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Whenever you restart your Windows 10 PC, some programs installed on your computer start automatically. The startup programs are usually applications that you use frequently and are generally not resource hungry. Applications like Skype, VPNs, Internet Download manager, sketch/painting apps are among the few that usually autostart with every reboot. This is also true for other versions of Windows OS.

Now if you want to disable startup programs in Windows 10, here is how to do it. You don’t need to edit any registry key or values, but use the Task Manager to do it.

1. Disable Startup Programs using Task Manager

Open the Task Manager from the taskbar. Right-click on Taskbar and select Task Manager.

The Task manager window will open the Processes tab by default. Click the Startup tab from the top.

In the Startup tab, all the startup programs are listed.

The Status column shows if the program is enabled or disabled. You may also want to check the Startup Impact tab that shows how much impact this program has on your PC if it is kept enabled. Programs with Low Impacts are not of concern.

Select the program you want to disable and click on Disable button.

That’s it. You have successfully disabled Startup programs in Windows 10. If you want to enable any startup program in future, open the Startup tab, select the program and click Enable button.

My Startup Program is Not Listed in Task Manager?

If the startup up program is not listed in the startup tab of Task manager, here is how to disable any startup program from Services.

For this tutorial, I am going to disable Hotspot Shield VPN from Startup programs. You can follow these steps disable any startup programs in Windows 10.

Open the Task Manager.

In the process tab, find Hotspot Shield and see if it is running ( optional).

Next, click the Services tab and click on Open Services (bottom left of the window).

In Services, scroll down and find “Hotspot shield services”. Right-click on it and select Properties.

Click the drop-down menu for Startup Type and select Manual.

Click Apply and OK to save the changes.

2. Disable Startup Programs From Settings

The latest version of Windows 10 comes with a startup programs management app “Startup Apps” built-into the Settings.

To access it, click Start and select Setting (Gear Icon).

In the Settings window, type Startup in the Search bar and open Startup Apps option from the results.

Under Startup Apps, you can disable any startup program by toggling the little blue switch.

3. Disable Startup Programs Using CCleaner

If you use CCleaner utility on your Windows 10 PC, you can also use the tool to disable startup programs as well.

Open CCleaner.

Click on Tools icon (left panel).

Select the Startup tab. On the right side, CCleaner will list all the startup programs currently enabled on your PC.

Select the programs one by one and click on the Disable button.

The changes will be saved when you restart your PC next time.

What Startup Programs to Disable?

If you are not sure what startup programs you should disable, take help of the Impact tab as mentioned earlier.

In the Startup tab, check the Startup Impact column. Any program with High Impact is most probably the program that you want to disable from the startup program list. Programs with None and Low impact status can be left enabled.

Wrapping Up!

The Startup Programs in Windows 10 can be helpful if you have a decent PC with at least 4GB of RAM that can handle the sudden load during the startup. These programs do help the users by starting automatically after every start.

However, Windows 10 computers with a low amount of RAM and an entry-level processor may get overwhelmed with startup programs after the restart and make the computer slower. So, it is only sensible to disable startup programs in Windows 10 using this guide.

Do let us know if you prefer to keep startup programs enabled or disabled and If enabled, which programs you use the most in the comments.

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2 Ways to Take Ownership (Full Permission) of a Registry Key in Windows 10

Windows

T Sha

There are times when you may need to edit one of the registry keys in Windows 10. However, Windows protects some registry keys by not granting full permission to the users and administrators. To make any modification to these keys, you need to take ownership of that particular key. here is how to take ownership of a registry key in Windows 10.

Why you need full permission to edit a registry key? suppose you want to remove the Quick Access icon from the navigation pane in File Explorer. To make that happen you need to edit a registry key in the registry editor requires that you take ownership of the key before you can edit it. Whenever you want to edit, modify, delete, create a new registry key, or its value that is protected by Window, you can do so by taking ownership of the key. If not, Windows will show the following errors:

Error Deleting Values

Unable to delete all specified values

Error Editing Value

Cannot edit value. Error writing the value’s new contents

Error Renaming Value

The Registry Editor cannot rename value. Error while renaming value

Error Creating Key

Cannot create key: You do not have the requisite permissions to create a new key under key

Error Creating Value

Cannot create value: Error writing to the registry

If you encounter any of the following error, it means you don’t have full permission to make changes to the registry key or its values.

There are two ways to take ownership of registry keys. You can assign full permission to a registry key from the registry editor or use the Command Prompt with SetACL to do the same.

Method 1: Take Ownership Using Command Line (SetACL)

SetACL makes it easy to grant full permission to any registry key in Windows 10. It is a third-party utility, and you need to download it onto your computer before you can use it.

1. Download SetACL from here. Make sure you download the executable (.exe) version for the administrator.

2. Extract the downloaded file, and it will have both 32-bit and 64-bit version exe files. You need to use the version that is compatible with your PC.

3. Move the SetACL.exe file to C:\Windows\System32 folder. Simply copy and paste the file.

Note: It is not mandatory to move the SetACL.exe file to the Windows root folder as suggested above, but doing so will allow you to run the SetACL tool from anywhere without having to enter the path again and again while using the command prompt.

4. Open Command prompt as Administrator. To do this, press Windows key + X and select Command Prompt (Admin) from the options.

5. Type the following command in the command prompt:

SetACL -on name -ot type -actn action

6. Hit Enter ↵ to execute.

7. Now you need to enter two commands followed by the registry key of which you want to take ownership. You need to change the registry key in the following command and keep everything else as it is. See the example below and later proceed with the command.

Example of the Registry Key to want to take Ownership:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}

Command 1: It will make the administrator as the owner of the registry key.

SetACL.exe -on "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}" -ot reg -actn setowner -ownr "n:Administrators"

Command 2: It will grant full permission to the administrator for the registry key.

SetACL.exe -on "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}" -ot reg -actn ace -ace "n:Administrators;p:full"

That’s it. Now that you have taken ownership of the registry key, you can proceed to edit the key.

You can read more about the use of SetACL here.

Method 2: Take Ownership Using the Registry Editor

This is the old school way to take the permission of any registry key in Windows 10 and other versions.

1. Open Registry Editor by pressing Windows key + R, type regedit and hit enter.

2. Navigate to the registry key that you want to take ownership of and Right-click on it.

3. Select the Permissions option.

4. In the permissions for the display window, click Advanced.

5. In the owner section, the key has Trusted Installer as the Owner. Click Change to change the owner.

6. In the new window, type your username and click the Check Names button.

7. Select your username in the box and click OK to save the changes.

8. Again in the “Permissions for Display window“, select your username and check the “Full Control” option in the “Allow” section.

9. Click Apply and OK to save the changes.

This should give you the full permission on the registry key.

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Remove Recent Files, Quick Access & OneDrive Icon From Windows 10 File Explorer

Windows

T Sha

The Windows 10 comes with a Quick Access option in the File Explorer. Quick Access view has more uses for me than anyone else I know. Between, writing docs & editing images and finally uploading them to the server becomes easy when you don’t have to navigate through multiple folders to access the recently edited files (image, docs, videos) but directly to access it from the File Explorer’s Quick View section.

But, not everyone wants to have their recent activities visible to everyone who accesses the computer. If you are of the opinion that Quick Access Menu looks better when disabled, then this article will help you do the same. In this post, I will show you how to customize the File Explorer in Windows to disable Recently Files option. If you also want to completely remove, Quick Access and OneDrive icon from the File Explorer, this guides covers it as well.

Disable Quick Access / Recent Files in File Explorer – Windows 10

Microsoft has given an option to disable Quick Access for those who want to keep their recent activities private. You can disable the Recent Files section in the File Explorer from the options.

1. Open File Explorer from the taskbar.

2. By default, File Explorer will open the Quick Access section. Right-click on Quick Access icon and select Options.

3. In the Folder Options window, you need to uncheck two options under the Privacy section.

So, uncheck the following two options.

“Show recently used files in Quick Access.”
“Show frequently used folders in Quick Access.”

4. Click the Clear button below the options to clear recent file history which is already visible from the File Explorer.

5. Click Apply and then click OK to save the changes.

The next time you open File Explorer, you will not see the Recent Files section under Quick Access.

Note that this will not remove Quick Access icon from the File Explorer’s left-side pane but will only disable recent files and frequently used folder option.

If you want to remove Quick Access icon from the File Explorer’s left-side pane, scroll down and read the Remove Icons from File Explorer part below. It will also help you to remove the OneDrive folder icon from the File Explorer/ This PC navigation pane.

Open “File Explorer” to This PC Instead Quick Access

By default File Explorer opens Quick Access option to show you recently accessed files and frequently used folders. But, if you want to open This PC or My Computer instead, here is how to do it.

1. Open “File Explorer” from the Taskbar.

2. At the top, click the View tab. From the top-right corner, click Options and select “Change folder and search option.”

4. The “Open File Explorer to” option is set to Quick Access by default. To change it, click the Drop-down button and select “This PC” from the option.

5. Click Apply and OK to save the changes.

Remove Quick Access, OneDrive and Other Icons from This PC

To be able to remove icons such as Quick Access and OneDrive from the left pane of This PC, you need to edit the Registry Key in the Registry Editor. So, make sure you follow the steps correctly.

There are multiple icons, hence I have listed the steps to remove each icon separately.

Remove OneDrive Icon

1. To do this, you need to open the Registry Editor. Press WIN + R key to open the run dialogue box. Type regedit in it and hit enter.

2. From the registry editor, navigate to the following key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}

The best way to find any key in Registry Editor is to use the Find option.

To find the key, right-click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT and select Find.
In the “Find what:” field, enter {018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}.
Make sure you uncheck Values and Data under “Look at” section and only keep Keys option checked.
Click Find Next. Once the search is complete, you will be automatically navigated to the searched key.

3. In the right-side pane, double-click on System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree.

4. In the DWORD window, enter 0 replacing 1 as Value Data.

That’s it. The OneDrive icon from the File Explorer / This PC pane is removed.

Remove Quick Access Icon

1. Open Registry Editor and navigate to the following key:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{679f85cb-0220-4080-b29b-5540cc05aab6}\ShellFolder

2. To find the key, do the following:

Right-click on HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT and select Find.
Enter ShellFolder as the search term and uncheck Values and Data option.
Once found, right-click on ShellFolder and take the ownership of the registry key. You can read my other guide on how to take ownership of Registry Key here.

3. After taking the ownership, from the right-side pane double-click on Attributes.

4. In the DWORD window, enter a0600000 in Value data. Close Registry Editor.

5. Now you need to restart the File Explorer process from the task manager to save the changes.

6. Right-click on the Taskbar and open Task Manager.

7. From the Process tab, right-click on Windows Explorer and select Restart.

Remove Extra External Drive Icon

Whenever you add an external drive to your PC, you can see two icons of the same Drive displayed under This PC. If you want to remove the extra drive icon, here is how to do it.

1. Open Registry Editor.

2. Navigate to the following key using the find option.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
\CommonPlaces\NameSpace\DelegateFolders\{d34a6ca6-62c2-4c34-8a7c-14709c1ad938}

3. Delete the {d34a6ca6-62c2-4c34-8a7c-14709c1ad938} key and it will remove the extra drive icon in the File Explorer / This PC.

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Fix “This App Can’t Open” Error in Windows 10

Windows

Yasir Arafath

The Windows 10 Store and the error related to it is a common sight, but if it starts to happen repeatedly, it can be annoying. One such annoying error is “this app can’t open” error in Windows 10. The error occurs when you try to open Windows apps such as Mail, Calendar, Maps, Photos, etc.

List of Windows Apps Affected by the error:

Windows Store
Alarms & Clock
Calculator
Calendar
Groove Music
Mail
News
OneNote
People
Phone
Phone Companion
Photos
Videos
Netflix

Types of This App can’t Open Error:

Microsoft Windows throws a different type of this can’t open error message to different users. As a result, there is no go-to fix to resolve the error. Have a look at the types of error below and see if your error is one of them.

There is a problem with Calendar. Contact your system administrator about repairing or reinstalling it.
Check the Windows Store for more info about Mail. Go to the Store.
People can’t be opened using the Built-in Administrator account. Sign in with a different account and try again.
Windows Store can’t open while User Account Control is turned off. Turn on User Account Control.

If you are facing any of the above-listed error, here are a couple of fixes that can help you resolve the error. Even if you are not facing an exact but similar error, these fixes can be helpful.

Fix 1: Create a New User Account

In case “This app can’t open error” is appearing in your primary user account, you may try switching to another user account on your PC. If you don’t have another user account, you can create one.

1. Click the Start button and select Settings.

2. Click the Accounts option.

3. Go to Family and other People tab.

4. Click Add a family member button.

5. Select Add an Adult and enter a new Email address.

Make sure you use a Microsoft live account. If you don’t have an alternative email ID, you can create a new one. Click on “The person I want to add doesn’t even have an email address” link.

6. Create a new email ID and click Next.

7. Once the account is created. Sing out of your computer and log in using the new user account.

8. After signing in, try to open the apps with the error and see if the error is fixed. If fixed, log in using your primary user account.

Fix 2: Enable UAC ( User Account Control)

UAC or User Account Control settings allow you to prevent programs from making changes any to your PC without your permission.

The error “Windows Store can’t open while User Account Control is turned off. Turn on User Account Control” can occur if UAC is disabled on your PC. Here is how to enable UAC on Windows 10.

1. Open Control Panel (by right-clicking on Start) and
go to User Accounts > User Accounts. Yes, click on User Accounts twice if necessary.

2. Click “Change User Account Control settings.”

3. Set the slider to first (Alway Notify) or second Level. If that didn’t work, set it to Level 3 and try again.

4. Click OK to save the changes.

Restart the PC and try to run the app with the error.

Fix 3. Run Windows 10 Troubleshoot

The latest version of Windows 10 comes with a Troubleshoot option built-into settings page. If you don’t see the Troubleshoot option in Settings > Update and Security, check the alternative method to do this.

1. Open Settings and go to Update and Security.

2. Go to the Troubleshoot tab.

3. In the “Windows Store Apps” section, click Run the troubleshooter button.

Alternative Way to Access Windows 10 Troubleshooter

1. In the Cortana search bar, type troubleshoot and select “Troubleshooting” from the options.

2. From the left pane, select View all.

3. Scroll down and find Windows Store apps in the options.

4. Click Next.

5. The Troubleshooter will check for problems with all the Windows Store apps. Select any of the suggested solution and Windows will automatically apply the fixes.

Windows 10 will run the troubleshooter tool and fix any issue with the Store app (if any).

Fix 4: Re-Register Windows Store App

One way to fix “This app can’t open” error if happening with the Store app is to re-register the Windows Store. This will take not more than a few seconds to complete.

Follow the second method in this article “try again later. Something happened on our end” which shows how to re-register the Windows store app.

Fix 5: Reset the App

If you are facing this error with a specific Windows Store app then clearing the cache and resetting the app can fix the issue. Windows 10 has built-in options to reset Windows Store apps in the settings.

1. Open Settings from the Start.

2. Go to System and click Apps and features.

3. Find the app that is showing the error and click it.

4. Click the Advanced Options link.

5. Now click the Reset button below the app details.

As the option says, resetting the app is useful if it is not working right.

Fix 6: Reset Windows Store

If the error is with Windows Store App, you can try resetting it to fix the error. Here is how to do it.

1. In the Cortana/Search, type PowerShell.

2. From the options, right-click on Powershell and select Run as Administrator.

3. Copy and paste the following command in the
Powershell window.

Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml”}

4. Press Enter to execute the command.

Fix 7: Turn Off Firewall and Antivirus

If you use the Antivirus program on your PC, try disabling it temporarily. You can disable any antivirus program temporarily from the taskbar or by clicking on the hidden icon (up arrow icon).

Your Antivirus program may also come with a Firewall option. If it is enabled, try disabling it as well. You can do it by opening the Antivirus and going to settings.

If you are using the default Windows Firewall, you can disable it from Control Panel > System and Security > Windows Firewall.

Try to open the apps with the error after disabling the Antivirus to see if it works right.

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Fix “Try Again Later. Something happened On Our End” Windows Store Error

Windows

T Sha

Windows 10 is said to be the best Windows OS ever built but you won’t hear anyone say it is also immune to errors. It is not and that is a well-known fact. The “Try again later. something happened on our end” error is related to Windows Store and can pop-up when you try to download and install new apps.

If you are facing this error and unable to use the Windows Store, here is how to fix it the easy way.

Reasons

The error can occur due to several reasons, and the error message may differ from user to user. Instead of the error mentioned above, you may get “Something happened on our end. Waiting a bit might help.”

The error seems to occur due to the incorrect location settings on your PC. For some changing the location to other country has worked. Re-registering the Windows Store app is another way to fix this error. We have listed both the fixes in this post so that you can resolve the error ASAP.

Fix 1: Change Language Format and Location in Settings

Some users have reported that changing the locations settings to the United States from their state has fixed the issue. If your language is set to Regional English, set it to the United States English as well. Follow the steps to do the same.

1. Open Control Panel by right-clicking on the Start and select “Control Panel” from the options.

2. Select “Clock, Language, and Region.” Under Region, click ” Change data, time, or number formats.

3. In the Format tab, if the Format is set to your native language. Click the drop-down menu and set the format to “Match Windows display language” option.

4. Click the Location tab in the same window.

5. Under Home Location, click the drop-down menu and set it to the United States.

6. Click the Administrative tab. Under “Language for non-Unicode programs” section, click “Change system locale” button.

7. Change the Current system Locale to the English United States as well.

8. To save the changes, click OK, Apply, OK button.

The changes will take effect when you restart the system. After restarting the system, open the Windows Store app and see if the error “Try Again Later. Something happened On Our End” is resolved.

Fix 2: Re-Register Windows Store App

If the error persists, you can try re-registering the Windows 10 Store app to fix the error. At times, the app may get corrupted and starting behaving abnormally which can be fixed by registering the app.

1. Open Command Prompt As Admin. You can do this by right-clicking on the Start and choose Command Prompt (Admin) option.

2. In the command prompt window, enter the following command. You have to copy and paste the command.

PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command “& {$manifest = (Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.WindowsStore).InstallLocation + ‘\AppxManifest.xml’ ; Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $manifest}”

3. Press Enter key to execute the command.

You can see the store being re-registered through the progress bar. The store will be re-registered in a few seconds. Once the Windows Store is re-registered, restart the system.

Following any of these two methods, you should be able to fix the Windows Store error. Do let us know which one worked for you in the comments.

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3 Ways to Stop Automatic Windows 10 Updates

Windows

Yasir Arafath

Windows 10 is said to be the best Windows OS Microsoft ever released, but, the OS has a necessary downside to it. Like every Windows OS, the Windows 10 also downloads and installs the update. However, unlike any other previous version of Windows OS, the latest version does not have the option to stop Windows updates.

While we understand that the Windows updates are necessary to keep your PC secure, we also know that some users don’t want to install updates during work hours. Or they may not have blazing fast unlimited internet like Google Fiber at their home that will download the Windows updates in a flash. If you are one of the Windows 10 users looking for a way to stop automatic Windows 10 updates, here is how to do it.

Note: Some of these methods will not work with Windows 10 Home version. However, the first method works for every version of Windows 10.

Method 1: Setup Metered Connection

Microsoft used some common sense and allowed the user to set their Wi-Fi connection as a metered connection, and when you are on a metered connection, Windows 10 does not download the updates.

You can use this to your advantage to block Windows 10 updates.

Click the Start button and select Settings.

Click on Network and Internet.

Select Wi-Fi.

Click on “Manage known networks” under Wi-Fi.

Now click on your Wi-Fi network and select “Properties.”

Scroll down and enable “Set as metered connection” option.

That’s it. Now Windows 10 will stop downloading of any updates over this network. However, note that if you forget and re-configure the Wi-Fi network, you need to enable metered connection again.

Method 2: Disable Windows 10 Update Service

Windows uses Windows Update service to download and install new updates automatically. Fortunately, you can easily block the service to stop Windows 10 automatic updates.

Press Win + R key and type services.msc in the run box and hit enter.

From the list of the service, find Windows Update. Double-click on the service to open it.

Under the General tab, change ” Startup Type” to Disabled.

Close the services window and restart your PC.

Method 3: Use the Group Policy Editor

Note: This method does not work with Windows 10 Home version of the OS.

Group Policy editor allows you to change any rules for any files in the Windows. As a result, you even disable automatic Windows 10 updates and download using the tool.

Press Win + R key and type: gpedit.msc and press enter.

Now you need to navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update.

Double-click on Windows Update to see the properties.

From the drop-down menu select “2- Notify for download and notify for Install” under Configure Automatic Updates.

Close the Group policy editor.

Click on Start button and open Settings.

Go to Update and Security and open Update.

Select “Check for updates”.

Method 4: Use Registry Editor

Press Win Key + R and type: regedit and hit enter.

Navigate to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU

Right-click on the registry, create a”32-bit DWORD” value and name it as “AuOptions” and type 2 for “Value data”.

Click OK to save.

Close the registry editor.

Open Settings and go to Update and Security.

Under Windows updates, select “Check for updates“.

The 4th method works on all the version of Windows OS. So, if you are using Windows 10 Home, this option will come in handy.

More Windows 10 Tips: Enable Hibernation Option in Windows 10

Listen, Microsoft!

While we understand that the regular security updates for Windows 10 are not for fun but indeed are released keeping the user security in mind as they come with security patches and bug fixes, Microsoft also needs to understand that having the option to not to download update at times can make a lot of difference to the users whose PC might be crashing due to the latest updates.

Set Adobe Reader as Default PDF Viewer in Windows 10

Windows

Yasir Arafath

Microsoft Windows 10 comes with its own default PDF viewer which is built-in to Microsoft Edge, company’s latest web browser.

While the Microsoft Edge PDF viewer may work fine most of the time, some of us prefer to use PDF applications like the Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat in Windows 10.

This is true with all the other web browsers as well including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Opera browser. Now if you are using a PDF application like Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat or even Foxit, here is how to set it as default PDF viewer in Windows 10.

Method 1 – Set Default PDF Viewer from Control Panel

While the Windows 10 settings page has a setting to set default apps, setting default apps from Control panel seems to work better.

Click the Cortana search bar and type Control Panel. Click to open Control Panel.

Click Programs.

Under Default Programs, click Set your default programs.

The apps will start loading. From the left side, select your PDF application. I am using Adobe Reader Touch so I will select the same.

From the right side, click Choose Defaults for this program.

Notice that in the Current Default section, the selected PDF viewer is set to Microsoft Edge or something else. We will change the current default to your PDF application.

Select a .pdf option and click Save.

Click OK and close the Control Panel.

Now try to open any PDF document, and it should open in your selected default PDF viewer.

Method 2 – Change Default PDF Viewer from Windows 10 Settings

You can also change the default apps in Windows from the settings. Here is how to do it.

Click the Start button and select Settings.

Click Systems.

Select Default Apps from the left side.

Scroll down and look for the .pdf file type.

On the right side of the .pdf file type, you should see Microsoft Edge or any other application set as the default PDF viewer. Click on it and select your preferred PDF application from the list.

3. Set Default PDF Viewer Directly from the Application

Most of the apps come with an option that allows the users to set system default apps from its settings. This also works with most of the PDF viewer application.

Here is how to set Adobe Acrobat as Default PDF Viewer from the preferences.

Launch Adobe Acrobat Reader and go to Edit > Preferences.

Select the General tab from the left side.

From the right side, scroll down click Select As Default PDF Handler.

Click OK to save the changes.

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Troubleshooting Tips

Unable to Set Adobe Acrobat Reader as Default PDF Viewer

If you have multiple PDF applications, say Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat Reader, and you try to set Adobe Acrobat Reader as the default PDF viewer, it may not work. The Adobe reader will remain as the default PDF reader irrespective of your selection.

This happens if you have multiple PDF viewer applications installed. A quick solution for this problem is to uninstall all the third-party PDF viewer application except the one that you want to set as default.

So, if you have both Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat Reader, uninstall Adobe Reader to use Adobe Acrobat Reader as the default PDF viewer.

Fix “Wi-Fi Doesn’t have a Valid IP Configuration” Error

Windows

T Sha

The WiFi connectivity on my Windows 10 laptop was working fine until I went to bed. When I woke up and connected my laptop to the WiFi again, it wasn’t connecting. It was showing “Secured, No internet” error. I ran Windows troubleshooter just to find another error “Wi-Fi doesn’t have a valid IP configuration” error that Windows troubleshooter was unable to resolve. After a bit of brainstorming, I was able to resolve the issue and connect to the internet.

This error in Windows 10 can be caused by several reasons including incorrect or corrupted network settings, outdated drivers, etc. What worked for me was to reset the TCP/IP network configuration through the command prompt. However, I have also listed other fixes just in case my fix doesn’t work for you.

Fix 1: Reset TCP/IP Settings

Let’s begin with the first solution that worked for me. You need to enter a few commands in the command prompt and restart your PC. If everything goes right, you should be able to connect to the WiFi and fix the problem.

Open the command prompt as administrator. To do this, right-click on Start and select Command Prompt (Admin).

In the command prompt window type the following commands one by one:

Netsh winsock reset

Netsh Int ip reset

You need to restart your computer before the changes can be applied. So, restart your computer and check if the issue is resolved.

Fix 2: Release / Renew IP Configuration

You can try to release and renew the IP configuration to fix WiFi doesn’t have a valid IP configuration problem. All you have to do is type two commands that would release and renew the IP configuration respectively. Here is how to do it.

Open a command prompt as administrator.

In the command prompt type the following command and hit enter to run them:

Ipconfig /release

Ipconfig /renew

Close the command prompt window and check if the problem is fixed.

Fix 3: Manually Set the IP address

If you have several computers at home or office connected to the same WiFi network, then you can try to assign an IP address to fix this problem manually. To manually set a IP address do the following.

Open Control Panel and go to Network and Internet and then open Network and Sharing Center.

On the left side, select Change adapter settings.

Right-click on your WiFi connection and select Properties.

Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP) and click the Properties button.

Select Use the following IP address option.

Now enter the following in the given field:

IP address: 192.168.1.16

Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1

Under “use the following DNS address” option, enter the following:

Prefered DNS server: 8.8.8.8

Alternate DNS Server: 8.8.4.4

Click OK to save the changes.

Fix 4: Uninstall WiFi adapter Driver

If none of the above-mentioned solutions fixed the issue, then you need to uninstall the WiFi adapter driver and reinstall it. Some users have reported this to be as a working solution.

Open Control Panel.

Go to Hardware and Sound.

Under Device and Printers click “Device Manager“.

Expand Network adapter category and right click on Wireless Lan device and select Uninstall.

Click OK if asked to confirm the decision to delete the driver.

Restart your PC and open Device Manager again.

Click Action and select Scan for Hardware changes.

Now the PC will scan and reinstall the WiFi adapter driver.

Also Read: 8 Best Call Recording Apps for Android

8 Best Free Adobe Photoshop Alternative

Windows

Yasir Arafath

As we all know that Abode Photoshop is one of the largest and most popular editing software out there. In the last few years, this tool has gained much importance. It is not only used for commercial purpose but also used by some of the big video production industries. But, do you need Photoshop for everything? Do we have better alternatives to Photoshop? Yes, you do have free Adobe Photoshop Alternatives.

Now there are various Adobe Photoshop alternatives available in the market, and if you are looking for a best Photoshop alternative and literally confused which one to choose, then this guide is meant for you. In this guide, you will find the best Photoshop alternatives currently available and which will match your requirements. So below are the 8 best Adobe Photoshop alternatives described briefly.

Now if you are into Video Editing, then check our collection of best Video Editing software of 2o17.

CinePaint

CinePaint is one of the most popular Photoshop alternatives with so many cool and interesting features. This tool is powerful and can handle any editing task quite easily. Some of its features include Frame manager, 32-bit images editing and so on. In order to use this tool you do not have to pay a single penny, this tool is completely Free to use.

Key Features

Retouching
32-bit image editing

Platforms: Mac OS X, Linux, Unix BSD

Formats: GIF, PNG, GPEG, TIFF and more.

You can download CinePaint from here.

GMIP

GNU Image Manipulation Program commonly know as GMIP is also a Photoshop alternative used by thousands of users around the world and has received positive feedback from its users. This tool will not offer you all the features as Adobe does, but it’s quite sufficient if you are not a heavy user. Comes packed with some power punch features such as removal of external noise, sharpening, HDR and so on. GMIP is completely Free to use and supports most of the famous operating systems.

Key Features

Plugin support
Re-touching
HDR
Sharpening

Platforms: Windows OS, Mac OS X, BSD, Linus, SkyOS, and Unix

Formats: GIF, PNG, GPEG, TIFF and more.

You can download GMIP from here.

Pixlr

The simple thing here to understand is that Pixlr is a web-based image editing software which has some special feature of its own. For example, you are surfing the internet and all of sudden you want to edit an image but also on the other side you don’t want to close your browser, and this is where Pixlr will work for you. Since it’s a web-based editing software, you can edit images while keeping the browser open. Some of its feature includes Red-eye removal, teeth whitener, Re-sizing and much more. This tool is completely free to use and you can access this tool directly from the web.

Key Features

Text Overlays
Different layers
Red-eye removal
Text Overlays

Platforms: Android, iOS, Web-based

Formats: GIF, PNG, GPEG, TIFF and more.

You can download Pixlr from here

Serif Photoplus X7

Here is another alternative for Photoshop named as Serif PhotoPlus X7. The user interface of Serif Photoplus X7 is very condensed, and this tool is not recommended for the beginners. This tool offers you some really cool and powerful features such as studio editing effects, cloning, PhotoFix and much more. Since Serif Photoplus X7 comes in Pro version, you have to spend an amount of £79.99. If you are looking for a budget-end software with massive features, then this will be a choice for you.

Key features

PhotoFix
Video editing effects
Resize
Cloning

Platforms: Windows OS

Formats: GIF, PNG, GPEG, TIFF and more.

You can download Serif PhotoPlus X7 from here.

Paintshop Pro X9

Paintshop Pro X9 is a cool alternative tool for Photoshop which you can switch to. This software is officially developed by the Corel Inc. This tool is famous for its live screen capture screen recording which most of the other substitute may not offer. Other than this, it includes Clear 2 SE automatic photo correction, Color Material palette, Magic Fill, etc. Paintshop Pro X9 is available approx for $100, but it does worth the price you pay.

Key features

Clear 2 SE automatic photo correction
enhanced dialogue boxes
AfterShot 3 RAW photo editor
Magic Fill
Colour Material palette

Platforms: Windows OS

Formats: GIF, PNG, GPEG, TIFF and more.

You can download Paintshop Pro X9 from here.

So these are our picks for the best free Adobe Photoshop alternatives. Which editing tool is your favourite? Do let us know in the comments below.

8 Best Game Recording Software for Windows

Windows

Yasir Arafath

As we all know that there are several video recording software currently available in the market but if you want to record gameplay in HD then here are the best game recording software for Windows. Normally, gamer records their gameplay in order to upload it on YouTube or may be some other reason. So in order to perform t, is task there are various game recording software which are specifically created to record games. Since there are several software offering different features, you may get confused of which will be a perfect match for you. So below is the list of 8 best game recording software which will record your game clearly that too in high definition.

Open Broadcaster Software

Open Broadcaster is an game recording software which will record our game in HD. OBS is one of the most famous and commonly used tool to record games. OBS comes packed with quite interesting features which includes Picture-in-Picture mode, Push-to-Talk mode, Custom Watermarks and more. OBS has a user friendly interface and has the capability of recording in MP4 and FLV formats. This software allows you to live stream your video to YouTube, Hitbox etc. The most interesting thing about this software is that you do not have to pay a single penny to use this tool. OBS is completely free to use.

Compatibility: Windows OS, Mac OS X and Linux

You can download Open Broadcaster Software from here.

Bandicam

Bandicam is yet another famous game recording software which can record in 4K Ultra HD resolution. In spite of recording in such high definition, the size of the recorded video will be small in size because of it’s in built video compressor. Bandicam doesn’t allows you to live stream video but you can record video continuously for 24 hours. Once successfully recording the Gameplay, you can share it on YouTube in just one click. Bandicam is available in trial version and premium pack cost $39 for 1 licence and $59 for 2 licence.

Compatibility: Windows OS

You can download Bandicam from here.

D3DGear

D3DGear is a game recording software which has a user friendly UI. One of the main featue of this software is that it is extremely light and will not consume much space of your storage. It comes packed with pretty interesting features including in-built video compressor. This software allows you to live stream games on popular websites such as YouTube, Twitch and so on. D3DGear is available in 15 days free trail version, after that you need to pay an amount of $34.95 to buy it.

Compatibility: Windows OS

You can download D3DGear from here.

Fraps

Fraps is also an game recording software similar to D3DGear. The special feature of this app is, it only weighs 2.3Mb in size thus it will not be heavy on your device and will not consume much space of your storage. Fraps offers some interesting and unique features when compared to other game recording tools. Some features include Benchmark tool, capability of capturing videos at 7680 x 4800 resolution with custom frames and so on. Fraps is available for free with limited features, if you want the full version of Fraps then it will cost you $37.

Compatibility: Windows OS

You can download Fraps from here.

Action

If you are looking for a paid game recorder with loads of interesting features then this software is recommendable. Action is an game recorder app which is available for $29.95 and $49.95 for home use and commercial use respectively. This software comes packed with lots of different and cool features such as video recording at 4K resolution, allows you to live stream, allows you to share recorded videos on YouTube, Time-Shift mode and the list continues. If you are ready to pay the fixed sum of amount then this software may be the value for money.

Compatibility: Windows OS

You can download Action from here.

XSplit Gamecaster

XSplit Gamecaster is an game recorder mainly created for the direct streaming. Using this software you can stream your Gameplay in various popular websites such as YouTube, Twitch, Hitbox and so on. Although you can record games and save it to your PC. It has a simple, light and user friendly UI to accomplish the task successfully. Other features include picture-in-picture mode, social media integration, customized Watermarks and so on. XSplit Gamecaster is available in free version with limited features, full version is available in Personal subscription and Premium subscription for $4.95 and $8.95 per month respectively.

Compatibility: Windows 7+ OS

You can download XSplit Gamecaster from here.

ShadowPlay

ShadowPlay is yet another game recording software officially developed by Nividia Geforce Inc. In order to run this software you need to have Geforce GTX 600 and above. This software uses your device GPU instead of using CPU in order to reduce burden on your CPU. Comes packed with pretty much good enough features such as video capturing at 4K resolution, allows you to stream gameplays online, share your recorded gameplay videos, smart shadow mode and so on. Since this software is completely free to use, you can give it a try.

Compatibility: Windows OS

You can download ShadowPlay from here.

Dxtory

If you are looking for an game recording software which may offer good amount of features for free then this software will be a good choice for you. Dxtory comes with loads of features such as Robust customization options, allows you to set frame per second from 10 to 120, specif video codec and so on. Dxtory is available for free with some interesting features but it is a limited version and if you want the full version then you can buy it for $32.

Compatibility: Windows OS.

You can download Dxtory from here.

So that’s it for now! These were the list of 8 best game recording software available for your Windows PC, which will make your gameplay recording task a breeze. Feel free to tell us which is your favourite game recording software and if you have any doubts or suggestions do let us know in the comments.

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