Stay secure and keep your data and identity your own while shopping online.

Shopping online is only getting more popular thanks to the convenience and variety of retailers. One of the downsides, however, is that there are plenty of individuals out there waiting to jump on a chance to take advantage of someone who doesn't properly protect themselves. The result? Credit card or even identity fraud. To help keep your identity (and your data) your own, let's take a look at a few tips to staying safe while online shopping.

Only shop on websites with a secure connection

Shopping online through a web browser is made exponentially safer when the connection between your PC or phone and the website is protected by Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption.

As opposed to a standard HTTP page, an HTTPS page has a level of encryption that makes it safer to input your sensitive information (like a credit card number). To check whether or not a website is using a secure connection, all you have to do is look in the address bar of your browser. Does the address start with HTTPS? It's secure! Some browsers will also show a padlock and will say Secure when the connection is using SSL.

Do not shop while using public Wi-Fi

Public Wi-Fi is convenient, but it's nowhere as safe as private Wi-Fi or a cellular data connection. It might be tempting to sit at a cafe and shop online, but be wary of completing transactions or even signing into any accounts that contain sensitive information.

If you must use public Wi-Fi when shopping online, a VPN can go a long way in keeping you secure.

Use a VPN while shopping online

No matter how you're connecting to the internet, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) adds a layer of security and privacy that can mean the difference between a positive shopping experience and a headache.

A VPN acts as an encrypted tunnel between your PC or phone and the open internet, blocking interested parties from seeing the information you're sending and receiving. Wondering where to start? We've written a ton of guides on the subject.

• The best VPN services for 2017
• Best free VPN services
• VPNs for beginners: A simple guide to protecting your online privacy
• 6 good reasons why you should use a VPN

Run anti-malware software before starting

If your PC is already infected with malware — especially a keylogger — you might be at risk right from the start when shopping online. Entering your information, like a credit card number, could be recorded and relayed to an interested party.

Before shopping, it's a good idea to run a scan on your PC, both with an antivirus and with Malwarebytes to ensure your PC is clean.

• Download Malwarebytes (free)
• Best free antivirus alternative to Windows Defender
• Best antivirus software of 2017
• Do you really need PC antivirus in 2017?
• 7 tips to keep your Windows PC protected from malware
• 9 best ways to keep your PC secure

Don't fall for fake shopping apps

Most big online shopping companies have excellent apps that provide a safe and secure shopping experience. However, app stores often have knockoffs that attempt to masquerade as official apps in order to skim your information.

You always want to make sure that the app you're using is the official version. How can you tell? Official apps for big sites will often have thousands of reviews, which you can read to see if the app is for real. Checking out the website of the company might also provide you with a link to the real app, allowing you to bypass any impostors in an app store.

Best shopping apps for Windows 10

Keep an eye out for phishing emails

One of the most common ways for interested parties to get your information is through phishing emails. A legit-looking message talking about some promotion or other attractive offer will be sent your way, and the link provided in the email will lead you somewhere malicious.

If you receive an email offering some sort of too-good-to-be-true offer, ignore all links in the email and try finding the deal online yourself. Mark these messages as spam and carry on.

Always use a strong password for shopping accounts

Going to all the hassle of protecting your identity when shopping online only to have someone guess your password is counterproductive. Be sure to create strong, different passwords for each service you use, including accounts with online retailers.

A strong password should be made up of capital letters, numbers, and symbols in no order. How to remember all those passwords? Think about working with a password manager.

Best password manager for Windows

Don't give online retailers more information than is required

Most online retailers will require payment information — including credit card — and shipping information, but they should never ask for anything more. Are you being pumped for your date of birth or other sensitive information? The retailer might not be above board.

Only ever fill in required fields when checking out, and if something seems like it's asking too much, do a search online to verify the legitimacy of the website. Searching for the website's name and the word "review" or "legit" will usually do the trick.

Try to pay with a credit card or PayPal

Some online retailers will let you pay with a debit card, but that doesn't mean you should. Sticking with a credit card usually means you'll be treated to a checkout process that's more secure, and there's often fraud protection in the case you do get burned.

If you'd rather not deal with a credit card, PayPal is an excellent middleman. You can still pay with your actual funds, but your financial information won't be shared with the retailer.

Put a lock on your phone or laptop

Shopping apps on mobile devices make it easy to shop online, but they also contain a ton of your personal information. If your phone is full of these apps, be sure to either log out after each use or be sure to put a lock on your phone. Likewise, think about adding a lock to your laptop if you use it in public.

If you misplace your device or it is stolen, the person who finds it will have a much harder time getting ahold of credit card and billing information when there's a password in the way.

Are you shopping online?

Do you often take advantage of the convenience of online shopping? Do you worry about the security of your data and identity? What are your tips for staying safe? Let us know in the comments section!

If you must permanently disable Windows Defender Antivirus on Windows 10, use this guide to learn the steps on how to do it.

Windows Defender Antivirus is the free malware solution that Microsoft includes on every installation of Windows 10. It's a security software package meant to provide the first line of defense to protect your device and data against malware, including viruses, ransomware, rootkits, spyware, and other types of malicious programs.

Although the antivirus runs automatically, and it can disable itself as you install a third-party security software, the only caveat is that Windows 10 doesn't offer a way to disable it permanently. Perhaps the obvious reason is that Microsoft doesn't want you to use your device without any protection, which is a good thing.

However, there are still some cases where some users may prefer not to use Windows Defender Antivirus, such as on a kiosk device that isn't connected to a network and where peripheral connectivity isn't allowed.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to permanently disable the Windows Defender Antivirus on your computer using Group Policy, Registry, and Windows Defender Security Center.

• How to disable Windows Defender Antivirus using Group Policy
• How to disable Windows Defender Antivirus using Registry
• How to disable Windows Defender Antivirus using Security Center

How to disable Windows Defender Antivirus using Group Policy

On Windows 10 Pro, it's possible to use the Group Policy Editor to disable the Windows Defender Antivirus permanently.

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

3. Browse the following path:

   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus

4. On the right side, double-click the Turn off Windows Defender Antivirus policy.
5. Select the Enabled option.
6. Click Apply.
7. Click OK.

8. Browse the following path:

   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus > Real-time Protection

9. On the right side, double-click the Turn on behavior monitoring policy.

10. Select the Disabled option.
11. Click Apply.

12. Click OK.

13. On "Real-time Protection," double-click the Monitor file and program activity on your computer policy.

14. Select the Disabled option.
15. Click Apply.

16. Click OK.

17. On "Real-time Protection," double-click the Turn on process scanning whenever real-time protection is enabled policy.
18. Select the Disabled option.
19. Click Apply.

20. Click OK.

21. On "Real-time Protection," double-click the Turn on behavior monitoring policy.
22. Select the Disabled option.
23. Click Apply.

24. Click OK.

25. Restart your computer.

Once you've completed the steps, Windows Defender Antivirus will no longer scan and detect malware on your device, even after restarting your computer.

At any time, you can enable the Windows Defender Antivirus using the same steps, but on step No. 5, 10, and 14, make sure to select the Not Configured option. Then just restart your device to apply the changes.

How to disable Windows Defender Antivirus using Registry

The Local Group Policy Editor is not available on Windows 10 Home, but you can still achieve the same results changing the Registry settings.

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.

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

3. Browse the following path:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender

4. Right-click on the Windows Defender (folder) key, select New, and click on DWORD (32-bit) Value.

5. Name the key DisableAntiSpyware and press Enter.
6. Double-click the newly created key and set the value from 0 to 1.

7. Click OK.

8. Right-click on the Windows Defender (folder) key, select New, and click on Key.

9. Name the key Real-Time Protection and press Enter.

10. Right-click on the Real-Time Protection (folder) key, select New, and click on DWORD (32-bit) Value.
11. Name the key DisableBehaviorMonitoring and press Enter.
12. Double-click the newly created key and set the value from 0 to 1.

13. Click OK.

14. Right-click on the Real-Time Protection (folder) key, select New, and click on DWORD (32-bit) Value.
15. Name the key DisableOnAccessProtection and press Enter.
16. Double-click the newly created key and set the value from 0 to 1.

17. Click OK.

18. Right-click on the Real-Time Protection (folder) key, select New, and click on DWORD (32-bit) Value.
19. Name the key DisableScanOnRealtimeEnable and press Enter.
20. Double-click the newly created key and set the value from 0 to 1.

21. Click OK.

After completing the steps, simply restart your computer to disable the Windows Defender Antivirus permanently.

If you change your mind, you can always revert the changes using the same instructions, but on step No. 3, right-click the DisableAntiSpyware key, and select Delete. Then inside the Windows Defender (folder) key, right-click the Real-Time Protection (folder) key and select Delete to remove key and its content. Finally, restart your device to complete reverting the changes.

How to disable Windows Defender Antivirus using Security Center

Alternatively, if you're installing a piece of software that requires deactivating the antivirus to install correctly, or you simply want to disable the Windows 10 built-in antivirus temporarily, you can use the following steps:

1. Open Windows Defender Security Center.
2. Click on Virus & threat protection.

3. Click the Virus & threat protection settings option.

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

After completing the steps, Windows Defender Antivirus will be disabled making it unable to monitor and stop malware from taking over your device. However, this is a temporary solution, eventually, the antivirus will re-activate automatically after you restart your device.

Wrapping things up

While there could be scenarios where you may need to disable the antivirus, it's never recommended to have your device without malware protection.

If you're trying to get rid of Windows Defender Antivirus because you prefer another security software, you should know that the built-in antivirus will disable itself automatically during the installation of third-party security software.

It's should also be noted that the shield icon will continue to appear in the notification area of the Taskbar because it's the Windows Defender Security Center icon, not merely dedicated to the antivirus.

In the case you don't like the default anti-malware solution, here are a few alternatives that won't cost you a penny for basic protection.

BitdefenderKasperskyAviraAVG

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

Want to enable the Windows 10 emoji picker on devices that aren't running a U.S. install? Here's how!

The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update includes a brand new emoji picker, which gives keyboard and mice users easy access to the large emoji catalog available in Windows 10. Unfortunately, Microsoft made the decision to disable the picker on devices that aren't running an en-U.S. version of Windows 10, which sucks. Lucky, it turns out there's a way to enable it on Windows 10 devices that aren't running an en-U.S. install.

This workaround only works on certain non-U.S. versions of Windows 10, so you'll have to give it a go and let us know in the comments if it works for you. We can confirm this works on en-GB and nl-NL installations. It will boil down to your keyboard layout more than anything, as the key-combination to enable the emoji picker might not work on your keyboard.

It's also worth noting that enabling the picker on non-US devices will mean that translations are wrong, and as such the search function within the emoji picker doesn't work. You can still use the picker to find emoji manually, however, which is more than fine for most.

Open the Windows Registry

First, you need to open the Windows Registry to be able to edit the values necessary to enable the emoji picker on your device.

1. Right-click on the Windows Start button.

2. Select Run.

3. In the Run dialog box, type "regedit."

4. Select OK.

Enable the emoji picker

Now that you're in the Windows Registry, you need to navigate to the folder that allows you to enable the emoji picker on your device.

1. Navigate to:

   Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Input\Settings

2. In the Settings folder, right click and select "New > DWORD (32-bit) value."

3. Name the DWORD, "EnableExpressiveInputShellHotkey"

4. Double-click the newly created DWORD.

5. Set its "Value data" to 1.

6. Select OK.

7. Restart your computer.

And there you have it. Now whenever you're active in a text field, pressing either the Windows key and period key or Windows key and semi-colon key on your physical keyboard will popup the emoji picker! If it doesn't then, unfortunately, this workaround likely doesn't work on your particular language installation.

If you don't use Photos or Paint 3D to edit image files, you can remove those options from the right-click context menu using these steps on Windows 10.

On Windows 10, the context menu that appears when you right-click an item gives you quick access to many different actions you can perform on a particular file or folder.

While these options can be useful, you may never use many of them, such as the "Edit with Photos" and "Edit with Paint 3D" options. If you don't use them, they just clutter the menu.

Although Windows 10 doesn't include a feature to decide which items appear in the right-click menu, it's possible to remove many of them using the Registry.

In this Windows 10 guide, we' walk you through the steps to remove the Photos and Paint 3D options from the context menu.

• How to remove 'Edit with Photos' from context menu
• How to remove 'Edit with Paint 3D' from context menu

How to remove 'Edit with Photos' from context menu

If you don't use the built-in Photos apps to view and edit images, there are at least two ways to remove the option from the context menu.

Removing the Photos context menu option using Settings

1. Open Settings
2. Click on Apps
3. Click on Default apps
4. Click the app currently set for Photos

5. Select another app you want to use as default to view images

After you complete these steps, right-clicking an image file will no longer display the "Edit with Photos" option.

Removing the Photos context menu option using Registry

Alternatively, if you want to use Photos as your default app, you can still remove the option from the right-click context menu by editing the Registry.

Warning: Editing the registry is risky, and it can cause irreversible damage to your installation if you don't do it correctly. We recommend making a full backup of your PC before proceeding.

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

3. Browse the following path:

   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc\Shell\ShellEdit

   Quick Tip: On the Windows 10 Creators Update and later, you can copy and paste the path into the new Registry's address bar to quickly jump to the key destination

4. Right-click the ShellEdit (folder) key, select New, and click on String Value

5. Name the key ProgrammaticAccessOnly and press Enter

Once you complete these steps, similar to using the Settings app, accessing the context menu will no longer show an option to edit the image with the Photos app.

How to remove 'Edit with Paint 3D' from context menu

In the case you rarely use Paint 3D, it's also possible to remove the option to edit images using the modern version of Paint via the Registry.

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

3. Browse the following path:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\SystemFileAssociations\.jpg\Shell

4. Right-click the 3D Edit (folder) key and click Delete.

   Important: If you think you might change your mind in the future, make sure to right-click 3D Edit and select Export to make a backup of the key before deleting it. Later on, you can simply double-click the .reg file to add the entry back to the context menu.

5. Click Yes to confirm the deletion.

After completing these steps, right-clicking a .jpg image file should no longer display the option to edit with Paint 3D in the context menu.

If you want to remove the option for other image formats supported by Paint 3D, repeat the same steps, but on step No. 3, replace .jpg in the Registry path with .bmp, .jpeg, .jpe, and .png, and then delete the 3D Edit key.

It's worth noting that we're only removing the context menu option for the most common image formats. If you find another format that displays "Edit with Paint 3D," you can use the same steps, but on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\SystemFileAssociations\ expand the extension key, and inside the Shell key, right-click the 3D Edit key and click Delete.

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

Do you know the difference between Dolby Vision and HDR10?

The Xbox One X has arrived, ringing in a new era of high-resolution gaming on consoles. To take advantage of everything the One X has to offer — namely HDR and 4K — you need a special type of TV that offers proper support. There's currently a bit of a battle going on between HDR10 and Dolby Vision, which are two different HDR standards. Let's take a look at the difference between them, to determine which works best for Xbox One X.

What's the difference between 4K and HDR?

High dynamic range (HDR) is essentially a measure of the difference between the brightest and darkest visuals a game, movie, or TV show can deliver. With proper HDR, you're going to see darker darks, with a lot more detail, as well as brighter brights. Overall, this contributes to a much prettier, vivid picture that's close to real life.

On the other hand, 4K UHD signifies the display's resolution is 3,840 x 2,160 and, while it affects color to some extent, it has more to do with the sharpness and clarity of an image. HDR and 4K are often used together to deliver a jaw-dropping image, as is the case with the Xbox One X and compatible TVs.

Why aren't all 4K/HDR TVs fully compatible with Xbox One X?

While 4K UHD essentially means the same thing across TVs, there are currently two main standards when it comes to HDR: Dolby Vision and HDR10. These two standards don't exactly play well together, and it's causing a headache for some who have invested in one or the other without understanding the ramifications.

HDR10 is an open standard used by plenty of manufacturers and is usually the default used in high-end TVs that have "HDR" stamped on them. Dolby Vision was created by Dolby as a way to take HDR10 to the next level and can be considered a better technology, thanks to having a higher ceiling for growth.

Both HDR10 and Dolby Vision require TVs to have at least 10-bit color depth. Both require a TV to be at least 4K. And both require a TV to hit about 90 percent of the DCI-P3 color space, a measurement used by the US-American film industry. However, Dolby Vision will be able to get way brighter (up to 10,000 nits of brightness) and supports 12-bit color, while HDR10 will only be able to hit 4,000 nits and 10-bit color.

The fact that Dolby Vision looks to the future and takes the tech ahead sounds great, but then you realize that you need a specific Dolby Vision player and content to take advantage it.

What doesn't work with Dolby Vision HDR? The Xbox One X.

How can you tell if a TV supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision?

When buying a TV for use with the Xbox One X, you want to be sure to determine if it works with HDR10. If it states HDR10, you should be good to go. If the TV you're interested in only says Dolby Vision, it's still going to support HDR10 thanks to the underlying technology. You just won't get to take advantage of what Dolby Vision has to offer

Many popular brands of TV use HDR10, such as Samsung (including KS and KU models), LG (including SJ, UJ, UH, C7, and B7 models), Vizio (including P and M models), Sony (including A1, ZD9, XE9, and XE8 models), and Panasonic (including EZ, DX, and EX models). Nevertheless, you should always check (and double check) before making a purchase. To make things easier, we put together a list of the best TVs for Xbox One X, as well as a guide on how to enable HDR on popular TVs.

• Best 4K HDR TV for Xbox One X and Xbox One S
• How to enable HDR for Xbox One X on popular 4K TVs

What about budget TVs that claim to have HDR?

If you're in the market for a budget 4K TV that says it supports HDR, be wary of "fake" HDR that won't work properly with your Xbox One X. Phony HDR adds some dynamic contrast but doesn't truly support HDR content, because it can't read the signal coming from the game or movie.

Discerning between real HDR and fake HDR isn't always easy, as a lot of the time the description will simply say "HDR." Your best bet is to check out our suggestions or inquire in our forum, where plenty of knowledgeable people will be glad to help.

Did you take the 4K or HDR plunge?

Have you been basking in the glory that is a 4K and HDR? Can you ever go back to regular video games now that you have the Xbox One X? Let us know in the comments section, and be sure to check out these other resources when it comes to the most powerful console on the market.

• Xbox One X review: A console packed with raw potential waiting to be fulfilled
• Complete list of 'Xbox One X Enhanced' games (up to 4K, HDR)
• 'Xbox One X Enhanced' games and what to expect: 4K, HDR, 60 FPS and more)
• Best Xbox One X 'Enhanced' games with 4K, enchanced visuals, or 60 FPS

You can get an accurate reading of remaining battery life by calibrating an old laptop battery.

As you use your Windows 10 laptop, the battery goes through a number of charge and discharge cycles that slowly wear it down. We all know that old laptop sitting in the closet that doesn't hold a charge anymore; calibration isn't for that laptop — it's a lost cause. Calibration is for a battery that still works properly, yet doesn't show an accurate reading when it comes to life remaining. For example, it might say that there are two hours of juice left, but after 45 minutes you'll get a warning that it's about to shut down. After calibration you'll usually get a more accurate reading, and while it may be depressing to see that your old laptop is only getting about an hour of power from a charge, you won't be stuck somewhere with a dead device.

How to calibrate the battery in your laptop

If you're comfortable accessing your PC's BIOS, you might find a battery calibration tool within. This all depends on the laptop and manufacturer, so don't be alarmed if you can't find it.

Likewise, some laptop manufacturers will include a calibration tool within Windows 10 in order to easily take care of the problem. However, this type of tool isn't common, so you must take things into your own hands. Luckily, the process is relatively painless. Here are the steps to get it done.

1. Change your power plan

Before going through the hassle of charging and discharging your battery, we must first change the power settings to keep your laptop from sleeping or hibernating too soon. This is intended to be a straight draw on the battery and letting it go into a power-saving mode will ruin the calibration.

1. Right-click the battery icon in your taskbar.

2. Click Power Options.

3. Click Change when the computer sleeps.

4. Click the dropdown menu next to Turn off the display.

5. Click Never.

6. Click the dropdown menu next to Put the computer to sleep.

7. Click Never.

8. Click Change advanced power settings.

9. Click the expand button next to Battery.

10. Click the expand button next to Critical battery action. Ensure the section next to On battery says Hibernate.

11. Click the expand button next to Critical battery level.

12. Click the percentage next to On Battery.

13. Click the down arrow to set the number as low as possible.

14. Click Apply.

15. Click OK.

16. Click Save changes.

If you don't plan on using the laptop while the battery discharges, ensure you have a screensaver set up.

2. Charge your battery

Now that the power settings are taken care of, you want to charge your laptop's battery up to 100 percent. When it's completely charged, leave it plugged in and wait for the battery to cool down. Depending on your laptop and battery, this can take up to a few hours.

3. Unplug your laptop and let it discharge

Now that your laptop is cooled down and the battery is fully charged, you can unplug the cable. You can use the laptop during this time. Always make sure it doesn't go to sleep or hibernate (at least until the very end), although the power settings you changed should take care of this.

4. Charge your battery again

Once your laptop's battery is completely drained and the device shuts off, you'll want to plug it back in and let it charge back to 100 percent. Feel free to use your laptop during this time. Once you're charged back up to full, your laptop should give you a much more accurate reading of how long the battery will last.

5. Reset your power plan

Now that your battery is calibrated, be sure to reset your power plan to how you had it before. No sense wasting battery when the device isn't in use.

Have you calibrated your battery?

Laptop batteries can usually benefit from a calibration every few months, especially if you use your device on a daily basis. Have you tried this out? Did it work for you? Let us know in the comments section.

For more of the same content, be sure to check out our collection of Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks articles, as well as our forum where plenty of helpful members are willing to lend a hand.

• See more Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks articles
• Visit our Windows 10 forum

Windows 10 has a new security feature designed to protect your files and folders from ransomware, and this guide tells you the steps to enable it.

On Windows 10, "Controlled folder access" is a new intrusion-prevention feature that's part of the Windows Defender Exploit Guard included in the Fall Creators Update.

Controlled folder access is designed primarily to prevent ransomware from encrypting and taking your data hostage, but it also protects files from unwanted changes from other malicious programs.

It's an opt-in feature, and when enabled, it uses a mechanism to intelligently track the apps (executable files, scripts, and DLLs) trying to make changes to files in the protected folders. If the app is malicious, or it's not recognized, the feature will in real-time block the attempt, and you'll get a notification of the suspicious activity.

If you want to add an extra layer of security to keep your data safe, Controlled folder access can quickly be configured using the updated Windows Defender Security Center dashboard, as well as using Group Policy and PowerShell.

In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the steps to enable Controlled folder access using three different methods.

• How to enable Controlled folder access using Security Center
• How to enable Controlled folder access using Group Policy
• How to enable Controlled folder access using PowerShell

How to enable Controlled folder access using Security Center

The easiest way to enable and configure Controlled folder access is to use the Windows Defender Security Center dashboard. Here's how:

1. Open Windows Defender Security Center.
2. Click on Virus & threat protection.

3. Click the Virus & threat protection settings option.

4. Turn on the Controlled folder access toggle switch.

Once you complete the steps, Windows Defender Antivirus will continuously protect your files and folders from unauthorized access by malicious programs like ransomware.

Adding new locations

By default, this feature guards the Documents, Pictures, Videos, Music, Desktop, and Favorites folders. While you can't alter the default list of protected folders, if you have files stored in a different location, you can add the new drive or folder path manually. Here's how:

1. Open Windows Defender Security Center.
2. Click on Virus & threat protection.
3. Click the Virus & threat protection settings option.

4. Under "Controlled folder access," click the Protected folders link.

5. Click the Add a protected folder button.

6. Navigate to the new location you want to add and click the Select folder button.

If your storage configuration changes and you need to remove a folder location, you can follow the same steps, but on step No. 5, select the location and click the Remove button.

Allowing specific apps

Controlled folder access should be smart enough to detect which apps can safely access your files, but it the case an app you trust is blocked, you'll need to allow the app manually. This is how to do it:

1. Open Windows Defender Security Center.
2. Click on Virus & threat protection.
3. Click the Virus & threat protection settings option.

4. Under "Controlled folder access," click the Allow an app through Controlled folder access link.

5. Click the Add an allowed app button.

6. Navigate the new location you want to add and click the Select folder button.

In the case that you no longer want to allow a previously whitelisted app, you can use the same steps, but on step No. 5, select the app you want and click the Remove button.

How to enable Controlled folder access using Group Policy

If you're running Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise, it's also possible to configure Controlled folder access using the Local Group Policy Editor. Here's how:

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

3. Browse the following path:

   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus > Windows Defender Exploit Guard > Controlled Folder Access

4. On the right side, double-click the Configure Controlled folder access policy.

5. Select the Enabled option.

6. Under "Options," select the Block option using the drop-down menu.

7. Click Apply.
8. Click OK.

Once you complete the steps, the security feature will guard your files and folders stored in the default locations.

The only caveat of using this method is that any other configuration will have to be changed using Group Policy. If you open Windows Defender Security Center, you'll notice the "This setting is managed by your administrator" message and the Controlled folder access option will appear grayed out.

At any time, you can revert the changes following the same steps, but on step No. 5 select the Not Configured option.

Adding new locations

In the case you must protect files and folders located in a different folder, you can use the "Configure protected folders" policy to add the new location. Just follow these steps:

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

3. Browse the following path:

   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus > Windows Defender Exploit Guard > Controlled Folder Access

4. On the right side, double-click the Configure protected folders policy.

5. Select the Enabled option.
6. Under "Options," click the Show button.

7. Define the locations you want to protect by entering the path of the folder in the "Value name" field and adding 0 in the "Value" field.

8. Repeat step No. 7 to add more locations, and then click OK.
9. Click Apply.
10. Click OK.

To revert the changes, follow the same steps, but on step No. 5 select the Not Configured option.

Allowing specific apps

When using Group Policy to configure Controlled folder access, you can use the "Configure allowed applications" policy to whitelist apps you trust that are getting blocked. Here's how:

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

3. Browse the following path:

   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus > Windows Defender Exploit Guard > Controlled Folder Access

4. On the right side, double-click the Configure allowed applications policy.

5. Select the Enabled option.

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

7. Define the location of the app's .exe file (such as, D:\path\to\app\app.exe) you want to allow in the "Value name" field and add 0 in the "Value" field.

8. Repeat step No. 7 to add more locations, and then click OK.
9. Click Apply.
10. Click OK.

You can always revert the changes following the same steps, but on step No. 5 select the Not Configured option.

How to enable Controlled folder access using PowerShell

Alternatively, you can also enable and configure Controlled folder access using PowerShell commands. This is how:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Windows PowerShell, right-click the result, and click Run as administrator.

3. Type the following command to enable the feature and press Enter:

   Set-MpPreference -EnableControlledFolderAccess Enabled

After completing the steps, Controlled folder access will actively monitor your files and folders for unauthorized access, such as from those nasty ransomware.

If you want to disable the security feature, you can follow the same instructions, but on step No. 3 use this command:

Set-MpPreference -EnableControlledFolderAccess Disabled

Adding new locations

To guard files that are not located in the default protected folders, you can use a single PowerShell command to add the new path. Here's how:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Windows PowerShell, right-click the result, and click Run as administrator.

3. Type the following command to add a new location and press Enter:

   Add-MpPreference -ControlledFolderAccessProtectedFolders "D:\folder\path\to\add"

In the case you want to remove a folder, you can use the same instructions, but on step No. 3 use the following command:

Disable-MpPreference -ControlledFolderAccessProtectedFolders "D:\folder\path"\to\remove

Allowing specific apps

If you have an app that you know and trust that is getting blocked by Controlled folder access, you can use PowerShell to whitelist the app. Just follow these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Windows PowerShell, right-click the result, and click Run as administrator.

3. Type the following command to allow an app and press Enter:

   Add-MpPreference -ControlledFolderAccessAllowedApplications "D:\path\to\app\app.exe"

If you have to remove an application, you can use the same instructions, but on step No. 3 use the following command:

Remove-MpPreference -ControlledFolderAccessAllowedApplications "D:\path\to\app\app.exe"

Wrapping things up

Controlled folder access is one of the intrusion prevention features of Windows Defender Exploit Guard, which is part of the Windows Defender Antivirus. This means the feature won't be available if you use a third-party antivirus solution.

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

Black Friday is known as a hectic day of shopping for many popular items, but it doesn't always translate well into laptop shopping. This is why.

Black Friday seems to have an aura around it that suggests good deals for everything, but how well does it that work for laptops? Shopping for a new laptop is usually a lengthy process because there are lots of things to consider, and the mad rush of Black Friday seems counterintuitive to this process. So is Black Friday really a good time to buy a laptop? Let's find out.

Is Black Friday the best time to buy a new notebook PC?

Black Friday is more of a small-electronics or TV sale day, with not a lot of high-profile laptops seeing significant price cuts. Thrifter Deals Editor Jared DiPane has this to say on the subject:

Black Friday is more of a TV deal day, especially this year. We're seeing a lot of Black Friday deals not being any better than sales found at other times, and buying a laptop isn't recommended unless you have a specific model in mind.

This isn't always the rule, and you might end up getting lucky, but chances are you'll be disappointed.

So when is the best time to buy a laptop?

If not Black Friday, then when is the best time to buy? Laptops sort of have their own cycle when it comes to new models and dropped prices, which we've already taken an in-depth look at.

The best time to shop for a laptop seems to be when an updated version is released (the slightly older models usually drop in price), closer to the holiday season, and at the end of summer when back-to-school shopping takes place. We've seen these trends with CamelCamelCamel on plenty of popular laptops, including the Dell XPS 13.

Again, these aren't the only times you'll find a great deal on a laptop, and we've sometimes seen popular devices go on sale for Black Friday. But it's a good rule of thumb.

Tips for buying a laptop on Black Friday

If you're set on buying a laptop on Black Friday, there are a few things to keep in mind in order to get the best experience possible. Always begin by knowing exactly what you're looking for. This includes design, display, internal hardware, and price range.

As long as you set a price and an expectation of what the laptop will deliver, there should be a lot less buyer's remorse in the end. A lot of sales we're seeing so far this year are cheap laptops made even cheaper, but the problem is that they won't last as long nor will they deliver the same performance as high-end models. For example, if you see a regular price of about $600 cut in half, you can usually expect that laptop to come with budget compromises.

The golden rule when shopping for a laptop on Black Friday is to not rush into a purchase. Laptop shopping is usually a lengthy process, and grabbing the first discount item you see will likely end in a negative experience.

Keep an eye on deal websites

One way you can keep ahead of any surprise sales on great laptops is to visit specialized deal websites, like Thrifter, a Windows Central sibling site. This is a great place to quickly compare ads, and they even have a Twitter account you can subscribe to for immediate deal alerts.

More resources

• See our Laptop Buyer's Guide
• 5 easy ways to save money when buying a laptop
• 5 key considerations when buying a laptop for college
• Should you buy a new, used, or refurbished laptop?
• How to save your money buying a refurbished laptop
• 5 common mistakes to avoid when buying a laptop
• Considering a budget laptop? You should expect these compromises.
• How to buy a laptop at the right time (and be much happier with your purchase)

Having an external hard drive at hand is an ideal way to not only store and transfer files but also back up a PC.

Having the latter handled by online cloud services is all well and good, but should you lose connectivity, or the service goes down temporarily, you will not have immediate access to your files. When it comes to external drives, it's also possible to not only purchase one pre-built, but you can also make one yourself.

We'll show you how to save some pennies by putting together your own external hard drive, using an old laptop drive.

Choosing storage

Should you wish to purchase an internal drive separately, it's possible to choose a 2.5-inch HDD with your choice of capacity. And 3.5-inch drives are better suited for larger storage solutions that don't require portability.

Depending on just how much space you require from a drive, it's possible to spend as little as $40. Here are some options:

• Seagate 500GB BarraCuda - $43.99.
• Seagate 1TB BarraCuda - $46.97.
• WD Blue 1TB Mobile - $47.99.

Solid-state drives (SSD) are not recommended due to the cost. Also, should you need more than 1TB of space, you may want to look at a 3.5-inch drive. Already have the drive to spare? All you'll need is an enclosure to create a capable portable unit.

Enclosing the drive

With a 2.5-inch drive ready to go, you'll need an enclosure to secure the drive and allow for the transfer of files between the disk and a PC. Here are some affordable options:

• AUKEY USB Type-C - $17.99.
• IAUGO Enclosure - $11.99.
• Sabrent Ultra Slim - $8.99.

Depending on which enclosure you purchase, the drive bay may require a screwdriver to attach the drive to the casing. Other, more expensive options usually come with some sort of mechanism that allows for toolless installation and removal of drives. Once the drive is installed, it's then possible to connect it to a PC and format it for storage.

You can now use Command Prompt with an entirely new color scheme, and in this guide, we'll tell you the steps to customize your command-line experience.

Alongside the slew of new features and improvements included with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, the Windows Console (Command Prompt) is getting a color overhaul update after 20 years.

In this updated version of Command Prompt, Microsoft is changing the default color values to improve the text legibility on modern high-contrast monitors. Also, it's now possible to customize the console with an entirely new color scheme for a more modern look and feel.

The only caveat is that you'll only see the new colors if you are running a clean installation of Windows 10. If you're using an upgrade, to preserve your old settings, the legacy colors will be applied instead. However, Microsoft has released a tool to install the new color scheme along with many others to personalize your experience.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to customize Command Prompt with a new color scheme, and we even tell you how to get more schemes from the web.

• How to change the color scheme of Command Prompt
• How to get even more color schemes for Command Prompt

How to change the color scheme of Command Prompt

1. Download the Microsoft Color Tool from GitHub (click the colortool.zip link to get the tool).
2. Unzip the content of the colortool.zip compressed file. (If you need help, use this guide to extract all the files.)
3. Open Start.
4. Search for Command Prompt, right-click the result, and click Run as administrator.

5. Type the following command to navigate to the folder that contains the Color Tool executable and press Enter:

   cd c:\path\to\colortool

   In the above command, make sure to change c:\path\to\colortool with the path to the folder where you extract the "colortool" folder.

6. Type the following command to change the Command Prompt color scheme and press Enter:

   colortool -b scheme-name

   In the above command, make sure to change scheme-name with the name of the color scheme you want to use. You can figure out the name of the colors available in the "schemes" folder inside the "colortool" folder. For example, the current release, includes eight different schemes:

   • campbell.ini
   • campbell-legacy.ini
   • cmd-legacy.ini
   • deuternopia.itermcolors
   • OneHalfDark.itermcolors
   • OneHalfLight.itermcolors
   • solarized_dark.itermcolors
   • solarized_light.itermcolors

   The -b switch is optional, but it makes the scheme you choose the system default. Otherwise, you'll only see the new colors when opening the Windows Console using the Start menu or Run command.

7. Right-click Command Prompt's title bar, and click Properties.

8. In the "Properties" section, you don't need to change any settings; you simply need to click OK to apply the changes.

Once you've completed the steps, restart Command Prompt to start using the console with the new color scheme.

At any time, if you want to go back to the new default color settings, you can apply the campbell scheme, or use the cmd-campbell scheme to go back to the legacy colors.

How to get even more color schemes for Command Prompt

Although the Color Tool includes a few color schemes, it's possible to use many other colors using .itermcolors scheme files, which you can find on the internet.

The one that Microsoft recommends is the iTerm2 Color Schemes, which is an open project found in GitHub that offers more than 150 color schemes that you can use with Command Prompt.

If you want to use these schemes, do the following.

1. Download iTerm2-Color-Schemes from GitHub (click the green Clone or download button and select Desktop ZIP).
2. Unzip the content of the iTerm2-Color-Schemes.zip compressed file. (If you need help, use this guide to extract all the files from a zip file.)
3. Open the schemes folder inside the iTerm2-Color-Schemes uncompressed folder.

4. Select everything inside schemes folder (Ctrl + A) and copy the content (Ctrl + C).

5. Open the schemes folder inside the colortool folder and paste the files (Ctrl + V).

After completing the steps, use the steps to use Color Tool to apply a new color scheme, including Batman, Darkside, Atom, C64, FirefoxDev, and many others.

Which color scheme did you choose for your installation? 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

If you don't want Windows Defender Antivirus to keep quarantine items forever, you can use this guide to configure automatic removal after a specified number of days.

On Windows 10, when Windows Defender Antivirus can't fully determine if a suspicious file is infected, usually, it moves it to the Quarantine folder. This is a special location designed to isolate threats so that they can't harm your computer, or so you can restore false positives as necessary.

The only caveat is that these suspicious items will stay forever in the Quarantine folder. However, if you don't want to keep these items for a long time, or you want to prevent attackers potentially restoring quarantined threats back to your device (as we've recently seen with the AVGater exploit that affected several AV software), it's possible to configure the Windows 10 antivirus to remove quarantined items after certain number of days automatically.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to configure Windows Defender Antivirus to remove quarantine items after a certain number of days you specify.

• How to manage quarantine items removal using Group Policy
• How to manage quarantine items removal using Registry

How to manage quarantine items removal using Group Policy

If you're running Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise, you can use the Local Group Policy Editor to configure the removal of threats in the Quarantine folder after a specified number of days.

Important: Use these instructions carefully and make sure to allow enough time to research the suspicious to find out if it's, in fact, a threat, and to restore the items if it ends up being a false positive.

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

3. Browse the following path:

   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender Antivirus > Quarantine

4. On the right side, double-click the Configure removal of items from Quarantine folder policy.

5. Select the Enabled option.

6. Under "Options," select the number of days (e.g., 14) that you want to keep infected items in quarantine.

7. Click Apply.
8. Click OK.

Once you've completed the steps, Windows Defender Antivirus will delete quarantine items after the number of days you specified, or immediately if you used 0 (zero) in the "Options" field.

If you change your mind, you can always revert the changes by using the same steps, but on step No. 5, make sure to select the Not Configured option.

How to manage quarantine items removal using Registry

If you're running Windows 10 Home, you won't have access to the Local Group Policy Editor, but it's possible to change the quarantine settings for the Windows Defender Antivirus by editing 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.

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

3. Browse the following path:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender

   Quick Tip: On the Windows 10 Creators Update and later, you can copy and paste the path into the new Registry's address bar to quickly jump to the key destination.

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

5. Name the key Quarantine and press Enter.

6. Right-click on the Quarantine (folder) key, select New, and click on DWORD (32-bit) Value.

7. Name the key PurgeItemsAfterDelay and press Enter.

8. Double-click the newly created key, and select Decimal.

9. In the "Value data" field, specify the number of days that the antivirus should keep infected items before removing them.

10. Click OK.

After completing the steps, quarantine items will be purged from your computer after the number of days you specified in the Registry.

At any time, you can remove the settings by following the same instructions, but on step No. 5, right-click the Quarantine (folder) key and click Delete to remove the entries.

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

Windows 10 uses part of your Microsoft account address as your profile folder and internal account name. Here's how to use a custom name.

When you're creating a new account using a Microsoft account (MSA), Windows 10 uses the first five letters of your email address as the internal account name, which will be reflected in the profile folder name and when managing user accounts via command line.

Although this may not be a concern for most users, many people find this annoying because of the fact that Windows 10 doesn't provide an option to use a custom name.

However, if you want to use your real name, or a nickname, as your profile folder and internal account name, there is a workaround that allows you to set up an account with a custom name when using your Microsoft account information.

In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the steps to use a different name on your account, instead of just part of your MSA address.

How to set up a Microsoft account on Windows 10 with a custom name

To create an account that uses a custom profile name, you must first create a new administrator local account, move all your data, remove the old account, and finally switch to a Microsoft account.

Creating a local account

You can create a new local account on your computer using these steps:

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

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

5. Click the I don't have this person's sign-in information link.

6. Click the Add a user without a Microsoft account link.

7. Enter the username you want to use, which will define your profile folder and internal account name.

8. Enter a secure password and password hint.

9. Click Next.

Changing account type

If you'll be the only person accessing the computer, it's a good idea to change the account type to include administrative rights using these steps:

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

4. Under "Other people," select the newly-created account, and click the Change account type button.

5. Select Administrator using the drop-down menu.

6. Click OK.
7. Sign-out from your current account.

Setting up a new account

Before you can connect your Microsoft account to Windows 10, you must remove your old account. Before you go through that process, you need to make sure to move all your files to the newly-created account following these steps:

1. Sign-in to your newly-created local account.
2. Open File Explorer.
3. Select This PC from the left pane.
4. Under "Devices and drives," double-click to open the C: drive.

5. Double-click the Users folder.

6. Locate your old account's folder and double-click it. (Hint: It's the folder using the last five letters of your MSA address.)
7. If you get a dialog box saying "You don't currently have permission to access this folder", click Continue, as your administrator account will grant you access.
8. Use the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run command.

9. Type the following command line: %HOMEPATH%, and click OK to open a second instance of File Explorer in your default folder.

10. Snap your new home folder to the left side of the screen using the Windows key + left arrow keyboard shortcut.
11. When Snap assist pops up, choose to snap your old home folder to the right side.

12. Move the content inside the folders in the right side (old account) to the same folders in the left (new account).

After completing the steps, make sure you can access your files and applications. In some cases, you may need to reinstall some of your apps, if they can only be installed per account. You may also have to reactivate some of them, so make sure you have the activation information handy.

Remove old account

Once you've created the local account with the new profile name, and you've transferred all your data over to the new account, you'll need to remove the old account in order to switch to a Microsoft account. Here's how:

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

4. Under "Other people," select your old account, and click the Remove button.

5. Click the Delete account and data button.

Connect a Microsoft account

The last step to complete the process is to connect your new local account to your personal MSA with these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. Click on Your info.

4. Click the Sign in with a Microsoft account instead link.

5. Enter your Microsoft account address.

6. Click Next.

7. Enter your password.
8. Click Sign in.
9. Enter the password that you're currently using with the local account, and remember that moving forward, you'll need to enter your MSA password to sign in.

10. Click Next.

After completing these steps, you can start using Windows 10 with the new custom profile name.

Wrapping things up

As you can see there quite a few steps to follow, but that's the price you need to pay to get an account with a custom folder and internal account name. Unfortunately, this is not a bug on Windows 10. It just the way it works.

If you're doing a clean installation of Windows 10, instead of creating an account using an MSA, select the Offline account option from the bottom-left corner to create a local account. Then after finishing the setup, simply connect your local account with a Microsoft account.

Do you think Windows 10 should have an option to allow to create a custom profile name, or at least use the first name associated with your Microsoft account? 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

Microsoft is working on a new, dedicated search UI that's separate from Cortana in the latest insider builds of Windows 10.

In the latest version of Windows 10, searching for files, documents, the web, and apps is handled via the Cortana UI, which to many is confusing or unnecessary. More often than not, people who are searching for things on their device don't want or need to interact with Microsoft's virtual assistant, and now it appears the company is working on a new search UI to rectify this.

In the latest Redstone 4 Insider Preview builds, a new, hidden search UI can be enabled via a simple registry edit that brings a new "immersive" search experience to the desktop. With the registry edit enabled, the user can click on the Cortana icon (when the search box is hidden) that will bring up a search UI that floats in the middle of the user's display, similar to how it works on the latest version of macOS Sierra.

This UI also pops up by hitting the Start button and immediately typing, as many users are accustomed to. Right now, the new search UI's implementation within the OS is a little rough, and in some usage scenarios doesn't make sense. This is likely because we're only seeing one part of a bigger picture. Recent rumors suggest Microsoft is planning to move Cortana into the System Tray, which would give this new search UI a much better reason for existing.

Users running build 17040 can try out this new search UI via the following registry edit (via Inside Windows Group Chat):

1. Right-click on the Windows Start button.

2. Select Run.

3. In the Run dialog box, type "regedit."

4. Select OK.

5. Navigate to

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search\Flighting\

6. Right-click the "Flighting" folder and select New > Key

7. Name the key "Override."

8. In the Override folder, right-click and select New > DWORD (32-bit)

9. Name the newly created DWORD "ImmersiveSearch" and press enter to confirm.

10. Double-click the DWORD and change its "value data" to 1.

11. Restart your PC.

Now the registry edit has been applied, make sure you minimize the Cortana search bar on the taskbar before clicking the icon.

Microsoft has not officially announced that it is working on a new search UI for Windows 10 just yet, meaning this feature could be canceled or removed from Windows preview builds at any time. It's also likely to be pretty buggy, considering its unfinished state.

You can use Quick Assist in Windows 10 to remotely help someone with a PC problem.

Have you ever had a friend or family member ask you for help setting something up on their PC? Maybe they asked you why it's not running properly, or maybe they were unsure why a program wouldn't install. In any case, if you aren't able to meet them in person, the Windows 10 Quick Assist feature allows you to remotely access their Windows 10 PC. This feature gives you full control, so you can quickly work your magic on their device.

Before allowing access …

Since this feature gives a person complete control over another's PC, you should only use it with someone you trust. If you are the person giving assistance, you need to use a Microsoft account. If you are receiving assistance, you don't have to be signed in to a Microsoft account. As long as you're comfortable with allowing that person access to your Windows 10 PC, the following steps will get everything working.

How to set up Windows 10 Quick Assist

It doesn't take long to get Quick Assist set up. This is what it looks like if you are the one providing assistance.

If you're helping out

1. Right-click the Start button

2. Click Search

3. Type Quick Assist and hit Enter on your keyboard

4. Click Give assistance

5. Type your Microsoft account username

6. Click Next

7. Type your password

8. Click Sign in

You're then shown a six-digit code that must be shared with the person receiving assistance. There are a couple of options you can click right in the window (like email), but you can relay the code any way you want.

If you're getting help

Once the other person has received the code, here's how to get things set up for the person receiving assistance.

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

3. Type Quick Assist and hit Enter on your keyboard

4. Click Get assistance

5. Type the six-digit code you received from the person giving assistance

6. Click Submit

7. Click Allow as long as the name matches the person giving assistance

The person giving assistance will now have a window open that shows the other person's desktop.

How to use Windows 10 Quick Assist

Once you have a working connection, the person offering assistance has a number of tools at their disposal.

• To annotate both screens, click the Annotate button. This allows the person giving assistance to draw directly on both screens using their mouse cursor.

• To restart the other PC, click the Restart button. The Quick Assist connection will pause, but will automatically re-open when the PC restarts and boots Windows.

• To open the Task Manager on the other PC, click the Task Manager button.

• To pause or stop the connection, click the Pause or Stop button. The connection can be resumed by hitting the Play button in the same spot.

• If the person receiving assistance would like to stop the Quick Assist, they can click the X in the top-right corner of the small window on their screen.

More resources

Looking for more information and help related to Windows 10? These articles should help.

• See all Windows 10 articles
• See all Windows 10 help and how-to articles
• See our Windows 10 forum for more help and information

Gear up, trooper: here's our comprehensive list of every blaster, vehicle, starfighter, and hero in Star Wars Battlefront II.

At its core, the Star Wars Battlefront series has always given its players a huge arsenal of iconic weapons, vehicles, and characters to use to bring their wrath to the front lines. Whether you're hunting Rebel scum, blasting some clankers, or fighting against the tyranny of the First Order, there's always a tool handy to help to accomplish your objective.

Looking for a list of them all? Look no further. We compiled every single one of Battlefront II's armory into a concise archive.

See on Amazon

Blasters

• DC-15A
• DC-17
• DC-15
• Valken-38X
• F-11D
• FWMB-10
• SE-44
• DLT-19D
• E-5
• E-5C
• RG-4D
• E-5s
• E-11
• DLT-19
• RK-3
• DLT-19X
• EL-16
• M-45
• GLIE-44
• A180
• A280C
• RT-97C
• DH-17
• DLT-20A
• A280
• CR-2
• EL-16HFE
• DC-15LE
• FWMB-10K
• TL-50
• S-5
• BLURRG-1120
• SE-44C
• IQA-11
• A280-CFE
• NT-242

Vehicles

• AT-ST
• AT-RT
• AAT
• LAAT/i Gunship
• AT-AT
• MTT
• U-Wing Gunship
• 74-Z Speeder Bike
• T-47 Airspeeder
• Light Infantry Utility Vehicle (LIUV)
• X-34 Landspeeder

Starfighters

• TIE/LN Fighter
• ARC-170 Starfighter
• N-1 Naboo Starfighter
• TIE/FO Fighter
• Vulture Droid
• T-65B X-Wing Starfighter
• T-70 X-Wing Starfighter
• V-Wing Interceptor
• RZ-1 A-Wing Interceptor
• RZ-2 A-Wing Interceptor
• Droid Tri-Fighter
• TIE/SF Fighter
• TIE/IN Interceptor
• BTL-A4 Y-Wing Bomber
• BTL-B Y-Wing Bomber
• Hyena-class Bomber
• TIE/SA Bomber

Heroes

• Boba Fett
• Bossk
• Chewbacca
• Darth Vader
• Emperor Palpatine
• Han Solo
• Iden Versio
• Kylo Ren
• Lando Calrissian
• Leia Organa
• Luke Skywalker
• Darth Maul
• Rey
• Yoda
• Kylo Ren's TIE Silencer
• Han Solo and Chewbacca's Millennium Falcon
• Rey and Chewbacca's Millennium Falcon
• Darth Maul's Scimitar
• Boba Fett's Slave-I
• Darth Vader's TIE Advanced x1
• Luke Skywalker's T-65B X-Wing Starfighter
• Poe Dameron's T-70 X-Wing Starfighter
• Yoda's ACTIS-class Light Interceptor

Your thoughts

What do you think of the arsenal of walkers, guns, heroes, and everything between in Star Wars Battlefront II? What items or characters are you hoping to see in future DLC? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Star Wars Battlefront II is available now on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and EA's PC service, Origin. It costs $59.99.

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Windows Defender Antivirus doesn't scan removable drives during full scans by default, but there are ways to enable the functionality. Here's how.

Although Windows Defender Antivirus runs automatically on your Windows 10 device, there are still times when you'll need to perform a full scan to make sure that malware or malicious software is not impacting your device.

However, if you thought a "full scan" meant that the antivirus would check every storage device connected to your computer, think again. As it turns out, by default, Windows Defender Antivirus does not scan external drives during a full scan — only during quick and custom scans.

If you want to make sure that every storage device attached to your computer gets scanned for unwanted software and malware, it's possible but it's something that you need to configure manually.

In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the steps to allow Windows Defender Antivirus to include removable drives as you perform a full malware scan on your device.

• How to include removable drives during full scan using Group Policy
• How to include removable drives during full scan using Registry

How to include removable drives during full scan using Group Policy

If you're running Windows 10 Pro, you can quickly configure Windows Defender Antivirus to include removable drives during a full scan using the Group Policy Editor. Just follow these steps:

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

3. Browse the following path:

   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Defender > Scan

4. On the right side, double-click the Scan removable drives policy.

5. Select the Enabled option.
6. Click Apply.

7. Click OK.

Once you complete these steps, the Windows 10 antivirus will include not only external drives during quick and custom scans but also during full virus scans.

This may be obvious, but remember that using this option will take longer to complete the scan due to the fact that more data will have to be covered.

If you no longer need to use this feature, you can follow the same instructions, but on step No. 5, make sure to select the Not Configured option.

How to include removable drives during full scan using Registry

If you're running Windows 10 Home, you won't have access to use Group Policy, but you can change the same settings using 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. We recommend making a full backup of your PC before proceeding. If you're ready, follow these steps:

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

3. Browse the following path:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender

   Quick Tip: On the Windows 10 Creators Update and later, you can copy and paste the path into the new Registry's address bar to quickly jump to the key destination.

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

5. Name the key Scan and press Enter.

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

7. Name the key DisableRemovableDriveScanning and press Enter.

8. Double-click the newly created DWORD and make sure its value is 0.

After completing these steps, Windows Defender Antivirus will also scan removable drives you have connected to your computer.

If you want to revert the changes, simply follow the same instructions, but on step No. 5, right-click the Scan (folder) key and click Delete to remove the entries.

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

These are the steps to open the Xbox One S console and gain access to its internal components.

One of the biggest benefits of consoles is their simplicity. In contrast to PC, a platform built with the goal of accomplishing any task, consoles are designed specifically for gaming. What you lose in flexibility you gain in hardware tailored for the experience — and only one company making the parts.

Despite this closed ecosystem, sometimes there's a reason to take a look inside your devices. While Microsoft strongly discourages users from opening Xbox One consoles, there are some valid reasons to – whether performing minor tweaks or repairing a hardware issue outside of warranty. For those using Microsoft's latest entry-level console, the Xbox One S, these are the steps to do so.

Warning: By opening an Xbox One, you will void your console's warranty. This can be a risky activity for those new to opening/modifying electronics and is recommended only to those confident in doing so. Perform the following steps at your own risk, with the chance of damaging your Xbox One.

How to open an Xbox One S

1. Turn the Xbox One S upside down, with the black side facing upwards.
2. Locate the tamper-resistant warranty sticker located on the rear corner of the device.

3. Remove the sticker from the console, using either a pair of tweezers or your finger.
4. Use an opening tool to pry the black base away from the remainder of the Xbox One S, starting in the corner where the warranty sticker was removed. We recommend using a plastic tool, to prevent heavy scratching.

5. Continue to work around the sides of the console using the prying tool, detaching the clips built into the base. A fair amount pressure must be applied to detach them, though be careful not to damage nearby ports. Firm clicking sounds will be made when each of these clips is detached. A metal interior casing will be exposed once the base has been removed.

6. Remove the six green screws located across the console's inner casing, using a TR10 Torx security screwdriver. This will detach all internals from the white plastic casing that surrounds the console. Ensure these screws are kept in a safe location, as they are required to reassemble the device later on.
7. Push the sides of the white shell outwards, detaching the rear panel.
8. Lift the main body of the Xbox One S from the upper casing.

9. Flip the console over, with the fan pointing upwards.
10. Lift the metal panel, to reveal the components underneath. This is held in place by soft padding and requires little force.
11. Each of the main components of the Xbox One S should now be visible. Microsoft has labeled the fan, optical disc drive, hard disk drive (HDD) and power supply, alongside a convenient numbering system.

After following these steps, you should be able to access the Xbox One S's key components. To reassemble the device, simply follow these steps in reverse, making sure to install the casing using provided screws.

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How to set up your Synology DS218+ with Plex.

The DS218+ already comes packing Synology's own packages (or apps) that can handle streaming to devices and whatnot, but to make things easier and more visually appealing, you can opt to use Plex. This service allows you to configure various content libraries that are automatically imported, checked over and sorted with a bunch of information downloaded from elsewhere (album art, metadata, etc).

It's a vastly superior experience and doesn't take long to get started.

Install Plex Server

1. Download the Plex Server package. (Choose "Synology" under "NAS".)
2. Connect to your Synology NAS.

3. Open up the Package Manager.

4. Click on "Manual Install."
5. Click "Browse" and locate the Plex Server download.

6. Click "Next."

7. Click "Yes" on the pop-up.
8. Click "Apply."

Configuring your new server

All you need to do now is to click on the main menu in the top-left on the DSM interface and choose Plex Server. This will launch a new window with the Plex Server for you to hook up your Plex account, configure the network, search for media, and more. The wizard is straightforward with only a few options. You will need to create a Plex account to take advantage of synchronization features and the like.

Check our Plex beginner's guide

When running Plex on your Synology NAS, you will want to select a folder for where Plex can keep track of media files, be it photos, music, or video. The NAS itself comes with some default folders for such media, which can be selected, but you can create new folders in your "home" folder that can then be accessed through Windows Explorer and other file managers for easier transfer.

Now you can enjoy access to all your content on your smart TV, Xbox One, tablet, smartphone, Windows 10 PC, laptop, and all other devices running the Plex app with adequate access.

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More on Plex

• Installing Plex on Xbox One
• Installing Plex on Kodi
• How to use DVR on Plex
• Best NAS for Plex

The best Windows Mixed Reality experience comes with UWP apps from the Store. But you can use win32 desktop apps as well if you know how.

It's a less than ideal scenario, for sure, but if you're going all in on the Windows Mixed Reality experience then that means gaining access to everything on your PC.

While you can't manipulate and interact with your win32 apps like you can those from the Microsoft Store, you can at least use them while you're inside your Mixed Reality headset. Here's how.

1. Make sure your headset is on and your motion controllers are connected.
2. Press the Windows button on either controller.
3. Select all apps.
4. Scroll down until you come to desktop.
5. Click the trigger to open it.

Inside Windows Mixed Reality, your desktop becomes the app and everything inside it works just in that same window. It's not the most user-friendly experience, but it will at least give you access to a web browser that isn't Microsoft Edge or apps like Photoshop should you have a desire to use these.

Once you click out of the desktop app window it'll go to sleep as with any other application and you can resize it and pin it to a wall if you so wish. It's one of those situations that it's good to have in a pinch, but it's not how you'll get the best Mixed Reality experience.

Here's how you get started with the DS218+.

Setting up the newly released DS218+ is an absolute breeze, which is why it fared well in our in-depth review and was awarded our Choice Award. Synology has done wonders to improve on the excellent DS216 series to create a Network Attached Storage (NAS) solution that is ideal for not only advanced users but also those who may be new to the network storage field.

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Installing hardware

Depending on what you configured the DS218+, you may not have to do anything aside from plugging the unit into an available outlet and hooking it up to a router. If you've received a diskless configuration, which means there aren't any pre-installed hard drives, you'll need to remove the two trays and install drives. Luckily, this is a simple process that requires no tools at all.

1. Remove the front panel.

2. Take the tray out of the unit by pressing down on the lever and pulling.

3. Remove the two side panels.

4. Insert the hard drive into the tray.

5. Re-attach the two side panels to secure the drive.
6. Slide the tray back into the unit.
7. Re-attach the front panel.

The process of installing 2.5-inch SSDs and laptop drives is the same, except you'll need to screw them to the base of the tray.

And you're done. That's all that is required to install the hard drive. Simply repeat the process for a second drive, should you have one at hand. The beauty of this NAS is you can always add a second drive at a later date, should you run low on storage and wish to run the system in RAID to create an immediate backup copy of everything.

After you have the DS218+ plugged into the outlet and router, with hard drives installed, it's time to get started with the software.

Setting up software

After turning on the DiskStation and allowing the OS to boot up and check everything over (you should hear a beep once it's done), it's time to connect to the NAS and set everything up. This can be achieved by entering one of the following into your favorite web browser:

• find.synology.com
• diskstation:5000

If neither works, you can download the Synology Assistant, which should automatically detect and list the DS218+. You can then quickly access it through your browser from here, which will present you with the initial setup wizard. (If, for some reason, you quit the wizard before you complete all the steps, simply log into the DiskStation Manager (DSM) with the username admin, and a blank password.)

1. Click "Set up."

2. Click "Install Now."

3. Wait for the installer to finish. The NAS will reboot, leave the page open.

4. Enter some details:

   • Server name: Whatever you wish for the server to be called.
   • Username: Give yourself a username.
   • Password: Self-explanatory.

5. Hit "Next" twice.

6. Choose how DSM will install updates, leaving S.M.A.R.T and bad sector warnings enabled.

7. Hit "Next."

8. Configure QuickConnect, which allows you to create a Synology account and connect to your NAS without messing with router settings (and when away from home).
9. Copy down your new QuickConnect URL (and activate your Synology account if creating one).
10. Hit "Next."
11. Hit "Go" to complete the wizard.

You'll now be on the main DSM OS view. This is where you can easily configure the NAS and install updates, packages, manage files, how everything is set up, and more. The DSM help manager will run you through a few tips to get you started. Should you require further assistance, simply open up the help manager and do some searching. Spend a good hour playing around with various options to get accustomed to the DSM interface.

Mapping for Windows

In Windows, you can map the NAS location to a specific drive letter so it appears in Windows Explorer as an internal hard drive. Here's how:

1. Open Explorer.
2. Right-click on This PC.
3. Click on "Map network drive...".
4. Choose a drive letter.
5. Hit "Browse."
6. Browse to the network location.
7. Click "Ok."
8. Click "Finish."

Now a virtual drive will appear in Explorer, allowing for more convenient access. This can also be achieved using Synology Assistant, which makes the whole process a little easier.

Helpful tips

• The copy button can be pressed to quickly transfer files from an inserted USB drive to the NAS.
• The eSATA port can be used to connect an external drive to the NAS.
• It's easy to install an extra RAM module, should you need one using the spare slot to the right of the drives.
• The QuickConnect will let you quickly access the NAS without needing to mess with your router.