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Need to Take a Screenshot on Windows 11? Here's How

Need to Take a Screenshot on Windows 11? Here's How

Screenshots are used for a variety of reasons. Maybe you're sending someone a photo of your screen over Slack to diagnose a problem, or you just need to take a quick snippet of an important document to save for later. Regardless of the reason, there are multiple ways to take a screenshot using a Windows 11 computer.

Whether you want to take a full-screen grab, you only want to capture part of the screen or you'd prefer to use a keyboard shortcut or application, the process is simple. Here are all the ways to take a screenshot on Windows 11.

Don't have Windows 11 yet? Check out these two important things you need to do before you can download Windows 11. And if you're unsure about updating, read more about the major differences between Windows 11 and Windows 10.

1. Take a screenshot of the entire screen

The easiest way to take a screenshot of your entire desktop is with the PrtSc key at the top of your keyboard. After tapping on the PrtSc key, the screenshot will be saved to your clipboard, although you won't receive any indication the screenshot has successfully been taken. To view the full-screen screenshot, use Ctrl-V to paste it into an application like Paint or Microsoft Word, or even into the body of an email.

2. Take a screenshot of the entire screen and save it to your computer

Similar to the first option, hitting the Windows-PrtSc keys will take a screenshot of your entire desktop, but it'll also save the screenshot to a folder on your computer. If you hit the keys correctly, your whole screen will flash, indicating the screenshot has been taken and saved. You can find all of your full-screen screenshots in Pictures > Screenshots.

You can take four types of screenshots: rectangular, freeform, window and full-screen.

CNET

3. Take a screenshot of only part of the screen

Not everyone wants a screenshot of their entire screen, which is why Windows 11 gives you the option to take only a partial screenshot. If you tap on Win + Shift +S, your screen will flash and a small Snipping Tool menu will appear at the top of the screen, allowing you to do the following (from left to right):

• Rectangular Snip: Draw a box around what you want to capture
• Freeform Snip: Draw any shape around what you want to capture.
• Window Snip: Choose a window to capture.
• Full-screen Snip: Capture your entire screen (same thing as PrtScr).

Once the screenshot's taken, it'll be saved to your clipboard, as with the PrtScr key option. You can then paste it elsewhere to look at it. However, if you click the Snipping Tool preview that appears at the bottom of the screen, you'll find options to edit the screenshot (crop, rotate and more) and save it to your desktop.

You can delay your screenshot by 3, 5 or 10 seconds.

CNET

4. Use the Snipping Tool to take delayed screenshots

The Snipping Tool comes built into Windows 11, and is the same tool used in the previous section, except with a few tiny additions. To use it, type in Snipping Tool in the Search feature and open the application to take a screenshot.

In Snipping Tool, if you click on New you'll open the mini Snipping Tool menu (like in the section before), where you can then choose between several different snips. However, with this full version of the Snipping Tool, you can choose any of the four snipping options (rectangular, freeform, window and fullscreen) and then choose a delay option. You can choose between a 3-, 5- and 10-second delay. This will give you a bit of time to set up whatever it is you're attempting to screenshot and might make it easier than taking the shot manually.

To take the delayed screenshot, simply hit Win-Shift-S, which will then be copied to your clipboard. You can also click on the screenshot preview that appears to make any edits or save it to your computer as a JPEG, PNG or other.

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Photoshop and Lightroom Super Resolution: How to quadruple your photo size

Photoshop and Lightroom Super Resolution: How to quadruple your photo size

Adobe's Super Resolution feature in Lightroom and Photoshop is remarkable technology that uses artificial intelligence to quadruple the size of your photos. It's not perfect, but it's a great way to breathe new life into older shots and to print photos larger with twice the number of pixels in both width and height. Here's what it is and how to use it.

To build the Super Resolution feature, Adobe trained its Sensei artificial intelligence technology on millions of real photos. It compared originals with quarter-size versions so the system could learn the best way to blow them back up again. It applies that behavior to your own photos, making very well-informed guesses about how to increase their resolution.

Yes, Photoshop is fabricating pixels that weren't there in the first place, and no, it's not going to magically add detail the way Rick Deckard does with "enhance" commands in the sci-fi movie Blade Runner. Those caveats aside, I find it works well on many images, particularly when expanding edges, where it often does so without adding artifacts like mushiness or jaggy pixelization. Even faces -- the parts of images that we're often most concerned about -- come out well.

Super Resolution works through the Adobe Camera Raw tool in Photoshop. Adobe trained the feature to work on raw photos, the format that photo enthusiasts and pros prefer for editing flexibility and image quality. But Super Resolution can work on conventional images, like the JPEGs and HEICs your phone probably captures.

With that said, let's jump in. I'll explain first how to use Super Resolution on its own, then how to apply it to JPEGs, and finally how use it in Adobe's Lightroom software for editing and cataloging photos.

How to use Super Resolution in Photoshop's Adobe Camera Raw

Begin the Super Resolution process by opening a raw file. Photoshop will open raw files in the Adobe Camera Raw tool directly.

Next, right-click the photo and select the Enhance option. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Command-Shift-D on MacOS and Control-Shift-D on Windows.

Screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET

You'll see an Enhanced Preview dialog box with a couple of options to control the process. First, the Raw Details option Adobe added in 2019 improves how raw files are rendered. Below that, make sure you've checked the Super Resolution checkbox. To see the expected results, click and drag to pan around the preview image, or click on the magnifying glass icon to zoom out and then click again on the patch you want to scrutinize.

Screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET

Next, click the Enhance button and wait. Photoshop shows its estimate for how long the process will take -- several minutes in some cases -- but often it gets done faster in my testing, sometimes just a few seconds to turn 12 megapixel photos into 48 megapixels.

If you want to bypass the Enhanced Preview dialog box, hold down Option on MacOS or Alt on Windows as you click the Enhance option.

After that comes the fine tuning. I recommend zooming in closely to edit details like sharpness, texture and noise reduction using the sliders on the right edge of the tool.

Screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET

Last, click either the Done button, which will save the new version next to the original with "-Enhanced" added to its filename, or Open, which opens the image in Photoshop.

How to use Super Resolution on a JPEG

To apply Super Resolution to JPEG, HEIC or TIFF, you'll first have to change Photoshop's preferences to open those file formats in Adobe Camera Raw by default. Unfortunately, you can't just use the Filter menu's Camera Raw Filter menu command.

First, open Photoshop preferences, go to the File Handling section, then click Camera Raw Preferences. In the next dialog box that appears, click the File Handling section. Change the JPEG/HEIC dropdown to "Automatically open all supported" images, and do the same with TIFF images if you want that, too.

Screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET

Note that this will mean these images will open in Adobe Camera Raw even if you don't want to use Super Resolution and the rest of the Adobe Camera Raw editing options. Personally, I like them, since I do most of my photo editing in Lightroom -- a close relative to Adobe Camera Raw. But if you want Photoshop's regular behavior, you'll have to switch it off in Photoshop's preferences again.

DSLRs and mirrorless cameras from Sony, Nikon, Canon and other camera makers all have the option to shoot raw, but smartphones are getting better at it too, with Apple's ProRaw and Google's computational raw technology.

How to use Super Resolution from Adobe Lightroom

For a few months there, it was tough to use Super Resolution if you use Lightroom for cataloging and editing your photos. Happily, with the June 2021 Lightroom release, the feature is built in.

Using it is simple, but it's a step off the beaten track from your usual editing and catalog operations. Select the photo in Lightroom's Library mode, then choose "Enhance" from the Photo menu. You can also right-click on the image to get the option in a pop-up menu.

Screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET

Screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET

After a moment to generate a preview, you'll see a dialog box that lets you pan around the preview, zoom and out, click to compare before-and-after previews, and check Lightroom's estimate for how long the job will take. Click "Enhance" when you're ready.

As with Photoshop, it's best to pixel peep to check your detailed edits zoomed in. You might want to turn down sharpness, particularly in areas like hair, where Super Resolution can make mistakes, or to crank up noise reduction. I've also found that manually adjusting purple and green fringing problems in the Lens Corrections panel can be useful to reduce color artifacts.

Screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET

Note that the keyboard shortcut for Enhance is different for Lightroom and Lightroom Classic, Adobe's two very different versions of Lightroom. For Lightroom Classic (which stores photos on your computer's storage system) it's Ctrl-Alt-I on Windows and Ctrl-Opt-I on MacOS. For Lightroom (which stores photos in the cloud and syncs them across your computer, phone and other devices) the shortcut is Ctrl-Alt-E  on Windows Cmd-Opt-E on MacOS.

Also, in Lightroom Classic, you can skip the Enhance dialog box and just kick off a Super Resolution expansion with Shift-Ctrl-Alt-I on Windows and Shift-Ctrl-Option-I on MacOS. It'll apply the previous Enhance settings, so if you unchecked Super Resolution before, you'll have to reselect it through the dialog box first.

Super resolution in Lightroom can handle JPEGs as well as raw images, though it'll turn the JPEG into a DNG file. As with all DNG files, you'll have to export a JPEG for easy sharing.

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How to use an external drive with a Chromebook

How to use an external drive with a Chromebook

Chromebooks are built with cloud storage in mind and offer a pittance of local storage -- usually only 32GB or 64GB. So, instead of storing a bunch of Word docs and Excel files on a Chromebook, for example, you are meant to use Google Drive or Dropbox. Instead of a large music library stored locally in iTunes, you are meant to use Google Play or Spotify. Same deal with photos -- instead of storing photos locally, Google Photos, Flickr or another cloud service.

Chromebooks feature USB ports and SD card slots, however, which let you connect to external storage devices for those times when you need to access a file that you have saved not to the cloud but an external hard drive, thumb drive or SD card. When you connect an external drive or SD card to your Chromebook, however, nothing happens. You won't see a helpful prompt or a new desktop icon that, A. lets you know the system has recognized whatever it is that you connected to it, and B. provides a quick way to view its contents.

Using an external storage device with a Chromebook takes a little more work on your part. I'll show you how to view and download files on an external drive and which types of files types and file systems Chrome OS can recognize.

Supported file systems

Chrome OS supports a wide range of file systems for external drives. It can read and write to the NTFS file system that Windows PCs use, read (but not write to) the HFS+ file system that Macs use, and cross-platform FAT16, FAT32 and exFAT file systems. It also supports the MTP file system used by digital music players and ISO9660 and UDF used by CDs and DVDs.

Supported file types

According to Google, these are the types of files Chrome OS supports:

• Microsoft Office files: .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt (read-only), .pptx (read-only).
• Media: .3gp, .avi, .mov, .mp4, .m4v, .m4a, .mp3, .mkv, .ogv, .ogm, .ogg, .oga, .webm, .wav
• Images: .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .webp
• Compressed files: .zip, .rar
• Other: .txt, .pdf (read-only)

How to read files

When you connect an external storage device to a Chromebook, you'll need to do a little legwork to access its contents. Click the Launcher button in the lower-left corner of your Chromebook's display and then click the Files app. If you don't see it listed, it means you haven't used it recently and will need to click All Apps and find the Files app listed among all of your Chromebook's apps.

Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET

With the Files window opened, in the left panel you should see your external drive listed directly below the Downloads folder. Just as you can in Windows Explorer on a PC or Finder on a Mac, you can view the drive's folders and files here. Just double click a file to open it.

Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET

How to transfer files

If you want to move a file from an external drive to your Chromebook, you have two options: drag and drop or copy and paste.

The Downloads folder is where all of your Chromebook's local files are stored. You can copy a file from the drive to your Chromebook by dragging it from the external drive and dropping it on the Downloads folder listed in the left panel. You can select multiple files by clicking the tiny, circular thumbnail to the left of the file name; the thumbnail turns into a blue checkmark icon to indicate it's been selected.

The other option is to copy a file by right-clicking and choosing Copy or using keyboard shortcut Ctrl-C, opening the Downloads folder, and then pasting by using the right-click menu or Ctrl-V.

You can also choose to cut instead of copy, of course, if you want to move the file instead of just copying it. You can also move in the reverse direction and move files from your Downloads folder to your external drive (or Google Drive) to free up drive space on your Chromebook.

Last step: Eject

Like Windows and MacOS, ChromeOS will scold you if you remove a drive before ejecting it. To eject a drive, click the little eject button to the right of it in the left panel of the the Files window.

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How to use your iPad as a second monitor for your Mac

How to use your iPad as a second monitor for your Mac

A dual monitor setup helps with multitasking, organization and overall efficiency, which is why so many people spend hundreds of dollars on a second monitor for their computer. That extra real estate can be used for video calls, browsing the web, sending emails or even drawing with your stylus. But if you own a Mac and an iPad, you may not have to spend any money to put together a two-monitor setup in your home.

As long as you have a compatible Mac and iPad, you can quickly and easily connect the two Apple devices and use the iPad as an extra display for your Mac computer. Using Sidecar, which comes built-in to supported devices, you can then either extend your MacOS desktop or mirror it onto your iPad, equipped with touch screen controls to seamlessly use the two devices together.

Here's what you need to know.

Requirements to use your iPad as a second display

As mentioned above, both of your devices need to support Sidecar, which is the feature that allows you to use your iPad as a second monitor for your Mac. For your Mac, you must be running MacOS Catalina or later and it has to be one of the following models:

• MacBook Pro (2016 or later)
• MacBook (2016 or later)
• MacBook Air (2018 or later)
• iMac (2017 or later and Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015)
• iMac Pro
• Mac Mini (2018 or later)
• Mac Pro (2019 or later)

And for your iPad, it must be running iPadOS 13 or later and includes the following models:

It's best to update your devices to the latest software available to avoid any issues. 

Also, both devices must be logged in to the same Apple ID account, using two-factor authentication. 

If you plan on going wireless, the two devices must be within 30 feet of one another. You can also use your USB to connect the two devices, with the advantage of being able to also charge your iPad while it's in use as a second monitor.

Share your entire Mac desktop to your iPad

Depending on what software update you have on your computer, sharing your computer desktop to your tablet may vary. If you're running MacOS Big Sur or later, click the Display icon in the menu bar at the top right. In the menu that appears, choose your iPad.

If you're on MacOS Catalina, you'll instead click on the AirPlay icon in the menu bar and then select your iPad. If for some reason you don't see the AirPlay icon, click the Apple menu in the top right and go to System Preferences > Displays and check Show mirroring options in the menu bar when available.

Click the Display option in the menu bar to find your iPad.

Nelson Aguilar/CNET

Once your Mac and iPad are connected, you have several options to choose from that appear in the Display/AirPlay menu:

• Mirror Built-in Retina Display: Mirror your exact desktop to your iPad. This will shift your computer desktop to look more like your iPad.
• Use As Separate Display: Use the iPad as an extension to your desktop. To use your iPad display, drag any window or files from your Mac computer to the right of your screen, which will take you to the tablet. To go back to your computer, simply drag your cursor back to where you came from.

Share only one Mac window to your iPad

Alternatively, you can quickly share a window instead of dragging it over to your iPad. For example, you could share your web browser in Safari or what you've jotted down in your Notes. To do this, simply hover your mouse cursor over the green full-screen button that appears on the top left of most windows. After a second of hovering, you should see an option that says "Move to iPad," which will share that window to your tablet. You can share multiple windows, in succession, to your iPad.

Hover over the full-screen button to send that window to your iPad.

Nelson Aguilar/CNET

Using the Sidebar controls, gestures, and Touch Bar on your iPad

Once your screen is shared over to your iPad, a set of controls will appear on the left side of your iPad, which are Sidebar controls you'll commonly see on your Mac. That includes, from top to bottom:

• Menu bar: Show or hide menu bar when in full-screen
• Dock: Show or hide dock
• Command: Double-tap to lock key
• Option: Double-tap to lock key
• Control: Double-tap to lock key
• Shift: Double-tap to lock key
• Undo: Undo last action
• Keyboard: Show or hide keyboard
• Disconnect: Disconnect iPad from Mac

In addition to these Mac controls, you can also use a number of swipe gestures to control certain things on the second monitor (you won't be able to use the touchscreen as usual though). That includes swiping with two fingers to scroll, pinching in with three fingers to copy, swiping left with three fingers to undo and more.

And finally, you may also be able to use the Touch Bar, if the application on your iPad is compatible. For instance, if you move Safari over to the iPad, you'll see Touch Bar controls to go back and forward, use the search bar, flip between tabs and open a new tab. In Messages, you would see controls to create a new text, send an emoji and predictive text. The Touch Bar may not appear for every app you use on your iPad.

This is what your iPad will look like as a second monitor.

Nelson Aguilar/CNET

If you don't want to use the Sidebar or Touch Bar controls, you can also get rid of them. On your Mac, click on the Display icon in the menu bar, and underneath your connected iPad, you should see Hide SideBar and Hide Touch Bar. Click on either or both options to hide the controls from your iPad.

Using your iPad while connected to your Mac

Even if you're using your iPad as a second monitor, you can still swipe up to exit the Sidecar application and use your iPad as usual. In your dock, you'll see a blue icon with two monitors on it -- this is Sidecar. To go back to using your iPad as a second monitor, tap on the Sidecar app icon in the dock.

You can use your iPad as usual, even when connected to a Mac via Sidecar.

Nelson Aguilar/CNET

If you're interested in learning more about what your iPad is capable of, check out how to declutter your iPad dock by removing this annoying feature and 9 things to do immediately after you get a new iPad.

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How to Give Your Yoga Mat the Scrub-Down It Desperately Needs

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How to Give Your Yoga Mat the Scrub-Down It Desperately Needs

This story is part of Home Tips, CNET's collection of practical advice for getting the most out of your home, inside and out.

My yoga mat goes through a lot each week. Between taking it to boxing training sessions each day for core workouts to using it for morning yoga, my mat gets dragged around to some not-so-clean surfaces -- not to mention how it inevitably gets covered in my sweat, too.

Because yoga mats are often used for intense, sweaty workouts, it's easy for them to harbor germs and bacteria. So whether you're sharing mats at a yoga class or using your own, it's worth taking the time to clean your mat often to banish bacteria and prevent it from falling apart.

Here are several tips and tricks on how to best clean your yoga mat. (For more cleaning tips, here's our guide on how to clean your mattress, how to kill mold in your washer and how to declutter your closet.)

How to clean your yoga mat

For everyday cleaning

For just the regular daily cleaning you'll want to do after a class or practice, I recommend using a homemade cleaning solution. You can simply mix white vinegar or witch hazel with water at a 1-to-4 ratio in a spray bottle and shake slightly to combine. (You can add a few drops of tea tree oil or another essential oil if you want a scent.) Then spray down your mat and gently wipe the solution all around the surface. Let your mat fully dry before rolling it up. 

For deep cleaning 

Believe it or not, one of the best methods to deep-clean your yoga mat is to give it a bath. Fill up a sink or bathtub with enough temperate water to fully submerge the mat. You can add a tablespoon of dish soap or detergent for each gallon of water. Allow it to soak for about 10 minutes, then gently wipe the front and back down with a cloth. Rinse your mat off with clean water before drying off the mat. I recommend wiping the mat off with a dry cloth before hanging the mat somewhere to hang-dry fully. 

I like to leave my mat to dry overnight to be completely moisture-free before I roll it back up. 

Depending on how much you use it, you'll need to deep clean your yoga mat every few weeks or monthly.

Amanda Capritto/CNET

Can you wash a yoga mat in the washing machine? 

While I recommend the above cleaning methods, some yoga mats are machine washable. If you really want to machine-wash your mat, do so on a cold gentle cycle. Check the mat's care instructions before trying this method, though, because some yoga mats will fall apart in the wash. But never put your yoga mat in the dryer: Always leave it to air-dry. 

How often should you clean your yoga mat?

With frequent usage, your yoga mat can quickly accumulate sweat, lint, skin oils, dirt and other grime. And over time, they can begin to smell if you're not careful. Depending on how much you use it, you should deep clean it around once a month. It's also just good practice to give it a wipe down with disinfecting wipes or a gentle cleaning solution after every use. 

It's important to note that yoga mats are supposed to feel tacky, or slightly sticking. Mats are made that way intentionally to help you hold more difficult yoga poses. While cleaning, be careful to not use harsh chemicals or scrub so hard that you eliminate the sticky finish so you keep your mat grippy and extend its longevity. 

Looking to get into yoga? Try out these yoga poses for better sleep and read about the benefits associated with hot yoga. 

More cleaning recommendations 

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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How to Factory Reset a MacBook, Windows Laptop or Chromebook to Sell or Give Away

How to Factory Reset a MacBook, Windows Laptop or Chromebook to Sell or Give Away

One side effect of spending more time at home during the pandemic is the realization that I have a lot of old tech lying around. A lot. Then, when I made a KonMari attempt at decluttering said tech, I unearthed several things I forgot I had -- including an old laptop I stopped using years ago because it was too slow for my high-end computing needs. 

While this laptop no longer sparked joy for me, it turned out to be a perfect fit for my mom. It just needed to be cleaned up first, and I'm not just talking about removing dust and mystery goo with a few swipes of a disinfectant wipe, though you'll want to do that, too. The type of cleaning I'm talking about is restoring the laptop to like-new condition inside and out. Cleaning the outside is the easy part. Wiping the computer of all your apps, files, folders and other personal information isn't necessarily as straightforward. Of course, how much data scrubbing you need to do will likely depend on the recipient. 

The big picture steps you take to refresh a laptop are the same regardless of whether it's a Windows laptop. Apple MacBook or Chromebook -- save your old data, remove all personal information, then go for a factory reset. It's the actual step-by-step procedure that differs depending on the type of laptop you're dealing with. Below, you'll find everything you need to know and do before giving your laptop a second life. And with supply chain issues, shipping problems and chip shortages making new devices harder to get, passing along a new-to-you laptop can be a welcome holiday gift. 

Last thing first

I typically save the laptop's physical cleaning until last (why clean your fingerprints off twice?), but you may want to start there -- especially if it's been gathering dust in the back of a closet/under a bed/in the garage for the past several years. The basic equipment required for a good laptop cleaning is a can of compressed air and some disinfectant or alcohol wipes. For a slightly deeper clean, you may also want to grab a screwdriver and remove the bottom cover of your laptop (if possible) so you can carefully blow out any dust that's accumulated on the fans and vents. 

After the laptop is clean, you can also wipe down the power adapter and any related accessories. It's also a good idea to ensure the power adapter is still in good, working condition. If you're still not quite sure where to start with the cleaning, check out our complete guide to getting your laptop looking its best.

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Gifting a used MacBook

Óscar Gutiérrez/CNET

Before you even think about doing a factory reset on your MacBook, you need to save any data you want to keep. You may have already done this at some point if you migrated data from this old MacBook to a new one using using Apple's Migration Assistant. If that's not the case, it's time to hook up an external drive and use MacOS' built-in Time Machine tool to create a backup. If you have an iCloud account, you can back up your data there as well. 

Sign out of everything

You'll also want to log out of all accounts before wiping your MacBook's drive. Start with iCloud, Find My Mac and iMessage. Then look for individual software accounts you may need to deregister. If you use a browser other than Safari, such as Chrome or Firefox, you should sign out of those as well. Basically, if it's got personal account information, you'll want to sign out. (Here's how to find account settings in MacOS.)

Two other things you should do before a factory reset: Unpair any Bluetooth devices -- particularly if the MacBook is being gifted to someone in your household -- and reset the NVRAM. The latter is memory that holds onto settings that the MacBook needs before loading MacOS. On startup, press and hold Option-Command-P-R to reset the NVRAM.

Perform a factory reset

If you've done everything above, you're ready to return your MacBook to its out-of-the-box state. On an Intel-based Mac, reboot the system and press and hold Command-R to enter Recovery Mode. (Accessing Recovery Mode on MacBooks running on the company's Apple Silicon chips is different, however.) 

Read more: Before selling your MacBook, you need to factory reset it

Once in Recovery Mode, you'll see a window of MacOS utilities. Use the Disk Utility to erase your drive. When that's complete, you'll be able to reinstall MacOS. After it's done reinstalling, you'll reach the Setup Assistant. From there you can stop and shut it down or set it up for the recipient. 

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Gifting a used Windows laptop

Screenshot by Josh Goldman/CNET

As with gifting a MacBook, start by backing up any important folders and files on your old laptop to cloud storage or an external drive. If you're doing the latter, go to Settings > Update & Security > Backup > Add a drive and select the external drive. Then click on Backup Now. 

Sign out of all your apps

A lot of paid software requires you to sign in with an account, a product key or both. Before you wipe your laptop's storage, sign out of any accounts and deregister software licenses (if possible). If you need those product keys to re-register software on a new laptop, be sure to save that information. If you use a browser other than Edge, such as Chrome or Firefox, sign out of those as well. Basically, if it's got personal account information, sign out.

Reset the laptop

Ready to clean the drive and reinstall Windows? Go to Settings > Update and security > Recovery. At the top of the window, you'll see Reset this PC. Click on Get Started and select Remove Everything from the box that appears. From there, you can select to reinstall Windows from the local drive or download from the cloud. After that, Windows cleans the drive of all software, settings and data. When it's done, the laptop will start in its setup assistant mode. You can then stop and shut it down for a fresh-out-of-the-box experience or do some setup, which is nice touch, especially if it's going to a family member so they can use it right away.

Unlink from your Microsoft account

If you used a Microsoft account to sign in to the laptop, the last thing you'll want to do is remove the laptop from that account. Sign in to your account from another computer and click on the Devices tab at the top of the page. Find the laptop that you're gifting on the list of devices, and at the bottom of the listing, you'll see the option to remove the device. Click it and you're done. 

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Gifting a used Chromebook

Sarah Tew/CNET

Chromebooks are the easiest to refresh for gifting. That's mainly because of their cloud-based design. Google also makes it extremely easy to wipe your data and securely clean the internal storage as well as remove the Chromebook from your Google account. 

Check the AUE first

Before you even consider gifting an old Chromebook, check its auto-update expiration. Google only guarantees Chrome OS and browser feature support on non-Google hardware for so long. Every device has a date on which it stops receiving updates, aka its AUE date. Current models receive updates for eight years; older models could potentially be a year or two away from reaching their AUE. 

Google maintains an AUE list, so finding the date your Chromebook will stop receiving updates is as easy as locating your model on that list. The AUE can also be found in your Chromebook's settings. Here's how to find the AUE from Google and in your Chromebook.

Give it a Powerwash

Powerwash is Google's built-in factory reset tool for Chromebooks. Once you've backed up folders or files stored on the Chromebook's internal drive, running Powerwash will securely scrub the system and reboot. When it restarts, it'll be just like the day you unboxed it. 

The actual Powerwash typically takes less than a minute to complete. A simple search for "powerwash" in your Chromebook's settings will bring you right to the feature, but here's everything you need to know about the procedure. 

Remove the Chromebook from your Google account

Although you've removed your account from the Chromebook, you haven't removed the Chromebook from your account. Start by signing into your Google account and head to the Security settings. If you use the Chrome browser, you can also click on your account avatar and select Manage your Google Account from the drop-down menu. 

In the Security section, scroll down until you see a box labeled Your devices, which lists all the devices attached to your account. At the bottom of the box, click on Manage devices and find the Chromebook you're gifting and select Sign Out. 

Give the Chromebook a good external cleaning, gather up any accessories and it's ready to hand off to your giftee.

Read more: How to regift a game console

How Factory Reset Your Devices

Make sure to wipe personal data before selling, trading in or regifting your gear.

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How to Change Your Windows 11 Wallpaper in 5 Easy Steps

How to Change Your Windows 11 Wallpaper in 5 Easy Steps

Microsoft's Windows 11 operating system came with a ton of new features like Android apps on your Windows PC, natively supporting Microsoft Teams and a cleaner, more Mac-like design. But Windows 11 also gives you options for new wallpaper. 

If you're not a fan of Microsoft's new default wallpaper -- a blooming, abstract flower shape that pays homage to Windows 10's royal blue colors -- you can change it up. Windows 11 has other default images, or you can change your wallpaper to a photo you've saved or uploaded to your PC.

Read more: Windows 11 is Familiar but Fresh

We'll show you how to switch your wallpaper to a background you're fond of with just a few steps. You can also create virtual desktops and a breakdown of our favorite features. This story was recently updated. 

The default Windows 11 wallpaper features an abstract blue swirl design.

Microsoft/Screenshot by Sarah Tew/CNET

Once you have access to Windows 11, here's how to change your wallpaper: 

1. Click the on-screen Windows button or press the Windows button on your keyboard.

2. Click Settings.

3. Go to Personalization.

4. Choose Background.

5. Select an already available image or click Browse to search for an image you've saved to your PC.

Changes to the default wallpaper only scratch the surface of the design and feature changes found on the Windows 11 desktop. For example, you'll also find ways to customize your Windows 11 desktop with widgets, virtual desktops and Snap Group layouts. 

For more, check out the big changes between Windows 10 and Windows 11 and where you can find the new Start menu.

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How to become a good running back how to get myself back how to become a better running back how to train back muscles how to train yourself to become ambidextrous how to become yourself how to train yourself to wake up early how to train yourself to fight how to train yourself to run how to train your dragon 2 how to train how to screenshot on windows 10

How to Train Yourself to Become a Back Sleeper (and its Benefits)

How to Train Yourself to Become a Back Sleeper (and its Benefits)

Unless you're some kind of Incredibles Elastigirl, there are three primary sleeping positions: side, stomach and back -- although, some can be a combination of these. In 2019, a study that involved over 3,700 volunteers concluded that only 7% of people sleep predominantly on their back, a stark contrast to the 54% of people who favor sleeping on their side. 

However, what if back-sleeping had real, tangible evidence that it's better for you? Would you give it a try? It turns out there are many benefits to back-sleeping as it has a long list of benefits, ranging from reducing physical pain to preventing wrinkles and pimples. 

Don't worry, it's never too late to train yourself to become a back sleeper, but it will take effort to accomplish. Becoming a back sleeper may not happen overnight, but it's worth a shot if you want to reap its benefits. Find out below how sleeping on your back can improve your health and the steps you can do to make the switch. 

See more: Best mattress 2022

The benefits of back sleeping

Back sleeping has been praised as the ultimate sleeper position, and for good reason. It can do wonders for your body, face and overall health. 

There are a few exceptions to this. The first is pregnant women (usually after 20 weeks) because back sleeping can cause more pressure to their bellies. The second is people who snore or suffer from sleep apnea, as back sleeping can cause the tongue to obstruct your airway and cause breathing difficulties. Otherwise, training yourself to sleep on your back is worth considering. 

• Prevent back and neck pain: The key to preventing back pain while you sleep is ensuring your spine, neck and head are all in proper alignment -- one straight line, if you will. Back sleeping on a firm mattress can promote a neutral alignment, relieving pressure on your back and spine. A 2017 study revealed that sleeping on your back with your arms resting on the side or your chest is the best position to relieve pain. 
• Prevent acid reflux and clear up your sinuses: Sleeping with your head elevated above your heart helps prevent the build up of mucus in your sinuses, and relieves symptoms for those who experience acid reflux by preventing the exposure of acid to the esophagus. 
  
• Reduce tension headaches: Headaches that originate from the neck or cervical spine can be confused with migraine headaches, and often happen because of compressed nerves in the neck. Back sleeping helps relieve pressure on your neck, similar to how back sleeping prevents back pain. 
  
• Prevent wrinkles and blemishes: Sleeping on your stomach with your face down can have an undesired effect on your appearance. The compression and pinching of your face against your pillow can lead to wrinkles and fine lines, and the same thing goes for your neck. Additionally, your pillowcase is a hub for bacteria and sebum which can lead to breakouts. 
  
• Prevent puffiness in your face: When you sleep face-down on your pillow, fluid can collect in the tissues of your face resulting in swelling, puffiness and under-eye bags. Sleeping face-up on your back with your head elevated ensures the fluid is properly drained out. 
  

How to train yourself to sleep on your back 

Pillow placement is key   

Use pillows to your advantage to help train yourself. You should have a pillow with medium loft (height) to keep your head propped up, a pillow under your knees and a pillow under your lower back. This helps support the natural curvature of your body and relieve pressure. 

You can also create a pillow fortress to surround your whole body. It can prevent you from changing into a new position, and make you feel so cozy that you don't even feel the need to roll around. 

Properly elevate your head

To elaborate on step one, your pillow should keep your neck in a slight "C" curve to help reduce pressure on your neck and head. If you're staring straight up at the ceiling, your pillow isn't tall enough. If you're fully facing the wall in front of you, your pillow is too tall. The perfect back-sleeping pillow will be somewhere in between. 

Make sure your bed is firm enough 

Back sleeping on a soft mattress is a recipe for back pain. A soft mattress lacks the support to keep your spine and neck in a neutral alignment, allowing your back to sag into the bed. Instead, try a firm mattress or firm mattress topper to make your bed feel more accommodating. 

Try an adjustable bed frame

My Slumber Yard

An adjustable bed frame that allows you to move the head and foot positions up and down can keep you in a comfortable sleeping position, while also discouraging you to switch to your side or stomach. 

By raising your head above your heart and slightly raising your feet, you go into a "zero gravity" mode, and it relieves pressure from all parts of your body -- like you're floating in space (hence the name). The positioning also prevents you from moving into an uncomfortable position on your side or stomach. 

Consider the starfish position 

If you're a single sleeper, your bed is your oyster and you can do as you wish without bothering a co-sleeper. In that case, lay with your legs and arms spread out and stretched each way like a starfish. You're able to evenly disperse your weight to prevent the build-up of pressure, and people who have tried it swear by it. 

Mind your late-night meals 

As tasty as pizza and hamburgers are, try to refrain from eating heavily fatty foods too close to bedtime. If you eat dinner less than 2 hours before you plan to go to bed, you may feel an uncomfortable pressure on your belly when you try to sleep face-up. 

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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Microsoft Windows 10 review: Microsoft gets it right

Microsoft Windows 10 review: Microsoft gets it right

When Microsoft unveiled Windows 10 in 2015, it delivered an elegant operating system that could -- for the first time -- fulfill the potential of each modern computing form factor. Equally proficient on a touchscreen tablet, laptop, or conventional desktop PC, Windows 10 resuscitated the operating system's best features while setting the stage for Microsoft's ongoing innovation streak that includes idiosyncratic products like the Surface Pro 4, Surface Book and, more recently, the Surface Studio -- a desktop PC for artists and designers in need of high-end horsepower and display -- and the Surface Dial, a touch-friendly dial designed to facilitate fine contextual controls.

Late 2016 update

The next generation of the popular Surface tablet, the rumored Surface Pro 5, is expected to appear in the spring of 2017 -- timing that may coincide with the rollout of the next version of Windows, a free update scheduled for the first half of 2017. Windows "Creators Update" will introduce 4K video game streaming and support "augmented reality," bringing 3D capabilities to legacy applications such as Paint and PowerPoint. It will support 3D rendering for Microsoft's HoloLens technology, which will be incorporated into forthcoming devices from Acer, Lenovo, Dell, HP and Asus. And it will enable a virtual touchpad that lets you control external monitors from tablets, without need for a mouse.

It's worth mentioning that Apple delivered its own operating system overhaul in September 2016. MacOS Sierra added some new features inspired by its own mobile operating system. And though Apple clearly wishes to continue the integration of Macs and iOS products, providing additional incentives to keep your hardware inside Apple's walled garden, it's not always a perfect fit. In fact, the new MacBooks announced in early October 2016, equipped only with USB-C ports, can't connect to the new iPhone 7 and its Lightning Connector, without an adapter.

Editors' note: The original Microsoft Windows 10 review, first published in July 2015, follows.

Windows 10 is the Goldilocks version of Microsoft's venerable PC operating system -- a "just right" compromise between the familiar dependability of Windows 7, and the forward-looking touchscreen vision of Windows 8.

This new Windows, available as a free upgrade for existing Windows 7 and Windows 8 noncorporate users, is built from the ground up to pursue Microsoft's vision of a unified OS that spans all devices without alienating any one platform. It's an attempt to safeguard Microsoft's crumbling software hegemony, assailed on all sides by Google and Apple. And it's a vision of the future as Microsoft sees it, where a single user experience spans every piece of technology we touch. Welcome to Windows as a service.

Yes, this new OS is chock-full of fresh features. To name just a few: a lean, fast Internet Explorer replacement called Edge; Microsoft's Siri-like voice-controlled virtual assistant, Cortana; and the ability to stream real-time games to your desktop from an Xbox One in another room. (And in case you're wondering: there is no "Windows 9" -- Microsoft skipped it, going straight from 8 to 10.)

Windows 10 bridges the gap between PC and tablet. Nate Ralph/CNET

But Windows 10 is also the end of a long, awkward road that began with the release of Windows 8 in 2012, when Microsoft tried to convince a world of keyboard and mouse wielders that touchscreens were the way to go -- or else. Ironically, in 2015, the PC hardware for that touchscreen future is now here -- everything from 2-in-1s such as the Lenovo Yoga line to convertible tablets with detachable keyboards, like Microsoft's own Surface. And Windows 10 smoothly lets users transition from "tablet" to "PC" mode on such devices like never before.

For the rest of the PC universe -- including those who still prefer good old-fashioned keyboard and mouse navigation -- Windows 10 is a welcome return to form. The Start menu, inexplicably yanked from 8, is back and working the way you expect it to. Those live tiles from the Windows 8 home screen still exist, but they've been attached to the Start menu, where they make a lot more sense. And the fiendishly hidden Charms bar has been morphed into the more straightforward (and easier to find) Action Center.

As always, there are some quibbles and gripes with the end product, but all-in-all -- after living with Windows 10 for months -- I can say it's a winner. It's flexible, adaptable and customizable. And it's been battle-tested by an army of beta testers for the better part of a year, making it one of the most robust operating system rollouts in recent memory.

A fresh Start

The Start menu is back; it's almost funny how relieving that is. That humble Start button has been a fixture on the lower left corner of the Windows desktop since the halcyon days of Windows 95, offering speedy access to apps and settings. Press it on Windows 10, and you'll see the latest step in a long conversation about the state of the PC industry.

I spend more time than I'd like to admit rearranging the Start Menu. Screenshot by Nate Ralph/CNET

The past sits on the left: a neat column with shortcuts to your most used apps. Press the "All Apps" button and you'll get an alphabetical list of all of the apps installed on your PC. There are folders in there too -- press them, and extra options will fly out, just like they always have.

The future -- or at least, the future as Microsoft envisions it -- sits on the right side of the Start menu. These are the colorful, animated live tiles that debuted in Windows 8, pulling double duty as app shortcuts and informative widgets. You can resize these live tiles, drag them about to arrange them into groups and pin as many apps as you'd like -- the entire Start menu can be shrunk or expanded to suit your liking. It's essentially a miniaturized version of the fullscreen Start menu we saw in Windows 8. Hate live tiles? Then unpin them to excise them from your computer, leaving you with the narrow column of frequently used apps we've known for so long.

One step back, two steps forward

The Start menu in Windows 10 is admission that Windows 8 maybe have been a bit too forward thinking. But Microsoft hasn't abandoned that vision of unifying all manner of devices under a single operating system: Continuum in Windows 10 is the latest attempt to bridge the gap between touch and non-touch devices, and this time it doesn't force us to relearn how to work with our PCs.

To start, there's no divide between the Windows 8-style "Modern" apps you get from the Windows app store, and those you install the old-fashioned way. Everything exists as a traditional windowed app, sharing space on the desktop. If you're on a two-in-one device like Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 , pop the keyboard off and Windows 10 will switch to tablet mode. The Start menu and your apps will stretch to take up the entire screen, and all of the miscellaneous apps and shortcuts on your taskbar will disappear, to give your finger fewer obstacles to hit.

Apps go fullscreen, and the taskbar gets a little less cluttered in tablet mode. Screenshot by Nate Ralph/CNET

Reattach the keyboard, and everything slots back into place. It's an instantaneous, seamless process (once you've shooed away the annoying confirmation window). It's also entirely optional: you can disable the feature and switch to tablet mode manually, or forget that this whole touch concept exists at all.

This is what Windows 8 always should've been: an operating system that bridges the divide between touch and non-touch, without alienating folks who fall into one camp or the other. Like it or not, the future belongs to devices with touchscreens. But Microsoft (finally) understands that we'll all get there at own pace, and Continuum makes the transition painless. And now that there are so many hybrid devices to choose from, making the switch to touch without abandoning the interface we know is more important than ever.

Learning new tricks

Microsoft hasn't stopped at making touch make sense on a Windows PC. With Windows 10, just about every facet of the OS has been tweaked and updated, and a few new features have been rolled in. In typical Microsoft fashion, there's a dizzying array of keyboard shortcuts and touch gestures for each of these features, giving you no fewer than three ways to access the things you're trying to get to. No need to memorize them all -- just use whatever suits you (or your device) best.

Virtual desktops

If I had to pick my favorite new feature, I'd go with virtual desktops. Click the new Task View button on the taskbar and you'll get a bird's-eye view of all of the apps you've got open. Drag one of those apps onto the "new desktop" button, and it'll be moved to its own independent workspace. I can keep one workspace focused on work, a separate desktop for gaming forums, yet another workspace for the new camera lenses I'm checking out; there's no limit to the amount of virtual desktops you can create, and each one is treated as its own little private island.

Virtual desktops help you spread your apps across several workspaces. Screenshot by Nate Ralph/CNET

Virtual desktops are far from a new development, and they've been available in past versions of Windows thanks to third-party apps. But it's nice to see Microsoft catching up here. The feature could still use some work: desktops are numbered, but if you create a lot of them it can be hard to keep track of where everything is. The "traditional" Win32 apps you might download and install from a website are happy to open a new instance on any desktop, while clicking the shortcut on an app from the Windows store will yank you back to whatever desktop you used it on last.

You can move apps across virtual desktops -- just drag them, or right-click to shunt them over -- but there's no way to reorder the virtual desktops themselves, which would be really useful for staying organized. I'd also like to be able to set a different wallpaper for every virtual desktop -- I can do both of those things in Apple's OSX operating system, and have always found it really handy.

Windows Snap

The Snap feature introduced in Windows 7 has gotten a bit of an upgrade, too. Drag an app to the left or right side of the screen, and it'll "snap" to fill that space. The new Snap Assist feature will then chime in, showing you little thumbnails of any other apps that are currently open -- click a thumbnail, and it'll fill up the remaining space. You can also snap an app into a corner of your display and fill your screen with up to four apps, divided equally across the screen -- this could prove useful for folks with massive monitors.

Action Center

The new Action Center replaces the "Charms" introduced in Windows 8, and is another nod to mobile operating systems. Click the Action center icon on the taskbar to bring up a panel that houses all of your app notifications, and offers quick access to a few important system settings, like toggling your Wi-Fi network or switching in and out of tablet mode -- you can choose the options that turn up here in the settings menu. If you're coming from Windows 7 and have no idea where to find some of the settings you're used to, there's a good chance you'll find them here.

Wi-Fi Sense

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Wi-Fi Sense. While technically not a new feature (it's part of Windows Phone 8.1) its presence in Windows 10 should've been a welcome addition: Wi-Fi Sense connects your devices to trusted Wi-Fi hotspots.

I love the idea. Automatically sharing Wi-Fi credentials with my friends would remove much of the hassle of most social gatherings, when people just want to jump on my Wi-Fi network. And -- this part is key -- Wi-Fi Sense doesn't share your actual password, so it theoretically eases a social transaction (the sharing of Wi-Fi connectivity) without necessarily compromising my network security.

Until Wi-Fi sense offers granular control over sharing, I'd avoid it. Screenshot by Nate Ralph/CNET

But the implementation is, in a word, daft. I do want to automatically share my network with a select group of friends who are visiting, and have them return the favor. I don't want to automatically share access with everyone in my Outlook address book, or on Skype, or the random assortment of folks I've added on Facebook over the years. Give me the ability to choose who I share access with, down to the individual, and I'll give it a shot. Until then, I'll be leaving Wi-Fi Sense off -- I recommend you do too.

Windows Hello and Windows Passport

Microsoft is also beefing up security with Windows Hello. The feature will use your Windows 10 devices' camera or a fingerprint scanner to turn your body into a password. Once you've authenticated yourself with Windows Hello, Windows Passport will then give you access to a number of third-party sites and products, without forcing you to log in all over again. This should make it a bit more convenient to log in to your devices, so you don't skimp on traditional measures, like having a robust password. The only catch is that Hello isn't widely supported on a lot of existing hardware: you'll need a device sporting Intel's RealSense camera, or a fingerprint scanner.

Chatting with Cortana

Microsoft's virtual assistant Cortana isn't exactly a new feature, as she's been on Windows Phone for just over a year. But the company's answer to Apple's Siri, Amazon's Alexa and Google Now has made the transition to the desktop with Windows 10, taking over the OS' search functionality, while also handling quite a few housekeeping duties. You can have Cortana trawl through your email and calendar, and keep you notified of any upcoming flights you're taking, or packages you're expecting. She can set reminders and track stocks, and you can even dictate email messages for her to send to your contacts. Cortana can also be set to listen for you to say "Hey, Cortana," and can be trained to recognize several different voices. If you want to learn more about Cortana, head over to my preview on Microsoft's virtual assistant .

Cortana will help you get things done. James Martin/CNET

I'm torn. I love Google Now's proactive stream of useful information, served to me whenever I need it. But my primary mobile device is an Android phone and not a Windows Phone, which keeps my interactions with Cortana sequestered to my desktop.

She's not especially useful here. Windows 10's Voice recognition is rather accurate, but if I have to send an email message and I'm at my desk, I'm just going to use my email client. She'll offer recommendations for places to eat or things to see, but that'd be a lot more useful when I'm out and about than at my desk. The same goes for reminders, which are decidedly less useful if I can't access them anywhere.

Cortana will be making her way to Android and iOS devices later this year, which should clear up most of these issues -- provided most of her functionality crosses platforms without issue. I'll still turn to Cortana for the occasional joke, but until it's available on a phone I use regularly, I'll be sticking to Google for Now.

Microsoft Edge rethinks the browser

Microsoft has added a brand-new browser into Windows 10, and it's called Microsoft Edge. Introducing a new browser in a world that already has Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Apple's Safari is a pretty bold move. Doubly so when your previous effort was Internet Explorer -- once a juggernaut in the space, now the Internet's favorite punchline.

Annotate webpages with Microsoft's Edge browser. James Martin/CNET

Edge is a fast, modern browser that offers quite a few commendable features. Cortana is integrated right into the browser, and she'll offer detailed information on things like the weather or flight statuses while you're typing into the browser's address bar. Navigate over to a bar or restaurant's website, and Cortana can pull up a little sidebar full of useful information, like reviews or directions. The webnote feature lets you scribble on webpages and share your annotations to OneNote or via email, and you can use the Reading view option to strip a website down to its bare essentials. Edge has also been built with tighter security from the start, to hopefully circumvent some of the headaches that erupted from Internet Explorer.

But there are no extensions to tame overzealous advertisements, or enhance websites like Reddit, or simply organized my tabs -- I've been thoroughly spoiled by Google Chrome. There's no way to sync tabs or bookmarks across devices, and you currently can't import bookmarks from other browsers. All those features will be available eventually, with support for extensions coming sometime before the end of the year -- like Windows 10, Edge is a constantly evolving work in progress. But it's going to take a lot for someone like me, wholly enmeshed in Google's ecosystem, to ditch Chrome for something new. Internet Explorer also isn't going anywhere: it'll remain a part of Windows for the foreseeable future, as legacy apps are dependent on it. Head over to my Microsoft Edge preview to learn more about Microsoft Edge .

Getting your game on

Windows 10 adds and tweaks a few things in the entertainment department. The Xbox Video and Xbox Music apps have been renamed to Movies & TV and Groove Music, respectively. Their function is identical: any music and video files on your device can be found here, but it mostly serves as a means to convince you to buy or rent content from Microsoft's stores. You've got plenty of streaming services to choose from, for music and video.

Xbox Live achievements for Solitaire? Brilliant. Screenshot by Nate Ralph/CNET

If you're a gamer, the Xbox app will prove far more interesting. It's a window into your Xbox Live feed, letting you see what your friends are up to and send them messages, browse recordings people have made, compare achievements, and all of the expected ways of interacting with the social network. But if you own an Xbox One, you can stream activity from your console to any device running Windows 10.

It's awesome. No, it's not a game changer, and certainly not a reason to run out and grab an Xbox One. But it's still awesome: if someone wants to use the television, I can just plug an Xbox One controller into one of my PCs and continue plugging away at the Xbox One version of The Witcher 3 . The quality of the experience is going to be dependent on your network, so I'd recommend making sure both your console and the PC you're streaming to are connect to your LAN. The console also can't be used by others when it's streaming so this won't enable cooperative gaming. But if you frequently find yourself sharing the TV and have a PC with Windows 10 on hand, it's a fun little addition that could come in handy.

Handy tools for shutterbugs

The new Photos app isn't going to replace something like Adobe Lightroom, but if you take a lot of photos and are looking for a simple tool to keep things organized, you'll do well here.

Use the Photos app to make quick, non-destructive edits to your pictures. Screenshot by Nate Ralph/CNET

The Photos app scans your devices and OneDrive account for photos, and automatically arranges them into albums. You can use the app as a way to keep track of your pictures, but it also offers some basic editing tools too. If you prefer a hands-off approach, Photos will automatically enhance all of the photos it finds, wrangling red eye and sorting out exposure levels -- it works on RAW files, too. But don't worry: the edits Photos makes are non-destructive, so you can undo any changes it makes, or prevent it from altering your photos altogether.

Windows, everywhere

Windows 10 has finally arrived, but this version of Windows is fundamentally different from any that have come before it. It will truly be an everywhere OS, a concept Microsoft will be pushing with Windows 10 Mobile , and Universal Apps. We've been here before: apps developed for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 could share much of their code, which was supposed to make it easy to create a single app that ran everywhere.

Microsoft's universal apps share an identical codebase: the Excel client on your desktop, for example, will be the exact same client as the one on your phone, with elements adjusted to make sense of the different display, and the lack of a keyboard or mouse. You can currently get a taste of this on the latest version of Windows 10 Mobile, and while I wouldn't recommend editing spreadsheets on your smartphone, it's possible.

Universal apps will lead to their own challenges, as developers will have to weigh creating rich, robust apps that can run on a mobile device, against developing apps that can make use of all of the power a full PC can bring to bear. Microsoft is already drafting a solution using Continuum. Microsoft has demonstrated Continuum for phones: plug a Windows Phone into a display, and the interface will one day morph to mimic the PC-based version of Windows. You'll see the desktop, desktop-versions of Windows Store apps, and get full mouse and keyboard support. There's no word on when Continuum for phones will be available, or what devices it'll run on, but it offers a tantalizing glimpse of what Microsoft has in store.

Getting ready for what's next

The Windows Update process will be key to getting everyone on board with Microsoft's vision of the future of Windows. It'll also prove to be one of the most contentious elements: if you're running the standard Home version of Windows 10, updates are automatic and can't be refused.

This is a great thing. Windows' Achilles' heel has long been its nigh-ubiquity, which makes it a prime target for malware and other digital nastiness. A computer that's kept up to date is a happy computer, as it will offer you the best chance of avoiding viruses and other unpleasant things.

You can delay updates, but you can't avoid them. Screenshot by Nate Ralph/CNET

This is also a terrible thing. Many of us have encountered software updates that don't quite work out, occasionally breaking more than they fix. One of the last updates to the Windows 10 preview has been triggering software crashes, a recurring reminder that things occasionally don't work out as intended.

Microsoft has plans in place to mitigate these snafus: those of us who've signed up for the Windows Insider program can opt to continue serving as beta testers in perpetuity, and we'll be receiving every update first, for better or worse. But an army of five million testers could go a long way toward making sure these compulsory updates go as smoothly as possible. Insiders will also be able to continue driving the future of Windows by sharing feedback on features and functionality in Windows as they are developed.

I still worry that something will eventually slip through the cracks, and that will be the forced update that sours everyone's mood on the whole process. But I still favor Microsoft's approach: better to deal with the occasional botched update than have the legion of vulnerable or compromised devices that currently exists.

Conclusion

In an ideal world, we'd just call Microsoft's latest operating system "Windows," and sweep version numbers and codenames under the rug. That "10" gives the impression that something comes next, when in reality Windows is transitioning from something you buy (begrudgingly) once every few years, to a living document that's constantly being updated, and tweaked. For many Windows users expecting a predictable upgrade cadence, this is going to be a difficult transition.

Windows 10 will mean the end of grand, sweeping changes, with a marked increase in the sort of minute, quality-of-life tweaks we've grown accustomed to on our smartphones and tablets. Cortana will learn new tricks, and the interface will become flexible enough to support entirely new kinds of devices, like Microsoft's HoloLens . Should Windows Phone survive, we'll eventually see the world Microsoft envisioned back at the launch of Windows 8, when every device was supposed to feel right at home.

All of that comes later. What we have, at present, is a fast, functional OS that that is equally at home on a beefy gaming rig as it is on a Surface tablet. It does everything you expect it to, and bakes in all of the improvements Windows 8 brought to bear. Both Cortana and Edge have a long road ahead of them before they'll supplant Google's vicelike grip on my digital life, but the novelty of dictating emails and requests to my PC is not lost on me. And then there's the price: free, for those upgrading from Windows 7 or Windows 8.

If you're running Windows 7 or Windows 8 you've little to lose, and quite a bit to gain, by making the jump to Windows 10. If you're still on Windows XP, you've probably got your reasons. But Windows 10 marks the first steps in a transition from operating system to ecosystem, a wild dream that gets a little less crazy every time I ask my PC a question, or pop the keyboard of my laptop to get some reading done. This is Microsoft's second attempt at bringing us the future, and this time they're getting it right.

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