The Reason to Use 2-Factor Authentication

When Microsoft introduced two-factor authentication for Windows 10, they encouraged their millions of users to utilize the Passwordless feature as soon as they could.

Two-factor authentication was created to secure accounts in the most effective way possible. This, in turn, shuts down any possible threats attempting to access them. It seems like all Microsoft accounts would be on board with this. However, sources have shown that almost ALL unauthorized access cases were due to those accounts lacking the 2FA.

According to Microsoft, “There are over 300 million fraudulent sign-in attempts to our cloud services every day. Cyberattacks aren’t slowing down, and it’s worth noting that many attacks have been successful without the use of advanced technology. All it takes is one compromised credential or one legacy application to cause a data breach. This underscores how critical it is to ensure password security and strong authentication. Read on to learn about common vulnerabilities and the single action you can take to protect your accounts from attacks.”

You have the ability to two-factor authenticate many of your accounts, which include Apple, Gmail, Twitter, Facebook, and more. To avoid hackers stealing personal information, fix it with this amazing security feature.


If you have any questions regarding security, call us at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities. This blog post was brought to you by our staff at the Dallas Computer Repair Service. If you need computer repair in Dallas, TX, please call our local office at (469) 299-9005.

Personalize Your Windows Performance

Better Battery or Execution?

AMD and Intel users that use build 1709 – or newer – Windows 10 have quite the handy performance feature included in their system. And it can be customized to their liking.

This Windows power slider allows users to barter performance for better battery life or vice versa. To access the slider, simply click on the battery icon on the lower right-hand side of the screen. From there, you can easily slide the bar back and forth between the best battery life and best performance.

According to Microsoft Docs, users can decide from four available modes:

Battery Saver: Helps conserve power, and prolong battery life, when the system is not connected to a power source. When battery saver is on, some Windows features are disabled, throttled, or behave differently. Screen brightness is also reduced. Battery Saver is only available on DC. To learn more, see Battery Saver.

Better Battery: Delivers longer battery life than the default settings on previous versions of Windows. Available on both AC and DC. In some cases, users will see this mode labeled Recommended, rather than Better Battery, in their slider UI.

Better Performance: Default slider mode that slightly favors performance over battery life and is appropriate for users who want to tradeoff power for better performance of their apps. Available on both AC and DC.

Best Performance: Favors performance over power and is targeted at users who want to tradeoff power for performance and responsiveness. Available on both AC and DC.


If you have any questions regarding Windows 10, call us at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities. This blog post was brought to you by our staff at the Denton Computer Repair Service. If you need computer repair in Denton, TX please call our local office at (940) 227-6950.

Notepad and Paint can be Uninstalled

With Windows 10 operating systems, Notepad and Paint were on the list of mandatory apps available on the PC. And with that came the impossibility of them being uninstalled. However, Microsoft quickly changed that that.

Early last year, Microsoft included an abundance of improvements, fixes, and more in an update. Optional installations to both Notepad and Paint, among other apps, like Wordpad, are available. Though they may be smaller MB in size than other apps – 6.58 MB for Paint and 6.24 MB for Wordpad – every bit of free space counts.

Microsoft announced back in 2017 that Microsoft Paint (MS Paint) was going to be deprecated and removed in their next Creators Update. However, in 2019, they announced that they reverted back to keeping it and added new features to the popular app.

This ‘optional’ feature is hoping to give Windows 10 users a little more control over what they have on their PC.

To uninstall optional applications, simply go to Settings < Apps < Apps & features < Optional features. From there, click on which ones you’d rather remove and click uninstall.

If you’re experiencing any Windows 10 or computer issues, call us at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities. This blog post was brought to you by our staff at the Thorton Computer Repair Service. If you need computer repair in Thorton, CO please call or text the local office at (720) 441-6460.

Vulnerabilities in Windows Operating System

Microsoft has verified that a major vulnerability has been discovered in all versions of Windows, posing an imminent threat.

Tracked as CVE-2021-34484, the “zero-day” flaw enables hackers to breach all versions of Windows (including Windows 10, Windows 11 and Windows Server 2022) and take control of your computer. And the worst part is the flaw has been known about for some time. 

Source: Forbes

The Windows operating system unfortunately acquired this bug back in August. When the vulnerability was publicly published in October, Microsoft wrongly believed it had fixed it. They promised a new patch of security, but no word on when it will happen.

According to 0patch, however, a patch they created is available until Microsoft gets with the program. They state, “Micropatches for this vulnerability will be free until Microsoft has issued an official fix. If you want to use them, create a free account in 0patch Central, then install and register 0patch Agent from 0patch.com. Everything else will happen automatically. No computer reboots will be needed.”

The video below shows how to install the fix on your Windows OS.


For help with any computer issues, call us at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities. This blog post was brought to you by our staff at Glendale Computer Repair Service. If you need computer repair in Glendale, AZ please call the local office at (623) 295-2645.

Magnifier Reading on Windows 10

Microsoft seems to be crossing their T’s and dotting their I’s with their variety of tools and applications to suit everyone’s needs. Physical limitations are no match.

One crucial tool available is the Magnifier, which aids those who are hard of seeing. It shows the text larger than normal, so it can be read more clearly. To utilize this tool, Microsoft Support shares how to do so:

To quickly turn on Magnifier, press the Windows logo key+Plus sign (+). To turn off Magnifier, press the Windows logo key+Esc. 

If you prefer using a mouse, select Start  Settings   Ease of Access   Magnifier   Turn on Magnifier

Source: Microsoft Support
Source: Windows Support

One other tool that works well with the Magnifier is the reader. Once the Magnifier feature is open, the cursor needs to be placed wherever the reading needs to begin. Click and hold control, alt and enter to begin the reading.

For help with any computer issues, call us at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities. This blog post was brought to you from our staff at the Scottsdale Computer Repair Service. If you need computer repair in Scottsdale, AZ please call the local office at (480) 240-2960.

Programs that Start Routinely at Login

When Windows 10 users log in to their PC, they may notice a handful of apps that automatically start up. While some of these programs are necessary, others could possibly hinder the performance. This is no problem, however, since the user can be in control of what apps start up at every login.

You can find the list of start up apps by going to the Start Menu – Settings – Apps. Then, click on Startup. There, you’ll find the apps. You can easily disable the apps by using the toggle to turn them off.

Windows 10 Support also shares another way to find those background apps.

“If you don’t see the Startup option in Settings, right-click the Start  button, select Task Manager, then select the Startup tab. (If you don’t see the Startup tab, select More details.) Select the app you want to change, then select Enable to run it at startup or Disable so it doesn’t run.”

Windows Support

Disabling apps are quite easy, as are adding them. Simply go to the Start Menu and right-click on an app you want to start up automatically. Then, click on More, and Open file location, and save the shortcut. If the Open file location is not listed, Windows Support says that it means it’s not available to be saved to the Startup.


For help with Windows 10 issues, call us at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities. This blog post was brought to you by our staff at the Pearland Computer Repair Service. If you need computer repair in Pearland, TX please call the local office at (281) 860-2550.

Great Ways to Utilize Google Maps

Get somewhere fast and efficiently!

Back in the 90’s and 2000’s, the best way to find ways around cities and states were with physical, folded maps. Because of evolving technology, map apps, like Google Maps, have allowed users to acquire accurate directions to wherever they need to go. There are plenty of benefits, and are easy to utilize.

Saved Tab

Google has been working diligently on their maps app to give the best possible experience to users. One of the ways you can get the most out of it is to use their Saved tab. You can now save any destinations for easy access. This allows you to quickly go back and get an address you need.

On their blog, Google shares, “When you have a lot of saved places in your current area, it can be challenging to quickly figure out which is which and where to go. When location permission is enabled, you can see all your nearby saved places sorted by distance and arranged in a carousel for easy browsing to make your next decision a breeze.”

Map Accuracy

One of the great perks about Google maps is the accuracy and detail of the maps. Sujoy Banerjee, the Product Manager of Google Maps states, “Google Maps has high-definition satellite imagery for over 98 percent of the world’s population. With a new color-mapping algorithmic technique, we’re able to take this imagery and translate it into an even more comprehensive, vibrant map of an area at global scale.”

Their newest update includes a distinct view of the earth, with over 200 regions available. This adds color-coded visuals to determine what is grass, mountains, water, and other earthly landscapes.

Platforms

You can find Google Maps on Android and iOS. So no matter what kind of phone you have, this map will be able to help you where you need to go. You can even get ETA’s and accurate directions from you Apple Watch, which is a nice perk.

For inquiries, call us at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities. This blog post was brought to you by our staff at the Sandy Springs Computer Repair Service. If you need computer repair in Sandy Springs, GA please call or text the local office at(678) 695-8120.

Using the Calendar App Quickly

Accessible through the Taskbar

It’s no secret that Windows 10 holds quite the efficient Calendar app, which helps you remember important dates. But did you know you can quickly access it to create events without even opening the app? Here’s how:

  1. From your Taskbar, you’ll find the date and time. Click on it.
  2. Pick the date you’re needing to add an event to
  3. Enter in the necessary information
  4. Save it.

Once saved, the event will show up to all of your devices through your Calendar app. It’s so convenient.


If you are needing help with computer issues, please give us a call at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities.  This blog post is brought to you by our staff at the Largo Computer Repair Service. If you need computer repair in Largo, FL, please call the local office at (727) 350-1090.

Who Still Uses Old Windows Operating Systems?

Although Microsoft’s computer operating system was released in 2009 and will soon be three main versions out of date, many people continue to use it.

Back in January of this year, a survey was conducted by StatCounter:

This report specifically targets Windows users and excludes macOS and Linux from the runnings.

StatCounter gets its numbers by checking visitors to specific websites and taking note of which operating system they used to visit. It’s not a perfect measurement. It doesn’t count computers without an internet connection or ones that never visited the websites StatCounter watched; however, it’s a fairly good estimate of what people are using.

Out of all the Windows operating systems, StatCounter recorded 18.03 percent of them running Windows 7 in December 2020. Surprisingly, this is a great deal more than the people using its predecessor Windows 8.1, which came in at 3.95 percent.

Source: Make Use Of
Why don’t users just upgrade?

Both operating systems have essentially identical hardware requirements, most users can update for free, and Windows 10 will provide a familiar user experience. There’s no particular reason as to why Windows 7 users don’t just upgrade their operating systems.

Simply put: They don’t want to deal with the hassle.

However, with Windows 7’s end of support, not upgrading your PC could potentially cause more harm than good. This leaves open vulnerabilities for hackers to steal any personal information you have on the computer.


For help with any computer issues, call us at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities. This blog post was brought to you by our staff at the Denver Computer Repair Service, if you need computer repair in Denver, CO please call or text the local office at (720) 441-6460.

Make Your Desktop Icons Disappear

Don’t worry, though. You can make them reappear again.

If you’re wanting a clean desktop, you can easily hide those icons with just a couple of clicks. And the keyword is “hide”. You won’t lose them. Simply right-click on the desktop and hover your mouse over View. A list will drop down, and you will un-check Show desktop icons.

To bring them back, just click on Show desktop icons again. Voila!

For help updating, restoring, or dealing with any Windows 10 issues, call us at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities. This blog post was brought to you by our staff at the Clearwater Computer Repair Service. If you need computer repair in Clearwater, FL please call or text the local office at (727) 350-1090.