Windows 10

Windows 10 is the latest version of Microsoft OS for consumer use by far. It was released in the summer of 2015 but is continuously being updated. Every Windows 10 update brings a lot of changes.

In Windows 10 Microsoft introduced the modern Settings app that should replace the deprecated Control panel but despite the fact that 5 years have passed, Microsoft is still in the process of migrating settings from Control panel to the Settings interface. It is indeed very complicated and confusing to use both a deprecated and modern interfaces for configuring your PC. So many of users have problems with it. Every next update brings a piece of improvements that makes a lot of our guides useless. So, it is these changes that are the reason for writing all kinds of new instructions and constant updating of existing ones.

Many people hate Windows 10 for its problems and glitches and wish they could switch back to the old good and stable Windows 7. But unfortunately, you can’t buy a new PC without have to deal with the 10th version of Microsoft OS, because in most cases it is the only supported operating system for the newest hardware.

Add High Performance/Ultimate Performance Plan on Windows 10 / 11 if It is Missing in Power Options

by
High Performance Power Plan missing Windows 10

Our subscriber wrote: Some time ago after I upgraded my Windows 10 computer to the next OS version (as far as I remember it was spring Creators Update) I noticed some sound issues: There were pops and clicks when I listened to music and watched videos on YouTube.

After 20 minutes of troubleshooting I found one-click workaround: I just switched to High Performance profile in Power Options and audio started to perform fine. Some days ago I decided to clean reinstall my Windows 10 pro due to some glitches.

I created the USB stick with the latest version, formatted disk C: and installed OS from a scratch. After everything such as drivers and a few programs was ready I noticed the issue with audio card again and was eager to switch the Power plan the way I did before.

How I was surprised when I saw that there is only one power plan in the settings. There are no High Performance plan any more. I see only Balanced (recommended) plan that is active of course. Tell me, please, can I manually create and activate high performance plan in power options on my Windows 10? 

Read more

Google DNS Servers 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4. Benefits & How to Use

by
Google DNS Servers 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4

What is Google DNS

Google DNS (Domain Name System) is a public DNS service provided by Google that can be used to resolve domain names to IP addresses on the internet. DNS is the system that translates human-readable domain names (such as www.google.com) into IP addresses (such as 216.58.194.174) that computers use to communicate with each other.

Google Public DNS represents two servers with IP addresses for IPv4 – 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. 8.8.8.8 is the primary DNS, 8.8.4.4 is the secondary one.

Google DNS service is free to use and can be used by anyone who has access to the Internet. You can use Google servers IP addresses as alternate DNS instead of such provided by your ISP with the purpose to resolve Internet names faster and improve your security.

You can configure Google DNS on individual devices or on your router, which will apply the settings to all devices on your network.

Read more

Fix ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED in Chrome on Android or Windows 10

by
ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED

What is ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED or Error 102 in Chrome on Android and Windows 10

ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED This Site Can’t Be Reached is a common error code that is also called Error 102. It can occur in browser due to certain issues.

Running ahead, I can say that not always the culprit is a piece of malware or damaged cookies. You need to take some time to inspect your system and find out what exactly causes this error in your particular case.

Read more

How to Record Sound Played on Windows 10 PC

by
Sound Forge recording music played in Chrome

In most cases all you need to record on your Windows PC is your voice. But what to do if you want to record sound that are played on your computer?

In this guide you will find steps to configure Windows 10 to capture all audio including sounds played in browser, audio and video players, sound in games, system events, etc.

Read more

How to Transfer a Large File from iPhone to Windows 10 PC (Mac)

by
video file uploaded to Google Drive from iPhone 11

In this guide I will explain my favorite quick way to wirelessly transfer a large video, audio or any other file from an iPhone to a Windows 10 PC or Mac without compressing and loss of quality.

The Backstory

I hate sending videos via Telegram, WhatsApp or Viber because messengers compress files severely: decrease resolution and bitrate. This option can be okay for sending small funny videos just to laugh and forget but they will kill the quality of your vacation footage shot in 4k 60 fps.

Read more