Category: Windows 10

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Windows Snipping Tool

Unlock Hidden Power: Extract Text from Screenshots with Windows Snipping Tool’s OCR Feature

If you’re taking screenshots on Windows, you’re probably familiar with the various methods available—Print Screen, Windows + Shift + S, or third-party tools. They all capture your screen effectively, but there’s one game-changing feature that sets the Windows Snipping Tool apart from the rest: Optical Character Recognition (OCR).

What Makes Windows Snipping Tool Special?

While traditional screenshot methods simply capture an image, the Snipping Tool’s built-in OCR capability allows you to extract and copy text directly from your screenshots. This means no more manually retyping error messages, codes, or text from images—a feature that can save you significant time and eliminate transcription errors.

How to Use OCR in Windows Snipping Tool

Let’s walk through a practical example using an error message screenshot:

Step 1: Capture Your Screenshot

Open the Windows Snipping Tool and capture the area of your screen containing the text you need. This works with error codes, dialog boxes, PDFs, images, or any on-screen text.

Step 2: Access the OCR Feature

Once you’ve captured your screenshot, look for the text recognition icon at the top of the Snipping Tool window. This small but powerful button activates the OCR functionality.

Step 3: Extract and Copy Text

Click the OCR icon, and the Snipping Tool will analyze your image and identify all readable text. You can then select and copy the extracted text—in our example, “The operation completed successfully!”—directly to your clipboard for use anywhere.

Why This Matters for Windows Users

Whether you’re troubleshooting technical issues, documenting software bugs, sharing error codes with IT support, or extracting information from images, the Snipping Tool’s OCR feature streamlines your workflow. No more squinting at screenshots to manually retype information or dealing with blurry text—just capture, extract, and use.

Quick Tips for Best Results

  • Ensure text in your screenshot is clear and legible for optimal OCR accuracy
  • The feature works with most fonts and text sizes
  • Accessible via Windows + Shift + S for quick access to Snipping Tool
  • Compatible with Windows 10 and Windows 11

Conclusion

While all screenshot methods have their place, the Windows Snipping Tool with OCR offers a distinct advantage for Windows power users and professionals alike. Next time you need to capture and extract text from your screen, skip the manual retyping and leverage this built-in Windows feature that’s been hiding in plain sight.

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Disable Web results in Windows 10/11 search

If you’re looking to disable web search results in Windows 10 or Windows 11, you’re not alone. Many users prefer to keep their searches local, preventing Bing or online results from appearing every time they type into the Start Menu or Windows Search bar. Not only does this help de-clutter your search results, but it also boosts privacy and can improve system performance.

From an IT management and privacy standpoint, disabling Bing or web results in Windows search gives you greater control over your environment, reduces unnecessary network calls, and ensures that sensitive search queries stay local. Whether you’re streamlining a business environment or just cleaning up your personal PC, knowing how to disable Windows 10 and 11 web search integration is an essential skill. With a few simple steps, you can create a faster, more secure, and distraction-free desktop experience.

How to Disable Web Search Results in Windows 10/11

If you’ve noticed that typing into the Windows Search bar shows Bing or web results alongside local files and apps, you may want to disable it. This is a common tweak for users who prefer faster, more private searches without sending queries to Microsoft’s servers. Below are simple ways to turn off Bing search integration in both Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Option 1: Windows 10: Disable Bing Search Results

  1. Press Win + R, type regedit, and hit Enter.
  2. Navigate to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer
(Create the Explorer key if it doesn’t exist.)

Add a DWORD (32-bit) Value named:
DisableSearchBoxSuggestions → set value to 1

Restart Windows Explorer or reboot your computer.

Option 2: Windows command prompt (as admin):

Open command prompt as administrator

Type the following

In Windows 10:

reg-add “HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search” /v BingSearchEnabled  /d 0  /t REG_DWORD /f

reg add “HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search” /v CortanaConsent -/d 0 /t REG_DWORD /f

In Windows 11:

reg add “HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer” /v DisableSearchBoxSuggestions /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

Option 3: Download and run this Power Shell Script.

Option 4: Download and run this Reg file.

Restart Windows Explorer or reboot your computer.

Why Disable Web Search Results?
Faster performance – local results load quicker without cloud queries.
Improved privacy – prevents search terms from being sent to Bing.
Streamlined search – no more clutter from unwanted web results.

By following these steps, you can fully disable Bing and web search results in Windows 10 and 11, making your PC searches more private and efficient.

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Why Prefer IPv4 Over IPv6 in Established IPv4 Environments

While IPv6 is the future of internet addressing, many businesses still prefer IPv4 in environments where everything is already configured with IPv4. The main advantage of sticking with IPv4 is stability—existing systems, firewalls, and network configurations are optimized for IPv4, reducing compatibility issues and minimizing the risk of disruptions during daily operations. In well-established IPv4 networks, maintaining this protocol ensures seamless integration with legacy hardware and software, which may not fully support IPv6.

Choosing IPv4 in an IPv4-configured environment also leads to cost savings. Transitioning to IPv6 can require significant investments in training, hardware upgrades, and network redesign. For organizations that don’t require the expanded address space of IPv6, sticking with IPv4 is a practical, low-risk strategy. IT professionals and decision-makers, understanding why IPv4 still holds value in specific network setups can lead to smarter infrastructure choices and more effective long-term planning.

By default, Windows uses IPv6 and IPv4 only as a fallback. You can, however, change this behavior. There are more ways of doing this but this one is perhaps the easiest and it does not require a reboot. 

First open the command prompt elevated to administrator.

Then type these nine commands:

netsh interface ipv6 set prefixpolicy ::ffff:0:0/96 50 0
netsh interface ipv6 set prefixpolicy ::1/128 40 1
netsh interface ipv6 set prefixpolicy ::/0 30 2
netsh interface ipv6 set prefixpolicy 2002::/16 20 3
netsh interface ipv6 set prefixpolicy 2001::/32 5 5
netsh interface ipv6 set prefixpolicy fc00::/7 3 13
netsh interface ipv6 set prefixpolicy fec0::/10 1 11
netsh interface ipv6 set prefixpolicy 3ffe::/16 1 12
netsh interface ipv6 set prefixpolicy ::/96 1 4

If you need to revert back to an IPv6 preference then:

Open the command prompt elevated to administrator.

Then type the following command:

netsh interface ipv6 reset

Here is a zip file containing to batch files that will do this for you.

IPv4 over IPv6

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The Power of Ctrl+Shift+Esc

This powerful combination can be used to quickly open the task manager, allowing you to manage running programs on your computer.

How to Use the Ctrl+Shift+Esc Key Combination

for Easier Access and Control Are you looking for an easier way to access and control your system? Do you want to learn how to quickly manage common tasks? Look no further than the Ctrl+Shift+Esc key combination

Maximize Efficiency The Benefits of Leveraging Task Manager On Windows

Introduction to Task Manager on Windows

Task Manager is an essential Windows Tool

Task Manager is a powerful and critical tool for users of the Microsoft Windows operating system It allows them to view, manage and control system processes, applications, services as well as hardware resources such as memory usage, active ports and CPU utilization The Task Manager interface provides easy-to-understand visual feedback about the status of your computer’s performance including any applications that are currently running on it Additionally, you can use Task Manager to monitor system errors or find out which programs or files might be causing performance problems with your PC

Task Manager gives you information about how much memory each application is using and how many tasks are currently running on your machine so you can take action if needed – this could include disabling unneeded background processes – in order to improve system performance and reduce resource consumption This helps ensure that only important tasks will remain active while nonessential components don’t unnecessarily consume precious RAM or processor cycles Furthermore, letting Task Manager terminate troublesome programs instead of manually closing them by force ensures that all associated data associated with those apps remains secure until they’re restarted properly at another time

The TaskManager also includes functionality for managing startup items; these allow users to adjust which applications load automatically when their OS boots up from cold start ups — thereby saving time during everyday use — as well as sift through additional settings like disk drives’ read/write speed optimization settings inside different types of storage devices connected to a computer (e,g, hard disks In addition ,the task manager windows version offers basic maintenance options such as creating restore points in case something goes wrong after tinkering deeply around with certain tech features within their PC’s core software stack or settings parameters related directly towards its installed antivirus programs must also leverage the task manager for tracking activity accurately

Aside from these uses on PCs—where it has been available since —Microsoft changed tack more recently by introducing yet another implementation called “Windows Runtime Profiling” into current versions of Windows Phones It works by breaking down specific activities into condensed charts showing percentages regarding various factors ranging from battery life usage overviews between built in utilities like OneDrive cloud backup all the way up towards realtime visibility metrics concerning third party apps market shares amongst other elements spread across user’s phones environment interfaces — leading people who desire more insight beyond default overview details viewable via mobile device’s app stores themselves should look no further than what new profiler entry offers here because its instrumentation feature next generation technology packed abound under hood supplied!

Task Manager is a great way to maximize your efficiency while working on Windows By leveraging Task Manager, you can easily manage applications, view detailed performance information, monitor system resources and better control how Windows runs on your computer These are just a few of the benefits that come with using Task Manager, so start taking advantage of it today and find out how much more productive you can be!

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Mapped network drive not showing up in application open / save window

When certain programs will not show a mapped drive in the open and save windows of various programs it may be an indication that Windows is stopping the communication between that program and the network.   By turning off the UAC (User Account Control) you can eliminate any device between your program and mapped network drives. However, while reducing the UAC enforcement may look like an easy solution it is something you should only use as a last resort.  The UAC does a number of other functions that help reduce malware and other nefarious programs from ruining your system so it is usually something you want to keep in place.  

Under normal conditions Windows should have already implemented this solution, however, depending on installation and other factors Windows sometime misses this valuable registry entry and you need to put it in yourself.   The value is “EnableLinkedConnections” and is found in the Registry   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System.  If Windows missed this then the key is usually missing but it could be shut off as well.  The value you want to put there is 1 to turn this on.

Directly from Microsoft:

Caution: Incorrect use of the Windows registry editor may prevent the operating system from functioning properly. Great care should be taken when making changes to a Windows registry. Registry modifications should only be carried-out by persons experienced in the use of the registry editor application. It is recommended that a complete backup of the registry and workstation be made prior to making any registry changes.  

To configure the EnableLinkedConnections registry value, follow these steps:

  1. Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
  2. Locate and then right-click the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
  3. Point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
  4. Type EnableLinkedConnections, and then press ENTER.
  5. Right-click EnableLinkedConnections, and then click Modify.
  6. In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
  7. Exit Registry Editor, and then restart the computer.  

I have included a file that you can just run which will insert this value in the registry for you. 

Linked ConnectionsDownload

It will give a warning about modifying the registry fist but it will just write over the value if it is already there and create it if it isn’t so either way it will work.

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How to block third party / junk installations

 

There are a lot of “Free” software solutions to solve your problems out there.   Ranging from Anti-Virus to Uninstallers and even productivity tools like office suites.  These can be very useful but sometimes come with a catch. They install additional software which you do not want or need.  This is not uncommon for free stuff to have a gotcha in the form of advertising for other people.  But it can be annoying and sometime even dangerous in the case of malware.

Microsoft has a solution that can help curb this practice and it is built into Windows 10.  While not perfect, it will stop most third party junk-ware from installing.

You will need to manually activate it with Power Shell (built into Windows also).  To do this you will need to open Power Shell as an administrator.  Once it is open you will need to type in the following:

Set-MpPreference -PUAProtection 1

After that you can exit Power Shell and that’s it!

This is not a 100% solution so, as always, be careful when installing freeware or any software for that matter. 

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Repairing Windows System Files

There are some base systems files that Windows must have to operate and to do so efficiently.   For some time now there has been a utility to check these files and report on their well-being.  This System File Check utility will check for damaged or corrupted files and repair what it can.   You only need to run it from an elevated command prompt with the command “SFC /scannow”.  The will initiate a complete of all the essential protected system files that would compromise your computer.

SFC /scannow

It, however, cannot always fix the problems on your system.  Sometimes this due to Windows updates and sometimes it is due to other issues.  When System File Checker cannot fix the system files there is a utility for Windows 8 and up called DISM.   The utility will check the files not only with internal checksums but with checksums over the internet from Microsoft.   There is a scan only option and a restore option.  You can use the restore blindly without scanning but if you want to see if there is anything first you should use the /scanhealth option.  You can run them back to back or use a single command line that will do if for you.

Back to Back would be:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-image /Scanhealth

DISM /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

Or both together:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-image /Scanhealth && DISM /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

(there is a space both before and after the &&)

 DISM takes care of matching and fixing files based on what’s current on the Microsoft cloud but SFC is still the go to file checker.  I would recommend running SFC then DISM then SFC once more to check that there are no more errors.  Running SFC first will probably fix most of (if any) errors on your system but if it gives and error you then use DISM as a backup.  Once finished with DISM you run SFC again to see if there are any unresolved errors left.

Both SFC and DISM can take some time to run depending on errors found and corrected.  So, I would recommend doing them when you have down time that you wouldn’t need your computer.

 

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Extremely long file names and directory paths.

File Name too long?  Or perhaps along with the directory path it’s too long?

 When copying files for backup from long directory paths you have probably come across an error, every so often, that says something like “directory path too long would you like to skip this file?”.  The reason for this is that you are usually only allowed a maximum of 244 characters in the file name so copying a path which has over 244 characters in the name fails.  This does not happen often but sometimes with networks and programs that tend to nest subdirectories names can become too long for this rule.   With the introduction of Windows 10 (starting at revision 1607) Microsoft removed this limitation. However, this is not enabled by default to maintain compatibility.  You must opt-in for this feature to work.   There are two ways to do this, from the Registry or from the Group Policy editor (Not included in Windows Home).

For those of you that have Windows 10 Pro or above you can open the Group Policy Editor and navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Filesystem > Enable NTFS long paths and set it to Enabled.

For any version of Windows 10 (including Home) you can make a Registry change.  Always remember that registry changes can damage your computer to the point of completely ruining it.  Do not make these changes unless you are comfortable with it.

You will need to navigate to:  HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem and look for the DWORD: LongPathsEnabled if it is not there, create it as a REG_DWORD 32 Bit. The default value is 0 which is compatibility.  If you change its value to 1 then you will have enabled unlimited File/Path lengths.

I am adding a link to a zip file which has two Registry file modifiers which will do this automatically for you.  Just unzip the files and run the ExtendedFileNames_on to switch it to on and ExtendedFileNames_off to turn it back off.

Extended path / file length registry entry

 

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