XFER Blog

Windows 11 introduces a new look by centering the taskbar, similar to the style used in macOS. While some users may appreciate this fresh design, others might prefer the traditional left-aligned taskbar found in older versions of Windows.

After the major flop that was Windows 8 and the 8.1 Update, Microsoft hit a home run with Windows 10 in both the personal and professional contexts. However, Windows 11 is now in a position to succeed Windows 10, and Microsoft is making plans to end support for Windows 10. Here’s what you’ll need to know.

With the latest version of Windows, Windows 11, users can leverage all manner of great productivity-boosting features to take full advantage of the new technology at their fingertips. Let’s look at some of the features that users of Windows 11 can use to make better use of their time with the operating system.

For the most part, Microsoft takes security as seriously as it should, issuing updates and patches to maintain your Windows and Server operating systems. While you can count on receiving these updates for your supported operating systems, what you might not have known is that Microsoft accidentally overlooked a flaw in its own defenses.

Sometimes the last thing you want to do is stare at a bright computer screen and have the white glare bother your eyes. While we know that staying away from computers and devices is particularly hard, especially in the office environment, a dark mode option can make your device easier to tolerate for extended periods of time.

There is one key on the keyboard that might seem a little odd: PrtSc. It’s not immediately obvious what this key does or why you would want to use it, but we assure you that it is an extremely helpful keyboard shortcut once you understand how it works and why you might want to try it out. In reality, the PrtSc key is important for taking screenshots on your Windows device.

Some keyboard shortcuts work within applications, but there are others that work all throughout the Windows operating system. To help you be as productive as possible throughout the workday, let’s go over some of the most common keyboard shortcuts that work not only within your applications, but whenever you are just navigating your operating system. If you use these effectively, you can dramatically improve your productivity and look like a Windows master!

The Windows operating system comes with more than its fair share of capabilities, many of which are accessible through the appropriate keyboard shortcut. Because remembering so many would be a challenge for some (and impossible for most) we’ve put together a list of those associated with the letters found on the keyboard, with a few extras tacked on for good measure. Make sure to take note of any you may find the most useful.

For the Windows user seeking to take a screenshot, there is no lack of options. Most notably, many keyboards today offer a Print Screen key that allows the user to capture an image of their entire display. Having said this, there are better options, such as the platform’s integrated Snip & Sketch tool, with its greater functionality and greater ease of use.

After a long period, punctuated by no shortness of user demand, Chromebooks can now finally support Windows applications. Well, in a manner of speaking. Let’s examine the process that now allows a user access to the applications once denied to ChromeOS users, to consider if it is worth using after all.

Windows 7 was the most popular operating system Microsoft ever created. It’s so popular that months after the software giant officially retired their record-breaking OS, some businesses continue to use it. Today, we will take a look at why some businesses haven’t moved off of Windows 7, and what effect it could have on their company.

The healthcare industry is in a difficult position. Despite the utility that connected devices present to medical providers, the Bluekeep vulnerability makes it seem as though connected devices aren’t a wise solution for many to use… and there’s nobody these organizations can blame but themselves.

The Windows Taskbar is meant to assist the user in opening and managing the programs they need to accomplish their goals. Did you know that you can tweak the Taskbar to add to the utility it already has? For this week’s tip, we’ll go over a couple of the things you can do with the Taskbar - specifically, things that make navigating your computer a little easier.

It is little wonder that, with millions of businesses relying on their secure servers for a variety of computing needs, that Microsoft reigns supreme in profitability. In order to maintain this status, Microsoft must make sure that their software is properly cared for and supported - or retired if these titles are no longer practical to maintain. SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 R2 are soon due for the chopping block, with an official retirement date of July 9, 2019.

If you are trying to identify a specific issue with your PC, it can be difficult to do so due to the fact that there are so many moving parts in an operating system. Still, you want a secure way to find the problem and diagnose it. Thankfully, Safe Mode allows you to take a look at your computer in its most basic form to see what the root of the issue is.

When it comes to businesses-to-business relationships, the global impact of the Internet has unlocked quite a few doors. Rather than developing relationships with exclusively businesses in their region, it’s not uncommon for a small manufacturer of model airplanes in Iowa to use the web to find the vendor that can meet all of their needs, even if they’re located in Austria. Doing business internationally means there may be an occasion where you’ll need to communicate in another language. Fortunately, for Windows 10 users, it has never been easier to switch your computer or mobile device’s language.

Your computer, and the many resources you use it to access, are made for utility. As a result, there is an assortment of useful features built into many commonly used systems and solutions. For this week’s tip, we’ll go over some of the shortcuts that you may not have known about.

When a security researcher tweeted about what they thought was “the worst Windows remote code exec” in his memory, a recent incident came to mind: one that allowed a targeted file to implement remote code execution processes in order to manipulate any infected system. This vulnerability let the infected machine spread the issue to others and could be set off if a certain file were to be scanned by the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine. Scary stuff!

Do you remember the good old days of Windows 95? The nostalgia factor might be one reason to bring this up again, but the fact remains that Windows has changed significantly over the past twenty years; so much so that teenagers who were born just twenty years ago, after the introduction of Windows 95, may have no clue what they’re looking at.

It’s clear that your IT department should have administrator privileges with your business’s technology, but the average employee is another story altogether. Administrator privileges provide users with the ability to do many things, such as install programs and access admin settings. Administrator privileges are exactly what you want to keep users away from, and it turns out that the majority of flaws in the Windows operating system depend on these privileges.