You can further customize your app experience by personalizing their startup color on Windows 10. Here's how.

Alongside the slew of new features and changes, Windows 10 brings a new version of apps that work across devices and adapt to any screen size. The operating system comes bundled with some of these apps, including Photos, Alarms, Calculator, Xbox, Microsoft Edge and many others. Of course, you can get more from the Store, which is the one-stop-shop to get thousands of additional apps.

While each app is different, most of them include a settings page to customize various options. However, the one thing that every app has in common is that they don't offer an option to change the splash screen color you see every time you launch the app.

You'll notice that some apps will take the color accent from your current theme, and some other apps display their signature colors like the Xbox app with its green color and Microsoft Edge with its characteristic blue color.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to change the splash screen color for various Windows 10 Store apps by adding some tweaks to the registry.

How to change Store apps startup color

Important: Before diving into this guide, it's worth noting that modifying the registry can be dangerous, and it can cause irreversible damage to your system if you don't do it correctly. It's highly recommended to make a full backup of your system before proceeding. You've been warned!

To change the startup color for apps on Windows 10, do the following:

1. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command, type regedit, and click OK to open the registry.

2. Browse the following path:

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppModel\SystemAppData

3. Double-click the key (folder) for the app you want to change the startup color. For example, you can double-click Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe to change the color for Microsoft Edge.

   Important: You can try changing the splash color for every app in the list, but only a few will work. Some of the apps that will take the change include Microsoft Edge, Store, Alarm, Calculator, Maps, Photos, and Xbox.

4. Double-click the SplashSreen key.
5. Select the app key. For example, Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe!MicrosoftEdge to open the key for Microsoft Edge.
6. On the right side, double-click the BackgroundColor string.
7. Change the value data to the color you want. You can use the name of a primary color, such as red, blue, or green. You can also use hexadecimal color codes like #FF0000, or you can even use the value transparent, which will allow the app to take the color from your theme.

8. Click OK to complete the task.

Once you have completed the task, you can launch the app to see the new color during the splash screen.

In the case you want to revert to the original color, using the same instructions mentioned above, make sure to change the BackgroundColor string to its original value.

Which apps did you change the startup color on Windows 10? Tell us in the comments below.

More on Windows 10 resources

For more tips, 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 optimize Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta for my slow PC?

Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta is already a step above the Java version of Minecraft when it comes to the burden on your PC. Still, some PCs can have a hard time running it — there is a lot going on. A choppy Minecraft will lead to an unhappy miner, so here are a few tips to get the game running well on a slow PC.

• How to change graphics settings in Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta
• Three tips for a smooth Minecraft experience

How to change graphics settings in Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta

There are several graphics settings within Minecraft itself you can change to optimize performance. To open the settings menu, follow these steps:

1. Launch Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta from your Start menu, desktop, or taskbar.
2. Click Options.

3. Click the Graphics button. It looks like a bunch of blocks and is located to the left of the window.

From the graphics settings menu you have plenty of options to tweak. Finding the perfect balance of beauty and performance is up to you.

Lower render distance

Render distance is the number of blocks that are rendered around you as you play. Having a high render distance makes your PC work hard managing a lot of blocks, whereas having a low render distance lets your PC work at keeping your game running smooth.

There are six different levels of render distance you can try out. Start with the lowest and work your way up to see what your PC can handle.

1. Click and hold the slider knob next to Render Distance and move it to the far left of the slider. Left is low, right is high.

Lower anti-aliasing

Anti-aliasing attempts to smooth out jagged lines in a game. It will also, at a high level, slow down your PC.

There are four notches on the anti-aliasing slider: 2X, 4X, 8X, and 16X. Start with the lowest and work your way up to see what works with your PC.

1. Click and hold the slider knob next to Anti-Aliasing and move it to the far left of the slider. Far left is 2X, far right is 16X.

Turn off texel anti-aliasing

Texel anti-aliasing is another form of anti-aliasing that deals with textures on a pixel level.

1. Click the button next to Texel Anti-Aliasing to turn it off.

Lower particle render distance

Particles appear often in your game, like anytime there is an explosion, you walk on sand, or it rains. Start at the lowest distance and work your way up to see what works best with your PC.

1. Click and hold the slider knob next to Particle Render Distance and move it to the far left of the slider. Left is low, right is high.

Lower your field of view

Field of view (FOV) is the number of blocks you can see at once on your screen. A higher FOV means your PC has to render more blocks per frame. Start with a low FOV and work your way up to see what your PC can handle.

1. Click and hold the slider knob next to FOV and move it to the far left of the slider. Left is lower FOV, right is higher FOV.

Turn off fancy graphics

As the name suggests, fancy graphics make your game look better and make your PC work harder.

1. Click the button next to Fancy Graphics to turn it off.

Turn off beautiful skies

Beautiful skies are nice to look at, but will slow down your PC.

1. Click the button next to Beautiful Skies to turn it off.

Turn off fancy leaves

Fancy leaves let you see through leaf blocks hanging off trees. They're unnecessary, and turning it off will help your PC.

1. Click the button next to Fancy Leaves to turn it off.

Three tips for a smooth Minecraft experience

Tweaking graphics settings might only go so far helping your PC run Minecraft. Here are a few other things you can try to help your PC keep up.

Close other apps running in the background

Listening to music while you play Minecraft is enjoyable, but streaming through a web browser can slow things down. Likewise, having other apps open while you play will hog valuable resources that could be put toward Minecraft. Close any unnecessary apps before starting your play session and see if performance doesn't ramp up.

Change your power plan

Windows 10 has some built-in power options that help balance your PC against energy use and performance. Here's how to change your power plan to maximum performance:

1. Click the Search Windows field next to the Start button.
2. Type power options.

3. Click Power Options.

4. Click the drop-down arrow next to Show additional plans.

5. Click High performance.

Update your graphics card drivers

Using an outdated driver for your graphics card might cause some problems with Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta.

NVIDIA users:

1. Navigate to the NVIDIA driver support page in your favorite web browser.

2. Click Graphics Drivers in the Automatic detection row to allow NVIDIA to scan your computer and offer you the latest GPU driver.

AMD users:

1. Navigate to the AMD driver support page in your favorite web browser.

2. Click Download Now beneath Automatically Detect and Install Your Driver to allow AMD to scan your computer and offer you the latest GPU driver. You might have to scroll down a bit.

Your Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta experience

Did these graphics settings help your slow PC run Minecraft? Let us know in the comments section below!

Which animals can be tamed, and which can be bred? What do you need to make them do this?

There are many different uses for domestic animals in Minecraft. They are a great source of materials, whether that may be from killing it for its leather and meat, shearing it for its wool, or milking it for milk and shroom soup. But we need to get the animals together to make babies. Don't get your hopes up for some 70's smooth jazz — this guide is totally safe for work.

• Lead Mode
• Love Mode
• Taming
• Villager breeding

Lead Mode

All domestic animals can be lead if you present them with their favorite food. You can tell when you're holding food a particular animal likes because it will stare at you and follow you around. If you move too far away, the animal will lose interest and move off. This makes it easier to get two of the same animal close enough to each other for you to get them into Love Mode.

Love Mode

When you have two animals together in the same vicinity, and you want to breed them, you'll have to get them into Love Mode. Each animal breed has its own thing that will make it go into Love Mode which is listed below. Some animals will eat more than one type of food to get them to breed, or have other stipulations which will also be noted.

• Chicken: Seeds, pumpkin seeds, melon seeds
• Cow: Wheat
• Horse: Golden apple, golden carrot
• Mooshroom: Wheat
• Ocelots: Raw fish, raw salmon, clownfish, pufferfish (Must be tame)
• Pig: Carrots, potatoes
• Rabbits: Dandelions, carrots, golden carrots
• Sheep: Wheat
• Wolves: Any kind of cooked/uncooked meat and fish, including rotten flesh (Must be tame)

When you have two of the same animals together, and you have fed them their food, hearts will sparkle from them until Love Mode wears off. If two animals are in Love Mode and are close together, they will kiss and a baby animal will appear.

Taming

Taming works a little bit differently to breeding. Taming can require multiple attempts in order to be successful.

• Horses, Mules and Donkeys: I order to tame one of these three hooved beasts, you must try to ride it. It will buck you off repeatedly, but keep trying until hearts start rising out of it. Then you will be able to ride it, but in order to control it, you must have a saddle (which can be made at a crafting table, or found in chests in dungeons and Mineshafts.
• Ocelots: If you have fish in your hand, nearby ocelots will come and beg. You will have to feed it a few times, so make sure you have a stack on you. It shouldn't take that many, but it's always best to have more than you think you'll need.
• Wolves: The risk getting the bones needed to tame wolves is far outweighed by how useful having a tame wolf is. Skeletons drop bones, and bones are the only thing you can use to tame wolves. As with the ocelots, it's best to have more bones than you need as taming wolves is almost never as straightforward as only feeding them one or two.

Villager Breeding

Villager breeding isn't something you actually have any control over, but it is possible in the right scenario to experience the pitter-patter of tiny villager feet. Since you can't force feed them in order to get them in the mood, villagers that you trade with often or have food in their inventories will be more likely to breed, but there are other factors. There must be two adults in the village — maybe that seems a little obvious, but villagers don't breed via cell division.

Villages that haven't reached their population cap but have at least two adults and qualifying "houses" will see a natural rise in population, propagated by the villagers and with absolutely no intervention from you (unless you're building them houses to live in).

If you don't like the new User Account Control prompt on Windows 10, here's how you can bring the old style back.

On Windows 10, Microsoft is not only adding new features and improvements, but it's also changing the look and feel of the operating system with a modern user-interface. Almost every time a new update rolls out, we can see some of these UI changes.

After installing the Anniversary Update, you might have noticed that Windows 10 has a new User Account Control (UAC) dialog box when an application needs administrative permissions or when you need to authenticate entering a username and password.

The new UAC prompt uses the same design language that Microsoft is using throughout the operating system and on the new Store apps. However, if you're not so enthusiastic about the new dialog prompt, Windows 10 allows you to go back to the old style.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to modify the registry to disable the new User Account Control dialog box, while bringing back the old experience.

How to bring back the old User Account Control prompt

Important: It's worth pointing out that modifying the registry can be dangerous. If you don't make the changes correctly, it can cause irreversible damage your installation of Windows 10. It's highly recommended to make a full backup of your system before proceeding. You've been warned!

To change the startup color for apps on Windows 10, do the following:

1. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command, type regedit, and click OK to open the registry.

2. Browse the following path:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Authentication\LogonUI\TestHooks

3. Double-click the XamlCredUIAvailable DWORD and change its value from 1 to 0.

4. Click OK.

5. Close the registry to complete the task.

Reboot is not necessary to make this to work. Once you completed the steps mentioned above, simply to right-click an executable file and select Run as Administrator to see the old UAC prompt.

Old UAC prompt (left), new UAC prompt (right)

In case you want to revert the changes, simply follow the same instructions mentioned above, but this time on step 3, make sure to change the DWORD value from 0 to 1.

Do you prefer the new modern User Account Control dialog box or the old style? Tell us what you think 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

Overclocking your PC or configuring various settings can help extract more performance out of installed components without having to fork out on replacements. This usually requires a trip into the motherboard BIOS to fiddle with advanced settings, but those with a compatible ASUS motherboard will be able to take advantage of the manufacturer's AI Suite to quickly squeeze out more power.

• Installing the AI
• Speedy setup
• Advanced configuration
• Other Settings

Notice

Before we get started with AI Suite, we should point out that if you're serious about getting more from your PC for gaming and other demanding tasks, we highly recommend you spend a little time in reading through the various BIOS settings at hand. Software like AI Suite should only really be used as a backup if you're not confident in altering BIOS settings yourself, or do not wish to reboot the PC multiple times to achieve the perfect balance in performance and stability.

That said, the AI Suite is still a handy solution for fan management, and I actually use it for that very reason. I utilize the power of the BIOS for tweaking everything related to CPU, RAM, and other values, while relying on AI Suite for keeping components cooled and everything running silent. Still, it's a neat tool for those who are new to overclocking. As well as the notice above, you'll need to ensure you have Windows administrative access to ensure the suite is able to run without a hitch.

Installing the AI

Before we do anything, we first need to download and install AI Suite 3 from the ASUS website.

1. Head to the ASUS Support Center.
2. Enter your motherboard product name. (Ours is the "Z170 PRO GAMING").

3. Select the corresponding motherboard listing.

4. Choose Drivers & Tools.
5. Choose your operating system.
6. Hit Utilities.

7. Select ASUS AI Suite 3.

8. Extract the .zip folder and run the AsusSetup.exe as Administrator.

Speedy setup

Not everyone wants to sit at their PC and spend 10 minutes reading through a guide covering all the features of ASUS' AI Suite. Thus we've included this handy little speed guide that will run over the absolute bare minimum steps required to configure the software to overclock your PC. Cue 5-Way Optimization.

1. Double-click the AI Suite 3 icon on your taskbar to fire up the software.

2. Select 5-Way Optimization.

3. Select either Fast or Extreme tuning.
4. Hit Start.

It's okay to leave all settings here as default before starting the test. Through you may want to read through and alter values depending on how you want the software to overclock the system. Not only can you determine base levels for the suite to work off, but you can also to configure fans, activate a memory stress test, and more.

The AI Suite will now analyze your system and dynamically optimize CPU performance, energy savings, stability with regards to power consumption, efficient fan control, as well as enhancing other small aspects of computing for various tasks like gaming. That's pretty much it, you're now ready to rock and roll with a more optimized system, depending on the type and amount of cooling available.

Finally, head down to the other settings section of this guide to learn more about some other cool little features that come with AI Suite 3.

Advanced Configuration

You can tweak values and move sliders in ASUS AI Suite 3 to manually boost performance from supported components, without having to dive into the BIOS (certain settings here will require counterparts to be enabled/disabled in the BIOS, however). This route makes it easier to gain a feel as to how overclocking can affect tasks ran on the PC without having to pass through multiple reboots and OS launches.

That said, using AI Suite 3 for overclocking means you'll be relying on the suite itself for saved profiles, while using the BIOS provides an extra layer of stability and redundancy being separate from the OS. However, for the average Joe this shouldn't be an issue and ASUS' tool can be more than enough to get cracking.

TPU

The ASUS TurboV Processing Unit (TPU) allows you to monitor just what speed the CPU is running at, and unlocks manual control for manipulating core grouping, DRAM voltages, and more. Before playing around with frequencies and values here, you'll need to make sure that the CPU Ratio setting in the BIOS is set to "Auto".

• BCLK Frequency: This is a measurement of the "base clock" for the CPU. Manipulating this will increase the total clock speed with regards to ratio configuration.
• Ratio: The ratio of a CPU is the multiplier for the BCLK Frequency. For example, a BCLK Frequency of 100MHz and a ratio of 38 will result in a CPU clocked at 3800MHz (or 3.8GHz).
• CPU Cache Ratio: The speed as to which the CPU cache runs at. It's generally not advised to alter this value from default.

Voltage values will need to be adjusted accordingly to ensure for a stable operation with overclocked components. When using said tools to increase performance, be sure to take extra steps in monitoring thermal values and overall system stability.

EPU

The Energy Processing Unit (EPU) is an incredibly useful chip that regulates power usage based on current system load, and can even scale back power when it's not needed. There are three profiles available that can be switched between and activated on the fly:

• Performance: Your PC is going in all guns blazing. Away Mode is disabled by default with this profile. All other settings are disabled.
• Power Saving: Set maximum CPU power, Vcore downgrade, as well as a fan profile.
• Away Mode: Settings are again available for Vcore and CPU power management, alongside a mute toggle.

Do note that in order to utilize the Power Saving Formula in AI Suite 3, it's required for the 5-Way Optimization wizard to have been run.

Fan Xpert 3

Fan Xpert is actually my favorite part about ASUS' AI Suite. It's a powerful tool that lets you not only monitor installed and connected fans, but also profile them, have the software automatically detect maximum and minimum speeds, and quickly switch between profiles depending on immediate requirements. It's definitely worth looking into, even if you do not plan to overclock your system using the suite.

1. Select Fan Tuning.

2. Choose a fan from the carousel.

3. Select the chassis scan image.
4. Give the fan a name.

5. Select where the fan is located. Tip: Hit the fan icon to have the suite throttle back all other fans so you can easily look inside the chassis and detect it.

6. Hit save.

Follow steps 2 - 6 for all other connected fans and you should end up with a vastly less confusing fan readout. Four modes are available for fans, which includes Silent, Standard, Turbo and Full Speed. If you wish to manually configure how fast fans will spin with regards to temperature readings, simply click on the graph on each listing to move the dots around the graph. Don't silence your PC too much. Fans are there for a reason after all.

DIGI+

The DIGI+ Power Control section of ASUS AI Suite allows for VRM and DRAM voltage control. You can to fine-tune these values to achieve optimal system stability, performance and efficiency when matched with other areas of overclocking or ASUS' own tuning facilities.

• CPU Power Phase Control: Select from standard, optimized or extreme for better performance during demanding tasks and increased efficiency in light load situations.
• CPU VRM Switching Frequency: Choose between auto and manually assigning a frequency, depending on your overclocking requirements.
• CPU Load-line Calibration: Adjust the voltage range to control CPU load-line. Increased levels offer performance boosts, while lower values bring enhanced stability.
• CPU Current Capability: Can be increased accordingly to provide a wider total power for extending overclocking frequency range.
• CPU Power Duty Control: Switch between thermal and currant balance control.

Other Settings

Even if you're choosing not to dive in and play with various settings to get the most out of your PC, ASUS packs in a variety of features in its AI Suite that offer extended functionality and are well worth checking out.

• Turbo App: Lets you manually allocate CPU frequency, assign network priorities and define audio settings for different programs.
• AI Charger+: Enabling this will allow for supported mobile devices to charge faster when connect to the PC via USB.
• USB 3.1 Boost: Can offer increased transfer speeds to supported external storage devices through USB 3.1, including USB Attached SCSI Protocol (UASP).
• EZ Update: Quickly check for updates to motherboard drivers, software and BIOS versions.
• Push Notice: Set up status alerts, PC mode activation alerts, and more.

How do I get the best performance out of my computer?

Low frames per second (FPS) while PC gaming is your worst enemy — but in VR it can also be literally sickening. What better reason to give your old hardware some care and keep it performing up-to-snuff for another few months?

Choppy graphics, lagging audio, slow load times all contribute to a bad time, and right now the budget doesn't allow for new hardware. Starting with some easier tips and moving onto some more complicated stuff, here's how to eke the most performance out of your existing hardware.

Read more at VR Heads

Keep your files protected from hard drive failure using the mirrored volume feature built-in on Windows 10.

It's not a matter of "if," it's a matter of "when." Sooner or later the hard drive on your computer will die, and the odds are that you will lose all your files stored on that drive.

Of course, there is a number of ways to prevent data loss. You can, for example, keep a current backup of your computer, you can make copies of your files to an external drive, or you can store your data in the cloud. However, similar to previous versions, Windows 10 includes a feature that let you mirror the data on one drive into another to offer data protection from a drive failure.

In Windows, we call the feature "mirror," but the concept actually comes from the standard RAID levels, which define a number of techniques to combine multiple hard drives to offer speed, redundancy, or performance.

On the standard RAID levels, "mirror" is defined as RAID 1, and it consists of having an exact bit-to-bit replica of the data in another hard drive. Usually, a mirror setup contains two hard drives, but you can always add more, as long you add them in pairs.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to create a mirrored volume on your computer to protect your data from drive failure.

• Details before beginning
• How to create a new mirrored volume
• How to create a mirrored volume with data already in the drive
• How to recreate a mirror after drive failure

Details before beginning

Before we dive in this guide, it's important to note that to create a mirrored volume on Windows 10, or with any operating system, you'll need at least two physical hard drives. Your second drive should be at least the same size as the original (a larger second drive is okay).

How to create a new mirrored volume

The instructions described below are to create a brand new mirrored volume where neither hard drive have any data.

To create a mirrored volume, do the following:

1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Disk Management.

2. Right-click one of the empty drives, and select New Mirrored Volume.

3. Click Next.
4. Select the available drive from the left.
5. Click Add.

6. Specify the amount of space for the mirrored volume.

   Important: The volume cannot be larger than the amount of the available space in the smaller hard drive, as you can't mirror data to space you don't have.

7. Click Next.

8. Assign a drive letter or leave the default settings and click Next.
9. Select Format this volume with the following settings option making sure file system is set to NTFS, allocation unit size is set to default, and you enter a name for the volume.
10. Check the Perform a quick format option.

11. Click Next.

12. Click Finish.
13. Click Yes to convert the basic disks to dynamic disks, which is a requirement to create a mirrored volume on Windows.

Once the process completes, you'll only see one volume created, and as you store content on the new volume, the data will also automatically get replicated into the secondary drive.

How to create a mirrored volume with data already in the drive

The following instructions explain the steps to set up a mirrored volume when one of the drives already have data on it.

To create a mirrored volume with data already in the drive, do the following:

1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Disk Management.

2. Right-click the primary drive with data on it, and select Add Mirror.

3. Choose the drive that will act as a duplicate.

4. Click Add Mirror.

5. Click Yes to convert the basic disks to dynamic disks, which is a requirement to create a mirrored volume on Windows.

After completing the steps above, Windows 10 will synchronize the data on the primary drive to the second drive. This process can take a long time depending on the data you have stored in the volume.

How to recreate a mirror after drive failure

Once you set up a mirror, if either hard drive fails, you'll still be able to access your data. However, it's highly recommended that you replace the drive as soon as possible.

To recreate a mirror after a drive failure, do the following:

1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Disk Management.

2. Right-click the hard drive in working conditions on the mirror and select Remove Mirror.

3. Select drive labeled Missing.

4. Click Remove Mirror.

5. Click Yes.

6. Right-click the primary drive with data on it, and select Add Mirror.

7. Select the new drive that will act as a mirror.

8. Click Add Mirror.

9. Click Yes to convert the basic disks to dynamic disks, which is a requirement to create a mirrored volume on Windows.

After completing the steps above, Windows 10 will synchronize the data onto the new drive. Then simply repeat the process whenever a drive fails (which hopefully shouldn't be very often).

Wrapping things app

The primary purpose of a mirror setup is to provide data redundancy to protect your files from a hard drive failure. It's not designed to offer speed or performance like other RAID array levels.

Although mirroring can protect your data, it's not a replacement for a data backup. If you accidentally delete a file from one drive, the action will also replicate to the second drive.

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

Do you use any form of file redundancy on your computer? Tell us in the comments below.

More on Windows 10 resources

For more tips, 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

Are you tired of seeing the same font on Windows 10 every day? Use this guide to learn the steps to change the default system font on your PC.

On every new version of Windows, Microsoft often introduces new features aim to make you more productive and secure. At the same time, the company also reviews the operating system and decides whether or not to keep some of the older features.

For example, on Windows 7, you're able to quickly open the personalization preferences and change the system font for various elements in the operating system, including the font for icons, title bars, menus, message box, and more. On Windows 10, this isn't the case anymore, and you're stuck with the default system font on your computer.

The font on Windows 10 is called Segoe UI, and if you don't like it, you can use this Windows 10 guide, which will walk you through the steps to modify the registry to change the default system font on your computer.

How to change the default Windows 10 system font

Important: Before you go through this guide, it's worth noting that modifying the registry is risky, and it can cause irreversible damage to your installation if you don't do it correctly. It's recommended to make a full backup of your system before proceeding. Alternatively, you can create a system restore point, which will also help you to revert the changes you make using this guide.

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Open the Fonts option.

3. See the font available on Windows 10 and note the exact name of the font you want to use (e.g., Arial, Courier New, Verdana, Tahoma, etc.).

4. Open Notepad.

5. Copy and paste the following registry code into the text file:

   Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
   
   [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts]
   "Segoe UI (TrueType)"="""Segoe UI Bold (TrueType)"="""Segoe UI Bold Italic (TrueType)"="""Segoe UI Italic (TrueType)"="""Segoe UI Light (TrueType)"="""Segoe UI Semibold (TrueType)"="""Segoe UI Symbol (TrueType)"=""
   
   [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\FontSubstitutes]
   
   "Segoe UI"="ENTER-NEW-FONT-NAME"

6. In registry code above, make sure to replace ENTER-NEW-FONT-NAME with the name of the font you want to use like Courier New.
7. Click File.
8. Click Save As.
9. Under "Save as type," select All Files, and name your file anything you want with the .reg extension.

10. Click Save.

11. Double-click your new .reg file to merge into the registry.
12. Click Yes.

13. Click OK.

14. Restart your computer to complete the task.

Once your computer restarts, you should see the new font family throughout the elements, including on File Explorer, message box, taskbar, and apps that make use of the default system font.

If you want to revert the changes use the previously created system restore point or follow these steps:

1. Open Notepad.

2. Copy and paste the following registry code into the text file:

   Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
   
   [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts]
   "Segoe UI (TrueType)"="segoeui.ttf""Segoe UI Black (TrueType)"="seguibl.ttf""Segoe UI Black Italic (TrueType)"="seguibli.ttf""Segoe UI Bold (TrueType)"="segoeuib.ttf""Segoe UI Bold Italic (TrueType)"="segoeuiz.ttf""Segoe UI Emoji (TrueType)"="seguiemj.ttf""Segoe UI Historic (TrueType)"="seguihis.ttf""Segoe UI Italic (TrueType)"="segoeuii.ttf""Segoe UI Light (TrueType)"="segoeuil.ttf""Segoe UI Light Italic (TrueType)"="seguili.ttf""Segoe UI Semibold (TrueType)"="seguisb.ttf""Segoe UI Semibold Italic (TrueType)"="seguisbi.ttf""Segoe UI Semilight (TrueType)"="segoeuisl.ttf""Segoe UI Semilight Italic (TrueType)"="seguisli.ttf""Segoe UI Symbol (TrueType)"="seguisym.ttf""Segoe MDL2 Assets (TrueType)"="segmdl2.ttf""Segoe Print (TrueType)"="segoepr.ttf""Segoe Print Bold (TrueType)"="segoeprb.ttf""Segoe Script (TrueType)"="segoesc.ttf""Segoe Script Bold (TrueType)"="segoescb.ttf"
   
   [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\FontSubstitutes]
   
   "Segoe UI"=-

3. Click File.
4. Click Save As.
5. Under "Save as type," select All Files, and name your file anything you want with the .reg extension.
6. Click Save.
7. Double-click your new .reg file to merge into the registry.
8. Click Yes.
9. Click OK.
10. Restart your computer to complete the task.

Remember not to choose a crazy font, such as Webdings or Wingdings, which are symbols and they can cause issues on your system.

Do you like the current system font that Windows 10 offers or you're changing it to something else? 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 get treasure from temples in Minecraft?

Finding temples in Minecraft is a thrill, especially because they're loaded with valuable treasure! They're also booby-trapped and will hurt you and destroy the treasure if you're not careful. Here's how to safely get treasure from temples.

• Essential tools for temple robbing
• How to get treasure from desert temples
• How to get treasure from jungle temples

Essential tools for temple robbing

On top of having plenty of inventory space to hold all the loot you find, there are also some tools you'll need to help you on your way.

Torches: Temples are dark and scary — torches provide light so you can see what you're doing. It would be a shame if you accidentally triggered a trap.

Shovel: You'll need to dig some sand to reach the treasure in desert temples.

Pickaxe: You'll need a pickaxe to pick up the stone pressure plate in desert temples, and you'll also need one if you want to dig straight down to the treasure in jungle temples.

Shears: You'll need shears to cut the tripwires in jungle temples.

How to get treasure from desert temples

Desert temples, as the name implies, are only found in desert biomes. Sometimes they're half buried, like the one pictured above, but some digging with a shovel will reveal the front entrance.

Once inside, you'll notice the purple and orange clay blocks. Stay away from these! Digging around them can cause blocks to drop on the pressure plate located below in the secret treasure room.

Place some torches around the perimeter of the temple to give yourself some light. This will also keep enemy mobs from spawning when night falls.

Dig a descending staircase at the back of the temple as is pictured above. Go down about six blocks. At the bottom of the staircase, start digging toward the center of the temple. You will soon discover a treasure room that holds the chests.

Put up some torches for light, then dig another staircase along the inside of the open area. Be careful not to step on or drop any items on the stone pressure plate at the bottom of the treasure room. Doing so will ignite the TNT and hurt you and destroy the treasure.

Once you're at the bottom of the treasure room, hit the pressure plate with a stone pickaxe (or better quality) to remove it and defuse the TNT. You can also mine the polished sandstone blocks around the pressure plate, and finally the polished sandstone block holding the pressure plate.

You can now remove the treasure from all four treasure chests. Use the same way you got in to get out, and watch for any enemies outside the temple if night came while you were temple robbing.

How to get treasure from jungle temples

Jungle temples are only found in jungle biomes. They can sometimes be hard to see, as jungle trees grow close together and have vines hanging off them. Enter through the front entrance.

Once inside, walk down the stairs to the bottom level of the temple. To your left you will see a series of three levers on the wall.

Activating these levers in a certain sequence will cause an entrance to open up on the main floor of the temple. Try a few combinations, and check the main floor between combinations for an opening. This opening has no traps in it and contains one treasure chest.

The jungle temple holds more treasure! If you go to the right at the bottom of the stairs, there is a long hallway that leads to another treasure chest. Be careful — there are two tripwires that will shoot arrows at you if you walk over them.

Clip the tripwire with shears to disarm the trap. You can now safely walk over the remaining wire to proceed. Don't forget, there are two tripwires: one in the long hallway at the bottom of the stairs, and one directly in front of the chest.

If you don't want to play the temple's game, you can also take your trusty pickaxe and mine through the side of the temple wall to grab both treasure chests, but where's the fun in that?

Your treasure room

How many temples have you successfully robbed in Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta? Let us know in the comments section below!

How do I use Precision Touchpad gestures in Windows 10?

Windows 10 laptops that use Precision Touchpads have a bunch of handy shortcuts you should know about. Here's how to check if your laptop is using a Precision Touchpad, a list of default touchpad gestures, and how to configure touchpad gestures to your preference.

• How to check if your laptop has a Precision Touchpad
• Default touchpad gestures
• How to configure touchpad gestures

How to check if your laptop has a Precision Touchpad

Prominent Windows 10 laptops, including the Dell XPS 13, the Microsoft Surface Book, and the Microsoft Surface Pro 2, 3, and 4, use Precision Touchpads. Plenty of other laptops have a Precision Touchpad as well — here's how to find out if your device has one:

1. Click the Start button.

2. Click the Settings button — it looks like a gear.

3. Click Devices.

4. Click Mouse & touchpad.

Beneath the Touchpad header there will be a line that says Your PC has a Precision Touchpad if you in fact have a Precision Touchpad. Those of you without the notification may be able to use some of the following gestures — test and find out!

Default touchpad gestures

Here's a great video by Mark Guim that details how to use Precision gestures in Windows 10:

Here is a quick-reference list to help you get acquainted with precision gestures:

• Select an item: Tap the touchpad with one finger — similar to a standard left click on a mouse.
• Scroll: Touch with two fingers and swipe vertically or horizontally to scroll through a window.
• Zoom: Touch with two fingers and pinch together or stretch apart to zoom in and out.
• More commands: Tap with two fingers or click the lower-right corner of the touchpad to show more commands — similar to right-clicking on a mouse.
• Drag window: Double-tap the top of the window and slide your finger around to drag the window.
• Show task view: Touch with three fingers and swipe away from you to display all open windows. Slide three fingers away from you again to return to normal view.
• Show the desktop: Touch with three fingers and swipe toward yourself to show the desktop.
• Switch between windows: Touch with three fingers and swipe right or left — similar to the Alt + Tab keyboard shortcut.
• Open Cortana/Search Windows: Tap with three fingers.
• Open Action Center: Tap with four fingers.

How to configure touchpad gestures

1. Click the Start button.

2. Click the Settings button — it looks like a gear.

3. Click Devices.

4. Click Mouse & touchpad.

Here you will find plenty of options to configure, including what three- and four-finger taps open, as well as changing drag, right-click, and two-finger scroll options.

Tap options

• Use taps: Keep enabled to allow tap function.
• Press the lower right corner of the touchpad to right-click: Keep enabled to allow this secondary method of right-clicking.
• Use a two finger tap for right click: Keep enabled to allow this secondary method of right-clicking.
• Tap twice and drag to multi-select: Keep enabled to allow easy highlighting of text or selection of files.

Scroll and zoom options

• Use a two finger drag to scroll: Keep enabled to allow for easy scrolling with two fingers.
• Scrolling direction: Change this to your liking — either swipe down to scroll up or swipe down to scroll down.
• Pinch two fingers together to zoom out: Keep enabled to allow for easy in-and-out zoom with two fingers.

Other gesture options

• Choose what to do with a three finger tap: Either search with Cortana, open Action Center, or disable completely.
• Choose what to use with a four finger tap: Either search with Cortana, open Action Center, or disable completely.
• Choose what to use with three finger drags and slides: Either switch apps or disable completely.
• Choose what to use with four finger drags and slides: Either switch between virtual desktops or disable completely.

Found this helpful? Great! We've got many more posts like this in our Windows 10 help, tips and tricks page.

When you need to modify system files or gain full control over another account's files, use this guide to learn the steps to take ownership of files and folders on Windows 10.

Windows 10's file system can be used to to assign permissions to specific groups and users to access files and folders on a computer.

When you're signed in to your Windows 10 account, you get full control over the files and folders you create, sometimes you may also need access to other files. It could be files from an old account from a user that's no longer around, or maybe some system files you need to tweak edit to customize certain aspects of the operating system.

If you don't have specific permissions, Windows 10 will deny you access. But if your account has administrative privileges, you can take ownership of certain files and folders on your computer.

In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps to take ownership of files and folders on your Windows 10 PC without the need of a third-party tool.

How to take ownership of files and folders

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Browse and find the file or folder you want to have full access.
3. Right-click it, and select Properties.
4. Click the Security tab to access the NTFS permissions.

5. Click the Advanced button.

6. On the "Advanced Security Settings" page, you need to click the Change link, in the Owner's field.

7. Click the Advanced button.
8. On the "Select User or Group" page, click the Find Now button.

9. From the search result, select your user account, and click OK.

10. On the "Select User or Group" page, click OK.
11. Click Apply.

12. Click OK.

13. Click OK again.
14. Click OK one more time to complete this task.

It's important to note that if you're taking ownership of a folder, you can check the Replace ownership on subcontainers and object option in the Advanced Security Settings page to take control of the subfolders inside of the folder.

Now you'll need to grant full access control to your account, to do this use the following steps:

1. Right-click the file or folder and select Properties.
2. Click the Security tab to access the NTFS permissions.
3. Click the Advanced button.

4. Under the Permissions tab, click Add.

5. Click Select a principal to add your user account.
6. On the "Select User or Group" page, click the Find Now button.
7. From the search result, select your user account, and click OK.

8. On the "Select User or Group" page, click OK.

9. On "Permission Entry", check the Full control option.

10. Click OK.

11. Click OK.
12. Click Apply.
13. Click OK.
14. Click OK to close the file or folder properties to complete the task.

It's important to note that if you're taking ownership of a folder, you can check the Replace all existing inheritable permissions on all descendants with inheritable permissions for this object option in the Advanced Security Settings page to replace the subfolders permissions with the settings from the parent folder.

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

Getting a lot of emails from Beam? Here's how to make it stop.

By default, at least in my experience, Beam seems to send an email notification every time someone you follow on the service goes live. If you follow a lot of frequent streamers that can get very old, very fast.

Fortunately, it's easy enough to manage which channels send you notifications or just make them go away altogether. It's not the most obvious thing to access, but here's what you need to do.

1. Log in to Beam.

2. Click on your avatar in the top right-hand corner to bring out the menu.

3. Click on account.

4. Along the top, you'll see four tabs. Click on the one labeled notifications.

5. To turn off completely, uncheck the email box under all channels.

This will completely disable all email notifications. If there are some channels you want to keep getting them from, this same menu allows you to do this on an individual basis. Simply check the boxes next to the ones you want.

That's all there is to it. Hopefully, now your inbox is a little more Beam-free!

If you're a developer working with both Linux and Windows, you can now add Bash shell on Windows 10 to run Linux commands. Here's how to install the tool.

Microsoft continues to invest on making Windows 10 the best productivity operating system, and in the Anniversary Update, the company is not only including great improvements and changes, but also adding a big feature for developers. We're talking about the Linux Bash shell, and this is a big deal.

Bash shell is simply a command-line utility that has been part of Linux for a long time, and it's often used by developers. Microsoft added it directly into Windows 10 with the Anniversary Update, and everything works thanks to the new Windows Subsystem for Linux.

Bash on Ubuntu on Windows 10 works natively — there is no emulator, virtual machine, or anything of that sort. Microsoft and Canonical (the company behind Ubuntu) collaborated to bring a version of Bash that runs in the new subsystem alongside Windows applications. But don't get confused, this isn't Linux on Windows either, it's just a tool that allows you to run the same commands as if you were using a Linux computer.

Microsoft is focusing the new tool for developers, as such Bash doesn't come installed by default. In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps to install the Bash shell command-line tool on your Windows 10 PC.

How to install Bash on Ubuntu on Windows 10

Before trying to install the Bash shell on Windows 10, there are a few prerequisites. First and foremost, you need to be running the Windows 10 Anniversary Update on your machine. If you're not, you can use our guide to get the update on your device.

The second requirement is to be running the 64-bit version of Windows 10. If you're running a 32-bit version of the operating system, you can use this guide to move to the 64-bit version.

To install Bash shell on your Windows 10 PC, do the following:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Update & security.
3. Click on For Developers.

4. Under "Use developer features", select the Developer mode option to setup the environment to install Bash.

5. On the message box, click Yes to turn on developer mode.

6. After the necessary components install, you'll need to restart your computer.
7. Once your computer reboots, open Control Panel.
8. Click on Programs.

9. Click on Turn Windows features on or off.

10. Check the Windows Subsystem for Linux (beta) option.

11. Click OK.

12. Once the components installed on your computer, click the Restart now button to complete the task.

After your computer restarts, you will notice that Bash will not appear in the "Recently added" list of apps, this is because Bash isn't actually installed yet. Now that you have setup the necessary components, use the following steps to complete the installation of Bash:

1. Open Start, do a search for bash.exe, and press Enter.

2. On the command prompt, type y and press Enter to download and install Bash from the Windows Store.

3. Then you'll need to create a default UNIX user account. This account doesn't have to be the same as your Windows account. Enter the username in the required field and press Enter (you can't use the username "admin").
4. Close the "bash.exe" command prompt.

Now that you completed the installation and setup, you can open the Bash tool from the Start menu like you would with any other app.

It's important to note that unlike the real Bash shell you'll find in Linux, the version of the command line utility has some limitations with Windows.

For example, the Windows Subsystem for Linux wasn't designed to run Linux graphical applications (e.g. KDE, Gnome, etc.) on Windows 10. The tool is only to offer developers a text-based command-line feature to run Bash and core Linux tools within the operating system.

In addition, while Linux applications can access the system files and pretty much everything on your main drive, you can't launch or use scripts on Windows programs.

Finally, remember that Microsoft is releasing this feature with the "beta" label on it, which means that it's still a work in progress, not every intended feature is included, and sometimes it may not work correctly.

With the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, Microsoft is focusing on core functionalities, including:

• Bash environment to run tools like awk, sed, and grep.
• Basic features for languages, such as NodeJS / npm, Python, Perl, Git.
• Command line editor, including vi, emacs, and ssh.
• Linux user support.
• Symlink support.
• Ability to run apt and apt-get for updates and package testing.
• Ability to mount local a local hard drive using /mnt

Do you use Bash on Ubuntu on Windows 10 on your PC? Let us know in the comments below. If you do, also tell us what you use it for and your favorite commands.

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

What is MU-MIMO and why is it important in a router?

The long and steady march of technology has brought newer and more complex acronyms to Wi-Fi routers. The latest is MU-MIMO, which stands for multi-user, multiple-input, multiple-output. Released with the 802.11ac Wave 2 wireless standard back in 2013, it is being employed in many new wireless routers and new devices, and it jumps the hurdles of older technologies to enable faster and more stable wireless connections.

• What is SU-MIMO and MU-MIMO?
• The downside of MU-MIMO
• Do I need MU-MIMO?
• Which devices are compatible with MU-MIMO?
• Which routers use MU-MIMO?

What is SU-MIMO and MU-MIMO?

The majority of routers today employ SU-MIMO technology that, while providing wireless internet to multiple devices, has its limitations. SU-MIMO was introduced with the 802.11n wireless standard in 2009.

SU-MIMO allows you to connect multiple devices to the same wireless router, but the transmission of data can only happen to one device at a time. The router rapidly switches communications between devices — so fast that you normally won't notice — but when you're doing something that requires lag-free internet, you're going to see performance issues. For example, if you're gaming online while someone else is streaming video, you might end up dead before you have a chance to shoot back.

MU-MIMO amps things up by allowing your router to communicate simultaneously with multiple devices — no switching here. It's like each device gets its own virtual router. There are variations on MU-MIMO: 2x2 can handle two simultaneous streams, 3x3 can do three, and 4x4 MU-MIMO can handle simultaneous transmission with up to three devices. With MU-MIMO you'll find your connection is more stable and has a lower latency.

The downside of MU-MIMO

There are some things to consider before rushing out and buying a MU-MIMO router.

Many devices compatible with MU-MIMO will use two or even three data streams at once to connect to the router. For example, if you have a 3x3 MU-MIMO router, you can have a dual-stream device and a single-stream device connected at once. Connect any more MU-MIMO-compatible devices and you're again sharing data streams and experiencing SU-MIMO symptoms, like slow-buffering video and stuttering online gameplay.

Keep in mind that not all devices are compatible with MU-MIMO. It uses the 802.11ac wireless standard to communicate, so if your device is limited to 802.11a/b/g/n, you won't be able to take advantage of the tech's newest capabilities. Your device will still connect to the router using an older wireless standard, but you won't get the simultaneous streaming, improved speeds, or shorter latency. Keep in mind that even if your router uses 802.11ac, support for MU-MIMO isn't a given — so check the specs.

If you use all your devices in the same room, you won't be able to take advantage of MU-MIMO, as the streams cannot be differentiated when they're in close proximity to each other. Also, MU-MIMO is all about download speeds. If you're looking for something that increases your upload speed, this isn't it.

Do I need MU-MIMO?

Whether or not you need a router with MU-MIMO really depends on your internet habits and whether or not you have enough MU-MIMO-compatible devices to go with it.

If you live alone and don't often simultaneously game online, watch Netflix, and stream music, then you should be alright with a SU-MIMO router. If your household is packed full of modern gadgets, then it might be worth it — especially because many new devices coming out will be compatible with MU-MIMO. Even if you'll have more connections to the router than MU-MIMO can handle, an advanced router usually will be able to better handle more concurrent devices.

Which devices are compatible with MU-MIMO?

The list of devices compatible with MU-MIMO continues to grow, but for now, as far as Windows phones go, the Lumia 950, Lumia 950 XL, and HP Elite x3 are all compatible. Each of these phones uses two streams.

Dell's Alienware laptop line is compatible with MU-MIMO, as well as their Latitude 5000 and 7000 series. Acer's Aspire V and Aspire R laptops are both compatible with MU-MIMO, as is their Predator gaming line. These laptops all use two streams.

If you're not sure if your device is compatible with MU-MIMO, check the developer's webpage for a full list of system specs.

Which routers use MU-MIMO?

Now that SU-MIMO and MU-MIMO are understood, you might be in the market for a new router. There is not an enormous selection of MU-MIMO routers, but if you'd like an idea of where to start, we have a great router buyer's guide to help get you connected.

Router buyer's guide

If you're looking for a permanent solution to disable Windows Defender, in this guide we show you how to turn it off using Group Policy and the Registry.

Windows Defender is the free antivirus software that Microsoft includes on every installation of Windows 10 (and Windows 8.1). The security software is meant to offer the first line of defense to protect your computer against viruses, rootkits, spyware, and other types of malicious code.

The antivirus runs automatically on your computer, but it'll disable itself automatically when it detects another security software is installed on your device. The only caveat is that unlike the Windows Defender integration with Windows 8.1, you can't permanently disable the antivirus anymore.

Perhaps the reason is obvious, Microsoft doesn't want you to use Windows 10 with zero protection -- which it's a good reason. However, there are still those cases where users may prefer not to run an antivirus on particular scenarios. For example, on a kiosk computer that won't be joining a network and no one will be allowed to connect peripherals.

Windows 10 offers an option to disable Windows Defender, but it's a temporary option when you probably are looking for a more permanent solution.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to permanently disable Windows Defender from your device using the Group Policy Editor and Registry.

• How to disable Windows Defender using Local Group Policy
• How to disable Windows Defender using the Registry
• Bonus: How to disable Windows Defender using the Settings app

How to disable Windows Defender using Local Group Policy

If you're using Windows 10 Pro or any other enterprise variant, such as Windows 10 Enterprise or Windows 10 Education, you can use the Local Group Policy Editor to disable Windows Defender from your computer permanently.

1. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command.
2. Type gpedit.msc and click OK to open the Local Group Policy Editor.

3. Browse the following path:

   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender

4. On the right, double-click Turn off Windows Defender.

5. Select Enabled to disable Windows Defender.
6. Click Apply.

7. Click OK.

Once you complete the above steps, you will notice the Windows Defender shield icon will continue to run in the system tray. To get rid of the icon, simply restart your computer.

At any time, if you want to re-enable Windows Defender, you only need to follow the same steps, but this time, on step 5 select the option Not configured. Then restart your computer to complete reverting the changes.

How to disable Windows Defender using the Registry

If you're running Windows 10 Home, you won't have access to the Local Group Policy Editor, as it's only available for enterprise versions of the operating system. However, you can modify the registry to accomplish the same result.

Important: Before diving into this guide, it's worth noting that editing the registry can be dangerous, and it can cause irreversible damage to your system if you don't do it correctly. It's highly recommended to make a full backup of your system before proceeding. You've been warned!

1. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command, type regedit, and click OK to open the registry.

2. Browse the following path:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender

3. If you don't see DWORD DisableAntiSpyware, right-click on an empty space, select New, and click on DWORD (32-bit) Value.
4. Name the key DisableAntiSpyware.

5. Double-click the newly created key, and set the value from 0 to 1.

6. Restart your computer to complete the task.

At any time, if you want to re-enable Windows Defender, you only need to follow the same steps, but this time, change the value on step 5 from 1 to 0. Then restart your computer to complete reverting the changes.

Bonus: How to disable Windows Defender using the Settings app

In the case, you're only looking to disable Windows Defender temporarily; you can do the following.

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Update & security.
3. Click on Windows Defender.

4. Turn off the toggle switch for Real-time protection.

While Windows Defender doesn't specify how long you can disable real-time protection, "temporary" usually means until the next time you reboot your computer.

It's really important to note that we're NOT saying that you shouldn't use an antivirus on your computer, but there are always situations when you may need to disable Windows Defender from your machine permanently.

If you landed on this guide just because you don't like the antivirus that comes built in Windows 10, you could always choose from a number of alternative antivirus software, which sometimes are better than Windows Defender.

Here are a few alternative that won't cost you a dime for basic protection:

• Avira
• AVG
• Bitdefender
• Kaspersky

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

What do I need to know about dungeons?

Discovering a dungeon in Minecraft for the first time leads to a lot of questions. You can see a chest or two, but there seems to be an endless supply of monsters headed your way. To help you conquer the dungeon and loot the treasure, here are five things you need to know before you go exploring!

• What are dungeons?
• What should I bring with me when looking for dungeons?
• How do I find dungeons?
• How do I stop mobs from spawning?
• What items will I find in a dungeon chest?

What are dungeons?

Dungeons are naturally occurring areas that are found underground in the Overworld. They are either 5x5, 7x7, or 5x7 blocks in size, and are generally made up of cobblestone and mossy cobblestone.

In the center of a dungeon is a monster spawner that spits out either zombies, skeletons, or spiders when you enter within a 16-block radius. A new monster will spawn, on average, about every 25 seconds, but can spawn as quickly as every 10 seconds.

Within a dungeon you will also find up to two treasure chests — you will rarely find a dungeon without a treasure chest, but it happens sometimes.

What should I bring with me when looking for dungeons?

Dealing with dungeons can be very dangerous — you need certain tools to help deal with the mobs and the monster spawner itself. Here's a list of items you should have in your inventory when heading out to look for dungeons.

• Torches: You will need torches to light up your mineshafts and natural caverns while searching for dungeons. You can also use torches to help control mobs once you enter the dungeon.

• Weapons: You will need either a sword, bow and arrow, or both to dispatch the mobs that have spawned in the dungeon. If you use a bow and arrow, you can shoot through a one-block opening to kill monsters while they're unable to attack you. Bring at least a stone sword with you — iron, gold, or diamond are best.

• Armor: Any type of armor will help you deal with taking blows from mobs.

• Pickaxe: You will need a pickaxe to break through the wall of a dungeon if there is no naturally occurring opening. A pickaxe can also be used to destroy the monster spawner. Bring at least a stone pickaxe — iron, gold, or diamond are best.

How do I find dungeons?

There is no guaranteed, fool-proof way to find dungeons, but there are some things to look and listen for while exploring the wild or mining underground.

Although dungeons spawn underground, they can be visible from above ground. Check the walls of deep ravines for any mossy cobblestone or suspicious openings. If you're in a desert biome, watch for any depressions in the sand that match the size of a dungeon — one might be just below the surface.

Mobs make noise, especially when there are a bunch grouped together in a small room. When mining underground, listen for multiple zombie moans, bone creaks, or spider hisses. Follow your ear and you will likely find a dungeon waiting to be pillaged.

One of the best practices for finding dungeons is exploring naturally occurring caves. Make sure you have plenty of torches, a weapon, and some armor with you, as you will no doubt encounter some monsters. Listen for mobs, and watch out for any mossy cobblestone.

How do I stop mobs from spawning?

There are two ways to stop mobs from spawning in a dungeon. You can either break the monster spawner with a pickaxe, or, if you want to preserve the monster spawner for later use, you can place torches around it.

Monster spawners can be broken with any tool — even your bare hand — but won't grant XP if not broken with a pickaxe.

Place torches on all four sides of the monster spawner to create enough light to stop spawning. If monsters do happen to keep appearing, place a few more torches.

What items will I find in a dungeon chest?

Dungeon chests can be very lucrative and are definitely worth the struggle of successfully conquering a dungeon.

Beetroot seeds: 18.8% chance of finding beetroot seeds in a chest.

Bone: 57.8% chance of finding beetroot seeds in a chest.

Bread: 35.3% chance of finding bread in a chest.

Bucket: 18.8% chance of finding a bucket in a chest.

Coal: 27.4% chance of finding coal in a chest.

Cocoa beans: 18.8% chance of finding cocoa beans in a chest.

Enchanted book: 15.1% chance of finding an enchanted book in a chest. The book can have any enchantment and any level of enchantment.

Golden apple (normal): 22.2% chance of finding a normal golden apple in a chest.

Golden apple (enchanted): 3.1% chance of finding an enchanted golden apple in a chest.

Gold ingot: 9.7% chance of finding a gold ingot in a chest.

Gunpowder: 57.8% chance of finding gunpowder in a chest.

Horse armor (iron): 22.2% chance of finding iron horse armor in a chest.

Horse armor (gold): 15.1% chance of finding gold horse armor in a chest.

Horse armor (diamond): 7.7% chance of finding diamond horse armor in a chest.

Ink sac: 29% chance of finding an ink sac in a chest.

Iron ingot: 18.8% chance of finding an iron ingot in a chest.

Melon seeds: 18.8% chance of finding melon seeds in a chest.

Name tag: 29% chance of finding a name tag in a chest.

Pumpkin seeds: 18.8% chance of finding pumpkin seeds in a chest.

Redstone: 27.4% chance of finding redstone in a chest.

Rotten flesh: 57.8% chance of finding rotten flesh in a chest.

Saddle: 29% chance of finding a saddle in a chest.

String: 57.8% chance of finding string in a chest.

Wheat: 35.3% chance of finding wheat in a chest.

Your dungeon crawling adventures

How many dungeons have you conquered? Did you find any good loot? Let us know in the comments section below!

If you like to see the images and apps status on the Lock screen, but the display goes black in about a minute, then use this guide to change the Lock screen timeout setting on Windows 10.

On Windows 10, similar to Windows 8.1, the operating system features a Lock screen before you sign in to your account. The new experience showcases date and time, quick status for apps you choose, and more importantly a background image, which typically, users opt to display personal pictures or those from Windows Spotlight.

While the Lock screen provides useful information and beautiful pictures, you probably noticed that your computer's display turns off after 60 seconds when you lock your Windows 10 account. This happens even if you change the power options to never turn off the monitor or never put the computer to sleep.

The reason is that by design, the operating system includes a function that detects when the device is locked and waits for 60 seconds. After the time expires, the computer screen goes black. This is a function, which for a mysterious reason, users can't customize in Control Panel or the Settings app. However, you can modify the Registry to enable a new option in the power settings to change the time to anything you want.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to tweak the Registry (or Command Prompt) to customize the operating system should way until turning the display off, which will give you more time to see the background, status, and interact with Cortana on the Lock screen.

• How to change the time when the display turns off when your PC is locked
• How to change the Lock screen timeout using Command Prompt

How to change the time when the display turns off when your PC is locked

Important: Before diving into this guide, it's worth noting that editing the registry can be dangerous, and it can cause irreversible damage to your system if you don't do it correctly. It's highly recommended to make a full backup of your PC before proceeding. You've been warned!

1. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command, type regedit, and click OK to open the registry.

2. Browse the following path:

   HKEYLOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power\PowerSettings\7516b95f-f776-4464-8c53-06167f40cc99\8EC4B3A5-6868-48c2-BE75-4F3044BE88A7

3. On the right side, double-click the Attributes DWORD.
4. Change the value from 1 to 2.

5. Click OK.

These steps only enabled the option on Windows 10 called "Console lock display off timeout." Now the only thing left to do is to customize this option to any time you want. To do this, use these instructions:

1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Power Options.

2. Click the Change plan settings link for the selected plan.

3. Click the Change advanced power settings link.

4. On Advanced settings, scroll down and expand the Display settings.
5. You should now see the Console lock display off timeout option, double-click to expand.
6. Change the default time of 1 minute to the time you want, in minutes.
7. Click Apply.

8. Click OK to complete the task.

Once you complete the steps, you can test the new settings by locking your computer (Windows key + L keyboard shortcut), and now the screen shouldn't turn off until the time you set expires.

At any time, you can revert the changes by following the previous steps, but this time, on step 4 change the registry value key from 2 to 1.

How to change the Lock screen timeout using Command Prompt

The beauty of Windows is that you can configure the same feature in a number of ways. Alternatively, you can use the PowerCfg.exe utility to change you display timeout setting when your computer is locked. When it's connected to AC power or when your device is running on battery (DC power).

To change the Lock screen timeout using Command Prompt, do the following:

1. Use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt (admin).

2. Type the following command and press Enter:

   powercfg.exe /SETACVALUEINDEX SCHEME_CURRENT SUB_VIDEO VIDEOCONLOCK 60

   Important: You must change "60" in the command-line with the timeout time you want to use, in seconds. For example, if you want the screen to turned on for 5 minutes, then you need to use 300 at the end of the command.

3. Type the following command and press Enter:

   powercfg.exe /SETACTIVE SCHEME_CURRENT

4. Use the Windows key + L keyboard shortcut to lock your PC and see if the new settings work.

The command mentioned in step 2 will work when your computer is using AC power. You must replace /SETACVALUEINDEX for /SETDCVALUEINDEX if you want to change the timeout setting on your laptop or tablet running on battery.

It's worth noting that while changing the Registry settings is an advanced task, during my test, I have found that sometimes using the command lines may settings may not work as expected, but it's an alternative.

On the other hand, changing the Registry worked perfectly, and after making the tweak, I can simply go to the Power Options settings in Control Panel and adjust the Lock screen timeout without having to use any commands.

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 use maps in Minecraft?

While they initially appear simple, making and using maps in Minecraft requires a bit of know-how so you don't waste valuable resources or get lost somewhere far from home.

• How to make maps
• How to initialize maps
• How to keep maps in frames
• How to create a seamless mosaic of maps
• Maps in the Nether

How to make maps

Depending on the resources you have in your inventory, you can make a few different types of maps. Start with an empty map, get the hang of navigating, then start cloning and make a map room for visitors to your realm!

Empty map

An initialized empty map kept in your inventory will automatically fill in as you explore the Overworld.

Empty map with indicator

The indicator shows your position — including which way you're facing — when you look at the map. As long as the map is kept in your inventory, it will automatically fill in as you explore the Overworld.

Zoomed-out map

Default maps are zoomed way in and only show 128x128 blocks. You can repeat this crafting recipe four times on the same map to reach maximum zoom, which is 2048x2048 blocks.

Cloned map

Cloning a map allows you to share with friends. You can also place a cloned map into a frame and carry the other clone with you in your inventory — both maps will update at the same time despite one map remaining at home. You can place extra empty maps alongside your initialized map to create more than one clone.

Add an indicator to an initialized map

If you already have a map that is filled in but doesn't have an indicator, you can add one using a compass.

How to initialize and use maps

Maps won't begin to fill in until you initialize them, allowing you to transport blank maps to new, undiscovered locations.

To initialize a map, place an empty map in your hotbar — the bottom row of your inventory — then right-click with it in your hand. The empty map will turn into a drawn map. As you walk around, the map will fill in. If you explore past the boundary of the map, your indicator will stay along the border without filling anything in. In this case, it's time to zoom your map out, or create an entirely new map and initialize it in the new area.

How to keep maps in frames

Creating a map wall is useful if you have lots of newcomers to your realm, or if you simply want to keep track of the Overworld you're building in.

First, you want to craft some frames using sticks and leather.

Next, you want to place the frame on your wall by right-clicking with the frame in your hand.

With initialized map in-hand, right-click the frame to post the map. You can do this multiple times to create a mosaic of maps.

How to create a seamless mosaic of maps

Creating a wall of maps for newcomers is a great idea to help them get on their way. To begin, you want to create four empty maps -- try creating them with indicators, as this will show where all players in the game are located. You will also want to create four item frames.

Place your frames in a square on the wall. Hold onto your first map and right-click to initialize it where you stand. Place this map in a frame on your map wall.

Travel beyond the border of the first map you place on your map wall. Initialize the next empty map where you stand and return to the map wall. Place the map in the corresponding frame so that the pictures line up.

Repeat the process, each time heading in a different direction before initializing a new map, until your map wall is filled. You can theoretically make this wall as big as you'd like as long as resources allow.

Maps in the Nether

You can try using maps in the Nether, but they won't work very well. You'll only be shown bedrock, and, if your map has it, the locator will spin around without showing you which direction you face. It's best to save your paper, cross your fingers, and get your Nether journey over with as soon as possible.

Are you a mapper?

Do you bother crafting maps and building map walls in Minecraft, or do you let the wind take you whichever way it blows? Let us know in the comments section below!

If trying to update to Windows 10 build 14393.222 fails, use this guide to get around the problem and successfully install cumulative update KB3194496.

Microsoft recently rolled out cumulative update KB3194496 for those running the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. The update bumped the version number to build 14393.222 and was meant to address a number of issues to improve the quality of the operating system. However, short after the release a small number of users begun to report issues trying to install the update.

Users quickly took their concern to the Microsoft forums to a thread that now has grown over 25 pages long. Quickly the Windows team responded that is aware of the problem and it's working to address the issue.

On a statement, Jason from Microsoft said:

"Teams have dug into this issue and do believe the cause has been identified. Looks like this will only be hitting a subset of Insiders. The correct team is developing a fix/workaround and once we have the full details, we'll be posting that information. For your affected machines, there's no need to keep attempting the install. It'll keep failing."

However, AirportsFan, a user at the Microsoft forums had a reply with a workaround that seems to be working for some. The problem appears to be that update KB3194496 is failing to install because of two items in the Task Scheduler, including XblGameSaveTask and XblGameSaveTaskLogon, and the workaround involves editing the Task Scheduler, deleting two system files, and editing the Registry.

If you can't wait until Microsoft issues a permanent fix, in this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to successfully install Windows 10 build 14393.222 on your device.

Workaround to install Windows 10 build 14393.222

Important: Before diving into this guide, it's worth noting that editing the registry can be dangerous, and it can cause irreversible damage to your system if you don't do it correctly. It's highly recommended to make a full backup of your system before proceeding. You've been warned!

1. Open Start type Task Scheduler and press Enter.
2. Expand Task Scheduler Library > Microsoft.
3. Select XblGameSave.
4. On the right side, right-click XblGameSaveTask, and select Disable.

5. Right-click XblGameSaveTaskLogon and select Disable too.

6. Close the Task Scheduler.
7. Use the Windows key + E keyboard shortcut to open File Explorer.

8. Navigate the following path:

   C:\Windows\System32\Tasks\Microsoft\XblGameSave

9. Delete both files: XblGameSaveTask and XblGameSaveTaskLogon.

10. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command.
11. Type regedit, and click OK to open the Registry. (This should open the Registry with administrative privileges. If it doesn't, make sure to search for regedit on the Start menu, right-click the result, and select Run as Administrator.)

12. Navigate to the following path:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\TaskCache\Tree\Microsoft\XblGameSave

13. Right-click and delete the subkeys: XblGameSaveTask and XblGameSaveTaskLogin.

14. Close the Registry.
15. Open Settings.
16. Click on Update & security.
17. Click on Check for updates and try to install the update one more time.

Once you completed the steps mentioned above, you should now be able to install Windows 10 build 14393.222 on your device. After the update installs, the two tasks you have previously deleted should re-appear, which means that you shouldn't have to revert the changes.

Did the workaround allow you to install cumulative update KB3194496? 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

Source Microsoft via Neowin

What are biomes?

Minecraft divides the Overworld into biomes, which are essentially connected areas with a variety of specific features, adding a sense of exploration to your game. Different biomes are home to various resources and animals, as well as multiple NPC buildings, like temples, huts, and villages. Here's a guide to the biomes you'll find in Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition Beta.

• Plains
• Forest
• Desert
• Swamp
• Jungle
• Mesa
• Taiga
• Tundra
• Savanna
• Mushroom island
• Hills
• Mountains

Plains

Plains are wide, mostly flat expanses covered in grass and flowers. Here you will find plenty of caves to explore and plenty of livestock to herd, including horses. Plains biomes are home to many villages.

Forest

Forests are usually hilly areas covered in trees, flowers, grass, and mushrooms. Here you'll encounter all types of livestock, including wolves.

Dark forest

These forest variations are made up of dark oak trees and are sometimes referred to as "roofed forests." Find large and small mushrooms here, and be careful when navigating these biomes as they are dark enough to spawn enemy mobs during the day.

Birch forest

This is a variation of the forest biome made up entirely of birch trees.

Desert

Desert biomes can be quite expansive and are made up of sand and sandstone. There are plenty of cacti, but usually no trees. Desert biomes are the only place to find desert temples and desert wells. You can also find villages here.

Beach

You will often find a beach where a desert biome abuts an ocean, but beaches can technically be found anywhere there's water. Beaches are almost always made up of sand, but can sometimes be made up of gravel.

Cold beach

Cold beaches are snow-covered variations of regular beaches.

Stone beach

Also known as a cliff, stone beaches are tall walls of stone that connect to an ocean.

Swamp

Swamps are usually quite flat and consist of pools of green water with lily pads and trees covered in vines. If you're looking for a lot of sugar cane or mushroom, this is the place. Be careful when traversing at night — slimes come out in force.

Jungle

Jungles are extremely lush biomes covered in towering tropica trees. Climb vines, harvest cocoa beans and find jungle temples full of treasure. If you're looking for melons or a pet ocelot, head for one of these biomes. They're usually pretty easy to spot thanks to the tall trees and are generally quite wide.

Mesa

Mesa biomes are extremely rare — they are made up of multiple colors of hardened clay. These biomes are important, as they contain gold ore at any height and can have abandoned mineshafts above ground.

Bryce mesa

The Bryce mesa biome is similar to a standard mesa biome, except it has towering spires of hardened clay.

Taiga

Taiga biomes are usually quite hilly and have plenty of spruce trees. You can find villages here, and wolves are common.

Mega spruce taiga

These biomes have a ton of spruce trees grouped closely together. You'll find podzol on the ground, as well as mossy cobblestone.

Mega taiga

A variation of the standard taiga biome, here you will find enormous spruce trees and podzol blocks rather than grass blocks. Mossy cobblestone can be found here.

Tundra

Tundras are relatively difficult to survive in thanks to a lack of resources and animals. You will find an oak or spruce tree here and there, but for the most part, you'll only find snow and frozen rivers.

Tundra spikes

Tundra spike biomes are small and quite rare, so take a screenshot if you find one! These are basically tundras covered in towering spires of packed ice.

Savanna

The savanna biome is sort of a cross between plains and desert. You won't find much water, and the grass is a darker green. The acacia trees found here make great decoration thanks to their unique color — villages you find here will show this off well. You will also find plenty of livestock, including horses.

Mushroom Island

Found way out in the ocean, mushroom islands are made up of mycelium blocks instead of grass and dirt. Huge mushrooms that resemble trees grow here, and the only mobs you'll find are mooshrooms — a cow and mushroom hybrid animal. If you're looking for a spot to build without being disturbed by enemy mobs, this is the place.

Hills

Hills can be found in most other biomes, and take on the properties of that biome.

Mountains

Mountains, also known as extreme hills, are found in many other biomes and can reach all the way up into the clouds. These biomes are very fun to explore and provide a good base for building some wild structures.

Your favorite biome

What is your favorite place to make a home? Do you love tree-forts in towering jungle trees, or do you prefer a hideaway tucked into a mountain? Let us know in the comments section below!