Do you want to revert your changes to Local Group Policy? In this guide, we'll show you how to reset all those Group Policy objects to their default settings.

Windows is not only known for being a powerful operating system for productivity, but it's also known for being very customizable. Although, on Windows 10, most of the customization options can be found in the Settings app (and Control Panel), when you have to change more advanced options, you typically use the Local Group Policy Editor.

The Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) is an essential utility that has been part of the operating system for a long time to implement specific configurations globally on your computer or user accounts.

IT administrators and tech-savvy users have been using this tool for a long time in the professional version of Windows, and it always works as expected. However, there will be times when you'll probably change the wrong policy, enable and disable too many policies, or you configure a particular policy that may cause unwanted behavior on your computer. When that day comes, depending on how you might have set your policies, resetting the Group Policy objects (GPOs) to their default settings may come in handy.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to quickly reset Group Policy objects to their default settings you have modified using the Local Group Policy Editor.

How to reset all Local Group Policy settings

With the Local Group Policy Editor, you can configure a slew of settings regarding personalization, system, networking, and much more. In total, there are over 2000 settings you can customize through the editor.

There are at least two ways to reset the Group Policy objects to their default settings. They are both very straightforward, but one takes more time than the other depending how many policies you have configured.

Important: Although the chances are very thin that something could go wrong during this process, it's always a good idea to make a full backup of your system or at least create a system restore point to rollback your alterations.

How to reset all Group Policy objects using Local Group Policy Editor

If you have been changing these settings for a long time, one thing you probably didn't notice is that, by default, all of them are in a "Not configured" state. This means that you can easily get into each policy to reset its settings.

1. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command.
2. Enter gpedit.msc and click OK.

3. Browse the following path to view all the settings:

   Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > All Settings

4. On the right side, make sure to sort the settings by State to view only the ones that are Enabled and Disabled.

5. Double-click each policy that is Enabled and Disabled and change its state to Not configured.

6. Click OK and repeat the steps for each policy.

If you have also changed settings under User Configuration, you need to go through the same steps mentioned above, but to get to the All Settings use the following path:

Local Computer Policy > User Configuration > Administrative Templates > All Settings

How to reset all Group Policy objects using Command Prompt

Obviously, the previous steps work best when you only have a few policies to reset. If you've changed a lot of settings, you can quickly reset all Group Policy objects to their default settings using a few command lines.

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

2. Type the following two commands and press Enter on each line:

   RD /S /Q "%WinDir%\System32\GroupPolicyUsers"

   RD /S /Q "%WinDir%\System32\GroupPolicy"

3. You can now restart your computer or force the update using the following command to complete the task:

   gpupdate /force

The commands will delete the folders where Group Policy settings are stored on your computer, and then Windows 10 will re-apply the default settings.

Keep in mind that we're showing you the steps to reset these settings locally. This guide is not meant to be used on a computer connected to a domain using Active Directory, as it's likely that your network administrator controls these settings.

If you're running Windows 10 Home, you won't have access to the Local Group Policy Editor at all, as it's only available on business variants of the operating system, including Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education.

Also, this guide won't reset your security settings under Windows Settings, as they are stored in a different location.

Finally, while we're focusing these steps on Windows 10, this guide should also work with the professional versions of Windows 8.1 and Windows 7.

Do you customize Windows 10 using the Local Group Policy Editor? Let us know 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

WWE 2K17 is the largest WWE game ever in terms of wrestler count and venues. It also has the most Achievements, a whopping 58 of them on Xbox One. Unlocking all of those is a task bigger than Brock Lesnar, but we've got a comprehensive guide with tips for every single Achievement. Can you dig it?

See on the Xbox Store

Platform notes

This Achievement Guide focuses on the Xbox One version of WWE 2K17, but the strategies herein also apply to the PlayStation 4 game. WWE 2K17 is much different on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Thus, this guide does not apply to them.

MyCAREER tips and Achievements

MyCAREER follows any Custom Superstar from his or her humble origins in the NX circuit all the way up to Superstardom. If you don't already have a Custom Superstar, you'll be prompted to create one upon starting MyCareer mode.

Your goal in MyCAREER is always to boost your popularity stat and win Championships. Progress will be slow unless you follow these tips to boost your popularity gain:

• Popularity won or lost per show is based on the Excitement Multiplier, the buzz you're creating in the WWE Universe. You can see the Excitement Multiplier in the Character section of the main MyCAREER menu. You want it to be Hot, not Cold, or else you'll lose popularity.
• Match ratings play a part in generating Excitement and Popularity. Make sure to always finish matches with four stars or higher. Setting the difficulty down to Easy is a good idea, as you want to minimize the chance of losing. Also be sure to buy and equip moves with A or B ratings to make your score build faster during matches.
• Promos affect your Excitement Multiplier as well. The key to doing well in promos is selecting responses that match your wrestler's personality (Heel or Face) and/or suit the mood of the crowd (Respectful, Disrespectful, Family Friendly, and Hardcore). You can boost your Mic Performance attribute and buy and equip the Taunt and Staredown abilities to make this slightly easier. See this promo guide for more tips.
• Changing T-Shirts every few weeks raises your Excitement Multiplier. Select the Character menu, Appearance, Attire, and equip different t-shirts on your character. You should at least always be wearing a T-Shirt, even if you don't bother changing it.
• Perform a run-in every week (except when you're in a rivalry). You must win the run-in or else your Excitement Multiplier will drop. It's safest to avoid performing run-ins on tag teams, as the targeting and AI can lead to undue losses.

My path starts here (15)

MyCAREER - Complete the tutorial.

Start progress through MyCAREER until you finish up at the training facility and graduate to NXT or the WWE.

Welcome to the main roster (15)

MyCAREER - Complete your first match in RAW or SmackDown.

RAW takes place on Monday night and SmackDown happens on Tuesdays. Just progress through MyCAREER until you graduate from the training facility. If you get sent to NXT, you'll have to finish the NXT Championship or NXT Tag Team Championship before proceeding to the WWE (which will take a very long time).

Once you've joined the WWE, your first match should happen during either RAW or SmackDown. The Achievement will pop once it ends.

Big Four (15)

MyCAREER - Participate in WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, SummerSlam, and Survivor Series.

These Pay-Per-View events take place on the final Sunday of the following months:

• Royal Rumble: January
• Wrestlemania: March
• SummerSlam: July
• Survivor Series: November

To participate in PPV shows, you must have graduated to the WWE and achieve sufficient popularity. The popularity thresholds are not publicly known, annoyingly. See our MyCAREER tips above for more advice.

Birth of an NXT Champion (15)

MyCAREER - Earn the NXT Championship.

Six Championships appear in MyCAREER. After completing the Tutorial, you'll automatically be entered in one of them. You might be lucky enough to join the NXT Championship first. You'll have to do poorly during the training phase of MyCAREER, losing matches until you get slotted into NXT. Otherwise, you must complete your current Championship before selecting a new one.

To check on your current Championship standing, select Rankings from the main MyCAREER menu. The goal is to climb through the rankings and become the #1 Contender for your current Championship. This requires gaining as much popularity as possible. Follow our MyCAREER tips above to speed things along.

Birth of an IC Champion (15)

MyCAREER - Earn the Intercontinental Championship.

See 'Birth of an NXT Champion' and our MyCAREER tips above.

Birth of a US Champion (15)

MyCAREER - Earn the United States Championship.

See 'Birth of an NXT Champion' and our MyCAREER tips above.

Birth of a Tag Champion (15)

MyCAREER - Earn the Tag Championship.

See 'Birth of an NXT Champion' and our MyCAREER tips above.

We have a new Champion! (30)

MyCAREER - Win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

See 'Birth of an NXT Champion' and our MyCAREER tips above.

Untouchable (30)

MyCAREER - Get an overall value of 95 or more.

Boosting your wrestler's attributes will raise his or her value. From the main MyCAREER menu, press the Character button or select the Character box on the left. Pick Attributes and then spend VC points to increase the attributes of your choice. Almost every stat must maxed before your rating will reach 95.

Since Attributes cost VC points, you can get a head start on this Achievement by buying the WWE 2K17 MyPlayer Kick Start DLC.

Increase your VC Points gain by performing Promos every show, completing Authority Challenges, and periodically equipping new shirts on your wrestler.

I am a Wrestling God (20)

MyCAREER - Purchase all abilities that can be purchased.

From the main MyCAREER menu, press the Character button or select the Character box on the left. From there, you'll find the Abilities menu. There are three levels of abilities, each with 12 abilities to buy. You don't have to buy all of the ability slots for this Achievement, just the abilities themselves.

It will cost approximately 300,000 VC to buy all 36 abilities. Additionally, the Fan Favorite Level 1 ability requires the Comeback skill, which costs 45,000 VC. You'll find it under the Special Action section of the Skills menu.

Because Abilities cost VC points, you can get a head start on this Achievement by buying the WWE 2K17 MyPlayer Kick Start DLC.

Increase your VC Points gain by performing Promos every show, completing Authority Challenges, and periodically equipping new shirts on your wrestler.

I am the best! (20)

MyCAREER - Purchase all skills that can be purchased.

From the main MyCAREER menu, press the Character button or select the Character box on the left. From there, you'll find the Skills menu. Skills allow you to perform special maneuvers during matches.

There are 44 skills to buy, which will take quite a while. Increase your VC Points gain by performing promos every show, completing Authority Challenges, and periodically equipping new shirts on your wrestler.

Skills cost VC points, so you can get a head start on this Achievement by buying the WWE 2K17 MyPlayer Kick Start DLC.

Competent manager (15)

MyCAREER - Purchase all managers that can be purchased.

From the main MyCAREER menu, press the Character button or select the Character box on the left. From there, you'll find the Managers menu. There are 21 managers to buy, which will cost a total of 828,000 VC. Paul Heyman will unlock after you complete your first Championship.

Since Managers cost VC points, you can get a head start on this Achievement by buying the WWE 2K17 MyPlayer Kick Start DLC.

Increase your VC Points gain by performing Promos every show, completing Authority Challenges, and periodically equipping new shirts on your wrestler.

I'm running in! (15) - Secret

MyCAREER - Successfully perform 10 run-ins.

A run-in happens when a wrestler interrupts a scheduled match. You can perform one run-in per match card (nightly show). You won't be able to do run-ins if you're in a rivalry, so avoid those by choosing different run-in targets and not calling out anyone during promos.

Before starting the show, select it from the top of the main MyCareer menu. Select any one-on-one match between AI opponents and press Left Trigger to plan a run-in.

After selecting a run-in, you'll choose from four run-in types. Pick anything but Mid-match, as those take the longest. The other run-ins usually tend when you perform a Finisher on the opponent, so do that as quickly as you can.

Simply perform a run-in every show for 10 shows and you'll have the Achievement. Progress towards this Achievement can be tracked by snapping the Achievements app.

Love to talk! (15)

WWE Universe/MyCAREER - Perform a promo.

Before starting the show, select it from the top of the main MyCareer menu. Select any Promo slot and schedule a promo for yourself. Self Promotion is the simplest promo to perform.

Regardless of your performance, you'll get the Achievement. See previous 'MyCAREER' tips for more promo advice.

Drop the Mic (15)

WWE Universe/MyCAREER- Defeat a rival in a Promo.

This Achievement description is mislabeled, as my testing indicates it can't be won in WWE Universe. You must do it in MyCAREER.

Before attempting a Call out promo against a rival, be sure to max out your Mic Performance attribute. Equipping the Taunt and Staredown abilities can help as well.

Choose a target for a rivalry – preferably a custom wrestler or someone with a low overall value rating. Stoke the fire by performing successful run-ins and calling him out during promos every week. Eventually, he should become a rival.

Once you have a rival, schedule a Call Out promo and choose your rival as the target. If he shows up, you'll engage in a promo battle. Outscore your rival by choosing options that match your wrestler's face or heel status and/or appeal to the crowd. See previous 'MyCAREER' tips for more promo advice.

WWE Universe

WWE Universe is WWE 2K17's season mode, following a complete yearly season of WWE programming.

SNICKERS. Hunger to Win > Hunger (30)

WWE Universe - Play and win 50 matches.

You can play any match during any show of WWE Universe, so you have a lot of freedom about which 50 matches these should be. Go after all of the other WWE Universe Achievements first, as you'll gain several wins during that process.

To speed along the remaining matches during any show, edit each match of the show to your liking. The fastest way I've found to win normal matches is by throwing opponents outside the ring, beating on them until the counts hits 8 or so, and then climbing back in to win by count out. From launching the march until exit, this takes just under two minutes.

Progress towards this Achievement can be tracked by snapping the Achievements app.

Road to WrestleMania (15)

WWE Universe - Win the Royal Rumble and get the WWE World HW Championship at WrestleMania.

• From the main WWE Universe menu, select Calendar.
• Head to the first Monday of February. Select it and confirm that you wish to simulate the matches leading up to it.
• Observe the winner of the final simulated match, Royal Rumble.
• Head to the last Sunday of March , WrestleMania. Select it and confirm that you wish to simulate the matches leading up to it.
• Start the WrestleMania show. Select the match in which the Royal Rumble winner is scheduled.
• Play as the Royal Rumble winner in this match and win.

Attitude Adjustment (15)

WWE Universe - Max any personality trait of a Superstar by playing in a match.

• Start a new or existing WWE Universe file.
• Select My Universe and then Superstars.
• Scroll down to Brock Lesnar and press the Y button to Edit.
• Select Personality Traits.
• Change the Disciplined/Aggressive stat to 99 Aggressive.
• Accept all changes and return to the main My Universe screen.
• Select Tonight's Show and choose Edit Show.
• Highlight the first match of the show and press Right Bumper to Edit.
• Pick Customize Match, One on One, Extreme Rules
• Add Brock Lesnar as one of the Superstars and choose any opponent. Confirm and start the show.
• Play the match and take the fight outside the ring.
• Pick up a chair or weapon (Left Bumper) and use it to beat on the enemy until you can pin for the win.

Face of the WWE (15)

WWE Universe - Create Major Shows for Mon-Sat and assign the same Superstar to each show.

• Start a new or existing WWE Universe file.
• From the main WWE Universe menu, select Calendar. Press the Y button to Edit Calendar.
• Use the X button to delete Main Event and NX , which are minor shows.
• On Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday press A to Edit.
• Create Major shows for each day. Add the first 10Superstars as Participants to each show.
• In the Championship category of each show, select World and then assign it to the first Superstar **, Aiden English**. Confirm all changes.
• Stay in Calendar and use the Y button to Edit RAW.
• Select Participants and add Aiden English. Confirm all changes.

Dangerous intent (15)

WWE Universe - Inflict a critical injury status effect on an opponent in a match.

See 'Full recovery.'

Full recovery (15)

WWE Universe - Have a Superstar completely recover from a critical injury.

Although all body parts can take damage during a match, only one can receive an injury that carries over between matches. The following colors represent the damage level of a body part: Black>Yellow>Orange>Red>Dark Red>Purple>White, with white indicating a critical injury.

• Select My Universe and then Superstars.
• Scroll down to the opponent you want to injure (Bo Dallas is always good) and press the Y button to Edit.
• Select Hit Point Ratio. Remove all points from Head, Arms, and Legs, allocating them all to Body. Confirm all changes.
• Now select Tonight's Show, Edit, and Edit the first three matches.
• Customize each match, selecting One on One and Extreme Rules. Add Cactus Jack and the opponent you edited to the first three matches.
• Play as Cactus Jack during all three matches, always hitting the foe's head until it registers the color of an injury. Win the match after that.
• During the first match, keep going until the enemy's head turns dark red.
• End the second match when the enemy's head turns purple.
• Win the third match after the target's head turns white. He is now critically injured. Simulate the rest of the show's matches.
• From the main WWE Universe menu, select Calendar.
• Skip forward two months and select any show, simulating the matches leading up to it. The injured wrestler should recover, awarding you the Achievement.

Destined for greatness (15)

WWE Universe - Stack both Momentum and Hot Streak statuses to 10 through gameplay or simulation.

• Start a new WWE Universe save.
• Select Calendar and scroll all the way to the bottom to Wrestlemania.
• Select Wrestlemania and then choose to simulate the matches leading up to it.
• With any luck, the Momentum and Hot Streak bonuses will hit the target and the Achievement will pop while the game calculates the simulation.
• If you don't get the Achievement, try again by starting a new file and simulating all the way to the end of the season.

Actions speak louder than words (15)

WWE Universe - Have the dominant personality trait of a Superstar change via gameplay.

• Start a new or existing WWE Universe file.
• Select My Universe and then Superstars.
• Scroll down to John Cena and press the Y button to Edit.
• Select Personality Traits.
• Change the Disciplined/Aggressive stat to 80 Aggressive.
• Accept all changes and return to the main My Universe screen.
• Select Tonight's Show and choose Edit Show.
• Highlight the first match of the show and press Right Bumper to Edit.
• Pick Customize Match, One on One, Extreme Rules
• Add John Cena as one of the Superstars and choose any opponent. Confirm and start the show.
• Play the match and take the fight outside the ring.
• Pick up a chair or weapon (Left Bumper) and use it to beat on the enemy for an extended time.
• Finish by pinning for the win.

Future of the WWE (15)

WWE Universe - Cash in Money in the Bank at WrestleMania and win the Championship.

• Start a new WWE Universe save.
• Select Calendar and scroll all the way to the bottom to Wrestlemania.
• Select Wrestlemania and then choose to simulate the matches leading up to it.
• Start the show and then simulate all but the final match.
• Start the match, and you'll be prompted to Cash in Money in the Bank. Choose Yes.
• Playing as the wrestler who cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase, perform a Signature or Finisher move to win the match.

Woman of the year (15)

WWE Universe - Win or defend the WWE Women's Championship at WrestleMania.

• Start a new or existing WWE Universe file.
• From the main My Universe menu, pick Championships and then Women Superstars. Note who has the Women's Championship belt.
• Select Tonight's Show and Edit Show.
• Press Right Bumper on the first match to Edit and Customize Match.
• Select One on One and the rules type of your choice.
• Add the Women's Championship belt holder and Carmella or Summer Rae as her opponent.
• Before pressing Menu/Start to Accept, press the Y button for Match Options.
• Select Title Match and Women's Championship. Accept all changes and start the show.
• Play the title match you just set up as the Women's Championship belt holder. Win for the Achievement.

Control freak (15)

WWE Universe - Play and complete each match on a show's match-card.

Start a new or existing WWE Universe file. Main Event only consists of three matches, so it's perfect for this Achievement.

If the current show is not Main Event, select Calendar and choose to simulate to the next Main Event (which takes place every Tuesday). Start the show and play all three of its matches in one session. Don't exit and come back, or else you'll have to start over.

###Phenom vs. Scorpion (30) - Secret

WWE Universe - Win a WrestleMania match between Undertaker and Sting. (Single play)

• Start a new or existing WWE Universe file.
• Select Calendar and scroll all the way to the bottom to Wrestlemania.
• Select Wrestlemania and then choose to simulate the matches leading up to it.
• Select Tonight's Show and Edit Show.
• Press Right Bumper on the final match to Edit.
• Add Undertaker and Sting to the final match.
• Start the show and then simulate all but that last match.
• Win as Undertaker.

Single Play

Single Play refers to one on one matches. Initiate them from the Play section of the main menu, though some can be done in other modes as well.

Unknown veteran (30)

Win 10 times using a custom Superstar. (Single play)

This is technically a Single play Achievement, but you can get it without even trying in MyCAREER mode. Just win ten matches in MyCAREER, and it'll pop.

Show-Off (15)

Perform a Crowd or Opponent taunt. (PLAY mode against A.I.)

You'll get this very early on. Just press left or right on the D-Pad to perform one of the taunts.

Playing dirty (15)

Win a match via dirty pin. (Single play)

Dirty pins can only be performed by Superstars with the Dirty Pin skill. They can only be used twice per match, and you must have a Finisher to use one.

Play One on One as Seth Rollins against Bo Dallas. Beat the enemy until most of his body is red. Use various moves to knock the target into position, face up and close to the ropes. This can take numerous tries.

If your opponent is downed in the right position, you'll see a Dirty Pin prompt while standing near him. Hold the B button to perform the dirty pin. There's a chance the enemy could break out or the referee could break up the pin. If you use both dirty pin attempts unsuccessfully, just restart the match and try again.

Gentleman in the ring (15)

Push opponent into the ropes during chain wrestling to perform a clean break. (Single play)

Start a one on one match with Finn Balor and Neville. At the beginning of the match, press the A button without hitting a direction on either stick to start chain wrestling. If it performs a regular grab instead of chain wrestling, press Left Bumper to cancel and then try again.

Once chain wrestling starts, press the X button to push the opponent into the ropes. Don't press anything else after that – let the enemy make a clean break. Chain wrestling can only happen at the start of a match, so if it stops letting you initiate the chain wrestle, restart the match.

Now that's hardcore! (15)

Hit an opponent with a foreign object or put them through a table. (Single play)

See 'Tragic Commentators.' We're going for three Achievements in one attempt.

Oh! My! (15)

Put your opponent through the announce table via OMG! moment. (Single play/Exhibition)

See 'Tragic Commentators.'

Tragic commentators (15)

Destroy 2 announce tables within a single match. (Single play)

• Set up a One on One match with Extreme Rules. On the character select screen, press the Y button to select WWE Battleground as the arena.
• Choose to play as Brock Lesnar against Bo Dallas and start the match.
• While your opponent is downed, head outside of the ring to the commentator tables on the right.
• Press Left Bumper next to each table to clear it off. You want to completely clear a table in one go, as you won't be able to clear it anymore if interrupted by the opponent.
• Beat on the opponent until two or more of his body parts are damaged. Make sure you have at least one Finisher ready per table.
• Get him near the desired table and press the A button without touching a stick to grab him.
• Quickly hold Left and Right Trigger simultaneously and use the Left Stick to push the target into the table.
• If you have a Finisher ready, you should have a brief window during which the prompt for an OMG Moment pops up. Press Right Bumper and the Y button simultaneously to slam your foe into the table.
• Repeat for the second table. Restart if you fail to clear either table.

Over the ropes you go! (15)

Eliminate 12 opponents with the same Superstar in a single Royal Rumble match. (Single play)

The object of Royal Rumble is to throw all other opponents out of the ring without being thrown out yourself. If you're thrown out, you'll need to restart the match. We can stack the odds a bit to make things easier.

• Set up a 20-Man Royal Rumble.
• Choose to play as a highly-rated wrestler such as Brock Lesnar.
• On the character select screen, press the Y button and Change Participants.
• Disable anyone with ratings of 75 or higher and Accept.
• Select the lowest rated wrestlers as your opponents: Aiden English, Blake, Bo Dallas, Curtis Axel, Darren Young, Diego, Fandango, Fernando, Goldust, Heath Slater, Jack Swagger, Konnor, Luke, Murphy, R-Truth, Simon Gotch, Sin Cara, Tyler Breeze, Viktor, and Zack Ryder.

Tips for winning the Royal Rumble:

• Set up opponents to be knocked out of the ring by getting them close to the ropes and then performing strong blows by holding the X button.
• While near the ropes, you can also set up opponents with Irish Whips by pressing the B button and pointing the Left Stick towards the rope.
• Once your opponent is hanging off the ropes, engage in the minigame by pressing the correct buttons just as the prompts pop up. Do this quickly and accurately enough and you'll throw the opponent out.
• When another opponent has an enemy on the ropes, join in by approaching and performing a strong blow on the roped foe. The minigame should start.
• If you have Finishers stored up, you can press the Y button to immediately throw someone out who is on the ropes. However, you might want to save your Finishers to use as instant escapes when you get put into the ropes yourself.
• Try not to allow more than one enemy to target you at a time. If this happens, run away and put other wrestlers in between you.

Tap! Tap! Tap! (15)

Make an opponent tap out with a submission that is not a Finisher or Signature move. (Single Play)

The submission minigame is one of the hardest things in the game for many people. If you struggle too much with the default minigame, you can change to the button mashing version by going into Gameplay under Options and changing Submission Mini-Game from Right Stick to buttons.

• Set up a One on One match with Extreme Rules.
• Play as Brock Lesnar against Bo Dallas.
• Weaken the opponent with weapons until two or more of his parts are red. If you can weaken all of his parts, even better.
• While the foe is downed, press and hold the A button without touching the Left Stick. This will initiate a submission.

There's no easy way to win a submission. If using the default minigame, try to catch the enemy's paddle for a moment and then reverse direction to catch it when it moves. If playing the button minigame, holding the controller on a flat surface and rapidly and accurately jamming on the buttons is key. Should you own a controller or accessory with a turbo feature, that would make the button version a cinch.

This match won't end! (15)

Successfully perform a major reversal. (Single play)

See 'Three-Way stop.'

Three-Way stop (15)

Perform 3 major reversals in a Single Match. (PLAY mode against A.I.)

Major reversals prompts have an orange circle around them. Only certain moves create major reversal opportunities. These are often preceded by green reversal opportunities, requiring you to succeed at both the green and orange reversals to escape. But some moves only create the orange opportunity. Orange is what counts towards 'Three-way Stop' and 'This match won't end,' anyway.

• From the main menu, select Gameplay under Options. Turn the Reversal Limit Off.
• Set up a One on One Table match. Play as Brock Lesnar against Rusev.
• Draw the match out, trying to lure Rusev into grapple attacks and finishers. If he starts punching on you, escape and back away a bit.
• If Rusev sets up the table, grab it and drop or throw it out (Left Stick plus Left Trigger) to prevent him from initiating the table minigame. Keep his mind on grapples!
• Watch very closely for major reversal chances, and hopefully you can pull three of them off before too long. It took me 10-15 minutes in one match to get it.

Lightning reflexes (15) - Secret

Reverse a curb stomp with the RKO catch Finisher.

You can do this in single-player, but it's so much easier with two controllers. You don't need two actual people; I did it by myself.

• Start a One on One match with one player as Randy Orton and the other as Seth Rollins.
• Play until both Superstars have a Finisher ready. If needed, press D-Pad down to make sure the Finisher is selected and not a Signature move.
• Knock Randy Orton down so that he's lying on the mat face-up. Use Right Stick left or right to turn him over if he's on his back.
• With Seth Rollins, press the Left Stick towards the opponent and press the Y button to perform the curb stomp.
• As Randy Orton, keep hitting the Y Button to reverse the curb stomp with the RKO catch Finisher.

Ladder Bridge Powerbomb (15)

Powerbomb an opponent through a bridged ladder. (PLAY mode against A.I.)

• Set up a One on One Ladder match , pressing Y on the character select screen to select the WCW Bash at the Beach arena.
• Play as Kevin Owens against Bo Dallas. Charge up at least one Finisher.
• Head outside the ring and stand near the top or bottom middle of the apron.
• You should see a prompt to hit Left Bumper and Right Bumper. Do this to set up a ladder bridge, holding Right Bumper before you hit Left Bumper.
• Irish whip your opponent into the bridge by pressing Left Stick towards the ladder and the B button. He should lean face-forward on the bridge.
• If you have a Finisher ready, you should see the OMG Move prompt. Hit Right Bumper and Y button to Powerbomb him through the ladder.

Take it Backstage (15)

Finish a match backstage. (PLAY mode against A.I.)

• Start a One on One Backstage Brawl match.
• Weaken the opponent until one or more of his body parts are red.
• Perform a Finisher to win the match.

Nice try! (15)

Successfully fend off an interfering Superstar during a victory brawl. (PLAY mode against A.I.)

With the default options, you might randomly get attacked during the victory portion of a match. But you can hurry this along a little.

• Head to Game Balancing under Options.
• Turn Post-Match Run-in all the way up.
• Just play other matches as normal (perhaps focusing on MyCAREER progress) and you'll eventually be attacked by a new opponent at the end of a match.
• Win the run-in by performing a Signature or Finishing move before the attacker can do the same to you.

Title shot (15)

Attack your opponent using the Championship Title. (PLAY mode against A.I.)

• Set up a One on One match with any rules and any two Superstars.
• After selecting both characters but before leaving the character select screen, press the Y button for Match Options.
• Choose Title Match and then any available title. Confirm and start the match.
• Win the match and press A during the victory celebration, hit the A button for a Break Out.
• Pick the title belt off the ground (Left Bumper) and hit the opponent with it.

Vampire night (15)

Complete an exhibition match at night time. (PLAY mode against A.I.)

• Set up a One on One match with any rules.
• On the character select screen, hit the Y Button and change the arena to Wrestlemania 31.
• Select Night when prompted.
• Play the match as normal.

Giant spear (15) - Secret

Execute a Big E Spear. (Single play)

• Start a one on one match, choosing to play as Big E against Bo Dallas.
• Build momentum until you have at least one Finisher ready.
• Press the A button without touching a stick to grab your target.
• Quickly hold Left and Right Trigger simultaneously and use the Left Stick to push the target into the ropes.
• You should see the OMG Moment prompt. Hold Right Bumper and Y button together to perform the Big E Spear.

Lesnar Conquer (15)

Perform Suplex city with Brock Lesnar and win that match. (PLAY mode against A.I.)

Play any one on one match with Brock Lesnar, choosing Paul Heyman as his manager. I tried without the manager, and it didn't unlock. Combine this with 'Suplex City' to save time.

Suplex City is a Signature move. Use left D-Pad taunts to gain momentum faster. If you get too much Momentum and earn a Finisher, tap down on the D-Pad to switch back to Signatures.

Once you have a Signature move ready, use the Irish Whip (Left Stick plus B button) to throw your foe towards the ropes. When he comes back towards you, hit the Y button for the Signature. Lesnar will deliver three suplexes in a row. Win the match, and you'll get the Achievement.

Suplex City (30) - Secret

With Lesnar, 'German Suplex 4' or 'Back Suplex 2' 10 times in a single match. (Single play)

Play any one-on-one match as Brock Lesnar. Combine this with 'Lesnar Conquer' to save time.

The moves you'll need:

• German Suplex 4: From behind the opponent, hold right on the Left Stick and press the A button (grapple).
• Back Suplex 2: From behind the opponent, hold up on the Left Stick and hold the A button (grapple).
• Turn opponent around: Tap left or right on the Right Stick.

Just stun the enemy with punches, turn him around, and perform the required suplexes over and over until the Achievement pops.

Can't hunt the Beast! (15) - Secret

Successfully perform 200 reversals with Brock Lesnar. (PLAY mode against A.I.)

Reversals are performed by hitting Right Trigger when the reversal prompt appears above your wrestler's head. Each successful reversal consumes one yellow reversal bar; they recharge over time.

• Turn the Reversal Limit Off under Gameplay Settings.
• Set up a One on One match with any rules.
• Play as Brock Lesnar against a strong opponent like Roman Reins.
• Stand horizontally towards the opponent and a few feet away so that you can easily see his attacks coming.
• Do nothing but reversals. Whenever your reversals knock him down, press up on the Right Stick to stand him back up.

If you want to play as Brock Lesnar online, you can also perform reversals against the practice AI opponent while the game looks for opponents.

Progress towards this Achievement can be tracked by snapping the Achievements app. Looking at the snapped app, reversals against online players count towards the Achievement!

Matchmaker (15)

Win in 20 match variations. (Single play)

The Play Menu offers eight basic game types. Each of these has several rule variations. For instance, there are 13 One on One variations. The actual wrestlers don't matter, just the combination of game and rule type.

Just work your way down the list, playing one of each variation until you complete 20 of them. Play as a different Superstar each time so that you progress towards 'Locker room rat' as well.

Progress towards this Achievement can be tracked by snapping the Achievements app.

Locker room rat (15)

Complete a match with 50 different Superstars. (Single play)

Simple enough – play as 50 different characters across matches and game modes. You'll want to work down the list alphabetically.

First, complete the 'Matchmaker' Achievement. After that, the fastest way to knock out matches is One on One Normal rules matches. Hop out of the ring immediately, and then either:

• Beat on the opponent until the referee counts to eight or nine seconds, then run back in to win by count out.
• Grab a weapon and immediately strike the opponent, ending the match by disqualification. This is a few seconds faster, but you'll earn less VC for it.
• The total time to for each match should be approximately two minutes.

Progress towards this Achievement can be tracked by snapping the Achievements app.

Online

Bronze Age (15)

WWE Online - Earn a Bronze medal. (WWE Live, 2K Tonight)

Medals represent your online player level. There are four levels to go through. The starting color, Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Each online match you participate in awards Prestige Points (XP) that contribute towards your level. After filling the Prestige meter several times, you'll eventually reach the next medal color.

To check your medal color and progress towards filling the meter, select 2K Tonight or WWE Live from the main menu and then click in the Right Stick.

On a silver platter (30)

WWE Online - Earn a Silver medal. (WWE Live, 2K Tonight)

See 'Bronze Age.'

Golden Boy (30)

WWE Online - Earn a Gold medal. (WWE Live, 2K Tonight)

See 'Bronze Age.'

Teamwork is fun (15)

Win a Team Up match.

Team Up is a 3-versus-3 team-based mode. The challenge here is assembling two full teams of players. Team Up does not provide matchmaking during the team building process, so you can't even look for a game without a team of three friends.

Once you've assembled a team, you also need a competing team to be matched against. Essentially, you must gather six friends to do this. TrueAchievements provides a boosting feature that can help recruit the necessary players.

Tonight is the night (15)

Win the main event in 2K Tonight.

2K Tonight is WWE 2K17's primary online multiplayer mode. It consists of a series of matches - the number varied by show (day of the week). You must win each match type once in order to unlock the next33. 2K Tonight progress resets daily, so you'll need to work your way through all of the matches in a single day.

After you win a match type, choose Quit rather than Next match, or else you'll keep doing the same match rather than moving on to the type you just unlocked. Win the final match type and you'll get the Achievement.

The final latch might be a Ladder match, in which case you'll use Left Bumper to pick up, set down, and climb the ladder. Press up on the Right Stick to reach for the briefcase, and press Right Trigger during the minigame to get the ball into the hole. Repeat until you fill the green bars up and win.

You can win this naturally with skill and perseverance. But it's also possible to boost it if you and an online friend can consistently get into the same matches together (probably during slower times like late at night).

Creations

Keeping it together (15)

Create a new Group logo.

• From the Creations section of the main menu, select Superstar.
• Choose your wrestler's gender and then select Attire.
• Select the Attire slot and Edit Attire.
• Pick Clothing and Head, Upper Body, or Lower Body.
• Add any piece of clothing and then choose Logos.
• Select Group Logos and pick any image for the logo, such as a flag or an existing custom logo.

To create a custom logo for use as your group logo:

• From the Community Creations section of the main menu, select Logo Manager.
• Click in the Right Stick to generate a logo token.
• Head to the WWE 2K17 Custom Logo Website and enter your logo token.
• Upload your image to the website.
• In the game's Logo Manager, press the X button to switch from Local to Incoming.
• Download your logo.

This is my yard (15)

Create a show that uses a custom arena and an imported logo for its show logo.

• Create a logo as described in 'Keeping it together' or download one from Community Creations. You can even download our logo – just set the category to Logos and search for Windows Central!
• Download an arena from Community Creations, or create your own.
• Now that you have a custom logo and arena, head to the Creations section of the main menu. Select Show and then New.
• Select Arena and use Right Bumper to switch to Downloadable Content Arenas. Select your custom arena.
• Right under Arena, pick the Show Logo box. Use Right Bumper to switch to Custom.
• Select your custom logo, confirm everything, and you're done.

Fashion leader (15)

Use a custom Championship and win a match. (Single play)

• Download a custom championship from Community Creations.
• Set up a One on One match with any rules and any two Superstars.
• After selecting both characters but before leaving the character select screen, press the Y button for Match Options.
• Choose Title Match and then pick your custom championship. Confirm and start the match.
• Win the match for the Achievement.

Ready to wrestle

WWE 2K17 might not include the traditional Showcase mode, but between MyCAREER, WWE Universe, and Single Play Achievements, players will still get dozens of hours out of the game. Trust me, I know!

With the largest roster yet, fighting in the crowd and backstage, interactive promos, and other refinements, WWE 2K17 recreates the WWE experience better than ever before. Give it a try and let us know how useful you find this guide!

See on the Xbox Store

Special thanks to the great members at TrueAchievements for some of the strategies drawn upon in this guide.

How do I use beacons in Minecraft?

Successfully activating a beacon in Minecraft is a pretty big deal. First, you have to kill a Wither and collect a Nether star, second, you have to craft a beacon, and third, you have to create a pyramid on which you place the beacon.

When a beacon is working, it shoots a bright beam of light into the sky, which all players can use as a reference point. The beacon also gives players within a certain radius several power-ups. Here's how to get your beacon going in Minecraft.

• How to obtain a Nether star
• How to craft a beacon
• How to build a pyramid
• Beacon power-ups

How to obtain a Nether star

Getting yourself a Nether star is quite a process on its own. You need to travel to the Nether, collect some skeleton skulls and soul sand, summon a Wither, and kill it.

If you're already a pro at summoning and defeating Withers, you should have no problem here. Unsure of the complete process? Check out our complete guide to summoning and defeating a Wither.

How to craft a beacon

Each Wither drops one Nether star. To craft a beacon, you'll also need three blocks of obsidian and five blocks of glass.

This crafting recipe will give you one beacon.

How to build a pyramid

A beacon cannot simply be placed anywhere — it must be placed atop a pyramid for it to work properly. There also cannot be any blocks between the top of the pyramid where the beacon sits and the open sky. The pyramid must be constructed from blocks of iron, gold, diamond, or emerald. The type of power-up available, the effect range, and the strength of the power-ups depends on how many levels the pyramid has.

You can create a pyramid for one beacon, or you can create a pyramid for multiple beacons.

Single-beacon pyramid

Your pyramid can have one level with nine blocks and a beacon.

Your pyramid can have two levels with 34 blocks and a beacon.

Your pyramid can have three levels with 83 blocks and a beacon.

Your pyramid can have four levels with 164 blocks and a beacon.

Multiple-beacon pyramid

Multiple-beacon pyramids contain many more solid blocks of iron, gold, diamond, or emerald, and are usually reserved for Realms where multiple people can contribute to the project.

The pyramids are built in the same manner but are expanded to fit however many beacons you'd like on top. The example above has four beacons on top. The bottom layer of the pyramid uses 100 blocks, the second layer uses 64 blocks, the third layer uses 36 blocks, and the top layer uses 16 blocks. That's a whopping 216 blocks of solid ore.

Beacon power-ups

There are five powers you can choose from a beacon situated atop a four-level pyramid.

Speed: Get ready to run fast.

Haste: Mine blocks...fast!

Resistance: You're more resilient to damage.

Jump Boost: Jump farther and higher.

Strength: Deal more damage.

Your four-level pyramid will also automatically give you Regeneration, which regenerates your health.

The range of these effects depends on how big of a pyramid you have beneath your beacon.

• One-level pyramid: 20-block range
• Two-level pyramid: 30-block range
• Three-level pyramid: 40-block range
• Four-level pyramid: 50-block range

When you leave the range of the effect, it will wear off after about 5-9 seconds.

Your beacons

Have you taken the time to kill a Wither, craft a beacon, and place it atop a pyramid? How long did it take? Tell us all about it in the comments section below!

Minecraft appeals to all crowds thanks to being able to play however you want. Here's how to do pretty much everything in your world of blocks!

What started as the brainchild of lone developer Marcus Persson, Minecraft took the world by storm thanks to its open-ended design. Minecraft and its parent company, Mojang, were acquired by Microsoft in 2014.

Minecraft's survival mode lets you explore an infinite world, mine blocks of resources, craft tools and devices, and ultimately build whatever is in your head. Want to just experience unbridled creativity? Jump into creative mode, where all blocks are immediately available to build with.

The original Java version for PC has been expanded over the years to mobile and console, creating true cross-platform support. There is also a partnership with Telltale Games churning out episodic, story-driven gameplay for anyone who needs a solid objective to work toward.

This ultimate guide aims to answer all your questions about the Windows 10 Edition of Minecraft. Don't have Minecraft yet? It's never too late!

See at Microsoft

What are some multiplayer tips for a Battlefield beginner?

Battlefield games are interesting animals. This isn't a run-and-gun situation, nor is as simple as it seems at first glance. Winning requires you use your smarts to outwit the enemy rather than just having a faster reaction speed. Here are some tips we felt you should know before jumping into Battlefield 1's multiplayer.

• Some melee weapons can cut wire
• Have patience
• Utilize the squad mechanic
• Single-shot rifles do the most damage at a certain range
• Heavy machine guns should be sprayed
• Spot enemies
• Assault class starts out with the AT rocket gun
• Protect sentry units
• Operations mode is new and amazing
• Retreat promptly after losing a sector
• Use voice commands
• Don't skip revives

Some melee weapons can cut through wire

The battlefields you'll encounter are littered with barbed wire. Walking through or jumping over lines will harm you, but sometimes the best route is right through this wire.

In these cases, pull out a melee weapon capable of cutting through wire and attack. How to tell if the weapon can cut through wire? In the customization menu, highlight a melee weapon with your cursor. This will bring up a small sub-menu that displays the weapon's alternative uses.

Note that you can also damage light armor with some weapons, but don't expect any heroic moments involving you blowing up a tank with a hatchet.

Have patience

If you're coming in from the cold of other, more frantic first-person shooters, your first lesson is one of patience. Running around with guns blazing is fun at first, but you'll soon become frustrated.

In Battlefield, you want to move slowly, checking corners, alleys, and windows as you go. The last thing you want to be is this team right here:

Utilize the squad mechanic

One thing that sets Battlefield 1 apart from other first-person shooters is the squad mechanic. You team up with four other players, with one of you appointed squad leader. The squad leader is tasked with marking objectives — successfully securing or defending a marked objective gains you and your squad extra XP.

Squad members can spawn on each other as long as they're not currently taking fire. Use this to stay together and work as a team. Having multiples classes within your squad is a great idea; someone hands out ammo, someone revives and heals, someone scouts ahead with a scope, and someone has the hardware necessary to deal with armor.

A single squad working well together can change the tide of an entire battle, and will almost always find themselves at the top of the scoreboard when the round is over. Don't forget to use your voice chat for easy communication!

Single-shot rifles do the most damage at a certain range

While many of us patiently wait for Hardcore mode and with it a sniper's dream arena, you can take advantage of the sweet spot many sniper rifles have. Yes, you can still kill with one shot to the upper torso.

Each sniper rifle's maximum damage is shown on a range chart within the customization menu. All you have to do is hover your cursor over the rifle, and the chart will be shown. Where the line reaches the top is the range you're guaranteed to do 100 damage when hitting the enemy above the waist.

Use these charts to your advantage by selecting a rifle that suits your playstyle. Like to be an aggressive scout? Choose a rifle with a short range like the SMLE MKIII. Like to hide and methodically pick off enemies from afar? Choose a rifle with a long range like the Gewehr 98.

Heavy machine guns should be sprayed

Guns available to the support class are heavy and hold a lot of ammo, but for good reason. The first few shots out of the barrel are always very inaccurate — the longer you hold down the trigger, the more accurate the gun shoots.

While many guns in this game are meant to be aimed carefully before shooting, your best bet here is to spray and pray. Alright, you can aim down the sights, but keep firing until you run out of bullets or all enemies have fallen.

Spot enemies

Battlefield 1 has made it more difficult to spot enemies. You can no longer spam the spot button and expect to see a several red icons show up. Focusing on the enemy player with your crosshair near or on them is pretty much necessary for a spot.

Take your time, ensure the enemy is highlighted, and hit the Q button or right bumper— your team will love you. Spotting ensures no one flanks your friends, and is a great way to gain yourself more XP.

If you're playing as the scout class, your "spot" flare gun, when shot into the air, will spot nearby enemies for you and your team.

Assault class starts out with the AT rocket gun

It's surprising to see how many players don't realize the assault class starts out with the powerful AT rocket gun as a gadget choice. Yes, the heavy grenades do a lot of damage to armored vehicles (and infantry), but the rocket gun can be used at a great distance and delivers substantial damage.

If you're focusing on anti-armor gameplay, the AT rocket gun should be your first choice for a gadget. Aim when you can for the tracks of a tank — disabling its movement often causes the crew to bail. Don't forget, the AT rocket gun will do a lot of damage to infantry when aimed with precision.

Protect sentry units

Every once in awhile, a voice will let you know that a sentry unit is available near you. These units include a flame trooper, an anti-armor trooper, or a heavy assault trooper. Donning this gear gives the player more health and armor, but they must still be protected. Proper use of a sentry unit can turn a battle around in a serious way.

Medics should toss health whenever possible, and everyone else should ensure there are no flanking attacks — sentry units are vulnerable to melee kills. Also keep in mind that heavy troopers can't put a gas mask on, so teammates should avoid tossing out any mustard gas.

Operations mode is new and amazing

DICE added a new game mode this time around, and it's our favorite way to play online. Operations lets you choose from 40- and 64-player matches where you have multiple sectors spanning multiple maps to capture or defend.

Unlike Rush mode, where one player can arm and defuse the objectives, Operations requires serious teamwork. Instead of bombs to be armed, there are flags — ala Conquest — that attackers must capture and hold at the same time in order to take the sector. Attackers have three attempts to make it through the gauntlet, and will sometimes be backed up by a behemoth.

Defenders have some heavily fortified positions to work with, but still have to rely on each other to make it through. The culmination of armor rolling onto the flags, endless artillery and mortars going off around you, and mustard gas spraying everywhere leads to arguably the most intense moments the Battlefield series has seen. If you haven't already, give Operations mode a try — you won't regret it.

Retreat promptly after losing a sector

When playing an operation on the defending side, you'll no doubt lose a sector or two on your way to victory. Immediately after losing all flags, beat a hasty retreat to the next sector. Why? Any deaths within the lost sector result in the attackers gaining reinforcement units.

While this doesn't seem like a huge deal, we've seen some operations come down to a single attacker ticket making the difference as a round ends. Look for small advantages everywhere you can — they add up.

Use voice commands

On PC, hold down the Q key until a radial menu pops up, then hover your mouse over a selection and click. This will give a command or request to your entire team, rather than just your squad.

On Xbox One, hold down the right bumper until a radial menu pops up, then use your joystick to select an option.

Asking for ammo or health will probably be used most, but giving your team a boost by blowing your whistle — Go, Go, Go! — is definitely a unique part of Battlefield 1.

Don't skip revives

One of the most annoying things for a medic is rushing out to save a friend and having them skip the revive just before the needle goes in. Unless you want to change classes or modify your loadout, there's really no reason to skip the revive time before you can deploy again.

When you go down, you'll see a bar begin to fill in the Next Deployment field. Many impatient players immediately hold down the spacebar and skip back to the customization menu, effectively canceling any chance of revival. This costs your team a ticket and frustrates your friendly medics.

Holding back the urge to skip the revive time can be weird — you want to get back out there as soon as possible — but trust us on this one. After about the tenth time a medic shows up to revive you when you'd already be back at the menu is a great feeling.

Do you have any tips?

Have you discovered something about Battlefield 1 you think the rest of us should know? Tell us in the comments section below!

Here's a great tip to prevent users from accessing and changing settings in the "about:flags" page for Microsoft Edge on Windows 10.

On Windows 10, now you get Microsoft Edge, which is the default web browser that replaces Internet Explorer, and it's been designed to tackle the tasks of the modern web with new features and a modern user interface. And of course, it's the browser that Microsoft has built to compete with the other major players, including Chrome and Firefox.

Among the new features, similar to the competition, Microsoft Edge includes a secret "flags" settings page, which contains advanced options and experimental features that developers can test to build a better web -- and advanced users can enable to tweak the performance of the web browser even further.

Even though the settings page is hidden from regular users, if you share your computer with other people, anyone can access and change these settings by simply typing about:flags in the address bar. The only problem is that the flags page contains many experimental features, which if they're enabled or disabled, they could sometime negatively affect the performance and functionality of Microsoft Edge.

Fortunately, Windows 10 includes at least two ways to block other users from accessing about:flags. In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to use the Local Group Policy Editor and the Registry to prevent users from getting into Microsoft Edge's flags settings page on your computer.

• How to disable 'about:flags' using Group Policy
• How to disable 'about:flags' using the Registry

How to disable 'about:flags' using Group Policy

If your computer is running Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education, you can easily edit one Group Policy object to disable access to the "about:flags" on Microsoft Edge.

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 > Microsoft Edge

4. On the right side, double-click the Prevent access to the about:flags page in Microsoft Edge policy.

5. Change its setting to Enabled.

6. Click Apply.
7. Click OK to complete the task.

Once you completed the steps, you can test the new setting by opening Microsoft Edge, and trying to go to about:flags, which now should result in a "You can't access this page" message.

When you need to revert the changes, follow the steps mentioned above, but this time on step 5, changes the policy setting to Not configured.

How to disable 'about:flags' using the Registry

If you're running Windows 10 Home, the Local Group Policy Editor won't be an available feature, but you can get the same result by tweaking the Registry.

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

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

3. Browse the following path:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft

4. Right-click the Microsoft (folder) key, select New, and click on Key.
5. Name the new key Microsoft Edge and press Enter.
6. Right-click the Microsoft Edge (folder) key, select New, and click on Key.

7. Name the new key Main and press Enter.

8. Select the Main (folder) key, and right-click on the right side, select New, and click on DWORD (32-bit) Value.

9. Name the new DWORD PreventAccessToAboutFlagsInMicrosoftEdge and press Enter.

10. Double-click the newly created DWORD and change its value from 0 to 1.

11. Click OK.
12. Close the Registry to complete the task.

Now launch Microsoft Edge and now trying to go to about:flags should result in a "You can't access this page" message.

In the case you change your mind, you can revert the changes at any time by using the same steps, but in step 3 browse this path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\MicrosoftEdge\Main, and then change the PreventAccessToAboutFlagsInMicrosoftEdge DWORD value from 1 to 0.

Wrapping things up

The best part is that you're not only preventing access to the about:flags page when you're sharing your own account (not recommended) with other people, but the change will also be set globally to your computer regardless of the account anyone uses.

Do you share your computer with other users? If so, would you be blocking them access to the advanced flags page? 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

Prevent someone from guessing your password by using this guide to temporarily lock out your computer after a specific number of invalid attempts.

Microsoft has designed Windows 10 to keep your information protected from the most advanced security threats with features like BitLocker, Windows Hello, and an entirely new Windows Defender for malware protection. However, even with so many security technologies in place, there are still chances of someone guessing your password. In part is because, by default, the operating system allows unlimited passwords attempts through the Sign-in screen.

Perhaps one of the main reasons for this is to prevent you from quickly getting locked out of your system when you suddenly forget your password. But unfortunately, it also leaves the doors open to anyone with physical access to your device to have unlimited tries to guess your password -- and probably guess the right one.

Thankfully, Windows 10 (and previous versions), includes a set of advanced security options to temporarily lock out your account after a defined number of failed sign-in attempts. While there are a bunch of different ways that someone can try to bypass your password, you will at least slow down and make it harder for anyone to hack into your local Windows 10 account.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to use the Local Group Policy Editor and Command Prompt to automatically lockout your computer after an specific number of invalid sign-in attempts.

• How to temporarily lock your PC after specific failed password attempts using Group Policy
• How to temporarily lock your PC after specific failed password attempts using Command Prompt

How to temporarily lock your PC after specific failed password attempts using Group Policy

If your computer is running Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education, the quickest way to make the Sign-in experience tougher to bypass is by using the Local Group Policy Editor to configure your account security settings.

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:

   Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Account Policy

4. On the right side, you'll find three policies, double-click Account lockout threshold.

5. In the Local Security Setting tab, you'll notice that the default configuration is set to "0" invalid sign-in attempts indicating this option is currently disabled. To enable the feature, simply enter the number of failed password attempts before locking out your account.

   While you can pick any number from 1 to 999, it's recommended to set the minimum of invalid sign-in attempts to either 3 or 5 to ensure you won't get locked out of your computer.

6. Click Apply.

7. Click OK to confirm the suggested values for the account lockout duration and reset the sign-in counter, as you can't change those settings on this page.

8. Click OK again to complete the task.

After completing the steps, you noticed that in step 7, Windows 10 also configured automatically two additional policies to 30 minutes, including:

• Account lockout duration: Determines the time your computer will remain locked out and prevent any additional sign-in attempts before the account becomes active again.
• Reset account lockout counter after: Determines the time you must wait after the last invalid password attend before the counter gets reset, and you can once again try to sign-in.

In case you want to make the lockout period shorter or longer, you can double-click either policy and change the time to virtually anything you want (not greater than 99,999 minutes). In addition, because these two policies are related, the time you set in one of the policies will automatically configure the other.

At any time you can revert the changes by following the same steps, but this time on step 5 make sure to set the invalid logon attempts in the "Account lockout threshold" back to 0. You don't necessarily need to change the other two policies as they will no longer be applicable.

How to temporarily lock your PC after specific failed password attempts using Command Prompt

If your computer is running Windows 10 Home, you won't have access to the Local Group Policy Editor, but you can use the following commands in Command Prompt to change your account restrictions and achieve the same result.

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

2. Type the following command to review the current account policy settings on your computer and press Enter:

   net accounts

   If you're doing this for the first time, the "Lockout threshold" setting should say "Never" indicating that you can enter invalid passwords unlimited times.

3. Type the following command to set the number of invalid sign-in attempts before your computer gets locked out and press Enter:

   net accounts /lockoutthreshold:3

   In this command, we're using the /lockouttheshold:3 switch to set the number of failed password attempts to 3 times, but you can change the value to 5 or any number you want. Remember not to set the number too high to reduce the chance of someone guessing your password, but not too low to ensure that you don't get locked out of your system very easily.

4. Type the following command to set the lockout duration and press Enter:

   net accounts /lockoutduration:30

   In this command, we're using the /lockoutduration:30 switch to tell the operating system in minutes the time your computer will be locked out after reaching the number of failed sign-in attempts. However, you can change 30 to virtually any time you want.

5. Type the following command to set lockout observation window and press Enter:

   net accounts /lockoutwindow:30

   In this command, we're using the /lockoutwindow:30 switch to tell the operating system in minutes the time before the counter of failed password attempts is reset. The command shows 30 minutes, but you can change the number to virtually any time you want, just make sure it's less or equal to the time you have configured for the lockout duration on step 4.

6. Type the following command to review all the new settings and press Enter:

   net accounts

If you used the same configuration references as pointed out in this guide, then your computer will automatically lock out for 30 minutes after anyone fails to sign-in three times, which will help you keep your account more secure.

In the case you need to revert the changes, you can follow the steps mentioned above, but on step 3 use this command: net accounts /lockoutthreshold:0 to disable the feature. You don't necessary need to reset the "lockoutduration" or "lockoutwindow" as they are not applicable after disabling the "Account lockout threshold".

Wrapping things up

The best part is that at the Sign-in screen everything will look the same as always, there aren't warnings or any messages hinting the security policies in place. The only way to find out is to reach the number of failed sign-in attempts, which is just an extra layer of security.

The only caveat is that these security settings will only work for local accounts, not Microsoft accounts. Though if you're using a Microsoft Account, you can set up two-step verification to keep it secure.

The steps we're showing you are meant to prevent (or at least slow down) other people from trying to get unauthorized access to your local computer. This guide is not meant to be used on a device connected to a domain using Active Directory, as these settings are typically controlled by your network administrator.

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

Where can I find the field manuals in the Avanti Savoia! campaign?

The Avanti Savoia! Battlefield 1 campaign tells the story of Luca Cocchiola, a member of the Royal Italian Army's special Arditi division tasked with ridding the Italian Alps of Austro-Hungarian forces.

This campaign is split up over two chapters, with each chapter containing five field manuals. Here's where you'll find them!

• First field manual — O La Vittoria chapter
• Second field manual — O La Vittoria chapter
• Third field manual — O La Vittoria chapter
• Fourth field manual — O La Vittoria chapter
• Fifth field manual — O La Vittoria chapter
• Sixth field manual — O Tutti Accoppati
• Seventh field manual — O Tutti Accoppati
• Eighth field manual — O Tutti Accoppati
• Ninth field manual — O Tutti Accoppati
• Tenth field manual — O Tutti Accoppati

First field manual — O La Vittoria chapter

1. The campaign opens with you in a full suit of armor. Secure the first objective — a church — and continue up the road.

2. You will find a building to the left of the road that may or may not be damaged by artillery.

3. Enter the building.

4. The field manual is located to the left of the building next to a cloth-covered couch.

Second field manual — O La Vittoria chapter

1. Immediately after collecting the first field manual, turn to your left and exit the door.

2. Jump over the fence and run downhill.

3. You will soon come to a post in the ground with a small flag tied to it. Walk down this path that resembles a shallow trench.

4. At the end of the shallow trench you'll see a line of shoring on the opposite incline. Head toward it.

5. Once you arrive, enter the trench to the left of the shoring. Dispatch any enemies.

6. Take your first right down the trench.

7. Take a left at the open area.

8. The field manual is located amongst some crates.

Third field manual — O La Vittoria chapter

1. Immediately after grabbing the second field manual, turn 180 degrees to face your objective, the artillery on the mountain.

2. Follow the path up to the first road and go to your right.

3. There will be a spruce tree to your left — begin climbing the mountain again.

4. You will soon see the end of a trench ahead of you.

5. Jump down into the trench and dispatch any enemies. The field manual is located in the open at the end of the trench.

Fourth field manual — O La Vittoria chapter

1. Continue the mission objective — destroying the artillery. You will eventually come to the entrance of a bunker. Enter and descend the stairs.

2. As soon as you pass through the door at the bottom of the stairs, turn to your right.

3. The field manual is located in the corner.

Fifth field manual — O La Vittoria chapter

1. Continue on to the next objective — disabling an anti-aircraft gun. You will soon come to a fixed heavy machine gun and a trench. Dispatch the enemies.

2. Turn to the right when you come to the fixed heavy machine gun so that you're looking at the sheltered trench.

3. The field manual is located just outside the wooden structure.

Sixth field manual — O Tutti Accoppati

1. After completing the first chapter, you'll find yourself atop the burning mountain. Head straight down the hill, keeping your objective to your left, until you reach a house.

2. Enter through the doorway on the side of the house facing you.

3. Turn left immediately. The field manual is located along the wall.

Seventh field manual — O Tutti Accoppati

1. Continue on with the mission. You will eventually come to a point where you must search for your friend, Matteo. You will see two objectives — one close and one far. Make for the closer objective.

2. Enter into the trench that's near the objective and go to the left.

3. Go through the bunker entrance and turn to the right.

4. The field manual is located in the corner next to some downed allies.

Eighth field manual — O Tutti Accoppati

1. Continue on your way toward the main objective. When you get close enough to the fortress, your character will inform you that you can enter one of two ways.

2. Head to the left along a trench.

3. You will soon arrive at the doorway to a bunker. Enter the doorway and descend the stairs.

4. Clear the bunker of any enemies. You will eventually come to an ascending staircase. Climb the stairs and turn to your right.

5. The field manual is located between the first two bunks along the wall.

Note: After collecting this field manual, immediately turn and leave the bunker the same way you came in. If you proceed, the ninth field manual will not be available to you.

Ninth field manual — O Tutti Accoppati

1. After exiting the bunker the same way you entered, turn left and head back around to the front of the fortress where you made your initial assault.

2. Go all the way around the fortress, keeping the objective marker on your left.

3. You will eventually reach a wall with a blue doorway and window in it. Do not enter. Turn around 180 degrees and walk away from the doorway.

4. Follow the path up the mountain.

5. You will come to the entrance to another bunker on your right. Enter the bunker and descend the stairs.

6. The field manual is located against the partition in the room with two white tanks.

Tenth field manual — O Tutti Accoppati

1. Exit the bunker where you found the ninth field manual and turn right. Follow the path back down to the blue doorway in the wall.

2. Go through the blue doorway and turn to your right.

3. Walk toward the big building.

4. Keep walking on the path behind the big building.

5. The field manual is located in the far corner next to some barrels.

Your collection

Were you able to find all 10 field manuals in the Avanti Savoia campaign? Let us know in the comments section below!

How do I brew potions in Minecraft?

Almost every end-game scenario in Minecraft will require you to brew and use potions both on yourself and on your enemies. Potions range from health and damage buffs all the way to invisibility and poison. Ready to start brewing? Here's what you need to know about potions!

• Visit the Nether to gather resources
• Craft the necessary items
• Create a Nether wart farm
• How to brew potions
• Potion recipes

Visit the Nether to gather resources

The first thing you'll want to do is visit the Nether. Plan accordingly — armor and weapons, especially with enchantments, will help you gather resources and fend off enemies. Also, consider bringing a bunch of snowballs. They hurt Blazes and are relatively fast to fire off. To make a snowball, just dig snow with a shovel!

Your best bet is to locate a fortress within the Nether. Here you'll find Nether wart growing in soul sand at the bottom of the entrance staircase. Mine both items with a shovel.

Fortresses also contain a Blaze spawner. If you manage to locate the spawner, kill a Blaze and grab the Blaze rod it drops. This is used to craft the brewing stand.

Craft the necessary items

There are a number of items you must craft before you begin brewing.

Brewing stand

This is your go-to item when brewing potions. Craft one from three cobblestone blocks and a Blaze rod.

Cauldron

Cauldrons aren't entirely necessary if you have a water source nearby, but if you have iron to spare, they'll help out quite a bit. An iron bucket full of water will fill a cauldron. You can then right-click the cauldron with an empty glass bottle to fill the bottle. This will drain the cauldron by 1/3 — you can repeat the process twice more with empty bottles to completely drain the cauldron.

If you have bottles of potions already crafted in your inventory, you can right-click an empty cauldron with the bottle full of potion to transfer its contents. This can be repeated three times to fill the cauldron, as long as the potions being emptied into the cauldron are the same. Reverse the process to fill empty bottles with whatever potion is within the cauldron.

When a cauldron has a potion in it, you can right-click with an arrow in-hand to turn the arrow into a tipped arrow. This works great with poison potions.

Bottles

Three blocks of glass will turn into three empty bottles.

Create a Nether wart farm

You collected Nether wart and soul sand on your trip to the Nether; it's time to create a farm, as you'll need a constant supply of Nether wart for brewing. Place soul sand blocks on the ground wherever you please, then plant the Nether wart in it. You can harvest it when fully grown, just like other crops.

How to brew potions

Right-click a water source with all three empty bottles to fill them with water.

Right-click the brewing stand and place the three water-filled bottles into the stand.

Place Nether wart into the top slot of the brewing stand. The potions will begin brewing — it takes about 20 seconds to brew a potion.

You've now brewed three Awkward potions. These are combined with other ingredients within the brewing table to create powerful potions.

You've probably killed quite a few spiders by this point in your game; you can brew a spider eye with an Awkward potion to create a potion of Poison. Just place the spider eye in the top slot of the brewing stand and, as long as you have at least one Awkward potion in the bottom slots, you'll end up with a potion of Poison.

If you'd like to extend the time the effects of the potion hold, add redstone dust to the potions.

If you'd like to add power to the potions, add glowstone dust instead. This will upgrade your potions to level two.

Add gunpowder to the mix to change the potions into splash potions — these can be tossed at enemies.

Before you go throwing these splash potions about, don't forget to add fermented spider eye in order to make them harmful to enemy mobs.

After all these modifications, we finally have a splash potion of Harming.

Potion recipes

There are plenty more recipes available for you to brew up.

Do you brew?

Have you reached the point of brewing potions in one of your Minecraft worlds? What's your favorite potion? Let us know in the comments section below!

You can use Windows Defender with command lines to run the antivirus manually or to automate certain tasks, and in this guide, we show you how.

Windows Defender is the free antivirus software that Microsoft has created to offer the first line of defense against malware on PCs. The security software comes built-in on Windows 10 and Windows 8.1, and it identifies and removes viruses, spyware, rootkits and bootkits, and a number of other malicious code.

The software most of the time runs quietly in the background, and it includes a very easy to use interface. However, what you probably didn't know is that you can also use Windows Defender with command lines, which can come in handy in a number of scenarios, including when you're trying to automate certain tasks using Task Scheduler.

Interesting enough, there are at least two ways to use Windows Defender with Command Prompt: You can either use MSASCui.exe, which allows you to control the antivirus Graphical User Interface (GUI) using command lines. Or you can use MpCmdRun.exe, which is the official command line utility with more options and commands run silently in the background by default.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the command lines to use Windows Defender on your computer.

• How to use Windows Defender with Command Prompt
• How to use Windows Defender silently with Command Prompt

How to use Windows Defender with Command Prompt

The following commands using MSASCui.exe let you update and run the Windows Defender different scan modes, but every execution will launch the application to perform the task and you get limited options compared to the MpCmdRun.exe utility.

Use the Windows key + I keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt (Admin), then:

To trigger an update check followed by a quick virus scan, type the following command and press Enter:

"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe" -UpdateAndQuickScan

To download and install updates for Windows Defender, type the following command and press Enter:

"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe" -Update

To perform a quick Windows Defender scan, type the following command and press Enter:

"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe" -QuickScan

To perform a full scan, type the following command and press Enter:

"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe" -FullScan

Quick Tip: You can also append the -hide switch at the end of each command to prevent the Windows Defender from opening up. Here's an example: "C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe" -UpdateAndQuickScan -hide.

How to use Windows Defender silently with Command Prompt

Windows Defender also includes a command-line utility, MpCmdRun.exe, which you can use to automate or run tasks silently without having to launch the desktop client.

Use the Windows key + I keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt (Admin), then:

To trigger a signature update, type the following command and press Enter:

"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe" -SignatureUpdate

To perform a quick scan, type the following command and press Enter:

"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe" -Scan -ScanType 1

To perform a full Windows Defender scan, type the following command and press Enter:

"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe" -Scan -ScanType 3

To do a custom scan for a file or folder instead of scanning your entire system, type the following command and press Enter:

"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe" -Scan -ScanType 3 -File PATH-TO-FILE-OR-FOLDER

Here's an example that scans all the files and folders within the Public folder:

"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe" -Scan -ScanType 3 -File C:\Users\Public

You can also scan and remove any malicious code that may have infected the boot sector with the following command:

"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe" -Scan -ScanType -BootSectorScan

Keep in mind that we're only listing the most useful commands, you can also run the following command to view a handful of other switches to use alongside the MpCmdRun.exe utility.

"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MpCmdRun.exe"

Finally, it's important to note that while we're focusing this guide on Windows 10, these instructions should also be compatible with previous versions of the operating system, including Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.

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 play as a sniper in Battlefield 1?

Playing as a scout in Battlefield games can lead your team to either hate you or love you. Let's focus on the latter outcome with these gameplay tips and ideal loadouts!

• Scout class basics
• Scout class ideal loadouts

Scout class basics

There are a few things every prospective scout should know before playing this class.

Know the sweet spot of every rifle

Every single-shot rifle in the game has a sweet spot where a hit above the waist is a one-shot kill.

If you hover your cursor over a rifle in the customization menu, you'll see a chart pop up that shows you where the sweet spot is. Where the line reaches the top is the distance you'll do the most damage, measured in meters.

To get a sense of distances in the game, take a look at objectives while you're on the field. There is always a number noted. Play around with this until you get a good idea of how far away you like to play, and choose a suitable rifle.

Use flare guns to spot

One of the scout's most important duties is spotting enemies. This helps mortars find their targets, and it also helps infantry come up with a plan of attack. Use your flare gun with spotting ability to reveal enemies; just shoot it into the air, and anyone close will show up on the minimap.

Use K bullets to your advantage

These armor-piercing rounds are not very effective at completely blowing up a tank, but they sure can be annoying to someone who is trying to repair their vehicle. Say your team is focusing fire on light armor and it retreats in order to repair. As a scout, you can continue plinking away, causing damage that must be repaired, as your team catches up to finally disable the tank.

Set traps

If you're in a great spot that has few entrances, don't forget to put up a high-explosive tripwire bomb behind you — not too close, or you'll suffer the same fate as the enemy who trips it. Tripwire bombs can be picked back up and reused if unexploded. Take advantage of this when switching positions.

They are also available in incendiary and gas variants, so set other traps for the enemy. If you know the enemy will soon arrive at a chokepoint on the map, set a gas or incendiary trap to cause panic as they advance.

Relocate

Due to your lack of powerful close-quarters weaponry, you must take a different approach to playing. Due to the current lack of hardcore mode, the soldier you just killed will be able to see where you are located. For this reason, it's always smart to switch positions between kills. Don't go overboard — if there are multiple targets in front of you, do your best to take them out. If you kill someone and see a lull in the action, you can expect that soldier to relay your position to teammates. Relocate, kill again, and move on.

Consider throwing up a sniper decoy in the spot where you just were. Anyone who shoots at the sniper decoy will automatically be spotted, and you'll even be able to see a red outline of their entire body no matter where they are on the battlefield.

Play smart

If you're a veteran of the Battlefield series, you've probably been in a game where your team is trying desperately to take a final objective while ten friendly snipers sit in the hills contributing diddly-squat. While the scout class is a needed addition to the team, pay close attention to scores and times — if the round is soon coming to an end and your team is close to taking an objective, consider helping them out with a different play-style or different class entirely.

Scout class ideal loadouts

There are plenty of rifles and gadgets available to the scout — choosing the correct combination for the way you play will make an enormous difference to your team and to the scoreboard.

Aggressive trapper

Running around in the thick of things, setting traps and causing havoc can be a ton of fun, especially on maps with chokepoints and not much open room for scopes.

Rifle: The SMLE MKIII Carbine has a 10-round magazine and the best hip-fire rating of all its variants. It also has a close range for its sweet spot, as well as a glass optic. Remove the bayonet for a quicker aim-down-sight (ADS) reaction.

Pistol: The Mars Automatic holds 11 rounds and does more damage than almost all other pistols in the game. For close combat, this is your best option.

Gadgets: Take any variant of a tripwire bomb, and also take the flare gun with a flash cartridge. This will blind enemies, who then won't be able to see your trap!

Grenade: Smoke grenades will be your best choice as you are trying to cause as much havoc possible in a single spot.

Overlord

If you play with an especially tight-knit group, your squad will likely want one of you to play as a sort of director. You sit back, spot enemies, predict counter-attacks or flanks, and pick off stragglers.

Rifle: Gewehr 98 Sniper. Long range, fast projectile speed, and a bipod make this your best option.

Pistol: You'll probably only need your pistol for close encounters, so the Mars Automatic is your best bet.

Gadgets: Take the flare gun with a spotting projectile for when enemies are bunched together. You can also take the sniper shield to protect against counter-sniping, or you can grab the K bullet to help your team remove armor from the battlefield.

Grenade: Smoke grenades will help you get away if you start getting fired at.

Lone wolf

Defending a conquest objective by yourself can be a ton of fun, especially when the objective is set back from the others and has an open-field approach. This also frees up the rest of your team to focus on other objectives.

Rifle: Take whatever you're most comfortable with, as you probably won't have much backup. Something that can be used for long- and close-range combat is ideal. I personally love the Russian 1895 Infantry for this type of role.

Pistol: Use whatever you're most comfortable with. When you get surrounded, you want to be able to do the most damage possible.

Gadgets: The sniper decoy will be your best friend. Pop up a few fake heads here and there to make it seem like you have backup and to spot anyone looking at it. A high-explosive tripwire bomb will also ensure no one sneaks up behind you.

Grenade: Use gas grenades to cut off access points and to cut off enemy soldiers' use of gun sights. You're already hard to hit; why not make it harder?

How do you play?

What's your go-to loadout for the scout class? How do you play with this loadout? Tell us in the comments section below!

When you have a modern app from a trusted source, but it's not available through the Store, you can use this guide to enable Windows 10 to sideload the app.

On Windows 10, Microsoft continues to push its new modern app platform, which the company wants you to get primarily from the Windows Store. However, similar to other platforms like Android, you're also allowed to sideload apps outside the Store.

If you're unfamiliar with the term "sideload", in Windows 10 it means the process of installing apps on your computer that hasn't gone through the certification process to appear in the Store and to run on a Windows device.

The operating system by default blocks you from sideloading apps. The main reason is to protect you and your computer, as getting certified apps from the Store ensures that you're getting a good app that won't harm your device and it'll do what the developer says it will do.

However, there is number of good reasons to install apps outside the Store. Perhaps you're a developer, or you have a friend who is a developer and wants you to test an app before submitting it to the Store. It could also happen that you come across an app that leaked onto the web, and you want to try, or the fact that there a lot of apps available outside of the Windows Store.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to allow the operating system to sideload Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps on your computer.

How to allow Windows 10 to sideload apps on your computer

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

4. Under "Use developer features," select the Sideload apps option.

5. Click Yes to confirm the risks involved running an app outside the Windows Store.

6. Restart your computer if applicable to complete the task.

You may have noticed that there is a "Developer mode" option too, both the "Sideload apps" and "Developer mode" will allow you to sideload apps, with the difference that the "Developer mode" will also enable other developer specific features.

It's important to note that it's not recommended to sideload apps as there is danger involve that could expose and harm your device. If you must sideload apps, you should only install those from a trusted source.

While we're focusing this guide for the desktop version of Windows 10, you can also use these instructions to enable Windows 10 Mobile to sideload apps on your phone.

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

Here are the steps to enable complexity to make your PIN more secure on Windows 10.

Windows 10 includes multiple options to sign-in to your account, including the ability to sign-in using a PIN. If you have a mobile device, you're probably already familiar with a PIN, which is a secondary form of authentication similar to a password, but with some unique features.

For example, a PIN usually contains only numbers, and it's shorter than a password. In addition, unlike a password, a PIN is only significant to one device, meaning that it doesn't sync across all your devices like when you use a Microsoft account, and it doesn't work over the network.

This is what makes a PIN more secure; if your password is compromised anyone can access your device (or devices) from virtually anywhere. However, using only two pairs of numbers to create a PIN can also make it easier for anyone with physical access to break into your device.

Thankfully, Windows 10 includes a feature that enables you to create a more complex PIN using special characters, letters, uppercase and lowercase to make your account more secure.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to make your PIN more secure by adding complexity to the mix on your computer.

How to configure PIN complexity

On your computer running Windows 10 Pro, you can use the Local Group Policy Editor to quickly set up PIN complexity on your computer, just follow these steps:

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 Hello for Business > PIN Complexity

4. On the left side, double-click the policy with the setting you want to configure, including:

   • Require digits: If you enable or do not configure this policy, the operating system will require to include at least one number while creating a PIN. If you disable this policy, you can use any non-number characters.
   • Require lowercase letters: If you enable or do not configure this policy, the operating system will require to include at least one lowercase letter when creating a PIN. If you disable this policy, you won't be allowed to use lowercase letters in your PIN.
   • Maximum PIN length: This policy lets you set a maximum number of characters you can use to create a PIN. The maximum limit allowed is 127 characters. The maximum length must be larger than the minimum of 4 or whatever higher number configured for Minimum PIN length policy.
   • Minimum PIN length: This policy lets you set the minimum number of characters you can use to create a PIN. The lowest number you can configure is 4. The minimum length can be as large as 127, but less than the Maximum PIN length policy.
   • Expiration: Using this policy you can set the number of days before requiring users to change their PIN. You can configure this setting to expire to anything between 1 and 730 days. If you use default 0 the PIN will never expire.
   • History: To increase security, you can use this policy to prevent a user from reusing a specified number of unique PINs. You can configure the operating system to remember 0 to 50 PINs, and if you set it to 0, then the History policy won't be applicable.

   • Require special characters: You can enable this policy to require at least one special character when creating a PIN. If you disable or do not configure the policy, then you won't be able to use special characters on your PIN. These are the special characters you're allowed to use:

     ! " # $ % & ' ( ) * + , - . / : ; < = > ? @ [ \ ] ^ _ ` { | } ~ .

   • Require uppercase letters: If you enable or do not configure this policy, the operating system will require to include at least one uppercase letter when creating a PIN. If you disable this policy, you won't be allowed to use uppercase letters in your PIN.

5. On the top-left, make sure to select Enabled or Disabled to configure the policy.

6. Change the policy options if applicable.
7. Click Apply.
8. Click OK to complete the task.

How to create a complex PIN to sign in to Windows 10

Now that you have configured PIN complexity, you'll need to set up a PIN for your computer, which you can do easily with these instructions:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. Click on Sign-in options.

4. Under PIN, click the Add button.

5. Enter your current password to verify that you're who you say you are, and click Sign in.
6. The Set up a PIN box will appear, click the PIN requirements links to make sure to create a new PIN that meets the policies in place.

7. Create your new PIN.

8. Click OK to complete the task.

To test that everything is working as expected, lock your device (Windows key + L keyboard shortcut), and try to sign-in entering your new PIN.

Wrapping things up

Adding more complexity makes a PIN harder to crack. Even though a PIN now looks more like a password, it's not about the structure, it's about how it works.

If you use your Microsoft account on multiple devices, you'll be using the same password, which someone can steal and get access to all your devices and your account from virtually anywhere. But win PINs you can create a different code for each device you use and keep using the same Microsoft account; if somebody steals your a PIN they can only use it to physically access that specific device, and with PIN complexity your PIN will be even tougher to crack.

It's worth pointing out that PIN complexity is only available on Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise.

What do you think about PIN complexity on Windows 10? 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

What cards do Gwent factions start with and what are their abilities?

Each Gwent faction starts with one leader, with two others available for unlocking. Let's take a look at the starting leaders and their abilities, as well as the other leaders and what they can do!

• Faction default abilities
• Northern Realms
• Monsters
• Skellige
• Scoia'tael

Faction default abilities

Each faction has it's own perk that is played by default throughout the match. This perk is an addition to the individual leader's special ability.

• Northern Realms: Any gold card on your side of the table automatically has two strength added to it.

• Monsters: One of your cards is randomly selected at the end of each round to stay on the table.

• Skellige: At the end of every round, add one strength to every unit in your deck and hand.

• Scoia'tael: Choose who plays first at the start of each round.

Northern Realms

This deck relies on siege engines, promotion, and reinforcement to best enemies on the battlefield.

Foltest (Starter)

Playing Foltest lets you choose one bronze unit on your side of the table and create an exact copy of it regardless of whether or not you have any duplicates in your deck. The card you create keeps all modifications made to the original — try this on a super-powered Poor Infantry card that has Adrenaline Rush enabled for serious muscle going into the next round.

Radovid

Playing Radovid lets you choose any card on the battlefield and remove 10 strength from it. Try using this on a hero card that expects to make it to the next round — looking at you, Ciri.

Henselt

Henselt, when played, lets you choose one row on your side of the table and convert all units on it to gold. Give this one a shot when using Reinforced Siege Towers and Poor Infantry.

Monsters

Monsters decks are usually difficult to beat thanks to aggressive attacks, brutal weather conditions, and lasting gold cards.

Eredin (Starter)

When played, Eredin goes straight onto the table as a gold card with 10 strength. Because of the faction ability to keep one card on the table at the end of each round, this guy can last quite a while.

Ge'els

Playing Ge'els lets you choose a row on your side of the table and set the strength of all non-gold units on it to six. This works really well if you're using a Breedable deck with tons of low-powered cards.

Dagon

Dagon lets you create and play either a Biting Frost, Impenetrable Fog, or Torrential Rain card. This is especially important when using a Wild Hunt or Foglet deck.

Skellige

Likened to Vikings of the past due to their shape-shifting abilities, Skellige troops do best when wounded or already dead.

Crach an Craite (Starter)

When you play Crach an Craite, two Clan an Craite Warrior cards show up. These cards are important if you have a Warcry card in your hand, as this will double the strength of all cards that are sitting at a strength below the original number.

King Bran

King Bran lets you choose two cards in your hand and send them to the graveyard. You can then choose any card from your deck and place it in your hand. Use this leader with a resurrection deck.

Harald the Cripple

When played, remove four strength from all enemy units with their strength below its original number. Harald the Cripple is great for playing against other Skellige decks that rely on injured units.

Scoia'tael

Elves and dwarves make up this collection of cards that is focused on secrecy, espionage, and lasting strength.

Francesca (Starter)

Playing Francesca lets you choose up to three cards in your hand and replace them with random cards from your deck. This is a huge bonus, as many decks will fail if a certain card isn't present.

Eithné

Eithné lets you choose one card on your side of the field and immediately play it again. Try using this with a Blue Mountain Commando or Elven Mercenary card.

Brouver Hoog

When played, choose a silver card from your deck and play it. This works great with the Yarpen Zigrin card if you're heading into the third round and need a bit of a boost to your stats.

What is your favorite faction?

Which deck do you play with most, and which leader do you use? Tell us in the comments section below!

How do I get better at Gwent?

Gwent: The Witcher Card Game is still in a closed Beta, but that doesn't mean you can't have a look at the leveling system! Once you've passed the Gwent tutorial, you'll be thrust into the public arena where victories lead to the purchase of card packs, the collection of scraps, and ultimately to your progression from amateur to ace. Let's take a look at how the leveling mechanic works and what you can expect to receive.

• Competing online
• Winning matches
• Rewards
• Card packs

Competing online

Following the tutorial, you can take a pre-existing deck — the game gives you one for each faction — or you can make your own deck and try your skills against other players online.

Click Casual Match, choose a deck, and the game will automatically search for an opponent that is somewhere near your skill-level. The matchmaking function varies in precision, and we've seen some incredible decks destroy us before we know what's going on. For the most part, though, games are close.

Winning matches

There is a ton of strategy based on intentionally throwing rounds to activate certain cards and their abilities, but the premise of victory remains the same: the first player to win two rounds wins the match.

In the event of a draw, intentional or coincidental, both players will be awarded a win. Use this knowledge to your advantage when trying to outsmart the enemy.

When you win a match, you gain one bar of XP toward reaching the next level. The more you play over the course of a day, the more bars there are in a single level, making it difficult for people to grind a lot of levels in a short amount of time. When the day resets, you'll receive a brand new level bar with brand new rewards. This keeps things fresh and contributes to players coming back day after day.

Rewards

Winning one round in a match gets you nothing — you must win both rounds to advance one bar towards the next level. These bars will sometimes hold a small reward of ore or scraps, while others will hold nothing. Reaching a new level will always reward you with a large amount of ore, which is the primary currency when buying packs of cards. Scraps are used to piece together new cards of your choosing.

There is a Good Game function in Gwent as well. If you feel that your opponent put up a good fight, win or loss, you can send them five ore or five scraps (randomly chosen). This small favor is a nice form of sportsmanship and is rarely ignored.

Card packs

When you've earned 100 ore, you can visit the shop to purchase a keg of cards. Each keg holds four random cards from any faction that you get to flip over one at a time. Exciting!

You also get to pick one card from a list of three visible choices. These cards are usually of higher quality or rarity, making them difficult to choose from. Whichever card you choose goes into your collection, while the other two are destroyed forever.

It's never a bad idea to reference a site like Gwentdb to check the worth of cards before choosing one of the three given to you. Just because you need a card now doesn't mean the other two aren't incredibly rare!

Your Gwent career

Are you in on the closed Beta? What level are you, and what is your favorite card? Tell us in the comments section below!

How do I manage my card collection?

Gwent is all about collecting cards, milling unwanted cards into scraps, and crafting new cards to add to your decks. Knowing when to mill cards, knowing when to keep cards, and knowing when to craft new cards is essential to building the best deck possible. Let's take a look at managing card collections and decks in Gwent.

• Collecting scraps
• Your card collection
• When you should mill cards
• Crafting new cards
• Building a deck

Collecting scraps

There are two ways to collect scraps in Gwent. When you win a match, you will sometimes be rewarded with a small amount of ore or scraps depending on what your level bar looks like. Winning a match will sometimes get you nothing.

The other way to collect scraps is by milling cards already in your collection. This completely destroys the card forever, so you want to choose carefully.

Your card collection

The card collection menu is where you can view all the cards you own, all the cards you can craft, and all the cards you can mill. This menu can be quickly sorted by faction, or you can search for certain rarities or even specific cards.

You will find most of your time in the card collection menu is spent reading up on cards in your deck and attempting to form a strategy. This is also a great place to review the cards of decks you do not play in order to understand how they work and how to best counter them.

When you should mill cards

As you level up, collect ore, and purchase kegs of cards, you will no doubt receive plenty of duplicate cards. You can only have a maximum of three of the same card in your deck at once, and many cards max out at one. If you have four or five copies of a card, you might as well mill some of them down for scraps.

Keep in mind that card use is not affected across decks. For example, if you use three Adrenaline Rush cards in a Northern Realms deck, then want to use the same three Adrenaline Rush cards in a Monsters deck, you will only need three Adrenaline Rush cards in your entire collection.

You might be tempted to mill cards from decks that you're not currently interested in. This is generally considered a bad idea. The small number of scraps you receive against the fact that you completely destroy a deck just isn't worth it. Even if you're not currently playing one of those starter decks, the time will likely come when you want to experiment. Building a deck from the ground up without even a starting leader is incredibly difficult.

Crafting new cards

Scraps are used to craft new cards. Any card in the game can be crafted, with some of the rarest cards costing upwards of 800 scraps. It's probably best to build out a solid deck with lesser cards so that you can start winning — card kegs will get you some really decent cards when you start leveling up.

There are exceptions to every rule. If you have a deck built that needs just one more card, go ahead and save up scraps to craft it. One powerful card can completely change how a deck full of lesser cards performs.

To craft a new card, all you have to do is select it from the card collection menu and choose Craft. As long as you have enough scraps, you'll craft one copy of the card.

Building a deck

Now that your collection of cards has grown, you can move past the starter decks and create your own deck. Choose the Deck Builder option from the main menu, choose to customize an existing deck, or create an entirely new deck and go nuts.

You can sort your cards by bronze, silver, and gold to make building your deck easier. On the left side of the screen, you'll see how many cards are currently in the deck, and whether or not it's ready for competition.

You can have a maximum of 6 silver cards, 4 gold cards, and 40 cards overall. Bronze card numbers are only limited by the overall deck number. Having a lot of cards in your deck isn't always a good idea unless your strategy demands it. You'll find it much harder to draw a card you're looking for from a large deck and will likely end up with a fist full of useless cards.

When you're finished building the deck, take it into battle and see how it fares. Fret not if your first few decks don't work exactly as you intend. It often takes quite a few tweaks to get something good going.

Your decks

Have you been milling cards from your collection? What's the best card you've crafted? Let us know in the comments section below!

Choosing a case for your PC depends on what you wish to build and how much budget you can allocate to the chassis. It's possible to avoid giving thought about a case and pick up a simple listing one likes the look of, while others will take into account cooling performance, mounting, support for water pumps and reservoirs, and more.

Most cases you will find at retailers today will all offer basic functionality. Drive bays (or other mounting options in place of), front USB and audio connectivity, lighting effects, removable covers, and more. You can never really go wrong when it comes to choosing a PC case, unless it's a small form factor and you're attempting to throw in a full ATX motherboard with a beast of a GPU that takes up 3 PCI slots.

Size matters

Contrary to popular belief, size does actually matter. Motherboards come in a variety of sizes, and not all are compatible with every case on the market. Full ATX motherboards, which measure in at 305mm x 244mm, are ideal companions for a full tower case. Depending on dimensions, you may have trouble fitting one inside a mid-tower chassis. This is where microATX motherboards come in, measuring in at 244mm x 244mm.

Depending on which motherboard you own, or are looking to purchase, you'll need to adjust your case filters accordingly. Generally speaking, the size of motherboard and case usually match up. For example, if you're going for a small mini tower case, it may be worth looking at miniATX boards. Be sure to check specifications and dimensions to see if the board (and accompanying components) will fit.

• SFF/Mini tower: Generally deployed as network attached storage units or media PCs for the home.
• Mid-tower: The middle-ground when it comes to expansion, performance and size.
• Full Tower: Can accommodate even enthusiast setups. Huge scope for modification.

One must also consider future upgrades and builds. Components may not last a lifetime, but a case can. If you plan to upgrade at a future date with a more powerful component list, you'll need to ensure the case you invest in has room for more cooling and larger internals. Ideally, you don't want to choose a massive case for a small build, nor do you wish to be tight on space when it comes to putting everything together.

Features

The more advanced features included and build processes utilized in a case, the more expensive it'll be. While it's possible to locate some killer cases on a tighter budget, if you wish to go tool-free, enjoy a plethora of connectivity, expansion and open up the insides with a premium-looking design, it's worth paying out a bit more. But again, it depends entirely on your needs.

Here are some handy features cases can have to make your PC building experience that much better:

• Integrated lighting
• 3.5-inch bays and mounting points
• Front panel audio and USB 3
• Removable motherboard tray
• Dust filters
• Radiator mount points
• Support for water cooling
• Cable management
• Drive sleds
• Optimal airflow
• Adequate CPU and GPU clearance
• Spacing behind motherboard panel
• PSU mounting and orientation
• Sound proofing

Imagination deployed

Don't be afraid to think outside the box, too. There are some really cool-looking cases out there just waiting to have components installed within. At the end of the day, purchasing a PC case isn't difficult. It's all about getting it right with the components you have at hand, or will have in future revisions. As well as making sure all the internals are compatible, it's important to be sure everything will fit inside.

Further Reading

• Best PC Cases
• PC Lighting Buyer's Guide

Everywhere you look, ads are all around, even in Windows 10. But you don't have to just accept it — in this guide, we show you have to remove them.

You might have obtained Windows 10 for free, but there is a hidden price, which comes disguised as ads to get you into buying apps and services you probably don't need or want.

It doesn't matter if you moved to Windows 10 using the free upgrade offer, it came pre-loaded on a new device, or you paid $200 for a copy of Windows 10 Pro (or $120 for a copy of Windows 10 Home), you'll see ads everywhere — on the Lock screen, Start menu, Action Center, Cortana, etc.

Perhaps for many non-technical users, this kind of advertisements can help them to figure out the possibilities with Windows 10, but for those who work with the operating system on a daily basis may actually affect the user experience. Thankfully, Windows 10 let you disable most of these ads, as long you know where to go to find and turn off the switches.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to reduce the number of annoying advertisements on your device for a less irritating experience.

• Remove ads from the Lock screen
• Remove ads for the Start menu
• Remove ads from the Windows Ink experience
• Remove ads from Action Center & Notifications
• Remove ads from the Cortana search box
• Remove apps advertisement
• Remove ads from app Live Tiles
• How to stop Windows 10 displaying targeted ads

How to remove ads built-in Windows 10

Windows 10 allows you to remove most of the nagging, but there is not a master switch, you actually need to hunt down the options, which can be troublesome when they're are scatter around, and the operating system doesn't even call them ads. Fortunately, you can use these steps to get rid of ads on your computer.

Remove ads from the Lock screen

On the Lock screen, Windows 10 displays advertisements in two different ways: through Windows spotlight and using your own custom background.

While you can't disable ads when using Windows spotlight, you can choose to show a custom background picture or slideshow, which includes an option to prevent Windows 10 and Cortana from showing ads on the Lock screen.

To remove ads from the Lock screen, do the following:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click on Lock screen.
4. In the Background drop-down menu, select Picture or Slideshow.

5. Turn off the Get fun facts, tips, and more from Windows and Cortana on your lock screen toggle switch.

Remove ads for the Start menu

Microsoft has found a sneaky way to monetize the Start menu. They're not called "ads," they're called "suggested" apps, and it's a mean for Microsoft to lure users into getting apps and services through the Windows Store based on your behavior using the operating system.

To remove ads from Start menu, do the following:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click on Start.

4. Turn off the Occasionally show suggestions in Start toggle switch.

Remove ads from the Windows Ink experience

Starting with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, the operating system also introduced a new feature called Windows Ink, which is just a new fancy name Microsoft picked for the same existing pen support, but with the promise of new improvements and features over time.

In this new pen experience, Windows 10 also displays ads in the Windows Ink Workspace to promote apps from the Windows Store that include support for Windows Ink. However, if you're not comfortable seeing these suggestions, you can easily remove the advertisement from the Workspace.

To remove ads from the Windows Ink Workspace, do the following:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Devices.
3. Click Pen & Windows Ink.

4. Under Windows Ink Workspace, turn off the Show recommended app suggestions toggle switch.

Although Windows Ink is available even on devices without a touchscreen, you can only change the option this if you're using Windows Ink on a Surface or another device with pen support.

Remove ads from Action Center & Notifications

On this new version of the operating system, Microsoft is trying to make easier for users to find and use the new features. One way Windows 10 "helps" users is by pushing tips, tricks, and other suggestions as you use Windows through toast notifications and in Action Center.

For example, if you use Chrome at one point in time, you'll begin getting suggestions to switch to Microsoft Edge. If you don't want to get bothered with apps and services suggestions, Windows 10 offers an easy way to disable this form of advertisement.

To remove ads from notifications and Action Center, do the following:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Notifications & actions.

4. Under Notifications, turn off the Get tips, tricks, and suggestions as you use Windows toggle switch.

Remove ads from the Cortana search box

Cortana is your personal digital assistant that Microsoft introduced with Windows 10. While the assistant is very useful in a number of scenarios, if you don't interact with it, the assistant will pipe up now and then to offer suggestions on how to use the feature.

Although many users may not consider these suggestions as intrusive ads, Cortana is trying to lure you into using it, which in some way, it can be considered advertisement.

If you don't want to Cortana showing you any suggestions, you can easily disable this feature.

To remove ads from Cortana in the search box, do the following:

1. Open Cortana in the Taskbar.
2. Click on the Settings (gear) button on the left.

3. Turn off the Taskbar tidbits toggle switch.

Remove apps advertisement

It seems that app suggestions aren't enough on the Start menu, as Windows 10 also comes bundled with a number of apps that can be considered purely advertisement.

We're actually talking about, the "Get Office" app and games, such as Candy Crush Soda Saga, Age of the Empire: Castle Siege, FarmVille 2: Country Scape, Asphalt 8: Airborne, and World of Tanks Blitz. Additionally, let's not forget the Microsoft Solitaire Collection game, which also shows you long video ads if you're not part of the premium offering.

If you don't like to see these apps again, you can quickly remove them from your computer with just a few clicks.

1. Open Start.

2. Right-click the tile from "All apps" or from the tiled section, and select Uninstall.

3. Click the Uninstall button again to confirm and to complete the task.

It's important to note that some tiles are simply shortcuts to download the app from the Windows Store, which means that you can simply right-click, and select Unpin from Start to remove them.

Currently, any built-in app you remove from Windows 10 will return once you install a new feature update. However, after feedback, Microsoft is making changes to prevent the apps you uninstalled from coming back in future updates. You'll see this new change with the Windows 10 Creators Update.

We're showing you here the steps to deals a specific number of apps, but computers manufacturers are also allowed to ship their devices with their own set of apps. However, you can use the same approach to remove any apps you don't like.

Alternatively, you can use the Settings app do remove any app, including useless bloatware and trials:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Apps & features.
4. Select the app you want to uninstall.
5. Click the Uninstall button.

6. Click Uninstall again to confirm and to complete the task.

Remove ads from app Live Tiles

Although you can uninstall certain apps posing as advertisement, there are also those apps that are part of the operating system that you can't (or shouldn't) uninstall and often offer ads. This kind of apps can include, the Windows Store, Xbox, Groove Music, and Movies & TV.

You probably didn't notice, but every time you open the Start menu, tiles, such as the one from the Windows Store, light up promoting apps and services, and other apps do the same too.

If you can't uninstall the app, one thing you can do is to disable the app tile from showing updates.

To remove ads from Live Tiles, do the following:

1. Open Start.
2. Right-click an app tile.
3. Select More.

4. Click on Turn live tile off.

Or you can alternatively, unpin the apps from the Start menu by right-clicking the app and selecting the Unpin from Start option.

How to stop Windows 10 displaying targeted ads

In addition to the numerous ads you see in Windows 10, Microsoft also assigns you a unique identification number to track your every move in the Windows Store and on apps to target you with specific ads.

If you don't want Microsoft to display targeted ads, you can change your privacy settings to turn off your advertising ID. However, the operating system will still be able to show ads, just not ads based on your computer behavior.

To stop Microsoft to target you with ads, do the following:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Privacy.
3. Click on General.

4. Under Change privacy options, turn off the Let apps use my advertising ID for experiences across apps toggle switch.

If you're only looking reset data tied to your advertising identification number, you can simply turn off the option and then turn it back on.

Wrapping things up

Once you disable the options we're mentioning in this guide; you'll see the number of ads significantly reduced throughout the operating system. However, keep in mind that these options won't remove advertisements on those apps from the Windows Store that are ad-supported. Those ads can't be disabled.

If you're looking to remove ads from Microsoft Edge, remember that if you're running the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, you can install one of those popular ad blocker extensions from the Windows Store.

It's also worth to point out that advertisement you see in Windows 10 is different to those you see when you browse the internet. Microsoft won't show ads on the Lock screen or in the Start menu to lure you into buying new sneakers or asteroid insurance. Instead, the operating system will only nag you to get apps and services from the Windows Store.

Do you mind Windows 10 showing ads within the operating system? 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

Xbox Live Clubs are coming, and here's how you can create your very own!

Clubs are a brand new way for Xbox gamers to connect across console and Windows 10. Using an Xbox Live Club, you can schedule group activities, have a shared feed for game clips and screenshots, make use of a group chat room and even showcase your Club's greatest content for all to see.

We're running our very own Windows Central Club, allowing you guys to connect with us, receive giveaways and much more. If you want to join the Windows Central Club, search for the Club in the community section on Xbox One or in the Clubs tab on the Windows 10 Store app.

Of course, if you would rather create your own Club, here are the steps you need to take!

For Xbox One users

1. Navigate to the Community Tab to the right of the main dashboard.
2. Select Clubs.
3. Select Create a Club.
4. Choose a Club Name. Note: Like Gamertags, Club names are unique and can only be used once.

5. Select your club's visibility:

   • Public Clubs can be viewed and joined by anyone.
   • Private Clubs are searchable, but their content is available to members only.
   • Hidden Clubs are only visible to those who have been invited.

6. Add additional information about the Club:

   • Description
   • Background image
   • Logo
   • Descriptive tags
7. You can also associate the Club with specific games. This is for the types of games your Club will play frequently. Your Club will appear in the associated title's Game Hubs.

You can edit the information at any time via the Club homepage by selecting Customize.

For PC users

1. Navigate to the Windows 10 Xbox app, by typing "Xbox" into the Start Menu.
2. In the left-side hamburger menu, select Clubs.

3. In the top right hand corner of the Clubs section, select Create a Club.

4. Select your club's visibility:

   • Public Clubs can be viewed and joined by anyone.
   • Private Clubs are searchable, but their content is available to members only.
   • Hidden Clubs are only visible to those who have been invited.
5. Choose a Club Name. Note: Like Gamertags, Club names are unique and can only be used once.

6. Add additional information about the Club:

   • Description
   • Background image
   • Logo
   • Descriptive tags
7. You can also associate the Club with specific games. This is for the types of games your Club will play frequently. Your Club will appear in the associated title's Game Hubs.

Xbox's new Clubs feature has huge potential to engage gamers from across the console / PC divide. It feeds into the company's Xbox Play Anywhere strategy, which sees more and more co-operative games become functional across platforms.

Clubs could also help limit pressure on developers to build these sorts of features directly into their games, many of which rely on third-party websites or tools as present. Clubs and Looking For Group should also drive up engagement for Game Hubs as well, which are a dedicated space for developers to communicate directly with their fans. Xbox Live is getting a whole lot more social.

Everything you need to know about Xbox Clubs and Looking For Group

Xbox Clubs are rolling out in waves to Xbox One owners and the Windows 10 Store Xbox app, feel free to apply to join the Windows Central Club!

As an additional security layer, you can use this guide to enable write protection on Windows 10 to prevent users from copying data to a USB drive.

Windows 10 is the most secure version of Windows yet, but even though Microsoft has spent countless hours building new features to make computers more secure, someone can still just walk in, insert a USB drive, and walk away with sensitive data.

Of course, you can always protect your computer with a password, or set up a very strong PIN, but it's possible for someone with physical access to your machine get a hold to your sensitive data.

Fortunately, Windows 10 includes a write protection feature, which is hidden for some mysterious reason, and it allows you prevent any users from inserting a USB drive and downloading any data from your computer.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to edit the registry and enable the write protection feature in the operating system to block users from saving data to a USB drive.

How to enable USB write protection

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

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

3. Browse the following path:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control

4. Right-click the Control (folder) key, select New, and click on Key.

5. Name the new key StorageDevicePolicies and press Enter.

6. Select the newly created key, and right-click on the right side, select New, and click on DWORD (32-bit) Value.

7. Name the new DWORD WriteProtect and press Enter.
8. Double-click the newly created DWORD and change its value from 0 to 1.

9. Click OK.

10. Close the Registry to complete the task.

Once you completed the steps, anyone who connects a USB drive to your computer will be denied copy privileges, and they'll get a "This disk is write-protected" message. As a result, no one will be able to edit, delete, create, or rename files in the external storage.

At any time you can revert the changes by following the steps mentioned above, but on step 8, make sure to change the DWORD value from 1 to 0.

Wrapping things up

While you can enable the write protection feature on your computer to protect your data from falling on to the wrong hands, there a number of other scenarios where something like this will be useful.

For example, this feature can add an extra layer of security when implementing a kiosk machine, or when you work with sensitive data on your business, just to name a few.

Although we're focusing this guide on Windows 10, it's worth pointing out that the same concept should work on previous versions of the operating system, including Windows 8.1 and Windows 7.

Do you think Windows 10 should include this option in the Settings app? 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