Latest Windows How-To Stories
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How to make Windows 10 notifications last a little (or a lot) longer
Windows 10 notifications going by too fast? Here's how to slow them down.Hassle-Free PC
How to remove Live Tiles from the Windows 10 Start menu
Say you're just not feeling Windows 10's Live Tiles, it's possible to banish them from the Start menu for a minimalist vibe.Answer Line
How to make your Windows 10 user account local
The account you log onto in Windows 10 is probably connected to Microsoft. Here's why you might (and might not) want to change that and how to do it.Hassle-Free PC
How to copy windows that weren’t meant to be copied with Textify
Textify is a free Windows utility that lets you easily copy a window's text, whatever the source.
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How to uncover Windows 10’s hidden ‘Applications’ view in File Explorer
A quick command in Run turns File Explorer into an at-a-glance display for all your installed programs and Windows Store apps.
How-To
How to clean install Windows the right way
Performing a Windows reinstall can make your PC feel like new, but you'll want to do some prep work first to avoid losing precious data and software.Hassle-Free PC
How to keep charging your USB devices past your PC’s bedtime
With a simple tweak of your Windows settings, you can get a charge from your USB ports when your PC is in sleep mode.Hassle-Free PC
How Cortana in Edge can help you find context for images
Microsoft recently added 'Ask Cortana' support for images in Edge. Here's how to use it.Answer Line
Windows 10 picture password: Draw your own conclusions about its safety
Windows 10's picture password gives you an alternative to traditional passwords and PINs that could be easier to remember. Whether it's as safe is a good question–we go over the issues here.
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Restore a Windows 7 backup in Windows 10
It's good to have a backup when you've lost your PC. But only if you can recover the files.Hassle-Free PC
How to download local maps for offline use in Windows 10
Don't let an unpredictable Internet connection keep you from where you're going—Windows 10 lets you download maps to use offline.Hassle-Free PC
Onetastic add-in for OneNote puts your notes in a calendar
Onetastic's OneCalendar is a great way to view your notes organized by date.
How-To
7 ways Windows 10 pushes ads at you, and how to stop them
Regardless of whether you upgrade from Windows 7 or pay $100 for a new license, Windows 10 bombards you with ads. Here's how to make them stop.Hassle-Free PC
Clear out your PC’s junk files with Kaspersky Cleaner Beta
A new program from security firm Kaspersky cleans out your PC's log files and cache files quickly and easily.Answer Line
3 ways to speed up Windows 10 without buying new hardware
Why wait? A few simple tweaks will improve Windows 10's performance without an expensive hardware upgrade.Hassle-Free PC
Three easy ways to paste plain text into Word
Pasting formatted text from the web can often be a hassle—but not if you use these tricks.Hassle-Free PC
How to turn your screencast into a GIF with Recordit
Because sometimes an animated GIF really is worth a thousand words.Hassle-Free PC
3 pre-Windows 10 tricks worth revisiting
Yes, Windows 10 is great, but there are some tips and tricks from older versions of Windows that are still plenty useful.Answer Line
How to change the look of Windows 10’s desktop with native settings or Aero Glass
When it comes to visual aesthetics, Windows 10 is reasonably configurable. Adjust color schemes and backgrounds easily with these tools.
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Move your Windows 10 libraries to a separate drive or partition
Physically separating programs and data protects them both and makes for easier backupsAnswer Line
If error messages appear when your PC boots, try this
Error messages on your PC are always annoying and worrying, even if nothing actually appears to be wrong. Here's how to stop a message that comes up every time you boot.Hassle-Free PC
How to use Cortana with Netflix, Uber, and other Windows Store apps
The fun and convenience of Microsoft's Cortana digital assistant isn't just for Windows 10 functions—it's integrated with a host of third-party apps in the Windows Store.
How-To
How to make Windows 10 faster: 5 ways to speed up your PC
Want Windows 10 to run faster? Take a few minutes to try out these tips, and your machine will be zippier and less prone to performance and system issues.Hassle-Free PC
Try deep linking, a powerful way to customize Windows 10’s Start menu
Pin all kinds of specific app content to Windows 10's Start menu, not just an app's home screen.Answer Line
5 ways to troubleshoot Windows 10 update problems
Windows 10 automatically updates itself…unless it doesn't. When you hit a wall, it's time for some detective work.Answer Line
Why upgrading to Windows 10 is less alarming than it used to be
Windows 10's been out for six months now, and most of the big bugs have been squashed. It just might be time to make the leap.Hassle-Free PC
How to turn your Android phone and Windows 10 PC into a dynamic duo with Cortana
Cortana has some great tricks up its sleeve—including a few new ones—that make it a great companion for any Windows 10 user on Android.
How-To
How to banish the Windows 10 upgrade prompts in Windows 7 and Windows 8.1
Are you a Windows 7 or 8.1 user tired of seeing Microsoft's incessant taskbar pop-ups prompting you to upgrade to Windows 10? Here's how to banish them forever.Answer Line
When you can’t create the Windows 10 Recovery Drive, try these three fixes
If you're running Windows 10, you need to create a Windows 10 Recovery Drive. But sometimes, instead of a bootable flash drive, you get the error message "We can't create a recovery drive on this PC." Try these workarounds.Answer Line
Three ways to fix Windows 10 password problems
Windows 10 would like you to use your Microsoft account to log in, but you can change to another password, or set up a PIN or a local account.How-To
How to get Windows 10 to stop asking you for feedback
Microsoft wants to know if you really like Windows 10. In fact, it won't stop asking. Here's how to put an end to that.Hassle-Free PC
2 easy ways to remotely access files on your PC
Need a file from your computer, but forgot to throw it into Dropbox? Having a back-up plan for remote access can help.
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Tell Windows that your browser mail is your default mail
Click a mailto link in a webpage or a local document, and up comes your email client of choice…unless your preferred email client is a website. Here's how to fix that.How-To
How to use Microsoft Edge’s casting feature to beam media to your TV
Microsoft's Windows 10 November update included a great feature to send media from one device to another.Answer Line
Windows taskbar icons: How to clean up the clutter
There's only so much space in the Windows taskbar, so here's how to use it wisely.
How-To
How to turn on Windows 10’s Find My Device feature
The Windows 10 November update has a lot of nice little updates in it including the ability to turn on a smartphone-style Find My Device feature.Hassle-Free PC
How to add any website to Windows 10’s Start menu
Chromebooks aren't the only PCs that can treat web pages as apps. You can do it in Windows 10 too.Answer Line
9 ways to keep your Windows computer safe
Evil people roam the Internet. Here's an overview of what you need to do to protect yourself.Hassle-Free PC
How to reclaim 20GB of hard drive space after the Windows 10 November update
Need some extra space on your PC's internal drive after installing the November update? Here's how to make room.How-To
How to save Windows Store apps to external storage in Windows 10
The Window 10 November update brings lots of little tweaks to Microsoft's operating system including the ability to save your apps to external storage.Answer Line
Windows’ thumbs.db files: What they are, and what to do when they get in your way
Windows loves to create thumbs.db files, but they can cause problems, especially on a network. Here's what you can do about them.Answer Line
How to enlarge display text in Windows
A high-resolution screen can result in very tiny text—sometimes too tiny to read easily. Here's how to fix that.Answer Line
How to remove Bing from Edge or Internet Explorer
Maybe you like Google. Or Yahoo. Or DuckDuckGo. But both Internet Explorer and Edge want you to search with Bing. Here's how to make Microsoft use your preferred search engine.Answer Line
How to stop Windows 10 from saving files to OneDrive
If you don't watch out, Windows 10 will put your documents, music, and photos into OneDrive. Here's how to get them back and stop this behavior.Hassle-Free PC
How to use a gorgeous Bing images slideshow on your Windows 10 lock screen
Windows Spotlight puts a Bing images slideshow on your lock screen, but right now only for Windows 10 Home. Here's how to get something similar in Windows 10 Pro.Answer Line
How to block the Windows 10 upgrade
It's nice of Microsoft to offer all of us a free upgrade to Windows 10. But it's not so nice when they insist upon it.How-To
How to upgrade from pirated Windows to legitimate Windows 10
Pirated Windows copies abound, and instead of fighting it, Microsoft is inviting pirates to come clean. Here's how to get a legitimate copy of Windows 10 now, and more on the one-click upgrade Microsoft plans for the near future.Answer Line
When a deleted Windows file won’t go away: 3 ways to move or erase it
Moving or erasing a file should be easy. But sometimes Windows just won't let go.How-To
How to disable Windows 10’s window animations to speed up responsiveness
Are Windows 10's animations killing your PC's performance? Here's how to turn them off.Answer Line