Category: 2020.02

How to Clear Recent Files in Windows 10 File Explorer

In Windows 10, File Explorer monitors all of the files and folders you’ve ever opened. Follow the below steps to clear recent files and folders in File Explorer in Windows 10.

In case you are wondering, these logged files and folders appear as frequent components of the different places such as the start menu, file explorer, etc., to help you access the commonly used files and folders quickly. As good as it’s, seeing frequent files and folders in the forefront can be a privacy issue. So, if you don’t like this behavior, you can clear recent files and folders list in File Explorer as well as disable the feature entirely.

Like for a lot of things in Windows, you will find multiple ways to clear recent files and folders from File Explorer. All methods achieve the same result. I’ll show two methods. The first uses the built-in options in File Explorer and the second method uses the brand new PC Settings app. Make use of the one you’re confident with.

Method #1: File Explorer Options to Clear Recent Files and Folders

1. First, open File Explorer by searching for it in the start menu or by pressing the keyboard shortcut Win + E.

2. Within the file explorer, click the “View” tab and then click the “Options” button.

3. The above action will open the Folder Options window where one can customize how File Explorer works in Windows 10. Here, be certain that you’re in the “General” tab and then click the “Clear” button under the Privacy section to pay off recent files and folders in File Explorer.

4. (Optional) If you want to, you can stop file explorer from tracking and logging your recent files. To achieve that, uncheck both “Show recently used files in Quick Access” and “Show frequently used folders in Quick Access” options.

5. Click the “Apply” and “Ok” buttons in order to save changes.

That is all. As soon as you click the Clear button, file explorer will delete recent files and folders list. Like I said, if you do not want file explorer to ever show recent files and folders, uncheck the 2 checkboxes underneath the Privacy section.

Method #2: PC Settings App

As a substitute, you may also make use of the PC Settings app to clear recent files and folders in file explorer.

1. Open PC Settings app by pressing the keyboard shortcut Win + I. Alternatively, you can also click the “All Settings” button in the Action Center.

2. In the Settings app, go to the “Personalization -> Start” page. On the right page, toggle the switch under “Show recently opened components of Jump lists on Start or the taskbar and in File Explorer Quick Access” to “OFF” position.

That’s all. Once you switch off, Windows will clear the recent file and folders in File Explorer and disables the feature. Once disabled, Windows will no longer log your frequently accessed files and folders.

That’s all. It is that easy.

How to Remove Shortcut Arrow Icon on Shortcuts in Windows 10

Whenever you create a shortcut in Windows 10, it’ll automatically add an arrow icon overlay within the actual shortcut icon. If you do not enjoy it, here’s how you can remove shortcut arrow from shortcut icons on Windows 10.

Generally, the arrow icon overlay on the shortcut icon can help you quickly differentiate from a file or application along with a shortcut. Without the arrow overlay, you will be hard-pressed to find the distinction between a real file along with a shortcut.

That being, if you’re someone who loves to keep their desktop clean or only has shortcuts around the desktop, you are able to remove the arrow overlay from the shortcut icon. It’s pretty simple to do. Follow the below steps and you should be great.

Remove Shortcut Arrow on Shortcut Icons

To remove the shortcut arrow icon overlay, we have to edit the registry. Before editing the registry, create a registry backup. The backup can help you restore the system contrary bad happens. As an added precaution, produce a system restore point too.

1. Open the beginning menu, search for “Registry Editor” and then click the result to spread out the registry editor.

2. In the registry editor, copy the below path, paste it in the address bar and press Enter. You will be automatically come to the prospective folder.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Explorer

3. Here, we have to create a new folder. So, right-click on the “Explorer” folder and select “New -> Key” option.

4. Name the brand new folder as “Shell Icons”. This is where we need to create a new value with removes the shortcut arrow.

5. Choose the Shell Icons folder, right-click around the right panel and select “New -> String Value” option.

6. Name the string value as “29”.

7. After creating the string value, double-click onto it. In the new window, copy the below path within the Value Data field and click on the “Ok” button.

%windir%\System32\shell32.dll,-50

8. Reboot Windows system.

That is it. From now on, providing see the arrow icon overlay around the shortcut icons.

Should you ever want to revert back, simply delete the “29” value you created in Step six and you are all set.

(Alternative) Download Registry Keys to Make Things Easier

If you’re not comfortable editing the registry, then download the below file, extract it and double-click on the appropriate registry file either to remove or restore the shortcut arrows.

Once downloaded, extract the folder and you’ll see two registry files in it. To get rid of shortcut arrow, simply execute the “Remove Shortcut Arrow Overlay.reg” file. If you notice a prompt, click the “Yes”/”Ok” button to carry on.

Reboot the system and the arrows will be taken off the shortcut icons.

Should you ever convince you and like to restore the shortcut arrow overlay, double-click on the “Restore Default Shortcut Arrow Overlay.reg” file and you will be good.

That’s it. It is that simple to get rid of shortcut arrow overlay from shortcut icons in Windows 10.

How to Remove ‘Open PowerShell Window Here’ Option from Right-click

Recently, I’ve gone over with you guys how to add ‘Open Command Prompt Window here’ choice to the right-click context menu. That method enables you to keep your PowerShell option. If you are not a PowerShell user then removing it can make the menu clutter-free. With that in mind, stick to the below steps to get rid of Open PowerShell window here option in the right-click context menu in Windows 10.

Important: To create this happen we need to edit a protected registry value. So, backup registry prior to making any changes. Should you choose something wrong while making changes, you can restore the registry with just a few clicks.

Remove Open PowerShell Window Here option from Right-click Context Menu

Just like with adding the Command Prompt option, we have to modify just one registry value. Once you do this, the PowerShell option will be taken off the context menu. Like I said before, only proceed after creating a registry backup.

1. First, keep the windows open Registry Editor by searching for “Registry Editor” in the start menu. You may also make use of the “regedit” Run command.

2. Within the Registry Editor, copy the below path, paste it within the address bar and press Enter. You’ll be automatically come to the prospective folder which contains the value we need to change.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\PowerShell

3. Automatically, the bottom line is protected from coming to a change. Should you choose come up with changes, you will be greeted with “Access Denied” message. To avoid this, we first get permission to edit the worth. So, right-click around the PowerShell folder and choose the “Permissions” option.

4. Before you assign the permission, you need to alter the owner of the folder. So, within the permissions window, click on the “Advanced” button.

5. Within the subsequent window, click on the “Change” link appearing alongside “Owner: TrustedInstaller”.

6. Now, enter “administrators” in the blank field and click on the “Check Names” button.

7. The above mentioned action will automatically find and fill the Administrators group path. Click the “Ok” button.

8. Now, choose the “Replace owner on subcontainers and objects” checkbox and then click the “Apply” and “Ok” buttons. This can alter the owner from Trusted Installer to Administrators.

9. After changing the dog owner, select “Administrators” from the Groups or User Names section and then choose the checkbox under “Allow” alongside “Full Control”. Click “Apply” and “Ok” buttons in order to save changes.

10. Now, right-click around the “ShowBasedOnVelocityId” value around the right-panel and select “Rename”.

11. Name the important thing from “ShowBasedOnVelocityId” to “HideBasedOnVelocityId”.

12. Close Registry Editor.

Wrapping Up

That’s it. You are done editing the registry. Should you Shift + Right-click on any folder, providing begin to see the “Open PowerShell Window Here” option within the context menu.

If you’re still seeing the choice, reboot the system and appearance again.

Intel Rolls Out New Graphics Driver for Windows 10 – Get Version 26.20.100.7870

Intel makes available a brand new HD Graphics package directed at several of its Core CPU models, namely version 26.20.100.7870, which adds performance improvements for Journey to the Savage Planet title and possesses stability and bug fixes.

Moreover, the update resolves the intermittent screen flickering seen when volume/brightness keys are pressed while running OpenGL/Vulkan applications in full screen, and fixes certain 10th Generation Core processors issues regarding Blu-ray DVD playback and Night Light settings adjustments.

Still, know that the present driver might experience corruptions when playing Battlefield V (DX12), Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Black Desert Online, and Red Dead Redemption 2 (Vulkan) titles, in addition to with the bubbles screensaver.

In terms of compatibility, the present update is supplied in both .exe and .zip file formats that are suitable for the 64-bit architecture of Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating-system. Moreover, make sure your system configuration includes a supported processor as highlighted in the Release Notes below.

As for installation, simply save the downloadable file (when the zip package is chosen, be sure to extract it), close all programs and procedures that might hinder the upgrade, run the available setup file, and follow all instructions shown on the screen.

That said, download Intel Graphics Driver 26.20.100.7870 for Windows 10 DCH 64-bit, carefully apply it on your pc, and check back around as frequently as possible to stay up to speed with the latest releases.

These Are All of the New Icons Coming to Windows 10

New icons in Windows 10 is very huge news, mostly because such an update doesn’t happen that often, obviously regardless of the user community with more frequent refreshes.

After nearly five years since its launch, Windows 10 has become obtaining the first major icon update, as Microsoft has started pushing a new design to users enrolled in the Windows Insider program.

The new icons are mostly targeted at the apps which come pre-loaded with Windows 10 and align with Microsoft’s Fluent Design language, which itself represents an enormous evolution from the traditional Windows experience.

To obtain these updated icons, all you need to do is install the latest versions from the Windows 10 apps in the Microsoft Store.

Rollout to production devices to start shortly

Microsoft says bringing new icons to Windows 10 is a “multi-year effort.”

This design choreography gets to be more critical as technology advances. That’s why we’ve embarked on the multi-year effort across Microsoft’s design teams to redesign our icons: a method within a system,” Christina Koehn,

Design Leader, Windows and Devices at Microsoft, explains.

“Flat, monochrome icons look great in context of colorful tiles, but because more icon styles go into the ecosystem, this method needs to evolve. When icons in the taskbar and Start menu will vary styles, it creates more cognitive load to scan and discover applications. We wanted to incorporate more visual cues into the icon design language using our modernized Fluent Design Language.”

Users running the stable form of Windows 10 will receive the new icons shortly, as Microsoft first wants to perform some last-minute testing included in the Windows Insider program. Once this test is prepared, the new icons should be available through app updates from the Microsoft Store, as stated before.

Windows 10X Features the OOBE Experience Windows 10 Users Always Wished for

Windows 10X includes a brand-new out of the box experience (OOBE), and also the biggest change is the removal of digital assistant Cortana.

Among the biggest annoyances in the initial setup of Windows 10, Cortana was supposed to assist users because they configure the operating-system, providing voice guidance for every step.

But at the same time, Cortana seemed to be slow, required people to wait for the voice guidance to finish before proceeding, and was often unnecessary, specifically for those who knew exactly what the Windows 10 setup experience was all about.

Microsoft apparently got the content and polished the initial setup in Windows 10X.

Bye-bye, Cortana!

Cortana is no longer there, according to WindowsCentral, and the UI overall continues to be redesigned to feature a more polished and modern look. This makes sense given Windows 10X is a new-generation operating-system, so using a white window on top of a blurred background aligns with Microsoft’s Fluent Design language.

Windows 10X was created from the beginning for use on dual-screen and foldable devices, so the OOBE also expands to pay for two displays, if they’re available. What this means is the whole screen estate is being used, albeit depending on your pc, it can very well run on only one display as well.

At this time, there aren’t too many items to configure within the Windows 10X OOBE, but it’s worth knowing this continues to be a piece in progress, and some things could change before the operating-system is finalized. Windows 10X should really also power Microsoft’s Surface Neo, the company’s own dual-screen model coming in holiday 2020.

For the time being, Windows 10X seems to be quite an evolution from the traditional Windows 10 experience, and the closer we get towards the launch, the greater people appear to be looking forward to it. Fingers crossed for Microsoft to create exactly the same changes to full Windows 10 too.

Someone Really wants to Launch a Windows Phone with Android App Support

While Microsoft has wiped out Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile and announced a Surface Duo dual-screen model running Android, a Windows phone by itself still doesn’t exist, meaning selecting a smartphone at this time virtually comes to picking either Android or iOS.

But a business called Emperion wants to change that with a brand new Windows phone that will also run Android apps, all without the need for an emulator or such things as that. Or at least, that’s what the company promises.

Emperion teased the new phone on Twitter and just shared some more details in a private discussion, explaining the so-called Nebulus would come with Android app support at OS level. This means no other software or modifications would be necessary to run an Android app.

Microsoft helped to make the Windows phone happen

Then, the unit is going to be powered by an overclocked Snapdragon 845 chip, and Emperion says it worked closely with Microsoft to ensure everything’s running efficiently. Exactly how Microsoft helped them isn’t clear, but further details will probably go live in the coming months.

The company says its Windows phone will launch SIM-free and carrier unlocked, but however, discussions with a carrier in the uk are already under way. However, Emperion also wants to launch its smartphone in the usa at some stage in the near future.

Little continues to be shared when it comes to technical specifications, but what we should do know is that traditional features just like a headphone jack and microSD support will be offered, using the latter allowing for a storage boost as high as 2 TB.

What will easily be the most interesting part relating to this Windows phone is when it’ll manage to deal with telephone calls. Windows 10 on ARM doesn’t natively support phone calls, albeit third-party developers previously were able to such capabilities on Lumia models.

Windows 10X to Have a Brand-New Voice Control System

While Microsoft has slowly made Cortana a second-class citizen of Windows 10, the company still doesn’t want to give up on the notion that enables you to control the operating system together with your voice.

By the design of products, not just that Microsoft isn’t planning to abandon fraxel treatments, but it’s focusing on giving it a lift using the discharge of Windows 10X.

Based on a current report, Microsoft is now looking for engineers that will help it produce a new voice control feature for Windows 10X.

Accessibility improvements?

The organization obviously doesn’t share too many details, however it does say that “this is a new application,” therefore the system could be separated for Cortana, a minimum of at first. However, when the voice control capabilities are linked to Cortana, this might bring a substantial boost in relation to functionality to Microsoft’s digital assistant, that has until now been lagging behind rivals like Apple’s Siri and Google Assistant.

Simultaneously, Microsoft would likely get the new voice control system being an accessibility feature, so Cortana may ultimately evolve in many other ways than initially thought.

“Since this is a new application, the number of coding challenges is high: benefiting from conceptual services for voice command and control, identifying interesting components poor the application, getting together with the whole desktop, interacting with 10X OS in new ways inside the scope of security and integrity,” the job ad cited by the quoted source means.

Windows 10X is Microsoft’s new operating-system specifically targeted at dual-screen and foldable devices. It’s projected to launch later this season and power Microsoft’s own Surface Neo, that is scheduled to go live in the holiday season of 2020. Windows 10X will even introduce several additional features, including a revised Start menu as well as an updated Action Center.

This is actually the New File Explorer in Windows 10X

Because of the way it’s built, Windows 10X will ship avoid one, however with two different file managers, an approach that quite a few users might find rather confusing initially.

Technically, Windows 10x can run two different types of apps, because it follows:

UWP apps (modern apps in the Microsoft Store) “natively”
Win32 programs (traditional Windows software) in containers

Due to these two different types of apps, Microsoft chose to offer two separate versions of File Explorers whenever file management is needed, so based on what app you work with, you can end up utilizing a different file manager, because it follows:

New touch-optimized File Explorer for UWP apps
Classic File Explorer for Win32 programs

Obviously, everyone is already acquainted with the present File Explorer given it’s existed for so long, so the new thing in Windows 10X may be the modern version of the file manager.

Built from the beginning to be optimized for touch input, this new File Explorer feels and looks as being a modern app. Those who’ve been keeping an eye on Microsoft’s work lately may have seen the new File Explorer in action already, as early versions of the app previously been bundled with preview builds of Windows 10 shipped to insiders.

The experience with this file manager is rather basic, and you don’t get other things than the basic options to work with your files. The interface is as simple as it may be, but the good thing is it adapts to the theme that is used on Windows 10X – when the light mode is enabled, then File Explorer uses the light mode too, and also the same thing for dark.

The large file icons and fonts utilized in File Explorer show this app continues to be made with one clear goal in your mind: to be used on devices where touch input exists, so users should be able to work with their files with minimum effort.

Right-clicking (or a long press on) a file gives you an easy context menu that includes basic options like delete, cut, copy, share, rename, and properties. You may also move files around with drag and drop.

To tell the truth, this new File Explorer version seems like a work-in-progress, and there is a pretty good possibility this is just what it’s. Given Windows 10X is yet to be finalized, this File Explorer is most likely projected to receive a bunch of improvements before launch too. Within the existing form of Windows 10X, the app feels a bit slow, but this isn’t necessarily something surprising since it’s not really a final version anyway.

File Explorer is currently one of the most-used apps in Windows, despite Microsoft ignoring several top requests. For example, users have been longing for tabs in File Explorer for a long time, with Microsoft at some point promising to create this happen with Sets – an element bringing tabs across the entire OS but which meanwhile was already abandoned.

Since that time, File Explorer has gotten only subtle tweaks, including a dark mode to align using the updated look of Windows 10, also featuring a dark mode, in addition to smaller refinements here there. The core app, however, has always been virtually unchanged through the years, and also the upcoming Windows 10 version 2004 won’t bring any substantial updates either. This new version of Windows 10 has already been finalized, and it is projected to go love production devices in April or May, according to Microsoft’s typical release calendar.

Apple’s MacBook Running Microsoft’s Windows 10X Is a Match Made in Heaven

Windows 10X is a special Windows 10 version released by Microsoft that’s specifically supposed to power dual-screen and foldable devices, including the company’s own Surface Neo.

The emulator the company released this week, however, permits the world to test out Windows 10X on all kinds of devices, even if they are with different classical form factor without modern features just like a touchscreen.

This is actually the case of the MacBook now running Windows 10X with no noticeable glitch at first glance. Twitter user @imbushuo, who has a good tabs on installing Microsoft’s software on various devices (including Windows 10 ARM around the Lumia 950 XL) shared this photo today, along with a screenshot in the about screen of Windows 10 where the OS correctly indicates Apple because the manufacturer of the device.

Another picture published by @NTAuthority shows Windows 10X this time running on the Lenovo T450s. However, some UI glitches are visible in this case, but because per the consumer “the emulator image has some odd configuration packages installed.”

Two file managers

Both photos show that Windows 10X would likely go beyond the field of dual-screen and foldable device market, as it can technically be placed on traditional PCs too.

And at first glance, there’s basically pointless to not give it a try anyway. Windows 10X will support both Win32 and UWP apps, albeit the very first will run in containers and never all could be compatible. Microsoft is offering two different file managers to help you with this, together with a modern, touch-optimized form of File Explorer.

Microsoft promises Windows 10X will power not just the top Neo, but a whole new category of devices comprising models released by its partners, including here the kind of Dell, HP, and Lenovo, with a dual-screen and foldable form factor.