What you need to know

• Windows 10 version 1809 will reach end of support on May 12, 2020.
• Windows 10 version 1809 was initially delayed and had a bumpy launch across the board.
• It's normal for older versions of Windows 10 to fall out of support.

Microsoft announced an official date that Windows 10 version 1809 will reach end of support (via TechRader). On May 12, 2020, Windows 10 version 1809 will officially be out of support, meaning it will not receive security updates following that date. People should move to a newer version of Windows 10 to maintain security updates on their devices.

It's standard practice for Microsoft to stop supporting older versions of Windows 10. Microsoft wants people running recent versions of Windows 10 and does not want to have to spend resources keeping older versions up to date. May 12, 2020 is 18 months after the rollout of Windows 10 version 1809 and almost three months away, so people should have time to update their systems.

Some people elect to delay updates on their systems because new versions of Windows 10 can have issues. That was the case with Windows 10 version 1809. Windows 10 version 1809 was delayed by a major issue that deleted user data during the upgrade process. Microsoft had to stop the update rollout, sort out a fix, and then "rerelease" the update in November 2018.

Following the issues that affected Windows 10 version 1809, Microsoft had to address the process for future Windows updates. Microsoft outlined changes to smooth out the update process.

If you take a look at our page with all of our articles about Windows 10 version 1809, you'll see that Microsoft had to take several steps to smooth out its issues. With the update to that version being so bumpy, some people decided to skip it altogether. If you'd like to update your system before the May 12, 2020 support cutoff, you can update to the Windows 10 November 2019 Update.

Over the weekend, Microsoft released another round of fixes for older versions of Windows 10. The most prominent batch is for the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, which corrects some issues related to Windows Hello, PDFs in Microsoft Edge, and more.

Here's a full look at what's been fixed and improved in the October 2018 Update with KB4512534 (build 17763.720):

• Improves the reliability of push notifications about app deployments to Microsoft HoloLens 1 devices.
• Addresses an issue that prevents Windows Hello Face Authentication from working after a restart.
• Addresses an issue with downloading digital rights management (DRM) files from certain websites using Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer.
• Addresses an issue that prevents the Universal C Runtime Library from returning the proper value for time zone global variables in certain conditions.
• Addresses an issue that causes Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) to intermittently stop responding while deprovisioning some preinstalled apps using the Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM).
• Addresses an issue in which the default keyboard for the English (Cyprus) (en-CY) locale was not set properly.
• Addresses an issue to enable Microsoft Edge to print PDF documents that contain landscape and portrait-oriented pages correctly.
• Addresses an issue with PDFs that are configured to be opened only once in Microsoft Edge.
• Addresses performance issues for the Win32 subsystem and Desktop Window Manager (DWM).
• Addresses an issue with the input and display of special characters that occurs when an app uses imm32.dll.
• Addresses a composition handle leak in Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps.
• Addresses a memory leak in dwm.exe that may lead to a loss of functionality and cause a device to stop working.
• Addresses an issue that fails to bypass automatic sign in (Autologon) when you press and hold the Shift key during startup.
• Addresses an issue that causes the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) class Win32_PhysicalMemory to report that 32 GB memory chips have a missing Capacity value.
• Addresses an issue that prevents an App-V application from opening and displays a network failure error. This issue occurs under certain circumstances, such as when a system's battery is low or there is an unexpected power failure.
• Addresses an issue with User Experience Virtualization (UE-V) that may sometimes prevent exclusion paths from working.
• Addresses a rare issue that causes Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) to temporarily prevent other processes from accessing files.
• Addresses an issue that causes a workstation to stop working when you sign in using an updated user principal name (UPN) (for example, changing UserN@contoso.com to User.Name@contoso.com).
• Addresses an issue in which Windows Defender Application Control will not allow third-party binaries to be loaded from a Universal Windows Platform application. CodeIntegrity event error 3033 appears as, "Code Integrity determined that a process ( [[ process name ]] ) attempted to load [[ binary name ]] that did not meet the Store signing level requirements."
• Addresses an issue that prevents some Trusted Platform Module (TPM) devices from being used for Next Generation Credentials.
• Addresses an issue that causes applications on a container host to intermittently lose connectivity because of a port conflict with applications running on a container.
• Addresses an issue that prevents some users from receiving a TTL value when they are added as members of Shadow Principals. This occurs for users who have distinguished names (DN) that contain an escape character. The TTL value is now added as expected.
• Addresses an issue with the disabled attribute of the input element, which doesn't allow a scope to be passed to the authorization endpoint.
• Addresses an issue with leaks in Windows notification sockets that causes Windows to run out of ports.
• Addresses an issue that prevents server editions from activating with a Multiple Activation Key (MAK) in the graphical user interface (GUI). The error is, "0x80070490".
• Addresses an issue that may break the domain trust when the Recycle Bin is configured on the domain that carries the trust.
• Increases the number of supported interrupts per device to 512 on systems that have x2APIC enabled.
• Addresses an issue that may prevent devices from starting when they start up using Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) images from Windows Deployment Services (WDS) or System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM). The error is, "Status: 0xc0000001, Info: A required device isn't connected or can't be accessed."
• Addresses an issue that may cause the following to stop responding:
  • Applications that were made using Visual Basic 6 (VB6).
  • Macros that use Visual Basic for Applications (VBA).
  • Scripts or apps that use Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript).
  • You may also receive an "Invalid procedure call" error.

This update is available now via Windows Update for PCs that are still running the Windows 10 October 2018 Update. There are also updates for Windows 10 versions 1709, 1703, 1607, and the original launch version of Windows 10. However, these updates are out of service for standard Windows 10 users and only available for Enterprise and Education customers.

For more, including a list of known issues, you can check out Microsoft's full release notes.

What you need to know

• A new cumulative update is now available for Windows 10 version 1809..
• The update brings a load of bug fixes, along with a few known issues.
• This relase brings the build number up to version 17763.652.

Microsoft today pushed out another cumulative update for the Windows 10 October 2018 Update. Like past cumulative update, this release doesn't bring any new features. However, it does include number of bug fixes to check out, along with a handful of known issues.

Here's a full look at the bug fixes tagging along in this release, which brings the build number up to 17763.652:

• Addresses a performance issue that may occur on some websites that use WebAssembly.
• Addresses an issue that may cause Internet Explorer to stop working when you move a tab to create a new window.
• Addresses an issue that may prevent the personal identification number (PIN) prompt from appearing when authenticating in Internet Explorer.
• Updates time zone information for Brazil.
• Addresses an issue that may cause Windows notifications to display nonsense characters instead of a single quote (').
• Addresses an issue that prevents newly installed or updated applications from appearing in Windows search results.
• Addresses an issue that prevents the Save and Save As options in Microsoft Office 2010 applications from working when high contrast mode is on.
• Address an issue that prevents SharedPC policies from migrating properly during an upgrade.
• Addresses an issue that prevents a Hardware Support application (HSA) from installing in a timely manner.
• Addresses an issue that prevents the Windows Event Log service from processing notifications that the log is full. This causes issues with some Event Log behaviors such as archiving the log when it reaches a maximum file size and you've configured the "Archive the log when full, do not overwrite events" setting. Additionally, the Local Security Authority (LSA) cannot handle CrashOnAuditFail scenarios when the Security Log is full, and events cannot be written.
• Addresses an issue that prevents a system from recognizing a Microsoft account or Azure Active Directory account until the user signs out and signs in again.
• Addresses an issue that may prevent the Netlogon service from establishing a secure channel and reports the error, "0xC000007A – ERROR_PROC_NOT_FOUND."
• Addresses an issue that may cause authentication to fail when using Windows Hello for Business on a server running Windows Server 2016 with the Server Core option installed.
• Addresses an issue that causes some processes running inside Windows Server containers and Hyper-V containers to have empty names.
• Addresses an issue that causes input and output to fail when Multipath I/O (MPIO) failover occurs.
• Addresses an issue that causes applications that use windows.storage.dll to stop working and displays ExceptionCode c0000005 (Access violation) when the process closes.
• Reinforces the Certificate Revocation List (CRL) on Internet Key Exchange version 2 (IKEv2) machines for certificate-based virtual private network (VPN) connections, such as Device Tunnel, in an Always On VPN deployment.
• Addresses an issue that intermittently prevents connections to a corporate network when using Always On VPN with the IKEv2 protocol. Connections are not always automatically established, and manual connections sometimes fail. In this scenario, when you call the RasDial function from the command line for the target VPN connection, you receive the error, "ERROR_PORT_NOT_AVAILABLE(633)".
• Addresses an issue that changes the status for Work Folders in File Explorer to 0x80C802A0 (ECS_E_SYNC_UPLOAD_PLACEHOLDER_FAILURE) after selecting Free up space.
• Addresses an issue that may cause a Remote Desktop Server to stop responding when someone who is using drive redirection disconnects.
• Addresses an issue that causes an error when using certain data persistence memory technologies.
• Addresses an issue that prevents Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) scripting from working if you run it when you're not connected to a domain controller (DC). App-V scripting also fails when you run it in an environment that only contains Microsoft Azure Active Directory.
• Addresses an issue that damages the Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) feature and prevents it from starting or installing again. This issue may occur after installing Windows updates or upgrading from Windows 10, versions 1607, 1703, and 1709 to Windows 10, version 1809.
• Addresses an issue with opening or using the Window-Eyes screen reader application that may result in an error and prevent some features from functioning as expected.
• Addresses an issue that may fail to keep App permissions settings when you select Keep my files after selecting Reset this PC.
• Addresses an issue with system reliability in certain scenarios when upgrading from Windows 10, version 1703.
• Addresses an issue with enrolling a device in the Windows enterprise commercial data pipeline.

This update is available now as KB4505658 via Windows Update. For more, including a detailed rundown of the known issues in this update, you can check out Microsoft' full release notes.

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VisionTek 8,000 mAh micro-USB power bank ($13 at Dell)

This compact dual-output powerbank can speedily recharge any and all your devices, thanks to a two-amp "fast charge feature," using its micro-USB out port. Its simple design includes an LED indicator, and it costs about as much as a single ticket to the movies.

Panasonic eneloop AA batteries (From $13 at Dell)

Panasonic's rechargeable batteries are among the best available, and just a couple of them will keep your favorite remote, mice or other peripherals powered up when you need them. They're also eco. And the company's affordable charger fits and charges both AA and AAA batteries at the same time.

Belkin Qi Wireless Charging Pad ($30 at Dell)

This unobtrusive Qi wireless charging pad looks good (and kind of like a UFO …) and easily charges all your Qi-compatible device up to 5W. Its LED indicator lights up when you're charging. And it costs just $30.

What you need to know

• AdDuplex's latest monthly report shows that the May 2019 Update is now on 6.3 percent of Windows 10 PCs.
• The October 2018 Update has dropped to an even 30 percent share in this latest report.
• The May 2019 Update is, so far, on the same rollout pace as the October 2018 Update.

The Windows 10 May 2019 Update has been out for a little over a month now, and it's already starting to make a small dent. According to the latest report from AdDuplex, the May 2019 Update now commands a 6.3 percent share of Windows 10 PCs. That's up from the 1.4 percent share it held last month after it had only been available for a week.

According to AdDuplex's previously released numbers, this puts the May 2019 Update at about the same pace of that we saw with the October 2018 Update. Notably, the October 2018 Update encountered several major issues after its launch, causing it to undergo a much slower rollout than its predecessors. The May 2019 Update hasn't experienced similarly large issues, so it appears Microsoft is taking a slower approach out of caution, if AdDuplex's numbers are reflective of Windows 10 PCs as a whole.

Moving on to the rest of the Windows 10 ecosystem, the October 2018 Update is at an even 30 percent share, down slightly from last month. The April 2018 Update is also down, though it still holds a commanding 58 percent share of Windows 10 PCs. The Fall Creators Update holds on to a 2.5 percent share, while PCs on the Creators Update and older are now sitting at a combined 2.9 percent.

Remember that AdDuplex's data is based on a sampling of 5,000 apps that use its SDK, so real-world figures will likely differ. However, the monthly report is a handy tool for tracking general trends. The latest numbers were collected throughout the day of June 26.

Our favorite computer speakers for less $100

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Bose Companion 2 Series III speakers ($99 at Dell)

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Logitech Z313 speaker system with subwoofer ($49 at Dell)

The Z313 comes with a powered subwoofer and two satellite speakers to deliver 25 watts of total power. That's enough to fill your room and then some.

GOgroove BassPULSE ($50 at Dell)

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What you need to know

• AdDuplex's latest monthly report shows that the Windows 10 October 2018 Update is now on 31.3 percent of Windows 10 PCs.
• After experiencing a troubled launch, the October 2018 Update has maintained a relatively slow rollout over the past several months.
• The May 2019 Update launched last week, so it's likely it will start eating away at the October 2018 Update's share soon.

The Windows 10 May 2019 Update only just started rolling out last week, and it appears the previous release has topped out with a minority share of Windows 10 PCs. According to the most recent monthly report from AdDuplex, the October 2018 Update is now on 31.3 percent of Windows 10 PCs. That's only two percent higher than where the October 2018 Update stood last month.

The dominant force still remains the Windows 10 April 2018 Update, which saw a slight drop to a 61.1 percent share compared to its 63.2 percent share last month. Meanwhile, the newly released May 2019 Update has already starting planting its flag with a relatively small 1.4 percent share.

It's likely that, in the coming months, we'll see the May 2019 Update chip away at both the October and April 2018 Updates as Microsoft takes a slow and steady approach to its rollout.

The rest of the breakdown remains split between relatively small portions of the pie for prior updates. PCs still on the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update have a hold of 2.9 percent of Windows 10 PCs, while PCs on the Creators Update and older come in at 3.2 percent.

As is the case with each of these monthly reports, it's worth keeping in mind that AdDuplex's data is based on a sampling of 5,000 apps that use its SDK. The latest numbers were collected throughout the day of May 28.

Affordable accessories that'll pair perfectly with your PC

Every one of these awesome PC accessories will enhance your everyday experience — and none cost more than $30.

KLIM Aim RGB gaming mouse ($30 at Amazon)

Whether you're a gamer or not, this is an absurdly good mouse for the price. It's ambidextrous, has a responsive sensor, a braided cable, tank-like build quality, and, yes, it has RGB lighting, though you can turn it off if that's not your thing.

AmazonBasics USB speakers ($16 at Amazon)

These neat little speakers may only pack 2.4W of total power, but don't let that fool you. For something so small you get a well-rounded sound and a stylish design. And they only cost $16.

Razer mouse bungee ($20 at Amazon)

Use a wired mouse? You need a mouse bungee to keep your cable tidy and free of snags. You get no drag on the cable, and this one has subtle styling, a rust-resistant spring and a weighted base, all for $20.

What you need to know

• A new round of cumulative updates is now available for the Windows 10 October 2018 Update and April 2018 Update.
• The updates bring a slew of fixes, along with the ability for users to pick when they want to install the May 2019 Update and other feature updates going forward.
• The updates are available now via Windows Update.

Now that the Windows 10 May 2019 Update has started its official rollout, Microsoft has also released a couple of cumulative updates for prior feature releases. Rolling out now for PCs on the October 2018 Update and April 2018 Update, the pair of cumulative updates bring a number of fixes to the table, along with the ability for users to decide when to install feature updates.

From Microsoft:

Here's a look at the fixes shipping to October 2018 Update PCs with KB4497934 (build 17763.529):

• Allows users to go back to a host browser from a Windows Defender Application Guard (WDAG) container.
• Addresses an issue with looping redirects between Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer 11.
• Updates wininet.dll to prevent the re-creation of File Transfer Protocol (FTP) control sessions.
• Addresses an issue that may cause Microsoft Edge to hide annotations added to a PDF file, such as inked notes, highlights, and comments.
• Addresses an issue that removes UserRights policies from all users in a security group when you remove a device from a mobile device management (MDM) server or Microsoft Intune deletes a UserRights policy.
• Addresses an issue that disconnects a remote desktop session when you lock the session using a third-party credential provider.
• Addresses an issue that causes Microsoft Office and other applications to prompt for a password after you change a user account password. This issue occurs on hybrid Azure Active Directory (AD) joined systems.
• Addresses an issue that prevents ActiveX controls from automatically installing through a proxy server.
• Addresses an issue that prevents you from signing in to a Microsoft Surface Hub device with an Azure Active Directory account. This issue occurs because the previous sign-out did not complete successfully.
• Addresses an issue that causes a sign-in to fail with the error, "Incorrect Username or password" when using an empty or null password and Windows Defender Credential Guard is enabled.
• Addresses an issue that may cause a temporary KRB_AP_ERR_MODIFIED Kerberos sign-in failure in applications and services configured to use a Group Managed Service Account (GMSA). This issue occurs after the automatic update of the service account password.
• Addresses an issue that may prevent BitLocker from encrypting data drives when the "Enforce drive encryption on fixed data drives" Group Policy is configured.
• Addresses an issue that prevents updates from downloading from a Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) server when a Windows Defender Application Control policy is set to manage which updates can be deployed.
• Addresses an issue that may cause event 7600 in the Domain Name System (DNS) server event log to contain an unreadable server name.
• Addresses an issue that fails to record a local user's last logon time even when the user has accessed the server's network share.
• Addresses an issue that prevents NumLock from working properly in a Remote Assistance session when the Remote Assistance window gains and loses focus.
• Updates time zone information for Morocco.
• Updates time zone information for the Palestinian Authority.
• Addresses an issue with the International Components for Unicode (ICU) data, which were not updated for the time zone and the new Japanese Era.
• Addresses an issue with the "Allow uninstallation of language features when a language is uninstalled." Group Policy.
• Addresses an issue in which a File Share Witness does not remove Server Message Block (SMB) handles, which causes a server to eventually stop accepting SMB connections.
• Addresses an issue in which Windows attempts to renew Azure Active Directory (AAD) token certificates when there is no internet connectivity. This issue occurs during AAD authentication and slows the performance of applications.
• Addresses an issue with scrollLeft in Internet Explorer.
• Addresses an issue that causes rendering to stop working for svg elements.
• Addresses an issue with Assigned Access deployments (formerly Kiosk Mode) that prevents a user from logging on to an Assigned Access profile. This affects all locales and occurs when the local administrator's group is not named using the English spelling of "Administrators". In the Event Viewer, Event 31000 shows the source as "Microsoft-Windows-AssignedAccess/Admin" and displays the error message, "The group used to assign the application can't be found."
• Addresses an issue that prevents a Generation 2 virtual machine from starting on a Windows Server 2019 Hyper-V host. In the Microsoft-Windows-Hyper-V-Worker-Admin event log, Event ID 18560 displays, "VM name was reset because an unrecoverable error occurred on a virtual processor that caused a triple fault."

A very similar list of fixes is also available for the April 2018 Update. For more, you can check out Microsoft's full release notes. Otherwise, if you're running a PC with the October 2018 Update or April 2018 Update installed, you can grab these new releases via Windows Update now.

Cheap PC accessories we love

Take a gander at these awesome PC accessories, all of which will enhance your Windows experience.

Anker 4 port USB 3.0 hub ($10 at Amazon)

Whether on a desktop or laptop PC, you always need more ports to connect things to. This hub gives you an additional four USB 3.0 Type A ports.

Ikea Fixa Cable Management System ($11 at Amazon)

This IKEA cable management kit is your ticket to a clean setup. It's simple and functional.

NZXT Puck ($20 at Amazon)

This clever little accessory has powerful magnets on the rear to make it stick to any of the metal panels on your PC case or anything else. It's great for hanging accessories like headsets.

What you need to know

• May's "Patch Tuesday" updates for Windows 10 introduced a bug that blocked some UK government websites in Edge and Internet Explorer.
• Microsoft shipped a fix for the bug on Sunday.
• You can grab the fix now through another round of cumulative updates available for Windows 10.

Microsoft has now shipped a fix for a bug that was inadvertently introduced with last week's "Patch Tuesday" updates for Windows 10. The bug in question blocked access to some UK government websites in Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer.

Here's a look at the release notes for the single fix issued with the latest cumulative updates:

• Addresses an issue that may prevent access to some gov.uk websites that don't support HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) when using Internet Explorer 11 or Microsoft Edge.

This particular fix also made its way to Windows Insiders on the Slow and Release Preview rings over the weekend. Here's a look at the release notes, which include an additional fix:

• Addresses an issue that may prevent access to some gov.uk websites that don't support HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) when using Internet Explorer 11 or Microsoft Edge.
• Addresses an issue in which installation may fail with the error, "0x800f081f – CBS_E_SOURCE_MISSING."

Each of these updates should be available to grab now via Windows Update.

Affordable accessories that'll pair perfectly with your PC

Every one of these awesome PC accessories will enhance your everyday experience — and none cost more than $30.

KLIM Aim RGB gaming mouse ($30 at Amazon)

Whether you're a gamer or not, this is an absurdly good mouse for the price. It's ambidextrous, has a responsive sensor, a braided cable, tank-like build quality, and, yes, it has RGB lighting, though you can turn it off if that's not your thing.

AmazonBasics USB speakers ($16 at Amazon)

These neat little speakers may only pack 2.4W of total power, but don't let that fool you. For something so small you get a well-rounded sound and a stylish design. And they only cost $16.

Razer mouse bungee ($20 at Amazon)

Use a wired mouse? You need a mouse bungee to keep your cable tidy and free of snags. You get no drag on the cable, and this one has subtle styling, a rust-resistant spring and a weighted base, all for $20.

What you need to know

• The latest batch of "Patch Tuesday" updates included the addition of gov.uk to the HTTP Strict Transport Security Top Level Domains.
• While the update was meant to improve compatibility to certain UK government websites, it has apparently broken others in Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer.
• Microsoft is working on a fix.

Updated May 20, 2019: Microsoft has now released a patch for all versions of Windows 10 with a fix for this issue.

Microsoft's latest round of monthly "Patch Tuesday" updates rolled out to Windows 10 this week, a critical patch for a newly discovered vulnerability for Intel processors. However, if you live in the UK, you may find that the updates also introduced a bug of its own that breaks some government websites in Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge (via Softpedia).

In an update to the release notes for this week's updates, Microsoft outlined a new known issue impacting certain gov.uk sites. From Microsoft:

This appears to be related to an additon in the cumulative update that added "gov.uk" to the HTTP Strict Transport Security Top Level Domains. According to the details on the known issues, Microsoft is currently working on a fix, but there's no word on when it will be shipped. In the meantime, you can still access any websites that give you trouble by simply turning to another browser.

Affordable accessories that'll pair perfectly with your PC

Every one of these awesome PC accessories will enhance your everyday experience — and none cost more than $30.

KLIM Aim RGB gaming mouse ($30 at Amazon)

Whether you're a gamer or not, this is an absurdly good mouse for the price. It's ambidextrous, has a responsive sensor, a braided cable, tank-like build quality, and, yes, it has RGB lighting, though you can turn it off if that's not your thing.

AmazonBasics USB speakers ($16 at Amazon)

These neat little speakers may only pack 2.4W of total power, but don't let that fool you. For something so small you get a well-rounded sound and a stylish design. And they only cost $16.

Razer mouse bungee ($20 at Amazon)

Use a wired mouse? You need a mouse bungee to keep your cable tidy and free of snags. You get no drag on the cable, and this one has subtle styling, a rust-resistant spring and a weighted base, all for $20.

What you need to know

• The latest batch of monthly "Patch Tuesday" updates is now available for Windows 10 PCs.
• The updates address a serious security flaw recently found in Intel processors.
• The usual batch of cumulative update fixes are included as well.

It's the second Tuesday of May, which means it's time for another round of "Patch Tuesday" Windows 10 updates from Microsoft. While this month's releases pack the usual array of bug fixes, they also contain a patch for a serious security flaw in Intel processors that was just disclosed today.

Here's a look at the release notes for the October 2018 Update, which ticks the build number up to 17763.503:

• Enables "Retpoline" by default if Spectre Variant 2 (CVE-2017-5715) is enabled. Make sure previous OS protections against the Spectre Variant 2 vulnerability are enabled using the registry settings described in the Windows Client and Windows Server articles. (These registry settings are enabled by default for Windows Client OS editions, but disabled by default for Windows Server OS editions). For more information about "Retpoline", see Mitigating Spectre variant 2 with Retpoline on Windows.
• Provides protections against a new subclass of speculative execution side-channel vulnerabilities, known as Microarchitectural Data Sampling, for 64-Bit (x64) versions of Windows (CVE-2018-11091, CVE-2018-12126, CVE-2018-12127, CVE-2018-12130). Use the registry settings as described in the Windows Client and Windows Server articles. (These registry settings are enabled by default for Windows Client OS editions and Windows Server OS editions).
• Adds "uk.gov" into the HTTP Strict Transport Security Top Level Domains (HSTS TLD) for Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge. Addresses an issue that may cause "Error 1309" while installing or uninstalling certain types of .msi and .msp files on a virtual drive.
• Addresses an issue that prevents the Microsoft Visual Studio Simulator from starting.
• Addresses an issue that may cause zone transfers between primary and secondary DNS servers over the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) to fail.
• Addresses an issue that causes Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) Management Information Base registration to fail when the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) provider uses the Windows tool SMI2SMIR.exe.
• Addresses an issue that may cause the text, layout, or cell size to become narrower or wider than expected in Microsoft Excel when using the MS UI Gothic or MS PGothic fonts.
• Security updates to Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Windows Graphics, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Cryptography, the Microsoft JET Database Engine, Windows Kernel, Windows Virtualization, and Windows Server.

A similar set of fixes is rolling out to prior supported versions of Windows 10 as well. For the full rundown, you can check out Microsoft's release notes. Otherwise, today's cumulative updates should be available now via Windows Update.

Cheap PC accessories we love

Take a gander at these awesome PC accessories, all of which will enhance your Windows experience.

Anker 4 port USB 3.0 hub ($10 at Amazon)

Whether on a desktop or laptop PC, you always need more ports to connect things to. This hub gives you an additional four USB 3.0 Type A ports.

Ikea Fixa Cable Management System ($11 at Amazon)

This IKEA cable management kit is your ticket to a clean setup. It's simple and functional.

NZXT Puck ($20 at Amazon)

This clever little accessory has powerful magnets on the rear to make it stick to any of the metal panels on your PC case or anything else. It's great for hanging accessories like headsets.

We're rapidly approaching the expected release date of the Windows 10 May 2019 Update, but in the meantime, Microsoft is pushing out another round of fixes for the October 2018 Update. The company today shipped a fresh cumulative update for the October 2018 Update, bringing a lengthy list of fixes for a number of bugs (via OnMSFT).

Today's release pushes the build number up to 17763.475 (KB4495667). Here's a look at the list of fixes included:

• Allows the built-in Administrator account to run Microsoft Office setup after downloading the installer in Microsoft Edge.
• Addresses an issue that causes Internet Explorer Automation to fail in certain instances.
• Addresses an issue that may prevent Custom URI Schemes for Application Protocol handlers from starting the corresponding application for local intranet and trusted sites on Internet Explorer.
• Addresses an issue that prevents certain apps from launching when you set folder redirection for the Roaming AppData folder to a network path.
• Addresses an issue in Gdi32full.dll that causes an application to stop responding.
• Addresses an issue that may cause the UI to stop responding for several seconds when scrolling in windows that have many child windows.
• Addresses an issue that may cause a touch screen to stop working after restart.
• Enables a touch keyboard to support new Japanese Era characters. For more information, see KB4469068.
• Addresses an issue that causes ShellExperienceHost.exe to stop working when the start date for the Japanese Era is not on the first day of the month. For more information, see KB4469068.
• Addresses an issue that prevents the CALDATETIME structure from handling more than four Japanese Eras. For more information, see KB4469068.
• Updates the NLS registry to support the new Japanese Era. For more information, see KB4469068.
• Addresses an issue that causes the DateTimePicker to display the date incorrectly in the Japanese date format. For more information, see KB4469068.
• Addresses an issue that causes the Date and Time Settings control to cache old Eras and prevents the control from refreshing when the time enters the new Japanese Era. For more information, see KB4469068.
• Updates fonts to support the new Japanese Era. For more information, see KB4469068.
• Addresses an issue that prevents an input method editor (IME) from supporting the new Japanese Era character. For more information, see KB4469068.
• Addresses an issue that causes the Clock and Calendar flyout control to display the day of the week incorrectly mapped to a date in the month of the new Japanese Era. For more information, see KB4469068.
• Adds alternative fonts for the new Japanese Era fonts. For more information, see KB4469068.
• Enables Text-To-Speech (TTS) functionality to support new Japanese Era characters. For more information, see KB4469068.
• Allows existing devices that are managed by Configuration Manager to be enrolled in Microsoft Intune using Co-management without any user interaction. It does not require an active user to be logged in, and there are no Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) prompts. This update also allows the Co-managed mobile device management (MDM) enrollment to use the device credential it received when the device is enabled to join Hybrid Azure Active Directory (AADJ).
• Improves access to detailed troubleshooting and diagnostic logs from managed devices, such as business PCs, when using a PC cloud management service. PC cloud management services include Microsoft Intune or other Mobile Device Management (MDM) providers for Windows.
• Addresses an issue that may allow a user to continue logging on to an account using a smart card after disabling the account.
• Addresses an issue that prevents access to enterprise resources when using Kerberos with Windows Hello for Business (WHfB) credentials. This causes users to receive multiple prompts to provide their credentials.
• Addresses an issue that occasionally causes a PostScript printer to use the wrong font.
• Addresses an issue that causes Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) client applications to stop responding for at least 30 seconds when many LDAP queries are requested through multiple connections. This occurs because of a race condition in wldap32.dll. You must install this update on the LDAP client that calls wldap32.dll.
• Addresses an issue that causes a roaming profile user to lose customized Start menu settings after upgrading the operating system (OS). After installing this update, administrators must enable the UseProfilePathMinorExtensionVersion registry setting described in KB4493782 for roaming user profiles (RUP). This key allows you to create a new RUP for an upgraded OS and prevents the loss of a custom Start menu. The RUP must be stored locally, and you must restart the device to enable the feature.
• Addresses an issue that causes connection requests to the Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) servers in the deployment to fail. This issue occurs because of a deadlock in the Connection Broker.
• Addresses an issue that may prevent Cluster Aware Update from restarting nodes when a cluster's credentials are reset. Cluster Aware Update must restart nodes after installing an update. The error is the following:
  • "Failed to restart "NODENAME": (ClusterUpdateException) Failed to restart "NODENAME": (Win32Exception) The user name or password is incorrect."
• Addresses a gradual memory leak in LSASS.exe on systems that have cached logon enabled. This issue mainly affects servers that process many interactive logon requests, such as web servers.
• Addresses an issue that may cause a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) query to return incorrect results. This occurs if a filter clause contains an attribute that has a syntax of Large Integer type and the filter uses the rule, LDAP_MATCHING_RULE_BIT_AND. For example, a simple filter, such as "msExchRoleAssignmentFlags:1.2.840.113556.1.4.803:=51539607552" may return no matches when it should.
• Addresses an issue that prevents Print Workflow Applications from launching for Point and Print.
• Addresses an issue that may prevent Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps from receiving keyboard input when its user interface thread becomes too busy. This issue occurs when the UWP app has an embedded WebView control.

This is the second cumulative update to ship out to October 2018 Update PCs this week, following an update focused on supporting the start of the new Japanese Era, which started on May 1. You can grab the update now by checking Windows Update. Otherwise, these fixes will roll out as part of Microsoft's monthly "Patch Tuesday" update next week.

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We're not far off from the release of the Windows 10 May 2019 Update, but the previous release still appears to be on a minority of PCs. According to the latest monthly report from AdDuplex, the October 2018 Update is currently on only 29.3 percent of Windows 10 PCs. That's an increase of just under three percent from where the update stood in March.

Again, the Windows 10 April 2018 Update remains dominant, holding on to a 63.2 percent share of Windows 10 PCs. The October 2018 Update reached full availability in December, but it encountered a number of issues at launch, slowing its rollout. Given those issues, it's not surprising to see its slow penetration across Windows 10 PCs, but its share is much lower than previous releases at this point in their lifecycle.

The rest of the Windows 10 landscape has a comparatively minute hold on PCs. The Fall Creators Update is in third place with a 3.3 percent share, while releases from the Creators Update and earlier share a combined 3.5 percent. Lastly, Windows Insiders testing the May 2019 Update currently hold a 0.8 percent share.

After the May 2019 Update releases next month, it's likely that we'll see it overtake the October 2018 Update faster than we've previously seen new feature updates take the lead over their predecessors.

As always, keep in mind the AdDuplex's monthly reports are based on a sampling of around 5,000 apps that use the firm's SDK. April's data was based on an analysis that took place on April 26. Real-world data likely differs, but AdDuplex's reports are useful for gaining insights on trends for each feature update's rollout.

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Patch Tuesday isn't until next week, but Microsoft is shipping out a new batch of fixes for the Windows 10 October 2018 Update a little early. There are a ton of fixes included with this cumulative update, but the most noteworthy is one that prevents Game Mode from impacting game streaming and recording software.

This update ticks the build number up to 17763.404 (KB4490481), and it brings the following fixes:

• Addresses an issue that occurs on machines that have multiple audio devices. Applications that provide advanced options for internal or external audio output devices may stop working unexpectedly. This issue occurs for users that select an audio output device different from the "Default Audio Device". Examples of applications that may stop working include Windows Media Player, Realtek HD Audio Manager, and the Sound Blaster Control Panel.
• Includes a fix for Game Mode that ensures the feature will no longer impact your experiences when using the industry's top streaming and recording software.
• Enables activation of insider builds of Windows 10 Enterprise for Virtual Desktops in Microsoft Azure. Microsoft Azure is the only tested and supported platform to host Windows 10 Enterprise for Virtual Desktops, which is a key part of Windows Virtual Desktop.
• Addresses an issue that may cause the loss of Favorites or the Reading List in Microsoft Edge after updating the operating system.
• Addresses an issue that causes Internet Explorer to randomly stop working while browsing.
• Addresses an issue with scrolling ActiveX content in a window in Internet Explorer 11 during a user-triggered scroll operation.
• Addresses an issue that prevents the operating system from loading new icon files if it encounters a badly formatted icon file.
• Updates time zone information for São Tomé and Príncipe.
• Updates time zone information for Kazakhstan.
• Updates time zone information for Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• Addresses an issue that prevents the "Turn off app notifications on the lock screen" policy from working. The path is "Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Logo".
• Addresses an issue in which the graphics device interface (GDI) DeleteObject() may cause the calling process to stop working when both of the following conditions are true:
  • The calling process is a WOW64 process that handles memory addresses larger than 2 GB.
  • The DeleteObject() is called with a device context that is compatible with a printer device context.
• Addresses an issue that prevents applications and callers from connecting to destination endpoints when they use network interfaces that don't have a default gateway. This issue affects the following:
  • Internet access fails on devices with DSL modems and PPPoE dial-up Internet connections (commonly used with DSL modems).
  • Modern and Microsoft Store apps behave as if there is no Internet access on devices with DSL modems.
  • Web browsers and Win32 applications that are connected to the Internet are not affected by this issue.
• Addresses an issue that causes Windows to reuse an expired Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) lease if the lease expired while the OS was shutdown.
• Addresses an issue that causes the RemoteApp window to come to the foreground and to always remain active after closing a window.
• Addresses an issue that prevents the authentication credentials dialog from appearing when an enterprise web server attempts to connect to the Internet.
• Addresses an issue that may prevent Modern apps icons from appearing in the Taskbar and the Task Switcher during a RemoteApps connection.
• Addresses an issue that causes certain Microsoft Store applications to fail to launch or stop working, including WeChat on the Universal Windows Platform (UWP).
• Addresses an issue that fails to register USB cameras correctly for Windows Hello after the out of box experience (OOBE) setup.
• Adds a new Group Policy setting called "Enable Windows to soft-disconnect a computer from a network". This determines how Windows will disconnect a computer from a network when it determines that the computer should no longer be connected to the network.
  • If enabled, Windows will soft-disconnect (disconnection is not immediate or abrupt) a computer from a network.
  • If disabled, Windows disconnects a computer from a network immediately.
  • If not configured, the default behavior is soft-disconnect. For more information about soft-disconnect, see Understanding and configuring Windows Connection Manager.
  • Path: Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Network\Windows Connection Manager
• Addresses an issue that prevents a virtual smart card from starting when running in conjunction with Citrix 7.15.2000 Workstation VDA software.
• Addresses an issue that prevents users from configuring their screens for high-dynamic-range (HDR) video playback.
• Addresses an issue with the Windows lock screen that prevents users from unlocking a device after multiple smart card users have used the same device. This issue occurs when you attempt to use a workstation that another user has locked.
• Addresses a memory leak that occurs when a system processes logon sessions.
• Addresses an issue that causes Always-On VPN exclusion routes to only work for link-local exclusions.
• Addresses an issue that causes certificate renewal to fail when using CERT_RENEWAL_PROP_ID with the ICertPropertyRenewal interface.
• Addresses an issue that mutes the sound of single-use applications, typically used in kiosk scenarios, after the system resumes from Sleep.
• Addresses an issue to meet GB18030 certificate requirements.
• Addresses an issue that slows server performance or causes the server to stop responding because of numerous Windows firewall rules. To enable this solution, use regedit to modify the following and set it to 1:
  • Type: "DeleteUserAppContainersOnLogoff" (DWORD)
  • Path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy
• Addresses an issue that prevents the decryption of data using Windows 10, version 1703 or later versions of Windows. This issue occurs if you encrypted that data using DPAPI-NG or a group-protected PFX file on Windows 10, version 1607, Windows Server 2016, or earlier versions of Windows.
• Addresses an issue with evaluating the compatibility status of the Windows ecosystem to help ensure application and device compatibility for all updates to Windows.
• Addresses minor issues with unknown options (unknown OPT) in the Extension Mechanisms for DNS (EDNS) for the Windows DNS Server role.
• Addresses a timing issue that may result in an access violation when configuring Switch Embedded Teaming (SET).
• Addresses an issue with the Remove-StoragePool PowerShell cmdlet that fails to clear pool metadata on NVDIMM physical disks.
• Enables X2APIC support for AMD platforms to support 256 or more logical processors on Windows Server 2019.
• Addresses an issue that prevents date parsers from converting future and past dates (Gregorian and Japanese) in compound documents (formerly OLE) to a relevant Japanese Era date. For more information, see KB4469068.
• Addresses an issue that prevents users from enabling gan-nen support for the Japanese Era. For more information, see KB4469068.

If you want to grab this update, it should be available via Windows Update now. Otherwise, expect these fixes to roll out alongside whatever else Microsoft has in store for Patch Tuesday next week as well.

Microsoft is largely expected to release its next major Windows 10 feature update in the coming weeks, but the previous release has only managed to break through a small portion of the market, according to the latest report from AdDuplex. During the month of March, AdDuplex reports that the Windows 10 October 2018 Update managed to reach 26.4 percent of Windows 10 PCs, jumping just over five percentage points from where it stood in February.

The Windows 10 April 2018 Update still retains the lion's share of the spread, coming in a 66.3 percent of Windows 10 PCs. Given that the October 2018 Update's launch issues and that it only reached full availability in December, it wasn't surprising to see a slower rollout than previous updates, but it's interesting that its share of the Windows 10 space remains so low compared to other updates at this point in their lifecycle.

Following up on the April 2018 Update is the Fall Creators Update with a 3.5 percent share, with PCs on the Creators Update and older making up a combined 3.4 percent share. Windows Insiders on the 19H1 preview builds take a 0.4 percent share.

As with all of AdDuplex's reports, it's worth noting that the data is based on a sample of 5,000 apps that use its SDK. The data was analyzed on March 26 from a survey of more than 100,000 PCs, AdDuplex says. Real figures likely differ, but AdDuplex's monthly reports are a useful tool for gathering a baseline for the spread of each update.

Right on time, Microsoft is shipping its latest batch of "Patch Tuesday" updates for supported versions of Windows 10. The cumulative updates, which deliver security improvements and bug fixes, are now rolling out for Windows 10 PCs on the October 2018 Update and older.

Here's what's fixed for PCs on the October 2018 Update with KB4489899 (build 17763.379):

• Addresses an issue in Microsoft HoloLens with tracking and device calibration that has affected some users. You may notice improvement 10-15 minutes after installing this update, but we recommend resetting the holograms for best results.
• Addresses an issue that may cause users to receive "Error 1309" while installing or uninstalling certain types of MSI and MSP files.
• Addresses an issue that may degrade graphics and mouse performance with desktop gaming when playing certain games, such as Destiny 2, after installing KB4482887.
• Security updates to Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows Shell, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Windows Kernel-Mode Drivers, Windows Server, Windows Linux, Windows Hyper-V, Windows Datacenter Networking, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Wireless Networking, the Microsoft JET Database Engine, Windows Kernel, Windows, and Windows Fundamentals.

If your PC is still on the April 2018 Update, you'll snag KB4489868 (build 17134.648) with the following two fixes:

• Addresses an issue that may cause users to receive "Error 1309" while installing or uninstalling certain types of MSI and MSP files.
• Security updates to Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows Shell, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Wireless Networking, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Hyper-V, Windows Server, Windows Linux, Window Kernel, Windows MSXML, and the Microsoft JET Database Engine.

The updates rolling out for the Fall Creators Update and Creators Update contains a similar set of fixes as the April 2018 Update, but you can check out the full rundown at Microsoft's support site.

If you're ready to pick up the latest updates, you can hit up Windows Update now to grab all of the fixes they have in store.

We're just over two weeks past the last round of Windows 10 "Patch Tuesday" updates, but Microsoft is shipping out another round for October 2018 Update PCs today. As is the case with these updates, there aren't ny new features to check out. Instead, you'll find a long list of fixes.

Today's release moves the build number up to 17763.348 and includes the following fixes:

• Enables "Retpoline" for Windows on certain devices, which may improve performance of Spectre variant 2 mitigations (CVE-2017-5715). For more information, see our blog post, "Mitigating Spectre variant 2 with Retpoline on Windows".
• Addresses an issue that may cause the Action Center to suddenly appear on the wrong side of the screen before appearing on the correct side.
• Addresses an issue that may fail to save some inked content in a PDF in Microsoft Edge. This occurs if you erased some ink quickly after starting the inking session and then added more ink.
• Addresses an issue that displays the media type as "Unknown" in the Server Manager for storage class memory (SCM) disks.
• Addresses an issue with Remote Desktop access to Hyper-V Server 2019.
• Addresses an issue that causes the republication BranchCache to take more space than it's been assigned.
• Addresses a performance issue when establishing a Remote Desktop connection from a web Remote Desktop client to Windows Server 2019.
• Addresses a reliability issue that may cause the screen to remain black after resuming from Sleep if you close a laptop lid while disconnecting the laptop from a docking station.
• Addresses an issue that causes the overwriting of file on a shared folder to fail because of an Access Denied error. This issue occurs when a filter driver is installed.
• Enables peripheral role support for some Bluetooth radios.
• Addresses an issue that may cause printing to PDF to fail during a Remote Desktop session. This issue occurs while attempting to save the file and redirect drives from the client system.
• Addresses a reliability issue that may cause the main laptop screen to flash when resuming from Sleep. This issue occurs if the laptop is connected to a docking station that has an indirect display.
• Addresses an issue that displays a black screen and causes a Remote Desktop session to stop responding when using certain VPN connections.
• Updates time zone information for Chile.
• Addresses an issue that fails to register USB cameras correctly for Windows Hello after the out of box experience (OOBE) setup.
• Addresses an issue that prevents the Microsoft enhanced Point and Print compatibility driver from installing on Windows 7 clients.
• Addresses an issue that causes Termservice to stop working when Remote Desktop is configured to use a hardware encoder for Advanced Video Coding (AVC).
• Addresses an issue that locks a user account when you move applications to a shared platform using App-V. Improves the reliability of the UE-VAppmonitor.
• Addresses an issue that prevents App-V applications from starting and generates error 0xc0000225 in the log. Set the following DWORD to customize the maximum time for the driver to wait for a volume to be available:"HKLM\Software\Microsoft\AppV\MAV\Configuration\MaxAttachWaitTimeInMilliseconds".
• Addresses an issue with evaluating the compatibility status of the Windows ecosystem to help ensure application and device compatibility for all updates to Windows.
• Addresses an issue that may prevent some applications from displaying the Help (F1) window correctly.
• Addresses an issue that causes flickering of the desktop and taskbar on Windows Server 2019 Terminal Server after using the User Profile Disk setup.
• Addresses an issue that fails to update a user hive when you publish an optional package in a Connection Group after the Connection Group was previously published.
• Improves performance related to case-insensitive string comparison functions such as _stricmp() in the Universal C Runtime.
• Addresses a compatibility issue with parsing and playback of certain MP4 content.
• Addresses an issue that occurs with the Internet Explorer proxy setting and the out of box experience (OOBE) setup. The initial logon stops responding after Sysprep.
• Addresses an issue in which the desktop lock screen image set by a Group Policy will not update if the image is older than or has the same name as the previous image.
• Addresses an issue in which the desktop wallpaper image set by a Group Policy will not update if the image has the same name as the previous image.
• Addresses an issue that causes the TabTip.exe touchscreen keyboard to stop working in certain conditions. This issue occurs when you use the keyboard in a kiosk scenario after replacing the default shell.
• Addresses an issue that may cause the new Miracast connection banner to remain open after a connection is closed.
• Addresses an issue that may cause virtual disks to go offline when upgrading a 2-node Storage Space Direct (S2D) cluster from Windows Server 2016 to Windows Server 2019.
• Addresses an issue that fails to recognize the first character of the Japanese Era name as an abbreviation and may cause date parsing issues.
• Addresses an issue that may prevent Internet Explorer from loading images that have a backslash () in their relative source path.

For PCs on the October 2018 Update, you can grab these fixes now by checking Windows Update.

As we inch closer to the release of Microsoft's next major update to Windows 10, the last update still appears to be rolling out at a relative crawl. According to the latest monthly report from AdDuplex, the October 2018 Update is now on 21.2 percent of Windows 10 PCs, marking a significant uptick from the 12.4 percent coverage AdDuplex reported in January but still paling in comparison to other updates at this point in their rollouts.

Overall, the October 2018 Update is still dwarfed by its predecessor, the April 2018 Update, which comes in with a 71.6 percent share. Given the October 2018 Update's rocky launch, that's not entirely surprising; the update only reached full availability in December and began its automatic phased rollout in January.

Rounding out the list are the Fall Creators Update with a 3.7 percent share, while the Creators Update and older have been grouped together with a 3.2 percent share. Lastly, Windows Insiders testing the next update, 19H1, made up 0.2 percent of PCs surveyed by AdDuplex.

It's worth remembering AdDuplex's reports are based on a collection of around 5,000 Microsoft Store apps that use its SDK. The numbers are useful for tracking trends in the overall rollout of updates, but actual numbers likely differ. February's numbers are based on a survey of around 100,000 PCs and they were collected on February 25.

Today marks the second Tuesday of February, which means it's time for another batch of "Patch Tuesday" updates from Microsoft. The cumulative updates are now rolling out for Windows 10 PCs on the October 2018 Update and older, bringing along a healthy dose of bug and security fixes.

Here's a look at what's fixed for PCs on the October 2018 Update with KB4487044 (build 17763.316):

• Addresses an issue that fails to set the LmCompatibilityLevel value correctly. LmCompatibilityLevel specifies the authentication mode and session security.
• Addresses an issue that may prevent applications that use a Microsoft Jet database with the Microsoft Access 97 file format from opening. This issue occurs if the database has column names greater than 32 characters. The database fails to open with the error, "Unrecognized Database Format".
• Addresses an issue that causes the Windows Hello for Business Hybrid Key Trust deployment sign-in to fail if Windows 2019 Server domain controllers (DC) are used for authentication. The error is, "That option is temporarily unavailable. For now, please use a different method to sign in". If Active Directory (AD) activity tracing is enabled, a Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) exception may occur in the Windows 2019 DC when processing a user's sign in.
• Addresses an issue in Microsoft HoloLens that allows users to bypass the lock screen sign in process in some work flows.
• Security updates to Microsoft Scripting Engine, Microsoft Edge, Windows Server, the Microsoft JET Database Engine, Internet Explorer, Windows Wireless Networking, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Graphics, and Windows App Platform and Frameworks.

If you're on the April 2018 Update, you'll find the following fixes with KB4487017 (build 17134.590):

• Addresses an issue that fails to set the LmCompatibilityLevel value correctly. LmCompatibilityLevel specifies the authentication mode and session security.
• Addresses an issue that may prevent applications that use a Microsoft Jet database with the Microsoft Access 97 file format from opening. This issue occurs if the database has column names greater than 32 characters. The database fails to open with the error, "Unrecognized Database Format".
• Adds top-level domain support to HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) Preload for Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer 11.
• Addresses an issue that prevents Microsoft Edge from connecting using an IP address.
• Security updates to Microsoft Scripting Engine, Internet Explorer, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Windows Graphics, Windows Input and Composition, Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Server, and the Microsoft JET Database Engine.

The release notes for the Fall Creators Update and Creators Update are identical to the above notes for the April 2018 Update.

For the full list of release notes, along with any known issues that are present with each update, you can check out Microsoft's support site for more. Otherwise, each batch of cumulative updates should be available to snag now via Windows Update.

We're just three months away from when the next major Windows 10 feature update is expected to launch, but it appears the last update is still barely making a dent with its rollout. According to the latest monthly report from AdDuplex, the October 2018 Update is now on just over 12 percent of Windows 10 PCs.

That's dwarfed by the dominance of the April 2018 Update, which is still sitting pretty at around 80 percent coverage. Still, it's nearly double where the October 2018 Update sat in December, and it comes following an especially rocky launch, causing Microsoft to slow things down. The update only reached full availability in December before beginning its automatic phased rollout last week.

Other Windows 10 versions still making an appearance on the charts include the Fall Creators Update at four percent, the Creators Update at 1.4 percent, and the Anniversary Update at 1.2 percent. All preceding versions are significantly under one percent.

As with previous reports, AdDuplex's numbers are based on a collection of around 5,000 Microsoft Store apps that use its SDK. While they're useful for tracking trends, actual real-world numbers likely differ.

Cumulative updates from Microsoft are practically a weekly occurance nowadays, and that holds true for this week. On January 22, Microsoft began shipping out another cumulative update for Windows 10 October 2018 Update PCs, bringing along a number of fixes to check out.

Here's a look at what's included in this week's update:

• Addresses an issue that may cause Microsoft Edge to stop working with certain display drivers.
• Addresses an issue that may cause third-party applications to have difficulty authenticating hotspots.
• Addresses an issue that causes promotions of non-root domains to fail with the error, "The replication operation encountered a database error." The issue occurs in Active Directory forests in which optional features like Active Directory recycle have been enabled.
• Addresses an issue related to the date format for the Japanese era calendar. For more information, see KB4469068.
• Addresses a compatibility issue with AMD R600 and R700 display chipsets.
• Addresses an audio compatibility issue when playing newer games with 3D Spatial Audio mode enabled through multichannel audio devices or Windows Sonic for Headphones.
• Addresses an issue that may cause audio playback to stop responding when playing Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC) audio content after using a Seek operation such as rewind.
• Addresses an issue that allows users to uninstall apps from the Start menu when the "Prevent users from uninstalling applications from Start menu" group policy is set.
• Addresses an issue that causes File Explorer to stop working when you click the Turn On button for the timeline feature. This issue occurs when the "Allow upload of user activities" group policy is disabled.
• Addresses an issue that prevents users from installing a Local Experience Pack from the Microsoft Store when that language is already set as the active Windows display language.
• Addresses an issue that causes some symbols to appear in a square box on a text control.
• Addresses an issue with two-way audio that occurs during phone calls for some Bluetooth headsets.
• Addresses an issue that may turn off TCP Fast Open by default on some systems.
• Addresses an issue that may cause applications to lose IPv4 connectivity when IPv6 is unbound.
• Addresses an issue on Windows Server 2019 that may break connectivity on guest virtual machines (VMs) when applications inject the low-resource flag on packets.
• Addresses an issue that occurs if you create a page file on a drive with FILE_PORTABLE_DEVICE characteristics. The "Windows created a temporary warning" message appears.
• Addresses an issue that causes Remote Desktop Services to stop accepting connections after accepting several connections.
• Addresses an issue in Windows Server 2019 that causes a Hyper-V VM to remain at the bootloader screen for OS selection when restarting the machine. This issue occurs when Virtual Machine Connection (VMConnect) is attached.
• Addresses an issue with rendering of end-user-defined characters (EUDC) in Microsoft Edge. Updates the Ltotape.sys driver to add native support for Linear Tape-Open 8 (LTO-8) tape drives.

This week's update is rolling out as KB4476976 and pushes the build number up to 17763.292. If your PC is on the October 2018 Update, you should be able to grab this update now via Windows Update. For more, including a full list of known issues, check out more at Microsoft's support site.

Months after making the Windows 10 October 2018 Update initially available, Microsoft has started its automatic phased rollout through Windows Update.

Microsoft updated its October 2018 Update support page (via Windows Latest) on January 16 to note that the phased rollout has begun, with the initial focus on machines that are expected to have the best experience. From Microsoft:

The update remains fully available for anyone who manually selects "Check for updates" in Windows Update. Microsoft made that move in December, more than two months after the October 2018 Update was initially released, and subsequently pulled following the discovery of a major file deletion bug.

This week's start of the phased automatic rollout simply means that those who don't regularly make a habit of manually checking for updates will now be offered the October 2018 Update.

While Microsoft has fixed a number of issues that the October 2018 Update initially struggled with, it is still enforcing a few upgrade blocks, which have been in place for some time. Lingering issues with certain new Intel display drivers, F5 VPN clients, Trend Micro software, and unsupported AMD Radeon GPUs, have all caused Microsoft to block the October 2018 Update on machines using that software or hardware. The company is still looking into several of the issues, but you can keep an eye on their status and potential workarounds at the October 2018 Update support page.

We've reached the second Tuesday of January, and that means it's time for another round of "Patch Tuesday" updates from Microsoft. The monthly cumulative updates are now rolling out for versions of Windows 10 from the October 2018 Update and older, bringing a number of fixes to the fore.

Here's a look at what's new for PCs on the October 2018 Update:

• Addresses a security vulnerability in session isolation that affects PowerShell remote endpoints. By default, PowerShell remoting only works with administrator accounts, but can be configured to work with non-administrator accounts. Starting with this release, you cannot configure PowerShell remote endpoints to work with non-administrator accounts. When attempting to use a non-administrator account, the following error will appear:
• "New-PSSession: [computerName] Connecting to remote server localhost failed with the following error message: The WSMan service could not launch a host process to process the given request. Make sure the WSMan provider host server and proxy are properly registered. For more information, see the about_Remote_Troubleshooting Help topic."
• Addresses an issue in which using esentutl /p to repair a corrupt Extensible Storage Engine (ESE) database results in a mostly empty database. The ESE database is corrupted and cannot be mounted.
• Security updates to Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Windows MSXML, Windows Kernel, Windows Storage and Filesystems, Windows Wireless Networking, Microsoft JET Database Engine, Windows Linux, Windows Virtualization, and the Microsoft Scripting Engine.

The release notes are nearly identical across the April 2018 Update, Fall Creators Update, and Creators Update, covering the first, second, and fourth fixes listed above.

For more, you can check out Microsoft's full release notes. Otherwise, you can grab this month's updates now via Windows Update.

The slow and steady rollout for the Windows 10 October 2018 Update appears to be keeping pace, according to the latest report from AdDuplex. The firm's December report pegs Microsoft's latest feature update at just 6.6 percent of Windows 10 PCs, more than doubling its share over November's numbers, but still remaining in the single digits.

The clear leader remains the Windows 10 April 2018 Update, which comes in at 83.6 percent, while the Fall Creators Update takes the third spot with a 5.7 percent share. Rounding things out are the Creators Update at 1.8 percent, the Anniversary Update at 1.4 percent, and Windows 10 version 1511 at 0.5 percent.

It's not entirely surprising that the October 2018 Update has continued to head out to Windows 10 users at a relatively glacial pace compared to other feature updates. The update experienced its share of issues, initially having to be pulled after a serious file deletion bug was found following its first rollout. Microsoft began pushing the update out once again in November before making it open to everyone who manually checks Windows Update earlier this month. That said, a few upgrade blocks remain in place, slowing the rollout further.

While the October 2018 Update is experiencing a slow roll, AdDuplex had some interesting things to report for Microsoft's latest Surface devices. While the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Pro (2017) still make up the majority share of Surface devices in the wild, the Surface Go and Surface Pro 6 have taken fourth and fifth place at 12.3 percent and 7.8 percent, respectively. The Surface Laptop 2 is still trailing by a significant margin at 1.2 percent.

As always, it's worth remembering that AdDuplex's numbers are based on a collection of about 5,000 Microsoft Store apps that use its SDK. Real-world numbers likely differ, but the firm's monthly reports are a useful guage for marking trends.

The Windows 10 October 2018 Update hit an important milestone this week, becoming available for anyone to manually download via Windows Update. In an update to its support page, Microsoft says the update is now "fully available for advanced users who manually select "Check for updates" via Windows Update."

That said, there are still some Windows 10 users who will be left out in the cold if they attempt to upgrade.

Though Microsoft has resolved a number of the upgrade blocks for the October 2018 Update, it still has four blocks in place for issues related to AMD HD2000 and HD4000 GPUs, Trend Micro software, F5 VPN clients, and "certain new Intel display drivers."

Full availability comes more than two months after the October 2018 Update initially stumbled out of the gate, with a file deletion bug eventually causing Microsoft to stop the rollout. Microsoft began pushing the update out again in November, taking a more deliberate approach.

Microsoft this week is shipping out another cumulative update for the Windows 10 October 2018 Update. Labeled as KB4469342, the update began rolling out on December 5 with a total of 20 fixes, ranging from tweaks to Microsoft Edge to a correction for an issue preventing users from setting Win32 apps as defaults for certain file types.

Here's the full look at what's fixed in KB4469342:

• Addresses an issue in Microsoft Edge with using the drag-and-drop feature to upload folders from the Windows desktop to a file hosting service website, such as Microsoft OneDrive. In some scenarios, files contained in the folders fail to upload, with possibly no error reported on the web page to the user.
• Addresses an issue that degrades Internet Explorer performance when you use roaming profiles or you don't use the Microsoft Compatibility List.
• Addresses updated time zone information for Fiji.
• Addresses time zone changes for Moroccan daylight standard time.
• Addresses time zone changes for Russian daylight standard time.
• Addresses an issue that causes display settings to stop working when changing a multi-monitor configuration.
• Addresses an issue that displays a black screen on some servers when waking a display from sleep.
• Addresses an issue with long delays in taking a photo when using the Camera app in certain lighting conditions.
• Addresses an issue that prevents live TV Hulu content from playing in Microsoft Edge; instead, a black screen appears.
• Addresses an issue that stops Bluetooth® headsets from receiving audio input after several minutes of listening.
• Addresses an issue that causes the Brightness slider preference to be reset to 50% when the device restarts.
• Addresses an issue with the OEM manufacturing processes when running sysprep /generalize.
• Addresses an issue with Microsoft Intune that causes devices to be incorrectly marked as not compliant because a firewall incorrectly returns a 'Poor' status. As a result, the affected devices will not receive conditional access compliance approval and may be blocked from access to corporate resources such as email.
• Addresses a performance issue with vSwitch on network interface cards (NIC) that do not support Large Send Offload (LSO) and Checksum Offload (CSO).
• Updates the Wi-Fi policy for service set identifier (SSID) filtering to avoid filtering out Wi-Fi Direct devices.
• Addresses an issue that causes rasman.exe to stop responding.
• Addresses an issue in which regedit.exe fails to add double null terminator to REG_MULTI_SZ values in the Windows registry. The missing terminator may prevent services and applications from reading REG_MULTI_SZ values that regedit.exe adds after installing the operating system.
• Addresses an issue with RemoteApp visibility that may cause the main window to disappear until the user clicks the screen.
• Addresses an issue that prevents some users from setting Win32 program defaults for certain app and file type combinations using the Open with… command or Settings > Apps > Default apps.
• Addresses an issue that may cause mapped drives to fail to reconnect after starting and logging onto a Windows device.

There are two known issues to be aware of with this update as well. The seek bar in Windows Media Player may not work with "specific files," but Microsoft is promising a fix will be available in mid-December.Microsoft Edge may also crash or hang while playing a video on PCs with NVIDIA graphics, but NVIDIA has released an updated driver that corrects the issue.

Intel this week announced that, starting this month, it will begin distributing drivers for its products as "modern" Universal Windows Drivers (via Neowin). This is a requirement for devices on the Windows 10 October 2018 Update and later, and Intel is getting started with a new set of graphics drivers.

Universal Windows Drivers, as described by Microsoft, give developers a way to create one driver package that can run on "different device types, from embedded systems to tablets and desktop PCs." The new driver packages will be able to run across all Windows 10 editions, including Windows 10 in S Mode.

Going forward, Intel will only release updates as Universal Windows Drivers; previous driver releases are now considered to be legacy. Future graphics driver updates will be delivered via Windows Update.

As for the latest driver release, it packs updates to automatic game tuning features, along with newly added support for 12 games. You can find the full release notes at Intel.

For more on the switch to Universal Windows Drivers, you can also check out Intel's dedicated FAQ.

Apple this week updated iCloud for Windows, resolving a stubborn bug that prevented the cloud service from updating and syncing shared albums on the Windows 10 October 2018 Update.

The issue, which was seen with iCloud for Windows version 7.7.0.27, initially caused Microsoft to put an upgrade block in place for PCs that were already running iCloud, preventing them from installing the October 2018 Update.

"To ensure a seamless experience, Microsoft is blocking devices with iCloud for Windows (version 7.7.0.27) software installed from being offered Window 10, version 1809 until this issue has been resolved," the company said at the time.

Microsoft's support page has now been updated to indicate that the issue is now resolved with the release of iCloud for Windows version 7.8.1. Users are encouraged to upgrade to the new version of iCloud before downloading and installing the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, to avoid any issues.

Though the iCloud issue is now resolved, Microsoft still has four upgrade blocks in place. One of the issues is related to Intel display drivers Microsoft says were "inadvertently released," and are causing problems by turning on unsupported features in Windows. Other upgrade blocks in place are related to F5 VPN clients, Trend Micro compatibility issues, and unsupported AMD Radeon GPUs.

Following a rough start, Microsoft is taking it slow with the public rollout of the recently released Windows 10 October 2018 Update, according to the latest monthly report from AdDuplex. In what AdDuplex is dubbing a "cautious release," the it has clocked the October 2018 Update's share of Windows 10 PCs at 2.8 percent following its re-release earlier this month. That's only slightly higher than the 2.3 percent share the update enjoyed in October, not long after it was pulled due to reports of user files being deleted after upgrading.

The other versions of Windows 10 in the wild have seen small fluctuations. The April 2018 Update, for example, is up to 89.5 percent, which is a slight increase over its October position of 88.3 percent. The Fall Creators Update, meanwhile, is down to 3.9 percent, while the Creators Update is sitting at 1.5 percent.

Rounding things out are the Anniversary Update and Windows 10 version 1511, which come in at 1.4 percent and 0.4 percent, respectively. Finally, version 1507 is still managing to hang on by a thread with a 0.2 percent share.

AdDuplex also checked in on the Surface family breakdown, noting a significant bump for the Surface Go. The budget tablet now sits as the fifth most popular Surface device with a 7.25 percent share. The Surface Pro 4 still remains the most popular at just above 25 percent. Surface Pro 6 has already crossed 5 percent, while the Surface Laptop 2 comes in at only 0.77 percent.

Once again, it's worth keeping in mind that AdDuplex's numbers are based on a collection of around 5,000 Microsoft Store apps that use its SDK, so real-world numbers are likely different. It's best to use the firm's monthly reports as a sort of general barometer for the pace of rollout for new Windows 10 releases.

The Windows 10 October 2018 Update finally started making its way back out to the public last week, but it's still experiencing its fair share of issues. One of the latest to crop up is a bug that can cause headaches for iCloud users, preventing Apple's cloud service from updating and syncing shared albums (via Engadget).

The issue is seen with iCloud for Windows version 7.7.0.27, which will also fail to install on PCs running the October 2018 Update. For now, Microsoft has put an upgrade block in place so PCs that are already running iCloud for Windows won't be able to install the October 2018 Update.

Microsoft says it is working with Apple on a version of iCloud that works with the latest Windows 10 release. However, there's no timeline on when to expect the updated iCloud to drop.

The iCloud bug is just one of five known issues with the October 2018 Update, four of which have caused Microsoft to put upgrade blocks in place. This also comes after the update's troubled release, which saw Microsoft pull it in early October after it was discovered that some users' files were going missing after installation.

The Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809) is now available as a manual download, and it's also slowly rolling out through Windows Update automatically.

This is feature update number six available for Windows 10 since its original release in 2015, and while it is significantly smaller than the April 2018 Update, you're getting several new features and a bunch of improvements, including a new dark theme for File Explorer and a new clipboard history that syncs content across devices. The search experience has been refined with a new interface and options, and you're getting two new tools, including Snip & Sketch and Your Phone.

Also, there's a vastly improved version of Microsoft Edge with visual updates and an option to stop websites from playing videos automatically. Windows Defender Security Center becomes Windows Security, and a lot more.

In this Windows 10 guide, we answer the most common questions about installing and getting started with the October 2018 Update.

Windows 10 October 2018 Update

Here's everything that you need to know to start using with the new features available in the new version of Windows 10:

• How to get the Windows 10 October 2018 Update?
• Why isn't my PC getting the Windows 10 October 2018 Update?
• Why am I running out of space after installing the Windows 10 October 2018 Update?
• Is it possible to block the Windows 10 October 2018 Update?
• Are there any problems with the Windows 10 October 2018 Update?
• What are the new changes on the Settings app?
• What are the new improvements added to Microsoft Edge?
• What are the security enhancements on Windows 10 October 2018 Update?
• What new changes have been added to Notepad with the October 2018 Update?
• What's Snip & Sketch, and how do I use it in the Windows 10 October 2018 Update?
• What's new with the clipboard with the Windows 10 October 2018 Update?
• Are there any legacy features getting removed with the October 2018 Update?

How to get the Windows 10 October 2018 Update?

Microsoft has started the gradual rollout of Windows 10 version 1809 to compatible devices, and while there are several ways to install the feature update, it's always recommended to wait until it's available for your device through Windows Update automatically.

If you can't wait (at your own risk), you can use the Media Creation Tool to perform a clean installation or an in-place upgrade.

Alternatively, you can use the Update Assistant tool that works similar to the Media Creation Tool, but it only allows you to do an upgrade.

It's highly recommended to create a backup of your files, as there have been many complaints claiming that the October 2018 Update install process may delete your data during the upgrade.

Why isn't my PC getting the Windows 10 October 2018 Update?

When Microsoft announces the availability of a new version of Windows 10, it doesn't mean that every device will get it on day one, nor does it mean your device is compatible (even if it's already running Windows 10).

If your computer isn't getting the update through Windows Update, it usually means that the Windows 10 October 2018 Update isn't ready for your hardware configuration, or there's a driver or application issue. In addition, it's also possible that the update hasn't arrived because it's not your device's turn as the company rolls out new feature updates slowly and in phases.

Why am I running out of space after installing the Windows 10 October 2018 Update?

As part of the upgrade process, the setup makes a copy of the previous installation in case you need to rollback. As a result, if you're using a device with limited storage, you'll notice that after the upgrade the available storage capacity will significantly be reduced.

If the installation is working correctly, you can delete the previous installation files to reclaim several gigabytes (usually anywhere from 14GB to 20GB).

Is it possible to block the Windows 10 October 2018 Update?

Yes. If you're not comfortable upgrading to the October 2018 Update after the numerous reports of missing files after the upgrade, or because you're not ready for the new version, you can skip the feature update using several methods.

In the case that you're using the professional edition, you can defer the newest feature update up to 16 months using the Windows Update advanced options and selecting the "Semi-Annual" option.

If you're using Windows 10 Home, you won't have the Windows Update or Group Policy options, but you can set your network connection as metered to prevent the update from installing automatically.

Are there any problems with the Windows 10 October 2018 Update?

Although it seems that not everyone is having problems, Windows 10 version 1809 has had its fair share of issues.

For example, hours after the feature update first became available in October, reports started piling up revealing that the upgrade process can delete the user files, including documents, pictures, and videos. However, Microsoft claims it has since resolved that problem.

Other problems include Task Manager not reporting the correct processor usage, issues enabling the dark theme on File Explorer, and Microsoft is currently blocking version 1809 on devices using a range of Intel Display Audio device drivers.

If you're experiencing any issues moving to the new version of Windows 10, check out our extensive field guide with instructions to solve most problems that you may encounter with this new update.

What are the new changes on the Settings app?

As part of the continued effort to deprecate Control Panel, the newest refresh of Windows 10 includes an updated version of the Settings app that introduces new features, tweaks, and ports even more settings from Control Panel.

On the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, alongside the new visual changes, the Settings app include new options, such as an option to adjust video playback according to the lighting around you. The process to set up kiosk mode has been streamlined with a new easy-to-use wizard. And you can enable Typing insights to see how the Microsoft artificial intelligence (AI) has helped you improve your typing.

This guide highlights everything you need to know about the Settings app changes available with the October 2018 Update.

What are the new improvements added to Microsoft Edge?

As with every feature update for Windows 10, in this new release, you'll also find a new version of Microsoft Edge that packs several new features and improvements, including a new main menu design that makes it easier to use and navigate.

There's a brand-new settings experience that includes an extra-wide interface with a new left pane, which you can use to navigate between the new four sections.

It's now possible to stop websites from playing content automatically. You can do this globally or only on those websites you want.

Microsoft Edge introduces a new version of its built-in learning tools to help you improve your reading experience. In addition, there's a new dictionary to look up word definitions while in Reading view, reading an EPUB book, or when working on a PDF file. You can now customize the action buttons that appear next to the address bar, and it's still possible to change the default search engine, but now it's literally the last option you can customize.

What are the security enhancements on Windows 10 October 2018 Update?

The Windows 10 October 2018 Update also includes a few new security enhancements. In addition to "Windows Defender Security Center" getting renamed to "Windows Security," the experience includes some interface tweaks using Fluent Design. A bunch of settings have a better description and have been relocated to make the experience easier to use.

Windows Security also includes improvements for Windows Defender Application Guard, and if you use Controlled folder access, you can now use an option to quickly allow apps that have been recently blocked without having to disable the feature entirely.

What new changes have been added to Notepad with the October 2018 Update?

Alongside this long list of improvements, Windows 10 also introduces an updated version of Notepad. You're not getting a modern version of the note-taking app, but this new version includes some exciting additions, including support for Unix and Linux line endings (LF) and macOS line endings (CR), wraparound for find and replace, and text zoom.

While these are welcome additions, the new End of Line support may not work on every scenario, and for that reason, Windows 10 also includes a method to roll back to the previous experience.

What's Snip & Sketch, and how do I use it in the Windows 10 October 2018 Update?

On Windows 10, you've been able to take screenshots for a long time, but the tool available was old and limited. Starting with the October 2018 Update, you can now use Snip & Sketch (a new app that combines the old Snipping Tool and Screen Sketch) to take and annotate screenshots on your computer without the need of third-party tools.

What's new with the clipboard with the Windows 10 October 2018 Update?

Windows 10 version 1809 also introduces a new clipboard experience that not only keeps track of the text and images that you copy, but you can finally view and paste from the new clipboard history interface. In addition, using the Microsoft cloud, you clipboard history now can sync across devices linked to your Microsoft account.

You can use this guide to learn the steps to enable, manage, sync, and use the cloud clipboard on Windows 10.

Are there any legacy features getting removed with the October 2018 Update?

Yes. Microsoft is not only adding new features and improvements, but it's also doing some house cleaning, which removes and deprecates a bunch of features that have already been replaced by another feature or they're no longer needed.

Starting with the October 2018 Update, Microsoft is removing and no longer maintaining all these features.

If the new feature update is causing any problems, remember that you can use the Windows Central forums to get help. Also, don't forget to check our collection of help articles to get the most out of this new update.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

It's been almost seven months since the last Windows 10 feature update was released to the public, and we're due for another big one. After some early issues, Microsoft today will begin rolling out the Windows 10 October Update to the world again, bringing with it new features, enhancements, and more to millions of Windows 10 PCs.

Microsoft has gotten very good at making sure these big new updates don't change much on the surface, ensuring users won't be freaked out by huge new changes once the update is installed. The changes will only become apparent once you start digging a little bit. On that note, we did some digging to find the most significant new changes and features available in the October 2018 Update.

To be clear, the big issue that caused Microsoft to initially pull the update has been fixed, meaning when the update reaches you, you won't need to worry about losing your files when the update eventually installs itself.

• Video walkthrough
• Desktop and File Explorer
• Cortana and Search
• Your Phone
• Snipping Tool
• Cloud Clipboard
• Microsoft Edge
• Windows Settings
• Miscellaneous
• Conclusion

Video walkthrough

Reading not your thing? Check out our in-depth video walkthrough showcasing all the noteworthy new changes and features in the October 2018 Update.

Windows 10's desktop and File Explorer

Starting with the October 2018 Update, you can now name live folders in the Start menu. In the past, you could not name folders you created in Start. It works just like naming a group of tiles, you drag one tile over another, create the folder, and a text box at the top of the folder gives you an opportunity to name it.

There's also a new context menu design that appears in some apps and text boxes. This is the best take on a context menu Microsoft has ever put into Windows, but unfortunately, it's not the only context menu available in the OS. Microsoft's context menu dilemma still exists, meaning you'll find different context menu designs all across the system when in different apps.

The new context menu is animated and features Acrylic Blur effects that make it look beautiful when opened. The other nice design change with these context menus is that they also feature icons next to all the listed options. I also love how this context menu design provides formatting options when opened in a text field where text supports formatting. So instead of having to remember the different keyboard combinations for making text bold or italicized, you can now right-click and press a button that does it for you.

Microsoft also updated the File Explorer with a new dark mode UI, which brings it in line with other built-in system apps that support dark mode. This is a change you'll appreciate if you use your PC late at night and don't want your retinas burned to a crisp by opening File Explorer to grab a file. This also makes the context menus on the desktop dark, which is a nice touch.

Admittedly, File Explorer's new dark mode is not perfect. I think it looks nice on the surface, but many have expressed their dislike of the different shades of gray used to achieve the dark looks. Some also don't like how the icons appear when dark mode is enabled. I don't have an issue with this. What I do have a problem with is how dark mode isn't consistent across all the inbox apps, and more importantly, how it isn't applied to all of File Explorer.

You'll notice that even with dark mode enabled; there are still several parts of File Explorer that simply aren't dark. The copy dialog, for example, is still blindingly white, as is the file properties window. None of these areas have been themed to match dark mode, making them even more jarring when messing around in the File Explorer with dark mode switched on. I wish Microsoft would have spent more time theming every part of File Explorer with dark mode.

The new context menu design is great, but it's only used sparsely throughout the OS. File Explorer's dark mode is a promising start, but Microsoft needs to do more work to "complete" it.

Windows 10's Cortana and Search

The search user interface is now much wider and emphasizes search over Cortana being a personal assistant. In the previous Windows 10 update, Microsoft outright ripped out the Cortana "glance view" feature, which emphasizes Cortana's virtual assistant side of things over search. In the October 2018 Update, Microsoft is continuing to make Cortana more search orientated.

Now, Cortana's UI is much wider and gives the user the option of searching specific categories within the OS. So upon opening search, you'll find five big boxes that highlight search within Windows. You won't even see the Cortana icon anymore; it's now a search glyph. When searching, you'll be presented with a UI that's split down the middle; on the left are your search results, and on the right are more details about your specific searched file or web result.

I love the new search UI, but unfortunately, it doesn't fix Windows 10's inconsistent search problem, which sees users search for something but have other things come up as results instead. For example, sometimes, the user can search for an app, but instead of that app being the top result, a similar app will be the top result instead. Microsoft is aware of this problem and is working on improving search in a future update.

Below the search categories in Cortana's Home is a bigger emphasis on Timeline. You'll see your last three Timeline activities, allowing you to pick up where you left off straight from search instead of opening Timeline to do it. Below that is Cortana, which suggests commands you can ask at the click of a button. There is not really any Cortana UI in Windows 10 right now, which is weird. For now, though, Cortana's presence in search is very minimal, and rightly so, as many didn't like Cortana's dominance in the search area anyway.

Windows 10's new Your Phone app

Ever since Microsoft gave up on its own mobile platform, the company has been obsessed with ensuring Windows PCs are best friends with Android and iOS. With the October 2018 Update, that effort takes a leap forward as Microsoft begins to integrate your phone with your PC with a new app called "Your Phone."

Microsoft has big ambitions for this app, with the eventual goal of being able to control your Android phone straight from your PC. Right now, it only works with Android phones, but Microsoft promises that iPhone functionality will be coming at some point, albeit in a limited state thanks to Apple's limitations on what third-party developers have access to on iOS.

Using the Your Phone app, Android users can hook up their phones to their PCs and share photos and SMS messages between the devices. This means that you can start and respond to SMS messages you've sent on your phone directly on your PC. The SMS sync capabilities work OK, but it could be faster. It takes a few seconds for messages to come through in the Your Phone app once the text has landed on your phone, and sometimes it can take up to five seconds to send an SMS using the Your Phone app, which makes things feel sluggish.

I've also noticed that sometimes the Your Phone app will stop sending notifications when new SMS messages come through after a period of time, and that the notifications themselves, when they do come through, aren't actionable, meaning I have to open the app to respond to a text rather than just responding to it directly from the notification. These are all issues that can be solved via app updates independently from the OS.

The other Your Phone feature that works right now is the ability to see and share the last 30 photos taken on your phone, directly on your PC. The photos-sync function in Your Phone works way better than it should. Your photos show up as if they are locally available on your device, and you can edit them, share them across apps, and even drag them out of the Your Phone app and into other apps or the desktop. It works like magic and is super simple.

No longer do you have to wait for photos to upload to the cloud before you can download them onto your PC or rely on a cable to plug into your PC so that you can transfer photos to it. It's worth noting as well that the app features a pretty UI, with a straightforward layout with Your Phone's features in the left sidebar and content taking up the rest of the app.

Your Phone in the October 2018 Update is a good start. There is room for improvement, which is likely why Microsoft is still tagging the app as in preview in some areas, but overall, the experience is OK. I am looking forward to Microsoft building upon the foundations it has laid out.

How to setup the Your Phone app

The new Snipping Tool in Windows 10

If you're a fan of screenshotting stuff within Windows 10, Microsoft has reworked that entire experience; gone is the old snipping tool and in its place is a new, universal snipping bar that's accessible using the Windows key, Shift, and S. It simplifies the screenshot experience, providing you with three screenshotting methods: rectangular snip, freeform snip, and full-screen snip.

Once the screenshot is taken, Windows will pop up a notification saying it has automatically been added to your clipboard, meaning you can instantly paste it into a social network, app, or location. But, if you click the notification, it'll take you to a dedicated screenshotting app that allows you to edit it further with ink.

This doesn't replace the straightforward WIN + PrtnScn key combination that takes a full screenshot and puts it on a dedicated screenshots folder in your Picture area. But it does replace the WIN + Shift + S key combination that was used for the old snipping app. You can set the new snipping experience to show up by pressing PrtScn on your keyboard if that's something you'd prefer, which I recommend everyone does as it makes invoking the new snipping bar a lot easier.

Windows 10's new Cloud Clipboard

Microsoft's new clipboard experience in the October 2018 Update is arguably one of this release's biggest new features, even though it's off by default. Microsoft has built a new clipboard history feature into the OS that when enabled will save everything you've copied in a session for pasting later. So, no longer will Windows immediately forget the last thing you copied when you copy something new.

This new clipboard function can be accessed at any time using the WIN + V key combination, and once invoked you will be able to scroll through everything you've copied in that session. In addition to merely remembering everything you've copied, it also has the capability of syncing that copied data to the cloud, allowing you to sync data across all of your devices that are logged in with the same Microsoft Account.

That's where the "Cloud Clipboard" name comes in. If you enable the syncing capabilities in addition to the history function itself, you will be able to copy text and images on one device and paste it on another. Microsoft is aware that some users may not like the idea of syncing everything you copy to the cloud, which is why this functionality is off by default.

Microsoft will also be bringing the Cloud Clipboard to SwiftKey on Android in the future, meaning you'll be able to copy and paste content between not only Windows devices, but your Android devices as well.

The clipboard will only remember what you've copied per session, meaning if you log out or restart your PC, the clipboard will be empty when you log back in. There is a function that allows you to "pin" copied content to the clipboard, however, which will save it permanently until it's unpinned again. Pinning something you've copied will allow you to retain it in the clipboard even after a restart.

The most significant problem with this new feature is that it's utterly undiscoverable unless you've been told it exists. For one, it's off by default, and the switch to turn it on is buried in the Settings app. Even when it's on, there's no real obvious way to invoke it unless you know the key combination. Microsoft really needs to work on making this function more discoverable to users.

How to enable the new Cloud Clipboard feature

Microsoft Edge

As is always the case with a new Windows 10 feature update, Microsoft added new features and improvements to Microsoft Edge. Most of the improvements are under the hood, with the only real differences on the surface being some minor UI changes and behavior tweaks.

Users can now finally customize which buttons show up along the right-hand side of the address bar. Previously, those buttons were inexplicably not customizable, but now, you can change them. You can hide them, or add more. There's also a subtle drop-shadow effect apparent across the tabbed, which is nice.

Microsoft also updated the "Settings and more" menu with an improved UI that also includes icons and reveal effects, which look pretty nice. The settings area itself has also been updated with the same UI you can find in the Hub area, meaning both areas now feature consistent designs that should make things less confusing.

Also new in Edge with the October 2018 Update is the ability to block websites from automatically playing audio or video content.

You can now mute tabs before any audio begins playing, even if there is no audio element on the webpage. Just right-click the tab, and select mute.

The PDF reader has been improved with minor changes, and the PDF icon has been updated with a much nicer looking one. If you tried Edge when Windows 10 first came out and didn't like it, try it again. It's improved two-fold since it's initial debut.

Windows 10 Settings

There are more settings than ever in the Settings app in the Windows 10 October 2018 Update. Microsoft has continued to add more of its legacy Control Panel into Settings, and this time sound settings are the latest to be ported over. You can customize all your system sound settings directly in the Settings app, including setting your default audio source for input and output.

Microsoft added a new "typing insights" feature into the Settings app that will keep track of all your typing habits and data, just like SwiftKey does on iOS and Android. This is off by default, but once enabled, you will see typing statistics such as autocompleted words, suggested words, keystrokes saved, and spelling corrections.

Windows Defender has been renamed to Windows Security in the Settings app, and the Windows Security settings app now features Fluent Design in some areas. Microsoft has also given Delivery Optimization its own category underneath Windows Update. Previously, it was buried within the Windows Update area.

Bluetooth devices will now finally also show you their battery percentages when connected to your device. This is something that was available in the Surface app initially, but it's now built natively into Windows 10.

The Settings app also provides tips and tricks on its homepage and will even suggest questions being commonly asked in the sidebar of specific categories, providing quick and easy answers to those questions.

Lastly, and this is a big one, Windows Update now uses machine learning to determine when the best time is to install a new update. Microsoft continues to try and improve the system behind Windows Update so that it doesn't interrupt your workflow. Machine learning should allow Windows Update to figure out when you are and aren't using the PC, and slot in a good time to alert you that an update is ready. This functionality works in the background and isn't configurable. Since this is the first release to feature such functionality, it's not been tested all that much, so it's too early to determine if the Machine Learning is actually helping.

Miscellaneous changes, improvements, and notables

Game Bar has been updated with a new UI, which looks much cleaner. You can still stream straight to Mixer, and in a future update, Microsoft will be adding performance data to the Game Bar, as well.

The built-in Skype app for Windows 10 has been updated to the same version of Skype for desktop. This is version 8, meaning it comes with the new modern UI and more. In fact, you'll find that the Windows 10 app is faster than the desktop one, thanks to it using React Native.

App windows will no longer feature a colored accent around them by default. Now, the colored border is simply dark grey, which matches the drop-shadow effect behind windows, making for a cleaner UI. You can turn on the colored borders, but otherwise, colored borders are no longer the default behavior.

For reasons unknown, Timeline is still incredibly laggy. Animations are not smooth, and that makes using the feature feel sluggish and broken even on the highest-end PCs. I find that the lag is present mainly on devices with screen resolutions higher than 1080p. Microsoft really needs to fix this.

October 2018 Update final thoughts

The October 2018 Update is not a major release. At this point, that's par for the course when it comes to "Windows as a Service." This is still a great update, though, packing lots of little changes and improvements that make using the OS more pleasant.

As should always be the case with a new release, the October 2018 Update is the best version of Windows 10 yet. It's more refined and well-put together. Microsoft has really nailed making sure these updates don't change everything all at once, as users hate nothing more than coming back to their PC and finding everything has changed.

Pros:

• Cloud Clipboard is awesome.
• Your Phone has potential.
• Edge is really good now.
• Lots of little changes add up.

Cons:

• Buggy at launch.
• Cortana is in limbo.
• Some features are undiscoverable.
• Timeline is (still) laggy.

Microsoft has had a rough month when it comes to quality assurance and Windows 10.

The Windows 10 October 2018 Update was pulled just a few days after it started rolling out officially, after a file deletion bug caused a small percentage of users to lose their entire Documents folders.

Since then, Microsoft has been taking this issue very seriously and wants to inform the world on its approach to quality on Windows 10. In a new blog post from Microsoft's Corporate Vice President for Windows, Michael Fortin, the company goes into extensive detail on how it's using data to improve the overall quality of Windows 10 feature updates.

According to Microsoft, during the last three years, the company has seen the volume of support calls and chats drop, as the amount of Windows 10 users increased, suggesting that each new Windows 10 update is more stable than the previous one. The Windows 10 April 2018 Update has the highest Net Promoter Score of any Windows 10 feature update to date, which further suggests that there are fewer issues for users to deal with as each new Windows 10 update rolls out.

Microsoft also detailed how it tests Windows internally, using "self-hosting" as one major way of ensuring quality. Fortin explained:

Windows Insiders are also a huge part of the testing phase of Windows, and the data provided from Insiders helps Microsoft shape the quality of Windows 10 feature updates. Of course, sometimes issue slip through, as one did with the October 2018 Update, but this is the first (and hopefully last) time this has happened with a major release, and Microsoft is upping its game to ensure it doesn't happen again.

Windows as a Service

The company says that it doesn't ship Windows 10 feature updates like it used to ship old versions of Windows. Windows as a Service allows Microsoft to be more agile when it comes to rolling out feature updates to the world, usually targeting a tiny percentage at first before increasing the number of users after there are no initial launch growing pains found.

Finally, Microsoft promises that it's going to be more transparent when it comes to issues like this. Microsoft is notoriously bad at communicating, which is not good when there is a major issue ongoing with a new version of Windows 10. For example, Microsoft was almost dead silent about the October 2018 Update for almost a month, giving us no information as to what's happening, and when or if it would be made available again.

The October 2018 Update is fixed, and Microsoft is going to extra measures to ensure future Windows 10 feature updates don't roll out with any showstopping bugs. It's apparent that Microsoft is taking this whole thing very seriously, and rightly so. It's unforgivable to ship a version of Windows 10 to the public that has a showstopping bug in it, especially one that was spotted by Insiders beforehand.

The Windows 10 October 2018 Update is rolling out once again for seekers, so if you want the update now, make sure you check for updates in Windows Update.

What are your thoughts on the October 2018 Update debacle? Let us know in the comments.

Starting today, Microsoft is making its Windows 10 October 2018 Update available again to users who wish to download the update as soon as possible. This comes after Microsoft originally pulled the update due to a serious file deletion bug back in early October, which has now been fixed.

Just like last time, the update is only available for "seekers," or people who actively download it themselves, at this time. This means that only those who manually go into Windows Update and press on the "check for updates" button will receive the October 2018 Update, assuming their PC is compatible. Microsoft is doing checks on every PC that requests the update to ensure there are no compatibility issues. If there are, the update will not be offered to you just yet.

John Cable, Microsoft's Director of Program Management, Windows Servicing and Delivery said the following:

Microsoft is taking this rollout very seriously, meaning it will slowly roll out to a wider audience over time. Today, seekers can grab it, and over the next few weeks and month, Microsoft will start automatically informing users that there is a new feature update that is ready to download and install.

The company is ensuring that there are no longer any file deletion bugs that will affect users' data when upgrading from their current version of Windows 10. While this issue only affected a relatively small number of people, it made mainstream news, which likely worried many more users than might have been affected.

Microsoft is also making available Windows Server 2019 once again, along with all other flavors of Windows 10 including IoT, Enterprise, Home, Pro, and Education.

Will you be grabbing the October 2018 Update today? Let us know in the comments.

Windows 10 version 1809 (October 2018 Update) delivers an updated version of Microsoft Edge that introduces a number of improvements, including a new feature to look up definitions for words when reading a document or page without needing to open a new tab.

The new dictionary comes as built into Microsoft Edge, and unlike the Google dictionary extension for Chrome, it's a feature that works while viewing a web page using Reading view, reading an ebook, or working with a PDF file.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to get started with the Edge dictionary available starting with the October 2018 Update.

• How to enable or disable the Microsoft Edge dictionary
• How to use the Microsoft Edge dictionary

How to enable or disable the Microsoft Edge dictionary

On Microsoft Edge, you can decide on which type of content the dictionary is available, or you can disable the feature completely using these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Click the Settings and more button in the top-right corner.
3. Select the Settings option.
4. Click on General.
5. Under "Show definitions inline for," turn on or off the toggle switch to enable or disable the dictionary.

Alternatively, instead of disabling the experience, you can clear the checkbox for the experience that you don't want to have the ability to look up definitions.

How to use the Microsoft Edge dictionary

Using the built-in dictionary on Microsoft Edge is a straightforward process. While viewing a website using Reading view, reading an EPUB book, or working with a PDF file, simply double-click the word to see its definition appear above the selection.

Alongside the definition, you can click the speaker button to hear the pronunciation, and you can click the more option to expand the definition.

This feature is limited to single words, which means that you cannot look up the definition for combinations like "Windows 10." However, you can select a phrase, right-click it, and use the Ask Cortana option.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

The Windows 10 October 2018 Update still hasn't launched officially due to a show stopping bug that has delayed the released by a few weeks. Today, Microsoft has rolled out another patch for Insiders in the Slow and Release Preview rings, bringing further fixes before official rollout begins.

Today's patch brings the October 2018 Update build number to 17763.107, and includes the following changes:

• We fixed the issue where dragging (extracting) files from a .zip file in File Explorer to a write-protected location you don't get a "Do you want to replace these files" prompt and the copy action fails silently.
• We fixed an issue causing roaming profiles to not work correctly.

Microsoft has just one day left before October is over, rending the name "October 2018 Update" somewhat misleading. The company has not said when it will begin rolling the October 2018 Update officially, and judging by how things are going, it won't be happening until the company is sure the update is stable enough for release.

If you can't wait for the official update to hit, you can join the Insider Program's Release Preview ring to get access to the update now. The user data deletion issue has been fixed already, so there's no need to worry about that anymore.

The Windows 10 October 2018 Update has had its share of bugs since it initially rolled out to the public, one of which caused the update to be temporarily pulled while Microsoft fixes a relatively serious file deletion issue. But as some users who already installed the October update before it was pulled have reported, there's another potentially damaging issue related to .Zip files and a missing prompt when overwriting files with duplicate names.

This week, Microsoft acknowledged the Zip issue (via Windows Latest) on its Answers forum, describing it thusly:

According to the post, Microsoft is planning to issue a fix for the underlying problem by "early November." In the meantime, you'll have to handle your .Zip files carefully. The workaround is relatively simple: fully extract the Zip folder before copying files to their final destination.

If you do end up deleting files by accident, there are a couple of ways to recover them. From Microsoft:

Restore files from the Recycle Bin

• Open the Recycle Bin
• Locate item
• Right-click and select Restore.

Restore files from Temporary File Directory

• Open the Run command box by simultaneously pressing Windows logo + R keys.
• Type %temp% and then click OK to open the Temp folder containing temporary files.
• Locate the file or folder. On the ribbon, select Move to and choose a location or folder to move the file into.

Issues like this have led to criticism of Microsoft's testing practices, with some noting that the company should have been able to catch and fix the prominent bugs before release, particularly due to the long testing period each update undergoes with Windows Insiders. Crucially, Microsoft also skipped shipping the October 2018 Update to Release Preview Insiders before its initial public release, which could have acted as a stop-gap for flagging any remaining bugs.

There's still no word on when the October 2018 Update, which is otherwise packed with some solid improvements will resume its public rollout. But, unless something changes, don't expect a fix for the .Zip issue before November.

Windows 10 October 2018 Update review: Little refinements make a big difference

Microsoft today began rolling out Windows 10 October 2018 Update build 17763.104 to Insiders on both the Slow and Release Preview rings. This update is a cumulative one, correcting a handful off issues that still remain present in the October 2018 Update as Microsoft prepares to rerelease the update to the public.

Here's a look at all of what's been fixed:

• We have fixed the issue where the incorrect details were being shown in Task Manager under the "Processes" tab.
• We fixed an issue where in certain cases IME would not work in the first process of a Microsoft Edge user session.
• We fixed an issue where in some cases applications would become unresponsive after resuming from Connected Standby.
• We fixed several issues causing application compatibility problems with 3rd-party antivirus and virtualization products.
• We fixed several issues with driver compatibility.

Microsoft will keep hunting for bugs with Insiders before shipping the October 2018 Update back out to the public. It's possible that build 17763.104 could be the release build, but we could see further updates on the Insider rings if more show-stopping bugs are found.

Since the original release of the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809) on October 2, we've seen numerous reports of issues with the new version, including data loss-related problems, bugs in the user interface, and driver compatibility issues.

In addition to the big pile of reports, many users have also been experiencing network problems with apps. On the official Microsoft forums and across the web, users have been reporting that after upgrading to version 1809, Microsoft Store apps can no longer connect to the internet, even though there's a working network connection and classic desktop program can connect without issues.

Although there could be many factors that contribute to connection problems, in this particular case, it appears that the October 2018 Update is to blame.

The good news is that Microsoft is aware of the issue and eventually a fix will rollout to permanently resolve this connectivity problem. In the meantime, there are a few workarounds that you can try to get apps (for example, Mail and Calendar, Microsoft Store, Edge, and News) working without having to wait for the update.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through three ways to try getting Microsoft Store apps connected to the internet.

• How to switch network profiles on Windows 10
• How to enable Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) on Windows 10
• How to reset network adapters on Windows 10

How to switch network profiles on Windows 10

To get your Microsoft Store apps to connect to the internet after installing the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, you can try switching the network profile from "Private" to "Public" using these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Network & Internet.
3. Click on Status.
4. On the right side, click on the Change connection properties link.

5. Under "Network profile," select the Public profile.

After completing these steps, relaunch the Microsoft Store or Microsoft Edge app to test if the connectivity problem has been resolved.

How to enable IPv6 on Windows 10

Usually, the Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) networking protocol should be enabled by default, but if it was disabled before you installed Windows 10 version 1809, apps may not connect to the internet. Use these steps to make sure the protocol is running on your device:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Network & Internet.
3. Click on Wi-Fi or Ethernet (depending on the connection you're using).
4. On the right side, under "Related settings," click the Change adapter link.

5. Right-click the active network adapter, and select Properties.

6. Under "This connection uses the following items," check the Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) option.

7. Click the OK button

Once you've completed the steps, restart your computer, and then apps you acquired from the Microsoft Store (including the Store itself) should now connect to the internet without problems.

How to reset network adapters on Windows 10

In the case that you've tried both methods above and apps are still unable to connect, you can also try resetting the network components on your device using these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Network & Internet.
3. Click on Status.
4. Click the Network reset link.

5. Click the Reset now button.

6. Click the Yes button.

After completing the steps, all the network adapters installed on your computer will be reinstalled, and their settings will go back to the original state. As a result, depending on your previous network configuration, you may need to reinstall some software (such as virtual switches and VPN clients), and you'll need to reconfigure your wireless connection.

You can also check out our comprehensive guide, which outlines fixes and troubleshooting steps to overcome many of the problems upgrading and using the Windows 10 October 2018 Update.

Are your apps now connecting to the internet? Which method resolve this issue on your device? Tell us in the comments.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden are here with a ton of ground to cover in the Microsoft world. First up, there was data loss in the initial release of Windows 10 October 2018 Update, causing the company to pull it shortly after users reported the problem. Microsoft has been testing fixes and is preparing a "rerelease" of the update.

A patent has been discovered that points to a flexible, single-screen folding Surface device. Whether or not you think foldable display technology is a solution in search of a problem, it's coming. Cortana is reportedly moving from the AI + Research group at Microsoft into the Office team. Additionally, Microsoft has unveiled Xbox Project xCloud — a huge step in offering online streaming of Xbox games, and a sign of things to come for Windows in the future?

Rounding things out, Daniel shares his experiences using the Lenovo 15-inch ThinkPad X1 Extreme laptop, and the HP Omen Mindframe gaming headphones.

This episode of the Windows Central Podcast was recorded on October 12 2018.

Links:

• Microsoft prepares 'rerelease' of the Windows 10 October 2018 Update
• Microsoft testing file deletion fix for Windows 10 October 2018 Update with Insiders
• Microsoft patent points to a flexible, single-screen folding Surface device
• Cortana reportedly moving under the Microsoft Office team's purview
• Microsoft unveils Xbox Project xCloud game streaming
• Lenovo's 15-inch ThinkPad X1 Extreme packs dual SSDs and 4K HDR
• HP OMEN Mindframe review: Gaming headphones that act like refrigerators for your ears

Subscribe to the podcast

• Download directly: Audio
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• Listen via: Windows Central app Windows 10 | Android
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Hosts

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

Make this show great by participating!

Send in your comments, questions, and feedback to:

• Email: wcpodcast@windowscentral.com
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Microsoft has shipped an update for Windows 10 PCs that should fix an issue that caused audio to stop working on PCs after installing Intel Smart Sound Technology driver version 09.21.00.3755.

The issue was the result of the updated Intel driver being sent to some PCs by mistake. After reports began surfacing, Microsoft posted a workaround that involved manually uninstalling the driver. The update released today as KB4468550 (via OnMSFT) will automatically remedy the issue for those affected who haven't already manually uninstalled the driver themselves.

From Microsoft:

Once installed, audio should begin working again, though you may have to restart your PC once the update is applied.

If your PC is affected by the audio issue, you should be able to grab the update via Windows Update now. Alternatively, you can manually download and install the update through the Microsoft Update Catalog.

The October 2018 Update (version 1809) is the second semi-annual feature update and the sixth major refresh for Windows 10 that introduces a new set of improvements and features around productivity, performance, and security, including the highly requested dark theme for File Explorer and new cloud clipboard.

In addition, this release includes two new built-in apps, including Your Phone and Snip & Sketch. Microsoft Edge and Windows Security receive several improvements, and a lot more.

Although this is another significant update designed to improve the overall experience, no every device is upgrading to the new version without stumbling into glitches, as many frustrated users have been reporting many problems with the update.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll highlight some of the complaints users are shouting with the October 2018 Update.

Windows 10 October 2018 Update problems and complaints

Here are some of the most important problems and complaints from users moving to the newest version of Windows 10:

• Install problems with Windows 10 version 1809
• Apps problems with Windows 10 version 1809
• Feature problems with Windows 10 version 1809
• Performance problems with Windows 10 version 1809

Install problems with Windows 10 version 1809

As per usual, the biggest complaints with the Windows 10 October 2018 Update are regarding installation.

Missing files after upgrade fiasco

Although hiccups during the early days of a new version of Windows 10 are expected, nobody expected to click the Install button only to return after the upgrade to find out that their files were completely gone.

Shortly after the company announced the availability of the October update, as manually download, a small number of frustrated users started reporting that the upgrade process deleted their documents, pictures, videos, and other personal files.

At the official Microsoft forums, Robert Ziko reported:

On Reddit, users tksn said:

Also on Reddit, user mrStov3 shared a similar story:

On Windows Central, one of our readers (anon(10531315)) said:

The missing files after upgrading bug is perhaps the biggest and most serious problem found in this new version, and it was so significant that even forced Microsoft to stop the rollout.

Thankfully, the problem now has been fixed, and the October 2018 Update should no longer delete files after the upgrade.

The only caveat is that the fixes will not recover your files. If you upgraded to the October 2018 Update before the fixes were available and your files were deleted, you'll need to contact the company directly at +1-800-MICROSOFT or find a local number in your area. Although the Microsoft support team will help you recover your files, the company will not guarantee that you'll get some or all of your files.

If you're planning to upgrade, make sure to backup your files before proceeding.

Intel Audio device drivers

While there hasn't been a lot of reports, as the new version became available, the Microsoft support website started warning users about a compatibility issue with a "range of Intel Display Audio device drivers," which can cause excessive processor utilization and significantly affect battery life.

According to the company's support site, "if you see a "What needs your attention" notification" when trying to upgrade, and the Intel Display Audio device driver (intcdaud.sys, versions 10.25.0.3 – 10.25.0.8) is installed on your system, you should click the Back button to cancel the installation. Otherwise, you will end up with problems.

If you're unable to get the October update because of this issue, Intel already released an update (version 10.25.0.10) that includes a fix for this compatibility problem.

Slow installation

Although there are a lot of factors that can affect the installation process, several users have been concerned about the time that it takes to install this release.

A Reddit user said:

At the Microsoft forums another user explains a similar scenario:

Apps problems with Windows 10 version 1809

In addition to the installation problems, there has been a lot of complaints about apps breaking, disappearing, or not connecting to the internet.

Microsoft Store apps connectivity

While you can fix most app-related problems by reinstalling the app in question, this time around, after installing the October 2018 Update, many users noticed that apps, such as Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Store, and other modern apps could not connect to the internet even though the device had a working connection to the internet.

On Reddit, user zeroomegazx explained:

At the official Microsoft forums, Gregorc Simon shared a similar story:

On Windows Central, reader Vandrey Trindade explained:

Microsoft hasn't acknowledged these as bugs with the October 2018 Update, but it appears that modern apps, including Microsoft Edge and Microsoft Store, relies on the Transfer Control Protocol / Internet Protocol version 6 (TCP/IPv6), and if this feature is disabled on the device, then apps won't be able to connect to the internet.

In many cases, users also reported that switching the network profile to "Private" to "Public" fixes the issue.

Microsoft Edge favorite syncing

Several users also complained about Microsoft Edge deleting their collection of favorite.

For example, on Reddit, user NyanPoyo reported the following:

In a different thread, user wotmate shares:

Bluetooth notifications

Also, several Windows 10 users have been reporting problems with Bluetooth devices after upgrading to version 1809.

User hasnogames on Reddit said:

User zahaco shared a similar problem:

Other users also complained about Windows 10 unable to display battery percentage for the Xbox Wireless Controller:

Feature problems with Windows 10 version 1809

In the early days of version 1809, a small number of users have also recorded problems with various features, including File Explorer, notifications, Task Manager, and Start menu.

File Explorer dark theme

Perhaps one of the biggest visual changes that you will find with the October 2018 Update is the new dark theme for File Explorer, but it appears that the feature isn't working as expected for many users.

For example, a user on Reddit reports:

User VKorso on Reddit said:

At the official Microsoft forums, user tr3zyy shares:

A lot of frustrated users made their voice heard by simply showing a screenshot of the problem using the dark theme in File Explorer:

Notifications

Another bug that seems to be causing headaches is a problem with the notification mechanism. A lot of users have said that after upgrading to Windows 10 version 1809, they stopped receiving toast notifications and notifications no longer appear in Action Center.

Tailb_Dota on Reddit said:

In a different thread, user chandrashehar_sigh shares a similar story:

In the Microsoft forums, Radek Šamánek shares:

Microsoft hasn't acknowledged a problem with notifications, but some users are suggesting to revise the Background Apps page in the "Privacy" settings section and checking apps you want to receive notifications fixes the problem.

Start menu

The Start menu also seems to have a few issues as several users have noted problems with the user interface and search.

For instance, on Reddit, user PM_COFFEE_TO_ME, posted a screenshot that clearly shows that search is not working as expected.

User PrvRyan also shared another screenshot that shows how Live Tiles overlap when pinned to the Start menu.

Also, at the official Microsoft forums, JoelBoydston1 complains about Start menu settings getting reset after the upgrade.

Disk Cleanup

Although the legacy Disk Cleanup tool doesn't seem to have problems, many people have been reporting potential accidentally file deletion as a result of the utility introducing a new option to delete the contents from the "Downloads" folder.

On Reddit, user wewegoeswild reports:

The Disk Cleanup tool is now a deprecated feature starting with the October 2018 Update, and it's recommended to use Storage sense to free up disk space.

Settings

A small number of people have also complained about the upgrade process deleting their custom settings.

For example, a user from the Microsoft forums reported the following:

Some of the settings that the October 2018 Update deleted, include:

• Task scheduler tasks have been brought back to default values, history has been wiped and turned off.
• All past events viewable through Event Viewer have been wiped.
• System restore has been shut off, and all restore points removed.
• Windows update shows no updates in update history other than "Feature update to Windows 10, version 1809 Successfully installed on ‎03/‎10/‎2018" meaning that all past updates history has been removed.

On Reddit, user wthreex complains:

Although this may seem like a bug (as we've seen reports in the past), in the same thread, another Reddit user suggested that this particular problem could have occurred as a result of a corrupt profile, in which case, Windows 10 ended up applying the default settings.

Also, at the Microsoft forums, user ForsterM shares:

Login

In addition, there have been various complaints filed about users unable to sign in to their account after upgrading to the Windows 10 October 2018 Update.

A user at the Microsoft forums said:

Also, on a different thread, user InformanceICT explains:

Performance problems with Windows 10 version 1809

While most people would expect a new version to perform better than a previous release, some users have been experiencing performance issues after installing the October 2018 Update.

Task Manager

Windows 10 users who recently upgraded to the October 2018 Update quickly started noticing that the Task Manager wasn't displaying accurate processor usage.

On Reddit, user invisiblehacker explained:

User FF-2018, at the official Microsoft forums, reports in more details the same problem:

The good news about this problem is that Microsoft has confirmed that this is a bug with the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, and it's working on a fix.

Gaming

Performance while gaming seems to have affected a few Windows 10 users after upgrading to version 1809.

For example, on Reddit, user gitbotv complained about low frame per second (fps):

Although some other users suggested the problem was a graphics driver related issue, gitbotv said that after playing around with the settings, disabling Game Mode in the Settings app fixed the problem.

In a different conversation, user WhyAaatroxWhy reports:

In the same thread another user shares the same frustration:

Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)

After halting the distribution of the new version, Microsoft released an update to fix the data loss problem, but it appears that cumulative update is causing Blue Screen of Death errors on some devices from HP.

According to Reddit users, update KB4464330 that bumps the version number to build 17763.55 is causing bug checks that are not easy to fix:

The Microsoft forums also includes similar reports:

Wrapping things up

And these are just some of the problems and complains. Across the web, you'll find a lot of reports unveiling other isolated incidents with the October 2018 Update. Again, no everyone is having issues, but it's now becoming evident that Microsoft is having update quality control problems, as the company has millions of people testing pre-releases of Windows 10 and some of these issues could have been prevented.

In the case that the October update isn't available for your device automatically, it's recommended not to install it manually until you know for sure that it's safe to upgrade. You can always block the update using this guide.

If you can't wait, don't forget to create a full backup of your computer or at least a backup of your files before proceeding with the install. In addition, you can also remove apps that may cause conflicts, and disconnecting unnecessary peripherals to prevent problems during the installation.

If you stumble upon issues with version 1809, remember to share them in the comments, or use the Windows Central forums to get help. Also, don't forget to check our comprehensive guide to troubleshoot and fix problems with this update.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

It appears that Microsoft is having some serious update quality control issues these days.

Shortly after the release of the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, users started reporting missing files after the upgrade, which forced the company to stop the distribution of the update. And now some users are reporting (via BleepingComputer) Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors after installing update KB4464330, which is the cumulative update that addresses the data loss problem.

According to several forums posts at the official Microsoft forums and on Reddit, some HP devices are crashing with the WDF_Violation error when trying to install the latest cumulative update. This problem isn't just happening on devices running the October 2018 Update but also on computers running the April 2018 Update (version 1803).

User Mikael Sillman, at the Microsoft forums, also reveals that the support team said that the company is investigating the problem, and it has temporarily paused the update on affected devices. However, if you're having this problem, there's a workaround that seems to be working for some users.

In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the steps to resolve the BSOD crashes after installing the October Patch Tuesday.

How to fix BSOD errors after installing the Windows 10 Patch Tuesday October update

To fix the problem the WDF_Violation error after installing update KB4464330 or KB4462919 on Windows 10, use these steps:

Warning: This isn't an official fix, but it appears that has helped several users to resolve the Blue Screen of Death on HP computers. Use these instructions at your own risk.

1. Start your computer.Quick Tip: If you're starting your device after the crash, it should go straight into Advanced Startup. If this is not the case, as soon as your device goes through the Power-On Self-Test (POST) and the Windows logo appears, press the power button. Repeat this process three times, and then your device should enter into the Advanced startup settings.
2. Click the Advanced startup button.
3. Click the Troubleshoot option.

4. Click on Advanced options.

5. Click the Command Prompt option.

6. Type the following command and press Enter:cd C:\Windows\System32\drivers
7. Type the following command and press Enter:ren HpqKbFiltr.sys HpqKbFiltr.sys.old
8. Type the following command and press Enter:exit

Once you complete these steps, restart your HP computer, and Windows 10 should start booting as expected.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Last week, Microsoft started rolling out its latest version of Windows 10, known as the October 2018 Update, to the public without testing the final bits with Insiders in the Release Preview ring first. As a result, a major issue which saw user data get deleted during the upgrade process from the April 2018 Update to the October 2018 Update was not spotted at large by testers whose job was to test this exact upgrade scenario.

This exact issue had been reported by Insiders months ago, but Microsoft failed to acknowledge it as not enough people reported experiencing the issue. This is because the problem was mostly affecting people upgrading from older builds or the April 2018 Update itself. Insiders upgrading build-over-build were less likely to see the issue at all, which is why most Insiders testing the October 2018 Update didn't report on it.

The problem here is that Microsoft has a dedicated Insider ring that's designed to test upgrading from older builds to the newest one, except this time it didn't use it. The Release Preview has always been the last line of defense for a new major update in testing; rolling it out to more testers, and allowing Microsoft to collect feedback regarding the upgrade process from the last major version of Windows 10 to the newest one. This is where the data loss issue reared its head in most cases.

It's unfortunate that the only time Microsoft decided to skip Release Preview testing, a major issue most apparent when upgrading from the old update to the new one was a serious problem users could face. I just can't understand why Microsoft decided it would be a good idea to skip testing in the final preview ring before rolling out to the public to begin with. Hopefully, this will teach Microsoft not to skip its Release Preview testing in the future.

Luckily, it appears Microsoft has learned its lesson as the company is now using its Release Preview ring as it should; testing the October 2018 Update with a fix for the data loss issue with Release Preview participants. If all goes well, Microsoft will rerelease the October 2018 Update to the public with this specific data loss fix included in the near future, meaning the public can upgrade from the April 2018 Update to the October 2018 Update without worrying about losing any files.

As Microsoft prepares to rerelease the October 2018 Update, it must now convince users that this was a one time issue and that customers can trust it with their data. I've already seen countless people in online forums asking if it's safe to install the latest cumulative update, even though it wasn't a cumulative update that caused the data loss issues to begin with.

Most people don't actually know the difference between a feature update and a cumulative update or security patch. Users just see that Windows Update wants to install something, and they assume it's another one of the same thing. This is why the data loss issue is a serious blow to the reputation of Windows updates, even if it only affected one one-hundredth of one percent of people upgrading, as Microsoft claims.

The average user might have seen all the headlines about the latest Windows 10 update deleting user files recently, and are now wary of anything that comes through Windows Update. This comes at a time in which people aren't happy with Windows updates anyway, as many find that they are intrusive and slow.

I'm sure there will be plenty of discussions internally as to how the company can avoid something like this in the future; many have suggested that the twice a year update cadence is simply too much for Microsoft to be able to maintain quality with. Many at Microsoft argue against this claim, however, stating that two updates a year is actually beneficial for the people working on Windows features, as it means those features get out the door sooner when ready.

Regardless, it's clear that there's a big problem when it comes to assuring quality with Windows 10 released at the moment, and something needs to be done publicly to assure users that change is being made in this area so that future updates aren't as buggy upon release. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.

Starting with the October 2018 Update (version 1809), Windows 10 includes a new version of Microsoft Edge that introduces a slew of improvements and a redesigned visual experience to manage settings. Although the new interface was designed to ease navigation and make settings easier to understand, the new changes seem to make it even harder and more confusing for regular users to change the default search engine to something other than Bing.

The option to set a different search provider is still part of the Advanced settings page, but with the addition of the new pillars and relocating the option to the bottom of the page, it buries the setting even further and makes it literally the last setting you can customize in Microsoft Edge.

In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the steps to change the default search engine on Microsoft Edge to Google (or any other provider) with the settings available starting with the October 2018 Update.

How to search with Google instead of Bing on Microsoft Edge

To change the default search engine on Microsoft Edge, use these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Navigate to Google.com (or the search engine website you prefer).
3. Click the Settings and more button in the top-right.
4. Click the Settings option.

5. Click on Advanced.
6. Under the "Address bar search" section, and click the Change search provider button.

7. Select the Google Search option from the list.

8. Click the Set as default button.

Once you complete these steps, whenever you enter a search query in the address bar, the results will appear using Google's search engine instead of Bing.

Although it's possible to set any search engine you prefer (as long as the provider uses OpenSearch web standard technology), Microsoft Edge seems to be one of the most difficult to configure.

To put it in perspective, other browsers, such as Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, provide clear and direct access to change the search engine within the settings menu and conveniently offer an option to quickly set a different provider without additional steps.

What search engine do you use when using Microsoft Edge? Tell us in the comments.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Microsoft is now testing an updated version of the Windows 10 October 2018 Update that promises to fix a serious issue that led the company to pull the update following its public release last week.

Shortly after the October 2018 Update became available, users began reporting that the upgrade appeared to be deleting files. According to a new post from Microsoft, the issue only affected "one one-hundredth of one percent of version 1809 installs," but it was still a large enough problem to cause the update to be pulled.

Microsoft is working to re-release the October 2018 Update publicly, but it is first testing a new build that it says fixes the file deletion issue. Windows Insiders can get their hands on the updated release starting today, and Microsoft says it will "carefully study the results, feedback, and diagnostic data" from Insiders before continuing the public rollout.

As for the issue itself, Microsoft has filled in some of the technical details concerning what caused the files to go missing:

Correcting the issue required three specific fixes, each of which you can read about in more detail in Microsoft's blog post.

For those who have already been impacted by the issue, Microsoft continues to recommend you contact their support line or bring your PC into a nearby Microsoft Store for servicing.

Though the problem may have affected a relatively low number of users, the result was a gut punch to Microsoft's current update process. Going forward, the company has added a new feature to the Windows Insider Feedback Hub, through which users can flag issues by their impact and severity. "We expect this will allow us to better monitor the most impactful issues even when feedback volume is low," Microsoft says.

Alongside the new features and enhancements, starting with the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, Microsoft Edge introduces several visual refinements, including a redesigned experience to manage the browser settings.

The new experience copies the design available in the Hub with an extra-wide flyout (which you can expand or collapse) that provides faster access to settings. In addition, the new settings are divided into four groups, including General, Privacy & security, Password & autofill, and Advanced, and the options have been reorganized with better descriptions to make them easier to understand and navigate (in most cases).

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to get familiar with the new settings experience on Microsoft Edge starting with the October 2018 Update.

How to navigate and manage settings on Microsoft Edge

Once you install the October 2018 Update, and you need to customize the browser, you'll find a new flyout that includes four pages with these settings.

General

On the General page, you'll find the common settings to customize Microsoft Edge.

Customize

Using the Choose a theme drop-down menu, you can quickly change the look and feel of the browser selecting the dark or light theme.

The Open Microsoft Edge with drop-down menu allows you to decide how you want to start the browser, options which include:

• Start page.
• New tab page.
• Previous page.
• A specific page or pages.

The Open new tabs with drop-down similarly let you customize the experience when creating a new tab. The options available include:

• Top sites and suggested content.
• Top sites.
• A blank page.

If you're just making the switch to Microsoft Edge, you can use the Transfer favorites and other info option to import settings from another browser (Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Firefox) automatically or manually importing an HTML file.

If you use the browser to read books, using these settings you can also export your reading progress, notes, bookmarks, and samples.

The General page also includes a number of options to customize several essential features, including an option to show or hide the favorites bar underneath the address bar and the home button next to the navigation controls, which you can customize to access the start page, new tab page, or a specific website.

The Show definitions inline for is a new option starting with the October 2018 Update, and it controls the new built-in dictionary on Microsoft Edge. Using these settings, you can enable or disable the feature altogether, or decide in which content you can look up words.

Downloads

By default, Microsoft Edge saves your downloads in the "Downloads" folder, but if you want to use a different location, you now have to change this setting using the Choose where to save option.

Account

At the bottom of the page, you'll find the "Account" section that allows you to enable or disable settings syncing across devices.

Privacy & security

On the Privacy & security page, you can control several browsing options that can affect your privacy.

Browsing data

Under the "Browsing data" section, you can use the Clear browsing data option to delete browsing data.

Browsing data you can delete includes:

• Browsing history.
• Cookies and saved website data.
• Cached data and files.
• Tabs.
• Download history.
• Autofill data.
• Passwords.
• Media licenses.
• Website permissions.

You can clear your data manually, or you can turn on the option to delete the browsing history every time you close the browser.

If you read books from the Microsoft Store, you can use the Clear books data to delete information like progress, notes, bookmarks, and samples.

The Cookies drop-down menu allows the control of how websites can store and track information about you. It's usually recommended to allow sites to use cookies, but you can use this option to block all or only third-party cookies.

To access protected content from streaming services, Microsoft Edge includes an option to provide sites an environment to temporarily store protected media along with the corresponding media licenses to make sure that you have the right permission to access the media. If you don't consume protected content, you can turn off the Media licenses option on this page.

Privacy

Under the "Privacy" section, you can now decide whether or not to send Do Not Track requests (off by default).

You can prevent Microsoft Edge from showing search and site suggestions as you type in the address bar as well as search history. (Don't confuse "Show search history" with clearing your browsing data, as this option is only to erase history from your Microsoft account.)

Security

Under the "Security" section, you can now conveniently enable or disable the built-in pop-up blocker and the Windows Defender SmartScreen.

Passwords & autofill

The Passwords & autofill page organizes the settings to control passwords and personal information that is used to fill out online forms automatically.

Using the "Passwords" settings, you can allow or prevent Microsoft Edge from saving passwords for online services. And clicking the Manage passwords button, you can view and edit previously saved passwords.

Using the "Autofill" settings, you can allow or prevent the browser from saving credit card and personal information that you input in online forms.

If you click the Manage forms button, you can view, edit, create new entries, or export saved data from forms.

When clicking the Manage cards button, you can view all the credit or debit cards associated with your Microsoft Account.

If you don't want the browser making available cards from your Microsoft account, just turn off the toggle switch under "Microsoft Pay."

Also, using this page, you can click the Add card button to manually input a new debit or credit card information that you want to use during checkouts.

Advanced

The Advanced page has now been consolidated, and it now includes settings for sites, proxy, apps, and address bar.

Site settings

Under the Site settings section, you can control Adobe Flash settings. However, it's recommended to keep this option disabled as it can turn out to be a security risk.

The Media autoplay is new starting with the October 2018 Update, and it allows you to stop websites from playing media automatically. (You can check out this guide to manage media autoplay on Microsoft Edge.)

Proxy

Under the Proxy section, only contains a link to access the Windows 10 Settings app to configure your device to connect to the internet using another computer.

Open sites with apps

The Open sites with apps section allows you to control which sites can open using their official Microsoft Store apps instead of loading the page — just like in mobile devices.

If you click the Choose which sites open in apps button, it'll open the Settings app, in the "Apps for websites" page, where you can decide which sites should open with their app.

Cortana

The Cortana section includes an option to stop getting Cortana assistance while using Microsoft Edge. (This option should stop the assistant available in the address bar and in the right-context menu.)

Address bar search

Although it's may not be obvious for everyone, the "Address bar search" section includes the settings to change the default search engine.

If you're a Microsoft Edge user, but you prefer a different search engine (let say Google), for some odd reason, you now have to drill-down to the very end of the Advanced settings page, and click the Change search provider button. Then select the search engine from the list, and click the Set as default button to apply the changes.

If you don't see the search engine that you like, open the site in the web browser, and then come back to the Change search engine page to adjust the settings.

Do you think that the new changes will make it easier for users to manage the Microsoft Edge settings? Tell us in the comments.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Alongside the long list of enhancements and features, starting with the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809), Microsoft Edge now allows you to add or remove action buttons that appear next to the address bar.

This means that you no longer have to put up with the "Add notes" button if you don't use Windows Ink on your device, and you can now add shortcuts for faster access to other features, including history, downloads, and others.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll show you the easy steps to add or remove buttons next to the address bar of Microsoft Edge with the options available starting with the October 2018 Update.

How to manage the address bar buttons on Microsoft Edge

To customize the buttons that appear next to the address bar, use these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Click the Settings and more menu button on the top-right corner.
3. Select the Show in toolbar sub-menu.
4. Click the action button that you want to add or remove from the toolbar.

Once you've completed the steps, you may need to repeat the steps to manage additional action buttons in the toolbar.

If you're looking to remove a button for an extension from the toolbar. Right-click the button, and select the Show next to address bar option.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Although it's not advertised, Windows 10 includes AI technology to help you improve your typing efficiency. You can see it in action as you type and the system automatically corrects mistakes in words, offers suggestions to save strokes typing the full word, when getting next word prediction, and more.

Starting with the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809), you can enable the Typing insights feature that allows you to see the number of times AI has helped you when typing using the touch keyboard, and word predictions if you're using a hardware keyboard.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the easy steps to enable or disable Typing insights using the Settings app available with the October 2018 Update or later.

How to enable or disable Typing insights using Settings

To enable or disable Typing insights statistics on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Devices.
3. Click on Typing.
4. Under "How AI has helped you," click the Typing insights option.

5. Turn on or off the Typing insights toggle switch depending on your preference.

Once you've completed the steps, if you enabled the feature, then over time, you can come back to this page to see how Microsoft's AI has been helping you to avoid grammar mistakes and improve your typing efficiency. For example, on this page, you can see the number of times the system helped with word corrections, autocomplete, stroke saves by suggestions, and more.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

On Windows Security (formerly known as Windows Defender Security Center), Controlled folder access is a feature designed to protect your data against ransomware and other dangerous malware.

When enabled, the anti-malware feature monitors the changes that apps make to your documents, and if suspicious behavior is detected, the app gets blocked automatically. The only caveat is that it's not perfect, and it's possible for Controlled folder access to block a trusted application.

To ease this problem, starting with the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809), the feature has updated with a new option to quickly allow recently blocked applications without the need to disable the security feature just because of a false positive.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the easy steps to whitelist app that you trust and were recently blocked by Controlled folder access with the new option available with the October 2018 Update.

How to allow blocked apps by the Windows 10's ransomware protection

To allow apps that were recently blocked by Controlled folder access on Windows Security, use these steps:

1. Open Windows Security.
2. Click on Virus & threat protection.
3. Under "Ransomware protection," click the Manage ransomware protection option.

4. Click the Allow an app through Controlled folder access option.

5. Click the Add an allowed app button.
6. Click the Recently blocked apps option.

7. Click the + (plus) button for the app you trust and want to allow.

8. Click the Close button.

Once you've completed the steps, Controlled folder access will no longer try to block the app you allowed on Windows 10.

If you made a mistake, you can always select the app from the list, and click the Remove button to block it again.

Do you use the ransomware protection available on Windows 10? Let us know in the comments.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

On Windows 10, Assigned Access is a feature that allows network administrators to configure a PC as a kiosk device to serve a specific purpose. Usually, such configuration can be found on a PC in a lobby to allow guests to browse the internet, or on devices that display visual content like digital signs.

When using kiosk mode on Windows 10, the device signs in automatically, and only runs one Microsoft Store app in full screen inside a restricted local user account (above the Lock screen) that prevents anyone from accessing the desktop, switch apps, or change settings.

Although kiosk mode isn't a new feature on Windows 10, starting with the October 2018 Update, Microsoft has redesigned the experience to make it easier for anyone to configure and manage as single-app kiosk machine.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to configure and manage kiosk mode to run a single app in full screen with the settings available starting with the October 2018 Update.

• How to configure kiosk mode on Windows 10
• How to disable kiosk mode on Windows 10

How to configure kiosk mode on Windows 10

To use Assigned access to set up and adjust kiosk mode settings on Windows 10, use these steps:

Setting up kiosk mode

To configure kiosk mode, do the following:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. Click on Family & other users.
4. Under "Set up a kiosk," click the Assigned access button.

5. Click the Get started button.

6. Type a short, but descriptive name for the kiosk account.

7. Click the Next button.
8. Select a Microsoft Store app from the list.Info: We're selecting Microsoft Edge, which includes additional configuration options, but the settings for other apps may be different.

9. Click the Next button.
10. Select the option that suits your environment. (In this guide, we're selecting "As a public browser," to configure a device that will be used by guests to browse the internet.)

11. Click the Next button.
12. Type the web page address you want users to use for the home page, start page, and new tab page.
13. Specify the time before Microsoft Edge restart the InPrivate session if no one is using the device.

14. Click the Next button.
15. Click the Close button.

Once you've completed the steps, restart your computer to start in kiosk mode.

If you want to exit the experience to shutdown or restart the computer, or access an administrator account, you'll need to use the Ctrl + Alt + Del keyboard shortcut to bring up the Lock screen to access the sign-in screen and power options.

Changing settings

If you want to change the kiosk mode settings, using an administrator account, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. Click on Family & other users.
4. Under "Set up a kiosk," click theAssigned access button.

While in the kiosk settings page, you can change a number of settings depending on the application you're using.

If you want to use a different app, under "Kiosk info," do the following:

1. Select the app, and click the Change kiosk app button.

2. Choose another application.
3. Click the Next button.
4. Continue with the on-screen directions to finish setting up the experience.

If the app has configurable settings, you can adjust them within the kiosk setup page. For example, when using Microsoft Edge, you can change the mode and adjust some basic browser settings.

How to disable kiosk mode on Windows 10

If you no longer need to use a PC with kiosk mode, you can remove the experience using an administrator account and these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. Click on Family & other users.
4. Under "Set up a kiosk," click the Assigned access button.

5. Under "Kiosk info," select the account, and click the Remove kiosk button.
6. Click the Remove button.

Once you've completed the steps, the account and any data associated with kiosk mode will be deleted from your device.

Assigned access on Windows 10 is a feature designed to set up kiosk devices on organizations, but anyone can enable and use it to turn, for example, an older machine into a jukebox or a Netflix-only streaming device.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Starting with the October 2018 Update, Windows 10 is modernizing the experience to take screenshots with the new Snip & Sketch app, which combines the legacy Snipping Tool with Screen sketch (previously part of Windows Ink Workspace).

The result is a single experience to take and annotate screenshots of the desktop, apps, and games without the need for third-party tools, and an app that will be frequently updated through the Microsoft Store.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to get started with the new Snip & Sketch app to take screenshots with the October 2018 update.

• How to take screenshots with Snip & Sketch
• How to enable Print Screen button to use Snip & Sketch
• How to edit screenshots with Snip & Sketch

How to take screenshots with Snip & Sketch

Using Snip & Sketch, there are at least three ways to access and take screenshots on Windows 10:

Using Snip & Sketch app

The easiest way to get to the snipping tools is to use the Snip & Sketch app with these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for Snip & Sketch, click the top result to open the experience.
3. Click the New button in the top-left corner.

4. Select the type of snip you want to use, including:
   • Rectangular Clip.
   • Freeform Clip.
   • Fullscreen Clip.

5. Take the screenshot.

Using Action Center quick button

If you want to take a screenshot to paste on a document, you can use the new Screen snip button using these steps:

1. Open Action Center.Quick tip: Use the Windows key + A keyboard shortcut, or click the Action Center button in the notification area to open the experience.
2. Click the Expand button.
3. Click the Screen snip button.

4. Select the type of snip you want to use, including:
   • Rectangular Clip.
   • Freeform Clip.
   • Fullscreen Clip.

5. Take the screenshot.

Using the Print Screen button

If you enabled the option, you can take screenshots on Windows 10 using the Print Screen key.

1. Hit the Print Screen button.Quick Tip: Alternatively, you can use the Windows key + Shift + S shortcut to open the snipping toolbar.
2. Select the type of snip you want to use, including:
   • Rectangular Clip.
   • Freeform Clip.
   • Fullscreen Clip.

3. Take the screenshot.

Unlike using Snip & Sketch app when using the Screen snip button or the Print Screen key, the screenshot will copy to the clipboard. If you want to annotate the snip or save it into a file, you need to click the Snip & Sketch notifications in Action Center.

How to enable Print Screen button to use Snip & Sketch

You can also bring up the screen snipping tool using the Print Screen button on the keyboard, but it's an option that you need to enable manually using these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Ease of Access.
3. Click on Keyboard.
4. Under "Print Screen shortcut," turn on the Use the PrtScn button to open the screen snipping option.

After completing the steps, you can hit the Print Screen key on your keyboard to take screenshots on Windows 10.

How to annotate screenshots with Snip & Sketch

Alongside the ability to quickly take screenshots on Windows 10, the app includes a number of tools to annotate images virtually any way you like.

Once you've taken the screenshot (or you can use the open (folder) button to load an image), the image will open in Snip & Sketch. While in the experience, you can use a number of tools to annotate the screenshot, including ballpoint pen, pencil, and marker. All of which you can click to customize the color and thickness.

In addition, there's an eraser to delete one or all the strokes from the screenshot. You can use the digital ruler to draw straight lines, and there's a cropping tool to trim the excess.

These tools have been designed to work best using a stylus on a touch-enabled device, but they also work with a keyboard and mouse.

On the far-right corner, you'll find the options to save the snip as a PNG file. You can also use the copy button to copy the image to the clipboard, which you can then paste on any document.

Finally, there's the share button that brings up the experience to send the screenshot to another person using email, nearby sharing, or another supported application.

Do you like the new experience to take screenshots on Windows 10? Tell us in the comments.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central