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Windows 10
Windows 10 Apps
New and Improved
Microsoft Teams Store update makes it easier to find relevant apps
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Office for the family
You don't want to miss out on this Microsoft 365 deal + $50 gift card!
The best creative apps
Save 40% on Adobe's Creative Cloud app subscription for Black Friday
Get it done with git
Git client Tower gets a major update for Windows
Sharing is caring
XSplit Capture Beta lets you easily share screenshots and recordings
Antivirus
Digital protection
Black Friday antivirus deal: Norton 360 and AV Plus up to 83% off
stopping viruses
Norton and Avast will merge to create cybersecurity superpower
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Cover your bases
Which Norton 360 tier is right for you?
Windows 10 VPNs
Pure VPN madness
Black Friday's cheapest VPN deal gets you 5 years of protection for $1.13/m
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Huge huge savings
This Black Friday deal takes 88% off a 60-month PureVPN subscription
Free is for me
Best Free VPN Deals for May 2019
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Cover Up
How a VPN can help Xbox users
Secure your NAS
How to set up VPN on Synology NAS
The Best
The best solution for you
Is Office 2021 or Microsoft 365 right for you?
These are the major differences between Office from Microsoft 365 (formerly known as Office 365) and Office 2021, and we help you to decide which one is best for you.
Make it your own
These apps help you customize the look of Windows 11
Windows 11 has a new look, including a new Start menu and redesigned Taskbar. If you don't like the look of Windows 11, you can customize it with these apps.
One box to do it all
The HP Envy 32 is the ultimate all-in-one PC — here's why
If you're taken by the idea of having an all-in-one PC, there's a great selection to choose from. If you're looking for the best of the bunch, check out this little lot before parting with your cash.
No more facebook
Get off WhatsApp forever with these other secure messenger apps
Don't agree with the new terms of service WhatsApp has recently laid out? Don't want Facebook snooping around your business? There are other intuitive messenger services that uphold your privacy, and they're collected right here.
They're both so good
The Surface Pro 8 goes up against the Surface Laptop Studio
Both the Surface Pro 8 and the Surface Laptop Studio look like they're going to be absolutely incredible, but which one should you buy? Here's our take on the matter.
Surface wars
We matched the Surface Pro 8 against the Surface Book 3
The upcoming Surface Pro 8 looks like it's going to be an excellent device, and Microsoft's existing Surface Book 3 is also a fantastic option. But at the end of the day, which one is better? Here's what we think.
Latest Windows 10 Articles
Dev Channel
Windows 11 build 22518 is out in the Dev Channel with new weather button
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It's a Wednesday, which means it's time for Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel to begin downloading a new Windows 11 preview build! Today's build has a new weather widget button on the Taskbar!
New and Improved
Microsoft Teams Store update makes it easier to find relevant apps
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There are over 1,000 apps in the Microsoft Teams Store. An upcoming revamp will make it easier to find the right ones for your business or organization.
Darkpad
New Notepad app with dark mode arrives for Windows 11 Insiders
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Notepad is an app that has been part of Windows for as long as Windows has been a thing, which means it's a big deal when it gets updated. Today, Microsoft is releasing the first preview of a new Notepad app built specifically for Windows 11, featuring a new Fluent design interface that matches the rest of the Windows 11 UI, and finally introducing dark mode alongside it!
punishing pirates
Cryptbot malware punishes pirates that try to avoid Windows license fees
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Malicious attackers are attempting to spread malware through fake versions of the popular pirating software KMSPico. The Cryptpot malware used in the attack can steal credentials from PCs.
Here we go again
Microsoft attracts negative attention in UK due to software bundling
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As part of a mounting series of complaints against Microsoft, the UK is starting to poke around regarding the question of whether Microsoft's software bundling practices have gotten too powerful. The EU has also been urged by companies to keep Microsoft in check.
SPECS
Find out all the RAM specs with these simple commands on Windows 11
In this guide, we'll show you the commands you can use to determine the technical specifications (size, speed, type, form factor, etc.) of the RAM installed on your Windows 11 computer.
Better luck next time
Microsoft needs to step up its Windows 11 Start menu game, say readers
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The Start menu remains one of the most contentious components of Windows 11. Windows Central readers, by and large, still aren't satisfied with it.
a blurry past
Windows Vista lore: Aero effect spotted in Longhorn build from 2003
Software archeologists unearthed what could be the first instances of the Aero blur in Windows. The effect was discovered in a Longhorn build of Windows from 2003.
Starting the debate again
Are Windows 11's new Start menu options good enough to win people over?
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Windows 11's Start menu has been a hot button issue for nerds and Windows enthusiasts since the very first reveal of Microsoft's newest operating system. Now, it seems the company is finally responding to fan feedback and making tweaks... but will they be enough?
Easier on the eyes
Make Windows 11 easier to read with high-contrast themes
In this guide, we'll show you the steps to enable high-contrast mode, as well as the steps to create a custom high-contrast theme on Windows 11.
Going hands-on
Video: Windows 11 improved Start menu, 2D emojis, and updated Settings app
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In our latest hands-on video, our senior editor Zac Bowden takes a look at Windows 11 build 22509. He also rounds up the biggest features to roll out to Insiders since the initial release of the new OS.
Tick Tock
Show multiple clocks on Windows 11
This guide will show you the steps to show multiple clocks from different time zones on Windows 11.
climbing
Windows 11 nears 9% PC user market share as of November 2021
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AdDuplex has been keeping monthly tabs on how the world's Windows 11 migration is going. As expected, the latest iteration of Microsoft's long-running OS continues to gain traction.
Insider build
Windows 11 build 22509 is now rolling out for Insiders in the Dev Channel
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Microsoft is finally adding a more adaptive layout to the Start menu, and bringing back the ability to display the clock on secondary monitors with this week's Insider build!
Play/Stop
Windows 11 has a new Media Player app — here's how to use it.
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In this guide, we'll show you everything you can do with the new Media Player app for Windows 11.
Shared experience
Creating Windows 11 accounts for other people
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This guide will show you the different ways you can create new user accounts to share a Windows 11 device with other people.
Office for the family
You don't want to miss out on this Microsoft 365 deal + $50 gift card!
Microsoft 365 Family effectively replaced the Office 365 family subscription that allowed multiple users access to a single package. It's possible to provide up to six people with a suite of Microsoft apps, including Word, Excel, and Outlook for an entire year at just $100.
a new development
Developers can now download a Windows 11 Enterprise virtual machine
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Microsoft will allow developers to download a Windows 11 Enterprise virtual machine. This tool allows people to start creating Windows applications quickly.
The best creative apps
Save 40% on Adobe's Creative Cloud app subscription for Black Friday
Adobe makes some of the best apps around for creatives, be it photographers, artists, or filmmakers. Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Pro are two big names that make up the impressive Creative Cloud app arsenal, and the subscription is on sale right now with a 40% discount.
you've got options
If you’re still on Windows 10, you have an optional update to pick up
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Microsoft recently released an optional update for Windows 10. Due to the holiday break, there won’t be a preview release in December, making this one of the final Windows 10 updates of the year.
hunting bugs
Researcher discloses Windows bug due to frustration with bounty program
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A researcher recently found and publicly disclosed a vulnerability in Windows 11 and Windows 10. If exploited, the vulnerability allows a user to gain elevated privileges.