafting	Up to 64
Bread		Wheat	Health	Up to 64
Cookie		Wheat, Cocoa seeds	Health	Up to 64
Cake		Milk, Wheat, Sugar, Egg	Health	No
Mushroom stew		Brown mushroom, Red mushroom, Bowl	Health	No
Rabbit stew		Cooked rabbit, Red or brown mushroom, Bowl, Carrot, Baked potato	Health	No
Pumpkin pie		Egg, Sugar, Pumpkin	Health	Up to 64
Golden carrot		Gold nugget, Carrot	Health, Brewing	Up to 64
Golden apple		Apple, Gold ingot	Health	Up to 64
Enchanted golden apple		Apple, Gold block	Health	Up to 64
Bowl		Wood planks	Crafting	Up to 64
Bone meal		Bone	Farming, Crafting	Up to 64
Cocoa beans		Rose red, Dandelion yellow, Ink sac	Crafting	Up to 64

How to craft accessibility items

Note: Stairs can be crafted from wood planks, cobblestone, stone, sandstone, bricks, stone bricks, and quartz. Slabs can be crafted from wood planks, cobblestone, stone, sandstone, bricks, and quartz.

Name		Resource(s) used:	Used primarily for:	Stackable?
Stairs		Wood planks (etc.)	Accessibility	Up to 64
Slab		Wood planks (etc.)	Accessibility	Up to 64
Ladder		Sticks	Climbing	Up to 64
Wood fence		Sticks, Wood planks	Livestock, Safety	Up to 64
Gate		Wood planks, Sticks	Accessibility	Up to 64
Wooden trapdoor		Wood planks	Traps, doors	Up to 64
Iron trapdoor		Iron ingot	Traps, doors	Up to 64
Iron bars		Iron ingot	Prisons, walls	Up to 64

How to craft miscellaneous items

Name		Resource(s) used:	Used primarily for:	Stackable?
TNT		Sand, Gunpowder	Explosions	Up to 64
Hopper		Iron ingot, Chest	Catching items	No
Paper		Sugar cane	Map- and book-making	Up to 64
Wool		String	Bedding	Up to 64
Enchantment table		Obsidian, Diamond, Book	Enchanting	No
Glass pane		Glass	Windows	Up to 64
Bookshelf		Wood plank, Book	Decoration	Up to 64
Anvil		Iron block, Iron ingot	Crafting	No
Lead		Slimeball, String	Moving livestock	Up to 64
Cauldron		Iron ingot	Water, potion holder	Up to 64

Dust filters are cheap, yet effective means of keeping the inside of your PC clean — for quieter fans and longer life. Use them.

Anyone with a desktop PC wants to ensure the components locked away inside are running at their best. A war continues to surge on between owners and dust, which can make its way into the intake vents and cause havoc when it comes to keeping everything cool. We take a look at why this is bad, why you should be concerned and what steps one can take to mitigate potential problems.

Why is dust bad?

Dust is bad due to how it likes to coat objects and prevent air from flowing freely when being pushed through by fans. If you haven't cleaned your PC in a while, and do not have any filters installed on vents, opening up the case may reveal quite the sight. Thick clouds of dust, hair and other debris that have seemingly made their way into the case and clumped together. This is bad news.

Not only will this severely restrict airflow, which is usually a primary source of cooling for a PC, but (depending on the scale of the issue) you could also be facing some serious heat issues. On case and component fans alone, dust build-up can negatively affect the performance of the cooler, trapping particles within the bearings and slowing blade rotation. But that's not all, dust can even be conductive, which is never a good thing when located on circuity.

Luckily, dust itself is fairly easy to remove and if you remain on top of a bi-weekly clean out schedule, your PC will not only be greatly appreciative of displayed efforts, but components will continue powering as designed and everything should last longer. Before we get into how one can prevent dust from entering the PC in the first place, we'll need to clean out the case.

Grab the duster

First, we're going to need a few tools to help us clean out the PC. It's worth noting now that you shouldn't use a vacuum cleaner — they're clumsy tools meant for imprecise work (not to mention static charge generators). Here's what our tool belt will be holding for the job:

• Compressed air
• Screwdriver (only required if your PC case doesn't have external thumb caps)
• Some cleaning wipes
• Small brush

Right, now we have our arsenal of cleaning equipment at hand, there are a few steps to carry out before we can clear dirt and dust from within the case.

1. Shut down the PC.
2. Unplug cables from all ports.

3. Move the PC tower to a cleared workspace.

   If possible, find a location outside since we'll be blowing dust around, perhaps a sturdy table in the yard. Depending on the design and construction of your PC, the below steps may alter slightly, but this guide should be okay for majority of chassis types.

4. Remove the screws on the rear of the side panel.
5. Take off the side panel.

6. Spray around the inside with compressed air. Remember to also spray fans.

   It's important to hold the can of compressed air upright and to spray at a distance on components. While it's technically safe to use on PC internals, it's possible to draw liquid from the can so pay extra attention.

7. Use the brush to wipe down components and other areas.
8. Close up the PC and return it to your desk.

Preventative measures

Now that you're cleaned out, how do you stop this from happening again? While we can't stop all dust form getting in — you need airflow to keep everything cool, after all — there are a few tricks to the trade when it comes to reducing dust infiltration.

Use dust filters

Seriously, this is the easiest way you can keep almost all dust out of any PC case. Filters are affordable accessories that utilize a mesh (usually made up of polyester, but can be metal) to help capture dust particles as they attempt to pass into open vents. These are particularly handy for fan intakes, not only protecting the powered blades, but also everything else located within the case.

We even recommend you add filters to case fan vents you aren't using. It's easy to find a filter that's magnetic to save time fitting and detaching when you wish to clean out the accompanied fan. For example, Silverstone has a 120mm filter for the PC, priced at just $7.90.

See at Amazon

Get off the floor

Have your PC located on your floor, be it carpet or a hard surface? It's strongly recommended you relocate the desktop to another position, one that's raised off the floor. With a PC located on ground level, it's more susceptible to being exposed to dust and hair and other airborne particles that may be kicked up by movement. Either have the case on a desk, table or in a bracket attached to the underside.

Do your chores

Follow through our little guide in cleaning the insides of a PC case above and carry out the steps on a bi-weekly basis or once a month, depending on how frequently you use the PC and how dusty the environment is. You'll need to clean out filters regularly anyway, so it makes it worth the time investment to open up the case and give it a quick blow.

A clean workspace

This may be yet another obvious listing, but if the surroundings aren't exactly dust-free then the PC is more likely to pick up dust and other dirt by in-taking whatever may be passing by. A clean office or bedroom will surely help keep your PC in a much better shape.

Check your flow

Achieving positive airflow inside the case will also aid in keeping pesky dust out the case. What do I mean by positive airflow? The term essentially means you have more fans pulling air into the case than you have extracting hot air from within, resulting in increased pressure. Negative airflow would be when you have more fans extracting air out from the case itself. Having multiple intake fans on your PC with filters attached, alongside a fan or two on the rear to remove hot air from inside the case will help prevent dust from entering any open ports. More air movement helps components dissipate heat as well, so it's a win for everyone.

There's a neat way you can check how air is being moved around your PC case — smoke. Light an incense stick and this will show you how air is moving through any open ports on your case, which should provide helpful hints as to how you need to balance out airflow to ensure as much air is running through filters as possible.

No food allowed

I know that burger from McDonald's is crying out for you to dig straight in, but do attempt to either use a tray or eat food elsewhere. Crumbs and the like get everywhere — in your case, ground into the chair, under your keyboard keys — and they do more than just get in the way. Bits of food are miniature petri dishes in waiting, so either eat clean or eat elsewhere.

What does each block do in Minecraft?

Blocks are what make up your Minecraft world, and, boy, there sure are a lot of them. Not sure which blocks are worth your time to mine, and which can be left alone? Check out our handy list of naturally occurring blocks to help you understand what each block is, and what it can do for you.

• Ore blocks
• Natural blocks
• Nether blocks

Ore blocks

Coal ore: Coal ore, when mined, turns into coal. It is one of the most important resources in the world, and can be found pretty much anywhere. Mine with a pickaxe to receive coal.

Iron ore: Iron ore blocks, when smelted, turn into iron ingots. Use a stone, iron, or diamond pickaxe to mine iron. It can be found anywhere between bedrock and sea level, which is 64 blocks above bedrock.

Gold ore: Gold ore blocks, when smelted, turn into gold ingots. Use an iron or diamond pickaxe to mine gold. It can be found anywhere in the 32 layers above bedrock.

Diamond ore: Diamond ore is one of the most important blocks in the game. It is relatively rare, appearing only in the 17 layers above bedrock. Use an iron or diamond pickaxe to mine diamond ore.

Lapis lazuli ore: Lapis lazuli is found in the 33 layers above bedrock. It is primarily used to create dyes for decoration.

Redstone ore: Redstone ore blocks, when mined, drop several Redstone dust. This is used in Redstone contraptions, and can be quite valuable in late-game scenarios. Redstone is found in the 16 layers above bedrock.

Emerald ore: Emerald ore is incredibly rare, and can only be found in the 32 layers above bedrock. Mine with an iron or diamond pickaxe to receive the emerald ore block itself, or mine with something else to get emerald.

Natural blocks

Bedrock: What all else is built on, bedrock is found deep below the surface of your world. It cannot be broken with any tools. Bedrock also makes up the foundation and ceiling of the Nether.

Obsidian: Obsidian is used to create Nether portals and enchantment tables. It can only be mined with a diamond pickaxe. Obsidian is created when lava touches water.

Dirt: Probably the most common block in the game, dirt makes up most of the upper layer of your world. Use tilled dirt to plant farms!

Grass: Grass blocks make up most of the very top layer of your world. They grow long grass, which is used for acquiring seeds, and will spawn NPC animals.

Podzol: A variation of the grass block found in taiga forests.

Mycelium: A variation of the grass block found in mushroom biomes.

Sand: Sand is what makes up desert biomes, and is affected by gravity — if you mine the block beneath sand, it will fall.

Red sand: Red sand has the exact same properties as sand, except it is a different color.

Sandstone: Sandstone is generally found beneath the sand blocks in desert biomes. It is not affected by gravity.

Chiseled sandstone: A variation of sandstone that can be found in desert temples.

Smooth sandstone: A variation of sandstone that can be found in both NPC villages and desert temples.

Gravel: Gravel is another block that is affected by gravity. If you mine the block beneath gravel, it will fall. Gravel can be found pretty much anywhere in the world, and is often near water.

Stone: Stone is found pretty much everywhere in the world. It's what you have to mine through to find the good stuff, like iron and diamonds. When mined, stone turns into cobblestone.

Stone bricks: In the wild, stone bricks are found making up the walls and foundation of strongholds.

Mossy stone bricks: A variation of stone bricks, they can also be found in strongholds.

Cracked stone bricks: A variation of stone bricks, they can also be found in strongholds.

Chiseled stone bricks: A variation of stone bricks, they can be found in jungle temples.

Cobblestone: Cobblestone is found in NPC villages, subterranean dungeons, strongholds, and jungle temples. It is also created when you mine stone. It can be turned back into stone, whether for crafting or esthetic, by smelting it in a furnace.

Moss stone: Moss stone is generally found making up the walls of a subterranean dungeon. Mine it with a pickaxe to collect it — if you mine with another tool, it will disappear.

Granite: Granite is a variation of stone — it is found pretty much anywhere in the world. It is used primarily as decoration. Mine it with a pickaxe or it will disappear.

Diorite: Diorite is a variation of stone — it is found pretty much anywhere in the world, and is used primarily as decoration. Mine it with a pickaxe or it will disappear.

Andesite: Andesite is a variation of stone — it is found pretty much anywhere in the world, and is used primarily as decoration. Mine it with a pickaxe or it will disappear.

Clay block: When mined, a clay block will give you clay. Clay blocks can only be found beneath water.

Oak wood: Oak wood is obtained by chopping Oak trees. Wood is one of the first blocks you'll obtain in the game.

Spruce wood: Spruce wood can be used the same way as all other raw wood.

Birch wood: Birch wood can be used the same way as all other raw wood.

Jungle wood: Jungle wood can be used the same way as all other raw wood.

Acacia wood: Acacia wood can be used the same way as all other raw wood.

Dark oak wood: Dark oak wood can be used the same way as all other raw wood.

Nether blocks

Nether quartz ore: Nether quartz ore is found in the Nether and can be likened to iron in the Overworld. When smelted in a furnace, it produces Nether quartz.

Glowstone: Found only in the Nether, glowstone should be mined with a pickaxe. It will drop glowstone dust. Use the glowstone dust to recraft glowstone blocks.

Soul sand: Found only in the Nether, soul sand can be mined with anything. When you or an NPC player (including enemies!) walk over it, it will slow you down. It is also used for growing Nether wart.

Netherrack: Netherrack is what makes up most of the Nether. It can only be mined with a pickaxe. When set on fire, it will burn forever unless you extinguish it.

Nether brick: Nether brick can be found making up the walls and foundation of Nether fortresses. Mine it with a pickaxe, or it will disappear.

How do I create farms in Minecraft?

Creating sustainable farms in Minecraft is an important factor of long-term survival. Here's all you need to know about getting a farm set up and keeping it alive in Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta.

• Collect seeds
• Find some farmland
• Till the soil
• Water your crops
• Fertilize your crops
• Protect your crops
• Give your crops light
• Know when to harvest
• Farming other crops than wheat

Collect seeds

In order to plant a farm, you must first collect seeds from the natural environment.

Find a patch of tall grass and start clicking. Not every piece of grass you hit will produce a seed, but keep at it and you'll soon have a collection of seeds.

Once you have a farm up and running, wheat you harvest will usually provide between one and three seeds — sometimes no seeds — so that you can replant the crop.

Find some farmland

The ideal spot for a farm is an open, grassy area close to water. As long as your farmed dirt tiles are within four blocks of water, they will become hydrated and will grow much faster. Ensure your farmed tiles are also at the same level or one level below water.

Keep in mind you can also transport water using a bucket. If you'd like to play it safe and stay within your shelter, use this method to create an indoor farm.

Till the soil

Your next step is to start tilling the soil with a hoe. If you haven't crafted one yet, now is the time.

You might also want to dig a few trenches extending out from the water source. Creating rows of crops without any other crops directly next to them, as shown above, will deliver the best growth rate. You also want to keep a bare strip of dirt blocks to walk along, as walking on your crops will damage them.

Using your hoe, right-click the tiles you'd like to farm. They will darken if they're hydrated.

Take out the seeds you collected, and right-click the tilled blocks of dirt. This will plant the seeds, and they will begin to immediately grow.

Water your crops

If you happened to over-extend your crops to where your water source doesn't reach, or if you want to create indoor farms, you can use a bucket to transport water.

The first step, if you haven't already, is to craft a bucket.

Next, find a source of water that isn't flowing. With your bucket, right-click the water to fill your bucket. You will notice the empty bucket icon changes to a bucket full of water.

Approach the area of your farm you'd like to water, and right-click the ground — click within a hole to contain the water — to empty the bucket. The water will spread out, watering your crops as it goes.

Fertilize your crops

You can use bone meal, which is created from bones, to fertilize and instantly grow your crops. If you don't have any bones in your inventory, wait for night to fall and venture out with a sword and some armor. Kill as many skeletons as you can without dying!

Once you've collected bones and crafted bone meal, right-click with the bone meal on any crops you've already planted. Wheat, potato, and carrot crops will grow anywhere from two to five stages.

Protect your crops

As mentioned, walking on your crops can damage them. This also applies to animals running around your world, so you'll want to create some fences and a gate.

Place fences around the perimeter of your farm, and ensure there are no blocks at the same level nearby — if there are, animals will be able to jump over the fence. Place a gate where it's easy to access.

Give your crops light

If you've created an indoor farm, or if you want to keep your crops growing overnight, you must place torches nearby.

Space out the torches to ensure each block is getting light — you can never have too many!

Know when to harvest

Your crops will go through several stages of growth before they are ready to harvest. If you harvest crops before they're finished growing, they will not provide any wheat.

Once the stalks have become dark green and the tips of the wheat have become an almost brown color, they're ready to harvest. Using any tool — or even your hands — click to harvest. Each block will produce one wheat and, usually, some seeds.

Pro-tip: Replant the seeds in the soil before it becomes un-tilled to save time!

Farming other crops than wheat

Cocoa beans

Cocoa beans are usually quite plentiful in jungle biomes — you can find them growing beneath the foliage in trees. Seeds can also be found in dungeon chests. Unlike other crops, cocoa beans must be planted on the side of raw jungle wood. They do not need to be planted near water.

Potatoes, carrots, and beetroot

Found growing near NPC villages, potatoes and carrots can be planted and grown just like wheat, except there are no seeds. Plant whole potatoes or carrots in tilled dirt and wait until they're fully grown. When harvested, they will produce more units than you planted.

Beetroot grows near NPC villages as well, however, they will produce seeds when harvested. Replant the seeds to grow more beetroot.

Melons and pumpkins

Pumpkins and melons can both be found growing wild, and seeds can be purchased from some NPC villagers. Seeds can also be found in dungeons or abandoned minecart chests. When you plant melon or pumpkin seeds, they will grow and can be harvested. Once you've harvested the pumpkin or melon, the seed will continue to grow anew on the same block of dirt.

There's a new Windows 10 update with exciting new features… and you don't have enough space to download an install it. No problem.

Regardless of whether you're using a Windows 10 tablet that has a small storage drive to start, or if you've managed filled up your hard drive, a lack of free space doesn't mean you have to miss out on important updates that fix bugs or add new features. Here's how to get around a lack of space for installing updates with just a pair of USB flash drives.

Of course, if you've got a decent-sized storage drive, you could try cleaning up your hard drive or temporarily moving some of your larger files (photos, movies, etc) onto an external drive. But if that's just not an option, here's how to get around a lack of space for installing updates with just a pair of USB flash drives.

How to install Windows 10 updates on low storage devices

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to install a new major update of Windows 10 on devices with low disk space.

Hardware you'll need

Before you can install Windows 10 on a device with low free storage space, you'll need a few things:

• A second PC to create a bootable drive.
• Two empty USB flash drives, each with at least 16GB in size.

• Two free USB ports on your device.

  • If your device has a Micro-USB port, then you'll need a USB On-The-Go (OTG) cable to adapt the Micro-USB port to a standard USB port.
  • If you only have one free USB port, you'll also need a basic USB hub with a least two ports.

How to create an installation drive for Windows 10 updates

For this process, you'll need a USB flash drive with the latest installation files of Windows 10, which you can create using the Media Creation Tool.

To create a bootable media, do the following:

1. Connect one of your USB flash drives to a PC other than the one you're trying to upgrade.
2. Head over to the Microsoft support website to download the Media Creation Tool.
3. Click the Download tool now button.
4. Double-click the MediaCreationTool.exe file to launch the utility.
5. Select the Create installation media for another PC option.

6. Click Next to continue.

7. Select your language, edition, and architecture.

   Quick Tip: If you're trying to update a small tablet with low storage, it's likely to be using a 32-bit architecture. You can quickly check the device architecture by going to Settings > Devices > About and double-checking the System type information.

8. Select the USB flash drive option.

9. Click Next.

10. Select your USB flash drive from the list.

11. Click Next.

12. Click Finish to complete the task.

How to install a Windows 10 update from a flash drive

To install feature updates of Windows 10, do the following:

1. If necessary for your device, connect the USB OTG cable and/or the USB hub.
2. Connect both the USB flash drive with the Windows 10 installation files and the other empty USB flash drive.
3. Double-click the Setup.exe file to launch the Windows 10 installation from the USB flash drive.

4. Select the Keep personal files and apps option to only update your system.

5. If you get the "Windows needs more space" option, click the Choose another drive or attach an external drive with 10GB available link.
6. Select your empty USB flash drive to serve as temporary storage.

7. Click Refresh.

8. Click Install.

9. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process as necessary.

   Note: Some devices may only have a single Micro-USB port that is used for both charging and data transfer, which can make the battery-draining update process somewhat tricky when you also need that port to connect your USB drives. Your device will reboot during the installation process, after the first reboot you will no longer need either flash drive or the USB hub to finish, so you can unplug those and connect your power cable. Of course, if your PC has a dedicated power port, you can just leave everything (power included) plugged in throughout the whole process.

After the installation completes and after a few black screens and reboots, you'll be back to your desktop once again. Because this is technically an upgrade, you won't need to go through the out-of-box experience to finish setting up Windows 10.

Do you have a Windows 10 device with low storage capacity that still didn't get the latest major update? Did this process worked for you? 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:

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

Stop Steam from filling up the wrong drive with a few simple steps.

By default, Steam will download your games to whatever is the main drive on your PC. That is, whichever one Windows is installed on. In many cases that's not going to be a problem, but it will if you have a small SSD boot drive to complement a larger mass storage HDD, for example.

In this case, you need to tell Steam that you want things somewhere else. It's not immediately obvious how to do it, but it's not complicated, either.

1. Click on the Steam menu in the top left of the screen.
2. Select Settings. The Settings window will open.

3. Select Downloads from the left column menu.

4. Click on the Steam library folders button.

5. Now click on Add library folders.

6. Click on the drive menu and select your desired drive.

7. Click add folder.

8. Right click on the folder you just made and select make default folder.

Now you're all set. It won't automatically move any games you have stored on another drive, but it will now make sure that any new games you're downloading will be saved to the new one instead!

Windows 10 allows you to link your product key to a Microsoft account to re-activate the operating system, here's how to do that and still keep your local account.

With Windows 10, linking your product key to your Microsoft account so you can easily re-activate the operating system when you make significant changes to the hardware on your PC, such as replacing the motherboard, processor, or hard drive.

You can associate your operating system license with a Microsoft account, but in doing that you'll be required to switch to a Microsoft account. If you want to tie your license to a Microsoft Account but keep using a local account on your PC, we can do that.

In this guide, we'll show you a workaround to link your Windows 10 product key with your Microsoft account while allowing you to stay on a local account.

How to link a Windows 10 license using an Microsoft account while staying on a local account

Here's the thing, you can link a Windows 10 product key with a Microsoft account, but you can't switch back to a local account because the process will remove the license link.

A workaround to this limitation is to use a second user account only to link the digital license to your Microsoft account. Then you can simply hide the new account on the sign-in screen, and you can keep using your already set up local account.

How to create a new Microsoft account on Windows 10

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

4. Under "Other people", click the Add someone else to this PC button.

5. Type your email address on the field.

6. Click Next.

7. Click Finish.
8. Sign out from your account.
9. Sign-in to the newly created account using your Microsoft account credentials.
10. Open Settings.
11. Click on Update & security.

12. Click on Activation to verify your digital license is linked your Microsoft account.

13. Sign-out from your Microsoft account, and sign-in again to your local account.

You have successfully associated your Windows 10 product key to an Microsoft account without losing your local account.

Now chances are you'll rarely go back to the secondary Microsoft account, but because you'll lose the link if you remove it, one thing you can do is to hide the account on the sign-in screen, so no one will know is there.

Are you staying with your local account or switching to a Microsoft account to link your Windows 10 product key? 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:

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

How do I mine in Minecraft?

Minecraft is all about, well, mining and crafting. Before you dig straight down, earnestly searching for gold, there are some things you need to know. This guide will help any Minecraft beginner find what they need!

• Tools you'll need
• Where you'll find ore
• Cave mines
• Shaft mines
• Branch mines
• Quarry mines

Tools you'll need

• Torches: Torches are invaluable while mining. There is no natural light beneath the ground — unless you happen to run into lava — so you'll need to place torches along your mine to light things up. Bring a full bundle of 64 torches as well as some extra coal and sticks.

• Pickaxe: You're going to want to bring at least a stone pickaxe with you, as wood pickaxes don't last very long and you'll find yourself constantly stopping to make more. Crafting a few pickaxes before you begin is generally a good idea, as you can swap them out on the go.

• Shovel: Bring at least a stone shovel with you while mining, as they last much longer than wood shovels. You never know when you'll run into a vein of dirt or gravel. Like pickaxes, you can pre-craft a few shovels before starting your mining expedition.

• Food: Mining causes your hunger bar to deplete quickly, so you'll want to bring a decent amount of food with you. Having a full hunger bar also replenishes your health, perfect after running into a skeleton or zombie.

• Weapon: You're bound to run into a few enemy mobs while mining. If you're shaft mining, you can probably wall them off to avoid them, but if you're cave mining you'll likely have to put up a fight. Bringing a sword or bow and arrow with you is recommended. Always upgrade your sword when you discover new ore, as it is an invaluable tool for dispatching enemies.

• Armor: Any armor at all, whether leather, iron, gold, or diamond, is a good defense when starting out. As resources allow, you can upgrade your armor.

• Crafting table: Set down a crafting table somewhere safe in your mine in order to craft broken tools or more torches.

• Chest: Your inventory is bound to fill up when you're on a mining spree, so placing a chest somewhere safe and nearby your main mine is not a bad idea. You can come back, drop off resources, then head back out into the field.

• Wood planks: You won't find much wood underground, so bringing along some extra wood is a great idea. You never know when you'll need more sticks, a door, another chest, or another crafting table.

• Ladders: Getting stuck in a hole is never fun — craft some ladders before you head out to ensure you can climb out of any predicament.

Where you'll find ore

Bedrock can be found in the bottom four layers (four blocks) of the Overworld. Sea level in the Overworld is found, at its highest, at 62 blocks above bedrock. Keep this in mind when calculating where you'll place your mines.

Coal: Commonly found between layers 5 and 52 of the Overworld.

Iron: Commonly found between layers 5 and 54 of the Overworld.

Gold: Commonly found between layers 5 and 29 of the Overworld.

Diamond: Commonly found between layers 5 and 12 of the Overworld.

Redstone: Commonly found between layers 5 and 12 of the Overworld.

Lapis lazuli: Commonly found between layers 14 and 16 of the Overworld.

Emerald: Commonly found between layers 5 and 29 of the Overworld.

Cave mines

Heading into a cave is likely one of the first things you'll do in the game — a glimmer of coal or iron will attract you, and before you know it you're in trouble without being prepared.

Cave mining with a plan, however, can be quite lucrative. Think of it as a mineshaft that's already been dug and has plenty of resources just waiting to be plucked.

There's no defined strategy on cave mining, but you generally want to be well prepared to fend off enemies — you're sure to encounter them. Bring a sword or bow and arrow, and, if you can, some armor.

Take your time placing torches and scouting ahead. You don't want to be in the middle of mining some precious iron when a creeper sneaks up behind you and explodes. Mark your way appropriately so you can find your way back — caves can be deceiving.

Also keep in mind that dead-ends sometimes actually lead to bigger things. Poke around with a shovel or pickaxe next time you reach a dead-end and see what you find.

Shaft mines

A shaft mine is probably the best place to start mining. You can start a shaft mine from the shelter you've already built, and can usually return without getting lost.

There are a few ways you can mine a shaft:

• Mine down in a diagonal fashion, going one block deeper each step. To get back up, you can either jump up each block the entire way, or you can place stairs for easier access.

• Mine a spiral staircase down into the ground. Try going with a 4x4 or larger layout. Never dig straight down! You never know what's beneath you, and you can end up falling to your death.

• Mine a 2x1 shaft straight down — that way you're not mining the block directly beneath you, but you'll still quickly make downward progress. Make sure you bring enough ladders to return to the surface! This is a great method if you plan on going with a branch mining technique.

Branch mines

You generally want to start out with a shaft mine in order to reach a suitable depth — this will act as your access shaft. If you know you're at sea level when you start mining down, you can count to where you think iron and diamond will be. If you're unsure of your depth, mine down until you hit bedrock, then count back up to a suitable depth.

A good strategy is to mine a horizontal passage in all four directions away from your initial access shaft. The distance you mine is up to you.

After you have your four main corridors extending from the access shaft, begin mining branches off your corridors, leaving two blocks between each branch. This way you're sure to not miss any veins of the ore you're looking for.

Repeat this process as many times as you want, and make sure you place a marker of some sort — a sign or an arrow made from torches — so you don't get lost. As your mine grows, it can become quite confusing to navigate.

Quarry mines

If you love a visual representation of the time you've put in mining, you'll love a good quarry mine. While this definitely isn't the most efficient way to mine ore, it is a fantastic way of gathering the resources needed — stone, granite, andesite, etc. — to make a nice looking fortress.

Start by finding a large stone area, preferably flat, to start your quarry mine. If you'd like some extra protection, build some walls or place fences around the planned perimeter. Next, start strip mining the area one or two levels at a time.

Be sure to leave a set of ascending blocks or stairs around the perimeter for easy access. You can also use ladders, but ascending blocks will set you up nicely if you plan on using rails and carts later on in the game when resources allow.

You're sure to run into cave systems as you descend. You can explore the caves, lighting them with torches as you go to ensure no enemy mobs spawn. Alternatively, you can board the caves up for later when you're better prepared to deal with whatever lies within.

Add even more to your goliath gaming notebook with ease.

The ASUS ROG G752 gaming laptop is very well equipped, but it doesn't mean you're limited to what it has out of the box. While the processor and graphics are out of bounds, you can do a fair bit of good with upgraded RAM and internal storage.

You can simply increase to 32GB or 64GB of RAM (32GB in the case of this article) as well as expanded hard drive or SSD storage. Here's what you need to know.

Opening up the ASUS G752

1. Flip over the laptop.
2. Pull back the rubber cover in the center of the laptop. It will exposing a screw.
3. Unscrew the screw.
4. Lift on the rubber cover to remove the upgrade panel.

In terms of upgrades, there are many to choose from but we'd recommend SSDs from Samsung, HDD storage from Western Digital and a 16GB DDR4 RAM kit from Crucial.

How to upgrade the RAM in the ASUS ROG G752

1. Locate the RAM slots. These are in the center of the laptop, just above the small m.2 SSD drives.

   The G752 has two empty slots, these are what you will use.

2. Line up the notch on each RAM stick with the notch on each of the slots.
3. Insert the RAM at a slight angle until the pins disappear.

4. Press down gently. You should feel a slight slick as the RAM locks into place.

5. Turn on your computer to verify that the RAM was successfully installed and recognized:
   1. Open Settings.
   2. Click on System.
   3. Click on About. You should then see something like the screen above detailing your RAM. If it says 32GB everything is good!

How to add a mass storage hard drive to the ASUS ROG G752

If the two SSDs already in the G752 aren't enough, ASUS also leaves space for a 2.5-inch HDD for mass storage. On some configurations there may already be a drive in here, in which case you're probably not looking to upgrade further. But if you're on an SSD only spec, here's what you need to do:

1. Unscrew the four screws that hold in the drive bay cover.
2. Carefully remove the cover.
3. Line up the connectors of the new drive with the slot of the laptop.
4. Push the new drive into place.
5. Screw the four screws back in to secure the cover over the drive.
6. Turn on your computer to verify the drive was successfully installed and recognized:
   1. Open Settings.
   2. Click on System.
   3. Click on Storage. You'll see the drives currently connected and if all was successful your new HDD will display here.

How to upgrade the SSD storage in the ASUS ROG G752

With 500GB of combined SSD storage in the G572, there's little reason to mess with the m.2 drives — especially the one with Windows installed on it. But if you want to amp up your flash storage, the process is straightforward enough. If you need to copy data off the drive to put back on, any form of USB connected hard drive would suffice, or even the mass storage drive installed above if you completed that. Once you've backed up anything you need, swapping the drive is easy:

1. Remove the tiny screw from the left edge of the m.2 SSD. It should pop up slightly for you to pull away from the contacts.
2. Line up the new SSD at a similar angle.
3. Gently push the new SSD in until the pins disappear.
4. Push down on the new SSD until it slots into place.
5. Screw in the screw to secure the SSD.
6. Turn on your computer to verify the drive was successfully installed and recognized:
   1. Open Settings.
   2. Click on System.
   3. Click on Storage. You'll see the drives currently connected and if all was successful your new HDD will display here.

And that about covers it! Many laptops can't upgrade their internals, but ASUS has given plenty of flexibility with the G752 to get what you need from it.

ReCore is here, and it's rather awesome, but it's not always entirely straightforward.

ReCore tells the tale of Joule and her companion Corebots: Mack, Duncan, and Seth. Joule and her team arrived on the distant world of Far Eden, prepped to terraform the dead planet to make it fit for human life. Joule emerges from cryo-sleep to find her team missing, and her autonomous robot worker army missing. It's up to you to find out what went wrong while exploring a large overworld crammed with dungeons, secrets, third-person shooting action and old-school 3D platforming.

Here are a few spoiler-free tips you need to know after you complete the game's tutorial area.

1. Combat, combos, and colors

Colors and combos define ReCore's combat, and mastering how it all works will not only make you a formidable robot-wrecking force, but it also makes combat way more fun.

Hitting one of ReCore's highest level optional dungeons now, as I write some tips and tricks for play. pic.twitter.com/i50Peoc0jE

— Jez Corden (@JezCorden) 13 September 2016

ReCore has an auto-lock targeting feature, and in most shooters, it would probably be annoying, but for ReCore it's absolutely critical. It's best to think of ReCore as a ranged version of a modern 3D beat 'em up, rather than a true third-person shooter.

• Enemy health bars are split into segments, indicated by a black marker. Every time you break one of these markers, you get a combo modifier that increases your damage.
• When an enemy Corebot loses a health segment, they enter a staggered state and take increased damage.
• Time your charge shots and Corebot lethal attacks so that they hit simultaneously when an enemy Corebot is staggered.
• Target weaker enemies first to pad your combo score, then unleash your modifier on the more powerful enemies.
• When you reach a combo score of 10, you will gain an instant core extraction "execution" ability, which instantly destroys an enemy Corebot and causes a damaging explosion.
• As you play, you'll begin to get a feel for the different abilities different colored enemy Corebots have. However, the vast majority of enemy attacks can be avoided using aerial dashes and double jumps. Make use of the game's auto-targeting to keep up your combo score while you leap, dash and double jump through combat.
• You can't shoot while dashing, but you can continue to build up a charge shot for a follow-up attack.

Mastering the combo system makes ReCore all the more enjoyable, and will prevent you from getting overwhelmed in the higher level areas.

2. Explore, explore, explore

ReCore has an open overworld dotted with dungeons, platforming puzzles and secrets.

The game revolves around the collection of Prismatic Cores, which are an energy source that is not only key to the game's story but provides access to different types of dungeons.

• To complete ReCore's plot you need 45 Prismatic Cores, so there's no need to rush the story missions.
• Try to explore each segment of the game's overworld as much as possible before chasing story missions. Dungeons, Prismatic Cores and Supply Caches appear on the map when you get near them.
• You will need to hit story missions to obtain new Corebots. Some might find it worthwhile to get to the final dungeon before going exploring properly. You can't continue play after the mission ends.
• Make note of areas that require specific Corebot skills to access so you can return later with the correct tools. You can only have two Corebots, and thus, only two tools with you at any one time.
• Finding the Cellbots that unlock certain dungeons can be tricky, but they are typically found in the local vicinity. They can be on top of structures, hidden in nooks and crannies, and even buried underground (use Mack for digging!).
• Cellbots flash with a green light that illuminates nearby objects, so keep an eye out that when trying to find them.

3. Platforming fun

ReCore is a true 3D platformer in the old-school sense of the word. There are no automatic ledge hooks, no canned climbing animations, and no quick time events.

ReCore's platforming does get pretty crazy higher up. pic.twitter.com/jazB9NmK0n

— Jez Corden (@JezCorden) 14 September 2016

ReCore is all about positioning, planning your leaps ahead of time, and managing your dashes and double jumps effectively.

• Joule's exo-suit allows her two jumps while in the air, as well as an aerial dash.
• Joule's jump and dash limits reset when she hits the ground.
• If you dash off a ledge, that dash does not count towards the air limit, allowing you to gain extra distance.
• When you're in the air, a circular indicator will appear on ledges below to help you judge your landing.
• Similarly, if you're dashing through one of the energizing aerial rings in some of the game's platforming puzzles, the first dash does not count towards the reset limit.

4. Keep your Corebot's gear up to date

ReCore also has a rich RPG layer that allows you to customize and upgrade your Corebot companions.

If you neglect them, they will become squishy in combat and massively lower your damage output as a result.

• You gain loot in ReCore either by picking up spinning white crates in the Far Eden overworld, or by defeating enemies.
• Extracting the core from enemies will prevent you from getting parts necessary to upgrade your bots. So, if you're grinding loot, be aware of that fact.
• You can track Corebot blueprints via the menu. When you obtain the correct parts, they'll appear on the HUD with a green tick next to them.
• You can access the workbench in Joule's Crawler. This is where you build and customize your Corebots.
• When doing the optional dungeons, meeting the challenge criteria usually rewards you with unique headpieces that come with special properties.
• Completing a gear set often comes with bonuses to stats and other abilities.
• You can also spend Core power to level up your Corebot's stats via the workbench. Do this often to keep them strong against higher level enemies.
• Smash everything! Yellow crates are scattered throughout the game's world, and can be smashed open for Core fragments and currency needed to customize your Corebots.

5. Inventory management, logs, and more

As you're progressing across Far Eden, Joule's inventory will slowly fill up.

You might find yourself overwhelmed with all the different parts, cores, and other items you receive as you play, but here are a few pointers to get you started.

• You can teleport back to Joule's crawler base at any time from the menu. Any collected parts and cores will automatically transfer to Joule's stash.
• Parts come in three tiers. Pristine, Sturdy and Worn. You can convert pieces from Worn, to Sturdy and up to Pristine using the Workbench in Joule's Crawler. Some higher level items will require Pristine parts to build. The overworld area to the far north contains the highest level Corebots.
• Selecting a part will tell you which enemy Corebots carry them, helping you seek them out more easily. As mentioned above, you can track Blueprints to find specific parts.
• The menu allows you to access tutorial tips and tricks, as well as playbacks for previously collected audio logs that add detail to the game's world and story.

ReCoresome!

ReCore is an underrated game that harkens back to the golden age of 3D platforming. It's not perfect by any means, but its characters, its designs, and its addictive combat make it a worthwhile purchase, especially given its below-average asking price.

ReCore is also a Play Anywhere title, meaning that you can pick up and sync your progress between Xbox One and a capable Windows 10 PC with a single purchase. Gaming on the go is here, and ReCore will join the likes of Killer Instinct, Gears of War 4, Forza Horizon 3 and more Play Anywhere titles set to launch in the future.

Check out our full review for ReCore below, and if you're already playing, let us know what you think of the game in the comments!

ReCore Review

ReCore Buyer's Guide

See on the Microsoft Store

How do I use rails and minecarts in Minecraft?

All of your rail-magnate ambitions can come true in Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta, but everyone has to start somewhere. Learn the basics of building a railway with our handy guide to rails and minecarts.

• Types of rails
• Types of minecarts
• How to create railways
• How to create intersections
• How to ride a minecart
• How to use powered rails
• How to use detector rails
• How to use activator rails

Types of rails

Plain rail

This plain rail is the one you'll be using most. It can be placed on flat ground or on slopes. Six iron ingots and one stick produce 16 rails.

Powered rail

The powered rail, when attached to redstone, moves your minecart along the rail. If the powered rail isn't connected to redstone, it will stop your cart. Six gold ingots, one stick, and one redstone dust produces six powered rails.

Detector rail

Detector rails are generally used in redstone contraptions. When a minecart passes over a detector rail, it will either activate or deactivate any attached redstone. Six iron ingots, one stone pressure plate, and one redstone dust produces six detector rails.

Activator rail

Activator rails are quite useful when connected to redstone — if a minecart holding a player passes over, it will drop the player off. Likewise, a minecart filled with TNT will be lit when it passes over the activator rail. An activator rail not connected to redstone will act like a plain rail.

Types of minecarts

Minecart

Plain minecarts can be ridden in by you, animals, and enemy mobs. You can control the minecart with whichever keys you use to go forward and backward. You can go up sloped rails, but progress will be slow.

Minecart with chest

Right-click a minecart with a chest in it and load up tools, resources, or whatever else you need transported. This is also super useful for when you're mining deep in the ground and want to keep your personal inventory empty.

Minecart with hopper

Minecarts with hoppers are quite useful for large mining operations. They will pick up any blocks or items lying on the track, and will also pick up any items on a block directly above the track. Hoppers can be turned on and off by passing over an activator rail powered with redstone.

Minecart with TNT

Minecarts with TNT in them are generally used for fast mining. The fuse will light after it passes over an activator rail powered with redstone, and will explode four seconds later. The faster the cart is moving at the time of the explosion, the larger the explosion will be. An exploding minecart with TNT will not destroy its rail or the block the rail is on.

How to create railways

With a rail in hand, right-click the ground to place it. If you make a mistake, just hit it with a pickaxe to pick it back up. Rails will automatically turn corners when you place a rail adjacent to another. Note, however, that you can't turn a corner when the track is on a slope.

Placing a block of cobblestone or something similar at each end of the track will stop your cart from going off the rails. If your cart does go off the rails, just hit it with a pickaxe to put it back in your inventory.

You can place rails in a diagonal pattern to create a diagonal track. They will look like a squiggly line on the ground, but your minecart will act as if the railway is straight.

How to create intersections

Creating intersections can be tricky when designing complex railways, but are usually necessary the longer you play.

To create a simple T-intersection that goes two ways, you'll need a lever. At the intersection, place the lever next to the T. Anytime you right-click the lever, the direction of the bend in the track will change.

How to ride a minecart

Right-click a rail with minecart in hand to place your minecart. Place it on level ground so that you have a chance to climb in! When you're ready to ride, just right-click the minecart.

When you're finished riding, hit spacebar or the corresponding jump key to exit the minecart.

How to use powered rails

If you'd like to create an automated railway system — essential for mining operations when you can't be there to drive a minecart — you have to use powered rails. Keep in mind that powered rails must be powered with a redstone item, like a lever or redstone torch.

A tip for powering sloped rails is to place a redstone torch beneath the block supporting the rail, as is shown in the picture above.

If you'd like a minecart to stop when it reaches the end of a powered track, you'll want to place a dip at each end, as is shown above.

Different types if minecarts act differently on powered rails:

• A plain minecart with you in it will travel at maximum speed for 38 blocks on flat ground after passing over three powered rails in a row. To maintain top speed, place one powered rail every 38 blocks. An empty plain minecart will only travel eight blocks at top speed after passing over three powered rails. If you'd like to save resources, you can space out your powered rails, but your minecarts will lose speed.

• Any minecart climbing a slope requires three powered rails in a row to reach top speed, and a powered rail every two blocks to maintain maximum speed.

• A minecart with a chest or hopper in it requires three powered rails in a row to reach top speed, and a powered rail every eight blocks to maintain maximum speed.

How to use detector rails

Detector rails are used to momentarily power redstone as the minecart passes over — place them like any other rail. They can be used to open doors, power pistons, or with any other complex redstone contraptions you create. In the image above, the cart is about to power the piston connected to the detector rail with redstone dust.

How to use activator rails

An activator rail powered by redstone will, if you're riding in a minecart, drop you off when you pass over it. It can also ignite a minecart filled with TNT. In the image above, an activator rail is set up at a base of operation to allow easy in and out access.

Cortana has been designed to do a lot of things, and here we show you a bunch of tips and tricks you can use to be more productive on Windows 10.

Cortana on Windows 10 is always ready in the taskbar, or a voice command away, to help you with virtually anything you need. Similar to Google Now and Apple's Siri, Microsoft's digital assistant can create reminders, schedule appointments, track packages and flights, suggest recommendations, find files, and even tell you a joke when you're feeling bored.

The fact is that if you haven't been using Cortana, you've been missing out on many cool things you can do. Although there is not a "master list" of everything you can do with the assistant, here's a list with some of the most productive tips and tricks you can do with Cortana on Windows 10.

• How to use Cortana to manage your calendar
• How to use Cortana to create notes
• How to use Cortana to set an alarm
• How to use Cortana to set timer
• How to use Cortana to play and search music
• How to use Cortana to open apps
• How to use Cortana to send a text message from your PC
• How to use Cortana to send a quick email
• How to use Cortana to do math and conversions
• How to use Cortana to find facts
• How to use Cortana to move with traffic
• How to use Cortana to translate languages
• How to use Cortana for technical support

How to use Cortana to manage your calendar

Similar to a really world assistant, Cortana can also do an excellent job managing your calendar using the Calendar app.

To create a new calendar event, do the following:

1. Open Cortana.
2. In the search box type the following command: Create a calendar event and press Enter.
3. Enter the information for the event.
4. Make sure to add it to the correct calendar.

5. Click Add to complete the task.

If you want to use voice commands, you can simply say "Hey Cortana", or click the microphone icon in the search box, followed by the command. Here are some examples:

Viewing calendar events

• "What's on my calendar for today?" or "How's my schedule like this week?"

Adding new calendar events

• "Add dental appointment for tomorrow at 4 pm" or "Add business meeting for Friday at 9 am"

Moving calendar events

• "Move dental appointment to Tuesday 11 am" or "Move business meeting to tomorrow 2 pm"

Remember that you can always type your voice commands in the search box, instead of saying them aloud. It's all the same for Cortana.

How to use Cortana to create notes

Sometimes, you don't need to create a reminder. You only need to write down something you don't want to forget. For those times, you can use Cortana to create a quick note.

To create a note, do the following:

1. Open Cortana.
2. In the search box type the following command: Create a note (or "Create Meeting note", if you want to specify a name) and press Enter.
3. Enter your note.

4. Click Add to complete the task.

Once you created your note, Cortana will save it into the OneNote app. You'll then need to open the app on your PC or phone to view or edit it.

If you want to use voice commands, you can simply say "Hey Cortana", or click the microphone icon in the search box, followed by the command. Here are some examples:

• "Create a note."
• "Create Meeting note: I need to update the spreadsheet."

How to use Cortana to manage alarms

You no longer need to set an alarm manually on your watch or smartphone. You can now use Cortana on your PC to do this, and the information will sync across devices.

To set a timer, do the following:

1. Open Cortana.
2. In the search box type the following command: Create an alarm and press Enter.
3. Set up your alarm.

4. Click Set to complete the task.

If you want to use voice commands, you can simply say "Hey Cortana", or click the microphone icon in the search box, followed by the command. Here are some examples:

Creating an alarm

• "Set an alarm for Tuesday at 5:30 am" or "Add an alarm for Mondays at 5:30 am" or "Set an alarm for every day at 5:30 am"

Viewing alarms

• "Show my alarms" or "Show alarms"

Removing alarms

• "Turn off the alarm for 5:30 am" or "Stop alarm for Tuesday at 5:30 am"

Of course, you can always manage your alarms using the Alarms & Clock built-in app.

How to use Cortana to set a timer

Are you baking a delicious cake? Or you just need a countdown to zero for a particular amount of time. Now you don't need a separate timer in the kitchen. You can use Cortana to set up a timer for anything you need.

To create an alarm, do the following:

1. Open Cortana.
2. In the search box type the following command: Set a timer and press Enter.
3. Set up for how long you want your timer.

4. Click Start to complete the task.

If you want to use voice commands, you can simply say "Hey Cortana", or click the microphone icon in the search box, followed by the command. Here are some examples:

Setting a timer

• "Set a timer for 10 minutes" or "Start timer for 10 minutes" or "Create a timer for 10 minutes" or "Set countdown for 10 minutes."

Viewing timer

• "Show timer"

Canceling timer

• "Stop timer"

Note: You can only create one timer at a time. If there is a timer already started, Cortana will prompt you to restart it with the new time.

How to use Cortana to play or search music

Cortana is very good at playing DJ. Thanks to its integration with the Groove Music app, you can command the assistant to play music randomly, by artist, album, or genre.

If you want to use voice commands, you can simply say "Hey Cortana", click the microphone icon in the search box, followed by the command, or you can also type the commands in the search box. Here are some examples:

• "Play Bon Jovi"
• "Play Rock" or "Put some Rock music"
• "Play music" or "Shuffle music"
• "Play Burning Bridges by Bon Jovi"
• "Stop music" or "Pause music"
• "Play next" or "Next track"

Similar to Shazam, Cortana can listen and figure out the information of a song currently playing on the radio, simply open the assistant and say:

• "Hey Cortana: What's playing?"

Or you can click the music icon on the top-right. Once the assistant recognizes the song, it will pull its information, and offer to purchase the song in the Store.

How to use Cortana to open apps or websites

Cortana can quickly help you to open any app installed on your device, including Windows Store apps and desktop applications.

If you're using voice commands, such as with the "Hey Cortana" feature, you can simply say:

• "Hey Cortana: Open Photoshop" or "Hey Cortana: Open Calendar"

In the same way, Cortana can open websites without you having to lift a finger, simply ask:

• "Hey Cortana: Open Microsoft.com"

Keep in mind that Cortana can recognize a vast number of URLs, but sometimes, it will open a Bing result page instead of going straight to the site.

Interesting enough, you cannot type the voice commands mentioned above to open apps. If you want to open an app using a mouse and keyboard using the Cortana search box, simply type the name of the app and press Enter.

How to use Cortana to send a text message from your PC

Cortana not only integrates with the desktop version of Windows 10, but with Windows 10 Mobile, and iPhone and Android using the Cortana app. This cross-platform integration allows for some more useful features, such as sending text messages from your PC to anyone in your contact list through your phone.

To send a text message from your PC using Cortana, do the following:

1. Open Cortana.
2. Type Send a message and press Enter.
3. Click the "+" button to add a person from your contact list.
4. Enter your message.
5. Make sure the SMS option is selected.

6. Click Send to complete the task.

If you're using a Windows 10 Mobile handset or Android phone with the Cortana app installed, you can send a text message from your PC using the following voice command example:

• "Send text to Mary: I'll be late for dinner"

How to use Cortana to send a quick email

Similar to sending text messages, Cortana can also send quick emails to anyone in your contact list.

To send a quick email using Cortana, do the following:

1. Open Cortana.
2. Type Send an email and press Enter.
3. Click the "+" button to add a person from your contact list.
4. Type the subject and message.
5. Make sure to select the correct email account you want to use.

6. Click Send to complete the task.

If you want to use voice commands, you can simply say "Hey Cortana", or click the microphone icon in the search box, followed by the command. Here's an example:

• "Send email to Mark: I'll be late for our meeting on Tuesday"

How to use Cortana to do math and conversions

You don't have to open an additional app or the web browser to do math or when you need to convert currencies, weights, or any measurements.

To use Cortana to do basic math, you can use natural language voice commands like in the examples:

• "Covert 2.7 cups to fluid ounces"
• "How many miles in 2 Kilometers"
• "What's 20% of $130"
• "45 * 2 / 5"

While you can also use voice commands to do math, you can even do more advanced math by typing the operation or equation in the Cortana search box in the taskbar.

Here are some examples:

• "5x - 6 = 8"
• "-4x + 2 = 0"
• "(12.5 * 2.45) / 10"

You can even click the answer to open Microsoft Edge and get more information.

This is a powerful feature that will come in handy in many scenarios, such as when you need to calculate the tip to leave after eating in a restaurant. When you're buying something on sale, and you want to know exactly the money you're saving. When you're cooking, and you need to convert measurements, and of course when you're at school or doing homework.

How to use Cortana to find facts

Cortana is not only math-smart but fact-smart too. For example, if you're dying to figure out how old is Brad Pitt, the height of Mount Everest, or almost any other fact, you can ask Cortana.

To find facts using voice commands with "Hey Cortana," you can simply open Cortana and use the following command examples, or you can also type the commands in the search box.

Here are some examples:

• "How old is Brad Pitt?"
• "How tall is Mount Everest?"
• "What's the longest state highway in the United States?"
• "Who is Bill Gates?"
• "Who founded Microsoft"

How to use Cortana to move with traffic

While driving or when you're about to leave your location, Cortana is also very helpful providing traffic information.

To get traffic information using voice commands with "Hey Cortana," you can simply open Cortana and use the following command examples, or you can also type the commands in the search box:

• "What's the traffic like on the way home?"
• "How long would it take to drive to JFK International Airport?"

Without leaving the app, Cortana will be able to provide estimated travel time, distance information, and a map of the route.

How to use Cortana to translate languages

Cortana is your personal translator too. The digital assistant can easily translate a wide variety of languages without you having to open another app.

To use the translation feature, do the following:

1. Open Cortana.
2. Type translate and press Enter.

3. Cortana translator can automatically detect a foreign language, simply enter the text and see the translation in the box below.

If you want to use voice commands, you can simply say "Hey Cortana", or click the microphone icon in the search box, followed by the command. Here's an example:

• "Hey Cortana: Translate Good morning to Spanish"

While in the translator, you can swap languages, listen to the translation by clicking the speaker icon, and you can also change languages manually.

How to use Cortana for technical support

While the digital assistant may not be able to replace IT support any time soon, it can be of technical assistance for many basic support scenarios, such as trying to install a new printer, change the desktop background, make a backup, and much more.

To use Cortana for technical support using voice commands with "Hey Cortana," you can simply open Cortana and use the following command examples, or you can also type the commands in the search box:

• "How do I install a printer?"
• "How do I project my screen?"
• "How do I change my background?"
• "How do I update Windows?"
• "How do I make a backup?"
• "How do I change default apps?"
• "How do I change Privacy?"
• "How do I connect a wireless device?"

Although these commands will work to get Cortana do the things you want, you're not limited to use the same exact commands we're showing you in this guide, you can use natural language and Cortana should be able to understand.

Remember that you can do a lot more with Cortana by customizing the Notebook.

What is a solid-state drive and how does it work?

Many Windows PC users wade into the solid-state drive (SSD) market without the knowledge needed to make an informed buying choice. We take a look at solid-state drives and what's inside them to help prepare you for your next storage device.

• What is a solid-state drive?
• Why use a solid-state drive?
• Choosing the right type of memory
• Understanding NAND memory chips
• Choosing the right connection
• Choosing a solid-state drive

What is a solid-state drive?

When you get down to a base level, an SSD is basically just some memory chips on a circuit board. It has an In/Out interface, usually in the form of SATA or PCIe, that feeds power and transfers data.

Unlike traditional hard-disk drives (HDD), there is no actuator arm that has to move across a spinning magnetic platter to read or write data. In fact, there are no moving parts at all. Most SSDs instead use NAND flash memory, which is relatively stable and will last for years.

Why use a solid-state drive?

There are a number of reasons why you might want to opt for an SSD in place of a standard HDD.

Laptops can take a beating while they travel with you — having a storage device that isn't disrupted by bumps is a huge boon. HDDs with their moving parts can be damaged if they're spinning when the drop or impact happens. SSDs are far less likely to be affected by impacts.

Mobility is a huge part of laptops; SSDs are both smaller and lighter than HDDs. This saves space to include other hardware in the laptop, and reduces weight and thickness. SSDs also require less power, so your laptop battery should last longer.

Most people who've been using Windows for years know how long boot times can be when using an HDD. Differences in speed loading apps on your PC might be minimal — you probably won't notice if Office apps load in two seconds rather than four — but using an SSD to boot Windows 10 will significantly cut time spent twiddling your thumbs.

On top of all these perks, SSDs also have a way lower failure rate than HDDs. If you're backing up important data, it's never a bad idea to save it on an SSD.

Choosing the right type of memory

There are three types of memory that you should look out for when buying an SSD:

• Single-level cell (SLC): These cells can each hold one bit of data — either a 1 or a 0. There are thus only two possible values that can be read from each cell.

  For this reason, SLC memory is the fastest and most precise when it comes to writing, takes the least amount of power, and will last the longest.

  The trade-off is that it is also the most expensive. SLC solid-state drives are typically used in an enterprise scenario because of their price but are available to everyone.

• Multi-level cell (MLC): These cells can each hold two bits of data per cell — a 1 and a 0. Because it can hold both bits, there are four possible values: 00, 11, 01, and 10.

  MLC memory can thus have a larger amount of storage without physical size increasing, are available for a cheaper price, but have slower and less precise write speeds. They also use more power and wear out about 10 times faster than SLC memory because of the increased power use.

  Keep in mind we're not talking about longevity in months or years — we're talking about decades. By the time most SSDs wear out they'll likely be long-outdated by whatever storage technology comes next. MLC solid-state drives are your standard drives found in most high-end devices today.

• Triple-level cell (TLC): These cells can each hold three bits of data per cell, and are available in big storage sizes at a decent price. The tradeoff is a slower read and write speed and less precision, as well as reduced longevity thanks to increased power consumption.

Understanding NAND memory chips

Negative-AND (NAND) memory chips are what house your SLC, MLC, or TLC memory cells. When SSDs first emerged on the market, most cheap models had about five NAND chips in them, while expensive models had up to 10 NAND chips.

Now current technology allows for way more NAND chips and way more storage. Vertical NAND (V-NAND), a relatively new approach, stacks cells on top of each other — cells retain the same performance because they're not all cramped together, and you can have large storage sizes without large physical sizes. For example, a single 48-layer V-NAND chip can hold 32GB, so in a 4TB SSD, you would have 125 separate NAND chips.

All NAND memory has something called error-correcting code (ECC) built in. This is designed to fix any errors that occur as data is written and read on your SSD; your cells will continue working properly, and the overall health of your SSD will be maintained.

Choosing the right connection

When it comes to in/out interfaces — what you connect the SSD to your motherboard with — there are a few common options to choose from.

• SATA III: Serial ATA (SATA) III technology came about back in 2009 and is still used today in many SSDs. Read and write speeds on an SSD connected with SATA III will hit about 600MB per second. SATA was fine for HDDs but limits many SSDs.

• PCIe: Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) solid-state drives bypass SATA connections and plug right into a PCIe lane in your motherboard. While PCIe solid-state drives are much more expensive, they also transfer data much faster — write speeds can surpass 1GB per second.

• M.2: Most common in laptops and all-in-one PCs, M.2 SSDs are physically smaller without sacrificing storage space. They are available in both SATA III and PCIe variants, depending on which your device supports.

• NVMe: Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) technology is relatively new — it was designed specifically for SSDs and the problems they faced using SATA connections. NVMe is designed to maximize the amount or requests sent to an SSD, as well as making it possible to receive requests from multiple processor cores at a time.

  What does this mean for you? Real results will show up in enterprise-sized servers, but you might notice your PC is suddenly able to load apps instantaneously. NVMe solid-state drives come in either PCIe or M.2 formats to fit both desktops and laptops.

Choosing a solid-state drive

Now that you've read through the guide, you can go about choosing an appropriate solid-state drive for your desktop or laptop.

The sweet spot for most people is probably an MLC solid-state drive with a SATA III connection in their desktop, while most people will enjoy the same in their laptop, albeit with an M.2 connection.

If you'd like an idea of where to start, we've put together a great SSD buyer's guide to get you on your way.

SSD buyer's guide

Don't let Origin fill up space on the wrong drive.

As with many other services, EA's Origin game download client will automatically install things on your PC's main drive — the one Windows is installed on. This might not be a problem if you only have a single, large capacity drive. But if you're running a combination of a small SSD and a large mass storage HDD, you'll need to point Origin to the larger drive so you don't waste precious flash storage space.

The Origin client also recently started getting an overhaul, and things aren't quite as obviously easy to find any more. Here's what you need to do.

1. In the top menu bar, select Origin.

2. Click on Application settings.
3. Select Installs and saves from the window you now see.

4. Under on your computer find game library location.

5. Click change folder.
6. Select or create the desired folder on your mass storage drive.
7. Click select folder.

This won't affect any installs you already have on your PC but it will mean that anything that you download in the future will go to it. Simple as that!

You might have heard of "mechanical switches" for keyboards and found yourself on the confusing end of some technical jargon. What are they? Why would you want them? And what's with all the cherries?

Fear not, for we're hear to explain mechanical keyboards, their special switches. and what this all means — and why you'll want to consider one for your next keyboard purchase.

• What is a mechanical switch?
• Cherry MX switches
• Alternative switches
• More on mechanical keyboards

What is a mechanical switch?

First things first: just what is a mechanical switch, anyway? Let's smash through the jargon. Non-mechanical keyboards rely on plastic membranes, which create electrical circuits for input to a PC via rubber switches beneath each key. They're cheap and relatively reliable, but do not provide much in terms of feedback, be it audible or tactile. Odds are that the keyboard that came with your computer — desktop and especially laptop — is a "membrane" keyboard, and you might not realize it, but you're typing on the keyboard equivalent of mushy peas.

Mechanical switches are different — there aren't plastic membranes to flex through here, instead you'll find mechanical springs and other physical components that provide physical and auditory feedback when you press a key. Click. Click. Click. After using a mechanical keyboard for a while and switching back to membrane, you can really tell the difference.

Another advantage of mechanical switches is each switch is its own separate entity, meaning you could press down on all available keys and the PC should be able to register each stroke. The same cannot be said for membrane keyboards, which often have limits on their speed and accuracy (who ever thought you'd be judging a keyboard's accuracy?) in the name of cost savings. This characteristic is call anti-ghosting and can be particularly useful in gaming where you need to press a number of keys in quick succession.

There are greater choices available when it comes to keyboards with mechanical switches. You'll be able to find a switch and keyboard combination that suits your requirements. Taking things further, you can even swap our worn-out key caps or install your custom ones, or start swapping in new switches should the desire arise.

Lastly, mechanical keyboards and their pricey, fancy switches are rated to last much, much longer than their membrane counterparts. So while you may be slightly afraid to spend at least $50 on a new keyboard, it's worth noting that even the more affordable options can be tested for anywhere up to 50 million key strokes.

The Cherry MX switch

The Cherry MX switches were first introduced back in 1983 by the Cherry Corporation, a company best known for its keyboards. These switches were protected under patent for years, but that patent recently expired and keyboard manufacturers have been turning to more affordable Chinese alternatives or building their own custom switches.

Most of the mechanical switches today are very similar to the Cherry MX line and many use similar colors to allow consumers to make more informed decisions should they be used to Cherry MX-sporting peripherals. Here's a quick run-down of Cherry MX switches and the differences between them (cN = centinewton, approximately 1 gram — a measure of how much pressure is required to hit the actuation point):

Cherry MX Black: If you're not a fan of loud click noises and tactile feedback, the Black switches are for you. These switches make the keys easier to tap multiple times. (60cN)

• Rosewill Mechanical Gaming Keyboard - $84.95
• ROCCAT RYOS MK Advanced Mechanical Gaming Keyboard - $98.22

Cherry MX Blue: Popular with typists due to the audible feedback, accompanied by the tactile "bump" when pressing down on a key. (60cN)

• Razer BlackWidow Ultimate 2016 - $99.99
• CM Storm QuickFire Rapid - $75.89

Cherry MX Brown: The middleground in the Cherry MX range. Quieter than the Blue switch, but retains soft tactile feedback. (55cN)

• Logitech G610 Orion - $99.99
• Qisan Mechanical Gaming Keyboard - $69.99
• Ducky Channel Shine 5 - £139.99

Cherry MX Red: Similar to Black switches, these offer less resistance and thus are favored by gamers. (45cN)

• Corsair STRAFE keyboard - $79.99
• Corsair Gaming K70 - $129.99

There are less common Cherry MX switches out there but the above are the most popular options that will be available in keyboards. If you'd like to try the different Cherry MX switches out and do not have access to different mechanical keyboards, there are tester kits available for order.

Alternatives to the Cherry

Since the patent protecting Cherry MX switches has expired, the flood gates have opened to alternative switches. Manufacturers like Corsair and Razer are working with other companies to include competitive switches from the likes of Gateron and Kaihua.

It can be difficult to tell the difference between Cherry MX switches and those that are created to replicate said typing experience. Some even view switches from other manufacturers to be better than the originals. As is the case when selecting a mouse or keyboard, it's all about personal preference.

As well as deciding on which type of mechanical switch is best suited to how you type (or game), the different brands of switches offer slight differences in actuation points, force required to activate, and noise. For example, should you be interested in mechanical keyboards but don't like the loud click noise, it may be worth checking out Matias switches, which are billed as quieter and more tactile than Cherry MX.

Shop around, try out tester kits and have a play with mechanical keyboards your friends own to see what options you prefer. There's no right or wrong choice when it comes to PC peripherals since you'll be the one using them. One switch doesn't and cannot please all, and that's why we have choices!

More on mechanical keyboards

Need to learn more about mechanical keyboards? We've got some more resources available to help you better understand some of the solutions available.

• Best Mechanical Keyboards
• Best Affordable Mechanical Keyboards

The EgisTec ES603 is an affordable fingerprint reader (at just $14) that can work with Windows Hello in Windows 10, but it doesn't work with Microsoft's security feature out-of-the-box. Thankfully, it's a relatively easy fix to get the two working together and your fingerprints logging you in on a daily basis.

The ES603 doesn't work right away with Windows Hello because a compatible driver doesn't come preinstalled in Windows 10. If you just plug the fingerprint reader into a USB port, you'll notice that Windows Hello will not be an option under Control Panel's sign-in options. Here's how to make the two work together for peaceful and easy log-in harmony:

Your EgisTec ES603 might have come with a CD containing drivers and software for it. Throw it out, we're going to get the latest version from online. Oddly enough, EgisTec hasn't made their drivers available on their own website, but you can get it from any of the PC manufacturers that have built their tech into their laptops. We're going to use Acer's copy of the driver for the TravelMate P446-M — don't worry, this driver will work just fine regardless of what computer you're using.

1. Head to the Acer support website in your browser of choice.
2. Under "Or select my product from a list", choose notebook.

3. Select TravelMate in the next column.

4. Scroll down the third list and select "TravelMate P446-M".

5. Download the Fingerprint Driver by STMicro.

6. Install the downloaded driver.
7. Open Cortana (Windows Key + Q).
8. Type in "Windows Hello".

9. Select "Set up face sign-in".

10. Select "Add" under Fingerprint.
11. Run through the Windows Hello wizard.

You should now be all set and ready to start scanning. Give it a go by signing out and trying to use the reader.

Remember it requires a swipe motion and won't work if you simply rest your finger on the device itself. It takes some time getting used to it, and you will likely fail at scanning your own finger a occasionally. Fall back on your set security PIN should Windows lock you out over too many failed attempts.

See at Amazon

Are you still wondering how to interact with Cortana using voice commands? Here's perhaps everything you can ask the assistant.

Cortana is your personal digital assistant fully integrated into Windows 10 designed to help you make your life easier. The more you use it, the more Cortana can learn about you, and the experience becomes more personalized and accurate.

Microsoft's digital assistant can perform a variety of tasks, and it's full of handy tricks, but perhaps one of the best features is the advanced speech recognition that enables Cortana to understand the context of a natural voice conversation.

On Windows 10, and across platform with the Cortana app on iPhone and Android, the assistant can understand virtually any voice command and perform tasks. For example, by just speaking you can find facts, create reminders and manage your calendar, launch applications, change settings, and a lot more.

If you're looking for an official list of all the voice commands Cortana supports, you'll never find it — it doesn't exist. Because Cortana can understand natural language and context, there's no particular set of commands to make things happen. Like in real life, you can ask Cortana in the same way you would ask anything to any person.

But, we want you to have an understanding of all the various ways in which you can address Cortana, at least to give you a basis to form your vocabulary.

• How to use Cortana with voice commands
• Cortana basic voice commands
• Cortana search voice commands
• Cortana health and fitness voice commands
• Cortana settings voice commands
• Cortana reminders voice commands
• Cortana calendar voice commands
• Cortana alarms voice commands
• Cortana timer voice commands
• Cortana location voice commands
• Cortana messaging voice commands
• Cortana entertainment voice commands
• Cortana technical support voice commands
• Cortana random voice commands

How to use Cortana with voice commands

Before you can dive into the voice commands, it's important to know the ways in which you can invoke Cortana using natural language:

• You can click the microphone icon in the taskbar next to the Start menu.

• You can use the Shift + Windows Key + C keyboard shortcut to open Cortana in listening mode.

• You can use the "Hey Cortana" feature, which let you invoke the assistant by simply saying "Hey Cortana" followed by the command. For example, "Hey Cortana: How's the weather?". It's not enabled by default on Windows 10, but it's easy enough to enable Hey Cortana.
• On Windows 10 Mobile devices, you can press and hold the search button to open Cortana in listening mode.

Comprehensive list of Cortana voice commands

The following list of commands are examples you can use to learn how to control Cortana with voice commands. Keep in mind that there isn't a specific way to speak the commands. For example, "Hey Cortana: Let me listen to some tunes" is the same as asking a more systematic command like "Hey Cortana: Play music".

Cortana basic voice commands

Getting the time for any location

• "What time is it?"
• "What time is in (location)?" Ex.: "What time is in Los Angeles" or "What time is in Spain?"

Getting weather information for any location

• "What's the weather like?"
• "What's the weather in (location)?" Ex.: "What's the weather in France?" or "What's the weather in Miami?"
• "When does the sun set?"
• "Is it hot in (location)?" Ex.: "Is it hot in Hawaii?"
• "How's the weather looking for tomorrow/next week?"

Opening (Store and desktop) apps and websites

• "Go to/Open (app name)." Ex.: "Open Mail" or "Go to Photoshop."
• "Go to/Open (name of site.com)." Ex.: "Open Microsoft.com."

Getting news information

• "Show me top headlines."
• "Show me latest news."
• "Show me (topic) news." Ex.: "Show me tech news."
• "Show me (company name) stock." Ex.: "Show me Microsoft stock."
• "Show me (currency) exchange rate." Ex.: "Show me bitcoin exchange rate."
• "What was the score of the last (sport team's name) game?" Ex.: "What was the score the last New York Jets game."

Creating a note

• "Create a note."
• "Create (name) note." Ex.: "Create Shopping note."
• "Create (name) note: (your note)." Ex.: "Create Shopping note: Buy 2 gallons of milk."
• "Take a note."
• "Draft a note."
• "Write a note."

Translating to a different language

• "Translate."
• "Translate (word) to (language)." Ex.: "Translate Hello to Spanish."
• "Translate (phrase) to (language)." Ex.: "Translate Where is the near bar? to German."

Doing math

• "What's (percentage) of (money)?" Ex.: "What's 20% or $145.67?"
• "What's (number) times (number)?" Ex.: "What's 36 times 52?"
• "What's the square root of (number)?" Ex.: "What the square root of 786?"
• "What's (number) times (number) divided by (number)?" Ex.: "What's 47 times 5 divided by 89?"
• "Convert (number) cups to fluid ounces." Ex.: "Convert 2.9 cups to fluid ounces."
• "How many miles in (number) Kilometers?" Ex.: "How many miles in 14 Kilometers?"

Defining a word

• "Define (word)" or "What's the meaning of (word)?" Ex.: "Define Love."

Tracking packages

• "Where is my package?"
• "Show me my packages."

Cortana search voice commands

Finding documents, photos, videos

• "Find photos from yesterday" or "Find documents from last week" or "Find videos from (date)." Ex.: "Find videos from June 2014."
• "Find (object) photos" Ex.: "Find dog pictures."
• "Find file (name)" or "Find document named (document name)." Ex.: "Find document called Windows 10."

Searching the web

• "Search the web for (term)" Ex.: "Search the web for Microsoft."

Finding facts

• "How tall is (known person/landmark)?" Ex.: "How tall is Mount Everest?"
• "Who is (known person)?" Ex.: "Who is Bill Gates?"
• "When (known person) was born?" Ex.: "When Bill Gates was born?"
• "Who is (company) CEO?" Ex.: "Who is Microsoft's CEO?"
• "When does summer/fall/winter/spring begin?"
• "What's the capital of (location)?" Ex.: "What's the capital of France?"
• "When is Thanksgivings?"

It's important to note that Cortana is capable of conversational understanding, which means that you can also ask follow-up questions without having to be very specific.

For example, if you ask Cortana: "Who is the president of the United States", you can then ask a follow-up question, such as "Who is his wife?" or "When was he born?" and the assistant should be able to answer to those question accurately.

Discovering food places nearby

• "Find food places near me."
• "Find restaurants near me."
• "Find bars near me."
• "What's a good restaurant near me?" or "What's a good restaurant in (location)?" Ex.: "What's a good restaurant in Manhattan?"
• "What's interesting nearby?"
• "Show me (food) near me." Ex.: "Show me Chinese restaurants near me."
• "Show me (food) in (location)." Ex.: "Show me Italians restaurants in New York."

Cortana health and fitness voice commands

• "How was my sleep last night?"
• "What was my step count yesterday?"
• "How many calories did I burn today?"

Note: These commands require a tracking device, such as the Microsoft Band 2 to enable your fitness and health activities, and you need to connect Cortana with the Microsoft Health (Microsoft Band) service.

Cortana settings voice commands

Opening the Settings app

• "Open Settings."
• "Open Action Center."

Controlling settings

• "Turn on/off Bluetooth" or "Disable/Enable Bluetooth."
• "Turn on/off Wi-Fi" or "Disable/Enable Wi-Fi."
• "Turn on/off Airplane Mode" or "Disable/Enable Airplane Mode."

Cortana reminders voice commands

Creating reminders

• "Remind me to (action)." Ex.: "Remind me to wash the car."

Creating location-based reminders

• "Remind me to (action) next time I go to the (location)." Ex.: "Remind me to buy eggs next time I go to Target."

Creating person-based reminders

• "Remind me to (action) next time I talk to (person)." Ex.: "Remind me to ask for vacation time next time I talk to Kevin."

Creating time-based reminders

• "Remind me to (action) at (time)." Ex.: "Remind me to watch the soccer game at 8 PM."
• "Remind me to (action) for the party (date and time)." Ex.: "Remind me to buy the drinks for the party on Thursday at 6 PM."

Viewing reminders

• "Show me my reminders."

Cortana calendar voice commands

Viewing calendar events

• "How's my schedule looking today?"
• "Show me my schedule for today/tomorrow/next week" or "Show me my appointments for today/tomorrow/next week."
• "When is my (event name) appointment?" Ex.: "When is my dentist appointment?"

Adding new calendar events

• "Add (event) appointment for (time and date)" or "Add business meeting for (time and date)." Ex.: "Add dental appointment for Wednesday at 4 PM."

Moving calendar events

• "Move (event name) to (date and time)." Ex.: "Move dental appointment to Friday at 2 PM."

Cortana alarms voice commands

Creating alarms

• "Set an alarm for (date and time)" or "Add an alarm for (date and time)." Ex.: "Set an alarm for next Monday at 4:40 AM."
• "Set an alarm for every day at (time)." Ex.: "Set an alarm for Saturdays at 9 AM."

Viewing alarms

• "Show my alarms" or "Show alarms."

Removing alarms

• "Turn off the alarm for (time)" or "Cancel alarm for (date) at (time)." Ex.: "Cancel alarm for Sundays at 9 AM."

Cortana timer voice commands

Creating a timer

• "Set a timer for (time)" or "Start timer for (time)" or "Create a timer for (time)" or "Set countdown for (time)." Ex.: "Set a timer for 10 minutes."

Note: You can only start one timer at one point in time. If there is a timer already running, Cortana will ask you to restart it with a new time.

Viewing timer

• "Show timer."
• "How much time is left on the timer?"

Canceling timer

• "Stop timer."

Cortana location voice commands

Knowing your exact location

• "Tell me where am I?"

Cortana messaging voice commands

Sending text messages

• "Send text to (contact): (message)." Ex.: "Send text to John: I'll be late for dinner tonight."

Sending quick emails

• "Send email to (contact): (message)." Ex.: "Send email to Claudia: I quit! Just kidding. See you later tonight."
• "Send email to (contract one and contact two): (message)." Ex.: "Send email to John and Claudia: How is the project coming along?"

Cortana location voice commands

Getting directions

• "What's the traffic like on the way home?"
• "How do I get home."
• "How long would it take to drive to (location)?" Ex.: "Ex.: "How long would it take to drive to Madison Square Garden?"
• "Get me directions to (location/address)." Ex.: "Get me directions to Port Authority."
• "How do I get from (location) to (location)" Ex.: "How do I get from my location to Long Beach, New York?"
• "How far away is (location)?" Ex.: "How far away is the moon?"
• "Show me walking directions to (location/address)." Ex.: "Show me walking directions to the nearest gas station."
• "Show me public transportation directions to (location/address)." Ex.: "Show me public transit to 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036."
• "Show me map of (location)." Ex.: "Show me map of San Francisco."

Tracking flights

• "Track flight (flight number)." Ex.: "Track flight 2049."
• "Is my flight delayed?" or "Is my flight on time?"

Cortana entertainment voice commands

Controlling music

• "Play (artist)." Ex.: "Play Linkin Park."
• "Play (genre)" or "Put some (genre) music." Ex.: "Put some Rock music."
• "Play music" or "Shuffle music."
• "Play (album name) by (artist)." Ex.: "Play A Thousand Suns by Linkin Park."
• "Stop music" or "Pause music" or "Pause song."
• "Play next" or "Next track" or "Skip track."

Identifying what's playing

• "What is this song?" or "What's playing?"

Movies

• "What's (movie name) run time?" or "How long is (movie name)?" Ex.: "What's Goodfellas run time?"
• "Who was the director for (movie name)?" Ex.: "Who was the director of Casino?"
• "What movies are playing near me?"
• "What are the showtimes for (movie)?" Ex.: "What are the showtimes for The Intern?"

Cortana technical support voice commands

• "How do I install a printer?"
• "How do I project my screen?"
• "How do I change my background?"
• "How do I update Windows?"
• "How do I make a backup?"
• "How do I change default apps?"
• "How do I change Privacy?"
• "How do I connect a wireless device?"

Note: Cortana's ability to assist you with technical question is somewhat limited; sometimes asking a "How do I" question will result in a web search response.

Cortana phone voice commands

• "Call (contact) on speakerphone." Ex.: "Call wife on speakerphone."
• "Call (contact) at home/work." Ex.: "Call John at home."
• "Call (contact)." Ex.: "Call Claudia."
• "Redial."
• "Send photo to my PC."

Cortana random voice commands

• "Tell me a joke."
• "Tell me a riddle."
• "Tell me something interesting."
• "Tell me something funny."
• "Tell me a scary story."
• "Sing me a song."
• "Surprise me."
• "Do an impression."
• "What do you look like?"
• "Which is the best smartphone?"
• "What is love?"
• "Which is better, Google or Bing?"
• "Why should I buy this phone?"
• "What do you think about Google?"
• "Do you like Google?"
• "What do you think about Yahoo?"
• "Do you like Windows 10?"
• "Play the movie game."
• "Are you better than Siri?"
• "Where is Clippy?"
• "What do you think about Clippy?"
• "Heads or tails?"
• "Rock, paper, scissors."
• "Roll a dice."

The 'Double-tap to wake' feature is now more readily available to Lumia 950 users, including AT&T subscribers in the United States. A recent firmware update brings the new feature, but it's not enabled by default — here's how to turn it on:

Update your Lumia 950 to the latest firmware

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap on Update & Security.
3. Tap on Phone Update. Your phone will automatically check for available updates.
4. Tap on Download.
5. Tap on Install. The update will install and your phone will reboot.

Enable double tap to wake on your Lumia 950

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap on Extras.
3. Tap on Touch.
4. Under Gestures, turn on the option for "Wake up phone when I double tap on the screen."

How to use double tap to wake on your Lumia 950

1. With the phone's display off, tap the screen twice. The lock screen will appear.

2. Swipe up to unlock your phone.

   • If you have Windows Hello Iris login enabled, this will happen automatically.
   • If you are using a PIN code for security, you will have to enter it now.

That's it! Enabling the 'Double-tap to wake' option means you no longer have to press the power button on the side of the Lumia 950 to wake up the phone. You can now simply double-tap the display to see the lock screen. It's not a big difference, but we have notice that pressing the power button will wake the phone slightly faster that a double tap on the screen. But if it's just sitting on your desk and you want to check the time right or your next appointment with Glance right quick, just double tap away.

As a long-time Lumia user, I and many others missed this feature from the Windows Phone 8.1 days (the drivers had to be rewritten for the transition to Windows 10 Mobile and did not make the initial release for new Windows 10 phones). Will you be using 'Double-tap to wake' or do you prefer to use the power button? Let us know in the comments!

Computers and other media devices use video interfaces to connect to displays and provide content on-screen. There are multiple interface standards and this can cause some confusion. Should you go for HDMI? What if you want to enjoy 8K content? We take a look at the most popular interfaces and explain what they're about, as well as why you should choose them.

Here's a list of the more common interfaces found on monitors, graphics cards and other media devices:

• DisplayPort
• HDMI
• DVI
• VGA

DisplayPort

This is a relatively new standard when compared to others in our round-up, and is able to comfortably output 4K content, and 8K if you're rocking version 1.3 support. The latest release is 1.4, which introduced numerous improvements and really pushed the standard further into supporting higher quality content. It has also become a common alongside HDMI on various consumer devices.

As well as being able to power content at super-high resolutions like 7680x4320 (this is 8K, folks) at 60Hz, it's also possible to "chain" multiple displays to a single DisplayPort outlet thanks to Multi-Stream Transport (MST). You'll need to keep an eye on the maximum resolution output for the specification of DisplayPort you have support for. For example, for DisplayPort 1.4 you could drive two 4K displays with only one hook-up.

DisplayPort is also utilized by AMD for FreeSync, which is another bonus for gaming and media consumption. We've gone into some detail about AMD FreeSync (as well as NVIDIA G-Sync), but it essentially aids in reducing screen tearing and input lag by synchronizing both the display and graphics card. DisplayPort can be harder to find on monitors and TVs than HDMI, which is more widely available and supported, but it's considered by many to be the go-to interface.

Max. resolution: 7680x4320

Bottom line: DisplayPort is perfect for those who require support for Freesync/G-Sync for gaming, or are looking to future-proof their setup for 4K and 8K experiences.

HDMI

High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) is arguably the most popular video interface used today. It's on TVs, video game consoles, most graphics cards and laptops. It can power 4K content, much like DisplayPort, but refresh rates depend on which version of HDMI your device sports. HDMI version 2.0 brought increased bandwidth back in 2013, allowing for more data to be transferred between devices, while 1.4 caps at 4096×2160 (4K) at 30Hz.

HDMI 2.0 not only brought 4K at 60FPS, it also enabled advanced color depth for HDR content, which is set to be the next big hit for gaming and media consumption with the Xbox One S. Most new products ship with HDMI 2.0, while version 2.1 is expected to further enhance HDR and UHD experiences — though you will, of course, need a display that supports HDR color depth and UHD resolution to take advantage of these technologies.

Max. resolution: 4096×2160

Bottom line: Generally speaking, HDMI is your best bet to have peace of mind that it'll be compatible with everything else you plan to hook up. It's not quite as advanced as DisplayPort, but it's pretty much found on all TVs, graphics cards and other products.

DVI

Digital Visual Interface, better known and referred to as DVI, is a common connection used for hooking up a PC to a monitor. It's generally considered as the successor to the older VGA standard. To make matters worse for consumers, there are actually numerous versions of DVI:

• DVI-A — Analog signal
• DVI-D — Digital signal
• DVI-I — Integrated video and audio signal

You're more likely to find both DVI-D and DVI-I in graphics cards and monitors of today, since the older DVI-A isn't really up to scratch anymore. These two versions of DVI can also come in both single- and dual-link variants, which dictate just how much data the cables can transfer. Single-link tops out at 1920x1200 resolution and dual-link bumps things up to 2560x1600. DVI is still popular, but is slowly being phased out in favor of HDMI and DisplayPort.

Max. resolution: 2560x1600

Bottom line: Looking to hook up multiple monitors and don't need to go beyond 1440p? DVI-D and DVI-I are more than enough, though you'll need to switch to HDMI or DisplayPort for 4K and above.

VGA

VGA is super old. Video Graphics Array is a format that has been around since the days of CRT monitors and has been faded out in most instances in the home. You'll only really be able to achieve a maximum resolution of 1920x1080 and many modern graphics cards don't even have VGA ports anymore (though your motherboard may have one for diagnostic and backup purposes).

1080p isn't the ceiling for VGA in a technical sense, however. Depending on connectors and cabling, it's possible to achieve higher resolutions, but at reduced quality compared to other interfaces. Luckily, if you happen to be stuck with a VGA output on a motherboard or input on an older monitor, there are converters available that takes the VGA format and turns it into a more widely supported HDMI or DisplayPort.

Max. resolution: 2053 x 1536*

Bottom line: Don't use VGA, unless you absolutely have to. It's still a useful standard for connecting older devices and output displays/projectors.

* Depends on components and cabling deployed.