You can use the Windows task scheduler to automatically delete files older than numerous days. Here's how you can get it done in simple steps.

To delete personal files or files in Windows, all you need to do is select them and press the delete button in your keyboard. For special folders like the downloads folder, trash can, cache folders, temp folders, etc., Windows includes a built-in tool called Storage Sense that can automatically delete files following a certain number of days. For example, if you wish to delete files after 30 days, Two months, or 90 days, you can configure Storage Sense to do just that. The downside is that the Storage Sense tool doesn't support custom folders.

So, to automatically delete files older than X number of days, make use of the job scheduler. Because the task scheduler enables you to execute scripts in a specific time, all we have to do is produce a custom script, add it to the job scheduler and then execute it as and when needed. The good thing is, we will use a simple PowerShell script to delete files older than numerous days. The script/command itself is pretty clear to see and configure.

With little delay, let me show you the steps to make use of task scheduler to delete files over the age of numerous days in Windows 10.

Use task scheduler to delete files older than X days

Open task scheduler.
Click on "Create Basic Task."
Name the brand new task.
Click "Next".
Select a trigger.
Configure selected trigger.
Select "Start a course."
Type "powershell" in the Program/Script field.
Paste the below command within the "Add arguments" field. Replace FOLDER_PATH & NUMBER_OF_DAYS with the actual folder path and number of days($_.LastWriteTime -lt (Get-Date).AddDays(-NUMBER_OF_DAYS))the job scheduler window.

First, open the Task Scheduler in Windows. You can do that by looking it up in the Start menu or by executing the "taskschd.msc" run command.

Once the task scheduler has been opened, click on the "Create Basic Task" option around the sidebar to create a new scheduled task.

Name the new task anything you want and click on "Next." Just be sure the name is descriptive enough. For example, if you wish to delete files older than Thirty days, name the job as a result.

Now, select when you wish the job to start and click "Next." With my case, I want the task to begin every day. So, I select the "Daily" option. If you want another thing, choose accordingly.

Configure the trigger you selected and click on "Next". Depending on the trigger you chose in the earlier step, this screen might be a bit different. For instance, since I chose "Daily", I have to set the actual time, start date, and just how usually the task should recur.

Since you want to operate a PowerShell command, choose the "Start a program" option. Click "Next" to carry on.

We further need to configure the "Start a program" action. So, complete($_.LastWriteTime -lt (Get-Date).AddDays(-NUMBER_OF_DAYS))using the actual folder path in which the files you need to delete are located. Also, replace NUMBER_OF_DAYS with the actual length of time. For example, if you would like the command to delete files over the age of Thirty days then replace NUMBER_OF_DAYS with 30. This is how the modified command appears like($_.LastWriteTime -lt (Get-Date).AddDays(-30))Review the summary window and click on the "Finish" button to complete the task creation process.

Finally, we are able to test the task to ascertain if it's being employed as intended. To achieve that, discover the task in the Task Scheduler window, right-click onto it and choose the "Run" option. You will see a brief flash of the PowerShell command window and also the files ought to be deleted.

Important note: All files are deleted permanently. i.e, they aren't gone to live in the recycle bin. If the files have been in use or locked by some other program, the PowerShell command might fail to delete one or more files. It could even get angry and throw errors. So, make sure the files will not be in use once the task is executed.

Microsoft announced that it would launch two one-time purchase versions of Office this year, including Office 2021 and Office LTSC.
Office 2021 will target personal and small business users and can cost nearly as much as Office 2019.
Office LTSC is perfect for enterprise customers that don't require the cloud power of Microsoft 365 or can't make use of the more feature-rich subscription form of Office.

Microsoft 365, previously referred to as Office 365, is the productivity suite that lots of people use. It's obtainable in Home and Enterprise versions. Microsoft 365 includes access to any or all the apps you might need for work, whether it's the most recent version of the Office suite of apps, cloud storage, or Skype access. Microsoft 365 includes multi-device support, meaning you can use all the apps on all your computers, whether it's Windows or Mac or cellular devices running iOS or Android.

However, some customers might not need everything. Or they may not wish to pay a monthly fee for access whenever a one-time license purchase will do. Microsoft just announced it'll still support those customers for the near future, whether they're home or enterprise users. Microsoft Office 2021 will launch later this year with a version called Microsoft Office LTSC targeting specific companies that don't need the power of the cloud that backs the Office 365 suite.

In a blog post on Thursday, Microsoft announced that Office 2021 for consumers and small business could be released later this season. It'll be supported for five years and will cost nearly as much as Microsoft Office 2019. The brand new release will support Windows and Mac, once again, and come with 32-bit and 64-bit versions. Microsoft hasn't announced all of the Office 2021 features, saying they'll be released later down the road. But Microsoft 365 will probably continue being the primary development focus for the company. Microsoft said as much when describing Office LTSC.

LTSC, short for Long Term Servicing Channel, will target those enterprise consumers who can't get on the cloud version or don't need it:

We have built Office LTSC for any limited set of specific situations: regulated devices that cannot accept feature updates for years at any given time, process control devices on the manufacturing floor that are not attached to the internet, and specialty systems that has to stay kept in some time and require a long-term servicing channel.

Office LTSC will be 10% more costly than ever before and will get 5 years of support. However it won't get all of the features of Microsoft 365 - here's an example from the novelties included in this one-time purchase version of Office:

Without access to the cloud, Office LTSC will include only a subset of the value found in Microsoft 365 Apps, building on the features included in past releases. New Office LTSC features includes accessibility improvements, capabilities like Dynamic Arrays and XLOOKUP in Excel, dark mode support across multiple apps, and gratifaction improvements across Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint. The following version of Office will not ship using the Skype for Business client app, which will be available as a download within the Microsoft Download Center. It'll ship using the Microsoft Teams app, allowing people to enable and trial this experience if they so choose.

Microsoft also adds that the subscription productivity suite "will continue to get the latest innovations in modern collaboration, advanced security, and intelligent capabilities and ship them every time they are available."

Office LTSC is going to be available alongside a Windows 10 LTSC version, and each of them is going to be released in the other half of the year.

Microsoft confirmed Office 2021 would launch later this year for Windows and Mac having a one-time purchase option, and this version is specifically aimed at people who don't want to get a regular membership for Microsoft 365.

Simultaneously, the company has confirmed that Office 2021 wouldn't function as the last on-premises release for the productivity suite, thus confirming that it is next release would also come with a non-subscription version.

Obviously, no specifics are available at this time, but it's definitely great news for individuals who require a powerful productivity suite but where a subscription-based model doesn't make much sense.

"As with previous releases, Office LTSC will still be a device-based "perpetual" license. We designed it as an area of expertise product meant for specific scenarios and will increase the price of Office Professional Plus, Office Standard, and the individual apps by as much as 10 percent at the time of general availability. And, because we are always asked at release if there will be a different one, I'm happy to confirm our commitment to another release later on," Jared Spataro, Corporate Vice President for Microsoft 365, said today.

The launch is set for late 2021

However, Microsoft obviously hopes more people will give a go to the subscription-based Office, explaining that the on-premises version misses out on all of the new features which are added after the launch.

"Without access towards the cloud, Office LTSC includes only a subset from the value present in Microsoft 365 Apps, building over included in past releases. New Office LTSC features will include accessibility improvements, capabilities like Dynamic Arrays and XLOOKUP in Excel, dark mode support across multiple apps, and gratifaction improvements across Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint. The following form of Office will not ship with the Skype for Business client app, which will be available like a download within the Microsoft Download Center. It'll ship using the Microsoft Teams app, allowing customers to enable and trial this experience when they so choose," Spataro explained.

Office 2021 will launch later this year for both Windows and Mac.

Microsoft has officially confirmed that the next Windows 10 feature update may be the highly-anticipated version 21H1.

Inside a article published today, John Cable, Vice President, Program Management, Windows Servicing and Delivery, says Windows 10 version 21H1, that will launch within the first 1 / 2 of the year, is a smaller update delivered as a monthly quality update, meaning it should install faster on all compatible devices.

This is something that comes as a small surprise because of the previous Windows 10 feature update is also a small service pack-like release, but on the other hand, unofficial information in this regard continues to be making the rounds on several occasions lately.

Launching in the spring

Cable explains this is the very first time Microsoft embraces this method early in the year of the year, and it's all because Microsoft really wants to use an optimized approach to make sure everything works according to the plan.

"Today, we're introducing the following feature update to Windows 10, version 21H1. As people continue to depend on Windows more than ever before to work, learn and have fun, problems in later life the importance of supplying the best possible update experience to help individuals and organizations stay protected and productive. It's a responsibility we do not take lightly and why the very first time an H1 (first 1 / 2 of the twelve months) feature update release is going to be delivered in an optimized way using servicing technology, while continuing our semi-annual feature update cadence," Cable said.

Quite simply, the next major feature update for Windows 10 is now projected to land in the fall as version 21H2, though for the moment, it's pretty pay off the focus is on getting 21H1 ready for prime time.

Microsoft hasn't provided a real release date with this new feature update, however it is going reside in April or May.

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.