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The Google Chrome browser has tons of great features, but many of them are not available by default. Chrome “flags” can enable experimental and beta features if you know where to find them. It’s surprisingly easy to do. Google will often put features behind flags before they are ready for prime time. Sometimes these features make their way to stable releases, but they can also disappear without warning. That’s the nature of using experimental and beta features. RELATED: The Best Chrome Flags to Enable for Better Browsing There are flags available for different platforms as well. For example, there are certain flags for Chrome on Android, Chrome on Windows, etc. The process for enabling these flags is very simple. Warning: These features are not available to everyone for a reason. They may not work correctly and they can negatively impact your browser’s performance. Enable flags at your own risk. First, open the Chrome browser on your device. Flags are available … [Read more...] about How to Enable Google Chrome Flags to Test Beta Features

All Windows 10 PCs have “Game Mode” enabled by default. Microsoft once touted this feature, but it’s now faded into the background. Bizarrely, some people report that disabling Game Mode boosts the performance of certain PC games! What Does “Game Mode” Do on Windows 10? First introduced in Windows 10’s Creators Update , which was released back in April 2017, “ Game Mode ” promises to boost the performance of many PC games. Here’s the official description: Microsoft says that Game Mode “helps achieve a more stable frame rate depending on the specific game and system.” Technically, it works by detecting games and giving them priority access to your computer’s resources. The game you’re focused on playing gets more CPU and GPU resources, while other applications and background processes get fewer resources. This only works if Windows 10 detects that you’re playing a game. Microsoft’s limited explanation of Game Mode also says that, in Game Mode, Windows Update won’t … [Read more...] about Did You Know? Windows 10 PCs Have “Game Mode” on by Default

Thanks to Developer Mode on the Xbox Series X and S, you can install emulators like RetroArch . Turn your Xbox Series X or S into a retro gaming powerhouse and emulate the PS2, GameCube, Dreamcast, and more, all without impacting your ability to play retail games. First, Activate Developer Mode The first thing you have to do is activate Developer Mode on your Xbox . To do so, you’ll need a paid Microsoft Partner developer account. This requires a one-time fee of $19 (pricing is different in other regions). Once you’ve activated your account, you can add your Xbox as a developer console. RELATED: How to Put Your Xbox Series X or S into Developer Mode With a valid developer account, you can download the Xbox Dev Mode app, activate your console in Partner Center, and then reboot in Developer Mode. From there, it’s just a matter of configuring your network connection, and then accessing the Xbox Developer Mode web interface via a browser. For this guide, we’ll … [Read more...] about How to Install the RetroArch Emulator on Xbox Series X or S

By default, whenever you set up a “Windows Hello” login method such as a fingerprint reader, facial recognition scan, or PIN, Windows 10 will disable the password login method. If you’d like to log in to your Windows account with a password again, here’s how to get that option back. First, open Settings. Click the “gear” icon in your Start menu or press Windows+i on your keyboard to open it quickly. In Settings, select “Accounts.” In “Accounts,” look in the sidebar and select “Sign-in options.” In “Sign-in options,” scroll down until you see “Require Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts.” Flip the switch beneath it to “Off.” After that, close Settings. The next time you log out or lock the screen (Press Windows+L to lock the screen quickly if you’d like to test.), you’ll have the password sign-in option available to you again. Best of all, you can still use the Windows Hello sign-in options if you want. RELATED: How to Log In to Your PC With … [Read more...] about How to Log in With a Password on Windows 10 (After Setting up a PIN)

On Windows 10, Windows Update may sometimes offer you an “Optional Quality Update.” Unlike other updates, Windows won’t automatically install these—so what exactly are they? Should you install them? Windows Update Won’t Automatically Install These An “optional quality update” is a Windows update that you don’t have to install immediately . These never include security fixes—if an important security patch is available, Windows Update will install it without waiting. However, some updates are optional. These fix stability issues and other problems in Windows. Some of these may be optional hardware driver updates . You have the choice of whether or not to install these—it’s up to you. What Is a “Cumulative Update Preview”? One of the most common optional quality updates is a “cumulative update preview.” Microsoft releases cumulative updates once a month on Patch Tuesday , which is the second Tuesday of each month. These updates bundle a large number of fixes for … [Read more...] about What Is an “Optional Quality Update” on Windows 10?

Google changed the way custom searches work in Google Chrome. Now, you can no longer type your custom search keyword and press Space to quickly search. There’s an alternative, though—and a way to get the old custom search behavior back. What’s a Custom Search? Google Chrome has a search feature that lets you assign “keywords” to custom searches. For example, after you set it up, you could type “w chickadee” to search Wikipedia for “chickadee” or “h windows” to search How-To Geek for articles about Windows. You can control these in Chrome by clicking menu > Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines. The “Keyword” field defines the custom keyword that launches a custom search. Add a short one to speed things up. (To define a search keyword for a search engine, click the menu button to its right, click “Edit,” and enter the keyword into the Keyword box.) What Changed? Let’s say you have a search keyword “y” that searches YouTube. Previously, you could … [Read more...] about How to Fix and Use Custom Search Keywords in Google Chrome