Tag: windows 10 update

The taskbar has always been an essential part of Windows, and over the years it has changed. Speaking of changes, users are complaining that the taskbar icons are too small in Windows 10, so today we are going to show how to make the taskbar icons bigger in Windows 10.

Increase the size of taskbar icons in Windows 10

Solution 1 – Change the screen scale

If the taskbar icons look too small, you may be able to fix this problem by changing the screen scaling setting. Sometimes your apps and icons may appear smaller, especially on a larger screen, and this is why many users use the screen scaling feature.

Before we show you how to change the screen scaling settings, we should mention that this feature will also change the size of text and other items on your screen. Unfortunately, Windows 10 does not have the built-in option that allows you to resize the taskbar icons, so if you decide to use the screen scaling option, be aware that it will also increase the size of other items. To change the screen scaling option, do the following:

1. Open the Settings app . You can do it instantly using Windows Key + I shortcut.
2. Now go to the System section .
3. Locate Change the size of text, applications and other items and change it to 125%

After doing this, the size of your icons, text and applications will change. This change will also affect the size of the icons on the taskbar. If the items on your screen look too large after making this change, return the settings to the default value and continue with the next solution.

Solution 2 – Make sure you are not using small icons

Sometimes the taskbar icons can appear too small if you have the small taskbar buttons option turned on. Windows 10 has two sizes available for the taskbar icons, normal and small, and you can change the size of the taskbar icons as follows:

1. Open Settings app and go to Personalization section.
2. Now select Taskbar in the left pane. In the right pane, make sure to uncheck Use small taskbar buttons option.

If this feature is already disabled, it means that you are using the normal size for the taskbar icons. Unfortunately, there is no way to further increase the size of the taskbar icons without using third-party solutions.

Solution 3 – Use the StartIsBack ++ tool

Another third-party solution that might help you increase the size of your taskbar icons is StartIsBack ++. This tool was originally designed for Windows 8 in order to restore the Start menu, but it can also be used to customize the look of the taskbar.

To change the size of the taskbar icons, just do the following:

1. Run StartIsBack ++.
2. Go to the Appearance tab from the left panel. In the right pane, check Use the larger taskbar option .
3. Click Apply and OK and you are good to go.

As you can see, resizing the taskbar icons is straightforward with this tool, but keep in mind that this tool is not free, but it is available for a free trial, so you may want to give it a try.

Here are some of the ways you can change the size of the taskbar icons. Windows 10 does not have the option to manually increase the size of the taskbar icons, so if the first two solutions did not fix the problem, you will have to use third-party software to resize the taskbar icons. chores.

Over the years the taskbar has changed and, although it has been around since the earliest versions of Windows, it has remained the crucial part of every Windows. Early versions of Windows did not have Quick Launch icons, you could only see the list of currently open applications.

Are you getting a “printer not responding” error when trying to print a document with Windows 10? If so, there are a variety of possible solutions – read on to learn more about them.

Printer not responding message in Windows 10, how to fix it?

The Printer not responding message can cause certain problems on your PC and prevent it from printing documents. Speaking of this, here are some similar issues that users reported:

• Printer not responding Canon, HP, Epson, Samsung – This problem can appear with any brand of printer, and if you encounter this problem, be sure to try some of our solutions.
• The wireless printer is not responding – This problem can sometimes appear if you are using a wireless printer on your PC. To fix this, make sure to temporarily disable your antivirus and firewall and see if that helps.
• Printer does not respond to PC, computer – Sometimes this problem can occur if your drivers are not up to date. Just update the printer drivers and see if this solves the problem on your PC.

Solution 1 – Check your antivirus and firewall

n some cases, the message that the printer is not responding may appear due to your antivirus or firewall. This usually happens if you are using a Wi-Fi or network printer. To check if your antivirus is the problem, we advise you to temporarily disable it and see if that helps.

If not, the next step would be to uninstall third party antivirus software. Once done, check if the problem is still there. If removing the antivirus solves the problem, you should definitely consider switching to a different antivirus solution.

There are many great antivirus tools on the market, but if you’re looking for antivirus that won’t interfere with your system in any way, be sure to give BullGuard a try .

Solution 2 – Check all printer connections

The most obvious thing to check first is the printer’s connection to the desktop or laptop computer to see if they are all connected properly. If the printer is connected through a USB port, try connecting it with an alternate USB port. For Wi-Fi printers, you will need to verify that the printer is connected to the correct Wi-Fi network. For example, the printer might not detect the correct network name.

Solution 3: run the printer troubleshooter in Windows 10

If you get the message Printer is not responding on your PC, you may be able to fix the problem simply by running a troubleshooter on your PC. Windows 10 has several troubleshooters that can fix common problems, and if you’re having printer issues, just run the troubleshooter as follows:

1. Press Windows Key + I to open the Settings app .
2. When Settings app opens , go to Update & Security section.

1. Choose Troubleshoot from the menu on the left. Select Printer in the right pane and click the Run the troubleshooter button .
2. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the troubleshooter.

After the troubleshooter finishes fixing the problem, the problem should be completely resolved.

Solution 4 – Update the printer device driver

Outdated printer drivers can cause the message The printer is not responding . However, you can fix this problem simply by installing the latest drivers for your printer. The easiest way to do this is to use Device Manager. You can update your drivers by doing the following:

1. Open Device Manager . You can do this quickly by pressing Windows Key + X and choosing Device Manager from the list.

1. Locate your printer in the device list, right-click and select Update Driver
2. Now choose Search automatically for updated driver software .

Windows will now try to download the correct driver for your printer. If this doesn’t work, you can always download the latest driver directly from the manufacturer’s website.

If you don’t want to manually download the drivers, you can use tools like TweakBit Driver Updater to automatically download the missing drivers.

Solution 5 – Is the selected printer the default printer?

You should also check if the printer that is not responding is the default. Note that Windows 10 has an option Allow Windows to manage my default printer that automatically sets the last printer it printed with as the default. You can disable this option and select your default printer as follows.

1. First, enter default printer in Cortana’s search box and select Change default printer to open the window directly below.
2. This window includes an option Allow Windows to manage my default printer , which you can now disable if necessary.
3. Now the Devices and Printers tab in the Control Panel will include a green check mark to highlight your default printer, as shown directly below. You can right-click on an alternate printer and select Set as default printer .

Solution 6: check printer compatibility with Windows 10

If you have recently upgraded to Windows 10, check if the printer you have supports the platform. Almost all newer printers will be compatible with Windows 10, but older printers may not be. You can check if a printer is compatible with Windows 10 on the manufacturer’s website.

For example, this page on Canon’s site provides printer compatibility details. If you click SELPHY Series on that page, you will find that most of the models in that series are not compatible with Windows 10. The page also highlights that Canon is not issuing Windows 10 device drivers for the Photo Inkjet series. Therefore, look for a similar page on the printer manufacturer’s website.

Solution 7 – Restart the Print Spooler service

Windows relies on the Print Spooler service for printing, but problems with this service can sometimes occur. These problems can cause the printer to not respond to the message and other similar problems. However, you can fix this problem by doing the following:

1. Press Windows Key + R and enter services.msc . Now press Enter or click OK .

1. When the Services window opens , locate and double-click Print Spooler service. & Amp; lt; br / & amp; gt;
2. When the Properties window opens , set the startup type to Automatic and click the Start button to start the service. If the service is running, click the Stop button , wait a moment, and then click the Start button . & Amp; lt; br / & amp; gt;
3. After doing that, save the changes.

Once you restart this service, the problem should be completely resolved and everything will work again.

Several users recommend completely stopping this service and then deleting the files associated with it. Stopping the service is simple, and you can do it from the Services window .

After deactivating the service, go to the C: \ Windows \ System32 \ spool \ PRINTERS directory and delete all files from them. After doing that, start the service one more time and check if the problem is still there.

Solution 8 – Make sure your printer is configured correctly

According to users, the message Printer not responding may appear if the printer is not configured correctly. To solve this problem, you must do the following:

1. Open Control Panel and go to the Devices and Printers section .
2. Locate your printer in the list, right-click and choose Printer Properties . & Amp; lt; br / & amp; gt;
3. Go to the Ports tab . Now make sure the proper port has been selected. After doing this, click Apply and OK to save the changes. & Lt; br / & amp; gt;

After making these small adjustments, check to see if the problem with your printer has been resolved.

Solution 9 – Install the latest updates

If you get the message Printer is not responding on your computer, the problem may be a lack of an update. Sometimes there may be certain glitches in your system, and to eliminate them, you need to install the latest updates.

Microsoft releases new updates frequently, and Windows usually downloads them automatically. However, sometimes you may miss an update or two, but you can always install them manually by doing the following:

1. Open the Settings app .
2. Navigate to the Update & amp; Amp; Security .
3. Click Check for updates button. & Amp; lt; br / & amp; gt

Windows will search for available updates and download them in the background. After the updates are downloaded, restart your PC to install them. After updating your PC, the problem should be completely resolved.

You should now be able to make the printer respond and print again. However, if not, you can always refer to other Windows Report articles that offer more printer fixes.

Do you Want Windows 10 to run faster? From Computer World give useful information about you. In just a few minutes you can try the tested tips below and then your machine will be with much better performance and without the usual system problems.

7 Ways to Improve the Speed ​​of Your Windows 10

1. Change the power settings

If you’re using the Windows 10 Power saver plan, you’re slowing down your computer. This plan reduces the performance of your computer to save energy. Changing this setting from “Power saver” to “High performance” or “Balanced” will give an immediate increase in performance.

To do this, launch the Control Panel application, then select Hardware and Sound -> Power Options. However, you should see two options: “Balanced (recommended)” and “Power saver.” However, depending on the make and model of your computer, you may see other plans here, including some marked by the manufacturer. ”Click the down arrow next to“ Show additional plans. ”Select the desired setting, and then exit the control panel.

2. Disable the programs that start when you start your computer

One of the reasons your Windows 10 computer slows down is that you have too many programs running in the background – programs you rarely or never use. Stop them and your computer will run smoother.

Start Task Manager: press “Ctrl-Shift-Esc”, right-click on the lower right corner of your screen and select “Task Manager” or type “manager” in the Windows 10 search box and press “Enter”.

If “Task Manager” starts as a compact application without tabs, click “More details” at the bottom of the screen. Click the Startup tab. You’ll see a list of programs and services that start when you start Windows. To stop a program or service from starting when you start your computer, right-click it and select “Disable.”

This does not disable the program completely; it just won’t start when you start your computer – you can always change this setting if you decide something else later. To do this, repeat the steps described above and select “Enable” instead of “Disable”.

Many of the programs and services that start when you start Windows 10 may be familiar to you, such as OneDrive or Evernote Clipper. But there will certainly be some that you do not recognize. Task Manager helps you get more information about unknown programs. Right-click an item and select “Properties” for more information about it, such as its location on your hard drive, whether it has a digital signature, and other information, such as the version number, file size, and last time it was changed.

You can also right-click on the item and select “Open file location”. This opens File Explorer and takes you to the folder where the file is located, which can give you a different idea of ​​the purpose of the program.

You can also select “Search online” after right-clicking. As a result, Bing will show you links to sites with information about the program or service.

Is it good to know about the existence of the Reason Software site called “Should I Block It”? Where you can search with the file name. You will usually find very solid information about the program or service.

3. Turn off Windows tips and tricks

While you’re using your Windows 10 computer, Windows keeps track of what you’re doing and offers tips on what you might want to do with the operating system. If you don’t find these tips useful, and you’re worried about your privacy, Windows is still “watching” you. On top of all that, this Windows help slows down your computer. So if you want to speed things up, tell Windows to stop giving you advice. To do this, click the Start button, select the Settings icon and go to System -> Notifications & actions. Scroll down to the “Notifications” section and uncheck “Get tips, tricks, and suggestions as you use Windows.”

4. Stop OneDrive synchronization

Another way to speed up your computer is to stop syncing. However, before you turn it off permanently, you’ll need to check if it’s actually slowing down your computer, because OneDrive is a useful backup tool, and if your computer or hard drive gets damaged, you’ll be able to recover your files.

Right-click the OneDrive icon (looks like a cloud) in the notification area, at the far right of the taskbar, and then click the More button at the bottom of the screen. On the screen that appears, click on “Pause syncing” and select 2 hours, 8 hours or 24 hours, depending on how long you want the pause to be. During this time, consider whether you see a noticeable increase in speed.

If so, and you decide you really want to turn off syncing, right-click the OneDrive icon and select Settings -> Account from the pop-up menu. Click on “Unlink this PC” and then on the screen that appears click on “Unlink account.” When you do this, you’ll still be able to save your files to your local OneDrive folder, but it won’t sync to the cloud.

If you find that OneDrive is slowing down your computer, but you prefer to continue using it, you can try to troubleshoot OneDrive. For information on how to do this, see the Microsoft page titled “Fix OneDrive sync problems.”

5. Turn off search indexing

Windows 10 indexes your hard drive in the background, which in theory allows you to search your computer faster than if no indexing is performed. To turn off indexing completely, type services.msc in the Windows 10 search box and press Enter. The Services application will open. Scroll down to Indexing Service or Windows Search in the list of services. Double-click the option, and from the screen that appears, click Stop. Then restart the computer.

6. Clean your hard drive

If your hard disk is full of files that you do not need, delete them. Cleaning the hard disk will improve the speed of your machine. 

7. Clean your registry

The Windows Registry tracks and controls almost everything about how Windows works and looks. This includes information about where your programs are stored, which DLLs are used and shared, what types of files need to be opened by which program, and almost everything else. But from time to time the information in the Registry needs to be cleaned up, because over time it can be filled with countless outdated settings of any type. Which in turn slows down the system.

However, to clean the registry you will need the right tools, it is impossible to do it yourself. There are many available, some free and others paid. But don’t rush to spend money, first try the free Auslogics Registry Cleaner, it does a good job.

Before using Auslogics or any other registry cleaner, you should back up your registry so that you can restore it if something goes wrong. To back up the Registry, type regedit.ext in the search box and press Enter. The Registry editor will start. From the File menu, select Export. From the screen that appears, be sure to select the “All” option in the Export range section at the bottom of the screen. Then select a location and file name and click Save. To restore the Registry, open the Registry editor, select Import from the File menu, and then open the file you saved. Now download, install and run Auslogics Registry Cleaner.

With its possession of a lot of features that make it the best version of Windows without a doubt, and its being the most stable and compatible without a doubt, there is in fact an ongoing problem for Windows 10 users: updates are many and come all the time, consuming internet speed, occupying computer resources, and leading to delays and disrupting tasks that are sometimes inevitable Even. As a result, there are many users who want to stop Windows 10 updates and get rid of them completely.

It is important to mention here that stopping Windows 10 updates is not really a good idea in the long run, as it means that new features and bug fixes will not reach you, and the biggest problem may be the security holes that will remain open in the system and can cause major problems is yours. So you can review our previous article: “ Is Windows 10 Really Necessary to Update Periodically? Or is it better to stop updates? “Learn more about it and make your own decision.

Here, we will discuss the best ways to stop Windows 10 updates as simple as possible, and provided that they never include downloading external programs or tools. All that we will explain here is a change to the system’s settings only, in order to avoid the fact that programs that stop updates come with malware 

Stop Windows 10 updates by making the network limited

• Right-click on the network logo within the taskbar.
• Select Open network and internet settings.
• From the side menu select Wireless Networks (Wi-Fi).
• Click on the name of the network to which you are connected to enter its settings.
• Under the options you should enable the option to set as metered connection.

You can now exit the settings and your computer will never download updates over this network. But for other networks, the matter will be different, and you have to specify each of them separately to ensure that updates are not downloaded, and you can do so by following these steps:

• Repeat the first three steps of the previous explanation.
• Click Manage known networks.
• Click on the name of the network whose settings you want to change from the list and select Properties.
• Under the options you should enable the option to set as metered connection.

Of course, any of these changes can be reversed by repeating the steps and then deselecting the network as a metered connection, and it is worth noting that the limited connection means stopping the sync for services such as OneDrive and others, so if you do not want to stop syncing, you can follow one of the following methods.

Pause Windows 10 updates (only for Pro and Enterprise users)

In principle, Windows 10 gives the option to pause updates so that they are downloaded and installed after a period of time, but the option is not available to users of the home version of the system (Windows 10 Home), but to users of Pro and Enterprise versions exclusively. You can do this as follows:

• Enter system settings from the Start menu, Notification Center, or by using the keyboard shortcut: Windows + I.
• Choose Update & Security.
• Click on “Advanced Options”.
• Under the Pause Updates tab, you can choose a later date (the maximum is after 35 days) in which the updates will be stopped, and on this date the updates will be downloaded before you are allowed to pause later.
• You can postpone the installation of downloaded updates from other options. The installation of general system updates can be postponed for up to a year, while security updates can be postponed for only 30 days.

This method is not ideal, of course, as it forces you to download and install updates later, so if you want a final option that does not install updates until you re-enable them, you can use one of the last two methods.

Turn off Windows 10 updates via Group Policy

 This method involves changing advanced settings in the system, so it is important to be careful in applying it exactly as mentioned and to avoid changing any other issues that may cause problems later on. In general, this method is comprehensive and it is done through these steps:

• Use Windows shortcut + R to open Run minimized window.
• In the place of the text type gpedit.msc and then press Enter to continue.
• In the window that will appear, follow the following path: Computer Configurations, followed by Administrative Templates> Windows Components> Windows Update.
• Double click on the Configure Automatic Updates option to open it.
• By default, Not Configured will be enabled, just change the setting to Disabled and then click Ok to continue.

Windows 10 updates can always be reversed by following the same previous steps, but instead of Disabled, select Enabled.

Turn off Windows 10 updates by changing the update service Settings

Like the previous method, the command here involves tinkering with advanced settings that you must be very careful when handling.

• Use Windows shortcut + R to open Run minimized window.
• In the text area, type services.msc and then press Enter to continue.
• Swipe down until you get to Windows Update option and double click on it to open Properties.
• Change the starting mode from Manual to Disabled.
• Click Ok to save changes and exit open windows.

This method is also reversible by following the same steps and simply returning the starting position to manual.

 The easiest way to update Windows 10 and solve its problems

 Windows 10 can be updated easily by going to the updates and security settings and then searching for new updates for the Windows system, in order to obtain all the new features that Windows is working on providing for Windows 10 in order to improve performance and protection levels in addition to that these updates include many New tools often, including: updating the internet browser and updating the Xbox software.

Windows 10 latest update 2020

New updates for Windows 10 appear on the Windows Updates page when they are available for our computers, and the Windows system will automatically install these updates at the time previously specified to install updates, and computer owners can install the updates available at the present time as follows: 

• Start your Windows 10 computer and click on the Start menu.
• Click on the settings option, then choose updates and security.
• Click on the “Windows Update” button, then click the “Check for updates” button.
• Click on Install Updates if there are any new updates.

How long does Windows 10 update take?

An estimate of the time it takes for Windows 10 updates to complete the installation process depends on the internet speed that is being used to download the updates as well as the type of hard disk drive on your computer; Where the installation process takes from 10 minutes to 20 minutes when using an SSD, while conventional hard drives take longer, and here are some reasons that lead to an increase in the installation time of updates:

• Some programs that install on your computer interfere with available Windows 10 updates.
• There is a defect in Microsoft’s servers as a result of a large number of people downloading updates together at the same time.
• Some update components are faulty, which increases the installation time for these components.

Windows 10 Update Tool 1903

Microsoft has launched Windows 10 update number 1903 in 2019, and this update is characterized by providing many security and protection features in addition to many performance improvements as well, and many people use the download tool to install 1903 updates because they are not able to download them automatically. By following the following steps:

• Go to the Windows 10 download page on the Microsoft website directly ” from here “, then click the update button immediately.
• Run the downloaded update tool and wait for this tool to verify your computer’s properties.
• Follow the instructions on the screen to download available updates for Windows 10.

Manually download Windows 10 updates

Many people want to download Windows 10 updates manually due to the failure of the computer to install these updates automatically, and here are some steps that can be followed to download the mentioned updates manually:

• Go to the Microsoft Update Catalog directly “ from here ”.
• Type the KB number for the update package we want to download into the search bar, then press Enter.
• Choose the package that is compatible with your computer from the results displayed by the site.
• Click on the Download button, then click on the msu file link that appears in the popup to download it
• Go to the download course, then run the previous msu file, to have Windows install the required updates.

Windows 10 update incomplete

New updates for Windows 10 offer many additions that protect the computer from various damages, in addition to correcting previous errors so that the Windows system can provide better levels of performance, but the Windows system is exposed to many problems that prevent the ability to download some of these updates, The following are some steps that can be followed to try to solve this problem:

• Restart the computer: All temporary data is deleted from the computer’s memory when it is restarted again, and this leads to stopping some stuck programs that cause incomplete updates.
• Knowing the details of the error: We can learn about the details of the errors that Windows 10 update is exposed to by going to settings, then going to the Windows Updates option and looking for the option to fix errors to solve many update problems.
• Using the problem-finding tool: Microsoft has provided a standard tool in its operating systems to find and fix errors, and this tool can be used to fix update problems by going to the control panel, searching for the troubleshooting tool, clicking on it, and then choosing to fix Windows update problems.

Windows 10 Update 1903 Problems

Many problems appeared for computer users when updating Windows 10 to version 1903, and among these problems: The operating system used a large percentage of the central processing unit, which led to a significant decrease in performance degrees in addition to many malfunctions in Windows tools such as the Windows Desktop search tool Search As many users of this update noticed the computer runs out of battery faster, and Microsoft fixes the problems that appear constantly in its subsequent updates.

There are many methods that we can follow in order to obtain the latest Windows 10 update, including: using the update tool that can be downloaded from the official Microsoft website or using the update options that are available in Windows 10 settings as standard as previously.

 Windows 10 – also known as version 20H2 – for subscribers to its beta program (Windows Insider), and it is expected to be widely released in October. 

The October 2020 update for Windows 10 includes the new Edge browser, an updated user interface for the Start menu, updates to the taskbar and notifications, in addition to some other features and improvements in the Windows 10 operating system.

Microsoft said last March: “The Windows 10 operating system is now working on more than one billion devices around the world.” Now that support for Windows 7 has officially ended, Microsoft encourages users to upgrade to Windows 10 to keep their computers running smoothly and safely.

The major updates for Windows 10 are released every six months, the latest being the May 2020 Update – also known as the (Windows 10 2004) release – and if you have already installed this update, it should only take a few minutes to download the October Update. But if the May 2020 Update is not already installed in your device, it may take 20-30 minutes or more to install the update on older devices.

Here are 7 of the most important new features in the Windows 10 October 2020 Update:

Windows 10 October 2020 Update doesn’t include many of the fancy changes from the May update, but there are many small improvements and fixes that should make your system experience better

1- The new version of Edge Browser:

This will be the first version of the Windows 10 system , which automatically includes Microsoft (EDGE) browser Edge new rather than the old version. When you log in to the system, you will be prompted to complete the new Edge setup, with no traces of the old browser visible.

The new Edge Browser includes a new privacy feature that blocks websites that track you online, and a feature called (Collections) that allows you to easily collect information from different websites, organize and export it to different files, or return to your search at a later time and start where you left off.

2- The updated Start menu:

Starting with the October 2020 update, the visual design of the Start menu in Windows 10 will change to become more streamlined, as Microsoft replaced the colored background boxes for icons in the app menu with partially transparent backgrounds, which helps to highlight the icons more. And you can also set a color for the highlighting if you like.

3- Easy to navigate between multiple tabs:

Windows 10’s October 2020 Update allows you to access open tabs in the browser by pressing the Alt and Tab buttons on the keyboard, instead of displaying only one thumbnail for each browser window.

So if you are using multiple webpages simultaneously, you can quickly find and switch between them using just the Alt and Tab buttons. You can also customize this feature to show only the last three or five tabs, or turn it off entirely in Settings.

4- Improving the taskbar:

Microsoft also introduces a new feature in the taskbar that helps you quickly access the tabs of your pinned sites in the ribbon so that you can find what you are looking for faster, as clicking on a pinned site in the taskbar will now show all the open tabs for that site across any From browser windows, just as it happens to any application with multiple windows open.

5- Improve the notification experience:

Microsoft made some changes in the October 2020 update to improve the notification experience in Windows 10, as you will now know the source of the notification by checking the application logo, and if it is an unimportant notification, you can quickly ignore it by clicking on the (X) icon in the upper right corner. 

Microsoft has also improved the Focus Assist feature in Windows 10 – which automatically hides notifications while playing games and using other apps in full screen, and then shows a summary of all notifications once done – by disabling all Focus Assist notifications by default, though From settings that you can still re-enable it.

6- Changes in settings:

This update comes with some changes to the settings page, where the About page will get links to some old utilities that were previously only available from the Control Panel. It also contains a copy button below the device specifications and Windows specifications, which makes it easy to share this information with a support party.

7- Improving the experience of using 2-in-1 computers:

In the previous; When the keyboard was disconnected from the 2-in-1 computer, a notification appeared asking: Do you want to switch to tablet mode? But in the upcoming Windows update, Microsoft has worked to improve this experience further by changing the default setting, so that the Windows 10 system automatically switches to the new tablet experience added in the May 2020 update without prompting or notification, with some touch improvements. You can also change this setting at any time in Settings.

5 Most Important Features that Windows 10 Excels over windows 7

 Market studies have shown in recent times that Windows 10 has surpassed the Windows 7 operating system as the most popular version of the Windows operating system, but despite the end of official support for Windows 7, there are up to 24.9% of users still sticking to this system. He is now about 10 years old.

Nobody can force you to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10, but it’s okay to do so, the main reason being security. Without security updates or fixes, you are putting your own computer at risk. Below we will provide you with some of the advantages in Windows 10 that will make you take the initiative to upgrade.

Here are the 5 most important features that Windows 10 excels at Windows 7:

1- Security improvements:

The advanced level of security for the operating system (Windows 10) the Windows 10 security patches and continuous updates are major causes for the upgrade, and include some security features include:

• Windows Hello: A program that uses facial recognition technology to unlock your device using a webcam, as well as supports opening more than a dozen applications.
• Microsoft Defender: Free Antivirus from Microsoft.
• Automatic Updates: Unlike previous versions, Windows 10 offers you automatic updates by default to keep your Windows system safe from attacks and intrusions.

2- Start menu:

Similar to the Start menu in Windows 8, the Start menu in Windows 10 includes large icons on the right for many applications, such as: Mail, Calendar, and Weather, and you can customize these icons as you like.

Using the “Start” menu on Windows 10, you can also access the second, lesser-known “Start” menu that helps you access important features such as: (Control Panel) and (Command Prompt). By either pressing (Windows + X) key or by right-clicking on the Windows icon.

3- Cortana Voice Assistant:

Microsoft provided its voice assistant ( Cortana ) in the Windows 10 operating system, and Cortana works as a personal assistant where you can, through voice commands, assign him to perform some tasks such as: scheduling appointments, reading e-mail, and much more.

4- Microsoft Edge Browser:

If you switch to the Windows 10 operating system, you can say: Goodbye to Internet Explorer, which is known for its slowness and security vulnerabilities, as Microsoft introduced the Edge browser, which relies on the Chromium engine from Google, which makes it more compatible with Modern web sites.

5- Regular system updates:

Instead of releasing a new operating system every period, Microsoft has taken the approach of major updates to the Windows 10 operating system that come twice a year, to solve security problems and make devices work better, in addition to periodic updates to fill gaps and add some new features to applications.

This approach made the operating system work more as a service than as a product, and to check for updates, follow these steps:

• Click on the (Start) menu and select (Settings).
• Click on (Update and Security) Update & Security.
• Choose (Windows Update) Windows Update.
• Click on the option (Check for updates) Check for updates.

The Microsoft Windows 10 October 2020 Update (20H2) will introduce the new Microsoft Edge browser to millions of PCs, while updating the venerable Alt + Tab shortcut with a new and necessary feature. But Microsoft designers have turned the once-colorful Start menu into watery mush with a less than impressive visual update.

All in all, the Windows 10 October 2020 Update is one more in line with the anemic fall updates. And that’s fine! We expected this. Over the past two to three years, Microsoft’s major feature updates have been merged into the “spring ” releases , leaving mostly minor patches and quality updates for the fall release. (See Windows 10 November Update 2019) .This year is no different, although the small list of changes does allow for some interesting tweaks on your Windows 10 PC.

Microsoft noted in late August that the Windows 10 October 2020 Update (Windows currently reports the version number as “20H2 ” in our preview version) has been released for commercial testing . We tested it in early September, using the Microsoft Beta Channel (build 19042.508) as the source for our test builds, which Microsoft now designates as the “final ” build . Microsoft has not indicated the exact date when the Windows 10 October 2020 Update will be released to the general PC market.

Here’s what’s new in the Windows 10 October 2020 Update and what it will mean for you

Quick Install

You may be interested to know that the October 2020 update will likely be ultra-fast.

“To the As with Windows 10, versions 1903 and 1909 versions 2004 and 20H2 share a common core operating system with an identical set of system files ” , wrote the program manager at Microsoft, Aria Carley . “New Features are included in the monthly quality updates for the 2004 version in an inactive and dormant state. These new 20H2 features remain dormant until they are activated through the ‘enablement package’, a small quick-install ‘main switch’ that activates the features of Windows 10, version 20H2 ” .

On our test Surface devices, the update took about a minute, including a single reboot.

The Start menu changes … for the worse

One of the biggest changes Microsoft has made to Windows 10 through the October 2020 update involves the Start menu, and I don’t like it.

Whether you choose the “light ” or “dark ” options ( Settings> Personalization> Colors ), the Start menu in current builds of Windows 10 20H1 or earlier uses distinctive colors as backgrounds for individual tiles within the Start menu. For my eyes, that gives the clear color scheme a certain need for visual contrast. (In my opinion, the dark mode looks good within the 20H1 and 20H2 color schemes.) But the clear mode within the Windows 10 October 2020 Update just doesn’t look attractive at all.

If one chooses the light color scheme option within the Windows 10 October 2020 Update, the Start menu and tiles end up feeling pale, sterile, and faded. Unfortunately, because the distinctive color has been completely removed from the Start menu, there seems to be no way to bring some life back to the Start menu. Color tastes may vary and some might like the changes, but not me.

One should see virtually all of the new Fluent Design icons that Microsoft announced in February , both on the Start menu and on the taskbar. Functionally, Microsoft hasn’t changed anything here. Instead, the new icons help give Windows a fresh, clean aesthetic – that’s a positive step.

Welcome to the new Edge

Here’s the biggest change in the Windows 10 October 2020 Update: the ‘new’ Edge browser.

Windows is now in its third browser: the hidden Internet Explorer browser that remains buried within Windows, the original Microsoft Edge, and the ‘new’ Microsoft Edge that officially debuted this year. The new version is based on Chromium, the same fundamentals as Google Chrome, and the same extensions now work in both plug-ins . The new Edge is efficient and smooth, although Microsoft has yet to sync everything from an Edge browser on one PC to another, including shared tab history.

With the October 2020 update, Microsoft will begin swapping the new Edge for the old one, with a transition pop-up indicating the change. (Microsoft had said earlier this year that it planned to migrate PCs from the old Edge to the new one for the entire year, so your PC may have already been upgraded.)

If you’re in love with the old Edge, I’m sorry: Microsoft is forcing this change on users, with no way to back down. Still, Microsoft has handled the change well, making importing old favorites and passwords a breeze. Not everything is perfect; the old Edge was superior in the sense that it handled PDF documents.

You’re free to use another browser, of course … but Microsoft is also adding Edge-specific features, like the new Alt + Tab behavior, below.

Alt + Tab now has new powers

Traditionally, the venerable Alt + Tab command was used to switch between open applications. But as more and more work gets done within the cloud and the browser, Windows is changing too. Alt + Tab no longer treats Edge as a single monolithic app. Now (optionally) toggles you between the three or five most recently used tabs within Microsoft’s new Edge browser … or all of them

This is very practical. If you’re like me, you go through dozens of tabs, some of which are archived for reference purposes, while others are actual, active web pages that I’m currently using. Because I use multiple monitors with multiple apps set via FancyZones to one part of each screen, I don’t really need to switch between apps – but for my main monitor with dozens of tabs on it, the ability to easily move between tabs most recently used in Edge is a very useful addition.

However, there is a downside that you may have already noticed. The new Alt + Tab behavior only applies to Edge tabs, not to the more popular Google Chrome or any other browser like Firefox or Opera. (However, because the “new Edge ” now uses the same fundamentals as Google Chrome, there is a reason to change.) All of this can be managed via the Settings> System> Multitasking menu , under the Alt + Tab heading .

Is this the best tab switching implementation? No. For one thing, Edge already allows you to jump between tabs (and only between tabs) using the Ctrl + Tab shortcut. And if you are an advanced user, you should know that the rival browser Vivaldi, allows you to scroll from one tab to another using the mouse wheel while holding down the Alt key, another powerful tool. Still, Alt + Tab should be a part of the muscle memory of any Windows user, and should be easily integrated into your workflow.

Pinned tabs on the taskbar

Windows 10’s October 2020 Update is supposed to make some changes to the way pinned tabs work with the taskbar as well. In existing versions of Edge, running on older versions of Windows, you can now “pin ” Edge tabs to the taskbar. (Go to the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner of Edge, then down to More tools and click Pin to taskbar .) This moves the web page favicon to the taskbar, and allows you to launch it (via your default browser) like any other tab.

In 20H2, clicking on the site icon in the taskbar is apparently supposed to which reveals whether the site is already active within Edge, highlighting it within the preview windows that appear when hovering over the application tab on the taskbar. For whatever reason, no preview window appears in 20H2 for pinned sites. Clicking the icon in the taskbar, however, will adjust the focus of the screen to the open tab that the site appears on or, if the site is not currently open, the tab will open. Edge could accomplish this by simply changing the behavior of the Favorites bar to open an existing tab, say, from PCWorld.com, if you’ve clicked on the appropriate favorite. But Microsoft has chosen this different approach.

Modifying the way a pinned site works on the taskbar … it all feels a bit like analyzing the legality in a mortgage document, doesn’t it? It serves to show that 20H2 is indeed a minor update.

New taskbar layout

Since we’re on the topic of taskbars, Microsoft has another tweak for those who want to set up a new Windows 10 PC with the Windows 10 October 2020 update installed. When setting up a new PC, Microsoft’s Out of the Box Experience, or OOBE, asks you to link your Microsoft account to your PC and Android phone. Microsoft rewards you for this by automatically activating your subscription to Microsoft 365 (Office), for example.

Now, there is another small advantage. If you link your Android phone to enable Your Phone experiences, or if Windows “knows ” that you are on a gaming PC with an Xbox Live account, Microsoft will configure the taskbar accordingly.

Please note that these settings are for new equipment only. Microsoft explicitly says that it will not adjust the taskbar on your existing PC, acknowledging that you probably have it set the way you want.

New tablet experience for Surface owners

If you own a detachable Surface Pro 2-in-1, Microsoft’s October 2020 update also allows you more configurability to switch between “tablet ” mode and desktop mode. Remember – this can be confusing – if you disconnect your Surface Pro tablet from the keyboard, it can work in “tablet mode ” or not.

Tablet mode does not change to the Start menu – which looks similar to Windows 8 – with respect to the way it works within the Windows 10 May 2020 update: it places several tiles in the center of your screen for you to select the Applications. It also maintains the options to hide application icons on the taskbar and to automatically hide the taskbar in tablet mode.

What’s new are the additional options (within Settings, System> Tablet , and then Change Tablet Additional Settings ) for when the tablet is unmounted, but you are not using tablet mode yet. This is sometimes referred to as the “desktop mode ” , or the awkward “When I’m not using tablet mode ” in the 20H2 Settings menu.

In this mode, you can create a hybrid tablet / desktop mode environment, with four new options: make taskbar icons easier to touch, make File Explorer buttons easier to touch, and show touch keyboard when no keyboard is connected.

The fourth option, displaying the search icon without the search box, will have the most profound effect. Allow the app icons to have enough breathing room on the taskbar. Otherwise, you’ll notice a slight wiggle if you turn on the option to make the taskbar icons easier to touch as they even out and take up more space.

(Remember that you can already turn off the Search box within Windows by right-clicking on the taskbar, navigating to Search, and unchecking the Show Search Box list.)

Other notable changes

Here are some other small but noticeable changes you’ll notice when you download the latest version.

Notification changes: System notifications in the Action Center have been simplified, so there will only be an “x ” in the upper right. (The gear icon disappears.) If you have enabled Focus Assist to prevent notifications, any automatic activation of Focus Assist will also not launch a notification.

Settings “About ” : Ifhave ever had to quickly copy and paste the unique specifications of your PC (I have not done, butis possible that it does), the Settings menu now fits your desire with buttons “Copy ” That capture all the relevant information. As a result, the “System ” page has been removedfrom the Control Panel.

Notable application updates : More and more application updates are made independently of Windows, in their own development cycles. One we like is the Windows Calculator app, which gained a nifty little graphical feature during the 20H2 development cycle. However, if you’re connected to the internet, take a look atMicrosoft’s page- it’s just as cool and practical too.

Conclusion: A small step forward

The scope of the Windows 10 October 2020 Update deserves a review, although the number of significant changes is relatively small. The biggest, of course, is the new Edge browser, although that’s designed to be a simple transition, too. That’s good news for those who expect Microsoft to leave Windows relatively unchanged, although there is always the possibility of new bugs . However, ours is essentially an assessment to establish a state.