Thursday 6 July 2023

How To Clean Install Windows 10 Without Windows 10 License Key

A couple of days ago something weird happened to my Windows 10 Laptop & that made me think of how to do Windows 10 clean install.  I was afraid to lose my Windows 10 license key as I was going to reinstall it again. But, NO! you will not lose your Windows 10 key if you fall under the below category. Read On...

In this article, I will show you the exact method on how to clean install Windows 10 without Windows 10 license key.

This article is for those Windows 10 users who took part in Windows 10 free upgrade.

So by saying that I mean the users who upgraded there licensed Windows 7 or Windows 8/8.1 to Windows 10 for free by taking part in Windows 10 free upgrade program a couple of years ago.

So if you do not fall into the above category of Windows 10 users then this article is of no use to you.

Also, do not trust software or programs like Windows 10 product key finder etc. as it will not make your Windows 10 genuine. Instead, buy Windows 10 product key from the Microsoft store.

So let's see how to clean install Windows 10 and how to activate Windows 10 without product key.

How To Clean Install Windows 10

We will be using the below tools/programs in order to do the clean install of Windows 10:

  • A USB thumb drive or a DVD with almost 8GB of free space.(USB drive is better)
  • Windows 10 Media Creation tool.

Ok, so I assume you have USB ready with you? We are going to make Windows 10 bootable USB for the clean install of Windows 10. Please follow the below steps:

Windows 10 Installation Steps Screenshots:

  • Insert USB drive and make sure you do not have any data in it. During the process, your USB will be formatted so if you do have any data on your USB just make a backup of it somewhere on the laptop/PC other then C drive(Includes desktop, my documents, pictures, downloads etc.)
  • Go to Windows 10 Media Creation Tool and click on Download tool Now button.
  • Once the Media Creation Tool is downloaded double click on it to launch the tool. It will do its thing for few seconds and will take you to the Windows 10 Terms & Conditions window.
  • Click Accept when you see Terms & Conditions window.
  • Select Create installation media(USB Flash Drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC & click NEXT.
  • The next window will take you to the selection of Language, Edition & Architecture. If you are doing this whole process on the same laptop/PC where you want to do the clean install of Windows 10 then just make sure that the option Use the recommended options for this PC is checked & then click NEXT.
  • If you are making this Windows 10 bootable USB for a different PC then just uncheck Use the recommended options for this PC & select as per the other PC specifications. Please choose the exact same specification for the other PC.
  • Now select USB Flash Drive.
  • You can also select the second option ISO file if you want to install Windows 10 from DVD. The second option will create the Windows 10 ISO file on your computer that you can use to burn to a DVD. For now, let's stay with the USB Flash Drive to reinstall Windows 10 from USB
  • After selecting USB Flash Drive and clicking NEXT you will see that your USB is on the list(Refresh drive list if you do not find the USB).
  • After selecting your USB Flash Drive and clicking NEXT. Windows 10 Media Creation Tool will start the Windows 10 Downloading process.
  • Once the download is finished just follow the steps in the Media Creation Tool window and complete the process.

Ok, If you have done all the above process you should have a Windows 10 bootable USB Flash Drive ready. If something went wrong during this whole process just let me know by using the comment section.

Windows 10 Media Creation Tool downloads Windows 10 with no errors most of the time. But in some cases, the download could be interrupted due to internet connectivity or power failures.

Moving to the next process.

Windows 10 Fresh Install

  • Now restart your PC and make sure that Windows 10 USB Flash Drive is already inserted into the USB port of your PC.
  • When the PC loads up again start pressing F12 or F2 continuously(basically you have to enter your PC BIOS ). It will bring you few options to select.
  • Select USB or Flash Drive as the bootable device and hit Enter.
  • After doing the above steps Windows 10 USB Flash Drive will boot and will begin the installation process. Select the options as per your need and click NEXT.
  • Click on Install Now.
  • Now on the next screen, it will ask you for the Windows 10 Product Key to activate Windows 10. But as i have already stated in the beginning of this article that if you are the Windows 10 user who upgraded to Windows 10 successfully by taking part in the Windows 10 free upgrade program than you do not need to worry about Windows 10 product key.
  • Leave the Product Key field blank and click on SKIP and then NEXT.
  • Accept Terms & Conditions. Read it if you want before accepting ;)
  • On the next screen select Custom: Install Windows Only (Advanced).
  • After that, you will see all your drives listed. Actually, those are your drive partitions. Select the C drive or Partition 1 (System Drive).

IMPORTANT: Please be cautious which drive you are selecting. As we have to format the drive that will wipe out all your data that is on the drive. So only select the drive which has Type=System.

Do not overstress the below screenshot as I have only one partition on one of my PC.

  • Format the drive that you selected for the clean install of Windows 10 and then click NEXT.
  • On the next screen Windows 10 will begin its installation process. During the whole process, your PC will restart multiple times.
  • Be sure to unplug USB Flash drive from the PC when it restarts. Failing to do so will take you to the first step of the process again. But if it happens do not panic. Just remove the Windows 10 USB flash drive and again force restart your PC.
Once you are done with the installation you should check for updates and see if their is any addional updates that are waiting to be downloaded.

Conclusion:

That's it Windows 10 will do its thing for some time and there you have clean install Windows 10 without Windows 10 license key.

I hope this article on How to clean install Windows 10 after free upgrade helped you to do the job. If you really appreciate this detailed Windows 10 guide please do share on social media.

Any Questions? Do not hesitate to comment below your doubts or questions. I will try to help you out with the process.

Friday 10 May 2019

Free Up Drive Space in Windows 10 Under Ten Minutes!

If you are getting low disk space warning on Windows 10 or you just want to free up drive space in Windows 10 then you landed on the correct page. Here I will show you how to free up disk space using different approaches.

If you need more disk space on Windows 10 without having to buy external hard drives the best way to do it is to delete unwanted data already present on your PC. The system drive on Windows 10 (C:/) drive should have enough drive space in order for your system to function normally.

Windows 10 take 20GB of space on your system drive when you install it. It takes more drive space when you install Windows 10 updates over time. We should also not forget the softwares that we install on our PC, those softwares also take up space in your C:/ drive. There are many other locations on your PC, that has data piled up years after years that needs to be trashed.

I will list all the possible methods to clear hard drive space on your Windows PC. Most of the methods mentioned in this article can also be used also used on older versions of Windows i.e. Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 as well.

Here I am using Windows 1o as Operating System so don't be confused if you do not find the same path or location on your Windows 7, 8 PC. By the way, if you're still using the old Windows OS versions, I recommend you to upgrade to Windows 10.

Not wasting any more time lets start. Do what is instructed in this article and you will free up Drive space in Windows 10 in no time. All the best!


Remove Unwanted Windows Programs & Apps

We tend to install various software on our PC. I too do the same. But many of my installed Windows software(apps) are sitting idle from a very long time as I do not need them anymore. These are the unwanted Windows apps that we need to look for.

You should do the same. Navigate to Settings app > Apps > Apps & features and closely look for any program or apps that you no longer use. I am sure you will find many of them.

You will also be able to see the amount of disk space any program or app consumes on your Windows 10 PC. Go through all the apps and programs by scrolling and Uninstall unwanted apps & programs.

Here is how you can do it.

Using Windows "Add or Remove Programs" setting:

Warning: Do look closely as you do not want to uninstall any system related Windows programs or apps like any audio drivers or any graphics driver interface.

The above method uninstalls the programs or features from your Windows 10 PC. But there are programs that leaves behind garbage Files, Folders or Registry entries even if you completely uninstall it. To take care of this you can use a third party Windows program called Revo Uninstaller. It's free.

Using Revo Uninstaller:

You need to download and install Revo Uninstaller from here. When the download and installation are finished, run Revo Uninstaller. Here is how I am removing an Unwanted Windows program with the help of this useful tool.

  • On the Revo Uninstaller dashboard select the program that you want to uninstall and click on the Uninstall icon above. (See screenshot)
  • When you do that the program will create a system restore point in case anything goes wrong. The restore point lets you roll back any changes made on the PC. Once that process is finished, you will see two popups on your screen. One of them is the default program uninstaller. Run the default program uninstaller first.
  • After that select the Advanced option and click on Scan.
  • Once the Scan is finished Select All found Leftovers Registry Items and Click Next & Than Finish.

You can repeat the same process for any unwanted application that you wish to remove from your Windows PC. Revo Uninstaller will completely remove all files and folders related to that particular software.

After doing it you will notice the storage space in Windows 10 has increased. Hold on, we are not done yet. Let's see what are the other things you can do to free up drive space in Windows 10.

Erase Windows.old folder to free up drive space in Windows 10

If you upgraded to Windows 10 in the past from older versions of Windows, you should definitely check your system drive i.e. C:/ drive. If you do not see any Windows.old folder than congratulations, you can skip this, and move to the next method. But if you have Windows.old folder sitting in the drive you must delete it.

But wait!

Let me tell you more about that folder. So, when you did an upgrade to Windows 10, your system took a backup of your older Windows OS version automatically. The folder contains all the system files and apps of the previous Windows version build.

The size of the folder may vary from 10GB to 20GB depending on the data. That's a lot of storage space, right? After the upgrade the Windows.old folder remains on your system for almost 30 days.

This is because if something went wrong or you suddenly changed your mind to roll back to the older Windows OS version, the backup is useful. With the help of Windows installer, you can roll back your upgrade. After 30 days Windows automatically deletes the folder.

So before you delete Windows.old folder make sure all your data, settings, apps are still there on the upgraded OS i.e. Windows 10 OS.

It's not simple to delete the Windows.old folder. Right clicking on the folder and selecting "Delete" will not help you in this case. You can erase

Windows.old folder using a third party software called CCleaner or using Command Prompt. I will list down both the methods with details.

Here is more about CCleaner and how to download it: Download Free CCleaner For Windows 10

Using CCleaner:

CCleaner is very easy to use Windows software. It comes in two variants Free and Paid. for our purpose, Free one is enough.

Note: Not only you can delete the Windows Old Installation directories With the help of CCleaner, you can also perform some other tasks to free up drive space in Windows 10.

For now, let's look at how to use CCleaner to delete Windows.old directory.

  • Download and install CCleaner from the official site.(Check above for the link).
  • Launch CCleaner.
  • As you can see in the above screenshot, make sure you selected "Cleaner" and "Windows" tab.
  • Scroll down all way to bottom. Under "Advanced" you will find "Old Windows Installation". Just "Checkmark" it and uncheck everything else.
  • Click on "Analyze" and wait for the program until you see "Analysis Complete".
  • After that just click on "Run Cleaner". Wait for the process to finish. That's it, the Windows.old folder and all the other older Windows installation files and folders will be erased giving you more storage space on Windows 1o.

Pro Tip: Use Ccleaner to erase browsing history,  other temporary files and cache data from the system. The will let you free up more space on your Windows 10.

Just check the required option, analyze and run cleaner. It's advisable to use this software once in a month to make your Windows system run fast without any lags. I just love this free software.

Using Command Prompt (CMD) Program

CMD is there from the birth of Windows operating system. Though it is mostly liked and used by computer savvy peeps, its not that hard to run some simple set of commands to get the job done.

  • To launch CMD on Windows 10 Press and hold the Windows Key + R Key.
  • Type in CMD in the run window and press Enter.
  • You will see a black window with some text on it.
  • Just copy and paste: RD /S /Q %SystemDrive%\windows.old command in that window.
  • Press Enter and the CMD command will be executed.

If you encountered any error in the CMD window, just make sure you are running Command prompt with administrative privileges.

Check your drive space now. You will notice a whopping change in your storage space. You can do to This PC what will open up File Explorer and from there you can check the drive space.



Free Up Drive Space in Windows 10 Using Storage Sense

Storage Sense is all you need to clear up GBs of storage space on your Windows 10 PC. This feature is only available for Windows 10 users. So if you are using an older version of Windows, this is not for you. But yes you can delete the same things manually from your PC. I will explain that too in a minute.

Many of Windows 10 consumers don't know that there is a handy setting under the System Settings in Windows 10. It lets you free up space by performing a quick scan and letting you choose what to erase. And it can also perform this operation automatically, once you have enabled it.

Let us have a look at the "Storage Sense Setting". Get ready to flush GDs of unwanted data from your computer system and make more space for your PC.

  • Click the Window icon located at the taskbar and click the Settings icon.
  • Choose System from the Windows Settings window.
  • Click on Storage. You will be presented with some very useful options that will never let you go out of storage. Presenting "Storage Sense":

This is where you can turn on "Storage Sense" and let Windows 10 free up space automatically.

If you don't want to use "Windows Sense" and just want to delete unwanted data and get storage space, you can easily do so. If you look at the screenshot above closely there is an option "Free up space now".

This option lets you choose and delete all sorts of data that Windows thinks as erasable without breaking your PC. The data is categorized and a short description is provided under each category for a clear understanding of the Windows 10 user.

Tip: Once you perform all the actions mentioned in this article, do restart your PC. It's not necessary but it's good.

You may select to delete data from these 13 categories:

  1. Windows upgrade log files
  2. System created Windows Error Reporting Files
  3. Windows Defender Antivirus
  4. Downloaded Files
  5. Windows Update Cleanup
  6. Thumbnails
  7. Temporary Files
  8. Delete all System Restore points
  9. Recycle bin
  10. One Drive Files
  11. Temporary Internet Files
  12. Delivery Optimization Files
  13. DirectX Shader Cache

You should know what you are doing when performing this action.

For example,

Delete System Restore points:

Windows Create System Restore Points whenever a major change is made on to your system. Most of the time the major change is made when you install Windows updates. These restore points are like backups which can be used to rollback to the earlier build of Windows 10.

So if you are not facing any issues on your Windows 10 PC and everything is fine, go ahead and Check Mark "Delete All System Restore Points" and click on the "Remove Files" button on the top. You know I just free up 10GB of space by removing system restore points.

Delete Downloaded Files:

As said, you should be very careful while trying to free up drive space in Windows 10. You may have downloaded huge size software on your PC for your work. Whatever you download goes in the Download folder on your PC. So before you choose to delete Downloaded files, make sure you have moved your important files to another location on your PC drive.

We all agree, not everything in the Download Folder is important. It may be important when you first downloaded it but not anymore. The Download folder in Windows 10 is the first place you should look to free up storage. Setup files, PDF's, Videos, Audios and what not, all these unused items should be deleted.

Storage Sense is a great feature to use for Windows 10 users. For the users who are still on the older version of the Windows operating system like Windows 7 or 8 and do not have the Storage Sense feature, Just look for the 13 categories as I mentioned above. Remove the data manually and you will be able to clear GBs of storage space.

Over to You

This is all you need to do to take care of your Windows 10 storage space. The above methods are enough to free up drive space in Windows 10. Just performing the above methods will claim more than 30-40GB of storage space.

Well, once you have enough storage space, you are ready to download anything you want. Maybe a few songs or movies? Do comment below how much drive space you cleared using my methods? and also let me know what is the first thing that you will download.

Isn't it awesome to claim back the storage space already available on your PC? Are you happy? If Yes, please support me by sharing this article as much as you can. And come back for some more helpful information, I update my blog regularly. Thank you!

The post Free Up Drive Space in Windows 10 Under Ten Minutes! was first published on: WindowsQnA.com

Tuesday 22 January 2019

Is Windows 10 Mobile Phone Support Really Ending on Dec 10 2019?

Yes, you heard that right. On January 18, 2019  Microsoft had made an official announcement that they will be stopping Windows 10 mobile phone support on December 10, 2019. I know its bad news for many Windows 10 smartphone users including myself. But the end is here. No more Windows 10 mobile updates.

I don't know if you guys have heard "Small Fish Gets Eaten By The Biggies". That's what happened with the Windows 10 mobile. The popularity of Android mobile firmware and the lack of development from Microsoft Windows mobile developers had led to the death of Windows 10 mobile firmware.

The demand for the Windows Phone has decreased dramatically over a couple of years. People prefer Android and IOS based devices more, and as a result, Windows mobile has come to an end.

It's been more than a year when Microsoft announced the end of support for Windows Phone 8.1 and now the end of Windows 10 mobile follows.

Microsoft also stated that the devices with the Version 1709 would receive security patches until December. However the devices running Version 1703 (that runs on Lumia 640 and Lumia 640 XL) are not eligible for the security patches, and the support for them will end on June 11th, 2019. Source: XDA

This news came to me with no surprise as there were no significant updates for my Windows 10 phone from a long time. I was only one in my friend circle who was using the Windows smartphone and was satisfied with it. Ya Google Services like Google Maps unavailability on Windows phones had to lead me to buy an Android phone as well.

What Will Happen When Windows 10 Mobile Support Ends?

Microsoft already advised Windows Mobile users to switch to Android or IOS. But if still, you want to keep your Windows phone than you need to know a few serious issues that you may face over time.

  1. As Microsoft will stop further security updates after the predefined dates, there will always be a risk of security of your data on your phone.
  2. Over time you may feel your Windows 10 mobile performance getting reduced.
  3. There will be no further app updates on the Windows Store.
  4. Stability will be an issue.
  5. There will no support at all for your Windows phone on any authorized service center, except you need assistance on your mobile hardware.

Should You Throw Away Your Windows 10 Smartphone?

Definately not, you don't have to do that. My suggestion is to get an Android or IOS based phone and transfer all your data to the new phone before the support ends. You can still keep your Windows mobile phone for calling purposes or clicking images or maybe more.

I want to clarify that there is no hurry to get a new phone there is still time, and I think when the Support ends you can even use your Windows-based phone for an additional six months or so. That entirely depends on you.

If you are a big fan of some of the Microsoft apps for mobile, you can still get those apps on the Android device. Microsoft has already developed many of their mobile apps on Android platform.

Microsoft has developed a launcher for Android that integrates Windows 10 and Cortana for multitasking.

Wrapping Up

I know this is not settling for many Windows 10 mobile phone users. But this is what it is. If you are one of the Windows 10 smartphone user do comment, let me know what you think about the decision of Microsoft to end support for Windows 10 mobile phones.

Change is always good, and we should move with the flow. I think if Google supported Windows mobile from the beginning by given their services to Windows phone users, this story would never have ended like this.

Do share this post to let your friends know about this official announcement by Microsoft.

Is Windows 10 Mobile Phone Support Really Ending on Dec 10 2019? was originally published to: https://www.windowsqna.com

Monday 21 January 2019

How To Improve Wifi Network Performance On Windows 10?

Lets start right away!
  • Never hide your router! Poeple used to hide their routers and this is why you’re getting lags. Placing a router in a closet or in a cabinet slow your Wifi, because walls and doors absorb signal strength. Find a central point in your house and put your router on a table or wardrobe. Remember that some routers are designed to project their signal slightly downward, kepp it in your mind when you think about place for your router.

  • Reset your router regularly. It sounds simple enough, but sometimes this is really helpful. Some of tech support problems can be resolved by resetting or rebooting your router or modem on a regular basis. If you are in trouble, just do it, because it’s probably the first thing your Net provider will ask you to do when you call to complain what is going on. If you’re one of the many people that has to reboot the router very often, it doesn’t drop out, this is a solution. You should run a few tests to make sure the problem isn’t caused by heat, viruses or malwares, old firmware or excess downloading. 

  • Feel free to use use beer cans – yeah i know. It sounds crazy but this method is tested and it seems to be really helpful. The good news is you will have to drink one before you even get started. The aluminum in beer and soda can extend the signal farther than the wifi router itself – can you believe it?Just remove the pop top and then cut around the bottom of the can to remove it. Repeat this process for the top of beer can, just below the mouth. Do not cut all the way around, leave a small space at the top. Let’s do this to make sure the mouth of the can is attached. The next step is: cut down the middle of the can on the opposite side. Create a parabola and turn your can upside down to stand it up. After it, stick the router’s antenna through the mouth of can and use a small piece of duct tape or blu-track to keep it in place. However, your router might look messy, but your Wi-fi signal strength should greatly improve.

  • Use both bands to improve your wireless connection performance. I remember my old antenna based on 2,4 GHz, it was working like The Witcher 4 on mobile phone. Many routers have radios that operate on 2 types of frequencies – 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. You are able to have two networks running at the same time! Need the solution? Use one of them for devices that access WiFi at the lower frequency and another for more advanced or more important things at 5 GHz. Remember that higher band is less crowded and it should be better for high-bandwidth uses, for example streaming video.
Security Tips for Wifi:

Use firewalls and antimalware softwares for make for net safer. Modern network routers contain built-in firewalls, but if your router is old, read these tips. At start ensure that your router’s firewall is turned on. If not, you know what to do. For extra security, consider installing and running additional security programs on each device connected to the router. Don’t forget about mobile devices like tablets, all smartphones, iphones, ipods, ipads etc. Having too many layers of security apps is overkill. Notice that having an unprotected system with critical data is the worst thing ever.


Change the admin password and change your network SSID to some Funny WiFi Names. The most of Wi-Fi home networks is a broadband router access point. To set up these pieces of equipment, these systems include an embedded server and pages that allow owners to enter their account information. These tools are protected with a login screen and it means that only the rightful owner can make changes. Anyway, the logins provided by your Internet provider are simple and well-known to hackers. Change these settings as quickly as possible.

Everone loves to use someones wireless connection like a boss. But if you use this option on your phone, read it carefully. Connecting to an open Wifi networks like free wireless hotspot or your neighbor’s router exposes your device to security risks. You must definitely stop auto-connecting to open wifi networks – deal with it. Although not normally enabled, most computers have a setting available. You unintentionally allowing these connections to happen automatically. This setting should not be enabled if you want to avoid dangerous situations and stay safer.

Shut down your network when it’s not being used. This tip is even more dependent on specific circumstances than most of them. If you have the sort of network that does not need to be running 24/h, you can easily reduce the availability of it. Improve your security crackers by turning it off when it isn’t in use, but sometimes it goes wrong.

I know some cases when restarting or shutting down wifi without real reasons or for fun is not a good decision. Why? Because some routers automatically adjust their speed on the client capabilities. If you reset router a few times per a day, the system can detect it as error caused too much data transferred. In effects your wifi will slow your Internet speed, as you see, this is some kind of misunderstanding. 

How To Get Help With File Explorer In Windows 10?

Source: This post was first published on https://techgrabo.com/get-help-with-file-explorer-in-windows-10/

If you want to Get help with File Explorer in Windows 10 and customize file explorer in Windows 10, then you are at the right place.

For those of you who are getting confused with the name "File Explorer ", I will clear your confusion right away.

The File Explorer in Windows 10 is the new version of Windows Explorer that used to be in the previous Windows Versions. It's a Windows Explorer update. So now whenever you hear File Explorer, its the same thing as Windows Explorer but will lot of different useful features.

In the past, we were using Windows Explorer with Windows Operating Systems. But from Windows 8 OS, that Windows Explorer got a new name and some beneficial features that I will cover in just a second, Read on...

Getting help with File Explorer in Windows 10 is a piece of cake. The new File Explorer provides lots of different ways by which you can get help easily and quickly.

In this guide, we will cover the new features that are integrated into Windows 10 File Explorer and how to use them effectively. We will also solve some common issues faced by users when using Windows 10 File Explorer.

First thing first, let's make a checklist of what we are going to learn from this guide.

☑ We will first compare the traditional Windows Explorer with the all-new File Explorer

 Learn how to get help with File Explorer in Windows 10 by customization.

Then we will learn some Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows 10 File Explorer

Windows 10 issues and fixes: Windows 10 File Explorer not responding issue

So are you ready to learn how to get help with File Explorer in Windows 10? I guess yes. Let's start...

What Is File Explorer In Windows 10

In short, the File Explorer is a File Management feature of Windows 10. It is used to browse files and folders on your computer.

File Explorer as the Graphic User Interface (GUI) helps the user to perform various operations within the computer system without any technicality. Anyone with zero technical knowledge can easily browse through the computer using the Windows 10 file management system.

Now let's see what changes made on the new File Explorer Vs. Windows Explorer is.

1.Traditional Windows Explorer Vs. Windows 10 File Explorer

 When we open Windows Explorer on our Windows 7 or older operating systems it opens with system drives BUT in Windows File Explorer it defaults to "Quick Access" which is a good thing as you can configure "Quick Access" window with the folders that you constantly use, no matter where they are in the drives.

↪ The Favorite menu on the left in Windows Explorer is changed with the "Quick Access" menu.

↪ File explorer got a flat lite look as compared to the traditional Windows Explorer.

↪ OneDrive (a cloud storage application) is added to the left pane in Windows 10 File Explorer that is not there in Windows 7 or older versions.

↪ "Home", "Share", "View" menus are smartly integrated on the top with a lot more options to choose from, which is not present in the Windows Explorer.

↪ If you want Windows to take you to "My Pc" and not to "Quick Access" when you open File Explorer, you can change easily change it. Just follow the instructions below.

Disable Quick Access in File Explorer on Windows 10

  • FILE > FOLDER OPTIONS >GENERAL
  • Change Open File Explorer toThis PC

There are many other Pros in File Explorer in Windows 10, but I kept it short to introduce you to it.

Now let's go to the next point where we will learn about How to get help with File Explorer in Windows 10 by customizing it.

2.Windows 10 File Explorer Customization

How do I customize QUICK ACCESS?

Windows 10 File Explorer Customization is very easy to do, let's see how to customize Quick Access.

We all have folders that we access many times throughout our time on our computer/laptop.

"Quick Access" feature makes it easy for you to add any number of the folder from any location on your drives to the "Quick Access" window, you can also remove the folders that you don't want to be shown on the "Quick Access" window by just a mouse click.

To pin any folder to your "Quick Access" window just right click on the folder and click "Pin to Quick Access" or to remove already pinned folders just right click and then click "Unpin from Quick Access". See below screen snap:

If you want to disable quick access Windows 10 you need to go to:

File > Change Folder And Search Option > Under the general tab > Privacy > And uncheck the 2 options there and then click ok.

P.S. If there is a Bluetooth device connected to your windows 10 then it will also show up in the File manager.

How does OneDrive work in Windows 10?:

OneDrive Windows 10 is a cloud storage application where you can store your important files and folders directly from your computer and then can access it anywhere in the world.

If you heard about Google Drive, then OneDrive is the same thing. To use free cloud storage application, you need to sign up for a Microsoft account.

Once you are signed up, you can use your OneDrive as you like or can directly sign in if you already have one.

Note: You will get only 5GB free cloud storage from One Drive and if you want to upgrade there are options to do so.

Navigation Pane:

You can also customize your navigation pane from the VIEW tab on the top.

As can be seen, on the above screenshot you can use other options to customize as per your need. You can also press the F1 key on your keyboard to get help with File Explorer or any separate Window that you are on.

When you press the F1 key, a new window will open with Bing search engine that will show websites results that are helpful in solving your doubts and queries.

So you see that its very easy to Get help with File Explorer in Windows 10.

Show/Hide Hidden Items Setting:

The new Windows 10 File Explorer has highlighted some frequently used settings in its VIEW tab. One of the heavily used settings is Hidden Items setting.

Now, to show or hide Hidden Files, you do not have to go deep in the Folder Options. You can now quickly show or hide hidden items on your Windows 10 system with just a click.

To do this navigate to File Explorer >> View Tab >> Check/Uncheck Hidden Items

3. Get help with File Explorer in Windows 10 by using keyboard shortcuts

Windowskey+E: open File Explorer Windows 10
Alt+P: show or hide the Preview pane.
Alt+Shift+P: show or hide the Details pane.
Alt+left arrow key: go back one folder in your history.
Alt+up arrow key: go up one folder in the folder tree.
Ctrl+N: open a new File Explorer window.
Ctrl+E: activate the Search bar.
Ctrl+Shift+N: create a new folder in the current folder.
Ctrl+mouse wheel up or mouse wheel down: increase or decrease the size of icons and thumbnails.

4. Windows 10 Issues And Fixes:

File explorer not responding Windows 10

If you are facing Windows 10 File Explorer problem like it goes to "File Explorer Not Responding" mode or you see "Windows has stopped working" or Windows 10 File Explorer not responding on right click then I have a solution for you that you can try.

I faced the similar Windows File Explorer not responding issue a week ago when I was using Windows 10 File Explorer.

My Windows 10 File Explorer crashes repeatedly, and after lots of research I came up with the solution that worked for me like a charm.

You can also try this Windows 10 File Explorer fix to solve your problem. In my case, there was an old software on my computer that was causing the issue.

Below are the steps by step instructions on how to troubleshoot the "Not Responding" issue.

Step 1. Download & Install CCleaner software (Free), this tool will clean up Windows 10

Step 2. Now launch it and click on the TOOLS option

Step 3. Now go to STARTUP and disable all software that shows up.

Now once you did that, start the software one by one and see if Windows 10 File Explorer is crashing or not.

If after enabling a software File Explorer goes in "Not Responding" or crashes that means that particular software is having the issue.

Just uninstall that software if it's not essential to you or try downloading the free copy of that software and install again.

In case, the above solution does not work for you then install Microsoft Fix It for Windows 10 and run it on your computer.

5. Windows Navigation Pane Missing

When you go to File Explorer in Windows 10, and you noticed that there is no navigation pane on the left side of the screen, then do not worry.

Just click on the "VIEW" tab that is located at the top of the File Explorer and then click on Navigation pane as shown below.

Now you will be able to see Navigation pane in File Explorer.

6. Windows 10 Search Bar Not Working

If the search box not working in Windows 10 File Explorer, then there is a setting in File Explorer in Windows 10 that can be done to make the search function.

The main reason Windows search not working is that option is not enabled. Just follow the below path to enable search in Windows 10 File Explorer.

Go to File on the top left >> Click Change Folder and Search Options >> Click the Search Tab >> Check the box Don't use the index when searching in file folders for system files(searches might take longer) >> Apply >> Ok.

Now Windows 10 Search bar should work.

7. Windows 10 File Explorer Hangs When Right Clicks?

Many of you may be facing the issue of File Explorer crashing after right-clicking on it. To solve this issue with the Windows 10 File Explorer follow the below steps:

  • Press windows key + X key together on your keyboard. This action will open the Command Prompt with admin privileges.
  • Type "netsh" in the Command Prompt window and hit on Enter button.
  • Now type "winsock reset" and hit on Enter button on your keyboard.

The command execution will complete n few seconds.

Once its completed, restart your computer.

Issue Fixed!

Final Words:

I hope in this tutorial How to Get help with File Explorer in Windows 10 I have covered almost all the things that you need to get started. And your problem with the Windows File Explorer in Windows 10 is FIXED.

If there is something that you didn't understand, please comment below, and I promise to reply you ASAP

Friday 26 October 2018

How To Turn On Bluetooth On Windows 10?

There are hundreds of devices around the world that uses Bluetooth technology till now. Windows 10 devices are also Bluetooth compatible, and one should know how to turn on Bluetooth on Windows 10 to make use of it.
Bluetooth technology has been there from the early 20's, specifically from 1998 when Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) formally announced it. We are in 2018's now, and most people use Wi-Fi over the Bluetooth technology.
Remember the times when you exchange pictures or music using the Bluetooth? Now the technology evolved and people are using Wi-Fi more often to do the same task. Apps like ShareIt, Xender etc uses your Wi-Fi hardware to share data between two or more devices without using any Internet data.

But there are devices like Printers, Speakers, Wireless Keyboard & Mouse, Headphones, etc. that can only be used wirelessly with the help of Bluetooth.

There are multiple ways to turn on Bluetooth on Windows 10 device. We will list all the possible ways here in this article with screenshots for your better understanding.

Maybe you are here to know how to connect Bluetooth headphones to pc, or perhaps you want to connect your Bluetooth enabled printer with your Windows 10. Whatever the need is, the first thing that you should know is how to turn on Bluetooth on Windows 10.
So let's learn to enable Bluetooth on Windows 10.

Ways On How To Turn On Bluetooth On Windows 10

As mentioned earlier Windows 10 Bluetooth can be enabled using different approaches. I will list all the methods here, and you can follow the way that is more convenient to you.
Do not worry if you are not a Tech Savy person. All the steps mentioned are easy to follow.
You can also take of your tech savy friend and get your computer connected to him using any remote desktop connection service so that he can help you with this.

Enable Bluetooth Through Settings App In Windows 10

Every device has its Settings dashboard to control the device behavior. Windows 10 devices are not that different. From the Settings App, you can easily search for the Bluetooth Settings and turn it on. Here is how...
  • Launch Windows 10 Settings App. You will see the Settings Icon just above the Shut Down option in the Start Menu.
  • Now in "Find a Setting" bar search for "Bluetooth." When you see the results dropdown, click "Bluetooth & Other Devices Settings."
  • That's it, toggle ON Bluetooth button, and it will switch from gray to colored. (In my case its sky blue)
  • As you see you can Pair other Bluetooth enabled devices with your Windows 10 device. To know how to do that read our guide Fix Connections To Bluetooth Audio Devices And Wireless Displays In Windows 10.

Turn On Bluetooth Through Action Center In a Single Click

Action Center in Windows 10 have the most used settings pinned to it. Just see the below screenshot, and you will know what I mean.
In just a click you can Enable Bluetooth in Windows 10, this is just like a Bluetooth shortcut key. This is how you find the Action center and do the needful:
  • At the down corner right side of your screen, you will see a cube-like box, click it.
  • Once Action Center is opened, Click on the Bluetooth to turn it on.
  • Do not be confused by that "not connected" text. The Bluetooth on Windows 10 is turned on; you need to connect a Bluetooth enabled device with it.
So these are the two ways on how to turn on Bluetooth on Windows 10. Now let's see some basic questions asked by people that are related to Bluetooth.
Suggested Read: Windows Hello In Windows 10 Full Configuration Guide

Does My Computer Have Bluetooth?

Nice question! Many latest laptops and computers come with Bluetooth hardware embedded in them. But if you are using a very old Windows device like Old Windows PC than there are chances that you do not have Bluetooth hardware in your device.
The other scenario can be that the Bluetooth driver in Windows 10 is missing because of which you are not able to see the Bluetooth button, even if you have Bluetooth hardware in your device. So check that.
And the third scenario is if you have the required hardware and the drivers but Bluetooth not working in Windows 10 or you can't turn on Bluetooth Windows 10. Then you should update your Bluetooth drivers from the Device Manager to make it work.
For old PC's that are running Windows 10 but does not have Bluetooth hardware in their system, then don't worry. You can use PC Bluetooth adapter available online to make your PC Bluetooth friendly. It looks like this:

Bluetooth connection is important to enable dynamic lock in windows 10

Over To You

So this is how to turn on Bluetooth on Windows 10 and enjoy your devices wirelessly. Going Wireless is the best thing happened to us. Those bunch of wire cables lying all around our house is now gone.
If you believe that this article solved your problem, Do share it with your friends on social media.
If you have any other Bluetooth issues do comment below, we do reply. Also, check our other articles on Windows 10 for the self-help.

Friday 14 September 2018

How To Use Dynamic Lock In Windows 10?

Windows 10 already gave us a modern and fastest way of Logging in to our system using Windows Hello face recognition feature. But do you know how to use Dynamic Lock in Windows 10?

If you don't! Then continue reading this article.

Its always good to lock your laptop/PC when you are moving away from it to avoid unauthorized access. But many times, maybe in hurry we forget to lock our system and that makes our private information vulnerable.

Whether you are at a public place or at your office or maybe at your home. It's always safe to lock your computer before you leave. Dynamic Lock in Windows 10 will make this task super easy for you. Just like that!

But before I show you how to enable Dynamic Lock in Windows 10 Operating System, let me first give you a brief introduction about the Dynamic Lock feature.

What Is Dynamic Lock In Windows 10?

Dynamic Lock feature was pushed with Windows 10 Creators Update (1703).  If enabled, it automatically locks your machine if you move away from it.

Dynamic Lock in Windows 10 uses your Bluetooth enabled phone that is paired with your system.

So if you move away from your system so that your Bluetooth paired phone is not in the contact with your system after a range, Windows 10 Locks itself.

Ya, for this to work you have to take your paired smartphone with you when you leave.

This will definitely prevent any unauthorized access to your system even if you forget to lock your system by pressing Windows Key + L.

By the way, some people also call this feature- Windows Goodbye, just to let you know.

Now that you know how important it is to enable Dynamic Lock in Windows 10. Let us set it up right away.

How To Use Dynamic Lock In Windows 10?

To activate Dynamic Lock in Windows 10 we have to do few settings and pair our smartphone with our Windows 10 system. Just follow the below steps and you are good to go.

  • Open Settings >> Accounts
  • Navigate to Signin Options.
  • Scroll down and look for DYNAMIC LOCK.
  • Checkmark "Allow Windows to automatically lock your device when you're away"
  • After this click on "Bluetooth & Other Devices". (From here we will pair our smartphone)
  • Now turn on Bluetooth on your smartphone.
  • Once your smartphone Bluetooth is enabled click + Add Bluetooth or other devices.
  • In "Add a device" window click the first option i.e. Bluetooth.
  • Now Windows 10 will search for your Bluetooth enabled smartphone for the pairing process. If everything is good your device will show up in the list.
  • Once you see your device in the list just click on it.
  • Once you do that you will see a similar notification on your Windows 10 and on your smartphone.
  • Check your smartphone and Accept The Pairing. Just Tap on PAIR & CONNECT on your smartphone.
  • And than Tap PAIR again.
  • Your Windows 10 system may also ask for the DUN (Bluetooth Dial-Up Networking) access. In my case, it asked for it so I Allowed it.
  • If you get the same notification on your smartphone just allow it. Do not forget to checkmark "Always Allow" before you tap OK.
  • If you correctly performed all the steps as listed above then congratulations, your Smartphone, and your Windows 10 laptop/PC are paired together. Now just click on Done.

This is how to use Dynamic Lock in Windows 10. Isn't it simple and quick to set up?

Now its time to test Dynamic Lock in Windows 10. Just take your phone and move away from your system. Maybe you can have a visit to your garden area.

If your Smartphone is far enough, i.e. outside the Bluetooth range with your Windows 10 system than Windows 10 should lock itself. Go back and have a look if its lock or not?

So I just tried it myself and its working like a charm. Did it work for you? Most probably your answer is positive. But if the Dynamic Lock did not work for you then there can be a few reasons. Let's see what they are.

Dynamic Lock Not Working Even After Activating It

Below can the reason the Dynamic Lock failed:

  • Check if you don't have Bluetooth turned ON, on your smartphone.
  • Double check if both the devices are paired correctly. If there is any error remove the paired smartphone and pair it again using the above instructions.
  • Try moving very far away from the system and check if Windows 10 Dynamic Lock gets activated.

Conclusion...

So you now know how to use Dynamic Lock in Windows 10. I personally like this feature very much. After I enabled it I do not have to worry about my Laptop being used by another person in my absence. The Dynamic Lock does its magic. Just like that!

If you are facing any issues while trying to activate Dynamic Lock, do let us know in comments section below.

I hope I have kept this article easy to understand and to the point. If you appreciate my efforts to bring to you Windows 10 how to's article then do share it and support us.

Will be back with another informative and useful article soon. Till then happy surfing :)