Microsoft rolled out Windows 10 build 21313 earlier today, and one of the most popular changes may be the demise of Microsoft Edge Legacy.

The browser, originally called Project Spartan and offered as the default browser in the early days of Windows 10 available on the market, has been substituted with its Chromium-powered sibling.

The new Microsoft Edge version works on the same engine as Google Chrome and it is available on more platforms, including Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Linux, and macOS.

"With the discharge of Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21313, Microsoft Edge Legacy is going to be substituted with the new Microsoft Edge. This is the situation for Windows 10 Insider Preview builds moving forward. With Microsoft Edge, it's time to expect more. You get world-class performance, with more privacy, more productivity, and more value as you browse," Microsoft announced today.

"And if you'd like to check out upcoming features in Microsoft Edge, join the Microsoft Edge Insider Program. Be one of the first to see what's new by downloading the Microsoft Edge Canary, Dev, or Beta channels in the Microsoft Edge Insider website."

Change happening on stable Windows 10 devices

Microsoft has additionally announced that the April 2021 Patch Tuesday rollout would remove the legacy version of Microsoft Edge from Windows 10 devices, meaning the Chromium-powered browser will be the only browser moving forward.

Quite simply, Microsoft will ship an update that will specifically take away the old browser and install the brand new one. If you're already running the Chromium-powered browser, then Windows 10 devices is only going to get the update to delete the original Edge, all so that they can result in the transition as smooth as you possibly can.

The Chromium-powered Edge may also be downloaded on all platforms where it's available not only in stable flavors, but also as Canary, Dev, and Beta builds.

In Windows 10 Settings app, you can force enable or disable the Header component. Listed here are the steps to allow or disable the Settings header in Windows 10.

Starting from v2004, the Settings app in Windows 10 is showing a thick header having a couple of information. The data in the header includes although not restricted to Windows 10 sign-in status, Windows update status, OneDrive status, Microsoft Rewards, Phone status, etc. Depending on where you live and how your product is configured, the header may show pretty much from the available information. Put simply, the brand new Settings header provides simple information at a glance and provide you with quick access towards the relevant pages with just just one click.

That being said, the brand new Settings header is not visible for everybody. Microsoft is rolling it out in waves. Whether or not the header is not visible, you can force enable Settings header. On the other hand, if you're able to begin to see the header and don't enjoy it, you are able to force disable the Settings header in Windows 10. Though Windows 10 doesn't have option to do this within the Settings app, use a third-party tool called Mach2 to allow or disable the Settings header in Windows 10.

Without further ado, allow me to show you the steps to fully enable or disable the Settings app header in Windows 10.

Important Note: The tool we are going to use can make changes while using hidden Windows APIs and files. As such, it is recommended that you produce a system restore point prior to making any changes. In case of any mishaps or unintended side effects, you can restore the system to the known good state.

Steps to Disable Settings Header in Windows 10

To disable Settings header, you have to perform simple mach2 command and restart the machine. Here're the precise steps to follow.

First, get mach2 from Github.
Now, create a folder called "mach2" in the C drive.
Next, extract the downloaded zip file to the newly created folder.
Open the beginning menu.
Search for "Command Prompt".
Right-click on the Command Prompt and choose "Run as administrator".
Execute "cd /d c:\mach2" to go to the extracted folder. If the zip file is extracted with a other folder, change the path accordingly.
Once you are in the "mach2" folder, execute the below command.
mach2 disable 18299130
After executing the command, close the Command Prompt window.
Restart Windows 10.

That's it. After restarting, you need to no longer see the settings app header banner.

If you are still seeing the header, try following a same steps again and see if it works. Whether it doesn't work even so, it is highly probable that Microsoft changed something in the background and broke how the tool works. In that situation there's nothing much we are able to do.

Steps to Enable Settings Header in Windows 10

First, get mach2 from Github.
After downloading, extract it to a folder within the C drive.
Open "Command Prompt" being an admin.
Execute "cd /d c:\mach2" to go to the extracted folder. If the zip file is extracted to some other folder, change the path accordingly.
Next, execute the below command to show Settings header banner.
mach2 disable 18299130
After executing the command, close the Command Prompt window.
Restart the Windows 10.

After restarting the machine, the header in the Settings app ought to be visible again.

In case your VM is running slow, you should consider disabling Side Channel Mitigation in VMware. Here's how you can do it.

On some Windows machines, especially on laptops, the Side Channel Mitigation is enabled automatically. This selection is also automatically enabled when the Core Isolation and Memory Integration features are switched on. As you can tell from the feature name itself, along side it Channel Mitigation is really a security feature that stops any malicious apps or processes from performing Side Channel attacks to access and read data from the host kernel, memory, along with other sensitive parts. Unlike regular attacks, Side Channel attacks are sophisticated and difficult to detect.

The downside from it is that when the Side Channel Mitigation feature is enabled, the performance from the VM drops significantly. As such, VMware shows a warning message suggesting that you ought to disable the Side Channel Mitigation feature to improve the virtual machine performance.

If you want to squeeze a little more performance from your virtual machine, you need to disable along side it Channel Mitigation feature. Within this simple and quick guide, allow me to demonstrate the steps to disable along side it Channel Mitigation feature in VMware Workstation.

Important note: Before proceeding, make sure the target virtual machine is completely powered OFF. If the VM is in paused state, you cannot alter the Side Channel Mitigation setting.

Disable Side Channel Mitigation in VMware

To disable the Side Channel Mitigation in VMware Workstation, stick to the steps given below.

1. First, open the VMware application. It can be done in Windows by looking it up within the Start menu. If the VMware Workstation is pinned for your taskbar, you can click on that too.

2. After opening the VMware application, right-click on the VM for which you want to disable the Side Channel Mitigation and choose the "Settings" option. As I said earlier, the VM ought to be powered OFF completely.

3. Visit the "Options" tab within the VMware Settings window. This is where you will find all of the additional settings associated with your virtual machine.

4. Select the "Advanced" option on the sidebar. Because the name implies, this is when you discover all the advanced settings to customize and better manage your virtual machine.

5. Select the "Disable side channel mitigation for Hyper-V enabled hosts" checkbox.

6. Click the "Ok" button at the bottom of the Settings window.

7. Finally, close and re-open VMware Workstation to fully apply the changes.

That's it. With this, you've disabled the side channel mitigation for any virtual machine on VMware Workstation. In the future, providing begin to see the side-channel mitigation message whenever you switch on the virtual machine. For those who have multiple virtual machines, you may have to do this for anyone VMs individually.

To enable the side-channel mitigation feature, UNCHECK the "Disable side channel mitigation for Hyper-V enabled hosts" checkbox under "VM → Settings → Options → Advanced".

FAQ

Can one disable side channel mitigation in VMware Player?
No, you can't. The choice is only available for VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion. That said, you can still try to disable Memory Integrity and Core Isolation features in Windows 10. Doing this should work for VMware player.

Is changing side channel mitigation settings in VMware safe?
Side channel mitigation is really a security feature. Disabling it'll lower the safety for both host and guest machines. As a result, it's important for you to determine if you are willing to sacrifice a little bit of security for better performance. Generally, if you're following the best practices of using a pc and taking advantage of a good antivirus software, there shouldn't be considered a problem in most cases.

Can one enable the side channel mitigation feature in VMware later on?
Yes, you can. Just UNCHECK the "Disable side channel mitigation for Hyper-V enabled hosts" checkbox under "VM → Settings → Options → Advanced" and you're simply good to go.

When the DHCP feature in Windows 10 is causing problems or creating road-blocks, you are able to disable it pretty easily. Here're the steps to disable DHCP in Windows 10.

Within the Windows operating system, the DHCP function is enabled automatically. The DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) function is responsible for assigning the IP addresses to all the devices on the network. So, when you are linked to a network, as with the home or office, your computer gets its Ip via the DHCP protocol. Among the key options that come with DHCP is being able to assign dynamic IP addresses. i.e, every time you connect or reconnect to some network, you might get a completely different IP address. This dynamic allocation removes the need for manually assigning the IP addresses and cuts down on the chances of Ip conflicts. Quite simply, the DHCP functionality is pretty useful in day to day situation.

If you prefer a specific IP address, you need to manually disable DHCP in Windows 10 after which configure Windows to get a static Ip. Not to mention, if the DHCP causes problems inside your network connections, like when sharing folders or connecting to and from a server, it is better to disable the DHCP completely. You are able to manually configure all the IP settings directly from the Windows 10 network manager.

Within this simple and quick guide, allow me to show the steps to fully disable the DHCP functionality in Windows 10.

Steps to Disable DHCP in Windows 10

You can disable DHCP from the settings app in Windows 10. Listed here are the steps to follow along with.

Right-click around the network icon around the taskbar.
Select the "Open Network & Internet Settings" option.
Within the currently active network screen, click on the "Properties" button underneath the network connection.
Here, click on the "Edit" button underneath the "IP Settings / IP Assignment" section.
Select "Manual" from the drop-down menu.
Turn on the "IPv4" option.
Now, fill in the facts of the Ip, Subnet prefix length, Gateway, and preferred DNS address.
Click on the "Save" button.
Close the Settings app.
Restart Windows 10.

That's it. You've successfully disabled DHCP in Windows 10. Should you ever want to enable DHCP back, simply follow the same steps but select the "Automatic (DHCP)" option in steps 5 and ignore the after steps.

Important Notes:

Each network connection has its own DHCP settings. If you want to disable DHCP on all network interfaces, you need to stick to the steps for each one individually. For instance, in case your system has both WiFi and Ethernet, you have to configure DHCP for both of these individually.
You could possibly get the Static IP details out of your ISP, network administrator, or from the router config page.
For "Subnet prefix length", try "24" or "16". You can learn more about subnet prefix length from this Cisco page.
When configuring static IP on the local network, make sure there are no duplicates.
For preferred DNS, you may either make use of the DNS supplied by your ISP or public DNS services like Google Public DNS (8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4) or Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1).
If you use IPv6 then let the IPv6 option in step six and configure it accordingly.

That's all.

KB4598291 is definitely an optional update for Windows 10 v2004 & v20H2. Listed here are the direct links to download KB4598291 offline installer.

Microsoft is beginning this February 2021 with a new optional update for Windows 10 v2004 users. Becoming an optional update, Windows 10 will not install it automatically. You either need to manually trigger the update from the Settings app or upload the KB4598291 offline installer. In fact, Microsoft already released the KB4598291 update when a couple weeks back for Windows 10 v20H2 users. Now, exactly the same fixes and improvements are coming to the v2004 users.

The KB4598291 is pretty small but fixes some important things in Windows. A number of them include but not limited to freezing when doing offers on full screen, fix for incorrect daylight saving settings, problems with opening documents on the desktop, difficulties with modifier keys when using Japanese keyboard layout, etc. All in all, this is a pretty small update that if you don't require it, you don't have to install it.

To set up the update, open the Settings app, go to "Update & Security → Windows Update" and click on the "Check for updates" button. In case your product is supported, Windows will upload the KB4598291 update. To install the update with an offline machine or maybe the Windows Update causes problems, make use of the links below to download KB4598291 offline installer.

Download KB4598291 Offline installer

To make things easier for you, I discovered the direct download links for KB4598291 for both Windows 10 32-bit and 64-bit systems. Based on your system type, download the update using the below links and do the installation like every other Windows software. After installing, restart the machine and you're simply all set.

If you want KB4598291 download links for Windows Server, ARM64 based systems, or v20H2 then go to the Microsoft update catalog website to find the proper links. All you need to do is click the Download button next to the appropriate version.

KB4598291 Highlights

Updates an element that causes a device to prevent responding whenever you play a game title in full-screen or tablet mode.

Updates a problem with using Ctrl+Caps Lock and Alt+Caps Lock to change to Hiragana or Katakana mode respectively after upgrading to Windows 10, version 2004.

Updates an issue that prevents you against opening a document that's on the Windows desktop.

Updates an issue that creates duplicate cloud provider folders in the File Explorer navigation pane.

Updates a problem with some special key combinations utilized in DaYi, Yi, and Array IMEs that might cause an application to stop working.

Updates an element that displays an empty lock screen after a device wakes up from Hibernate.

Corrects historical daylight savings time (DST) information for the Palestinian Authority.

Updates an issue that incorrectly deactivates some Windows 10 Education devices after upgrading to Windows 10, version 2004.

Updates an issue that might cause the Alt+Tab to change unexpectedly and cause you to switch to the wrong window.

Updates an issue that fails to show Extract all around the shortcut menu when you right-click an online-only ZIP file.

That's it.

When the 'Edit with Photos' context menu is bothering you, you are able to take it off. Follow these steps to get rid of Edit with Photos option in Windows 10.

On Windows 10, the Photos app may be the default viewer. As such, whenever you right-click on any image or picture, you will see additional options within the right-click context menu. One particular choice is the 'Edit with Photos' option.

As you can tell from the option name itself, the Edit with Photos option allows you to edit an image from the right-click menu. Using the Edit with Photos option, you are able to crop and rotate, add filters, and make adjustments for light, clarity, color, vignette, red-eye correction, etc. Put simply, the Edit with Photos choice is useful to make basic enhancements or alterations in an image.

However, if you're not while using Photos app or you don't enjoy having the Edit with Photos option in the right-click menu, you can take it off. In the end, it is better to remove unnecessary options in the right-click menu. That way, the right-click menu is going to be clean and organized. The good thing is, it is very simple to remove Edit with Photos option. All you have to do is either change the default image viewer or create a small registry change.

Within this quick and simple guide, allow me to show you the steps to remove the Edit with Photos option in the right-click menu in Windows 10.

Steps to get rid of Edit with Photos option

To get rid of the Edit with Photos option, you can either alter the default image viewer or create a simple registry change. I will show both methods. Stick to the one you like. For instance, if you don't mind using a different image viewer like Windows Photo Viewer or IrfanView, follow the first method. If you wish to make use of the Photos app but don't want the Edit with Photos option in the context menu, stick to the second method (registry method).

1. Change default image viewer to get rid of right-click option

When you alter the default image viewer, the Edit with Photos option won't come in the context menu. So, if you don't might using another image viewer, follow these steps to remove Edit with Photos option within the context menu.

1). Right-click on any image within the File Explorer.

2). Select the "Open with → Choose another app" option. This method lets you choose another program to open images with.

3). Select an app from the list. If can't find the app, click on the "More apps → Look for another app on this PC" option at the end and select the app you need to use.

4). Select the "Always make use of this app to spread out the files" checkbox.

5). Click on the "Ok" button in order to save changes.

That's all. With this, providing begin to see the Edit with Photos option within the right-click menu.

Keep in mind that these changes are just applicable to this particular extension. You will still see the option if you right-click on any other image format. For instance, I changed the default image viewer for the '.jpg' file type. So, the option is removed for your extension only. If I right-click on the '.png' file type, you still begin to see the option. To get rid of the option universally, I recommend you stick to the second method.

2. Registry answer to remove Edit with Photos option

Open the Windows Registry Editor from the Start menu.
Paste the below path within the address bar and press Enter.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppX43hnxtbyyps62jhe9sqpdzxn1790zetc\Shell\ShellEdit
Right-click around the "ShellEdit" folder around the sidebar.
Select the "New → String value" option.
Type "ProgrammaticAccessOnly" because the string value name.
Next, close the registry editor.
Finally, restart Windows 10.

After restarting the machine, you will no longer begin to see the Edit with Photos option whenever you right-click on an image in Windows 10.

The brand new Windows 10 Start menu enables you to set any color you want. Listed here are the steps to change the Start menu color on Windows 10.

Within the new Windows 10 update, Microsoft improved the general feel and look from the Start menu. You can now apply any color you need to the Start menu. The colour customization increases the overall Windows personalization.

Now, adding color to the Start menu is certainly not new. It can be done in older versions too. However, the new Start menu is much more streamlined when it comes to looks and also the color is used evenly to both the Start menu background, tiles, along with other elements. Actually, not just the color but Microsoft also improved how the Start menu looks within the default dark and lightweight mode too.

So, without further ado, allow me to show you with the steps to alter the start menu color on Windows 10.

Important Note: For better results, you ought to be using Windows 10 v20H2 or higher. If you are using 2004 or lower, the Start menu color won' apply evenly. i.e, the Start menu tiles won't respect your color choice and shows the default blue or any other colors.

Steps to change the start menu color

Follow these steps to alter the beginning menu color in Windows 10.

Open the Settings app.
Click on "Personalization".
Select the "Colors" tab around the sidebar.
Select "Dark" from the "Choose your color" dropdown menu.
Next, choose the color of your decision in the color swatch.
Scroll down and choose the "start, taskbar, and action center" checkbox.

Detailed steps

1. First thing you'll need is the Settings app. So, press the "Win + I" shortcut to spread out it. As needed, you can also search for "Settings" within the Start menu.

2. After opening it, go to the "Personalization → Colors" page. This is where you will find the option to add color to the start menu and other areas of Windows.

3. On the right page, choose the "Dark" option in the "Choose your color" dropdown menu.

It is important to configure this option since the dark mode enables you to set the colour towards the Start menu. Should you don't such as the full dark mode, select "Custom" and then set "Default Windows mode" to "Dark" and "Default app mode" to "Light." This way, the dark mode is only put on Windows components such as the start menu, taskbar, action center, etc. Your File Explorer, settings apps, etc., will use the sunshine mode.

4. Now, pick the color of your choice. If you wish to set the color according to your wallpaper, choose the "Automatically pick a highlight color from my background" checkbox.

5. After choosing the color, scroll down and choose the "Start, taskbar, and action center" checkbox.

That is all. As soon as choose the checkbox, the color is applied towards the Start menu, taskbar, and action center. As you can see, though somewhat tricky, it is pretty simple to alter the Start menu color in Windows 10.

YouTube is easily the most recent Google service providing users having a web app, as the search giant is becoming increasingly more dedicated to offering all its products as PWAs.

As reported by ChromeUnboxed, some users who load the official YouTube websites are now being asked to install the YouTube app within their browsers.

It's believed this feature has become rolling out to all users out there, though with my case, the PWA prompt was only shown in the search engines Chrome - however, you can also install the PWA in other browsers manually, including Microsoft Edge.

Offline support incoming?

PWAs appear to be the next popular trend on the web, and also at some point, they've been considered the only way to deal with the possible lack of apps on some platforms.

Microsoft itself bet big on web apps for coping with the lack of apps on its modern os's, though at this time, the debut from the Chromium Microsoft Edge brings Windows 10 comparable to any other platform with regards to PWAs.

Based on the cited source, among the big features Google might be employed by the YouTube PWA might be offline support, something the organization has already introduced for the Google Calendar web app for Workspace users.

Up until now, the YouTube web app continues to be gradually offered to users, so with this recent update, it's believed the rollout has reached the purpose when it's broadly available to anyone.

On Windows 10, web apps can be simply pinned towards the taskbar and accessed with just a single click, which of course deals with the lack of a local YouTube app around the operating-system. The PWA offers the same functionality as the main YouTube website and loads in the browser you normally experience the web.

Microsoft has presented a brand new cumulative firmware and drivers pack produced for its Surface Pro 7 units, namely the January 2021 version, including several changes that improve system stability and addresses security updates and system bugcheck.

Specifically speaking, to addresses security updates and improves system stability Microsoft installs new Intel iCLS Client (1.61.251.0), Intel MEI (2031.15.0.1743), Intel ME Extension (1952.14.0.1470), Surface ME Firmware (13.0.1594.2), and Surface UEFI Firmware (9.101.140.0) versions.

Moreover, the developer will also apply a brand new Surface HID Mini driver (3.31.139.0) that improves system stability and addresses system bugcheck, as well as the 6.105.139.0 Surface Integration Service Device version that improves integration between system services (and once again addresses system bugcheck).

When it comes to installation, save the downloadable file on your Surface unit, install all drivers included, and follow all instructions shown on the screen for an entire and successful installation.

Still, don't forget that this package is just compatible with Microsoft's Windows 10 platform. Also, after applying the present release, it might be a good idea to reboot your tablet manually (if not requested automatically), to make sure all changes work properly.

With this in mind, download Microsoft Surface Pro 7 Tablet Firmware/Driver January 2021, do the installation, and appearance our website as frequently as you possibly can, as we'll keep you posted when a newer update can be obtained.

However, if you choose the Windows Update Service, you'll have to wait in line for the Surface unit to receive this update package. Through this service, all updates are provided to customers in stages; thus, you will possibly not receive it right now.

KB4592449 has become readily available for both Windows 10 1909 & 1903 versions. Here are the links to download KB4592449 offline installer from Microsoft.

As always, Microsoft released a slew of new cumulative updates as part of the patch Tuesday. KB4592449 update for v1909 and v1903 users and KB4592438 for v20H2 and v2004 users. Unlike the prior cumulative updates, the KB4592449 update is pretty small but contains important security fixes for various parts of Windows 10. Mainly, the KB4592449 has security fixes for that File Explorer, Edge legacy browser, Office products, Windows virtualization, Windows Fundamentals, etc.

As being a security update, it doesn't contain every other improvements or fixes. As such, the KB4592449 update shouldn't cause any big issues for any vast majority of users. So, it is better to install the update as soon as possible to prevent any security issues and vulnerabilities.

To set up the update directly from the Settings app, open it up, go to the "Update & Security → Windows Update" and then click the "Check for updates" button. Alternatively, you are able to let Windows install the update while using automatic updates feature. Otherwise, download the KB4592449 offline installer using the links provided below.

Download KB4592449 offline installer

To create things easier for you, I discovered the direct download links for KB4592449 for both Windows 10 32-bit and 64-bit systems. Depending on the body type, download the update while using below links and install it like any other Windows software. After installing, restart the system and you are good to go.

If you want KB4592449 download links for Windows Server, ARM64 based systems, or some other version then go to the Microsoft update catalog web site to find the appropriate links. All you need to do is click the Download button next to the appropriate version.

KB4592449 changelog

Security updates to Microsoft Edge Legacy, the Microsoft Graphics Component, Windows Media, Windows Fundamentals, and Windows Virtualization.

That's it.