Photos app Export or Share is not working

The Photos app in Windows 10 is the default photo viewer. However, there are times when it might encounter some problems while you use it. One of these problems in the Photos app reported recently is where users try to export or share the images and videos from the app but weren’t successful in doing so. This can be really quite a hassle in opening images on your computer, especially since the Photos app is the default photo viewer in Windows 10 and if you don’t have any other photo viewer app installed.

This kind of problem in the Photos app can be noticed when you try to use the “Remix” function for both photos and videos. In other words, this problem can occur with just pictures, videos, as well as a combination of both. So if you are trying to watch a video using this app, then you wouldn’t be able to play it. In such a case, the only thing you can hear is the audio but you wouldn’t see anything except for a hazy purple screen that has not export or share option.

There are several possible causes for this problem and it could be fixed by updating the display driver/graphics driver or disabling the hardware-accelerated video encoding. You could also try updating or resetting or reinstalling the Photos app. For more details, follow each one of the suggestions provided below.

Option 1 – Try to update the Graphics driver

You can try to update your Graphics card driver using the Device Manager in your computer to resolve the blank dialog boxes problem or you can also go directly to the website of your graphics card manufacturers like NVIDIA, Intel, or AMD and go to the section called Drivers then check if there’s a new available update – if there is, download and install it.

To update your Graphics driver via Device Manager, refer to these steps:

  • First, boot your computer into Safe Mode.
  • After that, tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
  • Type in msc into the box and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
  • After that, a list of device drivers will be displayed. From there, look for the Display Adapters and click on them.
  • After that, right-click on each entry under the Display Adapters and select the “Uninstall Device” option from the menu.
  • Now restart your computer.
  • After restarting your computer, go to the Settings app and Check for Updates in the Windows Update section.

Option 2 – Try disabling the hardware-accelerated video encoding

The next thing you can do to fix the problem is to disable the hardware-accelerated video encoding in your computer. To do that, follow these steps:

  • Open the Photos app and click on the visible three dots located in the upper right corner of the app and then select Settings.
  • From there, you should see the version number of the app in the “About this app” section. So if your app is version 2018.18071.****0.0 or greater, you should see the Video section which has a toggle button.
  • Turn that toggle button off to disable hardware-accelerated video encoding in the Photos app. This should fix the problem, if not, simply follow the next given options below.

Option 3 – Try to update the Microsoft Photos app

  • Open the Microsoft Store and click on the three horizontal dots for the menu located on the top right portion of the window to see the options.
  • Next, select Downloads and updates and then click the Get updates button in the top right. This will install any pending updates for all the apps including the Microsoft Photos app using the Microsoft Store.

Option 4 – Try resetting the Photos app

  • To get started in resetting the Photos app, open the Windows 10 Settings.
  • Then go to Apps > Apps & features.
  • After that, scroll down until you see the Photos app option – click on it and open its Advanced options.
  • From there, you will see the Reset button, click on it and click and then click on it once more to confirm.

Note: The process may take a couple of minutes to complete. Once it’s done, open the pictures again using the Photos app.

Option 5 – Try reinstalling the Photos app

If none of the options given above worked, then you might want to consider reinstalling the Photos app. Unlike what most users think, it isn’t really that hard reinstalling preinstalled apps as you have the Windows PowerShell for that. To use this program in reinstalling the Photos app, follow these steps:

  • Open the Windows PowerShell program with admin privileges and key in the following command:

Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted

  • After that, execute this second command to re-register and reinstall the Microsoft Photos app.

Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register "$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml"}

Note: In the command given, do not forget to replace the “PackageFullName” with the actual package name for the Photos app. After executing the command, it will uninstall the Photos app from your computer so you need to install it again from the Windows Store by simply looking for it. Once you found it, just click on install to start the installation process.

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Photo viewer on clean Windows 10 instalation
Windows photo viewer was a popular photo viewing application integrated into Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 but in Windows 10 it has been replaced with photos, Microsoft's new application aimed at photo viewing on your desktop. Now if any one of you wonders why should be bringing the old application back to Windows 10 since we have an alternative one, the answer would be resources and speed. The old photo viewer application is lightweight, fast, and reliable, opening the same photo in both photo viewer and in new photos shows us that Microsofts new viewer application takes even three times more RAM, and it's visibly slower in loading times for pictures. Since I am a person who prefers speed and functionality over fancy looks I would be very glad to have the option to bring back a photo viewer. If you have by any chance Windows 10 as an upgrade, bringing back photo viewer is easy as 1,2,3. you just need to open settings and go to default apps, under photo viewer you should see your current default viewing application, probably photos, click on it to see options and choose photo viewer and exit the Settings menu, and you're done. Sadly if Windows 10 has been installed clean on the system and not as upgrade things are a little bit more complicated but do not worry, stay with us, keep reading and you will get there.

Activating photo viewer

How technically photo viewer is still in the system but not used we will have to make it available again and this we will do by adding some lines in the Windows registry, that being said, open a notepad and paste the following code as it is in it.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\jpegfile\shell\open\DropTarget] "Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\pngfile\shell\open\DropTarget] "Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\open] "MuiVerb"="@photoviewer.dll,-3043" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\open\command] @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\ 00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\ 6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\ 00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\ 25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\ 00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\ 6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\ 00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\ 5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\ 00,31,00,00,00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\open\DropTarget] "Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Bitmap] "ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000001 "FriendlyTypeName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,\ 00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,\ 77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,\ 00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\ 65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,35,00,36,00,00,\ 00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Bitmap\DefaultIcon] @="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\imageres.dll,-70" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Bitmap\shell\open\command] @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\ 00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\ 6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\ 00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\ 25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\ 00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\ 6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\ 00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\ 5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\ 00,31,00,00,00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Bitmap\shell\open\DropTarget] "Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\print] "NeverDefault"="" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\print\command] @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\ 00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\ 6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\ 00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\ 25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\ 00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\ 6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\ 00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\ 5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\ 00,31,00,00,00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\photoviewer.dll\shell\print\DropTarget] "Clsid"="{60fd46de-f830-4894-a628-6fa81bc0190d}" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.JFIF] "EditFlags"=dword:00010000 "ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000001 "FriendlyTypeName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,\ 00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,\ 77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,\ 00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\ 65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,35,00,35,00,00,\ 00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.JFIF\DefaultIcon] @="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\imageres.dll,-72" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.JFIF\shell\open] "MuiVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,\ 69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,\ 00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,\ 72,00,5c,00,70,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,76,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,\ 00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,34,00,33,00,00,00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.JFIF\shell\open\command] @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\ 00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\ 6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\ 00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\ 25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\ 00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\ 6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\ 00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\ 5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\ 00,31,00,00,00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.JFIF\shell\open\DropTarget] "Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg] "EditFlags"=dword:00010000 "ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000001 "FriendlyTypeName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,\ 00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,\ 77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,\ 00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\ 65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,35,00,35,00,00,\ 00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg\DefaultIcon] @="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\imageres.dll,-72" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg\shell\open] "MuiVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,\ 69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,\ 00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,\ 72,00,5c,00,70,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,76,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,\ 00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,34,00,33,00,00,00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg\shell\open\command] @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\ 00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\ 6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\ 00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\ 25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\ 00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\ 6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\ 00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\ 5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\ 00,31,00,00,00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg\shell\open\DropTarget] "Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Gif] "ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000001 "FriendlyTypeName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,\ 00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,\ 77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,\ 00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\ 65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,35,00,37,00,00,\ 00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Gif\DefaultIcon] @="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\imageres.dll,-83" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Gif\shell\open\command] @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\ 00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\ 6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\ 00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\ 25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\ 00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\ 6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\ 00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\ 5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\ 00,31,00,00,00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Gif\shell\open\DropTarget] "Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Png] "ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000001 "FriendlyTypeName"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,\ 00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,\ 77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,\ 00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\ 65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,35,00,37,00,00,\ 00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Png\DefaultIcon] @="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\imageres.dll,-71" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Png\shell\open\command] @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\ 00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\ 6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\ 00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\ 25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\ 00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\ 6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\ 00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\ 5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\ 00,31,00,00,00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Png\shell\open\DropTarget] "Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Wdp] "EditFlags"=dword:00010000 "ImageOptionFlags"=dword:00000001 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Wdp\DefaultIcon] @="%SystemRoot%\\System32\\wmphoto.dll,-400" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Wdp\shell\open] "MuiVerb"=hex(2):40,00,25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,\ 69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,\ 00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,\ 72,00,5c,00,70,00,68,00,6f,00,74,00,6f,00,76,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,\ 00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,2d,00,33,00,30,00,34,00,33,00,00,00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Wdp\shell\open\command] @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\ 00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\ 6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\ 00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\ 25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\ 00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\ 6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\ 00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\ 5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\ 00,31,00,00,00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Wdp\shell\open\DropTarget] "Clsid"="{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}" [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\image\shell\Image Preview\command] @=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\ 00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,72,00,75,00,\ 6e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,22,00,25,\ 00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,\ 25,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,20,00,50,00,68,00,6f,\ 00,74,00,6f,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,5c,00,50,00,68,00,\ 6f,00,74,00,6f,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,65,00,72,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,\ 00,22,00,2c,00,20,00,49,00,6d,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,56,00,69,00,65,00,77,00,\ 5f,00,46,00,75,00,6c,00,6c,00,73,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,65,00,6e,00,20,00,25,\ 00,31,00,00,00 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SystemFileAssociations\image\shell\Image Preview\DropTarget] "{FFE2A43C-56B9-4bf5-9A79-CC6D4285608A}"="" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Photo Viewer\Capabilities] "ApplicationDescription"="@%ProgramFiles%\\Windows Photo Viewer\\photoviewer.dll,-3069" "ApplicationName"="@%ProgramFiles%\\Windows Photo Viewer\\photoviewer.dll,-3009" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Photo Viewer\Capabilities\FileAssociations] ".cr2"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff" ".jpg"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg" ".wdp"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Wdp" ".jfif"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.JFIF" ".dib"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Bitmap" ".png"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Png" ".jxr"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Wdp" ".bmp"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Bitmap" ".jpe"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg" ".jpeg"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Jpeg" ".gif"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Gif" ".tif"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff" ".tiff"="PhotoViewer.FileAssoc.Tiff"
Yup, that is a lot of keys and settings but you are almost done. Once you have pasted text into your new notepad document save it but as .REG, you can name it however you want but it has to be .REG extension. Once the file is saved double click on it to merge it into the Windows registry. You might need to turn off UAC for this operation (check our tutorial on this topic) and accept warning messages but once it is done you should now have an old photo viewer as a choice for your default viewing application. All you have to do now is to go to settings and go to default apps, under photo viewer you should see your current default viewing application, probably photos, click on it to see options and choose photo viewer and exit the Settings menu, and you're done.
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Proton Drive, privacy-first cloud storage

In 2014 Proton mail started as an end-to-end encrypted email service offering secure and private email services. Proton mail is still live and going with the same dedication to privacy and security but the company has expanded its offering into cloud storage drive services.

Starting as a public beta at the end of 2020, Proton Drive is keeping its privacy and security policy philosophy with the new service. Proton Drive is the newest service besides Proton Calendar, Proton VPN, and Proton Mail.

proton drive

Drive has end-to-end encryption for everything on it including files themselves, filenames, folder structure, folder names, extensions, and file sizes. This means that you and only you can access your files. Servers are located in Geneva, Switzerland and they are under Swiss privacy laws making sure that your files are protected. Proton services in general are all open source so anyone can take a look at them to be sure that nothing is lurking under the hood. For now, sync is done either via the android app or web interface but the desktop client will come soon since currently, it is under development.

Sadly free plan of Proton Drive will give you only 1GB of storage which is much less than other services and sadly payments plans are also not so jaw-dropping going for $4 USD per month for a 200GB plan or with Proton ultimate subscription that will set you $10 behind but you will get 500GB of drive storage. Of course, if you value privacy for your files these options are good but if you do not mind that part other services have much better options.

All in all Proton Drive is a great cloud storage solution if you need privacy and well worth the investment. With the ultimate subscription, you will get enough space for most people and company needs with other services and guaranteed privacy and security, on the other hand, if you just need a large amount of cloud storage not caring too much about privacy other options are better.

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Fix Network driver issue in Windows
The network driver error is a not serious Windows issue.  It happens from time to time and luckily it can be solved with a little effort and in a short time period. Today in this article we will explore the most common solutions for driver malfunction for Network adapter inside Windows 10. If you have this particular problem, go from step 1 to the last step since all steps are meant to go from simplest to the most complex. All of that being said let us fix your Network driver issue.
  1. Check to see if the cable is plugged in and not malfunctioned

    The first common issue of the network now working can be cable malfunction or bad contact in your network adapter or in HUB/SWITCH. There are various tools to check the quality and working order of cable but you could also make sure that it is not a cable issue by trying connection with the correct working cable. If the network is restored with another cable then change the malfunctioning cable and your issue is resolved if the problem persists move to the next step.
  2. Check if Windows troubleshooter will resolve the issue

    Righ-click on the network icon in the taskbar and choose to troubleshoot problems. Windows built-in tools could resolve issues and fix them for you. If by any chance Windows is not able to find or resolve issues move to the next step.
  3. Check if the Device Manager is reporting an error and update the driver

    If the hardware is functioning properly then the issue might be in Windows not detecting device or driver malfunction. In any case, the Device Manager will be the one who will report this problem. In order to check to see if the driver is properly working press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open the hidden start menu. keyboard with windows and x marked Once it opens, click on Device Manager to open it, If you have a driver device error inside Windows, you should see it immediately when entering the Device Manager, it will have a yellow exclamation mark beside it. Right-click on it and choose update driver.
  4. Reinstall driver

    If driver update failed or you already have the latest drivers, reinstalling them could fix the issue since drivers might have corrupted during installation of some update or application. Follow steps from point 3 to get to the driver in Device Manager, then right-click on it but instead of update choose to uninstall. Reboot Windows once the driver is uninstalled and Windows will install a new one automatically. If you do not want to update drivers automatically, do not restart your system, instead install the latest driver for your device, then reboot. Since this is a network error, you will have to get drivers on another computer and transfer them via USB to malfunctioning one.
  5. Check Windows update

    Check to see if the latest Windows update is installed, update your Windows if needed
  6. Fix driver issue with DRIVERFIX

    If everything else fails, get DRIVERFIX, a premium solution for your PC issues, and fix driver errors.
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Chrome update failed error 3, 4, 7, 10, etc
If you find it hard to update Google Chrome to its latest version and each time you try to do so it keeps on failing, worry not for this post will guide you in fixing a list of Google Chrome Update errors. Even though there are a lot of error codes around Chrome, these are only caused by issues with the update. Here are some of the errors you can encounter when updating Google Chrome:
  • Update failed: You can encounter this error when the Updates are disabled by the administrator.
  • Update failed with
    • Error 3 or 11: When Chrome’s inbuilt updater fails to find the Update server to download the latest version.
    • Error 4 or 10: This happens while checking for updates with the message “Update check failed to start”
    • Error 7 or 12: This occurs when the download fails while checking for updates.
  • Windows OS version is not supported.
  • Google Chrome may not be able to keep itself updated.
  • Any other errors that mention that “Update failed”
Since these aforementioned error codes are related to “Update Failure”, then they have common solutions and here they are:

Option 1 – Restart your computer

You need to restart your computer first and then try updating Chrome again. There are times when it’s only a temporary issue that can be fixed by simply restarting your computer.

Option 2 – Try checking antivirus programs, firewall, and parental control settings

If you have antivirus programs, a firewall installed in your computer, as well as parental controls, then any of these could be blocking you to download anything, including the update for Chrome. This is why you have to double-check and make sure that software updates aren’t being blocked by these programs. On the other hand, you can also try running the Network Troubleshooter as it can help you resolve any DNS or connectivity issues. To use it, follow the steps below.
  • Open the Search bar on your computer and type in “troubleshoot” to open the Troubleshoot settings.
  • Next, scroll down and select the “Network Adapter” option from the right pane.
  • Then click on the Run Troubleshooter” button.
  • After that, your computer will check for any possible errors and will pinpoint the root cause of the problem if possible.

Option 3 – Try to remove Proxy

Removing the Proxy might also help you in fixing the Chrome Update errors. Here’s how you can do it:
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
  • Then type “inetcpl.cpl” in the field and hit Enter to pull up the Internet Properties.
  • After that, go to the Connections tab and select the LAN settings.
  • From there. Uncheck the “Use a Proxy Server” option for your LAN and then make sure that the “Automatically detect settings” option is checked.
  • Now click the OK and the Apply buttons.
  • Restart your PC.
Note: If you are using a third-party proxy service, you have to disable it.

Option 4 – Try to reset Winsock, TCP/IP & Flush DNS cache

Resetting Winsock, TCP/IP, and flushing DNS might help in resolving the Chrome Update errors just follow these steps:
  • Right-click on the Start button and click on Command Prompt (administrator) so you can pull up an elevated Command Prompt.
  • After that, execute each one of the commands listed below. And after you typed in one after the other, you have to hit Enter.
  1. netsh winsock reset – type in this command to reset Winsock
  2. netsh int ip reset resettcpip.txt – type in this command to reset TCP/IP
  3. ipconfig /flushdns – type in this command to flush the DNS cache
  • Next, restart your PC and check if the problem’s fixed.

Option 5 – Try to run the Chrome Cleanup tool

You might want to run Google Chrome’s built-in Malware Scanner & Cleanup tool as it could also help in getting rid of any unwanted ads, pop-ups, and even malware, as well as unusual startup pages, toolbars, and anything else that might overtake the network and could affect the performance of the browser.

Option 6 – Get rid of any conflicting browser extensions

  • Open Chrome and press Alt + F keys.
  • Go to More tools and click Extensions to look for any suspicious browser extensions or toolbars.
  • Click the Recycle bin and select Remove.
  • Restart Chrome and press Alt + F keys again.
  • Proceed to On Startup and mark Open a specific page or set of pages.
  • To check if the browser hijacker is still active, click Set pages, if it is active, overwrite the URL.

Option 7 – Reset Google Chrome

Resetting Chrome can also help you get rid of the error. Resetting Chrome will restore its default settings, disabling all the extensions, add-ons, and themes. Aside from that, the content settings will be reset as well and the cookies, cache, and site data will also be deleted. To reset Chrome, here’s what you have to do:
  • Open Google Chrome, then tap the Alt + F keys.
  • After that, click on Settings.
  • Next, scroll down until you see the Advanced option, once you see it, click on it.
  • After clicking the Advanced option, go to the “Restore and clean up option and click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” option to reset Google Chrome.
  • Now restart Google Chrome.
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How to Fix UNEXPECTED_KERNEL_MODE_TRAP error
It is a fact that Blue Screen of Death errors can give you a headache for you will have a hard time fixing it as it is one of the most difficult errors you can encounter on your Windows computer. One of these BSOD errors is the UNEXPECTED KERNEL MODE TRAP error. If you receive this kind of error then it means that the operating system was not able to catch a trap or an exception generated by the CPU. This BSOD error has an error code 0x00000007F and indicates that the Intel CPU generated a trap that the kernel failed to catch. One of the most likely causes is hardware failure due to faulty memory. Aside from this cause, you also have to track down other probable causes for this problem like corrupted system files, incompatible drivers or programs, faulty hardware, and even dusty components, and so on. To fix the UNEXPECTED KERNEL MODE TRAP BSOD error, here are some suggestions that might help.

Option 1 – Uninstall the programs you installed recently

Chances are, some programs that you just installed might be the one that’s causing the BSOD error. Thus, you need to uninstall the program to resolve the problem.
  • In the search box, type in “control” and then click on Control Panel (desktop app) among the search results.
  • After that, select Programs and Features from the list which will give you a list of all the programs installed on your computer.
  • From there, look for the concerned program and select it and then uninstall it.
Note: If you have downloaded the app from the Windows Store, you can simply right-click on it from the application list and then uninstall it. In addition, you might also want to check the hardware components of your computer that might not support the operating system itself. You can disconnect all the external devices like USB drives, scanners, printers, etc., and then reboot your PC. After that, add the devices again one after the other and check if the BSOD error is now fixed or not. Moreover, you can also perform a clean boot to make things easier for you.
  • 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” checkbox 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” checkbox.
  • 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.)

Option 2 – Update your device drivers

  • Tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
  • Type in devmgmt.msc into the box and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
  • After that, a list of device drivers will be displayed. Look for the device driver you and then select either “Update driver” or “Uninstall device”. And if you find any “Unknown device”, you need to update it as well.
  • Select the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option and then follow the instructions to complete the process.
  • If you have chosen to uninstall the driver, follow the screen options to complete the process and then restart your PC.
  • Connect the device and Scan for hardware changes – you can see this option under Device Manager > Action.

Option 3 – Use the Blue Screen Troubleshooter

The Blue Screen troubleshooter is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that helps users in fixing BSOD errors like UNEXPECTED KERNEL MODE TRAP. It can be found on the Settings Troubleshooters page. To use it, refer to these steps:
  • Tap the Win + I keys to open the Settings panel.
  • Then go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
  • From there, look for the option called “Blue Screen” on your right-hand side and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button to run the Blue Screen Troubleshooter and then follow the next on-screen options. Note that you might have to boot your PC into Safe Mode.

Option 4 – Run the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool

You can use the Memory Diagnostic tool in Windows to check RAM. Before you use this tool, make sure you save all your important work.
  • Tap the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
  • Next, type in “mdsched.exe” in the field and hit Enter to open Memory Diagnostic.
  • After that, the Windows Memory Diagnostic will give out two options such as:
  1. Restart now and check for problems (recommended)
  2. Check for problems the next time I start my computer
  • Select any of the given options. After that, your computer will restart and check for memory-based issues upon the restart. If there are any issues, it will automatically them.

Option 5 – Disable Memory caching in the BIOS

You can also disable memory caching in the BIOS to fix the UNEXPECTED KERNEL MODE TRAP error.
  • Open the BIOS Setup screen.
  • Next, go to Advanced > Cache Memory and then disable it.
  • Tap the F10 key to save the changes made and restart your computer.

Option 6 – Run System File Checker

  • Tap Win + R to launch Run.
  • Type in cmd in the field and tap Enter.
  • After opening Command Prompt, type in sfc /scannow
  • Restart your computer once the scan is completed.

Option 7 – Clean your hardware components for dust

Cleaning your computer’s hardware components for dust might also help in resolving the UNEXPECTED KERNEL MODE TRAP error. Make sure to use a soft cloth in cleaning the hardware as well as a small blower. Moreover, ensure that you do not damage any parts with moisture or cause harm to any circuits while you’re at it.
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Mapped network drives are not working
When you have to connect to a drive that’s on a different computer or on external storage, that’s where the mapped network drives come in. Mapped network drives make accessing files a lot easier. However, there are times when it won’t work for some reason. Windows will notify you about the unavailability of mapped network drives in several ways. For one, Windows might display a red X on the network drives or it could be that its status will be unavailable when you try to use it from the Command Prompt or via a notification. It is recommended that you run a few scripts when you log in to your PC as it may so happen that the network drive takes more than usual to connect. Before you start troubleshooting the problem using the given options below, keep in mind that some workouts might only work under certain scenarios. You might need some network access at logon or you might need access to the Group Policy settings. So you need to choose what you prefer more. You can try the given workarounds below if the mapped network drives are not showing or connecting or working on your Windows 10 computer. These workarounds use scripts to make sure that you are connected to them as soon as you start to use your PC. As mentioned, before you can troubleshoot, you need to create scripts first. There are two scripts here namely MapDrives.ps1 which is executed by the second script named MapDrives.cmd and is done at a regular and non-elevated Command Prompt. Follow the steps below to get started.
  • You have to create a script file named “MapDrives.cmd” first and then save it on a place where the files are safe. To do that, open a text editor like Notepad and then copy and paste the following script:
PowerShell -Command "Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser Unrestricted" >> "%TEMP%StartupLog.txt" 2>&1 PowerShell -File "%SystemDrive%ScriptsMapDrives.ps1" >> "%TEMP%StartupLog.txt" 2>&1
  • After that, save the file and name it “MapDrives.cmd”.
  • Next, create a script file named “MapDrives.ps1” and then copy and paste the following content. Just make sure to save both scripts in the same folder.
$i=3 while($True){     $error.clear()     $MappedDrives = Get-SmbMapping |where -property Status -Value Unavailable -EQ | select LocalPath,RemotePath     foreach( $MappedDrive in $MappedDrives)     {         try {             New-SmbMapping -LocalPath $MappedDrive.LocalPath -RemotePath $MappedDrive.RemotePath -Persistent $True         } catch {             Write-Host "There was an error mapping $MappedDrive.RemotePath to $MappedDrive.LocalPath"         }     }     $i = $i - 1     if($error.Count -eq 0 -Or $i -eq 0) {break}     Start-Sleep -Seconds 30 } Note: Now that you’ve created the script files, it’s time for you to proceed to the options given below.

Option 1 – Try creating a startup item

Note that this option only works on devices that have network access at login. So if it’s not there, the script will fail to reconnect the network drivers automatically. To create a startup item, here’s what you have to do:
  • Open the Startup folder located at %ProgramData%MicrosoftWindowsStart MenuProgramsStartUp.
  • From there, copy and paste the MapDrives.cmd.
  • After that, open the Scripts folder located at %SystemDrive%Scripts copy-paste MapDrives.ps1 and then copy and paste MapDrives.ps1 in there.
Note: After you complete the steps above, a log file named “StartupLog.txt” will be created in the %TEMP% folder. Now all that’s left for you to do is to log out of your computer and then log back in. This will ensure that the mapped drives are open.

Option 2 – Create a scheduled task

It is possible to create a scheduled task that runs as soon as you log in to your computer. To create a scheduled task, follow the steps below.
  • You have to copy the MapDrives.ps1 script file to the scripts folder of Windows located at %SystemDrive%Scripts.
  • After that, open the Task Scheduler and select Action > Create Task.
  • Next, type a name and description of the task in the General tab.
  • Then click on the Change User or Group button and select a local user group and click OK.
  • Now check the box labeled “Run with highest privileges” and switch to the Triggers tab.
  • From there, create a new trigger with the “At Logon” option in the Begin the task drop-down menu and then click OK.
  • After that, switch to the Actions tab and create a new action then choose to Start a program.
  • Next, type “Powershell.exe” in the Program/Script field, and in the Add arguments (optional) field, type the following:
-windowsstyle hidden -command .MapDrives.ps1 >> %TEMP%StartupLog.txt 2>&1
  • And in the Start in the (optional) field, type “%SystemDrive%Scripts” as the location of the script file.
  • Now under the Conditions tab, select the “Start only if the following network connection is available” option and then select Any connection and click OK.
  • Restart your computer or log off from your account and then log back in so that the task will be executed.

Option 3 – Use the Group Policy settings

You need this option if the mapped network drives are defined via Group Policy settings. You have to update the action of the drive maps to Replace. As a result, it will delete the existing mapped drive and create the mapping on each logon again. However, any settings on the mapped drive that are changed from the Group Policy settings will be gone on each logon. So if the changes don’t work, you need to run the gpupdate command together with the /force parameter in order to refresh the Group Policy setting quickly.
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Kernel Mode Heap Corruption Error in Windows
Kernel Mode Heap Corruption is the error message that the Windows operating system throws when it encounters a blue screen of death or BSOD error during PC startup or launching specific programs such as video games. It is mainly caused due to software conflicts, driver issues (especially graphics card driver), and computer hardware malfunctioning. The good news is that this error is easily fixable. Follow the next steps in order to fix the error:
  1. Rollback graphic card driver

    Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X to open Windows secret menu and click on device manager Expand Display adapters section Right-click on your GPU and choose properties In properties window go to the driver tab and click on Roll back driver Select the reason for operation and click on YES Reboot your PC
  2. Update corrupted and outdated drivers

    How is this error mostly driver issue, updating and fixing bad drivers can fix it very easily. As in the previous step, you will need to open the device manager and go through all drivers and manually check for updates for each one, update as necessary or reinstall ones you might think have gone rogue. If you are not experienced enough with this kind of task install some automatic solution for this task like DriverFix
  3. Check for software issues

    If this error started happening after the installation of new software it is very likely that the application is causing problems. Try uninstalling or disabling the application to see if it will fix the issue. You can also boot Windows in safe mode to see if the error will happen there, if Windows is working fine in safe mode, it is likely that issue is on the software side.
  4. Run SFC scan

    Press ⊞ WINDOWS + X and choose Command prompt (admin) In command prompt type in sfc /scannow and press ENTER Wait for the process to be finished and Reboot the system
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Microsoft Designer, a new app from MS

Microsoft Designer, a new application developed by Microsoft will bring design backed with DALL-E 2, an AI image creation open-source software. The new app is shown as a dedicated graphic design tool that will help you in the creation of stunning social media posts, invitations, digital postcards, graphics, and more, all in a flash.

Use of the application will be by typing headings and then typing text into the prompt to generate a background image. Since Microsoft uses DALL-E 2 for image creation output should be fairly good but if you wish you will be able to use your own images instead of using AI to generate one.

microsoft designer

The designer will be a free application once it is ready and it already has a web preview version, also free but with a waitlist. There will be premium features inside the app once it is released that will be available to Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers. Microsoft also wants to add a version of a designer directly to the Edge browser as well.

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New Microsoft Windows 11 store
When Microsoft held Windows 11 presentation it took special time to present the upcoming new Windows 11 store as kind of a big deal. It was openly stated that with new Windows we will get a new store with a different attitude and new look.

microsoft storeNew Microsoft store

Microsoft has stated that both customer and developer feedback over time has contributed to their redesign and rethinking of the store itself. They want to be sure that policies for developers are more straightforward and clear so more developers will decide to bring their product to Windows. As for customers, they want more safety and more security so they feel protected when making a purchase. The new store will come in Windows 11 but also in Windows 10 as well via update.

Stories and collections

Introducing the new store will be curated stories. Microsoft believes that stores should be focused on user experience so stories from customers themselves will play a big role here. They are rich editorial content to keep you informed about the best apps and inspire you to achieve more with your device. This approach to information is aimed at bringing unknown applications to users via presenting them in a professional manner. Android apps in the store As stated in Windows 11 unveiling and presentation, Android apps will work inside Windows 11. Microsoft has teamed up with Amazon to bring you Android apps directly inside Windows via the new Microsoft store.

Pop up store from within a browser

When you are surfing on a certain webpage and want to save and install the application from there, a new pop-up store window will show allowing you to install the app directly. Microsoft has not said will this feature work outside their Edge browser so we will have to wait and see about that.

Support for multiple types of applications

Since now developers were tied to certain formats if they wanted to publish their application in any kind of environment. Microsoft wants to bridge this. Windows developers can publish any kind of app, regardless of app framework and packaging technology – such as Win32, .NET, UWP, Xamarin, Electron, React Native, Java, and even Progressive Web Apps. For Progressive Web Apps Microsoft has made open-source tool PWABuilder 3.

Flexibility and choice of commerce platform

Starting July 28, app developers will also have an option to bring their own or a third-party commerce platform in their apps, and if they do so they don’t need to pay Microsoft any fee. They can keep 100% of their revenue.
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USB Security key is not working on Windows
As you know, the USB security keys are a secure medium to validate a lot of components in a computer. They can be used to log in to Windows 10. Now with the advancement of APIs, you can authenticate across the website as well using the same key. However, there are times when it may not work and it could be caused by several factors. It could be due to corrupted or incompatible drivers or it could also be due to compromised integrity of the key, and many more. So if you happen to encounter an issue with the USB security key on your Windows 10 computer, then there are several potential fixes you can try. You can try toggling the Internet Options settings or reinstall the respective USB drivers. You could also try changing the PIN of the security key or disable the antivirus program on your computer or troubleshoot the web browser. Refer to the potential fixes provided below to fix the problem.

Option 1 – Try to toggle the settings of the Internet Options

  • In the Windows Search box, search for Internet Options to open it.
  • Next, go to the Security tab and drag the security slider to the lowest possible security for all the given zones.
  • After that, click on OK to save the changes made and close the Internet Options.
Note that this option is only a temporary measure as it can make your computer vulnerable. Make sure to press the Reset all zones to default level button.

Option 2 – Try to update or reinstall the respective drivers

If updating the drivers of the device did not fix the problem with the USB security key, 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 3 – Try to change the PIN of the security key

If the first two options didn’t work, you can try changing the PIN of the security key. There are instances when the PIN for the security key might have been corrupted. Thus, resetting it can help you resolve the problem.

Option 4 – Temporarily disable Firewall and third-party antivirus

Firewall and antivirus programs are known to block the proper functioning of the USB security key. Thus, your antivirus or firewall programs might be the reason why you can’t download anything on your Windows 10 computer. To isolate the issue, you need to temporarily disable both the Firewall and antivirus programs and then check if you can now download anything from the internet. Do not forget to enable them again as disabling them can leave your computer vulnerable to cyber threats.

Option 5 – Try to troubleshoot the web browser

Troubleshooting your web browser can also help you fix the USB security key problem. You can do that by checking if your web browser supports the security key and you can do that by checking on the official website of your browser. You can also try to update your web browser to its latest version but if it didn’t help, you can try to reinstall it or switch to another web browser.
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