THE NEW WINDOWS 10
Outstanding new tools you’ve been waiting for
See your Windows history using Timeline
We’ve always approved of operating systems and browsers copying each other’s best tricks, so we’re pleased that Microsoft has finally added Timeline to Windows 10 (after initially promising to do so last year). It shows you programs and files you’ve been working on, emulating how a browser’s history shows which websites you’ve visited. This improves on Windows 10’s previous ability to remember the 15 folders you open most often, and 20 files you opened most recently.
What’s really clever though is that it lets you pick up where you left off, such as the exact same stage when editing a photo, or the precise paragraph while writing a document. This works across different computers running Windows 10, but not all programs yet. Microsoft seems particularly proud of Timeline, so we expect it to expand how much software it’s compatible with.
To turn on Timeline, open Settings, then click Privacy, ‘Activity history’. Tick
the boxes beginning ‘Let Windows collect…’ and ‘Let Windows sync…’ (see screenshot bottom left). This gives Microsoft permission to remember the programs you use. Click the slider at the bottom to prevent a Microsoft account appearing in the Timeline.
The Timeline option appears to the right of the search box on the taskbar (see screenshot bottom right). Click this and you’ll see recent programs and websites. Scroll through your history using the bar on the right.
Timeline is the best new tool in the Spring Creators Update, with lots of useful options tucked away. We’ll cover these in detail over the next few issues.
Get autocomplete suggestions
As well as borrowing ideas from browsers, Microsoft has taken a look at the autocomplete option in phone and tablet keyboards and thought ‘we’ll have some of that’. Its new feature suggests three potential words as you type in text programs such as Notepad, Wordpad and Sticky Notes.
There is one glitch: it currently works only in English-us version, not English-uk. You need to turn on this language option in Settings, ‘Time &
languages’, ‘Region & languages’. Next, head to Settings, Devices, Typing and turn on ‘Show text suggestions as I type’ under the ‘Hardware keyboard’ section (see screenshot left).
Set ‘do not disturb’ times
Microsoft is steadily getting better at naming its tools. Timeline is perfect, for example. But what on earth does ‘Focus assist’ mean? It’s the new, ugly name for Quiet Hours, which lets you set a ‘do not disturb’ period during which Windows won’t pester you with notifications and alerts. But with the name change comes useful new options for selecting certain ‘priority’ notifications you want to see during this period.
To do this, click Settings, System, ‘Focus assist’, select the ‘Priority only’ option, then click ‘Customize your priority list’ (see screenshot top left). Next, select what you want to allow through: ‘Calls, text, and reminders’ gives Cortana permission to show incoming internet and phone calls, and text messages when your phone is linked to your PC; the People option lets you allow messages from particular contacts
through apps like Skype and Mail; while programs you add to the Apps list will be free to send notifications.
The overall effect is like ‘do not disturb – except if it’s my son/daughter, or if it’s an emergency’. For such nuanced control, we’ll forgive Microsoft the awkward name.
Share files wirelessly
Where Apple has Airdrop, Microsoft now offers Near Share. If your PC has Bluetooth, you’ll see a new option to use it to share files and URLS with nearby computers (as long as they are also running the Spring Creators Update). Once you’ve turned it on (in the Action Centre, or under Settings, see screenshot left), look for the Share icon in a Windows tool or app, such as Photos, Edge, and File Explorer. Right-click this icon, choose Share to see a list of devices, then select the one to share your file with. Your recipient will receive a notification asking them to accept or decline the file.
New online tools for Edge
With every update Edge gets closer (‘edges’ closer, you might say) to Chrome and Firefox, adding tools you’d expect in a modern browser. One such feature is a full-screen reading mode, adjusting the text spacing to make websites easier to read. Also, when you’re reading ebooks in the EPUB format, it now saves the page you’re on between browsing sessions.
One added option you may think twice about, particularly after reading our Cover Feature (page 50), is letting Edge automatically fill in payment-card information on web forms. But there’s no privacy fear about Edge’s new ability to mute audio in browser tabs, nor to print web pages without any adverts. To do this, turn on the ‘Clutter-free printing’ setting in the print box (see screenshot top right), though be aware that it doesn’t work on all web pages.
These are great additions to Edge, and will make us use it more often. But that doesn’t excuse Microsoft forcing it on to people (see page 9).
Emails you download in EML format (using any backup tool) can be burned to CD or DVD using a disc-authoring tool, such as the excellent Burnaware Free ( www.burnaware.com). You can create folders for them to make it easier to find the messages you want. Mailstore Home previously let you back up emails to disc, but has dropped this option in recent editions in favour of backing up to a hard drive or USB stick.