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The Ease Of Access in Windows 10 lets you make your computer more accessible, based on your needs. You can change a lot of settings to make your PC work the way you want it to and can be useful to you if you are differently-abled. In this post, we will learn about the accessibility options in Windows 10 via Ease of Access Center.
Ease of Access Settings in Windows 10In the left pane, you will see the Ease of Access Settings segregated into three categories – Vision, Hearing, and Interaction.
1. Vision
Display
Cursor & pointer
Magnifier
Color filters
High contrast
Narrator
2. Hearing
Audio
Closed captions
3. Interaction
Speech
Keyboard
Mouse
Eye control
Let us learn more about these settings.
1. VisionThis section of settings allows the users to customize the size of the text and apps, adjust the screen brightness, change zoom level, use color filters, and so on.
Display
You can make the display on your PC easier to see by making the size of the text and apps bigger. You can adjust the brightness of your built-in display and use night light.
You can further personalize your Windows experience by choosing to show animations and transparency in Windows, to show desktop background image, and to automatically hide scroll bars in Windows. You can also personalize your background and other colors through this tab.
Related settings include additional display settings, background settings, color settings, and theme settings.
Cursor & pointer
These settings make the cursor, pointer, and touch feedback easier to see. Use the respective sliders to change the size of the pointer and the cursor thickness. You can choose the pointer color from the given options. This tab also allows you to show and make the visual feedback for touch points darker and larger. Related settings include additional mouse settings and touch-pad settings.
Magnifier
Turning on the Magnifier settings lets you zoom in to the screen. Magnifier can run into full screen, in a separate window, or as a lens that follows your mouse pointer around the screen. Adjust zoom level and zoom increments as preferred.
Further, as you can see, you can select the checkboxes where you wish to start magnifier after sign-in, before sign-in for everyone, smooth edges of images and text, invert colors, etc. You can choose a Magnifier view to docked, full screen or lens.
Additionally, you can choose to keep the mouse cursor within the edges of the screen or centered on the screen.
Color filters
Turn on the color filters to make the photos and colors easier to see. From the given options, you can select a color filter to see the elements on the screen better; or you can select a colorblindness filter from the options mentioned out there.
Related settings will take you color settings and theme settings.
Read: How to enable and use Color Filters for Colorblind users in Windows 10.
High contrast
The high-contrast theme uses a more distinct and vibrant scheme of colors to make the apps and texts easier to see.
You can choose a high contrast theme from the drop-down menu and customize high contrast colors for text, hyperlinks, background, etc. Related settings include theme settings.
Narrator
It is possible to personalize the Narrator’s voice by choosing a voice of your preference, and changing voice speed, voice pitch, voice volume by dragging the respective sliders. Next is to change the level of detail the Narrator provides about text and controls from the drop-down menu – whether you would prefer text only, some control details, all control details, some text details, or all text details.
Similarly, there are additional settings that allow you to change the level of context Narrator provides for buttons and other controls, and adjust when the Narrator provides details about buttons and other controls.
Make necessary changes to the Narrator settings under Change what you hear when typing.
Further, select the keyboard layout, the Narrator modifier key, and the Narrator cursor settings.
Select the Narrator cursor mode.
You can also sync your settings and give feedback about the Narrator.
TIP: You can choose your Narrator from Microsoft David (male voice) or Microsoft Zira (female voice).
2. HearingThis section of settings allows the users to make their device easier to hear and easier to use without sound by displaying audio as text.
Audio
The Audio tab consists of settings that make your device easier to hear or use without sound. You will find the settings here to change device volume, app volume, and other such sound settings. Audio alerts for notifications can be displayed visually. Related settings include sound settings.
Closed captions
Closed captions make your device easier to use without sound by displaying audio as text.
Use the drop-down menus to change the caption color, caption transparency, caption style, caption size, and caption effects.
Further, select the desired options from the drop-down menus to change caption background color, caption background transparency, window color, and window transparency. Related settings include video playback settings.
TIP: You can also make the Notifications last longer by adjusting the Show notifications for the setting. Change the notification time from 5 seconds to 5 minutes. You can also control the thickness setting for your cursor.
3. InteractionThis section of settings allows the users to improve the speech, use the on-screen keyboard, control the mouse, and more.
Speech
You will learn that by pressing the Windows logo key + H, you can start dictation by turning on speech recognition. You can learn more about Cortana and make the necessary changes at how you talk to Cortana.
Related settings includes Cortana settings and additional speech settings.
Keyboard
Turn on the Keyboard settings for the ones you wish to use the on-screen keyboard, sticky keys, toggle keys, and filter keys.
You can allow the shortcut key to start sticky keys, toggle keys, and Filter Keys.
You can underline access keys when available and use the print screen shortcut. Under Make it easier to type, you can check the boxes if you wish to show a warning message or make a sound by turning on various keys from the keyboard. Related settings include typing settings and language and keyboard settings.
You can also change the Accessibility tool that launches when you use Win+Vol keyboard shortcut.
Read more about Windows Onscreen Keyboard Options and Settings.
Mouse
Read: Windows 10 Ease of Access and Settings keyboard shortcuts.
Eye control
To use the Eye control feature in Windows 10, you need to connect to a supporting eye-tracking device. Eye control supports the following eye-tracking devices –
• Selected laptops and monitors that include eye-tracking integrations
• TM5 Mini
This gets us to the end of the post. All the Ease of Access Settings in Windows 10 related to vision, hearing, and interaction have been covered. Hope you had an interesting read!
You're reading How To Use Ease Of Access Settings In Windows 10
How To Lock Microphone Settings On Windows 10.
If you are using Windows 10 and are sick and tired of your microphone sounding different in each and every app that you use. This article will show you how to lock your Microphone settings so that apps and programs can’t automatically adjust settings according to their needs. This is an important change you need to make if you are having microphone issues across different software.
Related: How to set a maximum volume for devices on Windows 10.
For a long, long time I thought setting up and using a microphone on Windows 10 was an easy process. I have always considered it a plug and play affair. Although this is the case for a lot of people, anyone chasing good quality sound that stays the same across the entire operating system is a lot more complicated than you originally thought. Apart from all the obvious things you need to consider, like interference and the quality of your microphone, you also need to consider how Windows Manages Microphones.
Recently we put together a guide about fixing microphone cracking and interference which you can find here. However, for this guide, we’ll be focusing primarily on making sure Windows stops letting software adjust microphone settings. Locking your Microphone volume to your desired volume. Before you start the steps shown below, make sure you have also done a virus/malware scan on your PC using Windows Defender and Malwarebytes or whatever program you have chosen as your defence. If everything comes back clear, jump straight into the steps shown below.
How do you lock your microphone volume settings on Windows 10?
To begin, the first thing you need to change is the level of control applications have over your Microphone. This won’t stop the software from using your Microphone entirely, but it will stop annoying changes in sound levels and quality.
After you have made this change you should have stable microphone settings moving forward. If this still doesn’t solve your Microphone issues, you can try stopping Windows adjust sound settings whenever it detects communications.
From this menu select Communications, then choose the Do nothing option at the bottom of the page.
When you have made both of these changes Windows 10 will stop trying to do what it thinks is best for your Microphone settings. However even though you have made these changes, you will still need to configure your Microphone settings within whatever app/program you are using. This time around you’ll have the added benefit of Windows not trying to intervene when it feels something isn’t going according to plan.
Windows Update And Security Settings In Windows 10
Looking for Windows Updates on your Windows 10 PC? Go to the Windows 10 Settings app to find the latest Windows Update and install them on your PC. In this post, we will have a look at the Windows Update and Security Settings in Windows 10 and learn how to change and update them on your PC.
Windows Update & Security Settings in Windows 10
Windows Update
Delivery Optimization
Windows Security
Backup
Troubleshoot
Recovery
Activation
Find my device
For developers
Continue reading to know more about all these categories of settings.
1. Windows UpdateAdvanced options include update options and update notifications where you can turn on/off the settings for the following.
Receive updates for other Microsoft products when you update Windows
Download updates over metered connections
Restart the device as soon as possible when a restart is required to install an update
Show a notification when your PC requires a restart to finish updating
You will also find links to pause updates, delivery optimization, and privacy settings.
Furthermore, in the Windows Update tab, under Related links, you will see the options such as Check Storage and OS build info.
Windows Update will work differently in Windows 10. There will be no Patch Tuesdays. Microsoft has said it will use two different methods to provide updates: regular updates to normal users and periodic updates to users operating mission-critical operations. Consumers will be delivered the updates and new features as soon as they are available. Businesses will be able to opt-in to the fast-moving consumer pace, or lock-down mission-critical environments, to receive only security and critical updates to their systems.
TIPS:
You can use Quiet Hours to schedule restarts.
You can now log in automatically after Windows Update if you enable the Use my sign in info to automatically finish setting up my device after an update setting.
2. Delivery OptimizationYou can also download Windows Updates & Apps from other Windows 10 PCs. When this option is turned ON, your PC may also send parts of previously downloaded Windows Updates and apps to PCs on your local network or PCs on the internet, depending on what’s selected from the provided options.
Advanced options include settings where the users can limit how much bandwidth is used for downloading or uploading updates, monthly upload limit, and such. Activity monitor will show the download statistics and upload statistics.
See this post if you wish to learn about a workaround to Turn Off Windows Update in Windows 10. You can also make Windows 10 notify you before downloading Updates. This post shows how to run Windows Updates from Command-Line.
3. Windows Security
Virus & threat protection
Account protection
Firewall & network protection
App & browser control
Device security
Device performance & health
Family options
Read: Windows 10 Security features.
4. Backup 5. TroubleshootRunning the troubleshooter might help your device keep functioning properly.
Further below, you will see various options where you can run the troubleshooter to find and fix problems.
Internet connections
Playing audio
Printer
Windows update
Bluetooth
Incoming connections
Keyboard
Network adapter
Power
Program compatibility troubleshooter
Recording audio
Search and indexing
Shared folders
Speech
Video playback
Windows store apps
6. RecoveryIn this tab, you will find the option to reinstall Windows in case your PC is giving you problems. It is also possible to go back to the previous version of Windows 10 on your PC within a span of 10 days or so. Advanced startup will enable you to restore Windows from a system image, change Windows Startup settings, and so on.
You can explore and learn more about the recovery options.
If by any chance you don’t like the updated Windows 10 OS, you can roll back to your previous build of Windows from here using a system image or a removable drive. The recovery option also gives you a chance to Reset your PC where you can reinstall Windows in your PC while keeping your files safe.
7. ActivationHere, you will find details of the Windows edition and activation. Users can go to the store to upgrade your version of Windows and change the product key.
8. Find my deviceThis is a feature that can help you locate any of your Windows 10 device such as a PC, laptop, Surface, or a Surface Pen when it is lost or stolen. To use this feature, the location should be turned on. You have to sign in to your device with a Microsoft account and be sure you are an administrator on it. This is not applicable to a work or school account, iOS devices, Android devices, or Xbox consoles.
Select Change for the device you want to change.
9. For developersAs the name suggests, this tab includes settings only for developers and is linked to the official Microsoft website where developers can enable their device for development, and sideload apps.
You have to sign in as an administrator in order to make changes to these settings.
These settings are to be used for development purposes only.
We have, thus, covered all about the Windows Update and Security Settings in Windows 10.
I hope this was a useful read!
How To Reset Programs To Their Default Settings In Windows
If you have used your computer for a long time, you will probably encounter a situation where your programs are not working as they should be due to wrong or corrupted settings. Obviously, for most Windows users, the first thought that comes to mind is to uninstall and reinstall the program so that the program will hopefully reset itself to its default settings. For some applications this trick works, but for others it either doesn’t work or you need to explicitly delete the saved preferences or settings while uninstalling.
There are actually ways to reset programs to their default settings without having to uninstall and reinstall. Here is how you can reset Windows programs to their default settings.
Using Built-in Options ProgramsJust like Chrome, other programs such Firefox, Photoshop, and Thunderbird, will have their own options to reset the settings to their default configurations. Each program is different, yet you will probably find it in the options.
If you can’t find the option or if there is no option to reset the configuration, follow the instructions below.
Delete the Relevant AppData FolderNote: before going any further, make sure that you have a good backup of your system so that you can revert to the original settings if something bad happens.
In Windows almost all the applications, unless they are really old, store their settings and other files in the AppData folder. By deleting the target application’s folder in the AppData directory, you can reset a program to its default configuration.
The above action will open the AppData folder. Here you will find two folders: “Local” and “Roaming.” Most programs save their settings in the Roaming folder so that they are locked onto the user and can roam with the user (helpful in workstation environments). Open the Roaming folder, find the folder associated with your application and delete it.
The Local folder in the AppData directory hosts files that are user-specific and should not or can not roam (due to their size, like the cache files) with the user. Obviously, some applications might use the Local folder to save the settings. So, if deleting the target program folder in the Roaming directory didn’t work, go ahead and delete the folder that is related to your program in the Local folder.
Finally, if you are using a rearly old program that doesn’t follow these conventions, it might be storing its settings in the ProgramData folder located in the root of the C drive. Enter “C:ProgramData” into the Run dialog box and press the Enter button to open the folder.
In the “ProgramData” folder go ahead and delete the relevant application folder to reset the settings. One thing to keep in mind while using the ProgramData folder is that it is also used to store any and all data or settings that are applicable to all the users on your system. Think of it like an AppData folder for all the users on your system.
Vamsi Krishna
Vamsi is a tech and WordPress geek who enjoys writing how-to guides and messing with his computer and software in general. When not writing for MTE, he writes for he shares tips, tricks, and lifehacks on his own blog Stugon.
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Configure Pen And Windows Ink Workspace Settings In Windows 11/10
We have seen how Microsoft is evolving Windows 11/10 with all the major releases since its launch. Today we are going to see how Microsoft is working very hard, especially for its Surface Devices. You may have come across or may have heard about Windows Ink Experience, it’s a new name for Pen and touch devices working with the OS.
Pen and Windows Ink Settings in Windows 11/10To open Pen and Windows Ink settings, go to:
You would see that the whole page to be divided into different sections which will include settings for Pen and Windows Ink Workspace.
PenIn the Pen section, you may see the settings on what task should the Pen performs when connected, which hand you are using to hold the pen, etc. If a pen is not connected then you may find a different scenario when Pen & Windows Ink settings are opened up.
When paired, Windows assumes that you are a right-handed person and works accordingly. Its because when a pen is used for opening the context menus, the menu opens on the opposite side of the hand being used. Its because if you are right-handed and the menu opens on the right side of the tip then you might not be able to see it.
The settings for Pen also includes the options for Visual Effects and Cursor that appears while using the Pen. Yes, you can disable them any time you want. The cursor is shown as a dot on the position where the tip of Pen is hovering. Another setting that will definitely come handy to you is “Ignore touch input when I’m using my pen”. This setting will ignore your hand gestures and touch when a pen is connected or being used.
At last, there is one more setting that you might want to use. It will allow you to write anything using Pen and it will be converted into text. It is named as “Show the handwriting panel when in not tablet mode and there’s no keyboard attached”. When enabled. it will show you a keyboard icon in the notification area.
Windows Ink ExperienceWindows Ink Experience is just like the app drawer or start menu which gathers all the applications you can use with the help of a stylus or a digital Pen. To access Windows Experience you need to enable Windows Ink Workspace.
Enable Windows Ink Workspace
A new button should appear on the right end of the taskbar.
The workspace used to include applications like Sticky notes, Sketchpad, Screensketch, and recent applications.
But with an update to Windows 10, it has changed. Right now you get two options which include Windows Whiteboard and Fullscreen snip.
You may have figured out that these applications in Windows Ink Workspace are the ones that can work with a Pen and can do wonders.
If you have a Surface device then you may have already understood the wonders I’m talking about.
Let us know about your experience of using Pen with your Windows device.
How do I calibrate my Surface Pen Windows 11?Sometimes, your Pen does not work properly on your Surface device. This can be caused due to the corrupted diver. Apart from this, calibrating the Pen can also help. To calibrate your Surface Pen on Windows 11, search Calibrate and then tap on Settings. Now, check that the monitor shown on the screen matches the monitor you want to calibrate. After that, follow the on-screen instructions to calibrate your Pen.
How do I get the Pen menu on Windows 11?You can easily bring the Pen menu on your screen on Windows 11. If you have a Pen, tap it on the screen. After that, the Pen menu will appear at the corner of the Taskbar.
I hope this helps.
Microsoft Certifies New Pcs With Windows 7 To Ease Enterprises Onto Windows 10
Businesses are rushing toward Windows 10 as fast as they can, but they simply need more time. To accommodate them, Microsoft is trying something different: creating a transitional list of PCs built on the latest Intel Skylake hardware, but certified to run the tried-and-true Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 operating systems for now.
The program tacitly acknowledges that enterprises have a hardware budget they need to spend, and migrating a company from Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 can literally take years. Running an older OS on top of the latest hardware represents a “customer-first” approach to the transition, Microsoft said.
Still, the carrot comes with a pair of sticks. Microsoft will support the list of Skylake PCs running Windows 7 and 8.1 for only 18 months, until July 2023. And while the Windows 7/8.1 integration is being designed with Intel’s Skylake in mind, new PCs based on upcoming chips—Intel’s Kaby Lake, Qualcomm’s 8996 chips, or AMD’s Bristol Ridge—will all require Windows 10.
Why this matters: Microsoft’s free upgrade to Windows 10 was really a grassroots campaign to lobby businesses to adopt the new OS—and continue their lucrative license fees and support contracts. The 200 million “active” devices that now run Windows 10 prove the strategy has partially worked. Still, over 55 percent of the world’s PCs run Windows 7, including businesses who consider it to be a stable operating system. Microsoft appears willing to be patient, as long as the migration does happen, eventually.
Businesses adopt Windows 10 at their own pace
Even as Windows 10 adoption seems to be slowing, it appears businesses are embracing it. “The interest is definitely there,” said Bob O’Donnell, chief analyst at TECHnalysis Research, who ran several surveys of businesses in the fall, both in the United States and abroad. “But the interest and when they can do [deploy] it are two different things.”
”Companies are generally positive toward Windows 10,” agreed Steve Kleynhans, an analyst at Gartner.
Kleynhans said the industry has wrestled with the same sort of transition pains in the past, such as when companies migrated off Windows XP. “I don’t think that Microsoft needs to push them,” he added. “Companies are moving as fast as they can.”
Hardware budgets, however, force a company to buy PCs before they may be ready to roll out. The budget and the process for rolling out new PCs isn’t usually aligned with the project of deploying a new operating system across a company, Kleynhans noted. A company may buy a traditional notebook now and deploy it with Windows 7, intending to upgrade it to Windows 10 in a year’s time.
A widening gap between hardware and softwareMicrosoft says it’s doing its best to bridge the gap between users’ enthusiasm for new hardware with their attachment to old software. “What we wanted to address…was that customers are buying new hardware every day,” Terry Myerson, executive vice president of the Windows and Devices Group at Microsoft, in an interview.
Although PC sales continue to drop, they are still the platform of choice for most enterprises, and Windows comes with them. “We expect to see 300 million what we categorize as new PCs this year, and they want clarity as to where they can get fully-supported quality in those purchase decisions,” Myerson added.
Microsoft’s approach prioritizes keeping users on Windows first. If customers want the latest experience, they can turn to Windows 10. But now Microsoft and its partners have provided a “robust list of options” for customers to buy the latest hardware that will be patched and supported, while still running a tried-and-true OS, Windows 7 or Windows 8.1. “If you really value reliability and compatibility above all else, then there’s the option of buying hardware with the platform that was designed for it,” Myerson said.
The list of approved PCs includes several top brands:
Dell Latitude 12
Dell Latitude 13 7000 Ultrabook
Dell XPS 13
HP EliteBook Folio
HP EliteBook 1040 G3
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
Lenovo ThinkPad P70
The 18 months of support matters because running an aged OS running on cutting-edge hardware requires some finesse. Windows 7 was released in 2009, well before Intel even began designing the Skylake chips. That means Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 has certain expectations regarding hardware power states and interrupt processing, and any tweaks to the device drivers or firmware can cause issues, according to Microsoft. The support Microsoft and its partners will offer includes special testing to accommodate those quirks, as well as tools to help update the OS and BIOS once the customer decides to upgrade to Windows 10.
Myerson said Microsoft worked together with its PC partners, including Intel, to create the list of approved PCs, as well as to jointly test BIOS updates and drivers. So far, there’s no indication that the list of Skylake PCs will include consumer models. Support of the Skylake Windows 7/8.1 PCs will include validation of Windows Updates to reduce regressions like security concerns, the company said.
After the 18-month support timeframe ends on July 17, 2023, only the “most critical” Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 security updates will be addressed for those PCs, and “will be released if the update does not risk the reliability or compatibility of the Windows 7/8.1 platform on other devices,” Microsoft said in a blog post. Windows 7 remains on extended support until Jan. 14, 2023, and Windows 8.1 until Jan. 10, 2023.
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