Enabling the new Light Mode Theme in Windows

When trying to run Computer Management, or when running mmc.exe or compmgmt.msc from a command prompt you get the error that the application has been blocked for your protection then keep reading in order to solve the issue. This is a permission issue where if a regular user tries to run such system tools will result in saying that it has been blocked. Along with this, you may have a Group Policy issue. This can be fixed, but you will need admin permission to achieve it. It’s because when they are run from the command prompt with elevated privileges, it works.

1. Change Group Policy Settings

   If your account is an admin account, and you are still facing the issue, then change the group policy settings: Open Group Policy Settings by typing gpedit.msc in the run prompt followed by pressing ENTER Navigate to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Microsoft Management Console > Restricted/Permitted snap-ins Locate Computer Management policy, and double click to open it Enable it, exit Group Policy. When Enabled: The snap-in is permitted and can be added into the Microsoft Management Console or run from the command line as a standalone console. When Disabled: The snap-in is prohibited and cannot be added into the Microsoft Management Console or run from the command line as a standalone console. An error message is displayed stating that the policy is prohibiting the use of this snap-in.

2. Temporarily disable UAC

   UAC is the user access control panel, and if you need to run the command right away, you can choose to disable it for some time. Click on the Start button, and then type UAC to find the User Account Control Settings. Click to open, and then slide down the notification setting at the bottom. It will temporarily allow launching the application as there is no check. However, make sure to switch to default once you are done.

What is Ammyy Admin

AmmyyAdmin is a software developed by Ammy. This software allows you to manage network computers and servers remotely without complicated NAT settings adjustments or Firewall problems. The program is similar in marketed function to TeamViewer or LogMeIn. This software does not require installation and it lets you control other computers or share files over the software. It usually comes bundled with other software. This software copes files into your computer and sometimes creates new startup keys that allow it to start each time your computer is restarted. AmmyAdmin might display additional ads in your browser as well as pop-up ads. Due to its ability to silently install and run remote administration, it could be used maliciously by those who intend to damage your computer or steal data. AmmyyAdmin is flagged for optional removal, and if you did not intentionally install it, removal is highly recommended

What is a Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP)?

If you’ve ever downloaded freeware or shareware, odds are high that your computer can get installed with a bunch of unwanted programs. A PUA / PUP (potentially unwanted application / potentially unwanted program) is a software program that comes bundled with freeware/shareware and you agree to install it on your computer system. These are programs you definitely don’t want on your system simply because it does not give any beneficial service. PUP doesn’t involve malware in the traditional sense. One simple difference between malware and PUP is distribution. Malware is typically dropped through vulnerability exploitation and in contrast, PUP gets installed with the consent of the end-user, who consciously or unknowingly authorizes the PUP installation on their computer. A PUP might not be viewed as malicious or harmful but nonetheless, it is a common cause of clunky operating systems; some PUPs are a lot more aggressive by deliberately slowing down your PC.

How PUPs affect you?

Potentially Unwanted Programs appear in different forms and varieties, but most times, they are adware programs that exhibit irritating pop-up adverts and advertisements on web pages you explore. In addition, most free software nowadays comes with quite a few unwanted add-ons; in many instances a web browser toolbar or browser modification like a homepage hijacker. They’ll modify browser settings, change default search provider, substitute the default home page with their very own websites, decelerate internet speed, and will damage your computer as well. They could look harmless but PUPs are usually spyware. Some might carry dialers, keyloggers, web browser hijackers, and tracking components that will collect system details, or tracks customer habits and relays these records to third-party organizations. Because of this unwanted program, your application might freeze, your security protections could get disabled which may leave the computer susceptible, your system may get damaged, and the list goes on and on.

Tips on protecting yourself from unwanted software

• When installing anything on your PC, always read the fine print, including the EULA. Do not accept terms of use that are for bundled programs. • Select the “custom” install whenever downloading a software program. Particularly, pay attention to those small boxes which have been checked as default, where you might ‘agree’ to receive advertisements or install software bundlers. • Use anti-PUP software. Security applications like Safebytes Anti-Malware offer the very best real-time protection from PUPs and also other malware. • Be alert if you download and install freeware, open-source programs, or shareware. Avoid downloading and installing browser extensions and programs you are not knowledgeable about. • Use only official product sites for downloading applications. Avoid download websites completely since the majority of websites force users to download the software using their own download manager, which is often bundled with some kind of unwanted program.

Safebytes Anti-Malware scans and detects malware for free. To complete removal, and ensure full PC protections, a paid license key is required.

Malware could potentially cause a lot of damage to your computer. Some malware sits in between the computer and the net connection and blocks a few or all internet sites that you would like to check out. It could also block you from installing anything on your computer, particularly anti-virus programs. If you are reading this article now, you’ve perhaps recognized that a malware infection is a reason behind your blocked net connectivity. So what do if you need to download and install an anti-virus application like Safebytes? There are a few solutions you can attempt to get around with this issue.

Boot Windows in Safe Mode

The Windows-based PC includes a special mode called “Safe Mode” where only the minimum required programs and services are loaded. In the event the malware is blocking internet connection and affecting your PC, running it in Safe Mode enables you to download antivirus and run a scan while limiting potential damage. To enter into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking, press F8 while the system is booting up or run MSCONFIG and locate the “Safe Boot” options in the “Boot” tab. Once you’re in Safe Mode, you can try to download and install your anti-malware software program without the hindrance of the malicious software. Following installation, run the malware scanner to eliminate most standard infections.

Obtain the security program in an alternate web browser

Certain malware may target vulnerabilities of a specific web browser that obstruct the downloading process. If you seem to have a virus attached to Internet Explorer, then switch over to an alternate browser with built-in security features, such as Firefox or Chrome, to download your favorite antivirus program – Safebytes.

Create a portable anti-malware for removing malware

Here’s another solution which is utilizing a portable USB antivirus software that can check your system for malicious software without the need for installation. Adopt these measures to run the anti-malware on the infected computer system. 1) On a clean computer, install Safebytes Anti-Malware. 2) Plug the Thumb drive into the uninfected computer. 3) Double-click the exe file to run the installation wizard. 4) Pick a USB flash drive as the location when the wizard asks you where you want to install the program. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the installation process. 5) Remove the flash drive. Now you can utilize this portable anti-virus on the affected computer system. 6) Double-click the anti-malware program EXE file on the flash drive. 7) Run Full System Scan to identify and clean-up up all sorts of malware. These days, an anti-malware program can protect your computer from different forms of online threats. But how to select the right one amongst countless malware protection software that is available in the market? As you might be aware, there are numerous anti-malware companies and products for you to consider. Some of them are great, some are ok types, while some will ruin your computer themselves! You have to choose one that is reliable, practical, and has a strong reputation for its malware source protection. One of the strongly recommended software is SafeBytes AntiMalware. SafeBytes has a superb reputation for quality service, and customers appear to be very happy with it. SafeBytes can be described as a highly effective, real-time anti-malware application that is created to assist everyday computer users in safeguarding their computers from malicious internet threats. Using its cutting-edge technology, this application will assist you to eradicate multiples types of malware like computer viruses, PUPs, trojans, worms, ransomware, adware, and browser hijackers. There are many wonderful features you will get with this security product. Below are some typical features found in this software: Robust, Anti-malware Protection: Built on a highly acclaimed anti-virus engine, this malware removal application has the capacity to find and get rid of various obstinate malware threats like browser hijackers, PUPs, and ransomware that other common antivirus software will miss. Real-time Protection: Malware programs attempting to get into the system are identified and stopped as and when detected by the SafeBytes active protection shields. They are very effective in screening and eliminating different threats because they’re constantly improved with the latest updates and alerts. Internet Security: Safebytes assigns all sites a unique safety score that helps you to get an idea of whether the webpage you’re going to visit is safe to browse or known to be a phishing site. Light-weight: This software program is not “heavy” on the computer’s resources, so you’ll not notice any performance problems when SafeBytes is working in the background. 24/7 Online Support: Skilled technicians are at your disposal 24/7! They will promptly resolve any technical issues you might be experiencing with your security software. SafeBytes has come up with a wonderful anti-malware solution that can help you conquer the latest malware threats and virus attacks. Once you’ve installed SafeBytes Anti-Malware, you will no longer need to bother about malware or other security worries. To ensure the complete removal, manually check your hard drive and registry for all of the following and remove or reset the values accordingly. Please note that this is for advanced users only and may be difficult, with incorrect file removal causing additional PC errors. In addition, some malware is capable of replicating or preventing deletion. Doing this in Safe Mode is advised.

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.

A lot of Windows 10 users prefer the black theme on their computers and when you see anything but black it can get quite annoying. Such as is the case of the Taskbar which, as you know, is usually dark, however, when you take a look at the Cortana search bar, instead of seeing black, you’ll see that it has turned white. To fix this issue, read on as we will provide you some options you can try to set the Cortana search bar back to black. Before you proceed, take note that the options provided below will change all white search boxes to black and that one of these options needs administrative privileges.

Option 1 – Try changing the default App mode

As you know, Windows 10 has two modes, namely the Light and the Dark. Thus, you can switch to the Dark mode so that your Cortana search bar will be black as well. However, remember that it will completely change everything into dark mode so there will be no more Light mode elsewhere.

• First, you need to click on the Start button and then click on the cog icon to open the Windows 10 Settings.
• Next, from the Settings Menu, select Personalization and then select Colours from the left pane.
• Then scroll down until you see the “Choose your default app mode” option and select “Dark”.

After you apply the changes, it will change the Cortana search bar into black instantly. Aside from that, you will also see the User Interface changing into dark mode.

Option 2 – Try changing the Registry value

If you are well-versed in editing registry keys, then you need to try this option. But before you go over the steps below, make sure that you create a System Restore point first so that if anything goes wrong, you can always go back to how it was before the changes were applied.

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run prompt.
• Then in the field, type in “regedit” and hit Enter to open the Registry Editor. If a User Account Control prompt appears, just click Yes.
• Now that you’ve opened the Registry Editor, navigate to the following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSearchFlightingWhiteSearchBox

• After that, double-click on the “Value” key located on the right pane and set the value to “0” instead of “1” and then click Ok to save the changes made. You should now see a black or grey text box color instead of white.

Option 3 – Try changing the Region

In some forums, a lot of users stated that changing the Region also worked out for them in changing the white Cortana search bar to white. Thus, you need to change the region settings of your computer temporarily. To do so, follow the steps below.

• Type in “Regional Settings” in the box and then click it as soon as it appears from the search results.
• Next, make sure to select a region where Cortana is not available.
• Then select apply to that region. After that, it will change the Cortana search bar color to black.
• Now sign out and sign back in and revert to the original settings. But the changes you made earlier in Cortana will still remain.

Razer had some strange dives into stuff not really aimed at gamers and the gaming community overall like its Zephir smart mask and now it is venturing into the area of smartwatches teaming up with Fossil. I am not clear if this initiative was set in motion by Razer or Fossil and I really do not know why limited production numbers. Officially named RAZER X FOSSIL GEN 6 SMARTWATCH, this watch comes with the official following text on Razer's page:

Way more. Way faster. Way ahead of the game. Get time on your side with the limited-edition Razer X Fossil Gen 6 Smartwatch—only 1,337 pieces worldwide. Designed for the next generation of gamers, supercharge your style with customizable straps, dials, Razer Chroma™ RGB effects, and more.

Now, I am a fan of Razer and I like their products, mostly keyboards and mouse altho chair is also very good and in top of the product line in that field but I can not really stand behind this product and decision, and the only reason why I can not stand behind it is this 1337 (leet, or elite) a limited number of available pieces that is nothing more than a gimmick to sell watches at a higher price. Watch itself is not really bad, as a matter of fact, it has some solid hardware statistics.

Technical characteristics

Featuring a 1.28-inch AMOLED Display with 3 unique Razer watch faces (Analog, Text, Chroma*), 4 customizable Razer Chroma™ RGB effects, and 2 custom-designed, interchangeable straps, this Razer's baby is packing 44mm, Stainless Steel case with 22mm, straps. It runs on Wear OS by Google as an operating system of a choice and under software, it is packing Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100+ CPU paired with 1GB of RAM and 8GB Storage. The display is running at 416x416 resolution with 326ppi. Watch input is with 2 configurable Push buttons, One rotating Home button, touchscreen, and voice. It has in it a loudspeaker, microphone, and vibration. Connection is via Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, NFC SE, and Wi-Fi. The battery can in their word work for 24 Hr + multi-day Extended Mode **Varies based on usage and after updates install**. USB data cable with magnetic dock snaps to split rings on the watch case back and spins 360 degrees for ease of use. Approximately half an hour to reach 80%. Sensors included in the watch itself are: Accelerometer, Altimeter, Ambient Light, Compass, Gyroscope, Off-body IR, PPG Heart Rate, SPO2. Smartwatch is water-resistant up to 3 ATM & it comes with preloaded apps like: Agenda, Alarm, Battery-Optimized Activity Mode, Calendar, Cardio Level Tracking, Cardiogram, Contacts, Enhanced Phone Dialer App, Google Assistant, Google Fit (Workout, Heart Rate, Goals, Breathe), Google Maps, Google Pay™, Google Play Store, Nike Run Club, Noonlight, Smart Battery Modes, Spotify, Stopwatch, Timer, Translate, Wellness Apps with Sleep Tracking.

Conclusion

Watch is Dropping on 01.10.22, 8 AM PST which is 4 days from now and altho it is an interesting device with solid hardware I can not stand behind it due to its limited edition numbers and with $329 price tag. With the same amount of money, you can get yourself Samsung or Apple watch with more features packing. But of course, that is just my personal preference and if you want to own this limited edition Razer smartwatch, go for it.

If you are trying to copy large files that are over 4GB to a USB flash drive or SD card, but you suddenly get an error message saying, “File Too Large, The file is too large for the destination file system”, read on as this post will help you fix this problem. A user recently reported that while trying to copy a 4.8GB zipped file from a Windows 10 PC to a new 8GB USB drive but only got the File Too Large error message instead. If you share the same problem with this user and you know that there is more than enough available space for the file in your USB drive or SD card, continue reading until you get to the instructions provided in this post so that you will be able to copy the file successfully. It is most likely that the USB drive has been FAT32 formatted which is why you’re unable to copy the file and got an error. The FAT32 file system has a built-in limitation on the size of the individual file that it may contain. For instance, it’s 4GB so even though collectively, it may have files or even 1TB individually it shouldn’t be more than 4GB. Thus, you need to change the file system from FAT32 to NTFS. To do that, carefully follow the instructions provided below.

• Step 1: Connect the USB drive and open the Windows File Explorer.
• Step 2: Afterwards, right-click on the USB drive letter and select Format from the context menu.
• Step 3: Next, select NTFS instead of FAT32 the instant a dialog box appears from the drop-down menu for the file system.
• Step 4: Now click on the Quick Format option and then click the Start button to reformat the USB drive.

Note: There is also another way you can change the file system. In this alternative way, you need to open an elevated Command Prompt and type the convert X: /fs:ntfs /nosecurity command, and hit Enter to execute it. Remember that in this command, “X” is the letter of your USB drive so whatever the letter of your drive is, you need to make sure to put it instead of “X”. Once the process is completed, try copying the file again.

Recently, a few users reported that they were unable to turn on their computers for some reason and at the same time their computers Computer makes a beeping noise couple of times or continuously whenever they try to turn them on. The sounds the computers are making can be quite annoying and it also signifies that there is something wrong with them. The problem might have something to do with the hardware inside of the computer system rather than Windows 10 itself. As you know, a computer is designed to deliver audible error sounds every time some part of the hardware is not properly working. For instance, if you hear a single beep, this indicates that your GPU is having some issues and if you’re hearing two beeps, it indicates that your RAM is not working properly, whereas three beeps that repeat after a pause when you turn on your computer means that there is something wrong with the system memory. On the other hand, if your computer is beeping continuously, this means that the problem lies with the processor. To fix this issue, here are some suggestions that might help but before you proceed, make sure that you know how to manage your computer’s hardware, if not, better have some expert do it for you.

Option 1 – Try checking the RAM

One of the basic things you can do in this kind of case is to check the RAM. Prepare some screwdrivers and dig into your PC and then look for the RAM slots and ensure that they are attached firmly. There are times when moving around your computer daily can cause certain components in your computer to become loose. Worst case scenario is that the RAM might be broken so really have to replace it.

Option 2 – Try checking the graphics card

After digging into your computer, check the graphics card and give it some good cleaning. As you know, you have to remove certain components like the graphics card regularly and clean them to help increase their lifespan and avoid errors in a startup. And if it turns out that the graphics card is broken, you have to replace it with a new one to fix the problem.

Option 3 – Try checking the processor

The processor is the brain of every computer so if it ends up not working, everything else is useless. Thus, you need to check it to see if it’s firmly attached and see if it needs some cleaning of dust and other debris. After that, try turning on your computer again. If it doesn’t work, then you might have to take your system to a technician to resolve the problem for you.

Internal Error 2771 - What is it?

Internal Error 2771 is an internal error code associated with Kaspersky Internet Security and Antivirus software. This error pops up when Kaspersky Internet Security software fails to install on your PC successfully. Installation of the software is interrupted and therefore it ends prematurely. This happens mostly when you try to install a new build on an existing installation. Internal Error 2771 is displayed in one of the following formats:

Internal Error 2771, Sandbox Feature or Internal Error 2771, WholeProduct Feature

Solution

Error Causes

This error may result on your computer screen due to several reasons. Some of the most common underlying causes include:

• A leftover Registry Key
• Bad entries from previous Security Package
• INFCACHE.1 file corrupted
• Conflicts with other security software installed on your system

Further Information and Manual Repair

To successfully overcome this problem and ensure the successful installation of Kaspersky Internet Security software on your system, try the methods given below.

Method 1- Remove the Leftover Registry Key

Sometimes Internal error code 2771 may appear during installation due to the leftover registry key from the previous Kaspersky software removal. A registry key is often created when uninstalling the previous Kaspersky version from the PC. This key is left behind even after you reboot your system. This key is called AVP**_post_ uninstall, you need to delete it to ensure the new version of the Kaspersky program is installed successfully on your PC.  For this, simply go to the start menu and type Regedit in the search bar. Now navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun and then look here for the registry key called AVP**_post_ uninstall. In order to delete this file, right-click it and then select delete. Once uninstalled, reboot your PC and then try installing the Kaspersky Internet Security program again. Hopefully, this will resolve the issue. If the software installs smoothly, then the error is fixed, in case it still persists, then try other methods illustrated below.

Method 2 - Remove the INFCAHCE.1  Corrupt File

Another reason for the error pop-up may be INFCAHCHE.1 corruption. This file is basically used to store driver information and inf file locations. However, if it contains corrupted information, then you must remove it. To do this, go to the start menu and type cmd into the search bar. This will open a command prompt. Here type del C:\Windows\infinfcache.1. Now reboot your PC and try installing Kaspersky software on again.

Method 3 - Fix Software Conflict

Security software conflict can also result in internal error 2771 code display. And when this happens, the installation of Kaspersky prematurely ends. Security software conflict may occur if you have Comodo Firewall installed on your PC. A firewall is known to cause issues with Kaspersky software programs. The best way to resolve this issue is to uninstall all security software programs on your PC. Once all security software is removed, then install Kaspersky on your system. If the installation is successfully completed, then reinstall the other software again.

Method 4 - Download Restoro

Error 2771 can also result on your computer screen if traces of the previously installed Kaspersky software still remain in the registry despite the program removal. In such an event it is advisable to download Restoro. This is a cutting-edge and user-friendly PC Repair Tool deployed with an intuitive interface and a powerful registry cleaner. The registry cleaner scans your entire PC in seconds and detects all registry-related problems. It removes all the bad entries, invalid registry keys, traces of previously uninstalled programs, junk files, and cookies that are known for registry corruption. It takes just a few clicks to perform this process. Once all traces are removed, you can install the new version of the Kaspersky Internet Security program on your PC without interruption. Click here to download Restoro and be on your way to resolve Internal Error 2771 on your computer!

Each time you connect to a Wi-Fi network your PC saves that network password. If for any reason you need to see this password or passwords there are ways you can do it and we are here to show you how. Hello and welcome to error tools where we aim to help you with all of your Windows problems and issues, where we offer our insight on various topics and sometimes go offroad and write something crazy. This time we will offer you a way on how to easily and quickly see how can you find out your memorized Wi-Fi password.

Find your W-Fi password

1. Make sure that you are connected to the Wi-Fi network you wish to find out the password of
2. Open Windows Settings app by pressing ⊞ WINDOWS + I
3. On the left side choose Network & Internet and click on it
4. Click on Advanced Network Settings
5. Inside Advanced Network Settings go to Related Settings
6. Select More Network Adapted Options
7. Right-click on your adapter and select Status
8. Click on Wireless Properties
9. Click on the Security tab
10. Click on enable on Show Character box beneath Network Security key to reveal Wi-Fi password

The Windows 10 operating system utilizes a variety of measures in order to track your app launches so that it can boost both your start and search results. It can personalize the start menu based on the apps that you use the most on the Start menu as well as the search results. This way, the App Launch Tracking is definitely useful especially when you want to access your favorite and frequently used apps quickly in the Start menu and search results on your Windows 10 computer. On the other hand, Windows 10 provides users with the ability to control their privacy settings in order to protect the privacy of users. Windows 10 users can either opt to enable the app launch tracking to improve the start menu and search menu or opt to disable the app launch tracking in order to prevent the Windows operating system from tracking that you open if you really value your privacy that much. Whichever setting you prefer, you need to change the privacy control settings as well as make some tweaks in the Windows Registry in order to turn on or turn off the app launch tracking feature.

Option 1 – Turn off or turn on app launch tracking via Settings

• Go to Settings and click on Privacy.
• After that, toggle On the “Let Windows track app launches to improve Start and search results” option on the right side of the page under the General Settings to enable the app launch tracking feature.
• And of course, if you wish to disable the app launch tracking feature, simply toggle Off the “Let Windows track app launches to improve Start and search results” option on the very same page under General Settings.
• After that, close the Settings window.

Note: Keep in mind that when you disable the app launch tracking feature, the “Show most used app” setting will either be grayed out or labeled as “Disable” on your Windows 10 computer. Thus, if you want to keep viewing the most used apps, just re-enable the app launch tracking feature if you have disabled it.

Option 2 – Turn off or turn on app launch tracking via Windows Registry

Before you proceed, make sure to create a System Restore point

• Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
• Then type “Regedit” in the field and hit Enter or click OK to open the Registry Editor.
• Next, navigate to the following path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced

• After that, right-click on the Advanced folder and then click on New to create a new 32-bit DWORD value.
• Name the newly created DWORD as “Start TrackProgs” and set its value to “1” to enable the app launch tracking feature.
• If you want to disable the app launch feature, set “0” as the value instead of 1.
• Now click OK and restart your computer.

Take note that you still have to create a 32-bit DWORD value even if you are using a 64-bit Windows computer.