Windows10 tips

So, this is a weird one. Basically, if you’re not using Windows 10 right now but would like to shift to it, this might be of interest to you. This feature allows people who haven’t yet upgraded to Windows 10 to run it virtually within their own environment. This also works for users on a Mac. Though, if you’re using a Mac I doubt you’re 2000 words into an article about Windows 10… You can use a tool called VirtualBox to create virtual machines and run separate operating systems. You can see how this works in the image below – OS-ception. The first step is to go onto the Windows website and download the Window’s 10 ISO file. Then, hop over to VitrualBox to download the latest version from Oracle. Install VirtualBox and then you’ll be able to create a virtual machine.

• Click New
• Name your machine
• Select your type: Microsoft Windows
• Select your version: Window’s 10
• Match the x64 version with a 64-bit virtual machine
• Allocate 2GB of RAM for the x64 version
• Select the size of your virtual drive to be more than 20GB – make sure you have space on your hard drive
• Enter into the settings for this new virtual machine you’ve made
• Go to Storage > Controller: SATA > Choose Disk > and find the Windows ISO file
• Check the display tab to see how much video memory you’re allocating – follow the recommended settings
• Press Start in VirtualBox
• Run the Windows installation process
• Log in with your Live ID.
• Go back into VirtualBox and go to Devices > Insert Guest Additions CD Image, and save that.
• Enter into your Windows File Explorer and locate that Guest Additions file and run it.
• Reboot the virtual machine.
• Go back into Virtual Box > View > Switch to Fullscreen Now, finally, you’ll be able to use Windows 10 as a full-screen desktop via VirtualBox. Pretty cool, no?

One of my pet peeves as a Windows user is the constant updates I keep having to accept. Sometimes, in the past, these have interrupted my workflow or forced a shutdown while I’ve been away from my laptop. There’s not much more annoying then nipping off for lunch and coming back to see your tabs gone and your windows closed. Thanks. Fortunately, this glaring error has been tackled and you’ve been given the power to schedule them to occur outside of the hours which matter to you. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > and you’ll find your Update Settings. Here you can play around and adjust the active hours. Friday night at 11 pm. Do your worst, Windows. I’ll be having fun elsewhere.

This isn’t the most glamorous feature on the list, but it is one you’re more likely to use often. If we’re talking about work practices in a professional environment, dealing with PDFs and having to send other people PDFs is likely a semi-regular occurrence. With this new addition to the Windows’ functionalities, you can save things straight to PDF without having to use a third party service. No need for Adobe’s constant updates and slow loading. Example: Right click on this article in your browser and click print. Then choose the option: Microsoft Print to PDF. It will automatically format the website for you as a PDF and save it. Super simple.

This Windows 10 tip and the following one are not really Windows 10 specific. Sorry. But, I think they’re cool and fit well within the theme of this article so I’m going to tell you about them anyway. They’re both task automation tools and the first one is Robotask. Robotask allows you to automate your workflows. You can set Robotask to connect different programs together so that if you do something in one program it can trigger an action in another. You can use it offline or online or both, and you can even add some more complicated elements to the workflow management. Variables like IF/ELSE statements, loops, and other custom variables can be used to add real depth of functionality. You don’t need to be a tech whizz to make the most of Robotask, and it could really help your productivity.

Not all people who use Windows are passionate advocates of Windows. If you’re a developer, there’s a good chance you feel pretty comfortable utilizing a Linux means of operating. Now, thanks to changes in the Anniversary update, you can use a Linux approach to your PC. To be clear, this isn’t running Linux inside your Windows environment. This is simply employing Linux practices within your Windows. Think of it as one more Microsoft effort to drive your productivity forward. If you want to use Bash shell inside Windows, first enable it by going to Settings > Update & Security > For Developers > and then toggling on Developer mode. Once you’ve switched this on, you’ll need to restart. After you’ve successfully rebooted, go to Control Panel > Programs > Turn Windows features on or off > then scroll down the list presented until you find Windows Subsystem for Linux (Beta). Check that option and press OK. Once everything has installed, click Restart Now. After your computer is back up and running, you’ll need to search within your start bar for “bash.exe”. When it opens the command prompt, type “y” and press enter. This should start downloading from the Windows Store. When it has downloaded, you’ll need to type in a UNIX account username – you can choose pretty much anything other than “admin”. Press enter and let it set everything up. You can now close the command prompt. Bash should show up in the start menu now like any other application!

So you still love Internet Explorer a lot, right ? No problem ! You may still open webpages with Internet Explorer in Windows 10. Though after making a switch from Internet Explorer to Microsoft Edge as Windows default browser, Windows has buried Internet Explorer in all apps menu under Windows accessories yet there is a simple trick to browse using Internet Explorer in Windows 10’s Microsoft Edge. Microsoft Edge comes with a built-in option named ‘Open with Internet Explorer‘ which opens the webpage in Internet Explorer. Whenever you want to open a webpage using IE in Microsoft Edge, simply click that option and re-alive your IE love. Read: VyprVPN Review: Fastest VPN Service for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android and More

While introducing brand new Microsoft Edge browser, Windows made it clear that Microsoft Edge is a browser built for ‘doing‘, not just browsing. And yes, the annotations feature proves it. To experience the ‘power of doing‘ in Microsoft Edge browser, click on Make a Web Note icon from the top-right corner of Edge browser. This allows you to access Pen, Highlighter, Eraser, Add a typed note, Clip cutting, etc. features in your browser. You may use Pen to underline, sketch or whatever you do with a Pen. The Highlighter is used to highlight important texts; eraser can be used to erase something and add a typed note allows you to add a note. Use Clip to cut a particular area in webpage – just like you do in Evernote web clipper. After doing with your webpage, you might wish to save it with single click which also allows you to send your note directly to OneNote. How amazing !

There may be many reasons why you wish to browse privately. One simple way to do so is using the incognito window of any internet web browser. Many of modern web browsers come with this feature and Microsoft Edge also has an in-built feature to access private browsing. Click on . . . to access browser menu and select New InPrivate Window. It opens up a new incognito window where you may browse anonymously hiding your identity as Microsoft Edge browser doesn’t record your browsing history, passwords, form entries etc. in InPrivate Window.