Cities: Skylines is now available for Xbox One, and it's amazing. But the road to success isn't always straightforward.

In Cities: Skylines, your mission is to create the world's greatest virtual city, complete with infrastructure, utilities, industry, and commerce. Tantalus and Colossal Games have given you all the tools you need to build the township of your dreams, but only if you can master its controls, nuances and systems.

I've been playing Cities: Skylines for Xbox One for dozens of hours now, and I decided to write up some of my best beginner's tips for getting started with the game.

• Cities: Skylines Xbox One Review

See at Xbox Store

Getting started with Cities: Skylines

• Controls
• Infrastructure
• Starting a town
• Growing into a city
• Miscellaneous

1. Learn the controls

Cities: Skylines was originally designed for use with a mouse and keyboard. But for its Xbox port, Tantalus Games produced an array of intuitive control schemes for console play. Here are some related tips.

• Think of "A" as your left-click. It is your selection button globally throughout the game.
• The D-pad lets you navigate across the main menu at the bottom. This is where you select buildings, road designs, and so on. You can also use up and down on the D-pad to build roads and railways into underground tunnels or create bridges, by changing the elevation.

• "Y" is your global radial menu. At the top level, this gives quick access to things like budgets and info views. While within a build menu, it allows you to change the brush type. This is useful for making curved roads, for example.

• "B" is your cancel button. It will allow you to cycle backward through menus and cancel current tools.
• "X" is your demolition button. You can use this to remove any object at the top level, but while in any of the specific menus (building roads or train tracks) it will become contextually bound to the current building type. This can be handy for removing specific elements from complex, layered infrastructure setups.
• The left and right triggers zoom in and out of the map.
• Pressing the left stick pauses the flow of time, this can be useful in a crisis.
• Pressing the right stick shows tooltips for each menu item, which can be incredibly useful to help learn the game.
• The right and left bumpers are generally used to switch between tabs within a menu, such as types of roads and types of decorations.
• Press the "View" button to hide the UI (great for screenshots) and press the "Menu" button to save your game and access options.

Additional controller tips

• Use the district painter to set up districts, then use the inspector tool (furthest left), then press "Y" to change it to the district inspector tool. This allows you to set taxation policies for specific districts, rather than globally. (More on that below.)

• On the top menu, use "Y" to access the "Info Views" frequently. This allows you to see your power grid, traffic status, water supply, and more.

• The top "Y" radial menu is also how you buy additional plots of land for building, by selecting "Areas."
• Pressing "X" while painting zones will make them blank in case you want to switch a residential zone to a commercial, zone, for example. (More on that later.)
• Experiment! Try out all the menus and use all the tools.

The controls are as good as they can be with a gamepad, and after a little practice you'll be whizzing through its systems in no time.

2. Infrastructure is god

In Cities: Skylines, the most important aspect of your city planning should be where your roads are going to be. Vehicles enter your city from beyond the edges of the map either by highway, railway, or later by sea and air. Cities: Skylines uses a dynamic traffic system that can make or break your prospective city. Here are some tips for getting started.

• The first thing you should do is place roads. All road types except highways allow you to create zones on either side. Zones are used to place buildings, which "grow" automatically in response to the demand meters in the bottom right. Green is residency, blue is commerce, and orange is industry.

• Start out by building some simple roads. You'll need a power source, a water source, a drainage system, and connectivity to the outside world (via a highway, usually to start with.)

• Don't expect to keep your highway connection intact for very long. Soon, there will be a huge influx of traffic into your city, at which point you may need roundabouts.
• Highways are the best for traffic flow, because they don't spawn traffic lights unless other roads intersect them. Aim to keep your roundabouts large, because smaller ones can get clogged very easily.
• Segregate your city by residential and industrial zones. This way, you can use the inspection tool (switched to district mode by pressing "Y") to set traffic policies that help manage flow. You can restrict districts to only allow vehicles for residents and local businesses, or ban heavy vehicles altogether.
• Industrial zones tend to generate trucks, so banning them from certain areas can help force specific vehicles towards designated roads if they're trying to access the highway to export goods.
• Build cargo train stations to reduce the flow of industrial traffic.
• Try to keep cargo train lines separate from transportation ones, because even trains can get congested.

• Every vehicle in the game has a purpose. You can examine what they're up to using the inspection tool.

• Try to learn what types of traffic need to do what. Regular cars generally travel to and from work and shops. Industrial goods tend to seek exit from the city in order to export. Try to accommodate their needs with one-way streets, smart district planning, and easy access to export and import routes.
• Beware, though, because one-way streets can limit access to utility vehicles such as garbage trucks and fire engines (things set on fire a lot in Cities: Skylines). So be smart about whether or not you're creating access problems with your traffic flow.
• You can use cycle lanes and walkways under the "Decorations" tab to reduce the amount of cars on the road. You can even set district policies to encourage cycling.
• When drawing roads and rails, use up and down on the D-pad to create elevation. You can send roads and trains underground, which can help layer your traffic system.
• Aim the camera directly above your infrastructure to help with snapping and deleting. Zooming in helps make precision links, too.

• Use public transportation, like the metro system and buses, to reduce the amount of commuter cars on the road.

• Be careful not to overlap too many bus lines on top of each other, as that can spawn additional vehicles.
• You can remove transport lines by positioning the cursor above a link, and by pressing "X," although it's a bit awkward.
• Unless you've unlocked all nine regions, I wouldn't bother using trains as transport for your citizens. Use them to bring in tourists from an outside line.
• Remember to upgrade your roads when you can afford to. Better roads produce lower levels of pollution, which helps your buildings level up, giving you more cash.

3. Start to build a happy and healthy city

Cities: Skylines revolves around cash flow, and that means taxes, imports and exports, and tourism. Each citizen has their own motivations and needs, and it's your job to make your city as attractive as possible for living in.

In Cities: Skylines, you can effectively enable "creative" mode, giving yourself infinite money and instant access to all the game's features, but that takes the strategic elements out of the game and also blocks Xbox Live Achievements.

Here are some tips for building a starter city.

• Before planning a build, get an overview of the land by pressing "Y" and selecting "Info View."
• Info View is your best friend, as it gives instant visual feedback for every aspect of your city. The first thing you should look at is resources. Plentiful farmland or forests can be zoned off, later on, to transform into specialized industries. Similarly, areas with high winds make for great spots for power-generating wind turbines, and areas free of resources could be converted into tourist attractions, leisure centers, or commerce hubs.

• You gain access to new features and buildings as your city grows.
• The basic components of any settlement include (in order of priority), access to electricity, water, and drainage. Also, garbage collection, fire services, healthcare, and police services.
• Secondary services include things like public transport, leisure facilities like parks, funeral services, and access to education. Some of these aspects won't be immediately necessary to facilitate, but they become important as your city grows in size and complexity.
• Using the D-pad, select the road icon to begin placing your infrastructure. You can also use the D-pad to select the zoning menu, which lets you begin to generate buildings.
• Make sure you're aware of pollution levels when creating zones. Facilities that create pollution, such as landfills, usually show a zone by which they will create pollution. If you place polluting industries next to residents, expect them to get sick.
• Similarly, don't build drainage pipes upstream of water intake pipes, unless you want to contaminate your citizens.

• Placing residential areas next to busy intersections or highways can irritate (and even hospitalize) your citizens from noise pollution. Use upgraded roads and decorative trees to reduce noise. Commercial zones and office zones don't seem to mind noise as much, so you can use them as buffers where applicable.

• Consider placing your commercial hub in the middle, with residential and industry separated. Industrial zones feed shops with goods, while residents travel to the commercial zones to shop. A good circular flow can help stem traffic problems.
• Don't expand too quickly. If you place too many zones at once, you might find that your power and water needs exceed your budget. It is entirely possible to get yourself into a financially dire position.
• You can press "Y" to open the economy section, and set taxes and city-wide policies. Citizens seem to accept a baseline of 12 percent to 13 percent tax.

Those are the absolute basics of Cities: Skylines play. Next, we'll look at what happens when your city starts to get larger.

4. From town to city

Once you have grown your city to tens of thousands of inhabitants, new problems begin to arise, but new options open up as well. This is when the game starts to get really fun, and also when you start to realize that it's 5 a.m. and you forgot to go to bed.

Here are some advanced tips for larger towns.

• Once you hit a certain population level, you get access to districts. These are one of your most powerful city management tools, but accessing them isn't obvious on Xbox One.
• To set up a district, select the district menu using the D-pad. You can paint large areas of the map to segment your city. This allows you to take advantage of unique policies that might be beneficial in one area while being irrelevant in another.

• Later on, you can unlock district designations, which you can access by pressing the right and left bumpers while in the district menu. For example, painting an area of fertile land as a specific district, and then designating it as a specialized farming zone, will transform any industrial zones in that district into farms. Farms export goods outside of your city and also stock local shops with their produce.

• Once you have done the painting, press "B" to cycle back to the top menu and use the D-pad to select the inspection tool. With the inspection tool selected, you can switch it to district inspection mode by pressing "Y."
• While in district inspection mode, you can select an area with "A," and you will get a new menu that allows you to name your areas and set unique policies.
• New policies are unlocked as your city reaches new milestones. These include things like tax hikes for a burst of cash, or distribution of smoke alarms to reduce fire hazards.
• The best policies often relate to infrastructure. Encouraging biking can reduce stress on your infrastructure, while enabling the "school's out" policy will discourage citizens from going to university, funneling them into work instead.
• Enabling a policy can take a little while to take effect. For example, my farming districts had a worker shortage, so I switched on the anti-higher-education policy to persuade more teens and young adults to get a job. I had to wait for those new workers to come of age, however, and the new residential areas I set up to bring in new workers needed time to populate.

• Always remember to put at least a couple of recreational facilities down in any new area. The amount of "services" available to any particular building will cause it to gradually level up. Higher level buildings produce less pollution, support more people, and generate more cash.

• Always keep an eye on your power and water supplies. If they run out at an inopportune moment financially, you can trap yourself in the red.
• You can access loans in the economy section from the top level menu's "Y" button radial menu. They can save you in a bind and also help you grow more rapidly. Consider keeping them for emergencies, though, to make up for power shortages or drainage problems.
• Unique buildings and monuments are unlocked as you grow even larger. They are quite expensive but often come with unique effects. Press the right stick on them to find out what they can do for you, although many will just boost the value of the local area, including its attractiveness to tourists and citizens. Sometimes, they're just cosmetic.

5. Miscellaneous Cities: Skylines tips

Cities: Skylines is a wonderfully complex but intuitive title, and there's no way I can list every good tip out there (or even know them all), but here are a final closing ideas for keeping your city running smoothly.

• When placing power lines, the blue zone represents the area that is receiving electricity. You don't need to place cables directly on every building, just between those blue zones.

• Buildings will transfer power by themselves, eliminating the need for power lines in most cases.
• Even if something is on the grid, that doesn't necessarily mean it will get power. The potency of your power grid weakens as it radiates out from a source. Even if you're producing "enough" power for the city, that doesn't necessarily mean it will get to where it needs to go. Larger cities might need to place multiple power sources at different locations around the map.
• You can think of garbage collection in a similar way. Garbage trucks radiate outward from their landfills or incinerators, but they fill up extremely fast on their journeys. If your city suffers from particularly bad traffic, this can mean that certain areas of your map might not ever see a garbage truck — unless you ensure you have a big enough fleet to cover everything.

• Land polluted by landfills or generic industries can be cleaned up over time by replacing the zones and buildings with non-polluting ones.

• If you're generating a huge surplus in power or water, you can scale back the budget on these utilities to save money.
• Use the inspection tool on everything. Use it on vehicles to analyze traffic flow, use it on buildings to find out what you need to prioritize, and use it on individual people just for the heck of it. It helps you learn how everything is connected in Cities: Skylines.
• There's a lot of tricks to research in Cities: Skylines. For example, farms consume more water, so activating the water consumption policy in those areas is generally a budgetary win.

• Mathematically-minded players (not me) have the opportunity to use the game's budget sheet to work out whether certain policies or tax rules will work out more financially beneficial than the default options.

• Everything in the game has an upkeep cost. Consider this fact when placing roads and drains, as inefficient placements can lead to wasted dollars.
• Finally, have fun!

Cities: Skylines is available now on Xbox One, following a continuously successful run on PC. In our review, we found the game to be among the greatest titles ever to arrive on Xbox One via ID@Xbox, without a doubt taking the crown for the greatest management-type simulator game on the console.

See the link below for our full review. Let us know your city-building tips in the comments, as well, or post a picture of your city in our Xbox forums!

Jez Corden

04-24-2017 06:36 AM

“

I can't stop playing this game. I've made a couple of cities now, but this is the one I'm focusing on for the time being. No particular theme, just trying to create a huge, sprawling (but functional) metropolis. 135347 Let's see em :D

Reply

• Cities: Skylines Xbox One Review
• Cities: Skylines at Xbox Store | $39.99

How do you enable the Windows Sonic "spatial sound" feature?

The Creators Update for Windows 10 brought a whole host of new features, big and small. One of the smaller changes is the addition of Windows Sonic, a surround sound emulator for your headphones.

Enabling the feature gives you spatial sound, supposedly making everything sound way more full and immersive, even if you're using budget headphones. Here's how to enable Windows Sonic in the Windows 10 Creators Update, as well as what you can expect to hear with it enabled.

How to enable Windows Sonic

To start, you need to enable spatial audio on your Windows 10 PC. Remember, you must have the Creators Update for this to work.

1. Right-click the Speakers button in your system tray.

2. Click Spatial sound.

3. Click the dropdown arrow below Select the Spatial sound format you want to apply.

4. Click Windows Sonic for Headphones.

5. Click Apply.

6. Click OK.

This enables Windows Sonic for your current audio output. You can also enable and disable Windows Sonic for other audio options that aren't currently in use.

1. Right-click the Start button.

2. Click Search.

3. Type Control Panel and hit Enter on your keyboard.

4. Click Sound.

5. Double-click a playback option.

6. Click Spatial sound.

7. Click the dropdown arrow below Select the Spatial sound format you want to apply.

8. Click Windows Sonic for Headphones.

9. Click Apply.

10. Click OK.

Testing Windows Sonic sound

To see if Windows Sonic actually makes a difference, we watched a few movie trailers in the Movies & TV app, both without spatial audio enabled and with Windows Sonic turned on. Using a pair of B&O PLAY H9 headphones, there was a noticeable difference in the sound when spatial audio was enabled. All tracks seemed more present, and everything had more of a spacey feel. Even when using a cheap gaming headset, the difference in sound was quite noticeable.

Audiophiles no doubt have their own opinions on whether or not this is really an improvement, but the fact remains that there is a difference. Why not give it a try and see what you think?

More Creators Update greatness

Are there any other small features added in the Creators Update that you're really enjoying? For more details on what the Creators Update brings to the table, check out our Senior Editor Zac Bowden's in-depth review.

See the definitive Windows 10 Creators Update review

How do you get rid of old Windows installations?

When you update your PC from an existing Windows installation, the old files remain on your hard drive. They are saved there instead of being overwritten because something might go wrong during the update installation, or because you might want to roll your PC back to a previous installation if you aren't happy with the new stuff.

If, however, the update to Windows 10 goes smoothly, and you're sure you don't want to return to a previous version of Windows, you can delete those old installation files to free up space on your hard drive. This is especially important for anyone using a device with a smaller solid-state drive (SSD).

Although removing old Windows installation files won't harm your PC, it's always a good idea to back everything up in case something goes wrong. Once you're sure you're completely satisfied with the Creators Update, this guide can help free up space on your hard drive.

How to delete old Windows installation files

Removing old Windows installation files can't be done by simply selecting them and moving them to the Recycle Bin. You have to use Disk Cleanup, but luckily the process is simple and won't take long.

1. Right-click the Start button.
2. Click Search.

3. Type Disk Cleanup.

4. Right-click Disk Cleanup.
5. Click Run as administrator.

6. Click the dropdown arrow below Drives.

7. Click the drive that holds your Windows installation. If you only have one drive in your PC, this selection window will not appear; your C: drive will automatically be selected.

8. Click OK.

9. Click the checkbox next to Previous Windows installation(s) so that a checkmark appears.

10. Click the checkbox next to any other options to select or deselect whether or not they're also removed. You might also want to choose to remove the following options:

    • Temporary Windows installation files.
    • Windows upgrade log files.

11. Click OK.

12. Click Delete Files.

Once the old installation files are removed, you won't be able to roll back to a previous version of Windows. Unless you have a secondary backup that you can restore from, you'll have to do a clean install of Windows to return to a previous state. So make sure you're really ready before you remove the old files.

More resources

Don't forget to create a backup of your data whenever you can. To help, we created a guide featuring a bunch of different ways to accomplish this. If you'd like more information on the latest Windows 10 update, the Creators Update, be sure to check out our Senior Editor Zac Bowden's definitive review.

• Six easy and effective ways to back up your PC
• The definitive Windows 10 Creators Update review

How do I save my Oculus games in a different place?

Say your solid state drive (SSD) that Windows is installed on doesn't have enough room for all the Oculus Rift games you want to download, and you have that big, beefy hard drive sitting empty.

Upon installation, the Oculus app does let you choose which drive to install games to, but what about if you already have everything installed? There isn't an official way to migrate your games, but you can either move everything yourself and create a symbolic link, or you can use vrBackupper to get the job done.

Whichever way you choose, here's how to change your Oculus file directory to free up space on your hard drive.

See the full guide at VR Heads!

You can record all of your over the air (OTA) TV to your PC using Plex. Here's how.

One of the things you lose by pulling your cable box out from under your TV is its digital video recorder (DVR) functionality. You can buy a replacement that works with OTA TV channels, but there's a better way: Use your PC or Network Attached Storage (NAS).

One such way of doing this is with Plex, the hugely popular media server software. It recently added beta DVR functionality. Here's how you set it up.

The only things you need are a Plex Pass subscription and some form of connected TV tuner. For the purposes of this guide, we're using a HDHomeRun Connect.

How to set up a HDHomeRun tuner

All the management of your Plex DVR will take place within the Plex Media Server web app in your PC's browser.

How to use Plex as a DVR

1. Go to settings in Plex Media Server.
2. Click on server.
3. On the sidebar, click on DVR (Beta).

4. Select your tuner from the box.

5. You'll see the channels already detected. If you want to rescan click on scan channels.

6. Select your country from the dropdown box

7. Click continue.

8. Enter your postal code to allow Plex DVR to pull in channel guides for your area.

9. After your DVR has initalized, select the best guide for your area from the dropdown box.

Now your Plex server is set to receive live TV over your local network. It doesn't allow you to watch live TV, only record it, so for that, you'll still need something like the HDHomeRun official app or Kodi. Hopefully, in the future, you'll be able to schedule recordings from the regular Plex apps, too.

Recording is simple, but it requires that you set up a library first. If you don't have one, you'll be prompted when you first try to record something. It's a simple process that involves specifying which drive and folder to which you wish to save your recordings.

The program guide inside Plex is both easy to navigate and extremely full featured. You're able to view by type — show, movie or radio — as well as by what's live, starting soon and upcoming. Recording options are available to allow you to record just that one episode or all new episodes of a TV series.

Once recorded, they'll show up in your DVR section inside any of the Plex apps you use to sync or stream at your leisure. It's that simple

The best NAS for your Plex server

How do you upgrade the wireless card in a Dell XPS 13?

One small complaint about the stellar Dell XPS 13: The stock wireless card sucks. To be more precise, many users have a hard time finding bars when not located directly next to a wireless router. While this might not be such a big deal at home, you can't exactly move your desk at work or your seat at college.

Other XPS 13 users who installed a Linux-based OS discovered that the stock wireless card didn't want to play nicely with their new install.

The solution to both problems? You can try a driver or a BIOS update, or you can invest about $30 in a new Intel wireless card. The Intel wireless card has both better reception overall and also plays a lot better with Linux.

Updated April 25, 2017: We refreshed this guide to ensure it still applies to the XPS 13 9360. Although the images in the guide are of the older XPS 13, the steps remain the same and still apply. We also updated the wireless card to the Intel 8265 in place of the Intel 7265.

The process to replace your wireless card takes about 10 minutes and is super easy with the right tools — the best part is you probably already have the tools lying around the house. Want to take the plunge and completely replace the wireless card in your XPS 13? Here's how to get the job done.

• Tools you will need to upgrade the wireless card in a Dell XPS 13 9350
• Our recommended replacement wireless card
• How to remove the wireless card in a Dell XPS 13
• How to replace the wireless card in a Dell XPS 13

Tools you will need to replace the wireless card in a Dell XPS 13 9350

The tools needed to replace the wireless card in your XPS 13 9350 are:

• T5 Torx screwdriver.
• Phillips No. 2 screwdriver.
• tweezers.
• plastic opening tool (called a scribe).
• a receptacle for the small parts and screws.

If you don't have these tools already lying around the home or office, you can pick up a kit with everything you need and more. Delcast has a great 23-piece set that starts around $27.

See at Amazon

Our recommended replacement wireless card

The Intel 8265NGW wireless card will solve reception and Linux problems. It is a dual-band 2x2 AC that has 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.2. It has an M.2 interface, making it compatible with the latest laptops, including, of course, the XPS 13 9360. You can pick it up on Amazon for about $30.

See at Amazon

How to remove the wireless card in a Dell XPS 13

1. Power off your XPS 13, close the lid, and flip it over.

2. Unscrew the eight edge screws on the base cover of the XPS 13 with a T5 Torx screwdriver.

3. Unscrew one screw beneath the magnetic system badge using a Phillips No. 2 screwdriver.

4. Pry up the base cover of the XPS 13 with a plastic scribe starting at the back corners, near the hinge.

5. Remove the base cover completely using your hands.

6. Unscrew one screw securing the wireless card brace to the motherboard using a Phillips No. 2 screwdriver.

7. Remove the wireless card brace.

8. Disconnect the wireless card cables from the wireless card.

9. Slide the wireless card out of its slot.

How to replace the wireless card in a Dell XPS 13

1. Slide the new wireless card at an angle into its slot on the XPS 13.

2. Attach the wireless card cables to the wireless card.

3. Replace the wireless card brace.

4. Fasten the wireless card brace using one screw and a Phillips No. 2 screwdriver.

5. Replace the base cover using your hands. (Start at the edge furthest from the hinges and work your way back around the edges, and then ensure you also apply pressure to the middle of the base cover.)

6. Fasten the middle screw beneath the magnetic system badge using one screw and a Phillips No. 2 screwdriver. If the screw doesn't find a hold, apply pressure again near the middle of the base cover.

7. Fasten eight edge screws using a T5 Torx screwdriver.

8. Flip over your XPS 13, open the lid, and power it on.

Your wireless card

Have you replaced the wireless card in your XPS 13? Which wireless card did you use? Is your wireless connection better now that you made the switch?

Microsoft Edge has new tools to preview and set aside tabs to remove the clutter and stay organized on the web, and in this guide, we'll show you how to use them.

On the Creators Update, Windows 10 ships a faster, safer, and vastly improved version of Microsoft Edge. While you won't be seeing major changes in the look and feel, the browser includes several improvements. You'll find faster page load, quicker checkout process buying goods online, as well as the ability to read e-books you get from the Store, support for 3D on the web, and a lot more.

Among all the new improvements, perhaps one of the best new addition to Microsoft Edge are the new tools to manage tabs, which help you stay organized and reduce clutter when working with multiple web pages.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to preview all your active tabs, set tabs aside for later viewing, and how to use the new experience to share tabs with other people.

• How to use new tab preview on Microsoft Edge
• How to set a tab aside on Microsoft Edge

How to use new tab preview on Microsoft Edge

Starting with the Anniversary Update, Microsoft Edge introduced the ability to hover over a tab to preview a website without needing to leave the current page. On the Creators Update, Microsoft is now improving this feature by allowing you to preview all tabs at once.

On Microsoft Edge, you'll now notice a Show tab previews button next to the "New tabs" button, which once you click it unveils a thumbnail preview for each tab in a scrollable row.

If you have a lot of open tabs, you can click the buttons on the side to navigate your tabs, or you can even click and drag to change their order.

How to set a tab aside on Microsoft Edge

On the Creators Update, Edge introduces the ability to set aside groups of tabs for later viewing.

If you're, for example, researching a paper, or planning a trip, you probably have open a number of related web pages, and if you need to jump to another task, you can now quickly save your tabs to start with a clean slate without losing your work.

Setting tabs aside

You can quickly save your tabs by clicking the new Set these tabs aside button that appears on the top-left corner of the browser.

Restoring tabs

When you need to continue working with a group of web pages, click the Tabs you've set aside button on the far top-left corner of the browser.

In the flyout, you'll find all your tabs neatly organized in groups. You can click a thumbnail to restore web pages individually, or you can click the Restore tabs link on the top-right to reopen a group of tabs.

Quick Tip: Tabs you restore will open next to the tabs already open on the browser. It's a good idea to close all the current web pages, before restoring a group of tabs.

Tabs you've set aside will remain, even after closing the browser, until you restore or delete them. However, tabs you set aside won't sync across devices using your Microsoft account.

Removing tabs

In order to remove tabs, inside "Tabs you've set aside," you can click the "X" button on the top-right corner to delete a group. Or you can hover over individual tabs and click the "X" button.

Adding tabs to favorites

If you visit a group of sites regularly, it's also possible to adds tabs you set aside to your favorites. Just click the Tabs you've set aside button on the far top-left corner of the browser, click the More (three-dotted) button on the right of the group of tabs, and click the Add tabs to favorites option.

Sharing tabs

While you can quickly share a web link with other people using the share button located in the address bar, you can also share tabs you set aside using the new Share experience on Windows 10.

If you're want to share links you set aside with other people via email or using another service, click the Tabs you've set aside button on the far top-left corner, click the More button on the right, and then select the Share tabs option.

Select the application you want to use and complete the additional steps to share the tabs.

More Windows 10 resources

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

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

Should I buy an all-in-one PC?

All-in-one (AiO) PCs are sort of like a laptop for your desk. They are self-contained units; you have a display and all the PC hardware behind it in a sleek, slim package. Many popular manufacturers like ASUS, Dell, Microsoft, and Lenovo make AiO PCs, but you might be wondering exactly why you might want one instead of a standard desktop and separate monitor. Here are four benefits and four downsides to buying an AiO PC to help you decide on a final purchase.

All-in-one PCs are easier to transport

Standard desktop PCs are usually constrained to your office or home just based on the fact that transporting a monitor, tower, cables, and peripherals is a bit of a hassle.

In the event that you have to transport an AiO PC, however, you're usually looking at a single unit with a cable; if you have an AiO with a touchscreen, you can also choose to forego carrying any peripherals, like a keyboard and mouse.

Although AiO PCs are easier to transport than their standard desktop counterparts, you still want to grab a laptop if you're someone who is on the move more than you're stationary.

All-in-one PCs take up less space

AiO PCs are getting slimmer every day, pretty much to the point where you can mistake one for a standard monitor. Not so; inside is all the hardware needed to run. Whether you have a small area in your home, you need a multi-PC setup and don't want two or three towers at your feet, or you have a ton of PCs in an office setting, removing the attached tower that comes with a standard desktop PC can free up a lot of space.

On the office note, not having a bunch of cables attaching monitors to towers makes everything look much more proper to any potential customers coming to visit.

All-in-one PCs can give you a touchscreen experience

Touchscreens have come a long way in the last few years, and many Windows laptops and AiO PCs now feature them. The touch feature is great for artwork and design, especially if you get something with pen support like the Microsoft Surface Studio.

There are also certain apps for Windows 10 that just work better with a touchscreen, and especially a pen. If you've been using a tablet for a long time and now want to upgrade to a more robust PC, an AiO with a touchscreen will be immediately familiar and you won't miss the added functionality.

All-in-one PCs are easier to set up

Not everyone is comfortable around a PC. Maybe they've used Apple products until now, or maybe they've just never taken time to get familiar with how a PC works. If you're shopping for your first PC ever, you might be attracted to the simplicity of an AiO.

To set it up, you basically plug it into a power outlet, hit the power button, and watch Windows 10 boot. A pre-built desktop PC isn't that much harder to set up -- you have to plug in your monitor, speakers, and any other cables -- and is also a decent option for a new user.

A PC that comes in pieces that you have to put together will likely be way over the head of someone who hasn't spent a lot of time around the hardware. Bottom line: if you're new to the PC game, an AiO is about as simple as it gets.

All-in-one PCs are harder to tinker with

AiO PCs are compact and attractive, but they're usually much harder to tinker with if you can get into them at all. A lot of time the hardware inside is soldered down or unreachable. A standard desktop tower, on the other hand, can be opened and there is plenty of space inside. The hardware can usually all be moved around to your heart's content.

Why tinker with your PC? Perhaps a piece of hardware, like a USB port, fails. On a standard desktop PC, you can repair things yourself as long as you have the know-how. On an AiO PC, however, opening it up might go against the warranty or it might actually be impossible to reach the faulty piece. In that case you'll need to send the entire unit away for repair and you'll be down a PC. This is especially frustrating if it's the display that fails, since with a standard desktop PC you'd be able to keep using the PC while the monitor is replaced or repaired.

All-in-one PCs are harder to upgrade

The hardware available for a PC is in a constant state of improvement. Even if you buy a PC with top-of-the-line parts, it will likely become dated within a few months (if not sooner). Because a computer is an investment, it's hard to reconcile with the fact that this thing you spent a load of money on is now no longer the best out there.

To combat the obsolescence of hardware, standard desktop PCs can be upgraded quite easily. You open up the tower, take out the old hardware (say a graphics card) and pop in a new one you just bought.

AiO PCs don't generally work this way. There is not a lot of room to work with, so even if you could get inside, take out the old hardware, are put something new it, it would have to be a special piece that fit exactly. This also restricts the hardware you can put into an AiO.

All-in-one PCs are stuck with one display

Piggybacking on the hardware upgrade restrictions is the fact that you're stuck with one display for the life of the AiO PC, unless you place the AiO at your feet or to the side on your desk and hook it up to an external monitor.

It might seem like the built-in display on your AiO is suitable right now, but what happens when you want to get something larger or with a higher resolution? There's also the complication that surrounds a faulty display. Instead of being able to buy a new monitor, you either have to get the entire thing repaired or purchase an entirely new AiO PC.

All-in-one PCs are more expensive

When it comes to buying an AiO, you're usually buying something that is put together and branded by a specific company. This means it's going to be more expensive right off the bat than if you were to buy separate pieces of hardware and assemble everything yourself.

For example, if you note the hardware in the Lenovo IdeaCentre Y910 AiO and wait for it to go on sale from various retailers, you can expect to put something similar together for a few hundred dollars less (including a standalone monitor). Keep in mind that you also aren't getting the same sleek, futuristic look as you're getting with the IdeaCentre Y910 AiO.

The best All-in-one PCs available now

Think an AiO PC it right for you? Good! To help you decide where to start, check out our choice for the best options available now.

See the Best All-In-One PC

You can now customize Windows themes using the Settings app, and get new ones from the Store. Here's how to use the new features in the Windows 10 Creators Update.

The ability to use themes to personalize your desktop with custom background images and color accents is nothing new on Windows 10. However, in previous versions, you needed to use Control Panel to access the theme options, and use workarounds if you wanted to use a custom accent color.

Starting with the Windows 10 Creators Update, the theme options are available in the Settings app, and you can now get new themes from the Windows Store. In addition, this new version of the OS includes an option to set a custom accent color, instead of just having to pick from a limited list of predefined colors.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to personalize your experience using the new themes and color options included in the Creators Update.

How to use themes on Windows 10

While Settings has included a Themes page for a long time, it was not until the Creators Update that Windows 10 migrated the options from Control Panel to Settings.

• Changing themes
• Getting new themes
• Customizing themes
• Saving and sharing themes
• Deleting themes

Changing themes

To change a theme on Windows 10, do the following:

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

4. Under "Apply a theme," click the one you want to apply to your desktop.

If you're signed in with your Microsoft account, and you have the sync options enable, the theme you set on your computer will sync across devices.

Getting new themes

In the past, themes only used to be available for download on the web, but now you can also get them from the Store.

To get new themes from the Store, do the following:

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

4. Under "Apply a theme," click the Get more themes in the Store link.

5. Select the theme you want.

6. Click the Get button to download.

7. Click the Launch button to open the Settings app.

8. Under "Apply a theme," click the name of the theme you just installed to apply it.

While you can get a lot of themes for free, in the future the Windows Store may also offer paid themes.

Customizing themes

You don't have to settle for the default settings. You can always customize the look and feel of each theme you apply on Windows 10.

To customize your theme settings, do the following:

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

In the new page, you'll find information about the theme, and next to the preview, you'll see a number of customization options, including background, color, sounds, and mouse cursor.

Background

Accessing the Background options, you can use the Change picture every drop-down menu to adjust the frequency that wallpapers should rotate, and you can turn on the Shuffle toggle switch if you don't want to see images in order.

If more image adjustments are needed, the Choose a fit drop-down menu offers a number of options (Fill, Fit, Stretch, Tile, Center, and Span) to select the perfect fit for your background image.

Colors

Themes you install on your device will override your current accent color. If you'd like to change the color accent, or you want to revert to your previous color, click the Colors link.

If you want to go back to your previous color, the Settings app always remembers the last five colors you used. Under "Recent colors," select the color you were using before applying the theme.

Additionally, some themes will also change colors as images rotate. If you want to stop this behavior, under "Choose your color," you can turn off the Automatically pick an accent color for my background option.

Starting with the Creators Update, it's also possible to set a custom color accent. Just click the Custom color button to pick any color you want.

When selecting a new color, you'll see a live preview that also allows you to see whether the color will be hard to read, or if it's not supported.

Clicking on More gives you the ability to enter specific colors using RGB, HSV, or hexadecimal color annotation.

After finding the color you want, just click Done to complete the task.

You can also scroll down the settings page to find the option to switch between the light and dark color modes, but note that this option won't be preserved on themes that you save for sharing.

Sound

The Themes page now links to the Sounds settings on Control Panel. If your theme features custom sound effects, you can click the Sounds button to change the sound scheme to Windows Default.

You may also want to read our guide to learn more about customizing the mouse experience on Windows 10.

Saving and sharing themes

On Windows 10, it's possible to save your current background and color settings as a custom theme.

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Personalization.
3. Click on Themes.
4. Click the Save theme button.
5. Enter a descriptive name.

6. Click Save.

Once you've completed these steps, the new theme will be listed under the "Apply a theme" list.

If you're displaying a particular collection of photos from a trip or party, it's also possible to create a custom theme package for sharing.

1. While in the Theme page, right-click your custom theme, and select the Save theme for sharing option.

   Quick Tip: The save option is only available for the current theme you're using. If you're trying to save a theme you downloaded from the Store, you first need to save it normally, and then the Save theme for sharing option will be available.

2. Browse to a location you want to save the package.
3. Specify the file name.
4. Click Save.

After completing the steps, you'll end up with a .deskthemepack file, which you can share with other people via email or OneDrive, or you can take it to another computer and double-click the file to apply your custom theme.

Alternatively, if you want to share a theme from the Store, do the following:

1. Open the Store.
2. Click the account menu and click on My Library.
3. Click the one you want to share.
4. Click the Share button.

5. Using the Windows Share experience, select the service you want to use to share the theme, and complete any additional step to share the link.

Deleting themes

When you no longer want a theme, you can quickly remove it from your computer with these steps:

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

4. Under "Apply a theme," right-click the one that you don't want to keep and select Delete.

You can't delete a theme that you're currently using, so make sure to switch themes before trying to get rid of it.

More Windows 10 resources

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

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

The numbers are in, and they say you probably don't need an expensive unlimited data plan.

Unlimited data plans are back. Here's some insight into why, as well as a look at how much data we really use every month.

We've recently seen all four major U.S. carriers introduce or revamp their unlimited LTE data plans. Multiple times. For some of us, this is great news. The folks who use upwards of 10GB of data on a line they pay for themselves found plenty of creative ways to hold on to older unlimited data plans, and sometimes that could be a hassle. Now they are available with a click of the mouse.

Unlimited plans coming back to AT&T and Verizon are a direct result of tough competition in the industry.

This wasn't unexpected. Companies such as T-Mobile and StraightTalk made people notice the cost versus value proposition of a cell phone data plan. AT&T and Verizon enjoyed a consumer mindset that they offered something superior, when for many people alternatives could be just as good. When people started to take note of that, it was time for a small shakeup.

People who will utilize an unlimited data plan and get their money's worth are outliers. Everyone can have a month where they are traveling or otherwise away from Wi-Fi and use a good chunk of data, but when you look at the numbers telling how much data is used per person on average, you see that most people would be better served with a cheaper plan that offers a capped data allotment.

The numbers back this up. According to NPD Connected Intelligence, one of the groups that your carrier and the company that made your phone use for insight into growth and planning, in 2015 the average amount of data used per person per month was about 3.5GB. During the same time period, customers on T-Mobile used an average of 5GB per month and Sprint customers used about 4GB per month. Both carriers offered unlimited data plans to any post-paid customer.

Why this is important

These are average numbers. That means some people will be wildly outside the average on both ends. You might use 100GB of data per month but someone who uses 0.1GB per month offsets your input towards the average. An average can't predict the highest amounts of data being used (or the lowest) but it is a great way to determine how much data the average person uses each month. There's a lot of ways this data can be used, and of course multiple ways it can be interpreted. For example, the average data a customer with access to an unlimited data plan uses isn't dramatically different from the amount someone without access to unlimited data uses.

People talking about new unlimited data plans means that they are doing what they were meant to do: Hype.

This means that the average person, regardless of network, doesn't need to pay for an expensive unlimited data plan. Unlimited plans are hype-fests that get everyone talking about something as mundane and boring as a cellular provider. The hope is that you'll decide you need to sign up for one even though you don't need one. Sure, you might use a little more each month knowing that you have an unlimited plan, but generally, people who weren't using large amounts of data before aren't going to use a lot of data after they switch.

None of this matters to the phone company. It has one goal: make money. That's how businesses work. Every decision, every promotion, every marketing campaign and everything else is a way to try and make more money. A company won't be around for long if it isn't trying to bank a profit. And sometimes, how that profit can be shown on a quarterly earnings report matters as much as the amount that goes into the bank.

The ARPU

The average revenue per unit, or per user, (ARPU) is the total revenue coming in from the service divided by the number of subscribers. It's also a pretty big deal in shareholders' reports and earning's calls.

ARPU is a number that translates into the amount of money a single line of service brings in over a set time. There can be a monthly ARPU, or a quarterly or yearly one. This number includes all the money you pay to your carrier minus tax and regulatory fees. That means things like extras you may be paying for (international calling or live TV for mobile devices) are included, as well as your normal contract or monthly price. The ARPU is an easy way for a company to track its income and growth over time, and each customer who pays for an expensive unlimited data plan brings this average up in a way that's statistically significant.

There is more than one way to count money.

Your carrier wants you to be excited about, and ultimately sign up for, an unlimited data plan because of how it affects the bottom line as well as how much.

Another way your phone company looks at its finances is with an eye towards profit instead of just income. The profit from a customer can be more important than the overall income generated from one. A company can be healthy and profitable even with a low customer count, or vice versa. We see this in action when companies give earnings results.

Income and profit are always two different numbers.

Consider a hypothetical that's not too far removed from actuality. T-Mobile keeps pulling more and more customers away from Verizon Wireless. But Verizon is making more money and has a higher value. That means Verizon is making more profit per customer than T-Mobile.

Calculating profit is pretty simple. The service an account uses is tallied then compared to the amount of income that account generates each month. If you sign up for an unlimited data plan and still only use 3GB to 5GB of data per month, you help improve profit margins. All accounts are profitable, but some will be more profitable than others.

Don't hate the players

We're not trying to say your carrier is bad or unethical. This is just how business works when it comes to service providers.

Your phone company is supposed to make money if everyone is doing their jobs.

Carriers need to offer you something that you feel is worth the monthly cost. If that means an unlimited data plan sounds like a good idea to you, one is available for you. With the U.S. telco market becoming more and more competitive, it was a given that all companies would offer a fixed service that included unlimited data for a fixed cost. Users who needed such a plan would sign on and help improve that income per customer metric, and users who didn't need an unlimited plan but signed up for other reasons helped improve the profit-per-user metric. This is how smart business works, and the people in charge at your carrier are smart businesspeople.

One thing to take away here: ask yourself how much data you need every month. No one answer fits everyone, but there is an answer that fits you. Compare how much you need to how much you're paying, and then check out what's available. A final metric that's harder to measure is how happy a customer is, and happy customers are loyal customers.

Make sure you're using a service that works for you and makes you a happy customer.

How do I use my HOTAS with PSVR?

In order to experience an even deeper level of immersion while in PlayStation VR, you might want to look into a Hands On Throttle and Stick (HOTAS) controller. This controller gives you a ton of control over your aircraft or vehicle, as they have a familiar joystick for movement in one hand and an adjustable throttle in the other hand.

You can grab a HOTAS controller designed specifically for PS4, but the number of compatible games in PlayStation VR is limited. If you'd like to use your PS4 HOTAS controller on all games, or if you'd like to use a PC HOTAS on PS4, you need something called CronusMax Plus which lets you map buttons and use any controller with PS4.

Here's everything you need to know about using a HOTAS controller with all of your favorite PSVR games.

See the full guide at VR Heads!

Kodi is a terrific cord-cutting tool, and it's really simple to watch live TV using it.

To be clear, this isn't about watching TV channels delivered over the internet (IPTV) but actual over-the-air (OTA) channels. With the right hardware and matching plugins, adding your OTA TV to the main Kodi interface is a breeze.

For the purposes of this guide, we're using a HDHomeRun Connect tuner, but the process is the same for other supported PVR hardware. You also must have set up your hardware first before going into Kodi.

This isn't the same as just installing an add-on, either. HDHomeRun, for example, has an official Kodi add-on, but that works like a dedicated app. The third-party PVR client built into Kodi, by contrast, integrates the TV channels directly into the main Kodi interface, and there are numerous advantages to using it.

How to enable live TV on Kodi

1. Click on add-ons in the Kodi sidebar.
2. Hover over my add-ons in sidebar.

3. Select PVR clients.

4. From the list, select the relevant PVR client for your hardware.

5. Click install.

That's all you need to do to enable live TV within Kodi. It's a simple, seamless setup, and now you just have to go back to the main screen and click on the TV menu item in the sidebar.

All of your channels have been pulled into Kodi's main interface, and it's pretty damn slick. When you first go into your TV section in Kodi, it'll pop up a list of channels on the left of the screen with currently playing shows. To see more channels you just scroll.

There's also a neat TV guide for viewing everything that's on now and upcoming across your entire channel list. And whenever you're watching something live, flicking out to the full guide or even just the upcoming guide for that channel never gets rid of what you're watching. It always fades into the background.

As you watch, recent channels and favorites will begin to populate within the TV section for quicker access. The beauty of this setup is that any device you install Kodi on can integrate live TV in just a few steps using your local network. There's no additional antenna required.

If you have any tips and tricks for watching live TV on Kodi be sure to drop them into the comments below.

The Creators Update adds new features to help IT pros manage and protect devices and data, and in this guide, we'll look at 10 of them.

In addition to all the new features and improvements included with the Windows 10 Creators Update, Microsoft is also delivering a set of features and new tools specifically designed to make it easier for IT pros to manage, maintain, and protect devices and data in their organization networks.

Alongside the array of new consumer changes, specific to IT pros, you'll find new tools, such as MBR2GPT to simplify the process to move from legacy BIOS to UEFI. Dynamic Lock and "Block at First Sight" features help to improve security. You can use new policies to control the visibility of features users can access in the Settings app, and further customize the Microsoft Edge user experience. Organizations can now ditch Group Policy in favor of Mobile Device Management to manage Windows 10 computers, and a lot more.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll get a look at 10 of the new features available starting with the Creators Update.

• Settings app control
• Dynamic Lock
• Registry Editor navigation
• MBR2GPT tool
• Hyper-V Quick Create
• App control during upgrade
• Microsoft Edge customization
• Windows Defender Antivirus
• Mobile Device Management (MDM)
• Windows Configuration Designer

Settings app control

On the Creators Update, Windows 10 introduces a slew of new improvements and tweaks to the Settings app. In this new version, you'll find more sections (e.g., Apps, Gaming, and Mixed Reality), more options, various interface changes, and Microsoft is even migrating over more features from Control Panel.

While these new improvements are welcome additions, they also give users more control over the configuration of Windows 10, which is not ideal for devices that belong to an organization. However, starting with the Creators Update, Windows 10 includes a feature that allows IT professionals to limit the access to the Settings app.

Using Group Policy (or Mobile Device Management), it's now possible to configure the "Settings Page Visibility" policy to specify which pages are visible or hidden in the Settings app. If all the pages in a category are blocked, then the category will be removed from the Settings app too.

Dynamic Lock

Dynamic Lock is a new feature part of the Creators Update designed to add an extra layer of security for organizations. It's internally known as "Windows Goodbye," and once enabled Windows 10 can detect when the user steps away, and then after 30 seconds, it turns off the screen and locks the computer automatically.

Then the user must enter their password to get back into the workstation. Although anyone can use this feature, Dynamic Lock is particularly useful on devices for employees who may have to work with the company sensitive information.

On Windows 10, Dynamic Lock works by pairing a phone (or another device) using Bluetooth to a computer and then turning on the feature from the "Sign-in options" page.

You can use our guide to learn all the steps to configure Dynamic Lock on Windows 10.

Registry Editor navigation

On Windows 10, the Registry is a database that stores low-level and applications settings, which many times, administrators need to modify using the Registry Editor to tweak different aspects of the OS, or a particular app.

While on the Creators Update there isn't a new version of the Registry Editor, the update includes a few overdue improvements, including a new address bar to make it a lot easier to navigate the database -- helping to minimize the chances of mistakes.

If you've worked with the Registry Editor before, you know that browsing through keys can be confusing and time-consuming. On version 1703, you can now type or paste the full path in the address bar below the file menu to quickly jump to a location.

When you're navigating the Registry keys, the path of your current location will also appear in the address bar, which you can easily note for future reference.

MBR2GPT tool

MBR2GPT is a new command-line tool included with the Windows 10 Creators update that allows you to quickly convert a drive to GUID Partition Table (GPT) from Master Boot Record (MBR), as part of the migration from legacy BIOS to UEFI.

The best part is that it's a non-destructive process. In the past, you needed to create a backup of the data, repartition the disk, reinstall Windows 10, and then restore the data to convert the disk to GPT and migrate to UEFI. However, with the HBR2GPT tool, the changes are made in seconds without modifying or deleting the data inside of the drive.

The tool is also very flexible. You can use it while Windows 10 is fully loaded or inside the Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE). Additionally, you can convert encrypted disks using BitLocker, but only as long as encryption is suspended before using the tool.

It's also possible to convert disks using MBR to GPT running an earlier version of Windows 10. However, in order to use the tool, you first need to start the computer on Windows 10 version 1703 or later, and then run the tool on the drive with the older version. If you're running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, it's recommended that you upgrade to the latest release of Windows 10 first, and then perform the conversion.

Hyper-V Quick Create

On the Windows 10 Creators Update, Microsoft has also been working to improve its virtualization technology, Hyper-V.

In this release, the Hyper-V Manager includes a new option that significantly speeds up the creation of a new virtual machine.

When you click the new "Quick Create" button, it will result in one new generation 2 virtual machine with pre-defined configurations, including:

• 2GB of RAM with Dynamic Memory enabled.
• 4 virtual processors.
• Dynamic VHD storage that can grow up to 100GB.

Alongside the ability to get a VM up and running in seconds, Windows 10 also brings a few interesting additions to Hyper-V.

You've been able to create virtual machines within a virtual machine using nested virtualization for some time, but options were somewhat limited. Starting with version 1703, it's now possible to create a checkpoint and save the state of virtual machines using nested Hyper-V.

In addition, two new improvements make it easier to work with multiple NAT networks and IP pinning.

After installing the Creators Update, you'll be able to use multiple NAT networks on a single host. And you can now build and test your apps with tools directly from the host using an overlay network driver.

App control during upgrade

Windows 10 comes with a bunch of default apps, which usually administrators remove manually, as part of the process to customize the user experience to comply with the organization policies.

Although this is a standard process, in the past, many complaints have been reported about Windows 10 automatically reinstalling the default apps during a feature update installation, which results in a less ideal user experience. Starting with the Creators Update, Windows 10 will no longer reinstall those apps that were uninstalled before the upgrading of a new version of the OS.

Microsoft Edge customization

In addition to the numerous features and improvements included in the new version of Microsoft Edge, the software giant has been working to make it easier for IT pros to customize the web browser for network users.

On the Windows 10 Creators Update, organizations can take better control of the user experience, security, and privacy on the web using Microsoft Edge.

Using Group Policy and Mobile Device Management (MDM), network administrators can customize the browser in a number of ways.

Here's a list of the new customization options you can apply to Microsoft Edge, starting with version 1703:

• Allow Address bar drop-down list suggestions.
• Allow clearing browsing data on exit.
• Allow search engine customization.
• Configure additional search engines.
• Configure the Adobe Flash Click-to-Run setting.
• Disable lockdown of Start pages.
• Keep favorites in sync between Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge.
• Prevent the First Run webpage from opening on Microsoft Edge.
• Set default search engine.

Windows Defender Antivirus

A lot of the improvements introduced with the Creators Update are meant to make Windows 10 more secure for users and organizations.

Starting with version 1703 "Windows Defender" gets renamed to "Windows Defender Antivirus" and delivers a few new interesting features, including Block at First Sight, and options to change the cloud protection level.

Block at First Sight is configurable using Group Policy and Windows Defender Security Center app, and it's a new feature that introduces a method to detect and block malware within seconds.

Organizations can now change the level of cloud protection provided using Windows Defender Antivirus using the System Center Configuration Manager and Group Policy. This new feature allows setting a default or high blocking level of protection.

The default level offers reliable protection without adding more risk of false positives, while the high blocking level offers the same protection, but some legitimate files may be detected as threats.

Mobile Device Management (MDM)

If you work on a corporate network, you probably already use the Mobile Device Management (MDM) system to manage and configure mobile iOS, Android, and Windows devices, and separately, you use Group Policy (or Configuration Manager) to manage Windows 10 computers.

In addition to managing mobile devices, it's now possible to fully customize and manage Windows 10 computers using the modern Mobile Device Management console. Also, using this approach, network administrators can leverage the cloud to manage all the devices remotely without having to connect to the corporate network.

Microsoft is even making available an MDM Migration Analysis Tool on GitHub to help organizations to move from Group Policy to the modern Mobile Device Management system.

Windows Configuration Designer

IT pros will also find improvements to help to deploy apps to network clients without the need of imaging.

In the new version of the Windows Configuration Designer app available from the Store (previously known as Windows Imaging and Configuration Designer) introduces some new wizards to simplify the creation of packages to deploy on desktop PCs, kiosks, and mobile devices. The app even includes an option to remove preinstalled apps on devices.

You can also now use PowerShell cmdlets to automatically deploy provisioning packages created using the updated Windows Configuration Designer.

If your corporate network uses Azure Active Directory, it's now possible to create provisioning packages to bulk enroll devices to Azure AD.

Wrapping things up

Windows 10 (version 1703) is ready for download immediately using Windows Update or Windows Update for Business. If your organization IT environment runs on Windows 10 Enterprise, you can download this new release from the MSDN Subscriptions Center.

Microsoft is even offering a 90-day trial of Windows 10 Enterprise Creators update, which you can download from the TechNet Evaluation Center. You can also use the Upgrade Readines service to help speed up the migration process in your organization by identifying problems that can block the upgrade and suggestions for fixes.

Starting on May 1st, Windows 10 Creators Update will also be available for volume licensing customers from the Volume Licensing Center.

More Windows 10 resources

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

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

Here's what's new for the HTC Vive for May 2017!

A number of interesting titles are set to release for the HTC Vive this month, fit for the fan of any of virtual reality genre. While avid shooter fans can get their hands on games such as BREACH IT and Time Carnage, Star Trek: Bridge Crew from Ubisoft is expected to be a high-quality cross-platform strategy experience. Here's an in-depth breakdown of all the HTC Vive games releasing over the month of April 2017.

Note: This list is compiled from Steam store listings at the start of the month.

Read more at VRHeads

Windows 10 recently got some new touchpad settings to improve navigation and multitasking, and in this guide, we show you how to customize the experience in the Creators Update.

The Creators Update for Windows 10 introduces new settings and enhancements to take full advantage of the "Precision Touchpads" on supported devices.

If this term is new to you, a Precision Touchpad is an extension of the traditional touchpad that you can use to control the mouse cursor on your screen. The main difference between the two is that a Precision Touchpad supports a wider range of multi-touch gestures and additional advanced settings.

Along with a new dedicated "Touchpad" page with new options in the Settings app, Windows 10 now has new tweaks for gestures and click detection. In this new update, there are improvements to make the touchpad more accurate when detecting left and right clicks and pinch to zoom. While using two-finger tap and clicks, you'll notice a reduction in false positives, and an updated algorithm reduces inadvertent zooming while panning.

In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the steps to find out whether your device has support for "Precision Touchpad" and explain how to customize the experience.

• How to see if your laptop supports Precision Touchpad
• How to customize the Precision Touchpad settings

How to see if your laptop supports Precision Touchpad

While most newer laptops and convertible devices (such as the Surface Pro 4, Surface Pro 3, Surface Book, and Dell XPS laptops) include Precision Touchpad support, older devices might not. The following steps help you determine whether you can use multi-touch gestures on your Windows 10 PC.

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Devices.

3. Click on Touchpad.

If your laptop or convertible device uses Precision Touchpad, in the Touchpad settings page, you should see a message that reads: "Your PC has a precision touchpad." If not, you'll still see the settings page, but you'll get an option to adjust sensitivity.

How to customize the Precision Touchpad settings

To customize the Precision Touchpad experience on your Windows 10 device, do the following:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Devices.
3. Click on Touchpad.

How to enable (or disable) Precision Touchpad

You can quickly enable or disable the experience by turning the Touchpad toggle switch on or off.

If you use your PC with a traditional mouse, you can also decide whether connecting the mouse disables the touchpad automatically by clearing the Leave on the when a mouse is connected option.

In this section, you'll also find a slider to change the mouse cursor speed.

Customizing tap experience

Under "Taps," you get a number of options to customize the tapping behavior when using a trackpad for clicking and selecting.

The Touchpad sensitivity drop-down menu allows you to adjust the sensitivity level of your touchpad. While "Medium sensitivity" is the optimal option for most users, you can select a few other levels, including:

• Most sensitive.
• High sensitive.
• Low sensitive.

Additionally, in this section, you can take control of the tap gestures to use on Windows 10 with your Precision Touchpad, including:

• Tap with a single finger to single-click.
• Tap with two fingers to right-click.
• Tap twice and drag to multi-select.
• Press the lower right corner of the touchpad to right-click.

Customizing scroll and zoom

It's also possible to customize other gestures, such as scrolling and pinch to zoom.

Under "Scroll and zoom," you can change whether or not to drag two fingers to scroll, and there is a drop-down menu to change the scrolling direction, allowing you to use a downward motion to scroll up or down.

Pinch to zoom is also enabled by default, but you can always clear the option to disable the feature.

Customizing three-finger gestures

On the Creators Update, Windows 10 also adds new options to control gestures with multiple fingers, which helps you speed up navigation when working with multiple apps, desktops, and you can even use three-finger gestures to control audio and volume.

Using the "Swipes" drop-down menu, you can customize the experience with the following options.

• Nothing: Disables three-finger gestures on Windows 10.
• Switch apps and show desktop: Allows you to use a three-finger swipe up to open Task View, down to show the desktop, and left and right to switch between running apps.
• Switch desktop and show desktop: Allows you to use a three-finger swipe up to open Task View, swipe down to show the desktop, and swipe left or right to switch between virtual desktops.
• Change audio and volume: This option lets you swipe up to turn the system volume up, swipe down to turn the volume down, and swipe left and right to skip to the previous or next song using a music app.

It's also possible to use three-finger tap gestures to perform specific commands, such as opening Cortana or Action Center, Play or pause on music apps, or use the tap gesture as a middle mouse button.

Customizing advanced gestures configuration

You can customize some additional Precision Touchpad settings, which are accessible when clicking the Advanced gesture configuration link in the top-right corner, under "Related settings."

Instead of using one of the predefined set of gesture actions under "Three-finger gestures," this page allows you to specify the action for each swipe.

For example, you can select to open Action Center when using a three-finger tap, or you can choose to record a custom shortcut.

Three-finger swipes can be configured to hide all the running apps other than the one in focus, and swipe down, left, and right to perform totally unrelated actions. Here's a list of all the actions you can use for swipe gestures:

• Nothing.
• Switch apps.
• Task view.
• Show desktop.
• Switch desktops.
• Hide everything other than the app in focus.
• Create desktop.
• Remove desktop.
• Forward navigation.
• Backward navigation.
• Snap window to the left.
• Snap window to the right.
• Maximize a window.
• Minimize a window.
• Next track.
• Previous track.
• Volume up.
• Mute.
• Custom shortcut.

Resetting the Precision Touchpad settings

If you no longer want to use your custom settings, you can always scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click the Reset button to go back to the default Precision Touchpad settings.

Wrapping things up

In the past, PCs were known to have a mediocre experience when it came to trackpads. However, with the Creators Update, Windows 10 is introducing Precision Touchpad settings that not only bring new options and enhancements, but they also lay the groundwork with a set of new rules to help manufacturers build the best touchpad experiences possible on Windows 10.

More Windows 10 resources

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

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

Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming version of Kodi.

Kodi 17.1 "Krypton" is the current release that's available through the Windows Store and the Kodi website But work on next version of the popular media server software is already well underway. In a break from the normal routine of choosing names with the community, Kodi 18 will be known as "Leia," in honor of everyone's favorite princess who sadly left us.

It hurts our hearts to have lost a great woman and actress and, with her, the character she portrayed, the princess we grew up with. It feels fitting, then, to announce that Kodi 18 will be named 'Leia' in honor of the late Carrie Fisher, as a tribute to one of the characters that defined an industry, and as a celebration of the whole Star Wars universe.

It's still early days right now, and there's not a whole lot to talk about regarding Kodi 18. But here's what we do know so far. And as updates become available, we'll keep this guide updated, so be sure to slap it into your bookmarks.

When will Kodi 18 Leia be available?

At this point, it doesn't have an official release date.

What's new?

It's still in development, so the final feature list isn't publicly revealed. It's still in the early stages, too, so there's not a lot immediately obvious that has changed. The best place to keep tabs on new features is the Kodi 18 Leia changelog on the official Kodi Wiki.

Kodi 18 Leia changelog

Can I try it yet?

Absolutely! If you're OK with being on the bleeding edge and dealing with bugs, you can already get the latest nightly builds for version 18. Hit the link below to get started.

Download Kodi 18 Leia nightly builds

Do I need to uninstall Kodi 17 to try the new nightly builds?

No. If you're using the Kodi 17 app from the Windows Store, for example, the nightly installer will place the new version on your machine alongside it.

Is it good enough for my main build right now?

No, you should stick with the release version of Kodi 17. Leia is still a long way off, and lots of things don't work properly.

Does it look the same?

Yes! The stock skin was updated from Kodi 16 to Kodi 17, from the old "Confluence" skin to the new, more modern looking "Estuary." There's nothing to suggest that will change for version 18, but you can always install your own skins.

Will it be available on Xbox One?

Hopefully. The Kodi developer team has already stated a commitment to producing a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) version for the Windows Store that will work on the Xbox One. Whether that will happen with version 18 or not is unclear.

Is there anything big to talk about yet?

Not on the Windows build, no. We're so early in the development cycle that many of the features and API changes have not yet been made public.

New features are being discussed, and the developers are highlighting them to the community through "dev journals," with the most recent highlights including voice search and recommendation integration for the Android TV build of Leia.

There's still much development to happen, and much new hotness to be revealed, and that will happen all in good time. If you have questions, drop them into the comments below. Hopefully, we can help with some answers.

You can now quickly fix most common problems on Windows 10 using the Settings app -- Here's how.

On Windows 10, troubleshooters are small tools that you can run on your device to diagnose and automatically fix common problems, such as network and printer connectivity, Windows Update, Bluetooth, and a lot more.

Troubleshooters have been part of Windows for a long time, but until the Windows 10 Creators Update they were buried inside Control Panel — now you can find them with ease in the Settings app.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to use the new Troubleshoot page in the Settings app to fix common issues on your PC, laptop, or tablet.

How to troubleshoot and fix problems on Windows 10

If something is not working correctly on your computer, and you're running the Windows 10 Creators Update, then you can run a troubleshooter to resolve the issue.

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

4. Select the troubleshooter that best describe your issue, and click the Run the troubleshooter button to start the process.

Depending on the problem that you're trying to fix, you may need to follow additional on-screen directions, then the troubleshooter will correct the issue automatically, or it'll give you an option to apply or skip the fix. At the end, you can click the View detailed information link to see a report of issues found, and what was checked and fixed.

Windows 10 troubleshooters explained

The Troubleshoot page is divided into two sections, including "Get up and running" and "Find and fix other problems" featuring 19 troubleshooters in total to fix a variety of problems on Windows 10.

Get up and running

The "Get up and running" section contains the troubleshooters to fix the most common problems on Windows 10, including:

• Internet Connections: Diagnoses and fixes internet connectivity related issues, or if you're having problems loading a web page.
• Playing Audio: Finds and addresses common sound problems.
• Printer: Diagnoses and fixes problems connecting to a printer, including driver and spooler issues.
• Windows Update: Detects problems that make block updates from downloading and installing on your PC.

Find and fix other problems

The "Find and fix other problems" section is where you'll find the most troubleshooters, but these are to fix less common problems on Windows 10:

• Blue Screen: Diagnoses errors that may be causing Windows 10 to fail and restart without reason. If the troubleshooter isn't able to resolve the issue, you can use our comprehensive guide to fix a Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) on your PC.
• Bluetooth: Troubleshoots and fixes a number of Bluetooth issues connecting to other devices.
• Hardware and Devices: Detects hardware changes and addresses problems, such as drivers issues and other hardware related problems.
• HomeGroup: Diagnoses and addresses problems sharing files and viewing computers on a HomeGroup.
• Incoming Connections: Finds and detects Windows Firewall related problems, such as issues sharing files, connecting using Remote Desktop Connection, finding a PC on the network and more.
• Keyboard: Addresses keyboard settings related problems.
• Network Adapter: Diagnoses and fixes problems with Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Bluetooth adapters not working properly.
• Power: Scans and adjusts power settings to conserve and extend battery life.
• Program Compatibility Troubleshooter: Allows you to change the compatibility mode of older programs to get it working again on Windows 10.
• Recording Audio: Finds and addresses issues that may be preventing you from using the microphone to record audio.
• Search and Indexing: Fixes specific Windows Search problems, such as search or indexing slowing down your PC, or files and emails not appearing in search results.
• Share Folders: If you're sharing a folder, but other computers in the network can't access its content, this troubleshooter finds and fixes most common sharing problems.
• Speech: Diagnoses and fixes issues with your microphone.
• Video Playback: Checks for potential issues with video driver and protected audio to fix problems with movies, TV shows, and video not playing.
• Windows Store Apps: Finds and fixes problems, such as issues with the Windows Store cache, security or misconfigured settings, Microsoft account, and other problems that may prevent apps from updating or working properly.

Wrapping things up

While you won't be able to fix every problem on Windows 10, using these troubleshooters is a good place to start to get your computer performing as it should.

On the Creators Update, you can still find troubleshooters in Control Panel, but it may not be for long as Microsoft will eventually retire the experience in favor of the modern Settings app.

More Windows 10 resources

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

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

How do I use my Oculus Rift with Viveport?

With the introduction of a subscription-based service, Viveport is becoming increasingly attractive to all VR users, including those with an Oculus Rift. The traditional model of buying an app once and keeping it forever is still supported, but you can now choose five VR titles per month to play for one baseline price.

Viveport is designed for use with the HTC Vive, but that doesn't mean the Rift is completely excluded; you can get it working with Viveport, but there are some drawbacks. Controls designed for the Vive wands can be a bit tricky to deal with, and apparently, some apps will simply refuse to work with the Rift (like Firebird - La Peri). It's hard to say exactly which games will play nice with the Rift, so tread carefully before deciding to spend your money.

That doesn't mean there isn't a ton of cool stuff in Viveport, both free and paid, for you to check out. Let's get it working with your Oculus Rift.

See the full guide at VR Heads!

If you've become disheartened with Wunderlist and feel like a change, it's really easy to move to Todoist.

Microsoft acquired Wunderlist a while ago but (perhaps as expected) not a lot has happened with the service since. Microsoft's new To-Do is likely the reason behind the purchase, but it'd be understandable to be a little disheartened by the lack of development if you're a long time user.

The future for Wunderlist isn't exactly clear, and if you're not that interested in moving to Microsoft To-Do and looking for a change, Todoist might be a solid option.

Todoist is one of the most powerful and popular cross-platform task managers around, and its development team has made it super easy to move across from Wunderlist. Here's what you need to do.

1. Open Todoist.com.

2. Click the Log in button in the top right corner.

   If you do not yet have a Todoist account, you will need to sign up first.

3. Enter your username and password (or log in with your Google or Facebook account, if you've connected them to your Todoist account).
4. Click Log in.
5. Open the Wunderlist Importer in your browser.
6. Click start import.
7. Log in to your Wunderlist account.

8. Click authorize to begin the data transfer.

This will begin the migration process from your Wunderlist account to your Todoist account. Once complete, all Wunderlist tasks will be found under the Wunderlist import project. All your projects, tasks, files and such will retain their original structure as sub-projects underneath the main Wunderlist import.

From here you can move about and re-organize any of the Wunderlist data just as you would any regular Todoist projects and tasks. It's a really nice tool to have if you're thinking of switching and ridiculously easy to use.

Download Todoist from the Windows Store

How do you get the Command Prompt back on the Power User menu? Keep reading.

With the Creators Update came a few changes to the Windows 10 Power User menu (accessed by right-clicking the Start menu or using the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut), namely the removal of the Command Prompt and Command Prompt (Admin) options, which allowed users to quickly open a new window.

Instead, there are now Windows PowerShell and Windows PowerShell (Admin) options. Let's take a look at the differences between PowerShell and Command Prompt, and then we'll explain how to get Command Prompt back onto the Power User menu.

What's the difference between PowerShell and Command Prompt?

Command Prompt is something that is familiar to plenty of Windows users. It is based on the same DOS commands that have been used on DOS systems forever, and therefore it is limited in what it can do, especially for system administrators and advanced users. However, for most Windows users, Command Prompt is all that they'll ever need.

Windows PowerShell, on the other hand, is designed for more advanced uses, like registry editing. PowerShell uses "cmdlets," which are similar to regular command-line commands. These cmdlets, however, can provide an output that is piped into the input of another cmdlet, essentially letting a string of commands manipulate the same data. The result is both a command-line shell and a scripting language.

How to replace PowerShell with Command Prompt

If PowerShell doesn't seem like something you'll be working with, but you do use Command Prompt to quickly check your IP or perform other tasks, you can get Command Prompt back on the Power User menu.

1. Right-click the Start menu.
2. Click Settings.

3. Click Personalization.

4. Click Taskbar.

5. Click the switch below Replace Command Prompt with Windows PowerShell…

That's all there is to it. The next time you right-click the Start menu or use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut, Command Prompt will be back where it originally was on the Power User menu.

Are you happy that PowerShell is the default in the Power User menu, or do you prefer Command Prompt? Let us know in the comments

More information on the Creators Update

And for more details on the Windows 10 Creators Update, check out Senior Editor Zac Bowden's in-depth review.

See the definitive Windows 10 Creators Update review