Author Archives: Chris Hoffman

How to Skip the Recycle Bin for Deleting Files on Windows 10

Posted on July 8, 2020 by Chris Hoffman

Windows 10 normally sends files you delete to the Recycle Bin. They’ll be kept until you empty it—or, in some cases, until Windows 10 automatically empties your Recycle Bin. Here’s how to skip the Recycle Bin and delete files immediat… Continue reading →

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How to Install Free HEVC Codecs on Windows 10 (for H.265 Video)

Posted on July 8, 2020 by Chris Hoffman

Windows 10 supports video files encoded with High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), also known as H.265 video. However, Microsoft charges for its official codecs and doesn’t include them in Windows 10. You can get them for free without busting out … Continue reading →

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Windows 10 Security PSA: Enable Automatic Store Updates

Posted on July 7, 2020 by Chris Hoffman

Microsoft sometimes distributes important security updates through the Microsoft Store. That’s the lesson we’re learning in July 2020, when Microsoft sent an important update for Windows 10’s HEVC codecs not via Windows Update but via… Continue reading →

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How to Use Microsoft’s “Windows File Recovery” on Windows 10

Posted on July 3, 2020 by Chris Hoffman

Microsoft’s Windows File Recovery is an official tool for recovering deleted files from hard disks, SD cards, USB drives, and other storage media. Here’s an in-depth, step-by-step guide on using this command-line utility.Read This Article … Continue reading →

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Windows 10 Will Soon Show Edge Browser Tabs in Alt+Tab

Posted on July 1, 2020 by Chris Hoffman

Alt+Tab is useful for switching between windows, but it can’t help you find that browser tab you had open in one of your windows. Soon, Windows 10 will show all your open Edge browser tabs alongside your windows.Read This Article on How-To Geek &… Continue reading →

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PSA: All Apps Can Read Your iPhone and Android Clipboard

Posted on July 1, 2020 by Chris Hoffman

Have you seen the news about TikTok? A new privacy feature in iOS 14 revealed that the Chinese social media app was constantly reading iPhone clipboards. But that’s nothing new. All apps can read your smartphone clipboard whenever they like.Read … Continue reading →

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How to Download the Amazon Games App for Twitch Prime Games

Posted on June 28, 2020 by Chris Hoffman

Amazon gives away several free games each month through Twitch Prime, included with Amazon Prime. You can play them through the Twitch app, but the Amazon Games launcher is a much better experience. Here’s how to download and install it.Read Thi… Continue reading →

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How to Stop Slack Notifications on the Weekend

Posted on June 26, 2020 by Chris Hoffman

Slack’s notifications can be overwhelming enough during the workday. If you have the weekend off, the last thing you need is notifications arriving on your phone at 9 a.m. on a Saturday morning. Slack finally lets you stop notifications on the we… Continue reading →

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How to Make Google Auto-Delete Your Web and Location History

Posted on June 25, 2020 by Chris Hoffman

Google collects and remembers information about your activity, including your web, search, and location history. Google now auto-deletes history for new users after 18 months, but it will remember history forever if you previously enabled this feature … Continue reading →

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How the Mac Will Switch From Intel to Apple’s Own ARM Chips

Posted on June 22, 2020 by Chris Hoffman

The Mac is going through another huge CPU switch. By the end of 2020, Apple will release Macs that include “Apple Silicon,” just like iPads and iPhones. Here’s what the end of Intel CPUs means for the future of the Mac.Read This Artic… Continue reading →

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