Web User - UK (2020-01-22)

Readers’ Tips

Send your tips to [email protected] – win a Web User Back Issues disc! 22 Jan - 4 Feb 2020^71

You’ll need to reset the phone for the
changes to take effect.
There is a noticeable visual difference
once you turn off animations, which you
may find a little jarring. However, if your
phone is noticeably lagging, this is a
good way to speed it up, so it’s got to
be worth a try.
Jonathan White, via email

WINDOWS

Centre taskbar icons
I have a small tip that I think makes the
Windows desktop look nicer, which is to
customise your taskbar so that the icons
all appear in the centre, rather than lined
up on the left-hand side. To do this,
download the FalconX application (bit.ly/
falcon493). It’s easy to set up and there
are a few different customisation options
to get the taskbar looking just how you
want, including setting the background
style and adding an animation.
Gopi Singh, via email

WINDOWS

Block app installation
Windows 10 is full of bloatware and
Microsoft seems to think it’s fine to force
the installation of suggested apps that
you neither need nor want. Luckily, it’s
not too difficult to block these
completely using the Windows Registry.
Start by opening the Registry Editor.
Go to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\
Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
ContentDeliveryManager
Now look for the Dword value

‘SilentInstalledAppsEnabled’. Click it and

set the data value to ‘0’. To turn it back

on again, set the value back to ‘1’.

If you can’t find the Dword value in the

list, create it yourself by selecting New,

then ‘Dword (32-bit) Value’. Name it

SilentInstalledAppsEnabled and

set it to 0 as before.

Joey Parmenter, via email

GENERAL PC

Add a drive shortcut to the

taskbar

Do you have a hard drive that you need

to get to frequently? I’m always surprised

that more people don’t know how to add

these to the taskbar for easy access.

Go into File Explorer and find the drive

you want, then right-click it and select

‘Create shortcut’. A text box appears

with a message stating that you can’t

create a shortcut here, and offers to

place one on the desktop instead.

Select Yes.

Now go back to your desktop and

right-click the newly created shortcut.

Select Properties, navigate to the

Shortcut tab and type the word

explorer in the Target box, in front of

the drive letter. Make sure you leave a

space between the two. The shortcut

should now appear in the taskbar.

I find this provides much quicker

access than hunting around the desktop

every time I need to access the drive.

RachelMoss,viaemail

BROWSERS

Block the Edge Chromium

update

Edge Chromium is shaping up to be a

great new browser but I’m aware that not

everyone likes to be forced into using

new software, so I thought I’d share a tip

for blocking its automatic installation if

you don’t want Edge on your computer.

First of all, you need to download the

Microsoft Edge Blocker Toolkit, which

does pretty much what it says on the tin

• blocking the update from installing
  automatically but still letting you go back
  for it later if you change your mind and
  decide to go ahead with it. Download it
  from Microsoft (bit.ly/edgeblocker493).
  Setting it up is a little bit fiddly but,
  if you follow Microsoft’s instructions,
  then you shouldn’t go far wrong.
  Liam Webb, via email

BLUNDER OF THE FORTNIGHT

Have you managed to fix a PC-related disaster?

If so, please send your story to [email protected]

I recently joined WhatsApp and

made the mistake of letting other

people know. While it’s undoubtedly

handy for staying in touch with my

kids, I hadn’t counted on the many

different groups I’d be added to.

Now I’m getting constant

notifications and have even been

added to work groups.

You can’t leave a group without

sending a notification to everyone

in it so, to avoid appearing rude, it’s

better to avoid joining the groups

in the first place. Go into the menu

and select Settings, Account, Privacy,

then open up the Groups menu. This

lets you choose who can add you to a

group. I’ve used the ‘My Contacts

Avoid joining unwanted WhatsApp

groups

MESSAGING

except’ option to block more or less

everyone, just leaving it open for family

members.

Ralph Warren, via email

Take control of which contacts can

add you to WhatsApp groups

If you don’t want the new Chromium-based

version of Edge, Microsoft’s tool blocks it

Arrange your taskbar icons so they are
positioned in the middle of your screen

Dip into the Registry Editor to stop

Windows automatically installing apps