When you’re working with lots of open browser tabs, switching between them can be a pain. The “Pin Tab” feature helps solve this problem. It’s a long-time feature in many popular web browsers—Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari, etc.

Pinning tabs helps to locate essential web pages in your browser. Pinned tabs take up less space than a regular tab, and they also survive a browser restart (assuming they’re on the last browser window you close). This tutorial explains how to pin a tab in Google Chrome. You’ll also learn every other thing about configuring and using Chrome’s “Pin Tab” feature.

Pin and Unpin Tab Using Mouse or Trackpad

Open Chrome, right-click the tab, and select Pin.

Alternatively, right-click the tab and press P on your keyboard. Chrome will highlight the Pin option on the menu. Press Enter/Return to pin the tab.

Chrome will move the tab to the “Pin Area” of the tab bar. Pinned tabs hide the page title and only displays the website’s icon on the thumbnail. Additionally, pinned tabs are smaller (square-shaped) than unpinned tabs with page titles.

To unpin a tab, right-click the tab in the Pin Area and select Unpin.

(Re)Organize Pinned Tabs

Google Chrome arranges tabs from left to right in the order you pinned them. The first tab you pin stays fixed to the left edge of the tab bar while subsequent pinned tabs line up to the right.

You can always re-order pinned tabs within the Pin Area. Google Chrome doesn’t support moving or positioning pinned tabs outside the Pin Area.

To move a pinned tab, click on the tab, and drag it to your preferred position in the Pin Area.

Pinning vs. Grouping Tabs: What’s Different

Google lets you group tabs in the Chrome browser. Grouping tabs tidies up your tab bar and makes it easier to find tabs. You can create whatever groups help you stay more organized. For example, you might create a group of tabs for researching a project and another for “entertainment” apps like Netflix or Hulu. You could also create different tab groups for different priority tabs (like stuff you need to take care of right away and stuff that can wait). 

Unlike pinned tabs, Chrome doesn’t move grouped tabs to the left side of the tab bar. Instead, the browser files and color-codes the tab in a new section on the tab bar. You can also give grouped tabs a name or title.

Here’s how to put tabs into groups in Google Chrome.

1. Press and hold Control or Command (on Mac computers) and select the tabs you want to group. Chrome should highlight all selected tabs.
2. Right-click any of the selected tabs and select Add Tabs to New Group.

3. Give the group a name and select a preferred color code or theme for the group. Press Enter or Return to proceed.

4. You should now see the tab group on Chrome’s tab bar. Select the grouped tab to expand and view the tabs in the group. Select the group again to collapse the group.

5. To remove a tab from the group, expand the group, right-click the tab, and select Remove from Group.

Dragging a tab outside the group is another quick way to remove a tab from a group. You can also add a tab to an existing group by dragging it into the group.

6. To split the group into individual tabs, right-click the group title/name and select Ungroup.

7. The “Close Group” option deletes the group and closes all member tabs. Right-click the group title and select Close Group to split the group and close tabs within the group.

You cannot pin a group of tabs. However, Chrome lets you pin individual tabs within a group. When you pin a tab in a group, Chrome moves the tab out of the group to the Pin Area.

Pin Tab Using Keyboard Shortcut

Google Chrome doesn’t have a built-in keyboard shortcut for pinning and unpinning tabs. However, you can manually create a keyboard shortcut using a third-party Chrome extension.

1. Visit the Shortcuts (Custom Keyboard Shortcuts) page on the Chrome Web Store and select Add to Chrome.

2. Select Add extension.

Proceed to the next step when Chrome successfully installs the extension.

3. Type or paste chrome://extensions in the address bar and press Enter (on Windows PCs) or Return (on Mac).
4. Select the hamburger menu icon in the top-left corner of the “Extensions” page.

5. Select Keyboard shortcuts.

6. Scroll to the “Shortkeys (Custom Keyboard Shortcuts)” section. Next, select the pencil icon next to the dialog box in the Pin/unpin tab row.

7. Press the key combination you want to assign to pinning and unpinning tabs. For instance, Ctrl + P or Shift + P. For this tutorial, we’ll register Control + P as the shortcut for pinning and unpinning Chrome tabs on our macOS laptop. Finally, set the next drop-down menu option to In Chrome.

You should now be able to use the new keyboard shortcut to pin and unpin tabs in Chrome. One last thing you need to do is configure the Shortkeys extension to work in Incognito mode.

Chrome disables third-party extensions in incognito mode, so the shortcut won’t work when you open an incognito window. To pin browser tabs using keyboard shortcuts, enable the extension to work in Incognito mode.

8. Type or paste chrome://extensions in the address bar and press Enter or Return on your keyboard.
9. Locate “Shortcuts (Custom Keyboard Shortcuts)” and select the Details button.

10.  Toggle on Allow in Incognito.

Your custom keyboard shortcut will now pin and unpin tabs in regular and Incognito mode.

Open Chrome With Pinned Tab

Google Chrome permanently fixes pinned tabs to the tab bar. Unless you unpin or close pinned tabs, they’ll remain in the “Pin Area” even when you close (and reopen) your browser. Grouped tabs and other regular tabs are closed.

However, note that you might lose pinned tabs in Chrome if you don’t close the browser correctly. If you keep multiple browser windows open, always close the window with pinned tabs last.

If you’re using a Mac computer, don’t close Chrome by clicking the red icon in the top-left corner of the browser window. Instead, right-click Chrome on the Dock, and select Quit. Alternatively, press and hold Command + Q for about 3 seconds until the browser closes.

When you reopen Google Chrome, it’ll immediately open the browser with your pinned tabs.

Pin the Important Tabs

If you can’t pin tabs, ensure you’re running the latest version of Google Chrome on your device.

Type or paste chrome://settings/help in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Wait for Chrome to download the latest version of the browser.

You might need to close and reopen Chrome to install the update. Refer to our tutorial on updating Chrome for more information.

Quickly find pictures of your spouse, child, sibling, or pet by adding names to faces in Google Photos. Face tagging lets you see all photos with that person or pet, perform a fast search, and keep pictures organized at the same time.

It only takes a minute to include names when you add faces to Google Photos. Plus, you can do it on the Google Photos website or in the mobile app.

Turn on the Group Similar Faces Feature

When you visit the Explore or Search section of Google Photos, you should see faces display across the top. This is where you can start adding names to those faces. If you don’t see those photos, enable the face grouping feature.

This feature uses face detection and recognition to combine photos it identifies as the same person (or pet).

Enable Group Similar Faces on the Web

1. Visit Google Photos and sign in.
2. Select the gear icon on the top right.
3. Scroll down to and expand the Group similar faces section.
4. Turn on the toggle for Face grouping. Optionally, you can enable the toggles for Help contacts recognize your face and Show pets with people.

Your changes are saved automatically, so you can return to your main Google Photos page or another area using the navigation on the left.

Enable Group Similar Faces on Mobile

1. Open the Google Photos app on your mobile device.
2. Tap your profile icon in the top right corner.
3. Select Photo settings on Android or Google Photos settings on iPhone.
4. Pick the Group similar faces option.
5. Turn on the toggle for Face grouping and optionally the other two settings for faces if you like.

You can tap the arrow on the top left to exit this screen and adjust any other settings if needed. Otherwise, tap the arrow again to return to your main Google Photos screen.

Add Names to Faces in Google Photos

You can add names to faces on the Google Photos website or in the mobile app. When you do, your changes sync, so you only have to do it in one spot.

Add Names to Faces on the Web

1. Select Explore in the left-hand navigation.
2. Choose a face at the top below People or People and Pets. You can also use the View all link on the right to see them all.
3. On the top left of the next screen, select Add a name.

4. Enter a name or nickname for the person or pet.
5. Select Done to save your change.

You can select the arrow on the top left to return to the Explore screen. You should then see the name you added below the face at the top.

Add Names to Faces on Mobile

1. In the Google Photos mobile app, select the Search tab.
2. You’ll see faces at the top below People or People & Pets. You can choose View all on the right to see all faces.
3. Select a photo and then pick Add a name.
4. Enter the name and tap Done.

Tip: On iPhone, you can also quickly put a name to the face. Tap Add name below the photo. Enter the name at the top and tap Done on the keyboard. For more tips like this, check out our Google Photos tips and tricks!

Edit a Name for a Face

If you want to change a name you’ve assigned to a face, you can do so just as easily as adding one initially.

Edit a Name on the Web

1. Choose the photo at the top of the Explore page.
2. Hover your cursor over their name on their photos page and select the pencil icon that appears.

3. Make your change and pick Done.

Edit a Name on Mobile

1. Choose the photo at the top of the Search tab.
2. Tap the three dots on the top right and pick Edit name label. You can also select Remove name label to not show a name at all.
3. Enter the new name or nickname at the top and press Done on the keyboard.

See Photos With Faces

After you add a name to a face on Google Photos, it’s simple to find pictures of that person or pet.

On the web, visit the Explore page and select a photo at the top. You can also use the Search box at the top of Google Photos to enter the name.

On your mobile device, go to the Search tab and pick a photo at the top. If you have many named faces, pop the name into the Search field instead.

Hide Photos With Faces

We’ve all been there. Photos pop up of people we no longer want to see. Luckily, Google Photos lets you hide pictures of specific people or pets. This doesn’t delete any photos; it simply does not show that face in the Explore and Search sections.

Hide Faces on the Web

1. Select the gear icon on the top right of Google Photos.
2. Scroll to and expand the Group similar faces section.
3. Choose the Show & hide faces link below Face grouping.

4. Select the person’s face you want to hide. This places an icon of an eye with a line through it and dims the thumbnail.
5. Pick Done on the upper right when you finish.

If you change your mind later and want to unhide a Google Photos face, follow the same steps to return to this spot. Then, select the face to remove the icon and show the face again.

Hide Faces on Mobile

1. Go to the Search tab and select View all in the People section at the top.
2. Tap the three dots on the top right and pick Hide & show people on Android, Hide & show faces on iPhone.
3. Select the person’s face you want to hide. Like on the web this places a hidden icon on the face and dims the thumbnail.
4. Tap Done at the top when you finish.

To unhide a face later, follow the same steps and select the face you want to show again to remove the hidden icon.

When you add faces to Google Photos, consider attaching names to them too. This makes those people and pets easy to find and simple to search for as well.

For more, look at how to download Google Photos photos and videos or how to move photos from iCloud to Google Photos.

Most people don’t think of Facebook as a dating website or app. But Facebook does include a dating section known as Facebook Dating. You just need to know how to find and activate it.

In this article, we’ll show you how to activate Facebook Dating because it’s not enabled by default. Just make sure you avoid online dating scammers because not all Facebook users are genuine.

Things to Know Before Activating Facebook Dating App

Facebook Dating service works much like popular dating apps such as Bumble, Hinge, and Tinder. These popular apps are developed specifically for dating and dating only, while Facebook is not.

While Facebook Dating is less popular, it has one advantage over the other dating apps. It uses the information available from your already existing profile to match you with people that have similar interests, follow similar artists, or have joined similar groups.

Another important thing to know is that Facebook Dating Service is available only through the Facebook mobile app. That means you won’t be able to access it through a web browser. Facebook Dating is a completely free service, and there are no premium features, like on Tinder, for example, for which you would have to pay to access them.

How to Turn On the Facebook Dating App

To use the Facebook Dating app, you must have a Facebook profile and be at least 18 years old. Facebook applications use the information from your profile to find and match you with potential dates and recommend them to you. You don’t need to create a new profile just to use this service.

Below are the steps you need to follow to set up the Dating app. They are more or less the same on both Android smartphones and iOS.

1. Open the Facebook app on your smartphone.

2. Tap the Menu (the three lines also known as a hamburger menu). The location of the Menu can be in the upper or lower corner of the screen, depending on the OS.

3. In the Menu, find the section named All Shortcuts. This is where you will search for the Dating option.

4. If you don’t see the Dating option, tap See More, which is at the bottom of the shortcuts.

5. Once you find it, tap Dating and Get Started.

Activate Your Facebook Dating Profile

Simply by tapping the Dating and Get Started options, you activate the Facebook Dating App. But to continue, you will have to set up your FB Dating Profile. This profile is not much different from your original Facebook profile.

Facebook itself will import the information you made available in the original profile. However, you are now in control of what will be displayed. Now is the time to build your profile. You can remove the information by tapping the X or change it by tapping the pencil marker.

Keep in mind that the changes you make on your Dating profile won’t influence the information on your original Facebook profile. That means that even if you chose to hide some of the information from your original profile, such as which school you graduated from or where you were born, you could display them separately.

How Does Facebook Dating Work?

Once you are done with setting up your FB Dating Profile, tap Confirm. Your profile will be automatically published, and other people using the app will be able to find you.

Whenever you want to return to your Dating profile, go to the three-line Menu, and among shortcuts, find and tap Dating. It will automatically take you to your Dating page. At the top are three options: Profile, Liked you, and Matches.

There is also a button labeled with a gear icon in the top right corner. This is where the settings are, and we will discuss configuring your profile in the next section.

1. Profile

If you tap the Profile option, you can change the information you previously put in. Here you can add or remove hobbies, and interests, change your relationship status or add photos. You can also write an introduction text about yourself and the expectations you might have about potential matches.

Any written information or pictures you share on FB Dating App won’t appear on your user profile. In the same manner, all the messages that you receive through the Dating service will be kept separately from the messages in Facebook messenger.

2. Liked You

In the Liked You section, you will see all the Facebook Dating users who liked your profile. You can like them back or dismiss them so they won’t be able to message you. Only the users you like back can send you private messages. Similarly, you won’t be able to message anyone until you return a like.

To return a like, simply tap on the heart icon. If you want to dismiss someone, tap the X icon. The Liked You section also works as notifications. Here you will find all the new likes and the old ones that you chose not to react to. Facebook also copied Tinder’s swiping left and right to like or dismiss profiles.

3. Matches

Once you like someone back or other users respond to your likes, you will become a match. Now you can explore the profile of your Match and see what interests you share and if you have any mutual friends. You can find the match profiles in your Matches section. It is from here that you can start a chat with other users. Simply tap on their photo, and a conversation section will appear at the lower part of the page.

These conversations won’t appear in your Facebook Messenger even if you become friends with your match on Facebook. You will also always be able to return to Dating and find this person among your matches and check on their activity.

Secret Crush Feature

Scroll down on the main Dating page, and you will find a section named More to Explore. Here you will find some useful additional  Facebook Dating features, among them the Secret Crush. This feature will allow you to find people you are already friends with on your original Facebook and Instagram profiles. You can like them and create your Secret Crush list that can hold up to nine friends.

If you already have a crush on one of your Facebook friends or Instagram followers, you can secretly let them know. Tap their profile, and they will get a notification that someone has a crush on them. However, they won’t be able to see who it is unless they mark that they are interested. Only then will your profile be revealed to them, and you can start a match and a chat.

The More to Explore section also contains the Second Look, Events in Common, and Groups in Common features. Here is what they do:

1. Second Look lets you see all the profiles you previously dismissed. This button gives you a second opportunity to study someone’s profile and decide to like it. This feature doesn’t exist on any other dating app, and it sets Facebook Dating apart.

2. Events in Common will show you profiles of people who signed up or attended the same Facebook events as you. This way, you can find even more people who share your interests.

3. Groups in Common is a feature that will show the people who are members of the Facebook groups you have joined. From here, you can tap their profiles and like them.

Adjust the Facebook Dating Settings

Remember the gear icon we mentioned in the previous section? It is time to learn how to use the settings of the Dating app to your advantage. These settings will determine how the app will work for you. Through the Dating profile configuration, you can significantly improve your chances of finding the right person.

Here are a few steps to take to configure your Dating app:

1. Tap on the gear icon.

2. Navigate to the Ideal Match tab and set up a niche by which Facebook would recommend matches for you. You can choose distance, age group, language, gender, and height.

3. Connect your Dating Profile with your Instagram account. Go to the General Settings and tap the button right next to the Instagram option.

4. Tap Add Instagram Posts if you want to share the stories, posts, and captions from your Instagram profile on your dating profile.

Deleting Your Facebook Dating Profile

There are various reasons why you would like to delete your FB Profile. Perhaps you managed to find the love of your life, or you just decided that dating apps are not your thing. Facebook will let you permanently delete your dating profile without deleting your original Facebook account.

Deleting Facebook Dating Profile is very simple:

1. Tap on the gear icon.

2. Tap on the General tab.

3. Tap Delete Profile.

4. Optionally, you can select why you chose to delete your dating profile. If you don’t want to, simply tap Skip.

5. To finalize deleting the profile, tap Next.

Note that if you don’t want to delete your dating profile permanently, but you need a break from it, you can always choose the Take a Break option. This way, your profile will be paused, you will receive no dating notifications, and you won’t appear to anyone as a match suggestion. To enable this option, tap the gear icon, followed by the General tab, Account, and toggle the switch next to the Take a Break.

The taskbar in Windows 10 and 11 is always visible, giving you quick access to anything you add to it. But how do you create shortcuts to the Windows taskbar?

If you have essential programs, folders, files, and websites you want to get to whenever you want, you must link to them on the taskbar. Programs and websites are easier to add, while files and folders are slightly trickier.

Go through the following tutorial to learn how to create shortcuts on the Windows 10 taskbar and the Windows 11 taskbar.

Pin Shortcut to Taskbar via Start Menu

If you want to create a taskbar shortcut for a program on your computer, the fastest way is to pin it via the Start menu.

To do that, just open the Start menu and locate the application. In Windows 11, you may have to check your All apps list if it’s not present among your pinned Start items. Then, right-click and select More > Pin to taskbar on the context menu.

The shortcut should appear on the taskbar immediately. Repeat for any other programs you want to add.

Pin Running Programs to Taskbar

Another way to create a shortcut to a program is to pin it to the taskbar while running it. Just right-click the icon in the toolbar and select Pin to taskbar, and it should stay there even after you close the application.

Pin Desktop Shortcuts to Taskbar

If the shortcut to a program is already present on the desktop, Windows lets you add it to the taskbar in a couple of clicks. To do that, right-click an item and select Pin to taskbar.

Pin Programs to Taskbar via Applications Folder

Windows 10 and 11 feature a special Applications folder that lists all Microsoft Store and non-Store apps on your computer. The folder also lists apps you typically won’t find within the Start menu—e.g., the Control Panel and the Command Prompt console.

1. Use the Windows Key + R keyboard shortcut to open the Run box.

2. Type shell:AppsFolder and select OK.

3. Right-click the app you want to pin to the taskbar and select Pin to taskbar.

Pin Apps to Taskbar via File Explorer

It’s also possible to create taskbar shortcuts via File Explorer for a traditional desktop program after locating its primary executable (EXE) file. It’s usually quicker to pin apps from the Start menu, but you’ll occasionally run into an app that doesn’t appear there.

1. Track down the program’s installation folder. Windows installs applications to the Program Files and Program Files (x86) directories by default, so check those locations first.

2. Locate the executable file that launches the program when you double-click on it.
3. Right-click the file and select Pin to taskbar. In Windows 11, you must select Show more options first.

You can also visit the hidden WindowsApps folder and create shortcuts to Microsoft Store apps the same way. However, we recommend you avoid that since it’s difficult to distinguish between folders and files within the directory.

Pin Folders and Files to Taskbar

Unlike programs, Windows 10 and 11 do not allow you to pin files and folders to the taskbar unless you perform a tiny “hack” on each item you want to add. You’ve got a couple of ways to do that.

Use Create Shortcut Wizard

1. Right-click a vacant area and select New > Shortcut.

2. Copy and paste the file or folder path or use the Browse button to add it.

3. Add the word “explorer” (no quotes) to the front of the file or folder path. Make sure to keep a single spacing in between.

4. Assign a name and select Finish.

5. Right-click the file or folder shortcut and select Pin to taskbar.

Create and Modify Shortcut

1. Open File Explorer and visit the location of the file or folder.
2. Hold down the Alt key and drag and drop the item onto the desktop to create a shortcut.

3. Right-click the shortcut and select Properties.

Tip: You can also drag files using your right mouse button. When you release the file in the target location, Windows pops open a menu asking whether you want to move, copy, or create a shortcut.

4. Switch to the Shortcut tab.
5. Add the word “explorer” (no quotes) to the front of the file or folder path within the Target field. Make sure to keep a single spacing in between.

6. Select Apply > OK to save your changes.
7. Right-click the shortcut and select Pin to taskbar.

Note: Pinned taskbar folders will display the generic File Explorer icon. To change that, open the shortcut’s Properties dialog and use the Change Icon button under the Shortcuts tab. Learn more about customizing icons in Windows 10 and 11.

Pin Websites to Taskbar

If you use Microsoft Edge, you can use a built-in option to add websites to the taskbar. If you use a different browser such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, you must rely on a workaround similar to adding files and folders.

Microsoft Edge

1. Load the website or app in Edge.
2. Open the Edge menu (select three dots on the right corner of the browser’s toolbar).

3. Select More tools > Pin to taskbar.

Other Browsers

1. Open the Create Shortcut wizard.
2. Copy and paste the website URL from your web browser.

3. Add the word “explorer” (no quotes) to the front of the URL, keeping a single space in between.

4. Assign a name and select Finish.

5. Right-click the website shortcut and select Pin to taskbar.

Pin Websites as Apps to Taskbar

If you use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, you can “install” websites as progressive web apps (or PWAs) and then add them to the taskbar without any modifications. PWAs also sport site favicons, making it easier to distinguish between websites.

Google Chrome

1. Load the website in Chrome.
2. Open the Chrome menu and select More Tools > Create Shortcut.

3. Check the box next to Open as window and select Create.

4. Right-click the item and select Pin to taskbar.

Microsoft Edge

1. Load the website in Edge.
2. Open the Edge menu and select Apps > Install this site as an app.

3. Select Install to confirm.

4. Check the box next to Pin to taskbar and select Allow.

Instant Access to Apps, Files, and Websites

Now that you know how to add your favorite apps, files, and websites to the Windows taskbar, don’t forget to rearrange them by dragging them around. You can also unpin taskbar icons by right-clicking the icon and selecting Unpin from taskbar. Shortcuts aside, you can also customize the taskbar in Windows 10 and 11 and do a whole lot more.

Not everyone has perfect pitch, not even multi-million selling vocal artists! Luckily they have an auto-tuner to smooth out those false notes. The good news is that you have access to this almost magical technology. These are some of the best apps to auto-tune your (already lovely) voice at home.

We’ve chosen some of the best auto-tune apps out there today and an author with an awful singing voice to test them. Some offer pitch correction in the free app version, while others require a purchase or subscription to unlock that feature. Let’s see if these apps can stand up to the vocal torture we’re subjecting them to and let you sing songs that could get you a spot on The Voice.

What Is Auto-Tune?

“Auto-Tune” is a specific software product created by Antares Audio to perform sophisticated voice processing. However, just like “Hoover,” the name has become a generic term for all devices and software producing similar sound effects.

When used as intended, pitch-correction software (which is the proper generic term) is meant to help polish slightly off-key notes recorded by an artist. However, when most people think of “auto-tune,” they think of the novel way the software was used to change artists’ vocals like Cher, Kanye West, and T-Pain. Rather than hiding the fact that auto-tune had been used, the effect was pushed way up to radically alter the sound of the human voice in real-time or after recording.

Auto-tune Vs. Voice Changers

Before we get to the list of apps, keep in mind that these apps can either create an auto-tune voice effect or just pitch-correct your voice.

Since many readers are also looking for a voice modulator or vocoder app that will make their voices “sound auto-tuned” rather than an actual pitch corrector, we will include both types of apps in our list below.

Mobile Auto-Tune Apps

These apps let you use pitch correction or apply an auto-tune effect to your voice right on your smartphone or tablet.

Starmaker: Sing Karaoke Songs (Google Play Store & iOS)

Starmaker isn’t an app for making auto-tuned voice recordings. Instead, it’s a karaoke app that lets you sing along to your favorite songs and then adjust them in the audio editor before posting to social media or creating your ringtone.

Some of that editing includes pitch correction so that it doesn’t sound like you can’t carry a tune in a bucket. However, the pitch correction applies to all of your singing and isn’t automatic. It’s just about letting you hit the notes, but you still need some singing talent. You can listen to a sample here.

The app has millions of licensed backtracks, synced rolling lyrics, and video filters to go along with vocal adjustments. Once you’re done and brave enough, you can put a video of your gyrating performance on social media. You can even sing live if you want to play on hard mode.

AutoRap by Smule (Google Play Store & iOS)

Suppose you’ve always wanted to be a rapper like Dre or Eminem but lacked the talent. In that case, AutoRap can help you fake your way to making original raps or just doing covers of your favorite songs, thanks to its innovative rap mode and music video feature.

AutoRap does pitch correction and automatic beat-matching, whether you’re going freestyle or sticking to the script. So really, you only have to speak into the mic and let the software turn it into something musical. You can hear a sample here.

The app comes with more than 5000 beats used by big-name rap artists. They also offer AutoRap Originals, and you can access beats uploaded by the AutoRap community.

Sadly, most of these features are locked behind a subscription paywall. You can try two songs for free to see if you like the result, but if you want more, you have to pay up, and there’s no free trial either!

Tune Me (Google Play)

Tune Me is designed as a mobile Hip Hop and R&B studio and includes more than 500 free beats so you can be the next mumble rap star.

As the name suggests, the main feature of this app is its pitch correction technology. It calls it “Auto-Pitch” and lets you adjust the strength from subtle correction to total auto-tune vocals. You can listen to a sample here.

The app automatically syncs your vocals to the beat, apart from pitch correction. So if you lack both rhythm and pitch, this is the app for you.

A paid “Pro” version of the app adds multi-track recording, removes ads, and includes more vocal effects.

Voloco Auto Vocal Tune Studio (Google Play & iOS)

Voloco is one of the most popular auto-tune apps out there. It’s essentially a vocal recording studio in your pocket. The app automatically removes background noise and applies pitch correction automatically, so you always sing in tune.

The idea is to create professional-sounding karaoke tracks, and as such, there’s an extensive library of beats included with the software. It auto-detects the key of the provided beats and tunes your voice accordingly. You can also use professional audio effects such as audio compression, EQ adjustment, and reverb. While the app doesn’t allow for fine-grained control of the pitch correction function, you can choose between several presets to get the sound you want. You can listen to a sample here.

Perhaps the most mind-blowing feature of this app is the ability to remove vocals from existing tracks. So if you’ve already recorded something, you can pitch correct that without the need to record tracks again! This also means you can make your own karaoke tracks. When you’re happy with the final product, simply export it as an AAC or WAV file for easy playback on almost any device.

Desktop Auto-Tune Apps

These applications run on desktop operating systems and tend to be for professional use rather than being suitable for beginners like the singing apps listed above. However, don’t be dissuaded if your dream is to make professional music. You’ll have to learn pitch correction tools without the training wheels eventually.

Antares Auto-Tune Artist ($299)

There’s nothing quite like the original, and Antares Auto-Tune is the plugin that started it all. Auto-Tune Artist is an alternative version of Auto-Tune Pro. The Artist version of the software is designed for live performances, offering the lowest latency of the different Auto-Tune packages.

It’s an expensive software package, but it’s pretty reasonable compared to what most professional audio software costs. You’ll also find a distinct difference in Auto-Tune quality compared to the apps you’ll find on a mobile phone.

Auto-Tune Artists offers a free trial to see for yourself if it’s worth the money. It provides the full spectrum of pitch-correction use cases. You can get that classic, deliberate auto-tune sound or subtly correct an on-stage performer’s pitch without anyone knowing. The “Humanize” feature is specifically designed to leave those human imperfections in sustained notes so that the performance still retains its emotional impact.

Soundtrap (From $9.99 a month)

Soundtrap is a music-making platform similar to GarageBand that lets you record vocals and instruments in multi-track arrangements to make professional songs.

There are apps for multiple platforms, including the iPhone Soundtrap Capture app, which you can use to capture audio wherever you are. Sadly there doesn’t seem to be a version of the capture app for Android devices. Soundtrap seems like a better-than-average music production app, although it’s better suited to amateur musicians with limited budgets.

There is a free tier of the software that lets you do most of the essential multi-track recording work you’d want, but the reason Sountrap is on this list is to include the real-deal Antares Auto-Tune software part of the paid subscription tier. 

Yes, even the $9.99 a month subscription includes Antares Auto-Tune integrated into Soundtrap. If you just did a spit-take when seeing the price for that software above, you’ll understand what a smashing deal this is for this reason alone, and you get a whole music production suite in the deal.

Tune-Up and Rock Out

These apps made our voice sound, if not great, at least palatable to the karaoke crowd. If you use the correct pitch correction and make a little effort to get close to the actual note, we think you’ll be delighted with the results, especially if your main goal is to share content on social networks.

If you want to move on to improving your singing voice rather than using pitch correction to hit the notes, consider something like Yousician or any of several human vocal coaches who’ll help you over Skype or Zoom for a fee. You can always use auto-tune to polish your singing skills, but the better your original singing is, the better the results!

Microsoft Windows 11’s release date to the public was October 5th, 2021. This latest version is known as “21H2”, but there have been several minor updates to Microsoft’s latest operating system, with significant updates planned for the future.

If you want to update your current operating system to the cutting-edge, the latest version of Windows 11 is what you want.

Understanding Windows 11 Version Numbers

Microsoft releases two types of updates:

• Feature updates are the big annual releases where Windows gets significant new features and additions. 
• Quality updates are incremental updates that include bug fixes and security updates.

Updates marked as “cumulative” contain all the updates that came before them. So you don’t need to install each one that came before first.

Major feature version numbers consist of two parts, the first part represents the year of release, and the second part describes whether the release happened in the first or second half of that year. So, for example, version 20H2 would have been released in 2020’s second half.

Quality updates are labeled with the entire year and month. So the 2022-01 quality update would have been released in January 2022. Multiple quality updates can happen in the same month. Each update has a unique Knowledgebase (KB) number. For example, the 2022-01 Windows 11 release is known as KB5010690.

The built-in antivirus package, Microsoft Defender, receives separate updates known as Security Intelligence Updates. Likewise, the Microsoft Edge web browser and Microsoft Office have their own separate update paths.

The Latest Version of Windows Is Windows 11, Version 21H2

At the time of writing, the latest current version of Windows 11 is 21H2. The latest cumulative Quality update is 2022-05 KB 5013943.

A New User Interface (UI)

Windows 11 has a completely revamped UI. This new version of the Windows interface reimagines the Start Menu setup found in previous versions of Windows, such as Windows 7 and 10. The “Metro” tile system seen in Windows 8 and 8.1 is completely gone, even the vestiges that existed within Windows 10. The Taskbar is now centered in a way reminiscent of Apple macOS and iOS for iPad. However, it can be aligned left if you wish. The Search Bar is now also at the very top of the menu.

Microsoft’s voice assistant Cortana is notably missing from Windows 11 as the company winds its Siri-competitor down. While Siri proved popular on iPhone and iPad, Windows users haven’t been quite as keen on voice assistant functionality.

The new Action Center neatly unifies notifications and controls for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other common functions. Microsoft is also slowly deprecating the Control Panel in favor of the more streamlined Settings app.

The Windows Subsystem for Android

Windows 11 offers the ability to install and run Android apps from the Amazon store in Windows without needing a smartphone. Technically this isn’t yet a working feature in the public release of Windows 11, but it is accessible as a beta feature. We’ve tested this early implementation, and although it more or less works, it is still unpolished.

The Windows Subsystem for Linux

Like the Android solution above, this feature lets you run Linux software on Windows 11. Unlike the Android feature, this is already a part of the main release; you will have to activate and install this component under Windows features.

New Windows System Security Standards

Windows 11 dumps a lot of legacy code which could cause security vulnerabilities. In addition, running Windows 11 requires higher levels of hardware security. Specifically, it requires a TPM (Trusted Platform Module), or you can’t install it.

This TPM requirement breaks compatibility with older CPUs and can only be installed on an 8th-generation Intel or Ryzen 3000-series AMD CPU.

Improved Gaming Performance and Xbox Integration

Microsoft has fully integrated the Xbox app and the Xbox Game Pass service into Windows 11. On top of this, Windows 11 promises to have the best support for video games. It’s the best Windows OS for running 12th-generation Intel CPUs and has the best support for technologies such as GPU-based storage acceleration.

Windows 11 Comes in Different Editions

Windows 11 comes in several editions:

• Home.
• Pro.
• Education.
• Enterprise.
• Pro Education.
• Pro for Workstations.
• Mixed Reality.
• Windows Server

Only the Home and Pro versions are of interest to most Windows users. It’s important to understand that you can only update or upgrade your version of Windows to another version of the same edition. So, for example, Windows 10 Enterprise users can only move up to Windows 11 Enterprise. To change the edition of Windows you have, you must purchase a Windows license for that edition.

Understanding Release Channels

When we refer to the latest version of Windows 11, we are explicitly referring to the main release “channel.” This is the update channel that receives updates that have been extensively tested and cleared for every Windows user.

The Windows Insider channel offers any users access to future versions of Windows and the features that come with those versions. Insiders can provide insight and feedback on these new features, helping Microsoft perfect them before release. We don’t recommend using the Insider channel on your mission-critical main computer since there’s always the chance of instability and data loss.

The Dev (Developer) channel offers Windows 11 updates without being tied to any future Windows update. This channel is meant for highly-technical users involved in developing Windows software.

Once you switch over to one of these channels, you are no longer on the same track as the main Windows build, and so the version numbers discussed here don’t apply.

How to Check What Version of Windows You Have

Checking your Windows version is simple. Just select the Start button > Settings App  > System > About.

Then check under Windows Specifications next to “version.” In the example here, you can see this is version 21H2. Many users and publications expected the first major update to Windows 11 to happen in the first half of 2022, but as of the time of writing, version 22H1 is nowhere to be seen. Instead, the next expected version is 22H2, with the code name Sun Valley.

How to Update to the Latest Version of Windows

Whether you’re on Windows 10 or are already a Windows 11 user, all you have to do to initiate an update is head to Start Menu Button > Settings App > Windows Update.

You’ll either see pending updates or that you are up to date. Choose whether to install updates immediately or manually check for updates by selecting Check for Updates. Windows will handle the rest.

If you’re a Windows 10 user who wishes to update to Windows 11 and the update isn’t showing for you, go to the Windows 11 download page and choose the best installation method. We suggest trying the Windows 11 Installation Assistant first, but if you want to update a different computer, you can use the Media Creation tool or burn a downloaded ISO file to a disc. If you have a Windows 10 license key, you can use it to activate Windows 11.

Where Can You Buy Windows 11?

As mentioned above, if you’re a Windows 10 user, you can get a free upgrade to Windows 11 as long as your computer meets the minimum specifications. However, if, for example, you’ve built a computer from components and you need a Windows 11 license for it, you’ll have to pay for a license.

You can buy Windows 11 directly from the Microsoft Store, where you’ll receive a digital entitlement linked to your Microsoft Account. You can also buy Windows 11 from third-party sellers, either as a physical copy that includes disks or a pre-loaded flash drive or as just a license key. In the previous section, anyone can download and install Windows 11 without a key. Later, you can activate your copy by linking your Microsoft Account or entering the key you bought.

It’s possible to get highly-discounted keys from third-party sellers who resell volume license keys but be aware that this could be risky and possibly violate the license terms.

Should You Get The Latest Version of Windows?

At the time of writing, Microsoft has announced that they consider Windows 11 ready for general use nearly a year after its release. That means anyone waiting for stability good enough for business or mission-critical computers can now consider upgrading. 

However, except for security and stability updates, it’s generally not a good idea to upgrade to a newer version of Windows the minute the update becomes available. It’s better to wait so that any new bugs or issues are discovered by early adopters and fixed before risking your computer.

Do you want to open apps, files, folders, and websites faster? Try creating desktop shortcuts. This tutorial shows how to do that on your Windows 10 or 11 PC.

Although Microsoft places less emphasis on desktop shortcuts in Windows 10 and 11, you can still use them to get to your favorite apps, files, and websites faster. There are several methods for adding shortcuts to the Windows desktop, and we’ll look at all of them.

Add App Shortcuts via the Start Menu

If you want to create a desktop shortcut to a Microsoft Store app—Photos, Calendar, etc.—or a traditional program on your PC, the quickest way is to drag it from the Start menu’s app list to the desktop.

1. Open the Start menu and select All apps to reveal your app list.

2. Locate the program you want to add.
3. Drag the program to the desktop and release it when the cursor changes to Link.

In Windows 10, you can also drag out pinned Start menu apps into the desktop as shortcuts.

Add App Shortcuts via the Applications Folder

The Applications folder in Windows 10 and 11 is a special directory that features a comprehensive list of all Microsoft Store and non-Store apps on your computer. It offers an alternative way to create desktop shortcuts to the programs on your computer and lists items you typically won’t find listed within the Start menu, such as the Control Panel.

1. Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run box. Then, type shell:AppsFolder,and press Enter. The Applications folder will show up in a File Explorer window.

2. Locate the program you want to add to the desktop. Next, right-click and select Create shortcut.

3. Select Yes on the “Windows can’t create a shortcut here” pop-up. The shortcut should immediately appear on your desktop.

Alternatively, you can access the Applications folder in Windows via the Command Prompt console. Type cmd into the Start menu, select Open and run the explorer shell:AppsFolder command.

Add Traditional System Shortcuts

Windows 10 and 11 display only the Recycle Bin on the desktop by default. But you can put anything you want there, including traditional system shortcuts like This PC, your user account folder, the network devices folder, and Control Panel via the Desktop Icon Settings dialog.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Settings.

2. Select the Personalization category.

3. Select Themes.

4. Scroll down and select Desktop icon settings.

5. Check the boxes next to the shortcuts you want—Computer, User’s Files, Network, Recycle Bin, and Control Panel.

6. Select Apply > OK.

Create Program, File, and Folder Shortcuts via File Explorer

Another way to create application shortcuts involves File Explorer. You can also use it to create shortcuts to files and folders.

Create Program Shortcuts

1. Open File Explorer and visit the program’s installation directory. The default installation locations for traditional desktop applications (e.g., Microsoft Office) are Program Files and Program Files (x86) within the system partition. To locate a Microsoft Store app, you must visit the hidden WindowsApps folder.

2. Locate the primary executable (EXE). It’s an application-type file (you can identify it by setting View to Details), typically featuring the name and icon of the program. If you want to be sure, double-click the file. If the program launches, you’ve identified the correct file.

Tip: If you have trouble locating the executable of a non-Store app, right-click the program on the Start menu and select More > Open file location. That should take you to the shortcuts folder for the Start menu. Again, right-click the program and select Open file location to bring up the application directory with the main EXE file highlighted.

3. Drag the executable file onto the desktop and release it when the cursor changes to Create link in Desktop.

Or, right-click the application file and select Send to > Desktop (shortcut) on the contextual menu. You can also click and hold the right mouse button (not the left click), drag the item into the desktop, and select Create shortcuts here.

Create File and Folder Shortcuts

1. Open File Explorer and locate the file (e.g., Excel or Word) or folder.
2. Hold down the Alt key and drag the item out to the desktop. 
3. Release when the cursor changes to Create link in Desktop.

Like with application shortcuts, you can also right-click the file or folder and select Send to > Desktop (shortcut) or simply drag it to the desktop with a right-click and choose the Create shortcuts here option.

Drag and Drop URLs to Create Website Shortcuts

If you want to create a shortcut to a website or webpage, you can do that quickly by dragging and dropping the URL to the desktop.

1. Load the website or webpage in a browser tab.
2. Click anywhere within the address bar to highlight the URL.
3. Drag and drop the URL onto the desktop.

The steps above work on Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and any other web browser you use in Windows 10 and 11.

Create Progressive Web App Shortcuts

If you use a Chromium-based browser such as Chrome or Edge, you can create progressive web apps (PWAs) for websites that appear on the desktop. PWAs feature website favicons, making them easier to distinguish from typical website shortcuts.

To install a site as an app in Chrome:

1. Visit the homepage of a website.
2. Open the Chrome menu and select More tools > Create shortcut.

3. Check the box next to Open as window and select Create.

If you use Edge, just open the Edge menu and select Apps > Install this site as an app.

Use the New Shortcut Wizard

The Create Shortcut wizard is a slow but reliable tool for creating desktop shortcuts for apps. You can also add shortcuts to programs, files, folders, and websites.

1. Right-click a vacant area within the desktop and select New > Shortcut.

2. Enter the path of a program executable, file, or folder, or add it via the Browse button. If you want to create a shortcut to a website, paste the URL instead.

3. Select Next.
4. Rename or assign a new name for the shortcut.

5. Select Finish.

What’s Next?

Now that you know how to create desktop shortcuts on your Windows 10 or 11 PC, what’s next?

• Shortcuts won’t do you any good unless you know how to get to the desktop faster.
• If you have too many shortcuts, you might want to change the spacing between app icons.
• Try customizing your desktop by changing the default icons for your shortcuts.

One of the fastest-growing segments of the global economy is the “gig” economy. These are jobs that can be done remotely, over the internet, and that come with a very real cash payment. 

In some cases “gigs” are one-time jobs you can perform for a fee, or a regular stream of work you can do every week or month.

In this article, we’ll cover the most common ways people currently make money online. The choice really comes down to what your skill set is, and how much time you have available to invest into this new job market.

Making Money Online for Beginners

Why is any method of making money online for “beginners”?  

• Low or no startup costs
• Requires few special skills
• Does not include complicated work processes
• Doesn’t require much past experience

If this sounds like something you might want to try, then read on to learn nine potential side hustles you can use to make money online.

1. Taking Surveys: Low Effort for Small Rewards

If you enjoy sharing your opinions and influencing how companies or even governments make decisions, you will probably like taking online surveys.

Online survey companies poll people from all across the world on a number of topics and issues. Sometimes these surveys are performed for companies who want to do market research before creating or trying to sell products. In other cases government organizations may turn to survey companies to “check the pulse” of the public on specific topics.

In return for taking surveys, the survey companies will pay you. In most cases, payment is in the form of a gift card. But in other cases it could be a straight payment via PayPal. It’s a great way to make a little extra money. 

Once you start taking surveys, you’ll realize quickly that it isn’t a huge money-maker. For example, a typical payout at Ipsos ISay is 2500 points for a $25 gift card. Considering a 30-minute survey may provide 125 points, you’d have to take twenty 30-minute surveys to get that $25. That’s basically earning $2.50 an hour. 

So do surveys as a fun pastime, not only for the money. 

2. Writing and Blogging: For Writers

If you are a good writer, you can certainly make money by writing for websites. The Problogger Job Board is a great place to start looking for these types of opportunities. However, you can even find website owners hiring on places like Craigslist or even Indeed and similar job websites. 

If you have not published online work yet, expect to work at first for as little as $10 to $25 for a 1000-word article. However, once you have a good portfolio of online work proving the quality of your writing, start applying to larger websites and provide links to your articles as proof of your work quality. Experienced online freelance writers can expect to earn from $100 to $200 per 1000-word article.

3. Become an Amazon Mechanical Turk Worker

One of the easiest ways to make money online for beginners is by signing up as an Amazon Mechanical Turk worker. 

What work is available on Amazon Mechanical Turk? You could get jobs identifying objects in photos, scanning business listings or catalogs for duplicate content or other errors, data entry, transcribing audio, and much more. 

To get started:

1. Visit the link above and select the Get Started with Amazon Mechanical Turk button. 
2. Select Request a Worker account on the next page.

Fill out the application process and once it’s accepted you can sign up for the type of work you’d like to do and set your prices. Then start browsing available jobs or getting offers for work.

4. Sell Things on eBay, Poshmark, or Etsy

While it isn’t the easiest way to make money online, there are in fact lots of profits to be made by selling on sites like eBay, Poshmark, or Etsy. There are also lots of other online marketplaces to sell on.

This option for making money online works best if you:

• You have sources of low cost goods to sell like local auctions or thrift stores.
• Have a place in your home where you can package up items.
• Have access to a local post office that’s easy to get to.
• Time available to spend listing and describing items.

Depending how much time you can invest, this online business has a lot of potential to make a great deal of money just by selling things online. Some people even do it as a full-time job.

5. Test Websites or Apps

Another way to drive decisions made by companies is by giving them feedback on their websites or apps. Companies depend on services like UserTesting.com to gather user feedback. 

You can quickly apply by taking a practice test. Once approved, you’ll need to answer some questions to screen what tests match your interests and skills. Finally, work through the tests and get paid for your time. UserTesting pays $4 for 5-minute tests, $10 for 20-minute tests, and $30 to $120 for tests that include interviews with clients.  

6. Sell Photography

If you’re a good photographer, there are lots of opportunities to make money online using your talents. 

For example, on Shutterstock, all you need to do is sign up and start submitting your content. If and when your photos get purchased by users, you make money. It’s a great source of passive income.

The better your work, the more likely your photos will be purchased. You aren’t limited to only Shutterstock either. There are lots of places online where you can sell your photos. So don’t limit yourself to only one or two!

7. Buy and Sell Event Tickets 

One method you can use to make money online is an approach that not many people consider. Making money buying and selling anything comes down to supply and demand. Years ago, ticket “scalpers” took advantage of this concept by buying event tickets cheaply the first day they were available, then waiting until the event and selling the tickets outside the gates at cutthroat prices.

Today, “scalpers” are referred to more legitimately as “resellers”. And all it takes to be a ticket reseller is a little bit of cash for tickets, and patience. 

Once you buy tickets, you can either resell them on Ticketmaster or StubHub. StubHub is a well-known marketplace for reselling tickets and it’s the place where you can make a fortune if you can stomach overcharging people for being too lazy to buy tickets when they’re first available!

8. Rent Your Space on Airbnb

Do you own a large house with extra rooms? Maybe you have a cabin somewhere that you only use a few times a year and most of the time it’s vacant. Turn your spaces into cash by listing it as available for rent on Airbnb. 

Lots of people are making a significant amount of income on Airbnb, and all it requires is owning a place that people would be interested in staying at.

There are a few important things to keep in mind before you try to make money online in this way.

• Set up the space with a smart lock so that people can check themselves in.
• Be prepared to have a plan for cleaning the space in between guest stays.
• Be available to answer questions and respond to any needs your guests may have during their stay.
• Set up the room with conveniences like a microwave, toaster oven, refrigerator, and necessities like coffee and snacks.

Don’t take renting on Airbnb lightly or you could end up with a poor rating and few guests.

9. Be an Online Tutor

There are many students all around the world who are struggling with learning concepts in whatever class they may be taking. There are also many people who’ve taken those classes successfully and have the knowledge that it takes to help those students succeed.

If you have expertise in any subject matter, whether that’s algebra, biology, geometry, or anything else, you could make good money by tutoring students online.

A site like Tutor.com helps link students with tutors. You can apply there to become a tutor. If your application is accepted, you could end up with your very own list of student clients and a solid source of online income.

The Windows Start Menu is the central area for launching applications, finding content, and performing other system activities. It has a space to “pin” frequently-used items for quick access, including shortcuts to apps, files, folders, and websites.

This tutorial will show you how to add shortcuts to the Windows 11 and 10 Start Menu. We used a Windows 11 PC for this tutorial, but the steps apply to devices running Windows 10.

Pin Apps or App Shortcuts to the Start Menu

If an app shortcut or executable (.exe) file is on the desktop, right-click it and select Pin to Start.

You can also add an item to the Start Menu from the File Explorer. Open the folder containing the app, right-click the EXE file, and select Pin to Start.

It’s possible to add app shortcuts to the Windows Start Menu from the Start Menu itself. This method is handy if you can’t find an app on the desktop or File Explorer. A good use for this would be adding shortcuts for frequently used system utilities (e.g., Task Manager or Control Panel).

Press the Start button or Windows key and type the app’s name in the search bar. Select Pin to Start below the app menu in the search results.

Add Folder Shortcuts to the Start Menu

Pinning folders to the Start Menu is also easy. Right-click the folder and select Pin to Start.

Add a File to Windows Start Menu

When you right-click a file, you won’t find an option to add it to the Start Menu. That’s because Microsoft designed the Start Menu to hold apps and folders. It’s currently not possible to pin a file to the Start Menu. However, you can pin a shortcut to a file.

You can do so by moving the file shortcut to a specific folder on your PC. There’s another option: modifying your PC’s registry. We’ll show you how to add files to the Start Menu using both techniques.

Method 1: The File Explorer Hack

1. First, create a shortcut for the file. Open File Explorer, right-click the item and select Create shortcut.

If your PC is running Windows 11, right-click the file, select Show more options, and select Create shortcut.

Quick Tip: There’s a faster way to create shortcuts for a file. Press and hold the Alt key, then drag and drop the file to the same folder or elsewhere. That’ll make a shortcut for the file in the destination folder.

2. Select the new shortcut and press Ctrl + C to copy it to your PC’s clipboard.
3. Open the Windows Run box, type shell:programs in the dialog box, and select OK.

Alternatively, paste %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs in the Run box and select OK.

4. The command will open the folder that houses Start Menu shortcuts in Windows. Paste the file shortcut you copied (in step #2) to the Programs folder (or Start Menu folder).

Any file shortcut in the Programs folder will automatically appear in the Start Menu. The final step is to pin the file shortcut to the Start Menu.

5. Open the Start Menu and select All apps to open the list of all applications.

6. Locate and right-click the file shortcut on the list. Select Pin to Start to add the file shortcut to the Start Menu.

You should now see the file shortcut(s) in the “Pinned” section of your computer’s Start Menu.

Method 2: The Windows Registry Hack

In this method, you’ll first unlock the “Pin to Start” context menu option for files by using a Registry hack. After that, you’ll be able to right-click any shortcut and pin it to the Start menu.

Warning: Before proceeding, ensure you create a backup of your Windows Registry. The Windows Registry houses a collection of delicate files that help your computer work smoothly. Deleting essential files (even by accident) can break your PC or some system functionalities.

Rather than editing the Registry directly, we’ll walk you through creating a special text file that will register the necessary changes to the Registry for you.

1. Open Notepad on your computer and paste the code below into a new document.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\PintoStartScreen]

@=”{470C0EBD-5D73-4d58-9CED-E91E22E23282}”

2. Select File on the menu bar and select Save as (or press Ctrl + Shift + S).

3. Save the document as a registry file anywhere on your computer. Give it a name like PintoStartScreen.reg, change the “Save as type” field to All files, and select Save.

4. Open the file and select OK on the Registry Editor pop-up.

5. Select OK.

6. Afterward, create a shortcut for the file you want to pin to the Start Menu. Right-click the file and select Create shortcut.

In Windows 11, right-click the file, select Show more options, and select Create shortcut.

7. Right-click the file shortcut and select Pin to Start.

Check the Start Menu for the pinned file shortcut(s).

Add Website Shortcut to Windows Start Menu

Creating Start Menu shortcuts for frequently-visited websites is easy. We’ll show you how to do it in Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome, but methods for other browsers will be similar. Ensure you’re running the latest versions of these browsers on your computer.

Add Websites Shortcuts from Microsoft Edge

Open the website or web page you want to pin to the Start Menu and follow the steps below.

1. Tap the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner of the toolbar.

2. Select More tools.

3. Select Pin to Start or Pin this page to Start—depending on the version of Microsoft Edge you have. A “Pin to taskbar” option also adds the website shortcut on the taskbar.

4. Select Yes on the confirmation prompt.

Check your PC’s Start Menu or Taskbar for the website shortcut.

Add Website Shortcuts from Google Chrome

1. Open the website’s tab in Chrome. Select the menu icon in the top-right corner, select More tools, and select Create shortcut.

2. Rename the shortcut—if you want—and select Create.

3. Chrome will create a shortcut for the website in the Desktop folder. Right-click the desktop shortcut and select Pin to Start.

Customize Windows 11 Start Menu

There are two sections in the Windows Start Menu: Pinned and Recommended content. Windows displays a balanced number of pinned and recommended items. However, when you have too many shortcuts in the Start Menu, they roll over into a second page in the pinned section.

Scrolling through multiple pages can be time-wasting. Hence, we recommend customizing how many pinned shortcuts and how much recommended content Windows shows in the Start Menu.

Go to Settings >  Personalization > Start and select More pins to have more shortcuts in your PC’s Start Menu.

Refer to this tutorial on customizing the Windows Start Menu to learn how to personalize the Start Menu interface.

Pin Shortcuts for Quick Access

Shortcuts you add to the Start Menu are only available to your (or your user account). To make an app or file shortcut available to all users, paste it into the Public Desktop (C:\Users\Public\Desktop) folder. Afterward, sign in to the user account and manually add the Start Menu shortcut.

Suppose you use Alexa with your Amazon smart speaker. In that case, you’re likely familiar with the handy and helpful skills you can use. Most of us think about skills at home to make our personal lives easier, but you can also use skills to make your business life more productive.

Here, we’ll show you how to create two Alexa skills for your business, an onboard guide and a business Q&A. All your employees or coworkers need is the Alexa app, but if they also have an Alexa device like an Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, or Echo Show, all the better!

Not only can these skills help your employees and coworkers but they’ll also save you time from fielding all of the questions yourself.

Using Amazon Alexa Skill Blueprints

The good news about creating a custom Alexa skill is that you don’t have to start from scratch. With Alexa Blueprints, you begin with a template. Then, just add the details for your own business or company.

Additionally, you can create a new Alexa skill on the web or in the mobile app. The Blueprints and steps are the same, so get ready to follow along on your computer or mobile device.

• On your computer, visit the Alexa Blueprints website and log in with your Amazon account.
• In the Amazon Alexa mobile app, open the More tab, tap See More, and select Blueprints.

Head to the Business section in your browser or the mobile app, and you’ll see the two skills here.

Create an Onboard Guide for New Employees

By creating an onboard guide, new employees can find all the details they need in one handy spot. From how to connect remotely via VPN to where the office supplies are stored, include as much information as possible to help those newbies.

Select the Onboard Guide Blueprint to get started. You can listen to a sample, review the steps to create the skill, and see how to use it. If you’re ready to begin, select Make Your Own and follow along below.

The Blueprint includes sections to help you add the details you need. These include where to find things, how to do things, and who to contact for what.

Where to Find Important Resources

Beginning with the Where to find important resources section, these are things Alexa will respond with when you ask, “Alexa, where is…?”.

1. You can keep the sample resources, replace them with your own, and include more with Add Item below the section.
2. Enter the location for each item. This can be like, “First floor, back of building.”
3. Optionally include a note. This should include anything they need to know about the location, such as “Company ID required for entry.”

How To Do Things

The next section is How to do things and includes responses from Alexa when you ask, “How do I…?”.

1. Like the above section, you can use the samples, replace them with your own, and add more with Add How To at the bottom of the section.
2. Enter the steps for each item.
3. Optionally include a note.

Contact Info

The final section is for Contact info. This section works differently in that Alexa responds with the list you set up with the voice command, “What’s the contact info?”.

1. Use the samples or enter your own and include more by using Add Contact.
2. Enter the name for each business area.
3. Add the contacts’ phone numbers. Note: You must enter the area code and seven-digit phone number.

When you finish the sections, select Next: Experience at the top.

Customize the User Experience

You can make Alexa sound more personal by entering Intro and Exit messages.

Enter a welcome message for those using the skill for the first time. Then, include messages that Alexa uses randomly each time your employee opens the skill.

Enter an exit message for when your employee closes the skill.

When you finish, select Next: Name at the top.

Name the Skill

The final step is to give your onboard guide skill a name. Again, try to use simple words that Alexa recognizes.

Select Next: Create Skill to complete the creation process. Be patient, the process may take a few moments. You’ll see a confirmation when complete.

Create a Business Q&A Skill to Answer Common Questions

Maybe a guide isn’t as effective as a simple Q&A skill. You might find people asking the same questions over and over. With this skill, you can enter those common questions with their answers.

Select the Business Q&A Blueprint to get started. Like the previous skill, you can hear a sample, review the steps, and see how to use it. Select Make Your Own when you’re ready to begin.

Because not everyone may word the question precisely the same, this Blueprint lets you add variations of questions. And like the previous Blueprint, you’ll see a couple of samples to help you.

Add the Questions and Answers

Begin with the first question by using the sample or replacing it with your own. Then, include a few variations of the question.

For instance, if someone asks Alexa, “What are the hours for IT,” “When is IT open,” or “Tell me the hours for IT,” they will each receive the same answer.

You can select Add Question Variation if you want to add more or the minus sign to the right of one to remove it.

Next, add the answer Alexa will respond with to the question and its variations.

After you enter a question, its variations, and the answer, select Add Q&A to set up the next question.

Continue the same process until you’ve entered all of the questions and answers you want. Then, select Next: Experience at the top.

Customize the User Experience

Like the Onboard Guide skill, you can personalize Alexa’s Intro and Exit messages for this skill too.

Enter a welcome message each time someone opens the skill and an exit message when someone closes it.

When you finish, select Next: Name at the top.

Name the Skill

Finally, give your Business Q&A skill a name. Remember to use simple words that Alexa will recognize easily.

Select Next: Create Skill to complete the process and you’ll see a confirmation when the new skill is ready to use.

Edit the Alexa Skills

As we all know, things change. You may move to a different location, hire a new contact, or change the steps for a task. You can edit your custom skill anytime, both on the web and in the Alexa app.

On your computer, return to the Alexa Blueprints website, log in, and choose Skills You’ve Made at the top. Pick the skill name and select Edit to make your changes.

In the Alexa mobile app, return to the Blueprints section. Go to the Your Skills tab, select the skill name, and tap Edit to make your adjustments.

Create Your Own Alexa Skill

To build Alexa skills, you don’t have to learn about Alexa skill development or be an Amazon developer. Instead, with Blueprints like these, you can make a custom skill in just minutes.

Now that you know how to create Alexa skills for your business, will you?

For more, look at cool tricks to try with Alexa, some fun skills for kids and teens, or visit our Smart Home section for related tutorials.

Google Maps should give voice directions when you start navigating to a place. Voice navigation is super helpful if you have to keep your eyes on the road when driving or cycling. Google Maps voice navigation is stable and almost always works.

However, slow internet connection, incorrect navigation settings, and temporary system glitches can ruin the functionality. This tutorial covers 12 fixes to try if Google Maps isn’t talking or giving voice directions on your device.

1. Download Voice Directions

Do you hear a chime instead of voice directions when using Google Maps? That’s because Google Maps hasn’t downloaded voice directions or because voice directions aren’t up-to-date.

Google Maps requires a strong internet connection to download voice directions. If it’s your first time using Google Maps, ensure your phone has cellular data or a Wi-Fi connection. Keep Google Maps open and wait for some minutes for the app to automatically download voice directions in the background.

You should start hearing voice directions when Google Maps completes the downloads. Try the troubleshooting fixes below if the problem persists.

2. Increase Your Device’s Volume

You won’t hear Google Maps’ voice navigation if your device’s volume is low or muted. Press the Volume Up button on your phone to increase navigation voice volume. If your phone is hooked to your car’s speaker, use your car’s volume control to increase Google Maps’ volume level.

3. Unmute or Enable Voice Navigation

Google Maps allow you to mute traffic alerts, turn-by-turn directions, and other traffic updates during navigation. A quicker way to unmute alerts is on the navigation interface.

When Google Maps starts navigating to a destination, tap the speaker icon in the top-right corner. Select Unmuted (the regular speaker icon) in the far-right corner to have Google Maps speak all navigation alerts.

Here are what the three Google Maps volume settings mean:

• Mute Alerts: This is the crossed-out speaker icon () that mutes all navigation sounds and alerts.
• Hear Alerts Only: The speaker icon with the exclamation mark (). This option mutes turn-by-turn direction alerts.
• Unmuted: The regular speaker icon () unmutes all navigation alerts and sounds.

You can also change Google Maps navigation alerts behavior in the app’s sound & voice navigation settings.

Unmute Google Maps Alert (Android and iOS)

1. Open Maps (or Google Maps in iOS) and tap the profile picture in the top-right corner.

2. Select Settings.

3. Scroll down the page and select Navigation settings. On iOS devices, tap Navigation in the “Gettings Around” section.

4. Set the “Mute state” to Unmute.

4. Disable or Enable Play Voice Over Bluetooth

When connected to wireless audio devices, your phone can speak Google Maps navigation over Bluetooth. If your phone is connected to a Bluetooth device, ensure “Play voice over Bluetooth” is enabled. Otherwise, Google Maps won’t talk during navigation.

Interestingly, the feature sometimes meddles with Google Maps voice navigation, even when your phone doesn’t have a Bluetooth connection. Disabling the feature worked the magic for some iPhone users whose Google Maps wasn’t talking during navigation.

We recommend turning off the feature if you have no Bluetooth device connected to your phone. Instead, turn on “Play voice over Bluetooth” to hear navigations from your phone or tablet’s speakers.

Enable or Play Voice Over Bluetooth (iPhone)

1. Open Google Maps and tap your profile picture or name initials in the top-right corner.

2. Tap Settings.

3. Select Navigation (in iOS) or Navigation settings (in Android).

4. Toggle on Play voice over Bluetooth.

5. Increase Navigation Guidance Volume

If voice navigation is faint or inaudible, crank up “guidance volume” in the Google Maps settings.

1. Open Google Maps, tap your profile picture, and select Settings.

2. Select Navigation settings (Android) or Navigation (iOS).

3. Set “Guidance volume” to Louder.

6. Check Audio Output Device

Make sure your phone is routing audio output to the correct device. If multiple audio devices are connected to your phone or tablet, disconnect them and keep your preferred device active.

If voice navigation isn’t working in your car, disconnect other audio devices (e.g., headsets), and check again.

If you use an iPhone or iPad, check the Control Center and change your audio output device.

Swipe down from the top-right corner of your device’s screen to open the Control Center. If your iPhone has a Home button, swipe up from the bottom-edge corner of the screen.

Tap the AirPlay icon and select your preferred audio output device.

7. Force Close and Reopen Google Maps

Force closing an Android app can restore some of its functionalities. If voice navigation or other features don’t work in Google Maps, force-close the app and check again.

1. Long-press the Maps app icon and tap the info icon.

Alternatively, head to Settings > Apps & notifications > App info (or See All Apps) and tap Maps.

2. Tap Force Stop and select OK on the confirmation.

Reopen Google Maps and check if voice navigation now works.

8. Clear Google Maps Cache (Android)

Removing an app’s cache from your device can fix performance glitches, especially if the cache files are defective or corrupt. Close or force-close Maps and follow the steps below:

1. Tap and hold the Maps app icon and tap the info icon.
2. Select Storage & cache.
3. Tap Clear Cache.

Open Google Maps again and check if voice navigation now works without any issue.

9. Update Google Maps

Voice navigation won’t work in outdated Google Maps versions. Likewise, Google Maps may crash or display incorrect traffic information if bug-ridden. Head to your device’s app store and update Google Maps to the latest version.

10. Reinstall Google Maps

If Google Maps is still not talking after trying the fixes above, delete and reinstall the app.

Reinstall Google Maps on iOS

Long-press the Google Maps app icon on your iPhone or iPad, select Remove App, tap Delete App, and select Delete.

Open your device’s app store, search for “Google Maps,” and tap Get to reinstall the app.

Reinstall Google Maps on Android

You may not be able to uninstall Google Maps on most Android devices. You should revert Google Maps to its factory version and re-update it from Google Play Store.

1. Long-press the Google Maps icon and tap the info icon.
2. Tap Advanced.
3. Tap the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner and select Uninstall updates.
4. Select OK on the confirmation prompt to proceed.
5. Open the Play Store, search for “maps,” select Google Maps, and tap the Update button.

Open Google Maps when the update is complete and check if voice navigation now works correctly.

11. Restart Your Devices

Shut down your phone, turn it back on, reopen Google Maps, and check if the app now gives voice directions. If your phone is connected to your car, restarting the audio system or speaker might help.

12. Update Your Phone

Our research discovered that Google Maps stopped talking for many iPhone users after upgrading to iOS 13. The operating system version has some bugs that silence voice directions mid-navigation. Luckily, subsequent updates shipped with bug fixes that resolved the problem.

If you haven’t updated your phone in a long time, head to its settings menu and install any available update.

Connect your iPhone or iPad to the internet, go to Settings > General > Software Update, and tap Download and Install.

To update an Android device, head to Settings > System > Advanced > Software Update > Check for update.

[15-fix-google-maps-not-talking-software-update]

Use “Google Maps Go”

Google Maps Go is a “lite” or watered-down version of Google’s navigation app designed for Android phones with limited memory. If Google Maps crashes or crashes on your phone, download and use Google Maps Go instead. You’ll need to install a helper app (Navigations for Google Maps Go) to use turn-by-turn navigation in Google Maps Go. Both apps will provide a quicker experience than the standard Google Maps app.

Google Maps Go isn’t available for Apple devices. Send feedback to Google Maps Support if none of the recommendations in this tutorial restores voice navigation. Or, try these Google Maps alternatives until you can fix the issue.

Is Google Assistant not working when you say “OK Google”? Unfortunately, there are many things that can make Google Assistant stop working.

In this article, we’ll cover 13 fixes that are most likely to get your Google Assistant working again. We’ll start with the simplest fixes and work through to the more in-depth solutions, so start at the top and work your way down.

1. Restart Your Device

The most common tech advice is to “turn it off and on again”. Sometimes, a basic reboot can clear out errors and get Google Assistant working again. To restart your Android device, press and hold the power button for up to 10 seconds and then tap Restart.

2. Check if Google Services are Down

Although rare, it’s possible that the Google or Google Home services are down. If this is the case, you have no choice but to wait for the services to become live again.

To check whether Google services are down, check the DownDetector page for Google and Google Home. You can also check the official Google social media pages (like their Twitter) for any recent updates on their live status.

3. Check if Your Device Supports Google Assistant

Many older Android phones don’t support Google Assistant, so double-check that your mobile device is compatible.

Compatibility requirements for Google Assistant:

• Android version 5.0 with at least 1GB of memory or version 6.0 or higher with at least 1.5GB of memory
• Google app version 6.13 or higher
• Screen resolution must be at least 720p
• Google Assistant needs to support your device language (see Google’s supported languages)

4. Check Your Internet Connection

Google Assistant requires an internet connection to work. This means your device needs to be connected either to a Wi-Fi network or mobile data to enable it to work.

To check your internet, open a web browser app and attempt to load a page. If it doesn’t load, you’ll need to try troubleshooting your internet connection.

Note: If you use a VPN service, disconnect it momentarily and see if Google Assistant works. Because Google Assistant requires the internet to work, occasionally VPNs can cause issues with its functionality.

5. Check Your Microphone

An obvious but often overlooked problem is that your microphone is disabled or has stopped working. Without a microphone, Google Assistant will obviously be unable to listen to your voice commands.

To check this, try to call someone or record a video of yourself talking. If no sound is recorded, there’s likely an issue with your microphone.

If this is the case, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to fix it yourself and you may need to consider sending it back to the manufacturer for repairs.

6. Enable Google Assistant

A common cause of Google Assistant issues is that it’s been accidentally disabled in your device settings. To re-enable Google Assistant:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Google.

3. Tap Settings for Google apps.

4. Select Search, Assistant & Voice.

5. Tap Google Assistant.

6. Tap Hey Google & Voice Match.

7. Toggle on Hey Google.

7. Check Permissions

To function correctly, Google Assistant needs to be granted several permissions in your device settings. To make sure Google Assistant has been given the correct permissions:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Apps.

3. Scroll down and tap Google.

4. Tap Permissions.

5. Toggle on all permissions.

8. Check Your Language Settings

As we mentioned above, the Google Assistant app only works with specific languages. The language available may be found on Google’s support page.

To check your current language in the Google Assistant settings:

1. Open the Google app.
2. Select Settings for Google Apps.

3. Tap Search, Assistant & Voice.

4. Tap Voice.

5. Select Languages.

6. Choose the language that you would like to use and tap Save.

Note: Currently, Google’s English language support is far more functional than some of the other language options. So keep in mind that if you use a different language, the Google Assistant voice recognition may be unsatisfactory.

9. Check for Updates

If you aren’t using the latest version of Google Assistant (or apps that use it), you may experience compatibility issues that result in the Assistant no longer working.

To check whether there are any Google app updates:

1. Open the Google Play Store.
2. Search for the Google app.
3. Check whether there is an option to Update rather than uninstall. If there is, tap Update and wait for the process to complete.

4. Repeat this process with Google Assistant.

If you use Google Nest, your Assistant devices are updated via the Google Home app, so be sure to follow this process for this as well.

Note: It’s a good idea to check for any updates to your device as well by going to Settings > System > System update > Check for updates. Not only can these clear up compatibility issues, but they provide security updates that are important for protecting your data online.

10. Uninstall Any Other Voice Assistants

Other voice assistants including Samsung’s Bixby or Amazon’s Alexa might interfere with Google Assistant since they’re all effectively trying to work over the top of each other.

To remove this potential interference and check if it’s causing the problem with Google Assistant, it’s beneficial to disable or remove these other assistants entirely.

To do so:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Apps.

3. Scroll through and try to find any other voice assistants.

4. Tap Disable or Uninstall to prevent them from running in the background.

11. Clear the Google Assistant Cache

With many software glitches, clearing the app data and cache files can often fix the issue. To clear the Google app cache:

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Apps.

3. Tap Google.

4. Tap Storage.

5. Scroll down and tap Clear cache and then Manage storage.

6. Tap Clear All Data.

7. Press OK.

12. Retrain the Google Assistant Voice Model

If the Google Assistant is having trouble recognizing your voice, retraining the voice model can solve the problem. If Google Assistant isn’t responding from the lock screen, this may be the reason why.

To retrain the Google Assistant voice model:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Google.

3. Select Settings for Google Apps.

4. Tap Search, Assistant & Voice.

5. Tap Voice.

6. Tap Voice Match.

7. Scroll down and tap Voice model.

8. Select Retrain voice model.

9. The app will ask you to say particular words. Work your way through the process until it’s completed, then try to use Google Assistant as usual.

13. Uninstall and Reinstall Google Apps

If nothing else has worked, your last resort is to try to reinstall the Google apps which are likely causing Assistant to not work.

To uninstall and reinstall the Google apps:

1. Open Google Play Store.
2. Search for Google Assistant and select the app.
3. Tap Uninstall at the top-right of the window.

4. Repeat this for Google Assistant and then try to use the “Hey Google” feature.

OK Google, Play Happy Music

It can be easy to get used to having an AI personal assistant around, but it’s only when it stops working that you realize how much you were using it. Luckily, it’s usually easy to fix Google Assistant. Hopefully, this article solved your Assistant issues and you can go back to using hands-free voice commands once again.

Microsoft Excel is a versatile software developed to help everyone who deals with spreadsheets and data professionally or in their day-to-day lives. It allows you to organize and store your data, and it can perform complex mathematical calculations using formulas and functions. What’s even cooler is that Excel can also help you visualize your data and projects through pie charts, Gantt charts, flowcharts, and pretty much every type of chart you can imagine.

Microsoft Excel was originally developed with data entry in mind, but since then, the software grew to accommodate everything from accounting, task management, and financial modeling to event programming. That means it’s not the simplest piece of software out there. To work efficiently in Excel, you need to use keyboard shortcuts and that’s what we’re going to focus on in this article.

Why Do You Need Keyboard Shortcuts?

Even if you know what Microsoft Excel is and you have used it extensively in the past, you still might get surprised with all the functions and shortcuts that you can use to work fast and efficiently. Excel has hundreds of shortcuts and keystroke combinations, but don’t worry, you don’t need to memorize all of them.

You will use some Excel shortcuts more often than the others. So let’s focus on the most important ones that you’ll need on a daily basis.

Commonly Used Excel Shortcuts

You’re probably familiar with some shortcuts as they are commonly used across most Windows 10/11 and Microsoft Office apps. Nonetheless, here’s a useful table with the most commonly used Excel keyboard shortcuts that you need to start using to quickly improve your mastery over spreadsheets. 

These shortcuts are convenient, and you should get used to using them not only in Excel, but also in Microsoft Word, internet browsers, or any other app you frequently use for business or leisure.

Pivot Table Shortcuts in Excel

The Pivot Table is a potent tool in Excel. It can summarize the selected rows and columns of the spreadsheet or even reorganize them. Pivot tables are handy if you have long rows of data that you need to summarize, and they also allow you to compare your data. If you find yourself using many pivot tables, start using the shortcuts below regularly.

Now that you know the basic shortcuts let’s focus on other Excel keyboard shortcuts that will boost your productivity and speed.

Shortcuts for Navigating in Excel

Navigate through Excel and switch between worksheets tabs quicker using the following keyboard shortcuts.

Shortcuts for Selecting Items in Excel

Save time by selecting columns and rows faster by using the following keyboard shortcuts instead of clunky mouse movements.

Shortcuts for Functions and Formulas in Excel

Excel is mostly about formulas and functions. Stop typing them variable by variable and boost your productivity with the keyboard shortcuts below.

Time and Date Shortcuts in Excel

Log various activities instantly by using the time and date keyboard shortcuts below.

Editing Shortcuts in Excel

Editing cells, rows, columns, and comments can be extremely time-consuming. Boost your speed with the following shortcuts.

Formatting Shortcuts in Excel

Formatting your Excel data makes it readable and presentable. But that doesn’t mean you should waste time, so start using the shortcuts below.

Whether you’re a spreadsheet master or using Excel once in a blue moon, knowing a few shortcuts will make your job much easier and less time-consuming. Share your favorite Excel keyboard shortcuts and combos in the comments below!

By default, Google Chrome is set to display images on the sites you visit in this browser. If you find the browser doesn’t display images for a site, that site may be experiencing problems serving pictures. If your issue persists with other sites, your browser may be the problem.

You or someone else may have disabled the image load option in Chrome, turned off JavaScript, or one of your extensions may be causing Chrome not to load your images. This guide will look at potential ways to fix your issue.

Use a Different Browser to Access Your Webpage

When Chrome doesn’t display images on a site, switch to another web browser on your computer and see if you can load the pictures. You may try other browsers like Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Vivaldi, or Opera.

If your site images load in other web browsers, the Chrome browser has issues. In this case, read on to discover more fixes.

If your other browsers also fail to load images, the site has a problem. In this case, the site admin will have to enable picture loading or fix issues that prevent images from being served.

Allow Sites to Display Images in Google Chrome

Chrome offers an option to let you disable and enable the loading of images in your web browser. If you or someone else has set this option off, you’ll have to turn the option back on to see the photos on your sites.

It’s quick and easy to toggle on this option in Chrome. Here’s how.

1. Open Chrome, select the three dots at the top-right corner, and select Settings.
2. Select Privacy and security on the left and Site Settings on the right.

3. Scroll down the page and choose Images.
4. Activate the Sites can show images option.

5. Relaunch Chrome and open your site. Your site images should load without issues.

Enable JavaScript in Chrome to Show Pictures

Some sites use JavaScript to serve images, and if you’ve disabled this feature in Chrome, you’ll have to turn the option on to see your images.

You can turn on JavaScript in Chrome as follows:

1. Launch Chrome, select the three dots at the top-right corner, and choose Settings.
2. Select Privacy and security on the left and Site Settings on the right.
3. Scroll down and choose JavaScript.

4. Enable the Sites can use JavaScript option.

5. Reopen Chrome, and your issue should be resolved.

Use Incognito Mode in Chrome

Chrome’s incognito mode isolates your current browsing session from your other browsing sessions and your past browsing data. It’s worth using this mode to see if your browser data is causing interference with your site images.

1. Select the three dots at the top-right corner of Chrome and choose New Incognito window.

2. Open your site in the new window that launches.

If your site images load in the incognito window, Chrome’s browsing history or extensions may be problematic. In this case, follow the following methods to resolve your issue.

Turn Off Chrome’s Extensions

Chrome allows you to install extensions so you can get the most out of your favorite web browser. Sometimes, one or more of these extensions become problematic, causing various issues with the browser.

It’s worth disabling your extensions to see if that fixes the image not loading issue. You can toggle off one extension at a time to find the culprit.

1. Launch Chrome, select the three dots at the top-right corner, and choose More tools > Extensions.
2. Toggle off all the extensions available on your screen.

3. Launch your site and see if your photos load. If they do, enable one extension at a time to find the problematic one.
4. When you find the culprit extension, remove that extension by selecting Remove on Chrome’s Extensions page.

Clear Chrome Cache and Browsing Data

Chrome stores cache and other browsing files to speed up and enhance your web browsing experience. When these files go corrupt or become problematic, your browser starts to suffer.

Therefore, it’s worth clearing your browser’s cache and other data to see if that helps fix your image loading problem.

1. Select the three dots at the top-right corner in Chrome and choose History > History.
2. Select Clear browsing data in the sidebar on the left.
3. Choose the browser items you’re okay losing and select Clear data.

4. Close and reopen Chrome, and your site pictures should load.

Rename Chrome’s Data Folder

One way to fix many issues with Chrome is to rename the browser’s data folder. Chrome stores your browser’s configuration in this folder, and renaming the folder forces Chrome to recreate the configuration.

That helps resolve many issues with Chrome.

1. Close Google Chrome on your computer.
2. Open a File Explorer window on your PC and head to the following directory. This path assumes you’ve installed Windows on the C drive and Mahesh is your username. Replace these items if they don’t match with yours.
   C:\Users\Mahesh\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome
3. Right-click the User Data folder and choose Rename.
4. Use BK-User Data as the new folder name and press Enter.

5. Open Chrome, and your browser will reconfigure the options.

If you use a Mac computer, your Chrome data folder is located at the following path:

Users/<your-username>/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome/Default

On Linux, you’ll find Chrome’s data folder here:

/home/<your-username>/.config/google-chrome/default

Update Google Chrome

An obsolete version of any app can cause various issues. If you haven’t updated Chrome in a long time, Chrome’s older version is why your site images aren’t loading.

Chrome receives and installs any browser updates automatically. If that doesn’t happen for some reason, you can run a manual check to find and install the latest updates.

1. Select the three dots at the top-right corner in Chrome and choose Help > About Google Chrome.
2. Chrome will automatically check for and install the available updates.

3. Close and reopen Chrome to bring your updates into effect.

Make Chrome Graphical Again

Chrome’s image loading issue isn’t too difficult to fix. The error usually occurs when you’ve misconfigured an option in the browser or your browser data has gone corrupt. Once you’ve fixed these items, your browser will start displaying your site images as usual.

When you’re sharing your screen with others in a Zoom meeting, your computer’s audio is muted by default. Zoom allows you to use screen sharing to share audio with other people. This is useful if you want to watch a YouTube video with others or if you wish to play music during a break in the meeting.

If you’ve never done this before, this tutorial will show you how to share audio on Zoom. We’ll also cover how to show YouTube videos with audio to other Zoom meeting participants, and how to share music from Spotify with your audience.

How to Use Screen Sharing to Share Computer Sound on Zoom for Windows or Mac

To share computer audio on a Zoom call, you’ll need to open the app and start a new meeting. You don’t need any other participants to begin sharing your computer’s sound in Zoom. This can easily be set up before anyone else joins using Zoom’s screen sharing feature. The steps to use this feature are similar on Zoom for Windows and Mac.

Once you’ve started a new Zoom meeting, click the green Share Screen button in the meeting toolbar, located in the lower half of the window. As the name suggests, this is used for screen sharing on Zoom, but you need to enable another option each time you want to share your computer’s sound.

You can now click the checkbox next to the Share sound button in the bottom-left corner of the window. This will ensure that audio from your computer will be included when you share your screen. Select the app you want to share audio from and when you’re ready to begin sharing, click the blue Share button in the bottom-right corner of this window.

How to Adjust the Sound Quality of Audio Shared Using Screen Sharing

Zoom allows you to share computer sound in mono and stereo quality. Since the Zoom app optimizes its settings to preserve bandwidth, the default for audio shared using the screen sharing feature is mono. If you don’t like that, you can share higher-quality audio with the participants in your Zoom meeting.

To achieve this, start a Zoom meeting and click the Share Screen button. This will open the screen share window, where you can select the tiny down-arrow next to the Share sound button. You’ll see a drop-down menu with two options. To share higher quality sound from your computer, select Stereo (High-fidelity). Click the checkbox next to the Share sound button to enable sharing computer sound on Zoom.

When you hit the Share button to begin screen sharing, meeting participants can enjoy listening to music or other audio in stereo quality.

How to Share Audio From a YouTube Video on Zoom

When you’re using Zoom to teach or for a presentation, you might want to consider watching YouTube videos with your audience. You can easily do this by combining screen sharing with Zoom’s share audio feature.

To do this, first, you should open the YouTube video on your computer. If you’ve opened the video in a browser, then ensure that the active tab has the video you want to show using screen sharing. If it’s open in a background tab, you’ll have to make an extra click, when you’re screen sharing, to open the video. You can avoid this by keeping the video in the foreground right at the beginning.

Then open Zoom, start a new meeting and press the Share Screen button. When you see the screen share window, select the YouTube video from the list of tiles and check the Share sound option.

Finally, you can click the Share button to begin watching the YouTube video with your Zoom audience through screen sharing. The video will begin once you hit the play button on YouTube.

How to Share Audio From Spotify on Zoom Via Screen Sharing

A relaxing instrumental song can act as a nice filler when you’re waiting for some participants to join the meeting, or when you’re taking a short break during a long Zoom meeting. You can use the screen sharing feature to share audio on Zoom via Spotify as well.

To accomplish this, open Spotify on your computer and find the song you want to play. You can then start a meeting on Zoom, hit the Share Screen button, and select Spotify from the list of tiles. You should remember to check the Share audio button in the bottom-left corner and then click the Share button in the bottom-right corner to begin screen sharing.

Lastly, you can click the play button in Spotify on your computer to share the song via Zoom.

How To Share Audio on Zoom for iPhone and iPad

You can use the Zoom screen sharing feature to share audio from your iPhone or iPad too. This is quite easy to enable because the moment you start sharing your screen, device audio from your Apple device is automatically shared with those who are in the Zoom meeting.

So, just start a new meeting on Zoom for iOS or iPadOS and tap the green Share Content button. You can select Screen from the list of options and then tap Start Broadcast to begin screen sharing from Zoom for iPhone or iPad. When you do this, you’ll see a blue button labeled Share Device Audio: On, which means that you’re sharing audio on Zoom from your iPhone or iPad.

To stop sharing audio, tap the red Stop Share button. This will end screen sharing in the Zoom session.

How To Stop Sharing Computer Sound in Zoom

When you’re done screen sharing on Zoom, you can stop sharing so that your audience’s attention can return from the Spotify song or YouTube video to you. To stop sharing your screen, click the red Stop Share button at the top of the screen. This button appears next to the green You are screen sharing button.

When you click the red button, Zoom will immediately stop sharing your computer’s sound and video with other meeting participants.

How To Share Audio on Zoom for Android

On Android too, the Zoom screen sharing feature allows you to share audio from your device with other participants in the meeting. The only difference is that audio sharing is turned off by default on Zoom for Android. If you want to share your phone’s audio with others in the Zoom meeting, then open Zoom on Android and start a new meeting.

Once the meeting has begun, tap the green Share button located in the middle of the bottom toolbar. Scroll down a little bit and tap Screen. This will begin screen sharing on Zoom on your Android phone. By default, Zoom takes you to your home screen and shows a floating toolbar that has an option labeled Share Audio: Off. Tap this option once to change it to Share Audio: On.

This will begin sharing audio with other participants. Tap the red Stop Share button to stop screen sharing and to stop audio sharing with other participants in the Zoom meeting.

Up Your Zoom Game

Zoom may have started out as a tool to make video conferencing easy, but it’s become a versatile service for presentations and teaching. You can make your Zoom meetings even more accessible by enabling closed captioning and transcriptions.

Sharing audio on Zoom is a good way to break the monotony of boring video meetings, but it’s just one of many ways to do so. What are your favorite tips to make video calls less boring? Share your tips in the comments section below.

If your internet connection drops in and out or your service provider is down for the day, don’t worry. It’s easy to connect your laptop to a mobile hotspot and restore the internet so you can get back to work.

Here’s how you can connect your Windows laptop to a mobile hotspot via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB.

What Is a Mobile Hotspot?

A mobile hotspot lets your phone act like a router, sharing your data connection (either your mobile data plan or whatever Wi-Fi network it’s connected to) to other devices. With this functionality, you can always connect to the internet on your laptop even if your primary internet is down for some reason.

Keep in mind that using a wireless hotspot will drain your phone’s battery, use your cellular data much faster, and expose you to malicious actors if you aren’t careful.

Start the Hotspot

The first step is to start the mobile hotspot connection so your laptop can discover it.

To share your mobile hotspot on Android:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Select Connections.

3. Scroll down and tap Mobile Hotspot and Tethering.

4. Toggle on the Mobile Hotspot setting.

5. Tap Mobile Hotspot to see and change your password.

Note: This process may differ slightly depending on your Android device’s brand and version. If your Android hotspot isn’t working, try these ten fixes.

To share your mobile hotspot on an Apple iPhone:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Personal Hotspot.

3. Toggle on Allow Others to Join.

Note: This process may differ slightly depending on your iPhone model or iOS version. If your iPhone hotspot isn’t working for Windows, try troubleshooting the issue.

Connect Your Windows Laptop to the Wi-Fi Hotspot

Once you’ve shared the hotspot using your mobile device, you can create a network connection with your Microsoft laptop like any other wireless network.

To connect to your mobile hotspot on Windows 11:

1. Click the Wi-Fi symbol at the bottom-right corner of the taskbar.

2. Click the arrow next to the Wi-Fi symbol to enter your Wi-Fi settings.

3. Scroll down until you find your mobile hotspot and select it. It should be the name and model of your phone.

4. When prompted, enter the hotspot Wi-Fi password and click Connect.

To connect to your mobile hotspot using Windows 10:

1. Press the network settings symbol in the bottom-right corner of the taskbar. This will appear as a Wi-Fi symbol if you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network, a computer, and a cable if you’re connected via ethernet, or a globe with a disconnected symbol if you are connected to no network.

2. Select your hotspot name.

3. When prompted, enter the network security key and click Next.

How to Connect Your Laptop to the Mobile Hotspot via USB

It’s possible to tether your Android phone to your Windows laptop via a USB cable. To configure USB tethering:

1. Connect your USB cable to both the phone and your laptop.
2. Open Settings on your Android.
3. Tap Connections.

4. Tap Mobile Hotspot and Tethering.

5. Toggle on USB Tethering.

How to Connect Your Laptop to the Mobile Hotspot via Bluetooth

The final way to connect your laptop to a mobile hotspot is to enable Bluetooth tethering. This is possible on both iOS and Android phones.

To enable Bluetooth tethering on Android:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Connections.
3. Tap Mobile Hotspot and Tethering.
4. Tap Bluetooth tethering.

5. Toggle it on.

To enable Bluetooth tethering on an iPhone:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Bluetooth.

3. Turn Bluetooth on and select your laptop from the list of devices to connect to.

To then connect your Windows PC to the Bluetooth hotspot:

1. Click the upwards arrow at the bottom-right of your taskbar to see the icon tray.
2. Right-click the Bluetooth symbol and click Show Bluetooth Devices.

3. Click Add Bluetooth or other device.

4. Select Bluetooth.

5. Select your phone from the list.

6. When you click your phone, you should receive a pairing request. Confirm that the passkey is identical on your phone and laptop, and then click Pair on your phone.

7. Click Connect on your laptop.

Happy Days

Maintaining internet access at all times is becoming more and more necessary with so many people working from home or needing the internet to stay in touch with their families. Luckily, with the mobile hotspot feature, you can create a Wi-Fi connection using your cellular data, meaning you never lose touch.

Are you planning your next epic trip to Cancun, Miami, Florida, or the Caribbean? Then, stop what you’re doing and check out the best sites for last-minute travel deals to get the most for your money.

In this article, we will explore sites and apps for finding travel deals where you can get significant discounts for your next flight, vacation rental, and car rental. Finding last-minute travel deals is simple nowadays if you know where to look. You can save a lot of money on your trip to Las Vegas or your family’s favorite vacation spot.

1. Last Minute Travel

As the name suggests, Last Minute Travel is all about the deals you can get on last-minute flights, hotels, cruises, and even car rentals. If you become a member of the Last Minute Travel Club for $50 per year, you can benefit from exclusive hotel deals available only to the members. You will also collect points that you can later use on free travel.

If adventurous, you will love the “Undercover Hotels” feature. Super low travel offers will keep the hotel’s identity a secret until you complete the booking. However, you won’t go through the booking process blindly. You’ll know the hotel’s general location, rating, and review score. With “Undercover Hotels,” you can get up to 65% discounts on your hotel room.

2. Priceline

Priceline lets you customize your travel package if you don’t like the hotel room or the flight times they have offered. But keep in mind that every change will come at a cost. That said, flexible travelers will be awarded Express Deals that give up to 60% discount on hotel stays. The only downside is that you won’t know the hotel’s exact location or name until after the booking is completed.

For those who don’t want to take the risk with Express Deals, Priceline offers a very detailed and easy-to-use map that shows all accommodations available for your last-minute trip. Once you hover the cursor over the location (labeled with the price), a pop-up display will tell you the hotel’s rating, name, and guest review score.

3. Kayak

Kayak is a search engine that will allow you to find flights, but you won’t book them with Kayak. The search engine will not charge any fees for the booking, and there are no hidden charges you need to worry about. You can use many filters that Kayak has to offer to narrow down the search to match your exact criteria.

Since you can’t book through Kayak, you won’t have any loyalty programs. However, if you are a frequent flier, you can earn airline points by searching for flights through Kayak.

4. Travelocity

Travelocity is a website where you can book everything you need for your last-minute trip. There are options to book a flight, a hotel, and a car, and if you choose a combination of two or more items, you’ll get a discount. You can even add excursions after you finish the booking process. Travelocity is a great platform to plan your whole trip.

Once you register on the Travelocity website, you will receive a 10% discount on hotel stays. The website also has a price match guarantee, which means that if you find the same hotel, car, or cruise on a different platform that offers a lower price, Travelocity will refund the difference. 

5. Groupon Getaways

Groupon is a well-known online marketplace that offers its customers great deals. But many have wondered if last-minute vacation packages offered on Groupon Getaways are worth it. It is essential to know that travel agencies or individual travel agents run these travel packages, and they are fully planned. That means you will not be able to make any hotel, flight, or trip changes. However, if you’re a first-time traveler, this could be a great option for you.

International travel can be very stressful, and having it all planned out for you will take the edge off. But be aware that the dates are set in stone, and the accommodation might not live up to your expectations. The excursions can add extra costs on top of the price displayed for the travel package. Read carefully about what you’re buying and check for any hidden fees.

6. Travelzoo

Travelzoo will find the best deals from other websites, so you don’t have to search multiple platforms. It serves as a link between you and an appropriate booking website. Travelzoo has a vast database, and members benefit from special deals. However, these deals are time-limited.

The Top 20 Deals page changes every week, so you have access to only the best packages. The Travelzoo team tests these deals and verifies them. Some of the deals you find through Travelzoo are fully refundable.

7. Orbitz

Using Orbitz, you can find vacation deals that include any combination of flight, hotel, and car rental bookings. The website will even allow you to book accommodation for a part of your travel period. The search is very detailed, and you can browse hotels by their cancellation policy or specific amenities such as spas or free Wi-Fi.

Orbitz has its reward system for which you need to register. It will allow you to collect Orbucks which you will be able to spend on a hotel room. Orbucks can be collected through flights, travel packages, and hotel bookings through the Orbitz app.

8. Expedia

Expedia is both an online booking platform and a mobile app. Through Expedia, you will be able to easily find suitable vacation packages, cruises, hotels, excursions, flights, and car rentals. You can search for a vacation package by simply entering your desired location, duration of the planned trip, and the location from which you’re departing.

Expedia has a very generous reward system. You will get one point for every dollar spent on your travel plans (apart from flights). Flights will give you one point per $5 spent, but only if you hold a Silver or Gold membership. The points will be doubled if you’re booking through the mobile app. You can spend accumulated points to get free travel.

9. CheapOair

If you are in search of cheap flights, CheapOair might be the right solution for you. An online travel agency, CheapOair offers up to a 20% discount for booked flights. You can also book hotels through this online agency, and members can receive up to a 55% discount.

CheapOair also has a reward program based on a point system. You will receive your first 500 points just for signing up. Then, the site will add another 500 points to your account after your first booking, hotel, or flight. After you collect these initial 1000 points, each dollar spent through CheapOair will land you another 1 point. You can also opt for a CheapOair credit card that will add $7 for each dollar spent.

10. Google Flights

If you want a simple and clean search engine with some handy filters for finding last-minute flights, Google Flights might be what you’re looking for. Use the map view to see the prices all over the world. This is particularly useful for flexible travelers who don’t care much about the destination.

If you already have a set destination in mind, you can use Google’s price graph to find the dates that have the cheapest flights. Just keep in mind that booking is not done through Google. Instead, Google will direct you to the airline. 

That said, Google Flights has a flaw that you have to be aware of. Sometimes it displays cheap flights that are no longer available.

11. Hoteltonight

Hoteltonight is a booking service that will allow you to find a hotel, book it, and go straight to it, all on the same day. This is a fantastic option if you’re searching for last-minute hotel deals. The service works both in web browsers and as an app for smartphones.

That said, Hoteltonight also lets you plan your last-minute vacation, not just book a hotel on the same day. It will allow you to book a hotel room up to seven days in advance. The later you book a room through Hoteltonight, the better hotel deals will be available.

12. Hotwire

Hotwire is a booking website that promises cheap travels that you won’t regret. You can book flights, hotels, car rentals, or any combination directly through Hotwire. They even have a mobile phone app. In fact, if you want the lowest possible prices, additional discounts are available if you book through their app.

The Hotel Rate tool will allow you to be adventurous and book an undisclosed hotel within a specific rating range. However, some hidden fees might be a problem with Hotwire, so read all the details carefully. 

13. Airfare Watchdog

Airfare Watchdog is a great solution for people looking for last-minute flights or who are flexible with their travel dates. The company employs real people that will search various websites to provide you with the best flight deals possible.

The best feature of Airfare Watchdog is its capability to track the prices over time. If you sign up for air alerts, Airfare Watchdog will send you updates on flight prices through an email. This will help you decide when to book a flight to get the best deal.

14. Cruise Direct

Cruise Direct can be an excellent solution for people looking for affordable cruise deals. Last-minute cruise offers usually happen due to a cancellation. Someone opting out of the trip can be your way into a luxury room at great bargains. Keep in mind that prices will fluctuate depending on how long until the cruise departure.

Cruise Direct doesn’t charge booking fees, and it offers a price match guarantee. However, the website doesn’t offer any exclusive cruises to its users.

15. Tourradar

Tourradar is a digital travel agent with over 40,000 tours offered worldwide. From the Caribbean to the East Coast of Australia, Tourradar has so many travel sites and tours to offer. You can even personalize your family’s vacation by opting for a private tour that Tourradar will tailor just for you.

Last-minute deals are only a tiny part of what Tourradar has to offer. Using this online tour agent, you can spend less on your next vacation with Early Bird Savings and 2 for 1 deals. However, returning customers have no benefits as the booking is never done directly with the tour operators.

16. Booking.com

Probably the best of all accommodation booking sites, Booking.com will provide you with an excellent search experience with many filters to narrow down your next vacation spots. But Booking.com doesn’t limit itself only to hotels. It also gives you the option of choosing between apartments, entire villas, and some very unique properties at discounted prices.

Booking.com will also let you book flights, car rentals, airport taxis, various activities, tours, and museums. It also has a reward system called Genius that will give you a 10% discount if you book a hotel through their service twice in one year. You can get even bigger discounts and other benefits such as free breakfast, or free room upgrades with the Genius perks.

A keyboard and mouse are great, but some games are better with a controller. If you have a Nintendo Switch Pro controller, you can connect it directly to a PC. 

This is an excellent option for gamers who want to use a controller but don’t have a PC-specific controller available. It can also be the perfect option when playing emulated Nintendo games on your computer. Read on to find out how to connect your Switch Pro controller to your PC. 

How to Connect a Wired Switch Controller to a PC

Before starting, make sure you have a working Switch controller with full battery life and a USB cable for it. You will need to connect this to a USB port on your PC. Follow these steps to get your Switch controller connected. 

1. With the USB cord, connect one end to the Switch controller (if it is a removable USB cord.) 

2. Connect the other end to a USB port on your PC. 

3. Your PC will notify you if it recognizes the connected device. If not, try unplugging the USB and then plugging it back in, or restart your PC if that doesn’t work. 

Now you can use your controller with your PC. If you want to use your controller with a program like Steam, we’ve got a section on that further down. 

How to Connect a Wireless Switch Controller to a PC

If you have a Switch controller that doesn’t require a wired connection, you can also connect it to your PC through Windows 10 Bluetooth device settings menu. This can be done with both Pro controllers and Joy-con controllers. This is also a straightforward process, and all you need is the controller and your PC. If your PC doesn’t have built-in Bluetooth, you use a Bluetooth dongle or adapter. 

Here’s how to establish a Bluetooth connection:

1. On your PC, go to Start and search for Bluetooth, and open Bluetooth and other devices settings to get to the Bluetooth menu.  

2. Select Add Bluetooth or other device.

3. Select Bluetooth. 

4. On your Switch controller, press and hold the Sync button at the top of the controller until the lights turn on.

5. The controller will appear on your PC as a Pro Controller or something similar. Click on it when it appears. 

6. After it’s connected, Select Done. 

Now you can use your Switch controller with a wireless connection on your PC. 

How to Use a Switch Controller On Steam

If you’re gaming on a PC, you’re likely using Steam to launch and play your games (if not, we’ll walk you through how to use your controller with other programs, too.) Thankfully, Steam has Nintendo Switch Pro configuration support for these controllers. 

1. Open Steam and select Steam > Settings in the top left. 

2. Go to Controller > General Controller Settings. 

3. Big Picture mode will open, and you can see if your connected controller is working with Steam. You should be able to use your controller to choose the options. 

From here, you can select what kind of controller layout you want to use through Steam and calibrate it. You can use the Nintendo button layout or the layout of other controllers like Xbox. Now, all you need to do is open a game and begin using your controller. Check the settings with your game, though, as you may need to enable a controller before using it. Some Steam games don’t support a controller at all. 

When you launch a game on Steam, you may need to set up the controller within this game’s settings as well. If a Steam game is fully compatible with a controller, typically, the button prompts will change to reflect the type of controller you’re using. You may be able to remap the buttons and analog sticks in the game’s settings. 

How to Use a Switch Controller With Non-Steam Games

Steam makes playing games with your Switch controller easy. But with any non-Steam games or emulators, you will need to use another method to connect your controller to the game. This will depend on what game you are playing and if it provides support for controllers. 

You can connect your Switch controller to your computer using the methods above. Still, when you’re in-game, you may first need to navigate to controller settings and set it up before it is compatible with whatever you are playing. 

This can be accessed in most games through an Options or Settings selection in the game’s main menu. From there, look for an option to set up a controller or configuration. You may want to look up your specific game to check if it is compatible with controllers on a PC. 

Play Your PC Games With a Switch Controller

A Nintendo Switch controller is an excellent option for playing PC games. If you don’t have other options, such as a Playstation or Xbox controller, or a PC-specific one, a Switch controller will do the job just as well. It’s extremely easy to set up a Switch controller with your PC as well, requiring only a USB connection or using Bluetooth. If you use Steam, they make it easy to connect a Switch controller to your games. 

By following the guide above, you’ll be able to play your favorite games with a controller in no time. 

Do you want an alternative to WhatsApp? Whether you’re looking for a security-focused chat app or unique features that Whatsapp doesn’t have, there are plenty of options to choose from. 

Messaging apps proved to be more important than ever during the pandemic, so giving up on them is out of the question. We’ve found the best WhatsApp alternatives for you.  

Please note that some of the following chat apps might be restricted in your region. To go around the geoblock you’ll need a VPN. You can use a virtual private network to connect to apps available in other countries the same way you can change your Netflix region.

1. Telegram

Telegram gained in popularity relatively recently, although it has been around since 2013. It was developed in Russia where it quickly became a popular messaging app. Telegram supports text, images, documents, videos, and third-party bots, with or without AI features.

Telegram also has a secret mode that will allow you to send encrypted messages. This “secret chats” option uses the MTProto encryption service. This means that your secret conversation won’t be saved in the cloud. 

Telegram works on both Android and iOS operating systems and is available in web browsers as well.

2. Threema

Threema is a messaging app that guarantees security and anonymity for your chats. If you think WhatsApp might have security issues, this app might be perfect for you. Threema encrypts all your data including shared files, status updates, and all messages.

There are no voice and video chats in Threema, although you can send multimedia messages including voice and video. This app doesn’t collect metadata and offers an encrypted backup option. You can connect this app to your phone number or email address so people can find you, but you don’t have to if you prefer to stay anonymous.

The app’s transparent privacy policy is influenced by the fact that Threema is an open-source project. This messaging app is available for Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, and Linux and it has a web version as well.

3. Skype

Skype has been a popular messaging app for businesses and families for a long time. It’s a classic from Microsoft that can’t go wrong when it comes to video calls and voice chats, and it’s superior for making overseas calls. The sound and video quality are amazing, and it even has an option for group calls and group chats. Plus you can record your Skype calls.

The group call function is what made Skype so famous as a business messaging app. But if you have a big family or a large group of friends, this app can keep you all well connected. 

That said, there’s a downside to Skype, and that’s security. Generally, it’s a safe app with reliable encryption, but it has no eavesdropping protection whatsoever.

4. Wire

Wire is another open-source messaging app that was developed in Switzerland. It is a new app that works across multiple messaging platforms, and it supports text and multimedia messages, voice chats, and video calls. Its audio quality is of a high standard and it has a sleek, elegant, and fresh UI design.

Although there were several security flaws discovered in Wire in 2016, since then the developers worked hard to make their app one of the safest messaging apps out there. End-to-end encryption is guaranteed not only for text messages, but also for file sharing, and conferencing. Wire offers additional security features for enterprises and governmental organizations.

5. Facebook Messenger

If you’re searching for a messaging platform that is as popular as WhatsApp, you should consider Facebook Messenger (unless you want to quit Facebook). After all, it has around 1.5 billion users. This app has it all from text, file sharing, video, and audio calls, to group chats and various features such as sending gifs and stickers. 

Keep in mind that if you need secure and private messaging, Facebook is not ideal for obvious reasons. The company scans the files and text you send and receive. 

Facebook Messenger is available for both Android and iOs, and you can use it through the web version of Facebook. It also has a desktop version that works with Windows, Linux, and macOS.

6. Viber

Viber was developed to provide its users with VoIP services, but the app grew in time and started including voice calls, text messaging, group chats, and synchronized apps for desktop and mobile devices. However, Viber still works only if it’s attached to your phone number. 

Viber uses end-to-end encryption just like many other messaging platforms. What makes this app stand out is the AR-powered selfie lenses developed in partnership with Snapchat. You will also be able to make group calls with Viber and use their “Communities” feature.

Viber is free to use but they do sell sticker packs. They also offer a “Viber Out” subscription that will let you make unlimited international calls for $6 a month.

 7. Discord

Discord started out as a chat platform for gamers. Now it hosts a variety of servers that will let you engage with people that share your interests. But this mobile and desktop messaging platform also has a DM functionality to send personal messages. Also, if you buy Discord Nitro for $9.99 a month, you will get bigger file uploads, HD screen share and streaming, and better emoji.

Discord will allow you to share files with your contact list, but keep in mind that the free version has an upload limit of 8MB. When you initiate a video or a voice call through Discord, you will also have an option to share your screen. 

Another bonus is that the app can integrate itself with Spotify, Youtube, Reddit, Xbox Live, Twitch, Steam, Battle.net, Facebook, Twitter, and GitHub. Most of your messaging needs can be covered with Discord. 

8. Kik

Kik is a messaging service with a social network vibe to it. It has all the usual features such as text messages, audio, and video chats, GIFs, memes, and stickers. You can also find group chats that have predetermined topics for discussion. Through Kik, you can meet new people, or you can choose to stay in contact only with your old friends.

Kik is a free and fast messaging app that handles group chats amazingly well. The best part is that you don’t need a phone number to use this app, you can log in with your email address. This makes Kik a good choice for the people who don’t feel comfortable sharing their numbers with others. 

Kik is available for iPhones, Android devices, and PCs.

9. WeChat

Originally launched in 2011 under the name “Weixin”, the Chinese instant messaging app was renamed WeChat only a year later. WeChat is a social media app that besides regular messaging offers conferencing, gaming, and geotagging features.

That said, WeChat is not that popular outside of China, although anyone can use it. Perhaps it is because, unlike WhatsApp, it allows advertisements. Another issue with this messaging app is that many people raised concerns over data privacy. Third parties can monitor private conversations through this app, including the governments of the USA, Taiwan, and India. It is already known that WeChat censors important socio-political issues in China.

10. Signal

If you’re searching for a safe and trustworthy alternative to WhatsApp, Signal is the answer. All traffic that goes through this app is encrypted. Moreover, the app doesn’t keep records of its users’ logs and uses SSL/TLS protocols.

Signal is all about secure messaging. You can even send self-destructing messages. The only downside is that it will ask you for your phone number to log in, so Signal isn’t ideal if you want to stay anonymous. 

Signal has a very user-friendly interface that won’t scare off the most technophobic people. It also has a Chrome plug-in so you can use your PC for messaging. It is a free chat app that is developed by a non-profit organization. It was created by a cryptography expert and WhatsApp co-founder, Brian Acton, who abandoned his relationship with Facebook as he didn’t like the company’s idea of what WhatsApp should be.

11. iMessage

iMessage is a good alternative for WhatsApp, but only for your iPhone, iPad or Mac. You can use it to send SMS messages to all phone numbers, regardless of the app the recipients are using.

Just like many other apps, iMessage supports text, video, and audio messages (but not video and audio calls) as well as group calls, GIFs, and images. In some countries, Apple Pay is available through this app.

As far as security goes, Apple is true to its policy not to allow governments backdoor access to iMessage. Your messages will be safe as long as others don’t have access to your iCloud backups.

12. Slack

Searchable Log of All Conversation and Knowledge, or Slack for short, is a messaging platform specifically designed for work environments. It’s great for groups and teams to communicate without using phone numbers or emails. The older generation will recognize the many IRC-like features this app has, such as private groups, chat rooms or channels, and direct messaging.

The platform underwent a recent redesign that made it very simplistic and user-friendly. You can share files through Slack, but you can also search for content, people, and older conversations. It also supports emojis and GIFs to spice up your conversations and digital watercooler banter.

What makes this messaging platform great even for users outside of the workplace is its availability. Not only does it come in the form of an app for iOS and Android phones, but it can also be downloaded for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It also has a web browser version and you can even install it on your Apple Watch.

13. Wickr Me

With Wickr Me you can synchronize your messages across all of your devices. But the most attractive feature of this messaging app is that you can set the expiration time for all your messages, be it text, images, or videos. And this isn’t the only security feature it has. It also provides localized encryption and a different key for each new message.

In addition to great security features, Wickr Me promises complete anonymity to its users, and removes all metadata from all content sent through the app. With the launch of the desktop version in 2014, Wickr Me became available for iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Linux. 

What’s Your Favorite WhatsApp Alternative?

There are so many chat apps out there it’s hard to keep track of all of them. So let us know in the comments below what your favorite WhatsApp alternative is and what makes it so great.

The Channel Points program is a rewards feature available to streamers on Twitch that gives them a way to engage their viewers and give them a taste of the benefits that are usually only available to subscribers. 

In this article, we’ll cover what Channel Points are, how you can set them up on your Twitch channel, and how viewers can earn them.

What Are Channel Points on Twitch?

Twitch Channel Points is a reward system available to all Twitch Affiliates and Partners that allows streamers to reward their viewers with perks for watching, following, or participating in raids. These rewards are generally reserved for subscribers and act as a teaser that can help entice non-subscribers to continue watching and become loyal viewers.

As a viewer earns Channel Points, they can be spent on any of the channel rewards that the streamer has set up. These rewards include things like unlocking an emote, highlighting your message, or a custom reward the streamer has enabled such as dancing on stream. 

To be able to set up Channel Points on your channel you need to be a part of the Twitch affiliate program. To be invited to the program, you need at least 50 followers, 500 minutes of broadcast over the last 30 days, three or more average simultaneous viewers, and at least seven days of unique streams.

How to Set Channel Points Up

Setting up Channel Points is easy. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Sign in to your Twitch account. 
2. Click the profile icon in the top-right corner and select Creator Dashboard from the drop-down menu.

3. Click the three horizontal lines at the top-left corner of the screen. 

4. In the drop-down menu, select Stream Manager.

5. Click Viewer Rewards and then select Channel Points.

6. Toggle on Enable Channel Points.

How to Customize Your Channel Points

Streamers have the ability to customize their Channel Points by naming them, giving them a unique icon, and managing what rewards are available to their viewers. 

To change your Channel Points name and icon:

1. Head to the Channel Points menu as above.

2. Next to Customize Points Display select Edit.

3. Here you can give your Points a custom name by editing the field next to Points’ Name.

4. You can also upload a custom icon for your Channel Points by adding three images under Display. 

To choose which rewards to enable:

1. Head to the Channel Points menu as above.

2. Click Manage Rewards & Challenges. This will show you all of the default rewards that Twitch has created. 

3. Toggle on each reward you would like viewers to be able to obtain. You can also change how much each reward costs by altering the value under Cost.

To add custom rewards:

1. Click Create a Custom Reward. Alternatively, you can browse the custom rewards collection and choose a new custom reward from there.

2. Add a custom name. 

3. Type a description. 

4. Enter how much you’d like the reward to cost. 

5. Add a custom reward icon by dragging and dropping an image into the Reward Icon fields. 

6. Click Save to finalize the reward. 

How Can You Earn and Spend Channel Points?

As we mentioned above, viewers automatically earn points by viewing their favorite channel’s live streams and following Twitch streamers. They can also earn points by participating in raids or by clicking the periodic click-to-claim notifications. 

Here’s a breakdown of earn rates for the Channel Points system:

• Watching: +10 points for 5 minutes of live watch time for
• Active watching: +50 points for 15 minutes of live watch time, click to redeem.
• Raid participation: +250 points.
• New follow: +300 points.
• Watch streak: for 2-5 consecutive streams earn +300, +350, +400, +450 points respectively.
• 1st cheer: +350 points for the first cheer used every 30 days. 
• 1st subscription gift: +500 points for their first gift received every 30 days.

Note: Subscribers will receive a bonus points multiplier depending on their tier. Tier 1 is 1.2x, Tier 2 is 1.4x, and Tier 3 is 2x.

To use Channel Points:

1. Click the Channel Points icon at the bottom of the chat window of your favorite streamer.

2. This will open a Channel Point reward window showing how many points are needed to purchase the reward. If you haven’t been to the channel before it will say Get Started!

3. Click the reward you’d like, then click Unlock. 

Back to the Stream

Introducing Channel Points to your stream is a great way to increase the number of loyal fans you have. Everyone likes free stuff, and Channel Points offer you a great way to add unique and personalized rewards that your viewers will love.