Interested in sharing your Xbox One gameplay on Mixer? Here's the easiest way to get started.

Formerly known as Beam, Mixer is Microsoft's in-house broadcasting platform designed to let you share your own gameplay and view the streams of others. The very easiest way to get started with Mixer streaming is on the Xbox console, whether you're viewing or broadcasting.

The viewing part is easy because there's now a dedicated Mixer app on Xbox One. Here's how to set up a stream.

How to stream games to Mixer via Xbox One

The first thing you need to do is make sure your Mixer account is linked to your Microsoft Account. If you signed up in the old days of Beam with a password and username, you may need to manually link them first. The good news is it's really easy.

1. Go to the Mixer website and make sure you're logged in.
2. Click on your avatar in the top-right corner.
3. Click on account.
4. Click the button that says Link your Microsoft Account.

On the Xbox One, you don't log in to broadcast, so you need to ensure these steps are complete to link up your Xbox Live and Mixer profiles to broadcast.

Now you can get on with the fun part and actually broadcast your games. Here's how.

1. Press the Xbox button on your controller to bring up the guide.

2. Scroll down to the broadcast icon.

3. Select broadcast your game.

4. The game will already be recognized, but you should now enter a title for your stream.

5. Turn on any of the other options you wish to use for chat, camera and microphone.

6. Select start broadcast.

You can now stream on Mixer, using your Kinect camera if you have one and whatever microphone you have hooked up to your console. There aren't many more options to tweak, but if you're looking to get a little more creative you should check out our comprehensive guide to streaming on Mixer.

How to stream your Xbox One on Mixer

You have the flexibility to move around the Mixer broadcast overlay to nine different areas on your screen, so you don't have to worry about hiding anything important. Otherwise, you have the advanced options in the broadcast tab of the Xbox Guide. These allow you to alter the video quality by two presets, as well as get a better balance on the mix between game and chat audio.

If you're feeling adventurous, you'll also soon be able to instigate co-streams from the console. At the time of writing this is only available to Alpha Ring Xbox Insiders, but we've got you covered with a full guide on how to get going.

How to co-stream on Mixer

You can stop users from changing certain settings on Control Panel, and in this guide we'll show you how to do it on Windows 10.

Although the Windows 10 Settings app is positioned as the primary experience to configure and personalize your device, Control Panel still available with a lot of settings — many of which you probably don't want users to change.

If you share your computer with other people, or you work as an IT administrator for an organization, there will be times when you may not want users to have full access to Control Panel, as this usually results in unwanted configurations. You could restrict total access to both, Control Panel and Settings, but if that isn't an ideal solution, on Windows 10, it's possible to use the Local Group Policy Editor and the Registry to hide only those settings you don't want users to change.

You can also restrict access to pages in the Settings app, but to do that, you need to follow these instructions instead.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to hide Control Panel settings you don't want users to mess with.

• How to hide Control Panel settings using Group Policy
• How to hide Control Panel settings using Registry
• List of Control Panel settings

How to hide Control Panel settings using Group Policy

On Windows 10 Pro (or Enterprise), the most convenient way to hide specific settings on Control Panel is by using the Local Group Policy Editor.

To restrict users access to Control Panel settings using Group Policy, do the following:

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:

   User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel

4. On the right side, double-click the Hide specified Control Panel items policy.

5. Select the Enabled option.

6. Under "Options," click the Show button.

7. Type the name of the items you don't want Control Panel to show. For example, Windows Firewall.

   • Important: You must specify one item per line.
8. Click OK.
9. Click Apply.
10. Click OK.

After completing these steps, close the Local Group Policy Editor and open Control Panel. If you've configured the policy correctly, you should now only see the specified items.

The only caveat while configuring settings visibility on Control Panel is that you need to know the exact name of each item you want to hide from users beforehand. However, we did the hard work, so you don't have to — click here to see the list.

You can always revert the changes by following the same instructions, but on step No. 5, make sure to select the Not Configured option.

The other way using Group Policy

Alternatively, you can configure another policy to show only specific items while hiding the rest, which is a quicker option if you're trying to hide a lot of settings.

To show only specific settings on Control Panel using Group Policy, do the following:

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:

   User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel

4. On the right side, double-click the Show specified Control Panel items policy.

5. Select the Enabled option.

6. Under "Options," click the Show button.

7. Type the name of the items you want Control Panel to show. For example, Windows Firewall.

   • Important: You must specify one item per line.
8. Click OK.
9. Click Apply.
10. Click OK.

How to hide Control Panel settings using Registry

In the case you're running Windows 10 Home, you won't have access to the Local Group Policy Editor, but you can still hide specific settings on Control Panel by modifying the Registry.

Warning: This is a friendly reminder 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.

To restrict users access to Control Panel settings using the Registry, do the following:

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_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

4. Right-click on the right side, select New, and then click on DWORD (32-bit) Value.

5. Name the key DisallowCPL and press Enter.

6. Double-click the newly created DWORD and set the value from 0 to 1.

7. On the left side, right-click the Explorer (folder) key, select New, and then click on Key.

8. Name the key DisallowCPL and press Enter.

9. Inside the DisallowCPL (folder) key, right-click on the right side, select New, and then click on String Value.

10. Name the key with the name of the setting you want to hide, and press Enter.

11. Double-click the newly created String, type the exact name of the Control Panel item you want to hide (e.g., Network and Sharing Center), and click OK.

Once you completed the steps, repeat steps No. 9, 10, and 11 to list all the items you don't want users to see in the Control Panel.

The only issue when trying to configure settings visibility on Control Panel is that you need to know the exact name of the items you want to remove. However, we did the hard work, so you don't have to — click here to see the list.

The other way using Registry

Alternatively, you can configure another policy using the Registry to specify only the items you want to make available while hiding the rest, which is a quicker option if you're trying to hide a lot of settings.

To show only specific settings on Control Panel using the Registry, do the following:

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_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

4. Right-click on the right side, select New, and then click on DWORD (32-bit) Value.

5. Name the key RestrictCPL and press Enter.

6. Double-click the newly created DWORD and set the value from 0 to 1.

7. On the left side, right-click the Explorer (folder) key, select New, and then click on Key.

8. Name the key RestrictCPL and press Enter.

9. Inside the RestrictCPL (folder) key, right-click on the right side, select New, and then click on String Value.

10. Name the key with the name of the setting you want to show, and press Enter.

11. Double-click the newly created String, type the exact name of the Control Panel setting you want to show (e.g., Network and Sharing Center), and click OK.

After completing the steps, repeat steps No. 9, 10, and 11 to specify the items you want users to see in Control Panel.

If you want to restore the old settings making all the Control Panel items available, simply browse the Explorer (folder) key as shown on step No. 3, right-click the DisallowCPL or RestrictCPL (folder) key, and click Delete. Then inside the Explorer key, make sure to right-click the DisallowCPL or RestrictCPL DWORD, and click Delete to restore the previous configuration.

List of Control Panel settings

Below you'll find the list of all the settings names on Control Panel included with the Windows 10 Creators Update. It should also be noted that the list may be slightly different depending on the version of Windows you're using, as Microsoft continues to migrate Control Panel settings to the Settings app.

Quick Tip: You can easily find out the name of the items you can hide by opening Control Panel, and selecting Large icons from the View by drop-down menu located in the top-right.

• Administrative Tools
• Backup and Restore (Windows 7)
• BitLocker Drive Encryption
• Color Management
• Credential Manager
• Date and Time
• Default Programs
• Device Manage
• Devices and Printers
• Ease of Access Center
• File Explorer Options
• File History
• Fonts
• HomeGroup
• Indexing Options
• Infrared
• Internet Options
• Keyboard
• Language
• Mouse
• Network and Sharing Center
• Pen and Touch
• Phone and Modem
• Power Options
• Programs and Features
• Recovery
• Region
• RemoteApp and Desktop Connections
• Security and Maintenance
• Sound
• Speech Recognition
• Storage Spaces
• Sync Center
• System
• Tablet PC Settings
• Taskbar and Navigation
• Troubleshooting
• User Accounts
• Windows Firewall
• Windows To Go
• Work Folders

While we're focusing this guide on Windows 10, these instructions will also work to prevent Windows 8.x and Windows 7 users from changing specific settings in Control Panel.

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

Got a new Surface Laptop running Windows 10 S? Here's how to install Microsoft Office apps on your new PC.

Windows 10 S is very similar to Windows 10 Pro, with a few key differences. More specifically, devices that run Windows 10 S, such as the Surface Laptop, are limited to apps from the Windows Store, which means you can't simply download and install Microsoft Office from the web.

As a result, Microsoft is now making available the full (Win32) desktop versions of the Office apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, and Publisher, in the Windows Store for devices running Windows 10 S.

In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the steps to get the Office apps from the Windows Store on devices running Windows 10 S. Also, we show you the instructions to remove one, or all, of the apps from your computer.

• How to install Office apps on Windows 10 S
• How to uninstall Office apps on Windows 10 S

How to install Office apps on Windows 10 S

Getting Office on your Windows 10 S device is straightforward using your Microsoft account linked to an Office 365 subscription.

Note: Office in the Windows Store is currently in preview for Surface Laptop users. Once the preview is over, you'll be able to buy the apps from the Windows Store, Microsoft Store, Office.com, and other retailers for other Windows 10 devices.

1. Open Start.
2. On the App list, find and click an Office app you want to use, for example, Word or Excel.
3. The Office page will open in the Windows Store, and you should click Install.
4. Open one of the newly installed apps from the Office product page.
5. Click Got it! to start using Office.

How to uninstall Office apps on Windows 10 S

If you no longer have an Office 365 subscription, or the apps aren't working and you need to reinstall them, it's possible on Windows 10 S to uninstall apps individually or all at once.

Uninstalling an Office app

1. Open Start.
2. On the App list, find the app you want to remove.
3. Right-click the app, and select Uninstall.
4. Click the Uninstall button to confirm.

Uninstalling all Office apps

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Apps.
3. Click on Apps & features.
4. Select Microsoft Office Desktop Apps.
5. Click Uninstall.
6. Click the Uninstall button to confirm.

Additional information

You can acquire the apps using Office 365 Personal, Home, Education Plus, and Education E5. If you don't have an Office 365 subscription, Microsoft includes one year of Office 365 Personal with your new Surface Laptop, which gets you Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, and Access.

Initially, the Office apps you get from the Windows Store are available in preview, because they use a new install and update process that is still being tested. Therefore some unexpected behaviors may occur during the early days.

Although you get the full version of Office, there are a few limitations with apps available in the Windows Store. You can only install the 32-bit versions, COM add-ins are not supported, and the desktop version of OneNote isn't included, for example. Instead, you get the more limited OneNote 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

Here we'll show you the steps to successfully bring your Yahoo email account to the desktop version of Outlook.

If you're a loyal Yahoo Mail user, you know that Yahoo has already discontinued its email application for Windows 10 and left you only with the web experience. However, if using the web browser is not your style to manage your emails, you can use other solutions like the desktop version of Microsoft Outlook.

Using the Outlook app, you don't only get the most robust inbox with great features to stay productive while managing emails, but it also offers many advantages over the web version of Yahoo. Some of which include a more intuitive interface without annoying ads, rich desktop and Lock screen notifications, Smart Lookup, advanced filters, rules and alerts, and much more.

In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps to configure your Yahoo email account using the desktop version of Outlook 2016 available with Office 365, or you can also use these instructions to set up your account on Office 2013.

• How to set up a Yahoo Mail account on the Outlook desktop app
• How to create an app password for Outlook

How to set up a Yahoo Mail account on the Outlook desktop app

If you have installed the desktop version of Outlook 2016 on your device, you can quickly set up and manage your Yahoo email account using the following steps:

1. Sign in to your Yahoo Mail account using your web browser.

2. On the top-right, click the menu (gear) button, and select Account Info.

3. Click on Account Security.

4. Turn on the Allow apps that use less secure sign in toggle switch.

   • Important: This option is not available if two-step verification is enabled on your account. If this is your case, you'll need to create an app password before continuing with these steps -- You can do this with the steps mentioned below.
5. Open the Outlook desktop app.
6. Click on File.
7. Click on Info.

8. Click the Add account button.

9. Select the Manual setup or additional server types option.

10. Click Next.

11. Select the POP or IMAP option.

12. Click Next.

13. Add your account and Yahoo mail server information:

    • Your Name: First and last name
    • Email Address: accountname@yahoo.com
    • Account Type: IMAP
    • Incoming mail server: imap.mail.yahoo.com
    • Outgoing mail server (SMTP): smtp.mail.yahoo.com
    • User Name: accountname@yahoo.com
    • Password: Yahoo Mail password (or app password)

14. Click the More settings button.

15. Open the Outgoing Server tab.

16. Check the My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication option.

17. Open the Advanced tab, and use the following settings:

    • Incoming server (IMAP): 993
    • Use the following type of encrypted connection: SSL
    • Outgoing server (SMTP): 465
    • Use the following type of encrypted connection: SSL

18. Click OK.

19. Click Next to complete the configuration process, which may take a little while.

20. Click Close.

21. Click Finish.

Once you've completed the steps, your account should start syncing with Outlook, and you can now start managing your emails as you would normally do on the web.

If you're having issues trying to set up Outlook with your Yahoo account, make sure to recheck your settings as there is a good chance that you mistyped a setting or missed a step.

Alternatively, if you don't like the Yahoo Mail web experience, and you don't have the desktop version of Outlook, you can use the Mail app for Windows 10 to send and receive Yahoo emails using these instructions.

How to create an app password for Outlook

If you're using Yahoo Mail with two-step verification, your password won't work. Instead, you'll need to create an app password to set up your account on Outlook 2016.

1. Sign in to your Yahoo Mail account using your web browser.
2. On the top-right, click the menu (gear) button, and select Account Info.
3. Click on Account Security.

4. Click the Generate app password link.

5. On "App Passwords," use the drop-down menu, and select Outlook Desktop.

6. Click the Generate button.

7. Select and copy the the 16-digit password. (If you're typing the password, do not enter the spaces between each group, just type the password as a whole.)

8. Paste the app password in the Password field on step No. 13 in the instructions mentioned above.

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

Are you still using Yahoo Mail, but you don't like its web experience? In this guide, we detail the steps to manage your Yahoo Mail account using Outlook.com.

Yahoo no longer supports its app on Windows 10, and Yahoo Mail on the web doesn't offer a great experience. So if you're looking for a more robust inbox designed for the modern web, you should switch to the Outlook.com experience instead.

Microsoft's Outlook on the web is a more professional and reliable email service that offers the same features, such as two-factor verification, calendar, contacts, and themes. Also, you get service updates and new features more frequently, access to Office online, OneDrive, Tasks, Skype, and more.

Of course, you can always sign up for a new Outlook.com account and leave Yahoo behind. However, if you've had your Yahoo email address for years and don't want to lose it, you can bring your email, calendars, and contacts to Outlook.com. You can even set your Yahoo address as an alias and use it to sign in to Microsoft services.

In this guide, we walk you through the steps to connect a Yahoo Mail account to Outlook.com. In addition, you'll learn how to import your contacts and calendars, and use your old address as an alias.

• How to connect your Yahoo Mail account to Outlook.com
• How to import your Yahoo Mail contacts to Outlook.com
• How to import your Yahoo Mail calendars to Outlook.com
• How to sign in to Microsoft services using your Yahoo email address

How to connect your Yahoo Mail account to Outlook.com

One of the best features in Outlook.com is the ability to connect multiple accounts (up to five) from other services (Yahoo and Gmail, for example) to a single inbox. Using "connected accounts" not only allows you to send and receive email just like on any other service, but it also imports your old messages.

Preparing your Yahoo account

Before you can connect your Yahoo account to Outlook.com, you must first change your security settings. Otherwise, the connection won't happen between the two services.

1. Sign in to your Yahoo Mail account on the web.

2. In the top-right, click the menu (gear) button, and select Account Info.

3. Click on Account Security.

4. Turn on the Allow apps that use less secure sign in toggle switch.

If two-step verification is enabled on your Yahoo account, you'll need to create an app password.

1. Sign in to your Yahoo Mail account on the web.
2. In the top-right, click the menu (gear) button, and select Account Info.
3. Click on Account Security.

4. Click the Generate app password link.

5. On "App Passwords," use the drop-down menu, and select Outlook Desktop.

6. Click the Generate button.
7. Select and copy the sixteen-digit password. (If you are typing the password manually, do not enter the spaces between each group, just enter the password as a whole.)

Adding your Yahoo account to Outlook.com

Once you've changed the security settings or created the app password, it's time to connect your Yahoo Mail account to Outlook.com.

1. Sign in to your Outlook.com account on the web.

2. In the top-right, click the Settings (gear) menu button, and click Connected accounts.

3. Click the Other email accounts option.

4. On "Connect your email account," type the display name you want the recipient to see when they receive your email.

5. Enter your Yahoo email address and password (or your sixteen-digit Yahoo app password).

   • If you will be using this account exclusively to manage your Yahoo emails, you can also select the Import into existing folders, such as Inbox, Sent Items, and Drafts, and create folders for others option. Otherwise, pick the Create a new folder for imported email, subfolders like in the account you connect option.

6. Click OK.

7. If everything works as expected, you should see a message that your account has been successfully connected, and then you need to click OK.

Sending email using your Yahoo email address by default

After your Yahoo account is connected to Outlook.com, you can send and receive email like you would normally do with any service. However, if you want to send email using your Yahoo address by default, you'll need to change the From address setting.

While in "Connected accounts" on Outlook.com, do the following:

1. Under "From address," click the Change your From address link.

2. Select your Yahoo email address from the drop-down menu.

3. Click Save.

How to import your Yahoo Mail contacts to Outlook.com

"Connected accounts" is just one part of the puzzle. If you want to access your Yahoo contacts from Outlook.com, you'll need to import them manually using the following steps.

1. Sign in to your Yahoo Mail account on the web.
2. Open the Contacts page with the button on the top-left.
3. Click on Actions.

4. Select Export.

5. Select Microsoft Outlook.

6. Click the Export Now button.

7. Sign in to Outlook People using your Outlook.com account.
8. Click on Manage.

9. Select Import contacts.

10. Click the Yahoo Mail option.

11. Click the Browse button.
12. Select the file you downloaded on step No. 6, and click Open.

13. In the top-left, click the Upload button.

How to import your Yahoo Mail calendars to Outlook.com

You also need to import your Yahoo Calendars if you want to access them from Outlook.com using the following steps.

1. Sign in to your Yahoo Mail account on the web.
2. Open the Calendars page with the button on the top-left.

3. Under "My Calendars," click the calendar you want and select Export.

4. Click the Export button to download the .ics file.

5. Sign in to Outlook Calendar using your Outlook.com account.
6. Click on Add calendar.

7. Select From file.

8. Click the Browse button.
9. Select the file you downloaded on step No. 4, and click Open.

10. Click the Save button.

You'll need to repeat the steps mentioned above to import additional calendars to your account.

How to sign in to Microsoft services using your Yahoo email address

Up to this point, you configured Yahoo Mail in Outlook.com to send and receive emails, and to access your contacts and calendars. However, if you also want to use your Yahoo email address to sign in to Microsoft services, such as Outlook.com, OneDrive, Skype, Office, Xbox, Windows 10, and other Microsoft products, you must set your address as an account alias.

To set your Yahoo email address as an alias in Outlook.com, do the following:

1. Sign in to your Microsoft account, and go to account alias.

2. Click the Add email link.

3. Select the Add an existing email address as a Microsoft account alias option.

4. Type your Yahoo email address and click the Add alias button.

5. Click the Verify link.

6. Click the Send email button.
7. Check your original Yahoo Mail inbox and confirm the alias change.

Lastly, if you want your Yahoo address to be displayed on devices you're signed into with a Microsoft account, click the Make primary link next to the new alias, and click Yes to confirm.

Wrapping up

You can always switch services by creating a new account in Outlook.com, but if you want to keep using your Yahoo email address, these instructions will help you to manage your email in a more robust inbox. In addition, you can import your old messages, contacts and calendars to Outlook.com, and set your old account as an alias to sign in to Microsoft services.

The only caveat is that you still need to keep your original Yahoo account active to be able to continue sending and receiving email. Also note that after setting up "connected accounts," Outlook.com will check for new emails every hour or every time you sign in to your account.

More resources

For more realted help articles, read the following resources:

• How to configure a Yahoo email account on the Outlook 2016 desktop app
• How to set up a Yahoo email account in the Mail app on Windows 10

Owners of older Surface PCs may wonder what the new Surface Pen can do for them. Here is what you need to know.

Microsoft's new $99 Surface Pen is a steep upgrade from the previous iteration that costs $59 (and which is still available). There are quite a few enhancements that may justify the cost for new Surface Pro owners. But for older Surface devices, the value is not too clear.

Here is what owners of previous Surface devices should expect with the all-new Surface Pen.

What's new?

The new Surface Pen brings significant changes. Here are the key features being advertised or that we noticed.

1. Pressure levels

The new Pen has 4,096 pressure levels, up from 1,024 levels of the previous Pen. The new Surface Pen is simply more sensitive than the last one. While there can be a debate about how significant this advance is, artists and professional inkers prefer more sensitive pens. Higher levels of pressure allow for greater shading or increased detail when drawing. In fact, Wacom's new Intuos Pro Paper Edition tablet features 8,192 levels of pressure – but that device is not a PC, and there is such thing as diminishing returns. For note takers, higher pressure levels make the stylus feel more natural.

2. Decreased latency

Latency is the time between when the pen tip hits the display, and digital ink begins to flow. If you draw or write quickly, you will see a visible gap between the pen tip and the digital ink, almost like the ink is trying to catch up to the pen. Real pens have zero latency, which is why they feel natural. The entire digital inking market has been trying to reduce latency to simulate real pens accurately. The new Surface Pen drops latency down to just 21 milliseconds from the previous 40 milliseconds. That is a significant decrease when you consider the display refresh, OS, and apps by default cause 16 milliseconds of latency.

3. Tilt support

If you took a real pencil and turned the tip on its side you could use it to "shade." That fanning of the graphite creates a different experience than just writing with the tip. Digital pens should do this. too, but simulating it on a PC is not easy – after all, it's just plastic on glass and the computer does not "know" the difference. The new Surface Pen supports this feature, as well, thanks to advanced hardware.

4. Lower initial activation force

Initial activation force (IAF) refers to the amount of pressure needed for a pen to trigger an inking event on the PC – the lower, the better. A similar real-world analogy is how a Sharpie marker can lightly brush against an object and leave a mark versus a pencil. With the new Surface Pen, the IAF is down to around nine grams, making it more sensitive than the last version.

Besides the big technical changes with the new Surface Pen, there are subtle physical changes as well. There is no longer a shirt clip, for example, which some people won't like. The single button is also now visually and physically distinct from the magnetic strip. The LED pairing light is also now green instead of white, so there's that (detalil is detail!).

Otherwise, the new and old Surface Pens look similar, weigh the same, and take the same single AAAA battery, that should last the same amount of time.

What can the new Surface Pen do on older Surface PCs?

Unfortunately, not all legacy Surfaces get all of these improvements. Here is what Microsoft told me when I asked about the new Pen and older Surfaces:

• Devices that (eventually will) support new Surface Pen enhancements: Surface 3, Surface Pro 3, Surface Pro 4, Surface Book and Surface Studio.
• Pressure levels: All the devices mentioned above will see improvements "up to" 4,096 levels.
• IAF: All devices mentioned above will see "fine-tuning" of IAF.
• Improved latency: All devices mentioned above will see improved latency.

While these advances are coming, they are not here today – at least not completely. In my usage of the new Surface Pen on the Surface Studio and Surface Pro 4, I noticed an overall increased sensitivity and reduced IAF – there is just less effort needed to use the Surface Pen. That experience is like the new Wacom Bamboo Ink pen, which is a cheaper alternative to the Surface Pen.

However, I did not see any appreciable improvement in latency on the Surface Studio. That is very likely because the Surface Studio – like other Surface devices – still needs a firmware update to optimize the drivers.

Seeing as Surface Studio and the new Surface Pro share the same upgraded Pixelsense accelerator chip, I expect parity between those two devices at some point for all of these features.

Tilt support and shading is a different story. I'm told only Surface Studio and Surface Book will get tilt support with the new Surface Pen "later this year" through a software update. So presumably there is something different between the displays on the Surface Book and Surface Studio compared to Surface 3, Surface Pro 3, and Surface Pro 4. Tilt support is already enabled on the new Surface Pro.

Why all the confusion?

Microsoft has at times been vague about the details of the new Surface Pen, and the feature set is apparently spread out across devices. My educated hunch is that Microsoft is going to push a driver update for the new Surface Pen in the next few months, but because it is still being worked on the company does not want to commit to specifics. They know this new Pen can do more, but just how much more on older hardware is currently fuzzy.

"Improved latency" is great, but the new Surface Pro and Surface Studio have a new Pixelsense accelerator that lets them achieve 21-millisecond latency. Improved latency on older hardware likely means between 40 milliseconds for Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book and 21 milliseconds.

The same rationale applies for IAF, which will be "fine-tuned," and the levels of pressure, which may increase "up to" 4,096. These are improvements, but it remains to be seen just how much so. So you shouldn't think the new Surface Pen is as good on older Surfaces as the new Surface Pro 2017.

Bottom line: Wait ... for now

If you are on an older Surface, getting the new Surface Pen is a mixed bag for now, and it's best to wait. (The Surface Pro 1 and Pro 2 used completely different pen tech, so they won't see any such improvements.)

The best days of the new Surface Pen are still ahead. When Microsoft releases its new Pen driver and firmware, you will see even more improvements enabled on older Surface hardware. That does not mean the $99 is still worth it, but that is a personal decision you will need to make.

See at Microsoft Store

Not sure of the difference between a workbook and a worksheet? How do you know if a cell is active or not? You're not alone. Knowing the terms used in Excel is knowing the possibilities in Excel.

The rewards for mastering Microsoft Excel are numerous, though the first steps may be intimidating. Some may get lost in the spreadsheet jargon and may end up more confused that when they first started. Let's take a look at some of the most common terminology you'll come across as an Excel user.

Microsoft Excel terminology

• Workbook — The workbook refers to an Excel spreadsheet file. The workbook houses all of the data that you have entered and allows you to sort or calculate the results. A workbook that is available to be viewed and edited by multiple users on a network is known as a Shared Workbook.
• Worksheet — Within the workbook is where you'll find documents called worksheets. Also known as spreadsheets, you can have multiple worksheets nestled in a workbook. Tabs at the bottom of the of the screen will indicate which of your worksheets you are currently working on. This is also known as an active worksheet or active sheet.
• Cell — A cell is a rectangle or block housed in a worksheet. Any data that you want to enter into your worksheet must be placed in a cell. Cells can be color coded, display text, numbers and the results of calculations, based on what you want to accomplish. An Active Cell is one that is currently opened for editing.
• Columns and Rows — Columns and Rows refer to how your cells are aligned. Columns are aligned vertically while rows are aligned horizontally.
• Column and Row headings — These headings are the lettered and numbered gray areas found just outside of columns and rows. Clicking on a heading will select the entire row or column. You can also alter the row height or column width using the headings.
• Workspace — Much like worksheets in a workbook, a workspace allows you to open numerous files simultaneously.
• Ribbon — Above the workbook is a section of command tabs called the Ribbon. A multitude of options are found behind each tab of the ribbon
• Cell Reference — A cell reference is a set of coordinates that identifies a specific cell. It's a combination of letters and numbers. A5, for example, would point to the cell located where column A and row 5 intersect.
• Cell Range — A Cell range is a collection of cells that have been identified as a group based on a variety of criteria. By using a colon (:) between cell references, Excel can determine the range, also known as an array. A range in a row, for example, could look like A1:C1, telling the formula to look at the cells in a row between A1 and C1, while B4:D9 would tell the formula to look at all cells in a box bounded by columns B and D and rows 4 and 9. A 3-D reference refers to a range that encompasses more than one worksheet in the same workbook.
• Merged Cell — When two or more cells are combined, it's become what is known as a merged cell.
• Template — A template is a formatted workbook or worksheet designed to help users fulfill a specific need in Excel. Examples of this include stock analysis, process map, and calendar.
• Operator — Operators are symbols or signs that indicate which calculation must be made in an expression. Operators do not necessarily refer to simple mathematical types; comparison, text concatenation or reference operators also exist.
• Formula — A sequence inside a cell that is used to produce a value. It must begin with an equal (=) sign. This could be a mathematical equation, cell references, functions or operator. A formula is also known as an expression.
• Formula Bar — Nestled between the ribbon and workbook, the Formula Bar will display the contents of an active cell. In the case of formulas, the formula bar will display all components of the formula.
• Function — Functions are formulas that are pre-built into Excel. They are designed to help simplify potentially complex formulas in a worksheet.
• Error Code — Error Codes appear if Excel finds a problem with a provided formula.
• Cell Formatting — This is the act of changing the in which cell data is displayed in the spreadsheet. When you format cells, only the visual appearance of the cells is changed; the value within the cells remain constant.
• Conditional Formatting — Formatting is applied only when the cell meets determined criteria such as duplicate values or values above or below a threshold.
• Filter — Filters are rules that you can employ to decide which rows in a worksheet to display. These filters can use data such as conditions or values.
• Freeze Panes — Freezing Panes allows you to select specific columns and/or rows to remain visible on the worksheet, even if you are scrolling, such as header cells that label a column.
• AutoFill — This enables you to effortless copy data to more than one cell.
• AutoSum — This feature will add up the numbers you have entered in your sheet and displays the total in a cell of your choosing.
• AutoFormat — This is an automated format application to cells that match pre-determined criteria. This could be as simple as font alignment and size.
• Data Validation — This feature helps to prevent incorrect data from being entered into your worksheet. This most commonly used to create drop-down lists for common terms. Data validation promotes consistency and accuracy in the data to be entered.
• Pivot Table — This is a data summarization tool most commonly used to sort, average to sum up data automatically. The information is pulled from one table while the results are displayed in another. Pivot Tables makes it easy to retrieve specific information from a large source of data.
• Pivot Chart — This type of chart provides a visual aid for pivot tables. By providing graphical representations of the pivot table data, the user can provide a level of interactivity with the data.
• Pivot Area — The pivot area is a point on the worksheet where you would drag a Pivot Table field in order to reorganize how a report is displayed.
• Source Data — This is the information used to create your pivot table. It can either exist within the worksheet or from and an external database.
• Values Area — In a pivot table, Value areas are identified as the cells that contain the summary information.
• Item — These are sub-categories of fields in your pivot table. If you have a field that is marked State, the items could be Alabama, Alaska and so on.

Wrapping up

While they are so many other Microsoft Excel terms to cover, the above list will get you on the right track to becoming a table titan. Which terms did you stumble over when you first started using Excel? Are there any other terms that you would suggest for this list? Let us know!

• Microsoft Office 101: Help, how-tos and tutorials

Here are the best tips every Windows user should know to protect their computers and data against malware attacks.

The internet has already become part of our daily lives — be it searching, shopping, connecting with family and friends, and so much more. Our computers contain valuable personal information than ever, and more and more they're the targets of malicious actors. If you don't take steps to protect your computer and data, you're leaving the door wide-open to malware and hackers that will steal your data and take over your computer.

While viruses remain one of the most common forms of malware threats, ransomware attacks have spiked in recent years. This kind of malware locks your computer by encrypting all of your files and demanding that you pay a ransom, typically in Bitcoin, to unlock it all. The WannaCry attack is a perfect example of ransomware — it wreaked havoc hundreds of thousands of Windows computers around the world in a matter of days.

In this guide, we'll walk you through seven tips you can use to keep your computer and data protected against malware, including viruses, ransomware, worms, Trojans, spyware, adware, and other malicious programs.

1. Backup, backup, backup

One of the best ways to protect your computer and data from malware attacks is to make regular backups. You should always create at least two backups: one to keep offline and another to keep in the cloud.

Have an offline backup

Your recovery plan must include a full backup of your system and data to keep offline using an external hard drive or in a local network location (e.g. Network-attached Storage (NAS)). This is the kind of backup that will ensure you can recover from any malware, hardware failure, errors, and natural accidents.

Remember that there is no such as thing as enough backup. If you can make a backup of the backup that you can store offsite, do it.

After creating a backup, always disconnect the external drive and store it in a safe location, or disconnect the network location where you store the backup because if the drive stays online and accessible from your computer, a malware can still infect those files.

While you can always use third-party tools, on Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 7, you can create a full backup using the System Image Backup tool to make a copy of your entire machine, including files, settings, apps, and OS installation.

File History is a good example of a tool to create a backup of your files. You can use this feature on Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 7. However, it appears that this feature may disappear for Windows 10 users starting with the Fall Creators Update.

Alternatively, if you don't have a lot of files, you could just make regular copies of your documents on a USB flash drive.

If you're a home user and files don't change very often, you should at least be making a backup once a week. On the other hand, if you're dealing with business files, you should be making backups at least once or twice a day.

Online backup

There are many ways to make backups online. OneDrive is a common example of online backup, but this solution should only be considered to protect your data against hardware failure, theft, or natural accidents. If your device gets infected with a ransomware or another type of malware, OneDrive is likely to sync the changes making those files stored in the cloud unusable.

A better solution includes subscribing to a third-party online backup service, such as CrashPlan or IDrive that allow you to schedule or trigger backups on demand to prevent syncing infected or encrypted files.

The only caveat is that most cloud storage services don't offer bare-metal recovery. If that's something you need, you could create a full backup like you would normally do and then upload the package to a paid cloud storage service, such as Amazon Drive, Google Drive, etc.

2. Update Windows and software

It's crucial to always install the latest updates for Windows and other software.

Companies like Microsoft and others are regularly releasing updates to patch potential vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers.

In the case of the WannaCry attack, many computer systems could have been saved from the malware, if companies cared enough to install the patch issued by Microsoft months before the attack.

Starting with Windows 10, updates download and install automatically, because now they're mandatory. However, you can always make sure your system is up to date on Settings> Update & security> Windows Update, and clicking the Check for updates button.

On devices with Windows 8.1 or Windows 7, Windows Update could be disabled or not working, you can check on Control Panel> System and Security> Windows Update, turn on the feature and check for updates as necessary.

In addition to keep Windows up to date, you also need to make sure to periodically install software updates. If you're running Windows 10, apps your install from the Windows Store will automatically update. However, traditional desktop application may have different update mechanisms, as such make sure to check your software vendor support website for the steps to keep your software up to date.

3. Upgrade to Windows 10

It's just simple math: older versions of Windows are more vulnerable than newer versions. New releases of Windows always include security improvements, and over time removes or updates features that may have become vulnerable.

If you're running Windows 8.1 or Windows 7, you should consider upgrading to Windows 10, as it's not only more secure, but you can also take advantage of a lot of new features and more frequent updates with new improvements. (Are you still running Windows Vista? No problem, we got you covered with the upgrade instructions in this guide.)

4. Use a firewall

A firewall is a software- or hardware-based application that helps to block malicious attacks from hackers, worms, ransomware, viruses, and other types of malware trying to access your computer from the internet to steal your information.

You can always install and configure third-party security tools, but Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 7 include a very efficient firewall out-of-the-box.

Windows Firewall is usually enabled by default, but it's important to make sure it's working correctly on Control Panel> System and Security> Windows Firewall. Then click on the Turn Windows Firewall on or off link on the left pane, and make sure to select Turn on Windows Firewall for both private and public networks.

If you have a third-party solution, make sure to check your software vendor support website to learn the steps to manage their firewall.

5. Install an antivirus solution

Nowadays, it's essential to have an antivirus installed on your computer to detect and remove malware before they can compromise your data, slow down or crash your device.

However, it's not just about installing the security software and forgetting about it. You must also keep it up to date to stay protected from the latest viruses, worms, ransomware, and other threats.

Windows 10 users by default are protected with the Windows Defender Antivirus, which not only offers great real-time protection against viruses, spyware, worms, Trojans, and rootkits, but it's also capable of detecting and removing ransomware like WannaCry. (It should be noted that Windows 8.1 can also take advantage of Windows Defender Antivirus for free, and Windows 7 users can install Security Essentials.)

If you want even more protection, it's also possible to change the Windows Defender Antivirus cloud-protection level on Windows 10.

Of course, you can opt to use any antivirus you like -- just make sure it comes from a trusted name. If you don't know which one to get, check our list of recommended antivirus for Windows.

In the case, you're looking to get some extra protection against ransomware; you can also try security software specialized on this kind of malware, such as RansomFree.

RansomFree is a relatively new security software from Cybereason that doesn't use traditional definition updates. Instead, it uses behavioral system analysis to prevent ransomware from taking over your computer.

Once installed, the software will stop any suspicious activity. Then you'll be prompted to allow or deny the activity. If you deny the activity, then RansomFree will send it to quarantine.

You can learn more and download a free copy at Cybereason.

6. Stay one step ahead

The best security software is yourself. Usually, a computer gets infected with malware because someone clicked a specially crafted email attachment, web pop-up, or installed an application from an untrusted source.

When checking emails, only open those emails from senders you know, or from senders you're able to identify, and then delete anything that looks suspicious. Typically, you can quickly spot spam emails because they have a lot of grammar errors and typos.

Other times a malware can hide on pop-ups when you visit a website. If the pop-up doesn't look legit, do not click the image or links, just close the window. If it's impossible to close the window, simply reboot your computer.

Use only modern web browsers, such as Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, and Mozilla Firefox. These applications have been evolving a lot in the past years, and they have good security built-in, and they're capable of warning you of potential unsafe websites.

Avoid downloading and installing apps from unknown sources, always try to download the bits from the original source. If you're running Windows 10, whenever possible only download apps from the Windows Store, which have been verified by Microsoft for security.

7. What to do if your computer gets infected

Here are a few things you can do to recover your system from a malware infection.

In the case, your computer gets infected with a virus, worm, ransomware, or another type of malware, the first thing you want to do is to physically disconnect the device from the network and turn off the PC's Wi-Fi to prevent the malware from spreading (or, if you can't do that, kill either remove it from the range of your Wi-Fi or turn off the router until you've killed the infection).

If you're able to control your computer, use the Windows Defender Antivirus offline scan option. Alternatively, you can create a bootable media with Windows Defender Antivirus to perform an offline scan.

In the case, you're using a different antivirus, check your software support website for instructions to perform an offline scan.

If you're unable to remove the malware, it's time to restore your system from backup. If you only have a backup of your data, you can perform a clean install of Windows 10, and then restore your files from backup. Additionally, you'll need to reconfigure your user experience and reinstall previously installed applications.

In the case, you're not up to the challenge, or you don't have a backup of any kind, you'll be better off contacting a computer professional for help. Of course, if you have any questions, you can always seek for help in the Windows Central forums.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful 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

Is Thunderbolt 3 the same as USB-C?

With more and more manufacturers opting to include USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports on their laptops and other devices, many people are wondering exactly how these ports differ and what the terms actually mean. To help explain how the two technologies work, let's take a quick look at the history of each, and how they apply to our devices today.

What are the different types of USB?

The numbered designations of USB cables are revisions that have been made over the years. USB 1.1 was the first commercially available, USB 2.0 came a couple of years later, and we've since moved into USB 3.0, USB 3.1 Generation 1, and USB 3.1 Generation 2. Both generations of USB 3.1 might be called SuperSpeed, but their speeds are 5Gbps and 10Gbps respectively.

Each revisions upped the speed of data transfer, as well as the amount of power that could be delivered. With these revisions have also come some different shapes of connector and port. New revisions have remained backward compatible with older technology, albeit with the use of adapters, hubs, and dongles.

USB-A

USB-A on top, USB-C below.

USB-A, also known as USB Standard-A or USB Type-A, is a rectangular connector and has been around from the start as USB moved through the numbered specifications. USB-A ports are found on countless devices, including many desktop PCs and laptops. Your keyboard and mouse probably use USB-A to connect.

USB-B

USB Micro-B with SuperSpeed.

USB-B, also known as USB Standard-B and USB Type-B, is a more squared connector with beveled edges at the top, and it is compatible with USB 1.1, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and USB 3.1. While nearly every computer over the past decade has been equipped with USB-A ports, practically everything that you would plug the other end of that USB cable into sported one of the various types of USB-B ports. The vast majority of printers and scanners even today are equipped with the original style of USB-B, which is nearly square. Most non-iPhone smartphones up until the past two years were equipped with USB Micro-B (more commonly known as Micro-USB), while a smattering of devices are equipped with USB Mini-B ports (like all but the most recent GoPro cameras).

USB-C

USB-C, also known as USB Type-C, signifies the shape of the connector and port that is the latest evolution in the line of USB-A and USB-B. USB-C uses a small, rectangular connector with rounded edges that can be inserted into a port facing up or facing down.

USB-C connector.

As for the specification, USB-C is most commonly USB 3.1, which is capable of delivering up to 10Gbps transfer speeds. It can also deliver up to 100 watts of power — enough to rapidly charge even a high-power laptop. Do you have a phone that uses a USB-C port? What about a laptop? The Lumia 950 and ASUS ZenBook 3 are both examples of devices that use USB-C to both charge and transfer data.

What is Thunderbolt?

Thunderbolt, like USB, has gone through a few revisions before arriving at the latest, Thunderbolt 3. The original Thunderbolt had a top speed of 10Gbps, Thunderbolt 2 had a top speed of 20Gbps, and Thunderbolt 3 now has a top speed of 40Gbps. While the first two Thunderbolt revisions used a Mini DisplayPort connector and port, Thunderbolt 3 has teamed up with USB-C.

Think of Thunderbolt 3 as borrowing someone else's car — in this case, a USB-C car — and being able to drive it very quickly. When that speedster isn't driving the car, speeds return to normal.

The lightning bolt next to the USB-C port signifies that it is Thunderbolt 3 capable.

Thunderbolt 3 cables can work as regular USB-C cables, and vice versa. However, the port on your device must have a Thunderbolt 3 chip in order to take advantage of the extra speeds. For example, plugging a USB-C cable into a regular USB-C port and expecting Thunderbolt 3 features will leave you sad.

Why do we want Thunderbolt 3? Well, it's four times faster than the top 10Gbps speed of USB 3.1, plus you can have up to eight lanes of DisplayPort 1.2 data going back and forth, as well as four lanes of PCIe Generation 3 going back and forth.

Have you seen those external GPUs some new laptops use? They're most likely connecting through a USB-C port that is Thunderbolt 3 enabled, taking advantage of the PCIe lanes. Have you seen multiple external monitors connected to the same laptop with a single cable? They could be using the DisplayPort lanes granted with Thunderbolt 3.

TL;DR

USB-C is a relatively new USB connector that can deliver up to a 10Gbps transfer speed and up to 100 watts of power. It's also fully reversible — nor more worrying about plugging it in the right way.

Thunderbolt 3 is a completely different technology that uses USB-C connectors and ports. With Thunderbolt 3, you can expect speeds up to 40Gbps, as well as multiple PCIe and DisplayPort lanes for connecting things like external GPUs and multiple, high-res external monitors through a single cable.

Have more questions? Be sure to drop them in the comments section.

Here are some tips to help you get the most from your Xbox-One-to-PC streaming experience.

Being able to stream Xbox One games to any Windows 10 PC is a neat thing, especially if your console isn't always accessible (hello, family watching TV!). You can use this fine feature to play Xbox games somewhere else in the home. Here are some of the things you need and some tips to get the best experience.

How to stream your Xbox One games to your Windows 10 PC

If you've never done it before, or you need a little refresher, check out the video above. It walks you through the process step by step. If you'd prefer a written guide, hit the link below.

How to stream Xbox One games to a Windows 10 PC

Controllers

It goes without saying but without a controller, you won't get very far. Xbox One doesn't support keyboard and mouse input (yet), so you'll need to connect a controller to your PC to play games. If there's no controller connected to your PC when you start streaming it will remind you.

Whichever controller you're using, the simple way to use it is to hook it up to your PC with a micro-USB cable. If you have the newer style controller that launched with the Xbox One S you can play wirelessly with Bluetooth. But if you want the best, most reliable connection you should use a cable. Bluetooth can be flaky at the best of times and you don't want a dodgy connection at that critical moment.

If you have an original Xbox One controller or an Elite controller, you'll need the Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows 10, which costs an additional $20.

Networking

When it comes to networking, wired is best. That's a fact, and a wired network will give you the best experience streaming your games to your PC. The speed of your internet connection is irrelevant for game streaming, and it's all about the strength of your local network.

Inside the Xbox app on Windows 10, you'll be able to adjust the quality of the stream to suit the strength of your network. If you want to get maximum quality, you really want to be thinking about a wired connection.

It doesn't have to be complicated. If you're using a managed network switch like the Netgear Nighthawk S8000, you have the ability to control which devices get priority bandwidth, meaning you can make your Xbox-to-PC connection as strong as possible. Honestly, just running a cable from the back of your router will be noticeably better than relying on Wi-Fi.

If you're not using a properly wired connection because it's just not practical, there are ways to maximize your network capabilities to get the best streaming experience. Powerline adapters are one alternative that can provide a more consistent network connection using the copper wiring in your home. They just plug into any wall outlet, and then you pop an Ethernet cable into the bottom and you've got an impromptu wired network.

You won't get the bandwidth you do from using direct Ethernet from a router or a switch, but in many cases, it will certainly outperform your Wi-Fi. These are particularly good if the PC you're streaming to is on the very outer reaches of your wireless network.

If you'd rather strengthen your wireless connection, there are other options. If you're only interested in a better game streaming experience, try and get hold of a decent repeater. They will give you a better wireless connection further away from your router, and they're available at all price points.

If you're also looking to get the best network for the sake of having the best network you can, a mesh Wi-Fi system might suit you better. Netgear, Linksys and many others make great mesh systems that could make a big difference to your overall home network.

The best mesh Wi-Fi systems

Your tips

Those are some of our suggestions to help you get a better Xbox One game streaming experience. If you have a hot tip we didn't talk about, or a specific product recommendation, jump into the comments and let us know!

Here's a closer look at all the new features and improvements included in Windows 10 build 16226 for PC.

Microsoft is now rolling out Windows 10 build 16226 to testers with PCs configured in the Insider Fast ring. This is another significant update that delivers a new set of features and improvements that users will get as part of the Fall Creators Update, which is expected to release later this year.

Windows 10 build 16226 is a big rollout that brings more Microsoft Fluent Design System tweaks, and there are new updates for emoji, OneDrive Files On-Demand, Touch Keyboard and the handwriting experience. The Settings app adds new options and a few new changes, Task Manager now tracks GPU performance, and Microsoft Edge gets a lot of new improvements.

In this Windows 10 guide, we take a closer look at the new features and enhancements included in the latest test preview.

Windows 10 build 16226

Start menu

The Start menu on build 16226 remains pretty much the same as in previous test releases, the only difference is that the acrylic element, part of Fluent Design, is now more transparent.

Action Center

Similar to the Start menu, Action Center has been updated to be more transparent, and the experience now uses the new "conscientious" XAML scrollbar.

Taskbar and Task Manager

Visually, the Taskbar doesn't introduce anything new, but when you right-click the network icon in the notification area and select Open Network and Sharing Center, the Network & Internet settings page will open instead of Control Panel.

If you connect a pair of headphones, it's now easier to enable Windows Sonic sound. Once your headphones are connected, right-click the sound icon in the notification area, and select Windows Sonic for Headphones or Dolby Atmos for Headphones. Additionally, you can even set up sound for your home theater using this menu.

My People isn't getting new features, but you'll find new text in the overflow area in the flyout to make it clearer that contacts listed there are pinned. The Switch apps button in the flyout now uses a new hamburger button. And you can quickly enable or disable My People by right-clicking the Taskbar and selecting the Show People button.

Also, the Task Manager can now track GPU performance over time in the Performance tab, and in the Process tab, there is a new GPU Engine column.

File Explorer

Starting with Windows 10 build 16226, the File Explorer context menu has been improved to let you share files quickly. You just right-click an item in File Explorer or the desktop and click Share to open the new Windows Share experience.

To prevent confusion, Windows 10 now renames Share with sd Give access to in the right-click context menu.

OneDrive Files On-Demand

When using OneDrive or another cloud service, and an application tries to download a file store in the cloud, you'll now see a notification with information about the file with a progress bar, and an option to cancel the download, dismiss the message or block the app.

Image source: Microsoft

Shell

Alongside with the improvements in the Start menu, Action Center, My People, and File Explorer context menu, this new update enables by default the Reveal Highlight. This is a new visual effect, part of Fluent Design, that helps guide users. You'll see this new behavior whenever you come across a ListView and other XAML collection controls, such as in Microsoft Edge and the Settings app.

Input

Emoji 5.0

In this flight, Windows 10 features an updated version of emoji that adds support for the latest Unicode updates, including new snacks, actions, dinosaurs, and even fantasy characters. It's also possible to access the profession emoji and gender-diverse options.

Users with hardware keyboards can now search and find emoji more easily with a new update in the Emoji Panel. When you want to enter a new emoji, you can use the Windows key + period (.) or semicolon (;) keyboard shortcuts and keep typing to trigger a search. However, you must press enter or click the emoji. Otherwise, the word will stay.

The experience has also been tweaked to support a dark background when you enable the dark theme on your system.

Touch Keyboard

Starting with this flight, shape writing and text predictions are available in 30 different languages. In addition, the Touch Keyboard for East Asian languages is available in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese and Korean.

Japanese users now can get their hands on the new one-handed, curve-flick touch keyboard to quickly input text in Japanese Kana. While this is new for Windows 10, it's the same experience found in Windows 10 Mobile.

Image source: Microsoft.

When copying text to the clipboard, you'll now see a clipboard icon in the touch keyboard candidate pane. Tapping the icon will paste the clipboard content into the text field.

Image source: Microsoft

Additionally, you can now use the Shift key to switch between capitalization states. There is a new language key in the one-handed keyboard to make it easier to switch between languages. And the settings flyout has been updated to have better access to Language Settings, Keyboard Settings, or help.

Handwriting and pen

The handwriting experience is also receiving some improvements, including the ability to erase words in the handwriting panel using the back of your pen. And the processed text in the handwriting panel now uses Windows 10's Segoe UI font.

You can already scroll using the pen on Windows Store apps, but starting with build 16226, you can now scroll traditional (Win32) apps too.

Settings

Windows 10 build 16226 also delivers many changes to the Settings app, including a touch of Fluent Design, tweaks, and new options.

Storage Sense

In Settings> System> Storage, the Storage Sense page has been updated. When you click the Change how we free up space link, you now get check marks to select the temporary files you want to delete instead of toggle switches.

The new page also includes an option to remove a previous version of Windows 10 after an upgrade. (You'll only see this option when an older version is available for deletion.)

Remote Desktop

On Settings> System, the Remote Desktop page was originally included in build 16215, but now it appears above the About page.

Inside the page, you can quickly enable Remote Desktop and select the users that can connect remotely. In the advanced page, you'll find additional settings, such as to configure network level authentication, and you can see the current remote desktop network port.

Xbox Networking

In Settings> Gaming, the Xbox Networking is a new page introduced with build 16226 to give users additional tools to troubleshoot and fix issues that prevent using voice chat and playing multiplayer games on Xbox Live.

The page shows the network connection status as well as the status of Xbox Live services. Under "Performance," you can see network latency and packet loss. Then under "Xbox Live multiplayer" you can check NAT type and server connectivity.

If something isn't working correctly, you can always click the Fix it button, and then the Check again to test the fix.

Magnifier

In Settings> Ease of Access, the Magnifier page includes a new Enable bitmap smoothing option to make text appear smoother when using the Magnifier.

App-requested downloads

In Settings> Privacy, the App-requested downloads is a new page that allows you to unblock apps from downloading files from the cloud, when an app tries to download a file from OneDrive, for example.

Backup

In Settings> Update & Security> Backup, once again you're allowed to configure File History to back up your files to an external drive or network location.

Windows Update

In Settings> Update & Security> Windows Update, when updates fail to install, you'll now see a description with an error code that is easier to understand. You can even select and copy the text to research a fix.

Microsoft Edge

This release also delivers a new update for Microsoft Edge that bumps the version number to 41.16226 and adds a number of new improvements.

If you've been using Microsoft Edge for some time, you'll quickly notice that the tab bar incorporates a darker shade of gray with gradient, which is similar to older versions of Google Chrome (without Material Design).

When you open the tab preview bar, you'll find that your current tab now stands out from the rest with a subtle highlight, but you can still view the other tabs.

Microsoft Edge also introduces some subtle Fluent Design touches when hovering over list elements and clicking buttons.

In this new version of the browser, the close button will be available for tabs, windows, and other features even while a JavaScript dialog is open.

If you're making Microsoft Edge your primary browser and ditching Google Chrome, now your Cookies and settings will migrate too.

Starting with build 16226, you can select text, and the context menu will include two additional options to Copy or Ask Cortana.

While working with an EPUB file, it's now possible to add notes and draw with the pen. Simply hover over the note button and start writing.

Image source: Microsoft

Books that you buy from the Windows Store will sync across devices with your reading progress, bookmarks, and notes.

There is also a new Favorites experience that lets you view your bookmarks as a directory tree when you save new links, and collapse or expand folders from within the experience.

Additionally, you can now edit your bookmarks links from the Favorites bar. Just right-click, and select Edit URL.

Other changes

The Calculator app has been updated, and now includes a currency converter function, and there is an offline mode, so the calculator doesn't use data while you're on the road to make a conversion.

Narrator now uses artificial intelligence to create descriptions that don't include alternative text, and it can also extract text within images.

Microsoft's Hyper-V introduces a new feature to quickly share a virtual machine. When you click the new zip button in a Virtual Machine Connection, Hyper-V will compress the virtual machine into a .vmcz file, which you can take to another computer and simply double-click to import.

Image source: Microsoft

Finally, this release also brings new improvements to the Japanese Input Method Editor (IME), which includes new enhanced learning for predictive input changes, search from Japanese IME Candidate List, and English predictive candidates with spelling correction.

Wrapping up

Windows 10 build 16226 is now available for testing, and it's a monster update that includes welcome additions and changes, which users will get with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update later this year.

Overall it's a good release, but it's still a prerelease version of Windows 10, and you should not run these builds on your primary machine. At this point, the OS is buggy, and it has several known issues, which may cause unwanted problems.

If you're planning to use the latest preview build of Windows 10, we recommend using a virtual machine or a spare PC.

What do you think about the new changes included in this build? Tell us in the comments.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful 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

You can make your computer visible or invisible on a local network, and in this guide, we'll show you how to do it on Windows 10.

Windows 10 allows you to configure different network profiles depending on the type of network you connect to keep your device a little more secure. When you're connected to a less secure network like at a coffee shop or airport, you can set the connection as "public" to hide your computer on the local network while also disabling printer and file sharing.

If you're accessing a network you trust, such as at home or work, you can then set your Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection as "private," which makes your computer discoverable, and you're also able to share files and printers with other devices.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to make your device discoverable or hidden no matter in which type of network you're connected.

How to turn network discovery on or off on Windows 10

Usually, when you connect to a new network for the first time, Windows 10 will prompt you to set a network profile. However, if you haven't received the prompt, or you simply want to change your selection, you can use the Settings app to set a connection as Private or Public using these steps.

Ethernet connection discovery settings

In the case, you're connecting to a local network using an Ethernet adapter, follow these steps to configure network discovery:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Network & Internet.
3. Click on Ethernet.

4. On the right side, click on the adapter you want to configure.

5. Turn on or off the Make this PC discoverable toggle switch. (When the option is turned off, it means that your PC isn't discoverable.)

Wi-Fi connection discovery settings

If you're using a wireless adapter to connect to a local Wi-Fi network, use these steps to configure network discovery:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Network & internet.
3. Click on Wi-Fi.

4. On the right side, click on the adapter you want to configure.

5. Turn on or off the Make this PC discoverable toggle switch. (When the option is turned off, it means that your PC isn't discoverable.)

Once you completed the steps, Windows 10 will remember your selection, and your device will be visible or hidden every time you connect to the same network. However, note that disabling network discovery will prevent you from browsing other devices on the network.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful 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

What are the advantages of using an online backup service?

It cannot be stressed enough: data backups are important. So much of our vital information now exists in ones and zeroes, and not performing a regular backup is as good as throwing your photos, text documents, receipts, and more straight into the trash. While many people perform in-house backups using hard drives, fast internet and high bandwidth have allowed online backup services to rise. Should you use one? Let's find out.

1) Natural disasters shouldn't be a problem

Imagine you keep regular backups of your data on external hard drives. Excellent! You've even gone so far as to store them in a safe to avoid theft. Now, imagine there's some sort of natural disaster, whether a fire, flood, or tornado, that wreaks havoc in your area. Despite your backup drives being tucked away, Mother Nature is ruthless, and now your drive and computer are drowned, melted, or flown halfway across the country.

If only you'd created an online backup, your data would be sitting safely somewhere in a cool, loud server warehouse, ready to be downloaded onto a new PC. Hopefully, nothing ever does happen to you and your stuff, but having that extra backup in case it does is invaluable.

2) Hard drives can fail

Is there a whirring or even a clunking noise coming from your old hard-disk drive (HDD)? That's probably not a good sign. All those fast-moving parts inside will eventually wear out, and, if you don't have a backup in place, you'll lose your important data.

Solid-state drives (SSD) — the kind without a bunch of moving parts inside — are much, much more reliable than their hard-disk counterparts, but they can still fail. The risk of failure is heightened if you don't spend top dollar on an SSD, which can already be quite expensive before you get into large storage sizes.

For example, this reliable, top-of-line Samsung T3 external SSD with 2TB of storage starts at about $750. That's a lot of dough, especially when you can get a 2TB external HDD drive from Seagate for about $80.

Solution? Check out an online backup service and let them worry about the moving parts. Subscriptions to CrashPlan, our top choice, start at about $60 a year.

3) Your physical backup drive can be stolen

When we talk about B and E, we're not talking about breakfast (groan). Having your backup drive — and your PC — stolen would be heartbreaking. Not only would you have to go about recreating all those important files, you'd also be stuck setting up a new PC in a way that you love.

With an online backup service, your data is stored off-site and is strongly encrypted with a key that only you have. If your home gets broken into, you might still lose the PC, but you'll be able to set a new one up exactly the same in a matter of minutes with the online backup data.

4) You can choose a backup plan with unlimited storage

I have fond memories of when a 6GB hard drive was ENORMOUS and was seemingly big enough to hold all of my data forever. A 2TB hard drive is now quite common if you need a backup, and no doubt that will soon seem small as well.

Many online backup services are offering unlimited storage plans. That means you don't have to worry about which files need deleting to make room for other, more important files. This is invaluable if you're a bit of a data hoarder.

5) You won't forget to run a backup

Plenty of online backup services work like this: you download and install an app, set up which files you want to backup, and let it do its thing. That's it. As long as you have an internet connection, new files will be backed up at regular intervals.

Sure, there are similar ways to do this with external drives, but in that case, you'll either have the drive hanging off of your desktop PC, or you'll have to remember to plug it into your laptop when you aren't on the move.

Which online storage service should you choose?

If you're thinking about investing in an online storage service, we've put together a list of the best available now, based on price, the amount of features, and storage capacity.

See the best online storage service available now

Got a Surface Pen that's running low on battery? Here's a handy guide on how to replace the battery.

The Surface Pen is an incredibly useful tool and accessory for the Surface Pro, Surface Studio, Surface Laptop and Surface Book. It's a battery-powered peripheral, meaning at some point the Surface Pen will stop working unless the battery is replaced. The Surface Pen uses a AAAA battery, meaning you may have to find replacement batteries online rather than in stores.

If your Surface Pen stopped working, that might be because the battery has run out. Don't worry, changing it is easy, Here's our step-by-step guide to help you along. Make sure you have the correct batteries before you begin. A single AAAA battery is required for replacement. You can find them on Amazon here.

(Note: The images in this article show the older Surface Pen and not the newest model. The process for replacing the battery is the same, except for one difference. The older Pen requires that you twist the cap before removing it to replace the battery. The new Pen's cap just pulls right off.)

How to remove the Surface Pen battery

1. Pull the top of the pen away from the body of the Pen. You may have to use some force.

2. Pull out the AAAA battery from the body of the Pen.

How to insert the battery

1. Place the negative end of the AAAA battery into the body of the Pen. The negative end will be marked with a minus sign ( - ).

2. Slot the top of the pen back into the body of the Pen. If your older Pen has paper attached, make sure you fold that back in with it or remove it. The new Surface Pen shouldn't have any paper.

3. With some force, push the top of the head into the Pen. (If you're using an older Surface Pen, you have to twist the top to secure it.)

How often should you replace the battery?

Microsoft says the Surface Pen lasts a year on a single battery. That estimate will vary depending on your use of the Surface Pen, however, so it's always handy to have a spare battery ready.

See AAAA batteries on Amazon

How do you fix taskbar search when it's not working in Windows 10?

Once in awhile, Windows 10 decides it doesn't want to search from the taskbar anymore. Why? Detective work is hard work. Or Cortana got stuck somewhere. Or your PC's index became all mixed up. There are several solutions to this problem — the best idea is to start with the easiest and move down the list if the problem persists. Let's see if we can't fix your taskbar search in Windows 10.

• Restart your computer
• End Cortana's process
• Restart Windows Explorer
• Use Windows troubleshooter to restore indexing services
• Set startup options and restart Windows Search
• Change the size of your paging file
• Disable Zemana AntiLogger Free keystroke encryption

Restart your computer

Before rushing to the comments section to explain how useless this step is, remember that even the most tech proficient folks sometimes — under the right conditions — forget this step. If your search problems persist following a restart, read on!

End Cortana's process

Ending Cortana's process in Task Manager might just do the trick. After ending the process, it will automatically restart almost immediately.

1. Right-click the Start button.

2. Click Task Manager.

3. Click Cortana. (You might have to scroll down a bit to find it.)

4. Click End Task.

Did restarting Cortana do the trick? If not, keep reading.

Restart Windows Explorer

Another quick fix attempt, restarting Windows Explorer might jump-start your taskbar search.

1. Right-click the Start button.

2. Click Task Manager.

3. Click Windows Explorer. (It's located near the bottom of the Task Manager menu.)

4. Click Restart.

Read on if you still can't search from your Windows 10 taskbar.

Use Windows troubleshooter to restore indexing services

The much maligned Windows troubleshooter might just do the trick here.

1. Hit the Windows Key + R shortcut on your keyboard to open the Run window.
2. Type Control Panel and hit Enter on your keyboard.

3. Click Troubleshooting.

4. Click System and Security.

5. Right-click Search and Indexing.

6. Click Run as Administrator.

7. Click Next, and the troubleshooter will run.

8. Click the checkbox next to any problems you're encountering. In this case, you should choose Files don't appear in search results.

9. Click Next.

Troubleshooter may or may not detect any problems. If it detects a problem, it will attempt to fix it. Search still not working? Keep reading!

Set startup options and restart Windows Search

Your PC might have been distracted during startup and forgot to start Windows Search. Going into Services and setting startup parameters and finally restarting Windows Search will hopefully get your taskbar search working again.

1. Hit the Windows Key + R shortcut on your keyboard to open the Run window.
2. Type services.msc into the Run field.

3. Click OK.

4. Right-click Windows Search. (It's located near the bottom of the list.)

5. Click Properties.

6. Click the dropdown menu next to Startup type:.

7. Click Automatic (Delayed Start) or Automatic depending on your preference.

8. Click Apply.

9. Click OK.

10. Right-click Windows Search again.

11. Click Restart.

Change the size of your paging file

We received another potential fix from Windows Central member Charly19932002 in the comments section. It involves increasing the paging file size. Here's how to do so.

1. Hit the Windows Key + R shortcut on your keyboard to open the Run window.
2. Type sysdm.cpl.

3. Click OK.

4. Click the Advanced tab.

5. Click the Settings button in the Performance section.

6. Click the Advanced tab.

7. Click the Change… button in the Virtual memory section.

8. Click the checkbox next to Automatically manage paging file size for all drives so the checkmark disappears.

9. Click Custom size.

Depending on the size of your hard drive, try going with an initial size of 16MB and a maximum size of at least 2000MB. If you see problems with your PC's performance, reset the paging file by checking the box next to Automatically manage paging file size of all drives.

Disable Zemana AntiLogger Free keystroke encryption

Another suggested fix from the comments section, from member Steve Humphries, involves a compatibility issue with Zemana AntiLogger Free software. More specifically, the keystroke encryption feature causes problems. If you're running Zemana AntiLogger Free, try disabling the keystroke encryption option and see if Windows Search starts working again.

Can you search now?

Did one of these steps help you get your taskbar search working again? Let us know in the comments section below!

Updated June 27, 2017: We refreshed this article with a couple of new potential fixes to help you get Windows Search working again.

Is Windows 10 taking too long to start? Maybe you have a lot of apps starting automatically on your PC. In this guide, we show you how to control the apps that launch on startup.

Apps you install on Windows 10 can sometimes configure themselves to run automatically on startup, and they can also configure background services that start every time you boot your computer. While they can come in handy, over time, the list of apps and services running on startup can grow, which can slow your boot time, affect battery life, and impact overall system performance.

Usually, applications include the necessary settings to block them from starting alongside Windows 10, but it's a lot easier to use Task Manager to do so.

In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the steps to identify applications that are causing your device to boot slow, consuming system resources unnecessarily, and the steps to improve system performance.

How to manage apps that launch at startup using Task Manager

First, you should open Task Manager. If Task Manager launches in compact mode, click the More details button in the bottom-right corner to get to the advanced options, and then click the Startup tab.

Quick Tip: There are a number of ways to launch the Task Manager, but you can simply right-click the Taskbar and select Task Manager. Alternatively, you can right-click the Start button and select Task Manager, or it's also possible to use the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keyboard shortcut. Or just start typing it in your taskbar search field.

On the Startup tab, you'll find a list of the applications and services configured to start alongside Windows 10 with their names, publisher, status, and performance impact.

The two most important pieces of information in this tab are the Status column, which tells you which items are currently enabled, and the Startup impact column that displays the performance impact of an app or service during startup.

Identifying problematic applications

If you have a long list, it's a good idea to click the Status column to sort the items into Enabled and Disabled to make the list more manageable.

To help you determine which apps you should disable, Task Manager displays an impact measurement for each app. Here's exactly how Windows 10 determines each value:

• High — The app utilizes more than 1,000ms of processor time, or it uses more than 3MB of disk I/O.
• Medium — The app uses 300ms to 1,000ms of processor time, or 300KB to 3MB of disk I/O.
• Low — The app uses less than 300ms of processor time and less than 300KB of disk I/O.
• Not measured — This usually means that the app was recently installed and Windows 10 hasn't calculated its impact. It could also happen that when an app has been uninstalled, but the entry still shows up in Task Manager.

While you can control anything listed in the Startup tab, it's also important to understand what you're trying to disable, because sometimes you could block an app or service that is required to run the OS or application correctly.

You can find out more information about an app by right-clicking the item and clicking Search online. This will perform an online search in your web browser with the name of the app and exact file name. For example, if I was trying to learn more about "Microsoft OneDrive," the online search query would include "OneDrive.exe Microsoft OneDrive."

Disabling startup applications

Once you understand the application and decide you want to stop it from launching at startup, simply right-click it, and select Disable to prevent from starting automatically.

Alternatively, you can select the item, and click the Disable button in the bottom-right corner.

Wrapping up

After completing the steps, depending on the items you disabled, you should notice an improvement in the overall performance of Windows 10. However, you must restart your computer for the changes to take effect, because these steps won't close an application that is currently running.

It should be noted that you can only control traditional desktop (win32) apps on startup. On Windows 10, apps you download from the Windows Store (excluding converted apps) are not allowed to run automatically on startup.

While this guide focuses on Windows 10, you can use the same instructions to manage applications on Windows 8.x.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful 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

It does happen, but hold on before you grab the screwdriver, there's an easier way.

Be it a game or a Blu-ray movie you've put inside your Xbox One, it's not inconceivable that at some point in the lifetime of the console a disc may get stuck in the drive for some reason.

But before you grab the toolbox and think about opening up your console (which you probably don't want to do anyway) there's a simple method that should help you. It works for both the original Xbox One console and the Xbox One S, the method is exactly the same in both cases.

Here's what you need to do:

1. Turn off your console and remove the power cable from the rear.
2. Find a large paper clip and straighten it, or locate something of similar thickness with at least an inch of length.
3. On the left-hand side of the original Xbox console, slightly above and to the right of the USB port, you should see an orange square. On Xbox One S, this is an orange circle.
4. Located next to the orange square/inside the orange circle is the eject hole, put the paper clip in it.
5. You might need to angle it forwards at the same time, but ensure to push the paper clip as far inside as possible.

Your disc should now appear very slightly out of the drive slot on the front of the console. Not all the way but far enough to be able to grab hold and remove the offending item.

And that's all there is to it. Taking apart the Xbox One or Xbox One S is not for the feint at heart and should only ever be attempted in an absolute last gasp, worst case scenario. In the case of a stuck disc, this should get you back up and running without such drama.

Updated June 28 2017 to include information on the Xbox One S.

Having issues with your Surface Laptop or just want to go back to Windows 10 S after upgrading to Pro? Here's how to recover it and restore the factory settings.

Microsoft provides Surface customers with recovery images that allow you to reset your Surface as if it was just new out of the box. This requires a USB drive, some time, and an internet connection. If you're planning to sell your Surface Laptop, go back to Windows 10 S after an upgrade to Pro, or are having technical difficulties, recovering the Surface Laptop is recommended. Here's how to do it.

How to reinstall Windows 10 S on Surface Laptop

Download the recovery image

Before we get started, you have to acquire the files necessary for recovery. To do that, you're going to need your Surface Laptop serial number and some time to allow the download to complete. (You can find the 12-digit serial number on the bottom of your Surface Laptop.) The download is around 9GB, so it may take a while depending on your internet connection.

1. Navigate to this link.

2. Select Surface Laptop from the drop-down menu and insert your Surface Laptop serial number.

3. Select "Download" and begin downloading the recovery image. This will take some time depending on your internet connection.

Create a USB recovery drive

Now that you have the necessary files for recovery, you need to set up a USB drive for recovery. We'll be using this USB drive to recover the Surface Laptop. Make sure the USB drive is at least 16GB in size, and that you backed up all the data on it first.

1. Press Start.

2. Search for "Create a recovery drive."

3. Deselect Backup system files to the recovery drive and press Next.

4. Select the USB stick you'll be using as the recovery drive and press Next.

5. Select Create drive.

Extract recovery files

Once your USB recovery drive is created, you need to transfer all of the recovery files you downloaded earlier.

1. Right click on the recovery download file (it should be named "SurfaceLaptop_BMR_151_8.199.0"), and select Extract All.

2. Select Next.

3. Copy all the files in the extracted folder into your newly created USB recovery drive.

   • You may be prompted to replace already existing files in the destination. If so, select "Replace files in destination."

Recover Surface Laptop

Now that you've created the USB recovery drive and loaded all the necessary files onto it, you can finally get to recovering the Surface Laptop. Make sure you backed up all your data first, as this process will remove all your apps, documents and settings.

1. Turn off the Surface Laptop.

2. Insert the USB recovery drive we just created into the USB port on the Surface Laptop.

3. Hold the volume-down button and power button at the same time.

4. When the Surface logo appears, let go of the buttons. (If it worked, you should now be at a blue screen with options to select your language)

5. Select your language and keyboard settings.

6. Select Troubleshoot.

7. Select "Recover from a drive". (If prompted for a recovery key, select Skip this drive.)

8. Select Just remove my files. (If you're giving the device away, it is recommended that you select Fully clean the drive.)

9. Select Recover. (This will restart your Surface Laptop and take some time, but when it's done, Windows 10 S will be back on your Surface Laptop.

That's it. Your Surface Laptop should now be recovered and running Windows 10 S.

Tekken 7 is a huge fighting game with over 36 characters, multiple modes, and 43 Achievements.

Finding the best way to unlock all those Achievements would take a lot of effort. Our guide has lots of strategies, tips, and screenshots to help you earn them all with ease!

See on the Xbox Store

Platform notes

Tekken 7 has 43 Achievements on Xbox One, 43 Trophies on PlayStation 4, and 42 Achievements on Steam. The Achievements are identical across platforms, except the Steam version does not have the I'll Get Everything Back! Achievement/Platinum Trophy. Whichever platform you choose, this guide will help you unlock everything.

Story Achievements

To play Story mode, select Story: The Mishima Saga from the main menu. The main story consists of fourteen numbered chapters and three additional chapters. The boss battles get very hard towards the end, so consider turning the difficulty down if needed. Progressing through the main story unlocks a total of 29 short Character Episodes set outside of the overall story.

You Think You're Tougher Than Me? (10)

Finished the prologue of the main story.

Story mode begins with a prologue set in the past during a key moment of Kazuya's childhood. As Kazuya, attack Heihachi until you lose the fight. You'll learn about Heihachi's motivations later in the story, but they never really make sense. This is Tekken!

Let's Do This (20)

Finished Chapter 1 of the main story.

You'll play as Heihachi in this chapter, first fighting the Tekken Force (faceless soldiers) and then Nina Williams. After beating Nina once, her health refills and she enters Rage mode for the next battle.

You Challenge Me?! (15)

Finished Chapter 8 of the main story.

This chapter consists of three segments. During the first and third, you play as Akuma while he battles Heihachi. In the middle, you'll take over as Heihachi to fight off some Jack robots.

While fighting Heihachi, be sure to jump whenever he initiates a ground pound – otherwise, it'll hit you, regardless of distance. After his life meter runs out during the third portion of the chapter, Heihachi will start to charge up a final instant-KO move. Attack him until the Quicktime Event (QTE) prompt appears. Successfully hit it to perform Akuma's Raging Demon and win the fight.

I Can't Accept This Fate (30)

Finished Chapter 13 of the main story.

This chapter consists of a difficult battle between Heihachi and Kazumi. She has attacks that protect her from damage, as well as attacks that will hit you no matter where you go. Her health recharges over time as well. Thus, the best strategy is to stay close and never let up on her. Use combos and pop-up moves to snag her for as long as possible.

When Kazumi's life gets low enough, she'll charge up a devastating one-hit KO move. Quickly and repeatedly attack her until the QTE prompt appears. Perform it successfully to win the fight.

It's Time For You To Meet Your End! (90)

Watched the epilogue of the main story.

The epilogue consists entirely of a cinematic, so you won't have to fight anyone. Once the movie finishes and the Achievement pops, you'll unlock the real final level: the Special Chapter.

Master of Iron Fist (20) – Secret Achievement

Finished the Special Chapter of the main story.

Having completed the rest of the main story and watched the Epilogue, you'll gain access to this ultra-tough final chapter. I highly recommend turning the difficulty down to one star (on Xbox, press the Y button from the main Story menu) to make it easier. Even then, it will probably still take several tries to win.

In this fight, you play as Devil Kazuya against a powered-up Akuma. Try to stay close to Akuma, dodging left or right to avoid his fireballs. Use Devil Kazuya's Hell Lancer attack (Left Bumper + A on Xbox One) whenever you see an opening.

Once Akuma's life gets low, he'll start to charge his Raging Demon. Keep hitting the Rage Arts button (Right Bumper on Xbox One) repeatedly as soon as he starts charging, and with any luck, you'll perform the Rage Art to win the match.

I Demand To Know The Truth! (15)

Finished three Character Episode stories.

As you progress through the main story, you'll unlock a total of 29 short Character Episodes. These are all single battles bookended by cinematics. Just choose any three episodes to play for this Achievement.

Lightning Of Fate (30)

Finished 10 Character Episode stories.

Although Tekken 7 offers 29 Character Episodes, you'll only need to complete ten of them for the final story mode Achievement. Yoshimitsu, Lucky Chloe, Kuma, and Panda all have silly stories that you won't want to miss.

Arcade and Treasure Battle Achievements

All of these Achievements can be performed in Treasure Battle, but a couple of them are much easier in Arcade Battle. You'll find both modes under Offline on the main menu.

The Prosperous Inevitably Decline (10)

Beat Akuma in an Arcade Battle or a Special Match in Treasure Battle.

Bosses are randomized in Treasure Battle, so we'll do this in Arcade. To face Akuma in Arcade Battle, you must meet three requirements:

1. Get one perfect round during the first four fights.
2. Win all four fights within three minutes.
3. Win all four fights without continuing.

Set your options correctly before attempting this:

1. From the main menu, select Options and then Game Options.
2. Set CPU Difficulty to Easy and No. of Rounds to 1.

Now it's time to take on Arcade:

1. Start Arcade Battle and select Law as your fighter.
2. We want to use Law's Dragon Cannon move (Forward, Forward, Left Kick) almost exclusively to move through Arcade mode.
3. As soon as the fight begins, perform the Dragon Cannon. Keep hitting the enemy with it every time they get up. They will sometimes hit you at the same time you connect with the Dragon Cannon, so this might take several attempts before you can score a perfect.
4. If you scored a perfect before reaching Heihachi and then beat him without losing, your next opponent should be Akuma.
5. Use the same strategy to defeat Akuma and you'll be home free!

Fear My Wrath (10)

Beat Devil Kazumi in an Arcade Battle or a Special Match in Treasure Battle.

Bosses are randomized in Treasure Battle, so we'll do this in Arcade. Devil Kazumi is the final boss you'll encounter in Arcade Battle when you don't meet the conditions to fight Akuma.

1. Play through Arcade Battle as Law.
2. Use the Dragon Cannon move (Forward, Forward, Left Kick) to work your way through.
3. If you don't score a perfect during the first four rounds, you'll fight Kazumi after beating Heihachi.
4. Beat Kazumi once and she'll become Devil Kazumi during the second round.
5. Devil Kazumi is super tough, so this will probably take several tries. You can continue, but you'll have to start on the first round against Kazumi's human form each time.

Instant Annihilation (15)

Won three times consecutively in Treasure Battle.

Treasure Battle is the single-player mode you'll spend the most time in after completing story mode. You win one or more treasure boxes and plenty of money for each victory. There is no continuing.

Simply win three battles in a row for the Achievement.

Wow, I'm Pretty Strong! (30)

Won three special matches in Treasure Battle.

First, complete Story mode to unlock all possible special matches for Treasure Battle.

1. As you play through Treasure Battle, you'll randomly encounter special matches against boss characters like Akuma and Kazumi.
2. Survive long enough to win three special matches for the Achievement.
3. There's a luck factor here. I got it after only ten battles, but for some people it will take twenty or so.

Need a good character to play as? Try Katarina, whose Right Kick can defeat most enemies with ease. See Hot-Blooded Fighter tips in the Rank Achievements section of this guide for more advice on using her.

Cool! (15)

Obtained 20 treasure boxes.

See I've Finally Found You!

I've Finally Found You! (90)

Obtained 50 treasure boxes.

1. You'll receive one or more treasure boxes for each Treasure Battle victory.
2. Get a perfect victory for an extra box.
3. As you progress farther in Treasure Battle, enemies start awarding more than one box by default.
4. Keep playing and you'll get this after a maximum of fifty wins.

Don't Hold Anything Back (15)

Defeated 20 opponents of a higher rank.

Your opponents in Treasure Battle all have a rank. As you progress through Treasure Battle, you'll eventually defeat twenty enemies of higher rank. This does not have to be done in one single run. Just keep at it and get as far as you can while you work on increasing your rank.

Rank Achievements

These Achievements are tied to your offline rank.

This Should Be Fun (15)

Got promoted to 1st Dan.

You start at 9th Kyu rank and should reach 1st Dan after about 20 wins with a single character in Treasure Battle. See Hot-Blooded Fighter for more details.

Your Technique Is Impressive (15)

Got promoted to Initiate.

See Hot-Blooded Fighter.

Roar! (Nice Moves!) (30)

Got promoted to Brawler.

See Hot-Blooded Fighter.

Hot-Blooded Fighter (90)

Got promoted to Warrior.

Wins and losses in Arcade or Treasure Battle affect offline rank. After earning the two boss Achievements in Arcade Battle, you should switch exclusively to Treasure Battle to work on your rank. Rank is character-specific, so if you switch characters, the new character will start at 9th Kyu rank instead of the previous character's rank.

From the rank of 1st Dan, these are the ranks you'll go through on your way to Warrior:

1. 1st Dan
2. Initiate
3. Mentor
4. Expert
5. Grand Master
6. Brawler
7. Marauder
8. Fighter
9. Vanguard
10. Warrior

Each win in Arcade and Treasure counts towards increasing your rank. Every loss counts against it, but you should win far more often than you lose in Treasure Battle.

It should take anywhere from 70-100 total wins to reach Warrior rank. There are 24 more ranks after Warrior, but they don't count towards Achievements.

Turbo or autofire strategy for ranking up

If you want to automate the process of progressing through the ranks and/or earning treasure boxes, you just need a controller with turbo or autofire. We recommend the MayFlash Universal Adapter, which can add turbo and autofire to any Xbox One controller (among other functions). It's a great accessory for Achievement hunters.

Once you have a device that can continuously press the button of your choice:

1. Start a Treasure Battle game and choose Katarina.
2. Pause the game and select Controller Setup.
3. Change Right Kick to the confirm button (A on Xbox One). Put Left Kick on the button that Right Kick would normally be (B on Xbox).
4. Unpause and turn on autofire (or use turbo and tape the button down) for the Right Kick button.
5. Katarina will now progress through Treasure Battle endlessly. She'll lose and have to continue, but she'll still win often enough to gain ranks and earn lots of easy treasure boxes! Even once you've ranked up, you can keep doing this to gain more money and customization items.
6. Remember to change the controls back to normal when you're done grinding!

Online multiplayer Achievements

Every fighting game with online multiplayer is bound to have some online Achievements. Thankfully, Tekken 7 requires far less multiplayer victories than Injustice 2 and other fighters.

Yeah! I Did It! (15)

Won a ranked match online.

1. From the Online main menu, select Ranked Match.
2. Choose your Rank Restrictions and Connection Quality, then select Begin Search.
3. Pick your favorite fighter and keep trying until you win a match. Simple!

Not Bad (15)

Won a player match online.

1. From the Online main menu, select Player Match.
2. You have three matchmaking choices. Quick Match is the fastest option.
3. Select Connection Quality and then Begin Search.
4. Pick your favorite fighter and keep trying until you win a match. Easy!

Okay! I'm Ready! (15)

Won a battle in online tournament.

1. From the Online main menu, select Tournament.
2. You have three matchmaking choices. Quick Tournament is the speediest option.
3. Select Rank and then Begin Search.
4. Wait for your turn to come up and then do your best to win the battle. If you get eliminated from the tournament before you can win, leave and join a new one.

Come And Get Some, I Dare You! (15)

Fought ten online battles.

After winning one match in each of the three online game types, you'll only need seven more battles for this Achievement. You don't even have to win the rest of them (I didn't)! Just play whichever match type you like until you hit your tenth total battle.

Stage Achievements

These Achievements involve performing moves in specific stages or types of stages. We'll get them all in Practice. From the main menu, select Offline and then Practice Mode.

Destructive Drive (10)

Performed a floor-breaking move. (Excluding offline VS Battle)

See Going Somewhere.

Crushing Impact! (10)

Performed a balcony-breaking move. (Excluding offline VS Battle)

See Please Don't Tell My Father.

Going Somewhere? (30)

Reached the bottom floor of the Forgotten Realm stage. (Excluding offline VS Battle)

1. In Practice, select Alisa and any opponent.
2. Choose the Forgotten Realms stage. This stage has four floors, the top three of which can be broken by certain moves.
3. Press Right Punch + Right Kick (Y + B on Xbox One) to knock the enemy through the floor.
4. Keep doing this until you reach the bottom.

Please Don't Tell My Father (15)

Reached the deepest part of the Jungle Outpost stage. (Excluding offline VS Battle)

1. In Practice, select Alisa and any opponent.
2. Choose the Jungle Outpost stage.
3. Get your opponent against the balcony /fence and press Right Kick (B on Xbox One) to knock them through it and down to the next level.
4. Now get the enemy against the wall of vines and press Right Kick once more to break the wall and get the Achievement.

Fighting Achievements

Perform various types of attacks and combos for these Achievements.

You Fought Well (10)

Achieved a great victory. (Excluding offline VS Battle)

Whenever you win with less than fifteen percent life remaining, the game will say Great at the end of the round. This will come naturally early on, but you can also concentrate on winning with Rage Arts moves (which require low health to perform) if you like.

Don't Take It Personally (10)

Achieved a perfect victory. (Excluding offline VS Battle)

Winning a match without taking any damage results in a perfect victory. A perfect is required to achieve The Prosperous Inevitably Decline anyway, so see that Achievement in this guide's Arcade and Treasure Battle section for tips.

There's Nowhere to Run. Give Up! (15)

Dealt 10 homing attacks. (Excluding offline VS Battle)

When viewing the in-game moves list from the pause menu, any attack with a blue icon with a white arrow drawn in it has the homing property. These attacks can hit opponents who are sidestepping.

You'll naturally get this at some point, but you can hop into Practice mode to speed things up.

1. From the main menu, select Offline and then Practice Mode.
2. Choose Lars for your character and any opponent.
3. Press Back + Left Punch (X on Xbox One) to perform the Chevron Slash.
4. Hit the enemy ten times with the Chevron Slash for the Achievement.

I'll Kick Your Butt to Hell and Back (15)

Dealt 70+ damage in an air combo. (Excluding offline VS Battle)

The secret to this Achievement is your combo doesn't have to start with a launcher – the enemy just needs to get sent into the air at some point in the combo.

1. From the main menu, select Offline and then Practice Mode.
2. Choose Law for your character and any opponent.
3. After practice begins, pause.
4. From Other Settings , change Player Rage to On.
5. Back the opponent against the wall.
6. Start the combo with Law's Poison Arrow move (Forward + both punches simultaneously).
7. Before the opponent hits the ground, press the Rage Arts button (Right Bumper on Xbox One).
8. If both moves connect properly, the combo will deal 72 damage and you'll get the Achievement.

Just Relax, You Can Do It (15)

Performed three 10 hit combos. (Excluding offline VS Battle)

A ten-hit combo sounds like a lot of work, but thankfully Yoshimitsu has a five-hit combo that counts as a ten-hitter.

1. From the main menu, select Offline and then Practice Mode.
2. Choose Yoshimitsu for your character and any opponent.
3. During practice, press Right Punch + Right Kick (Y + A on Xbox One) to sheathe Yoshimitsu's sword.
4. With the sword sheathed, press Right Kick, Right Kick, Right Punch, Right Punch, Left Punch (B, B, Y, Y, X on Xbox One) to perform a five-hit combo. If you perform the combo successfully, it will end with Yoshimitsu's hand spinning in a circle.
5. Perform the combo three times and the Achievement will pop.

Elegance at Its Purest (15)

Triggered 10 screws. (Excluding offline VS Battle)

A screw attack causes an enemy to corkscrew through the air. You'd probably get this naturally over time, but it will come fastest in Practice mode.

1. From the main menu, select Offline and then Practice Mode.
2. Choose Alisa for your character and any opponent.
3. Once practice begins, press the Right Kick button (B on Xbox One) to perform Alisa's Accelerator.
4. Connect with the Accelerator ten times for the Achievement.

Power is Everything! (15)

Dealt 10 power crushes. (Excluding offline VS Battle)

Power crushes are moves that absorb medium and high attacks. On the in-game moves list, these moves have a red icon next to them.

1. From the main menu, select Offline and then Practice Mode.
2. Choose Panda for your character and any opponent.
3. Once practice begins, press Back + Left Punch (X on Xbox One) to perform the Bear Slash.
4. Connect with the Bear Slash ten times for the Achievement.

Rage Achievements

When a player's health drops to fifteen percent or less, they enter Rage mode and begin glowing red. While in Rage mode, fighters can perform either their Rage Art or Rage Drive move once during the current round, which exhausts the Rage status until the next round.

Rage Arts: While in Rage mode, press either your character's unique Rage Arts input or simply press the Rage Arts button (Right Bumper on Xbox One). If done correctly, this will perform a Rage Art super move.

Rage Drive: While in Rage mode, press your character's Rage Drive input. If done correctly, he or she will glow blue while performing the move. The selected fighter's Rage Drive input is displayed on the loading screen before the match begins.

Overdrive! (30)

Dealt 10 Rage Drives. (Excluding offline VS Battle)

You can perform 10 Rage Drives naturally, but the inputs tend to be slightly complex. Here's the easiest way to knock them out:

1. From the main menu, select Offline and then Practice Mode.
2. Choose Miguel for your character and any opponent.
3. After practice begins, pause.
4. From Other Settings , change Player Rage to On.
5. Simultaneously press Down + Back + both punch buttons (X and Y on Xbox One) to perform Miguel's Rage Drive.
6. Repeat the move nine more times for the Achievement!

We Settle This Now! (30)

Dealt 20 Rage Arts. (Excluding offline VS Battle)

You can perform 20 Rage Arts naturally, but that will take a while. Here's the fastest way to get them done:

1. From the main menu, select Offline and then Practice Mode.
2. Choose to play as any character and any opponent.
3. After practice begins, pause.
4. From Other Settings , change Player Rage to On.
5. Press the Rage Arts button to initiate the move.
6. Repeat the move nineteen more times for the Achievement!

Stun Gun! (30)

Snatched victory from the jaws of defeat 5 times with Rage Art. (Excluding offline VS Battle)

For this Achievement, you need to win a total of five rounds by performing a Rage Art move. Your opponent will need to have sufficiently low health for the move to actually finish him or her off. Remember to use the Rage Arts button to more easily perform the move.

You should get this naturally over time, but you can also boost it in online Player matches. Just get both of your life meters low enough to activate Rage mode, and then take turns finishing each other off with Rage Arts.

Anger of The Beast (30)

Dealt an overall total of 1,000 damage while in rage mode. (Excluding offline VS Battle)

When a player's health drops to fifteen percent or less, they enter Rage mode and begin glowing red. During this time, any damage you deal counts cumulatively towards the Achievement.

You'll naturally get this fairly early on, but you can speed it up in Practice mode:

1. From the main menu, select Offline and then Practice Mode.
2. Choose to play as any character and any opponent.
3. After practice begins, pause.
4. From Other Settings , change Player Rage to On.
5. Attack the opponent until the Achievement pops.

Sturdy and Indestructible (10)

Blocked 5 Rage Arts. (Excluding offline VS Battle)

When you see your opponent start glowing red, simply be prepared to block the move by holding back or down and back.

You should get this naturally while you work towards other Achievements, but here's a quick and easy way to set it up:

1. From the main menu, select Offline and then Practice Mode.
2. Select any character and any opponent.
3. After practice begins, pause.
4. Under Action Settings, change the CPU Opponent Action 1 to Mimic.
5. From Other Settings, change Opponent Rage to On and leave Player Rage on Not Set.
6. Press the Rage Arts button (Right Bumper on Xbox One) to make the enemy perform his or her Rage Art. Do nothing or hold back to block it.
7. Repeat the previous step until you've blocked five Rage Arts!

Miscellaneous Achievements

No Pain, No Gain (30)

Dealt 50,000 damage in Practice mode.

1. From the main menu, select Offline and then Practice Mode.
2. Choose to play as any character and any opponent.
3. Get close to the opponent and hit any attack button over and over.
4. Once the Total Damage counter hits 50,000, you'll get the Achievement.

Controllers or arcade sticks with turbo and autofire functions can make this easy Achievement that much easier. As mentioned in the Hot-Blooded Fighter tips in the Rank Achievements section of this guide, we recommend the MayFlash Universal Adapter, which can add turbo and autofire to any Xbox One controller (among other functions).

It's Just Business (15)

Obtained an overall total of 5,000,000G.

See Excellent.

Excellent (30)

Obtained an overall total of 10,000,000G.

You can earn money in several ways:

1. Complete the main story.
2. Complete Arcade Battle.
3. Win matches in Treasure Battle.
4. Win or lose online matches.

For the two monetary Achievements, it doesn't matter if you spend money or not. Just earn as much money as possible, although saving up ten million is also a good way to track your progress. Treasure Battle pays the most money for your time investment, so spend ample time there after completing the main story. See Hot-Blooded Fighter in the Rank Achievements section for tips on automating the grind for money.

I'll Get Everything Back! (10)

Unlocked all achievements.

On PlayStation 4, this is a traditional Platinum Trophy awarded for completing all other Achievements. That style of Achievement is unnecessary on Xbox One, but Bandai Namco included it anyway.

As of June 2017, the Achievement is reportedly glitched for some Xbox players. It worked fine for me, though. Hopefully, it properly unlocks for you after you've knocked everything else out!

The Tekken saga comes to a fateful conclusion (for now)

Tekken 7 is the first installment of Bandai Namco's long-running 3D fighting game series for the current generation of consoles. In our review, I praised the game's colorful characters, tight gameplay, and lots of fun customization and unlockables. It's everything you want in a Japanese-style 3D fighter, and a great alternative to the stiffer gameplay of Injustice 2 and Mortal Kombat.

Tekken 7 costs $59.99 and is available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Steam. Get it so you can finally bring the conflict between estranged father and son duo Heihachi and Kazuya Mishima to an end!

See on the Xbox Store

Windows 10 can disable your touchpad automatically when connecting a mouse, and in this guide, we'll show you how to do it.

On Windows 10, touchpads not only offer a mechanism to navigate the user interface, but over the years they have improved, and now you can also use gestures to perform navigation tasks even faster. However, even with all the changes, many users still prefer the traditional mouse.

Although you can disable the touchpad completely, if you prefer to use a mouse, it's possible to configure Windows 10 to disable the touchpad automatically only when a USB or Bluetooth mouse is connected. This way, if you need to work with your laptop, and you don't have a mouse nearby, you can still move around the OS to get work done.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the easy steps to disable your laptop's touchpad when you connect a mouse using the Settings app and Control Panel.

• How to disable touchpad when mouse is connected using Settings
• How to disable touchpad when mouse is connected using Control Panel

How to disable touchpad when mouse is connected using Settings

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

4. Under "Touchpad," clear the Leave touchpad on when a mouse is connected option.

Once you completed the steps, the touchpad will remain disabled unless you disconnect your mouse.

How to disable touchpad when mouse is connected using Control Panel

It should be noted that the option in the Settings app is only available on devices featuring a precision touchpad. If you have another type of touchpad, it's possible to change the mouse settings using Control Panel, or a third-party tool -- usually provided by your device manufacturer.

For example, if you're using a Synaptics touchpad, you can use Control Panel to change the mouse settings using the following steps:

1. Open Control Panel.
2. Click on Hardware and Sound.

3. Under "Devices and Printers," click on Mouse.

4. On the "Device Settings" tab, clear the Disable internal pointing device when external USB pointing device is attached option.

Also, note that depending on the manufacturer, the option to disable the touchpad when a mouse is connected can be buried within the support software.

For example, on some Dell laptops, the setting to disable the touchpad is located in the Dell's support software.

1. Open the touchpad application.
2. Select the mouse you're using.

3. Check the Disable Touchpad when USB Mouse present option.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful 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