Apple M2 Chip review

Screen flickering in Windows 10 - What Is It?

Screen flickering when you’re using Windows 10 is quite a common problem. It is often caused by apps that are not compatible with the operating system, or faulty display drivers.

There are a lot of possibilities for why this issue occurs. If you are one of the many users that encounter this kind of problem, you might want to check on your task manager to see if everything is working fine. One common sign that something wrong has happened is if the task manager flickers, as well. To fix this, you will need to update an app, uninstall an app, or update your display driver.

Solution

Error Causes

Common causes of the screen flickering when running on Windows 10 are software issues. This is most likely caused by the following:

• Faulty display driver
• You have an application installed that is not compatible with your operating system

Further Information and Manual Repair

In order to fix the issue of your screen flickering when you have Windows 10 as your operating system, follow these simple steps.

Note: It is very important to consult with an authorized computer technician if you are not highly confident in solving this issue by yourself. Furthermore, you can also use software to fix this problem.

• The first method is by checking if your task manager is flickering. To open the task manager, all you have to do is right-click or press and hold the start button, then select task manager.

If you have confirmed that the task manager is the one causing the screen flickers, the display driver can possibly be your problem. To fix it, all you have to do is update your display driver.

How to update the display driver

1. You have to reset your computer and boot it on Safe Mode.

      -In order to do this, you have to hold the Shift key while selecting Power>Restart. When your computer boots up, you will be greeted by a Choose an option screen. From there, you have to select Troubleshoot, then Advanced Options, then Startup Settings, and then Restart. When your computer restarts, select 4 or hit the F4 key to enter into Safe Mode.

2. When your computer finally boots up in Safe Mode, right-click or press and hold the Start button. From there, click Device Manager.

3. From the Device Manager screen, you have to expand the Display Drivers section, right-click on the driver that might be causing the problem then select Uninstall. Don’t forget to tick the Delete the driver software for this device box, press the OK button, and then restart your computer.

            - When you have two, or more, drivers installed on your computer, all you have to do is disable the other drivers. You can do this by right-clicking on the driver in the Device Manager and click the Yes box next to disable. Shut down your PC after this, disconnect the installation, and boot your computer back on.

4. When your PC boots up after the restart, click on the Start button then click on Settings.

5. You need to go to Update & Security, then Windows Update, and then check for updates.

            - If you are using multiple drivers and this technique doesn’t work, repeat the process in Step 3 and try to disable a different driver.

Remove an incompatible app

There are two ways to remove an incompatible app to fix the issue of a screen flicker on Windows 10. Apps like Norton AV, iCloud, and IDT Audio are usually the ones causing the problem. Uninstalling these apps could solve the problem. Uninstall the apps by using the methods below:

First Solution: Uninstall an app in Settings

1. Click Start, and then click Settings.
2. Click on System, and then click on Apps & Features.
3. A window will pop up and from there you will need to select the application you wish to uninstall. Click the app, and then click uninstall. Follow the screen prompt to fully uninstall the program.

Second Solution: Uninstall an app in the Start Menu

1. Click Start, and then click All Apps.
2. Look for the application you will need to uninstall, right-click the said app, and then click Uninstall. Follow the screen prompt to fully uninstall the program.

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As you know, the functioning of the Windows Sandbox feature is supported by various components in the background of the Windows operating system. And the only way for you to enable the Windows Sandbox feature in your computer is through the Turn Windows features on or off utility. This feature will work directly on the basis of Virtualization which is also supported by Hyper-V. However, there are some reports claiming that some computers have the Windows 10 Sandbox item greyed out in the Turn Windows features on or off utility. Thus, in this post, you will be guided on what you can do to resolve such a problem in your Windows 10 computer. In this kind of problem, you should know that this has something to do with the Second Level Address Translation which is one of the important pillars of how the Windows 10 Sandbox feature functions. Thus, if the Second Level Address Translation or SLAT feature in Windows Sandbox is not supported by the CPU of your computer, there is no way for you to use Windows Sandbox on your computer. On the other hand, if SLAT is supported, then there is definitely something you can do to resolve the greyed-out Sandbox item in Windows 10.

To get started, follow the steps provided below.

Step 1: First, you have to boot into the BIOS of your PC. Step 2: After that, make sure that the following options are set to their respective configurations:

• Hyper-V – Enabled
• VM Monitor Mode – Yes
• Virtualization – Enabled
• Second Level Address Translation (VT-d or RVI) – Enabled
• Data Execution Prevention – Enabled

Step 3: Once you’re done, save the configuration and then restart your Windows 10 computer as usual. Step 4: Once your computer has restarted, you should see the same option in the Turn Windows features on or off utility and it should no longer be greyed out. Then you can now enable the feature and follow the onscreen instructions need to use the feature as best as you can.

Easy Home Decorating is a Browser Extension for Google Chrome. It offers users tips and tricks on how to manage your home decoration, you can find ideas for certain rooms, combine and plan. This might seem useful at the start, however, all this extension does is add a toolbar that links you to the most popular Home Decor Websites that you can find on any Search engine within seconds.

When installed it changes your default search engine and new tab page to MyWay.com or Ask.com (depending on the extension version). It monitors user browsing activity in the background, allowing it to gather visited websites, clicked links, search queries, and other user information. This data is later sent/sold to better target ads.

While using this extension you will see additional ads and sponsored content displaying throughout your browsing sessions. Several anti-virus applications have marked this extension as a Browser Hijacker and a potential security flaw and are therefore not recommended to keep on your computer.

About Browser Hijackers

Browser hijackers (sometimes referred to as hijackware) are a type of malware that modifies web browser configurations without the user’s knowledge or approval. These hijacks happen to be increasing at an alarming rate worldwide, and it could be actually nefarious and sometimes harmful too. Browser hijacker malware is developed for many different reasons. These are generally used to force visitors to a particular website, manipulating web traffic to earn ad revenue. It might seem naive, but the majority of these websites are not legitimate and can present a serious risk to your online safety. Moreover, hijackers could make the whole infected system vulnerable – other destructive malware and viruses would use these opportunities to get into your computer effortlessly.

How one can know if your browser has been hijacked

Here are some signs and symptoms that suggest you’ve been hijacked: your web browser’s home page is suddenly different; if you enter a URL, you find yourself regularly directed to a different site than the one you meant; the default online search engine is modified; unsolicited new toolbars are added to your web browser; you see a lot of pop-up ads on your computer screen; your web browser gets slow, buggy, crashes frequently; you can’t visit specific websites like home pages of security software.

How does a computer get infected with a browser hijacker?

Browser hijackers infect computer systems in numerous ways, including through a drive-by download, a file-share, or an infected email. They can also come from any BHO, extension, add-on, toolbar, or plug-in with malicious purpose. Other times you might have inadvertently accepted a browser hijacker as part of a software bundle (generally freeware or shareware). Examples of well-known browser hijackers are Fireball, GoSave, Ask Toolbar, CoolWebSearch, Babylon Toolbar, and RocketTab. Browser hijackers could affect the user’s web browsing experience significantly, monitor the websites visited by users and steal private information, cause difficulty in connecting to the web, and finally create stability problems, causing programs and systems to freeze.

How you can fix a browser hijack

Certain kinds of browser hijackers can be effortlessly removed from your PC by deleting malicious software applications or any other recently installed shareware. But, many hijackers are very hard to identify or eliminate as they might get themselves associated with some important computer files which allow it to operate as a necessary operating system process. Rookie computer users should never try the manual form of removal methods since it requires comprehensive computer knowledge to carry out repairs on the computer registry and HOSTS file. Anti-malware application is really efficient with regards to picking up and removing browser hijackers that normal anti-virus application has overlooked. To eradicate any kind of browser hijacker from your PC, you can download this certified malware removal program – SafeBytes Anti-Malware. Employ a system optimizer (like Total System Care) together with your antivirus software to solve various registry issues, remove system vulnerabilities, and improve your computer's overall performance.

How To Install Safebytes Anti-Malware On An Infected PC

All malware is bad, but certain kinds of malware do much more damage to your PC than others. Some malware is designed to restrict or prevent things that you wish to do on your personal computer. It may well not permit you to download anything from the net or prevent you from accessing some or all of the websites, especially the anti-virus sites. If you’re reading this article, you probably have got infected by a virus that prevents you from downloading a computer security program such as Safebytes Antimalware on your PC. There are some steps you can take to get around this issue.

Install in Safe Mode

The Windows OS has got a special mode known as “Safe Mode” in which just the bare minimum required programs and services are loaded. If the malware is blocking access to the internet and affecting your PC, running it in Safe Mode allows you to download antivirus and run a scan while limiting possible damage. In order to get into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press the F8 key while the computer is starting up or run MSCONFIG and locate the “Safe Boot” options in the “Boot” tab. Once you are in Safe Mode, you can attempt to download and install your antivirus program without the hindrance of the malicious software. Now, you can run the antivirus scan to eliminate viruses and malware without any interference from another application.

Switch to an alternate internet browser

Web-based malware could be environment-specific, aiming for a particular web browser or attacking specific versions of the browser. In case you suspect that your Internet Explorer has been hijacked by a computer virus or otherwise compromised by cybercriminals, the most effective course of action is to switch to a different internet browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari to download your favorite computer security software – Safebytes Anti-Malware.

Run anti-virus from a USB drive

Another solution is to save and operate an antivirus software program entirely from a Thumb drive. To run antivirus using a thumb drive, follow these simple steps: 1) On a clean PC, download and install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Put the USB drive into the uninfected PC. 3) Double-click the Setup icon of the anti-malware program to run the Installation Wizard. 4) When asked, choose the location of the USB drive as the place in which you would like to store the software files. Follow the instructions to finish the installation process. 5) Now, insert the pen drive into the infected PC. 6) Double-click the EXE file to open the Safebytes program right from the flash drive. 7) Click “Scan Now” to run a complete scan on the affected computer for viruses.

SafeBytes Anti-Malware Overview

To help protect your laptop or computer from various internet-based threats, it’s very important to install an anti-malware program on your PC. But with countless numbers of antimalware companies out there, these days it’s challenging to decide which one you should buy for your PC. Some of them are good, some are ok types, while some will harm your PC themselves! You must pick a company that builds industry-best anti-malware and has gained a reputation as reliable. Amongst few good programs, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is the highly recommended software program for the security-conscious user. SafeBytes is a powerful, real-time anti-spyware application that is designed to assist the everyday computer end user in safeguarding their computer from malicious internet threats. With its cutting-edge technology, this application will allow you to remove several types of malware including viruses, trojans, PUPs, worms, ransomware, adware, and browser hijackers.

There are plenty of great features you’ll get with this particular security product. Listed here are a few of the great ones:

Real-time Threat Response: SafeBytes offers real-time active checking and protection from all known viruses and malware. It’ll monitor your PC for suspicious activity continuously and its unparalleled firewall shields your PC from illegal access by the outside world. Antimalware Protection: Built upon a greatly acclaimed anti-virus engine, this malware removal tool can find and get rid of many obstinate malware threats such as browser hijackers, PUPs, and ransomware that other typical anti-virus software will miss. Website Filtering: SafeBytes checks and gives a unique safety rating to every website you visit and block access to webpages known to be phishing sites, thus protecting you against identity theft, or known to contain malicious software. Lowest CPU and RAM Usage: SafeBytes provides complete protection from internet threats at a fraction of the CPU load due to its advanced detection engine and algorithms. Premium Support: For any technical questions or product support, you could get 24/7 expert assistance through chat and email. Overall, SafeBytes Anti-Malware is a solid program as it has lots of features and could detect and remove any potential threats. You can be sure that your PC will be protected in real-time once you put this software program to use. You will get the very best all-around protection for the money you pay on SafeBytes Anti-Malware subscription, there’s no question about it.

Technical Details and Manual Removal (Advanced Users)

If you don’t wish to use an automated tool and prefer to get rid of Easy Home Decorating manually, you might accomplish this by going to the Windows Add/Remove Programs menu in the control panel and removing the offending software; in cases of web browser add-ons, you could remove it by visiting the browser’s Add-on/Extension manager. Additionally, it is suggested to factory reset your web browser settings to their default state. To make sure of complete removal, find the following Windows registry entries on your computer and delete it or reset the values appropriately. Please remember that this is for experienced users only and might be challenging, with incorrect file removal causing additional PC errors. Also, certain malware is capable of replicating itself or preventing deletion. Completing this task in Safe Mode is suggested.

A lot of users lately reported getting an error that says, “The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect”. This kind of error can pop up when you try to open a number of programs, regardless of their origin, the developer, and compatibility. Here’s the full context of the error message:

“<PATH OF THE EXECUTABLE FILE>, This application has failed to start because its side-by0side configuration is incorrect. Please see the application event log or use the command-line sxstrace.exe tool for more detail”.

This kind of problem has something to do with the C++ runtime package in the background. It could also be related to an error for a registry value. Whatever the cause is, you can fix this error with the help of some suggestions provided in this post. You can try to reinstall the application or check the registry setting or reinstall the suitable Visual C++ Runtimes or re-enable the Microsoft .NET Framework. For more details, refer to the instructions given below.

Option 1 – Try to reinstall the application

There are times when some supporting module for your application under the hood could have messed up the application. And so to fix that, you need to uninstall the concerned application and then try reinstalling it again. Once you’re done, check if it fixed the problem or not.

Option 2 – Try to change the Registry setting

• Tap the Win + R key combination to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “Regedit” in the fields and tap Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry key: Computer HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWARE Microsoft Windows NT CurrentVersion SideBySide Winners x86_policy.9.0.microsoft.vc90.crt_1fc8b3b9a1e18e3b_none_02d0010672fd8219 9.0
• From there, look for a String value named “default” and double click on it.
• After that, change its Value data to match the one as the third value in BINARY.
• Now restart your computer to successfully apply the changes made.

Option 3 – Try reinstalling the appropriate Visual C++ Runtime

• You need to open the Event Viewer first by searching for it in the Windows Search box.
• After opening Event Viewer, look for the error events that are sourced by SideBySide.
• Next, look for the actual Visual C++ Runtime module that’s causing the error.
• Now download the module from the official website of Microsoft Support and then install it and see if it fixed the problem.

Option 4 – Re-enable the Microsoft .NET Framework

You could also try to disable the Microsoft .NET Framework then enable the latest version of the .NET Framework on your PC and check if the error is fixed.

Can’t Find Games on Twitch is a common error happening to a vast variety of people. The issue can be traced back to browser issues to others like malware infection. In this guide, we will provide you with common fixes on how to overcome this issue so you can continue watching your favorite streamer.

1. Sign out of Twitch, then sign back in

   If it is a browser issue or some glitch in the Twitch system simply signing out and then signing back in will solve the issue since information about the account will be resent to the twitch platform.

2. Refresh the application

   Sometimes servers are having high traffic and can get overloaded, refresh the application in the upper left corner to reload content.

3. Use browser instead of Twitch application

   If you are still having issues with the application, open the twitch website and access content there.

4. Close twitch

   But in task manager. Sometimes just closing it via the X button is not enough, some glitches stay and the application is still running in the background. Open task manager and close it from there.

5. Scan system for malware

   Scan the entire system for malware, various malware can halt twitch and cause issues.

6. Reinstall application

   If everything else failed, reinstall the application.

Error Code 12 - What is it?

Error code 12 is a typical Device Manager error code. It usually pops on the computer screen when the computer experiences device driver problems or system resource conflicts.

Error code 12 is mostly displayed on the computer screen in the following format:

‘This device cannot find enough free resources that it can use. If you want to use this device, you will need to disable one of the other devices on this system.’

Solution

Error Causes

The error code 12 occurs when 2 devices installed on your PC are accidentally assigned the same I/O (input/output) ports or the same direct memory access channel.

This assignment is known to be made either by BIOS (Basic Input/output system) or by the operating system. It can sometimes be assigned by a combination of the two. Also, code 12 can also appear on your monitor screen if the BIOS didn’t allocate enough resources to the device.

Although this error code is not fatal, it is nonetheless advisable to fix it immediately to avoid inconvenience and hassle. This error is most likely to lower and hamper the performance of your system.

Further Information and Manual Repair

Here are some of the easiest and most effective do-it-yourself methods to resolve error code 12 on your PC. To perform these fixes, you don’t have to be technically sound or a computer programmer for that matter. Simply follow the steps to fix the problem right away.

Method 1 - Use the Troubleshooting Wizard to identify the Conflict

To repair error code 12, simply go to the start menu and type Device Manager in the search box. Now go to the Device Properties dialog box. After that click on the ‘General Tab’ and now access Troubleshoot to start the Troubleshooting Wizard.

The Wizard will ask you some questions and provide you a solution accordingly. Follow the instructions and resolution steps provided by the troubleshooting wizard to repair error code 12 on your PC.

Method 2 - Disable the Device to Resolve

By disabling the problematic device in the Device Manager, Windows will ignore that piece of hardware. Once disabled, Windows will then no longer assign system resources to that device and no driver/software will be able to use that device.

To disable, go to the Device Properties in the Device Manager and then click the Driver tab. Click disable located at the bottom of the window. Then you will be prompted with a message stating ‘Disabling this device will cause it to stop functioning. Do you wish to disable it?’ Click yes to continue and then click OK to save changes.

Method 3 - Restore Your PC to its Previous State

Another method to resolve error code 12 is to restore your PC to its previous state when it was working properly.

For this, it is important to backup all your data first to avoid data loss issues that are likely to occur during this process. Creating backups manually can be a time-consuming and tedious task. To save time and quicken the process, it is best to install a program like DriverFIX.

DriverFIX is a user-friendly and intuitive device driver management software that helps backup all your data automatically and efficiently, while simultaneously restores your PC back to its previous state before you encountered problems.

Click here to download DriverFIX on your system to resolve error code 12

If you recently made some changes in your Windows 10 computer using the Group Policy Editor but they were not reflected and you got errors instead, it could be that your Windows computer wasn’t able to read the Group Policy file (registry.pol). To resolve this kind of issue, you have to repair the potentially corrupted Group Policy using the options given in this post. .As you know, Group Policy is a feature in the Microsoft Windows Active Directory which allows an admin to make changes in the features on Windows PCs that are on the network. So if the modifications you just made weren’t successfully applied, then there could be something wrong with the registry.pol file on the client or it could also be that the Group Policy folder is missing. To fix this issue in the Group Policy, you need to refer to the given suggestions below and make sure that you have admin privileges as you execute them.

Option 1 – Try to delete or recreate the missing registry.pol file

The entire settings of the Group Policy are stored in the registry.pol file so if it went missing, all the changes you make will not be reflected. The good thing is that you can recreate it but if the file exists and is corrupted, you need to delete it first before you recreate it.

• First, go to the C:/Windows/System32/GroupPolicy/Machine location.
• And from there, check if the registry.pol file exists or not. If it’s there, just delete it permanently by tapping the Shift + Delete keys.
• Now it’s time to recreate the file. Just open Windows PowerShell with admin privileges by tapping Win + X + A keys.
• After opening PowerShell, type this command: gpupdate /force
• The command you entered will recreate the registry.pol file and will refresh the Group Policy. Restart your computer.

Option 2 – Try recreating the secedit.sdb file

The security settings of Group Policy are stored in the secedit.sdb file so if you made some changes to security and they weren’t reflected, you can try to delete and recreate the secedit.sdb file instead of deleting the Group Policy file. All you have to do is navigate to the C:/WINDOWS/security/Database folder and look for the secedit.sdb file and rename it or move it to another folder. After that, restart your computer. Once your computer has restarted, the secedit.sdb file will be created again.

Option 3 – Try to reset the Group Policy to default

You can also try to reset the Group Policy back to its default state. There are several ways you can do that. You can either use the gpupdate or the secedit command in the Windows PowerShell to do that. Resetting the Group Policy will resolve any issues that could be caused by its current settings.

Option 4 – Try to perform System Restore

System Restore can also help resolve the Group Policy issue. It could be that prior to the issue, you’ve made some changes in the system that might have affected the Group Policy. To undo these changes, perform System Restore.

• First, tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• After that, type in “sysdm.cpl” in the field and tap Enter.
• Next, go to the System Protection tab then click the System Restore button. This will open a new window where you have to select your preferred System Restore point.
• After that, follow the on-screen instructions to finish the process and then restart your computer and check if the problem is fixed or not.

Option 5 – Use the DISM tool

You can also try running the Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management or DISM tool. This tool will repair the Windows System Image as well as the Windows Component Store in your Windows 10 computer. So if there are any missing or corrupted folders and files, the DISM tool can restore and repair them. As a result, any system consistencies and corruptions will be fixed. To run this tool, follow these steps:

• Tap the Win + X keys and click on the “Command Prompt (Admin)” option.
• After that, input each one of the commands listed below sequentially to execute them:
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  • Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• Once you’ve executed the commands given above, restart your computer.

If you are trying to copy a folder or file in your Windows 10 computer but encountered an error that says, “There is insufficient disk space to complete operation”, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will walk you through how you can fix the error. This kind of problem could be due to lack of disk space, corrupted disk, and many more. In such cases, this error usually pops up when you move or copy a file or folder to a particular location. There are several potential fixes you can check out to fix this error. You can try to run the Storage Sense or Disk Cleanup or try copying or moving the file in a Clean Boot State. You could also try formatting the given partition to NTFS. For more information, refer to each one of the options provided below.

Option 1 – Try to delete the temporary files

The error could be caused by some temporary or junk files in your computer and so you need to clear them up to fix the problem. You can achieve that using the Storage Sense feature.

• Open Setting > System > Storage from the WinX Menu.
• From there, you will see a list of all the local and connected storage devices along with the details on the free space. Make sure that Storage Sense is on.
• Next, find a link that says “Free Up Space” and click it to open.
• After that, a screen which is the built-in program in Windows 10 will appear and will scan your computer for the following junk files so you can free up disk space:
  • Windows Upgrade Log Files
  • The system created Windows Error Reporting Files
  • Thumbnails
  • Temporary Internet Files
  • Previous Windows Installation Files
  • Delivery Optimisation Files
  • DirectX Shader Cache
• Choose the files you want to get rid of and then click on the remove files option. Note that you’ll have an idea of the total size as you select any of the junk files listed above.
• Now go to the “Free Up Space Now” section and click the Clean now button. This will get rid of all the temporary or junk files in your computer and should hopefully fix the “There is insufficient disk space to complete operation” error.

Option 2 – Restart your computer in a Clean Boot State

If the first options didn’t work and you still see the “There is insufficient disk space to complete operation” error when you copy folder or files, you can try putting your computer in a Clean Boot State and then 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 copy the folder or file once more and check if the error is now gone.

Option 3 – Try formatting the given partition to NTFS

Even though this option may take a lot of your time, it is proven to fix the “There is insufficient disk space to complete operation” error as reported by many users who also went through the same dilemma. So if the removable disk is showing the same error message no matter which computer you insert it, you might have to format the drive with the help of Command Prompt. But before you do that, you must know that all the contents of your drive will be permanently deleted after you format it.

• Tap Win + R to launch Run.
• Type in cmd and then tap Enter or click OK to open the Command Prompt.
• And in the elevated window of Command Prompt, type in the following command:

format F: /fs:ntfs

In the command given above, “F” is the drive letter and “NTFS” is the file system you want. Just remember to replace “F” with the drive letter you want to format as well as the file system you prefer. Brace yourself as this process might take quite a while even if you only have a 4 GB USB drive – so you must not close the window under any circumstances as the drive might get corrupted and wait for the process to finish.

If you have suddenly run into a problem when trying to connect or pair your Bluetooth keyboard with your Windows 10 computer, read on as this post will guide you on how exactly you can resolve the problem. This kind of problem typically occurs when you’ve disabled the Bluetooth option. However, this option is already enabled and you still encountered the same error message saying, “Check the PIN and try connecting again”, then you need to troubleshoot the problem further. In most cases, this kind of issue can be fixed when you restart your computer and go to the Windows Settings and select the “Add Bluetooth or other devices” option and then put the keyboard into pairing mode. And when the keyboard appears in the “Add a device” dialog box, just select it. On the other hand, if your Bluetooth keyboard won’t get connected to your Windows 10 computer and you encounter an error that says, “Can’t pair Bluetooth keyboard, Check the PIN and try connecting again”, then you need to check out the options provided below but before you do so, make sure that you create a System Restore point first as some of the troubleshooting options provided involves the Windows Registry.

Option 1 – Try to use the Device Pairing Wizard

The Device Pairing Wizard is the one that allows your computer to look for any new devices and display them underneath it. All you have to do to use this wizard is to follow its instructions to connect your Bluetooth device to Windows 10. To get started, follow these steps:

• First, tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run utility and type “devicepairingwizard” in the field, and then hit Enter to run the Device Pairing Wizard.
• After that, wait for a couple of seconds until the devices appear. Once they do, select the Bluetooth device you wish to add.
• A new screen with a passcode should appear instantly. You need to take note of the given passcode and type them on your Bluetooth keyboard.
• Once done, tap Enter. This should help in pairing your computer to your Bluetooth keyboard.

Option 2 – Try to use the Registry Editor

The next thing you can do to resolve the pairing issue with your Bluetooth keyboard is to use the Registry Editor by following these steps:

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run utility and type “Regedit” in the field and then hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to this registry path: HKEY_USERS/.DEFAULT/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Bluetooth/ExceptionDB
• From there, look for the folder named “Addrs” and expand it. If you see any folders or keys under it, select them and delete them. These keys represent the MAC address of your Bluetooth devices.
• Once you’re done, restart your computer and try to pair your Bluetooth keyboard once more.

Option 3 – Try running the Bluetooth Troubleshooter

As you know, Windows 10 has various troubleshooters with user-friendly interfaces where you can utilize them to fix issues in your PC. And since you’re dealing with some Bluetooth problem, you have to run the Bluetooth Troubleshooter.

• Open the Windows 10 Settings.
• Then go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
• You should find the option for Bluetooth on your right-hand side – click on it then click on the “Run the troubleshooter” option.
• Now follow the next screen options.

Option 4 – Try to reinstall or update the Bluetooth driver

The issue might have something to do with the Bluetooth drivers. It could be that it is outdated and needs to be updated or that you recently updated it and since you have trouble pairing your Bluetooth keyboard, you can update, rollback, or uninstall the Bluetooth drivers. How? Follow the steps below.

• Tap the Win + X keys to open the Device Manager.
• Next, look for the Bluetooth device and right-click on it.
• Select the option “Update driver”.
• After that, a new popup window will appear. In there, select the option, “Search automatically for updated driver software”.

Note: Checking the update may take a few minutes so you’ll have to wait until it finishes. If it is able to find an update, you must install it.

It really sucks when you can’t fully enjoy the newest version of your favorite OS.

Windows 11 is still relatively fresh and consequently has some annoying little bugs that really ruin our experience. The good news is that you’re not alone and most of them are easy to fix.

Here are 5 commonly reported Windows 11 issues and what you can do to get rid of them.

1. Windows 11 audio problems

One of the absolute most irritating things in the world is struggling with the sound on your computer. Windows 11 users have reported facing the issue of low or no sound. If you’re currently experiencing the same frustration, you can be relieved. Chances are fixing it will only take a few minutes.

The first thing to check would be whether you accidentally muted your device by pressing the mute button on your keyboard. Yes, we know it sounds a lot like the old “have you tried turning it off and on again?” But it’s important to leave no stone unturned, and the most obvious things are usually the ones we easily overlook.

Moreover, if you have several audio output sources, check whether the right one is selected. You can do this via the Action Center or through Settings. If you want to use the same source every time, we also recommend you set it as the default one.

It’s also important to have a good, up-to-date audio driver. More often than not, this will be the true cause of your audio struggles. Make sure to update your driver, and if that doesn’t work out, you can always un- and reinstall it or install a different one. 

Lastly, if all attempts remain unsuccessful, run the audio troubleshooter to figure out what’s actually going wrong.

2. Unable to find files

Such a powerful new operating system, yet it can’t seem to do the simplest thing imaginable? The File Explorer not responding on Windows 11 is one of the most frustrating and most common problems with Microsoft’s newest iteration of its awesome OS.

However, 9/10 times it can be fixed by simply restarting your PC. You could also try killing the Windows Explorer process in the Task Manager and then rerunning it.

If these don’t help, check whether there are any pending Windows 11 updates. A single missing update can compromise your PC’s functionality, so always make sure to install them all on time. 

Should none of that work, then there are other ways to solve the File Explorer problem. However, then the issue is probably a bit deeper and it’s no longer in the ‘easy fix’ territory.

3. Start menu not working

Just like the File Explorer, the Start menu is a fundamental element of your OS. So, it’s only natural that its malfunction grinds your gears. It may be more customizable than on previous Windows versions, but it doesn’t always work smoothly. 

If you’re facing the so-called Start menu critical error, there are a few things this could be caused by. Usually it means you turned off your system while an important update was still being installed, there is a corrupt file on your PC, or Windows forcefully stopped a program. 

Whatever the reason, the solution should be pretty simple. Try the basic steps: restarting your File Explorer (like we explained above) and signing out and back into your account. If that doesn’t do anything, you may want to try uninstalling third-party start menu apps (if you have any), since they can interfere with your default programs’ functionality.

Now, those are the easy fixes. If you get nowhere with them, you might need to identify the root cause and search for more complex solutions than that.

4. Snipping tool not working

Our beloved screenshot tool was introduced with Windows 10 and Microsoft decided to keep it. However, you were probably just as disappointed as us when you tried to run it and failed. 

Normally, this can be fixed by installing the latest Out-of-band (OOB) update, or even pending updates in general. Even if your system appears to be up-to-date, run the checker just in case.

Another cool thing Windows 11 lets you do is ‘Repair’ and ‘Reset’, which is the easiest way to troubleshoot your Snipping tool. If this fails, you can also try the good old un- and reinstall method. Simply uninstall the tool through the Control Panel and reinstall it from the Microsoft Store.

Furthermore, in the case of an upgrade from Windows 10 to 11, it may be that the old Snipping tool version is interfering with the launch of the new one. If you don’t care that much about the additional options available with the enhanced screenshot tool, you can use the old version instead.

Simply go to your C Drive, find the Windows.old folder, search for the tool and open it from there. Make sure to pin it to your taskbar as well, if you know you’re going to use it often.

5. Can’t install the latest update

The latest Windows 11 version, 22H2, has brought tons of enhancements to our dearest operating system. Unfortunately, a lot of users still haven’t had the opportunity to experience it. A mere update of your OS version should be the one thing that goes smoothly, but sometimes that’s not the case.

Failure to install 22H2 can be caused by a few things. Most commonly, the issue is caused by lack of storage space or corrupted files, but there could be other culprits.

There are a couple of things you could try. For example, it’s crucial that your drivers be up-to-date and some important services be enabled. These are: Windows Modules Installer, Background Intelligent Transfer Service, Cryptographic Service, Windows Update services.

To enable them, search ‘Services’, find the service you need and right-click on it. Open ‘Properties’ and select the startup type ‘Automatic’.

It may also be necessary to unplug all peripherals that aren’t crucial and disable third-party antivirus tools until after the update is finished. 

Ultimately, you can run the Windows Update troubleshooter to detect and fix other possible issues.

Summary

Tiny bugs like these are nothing out of the ordinary. That said, we still all hate when they happen.

Hopefully some of our solutions have helped you to a smoother Windows 11 experience. But if you’re still struggling, feel free to reach out to us. We’d be happy to help!