Buyers are not short of choices when it comes to Windows products. Apart from the long list of apps available in the Microsoft Store, there are also multiple options for the Windows 10 operating system (OS). Windows 10 comes in different tiers — Home, Pro, and S — and each was made to address specific needs and lifestyles. Choosing the right Windows 10 version can be confusing, so we’ve made it simpler by listing the similarities and differences of each.

Windows 10 Home

As its name suggests, Windows 10 Home is designed for home and personal use. It comes bundled with key Windows 10 features, such as the Microsoft Edge browser and the voice-enabled virtual assistant Cortana. It also gives access to Microsoft’s cloud storage service OneDrive and provides 5 GB of cloud storage per individual user. However, Windows 10 Home doesn’t come with Office apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Instead, it gives you a 30-day free trial of Microsoft 365.

In terms of security, Home has fairly basic protections. It has Windows Defender Antivirus software, Windows Hello biometric logins that use face or fingerprint authentication, and rudimentary device encryption to keep data breaches at bay. Those with multiple Windows devices will also love the mobile device management app, which allows them to track and control app usage for connected smartphones and tablets.

To explore new apps, Home users can sign up for the Windows Insider program, but since this version is light on features, there is usually a limited selection of early release apps to play with.

Windows 10 Pro

If you plan to use your computer for work, the Pro version is the right OS for you. One of its most notable features is Hyper-V, which allows you to create virtual machines (VMs) on Windows 10. These VMs can be used to deliver computing resources from a powerful computer to other machines connected to the network, making resource provisioning a breeze.

Considering that businesses are usually targeted by cybercriminals, Windows 10 Pro offers more robust security than Home. In addition to Windows Defender, this version comes with whole disk encryption, Enterprise Data Protection, and Azure Active Directory — an identity management service used to set up and enforce access policies for apps and devices.

Rolling out updates for all computers is also incredibly easy with Pro’s Windows Update for Business service. From a central console, you can manage how and when Windows 10 devices are updated so that they don’t disrupt day-to-day operations.

Windows 10 S

Windows 10 S is focused on simplicity, security, and speed. More specifically, it greatly restricts security and other settings, resulting in faster performance. In fact, while S-powered computers have fewer features than Pro, they are reported to boot 15 seconds faster than Pro machines.

Windows 10 S’s relatively low hardware requirements make it perfect for startups and schools that tend to purchase low-cost PCs. And if you want more features, you can upgrade from 10 S at an affordable price.

What sets 10 S apart from the other Windows 10 versions is that it can only run applications available on the Windows Store. What’s more, it requires you to use Microsoft Edge for surfing the web. Although these restrictions mean you don’t get to enjoy third-party apps, it also protects users from downloading dangerous apps and helps Microsoft easily root out malware.

Still not sure about which Windows 10 version you should purchase? Contact our experts today to get deeper insight. We’ll even install and maintain Windows for you so you can focus on being productive!

Earlier this year, Microsoft acquired Softomotive, a player in the low-code robotic process automation space with a focus on Windows. Today, at its Ignite conference, the company is launching Power Automate Desktop, a new application based on Softomotive’s technology that lets anyone automate desktop workflows without needing to program.

“The big idea of Power Platform is that we want to go make it so development is accessible to everybody,” Charles Lamanna, Microsoft’s corporate VP for its low-code platform, told me. “And development includes understanding and reporting on your data with Power BI, building web and mobile applications with Power Apps, automating your tasks — whether it’s through robotic process automation or workflow automation — with Power Automate, or building chatbots and chat-based experiences with Power Virtual Agent.”

Power Automate already allowed users to connect web-based applications, similar to Zapier and IFTTT, but the company also launched a browser extension earlier late last year to help users connect native system components to Power Automate. Now, with the integration of the Softomotive technology and the launch of this new low-code Windows application, it’s taking this integration into the native Windows user interface one step further.

“Everything still runs in the cloud and still connects to the cloud, but you now have a rich desktop application to author and record your UI automations,” Lamanna explained. He likened it to an ‘ultimate connector,’ noting that the “ultimate API is just the UI.”

He also stressed that the new app feels like any other modern Office app like Outlook (which is getting a new Mac version today, by the way) or Word. And like the modern versions of those apps, Power Automate Desktop derives a lot of its power from being connected to the cloud.

It’s also worth noting that Power Automate isn’t just a platform for automating simple two- or three-step processes (like sending you a text message when your boss emails you), but also for multistep, business-critical workflows. T-Mobile, for example, is using the platform to automate some of the integration processes between its systems and Sprint.

Lamanna noted that for some large enterprises, adopting these kinds of low-code services necessitates a bit of a culture shift. IT still needs to have some insights into how these tools are used, after all, to ensure that data is kept safe, for example.

Another new feature the company announced today is an integration between the Power Platform and GitHub, which is now in public preview. The idea here is to give developers the ability to create their own software lifecycle workflows. “One of the core ideas of Power Platform is that it’s low code,” Lamanna said. “So it’s built first for business users, business analysts, not the classical developers. But pro devs are welcome. The saying I have is: we’re throwing a party for business users, but pro devs are also invited to the party.” But to get them onto the platform, the team wants to meet them where they are and let them use the tools they already use — and that’s GitHub (and Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code).

JAWS Architect Glen Gordon in his home audio studio. Credit: Glen Gordon

For people who are blind or visually impaired, JAWS is synonymous with freedom to operate Windows PCs with a remarkable degree of control and precision with output in speech and Braille. The keyboard-driven application makes it possible to navigate GUI-based interfaces of web sites and Windows programs. Anyone who has ever listened to someone proficient in JAWS (the acronym for “Job Access With Speech”) navigate a PC can’t help but marvel at the speed of the operator and the rapid fire machine-voice responses from JAWS itself.

For nearly 25 years, JAWS has dominated the field of screen readers, and is in use by hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. It is inarguably one of the greatest achievements in modern assistive technology. We are delighted to announce that Glen Gordon, the architect of JAWS for over 25 years, is joining the agenda at Sight Tech Global, which is a virtual event (Dec. 2-3) focused on how AI-related technologies will influence assistive technology and accessibility in the years ahead. Attendance is free and registration is open.

Blind since birth, Gordon’s interest in accessibility developed out of what he calls “a selfish desire to use Windows at a time when it was not at all clear that graphical  user interfaces could be made accessible.”  He has an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School, and he learned software development through “the school of hard knocks and lots of frustration trying to use inaccessible software.” He is an audio and broadcasting buff and host of FSCast, the podcast from Freedom Scientific.

The latest public beta release of JAWS contains a glimpse of the future for the storied software: It now works with certain user voice commands – “Voice Assist” – and provides more streamlined access to image descriptions, both thanks to AI technologies that the JAWS team at Freedom Scientific is using  in JAWS as well as FUSION (which combines JAWS and ZoomText, a screen magnifier). Those updates address two of JAWS’ challenges – the complexity of the available keyboard command set that intimidates some users and “alt tags” on images that don’t always adequately describe the image.

“The upcoming versions of JAWS, ZoomText,  and Fusion use natural language processing to allow many screen reader commands to be performed verbally,” says Gordon. “ You probably wouldn’t want to speak every command, but for the less common ones Voice assist offers a way to minimize the key combinations that you need to learn.”

“Broadly speaking, we’re looking to make it easier for  people to  use a smaller command set to work efficiently. This fundamentally means making our products smarter, and being able to anticipate what a user wants and needs based on their prior actions. Getting there is an imprecise process and we’ll continue to rely on user feedback to help guide us towards what works best.”

The next generation of screen readers will take advantage of AI among other technologies, and that will be a major topic at Sight Tech Global on Dec. 2-3. Get your free pass now.

Sight Tech Global Sight Tech Global welcomes sponsors. Current sponsors include Verizon Media, Google, Waymo, Mojo Vision and Wells Fargo, The event is organized by volunteers and all proceeds from the event benefit The Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Silicon Valley.

Windows 10 offers a wealth of customization features designed to provide users with a truly personalized and intuitive experience. Whether it’s changing the color of your windows or rearranging the tiles on the Start menu, these features will make your Windows PC a better match for your needs and preferences. Check out some of them below.

Change your themes

The most notable way to personalize Windows 10 is by changing your background and lock screen images. Do this by right-clicking anywhere on your desktop and choosing Personalize. Here, you can choose and preview different backgrounds and themes you can use. You can even add new themes by using images from your gallery or by clicking Get more themes in the Microsoft Store.

Use dark mode

Want to give your Windows 10 an edgier feel? Right-click on your desktop and choose Personalize. Go to Colors. Under Choose your color, select Dark. This changes the colors of your windows and menus from white or gray to black, and text from black to white. The colors on websites and third-party apps remain unchanged, however.

To restore your default settings, repeat the process but click Light.

Virtual desktops

If you’re having trouble separating your work files from your personal files, try creating a virtual desktop. Press the Windows key + TAB to show all your open windows. Click on the Add a new desktop button at the upper left corner of your screen to create a virtual desktop. While viewing your open windows, you can click and drag windows from one desktop to another.

To quickly switch between desktops, use the keyboard shortcut CTRL + Windows key + left/right arrow. Remove a virtual desktop by pressing Windows key + TAB. Click on the X button on the desktop you want to erase.

App snapping

App snapping is not exactly a new feature, but Windows 10 lets you snap any app in place. Snap an app window by dragging it into any of the four corners of your screen. This changes your window to a fourth of your screen size, allowing you to view multiple windows at once. You can have a maximum of four separate windows simultaneously open in your monitor.

Reorganize your Start Menu

To add a little more “you” to your Windows PC, you can customize how your apps are arranged on the Start menu. For one, you can resize the Start menu by simply dragging the top or right side of the menu.

You can also resize the live tiles by right-clicking on them and selecting Resize. You can also rearrange application tiles by dragging them anywhere around the Start menu. If you won’t be using a particular application, simply right-click the tile and select Unpin from Start. On the other hand, if you want to pin applications to the Start menu, right-click on an app and choose Pin to Start.

For even faster access to apps, simply pin the programs to the taskbar.

Change color themes

Is the plain black Start menu not doing it for you anymore? Just right-click on your desktop, choose Personalize, go to Color, and select any accent color that pleases you. Tick the checkboxes under Show accent color on the following surfaces if you want this color applied to the Start menu, taskbar, action center, and title bars.

Disable notifications

We don’t know where you stand on app notifications, but if you absolutely hate them and wish to never get them ever again, press the Windows key and click on the gear icon to open your Settings. Click System and select Notifications & Actions. Switch off whatever app notifications you don’t want.

Switch up and personalize your Windows 10 however you like by using some or all of these options. If you want more ways to personalize your desktop or if you need information on anything Windows 10-related, give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.

Just like its predecessors, Windows 10 is designed to provide a personalized experience to its users. It offers many ways in which you can change your PC’s interface — how it looks, and even how it can be accessed. Here are some Windows 10 customization features you have to try.

Change your themes

The most notable way to personalize Windows 10 is by changing your background and lock screen images. Do this by right-clicking anywhere on your desktop and choosing Personalize. Here, you can choose and preview different backgrounds and themes you can use. You can even add new themes by using images from your gallery or by clicking Get more themes in the Microsoft Store.

Use dark mode

Want to give your Windows 10 an edgier feel? Right-click on your desktop and choose Personalize. Go to Colors. Under Choose your color, select Dark. This changes the colors of your windows and menus from white or gray to black, and text from black to white. The colors on websites and third-party apps remain unchanged, however.

To restore your default settings, repeat the process but click Light.

Virtual desktops

If you’re having trouble separating your work files from your personal files, try creating a virtual desktop. Press the Windows key + TAB to show all your open windows. Click on the Add a new desktop button at the upper left corner of your screen to create a virtual desktop. While viewing your open windows, you can click and drag windows from one desktop to another.

To quickly switch between desktops, use the keyboard shortcut CTRL + Windows key + left/right arrow. Remove a virtual desktop by pressing Windows key + TAB. Click on the X button on the desktop you want to erase.

App snapping

App snapping is not exactly a new feature, but Windows 10 lets you snap any app in place. Snap an app window by dragging it into any of the four corners of your screen. This changes your window to a fourth of your screen size, allowing you to view multiple windows at once. You can have a maximum of four separate windows simultaneously open in your monitor.

Reorganize your Start Menu

To add a little more “you” to your Windows PC, you can customize how your apps are arranged on the Start menu. For one, you can resize the Start menu by simply dragging the top or right side of the menu.

You can also resize the live tiles by right-clicking on them and selecting Resize. You can also rearrange application tiles by dragging them anywhere around the Start menu. If you won’t be using a particular application, simply right-click the tile and select Unpin from Start. On the other hand, if you want to pin applications to the Start menu, right-click on an app and choose Pin to Start.

For even faster access to apps, simply pin the programs to the taskbar.

Change color themes

Is the plain black Start menu not doing it for you anymore? Just right-click on your desktop, choose Personalize, go to Color, and select any accent color that pleases you. Tick the checkboxes under Show accent color on the following surfaces if you want this color applied to the Start menu, taskbar, action center, and title bars.

Disable notifications

We don’t know where you stand on app notifications, but if you absolutely hate them and wish to never get them ever again, press the Windows key and click on the gear icon to open your Settings. Click System and select Notifications & Actions. Switch off whatever app notifications you don’t want.

Switch up and personalize your Windows 10 however you like by using some or all of these options. If you want more ways to personalize your desktop or if you need information on anything Windows 10-related, give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.

Getting tired of looking at the same old interface of your Windows PC? That’s not a problem with Windows 10. Here are some of the many ways you can customize your PC and make it a better fit for your work or leisure needs.

Change your themes

The most notable way to personalize Windows 10 is by changing your background and lock screen images. Do this by right-clicking anywhere on your desktop and choosing Personalize. Here, you can choose and preview different backgrounds and themes you can use. You can even add new themes by using images from your gallery or by clicking Get more themes in the Microsoft Store.

Use dark mode

Want to give your Windows 10 an edgier feel? Right-click on your desktop and choose Personalize. Go to Colors. Under Choose your color, select Dark. This changes the colors of your windows and menus from white or gray to black, and text from black to white. The colors on websites and third-party apps remain unchanged, however.

To restore your default settings, repeat the process but click Light.

Virtual desktops

If you’re having trouble separating your work files from your personal files, try creating a virtual desktop. Press the Windows key + TAB to show all your open windows. Click on the Add a new desktop button at the upper left corner of your screen to create a virtual desktop. While viewing your open windows, you can click and drag windows from one desktop to another.

To quickly switch between desktops, use the keyboard shortcut CTRL + Windows key + left/right arrow. Remove a virtual desktop by pressing Windows key + TAB. Click on the X button on the desktop you want to erase.

App snapping

App snapping is not exactly a new feature, but Windows 10 lets you snap any app in place. Snap an app window by dragging it into any of the four corners of your screen. This changes your window to a fourth of your screen size, allowing you to view multiple windows at once. You can have a maximum of four separate windows simultaneously open in your monitor.

Reorganize your Start Menu

To add a little more “you” to your Windows PC, you can customize how your apps are arranged on the Start menu. For one, you can resize the Start menu by simply dragging the top or right side of the menu.

You can also resize the live tiles by right-clicking on them and selecting Resize. You can also rearrange application tiles by dragging them anywhere around the Start menu. If you won’t be using a particular application, simply right-click the tile and select Unpin from Start. On the other hand, if you want to pin applications to the Start menu, right-click on an app and choose Pin to Start.

For even faster access to apps, simply pin the programs to the taskbar.

Change color themes

Is the plain black Start menu not doing it for you anymore? Just right-click on your desktop, choose Personalize, go to Color, and select any accent color that pleases you. Tick the checkboxes under Show accent color on the following surfaces if you want this color applied to the Start menu, taskbar, action center, and title bars.

Disable notifications

We don’t know where you stand on app notifications, but if you absolutely hate them and wish to never get them ever again, press the Windows key and click on the gear icon to open your Settings. Click System and select Notifications & Actions. Switch off whatever app notifications you don’t want.

Switch up and personalize your Windows 10 however you like by using some or all of these options. If you want more ways to personalize your desktop or if you need information on anything Windows 10-related, give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.

You may have the habit of putting apps and files that need your immediate attention on your desktop, but not of deleting or moving these to their proper folders when you’re through with them. What you end up with is a mess that makes it hard to find what you need and easy to lose important files forever. Prevent this by following our tips on clearing your desktop.

1. Arrange, sort, and prioritize

Before you go about deleting everything from your desktop, think about what you really want to keep. This will vary from person to person, but most people use their desktop for storing files, folders, and app shortcuts that they want to access quickly.

Take the time to prioritize your files and folders. An easy way to do this is to right-click on an empty area of your desktop (where there are no icons) and select Auto arrange icons. This will organize your icons into a grid format that makes it easier for you to see and work with them. Then, right-click on the empty space and hover your mouse over Sort by and select Date modified to arrange the icons by the date they were last opened, with the latest on top.

2. Create a folder for holding files and another for keeping app shortcuts

People often use their desktop to hold files like downloads, photos, screenshots, and even email attachments. This can lead to a messy desktop in a short period of time.

In truth, you probably don’t need all these shortcuts on your desktop. Instead, create a folder on your desktop that will serve as your dumping ground for all your nonessential files and folders.

If you don’t intend to keep a file, icon, photo, etc. for long, put it in this folder. Revisit this folder every once in a while to delete the files you no longer need.

It also helps if you create a shortcut folder. When you install new programs on Windows, a shortcut icon is often automatically added to your desktop. However, these desktop shortcuts should be for frequently used programs only. Create a separate folder for programs that aren’t used that often.

3. Be ruthless in cleaning

Once you have your folders set up, it’s time to get rid of the clutter. If you haven’t used a file, folder, etc. in the past two months or so, you should seriously consider getting rid of it.

Examine your desktop and be ruthless in cleaning:

• Uninstall programs you no longer use.
• Delete unimportant files, such as screenshots you no longer need.
• Place the rest in relevant folders.

Once you’ve completed these, check your browser to see where it stores downloaded files. If your browser downloads files onto your desktop by default, go to Settings and change the target location to the Downloads folder.

4. Maintain order

Once you have decluttered your desktop, you must stick to the rules you’ve made. Whenever you download something, ask yourself whether this should go to the desktop, your dumping folder, or someplace else.

Of course, sticking with these rules won’t always be easy, so take time once or twice a month to revisit your desktop and clean it up a bit.

5. Use the taskbar or Start menu for apps

With Windows 10, you can pin apps to the Start menu and the taskbar. This is a great alternative to having program shortcuts on your desktop. To pin apps, open your apps list (i.e., click the Start menu icon at the bottom left corner of the screen) and right-click on the application you would like to pin. Simply select Pin to Start or Pin to taskbar for the option you want.

6. Choose a wallpaper you love looking at

An interesting way to minimize clutter is to pick a wallpaper that you enjoy looking at — whether it’s your favorite slogan, a photo of your family, or a picture of your dream house, car, or destination. Having an image you like serves as a reminder to keep icons to a minimum, so if you can’t see the image anymore, then you have too many icons, and it may be time to get rid of a few.

If you are looking to learn more about using Windows in your office, contact us today to see how we can help.

It’s simple, really: if your desktop is messy, then it’s more difficult to use. Don’t waste time and energy struggling to function — literally clean up your act by heeding our tips on decluttering your desktop.

1. Arrange, sort, and prioritize

Before you go about deleting everything from your desktop, think about what you really want to keep. This will vary from person to person, but most people use their desktop for storing files, folders, and app shortcuts that they want to access quickly.

Take the time to prioritize your files and folders. An easy way to do this is to right-click on an empty area of your desktop (where there are no icons) and select Auto arrange icons. This will organize your icons into a grid format that makes it easier for you to see and work with them. Then, right-click on the empty space and hover your mouse over Sort by and select Date modified to arrange the icons by the date they were last opened, with the latest on top.

2. Create a folder for holding files and another for keeping app shortcuts

People often use their desktop to hold files like downloads, photos, screenshots, and even email attachments. This can lead to a messy desktop in a short period of time.

In truth, you probably don’t need all these shortcuts on your desktop. Instead, create a folder on your desktop that will serve as your dumping ground for all your nonessential files and folders.

If you don’t intend to keep a file, icon, photo, etc. for long, put it in this folder. Revisit this folder every once in a while to delete the files you no longer need.

It also helps if you create a shortcut folder. When you install new programs on Windows, a shortcut icon is often automatically added to your desktop. However, these desktop shortcuts should be for frequently used programs only. Create a separate folder for programs that aren’t used that often.

3. Be ruthless in cleaning

Once you have your folders set up, it’s time to get rid of the clutter. If you haven’t used a file, folder, etc. in the past two months or so, you should seriously consider getting rid of it.

Examine your desktop and be ruthless in cleaning:

• Uninstall programs you no longer use.
• Delete unimportant files, such as screenshots you no longer need.
• Place the rest in relevant folders.

Once you’ve completed these, check your browser to see where it stores downloaded files. If your browser downloads files onto your desktop by default, go to Settings and change the target location to the Downloads folder.

4. Maintain order

Once you have decluttered your desktop, you must stick to the rules you’ve made. Whenever you download something, ask yourself whether this should go to the desktop, your dumping folder, or someplace else.

Of course, sticking with these rules won’t always be easy, so take time once or twice a month to revisit your desktop and clean it up a bit.

5. Use the taskbar or Start menu for apps

With Windows 10, you can pin apps to the Start menu and the taskbar. This is a great alternative to having program shortcuts on your desktop. To pin apps, open your apps list (i.e., click the Start menu icon at the bottom left corner of the screen) and right-click on the application you would like to pin. Simply select Pin to Start or Pin to taskbar for the option you want.

6. Choose a wallpaper you love looking at

An interesting way to minimize clutter is to pick a wallpaper that you enjoy looking at — whether it’s your favorite slogan, a photo of your family, or a picture of your dream house, car, or destination. Having an image you like serves as a reminder to keep icons to a minimum, so if you can’t see the image anymore, then you have too many icons, and it may be time to get rid of a few.

If you are looking to learn more about using Windows in your office, contact us today to see how we can help.

Imagine a workstation with papers, folders, food, and electronics all strewn around, then having to scour through everything to find an unlabeled thumb drive containing an important sales report. This is practically the same hassle you and your staff suffer when you have cluttered desktops. Suffering is optional, so choose tidiness and follow these simple tips.

1. Arrange, sort, and prioritize

Before you go about deleting everything from your desktop, think about what you really want to keep. This will vary from person to person, but most people use their desktop for storing files, folders, and app shortcuts that they want to access quickly.

Take the time to prioritize your files and folders. An easy way to do this is to right-click on an empty area of your desktop (where there are no icons) and select Auto arrange icons. This will organize your icons into a grid format that makes it easier for you to see and work with them. Then, right-click on the empty space and hover your mouse over Sort by and select Date modified to arrange the icons by the date they were last opened, with the latest on top.

2. Create a folder for holding files and another for keeping app shortcuts

People often use their desktop to hold files like downloads, photos, screenshots, and even email attachments. This can lead to a messy desktop in a short period of time.

In truth, you probably don’t need all these shortcuts on your desktop. Instead, create a folder on your desktop that will serve as your dumping ground for all your nonessential files and folders.

If you don’t intend to keep a file, icon, photo, etc. for long, put it in this folder. Revisit this folder every once in a while to delete the files you no longer need.

It also helps if you create a shortcut folder. When you install new programs on Windows, a shortcut icon is often automatically added to your desktop. However, these desktop shortcuts should be for frequently used programs only. Create a separate folder for programs that aren’t used that often.

3. Be ruthless in cleaning

Once you have your folders set up, it’s time to get rid of the clutter. If you haven’t used a file, folder, etc. in the past two months or so, you should seriously consider getting rid of it.

Examine your desktop and be ruthless in cleaning:

• Uninstall programs you no longer use.
• Delete unimportant files, such as screenshots you no longer need.
• Place the rest in relevant folders.

Once you’ve completed these, check your browser to see where it stores downloaded files. If your browser downloads files onto your desktop by default, go to Settings and change the target location to the Downloads folder.

4. Maintain order

Once you have decluttered your desktop, you must stick to the rules you’ve made. Whenever you download something, ask yourself whether this should go to the desktop, your dumping folder, or someplace else.

Of course, sticking with these rules won’t always be easy, so take time once or twice a month to revisit your desktop and clean it up a bit.

5. Use the taskbar or Start menu for apps

With Windows 10, you can pin apps to the Start menu and the taskbar. This is a great alternative to having program shortcuts on your desktop. To pin apps, open your apps list (i.e., click the Start menu icon at the bottom left corner of the screen) and right-click on the application you would like to pin. Simply select Pin to Start or Pin to taskbar for the option you want.

6. Choose a wallpaper you love looking at

An interesting way to minimize clutter is to pick a wallpaper that you enjoy looking at — whether it’s your favorite slogan, a photo of your family, or a picture of your dream house, car, or destination. Having an image you like serves as a reminder to keep icons to a minimum, so if you can’t see the image anymore, then you have too many icons, and it may be time to get rid of a few.

If you are looking to learn more about using Windows in your office, contact us today to see how we can help.

Laptop computers aren’t cheap, so you’d want to make sure you get every bit of performance for your buck. Bear in mind that they may not be set up to function at their best straight out of the box, so to do just that, you’ll need to take these steps.

1. Update your laptop’s operating system

One of the first things you should do before using your laptop is to update its operating system (OS). Assuming you did not purchase the laptop when it was first released, it will still be running an older OS. Because important patches and fixes are released with each new update, you must install the latest ones to ensure your laptop doesn’t have vulnerabilities that malicious third parties can exploit.

2. Remove bloatware

When turning on your laptop for the first time, you might notice that there are several preloaded software in the system — some of which you will probably never use. These are known as bloatware.

These apps take up a lot of your valuable drive space, so consider getting rid of them. The easiest way to do this is by downloading a bulk uninstaller, which allows you to check all the bloatware apps you don’t want and remove them in one fell swoop.

3. Install protection software

It’s no secret that there are cybercriminals who would steal sensitive data, such as your account credentials, protected health information, and sensitive company files. It is therefore necessary to protect yourself from losing important data from your computer. The solution to this is very simple. By installing antivirus software that can scan your computer at a scheduled time or whenever you feel like it, you can thwart potential attacks.

Not only is the data stored in your laptop vulnerable to cyberattacks, but there is always a chance that your laptop will get lost or stolen. While there are preventive steps you can take — such as being mindful while using your laptop in public places — installing anti-theft software like Find My Device for Windows 10 can help you locate your device if it’s ever stolen or misplaced.

4. Optimize your power settings

One of the most frequent problems that laptop users have is that their batteries run out of juice too fast. However, you can actually extend the battery life by making a few tweaks to your power settings.

Reduce your display brightness, but not so much that it causes eye and mental fatigue.
Use the Sleep or Hibernate mode for your operating system.

5. Set up a backup plan

Imagine spending months working on an important project and suddenly finding it corrupted because your laptop crashed. Deadlines will be missed. Profit margins will decrease. Customers will leave unhappy. And if worse comes to worst, you’ll be out of business.

Why add stress if you can prevent it from happening in the first place? By setting up an automatic backup system, you can regularly save all your important files. This way, you’d still be able to recover your data should anything happen to the original file.

You can also store all your important documents in the cloud, which ensures access whenever you need it, even if your laptop crashes or gets stolen.

Getting a new laptop can be fun, but the joy might be short-lived if you don’t set up any preventive measures from the start. Call us for information on how we can help you secure your company’s laptops today.

Laptops are prized for their small size, manageable weight, and handiness, but they don’t lag behind desktop computers in terms of performance either. Higher-end laptops, in particular, are just as capable of handling heavy apps and complex tasks as their bulkier desktop counterparts. If you want to bring out your portable machine’s potential and get the most out of its power, here are things you need to do.

1. Update your laptop’s operating system

One of the first things you should do before using your laptop is to update its operating system (OS). Assuming you did not purchase the laptop when it was first released, it will still be running an older OS. Because important patches and fixes are released with each new update, you must install the latest ones to ensure your laptop doesn’t have vulnerabilities that malicious third parties can exploit.

2. Remove bloatware

When turning on your laptop for the first time, you might notice that there are several preloaded software in the system — some of which you will probably never use. These are known as bloatware.

These apps take up a lot of your valuable drive space, so consider getting rid of them. The easiest way to do this is by downloading a bulk uninstaller, which allows you to check all the bloatware apps you don’t want and remove them in one fell swoop.

3. Install protection software

It’s no secret that there are cybercriminals who would steal sensitive data, such as your account credentials, protected health information, and sensitive company files. It is therefore necessary to protect yourself from losing important data from your computer. The solution to this is very simple. By installing antivirus software that can scan your computer at a scheduled time or whenever you feel like it, you can thwart potential attacks.

Not only is the data stored in your laptop vulnerable to cyberattacks, but there is always a chance that your laptop will get lost or stolen. While there are preventive steps you can take — such as being mindful while using your laptop in public places — installing anti-theft software like Find My Device for Windows 10 can help you locate your device if it’s ever stolen or misplaced.

4. Optimize your power settings

One of the most frequent problems that laptop users have is that their batteries run out of juice too fast. However, you can actually extend the battery life by making a few tweaks to your power settings.

Reduce your display brightness, but not so much that it causes eye and mental fatigue.
Use the Sleep or Hibernate mode for your operating system.

5. Set up a backup plan

Imagine spending months working on an important project and suddenly finding it corrupted because your laptop crashed. Deadlines will be missed. Profit margins will decrease. Customers will leave unhappy. And if worse comes to worst, you’ll be out of business.

Why add stress if you can prevent it from happening in the first place? By setting up an automatic backup system, you can regularly save all your important files. This way, you’d still be able to recover your data should anything happen to the original file.

You can also store all your important documents in the cloud, which ensures access whenever you need it, even if your laptop crashes or gets stolen.

Getting a new laptop can be fun, but the joy might be short-lived if you don’t set up any preventive measures from the start. Call us for information on how we can help you secure your company’s laptops today.

So you’ve just unboxed your brand new laptop — what do you do next? Before you start using it to surf the internet or finish your tasks for the day, take these steps to optimize its performance and ensure it meets your needs.

1. Update your laptop’s operating system

One of the first things you should do before using your laptop is to update its operating system (OS). Assuming you did not purchase the laptop when it was first released, it will still be running an older OS. Because important patches and fixes are released with each new update, you must install the latest ones to ensure your laptop doesn’t have vulnerabilities that malicious third parties can exploit.

2. Remove bloatware

When turning on your laptop for the first time, you might notice that there are several preloaded software in the system — some of which you will probably never use. These are known as bloatware.

These apps take up a lot of your valuable drive space, so consider getting rid of them. The easiest way to do this is by downloading a bulk uninstaller, which allows you to check all the bloatware apps you don’t want and remove them in one fell swoop.

3. Install protection software

It’s no secret that there are cybercriminals who would steal sensitive data, such as your account credentials, protected health information, and sensitive company files. It is therefore necessary to protect yourself from losing important data from your computer. The solution to this is very simple. By installing antivirus software that can scan your computer at a scheduled time or whenever you feel like it, you can thwart potential attacks.

Not only is the data stored in your laptop vulnerable to cyberattacks, but there is always a chance that your laptop will get lost or stolen. While there are preventive steps you can take — such as being mindful while using your laptop in public places — installing anti-theft software like Find My Device for Windows 10 can help you locate your device if it’s ever stolen or misplaced.

4. Optimize your power settings

One of the most frequent problems that laptop users have is that their batteries run out of juice too fast. However, you can actually extend the battery life by making a few tweaks to your power settings.

Reduce your display brightness, but not so much that it causes eye and mental fatigue.
Use the Sleep or Hibernate mode for your operating system.

5. Set up a backup plan

Imagine spending months working on an important project and suddenly finding it corrupted because your laptop crashed. Deadlines will be missed. Profit margins will decrease. Customers will leave unhappy. And if worse comes to worst, you’ll be out of business.

Why add stress if you can prevent it from happening in the first place? By setting up an automatic backup system, you can regularly save all your important files. This way, you’d still be able to recover your data should anything happen to the original file.

You can also store all your important documents in the cloud, which ensures access whenever you need it, even if your laptop crashes or gets stolen.

Getting a new laptop can be fun, but the joy might be short-lived if you don’t set up any preventive measures from the start. Call us for information on how we can help you secure your company’s laptops today.