What Is PFP on TikTok?

Knowing what PFP means is a good first step. In a world where nanoseconds count and exclusivity is a selling point, abbreviations are the norm. PFP is just an abbreviation for profile picture. Yes, it only saves you one syllable.

Why Does My PFP Matter?

It takes up a small part of the screen and the video is the main draw, so why care about my PFP? It comes down to the almighty algorithm. That’s the set of criteria that TikTok uses to determine which videos to put on the ForYouPage (FYP) more often and what content you see.

If your PFP draws just a few more users to like or follow you, you should get featured on the FYP more often. More FYP views translate to more followers. More followers are the point of the attention game, especially if you’re marketing on TikTok. So even the PFP matters.

Why Do Many People Have the Same PFP?

On other social media platforms, like Facebook, people change their profile pic or put it in a frame to promote awareness about a cause or show moral support for a group. That’s often why several people will have the same PFP on their TikTok account too. It’s a way of spreading a meme and following creators with common interests.

You may have seen people change their TikTok PFP to the Black Lives Matter icon or different variations on the Ukrainian flag. The reasons for that are obvious.

There are also a lot of profile photos of BTS, a popular boy band from South Korea, or different anime characters. Those are TikTok users making it easier to find people in the same fandom.

Unfortunately, initials and symbols can be used in PFPs to help other people with less than ethical interests find each other. These PFPs are dog whistles that the public won’t understand but those involved will. Allegedly, a PFP of a monkey signals the user is a pedophile.

What Does the #PFP Hashtag Mean?

It seems weird to have a hashtag for PFPs, but there is a good reason for it. If you search the TikTok app for #PFP or #pfpideas, you’ll find thousands of videos with custom profile photos that you can screenshot or save. Then you can use it as your own.

How Can I Make a PFP That’s Eye-Catching?

TikTok video content is still the most important thing, so don’t put too much time into your TikTok profile picture. But make sure it’s the right size, good quality, and represents you. The TikTok app allows for a variety of image styles and effects. A quick search of the web for PFP ideas or templates will show you what’s possible.

You can make a PFP with a transparent background using one of the Android or iPhone apps in our article about the best tools to remove the background from an image. Or try an animated GIF or video to better show your personality. Of course, you can also change your PFP for special occasions or to increase awareness of a situation or organization.

What’s the Best Size and Quality for a TikTok PFP Image?

Start with a large, high-quality jpg or png. It’s easy to make it smaller and reduce the file size, but you can’t make a small, low-quality image better. The finished image should be 200 x 200 pixels and in a 1:1 ratio, or square. If you’re using an animated profile pic, it must be in MP4 video file format.

How Do I Change My TikTok PFP?

Convinced you want to try a new profile pic? The steps are similar whether you’re using a picture or animation, so we’ll use animation for this tutorial. This assumes you have the picture or video already on your phone.

1. Select Profile > Edit Profile.

2. Select Change video. If you want to use a photo instead of a video, choose Change photo.

3. Select the video you want. TikTok uploads it as soon as it’s selected.

4. The maximum length allowed is 6 seconds. Slide the red selector box left or right to capture the desired part of the video. Move the red sidebars of the box to choose a longer or shorter section of the video. Select Save.

Go back to your profile and see the video is now your PFP.

What Will Your PFP Be?

Make your PFP match the personality or subject matter of your videos for the best engagement. We also recommend making your PFP the same across all social media platforms. When people come across your Instagram, Snapchat, or Pinterest they’ll recognize the same person they saw on TikTok instantly and are more likely to follow.

The post All You Need to Know About PFP on TikTok first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Also, it may mean you need a wired or wireless network in parts of your home that you previously didn’t. We’ll show you a few ways to connect two routers to make your home network more robust.

Why Would I Set Up a Second Router?

There are several ways to add a second wireless router to your home network. You could use it as an access point or repeater to extend wireless coverage. You could set up a separate network for guests to use. Or you could use the second router as a switch to add more Ethernet ports to your network.

Requirements for Setting Up a Second Router at Home

Not every Wi-Fi router can be set up as a second router for extending wireless range or as an access point (AP). Here’s what you need:

• Administrator access to your primary and secondary router
• To set up as an AP or switch, an Ethernet cable to connect the two routers

If your second router isn’t capable of being used in these different modes because it’s older, look for a firmware update. The update may expand its capabilities.

For this tutorial, we’re using an Asus RT-N300 as our second Wi-Fi router. Your routers are likely different. However, the same concepts apply whether it’s a D-Link, tp-Link, Linksys, Netgear, or any of the many good router models available.

How to Setup a Second Wi-Fi Router as a Wireless Access Point

If your home is wired for Ethernet and you want excellent wireless coverage and internet access everywhere in your home network, consider using the second router as an access point (AP). You’ll get great Wi-Fi coverage with a fast, stable Ethernet connection between your secondary router to your primary router.

1. On the second router, log in and go to Administration > Operation Mode and select Access Point Mode, then Save.

2. At this point, let the router set the LAN IP and connect to the Domain Name Server (DNS) automatically. Then select Next to continue.

3. In Wireless Setting, leave the default of Yes selected for Do you want to use the previous wireless security settings? This lets you connect to the AP with the same SSID and password as the main router, making for a seamless transition between the two when moving around.

If you want to make a guest network with a different SSID and password, select No and then change the values as needed. The guest network wouldn’t be completely separate from your personal network; it would just mean you don’t have to share your personal password. Select Apply to continue.

The router applies the settings.

4. Connect the WAN port of router 2 to a LAN port on router 1, either directly or through the wired home network. Now you have an AP.

7-ap-no-wall-jacks.png

How to Setup a Second Wi-Fi Router to Extend the Range

Often the wireless router is set up on one end of the house, where services come into the home. Then the far end of the home has poor or no Wi-Fi signal. Setting up a second Wi-Fi router as a Wi-Fi range extender somewhere near the middle of your house will give you wireless connection anywhere in your home, without a wired Ethernet connection to the first router.

Fortunately, many new routers have a wizard process to set it up as a wireless range extender. For example, the Asus RT-N300 provides a simple repeater mode option on initial setup. To estimate where to place the second wireless router, use an app to measure the wireless signal strength and find where it starts to drop. Go back a few feet into better signal strength and that’s a good spot to put it.

1. Select Repeater mode, then Next.

Note the link to a Device Discovery Utility. That link is dead, however we found a new link to the Device Discovery Utility. There is also an ASUS Device Discovery app for iOS for iPhones and iPads. The Device Discovery Utility makes it simpler and easier to find the router’s IP address after it’s set up as a wireless repeater.

2. The wizard scans nearby wireless signals and shows their networks. Select yours from the list. Enter the password used to connect to your Wi-Fi network, then select Connect.

3. The wizard sets a static IP address and collects the local network’s subnet mask and default gateway. These settings are fine, leave them as they are and select Next.

4. The Wireless Setting defaults are fine for most people as well. Leave them as they are and select Apply. This makes it so that your wireless password will connect you to your home network through either router.

The router now connects to the main Wi-Fi router. When this is complete, it doesn’t return to the router management page, because the second router’s IP address has changed. This is where you need the Device Discovery Utility.

5. Open the Device Discovery Utility downloaded in Step 1 to get the new IP address of your second router. Enter that IP address into your web browser to get to the router management site and log in.

6. Go to Advanced Settings > Wireless and switch Roaming assistant from Disable to Enable. The default RSSI setting of -70 dBm is good for most situations. That means that when the second router sees a device with a signal strength less than -70 dBm it will disconnect from it. The device can now try to connect to your primary router, giving a seamless transition between the two. It’s similar to how your cellphone call gets passed from tower to tower as you’re driving.Select Apply.

It can take a few minutes to finish. You now have wireless coverage around your second router.

How to Setup a Second Router to Act as a Switch

Most home networks have a combination modem/router with 4 or 5 Ethernet ports on the back for wired connections. Once those ports are full, and you still want wired connections, what do you do? Use your router as a switch. You can also use an Ethernet router for this.

1. Connect router 1 to router 2 with an Ethernet cable. One end is plugged into a LAN port or the first router and the other to a LAN port on the router. Ignore the WAN port. Use another Ethernet cable to connect the second router to your computer.

2. Log in to the first router and take note of the IP range it covers. In this example, the subnet is 192.168.2.0/24 and the range of IP addresses that can be given is from 192.168.2.10 to 192.168.2.254. IP addresses ending in 1 to 9 aren’t available to the DHCP server so they can be given as static IP addresses and not cause an IP conflict in the network.

3. Connect to the second router’s management page and navigate to Advanced Settings > LAN > LAN IP To make it easier to find and connect to the router again, give the router a static IP that’s different from your first router, but in the same subnet. We’re using 192.168.2.2. Make sure the subnet mask matches the first router’s subnet mask. Select Apply. You’ll need to enter 192.168.2.2 in the browser’s location bar to reconnect.

4. Move to the DHCP Server tab and disable DHCP. Only router 1 should act as a DHCP server and assign IP addresses.

5. If possible, turn off wireless access. Go to Wireless > Professional and set Enable Radio to No. If your router doesn’t have that option, secure the wireless access as much as possible by hiding the Service Set Identifier (SSID) also known as the name of your Wi-Fi, and setting ridiculously strong access passwords. This prevents anyone from connecting to it as a wireless device, accidentally or on purpose. Now you can connect more devices via Ethernet to your home network by plugging them into the remaining LAN ports.

Get Connected

Now you have a use for at least one thing in your electronics doom pile and your home network is even better. Do you have any other ideas for using a second router? Let us know.

The post How to Setup a Second Router on Your Home Network first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Office Home & Student has Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Office Home & Business adds Outlook. Office Professional adds Publisher and Access. All are available for Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems, and it’s a one-time purchase.

Office 365, now known as Microsoft 365, is a subscription service that can provide access to any of the desktop and web-based Office applications and other services like OneDrive cloud storage, Teams, SharePoint, Intune, Exchange, and built-in security services.

To add more confusion, there’s also Office Online. That’s the free version of Office apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and the Office app for Android and iOS devices.

What version of Office do you have?

Other standalone Office products for purchase include Visio for flow-charting and Project for project management.

The Latest Version of Office is Microsoft Office 2021

For the home user, you might not see a difference between Office 2019 and Office 2021. However, at work, it’s wise to get on the most current version to ensure you have the latest features, maximum compatibility, and security, especially when exchanging files with other companies. If you’re using older versions than 2019, you need to update to Office 2021. Do it for the security updates at the very least.

Feature Updates in Microsoft Office 2021

If you use Microsoft Office, you’ve noticed that it’s becoming a collaboration platform. Whether you’re a small business or a Fortune 500 company, you’ve become reliant on integrated communications with apps like Microsoft Teams. This functionality grows in Office 2021. We’ll note the Office applications the feature is in, and if it’s available on Windows desktop, macOS, or both.

Microsoft Office 2021 Visual Refresh

Office Apps: Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, Visio, Project

Platform: Windows

When you install Office 2021, you’ll notice it looks ‌different. Microsoft’s goal is to simplify the look and feel so you can focus on your work. It’s still familiar enough that you can easily find your favorite tools in the ribbon. The Office Visual Refresh doesn’t have too many surprises.

Co-authoring and Collaborators in Real-time

Office Apps: Excel, Word, PowerPoint

Platform: Windows, macOS

No more emailing spreadsheets back and forth, with copies bloating your inbox. Share the file you’re working on and everyone can work ‌in real-time. Near the top-right of the app, you can see who’s working on it right now, with you. This requires saving the document to OneDrive or SharePoint.

AutoSave Every Change

Office Apps: Excel, Word, PowerPoint

Platform: Windows, macOS

Use your Microsoft account to get the free or paid version of OneDrive. Then, any document you store in OneDrive will automatically save every change as you work on it. Never worry about having to recover a lost file or repairing a corrupt document.

Save Your Eyes with Dark Mode

Office Apps: Word

Platform: Windows, macOS

Along with the visual refresh, Word now has Dark Mode, and it’s not just the ribbon. The page itself goes dark. Many people find ‌Dark Mode reduces eye strain. It may also reduce exposure to blue light and help your sleep.

Read Aloud for Proof-reading

Office Apps: Word

Platform: Windows, macOS

An old writer’s trick is to read their writing out loud to see how it sounds. It works very well to help find missing words and adjust the tone for your readers. Or maybe you’d just like to give your eyes a rest. Word will read back your document in a realistic masculine or feminine voice.

Free Stock Media

Office Apps: Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Visio

Platform: Windows, macOS

Keep everyone’s eyes on your great work with the use of Office’s Premium Creative Content library. Insert images, icons, photos, illustrations, and more with just a few keystrokes. No more searching for public domain images on the web for hours.

Go Global with Outlook’s Built-In Translator

Office Apps: Outlook

Platform: Windows

A growing trend is doing global business from home, so having a translator would really help. Outlook can now translate emails in over 70 languages and create a transcript so you can keep the original too.

Stay Accessible

Office Apps: Excel, Word, PowerPoint

Platform: Windows

Thankfully, we’ve become more aware of the challenges some people face and Microsoft makes it easier for us to keep our work accessible through their Accessibility Checker.

How Do I Update to Office 2021?

Convinced that Office 2021 is worth getting? Great, upgrading is simple and easy.

1. Make sure your device meets the requirements of Office 2021:

OS

Windows – Windows 10 or Windows 11
macOS – 3 most recent versions of macOS

CPU

Windows 1.1GHz or better with at least 2 cores
macOS – whatever is supported by the 3 most recent versions of macOS

RAM

Windows – 4 GB
macOS – 4 GB

Drive Space

Windows – 4 GB
macOS – 10 GB

Monitor

Windows – minimum 1280 x 768
macOS – minimum 1280 x 800

2. Buy the edition of Office 2021 that you need, using the links to Microsoft’s official pages.

Office Home & Student 2021 – $149.99

Office Home & Business 2021 – $249.99

Office Professional 2021 – $439.99

3. Download and install Office 2021. The Office 2021 install should remove previous versions of Office if you have them. If the install doesn’t, then uninstall your old Office versions as you would any other program. If you use Outlook, make a backup of the Outlook data files. Security updates for Office 2021 should happen automatically.

What Else Is New in Microsoft Office 2021?

There are too many feature updates to fit in here. Your Windows or Mac version of Office holds a lot of pleasant surprises for you. Take the time to look around and search them out. What’s your favorite new feature? What do you want to see Microsoft include or change in Office? Let us know.

The post What Is the Latest Version of Microsoft Office? first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Windows Built-in Disc Burning Software

Microsoft has two tools to burn discs built into the Windows operating system. Windows File Explorer can format discs to be used as a flash drive or burn discs to be used with CD or DVD player. It can also burn an ISO image file to a disc. Windows Media Player can burn discs to be used with CD or DVD players. Look at both and see which is the right one for you.

To set a default burner, you can choose the first time you insert a blank disc.

1. Insert a blank CD or DVD disc into your PC. If this is your first time inserting a blank disc, a notification will ask what you want to happen with blank CDs. Click on the notification.

2. Choose either Burn an audio CD to use Windows Media Player or Burn files to disc to use File Explorer automatically next time you insert a blank disc.

Burn CDs or DVDs to Use Like a USB Flash Drive with Windows Explorer

This method assumes you have Windows set to automatically use File Explorer to burn discs. If not, just open File Explorer after inserting the blank disc, and the utility is available. You must use a CD-RW or DVD-RW format disc for this.

1. When File Explorer’s Burn a Disc window opens, enter a Disc title: and select Like a USB flash drive and Next.

File Explorer will format the disc, so it works like a USB flash drive. This process takes about a minute.

2. File Explorer will open. It’s easiest to open another File Explorer window, navigate to the files you want to add, select them and then drag and drop them into the File Explorer that’s focused on the disc.

The files get added to the disc. Depending on the amount and size, this could take a few seconds or minutes. It’s not as fast as a USB flash drive, though.

3. You can remove, add, or even edit file names. After any changes, select Drive Tools, then Eject to remove the disc. To retrieve or add files later, pop in the disc, and Windows will recognize it as a rewritable disc.

Burn CD or DVD to Use with a CD or DVD Player with Windows Explorer

This method assumes you have Windows set to use File Explorer to burn discs automatically. If not, just open File Explorer after inserting the blank disc, and the utility is available.

You can use any blank CD or DVD format disc for this. If you use a CD-RW or DVD-RW disc, it will not be rewritable anymore. These discs will work on PCs but not necessarily all other CD or DVD players. CD-R and DVD-R discs are best for this, and they’re cheaper too.

1. When File Explorer’s Burn a Disc window opens, enter a Disc title: and select With a CD/DVD player and Next.

2. File Explorer will open with its Drive Tools and the disc selected. It’s easiest to open another File Explorer to select files from the hard drive or SSD to

drag and drop onto the disc.

3. Once you have added all the files you want to the disc, select Drive Tools, then Finish Burning.

Ensure the disc title is correct and choose a recording speed. Depending on the type of CD/DVD burner you have, this could be anywhere from 4x to 48x. This means it will write 4 to 48 times faster than the disc read speed. The higher the speed, the greater chance of it failing or creating a poor quality product, so choose wisely. If you’re sure you’re not going to burn another copy, choose to Close the wizard after the files have been burned. Then select Next.

When the disc burning is finished, opt for Yes, burn these files to another disc if you want to make another copy. Otherwise, select Finish to close the wizard.

Burn CDs and DVDs with Windows Media Player

You can use Microsoft’s built-in Windows Media Player app to burn audio CDs and data CDs and DVDs. The audio CDs will work on PCs and most CD players. Data CDs and DVDs can be used for data files or music and videos. Data disks with music and videos will play on computers and may play on some CD and DVD players. Check with your CD or DVD player maker to be sure.

Burn Audio CDs with Windows Media Player

1. With a blank CD in your PC, open Windows Media Player and navigate to the Music part of your library. Then select the Burn tab. Near the top-right corner, select the small options button. In the menu that opens, select Audio CD.

2. Drag and drop songs from the main window of Windows Media Player into the Burn list area.

3. You can go back to the options list and make other choices about how the music is sorted, name the disc, and other options. Select More burn options to fine-tune the disc.

For instance, in the Options window under the Burn tab, you can adjust the burn speed, apply volume leveling across tracks, remove gaps between songs and add a list of burned files to the CD. The default values are fine for most people. Select OK to return to Windows Media Player.

4. When you’re ready, select Start Burn. The disc will pop out when the burn is finished.

Burn Data CDs and DVDs with Windows Media Player

This method is for burning plain data, music, or video to CDs and DVDs. Music and video CDs and DVDs made this way may not play on all CD and DVD players, but they will work on any PC. It’s not the best way to make DVDs, but it works. Unfortunately, Microsoft stopped including Windows DVD Maker after Windows 7. For proper DVD authoring with classic DVD menus, subtitles, and more, check out the DVD-burning software apps suggested in the Burn Blu-ray Discs section below.

1. With a blank CD or DVD in the optical drive, open Windows Media Player and select the Burn tab. Then select the Options button and make sure Data CD or DVD is selected. Normally, it defaults to this, but it’s good to be sure.

2. Go to the part of the library that has the data, music, or video that you want to burn. Then, drag and drop the media to the Burn list area.

3. Select Start burn to burn the disc. When the burning is complete, the disc burner will pop the disc out.

Burn ISO Disc Image to CD or DVD

ISO disc images tend to be for operating systems or larger applications and even games. ISO files allow for storing a large number of files into one while maintaining the directory structure. So when you mount the ISO, whatever is in it will run as intended. It’s the preferred format for bootable disks too. This works on DVDs and CDs but make sure the disc has enough capacity for the ISO file.

1. Insert a blank disc into the disc burner. Next, open Windows Explorer and navigate to the ISO you want to burn. In Windows 11, right-click on the ISO file and select Show more options, or select the file and press Shift + F10.

Then select Burn disc image.

In Windows 10, just right-click and select Burn disc image.

2. In the Windows Disc Image Burner window, you can select which disc burner to use or to Verify disc after burning. It will default to your main burner, and most of the time, discs don’t need to be verified. Select Burn to continue.

            Once the burn completes, the disc will pop out. Select Close to end the session.

Burn Blu-ray Discs in Windows 11/10

It turns out there’s nothing in the Windows operating system for burning Blu-ray discs. Also, most Windows PCs and laptops don’t come with an optical disc reader or burner of any kind. So you need a Blu-ray burner and Blu-ray burning software. Make sure you have the right Blu-ray disc type, too.

These three free apps have a good, long history and continue to work well. You may recognize CDBurnerXP, ImgBurn, and Ashampoo Burning Studio Free from the heyday of torrent downloads in the late 90s and early 2000s.

CDBurnerXP looks old-school, as the XP part of the name suggests. Still, it’s a solid Blu-ray and DVD burner software. It’s the only one of the three that has a portable app option so it can be run from a USB flash drive.

ImgBurn may look like a Windows 7 app, yet it works well to burn any type of disc, including Blu-ray. There’s also a strong ImgBurn community forum with plenty of guides to help you do just about anything.

Ashampoo Burning Studio Free is another free app that’s been around a long time. It does get updated though, as reflected in the app design below. Ashampoo Burning Studio Free does require you to register with an email to use the software, while ImgBurn doesn’t.

Burn, Baby, Burn

If you’re still rocking a CD player or prefer to pop in a DVD or Blu-ray on Friday night instead of Netflix and chill, you’ve got all the tools and info at your fingertips to do it. Or do you already have a favorite burning software? Please let us know in the comments.

The post How to Burn CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray Discs in Windows 11/10 first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could create a meeting invitation with all the details inside of Outlook? Well you can. There’s an Outlook add-in for Zoom that can be added to both the web and desktop versions of Outlook.

Install Zoom Add-in for Microsoft Outlook Desktop

To install Zoom for Outlook, you must use either a Microsoft email like @live.com, @outlook.com, or even @hotmail.com or a work or school email account that’s part of the Microsoft 365 services. The Zoom add-in works for Outlook 2016, 2019, and Office 365 versions on both Mac and Windows.

1. Open the Outlook desktop client, make sure you’re on the Home tab, and select Get Add-ins.

2. A window will open where add-ins and connectors can be found. Search for Zoom and select Zoom for Outlook.

3. The Zoom for Outlook add-in page will open. Select the Add button.

4. In a few seconds, the Zoom add-in will be installed. You can tell by the blue circle with a white checkmark next to the word Added. Close the window.

5. Back in Outlook, you might expect to see the Zoom add-in up by the Get Add-ins button, but you won’t. To see it, open the Outlook Calendar and create a new meeting or event. In the Event tab, you’ll see the Add a Zoom Meeting and Settings buttons. 

Using Zoom at work or school? You’re able to start adding Zoom meetings right away. Zoom will sign you in through your organization’s single sign-on, or SSO, policies. If not, check the SSO Not Working? section below for help.

If you’re using Outlook with a personal Microsoft account, you must sign in to your Zoom account. Select Settings and the sign-in window will appear. Make sure to check the Keep me signed in box so you don’t have to sign in everytime you open Outlook and want to add a Zoom meeting.

6. Maybe you don’t have a Microsoft related account or a Zoom account. Select Sign Up to get one. 

If your Zoom account is registered to a Gmail account, select Google. It’ll take you to a Google sign in to join Zoom with your Outlook.

SSO Not Working?

If you see the error Unable to sign in with Outlook when you make your first Zoom meeting, try these steps before contacting your organization’s help desk. 

For government organizations, you need to change settings from Zoom.us to Zoomgov.com. Zoom.us is used for private industries and schools. To change it, select Zoom.us and choose Zoomgov.com in the drop-down.

That’s not the issue? Scroll further down and select SSO.

Try entering your company’s domain name in the domain.zoom.us field, then select Continue. The domain is likely the same as the company’s website. If it’s mycompany.com, then enter the mycompany part. Or, select I don’t know the company domain.

Enter your Email address then select Continue. The Zoom add-in will try to find your company’s domain and apply it.

Uninstall Zoom Add-in for Microsoft Outlook Desktop

When you want to uninstall the Zoom add-in, it’s easy to do.

1. Open the Outlook desktop client, make sure you’re on the Home tab, and select Get Add-ins.

2. A window will open where add-ins and connectors can be found. Search for Zoom and select Zoom for Outlook.

3. The Zoom for Outlook add-in page opens. Select Remove.

4. In a few seconds, the Zoom add-in is uninstalled. You can tell by the blue Add button. Close the window.

Install Zoom Add-in for Microsoft Outlook Web

You may know Microsoft Outlook Web as Outlook 365 on the web or Outlook Web Access. Outlook Web Access (OWA) is the old Outlook for the web and the Zoom Outlook add-in won’t work for that. It will work on the new Outlook web, though.

1. Open Outlook web and go to the Calendar. Select New Event then More options.

2. On the far-right end of the toolbar, select the down arrow (˅), then Classic ribbon.

3. Select Get Add-ins in the toolbar.

4. Search for Zoom and choose Zoom for Outlook.

5. Select Add to begin the install.

6. It’s finished when you see the Added window. Close the window.

You’ll see the Zoom add-in in the Outlook web toolbar now. 

Uninstall Zoom Add-in for Microsoft Outlook Web

This is almost identical to uninstalling the Zoom add-in from the desktop app. Go back into Outlook Calendar, select or start a new meeting and select Get Add-ins like when you installed it. Find and open Zoom for Outlook and select Remove to uninstall it. 

Now You’re Zooming

Once you’ve got the Zoom add-in for Microsoft Outlook, you’ll easily be able to add Zoom meetings, check meeting details and settings, and add Zoom meetings to existing calendar events. It’s simple and Zoom just works.

The post How to Add Zoom to Microsoft Outlook Via the Add-In first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Best Remote Desktop App for SMBs: LogMeIn

Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS

Price: $350/yr for access to 2 computers up to $7,000/yr for access to 50 computers

It’s the variety of functionality that makes LogMeIn pro best for small businesses. SMBs usually have a small IT team where each person does a bit of everything, so they need a remote desktop app that does a bit of everything also. A key feature is unattended remote access with Wake On LAN when support is required, but the user is busy with something else.

Centralized management of anti-virus and firewalls, plus Active Directory group policy management multiplies the capabilities of your smaller IT team. It’s the ease of use that can make it worth the price for growing businesses and commercial use. LogMeIn used to have a free version but dropped it abruptly several years ago.

Best Remote Desktop App for Linux: TeamViewer

Platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux

Price: $450/yr for single admin, up to 200 managed devices to $1750.yr for 30 admins, up to 500 managed devices.

It’s an understatement to say TeamViewer is only the best remote desktop access for Linux. TeamViewer is the only remote desktop app on this list that boasts its ability to access Linux. Yet it may be the best option for anyone, from the individual IT support person up to large, multi-location businesses.

If using VPNs for remote access is a problem for you, TeamViewer provides secure end-to-end AES encryption without a VPN. Perhaps the most useful feature of TeamViewer is that you can ask a user to download the remote desktop software, which can be branded for your business, and in seconds you can be on their device.

Best Remote Desktop App for Limited Budget: Splashtop

Platforms: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, Chrome OS

Price: $60/yr for a single user and up to $99/yr/user for business users

The most affordable remote support app on the list, Splashtop does have complicated licensing and pricing. The single-user plan has the lowest price but has limited features such as only being able to view one monitor at a time. Yet if you just need to remote control your own computer, this may be enough. The enterprise option has all the features anyone may want, like session recording, remote reboot, and cloud options.

There are several options for small businesses, managed service providers, and educational institutions. So it may take some time to figure out exactly what is needed for your situation. There are also many reports of remote connection instability. 

Best Remote Desktop App Overall: AnyDesk

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, FreeBSD, Raspberry Pi, Chrome OS

Price: $120/yr for a single user, $238/yr for 3 hosts and up to 3000 devices

Whether you want this just for yourself or for your corporate help desk, AnyDesk provides an affordable, powerful, easy to use solution. If you’re supporting desktops and mobile devices in a corporate environment or providing remote support for IoT devices in an industrial setting, AnyDesk can help. AnyDesk has the greatest cross-platform capabilities supporting any operating system.

It’s also the most user-friendly in our testing. AnyDesk’s pricing makes it available to most people and the functionality is as great or better than any of the remote support apps on this list. Security is also top of mind for AnyDesk with end-to-end AES encryption and RSA 2048 asymmetric key exchange. AnyDesk is the best remote access solution in our opinion.

Which Remote Desktop Support Solution Is Best for You?

We’ve compared four of the best remote desktop access solutions and in which situations they excel. However, what’s best for you requires looking at what pricing works for you and what features you need. Some options include whiteboards and tools for online meetings that might replace things like Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Some are easier for the end-user to access. And some will work better over limited internet connections if you have users who live rurally. Put together your criteria, test all the remote access solutions, and see what’s best for you.

The post AnyDesk vs. TeamViewer vs. Splashtop vs. LogMeIn: Battle of the Remote Desktop Apps first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

We say video game rentals, but we really mean rentals, subscriptions, and legal free-to-play game providers. Let’s look at the best video game rental and subscription services for 2022.

1. GameFly

Service Type: Rental

Platforms: Playstation 2, 3, 4, and 5, PSP, PS Vita, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, Wii, Wii U, DS, GameCube, GameBoy Advance

Delivery Method: Physical shipping

Cost: From $15.95/month to $43.95/month

The last of the physical media video game rental services, GameFly will ship you as many games as you want to your mailbox. Shipping from and to GameFly is free. Yes, it takes longer to get the game than downloading it, but games for some platforms can’t be downloaded. If you love the game, let them know and they’ll sell it to you at a discounted price. Even better than a game store.

2. GM2P

Service Type: Rental

Platforms: Playstation 4, Xbox One, 

Delivery Method: Library Lending Download Model

Cost: $32.29 one-time deposit, 7 days – $5.99/game, 14 days – $11.59/game, 30 days – $16.99/game

So far GM2P’s game rental service has proven to be legal, although in a grayish area. They’ve been able to keep going because they only rent out as many copies of a game as they have legally purchased. It’s like how libraries can only lend out a book to one person at a time. The selection is a bit limited, but they’ve got some of the best gameplay franchises like Red Dead Redemption, Assassin’s Creed, and more.

3. Console Classix

Service Type: Emulation Service

Platforms: Atari 2600, Nintendo NES, Colecovision, Nintendo SNES, Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis, SMS, Gameboy Advance, Gameboy Color, Sega Game Gear, SMS, and TurboGrafx-16

Delivery Method: Library Lending Download Model

Cost: Atari 2600, Nintendo NES, and Colecovision games are free, $5.99/month to add the rest

Using the same model as G2MP, Console Classix is focused on the classic game consoles and games your parents, or even grandparents, used to play. You download their emulator application, for Windows only, and then choose from over 3500 games. If you want to see the original Mario Brothers or Pac Man in all their glory, choose Console Classix.

4. Amazon Prime Gaming

Service Type: Subscriber

Platforms: Windows PC

Delivery Method: Download through app

Cost: Included with Amazon Prime

You probably already have Amazon Prime Gaming and didn’t know it. Included in the cost of Amazon Prime, you get access to new and classic PC games to download and keep forever. You also get free in-game content like the Prime Gaming Capsule for League of Legends or GTA$400,000 for GTA Online. 

Most of the games are redeemed from Amazon, however they have partnerships with GOG and EA Origins. To access those games, you need to be a subscriber to GOG.com or EA Origins, which is free. As of writing this article, some of the games include the Monkey Island series, Football Manager 2021, Frostpunk, and Journey to the Savage Planet.

5. Google Play Pass

Service Type: Subscriber

Platforms: Android

Delivery Method: Download 

Cost: $4.99/month or $29.99/year – Share with up to 5 family members

Sure, Google Play has lots of free games but most of them have in-app purchases and ads. The Google Play Pass gets rid of that for hundreds of games and apps, and they’re adding more all the time. It’s not just indie games either. There are games in the Star Wars, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Game of Thrones franchises among others. Remember, Google Play Pass also includes regular apps and even podcasts. 

6. Xbox Game Pass

Service Type: Subscriber

Platforms: Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, Windows PC, Xbox.com, Android, iOS

Delivery Method: Download

Cost: Console $9.99/month, PC $9.99/month, Ultimate (All platforms) $14.99/month

Microsoft’s entry into the game rental world is the Xbox Game Pass. With over 100 blockbuster games from Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda, you’ll never get bored. New releases are added regularly too. The PC and Ultimate Game Passes also include EA Play, which is a whole other world of epic sports games for the NBA, FIFA, NHL, F1, and PGA Tour leagues and other gaming genres. The pass also gets you lots of free in-game perks like skins and equipment.

7. PlayStation Now

Service Type: Subscriber

Platforms: PlayStation 2, 3, 4, 5 and Windows PC

Delivery Method: Download or stream

Cost:$12.99/month or $34.99/3 months or $79.99/year

Another game console heavy hitter, PlayStation Now is full of new games and recent classics like Fallout, Final Fantasy, and The Last of Us. Most games have ongoing access, but some are only available until a set date. The ability to start a game on your console and then move to your PC with the free app without losing progress is enticing. For the PC, you will require a compatible controller like the Dualshock 4.

8. EA Play

Service Type: Subscriber

Platforms: Xbox, Playstation, Steam, Origin, and Windows PC

Delivery Method: Download

Cost: Per platform $4.99/month or $29.99/year

Limited to EA games, EA Play might not be the most well-rounded game provider. Their subscription model is complicated too. So complicated that they have account advisors to help make sure you’ve got the right subscription. Your EA Play membership will only apply to one platform. So if you want it for Xbox and Playstation, that’s 2 different subscriptions. There’s also a PlayPro subscription for $129.99/year that gets you access to new releases, best editions, premium player content, and in-game rewards. This option is best for the die-hard EA fans.

9. Utomik

Service Type: Subscriber

Platforms: Windows PC 

Delivery Method: Download through Utomik app 

Cost: Personal Plan $6.99/month, Family Plan $9.99/month up to 4 users

Over 1300 games with new games added regularly, Utomik is great for the whole family. Gameplay ranges from the graphic violence of FPS’ like Borderlands to ESRB E-rated puzzle games like Among the Heavens suitable for everyone, even the youngest children. The Family Plan comes with parental controls so you can keep your young ones out of the deep end.

10. Stadia Pro

Service Type: Subscriber 

Platforms: Web, iOS, Android, Smart TV

Delivery Method: Streaming 

Cost: $9.99/month

Google’s second entry for video game rentals is the Stadia Pro service. Instead of app games like you have on your phone, Stadia Pro gives you access to several console-quality games such as Saints Row or Paw Patrol. The number of free games is low, but Google adds more every month. You can keep the games as long as you subscribe to Stadia Pro. Membership gets you discounts on premium games too, where the gameplay follows you from one device to another.

11. GeForce Now

Service Type: Subscriber

Platforms: Windows PC, Mac, Android, Android TV, Chrome, Safari

Delivery Method: Streaming 

Cost: Basic – Free, Priority  – $49.99/6 months. RTX 3080 – $99.99/6 months

As a streaming game provider, Nvidia’s GeForce Now leverages the latest game industry technology. That is, cloud game servers. As long as you have good internet speeds, you don’t need an expensive gaming rig. If you go top shelf with the RTX 3080 plan, it’s like you’re renting a gaming battlestation with the coveted Nvidia RTX 3080 graphics card in it. It beats the old days of going to the game store to rent a console and lug it home. There are several free games available even with the basic plan, however, the best and newest games must be purchased.

12. Netflix Games

Service Type: Subscriber 

Platforms: Android, iOS 

Delivery Method: Download 

Cost: Included in Regular Netflix Subscription

What? Netflix has games? The service has been available since November 2021. To find the games, go into the Netflix app on your Android or iOS device and scroll down until you see the Netflix Games row. This doesn’t show on Kids profiles. Select the game you want and install it. There are no in-app purchases either. Right now there are only 10 games available, and 2 of them are based on Stranger Things. Expect to see more games based on Netflix shows.

13. Internet Archive

Service Type: Free 

Platforms: Browser-based 

Delivery Method: Download 

Cost: Free

For fans of classic arcade games and vintage consoles and computers, the Internet Archive is the heaven to which games go when they die. With browser-based emulators for Flash, Commodore 64, classic arcade game machines, Apple II, MS-DOS, consoles like Playstation PSX, Sega Genesis, Sega Master, Atari 2600, and exotics like the Emerson Arcadia, Bally Astrocade, Amstrad GX-4000, and Magnavox Odyssey2 there are over 60,000 video games to play. Free. That just seems unbelievable. Who needs to rent games?

14. Classic Arcade Game Rentals

Service Type: Rental

Platforms: Arcade Machines

Delivery Method: Delivery or Pick-up

Cost: Varies

You can search for other companies that rent classic arcade machines, however, Events Unlimited services Portland Oregon, Seattle Washington, Phoenix Arizona, and Las Vegas, while VideoAmusement services California and Nevada from their San Francisco location. Pac Man to Pong, NBA Jam to Tron, arcade game rental companies have you covered. 

Seems a bit much for you? Imagine these more as party rentals or booth bait at a trade show or corporate event. Who doesn’t stop when they see a full-size Centipede or Qbert game? Think about that for your event planning for your next event.

Game On for Everyone

If our 14 best options for video game rentals don’t make 2022 a better year for you, there’s nothing else we can do. Sure, they’re not strictly rentals, but the options are far less expensive than buying games and consoles outright. Stack a few of these together and you can play the entire history of video games. 

The post 14 Best Options for Video Game Rentals in 2022 first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

What Is White Noise?

There’s “white noise” and then there’s white noise. What the average person calls white noise is any indistinct sound that has a hissing but pleasant sound and masks other sounds. These “white noises” could actually be white, brown, pink, or some blend of them.

Real white noise is a random sound signal which has the same intensity at all different frequencies, measured in kiloHertz (kHz). White noise helps mask other sounds and may help with sleep and concentration. 

Brown noise is sound at lower frequencies. Think of it as bass white noise. Brown noise may help with focus, better sleep, and relaxation. Notice the decibel (dB) key. The darker the color the lower the decibels or loudness.

Pink noise is a sound where intensity is at higher frequencies. So it’s a more treble, or higher pitched, white noise. Pink noise may help with the quality and duration of sleep.

What we’re looking at on YouTube is white noise in the general sense. So any random, repeating sound that might help you sleep, study, or focus is considered white noise.

1. Relaxing White Noise – Sleep for Babies

Number of Videos: 49

Play Length Range: 10 to 12 hours

With 131 million views, or listens, Relaxing White Noise’s Colicky Baby Sleeps To This Magic Sound is a great place to start. This playlist has almost 50 videos meant just for your little ones but they’ll work for anyone. While they’re sleeping check out the rest of Relaxing White Noise’s 1300+ videos. There’s even a couple for your dog.

The analysis shows that the sound is more pink than white, and there are distinct frequency bands within the lower part. Is that the key to reducing baby stress?

2. Jason Lewis – Mind Amend – Colored Noise Playlist

Number of Videos: 17

Play Length Range: 3 to 12 hours

Producing music or sounds to increase focus, help with meditation, and aid sleep is what Jason Lewis does. Along with his isochronic tone tracks, he has a solid playlist of colored noise with white, brown, and pink noise. The Smoothed Brown Noise 8-hours track has over 7 million listens.

It’s much closer to the classic brown noise pattern and is deeper in tone. It sits in the background of your hearing, smoothing things out. Jason Lewis claims it may even help soothe tinnitus.

3. Calm – Soothing Sounds Playlist

Number of Videos: 6

Play Length Range: 3 to 8 hours

You probably know, or even use, the Calm app. This is their YouTube channel. Most of the videos have music or storytelling, but the Soothing Sounds Playlist is white noise as generated by nature. Enjoy the Rainstorm Sounds for Relaxing, Focus, or Deep Sleep. The sound of rain falling is random and makes for a peaceful night or a natural backdrop for meditation.

In analysis, the rainstorm seems to sit somewhere between a pink and brown noise. If you like a bit higher tone overlaying a deeper one, this will work for you.

4. SleepySounds – White Noise Playlist

Number of Videos: 3

Play Length Range: 9 hours

A lesser-known white noise channel, SleepySounds has a nice mix of noises and environmental sounds. Although not in the White Noise playlist, try the Forced Air Heater track. If you find the sound of large ventilation systems relaxing, this will put you out for the night. It might also remind you of the library and induce better studying.

It falls into the brown noise range for sure, but look at the lowest frequencies. It drops off and there isn’t much there. Perhaps that’s the secret to this sound. 

5. Frank Battiston

Number of Videos: 6

Play Length Range: 3 to 8 hours

When you visit Frank Battiston’s channel you’ll think you’re in the wrong place. It’s mostly video walkthroughs of cruise ship suites. But Frank has 4 white noise videos tucked in there. The White Noise – Black Screen – No Ads – 10 hours – Perfect Baby Sleep Aid video has almost 4 million views in 2 years. Clearly people like it.

Notice that this track is also missing the lowest frequencies but resembles Brown noise. It’s interesting that it starts to break up around the 15kHz mark.

6. Randall’s Rest and Relaxation – 4K Fan Sounds for Sleeping Playlist

Number of Videos: 42

Play Length Range: 8.5 to 10 hours

Randall is out there doing the Sandman’s work. He handcrafts each of these fan sounds with real fans. Box fans, ventilation fans, even dehumidifier fans. If you like fans, well Randall is your man. Who else would create Fan Noise of 12 Fans for 12 Hours?

You probably never wondered what 12 box fans together look like, let alone what they sound like, but here it’s. And now you can see what the sound of 12 box fans looks like too. Note the high decibels down near the 0 kHz range.

Sounds Like a Lot

 If you travel or need the sounds to play without the screen on, you could rip the audio from YouTube or download whole playlists. We’ve provided you with over 100 white noise videos with over 1000 hours of playtime. You’re ready for any situation requiring white noise.

The post 6 Best YouTube White Noise Channels first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

1. MyNetDiary

Available on: iOS, Android

Price: Basic – Free, Premium – $60/year

Top Features:  Over 1,117,000 foods, full nutrition facts, barcode scanner, built-in GPS workout tracker, grocery shopping tools, dark mode, ad-free basic version, diabetic version.

Arguably the best overall calorie tracking app in the list, MyNetDiary has all the variety anyone needs, plus the professional verified foods and diet library. Like all the top apps, MyNetDiary works with almost any fitness tracker or app, and Apple Watch.

Its built-in GPS activity tracker for walking, running, and cycling will help you hit your fitness goals. MyNetDiary also partners with healthcare professionals to offer MyNetDiary to their patients. Ask your doctor about MyNetDiary. There’s also a version for diabetics to use as their food diary making it easy to dial in their insulin.

2. Lifesum

Available on: iOS, Android

Price: $49.99/year or $9.99/month

Top Features: barcode scanning, calorie, macro, vegetable, and seafood tracking, meal plans

Even without a free option, Lifesum is enjoyed by over 45 million people. Lifesum integrates with almost anything Apple or Android, as well as Fitbit and Withings activity trackers. It also integrates with other apps such as Google Fit and Samsung Health. Put the Lifesum widget on your home screen for easy access too.

3. Lose It!

Available on: iOS, Android

Price: Basic – Free, Premium – $39.99/year

Top Features: barcode scanning, millions of foods in database, DNA insights, strong community

You’ve heard of Lose It! With a vibrant community and a drive to be on the cutting edge, the Lose It! calorie counter app has helped over 40 million people lose over 90 million pounds since 2008. It’s one of the original calorie counter apps. Connect Lose It! to Apple Health or Google Fit, and with the premium plan sync it with most fitness trackers or even smart scales.

4. ControlMyWeight

Available on: iOS

Price: Basic  – Free, Remove Ads for $14.99/year

Top Features: verified food database, no Internet required to look up foods

Not the most feature-rich, and also not on Android yet, ControlMyWeight by CalorieKing is here because of the quality and accuracy of its 150,000+ foods database. Most other apps allow users to submit foods, so the quality of the nutrition information could be off.

ControlMyWeight has dietitians check their data. The ability to look up calorie and nutrition info when not connected to the Internet may interest those who like backcountry hiking and camping. 

5. Calorie Counter by FatSecret

Available on: iOS, Android

Price: Basic – Free, Premium – $58.99/year

Top Features: Food image recognition, diet calendar, ability to share with your trainer, physician, or any health professional, large supportive community

Coming from a company called FatSecret, you know it’s a serious weight loss app to get you into a calorie deficit. It’s also great for any type of weight management and food tracking. The free version does have ads, yet, they’re not that annoying.

With everything most people need in the free version, Calorie Counter is a great calorie tracker for the budget-minded. The premium version adds water intake tracking, a dietitian-designed meal planner, and unlimited access to their recipes.

6. MyFitnessPal

Available on: iOS, Android

Price: Basic – Free, Premium – $79.99/year

Top Features: 11,000,000 food item database, add your own foods, forums, diet profile, meal plans, recipes, coaching.

With the largest nutrition database of any of the calorie counter apps, MyFitnessPal is great for the most diverse dietary needs. However, there are a lot of duplicates and not all foods are verified. The basic plan includes the entire database plus the ability to add your own foods.

MyFitnessPal’s meal plans, healthy recipes, and coaching come with the premium plan. MyFitnessPal works with over 50 health-related apps, including Garmin, Fitbit, Apple HealthKit, Under Armor MapMyRun, and Samsung Health.

7. Cronometer

Available on: iOS, Android

Price: Basic – Free, Premium – $44.99/year 

Top Features: Track macros and 82 micronutrients, barcode scanner, data export, fasting timer, custom biometrics.

Cronometer is the calorie tracker app of choice for hard-core nutrition and data geeks. With the ability to set macronutrient targets for fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, it’s also a favorite of keto, low-carb and other specialized diet enthusiasts.

To get the most out of Cronometer, use their video tutorial series and master the app. Cronometer also has versions to use with your trainer and a HIPAA compliant version for use with healthcare professionals.

8. FitBit

Available on: iOS, Android

Price: Basic- Free, Premium – $109.99/year

Top Features: Water intake tracking, barcode scanning, custom foods, integration with all FitBit devices.

Isn’t FitBit an activity tracker watch? Well, yes, and it pairs with the FitBit app. But you don’t need the FitBit watch to use the free app as a calorie calculator and tracker. The food log part is not as feature-rich as dedicated calorie counting apps, however, it does have easy logging and can help track your eating habits.

With macronutrient tracking, it’s also good for keto and paleo plans. If you have a FitBit, then you can easily track calories burned and count them against your calorie intake. Because it’s a total wellness and health app, it’s also a weight, sleep, water, and heart rate tracker.

9. Fooducate

Available on: iOS, Android

Price: Free

Top Features: Food grading (A, B, C, D), macronutrient tracking, alternative food suggestions, barcode scanning

The only completely free app in the list, Fooducate is about educating you about food. With it’s food grading system, Fooducate can help you make healthier food choices. It helps the beginner understand the number of calories they eat and what it gives them. 

Fooducate will help anyone learn about healthy eating. The grading system is based on nutrient density and developed by nutritionists and registered dietitians. Nutrition info for packaged foods comes directly from the producers. For the person who is new to calorie and nutrient tracking, Fooducate is ideal and will get you to your weight loss goals safely. Once you understand your eating habits and food better, you may want to move to one of the other apps, or not.

Take Charge of Your Calorie Budget

One of our 9 best calorie counter apps will meet your needs. Try the one that appeals to you most. If you find that it’s not working well for you, try another. Most are free at the basic level even if they have in-app purchases. Most integrate with popular activity trackers like Apple Watch or FitBit, and most can be used in a web browser too. We wish you great success in your health journey and are proud to have helped you find the calorie tracker you want.

The post The 9 Best Calorie Tracking Apps for iPhone and Android first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Remove Default Microsoft Apps from the Start Menu

Maybe you don’t want to uninstall the default Windows apps, but would just rather not see them in the Start Menu. It’s a simple process to unpin Windows apps.

Open the Start Menu, right-click on the app and select Unpin from Start. The app disappears from the Start Menu.

Uninstall Microsoft Apps in Windows 11 via Start Menu

Perhaps the simplest way to uninstall Microsoft apps is to do it from the Start Menu.

1. Select the Start Menu, find the app you want to delete, right-click on it, and select Uninstall.

2. Windows will ask you to confirm that you want to uninstall it. Select Uninstall and the app is removed.

Uninstall Microsoft Apps in Windows 11 via Settings

When you want to uninstall several apps, this is a good point-and-click method.

1. Select the Start Menu and start typing remove. There’s no need to click in the search bar or select the Search tool in the taskbar. Just start typing. Select Add or remove programs from the results. 

2. Settings will open to the Apps & features area. Find the app to be removed, right-click on it, and select Uninstall.

3. Windows will ask you to confirm that you want to uninstall the app. Select Uninstall.

There’ll be a progress bar as the app is uninstalled and it will say Uninstalled when finished.

Uninstall Microsoft Apps in Windows 11 via Control Panel

Yes, the Control Panel is still in Windows 11. It’s not as handy for removing everything as it was in previous versions. Programs can still be uninstalled through this method, however, Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps won’t even show up here. UWP apps are the ones you most likely want to uninstall. 

1. Select the Start Menu and start typing control.  Select Control Panel from the results.

2. When the Control Panel window opens, look for Programs and select Uninstall a program below it.

3. In the Uninstall or change a program window, select the program to remove and then select Uninstall.

Windows will show the User Account Control (UAC) window asking, “Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device?” Select Yes. Depending on the size of the program, it may take a few minutes until the program is gone.

Uninstall Microsoft Apps In Windows 11 Via PowerShell

Even home users can learn PowerShell and have greater control over Windows. Building a PowerShell script to uninstall Microsoft apps will give you the most control over what gets removed. It also makes removing a bunch of Microsoft apps a quick and easy task, so save the script for the next time you install Windows 11.

If creating a PowerShell script is more than you bargained for, yet still want that kind of speed and control, skip to the scripting section below.

1. Select the Start Menu and start typing powershell. Select the PowerShell ISE option and open it as Administrator.

2. Once it is open, enter and run the cmdlet Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned.

When asked if you really want to change the execution policy, select Yes to All. This will allow you to run the scripts you make.

3. First you need to get the package names for the Windows apps. Create a script and save it with a name like get-InstalledApps.ps1. Copy and paste the following cmdlets into the new script. They will create and save a list of the Name, and PackageFullName of UWP apps installed. Comment lines in the image beginning with a # explain what the cmdlets under it do.

• Get-AppXPackage |`
• Select-Object -Property Name, PackageFullName |`
• Export-Csv “$PSScriptRoot\Windows-apps.csv”

4. Open the resulting text file. A good rule of thumb for what to remove from this file is to delete any lines that you’re not sure what it is or that has “neutral” in the PackageFullName. This will leave only those things that you are certain you want to uninstall. If you’re not sure what to do here, move on to the next section of the article.

5. Create another script and name it uninstall-WindowsApps.ps1. Use the following cmdlets to uninstall only the Windows apps that remain in the text file. Comment lines in the image beginning with a # explain what the cmdlets under it do.

• $unwantedApps = import-CSV “$PSScriptRoot\Windows-apps.csv”
• $unwantedApp variable
• foreach($unwantedApp in $unwantedApps){
• Get-AppXPackage $unwantedApp.name | Remove-AppXPackage -WhatIf
• }

When you’re ready, remove the -WhatIf parameter and run the script. The apps will be uninstalled.

Uninstall Microsoft Apps In Windows 11 Via Scripts

There are a few pre-made scripts that can be used to remove unwanted Microsoft apps. Two of the most popular are Windows 10 Decrapifier and Windows 10 Debloater. Both do similar things and both work in Windows 11, however we’ll only look at Windows 10 Debloater here, as it has a graphical user interface (GUI) option that you may find more helpful to use.

1. Go to the Windows 10 Debloater page and select the Code button, then select Download ZIP.

2. Once the zip file is downloaded, extract it. Find Windows10DebloaterGUI and run it.

3. Some script will run and then the Windows10Debloater GUI will open. There’s several options here, however the quickest, simplest one to use is REMOVE ALL BLOATWARE.

Once selected, you’ll see the script running in the background removing a lot of things. This can take a few minutes.The only notification that it’s done is the script stops scrolling and the last line is Finished all tasks. All the unwanted Microsoft apps are gone.

How to Restore Default Microsoft Apps in Windows 11

Great, you cleared out all the bloat and default Microsoft apps. But what if you need them back? You could go through the Microsoft Store and reinstall them one by one. However, the simplest and quickest way is with a single line of PowerShell.

1. Create another script and name it restore-WindowsApps.ps1. Run the following cmdlets to restore the default Microsoft apps. Comment lines in the image beginning with a # explain what the cmdlets under it do.

Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | foreach {Add-AppXPackage – Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\appxmanifest.xml” -DisableDevelopmentMode}

2. All the default Microsoft Apps that your Windows version normally has are installed.

Windows 11 and Default Apps 

Unnecessary default apps have always been a part of Windows and, to be fair, most operating systems. Now you know how to take care of that. Do you use any other methods like Chocolatey package manager? Which is your favorite? We love hearing about new things from you. Let us know.

The post How To Remove Default Microsoft Apps in Windows 11/10 first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

We present the best portable Wi-Fi routers for traveling to keep you connected through the holidays and 2022.

Why Would I Want a Portable Wi-Fi Router?

There are many reasons you’d want to set up a mobile hotspot with your own portable Wi-Fi router.

• Security: Sometimes connecting to public Wi-Fi access points feels a little sketchy. Having your own mobile hotspot puts you on your Wi-Fi network, which will always be more secure. Several travel Wi-Fi routers also come with built-in VPN and firewall support.

• Savings: If you’ve got a Wi-Fi router capable of using cellular data, all the devices you have only need to have Wi-Fi capability to connect to that mobile hotspot. You don’t need to buy tablets with SIM cards and put them on any data plan. You could also give older smartphones to the kids to use in the car instead of buying them cellular plans. Plus, if the kids have older devices and something happens to them, it’s not as big a blow to the wallet.

• Speed: Ever been in a hotel, connected to their Wi-Fi network, and wondered if you just connected to 1990’s dial-up internet? That’s not a problem with your own portable Wi-Fi router. Also, if your portable Wi-Fi router is 5G compatible, you can connect your 4G LTE or older device and take advantage of 5G speeds.

1. Best High End Mobile Wi-Fi Router – Netgear Nighthawk M5

Price: $699

Cell Network: 5G

Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi Version 6

At around $700, the Netgear Nighthawk M5 mobile Wi-Fi unit should be able to do almost everything. And it does. If you’re a heavy traveler or use this as your primary Internet connection at home, it may be worth it. Note that it works best on the AT&T and T-Mobile networks in the US. The battery is easily removed, so consider getting a spare to keep charged for quick swaps. If you don’t have 5G cell service in your area, consider the Netgear M1 for 4G service.

• VPN, DMZ, and password support
• Connect up to 32 devices
• Up to 13-hour battery life
• Ethernet and USB C connectors
• Onboard touch-screen controls also tracks data usage
• 2 x TS-9 external antenna connectors to extend the range
• 1 Gbps Ethernet port
• Web and app-based management
• SMS Messaging capable

2. Runner Up High End Mobile Wi-Fi Router – NetGear Nighthawk M1 

Price: $400

Cell Network: 4G

Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n Dual Band 2.4GHz and 5GHz

Yes, another NetGear Nighthawk. You’ve probably guessed that this is the NetGear Wi-Fi router that came before the M5. Yet, it’s still sought after. It’s also the ideal mobile Wi-Fi router if you only have access to 4G cell service. 

• VPN, DMZ, and password support
• Connect up to 20 devices
• Up to 11-hour battery life
• Ethernet and USB C connectors
• Onboard touch-screen controls also tracks data usage
• Offload to regular Wi-Fi or Ethernet if available to reduce cellular data consumption
• Web and app-based management
• Share data from an external hard drive
• JumpBoost to charge phones

3. Best Affordable Wi-Fi Mobile Hotspot – NetGear 4G AC797

Price: $219

Cell Network: 4G

Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/c Dual Band 2.4GHz and 5GHz

NetGear is popular for a reason. If the higher priced NetGear devices are just out of reach, this is the mobile Wi-Fi hotspot for you. With many of the features available on the Nighthawks, you’ll get your money’s worth. Although its peak download speed is 400 Mbs, it’s enough for most people. 

• Guest Wi-Fi sign in with timer
• Up to 11-hour battery life
• Max speed 400 Mbps
• Color display shows network and battery info, plus more
• Connect up to 32 devices
• Manage with the NetGear mobile app

4. Runner Up Affordable Wi-Fi Mobile Hotspot – GlocalMe U3 Mobile Hotspot

Price: $120

Cell Network: 4G

Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g/n 2.4 GHz

• Small, weighing 4.4 oz and about the size of 8 credit cards stacked together
• Up to 13-hour battery life
• Max speed 150 Mbps
• USB Type-C port
• Connect up to 10 devices
• Manage and buy data packages with the GlocalMe app

5. Best Budget Portable Wi-Fi Router – Alcatel LINKZONE MW41NF

Price: $60

Cell Network: 4G

Wi-Fi: 802.11b, 2.4 GHz

If you need a mobile hotspot that’s lightweight, inexpensive, and versatile in several countries, the Alcatel Linkzone MW41NF might be for you. This mobile hotspot device does require a SIM card, so it won’t work on CDMA services like Sprint, Virgin, or Verizon. Alcatel also warns about leaving it charging for more than 10 hours, leading to overheating.

• Small, weighing 10 oz and about the thickness of a cell phone
• Up to 7-hour battery life, 300 hours on standby
• Data speed up to 150 Mbps download
• Micro USB 2.0 slot
• Micros SD slot supporting up to 32GB
• WPS button for easy mobile Wi-Fi connection
• Connect up to 15 devices
• Managed by app
• Basic LED display

6. Runner Up Budget Portable Wi-Fi Router – Yeacomm P21-2 4G LTE CPE Router

Price: $99

Cell Network: 4G

Wi-Fi: 802.11 n/bg, 2.4 GHz

If you need greater Wi-Fi range and have somewhere to plug it in, the Yeacomm P21-2 may be for you. It’s affordable, yet it’s larger than the other mobile Wi-Fi routers listed. The Ethernet and phone ports are ideal for the cottage or remote offices. Yes, you can plug in landline phones and make voice calls over cellular.

• Two external antennas for a greater range
• 4 Ethernet ports
• 2 RJ-11 phone ports to connect landline phones
• Data speed up to 150 Mbps download
• Built-in VPN client
• Connect up to 32 devices
• Managed by app
• Requires external power

7. Best High End Travel Wi-Fi Hotspot – GL.iNet GL-MT1300 Beryl

Price: $90

Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Dual Band 2.4GHz and 5GHz

The GL.iNet Beryl may be the cutest portable Wi-Fi router, but it’s also a beast when it comes to setting up a solid mobile internet connection. This mobile access point is small enough to fit in a pocket yet built with security and versatility at its core. The Beryl can be used as a Wi-Fi router, repeater, or tether to your phone through its USB 3.0 port.

• Uses OpenWRT firmware, making it highly configurable
• Pre-installed OpenVPN and WireGuard to support over 30 VPN service providers
• Pre-installed Tor service
• Pre-installed Cloudflare for DNS security
• MicroSD support up to 512 GB
• USB 3.0 port
• 1 x WAN + 2 X LAN Gb Ethernet ports
• Max Wi-Fi speed 867 Mbps
• Must be plugged in

8. Runner Up High End Travel Wi-Fi Hotspot – GL.iNet GL-AR750S-Ext Slate

Price: $70

Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Dual Band 2.4GHz and 5GHz

Slightly less cute and powerful, the GL.iNet Slate gives you most of the security features of the Beryl, support for sharing data from MicroSD cards, and respectable 433 Mbps Wi-Fi speeds. It can also be used as a range extender. Think of it as Beryl’s younger sibling that happens to be the same size.

• Uses OpenWRT firmware, making it highly configurable
• Pre-installed OpenVPN and WireGuard to support over 30 VPN service providers
• Pre-installed Cloudflare for DNS security
• MicroSD support up to 128 GB
• USB 2.0 port
• 1 x WAN + 2 X LAN Gb Ethernet ports
• Max Wi-Fi speed 433 Mbps
• Must be plugged in

9. Best Affordable Travel Wi-Fi Router – TP-Link Wireless N Nano

Price: $35

Wi-Fi: ‎802.11a/b/g/n 2.4GHz

What’s with travel routers being cute? The TP-Link N300 is likely the most popular travel Wi-Fi router. The price, features, and 2-year warranty with unlimited technical support make it hard to beat, even if it was twice the price. Plus, it’s small enough to fit in a pocket, so it can travel in your laptop bag. Because it can be used as a repeater, access point (AP), or a mobile hotspot, you can use it even when you’re not traveling. Check out the Nano Router emulator page to see how it’s managed.

• Router, repeater, access point, and mobile hotspot modes
• Can be powered with an adapter, smartphone charger, or laptop USB port
• 1 x 10/100 Mbps WAN/LAN port
• 300 Mbps wireless speed
• Built-in firewall and access control
• Built-in parental controls
• Managed by app or web interface
• Guest network capable

10. Runner Up Affordable Travel Wi-Fi Router – MikroTik – hAP Mini

Price: $22

Wi-Fi: ‎802.11 b/g/n 2.4GHz

MikroTik’s hAP mini is roughly 4 inches in height and length and under 2 inches in width. That’s small, considering it also has three ethernet ports. It uses the MikroTik RouterOS that’s configured to run out of the box, or you can access its web-based configuration page to make it do what you want. If anything, the depth of configuration possible may be too much. Of course, there’s an app as well.

• Minimum 5 years of free updates
• Bridging and routing capability
• 3 x 10/100 Mbps WAN/LAN port
• Extensive control over configuration
• Managed by app or web interface
• Supports VPN and other security standards
• Managed by app or web interface
• Guest network capable

11. Best Budget Travel Wi-Fi Router – GL.iNet microuter-N300

Price: $22

Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz

Another entry from GL.iNet, the microrouter-N300 must be the smallest Wi-Fi router available. With such a small size comes fewer features and range. However, this wireless router is still very capable and energy efficient.

• Tiny at 2in x 2in x 0.72in and just over an ounce
• Uses OpenWRT firmware, making it highly configurable
• Router, repeater, and access point modes
• Connect up to 32 devices
• 1 x 10/100 Mbps WAN/LAN port
• Can be powered with an adapter, smartphone charger, or laptop USB port

12. Runner Up Budget Travel Wi-Fi Router – Kasda KW55293

Price: $16

Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz

It’s lower priced and has more ethernet ports than the GL.iNet microuter-N300, so why isn’t the Kasda the best in this class? It’s about the size of 6 microuter-N300s.  But at that price, it’s just too good to pass up.

• Wireless speed up to 300Mbps
• 4 LAN and 1 WAN Ethernet ports
• WPS for one-button connection of devices
• VPN pass-through
• MAC Filtering
• Web-based configuration
• LED status indicators
• Supports Telnet connections

Happy Trails and Safe Travels

One of our featured portable Wi-Fi routers is going to keep you connected while connecting with family and friends for the holidays. You may even want to give them as gifts. Could there be a better, affordable tech stocking stuffer?

The post 12 Best Portable Wi-Fi Routers for Traveling in 2022 first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Devices like printers often have web-based management, which can be configured and maintained from anywhere. That makes printers a top candidate for static IPs.

Why Assign a Static IP Address to a Device?

It seems like more work, yet it does make life simpler and easier. If the device needs to be accessible from other devices, a static IP address is the way to go. Imagine having a web server where the IP address changes daily. It’s like changing your phone number every day. 

When thinking of other devices that need to be accessible from anywhere, smart TVs, security systems, home automation, and camera systems come to mind. 

Another reason, to a lesser extent, is security. A router can issue hundreds, if not thousands of IP addresses. It doesn’t care whose device it is. By using static IPs and limiting the number of IP addresses available, rogue devices have a harder time getting on the network. It can also help resolve an IP address conflict.

What IP Addresses Can I Use?

The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) has set aside the following blocks of IPs for private use. Private use means you can only use the IP addresses in a private network. They aren’t for the outside world. IANA defines the following ranges for private IPs:

• 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255 – equals 16,777,214 IP addresses
• 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255 – equals 1,048,574 IP addresses
• 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255 – equals 65534 IP addresses

If the router is being used already, it has a range. It’s easiest to stick with that range. Some routers pre-define the range.

Make a Static IP Plan

If the network has ten or fewer devices connected, a plan isn’t necessary. Just put them all in a single range, like 192.168.2.10 to 192.168.2.19. Skip the rest of this section.

If the network has more than ten devices, it’s wise to make a plan. This is just one way to make a plan. If it doesn’t work for you, change it.

1. Count all the devices that will connect to the network.
2. Group the devices by type. For example, there may be 3 phones, 2 smart TVs, 4 cameras and a DVR, 2 IoT devices like smart fridges, and a printer.
3. Assign blocks of IP addresses for each device type and leave room for growth. If the 192.168.2.0 to 192.168.2.255 range is being used, the blocks might be assigned like:
   • Phones and tablets: 192.168.2.20 to 192.168.2.29
   • TVs: 192.168.2.30 to 192.168.2.39
   • Cameras and DVR: 192.168.2.40 to 192.168.2.49
   • IoT devices: 192.168.2.50 to 192.168.2.59
   • Printers: 192.168.2.60 to 192.168.2.69

Some best practices for using ranges:

• Begin a device type IP range with a number ending in zero and end the range with a number ending in 9
• Increment ranges in tens. Any less can become confusing, and you can easily outgrow them. Plus, it allows for additional devices of the same type in that range. If the number of devices is already close to 10, make the range cover 20 IP addresses, like 192.168.2.40 to 192.168.2.59.
• Whatever the router’s IP address is, leave its entire block open for the addition of networking equipment, like other routers, switches, firewalls, etc. For example, if the router uses 192.168.2.1, then reserve 192.168.2.2 to 192.168.2.9 for networking equipment.

4. In a spreadsheet, assign the devices their IP addresses. This becomes an inventory of devices and makes it easier to identify the devices on the network. It’s a good idea to assign the first IP in a range to controller devices. For example, the DVR is the controller of the cameras, so it will have an IP of 192.168.2.50.

If you plan it on a spreadsheet, it may look like this:

How to Assign Static IPs to Devices in the Router

1. Consult our article on how to find the IP address of the router if you’re using a Mac or not comfortable using the Command Prompt. Select the Start menu and search for CMD.  Command Prompt will be the top result, so select it.

2. When the Command Prompt window opens, enter the command <pre>ipconfig</pre> and press Enter.

The value for Default Gateway is the IP address of the router. Write this down somewhere.

3. Open a web browser and enter the IP address of the router in the location bar, then press Enter. This will open the router’s web-based management page.

Assign Static IPs – Asus Router

1. Login to the Asus router, find the LAN button, and select it.

2. Select the DHCP Server tab. This router allows for staying in DHCP mode while assigning static IPs to selected devices. If desired, it can be configured to use only static IPs.

3. Scroll to the Manual Assignment section. Where it reads Enable Manual Assignment, select Yes.

4. Select the drop-down box under Client Name (MAC Address) and choose a device in the Manually Assigned IP around the DHCP list. All devices currently connected to the router are listed. To see devices that you previously connected, select Show Offline Client List.

It will show the device’s current IP address in the IP Address field. This can be left as is, or it can be changed at this point. Add the IP address of a DNS server in the DNS Server (Optional) field, if needed. Select the plus sign button to add the device to the list of manually assigned IP devices. Repeat this for all the desired devices.

Once all the desired devices have been assigned static IPs, select the Apply button to set the changes.

Assign Static IPs – TrendNet Router

1. Log in to the TrendNet router and select the Advanced tab.

2. In the left-side menu, select Setup, then select LAN Settings.

3. Scroll down to the Add DHCP Reservations section. Check the Enable box, then enter the details of the device to receive a static IP address. Ensure the details are correct and then select Add.

4. The device just added will show in the DHCP Reservations Ready Group. If everything is correct, select Apply and the device will have a static IP.

Assign Static IPs – Belkin Router

1. Log in to the Belkin router and select the Configuration tab. Then under Connectivity select  Local Network. Now select the DHCP Reservation button.

2. In the DHCP Client Table window, any devices that are currently connected are shown. If it’s the device that requires a static IP address, check the Select box, then select Add Clients.

3. In the same window, you can manually add clients as well. First, enter the device details, then select the Add button. Once all the devices requiring static IP addresses are defined, select Save to commit the changes.

What About Assigning Static IPs on Other Routers?

There are at least a dozen router makers out there, and each has several models of routers. It’s just far too many to cover all of them. Reading through the instructions above, though, you’ll see that there’s a pattern; find out where to work with the LAN, look for something named like DHCP Reservation, then follow through to assign IP addresses. If you’re running into issues, please let us know. One of our writers or knowledgeable readers will likely have the answer.

The post Assign a Static IP Address to a Printer or Any Network Device first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Take a deep breath, unclench your jaw, and relax your shoulders. Whether it’s an Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook email, or any other kind of file, with our help it’s possible that you can recover accidentally deleted files in Windows.

Increase Your Odds of Recovering Deleted Files

When a file gets deleted, it doesn’t disappear. The data stays there until another file overwrites it. There are a few things to do as soon as you realize the file was accidentally deleted to increase the odds of recovering it.

1. Don’t make, copy, move, delete, or edit any more files.
2. Exit all programs, including any programs running in the system tray. To exit programs in the system tray, right-click and select Exit, Quit, or Close if the option exists. Even if you’re not actively using a program, it’s still reading and writing data.
3. Have another drive to which the file will be recovered. A USB flash drive will do. Trying to recover a file to the same drive it was deleted from reduces the odds of successful recovery.

Is the File Really Deleted?

Ask any IT professional and they’ll have at least one experience where a person thought a file was deleted, but it was accidentally placed in a different folder. We’ve got articles on how to search in File Explorer and find anything in Outlook like a pro.

Use Built-In Microsoft Tools to Recover Deleted Files

There are several tools and methods already in Windows and Office to help recover deleted files. Check the article below that applies to your situation.

• How to Restore Deleted Files in Windows 10
• Ultimate Guide to Repairing a Damaged or Corrupt Word File
• How To Recover a Word Document
• How to Use Excel AutoRecover and AutoBackup Features
• Does Microsoft’s Windows File Recovery Work? We Tested It.
• Restore Lost Files in Windows with Shadow Explorer

If those articles don’t cover your situation, there are a few other methods to recover files in Windows and Office.

Recover a Deleted File by Restoring Microsoft OneDrive

If you’re not using OneDrive or some sort of cloud backup, please set that up now. There are several free cloud storage services available.

If the file was deleted in the last 30 days for personal OneDrive accounts, or the last 93 days for work or school accounts, recover it from the OneDrive Recycle Bin. For work or school accounts, you may need someone from the IT Department to restore your OneDrive.

If the OneDrive Recycle bin was emptied, it may be possible to restore the entire OneDrive to a point in time when the file existed and can be restored. Keep in mind, this restores the whole OneDrive. So all your files will be restored back to that previous point in time. Any changes or files saved after that point in time will be lost.

1. Log in to OneDrive in a web browser and;
   • Select the gear icon
   • Select Options

2. On the new page:
   • Select Restore your OneDrive
   • Select Verify your identity

3. A new window will open showing the verification method set by you when setting up OneDrive. In this example, it’s a recovery email address. The recovered email address will be obscured with some asterisks. Select the Email option.

4. OneDrive will then require you to;
   • Enter the complete recovery email address
   • Select Send code. If it’s the correct recovery email address, a code will be sent to it.

5. Check your email for the verification code and:
   • Enter it in the new Enter code window
   • Select Verify

6. If the code is correct, the Restore your OneDrive page loads. 
   • Choose the Select a date dropdown box
   • Select how far back to go with the OneDrive restore

7. The Restore Your OneDrive page reloads with the option to be more specific. Choose either to:
   • Move the slider to a previous day based on the activity level on that day
   • Select a specific change event. If the 4th specific event was chosen, then events 1, 2, and 3 are included in the restoration.

Then select Restore to start the process.

8. To confirm “…you want to restore your OneDrive…”, select Restore.

9. OneDrive will begin restoring to the point chosen. How long the restoration takes depends on the size of the OneDrive. Once the restoration is complete, select Return to your OneDrive to go see the accidentally deleted file or folder.

Best Deleted File Recovery Apps

If none of the methods above worked for you, there are several apps that will help. Most data recovery apps have a free option that limits the total size of files recovered, but it will likely be enough for most people. We’ll share with you some of our favorite file recovery apps and how well they worked for us in Windows.

To test them, we deleted a set of files including a Word, Excel, and Notepad file using Shift + Del. Then we tried to recover them with the file recovery apps. Our results may not be proof of how it will work for you. The apps may work better or not as well. There are many factors that can affect their performance.

Create an Image of the Drive First

The apps we’re reviewing take a deep dive into the hard drive and its file system. It can be easy to overwrite the deleted file you need while looking for it. Then it’s really gone. Use one of the best free hard drive cloning apps to create an image or clone of the hard drive first. Also check out our guide to backups, system images, and recovery for Windows 10.

Ideally, you’ll already have one or more of these apps installed or saved on a USB flash drive before needing to recover files. Installing new programs could overwrite the remaining data of the deleted file.

Recuva

You’re likely familiar with Recuva’s sibling CCleaner. Like CCleaner, Recuva has free and paid versions. It’s also the easiest app to use among the file recovery apps we tested. There’s also a portable Recuva option that can be run from a USB flash drive, so Recuva doesn’t need to be installed on your PC.

The free version will work for most situations. It supports recovering most file types and most media such as memory cards, USB flash drives, and external drives. The professional version also supports file recovery with virtual hard drives and comes with automatic updates and support. Pretty good for about $20. If you feel that Recuva isn’t quite thorough enough, take a look at Disk Drill.

Recuva Test

Recuva has a wizard that will step you through the recovery process. Even though it allows you to focus the scan on the folder the files were last in, Recuva will scan the entire drive.

Recuva did identify the deleted test files and thousands more. Notice the red dot next to the Test Notepad File.txt. That’s Recuva telling us it’s not likely to recover it. Recuva was able to restore the test Word and Excel files, but not the Notepad file.

Disk Drill

Even the free version of Disk Drill is unbelievably thorough at showing deleted files on a hard drive. Disk Drill previews files before recovering them and works on any type of storage media such as hard drives, solid-state drives (SSD), USB drives, and SD cards. 

Disk Drill can also recover pretty much any file type. Plus, it’s available for Windows and Mac. The free version has limitations, of course. The main limit is a 500 MB cap for recovering files. The full version is about $90 for a lifetime license.

Disk Drill Test

Using the Quick Scan option on a 1 TB drive, Disk Drill finished in seconds and was thorough. It did recover the deleted documents completely in one try, as well as restore them with their directory structure intact. 

Be aware that Disk Drill might lock the drive you’re recovering files from so that it becomes read-only. It does that to protect all the other deleted files in case you want to recover more. DiskDrill will make the drive writable again when the session ends.

TestDisk

It’s not just for Windows. TestDisk has versions for Linux, macOS, and legacy Microsoft systems like Windows 98, 95, and even MS-DOS. TestDisk is free and comes bundled with PhotoRec; a photo recovery app. Both TestDisk and PhotoRec are portable applications, so they can be run from a USB drive. It’s well respected in the IT world, as shown by its inclusion in almost every LiveCD including Hiren’s BootCD, Parted Magic, and Ultimate Boot CD.

The downside for the average person is that TestDisk is used in the command line. There is a bit of a learning curve and it’s possible to accidentally do more damage if a mistake is made. If you’d prefer something with a graphical user interface, TestDisk also recommends DiskDrill.

TestDisk Test

Although TestDisk is run from the command line, it was easier to use than we thought. There’s good documentation on how to recover files with TestDisk on their site. TestDisk seemed to list every file ever deleted from the drive, and we had to scroll through them for a long time to find the test files. It was scary how in-depth the scan was. Names of files deleted in 2011 were shown.

Once the test files were found, TestDisk recovered them completely and quickly, maintaining their directory structure. It’s powerful, but not for people in a hurry.

Have You Recovered Your Files?

Now that you’ve recovered your files, consider preventing files from being deleted or renamed to avoid this stress. Please let us know if this, or any of our articles, helped you to recover that accidentally deleted file. We’d also like to hear what your favorite data recovery apps are, too.

The post How to Recover Accidentally Deleted Files in Windows first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

What Is the Fn Key?

Fn is an abbreviation for function. More accurately, it’s used to trigger functions. The Fn key is the one we press when we want to do things that are the alternate functions of the F keys at the top of the keyboard. 

The function keys have been around in one form or another for at least 50 years. Programming was extremely difficult back then so if there was something you needed to do a lot, you could program a function key to do it with just one press.

Today we see mostly just 12 function keys, plus the Fn key. Back in the day, that could have ranged from just a few to as many as 24, maybe more. They could be across the top or have their own block like the number pad, or even be in 2 or more places. Aren’t you glad you only see the 12 at the top of your favorite keyboard now?

What Does the Fn Key Do?

Let’s see what Fn is really all about.

What the Fn + a function key does differs among device types, device and keyboard makers, and operating systems. For simplicity’s sake, we’ll keep it to Windows and Mac.

Look at the keys on your keyboard, especially the F1 to F12 keys. On some of them, there are icons as well as the number of the key. Some may have text in a different color from the main function of the key. 

Those icons and texts tell us what will happen when we press the Fn key with an F key. For example, Fn + F5. Depending on the device, keyboard, and operating system, the Fn key may unleash alternate functions for other keys too.

What Does the Fn with a Function Key Do On Windows?

For Windows, using Fn + any function key can control a combination of software, hardware, or Windows features. The more common features with symbols are shown below. Symbols will vary between keyboards.

• Volume up , Volume down, Mute or
• WiFi on , WiFi off
• Bluetooth on, or off
• Airplane mode on , Airplane mode off
• Sleep mode or Zz
• Brighter , Dimmer
• Play , Skip forward , Skip backward , Stop , Record
• Mic mute , Mic unmute
• Share screen , Stop screen share

• Search apps
• Open a web browser
• Toggle Fn lock
• Lock the screen
• Toggle camera on and off

We may also see keys with secondary actions printed on them in a different color. Using the Fn key with those keys will perform the second function.

What Does Using Fn with a Function Key Do On Macs?

The Fn key on a Mac keyboard needs to be pressed to use what Windows users would call the primary functions of the F1 through F12 keys. What Windows users would call secondary functions for those keys are default actions on a Mac. You don’t need to use the Fn key to use those actions

The secondary actions can be specific to different apps on a Mac, like Safari or Photoshop. Plus, you can customize, or remap, the Mac function keys. Functions on a MacBook Pro Touch Bar get even more interesting.

Apple does provide a way to change the default function key behavior so that we have to press the Fn key to use the media controls.

1. Select the Apple menu then System Preferences.
2. Select Keyboard.
3. Select the option Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys.

What Does the Function Lock Key Do?

On laptops, the Fn key may activate even more things. Have you seen a keyboard where some of the letters have numbers on them too? That’s because it doesn’t have a stand-alone number pad. 

If you are entering data into a spreadsheet, just use the Fn + Fn Lock keys and the letter keys become a number pad.  When you’re done with the spreadsheet, press Fn + Fn Lock again to unlock the Fn key and go back to regular typing.

Some keyboards may not have arrow keys so the arrows will be secondary functions on other keys. Use the Fn + Fn Lock keys and now those arrows can be used as a mouse to move things or navigate. They function like the WASD keys a gamer would use.

How Can I Activate Fn Lock without an Fn Lock Key?

Many keyboards don’t have the Fn Lock key. Depending on the make of the keyboard and device, the Fn Lock might be activated in different ways. Or it might not be able to be activated at all. Try the following key combinations. If they don’t work, consult the device manufacturer’s documentation.

Alternative Fn Lock Key Combos

Fn + Esc

Fn + Caps Lock

Fn + Ctrl

Fn + Insert

Why Does My Fn Key Have Two Different Colors?

It’s rare yet it’s still out there. Some Fn keys will have the Fn printed on them twice, each in a different color. Let’s say one is blue and the other is green. 

On these keyboards, there will be other keys with icons or letters on them that match one of the Fn colors. Pressing the Fn plus a key with a green icon will trigger that function. Pressing the  Fn key with a blue key will trigger that function. This is done to visually group keys together by function.

What’s Your Favorite Function?

That’s the details on the Fn key. Some people use the Fn key constantly, some people will be using the Fn key for the first time after reading this. Do you use the Fn key? What do you use it for? Do you know of different uses for the Fn key than the ones we’ve mentioned here? We’d love to hear about it.

The post What Is the Fn Key on Your Keyboard and What Does it Do? first appeared on Online Tech Tips.

Don’t panic! Try all the options in our How to Recover a Word Document article. Most of the time, the advice there will recover your Word document. Oh, you tried all of that? You couldn’t find your document? Or you found it but it won’t open? We’ve got some help for that too. You could recover an unsaved, deleted, or corrupted Word document with our tips.

Recover Corrupted Word Files In Microsoft Word

There are several methods to try when recovering a corrupted file right in the Word program. Although the recovery rate for these methods isn’t perfect, try them first. They’re free, and if they do recover the document, it’ll be right there in Word, ready to save.

Word Content Recovery

When opening a document and finding out it’s corrupt for the first time, we’ll likely see the following error message: Word found unreadable content in YourDocument.docx. Do you want to recover the contents of this document? If you trust the source of this document, click Yes. 

It’s obvious what to do next. Click Yes. If the corrupted document opens and it’s usable, then great! If not we’ll see the error message, Word experienced an error trying to open the file. A list of suggestions will be presented. They’re worth following.

Word Open and Repair

The Open and Repair option is also built into Word. 

• Open Word and select Open. Then navigate to where the corrupted Word file is saved.
  1. Select the file so it’s highlighted.
  2. Select the down arrow next to Open.
  3. Select Open and Repair.

It may take a few minutes to process. You can either recover the corrupted document or get an error message.

Word Recover Text from Any File

It’s a bold claim to make that Word can recover text from any file, yet Microsoft still used that as the name for this method.

• Open Word and select Open. Then navigate to where the corrupted Word file is saved.
  1. Select the file so it’s highlighted.
  2. Select the down arrow next to All Files (*.*).
  3. Select Recover Text from Any File (*.*).
  4. Select Open.

Word will process the file for a few minutes. It’s hit or miss, so it will either recover the text of the Word document or we may get the error message, Word found unreadable content in somefilename.tmp. Do you want to recover the contents of this document? If you trust the source of this document, click Yes. So, click Yes.

The text will either be recovered or we’ll get the usual error message.

Word Open in Draft Mode

If none of the above methods worked, we’ll need to try a couple of things that aren’t really official Microsoft ways of recovering a corrupted file in Word. But, they can still be done using just Word. Opening the file in Draft mode is the first.

1. With a new blank document open in Word, select File, then at the bottom-left corner of the screen select Options.

2. When the Word Options window opens, select Advanced on the left side. Then scroll down to the Show document content area. Put a checkmark in Show picture placeholders. Do this so that Word won’t try to rescue the pictures and then give up on the whole document when it can’t. 

Let’s assume we have the pictures saved somewhere else as well and can put them back in the rescued document. Also, put a checkmark in Use draft font in Draft and Outline views. This prevents Word from trying to rescue all the styles that were used in the document. We want Word to focus on getting the text back. We can quickly reformat the document when we get it back. 

3. Select OK to close the Word Options window.

4. In the ribbon, select View, then Draft. Any documents opened will now open in the Draft view.

5. Let’s try opening the corrupted Word file.
   
   • Select File to go to the Word home view and then select Open. 

6. Navigate to the corrupted Word document and Open it. 

Give Word a few minutes to work. It’ll either recover the document or we’ll get the usual error message. If you get the error message, Word found unreadable content in YourDocument.docx… select Yes to continue.

On to the final, and most complicated, method.

Word Link to Document

This one is complicated. We’re trying to trick Word into opening the corrupted file. Surprisingly, it can work.

1. Open a new blank Word document and save it with a name like Link to Document.docx.

2. Enter some text like Link to document. Select all the text and copy it by right-clicking and selecting Copy or use Ctrl + C.

3. Open a new blank document. Select the down arrow under the Paste option in the ribbon. Then select Paste Special. Or simply use Alt + Ctrl + V.

4. In the Paste Special window, select the Paste link radio button then select Unformatted Text. Select OK.

5. Right-click on the text now in the document. Select Linked Document Object > Links.

6. In the Links window, select Change Source. The document selection window will open. Select the corrupted Word document and open it.

Back in the Links window, ensure Source file: shows the path to the corrupted Word document we just selected. Select OK to continue.

7. If it works, we’ll see all the text from the corrupted document. It will be highlighted because it is still a link. Right-click on the text and select Linked Document Object > Convert. A new window will open.

8. In the Convert window, the Object type: Microsoft Word Document is already selected. Select OK to do the conversion. 

Now the document will be plain text, without links. Save it before it’s lost again.

Programs to Recover a Deleted or Corrupted Word Document

What if none of those steps worked? Or what if the Word document is just plain deleted and not in the Recycle Bin, with no backup of any sort? There are a few programs that can recover deleted or corrupted Word documents.

Windows has built-in utilities like ShadowCopy and File History for recovering deleted or uncorrupted versions of a file. There’s also the free Microsoft Windows File Recovery app. 

Mac’s Time Machine feature will help Apple enthusiasts, as long as they have automatic backup turned on. If those options aren’t working, try one of these apps.

We downloaded and tested all of the apps below on the same corrupted file used earlier. Keep in mind that no file recovery will work every time. Your experiences may be different. 

All apps were put through VirusTotal’s File Analyzer. It’s an online virus scanner. If any security vendor flagged the file as bad, the app was not included in our tests. 

DocRepair

OS: Windows
Price: $80
Recovery type: Corrupted Word files

DocRepair can be used on Word documents from Word 2.0 right up to 2016, as well as Word for Mac. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a Mac to test it on, so our review is based on the Windows version.

Sometimes DocRepair recovered complex formatting, but mostly it only recovered the text. All that aside, this was the app that worked most consistently in our testing. It was also the simplest. 

DocRepair also claims to be able to recover Word files lost to damaged disks or bad disk sectors. We couldn’t test that, unfortunately. Seriously, this was the best corrupted Word file recovery app in our test.

Wondershare Recoverit

OS: Windows, Mac
Price: From $80/month to $170 lifetime license, free trial
Recovery type: Deleted Word files

Searching for Word recovery apps, Wondershare Recoverit will be a result. Their marketing frames it as a Word recovery app, but realistically it’s a file recovery app we’d likely use to restore any deleted file. 

It does have a filter option so the scan can be narrowed to file type such as photo, video, document, etc. This will reduce the time it takes to scan. However, there will still be a lot of documents to sift through. Wondershare did find several versions of our file that could be restored, as shown by the highlighting.

RS Word Recovery

OS: Windows
Price: $40/year, free trial
Recovery type: Deleted Word files

The name is pleasantly misleading as RS Word Recovery doesn’t just recover Word documents. It can recover OpenOffice, PDF, and plain text files as well. RS Word Recovery is really a deleted file recovery program that can filter down to a document type. 

It won’t actually fix a corrupted file, but it may find a previous version of the file that couldn’t otherwise be found. It works on local and removable drives too. The highlighting shows that a version of our test file was found.

DataNumen Word Repair

OS: Windows, Mac
Price: 89.95, free trial
Recovery Type: Deleted or corrupted Word files

DataNumen Word Repair claims to recover Word documents for Windows or Mac. It can recover unsaved, deleted, or corrupted Word files. The formatting of the document is supposed to be kept intact too, including; tables, images, lists, links, and bookmarks. Whether the file is on a local or removable disk, DataNumen Word Repair can be used. Our test didn’t recover the file.

Stellar Repair for Word

OS: Windows
Price: From $80/month to $170 lifetime license, free trial
Recovery type: Corrupted Word files

This one is specifically for repairing Word files. If the location of the file is unknown, Repair for Word will search for it. Once found, Repair for Word can preview the document as a full document, filtered text with formatting, or raw text without formatting. From there, it can do a simple repair of minor corruption or a complete recovery. It didn’t work on our test file.

Easy Word Recovery

OS: Windows
Price: $60 personal license,  $100 business license
Recovery type: Deleted or corrupted Word files

Munsoft’s Easy Word Recovery is an older app and it shows in the look and feel. But if it works, does that matter? Easy Word Recovery can recover data from a Word file and also search drives for all Word files in case it’s lost or deleted. Once the Word file is found or recovered, it gives a preview as well. Our test file wasn’t recovered.

Still Can’t Recover a Word File?

If you’ve tried all the options within Word, Windows’ or Mac’s built-in recovery tools, and a few of the apps mentioned, there may be only one thing left to do. The device could be taken to a data recovery specialist, but that’s going to cost well over $1,000. Maybe the document is worth that much to you though.

Have you successfully rescued a Word file with our tips or the apps? Got other tips or a favorite Word recovery app? We’d love to hear about it.

The post Ultimate Guide to Repairing a Damaged or Corrupt Word File first appeared on Online Tech Tips.