Collected Links: Windows 10 Tips

As you come across articles with good tips for Windows 10, add them to this thread. That way, we'll have a collection available in one place.

To start things off, here's a collection by Paul Thurrott:

• Windows 10 Tip: Customize the Start Menu
• Windows 10 Tip: Switch Between Open Apps and Desktops
• Windows 10 Tip: Move Apps Between Multiple Desktops
• Windows 10 Tip: Swap Between Start Menu and Start Screen
• Windows 10 Tip: Colorize the Start Menu

 

[Corrine]

Everyone works differently and has personal preferences. Discover how to personalize the start menu, resize tiles and shortcuts and more: Windows 10 Start Menu Tips, Tricks, More

 

[Jared]

I'm glad to hear some of these changes, it seems to be improving a lot.
So from the looks of it, you can use the metro UI form Windows 8 instead.

 

[Corrine]

Learn about "changes and features that Microsoft hasn’t yet discussed — smart tweaks that, if you’re a mouse-and-keyboard user looking for a reason to upgrade from Windows 7, you will be very pleased with."

Windows 10: The best hidden features, tips, and tricks | ExtremeTech

 

[Corrine]

See how easy it is to select the Start Screen or Start Menu in Windows 10: Windows 10 Start Screen.

 

[Corrine]

Paul Thurrott finally made the change to his website so you can more easily find his articles on Windows 10: http://winsupersite.com/windows/windows-10.

An article from last week provides information on the top feedback submitted to Microsoft on the Technical PReview: Here are the Top User Requests for Windows 10.

 

[Corrine]

Information about the most critical issues and information about Windows 10 Technical Preview at TechNet: Release notes - Windows 10 Technical Preview.

Starting with the first Technical Preview, all updates and improvements are tracked. This includes version information as well as links to KB articles by studio384.be: Windows 10 Changelog.

 

[Corrine]

See OneNote and Mail Updating Errors on Win 10 9879 if you have had problems with the OneNote and Mail, Calendar, and People apps not updating on the latest build 9879 of the Windows 10 Technical Preview.

 

[Corrine]

Fixing Windows 10 Apps that Won't Launch or that Hang on the App's Splash Screen which is from Gabe Aul's post here:

1. Open an Elevated Powershell prompt by pressing the Windows Key, typing Powershell, then pressing Ctrl+Shift+Enter
2. Paste the following command into Powershell and execute it:
   
   Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml"}

 

[Corrine]

Amazing Windows 10 shortcuts to individual Settings

In previous versions of Windows, the Control Panel was used to access all manner of options -- now things are split between the Control Panel and Settings. If there are some settings you change frequently, you can create your own shortcuts to jump to them in a couple of clicks; you can also assign keyboard shortcuts to make things even easier.

Instructions and a helpful list of settings are in the referenced article.

 

[Corrine]

As promised by Ed Bott: How to turn your Windows 10 upgrade files into an ISO disk image. The decrypter referenced in his article is located here: ESD Decrypter 4.7 (esd-decrypter-wimlib-4.7z) (7-Zip needed to decompress) or you can use NTLite as an alternative to convert the .ESD file into a .ISO: https://www.ntlite.com/.

Also note that if you do a clean install of Windows 10 build 10158, you'll need product keys. From Ed's post:

For this build, there's a separate global key for each of the three editions:

Windows 10 Home Insider Preview build 10158 product key:
KTNPV-KTRK4-3RRR8-39X6W-W44T3Windows 10 Pro Insider Preview build 10158 product key:
8N67H-M3CY9-QT7C4-2TR7M-TXYCV
Windows 10 Enterprise Insider Preview build 10158 product key:
CKFK9-QNGF2-D34FM-99QX2-8XC4K

This is the first public release for which you must enter a product key for installation. The key numbers are no longer embedded in the build, and there's no longer a Skip option during a setup from bootable media.

 

[Corrine]

Free eBook from Microsoft Download Center: Exploring Windows 10

 

[Corrine]

New Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows 10

 

[Corrine]

Two articles by Ed Bott explaining the Windows 10 License Terms and Support Life Cycle:

• Microsoft releases new license terms for Windows 10: Biggest surprise? No gotchas
• Microsoft commits to 10-year support lifecycle for Windows 10

From Windows lifecycle fact sheet:

[TABLE="class: table table4Col"]
[TR]
[TH="class: matS"]Client operating systems[/TH]
[TH="class: matS"] Latest update or service pack[/TH]
[TH="class: matS"] End of mainstream support[/TH]
[TH="class: matS"] End of extended support[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] Windows XP [/TD]
[TD] Service Pack 3 [/TD]
[TD] April 14, 2009 [/TD]
[TD] April 8, 2014 [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] Windows Vista [/TD]
[TD] Service Pack 2 [/TD]
[TD] April 10, 2012 [/TD]
[TD] April 11, 2017 [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] Windows 7 * [/TD]
[TD] Service Pack 1 [/TD]
[TD] January 13, 2015 [/TD]
[TD] January 14, 2020 [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] Windows 8 [/TD]
[TD] Windows 8.1 [/TD]
[TD] January 9, 2018 [/TD]
[TD] January 10, 2023 [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD] Windows 10, released in July 2015 ** [/TD]
[TD] N/A [/TD]
[TD] October 13, 2020 [/TD]
[TD] October 14, 2025 [/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

** Updates are cumulative, with each update built upon all of the updates that preceded it. A device needs to install the latest update to remain supported. Updates may include new features, fixes (security and/or non-security), or a combination of both. Not all features in an update will work on all devices. A device may not be able to receive updates if the device hardware is incompatible, lacking current drivers, or otherwise outside of the Original Equipment Manufacturer’s (“OEM”) support period. Update availability may vary, for example by country, region, network connectivity, mobile operator (e.g., for cellular-capable devices), or hardware capabilities (including, e.g., free disk space).

 

[Corrine]

How is this for a review of Windows 10 -- 10,000 words and 7 videos, Windows 10 Review | Windows Central.

 

[Corrine]

 

[Maximum]

Ebook(s):
Introducing Windows 10 for IT Professionals, Preview Edition - Free ebooks from Microsoft Press

Tutorials/Guides:
Disable Start Menu/Enable Start Screen - https://www.techmesto.com/enable-disable-start-menu-screen-windows-10/
How to Change the Login Screen Background on Windows 10 - How to Change the Login Screen Background on Windows 10
How to Clean Install Windows 10 - How to Clean Install Windows 10
How to Disable Bing in the Windows 10 Start Menu - How to Disable Bing in the Windows 10 Start Menu
How to Dual-Boot Windows 10 with Windows 7 or 8 - http://www.howtogeek.com/197647/how-to-dual-boot-windows-10-with-windows-7-or-8/
How to Hide the Cortana Search Box on the Windows 10 Taskbar - http://www.howtogeek.com/208276/how-to-hide-the-cortana-search-box-on-the-windows-10-taskbar/
How to Change Microsoft Edge to Search Google Instead of Bing - http://www.howtogeek.com/221709/how-to-change-your-default-search-engine-in-microsoft-edge/
How to Use and Configure the New Notification Center in Windows 10 - http://www.howtogeek.com/223503/how-to-use-and-configure-the-new-notification-center-in-windows-10/
How to Reset Your Forgotten Password in Windows 10 - http://www.howtogeek.com/222262/how-to-reset-your-forgotten-password-in-windows-10/
Bring The Windows 7 Start Menu to Windows 10 with Classic Shell - http://www.howtogeek.com/223728/bring-the-windows-7-start-menu-to-windows-10-with-classic-shell/
How to Enable Cortana Anywhere in the World on Windows 10 - http://www.howtogeek.com/223259/how-to-enable-cortana-anywhere-in-the-world-on-windows-10/
How to Hide or Delete the Recycle Bin Icon in Windows 7, 8, or 10 - http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/wind...estroy-the-recycle-bin-icon-in-windows-vista/
How to Set Your Default Apps in Windows 10 - http://www.howtogeek.com/223144/how-to-set-your-default-apps-in-windows-10/
What You Need to Know About Windows Update on Windows 10 - http://www.howtogeek.com/223068/what-you-need-to-know-about-windows-update-on-windows-10/
Restore Missing Desktop Icons in Windows 7, 8, or 10 - http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/restore-missing-desktop-icons-in-windows-vista/
How to Enable Windows 10’s Hidden Dark Theme - http://www.howtogeek.com/222614/how-to-enable-windows-10’s-hidden-dark-theme/
List of Windows 10 Tutorials - http://www.windows10update.com/windows-10-tutorials/

 

[Corrine]

If you are still waiting to get the Windows 10 upgrade, here's a collection of major OEMs with links that may be helpful in determining whether your device has been approved by the OEM as supported for Windows 10 upgrade. OEM Supported Systems for Windows 10 Upgrade

 

[Corrine]

Introduction to Windows 10 servicing (Windows)

This article describes the new servicing options available in Windows 10, and how they enable enterprises to keep their devices current with the latest feature upgrades. It also covers related topics, such as how enterprises can make better use of Windows Update, and what the new servicing options mean for support lifecycles.

Note

Several of the figures in this article show multiple feature upgrades of Windows being released by Microsoft over time. Be aware that these figures were created with dates that were chosen for illustrative clarity, not for release roadmap accuracy, and should not be used for planning purposes.

 

[Corrine]

Another article on keyboard shortcuts: 46 Keyboard Shortcuts That Increase Your Productivity In Windows 10.