Windows 10 is currently the most popular Microsoft built operating system supporting computers, tablets, and Smartphones. The OS succeeded Windows 8.1 which was unpopular compared to Windows 7 that many users still opted to use, so, Windows 10 was launched as an easy one to personalize.

While the process of unlearning old aspects and replacing them with new ones can prove quite tedious, moving from an older OS to Windows 10 doesn’t carry along usability difficulties, but presents easier customisation opportunities.

This is evident when you wish to apply tweaks to your settings and ensure that your computer appears the way you would want it to be. And among popular tweaks you’ll need to apply, having the might to change your Windows 10 wallpaper attains a mid podium slot.

How Change your Windows 10 Wallpaper through Settings

• On your main desktop, right-click anywhere on the desktop screen, to access a drop-down menu, from which you should locate and click Personalize

• Personalize will open in a Settings Window with selectable backgrounds and textures
• Alternatively, click the Windows menu button at the bottom right corner of your screen, or simply press the Windows Logo button on your keyboard.

• Then click “Settings” on the main Application menu
• Once the Settings Window rises, Click “Personalization” on the main dashboard.

• Under Personalization, locate the Background section to change your current wallpaper with in-system backgrounds or textures.
• Available background options include picture, color, and slideshow

• Picture allows you to set a single static image as your background, then color sets a single layer color as your desktop wallpaper, then Slideshow sets multiple images to automatically change in intervals as your wallpaper.
• In case you’re not interested in the in-system images and colors, simply click Browse to select graphics from your computer to set as the background

• Once selected, you can perform post settings to match it to your screen, these included Stretched, Filled, Fitted, Centered and Tiled to give your new wallpaper a desired layout on your main desktop.
• DONE: Your Windows 10 Wallpaper will be set, visit your main desktop to see the new display in action.

How to use your Picture as a Windows 10 Wallpaper

Preferably, you may prefer to use your portrait as your Windows 10 Wallpaper, to do that, simply locate the image through the Windows file manager explorer and right-click to set it as a desktop background. Supported formats include jpg, gif, and bmp.

• Through Windows explorer, locate your Picture/Image to set as a Windows 10 Wallpaper.
• Once located, select the image and right-click on it.

• Choose Set as Desktop Background to immediately flip it as your new desktop wallpaper.
• Done: Your Picture will be set as your new Windows 10 Wallpaper

Since the Windows 10 blue wallpaper serves as a default background, you can often change your background to suit your usage behavior by choosing a Picture or in-system image that matches your productivity and computer usage.

However, in case your Windows 10 Computer is not activated, then you’ll not be able to change your wallpaper. This is due to the fact that Microsoft limits several settings and features from being accessed as a block towards attracting you to buy a valid Operating system license key.

Having rolled out a 2nd beta update recently, Android 11 is still work in progress. But as revealed by the search engine giant, 8th September will be the day a final compiled Android 11 version will see daylight.

The reveal was made through a Video published by Google (now deleted) during its online smart home summit. Although the reveal was accidental, stable Android versions have always met the launch pad in September.

September 8th in particular has previously been shared by two releases, Android 10 and 9. Now with Android 11, it means Google’s plans haven’t been affected by the current COVID19 Pandemic even when its annual developer conference was canceled.

So, now that the Android 11 stable release is scheduled to launch in September, purchasing a Smartphone that supports the new OS will require you to look through the list of great 2020 releases, if not continue enjoying a blend of Android 10 that is available on most mid-range releases.

Well, to take a screenshot on your Windows 10 computer, you need to have an image handling app like any Microsoft office software or the system’s default Paint App to crop or resize your Screenshot.

Though Paint grew to popularity on Windows XP and earlier versions, the software still functions best even with the latest Windows 10 releases.

Taking a Screenshot on Windows 10

1. Press the Print Screen ( Prt Scrn) button on your keyboard.
2. To Instantly save the screenshot, hold the Windows key + Prnt Scrn buttons at the same time.
3. Once done, open any image handling software like Paint or Microsoft PowerPoint.
4. Right click and Paste or hold Control + V to paste the captured screenshot.
5. Your screenshot is displayed, and ready for post-editing.
6. Crop any unwanted areas and make any relevant changes.
7. Once done, right-click on the image and select Save Picture As.
8. Choose a folder to save your screenshot to.
9. DONE: Your new screenshot is saved on your computer in the folder you just selected.

Just like that, you can capture awesome Screenshots and edit them with ease through any application such as paint to your liking. In case you want to instantly save your captured screenshot in a directory, simply hold the Windows key + Prnt Scrn buttons.

However, 3^rd party apps help you mark specific areas you wish to capture in your screenshot and not a full-screen capture. But incase you prefer post-editing then, processing your Screenshot with paint or any other App becomes your perfect gateway.

For Instance, #06# leads the lane of useful codes for Android Smartphone users. This is due to the fact that it works on almost every phone as an industry-standard code, but it’s just a sip of the many codes you may need to monitor your device’s behavior.

All available Android codes must be used through the Phone (calls) app or any other available app that provides you with a USSD dial pad.

Initially, every code begins with a # sign that alerts the system for the next digits that may represent a system call linked to a specific service meaning all codes must be input through your dial pad. Nonetheless, below are the codes you need to know.

The Android Shortcodes you need to know

Among the new features, Security takes a notch-stand as design tweaks are drops from the previous Android Q Beta release and were ignored in the official Android 10 release. With Google Pixel users getting an early taste of Android 11, here are 5 cool features tagged to the Beta version of the OS.

Scheduled Dark Mode

Dark mode is a new trend of Smartphone usage that decreases chances of eye strains and high battery usage on a phone by giving apps a dark texture on run time.

Apps like WhatsApp, Twitter, and Instagram now have full dark mode options to cope with the new trend that not only ensures low battery usage but also tags along health benefits.

Well, Android 11’s dark mode feature will allow users to toggle between light and dark mode with the ability to set particular times when lights should go dark.

Improved Permissions

The more developers join the open-source community where Android is a popular resource, It’s the more Apps request for permissions to execute specific tasks to enable specific functions.

From Android 8.0, App permissions were improved in a fashion that before an App is run, it’s usage permissions are displayed to the user who can either accept or deny access to specific functionalities.

In Android 11, a user now has even more power over what apps can do by making permissions more strict. For Instance, a user can choose to grant the App one-time access to a feature or simply have access when the App is open.

Chat Bubbles

Popup Chat Bubbles are most evidenced with Facebook’s Messenger app, but Android 11 is enabling this functionality for every IM App on your Smartphone. This means, you can read and reply your WhatsApp messages without directly opening the App

At the moment Chat Bubbles can only be used by Google messages and Gmail since the operating system is still in Beta mode.

To open Chat Bubbles all you have to do is long-press a message in the notification panel, then it will be opened in-form of a chat bubble similar to the Facebook Messenger-style.

Copy-Paste is now in the Notifications Pane

Unlike all previous Android versions from the first version released in 2008 where copy-paste was a long press procedure. Android 11 ships the feature as a notification bar option to copy or paste Items on your Smartphone.

For Instance, if you wish to copy an image from WhatsApp to your Email composer, all you do is hit Copy on the notification bar, visit the mailbox composer and tap paste (notification button changes to paste) to attach the current clipboard image.

At the moment, the Google Pixel doesn’t have wireless charging capabilities, but Samsung’s line of flagships do. This implies that the feature will be more effective when Wireless charging is adopted by all major Android manufacturers.

Android 11 release dates

At the moment, Android 11 Beta is available for Google Pixel users as the Pixel 5 is expected to be the first Smartphone to ship the operating system. This means Android 11 will be launched between the 3rd and 4th quarter of 2020.

With more features expected to ship with the OS, Google’s dedication to this particular release lies in the ability for users to have more control over their data and ride to a vast features path for all apps on the platform.

Initially, Windows 8 didn’t hit a sounding user mark because Windows 7 was still considered the best cutting edge operating system by most users worldwide.

But when Microsoft revoked support for Windows 7 last month, the only option left for users was Windows 10 which has now hit its target of 1 billion users. In 2017, only 500 million users were using the operating system meaning the rise is from a 3 years trend.

With over 1 billion users, what to expect from future Windows 10 releases

With 1 billion users worldwide and Windows 7 out of sight, Windows 10 will now ship improvements to its user interface. Additionally, fresh security patches will now be common in a bid to make the operating system secure as possible.

However, with a rise in Chromebook sales inking Linux as a close rival, Windows 10 will be matched with new tweaks to make it a low size crisp clean operating system to compete on the new trend of low-size yet clean UI systems.

Well, it’s a win-win generation for Microsoft since Windows 10 is the current operating system that all users must install for full usage support. On the other hand, Windows 8 could also be on its expiry route now that Windows 10 is slowly becoming a major default OS for Microsoft

But ever since Huawei revealed its Hongmeng/Harmony Operating system project, it has never stopped crafting for Google alternatives and that’s how the Huawei Mobile Services (HMS) suite was born as a replacement for Google Mobile Services (GMS)

Well, the Huawei HMS suite now has a new release Core 4.0 release currently available for developers worldwide. HMS Core is a collection of open-source libraries that allow developers to craft high-quality apps with ease

The Huawei Mobile services core Kit currently grants developers 24 Core kits, 55 services, and 997 APIs that include In-app purchases (IAP), Account Login, Game services, Push notifications, Analytics, Monetization, Maps and Location permissions

For Huawei Smartphones running Harmony OS, HMS version 4.0 comes as a fresh update that installs basic services like Maps, location, and App security features.

Hence, as open-source developers now have access to the Huawei’s new HMS kit, we could soon see more apps developed or adding support for Harmony OS, a competition stunt that can easily break Google’s domination streak

Unlike earlier macOS releases, latest macOS versions have a floating bar for screenshots that allows you to carry out post revisions per capture. To cut the long story features sheet short, here is how you can capture a Screenshot on your macOS powered Macbook or iMac.

Use the default mac OS Screenshot keys

Once you press Command + Shift + 5 to access the screenshot capture window, a small floater will appear on your bottom right screen that allows you to send the capture to a separate directory, copy to the clipboard or Open in preview.

Where your screenshots are saved on macOS

By default, your screenshot will be saved to the desktop. However, you can choose a different storage folder by accessing the options tab on the screenshot capture window ( Cmd + Shift + 5 )

If you find trouble accessing the macOS screenshot shortcut, you can install 3rd party apps like Snagit from the Apple store to help you capture screenshots on your Macbook or iMac.

As of Tuesday January 14th, 2020, Microsoft has decided to call it quits with the Windows Vista successor that is still used widely across the world even with Windows 10 in sight.

Well, Incase you still use Windows 7 or it’s your computer’s maximum acceptable operating system, then it’s high time you upgraded to a newer version or limit your computer to only trusted software

What the Windows 7 end of support means

End of support for Windows 7 doesn’t means the Operating system is deleted from Microsoft’s records, NO! It simply means no direct updates and fixes will be developed for the OS ever again. In fact, newer software applications can’t be able to support the Operating system.

However, the end of support for Windows 7 means open-source developers will be able to develop tweaks for the operating system and publish unofficial versions to support newer software and standards for the Operating System

Do this, if your computer still runs Windows 7

If your computer still runs Windows 7 or you still prefer to run the Operating system on your computer, you can either upgrade to a newer Microsoft variant like Windows 10 or Install theme packs to give your computer a Windows 7 layout

Free Windows Upgrade Choices

• Windows 8
• Windows 8.1
• Windows 10 Lite
• Windows 10 Pro
• Windows 10 Home
• Windows 10 Basic

Either way, Incase your computer can’t support any of the new Microsoft operating systems, all you need to do is download a Linux distro like Ubuntu to keep you going.

But Since upgrading your computer from Windows 7 to Windows 8/10 is not a must, you can choose to run your computer on Win 7 even though exposure to security risks is a must due to lack of updates patches

Interestingly you don’t have to run Windows apps as a must since various alternatives are optimized for Chromebooks. For Instance, Apps like Firefox can be run directly since they support Chrome OS, while other developers limited their app’s usage to the Windows shell

It’s through this fashion that you need to Install WINE as the best solution to help you install almost all Windows apps/software on your Chromebook and here is how you can run the fully installed Windows apps.

What you need to know about WINE

WINE is a 3rd party Linux application that was built by the open-source community to allow users continue to have a taste of the Windows shell without dual-booting. The application runs virtual Windows drives on your Linux computer without any fatal changes on your hard drive

You can think of WINE as a convenient version of emulators like Virtual Box except that it only allows you to install the Windows apps and not the full operating system. To Install the App you need to have root (super user) permissions through the ChromeOS terminal.

How to Install WINE

• First, refresh the computer by running the update command to fetch new repositories and ensure update of existing packages

Sudo apt-get update

• Then, Open Terminal (Command-line Interface, shortcut Ctrl + Alt + T), type Sudo su (for root permissions), type your password, then type apt-get install wine to begin the installation process or simply use the keyword Sudo in front of your command

apt-get Install Wine OR sudo apt-get install Wine

• Now that Wine is Installed, you might want to add 32bit support in order to support both legacy and modern Windows apps. To do this, simply run:

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
Then
sudo apt-get install wine32

DONE: You just Installed Wine on your Chromebook, next up is to install and run windows applications on your Chromebook pc

Installing and using Windows apps on your Chromebook

Now that you just Installed Wine, what you need to do is download Windows Apps for installation on your Chromebook. You could start with a download manager like IDM or Microsoft’s Paint App.

Better way, if you already have setup files .exe from a Windows computers, then all you have to do is open your .exe files with Wine to Install the software to be run on your Chromebook. Nonetheless, here is how you can open your Windows installation files with Wine.

• Right click your Windows .exe file and choose open with Wine or simply open the file to be grabbed automatically by Wine

• Once opened, Install your software the same way you would on a Windows computer
• Incase you have trouble on how to Install Windows software and Apps, then read our quick guide on Windows installation
• DONE: Your Installed Windows program will now work on your Chromebook each time you open it

By default, Wine creates shortcuts of Installed Windows applications on your Chromebook or Linux pc. But if it doesn’t then you need to locate the Wine directory from the directory below and create a manual shortcut from the program files

Method 1: home/your username(Computer Username)/.wine/drive c/program files/ SOFTWARE NAME

Method 2: Through the File Manager, click Files, Then Home, Toggle view hidden files, then choose the folder .Wine where you can locate the C drive and program files -> The dot standarding for its hidden status.

That’s all you will enjoy almost all Windows Apps on your Chromebook or Linux computer with ease. We’ve tested the methods before by using Kali Linux and all popular applications could run with the emulator. Another tool you may choose to play with apart from Wine would be ” Play with Linux)

Otherwise, we shall be publishing Linux tech guides on how you can run various applications and tweaks on your Chromebook or Linux computer in our next series of guides.