Fix 0x0000007c (ERROR_INVALID_LEVEL) in W11

As you know, the Windows Firewall is designed not just to protect your computer from viruses and malware, and other security threats but it’s also designed to block any program from accessing the internet. Users are given the option to block both inbound and outbound traffic for any apps on their computers. However, this kind of option can often lead to not being able to access the internet. In such cases, when you try to run the Windows Firewall Troubleshooter or the Windows Network Diagnostic troubleshooter, it will throw an error message that says, “Windows Firewall is preventing connections to your computer. The Windows Firewall rule HSS DNS Leak Rule may be blocking your connection”. If you are in this kind of scenario, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will guide you on how exactly you can fix this error. When you encounter this kind of error, there are several options you can check out to fix it. You can try to allow an app or feature through the Windows Firewall or uncheck the HSS DNS leak rule in both private and public. For more details, refer to the suggestions provided below.

Option 1 – Try to allow an app or feature through Windows Firewall

The first thing you can do to get rid of the error is to allow a feature or app through the Windows Firewall. To do this, follow these steps:

• Open the Windows Defender Security Center.
• From there, select the Firewall and Network Protection option.
• Next, click on the “Allow an app through firewall” option and then click on the “Change Settings” button and make sure that you have administrative privileges.
• After that, select the app or feature you want to allow through the Firewall from the menu. You also have the option to manually add the app by using the “Add an App” option.
• Then select the between the type of network an app can access such as:
  • Private Network will allow the app to connect to the internet only at home or work.
  • Public Network will allow the app to connect to the internet from anywhere, including Public WiFi hotspots.

• Once done, restart your computer and see if it fixed the error or not.

Option 2 – Try to uncheck the HSS DNS leak rule in both private and public

The next thing you can do to fix the error is to uncheck the HSS DNS leak rule in both private and public. You can do this by following these steps:

• Open the Windows Defender Security Center.
• From there, select the Firewall and Network Protection option.
• After that, click on the “Allow an app through firewall” option and then click on the “Change Settings” button and make sure that you have administrative privileges.
• Next, scroll down until you see the HSS DNS leak rule in both private and public option and then uncheck it.
• Now restart your computer and check if the error is now gone.

System restore is usually the go-to tool when something goes bad in Windows, we fire it up and roll back Windows in the state when everything was working fine. But what if Windows does not want to boot? Can we use system restore in that case? The answer to that question would be yes, yes we can.

1. Boot interrupt Windows 10 by starting your PC and as soon as you see the Windows logo; press and hold the power button to force a shutdown.
2. Repeat this 2-4 times and Windows will open up the Advanced Startup Options menu for you.
3. At the Advanced Startup Options screen, select Advanced Options.
4. Select Troubleshoot.
5. Under the Advanced options screen, select System Restore.

or if you prefer, use Windows USB installation.

1. Boot the faulty PC using the Windows 10 installation media.
2. The Windows Setup dialog box will appear.
3. Set the Time and currency format, Keyboard or input method, and the language to install.
4. Click Next.
5. Click on Repair your computer from the lower-left corner.
6. From the Choose an option screen, click on Troubleshoot.
7. Click Advanced Options in the Troubleshoot screen.
8. In the Advanced Options screen, click System Restore.
9. Windows will take some time to prepare System Restore. It may even restart your computer or device.
10. When System Restore is ready, you will be prompted to choose a user account to continue.
11. Select an account that is set as administrator on your Windows 10 computer or device.
12. At the next screen, change the keyboard layout if you want and then input the password for that account.
13. Click the Continue button.

HWiNFO (Hardware Information) is a professional hardware information and diagnostic tool supporting the latest components, industry technologies, and standards. It's targeted to recognize and extract the most possible amount of information about computer hardware which makes it suitable for users searching for driver updates, computer manufactures, system integrators, and technical experts too. Retrieved information is presented in a logical and easily understandable form and can be exported into various types of reports. System health monitoring and basic benchmarking available too. If you would like to read more helpful articles and tips about various software and hardware visit errortools.com daily.

Marine Aquarium Lite is a Browser Extension for Google Chrome. This extension changed your default search ending and home page to MyWebSearch.com. It is published by Mindspark Interactive and is considered a browser hijacking extension. While installed, users will see additional ads and sponsored links in their search results. This extension also collects user website data, which allows it to better target ads. Several anti-virus scanners have marked Marine Aquarium Lite as a Browser Hijacker and are marked for removal. From the Author: MyWebSearch is an incredibly popular toolbar (over 20 million active users each month!), that gives you access to the web’s leading search engine Google; includes some of the most popular products on the web for making communication easier, more expressive, and more entertaining. The MyWebSearch toolbar platform allows you to take advantage of more than a dozen interactive features and websites.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijacking is a very common type of online fraud where your web browser configuration settings are altered to make it carry out things you never intend. They’re created to interfere with web browser functions for a variety of reasons. Typically, hijackers will force hits to websites of their choice either to increase traffic generating higher ad earnings, or to obtain a commission for each and every user visiting there. Even though it may seem naive, all browser hijackers are damaging and thus always classified as security risks. Once the malware attacks your PC, it begins to mess things up a whole that slows your system down to a crawl. In the worse case, you will be pushed to deal with serious malware threats too.

Major signs that your browser has been hijacked

There are many signs of browser hijacking: home-page is changed; you observe new unwanted bookmarks or favorites added, typically directed to ad-filled or porn websites; The default search page of web browser is altered; you find multiple toolbars in your browser; you’ll notice random pop-ups start showing on a regular basis; your web browser starts running slowly or displays frequent glitches; you have prohibited entry to specific web pages, for example, the site of an anti-malware software developer like SafeBytes.

How they get into your computer or laptop

Browser hijackers infect PCs by numerous means, including through a file-share, a drive-by download, or an infected e-mail. They also come from add-on software, also referred to as browser helper objects (BHO), web browser plug-ins, or toolbars. Also, some shareware and freeware can put the hijacker inside your PC through “bundling”. An example of some notorious browser hijacker includes Conduit, Anyprotect, Babylon, DefaultTab, SweetPage, RocketTab, and Delta Search, but the names are constantly changing. Browser hijacking could lead to serious privacy issues and also identity theft, affect your web browsing experience by taking control over outbound traffic, drastically slows down your PC by deleting lots of resources, and result in system instability as well.

How you can fix a browser hijack

Some hijackers can be simply removed by uninstalling the free software they were included with or by eliminating any extension you have recently added to your computer system. But, the majority of hijacking codes are certainly not easy to get rid of manually, as they go deeper into the operating system. And there is no denying the very fact that manual fixes and removal could be a difficult job for an amateur computer user. Besides, there are several risks connected with fiddling around with the system registry files. You can choose automatic browser hijacker removal by simply installing and running efficient anti-malware software. SafeBytes Anti-Malware discovers all types of hijackers – including Marine Aquarium Lite – and eliminates every trace quickly and efficiently. Utilize a system optimizer (such as Total System Care) together with your anti-malware software to fix various computer registry issues, eliminate computer vulnerabilities, and enhance your computer performance.

Can't Install Safebytes Anti-malware because of Malware? Try This!

Malware may cause several different types of damage to computer systems, networks, and data. Some malware sits in between your PC and the net connection and blocks a few or all websites that you want to visit. It will also prevent you from installing anything on your PC, particularly antivirus applications. If you are reading this right now, you have probably realized that virus infection is the reason behind your blocked net traffic. So what to do when you want to install an anti-malware program such as Safebytes? Even though this sort of issue will be tougher to circumvent, there are some actions you can take.

Boot your system in Safe Mode

In Safe Mode, you could adjust Windows settings, uninstall or install some programs, and eradicate hard-to-delete viruses and malware. In the event the malware is blocking access to the internet and affecting your PC, running it in Safe Mode allows you to download anti-virus and run a diagnostic scan whilst limiting potential damage. To enter into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press the F8 key while the system is booting up or run MSConfig and find the “Safe Boot” options in the “Boot” tab. As soon as you restart the PC into Safe Mode with Networking, you may download, install, as well as update the anti-malware program from there. At this point, you could run the anti-virus scan to get rid of viruses and malware without interference from another application.

Switch over to some other internet browser

Some malware mainly targets certain web browsers. If this is your situation, use another browser as it may circumvent the computer virus. When you suspect that your Internet Explorer happens to be hijacked by a virus or otherwise compromised by cybercriminals, the best thing to do would be to switch to a different web browser such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Apple Safari to download your chosen security software – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Make a bootable USB anti-virus drive

To successfully get rid of the malware, you will need to approach the issue of running an antivirus software program on the infected computer system from a different angle. Do these simple measures to clean up your affected computer by using a portable antivirus. 1) Use another virus-free computer system to download Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug the pen drive into the clean PC. 3) Double-click on the downloaded file to run the installation wizard. 4) Select the drive letter of the pen drive as the place when the wizard asks you where you want to install the anti-virus. Follow the instructions on the computer screen to finish up the installation process. 5) Now, plug the thumb drive into the infected computer. 6) Run the Safebytes Anti-malware directly from the pen drive by double-clicking the icon. 7) Click on the “Scan” button to run a full computer scan and remove viruses automatically. SafeBytes Security Suite Benefits"]If you are looking to install an anti-malware program for your computer, there are various tools out there to consider but you just cannot trust blindly anyone, no matter whether it is a free or paid program. Some are good ones, some are decent, and some are simply just fake anti-malware programs that will harm your personal computer themselves! You must be careful not to choose the wrong product, particularly if you purchase premium software. One of the highly recommended software by industry analysts is SafeBytes Anti-Malware, a well-known security application for Microsoft Windows. SafeBytes anti-malware is a powerful, highly effective protection software intended to assist users of all levels of IT literacy in detecting and removing harmful threats from their PC. Through its cutting-edge technology, this software protects your personal computer against infections brought on by different kinds of malware and similar internet threats, including adware, spyware, trojans horses, worms, computer viruses, keyloggers, potentially unwanted program (PUPs), and ransomware.

SafeBytes anti-malware provides an array of advanced features that sets it aside from all others. Here are a few popular features present in this computer software:

Robust Anti-malware Protection: This deep-cleaning antimalware software program goes much deeper than most antivirus tools to clean your personal computer. Its critically acclaimed virus engine locates and disables hard to remove malware that conceals deep within your PC. Real-time Active Protection: SafeBytes offers an entirely hands-free active protection and is set to check, block, and get rid of all threats at its first encounter. This tool will constantly monitor your computer for any suspicious activity and updates itself regularly to keep abreast of the latest threats. Web protection: SafeBytes gives an instant safety rating on the web pages you’re going to visit, automatically blocking risky sites and making sure that you are certain of your safety while browsing the web. Lightweight Application: The program is lightweight and will work silently in the background, and will not have an effect on your computer efficiency. Fantastic Tech Support: For any technical questions or product guidance, you can get 24/7 professional assistance through chat and e-mail. SafeBytes has developed a fantastic anti-malware solution to help you conquer the latest malware threats and virus attacks. You can rest assured that your computer will be protected in real-time as soon as you put this software program to use. If you want sophisticated forms of protection features and threat detections, purchasing SafeBytes Anti-Malware could be worth the money!

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you’d like to manually remove Marine Aquarium Lite without the use of an automated tool, it might be possible to do so by removing the application from the Microsoft Windows Add/Remove Programs menu, or in cases of browser plug-ins, going to the browsers AddOn/Extension manager and removing it. You’ll likely also want to reset your browser to its default configuration settings. To be certain of complete removal, find the following Windows registry entries on your system and delete them or reset the values accordingly. Please be aware that this is for skilled users only and could be challenging, with wrong file removal resulting in additional PC errors. In addition, some malicious programs have the capability to defend against its deletion. Doing this in Safe Mode is suggested.

External hard drives have become essentials as they store data. However, they are also prone to issues and one of them is the “The device is not ready”. You could encounter this error when you try to access your connected hard drive. This error won’t allow you to access the contents of your hard drive so unless you fix it, you won’t be able to access any of the files on your hard drive. One of the most likely causes of this error is a hardware defect. Aside from that, it could also be due to loose connections, obsolete device drivers, as well as compatibility issues between the operating system and the hard drive. Before you start troubleshooting the problem, you need to determine if you were able to access your hard drive before you encountered the error or not. If not, you need to check the compatibility of the device with your operating system as it could be the reason why you’re getting the error. There are several potential fixes you can check out to fix this error. You can try to check the hardware connections, run the built-in Hardware and Devices troubleshooter, as well as the USB troubleshooter. You could also run the CHKDSK utility or update the drivers of the device or the USB drivers.

Option 1 – Try checking the hardware connections

The first thing you have to do before you further troubleshoot the problem is to check the hardware connections of your computer and see if there are damaged ones, just like with USB ports, it would also affect the overall connectivity of the device with the computer. So if you notice some irregularities in the connecting cable physically, you might have to buy another one and replace it and then see if it fixes the problem or not.

Option 2 – Run the Hardware and Devices Troubleshooters

• The first thing you need to do is click on Start and then on the gear-like icon to pull up the window for Settings.
• After opening Settings, look for the Update and Security option and select it.
• From there, go to the Troubleshoot option located on the left-hand side of the list.
• Next, select Hardware and Devices from the list and open the Troubleshooter and run it. Once it is doing its job, wait for it to complete the process and then restart the system.
• After the system restarts, check if the problem’s now fixed. If not, refer to the next option given below.

Note: You could also try to run the USB troubleshooter as it could also resolve the problem.

Option 3 – Run the CHKDSK utility

As you know, the CHKDSK utility can help you in identifying the bad sectors in a drive and fix them automatically. Thus, you can run it to fix the “The device is not ready” error when you connect your USB drive to your computer.

• Open Command Prompt with admin privileges.
• Next, type and enter this command to execute it: chkdsk /f <drive>
• Now, wait until the process is completed and exit Command Prompt.
• Restart your computer and try connecting the USB drive again and see if the error is fixed.

Option 4 – Try to update the drivers of the device

Although you can always update the device drivers using the Device Manager, you might want to try downloading the latest set of drivers directly from the manufacturer’s website. Once you’ve downloaded them, install them right away and then correct the external hard drive.

Option 5 – Update or reinstall the Universal Serial Bus Controller driver

If updating the drivers of the device did not fix the “The device is not ready” error, you can try to update or reinstall the Universal Serial Bus Controller drivers instead of using the Device Manager. Refer to the following steps:

• First, click the Start button and type “device manager”.
• Then click on the “Device Manager” from the search results to open it.
• From there, look for the “Universal Serial Bus controllers” option and then right-click on each one of the USB drivers and select the Update Driver from the menu.

Note: If it is a regular USB drive, then it will be listed as a USB Mass Storage Device but if you have a USB 3.0 device, then look for a USB 3.0 Extensible Host Controller.

• Restart your PC and then click the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option.

Note: If updating the USB Controller drivers didn’t work, you can try to reinstall them instead.

Option 6 – Restart your computer in a Clean Boot State

If the first three given options didn’t work and you still see the error when you connect external devices, you can try putting your computer in a Clean Boot State and then try connecting them again.

• Log onto your PC as an administrator.
• Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
• From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
• Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
• Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
• Click Disable all.
• Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
• Now try to connect the external devices and check if the error is now gone.

If you encounter a Windows Update error with an error code 0x80070652 and an error message saying, “ERROR_INSTALL_ALREADY_RUNNING”, then it indicates that there was a previous Windows Update that was not installed successfully. This kind of Windows Update error typically happens when it gets stuck and so to resolve it, here are some suggestions that might help.

Option 1 – Restart your computer and try installing the Updates again

You can restart your computer and then try installing the updates once again. There are instances when a simple restart resolves Windows Update errors. Thus, after you restart your computer, check for updates once again and see if you’re still getting the error or not.

Option 2 – Try running the Windows Update troubleshooter

You might also want to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter as it could also help in fixing Windows Update error code 0x80070652. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.

Option 3 – Try downloading the Windows Update that failed

If the Windows Update that has failed is not a feature update and only a cumulative update, you can download the Windows Update and install it manually. But first, you need to find out which update has failed, and to do so, refer to the following steps:

• Go to Settings and from there go to Update and Security > View Update History.
• Next, check which particular update has failed. Note that Updates that have failed to install will be displayed under the Status column which has a label of “Failed”.
• After that, go to the Microsoft Download Center and look for that update using its KB number and once you find it, download and then install it manually.

Note: You can also use the Microsoft Update Catalog, a service from Microsoft that provides a list of software updates that can be distributed over a corporate network. With the help of this service, it can be easier for you to find Microsoft software updates, drivers as well as fixes.

Option 4 – Try to restart the Background Intelligent Transfer Service

The Background Intelligent Transfer Service or BITS is a part of the Windows Update service and is the one that manages the background download of Windows Update, as well as scans for new updates and so on. And if Windows Update is experiencing some problems, you can try restarting BITS but make sure that you have admin privileges to do so.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Next, type “services.msc” in the field and hit Enter to open Windows Services.
• From the list of Services, look for the Background Intelligent Transfer Service and double-click on it to open Properties.
• After that, you need to set the Startup type to “Automatic (Delayed Start) and click on Apply.
• Now click the Stop button to stop BITS and then click the Start button to restart the service.
• Click OK to save the changes made and then restart your PC.

Option 5 – Try to update Windows after a couple of minutes or an hour

There are times when the issue is from Microsoft’s end. It could be that there’s some issue with Microsoft’s server so it would be better if you give it a couple of minutes or an hour or so before trying to run Windows Update again.

Encountering errors is never a pleasant experience and fixing errors can sometimes take a large amount of time. Also depending on your expertise and knowledge about computers and the operating systems themselves could be determining factor would you try to wrestle with error.

We will explore and analyze the advantages of both methods so you can choose and know when to apply one and when to reach for the other.

Advantages of manual method

Full control is the main advantage of manually solving errors, when you go deep dive into manually fixing problematic issues you are one that has control. Complete freedom is also another, sometimes fixing things can be done in several different ways and when you are the man behind the wheel, you are the one that can choose how to approach and what solution to apply in order to solve the issue.

Disadvantages of using manual method

The main disadvantage that some users might encounter is that they will need to know ins and outs of computer and operating systems' workings. Of course, the more complicated errors, the more knowledge it will require in order to apply the proper fix. There is also a risk to break something else if the person that is doing the fixing is not fully competent so this is also something to think about.

Another thing that goes against manual fixing is the time it will require in order to actually fix it, some more complex stuff will probably depend on searching for some external resources like searching for compatible drivers for example, or navigating complex registry keys inside Windows.

Advantages of automatic solutions

If you are a user that has no knowledge about how the operating system works, if you do not know what is a registry or how to properly navigate through the Windows folder then the automated solution is for you. The main advantage of automated systems is that you can easily fix errors without any kind of technical knowledge and usually with just one click of a button.

Saving time is also one of the advantages of fully automated solutions because they will work much faster than manually locating the problem and then fixing it. Also, most of these systems will have in place active monitoring that will check always if your system is in top form and alert you when something is not right.

Disadvantages of one-click solutions

Automated solutions are great, they can solve various issues and errors without any knowledge from the user, but they are not perfect. Like security suites sometimes an automated system can misinterpret something as an error when in fact it is not and fixing it could mean some apps not working anymore, luckily you can choose would you like to apply the suggested solution. So if you are using one do not just click fix without looking at what it is trying to fix and maintain.

Another problem with this is the price it is carrying, manually solving your computer error will cost you your time and knowledge but good automated software will come with a price tag. Some people might not be too happy to pay for this kind of application but at the end of the day, it will still be cheaper than a professional technician. The last thing that you should be aware of is that in order for the app to do its work properly it will need to be active all the time, now for modern computers, this is not the issue but for some older ones with a small amount of memory might lead to some slowing them down. This is a price to be paid in order to have your system always errors free.

Should you use an automated solution at all?

This depends on your knowledge and time available, professional IT technicians will not need this type of solution nor will power users but for most common people this will offer computers free of errors for an affordable price.

0xc00d36cb error shows up when you are trying to play a video or movie using the default player in Windows. This error can occur due to a glitch in the media player or corrupted system files. in this guide, we will show you how to tackle this issue and fix it.

1. Run the video playback troubleshooter

   • Click on Start and select Settings.
   • Go to Update and Security.
   • Scroll down and open the Troubleshoot tab.
   • Scroll down and select the Video Playback option.
   • Click the Run the Troubleshooter button.
   • The troubleshooter will perform an initial scan and offer a few options.
   • Select Continue with this troubleshooter.
   • The troubleshooter will scan the system again for driver and codec issues.
   • Follow on-screen instructions and apply recommended fixes.

2. Reset the Movies and TV app

   • Click on Start and select Settings.
   • Go to Apps and open the Apps and features tab.
   • Scroll down to Movies and TV.
   • Select Movies and TV.
   • Click Advanced options.
   • Scroll down and click on the Reset button.

3. Create a new user account

   • Click on Start and select Settings.
   • Open Accounts.
   • Open the Family & other users tab.
   • Scroll down to Other users and click the Add someone else to this PC button.
   • In the Microsoft account window, type your email address.
   • If you don’t want to enter an email address and establish a local account, click on I don’t have this person’s sign-in information option instead.
   • Next, select Add a user without a Microsoft account (for a local account).
     • Else, enter your Microsoft account login details.
   • Enter a user name and password for your new account. Also, select a security question and add an answer to it.
   • Once the new profile is ready, log out of your current account.

4. Check for permission issues

   • Right-click on the problematic file and select Properties.
   • Open the Security tab.
   • Click the Advanced button.
   • In the Advanced Security Setting window, click the Change link.
   • In the Select User or Group window, enter Everyone in the text box.
   • Click the Check Names button.
   • Click OK and Apply to save the changes.
   • Close all the Properties windows.
   • Try playing the file or modifying the properties and check for any improvements.

As you know, Windows 10 comes with the option to create Mobile Hotspot for other devices. This allows you to share your Ethernet connection. However, there are times when one of your devices might fail to reconnect to the mobile hotspot again. For instance, you moved out of the Wi-Fi range because you have somewhere to be and whatnot and when you’re back you find that you are now unable to reconnect to the Windows 10 Hotspot or the shared network. Although you can always restart the mobile hotspot to resolve the problem, however, it might only be a temporary fix. So in this post, you will be given options for a much better solution to the problem. This kind of problem seems unusual and does not occur that often. To fix it, you can try to set up DNS on your Windows 10 device and then configure the settings on the mobile device. It seems that what’s happening here is that the mobile device is unable to lock on to the Mobile Hotspot when the IP address changes for some reason.

Option 1 – Try changing the DNS settings on your laptop

In this option, you need to make sure that IPv4 and IPv6 are selected on your Ethernet connection. You also have to change the Preferred DNS server as well as the Alternate DNS server to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4, respectively. You also have to validate the settings before you exit just to ensure that you’ve entered everything correctly. After that, open Command Prompt and run the ipconfig command and then take note of the IP address, Gateway DNS 1 and DNS 2.

Option 2 – Try changing the Wi-Fi settings on your mobile device

This option should be mostly the same on all your mobile devices. And given that OEMs build their customization and skin, you might have to fiddle around a little to get the settings. Refer to the steps below to change the Wi-Fi settings:

• Go to the Settings of your mobile device and tap on Wi-Fi.
• Then click the Mobile Hotspot connection that you’ve created on your laptop.
• After that, input the password and tap the Advanced options.
• From there, tap on IP settings and select the Static option instead of DHCP.
• Now you have to enter the IP address, Gateway, DNS 1, and DNS 2 of the laptop you’ve taken note of earlier and that’s it.

Note: If you are already connected to the Mobile Hotspot, long press on the Wi-Fi network and select the Modify Network option and then follow the steps given above to change from DHCP to static. Once you’re done, your mobile device should now be able to connect to the Windows 10 Mobile Hotspot all the time.

Keyboard shortcuts are undeniably one of the most utilized ways and are helpful in maximizing productivity through the various applications at top speed in Windows 10. It offers the option to create custom keyboard shortcuts that allow users to launch apps, and even websites, instantly. There are already tons of keyboard shortcuts that are built-in in Windows 10 but in case you don’t know, you can actually create new ones. Doing so is not a difficult task and in this post, you will be guided on how you can exactly create custom keyboard shortcuts in your Windows 10 computer. Most users would create desktop shortcuts or pin the apps in the taskbar to speed up the process of working on their computers. It is an easy task to do since you can easily do it by dragging an app from the Start Menu to the desktop or by simply right-clicking on the executable app and selecting the “Create Shortcut” option. However, doing so would take physical effort and there are times when you have to minimize all the apps to get to the desktop so you can click the shortcut and this is where the Custom Keyboard Shortcuts come in handy. You can create Custom Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows 10 for various programs – from the traditional desktop apps to the new universal apps – you can fling in a shortcut so that you can instantly open them faster compared to when doing it manually and besides this also wouldn’t affect any of the ongoing system activity. To get started, you need to follow the steps provided below carefully.

To add Custom Keyboard hotkeys to a program and website desktop shortcuts, here’s what you have to do:

Step 1: First, you have to right-click on the app or website and select Properties. Step 2: After that, go to the Shortcut tab and from there, you will see the “Shortcut key” textbox which allows you to enter a new or custom keyboard shortcut for the app or website. Step 3: In the textbox field, input your preferred letters to set up the new hotkey. Keep in mind that this custom shortcut has to be combined with the Ctrl + Alt keys which means that if you want to select “N”, you have to tap the Ctrl + Alt + N keys. Step 4: Once done, click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made and then close the window. Step 5: After that, tap the newly created keyboard shortcut, Ctrl + Alt + N keys again to open the app or website you’ve set up earlier.

To add Custom Keyboard hotkeys to a desktop app or an independent program that can be installed using direct download, here’s what you have to do:

Step 1: First, open the Start Menu and look for the icon/tile of the required app in the menu. However, if you are not able to find the desired app, then just click on the All Apps option to navigate through all the apps that are installed on your PC. Step 2: Once you find the app, just right-click on it and select More and then click on the “Open file location” option. Step 3: This will open a new window with the shortcut icon. Right-click on the app’s shortcut icon and select Properties. Step 4: This will open the Properties window where you can add the shortcut combination. Keep in mind that just like the previous method, the custom shortcut has to be combined with the Ctrl + Alt keys. For instance, if you select E, then you also have to set a keyboard shortcut that includes Ctrl + Alt, so it will be, Ctrl + Alt + E. Step 5: Once you’re done, click on the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes made. You should now be able to use the custom shortcut key you’ve set.