If you have multiple audio playback devices connected to Windows 10, you can set the main one you want because the default playback device. Follow the instructions below to alter the default audio playback device in Windows 10.

You can attach as many audio playback devices as you want in Windows. For example, I have three audio devices. i.e, monitor speakers, external speakers, and headphones. Each and every playback device is available to you once they are powered on as well as in the significant state. When you have multiple audio playback devices, Windows does its best to pick the default one. In some cases, the audio drivers will choose the default playback device.

When the default configuration isn't the way you like, you are able to change the default playback device in several different ways. Within this simple and quick post, I will show the methods to change the default audio device in Windows 10. Follow the method you're comfortable with and you will be good very quickly.

1. Change Default Audio Playback Device from Taskbar

You are able to alter the default playback device directly from the taskbar in Windows 10. Here are the steps you need to follow.

First, click the "Volume" icon around the taskbar.
Now, click the playback device name.
As soon as you click, you will see all the connected audio playback devices. Select the playback device you would like.

Once you choose the device, Windows will set it as the default. You can stick to the same steps to quickly alter the playback device as and when needed.

2. Set Default Playback Device from Settings

The Settings app also provides a simple method to quickly set a default audio playback device. All you have to do is choose the audio device in the dropdown menu. Follow the steps listed below.

Open Settings by pressing the "Windows Key + I" keyboard shortcut.
Go towards the "System" page.
Choose the "Sound" tab on the left panel.
Around the right panel, choose the audio playback device from the dropdown menu under the "Output" section.
Settings all automatically saved.
Close the Settings app.

That's all.

3. Change Audio Output Device for A Select Application

If you want to, you may also set the default audio output device on a per-application basis. For instance, if you want Spotify to make use of external speakers by default, then you change its audio output device via settings. Here's how.

Open Settings.
Go to "System".
Now, go to the "Sound" page.
On the right page, scroll down and click on the "App volume and device preferences" option underneath the "Advanced Sound Options" section.
Here, you will notice all of the opened applications. If the application is not opened, you will not view it here.
Choose the audio playback device from the top dropdown menu from the application.
Settings are automatically saved.
Close the Settings app.

That's all.

Microsoft's first Android device, the so-called Surface Duo, is believed to become just around the corner, and the closer we obtain to the launch, the greater information emerges on onpar gps.

One of the latest discoveries is really a feature called app groups, which according to WL should allow users to pair two different apps and launch them simultaneously.

In other words, it lets users create sets of apps that can launch together at the same time. For example, if you always launch Onenote and Outlook together, you can create an app group, and then when clicked, both apps are automatically started.

Despite being called app groups, which implies that multiple apps could be controlled by doing this, it appears as though the whole thing could be limited to just two apps. It doesn't make sense at all at this time, but however, Microsoft might be looking into expanding this at some point in the near future to incorporate more apps.

Surface Duo likely launching in July

And when the entire idea heard this before for you, it's because Samsung's already offering something similar as part of the App Pair feature on its phones.

As far as Microsoft's Android feature goes, such an approach would virtually seem sensible on Windows 10 too. And it's since the purpose of this tool would be to boost productivity, and Windows 10 itself has made productivity quite a priority. Launching two apps simultaneously ought to be possible on Windows 10 too - which is, only that native functionality in this regard would obviously come in much handier than third-party alternatives.

Surface Duo is expected to ship with Microsoft Launcher pre-loaded, albeit Microsoft would need to update the app to aid dual-screen devices. Based on people familiar with the problem, the Duo should be announced in July.

Windows 10's Tablet Mode provides a more touch-friendly experience by looking into making all applications run at full screen (instead of in windows) and giving you a Start screen instead of a Start Menu. If you have a 2-in-1 device, Windows 10 asks you if you want to enter tablet mode any time you convert your notebook into a slate.

However, if you want to switch between Tablet and Desktop modes manually, stick to Desktop mode even on a tablet or steer clear of the prompt and have it switch to tablet mode automatically, you are able to change the settings. And if you want to only use the on-screen keyboard, check out this separate guide.

Configuring Tablet Mode involves three basic actions:

Go to the Tablet Mode tab under Settings -> System.
Toggle the "make Windows more touch friendly" option off or on.
Select whether the device switches modes automatically, prompts you or never switches.

Step-by-Step Instructions with Screenshots

1. Click Settings around the Start Menu.
2. Select System.
3. Select Tablet mode in the left pane. A Tablet mode submenu appears.
4. Toggle "Make Windows more touch-friendly . . ." to onto enable Tablet mode. Toggle them back to visit desktop mode.
5. Select "Don't ask me and always switch" in the "When this product automatically switches" menu if you want Windows 10 to switch modes on your 2-in-1 without prompting you.

The new AV1 codec isn't enabled by default. Here is how you are able to install AV1 codec in Windows 10 to allow AV1 video codec support.

AV1 codec is free and developed by Open Media as a successor towards the existing VP9 codec. Just like with VP9, AV1 codec is developed for the web use like online streaming media. When compared with libvpx-vp9, x264 high profile, and x264 main profile, AV1 codec achieved higher data compression while keeping the standard. Not that but unlike HEVC, AV1 codec is royalty-free. This only denotes that the creators do not have to be worried about unnecessary patent infringements.

Taking into consideration the open nature of the AV1 codec, Microsoft included support for AV1 codec in Windows 10. For videos encoded with AV1 codec to experience, you first need to install AV1 codec in Windows 10 and enable it. Without the AV1 codec, the built-in player cannot play AV1 encoded videos. You will notice the "This item was encoded in a format that isn't supported" 0xc00d5212 error. Installing the AV1 codec will fix the 0xc00d5212 error.

Thankfully, it is rather easy to install the AV1 codec in Windows 10. Allow me to show you how.

Steps to Install AV1 Codec in Windows 10

These are the steps you should follow to install the AV1 codec in Windows 10.

Go to the official AV1 codec store page and click on "Get".
If prompted, click the "Open Microsoft Store" button.
Within the Microsoft Store app, click on the "Get" button.
As soon as you click the button, the Store will download the AV1 codec and install it automatically.
Close the shop app.
Reboot Windows.

That is it. You've installed the AV1 codec in Windows 10. To verify if the codec is in working order, download AV1 codec encoded video and then try to listen to it using the Movies & TV app. When the app plays the video, you've succeeded in installing the AV1 codec. Do remember that some third-party media players like VLC have built-in support for AV1 codec.

Uninstall AV1 Codec from Windows 10

When the AV1 codec is causing problems or performance issues, you are able to uninstall it pretty easily.

Follow these steps to uninstall AV1 codec in Windows 10.

Open the Settings app (press Win + I).
Go to the "Apps" page.
Click on the "Apps & features" tab on the left panel.
On the right panel, click "AV1 Video Extension".
Click "Uninstall".
Click on the "Uninstall" within the flyout menu.
Close the Settings app.
Reboot Windows.

As soon as you click the Uninstall button, the AV1 codec will be uninstalled from the system. If you want to reinstall it, stick to the steps in the first section.

Windows remains the operating-system of choice for countless users who would like the full desktop power without any type of compromise regarding the apps they have to run.

And while the competition from other platforms, including Linux itself, keeps growing, Windows continues to be number 1 desktop platform, and the large app ecosystem plays a vital role within this.

Google itself is pushing hard for Chrome OS, an operating system whose adoption is growing mostly in the education market where Chromebooks can be used by teachers and students for any wide selection of tasks. But simply like other platforms, Chrome OS has also suffered from the possible lack of app support, something which once more made Windows the go-to platform for thus many customers.

And now everything is designed to change.

Google has recently announced that it's bringing Windows apps, such as the Microsoft Office productivity suite, to Chrome OS, all using a partnership with Parallels. Quite simply, Chrome OS users should be able to run Windows apps on Chrome OS just like they are doing on Microsoft's operating system, therefore the drawback that I was referring to earlier would technically be eliminated.

Parallels software will be offered by OS level on Chrome OS, so the virtualization software would become available for everyone natively.

"The Chrome OS team is focusing on new methods to make sure every company can benefit from the velocity created by supporting a cloud workforce. For instance, our new partnership with Parallels brings legacy application support-which includes Microsoft Office desktop apps-to Chromebooks. More to come about this within the coming months," John Solomon, VP, Chrome OS, explains.

This announcement is anything but great news for Microsoft.

While initially the software giant might be one of the companies to profit in the Windows app support on Chrome OS, especially because Microsoft Office would thus make its debut on Google's platform, not the same thing is likely to happen in the long run.

Quite simply, with Chrome OS available these days to run Windows apps, some users no longer have a reason to choose Microsoft's operating-system, so in the long run, the marketplace share of Google's operating system is likely to continue growing.

And Google itself admits the adoption of Chrome OS is skyrocketing.

"The benefits and features of Chrome OS that we once thought were additive suddenly became mandatory and business-critical. Case in point, we have seen a 109% year over year growth in unit sales within the U.S. for Chromebooks, and ~155% year over year development in commercial Chromebooks in Q1 2020, fueled in part through the cost benefits and simplicity of deploying Chromebooks," Solomon notes.

Based on third-party data, Windows continues to be the main desktop operating-system having a share of the market that's over 85 %. Quite simply, nearly 9 in 10 PCs out there are still powered by Windows, with Windows 10 adoption also increasing, the latest OS version may be the one to benefit.

But on the other hand, the adoption of Windows alternatives keeps improving too. For instance, Linux has reached a brand new record this year, with increased and much more users giving a try towards the likes of Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and other distributions. With Chrome OS typically on affordable devices, there's a high probability Google would also become a more important player in this market.

For now, Microsoft continues to be go-to company for 9 in 10 users on the desktop, but it's pretty clear that it's all an engaged market with a continuously expanding portfolio of alternatives.

The Default Taskbar position is at the bottom of the screen. To personalize it, here're the steps to change the taskbar position in Windows 10.

The taskbar is among the most essential areas of daily usage for almost all Windows users. You can pin your favorite apps, access active applications, add widgets, manage virtual desktops, create quick links, etc. Considering the importance of the taskbar, it is usually visible and offered at the foot of the screen. For any majority of users, getting the taskbar at the end is convenient and easy to make use of.

However, there can be situations in which you might want to change the taskbar position to the side or top of the screen. This is especially true if you want more vertical space in terms of computer screen property. For example, ultrawide screen users can pin taskbar to a side of the screen to increase vertical space.

Regardless of reason, Windows causes it to be really simple to maneuver the taskbar from bottom to top, right, or left sides effortlessly. Allow me to show the best way to do it in Windows 10.

Steps Change Taskbar Position in Windows 10

To alter the taskbar position, open Settings, visit "Personalization → Taskbar" and choose the new taskbar position from the "Taskbar location on screen" dropdown menu.

Move taskbar to the left or right side from the screen

To move the taskbar left or right side from the screen, stick to the steps below.

Open the Start menu.
Click around the "Settings" icon around the left panel.
Visit "Personalization" in the Settings app.
Visit the "Taskbar" page. This is when you can change the taskbar.
To pin Taskbar left from the screen, select "Left" from the "Taskbar location on screen" dropdown.
To pin Taskbar right of the screen, select "Right" in the "Taskbar location on screen" dropdown.
Close the Settings app.

As soon as you select Left or Right from the drop-down menu, the taskbar position is going to be change accordingly. There is no restart necessary to apply the changes.

Move taskbar to the peak from the screen

To move the taskbar to the peak from bottom or side, follow the steps listed below.

Press "Windows Key + I" keyboard shortcut to spread out the Settings app.
Go towards the "Personalization → Taskbar" page in the Settings app.
Around the right page, select "Top" in the "Taskbar location on screen" dropdown menu.
Settings are automatically saved.
Close the Settings app.

Once you select Top in the drop-down menu, the taskbar will be gone to live in top of the screen in the bottom or side of the screen.

Move taskbar towards the bottom of the screen

To revive the default taskbar position. i.e, move the taskbar to the bottom from the screen, stick to the steps shown below.

Open the Settings app.
Go to "Personalization".
Visit the "Taskbar" page.
Select "Bottom" in the "Taskbar location on screen" dropdown menu.
Close the Settings.

The taskbar will be gone to live in the underside once you select the "Bottom" in the dropdown menu.

Better late than never. After releasing the Windows 10 May 2020 update a few weeks ago to a select few of users, Microsoft is finally prepared to push it to more laptops.

When Microsoft first launched the May 2020 update at the end of last month, it just rolled it to some number of users. Everybody else needed to manually download the update but in the risk of experiencing one of the several lingering bugs that Microsoft had failed to resolve before releasing the update.

It's because of these bugs that many users, especially those with Dell, Lenovo as well as Microsoft's own Surface laptops, saw a note informing them that the May 2020 update wasn't quite ready for their system.

"Today we're enhancing the number of devices that'll be offered the May Update," Microsoft said on its update dashboard.

You may still find several known bugs with the update which are either under investigation or are now being actively patched. The type of may be the wherewithal to connect to multiple Bluetooth devices. Another problem leads to a stop error when you connect and disconnect a Thunderbolt 3 cable. And older Nvidia graphics cards with outdated drivers continue to be having problems with the new edition of Windows.

These are relatively minor problems that affect a little part of laptops, so Microsoft is ready to send the update to another batch of devices. In terms of which laptops will get the update, Microsoft didn't specify.

We do realize that Microsoft fixed an issue in which laptops using the Always On, Always Connected capability were randomly restarting. And yet, Microsoft still won't push the update to devices even after they install the patch with this bug. The safeguard hold, which affected Microsoft's own Surface Laptop 3 and Surface Pro 7, is expected to lift in the coming weeks.

"You may not see the update because we're slowly throttling up availability, or perhaps your device may have a compatibility hold to safeguard your update experience," the Windows Update team posted to Twitter.

Several laptop vendors have taken matters into their own hands. Lenovo did an intensive sweep of bugs affecting its laptops and outlined available fixes for most (although not all) of these. The May 2020 update caused trouble for a long list of Lenovo laptops, including some ThinkPad models.

Dell similarly tested dozens of its laptops, from Alienware to XPS models, to ensure that users possess a smooth experience after installing the May 2020 update.

Our advice is to fight the urge to manually install the May 2020 update, and wait until it gets pushed for your PC. In so doing, you'll have the very best possibility of avoiding any compatibility issues between your system and the update.

If you own a Lenovo laptop, don't download the latest version of Windows 10 until you've look at this article. Why? Because Lenovo posted a support page having a rather long list of known problems that are currently plaguing its laptops.

Lenovo tested each of its laptops searching for problems with the most recent Windows 10 May 2020 update. Unfortunately, the company discovered an alarming number of issues on a number of tablets and laptops. Many of these are minor problems that can be easily fixed, so don't panic at this time.

We'll go over each one of the problems and provide an answer if one is available. It's also wise to keep in mind that there are several additional bugs in the Windows 10 May 2020 update that Microsoft acknowledged after its official release.

Which range from Bluetooth connectivity issues to incompatibility with old Nvidia graphics cards, these bugs, if they apply to you, will prevent your laptop from automatically installing the latest form of Windows. If you're within this group, we highly recommend waiting for a patch instead of manually installing the May update.

Windows 10 May 2020 issues with Lenovo laptops

Here is a list of issues published by Lenovo after the company tested its large fleet of tablets and laptops with the Windows 10 May 2020 update. When the methods to these issues don't work, consider rolling to a far more stable version of Windows 10.

UltraNav driver problem for ThinkPads

Certain ThinkPad models are getting hit with a "Failed to load Apoint.DLL, Alps Pointing device application has stopped" error when installing the May 2020 update. It has related to the UltraNav driver, which helps the Synaptics pointing device.

Lenovo provided a simple solution to the issue:

1. Press your window + X answer to open Device Manager.
2. Expand the arrow before Mice and other pointing devices and choose Think UltraNav device.
3. Right click on it and select Update driver. The UltraNav driver will be automatically updated towards the latest.
4. Restart your computer.

Yellow warning on disk drive

Popular ThinkPad models, like the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2, are showing a yellow warning around the disk drive. You will have to disable BitLocker to resolve this issue. Fundamental essentials steps Lenovo recommends you are taking:

1. Right-click around the drive with the yellow warning mark.
2. Turn on BitLocker then power it down. If you do not need BitLocker, go to Settings > Update & Security > Device encryption, and then click Turn Off.

Movies & TV app with green border

If you see a green border round the Movies & TV app, then your AMD video driver inside your laptop is causing problems. AMD will release a patch with this issue on June 15, 2020, so be sure to update the motive force once it becomes available.

F11 hotkey issues

This specific problem affects only the ThinkPad X1 Tablet (Gen 3). Whenever you install the May 2020 update, the F11 hotkey might stop working. Lenovo is looking to roll out a fix by June 29. Until then, visit User interface > System and Security > Lenovo > Keyboard Manager.

Blue screen of death of Death error

We almost got through this without mentioning the dreaded Blue Screen of Death error. Unfortunately, the ThinkPad P70 fell victim to this most-feared issue after installing the May 2020 update. Lenovo suspects the issue is BIOS related as well as an investigation is still ongoing.

Of all of the issues, this is the most troubling. The only surefire way to protect your P70 is as simple as going back to an early on version of Windows 10 (whether it will let you).

If the Microsoft rewards badge is showing constant notifications, adopt these measures to get rid of Microsoft rewards from the Start menu.

Windows 10 shows a little badge (medallion icon) over the Start menu to encourage users to participate in the Microsoft rewards or bing rewards. In the event you don't know, the Microsoft reward program provides you with points for implementing Bing search. Once you earn enough points, you are able to redeem those points in select local or online retailers. For example, you are able to redeem the points to buy Xbox Game Pass membership, Xbox Live Gold, Xbox console, console, etc.

The problem is, Microsoft rewards program is just available in select few regions. Even if the program isn't available in your country or you are no participant, the beginning menu may still show the Microsoft Rewards badge in the Start menu. Occasionally, the rewards badge might even show notifications directly in the Start menu.

If you do not like behavior, stick to the guide below to remove Microsoft rewards badge in the Windows 10 Start menu.

Steps to get rid of Microsoft Rewards Badge in Start Menu

Follow the steps listed below to remove the Microsoft rewards badge within the Start menu.

Open the Settings app.
Go towards the "Search" page.
Visit the "Permission & History" page.
On the right panel, switch off "Microsoft Account" under "Cloud Search Content".
Changes are saved automatically.
Close the Settings app.

From now, you will not see the Microsoft rewards badge or medallion icon in the Start menu. If you wish to, you may also stop Windows from showing search results out of your school or work account. Just turn off the "Work or school account" option under Cloud Search Content.

To revert the changes and show the Microsoft rewards icon in the Start menu, follow the same steps but switch on the switch under Microsoft Account in step 4.

Disable Tips, Tricks, and Suggestions Notifications

Along with Microsoft rewards, Windows 10 will even show occasional notifications for suggested apps, tips, tricks, and also to advertise other Windows and Microsoft services.

Steps to disable Tips, Tricks, and Suggestions Notifications.

Open Settings.
Go to "System".
Visit the "Notifications & Actions" page.
Around the right page, uncheck "Get tips, tricks, and suggestions as you use Windows" checkbox.
Close the Settings app.

That's it. Windows will no longer show the end, trick, and suggestion notifications in the notification center or in the start menu. If you would like those notifications back, then follow the same steps and choose the checkbox in step four.

The Windows 10 update error 0xC1900107 is rather common when upgrading to a newer version. Adopt these measures to fix it quickly.

When upgrading Windows 10 in one version to another, most users face the error code 0xC1900107. This error is fairly common. Whenever you decrypt the cryptic error, what Windows says is that you need to delete previous installation files before upgrading towards the newer version.

When you upgrade Windows 10 to some newer version, it saves the prior installation files inside a folder within the root of the C drive. These files help you downgrade if you do not like or facing issues with the new Windows 10 version. If you don't delete these previous installation files then Windows 10 can't be upgraded to another latest version.

To fix the 0xC1900107 update error, you need to delete the previous Windows 10 installations files. To do that, stick to the steps shown below.

Steps to repair Windows Update Error 0xC1900107

Since the error is caused due to the previous installation files, we need to delete these to repair it.

Follow the steps below to fix the update error code 0xC1900107 in Windows 10.

Open the Settings app.
Go to the System page.
Click the Storage tab around the left panel.
On the right panel, click on the "Configure Storage Sense or run it now" link.
Scroll all the way down and the select checkbox "Delete previous form of Windows".
Click the "Clean now" button.

Once you click on the button, Windows 10 will delete the previous installation files. After deleting the files, you will see a checkmark next to the Clean Now button. Because the previous installation files are deleted, the 0xC1900107 error is fixed and you may proceed with the Windows 10 upgrade.

Use Disk Cleanup Tool (Alternative method)

You can also make use of the Disk Cleanup tool to delete previous installation files and fix 0xC1900107error in Windows 10.

Open the beginning menu.
Search and open the "Disk Cleanup" tool.
Select "C drive" in the dropdown and click on "Ok".
Click on the "Cleanup system files" button.
Select "C drive" in the dropdown and click on "Ok".
Select "Previous Windows Installation(s)" checkbox.
Click around the "Ok" button.

As soon as you click on the button, Windows will remove the previous installation files. Once that's done, the 0xC1900107 error code is going to be fixed automatically. You can now proceed to upgrade to the new Windows 10 version.

Hopefully helps. If you are stuck or need some help, comment below and that i will attempt to assist whenever possible.

FAQ: 0xC1900107 Error

What can cause 0xC1900107 update error?

Error code 0xC1900107 appears when your Windows system still has previous installation files which are not yet been deleted.

How do I fix 0xC1900107 error in Windows 10

Deleting the previous installation files from the C drive will solve the 0xC1900107 error. Once the error code is solved, you are able to proceed with Windows 10 upgrade.

Is there any data loss because of the Windows update error?

No. The 0xC1900107 just prevents Windows 10 from upgrading the older version to the latest version. There will be no loss of data when it comes to data.