Microsoft Windows 10 may be around the corner, but the company is still issuing Windows 8.1 updates on a fairly regular basis. If you're already using Windows 8.1, and aren't sure you're running the ...

It’s inevitable that upgrading to a new version of an operating system or application comes with a bit of a learning curve. With Windows 8.1, though—and its predecessor Windows 8—the curve is steep, ...

Windows 8.1 has a nice feature called sync to the cloud so that when you reinstall the operating system, you automatically get the customizations. This saves time and energy. You can use the feature ...

Using a Microsoft account to log in to Windows 8.1 offers some advantages over using local accounts. If those advantages don't appeal to you, you can switch back to a local account. Ed Rhee Ed Rhee, a ...

Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system didn’t just add a new touch-friendly screen and a store for users to download all of their updates. It changed a host of things. For the first time, resetting ...

You can upgrade to Windows 11 or Windows 10 from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 even now for free! Microsoft offers you a simple method to upgrade from the previous version ...

Today, there’s no bigger music streaming service in the world than Spotify. Launched in Europe, the service allows millions of users to stream themed playlists compiled by other users absolutely free.

One of my chief complaints with Windows 8 is that Microsoft forced you to boot to the new Start screen rather than giving you the option of booting to the desktop–which is where I prefer to hang my ...

Windows 10 has been a critical success since its release, but if you need or want to revert to an older version of Windows, you can uninstall Windows 10 and downgrade to Windows 8.1 or even Windows 7.

Microsoft offers a choice of a straight ISO file or a setup assistant that can tell you if your current environment is compatible with the new OS. Lance Whitney is a freelance technology writer and ...

Windows 11 might be the latest version of Windows, but if you still use Windows 10 and need to "clean install" the operating system, or install or upgrade to it for the first time on an older PC, ...

Update 7/19/2021: Windows 8.1 is long outdated, but technically supported through 2023. If you need to download an ISO to reinstall the full version of the operating ...