How to Enable Windows Defender Sandbox in Windows 10

Windows Defender can protect itself from attacks using its own sandbox. Here’re the steps to allow Windows Defender sandbox in Windows 10.

Windows Defender are now able to run inside a sandbox providing you with better security and reliability. Actually, Windows Defender is the first antivirus to operate in a sandboxed environment. However, you have to manually let the Windows Defender sandbox feature.

Steps to Enable Windows Defender Sandbox in Windows 10

These are the steps to show on Windows Defender sandbox in Windows 10.

Open the Start menu.
Search for “cmd”.
Right-click on “Command Prompt” and choose the “Run as administrator” option.
In the Command Prompt, copy and paste the below command and press “Enter”.

setx /M MP_FORCE_USE_SANDBOX 1

As soon as you execute the command, Windows can make the required changes. If the process is really a success you will notice the “SUCCESS: Specified value was saved” message.

Verify Windows Defender Sandbox Status

As the command prompt doesn’t give any sensible message to show you when the Windows Defender is running in a sandbox, we are going to use Process Explorer, a portable application from Microsoft. You can imagine Process Explorer as Task Manager on steroids.

Download Process Explorer and open it up. Check out the process list you should see MsMpEngCP.exe running alongside the MsMpEng.exe antimalware service process.

Disable Defender Sandbox

As mentioned before, the Windows Defender secure sandbox is really a new feature that’s still in testing. So, in case your product is behaving oddly after enabling the Secure Sandbox then you need to probably disable it for the moment.

To disable Windows Defender sandbox, all you need to do is execute the below command and restart the body. Within the command, all we did is replace 1 within the above command with 0.

setx /M MP_FORCE_USE_SANDBOX 0

Windows Defender Can Now Run Inside a Sandbox, But Why?

Becoming an antivirus, Windows Defender must run using the highest privileges to scan, detect, and take away all infections. Windows Defender has its own user account in Windows 10.

Given that Windows defender runs with the maximum permissions, some clever attacker can craft malware that can compromise Windows Defender and infect the machine. Since Windows Defender has got the highest privileges, the attack surface would be bigger and worse.

By running Windows Defender inside a sandbox, even if the Windows Defender is compromised or includes a bug inside it, the malware couldn’t affect the system. It stays within the sandbox. The best thing is, according to Microsoft, the Windows Defender secure sandbox feature is implemented with no performance drop or loss.

Microsoft Says It Won’t Kill Off Skype Despite Microsoft Teams Success

The rapid adoption of Microsoft Teams along with its increased consumer focus was seen by many as a mix that would eventually convince Microsoft it’s time for you to let Skype go.

Even though at some level this makes sense, especially as Teams already seems prepared to replace Skype, the organization says this is not the situation.

Microsoft Teams and Skype continues to reside alongside, just like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp coexist nowadays.

That’s what Jeff Teper, CVP for Microsoft 365, told VentureBeat, emphasizing there aren’t any intends to give up Skype right now.

“Facebook, for instance, has multiple tools with Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp,” Teper explained. “Those all continue to grow. They did work to interoperate with them. They’re not forcing a migration in one of the consumer tools to another. That’s how I take a look at our playbook, a minimum of soon. Teams has a very different flavor into it than Skype. It does overlap in the same need, just like Messenger and WhatsApp do from Facebook. And so, we’ll ask them to interoperate, but we’re going to still show like to the Skype customer base.”

Skype is here now to remain

And Skype will continue to get more and more improvements. Ironically, one of the most important is interoperability with Microsoft Teams, as Microsoft wants users on platforms to be able to send messages and start calls just like they’d be utilising exactly the same service.

“We’re continuing to invest in Skype. It’s growing through all this. You’ll see newer and more effective features. You’ll see Skype and Teams interoperate. As Teams lands with consumers and does more things, I think individuals will pick Teams. But we’re not really heavy-handed about this. Everyone loves Skype. And thus, we’re not going to get in front of ourselves here,” Teper said.

Microsoft purchased Skype in May 2011 for $8.5 billion, certainly one of its largest transactions ever. The deal was carried out October exactly the same year and also, since then Skype continues to be built-into a number of Microsoft products, including directly in Windows 10.

Google Silently Updates Google Chrome with Windows Hello for Easy Payments

Google has updated Google Chrome browser with support for Windows Hello for payments, which means that you can now use face unlocking to access cards which are stored in the app.

Google Pay is offered at browser level in Google Chrome, and when any cards are added, it is simple to autofill all the details when trying to make a payment.

More recently, however, the search giant presented a brand new feature specifically targeted at Windows 10 users which enables them to use Windows Hello rather than CVC when making a payment. In other words, Microsoft’s biometric authentication system is now employed for confirming cards, as long as the feature exists around the device that’s being used to help make the payment.

While Google hasn’t announced the feature at this time, Owen Williams says on Twitter that it’s already available in the beta build of Chrome and should make its way to the stable form of the browser rather earlier than later.

No Windows Hello in Microsoft Edge

Others claim this isn’t just restricted to the most recent form of Chrome but can also be enabled in the last releases, for example Chrome 81. During the time of writing, Windows Hello is missing for me in the search engines Chrome 83, and it doesn’t appear to appear in Canary and Beta builds either.

Windows Hello is already enabled on my small device and I personally use it to log in to Windows.

While Bing is apparently rolling out Windows Hello in Chrome, ironically, Microsoft isn’t yet focusing on this feature. The Microsoft Edge team confirmed recently within an AMA session on reddit that it’s not yet working on an element to ensure payments with Windows Hello.

“We don’t have any plans to enable this functionality today, but I’ll make sure that this suggestion finds its method to the right team!” they explained.

How to Check Bluetooth Version in Windows 10 Laptop/Desktop

Windows 10 supports a number of Bluetooth versions. Here’re the steps to find which Bluetooth version your Windows 10 device has.

Most Windows laptops and even some Windows desktops have built-in Bluetooth support. With respect to the Bluetooth version, its functionality will vary. For instance, if you wish to transfer files to or from a Windows 10 device over Bluetooth, you should be using Bluetooth v4 or more. That’s because the Windows 10 operating-system doesn’t support older versions for file transfers.

Additionally, some hardware like Bluetooth keyboard or mouse or game controllers requires a specific version to work properly. In those situations, it is best to check the Windows 10 Bluetooth version prior to making decisions.

Thankfully, Windows 10 provides several different methods to discover the Bluetooth version. Let me show you how.

How do you Find Windows 10 Bluetooth Version

Below are the two methods you can use to find which Bluetooth version your Windows 10 laptop has. The very first method uses the built-in device management tool. The second method uses third-party software and gives you the required information straightaway.

First Method

Show Bluetooth Version in Device Manager

Follow these steps to check the Bluetooth version while using Device Manager tool.

Press “Windows Key” to open the Start menu.
Search for and open “Device Manager”.
Expand the “Bluetooth” option.
Right-click around the Bluetooth adapter.
Select “Properties”.
Go to the “Advanced” tab.
Next to firmware, you will notice the LMP version. Note it down.

When the LMP version is 6 or over, you are using Bluetooth version 4 or over. To be more specific, check out the below map to know more.

LMP Version – Bluetooth Version

LMP v3.x – Bluetooth V2.0
LMP v4.x – Bluetooth V2.1
LMP v5.x – Bluetooth V3.0
LMP v6.x – Bluetooth V4.0
LMP v7.x – Bluetooth V4.1
LMP v8.x – Bluetooth V4.2
LMP v9.x – Bluetooth V5.0
LMP v10.x – Bluetooth V5.1
LMP v11.x – Bluetooth V5.2

Second Method

Bluetooth Version Finder

Bluetooth version finder is really a free third-party application to easily discover the currently running version.

An important feature about using this software is it directly tells you the version number. it’s not necessary to decode the LMP version. Moreover, being a portable software, you don’t have to install it for doing things.

Download Bluetooth Version Finder.
After downloading, open the zip file.
Extract the EXE file to your desktop.
Double-click on the EXE file.
The application will instantly show the Windows 10 Bluetooth version.

If you have multiple Bluetooth devices connected to the system, select the Bluetooth device from the drop-down menu to know its version.

Why is it Important to Find Bluetooth Version?

Bluetooth has and it is being evolved. Depending on the Bluetooth version, you get access to additional functionality thanks to its ever-evolving profiles as well as improved security.

Some Bluetooth devices require Windows 10 to meet the absolute minimum version to operate. A good example would be Bluetooth enabled keyboard and mouse or game controllers.

Generally, most Windows desktops and laptops support a minimum of Bluetooth version 4. Whenever a Bluetooth system is no longer working because it should, checking its version will narrow the troubleshooting process.

If you learned that the body doesn’t support the absolute minimum required Bluetooth specification, you could purchase a cheap Bluetooth dongle from Amazon or any other stores.

Windows 10 Version 2004: Windows Sandbox Getting a Massive Update

The following form of Windows 10 is projected to launch this month with massive improvements, which is certainly a highly-anticipated release.

Windows 10 version 2004, or Windows 10 May 2020 Update, uses the November 2019 Update, which was described by many as “a tiny bit more than a service pack.” This is because the November update didn’t bring anything else than small refinements underneath the hood, therefore the focus wasn’t exactly on additional features.

Windows Sandbox is one of the features getting some love in Windows 10 May 2020 Update, as Microsoft adds new functionality according to user feedback.

Sandbox is a new feature which makes it possible for users to run another demonstration of Windows 10 in secure sandbox, so exactly what they run there doesn’t impact the files stored around the device. More like a virtual machine bundled with Windows 10, Sandbox is pretty much the simplest way to test applications that you may otherwise be afraid they could make changes to the system.

Beginning with Windows 10 version 2004, Windows Sandbox will support configuration files, which means users can launch it with certain parameters.

More specifically, you will find four different settings that can be controlled with scripts in Windows Sandbox:

vGPU (virtualized GPU)
Network
Shared folders
Startup script

The configuration file is held in the .wsb format, so that you can then easily import the same script on the different system where Windows Sandbox is enabled. Launching a configuration file is really as easy as double-clicking it, however it may also be loaded through the command line.

As Microsoft explains, while building a simple script with basic commands is one thing that’s really easy, IT pros may also create more complicated scripts that would combine more tasks to operate within the Windows Sandbox.

“Although very simple commands works (launching an executable or script), more complicated scenarios involving multiple steps ought to be place into a script file. This script file may be mapped into the container via a shared folder, after which executed via the LogonCommand directive,” Microsoft says.

Windows 10 version 2004 will roll out to devices in phases, and this is an approach that Microsoft has also used before and which provides the organization more control over the release itself, as the company can always suspend it for several hardware configurations that could be impacted by a brand new bug.

For instance, when Microsoft begins shipping the feature update to certain computers and a new concern is discovered, the organization then suspends the rollout towards the rest of devices featuring the same hardware or software configuration to prevent them from striking the same bug.

At the same time, Microsoft will also offer alternative download methods, such as the Media Creation Oral appliance the standalone Windows 10 May 2020 Update ISOs.

However, Microsoft will recommend against with such methods of installing the brand new feature update is certain upgrade blocks have established yourself, because they could lead to devices experiencing issues. On the other hand, they may be utilized by power users also it admins for testing purposes, because the ISO images can be deployed in virtual machines to look for the toughness for the new feature update within a specific organization.

Microsoft is yet to publicly announce the date once the new feature update goes live, but this is expected to happen the next week the latest. Users who are area of the Windows Insider program have already received the ultimate build, so anyone can give it a try by signed up for the discharge Preview ring.

Windows 10 Version 2004: New Choices for Managing App Notifications

Windows 10 version 2004, or Windows 10 May 2020 Update, is just nearby, as Microsoft is expected to ship it towards the first wave of production devices when the in a few days.

And something from the improvements that you’ll find after updating to this new release concerns notifications, as Microsoft has tried to make it easier to manage them from the desktop.

The software giant explained last year if this rolled out the new notifications controls to users signed up for the Windows Insider program that it was all based on feedback.

“Based in your feedback, we’ve been focusing on providing you with additional control over potential interruptions. Introducing Focus Help automatically suppress notifications when you’re attempting to stay in the moment and not get distracted, and adding the option to make use of middle click to dismiss notifications if you want to quickly create a notification toast go away. One thing we’ve been told by you, though, is that our notification settings aren’t easily discoverable. In addition, once you find the settings, they may be obscure,” the company explains.

So Windows 10 version 2004 introduces a series of notification improvements according to each one of these requirements.

The first thing you’ll notice is that each notification now comes with a small settings icon (the apparatus icon) which when clicked provides you with extra options.

This new icon enables you to switch off all notifications for the app that’s sending it, which means you don’t have to check out the Settings app for the entire thing. Everything’s considerably faster now, and it all requires a couple of clicks to disable the notifications for any specific app.

Of course, a shortcut to access the notification settings is also included in this new menu if you want to configure it more thoroughly.

And speaking of the settings, the notifications page continues to be redesigned for any more straightforward process. For example, you’ll now see small thumbnails for notification banners and action center to figure out easier which settings you’re changing. This is something which is useful especially for beginners because it’s simpler to visualize the alterations they make.

Then, there’s a new choice to easily mute all notifications, again a welcome improvement because you no more have to depend on the old Control Panel applet to get rid of the sound. Everything comes down to a toggle now, so that you can keep using notifications, but without any sound.

The company has also included notification improvements in the Action Center, with a brand new “manage notifications” button open to jump right towards the Settings screen.

“We’ve also added a brand new direct link towards the top of the experience Center to handle notifications, therefore it takes one less key to get to Notification & Actions settings. To make room with this we’ve moved the “no notifications” text right down to the center of the Action Center, which also means your eyes don’t have to traverse as far to determine it when you launch the Action Center from the bottom from the screen,” the organization explains.

And something last change visiting notifications concerns their email list where one can configure to obtain notifications from select apps. Microsoft has added an option to sort the list through the most recent notification senders, so it’s much easier to disable them if you would like.

Windows 10 version 2004 has already been available in the Release Preview ring, if you want to try out all these improvements at this time, you can just head over to the Windows Insider program to download the most recent build.

Lenovo Reminds the planet It’s Focusing on a Foldable PC

Lenovo announced the very first foldable PC, the so-called ThinkPad X1 Fold, earlier this year at CES, and leaving aside its specs, probably the most notable details concerned the operating system supposed to power the unit.

The ThinkPad X1 Fold was projected to run both Windows 10 and Windows 10X, which makes sense due to two significant reasons. First of all, Lenovo is one of the largest Microsoft partners and it is one of the first to aid the rollout of new Windows products and software.

And 2nd, because the ThinkPad X1 Fold is a foldable tool and Windows 10X was created with this form factor in mind in the beginning.

But because Microsoft needs more time to complete Windows 10X and finalize the top Neo, the company’s own device projected to operate the OS, Lenovo is also focusing more about Windows 10, that is exactly what the PC maker planned from the very beginning.

Release imminent?

As announced in January, the Windows 10 form of the ThinkPad X1 Fold will be the first one to ship and judging from the recent video published on YouTube through the PC maker itself, that moment may be closer than we expected.

The Windows 10X version will also come at some point in the near future when Microsoft completes its development.

“Co-engineered with Intel, the Always Connected PC is powered by Intel Core? Processors with Intel Hybrid Technology and will initially be available with Windows 10 in mid-2020. Lenovo is thinking about offering ThinkPad X1 Fold with Windows 10X later on for an enhanced foldable consumer experience. Furthermore, optional 5G connectivity will enable new methods for working wherever, whenever and nevertheless, you want,” Lenovo said in the original announcement.

The brand new foldable PC will feature a 13.3-inch display entirely flat mode having a 4:3 aspect ratio. It will be sold for $2,499, according to the information shared at CES 2020.

Microsoft Brings DNS Over HTTPS to Windows 10

Microsoft has shipped a new Windows 10 preview build to users signed up for the Windows Insider program, and the company has included a highly-anticipated new feature.

It’s DNS over HTTPS, a security feature that has always been requested to become put into Windows 10 and which Microsoft has become testing with the aid of Windows insiders before bringing it to production devices at some point in the near future.

“If you’ve been waiting to try DNS over HTTPS (DoH) on Windows 10, you’re in luck: the very first testable version is now available to Windows Insiders! If you haven’t been awaiting it, and are wondering what DoH is about, then bear in mind this feature will change how your device connects to the web and it is in an early testing stage so only proceed if you’re sure you’re ready,” Microsoft explains.

Branch tests

Another change in Windows 10 build 19628 concerns the branch that users are part of when getting builds in the Fast ring from the Insider program.

Specifically, Microsoft is now testing an MN_RELEASE branch with this build, and the company explains it’s all part of an experiment to determine the reliability when changing the branch that’s getting used for active development.

“This is just a short-term change and we plan to release builds from RS_PRERELEASE again soon. As our engineers work in development cycles internally, we might prioritize work being done in a specific branch and could need to move Insiders between branches. The builds from the MN_RELEASE branch aren’t matched to some specific Windows 10 release,” the company explains.

The build new also comes with one fix and many known issues, and you can browse the full changelog embedded in this area after the jump for additional information on this release.

What’s New in the Updated Windows 10 Version 2004 RTM

Microsoft has finalized the development of Windows 10 May 2020 Update, also referred to as version 2004, and the RTM build is already available for users within the Release Preview ring.

More specifically, users enrolled in the discharge Preview ring already are running the final build of Windows 10 version 2004, but Microsoft keeps polishing the experience prior to the public launch.

In the end still don’t know just when the Windows 10 version 2004 is projected to launch for everyone, it’s believed the rollout could begin in the last week of this month.

In the meantime, Microsoft has shipped a new cumulative update to users within the Slow and Release Preview rings of the Windows Insider program, again to further polish the experience overall. But because it’s Patch Tuesday, the company can also be including security updates designed to patch vulnerabilities that would expose its users.

Specifically, the new cumulative update that’s shipped to Windows 10 version 2004 users is KB4556803, and it bumps the OS version number to 19041.264. In other words, if not one other refinements are shipped in the meantime, this is the RTM build that would be shipped to all users.

You will find four different improvements within this update build of Windows 10 May 2020 Update.

First of all, Microsoft says it’s finally resolved a performance issue in Windows Mixed Reality, because the company explains that this one didn’t work correctly for many years.

Then, the software giant has improved the experience with cleaning apps, including the Disk Cleanup itself. Through the looks of things, some users were not able delete the previously-installed updates with such apps, and even Disk Cleanup didn’t work correctly. So following this update, everything should run just like you anticipate it to run, and previously-installed updates ought to be removed correctly.

Then, Microsoft has updated the 2020 start date for daylight not waste time within the Kingdom of Morocco. It’s understandable this was an issue that was only limited to Morocco, but it’s still a welcome improvement nonetheless.

And finally, Microsoft has implemented security fixes for Windows 10 along with a series of pre-loaded apps, such as the Microsoft Edge browser itself. Based on the company:

“Security updates to Internet Explorer, the Microsoft Scripting Engine, Windows App Platform and Frameworks, Microsoft Graphics Component, Windows Input and Composition, Windows Media, Windows Shell, Microsoft Xbox, Microsoft Edge, Windows Fundamentals, Windows Cryptography, Windows Authentication, Windows Kernel, Windows Virtualization, Windows Update Stack, Windows Core Networking, Internet Information Services, Windows Network Security and Containers, Windows Active Directory, Windows Server, and also the Microsoft JET Database Engine.”

Windows 10 May 2020 Update will go love users in waves, which means that not everyone is getting the new feature update simultaneously. This is actually the correct approach, however, as Microsoft wins more time to determine if any issues could affect a bigger number of devices and therefore suspend the rollout to a particular computers.

However, the software giant will also offer Windows 10 May 2020 Update through other download methods, like the Media Creation Tool and standalone ISO images. They are recommended for those who wish to start fresh, but on the other hand, they aren’t recommended if upgrade blocks are in place.

We’re still waiting for Microsoft to announce the discharge date of Windows 10 version 2004, on the other hand, anyone who really wants to try it out early can check out the Windows Insider program and download the latest update within the Release Preview ring for quick testing.

What OneDrive Version History Does on Windows 10 and macOS

Microsoft will quickly expand OneDrive version history on the internet to desktop computers, therefore the feature is now available on Windows 10 and macOS too.

Basically, the version history can be accessed right from the file manager of these two platforms, namely File Explorer and Finder, so that you can easily utilize it once the OneDrive account is configured around the device.

What OneDrive version history is supposed to do is actually fairly simple: it all is dependant on the purpose that’s suggested directly by its name.

Version history allows you to go back to an earlier form of a file stored in the cloud, and given the feature is now on the desktop, that you can do the whole thing without the need for loading OneDrive within the browser.

OneDrive version history works with all file types store din OneDrive, after previously only Office documents were supported.

This change was announced in 2017 for those OneDrive accounts.

“Version history is compatible with all file types, so you no longer need to worry regarding your PDFs, CAD files or even your photos and videos getting accidentally edited-you’ll be able to always restore or download an earlier version. OneDrive could keep a mature form of your files for 30 days. Expanded version history support has begun rolling out and will be open to everyone this summer,” Microsoft explained.

The development of OneDrive version history to the desktop means the whole thing can be performed from the desktop.

“With online version history, you can see and restore older versions of the files kept in OneDrive using Windows File Explorer, Mac Finder, and Microsoft 365 web apps. Version history works together with all file types, including Microsoft 365 files, PDFs, CAD files, photos, videos, and more. If you need to, you may be in a position to restore deleted OneDrive files or restore deleted SharePoint items in the trash can,” Microsoft says.

OneDrive File History

On Windows 10, using version history virtually is dependant on right-clicking a file that is kept in the cloud in the OneDrive account. A new option is put in the context menu to help you to restore the prior version of the file.

There are several stuff that you need to know, and it all begins with how many versions of the files are stored. For personal accounts, Microsoft OenDrive stores just the last 25 versions of each file, while for college and work accounts, it all depends around the library configuration.

At the same time, files which have been previously send towards the Recycle Bin are automatically deleted after Thirty days. What this means is the files that you simply removed are only saved for 30 more days after which they are gone once and for all.

“If you’re signed directly into OneDrive having a Microsoft account, components of the trash can are automatically deleted 30 days after they’re put there. If your recycle bin is full, the oldest items will be automatically deleted after 72 hours. If you’re signed along with a work or school account, components of the trash can are automatically deleted after 93 days, unless the administrator is different the setting,” Microsoft says.

In OneDrive on the internet, all that you should do is visit the file that you would like to restore and right-click it. OneDrive should then provide a version history screen that permits you to choose the version that you would like to revive. The whole process doesn’t take more than a few seconds, with respect to the size of the file, then you should see the restored file version in your account.