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How to manage user accounts, email accounts, user groups and other account-related settings. How to work with your accounts on all computers and devices, and all operating systems.

Set up two-step verification for your Microsoft account with Google Authenticator

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Microsoft offers two-step verification for your Microsoft account. However, when you try to enable it, the company tries to force you into using their Microsoft Authenticator app. While using this app has some benefits, some users might prefer using another two-step verification app, like Google Authenticator. Here is how to enable two-step verification for your Microsoft account and use any third-party authenticator app you prefer and how to turn it

What are disk quotas and how to use them to limit the space of each user

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
If you are not the only person using your computer, you might want to limit the amount of storage space that every user can use. If you do that, you ensure that the storage space on a specific drive or partition is never filled up by only one user account. Everybody has their personal space to fill, and nobody can trespass his or her limits. In Windows, this is called
tutorial What is the Guest account and how do you turn it on?

What is the Guest account and how do you turn it on?

When someone is visiting for a while and needs access to your Windows computer or tablet, you should not give away your user account details. The best thing you can do is enable the Guest account in Windows and have your visitor use it. This keeps your private files and system settings safe and does not make you look like a bad person. :)

My Microsoft or Hotmail account was hacked? How to check the recent activity on my account

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Did you know that you can check whether your Microsoft account was hacked by someone else? If you suspect that another person is using your Skype, your Outlook email service, your Xbox ID, or your Microsoft account, you can find the real answer in minutes. Here is what you can do to discover whether you have been hacked or not and how to prevent being hacked in the future: [DC-SUMMARY-BREAK]

Credential Manager is where Windows stores passwords and login details

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Do you know where Windows stores passwords and login details that you save when using this operating system? For example, you access a network share and you type a username and password, in order to access it. When you do that, Windows stores those details for later use. It does that in a hidden desktop app named Credential Manager. Here is how to find this app, how to see which
tutorial How to unlink your Skype ID from your Microsoft account

How to unlink your Skype ID from your Microsoft account

A few years ago, we published a guide about unlinking your Skype ID from your Microsoft account. It was very popular with our readers, and it provided them with real help. However, as of early 2017, it stopped working because Microsoft has silently changed things, without an official blog post of any kind. Today, unlinking your Skype ID from your Microsoft account seems like
tutorial How to learn what data Microsoft stores about you and how to delete it

How to learn what data Microsoft stores about you and how to delete it

Microsoft has created a portal where anyone with a Microsoft account can view all the personal data that it is stored by this company on their servers. You can see the browsing history that Microsoft has about you, your search history, your location history, the data stored by Cortana in her notebook and your Microsoft Health activity. Here's how to review all this data

How to use a password reset disk to change your Windows password

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
If you created a password reset disk in Windows as soon as you set up your computer or device, it can be a lifesaver if you manage to forget your user account password later on. As you will see from this guide, using the Password Reset Wizard is very easy and anyone can reset their Windows password in a matter of seconds. Here's how it works: [DC-SUMMARY-BREAK] Read this first!

How to create a password reset disk in Windows

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
The human memory is fantastic. You can encode, store and retrieve information when needed very quickly but, unlike your computer's memory, it is not perfect. It lacks a basic feature: it doesn't have permanent storage. Unfortunately, passwords make no exceptions and you might be in a situation when you don't remember your Windows password. Don't worry, Windows comes to your rescue. If you forget your Windows password, you can use

How to Change the Password for Your Local User Account in Windows 8.1

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Most Windows 8.1 users are using a Microsoft account to access the operating system, but there are some users who use a local account, available only on their computer or device. If the password for your local user account has been compromised, you can easily change it and, in this tutorial, we will share how it's done: [DC-SUMMARY-BREAK] How to Change the Password for Your Local User Account Sign into

How to Upgrade a Local Account to a Microsoft Account in Windows 8.1

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
As even the newest users to Windows 8.1 will quickly discover, Microsoft's newest operating system offers a choice of account types that you can use to log in. A local account works like a typical user account from any older version of Windows, while a Microsoft account offers a bunch of new and useful features that help you get more from Windows 8.1. Many users, not knowing the details of

Introducing Windows 8.1: Should You Use a Local or a Microsoft Account?

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Windows 8.1 offers you a choice that has not been available in older versions of Windows. Right from the start, before you even log in and see the operating system's interface, you'll have to choose whether you want to log in using a local account or a Microsoft account. Users who don't plan on taking advantage of the new Windows 8.1 apps and don't want to use most of its

Introducing Windows 8.1: How to Add, Create & Switch User Accounts

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
When you install or use Windows 8.1 for the first time, the first procedure the operating system will walk you through is the one of creating your primary user account. In most cases, this will be the main account that you will use. There are, however, cases when you need to configure additional user accounts, for other family members or friends for instance. Creating additional user accounts is not a

Introducing Windows 8 & 8.1: How to Switch Between Sign-In Options

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 are optimized for use on a wide range of devices. Whether you're using a desktop computer, a tablet or even a hybrid device, Windows 8 and 8.1 have you covered. While many features will be accessible across all platforms, some tasks may be easier done on one form of device or another. This can be seen with a task as simple as signing in. On

10 Features that Make Windows 8 the Most Secure Windows Yet

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
It will be quite obvious to any first-time user that Windows 8 is very different from previous versions. While the obvious interface changes will be the most talked about, the addition of a number of great security features is really worth getting excited over. Combine new features like early launch anti-malware with oldies like the Windows Firewall and you have an operating system that you can feel secure using. [DC-SUMMARY-BREAK]

How to Remove a Trusted Windows 8 PC From Your Microsoft Account

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Having a trusted PC is a great asset to a Microsoft account holder. It allows you to synchronize passwords between trusted Windows 8 PCs and also makes managing your account easier. Rather than having to prove your identity by accessing an email or phone, Microsoft simply accepts that you are who you say your are because you're using your trusted system. While this is very useful, it can also be

Introducing Windows 8: How to Trust a PC Using Your Microsoft Account

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
If you are a Microsoft account holder, one of the first things you should do after creating the user account is to add your PC as trusted. From an account security standpoint, having a trusted computer gives you a secure place from which you can reset your password or confirm alterations to your account, without having to prove your identity. If you are also a Windows 8 user, trusting your
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