How to Force Windows 10 to search with Google: Changing The Taskbar Default Web Search

If you like to use Google as the default search engine in Edge, this tip is for you: you can get Google search results directly from the Windows 10 Taskbar, even with search suggetions.

Bad News:windows 10 does not allow you to pick Google as the standard / default for the windows 10 Taskbar search field.

Good News: It does not matter.

As Windows 10 opens search results with the default browser, there is an workaround. You just have to switch the Google Chrome as your main browser of windows 10 and then make it translate Bing search results into Google results. Thanks to some smart developers, this is very easy.

1.       Install Google Chrome

If you do not have it, download Google Chrome and install it  in Windows 10. Here you can already select it as the Default browser of Windows 10.

2.       Set Google Chrome as default browser in Windows 10

If you had chrome already installed, make sure to set it as the default browser in Windows 10. Type default browser in Windows 10 Task bar search field and select Choose a default web browser in the settings.

3.       Install an extension that redirects from Bing to Google

With chrome as the default browser, Windows 10 search will open now search suggestion results in Google Chrome instead of new Microsoft Edge Browser. To switch from Bing to Google as Windows 10’s default search engine, you need to install one of the following extensions.

Read More Here: How to force windows 10 to search with Google

Windows 10: the quickest way to create user accounts

In Windows 10, adding and managing user account has become a bit complicated. But instead of clicking through those several new dialogs in the new settings, you can just add, remove and edit users via Computer Management.

Microsoft wants everybody to use their many online-services in the cloud. For that reason they changed the standard procedure to create user accounts: When you add a new Windows user, you are asked to use an existing Microsoft-account with login and Email.

This however, is not necessary. In Windows 10 you can also add a user without a Microsoft account. A small blue link will offer you the respective option. But by far the quickest way to create and manage users in Windows 10 is still the Computer Management console. This is how it works,

1.   Open Computer Management

Right click the Windows 10 start button and select Computer Management.

2.   Change to Local Users and Groups

In the left pane, click on Computer Management (Local) > Local users and Groups > Users. This will show you a complete overview of all existing users in Windows 10. As you can see, there are pre-defined accounts named Administrator and Guest already any other account you have already created in windows 10 will show up as well.’

3.   Creating/Adding a new user in Windows 10

In the Menu, click Action>New user to add a new account.

Windows 10 opens the new user dialog Define a User name and a password, then click create and you are done. If you later want to link that new Windows 10 user to a Microsoft account you can do it in the new settings.

Your added Windows 10now appears in the list. When you right click on the user name,you can easily change its password, deactivate or delete the user, make it an Administrator or add it to a user group.

If you want to make your Windows 10 user an Administrator, you simply add it to the respective group call Administrator. Just right-click on the user name change to Member of and click Add. In Enter the object names to select write Administrator and click OK.

Windows 10 Defender: You can activate scheduled scans with this hidden option

Windows 10 uses windows defender as a free default antivirus solution. While protection is solid, Windows Defender seems to lack an option for scheduled scans. But luckily there is a hidden option for automated scans which is just missing in the interface.

10 improves many features and offers a much better experience than Windows 8. But nothing has done with Windows Defender. Microsoft’s own free antivirus app comes with the same reduced features set it already had in Windows 8.

Windows Defender still lacks an option for automated / scheduled scans in its interface.

There is a custom scan option which offers nothing else than picking the drives and folders for scanning. “Custom options”- a bold exaggeration.

Turning on automated virus scans with the hidden scheduler

But not so quick! In best Microsoft style, a feature for scheduled scans is indeed there – but they just didn’t put it into Windows Defender’s interface. To use it, you have to refer to the Windows 10 Task Scheduler.

1.    Open the Windows 10 Task Scheduler

Type task in the search bar and click on Task Scheduler.

2.    Open Scheduled Scans in the Windows Defender task section

Once the Task Scheduler opens, browse down to Microsoft->Windows -> Windows Defender in the left hand plane. Search the item Windows Defender Scheduled Scan in the right-hand side and double-click on it.

3.    Create a Trigger

Change to the Trigger Tab and click new to create the new Trigger. In the On a schedule panel you can select the time and date you want it to run. You can do a scan every day, weekly or at specific days every week.

That’s everything. Once you save you trigger and reboot, your automated scans should be active. Windows 10 will show your scheduled virus scan in a list. If you want you could also combine different triggers.

Hyperlapse for Windows Phone updated to work on more Lumia Devices

Microsoft’s recently launched video app Hyperlapse, which lets users create smooth, handheld time-lapse videos, has received another updated today in the Windows Phone Store. This update will allow more Lumia devices to access and use Hyperlapse for the first time.

Specifically, the app can now be used on any Lumia that has a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 type of processor and has at least 512MB of RAM. Keep in mind that phones with just 512MB cannot capture HD videos; users will need a phone with at least 1GB of RAM for that feature to work.

If you happen to also own an Android smartphone, you are in luck as Microsoft has also launched a Hyperlase video app for that platform. It was in beta but you can now download it from Google Play Store.

Download Hyperlapse from Windows Phone Store

All the Xbox Owners can now stream Games to Windows 10 Devices

With the launch of Microsoft’s new operating system less than two weeks away, all the Xbox one owners who are using an early version of the OS can now stream their games to a Windows 10 device.

This functionality was unveiled this year and allows for any Xbox one game to be streamed over a local network to a Windows 10 PC or tablet. It was enabled for Xbox one preview program members in June, but is now available to everyone with Windows 10 installed.

If you’re equipped to do this, you’ll need to do a few things to get started:

*. On your Xbox one, go to the preferences area of the settings menu and enable the “Allow game streaming to other devices” option.

*. Make sure you have the newest Xbox app version installed on Windows 10 you’re streaming to.

*. Inside the Xbox app, go to the connect menu and use “Add a device” to connect to your console.

* connect a wired Xbox one or Xbox 360 controller to your device.

*. Go to the home menu, choose the game you want to play from recently played section and choose play from console.

*. Alternatively, go to the Game streaming section of the Home menu, which allows to control your Xbox one directly from your PC or tablet.

One thing to note is that the Xbox one is still essentially in use while streaming; a notification will appear on the system pointing out that streaming has begun, and it’ll look as if console is being in the TV it’s plugged into.

In addition to enabling game-streaming for everyone, new features are being rolled out for the Xbox app this month. This include a way to start parties upload game clips and screenshots and to create an Xbox live profile for those who don’t already have one.

Microsoft Edge: How to Change the default search engine to Google, DuckDuckGo or others

If you used Google as a default search engine in internet explorer, you surely might want to do the same with Microsoft Edge. As Microsoft’s Edge browser does not use search extensions, this works a bit different.

Microsoft Edge uses Bing as a search engine. Luckily, changing the default to Google, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo or any other search engine does not require a download from Microsoft.

Setting Google as the Default search engine in Edge

The option to add the google search engine is still a bit hidden. But if you know how it works setup is quick and easy.

Unlike Internet Explorer, Microsoft’s Edge browser now natively supports open search which is a collection of simple formats for the sharing of search results which has been developed by Amazon.com

Google has just decided to support OpenSearch, so Microsoft Edge will be able to use it. Once the feature gets activated, you can set Google as default search engine with the following procedure.

           Thanks to our friend at Google for rolling out OneSearch 1.1 support for Microsoft Edge http://t.co/11ZumQbDwA

------Jacob Rossi (@jacobrossi)

1.   Adding Google or any other OpenSearch compatible search engine to Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge follows the OpenSearch 1.1 specification to discover and use web search providers. To add any openSearch compatible search engine to Microsoft Edge, you have to just visit the search engine’s homepage.

So, to change from Bing to Google as the default search in Edge, just visit http://google.com

2.   Activating Google as the default search engine in Edge Browser

Click the three dots in the upper right corner of Edge to open the settings. Then scroll down and click on advanced settings.

In advanced settings, scroll down to Search is the address bar with and click on <add new>.

The menu add a search provider shows all the search engines Microsoft Edge has automatically detected via OpenSearch.

Click addto add it to the selection menu in Advanced Settings. with add as default you can directly replace Bing as the default search engine in the Edge.

At the moment Google is not showing up, even if you have visited http://google.com before. The reason is that implementation of OpenSearch has not been finished at Google. Just check back again in a few days.

And it is free! How to get Windows 10 for free without Windows 7 or Windows 8

Microsoft has finalized windows 10 and users of Windows 7, Windows 8 and RT Windows 8.1 will get it as a free upgrade. But with a little trick you can get your and activated copy of windows 10 even without that upgrade, although Microsoft said differently.

                                Microsoft’s free upgrade confusion

Microsoft previously had created some confusion about a supposed giveaway for testers of the windows 10 insider preview. In June rumors appeared that Microsoft was considering giving Windows 10away for pirated copies after the blog post from Terry Myerson.

“While our free offer to upgrade to Windows 10 will not apply to Non-Genuine Windows devices, and as we’ve always done, we will continue to offer Windows 10 to customers running devices in a Non-Genuine state.”

                           I’m confused now – So how do I get Windows 10 now for free?

With the release of windows 10 RTM as the latest windows 10 insider Preview version Microsoft has factually decided to upgrade everybody on the insider program to final and full version of windows 10.

When you apply the automatic upgrade from windows 10 Insider Preview Build to Windows 10 RTM Build 10240 and check with the winver-command, you can see the changes.

The watermark on the desktop will also be removed and you now will be happy user of a valid and free copy of the final version of windows 10.

      Is this a licensed copy of Windows 10? What about activation and the product key?

You can check you current license status of windows 10 by running the command slmgr.vbs /dlv

Then you will see something similar to this window.

What this meant is that by upgrading from windows 10 insider preview to windows RTM build 10240 via automatic updates you get dedicated a retail license.

And your copy of windows 10 is also activated. You can check this by typing see if windows is activated in the search field.

This will open the windows 10 activation menu in update and security of you windows 10 settings. if nothing has changed since the writing of this article you will see that you actually got a fully activated version of windows 10.

How do I get my free copy of windows 10 without having installed the Windows 10 Insider Preview?

That’s quite easy. Just install the windows 10 Insider preview using One of the many leaked ISO Builds. Just take care to use the one of the later builds as earlier ones might not work with the automatic upgrade.

Is my copy of Windows 10 RTM legal?

Let’s say this is a bit unclear. As Microsoft is giving you the final version of Windows 10 as an automatic upgrade, you should not worry until further notice. Is seems that although Microsoft does not want to admit publically, they actually decided to give the final version of Windows 10 as a gift to their beta-testers.

We don’t expect them to deactivate the windows 10 RTM version in the future. But if this happens, you will still have enough time to save your stuff and switch to another purchased version.