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Office problems on Windows 10? Microsoft’s response will soon be “upgrade to 11.”

Microsoft’s advertised end-of-support date for Windows 10 is October 14, 2025. But in reality, the company will gradually wind down support for the enduring popular operating system over the next three years. Microsoft would really like you to upgrade to Windows 11, especially if it also means upgrading to a new PC, but it also doesn’t want to leave hundreds of millions of home and business PCs totally unprotected.

Those competing goals have led to lots of announcements and re-announcements and clarifications about updates for both Windows 10 itself and the Office/Microsoft 365 productivity apps that many Windows users run on their PCs.

Today’s addition to the pile comes via The Verge, which noticed an update to a support document that outlined when Windows 10 PCs would stop receiving new features for the continuously updated Microsoft 365 apps. Most home users will stop getting new features in August 2026, while business users running the Enterprise versions can expect to stop seeing new features in either October 2026 or January 2027, depending on the product they’re using.

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July 14, 2025
7 Best Sandbox Applications for Windows

We download a lot of software on our Windows operating system. Sometimes, we even need to open suspicious email attachments. To deal with such situations, sandboxing comes in handy.

A Sandbox virtual environment lets you install and run new or untrusted applications. This way, you will install the applications in a virtual environment rather than on the operating system. Here are some of the best sandbox applications for Windows.

1. Sandboxie Plus

If you are searching for a lightweight and free sandbox application for Windows, give Sandboxie Plus a try. Sandboxie Plus is a sandbox application that lets you install & run almost any Windows software.

Sandboxie Plus has free and paid versions. The free version lacks essential features like forced programs and running multiple sandboxes. If you value secure web browsing, enhanced privacy, and secure e-mail, Sandboxie should be your top pick.

2. SHADE Sandbox

This is another good sandbox app for Windows. Shade Sandbox is incredibly easy to work on; users must drag and drop the apps inside this software, and it will be put into the sandbox container soon.

Since it’s a sandbox application, it keeps your Windows environment safe from malware, ransomware, worms, trojans, and other threats.

3. Windows Sandbox

Windows Sandbox is a built-in feature of the Windows operating system that lets you test apps & files in a virtual environment.

Windows Sandbox functions like every other Sandbox app on the list, but it’s more secure and straightforward. To enable Windows sandbox, you must enable the tool from the Windows features.

4. VoodooShield

VoodooShield is more like a security program than a Sandbox app. However, VoodooShield shares some sandbox features that could help you secure your computer.

VoodooShield locks your computer and notifies users when it detects an unknown process instead of scanning your computer for malicious files.

Once your PC is locked, you can only execute apps or processes you have specifically whitelisted.

5. Shadow Defender

Shadow Defender is another of the best security and privacy protection tools on the list, but it works differently. The app allows users to run their system safely in a virtual environment or sandbox.

Shadow Defender offers a sandbox feature known as ‘Shadow Mode’, allowing users to run everything in a virtual environment rather than a real one.

The only drawback of Shadow Defender is that it hasn’t received an update for a while, so it may fail to run on the latest Windows 11.

6. VirtualBox

VirtualBox is a virtualization app that allows users to extend their existing computers to run multiple operating systems. If your PC runs on Windows 10/11, you can test Linux or macOS using VirtualBox.

Similarly, you can install any version of VirtualBox to test software. VirtualBox is heavily popular, and it’s mainly used for testing purposes.

7. VMWare

VMware is pretty similar to the VirtualBox application listed above. This virtualization app is meant to run multiple applications and operating systems.

Compared to VirtualBox, VMware offers more features, but it’s also a bit complicated. Still, VMware is one of the best applications for testing other software.

These are the best sandbox applications for Windows. If you have any doubts, let us know in the comment box below.

The post 7 Best Sandbox Applications for Windows appeared first on TechViral.

July 12, 2025
Microsoft changes Windows in attempt to prevent next CrowdStrike-style catastrophe

In the summer of 2024, corporate anti-malware provider CrowdStrike pushed a broken update to millions of PCs and servers running some version of Microsoft’s Windows software, taking down systems that both companies and consumers relied on for air travel, payments, emergency services, and their morning coffee. It was a huge outage, and it caused days and weeks of pain as the world’s permanently beleaguered IT workers brought systems back online, in some cases touching each affected PC individually to remove the bad update and get the systems back up and running.

The outage was ultimately CrowdStrike’s fault, and in the aftermath of the incident, the company promised a long list of process improvements to keep a bad update like that from going out again. But because the outage affected Windows systems, Microsoft often had shared and sometimes even top billing in mainstream news coverage—another in a string of security-related embarrassments that prompted CEO Satya Nadella and other executives to promise that the company would refocus its efforts on improving the security of its products.

The CrowdStrike crash was possible partly due to how anti-malware software works in Windows. Security vendors and their AV products generally have access to the Windows kernel, the cornerstone of the operating system that sits between your hardware and most user applications. But most user applications don’t have kernel access specifically because a buggy app (or one hijacked by malware) with kernel access can bring the entire system down rather than just affecting the app. The bad CrowdStrike update was bad mostly because it was being loaded so early in Windows’ boot process that many systems couldn’t check for and download CrowdStrike’s fix before they crashed.

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June 27, 2025
How to Run Windows Programs at Higher Priority

Windows lets you change process priorities. A process priority determines how much of your computer’s resources are devoted to that process. Below, we share steps for running programs at a higher priority.

Run Windows Program at Higher Priority

Changing process priority on Windows is an easy process. Here’s how to do it.

1. Right-click on the taskbar and select Task Manager.

2. Click on the process whose priority you want to change and click on Go to details.

3. You will now see the details tab. Right-click on the selected process and select Set Priority.

4. You will now see 6 Options – Realtime, High, Above Normal, Normal, Below Normal, and Low.

5. Realtime is the Highest Priority, and Low is the Lowest Priority. You can set the priority of each process, depending on your needs.

6. Click the Change Priority when prompted.

Note: We have used Windows 10 to demonstrate the process. The steps are the same for Windows 11 as well.

This article is about running an application at a higher priority in Windows. I hope it helped you. Please share it with your friends.

The post How to Run Windows Programs at Higher Priority appeared first on TechViral.

June 27, 2025
Microsoft extends free Windows 10 security updates into 2026, with strings attached

Last fall, Microsoft announced that individuals who wanted to keep using Windows 10 past its official end-of-support date could do so by opting into the company’s Extended Security Update (ESU) program at a cost of $30 per PC. That payment would get users a single year of additional security updates. Today, less than four months before that October 14, 2025, cutoff, Microsoft is announcing additional options for people who can’t or don’t want to pay that fee.

Individuals who want to pay $30 for the additional year of updates will still be able to do so. But Microsoft will also extend a year of additional Windows 10 security updates to any users who opt into Windows Backup, a relatively recent Windows 10 and Windows 11 app that backs up some settings and files using a Microsoft account. Users can also opt into ESU updates by spending 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, which are handed out for everything from making purchases with your Microsoft account to doing Bing searches.

These offers don’t formally extend the end-of-support date for Windows 10. But for users who don’t want to move to Windows 11 or who can’t do so because their PC doesn’t meet the requirements, they do effectively offer an additional year of free updates for the OS that’s still installed on a slim majority of the world’s Windows PCs, according to Statcounter data.

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June 24, 2025
How to Launch Multiple Apps At Once on Windows
To launch multiple apps at once, we first need to create a batch file. The batch file will contain the path of the apps that you want to open. Follow some of the simple steps shared below.

Launch Multiple Apps At Once on Windows

This batch file allows you to launch as many apps as you want. However, please note that this script may not work on every build of Windows 10/11.

1. Search for the apps that you want to include in the batch file. Right-click on the app and select Open File Location.

2. This will open the folder where the program has been installed. Right-click on the shortcut and select Properties.

3. On the properties, copy the Target field. Press CTRL+C to copy the value of this field.

4. Open a notepad file on your system and paste the code given below.
```
@echo off

cd "PATH"
start FILE

exit
```
Important: You need to replace PATH with the path to your app. Next, you need to replace FILE with the executable file name.

5. The complete command would look like this
```
@echo off

cd "C:Program Files (x86)SkillbrainslightshotLightshot.exe"
start Lightshot.exe

exit
```
6. You can add more programs to the batch file. You need to use the same code for all your other apps. For example, I want to launch Lightshot and Avidemux at once. So, the code would look like
```
@echo off

cd "C:Program Files (x86)SkillbrainslightshotLightshot.exe"
start Lightshot.exe

cd "C:Program FilesAvidemux 2.7 VC++ 64bitsavidemux.exe"
start avidemux.exe

exit
```
7. Click on the File menu on your Notepad and select Save As.

8. You need to give the batch file a name. You can name the batch file anything; make sure to add the ‘.bat’ at the end of the file. For example, Applaunch.bat

Whenever you wish to launch your favorite apps, double click on the .bat file.

This guide explains how to launch multiple apps at once on Windows. If you have any doubts, let us know in the comment box below.

The post How to Launch Multiple Apps At Once on Windows appeared first on TechViral.
June 13, 2025
How to Clean your Windows PC using CMD
Windows 10 & 11 also offer several built-in system junk cleaning utilities to free up storage space. Although it’s pretty easy to access those tools, wouldn’t it be easier to access the hidden tools via CMD?

So, if you’re interested in cleaning your PC using the command prompt, here’s what you should do.

1. Defragment the Hard Disk via CMD

In this method, we will defrag our hard disk via CMD. This method will clean all junk files stored on selected drives. Let’s check out.

1. Click the Windows Start button and type in CMD. Right-click on the Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator.

2. On the Command Prompt, enter the command:

defrag c:

Important: The above command will defrag the C: Drive of your PC. Change the drive letter if you want to defrag any other drive.

3. The Disk Defragment tool will scan the selected drive and remove the junk & temp files.

2. Run Disk Cleanup Utility via CMD

We will run Windows’ built-in Disk Cleanup utility to free up storage space. Follow the steps below.

1. Click on the Windows Start button and type in CMD. Right-click on the Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator.

2. On the Command Prompt, type in cleanmgr and hit the Enter button.

3. This will launch the Disk Cleanup utility. Select the drive you want to clean and click the Ok button.

4. If you wish to skip the drive selection pop-up, enter the command:

cleanmgr /sageset

You need to select the files to delete after executing the above command

5. If you wish to delete files automatically, then execute the command:

cleanmgr /sagerun

The above command will automatically scan your drives and delete junk files from your PC.

3. Clear Temporary Files Using the Command Prompt

You can also use the Command Prompt utility to clear the temporary files. Here’s what you need to do.

1. Click on Windows 11 Search and type Command Prompt. Right-click on the Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

2. When the Command Prompt opens, execute the given command:

%SystemRoot%explorer.exe %temp%

3. You can use the CTRL + A function to select all files. Once selected, you can delete it. Or else, execute the command to delete all temporary files.

del %temp%*.* /s /q

4. Delete the Prefetch Files Using the Command Prompt

Prefetch files are temporary files you can delete to free up storage space. Here’s how to do so using the Command Prompt.

1. Open Command Prompt with admin rights (Right click > Run as administrator).

2. When the Command Prompt opens, execute this command:
```
%SystemRoot%explorer.exe C:Windowsprefetch
```
3. Once done, execute this command to delete the Prefetch files:
```
del C:Windowsprefetch*.*/s/q
```
This guide explains how to clean your Windows 10/11 PC via Command Prompt. If you have any doubts, let us know in the comment box below.

The post How to Clean your Windows PC using CMD appeared first on TechViral.
May 29, 2025
How to Reset Windows 10/11 via CMD
Although Windows offers a few troubleshooting utilities to deal with errors, it’s best to reset Windows if everything is problematic.

One of the easiest ways to reset Windows is via the Command Prompt. It’s easy, doesn’t require any third-party installation, and is stable. Here’s what you need to do.

How to Reset Windows 10 via Command Prompt

Important: A factory reset will erase all files and folders saved on the system installation drive. So, make sure to back up your essential files before resetting your Windows 10

1. Open Windows Search and type in Command Prompt.

2. Right-click the ‘Command Prompt’ and select Run as administrator.

3. On the Command Prompt, enter the command – systemreset --factoryreset

4. On the next screen, you will be asked to choose an option. Select Keep My Files or Remove Everything.

5. You will be asked to choose whether you want to just remove your files or remove your files and clean the drive. Select the option as per your wish.

6. Click the Reset button and wait until the system resets.

Once the factory reset is complete, the initial Windows setup screen will load. Just pick the appropriate settings to complete the setup process.

How to Factory Reset Windows 11 from Command Prompt

It’s pretty easy to factory reset Windows 11 from the Command Prompt. To do so, here are the steps to follow.

1. Type Command Prompt in the Windows 11 Search. Right click on the CMD and select Run as administrator.

2. When the Command Prompt opens, execute this command and press Enter.
```
systemreset - factoryreset
```
3. On the Choose an option screen, select either Keep My Files or Remove Everything.

4. On the next screen, select Remove files and clean the drive.

5. On the Ready to reset this PC screen, click Reset.

This guide explains how to factory reset a Windows 10 PC via Command Prompt. If you need more help in resetting your PC via the command prompt, let us know in the comment box below.

The post How to Reset Windows 10/11 via CMD appeared first on TechViral.
May 29, 2025
4 Best Ways to Change Your Computer Name in Windows
If you recently bought a new computer or laptop with Windows installed, you might be shocked to know your PC’s default name. The default name of Windows often looks weird. It usually has a combination of random letters and numbers, which is hard to remember.

If you have multiple devices at home, like a desktop, smartphone, tablet, or laptop, and connect them to the wireless network, you can change the computer name for easy identification on a network.

Please note that we are discussing the computer name here, not the user account name. Many users get confused between the two.

1. Change Computer Name Using Settings (Windows 10)

You can use the Windows Settings app to change the Windows computer name. Follow some of the simple steps given below.

1. Press Windows Key + I on your computer to open Settings.

2. On Settings, click on System.

3. On the left-hand side pane, select About.

4. Under the About section, click on the Rename this PC option.

5. Enter the new computer name and the admin account password.

Change Your Computer Name in Windows 11?

The steps to rename Windows 11 PC is bit different. If you’re using Windows 11, follow these steps instead.

1. Launch the Settings app and switch to the System.

2. On the right side, click on About.

3. Click the Rename this PC button.

4. Enter the name you want to set. Once done, click Next.

5. You will have to restart your PC to change your Windows 11 PC name.

2. Using System Properties

If you are unable to change the computer name from the Windows settings, you can use the System properties.

1. Right-click on This PC and select Properties.

2. On the left-hand side pane, select Advanced System Settings.

3. Under the System properties, select the Computer name.

4. Click the Change button, as shown in the screenshot.

5. Enter the new name and click on Ok.

Reboot the computer, and the system name will be changed.

3. Using Command Prompt

You can also use the Windows command prompt to change the system name. To do so, you need to execute a simple command.

1. Search for CMD in the Start menu. Right-click on CMD and select Run as Administrator.

2. On the Command Prompt, enter the given command. However, make sure to replace the ‘Computer-Name’ text with the name you want to assign.

wmic computersystem where name="%computername%" call rename name="Computer-Name"

Once done, reboot the computer to implement the changes. After the restart, you will see the new Windows name.

4. Rename your Windows PC via PowerShell

Whether you are using Windows 10 or 11, you can use the PowerShell utility to rename your Windows PC. Here’s what you need to do.

1. Open the Windows Search and type in PowerShell. Right-click on the PowerShell and select Run as Administrator.

2. In PowerShell, execute this command:
```
Rename-Computer -NewName "Newname"
```
Important: Replace the NewName with the name you want to set.

3. The above command will rename your Windows 10/11 PC. After the rename, execute this command to restart your computer and apply the changes.
```
Restart-Computer
```
These are the best methods to change the computer name in Windows. I hope this article helped you! Please share it with your friends, too.

The post 4 Best Ways to Change Your Computer Name in Windows appeared first on TechViral.
May 26, 2025
How to Check If a Disk Drive is GPT or MBR in Windows 10/11

GPT is a modern partition scheme required to boot the Windows operating system in UEFI mode. On the other hand, MBR is needed to boot older Windows versions in BIOS mode. If you want to install the latest Windows, you might need to use the GPT partition scheme.

Check If a Disk Drive is GPT or MBR in Windows

You need to know the disk partition scheme before preparing a bootable USB drive to ensure an error-free installation of Windows. So, it’s always best to know if a Disk drive uses GPT or MBR on a Windows pc.

Also Read: 10 Best Tools To Check & Repair Hard Disk Errors

1. Through Disk Management

You can use Windows’ built-in Disk Management utility to determine whether a disk is GPT or MBR.

1. Right-click the Start button and select Disk Management.

2. This will open the Disk Management tool.

3. Right-click on the disk whose partition scheme you want to know and select Properties.

4. On the next Window, select the Volumes tab.

5. Check the Partition style. The partition style section will tell you about the partition style used on the disk.

2. Using Command Prompt

The Command Prompt method might not be the easiest, but it’s still pretty effective. Here’s how to check if a disk uses the GPT or MBR partition style.

2. Click on Windows Search and search for CMD. Right-click on CMD and select Run as administrator.

2. On the Command Prompt Window, enter the disk part and hit the Enter button.

3. Enter the list disk on the Command prompt and hit the Enter button.

4. If a disk is GPT, it will have an asterisk(*) character under the GPT column. If the asterisk character is missing from the GPT column, it’s an MBR disk.

3. Using PowerShell

Like the Command prompt, you can utilize Windows PowerShell to determine whether the disk drive uses GPT or MBR partition style.

1. Search for PowerShell on Windows search. Right-click on the PowerShell and select Run as Administrator.

2. In the PowerShell window, type Get-Disk and hit the Enter button.

3. Look at the Partition Style column. This column lists whether a disk drive uses a GPT or MBR scheme.

How to Convert MBR to GPT on Windows?

If you get errors like ‘Windows can’t be installed to this disk’ while clean installing Windows 10/11, you will have to convert the MBR disk to GPT.

We shared a detailed guide on converting MBR to GPT on Windows. You can follow that guide to convert MBR to GPT.

This article explains how to check if a drive use the GPT or MBR partition style on Windows. If you have any doubts, let us know in the comment box below.

The post How to Check If a Disk Drive is GPT or MBR in Windows 10/11 appeared first on TechViral.

May 26, 2025