You can customize Google Chrome and add features and functionality by adding extensions from the Chrome Web Store.
This tutorial will show you how to install an extension to add it to Google Chrome for your account in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.
Opera is the first and still only major browser that integrates a free, unlimited VPN service, allowing you to focus on the content that matters without fear of losing privacy.
Normally, your browser connects directly to websites, allowing websites to identify your IP address and its approximate location. With VPN, you connect to websites via a VPN server. As a result, your apparent location changes to the location of the server.
With Opera’s VPN turned on, your IP address will be replaced with a virtual one, making it harder for websites to track your location and identify your computer. Many tracking cookies will also be blocked.
From the point-of-view of websites, your browser is now located in the region given by the virtual location. To change your virtual location, select a region from the list. If you do not choose a region, you are automatically assigned an “optimal location”. To turn off VPN, flip the switch in the badge.
Because the connection from your browser to the VPN server is encrypted, even if the local network is not, VPN enhances your privacy on the local network. You can hide your browsing activities from other users of that network.
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable and use the free built-in VPN service in Opera browser for your account in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.
The Attachment Manager is included in Windows to help protect your PC from unsafe attachments that you might receive with an e-mail message and from unsafe files that you might save from the Internet. If the Attachment Manager identifies an attachment that might be unsafe, the Attachment Manager prevents (blocks) you from opening the file, or it warns you before you open the file.
It uses the IAttachmentExecute application programming interface (API) to find the file type, to find the file association. When one of these applications saves a downloaded file on a disk formatted with NTFS, then it updates the metadata for the file with the zone it was downloaded from. The metadata is saved as an Alternate Data Stream (ADS). If you wish to unblock a downloaded file, you can do so by right-clicking it, selecting Properties and clicking on Unblock.
The Open File – Security Warning prompt is a security measure that will ask for your permission before opening a file on your PC that came from an unknown source such as the Internet or another PC.
Windows SmartScreen helps keep your PC safer by warning you before running unrecognized apps and files downloaded from the Internet.
Open File – Security Warning and Windows SmartScreen automatically blocks these types of apps and files until you unblock them.
If you like, you can add Unblock to the context menu of files and folders to make unblocking files easier as needed.
When you click on Unblock in the context menu of a blocked file, you will be prompted by either a Open File – Security Warning or Windows Defender Smartscreen dialog to approve unblocking the file without opening or running the file.
When you click on Unblock in the context menu of a folder, you can select to Unblock files only in this folder or Unblock files in this folder and subfolders. You will not get prompted by a Open File – Security Warning or Windows Defender Smartscreen dialog to approve.
This tutorial will show you how to add or remove an Unblock file context menu to files and folders for all users in Windows 10.
You can customize Google Chrome and add features and functionality by adding extensions from the Chrome Web Store.
If you don’t want Google Chrome to remember your activity, you can browse the web privately in Incognito mode.
Allow in incognito is turned off (disabled) by default for extensions.
This tutorial will show you how to enable and disable allow in incognito mode for extensions in Google Chrome for your account in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.
You can customize Google Chrome and add features and functionality by adding extensions from the Chrome Web Store.
This tutorial will show you how to uninstall an extension to remove it from Google Chrome for your account in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.
You can customize Google Chrome and add features and functionality by adding extensions from the Chrome Web Store.
Sometimes you may need or want to temporarily completely disable an added extension in Google Chrome.
This tutorial will show you how to enable and disable extensions in Google Chrome for your account in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.
Hyper-V enables running virtualized computer systems on top of a physical host. These virtualized systems (aka: guests) can be used and managed just as if they were physical computer systems, however they exist in a virtualized and isolated environment.
If you like, you can move a Hyper-V virtual machine and all files associated with it to a new storage location of your choice.
This tutorial will show you how to completely move a Hyper-V virtual machine to a new location in Windows 10.
The default sound input device is the device (ex: microphone) that Windows uses to record or hear sound.
The default audio playback device is the device (ex: speaker) that Windows uses to output (play) sound.
If you don’t like the default name given to a sound input or output device, you can easily rename it to any name you want to display for the device in Windows 10.
This tutorial will show you how to rename a sound input or output device for all users in Windows 10.
Hyper-V enables running virtualized computer systems on top of a physical host. These virtualized systems (aka: guests) can be used and managed just as if they were physical computer systems, however they exist in a virtualized and isolated environment.
If you like, you can delete a Hyper-V virtual machine to remove it from the Hyper-V Manager.
When you delete a Hyper-V virtual machine, it deletes the virtual machine’s configuration file, but does not delete any virtual hard drives. If the virtual machine has any checkpoints, these are deleted and merged into the virtual hard disk files after the virtual machine is deleted.
This tutorial will show you how to delete a Hyper-V virtual machine on your Windows 10 PC.
Hyper-V enables running virtualized computer systems on top of a physical host. These virtualized systems (aka: guests) can be used and managed just as if they were physical computer systems, however they exist in a virtualized and isolated environment.
You can rename a Hyper-V virtual machine anytime you like.
When you rename a Hyper-V virtual machine, it will only change its name in Hyper-V Manager. It will not change the name of the folder or virtual hard disk (.vhdx) file(s) for the virtual machine.
This tutorial will show you how to rename a Hyper-V virtual machine on your Windows 10 PC.
Windows 10 in S mode is designed for security and performance, exclusively running apps from the Microsoft Store. If you want to install an app that isn’t available in the Microsoft Store, you’ll need to switch out of S mode. There’s no charge to switch out of S mode.
Switching out of S mode is one-way. If you make the switch, you won’t be able to go back to Windows 10 in S mode.
This tutorial will show you how to switch out of Windows 10 in S mode to the current Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Enterprise, or Windows 10 Education edition for free.
Device Manager displays information about each device. This includes the device type, device status, manufacturer, device-specific properties, and information about the driver for the device.
Device Manager can show hidden devices. This is helpful when you are testing the installation of a new PnP device.
Device Manager provides detailed information in the Properties dialog for each device. Right click on the name of the device, and then click/tap on Properties. The General, Driver, Details, and Events tabs contain information that can be useful when you debug errors.
This tutorial will show you different ways to open Device Manager in Windows 10.
Windows can personalize your Start menu based on the apps that you launch. This allows you to quickly have access to your list of Most used apps both in the Start menu and when you search your device.
If you disable app launch tracking, it will disable and gray out the Let Windows track app launches to improve Start and search results and Show most used apps settings.
Disabling app launch tracking will also clear and disable the AutoSuggest history for apps in the drop down list of Run (Win+R) and File Explorer (Win+E) address bar. This does not affect file, folder, drive, network, and URL paths in AutoSuggest.
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable app launch tracking to improve Start and search results for all users in Windows 10.
The Win+X Quick Link menu is a pop-up menu from the Start button that includes shortcuts of common management, configuration, and other power user Windows tools.
This tutorial will show you how to rename any shortcuts you want in the Win+X Quick Link menu for your account in Windows 10.
The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a new Windows 10 feature that enables you to run native Linux command-line tools directly on Windows, alongside your traditional Windows desktop and modern store apps.
When you have Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) enabled, you can install WSL distro apps from the Microsoft Store, and export and import WSL distros.
The first time a newly installed WSL distro runs, a Console window will open, and you’ll be asked to wait for a minute or two for the installation to complete.
Once installation is complete, you will be prompted to create a new user account (and its password).
Creating your Linux user is the first step in setting up a new Linux distribution on WSL. The first user account you create is automatically configured with a few special attributes:
Each Linux distribution running on the Windows Subsystem for Linux has its own Linux user accounts and passwords. You will have to configure a Linux user account any time you add a distribution, reinstall, or reset. Linux user accounts are not only independent per distribution, they are also independent from your Windows 10 user account.
When you add a user to a WSL distro, this new user will not be a member of the sudo (aka: administrator) group by default.
This tutorial will show you how to remove a user from a Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) distro in Windows 10.
You can turn your Windows 10 PC into a mobile hotspot by sharing your Internet connection with other devices over Wi-Fi. You can share a Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or cellular data connection.
When you turn off mobile hotspot, you can turn on or off to allow another device to turn on mobile hotspot remotely on your device when it connects to the mobile hotspot.
Both devices must have Bluetooth turned on and be paired to turn on mobile hotspot remotely.
This tutorial will show you hoe to enable or disable allowing another device to turn on mobile hotspot remotely on your Windows 10 PC.
You can turn your Windows 10 PC into a mobile hotspot by sharing your Internet connection with other devices over Wi-Fi. You can share a Wi-Fi, Ethernet, or cellular data connection.
When you turn on mobile hotspot, you can turn on or off a power saving feature that will automatically turn off mobile hotspot in five minutes when no devices are connected.
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable automatically turn off mobile hotspot when no devices are connected in Windows 10.
The default audio playback device is the device that Windows uses to output (play) sound.
This can be speakers, headphones, Bluetooth headset, or other audio devices connected or built-in to your computer.
This tutorial will show you different ways on how to enable or disable a sound output device (ex: speakers) on your Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10 PC.
You can use the free IconViewer utility program to view and save the icons contained within files, such as executable files and dynamic link libraries (DLLs).
When IconViewer is installed, it will add an Icons tab to the properties page of any file that contain icons.
While you must be signed in as an administrator to install IconViewer, all users will be able to use the Icons tab in the properties page of files that contain icons.
This tutorial will show you how to extract icons from files to save as a ICO, BMP, or PNG file in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.
The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a new Windows 10 feature that enables you to run native Linux command-line tools directly on Windows, alongside your traditional Windows desktop and modern store apps.
When you have Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) enabled, you can install WSL distro apps from the Microsoft Store, and export and import WSL distros.
The first time a newly installed WSL distro runs, a Console window will open, and you’ll be asked to wait for a minute or two for the installation to complete.
Once installation is complete, you will be prompted to create a new user account (and its password).
Creating your Linux user is the first step in setting up a new Linux distribution on WSL. The first user account you create is automatically configured with a few special attributes:
Each Linux distribution running on the Windows Subsystem for Linux has its own Linux user accounts and passwords. You will have to configure a Linux user account any time you add a distribution, reinstall, or reset. Linux user accounts are not only independent per distribution, they are also independent from your Windows 10 user account.
If you like, you can switch to a specified user at any time in a WSL distro console.
This tutorial will show you how to switch between users in a Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) distro console in Windows 10.