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Children need to learn, play, and stay active for well-rounded growth. These free websites for activities, crafts, and arts for kids will ensure they stay occupied while growing their skills and knowledge.
This article focuses more on non-screen activities, although some of the websites include those. But there’s always a happy go-between. these free interactive art games for kids will develop color and art skills, and are child-appropriate. It’s no substitute for paints and palettes, but it is a launching point for digital design.
Oh, the creations you can make out of a simple piece of paper! Origami Way and Proud Paper teach both adults and children basic papercrafts with a focus on origami, the Japanese art of paper folding. From cranes to planes to Wolverine claws, you’ll learn it all.
Origami Way is a website with step-by-step instructions for each project. Each step has images, so you can take your time and do it at your own pace. It also specifies the kind of paper you need for any creation, with instructions on how to make a square paper sheet which several origami projects need.
YouTube channel Proud Paper hosts origami and papercraft projects for all skill levels. The videos have no instructions or voice notes, it captures the process of any creation. Kids should start with the basics like paper boats and butterflies, before moving on to more complex creations.
Given that origami has no tools involved, it’s a great activity to keep kids occupied with a large sheet of paper. Just ensure you gently encourage them to keep trying even if they aren’t getting it right the first time.
Which kid doesn’t love playing with Slime? The good news is that you and your child can make slime at home with regular store-bought safe ingredients. And once it’s ready, your child can go wild with it.
The Craft Patch made the best guide on how to make DIY slime at home. You’ll find all the ingredients, step-by-step instructions, and different recipes for different types of slime. Yup, you can make slime without borax, make slime without glue, make fluffy slime, clear slime, or butter slime.
The website also includes a few suggestions of things to add to the slime to make it your own, like glitter, foam balls, confetti, etc. All the recipes are free to download and print, and there’s a helpful video of everything too.
And don’t throw away the slime just yet when they are done playing with it. You can use DIY slime to clean gadgets and other hard-to-clean things.
The Kids Activities Blog hosts a variety of projects across age groups. You can quickly filter the site by activities for baby, toddler, preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. As a parent, you can browse and choose the things you want for your children. It’s not meant for your child to browse it.
Mother-of-three Holly Holmer has all types of activities, wisely combining both screen-time activities and non-screen-time activities. There is a paid printables library. But browse the website and you’ll find more than your fair share of free printables and activities.
It also has a quarantine special “Stuck At Home Survival Guide” for things to do while your kids are stuck at home. It suggests a full day’s schedule that mixes play, rest, learning, exercise, eating, and cleaning. The guide has kid-friendly things to watch for free, and a special pack of Quarantine Printables for non-screen fun too.
Jackie Currie has run a daycare for 25 years, and she’s sharing her secrets on the internet for free. Happy Hooligans has a mission to help children grow through easy and inexpensive arts and crafts, and good old fashioned play.
The website features sections for arts, crafts, activities, recipes, and parenting. Currie offers a mix of items that cater to kids of different ages, including both supervised and unsupervised projects. Among the recipes and parenting, you’ll find simple, fuss-free ways to keep your child happy and nourished.
The Best Ideas for Kids is as simple as it gets to quickly find activities and printables for children. The three main sections are crafts, activities, and slime, with plenty of free articles in each. No signups, no payments, it’s all right there.
There’s an entire section for free printables worth checking out. The “holidays” section gives you activities for different American holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, etc. Keep checking for new items on the website.
If your children are bored teenagers and you want to reduce their screen time, DIY Projects for Teens suggests several different activities. Even though it’s not actively updated now, the website has projects for food, fashion, arts, gadgets, crafts, and other DIY things.
The four main self-explanatory categories are DIY & How-to, Creative Crafts, Style & Fashion, and Cool Videos. The website is a mix of original projects and collections of activities suggested by the internet. You’ll find long curated lists of topics like the best room decor ideas for teens, drawing tutorials to refine your skills, and so on.
The Butlers (the makers behind the site) try out the best ideas and post their own detailed instructions and experiences. These are the best posts to look for, as they actually try out something from a popular DIY video and explain what went right and wrong in recreating it.
Self-isolation or lockdowns are tough on families with children. Hopefully, the above resources will help keep your kid entertained and learning at the same time, making it a tad easier to manage things.
For more ideas, please listen to the MakeUseOf podcast episode on lockdown entertainment for families. From free resources to innovative ideas, you’ll have an easier time handling your kids after this.
Read the full article: 6 Kid-Friendly Websites for Free Arts and Crafts Activities for Children
Children need to learn, play, and stay active for well-rounded growth. These free websites for activities, crafts, and arts for kids will ensure they stay occupied while growing their skills and knowledge.
This article focuses more on non-screen activities, although some of the websites include those. But there’s always a happy go-between. these free interactive art games for kids will develop color and art skills, and are child-appropriate. It’s no substitute for paints and palettes, but it is a launching point for digital design.
Oh, the creations you can make out of a simple piece of paper! Origami Way and Proud Paper teach both adults and children basic papercrafts with a focus on origami, the Japanese art of paper folding. From cranes to planes to Wolverine claws, you’ll learn it all.
Origami Way is a website with step-by-step instructions for each project. Each step has images, so you can take your time and do it at your own pace. It also specifies the kind of paper you need for any creation, with instructions on how to make a square paper sheet which several origami projects need.
YouTube channel Proud Paper hosts origami and papercraft projects for all skill levels. The videos have no instructions or voice notes, it captures the process of any creation. Kids should start with the basics like paper boats and butterflies, before moving on to more complex creations.
Given that origami has no tools involved, it’s a great activity to keep kids occupied with a large sheet of paper. Just ensure you gently encourage them to keep trying even if they aren’t getting it right the first time.
Which kid doesn’t love playing with Slime? The good news is that you and your child can make slime at home with regular store-bought safe ingredients. And once it’s ready, your child can go wild with it.
The Craft Patch made the best guide on how to make DIY slime at home. You’ll find all the ingredients, step-by-step instructions, and different recipes for different types of slime. Yup, you can make slime without borax, make slime without glue, make fluffy slime, clear slime, or butter slime.
The website also includes a few suggestions of things to add to the slime to make it your own, like glitter, foam balls, confetti, etc. All the recipes are free to download and print, and there’s a helpful video of everything too.
And don’t throw away the slime just yet when they are done playing with it. You can use DIY slime to clean gadgets and other hard-to-clean things.
The Kids Activities Blog hosts a variety of projects across age groups. You can quickly filter the site by activities for baby, toddler, preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. As a parent, you can browse and choose the things you want for your children. It’s not meant for your child to browse it.
Mother-of-three Holly Holmer has all types of activities, wisely combining both screen-time activities and non-screen-time activities. There is a paid printables library. But browse the website and you’ll find more than your fair share of free printables and activities.
It also has a quarantine special “Stuck At Home Survival Guide” for things to do while your kids are stuck at home. It suggests a full day’s schedule that mixes play, rest, learning, exercise, eating, and cleaning. The guide has kid-friendly things to watch for free, and a special pack of Quarantine Printables for non-screen fun too.
Jackie Currie has run a daycare for 25 years, and she’s sharing her secrets on the internet for free. Happy Hooligans has a mission to help children grow through easy and inexpensive arts and crafts, and good old fashioned play.
The website features sections for arts, crafts, activities, recipes, and parenting. Currie offers a mix of items that cater to kids of different ages, including both supervised and unsupervised projects. Among the recipes and parenting, you’ll find simple, fuss-free ways to keep your child happy and nourished.
The Best Ideas for Kids is as simple as it gets to quickly find activities and printables for children. The three main sections are crafts, activities, and slime, with plenty of free articles in each. No signups, no payments, it’s all right there.
There’s an entire section for free printables worth checking out. The “holidays” section gives you activities for different American holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, etc. Keep checking for new items on the website.
If your children are bored teenagers and you want to reduce their screen time, DIY Projects for Teens suggests several different activities. Even though it’s not actively updated now, the website has projects for food, fashion, arts, gadgets, crafts, and other DIY things.
The four main self-explanatory categories are DIY & How-to, Creative Crafts, Style & Fashion, and Cool Videos. The website is a mix of original projects and collections of activities suggested by the internet. You’ll find long curated lists of topics like the best room decor ideas for teens, drawing tutorials to refine your skills, and so on.
The Butlers (the makers behind the site) try out the best ideas and post their own detailed instructions and experiences. These are the best posts to look for, as they actually try out something from a popular DIY video and explain what went right and wrong in recreating it.
Self-isolation or lockdowns are tough on families with children. Hopefully, the above resources will help keep your kid entertained and learning at the same time, making it a tad easier to manage things.
For more ideas, please listen to the MakeUseOf podcast episode on lockdown entertainment for families. From free resources to innovative ideas, you’ll have an easier time handling your kids after this.
Read the full article: 6 Kid-Friendly Websites for Free Arts and Crafts Activities for Children
No piece of software can last forever. Sooner or later, every program has to go; this often thanks to an outdated core or changed priorities from the developers. The Windows operating system itself is no exception to this.
So, when does Windows 10 support end? What happens when Windows reaches the end of its support? We’ll answer these questions and more as we look at how the Windows lifecycle works.
When Microsoft releases a new version of Windows, it already has a set end of support date. You can find these dates on Microsoft’s Windows lifecycle fact sheet page.
There is no final Windows 10 end of life, as there was with previous versions. Since Microsoft regularly updates Windows 10, it supports each major version (called a feature update) for 18 months after its release.
That page features a chart of versions with their release date and end of service dates so you know what to expect. We’ll cover more on specific Windows 10 versions in a bit.
For Windows 8.1, Windows 7, and older, you’ll notice two end-of-life dates: mainstream support and extended support. These are pretty straightforward:
Once extended support ends (or support ends for a particular version of Windows 10), that version of Windows is effectively dead. Microsoft won’t offer any updates—even for security issues—except in rare circumstances.
While your computer will continue to work fine, as it gets older, it becomes increasingly insecure. If attackers find a vulnerability in the OS, Microsoft won’t patch it. And over time, popular software will stop supporting legacy versions of Windows.
As of 2020, Microsoft only supports Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. Windows 7 left extended support in January of 2020, with Vista and XP expiring years prior. If you’re still using any of those versions, you need to upgrade, which we cover below.
Windows 8.1 left mainstream support in January 2018; it’s in extended support until January 2023. Note that the original version of Windows 8 is no longer supported, so you should update to Windows 8.1 to stay safe.
As mentioned, Microsoft uses a different approach with Windows 10 support. Before Windows 10, the end of life for your Windows version meant that you had to upgrade your computer or pay for a new copy of Windows.
Since Microsoft offers Windows 10 as a service, the company regularly updates Windows 10 to make it even better. These updates are free for home users.
This means instead of releasing a brand-new Windows version every few years, Microsoft launches feature updates roughly twice a year. They’re targeted for March and November, but the actual launch date can vary.
If you’re on Windows 10, it’s a good idea to know the Windows 10 end of support date for your current version. That way, you can make sure you don’t use it past its expiration date.
It’s easy to see what version of Windows 10 you have. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog, then enter winver and press Enter. You’ll see a simple dialog box with Version XXYY near the top.
These numbers show the (intended) release year and date. For example, Windows 10 version 2004 corresponds to April 2020, even though the update didn’t launch exactly in that month. You can use this to get an idea of how close to the end of the 18-month support period your version is.
Aside from the number, each version also has a “friendly name” that Microsoft uses to identify them. These once used unique names like the Creators Update or Anniversary Update, but now follow a simple month/year scheme, such as May 2020 Update (which is version 2004).
On the Windows lifecycle page mentioned earlier, you’ll see a list of every Windows 10 version and its end of service date. If the end of support date is close for your version, it’s a good time to update.
Because Windows 10 updates automatically, you don’t usually need to worry about manually updating your copy of Windows before support ends. Unless you’ve delayed Windows 10 updates, Windows will install the latest version soon after it launches.
A few months before the end of support for your version, you’ll see a message on the Windows Update page with a message like “You’re currently running a version of Windows 10 that’s nearing the end of support.” As it gets closer, you might also see a popup warning you about this.
At that time, you should walk through the steps to get the latest update. If you see a “Your version of Windows has reached end of service” message, then it’s time to update right away.
Head to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click Check for updates to get the latest version. Depending on your version of Windows 10, you might see a separate section for the feature update.
If you can’t download the update using this method, head to the Windows 10 download page and click Update now to use the update assistant instead.
If you’re not on Windows 10 yet, you should still plan for the end of service date of your OS.
Those running Windows 8.1 don’t have to worry yet but should make a plan to upgrade to Windows 10 before 2023. As of this writing, as long as you have a genuine copy of Windows 8.1, you can upgrade to Windows 10 for free using the same installer mentioned above. This may not be around in 2022, though, so it’s smart to do it sooner.
While many PCs that can run Windows 8.1 will work with Windows 10, you may want to make sure your computer can run Windows 10 anyway. If you can’t, you’ll need to buy a new system or install Linux on your computer when support ends.
Windows 7 is now out of support; see our guide to your Windows 7 upgrade options for more info. And if you’re still using Windows Vista or XP, it’s time to buy a new computer with Windows 10.
If you have problems installing the latest feature update for Windows 10, try using the Windows 10 download page instead of Windows Update. If that doesn’t work, you can try installing Windows 10 via USB.
Another common issue is not having enough space to run the update. Follow our guide to cleaning up your Windows PC to make some space, then try again.
Finally, make sure your computer meets the requirements for Windows 10, as discussed above. There’s a chance that your computer was compatible with an earlier version of Windows 10 but doesn’t make the cut for the latest offering.
Keeping track of Windows lifecycles can be a little frustrating, but Windows 10 makes this a lot easier. Simply check your version every once in a while to make sure updates are installing automatically, and you shouldn’t have to do much else. If you’re on an older version, it’s wise to upgrade as soon as you can.
If you’re new to Windows 10, have a look at essential tasks to complete after installing Windows 10 for best results.
Image Credit: omihay/Shutterstock
Read the full article: What Happens When Windows 10 Support Ends?
Heat wreaks havoc on computers, especially laptops. Tight cases and dust build-up can lead to poor air circulation. Without circulation, the heat generated inside has nowhere to go.
Ignoring heat problems is the surest way to destroy a laptop. You thought it slowed down because it’s old? That’s partly true, but not the whole story.
Heat can severely impair the performance of computer components, with hard drives being the most susceptible. If your hard drive seems like it’s dying, first check the internal temperature. Fortunately, checking temperatures is as easy as using one of these free heat monitor apps.
If your chief concern is the temperature of a hard drive, look no further than CrystalDiskInfo. This is a dedicated utility for managing the health of HDDs and SSDs and is so useful that we consider it a must-have diagnostic tool for Windows users.
With its clear and easy-to-use interface, you’ll have no trouble navigating all the information it has for you. And with all its advanced features, it’s practical enough for power users, not just newbies.
Notable features include:
Download: CrystalDiskInfo for Windows (Free)
Core Temp is a fast, accurate, and flexible laptop temperature monitor. However, a word of warning: the installer comes with bundleware! You can avoid it by unchecking it, but you must pay attention during installation. Otherwise, there are no ads.
Notable features include:
Download: Core Temp for Windows (Free)
HWiNFO is a lightweight diagnostic tool for gleaming in-depth hardware information and monitoring systems in real-time. It’s a lot easier to use than it sounds. Plus, it’s actively updated—a new version about once every 1-2 months, which is great for cutting-edge systems.
Notable features include:
Download: HWiNFO for Windows (Free)
HWMonitor is one of the most trusted system monitoring apps currently available. The free version is more than enough for keeping tabs on temperature, but there is a Pro version with advanced features (e.g., graph generation) for €20.
Notable features include:
Download: HWMonitor for Windows (Free)
If you’re running Windows on a Mac, things get slightly tricky because the hardware in a Mac has a few proprietary quirks.
The good news is, there’s a free app designed specifically for you, and it’s called Macs Fan Control. It’s easy to use and highly recommended.
Notable features include:
Download: Macs Fan Control for Windows (Free)
In addition to potential hardware damage, high system temperatures are problematic because they cause your laptop’s fans to work overtime. A hard-working fan wears out faster, but more importantly, fast-spinning fans are loud. Much louder than you’d anticipate. Of the many ways to silence noisy laptop fans, the easiest is to use SpeedFan to control fan revolutions per minute (RPM) manually.
What’s nice is that SpeedFan also has features for monitoring temperature, so it’s like a 2-in-1 app— just not as advanced as the others above.
Notable features include:
Download: SpeedFan for Windows (Free)
Open Hardware Monitor is similar to HWiNFO and HWMonitor, except that it’s open-source. In fact, Open Hardware Monitor was considered a dead project, as it had not received an update since 2016 (which stopped Open Hardware Monitor working with some of the latest hardware).
However, in early 2020, Open Hardware Monitor updates began rolling out, updating the laptop temperature monitoring tool for the latest CPUs, GPUs, and other hardware.
Notable features include:
Download: Open Hardware Monitor for Windows (Free)
NZXT CAM is a temperature and hardware monitoring tool with a slick user interface and numerous options.
You might note the name of the developer, NZXT. NZXT manufactures a range of PC hardware, and as such, NZXT CAM works very well with their hardware. For instance, you can use NZXT CAM to control case lights, fan speeds, power supply voltages, and more, where supported.
Notable features include:
Download: NZXT CAM for Windows (Free)
Make sure you check temperatures when your laptop is idle (with no apps running) and under load (with performance-heavy apps running). A high idle temperature can be just as degrading as a high spike under load. Learn more about how hot is too hot for a PC.
If it is running too hot, don’t worry. You have options.
We have plenty of tips on fixing an overheating laptop and several more tips on keeping your PC cool. The most effective steps are to clean out internal dust, always use on a hard flat surface, and supplement with a laptop cooling pad.
Read the full article: The 8 Best Computer Temperature Monitor Apps
It’s no fun when your computer becomes unresponsive. Even if you don’t lose work because of it, hanging programs or a total system freeze can slow your productivity to a crawl.
PC problems that don’t manifest through a blue screen or other random shutdowns usually result in an unresponsive Windows 10 system. Let’s examine the common culprits for Windows freezing up and how you can fix it.
One of the most common reasons that Windows becomes unresponsive is that it doesn’t have enough resources to run smoothly. The two components that most often bottleneck performance are your RAM (memory) and CPU.
Your computer stores all running programs in RAM. If those processes take up all your physical memory, your computer has to use the page file—a section of your storage disk that essentially acts as backup RAM. See how to manage your computer’s virtual memory for more information about this.
Even if you have an SSD, using the page file is much slower than actual RAM meant for this purpose. As a result, you’ll feel the slowdown when your computer is relying on the page file.
Open the Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc, switch to the Processes tab, and sort by the Memory header to see what’s using the most. Close programs at the top of the list if you don’t need them, and your system should recover.
It’s a similar story with high CPU usage. Taxing operations, such as encoding HD video, take a lot of CPU power. Your system may thus become unresponsive while your CPU is hard at work. Find out how to fix high CPU usage in Windows if this is a consistent issue.
If a piece of hardware isn’t fully compatible with your version of Windows, it could cause stability issues. Typically, hardware problems result in Windows crashing because the OS has no other option. However, these issues can also cause system freezes.
When this happens, think about whether you’ve recently connected some new hardware to your PC. Any printer, mouse, keyboard, USB drive, or another external device could be the source of the problem. If you use an outdated piece of hardware, replace it with a modern device and see if that helps.
With the aid of compatibility modes and some tweaks, it’s possible to get retired hardware working with newer versions of Windows. However, in many cases, this is a dead end. It’s usually easier to run old software on a modern PC than it is to use ancient hardware.
Even if a specific piece of hardware doesn’t cause an unresponsive computer, its driver could. In case you didn’t know, a driver is a small piece of software that lets Windows interface with hardware correctly.
For basic devices like a mouse or keyboard, a generic Microsoft driver works just fine. Using all the features of a device requires its own driver, though. Problems can arise if your installed drivers are outdated, incompatible with your version of Windows, or are for the wrong device.
The general rule with drivers is that you shouldn’t touch them if everything is working properly. Third-party driver update utilities are usually shady and could screw up more than they fix. If you suspect a driver problem, we’ve covered how to replace outdated drivers safely.
The Registry is a database where Windows holds all sorts of detailed information about your system and its configuration. When you install or remove software, edit a setting, or make changes to the Registry yourself, Windows records it there.
Most of the time, the Registry works just fine without your intervention. We strongly recommend that you avoid using Registry cleaners, as they are useless at best and dangerous at worst. Even if there are old entries in the Registry, “cleaning” thousands of errors won’t provide any tangible performance benefits.
If your Registry is so messed up that it causes your system to become unresponsive, you’ll probably need to reinstall Windows. It shouldn’t ever get to that point unless you make a mistake while editing it, use a Registry cleaner, or get infected by malware.
Malware, the catch-all term for viruses, spyware, worms, and other forms of infection, can wreak havoc on your system. Whether it’s adware injecting ads into your browser that cause it to freeze or rootkits that steal system resources, malware can take over your computer and degrade performance.
Run a scan with the free version of Malwarebytes to see if you have any malicious programs on your system. And in the future, make sure you know how to avoid getting a virus so it doesn’t happen again.
Thankfully, Windows 10 comes with Windows Defender, which is a good enough antivirus solution for most people. However, if you choose to use something else, you should make sure that it doesn’t end up causing a performance problem.
Running multiple antivirus programs will often cause them to conflict with each other and cause slowdowns. If you want a second opinion, use an on-demand scanner like the aforementioned Malwarebytes every once in a while.
Alternatively, try using a free online virus scanner like VirusTotal. These let you scan a file with dozens of different antivirus apps at once, making sure that yours doesn’t miss anything.
Aside from this, make sure you use one of the best Windows antivirus suites. Avoid no-name apps, as they may not be well-optimized and thus cause slowdowns.
Unfortunately, poorly written software is out of your control. Whether it’s an old app that hasn’t seen updates in years or a bad Chrome extension, you might notice that your unresponsive problem only occurs when using a certain program.
If you can pin down which app is an issue, make sure you have the latest updates installed for it. Sometimes new versions can solve these kinds of problems. If that’s not an option, check AlternativeTo for a replacement.
Should the problem occur in your browser, try disabling extensions one by one to see if that solves the problem.
Once you eliminate all the above scenarios, it’s possible that your stability problem comes from some sort of tweak you’ve made to Windows.
Changes in the Control Panel or Settings app shouldn’t interfere with your system, but using third-party tools to customize Windows might break something unintentionally.
Think about the tools you’ve used for Windows 10 privacy, tweaking the Taskbar, or similar deep changes. Consider reversing those if you can’t find any other source of instability.
Chances are that when your PC becomes unresponsive, the root lies in one of these causes. Most of them are in your control, so all it takes is a bit of troubleshooting to find out where the problem lies. Once you fix it, you can get back to using your computer without interruption.
If you don’t want to spend time on these fixes, it’s easy to reset Windows 10 to put the operating system back to its default state.
Read the full article: The 8 Most Common Reasons Why Windows Gets Unresponsive
No piece of software can last forever. Sooner or later, every program has to go; this often thanks to an outdated core or changed priorities from the developers. The Windows operating system itself is no exception to this.
So, when does Windows 10 support end? What happens when Windows reaches the end of its support? We’ll answer these questions and more as we look at how the Windows lifecycle works.
When Microsoft releases a new version of Windows, it already has a set end of support date. You can find these dates on Microsoft’s Windows lifecycle fact sheet page.
There is no final Windows 10 end of life, as there was with previous versions. Since Microsoft regularly updates Windows 10, it supports each major version (called a feature update) for 18 months after its release.
That page features a chart of versions with their release date and end of service dates so you know what to expect. We’ll cover more on specific Windows 10 versions in a bit.
For Windows 8.1, Windows 7, and older, you’ll notice two end-of-life dates: mainstream support and extended support. These are pretty straightforward:
Once extended support ends (or support ends for a particular version of Windows 10), that version of Windows is effectively dead. Microsoft won’t offer any updates—even for security issues—except in rare circumstances.
While your computer will continue to work fine, as it gets older, it becomes increasingly insecure. If attackers find a vulnerability in the OS, Microsoft won’t patch it. And over time, popular software will stop supporting legacy versions of Windows.
As of 2020, Microsoft only supports Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. Windows 7 left extended support in January of 2020, with Vista and XP expiring years prior. If you’re still using any of those versions, you need to upgrade, which we cover below.
Windows 8.1 left mainstream support in January 2018; it’s in extended support until January 2023. Note that the original version of Windows 8 is no longer supported, so you should update to Windows 8.1 to stay safe.
As mentioned, Microsoft uses a different approach with Windows 10 support. Before Windows 10, the end of life for your Windows version meant that you had to upgrade your computer or pay for a new copy of Windows.
Since Microsoft offers Windows 10 as a service, the company regularly updates Windows 10 to make it even better. These updates are free for home users.
This means instead of releasing a brand-new Windows version every few years, Microsoft launches feature updates roughly twice a year. They’re targeted for March and November, but the actual launch date can vary.
If you’re on Windows 10, it’s a good idea to know the Windows 10 end of support date for your current version. That way, you can make sure you don’t use it past its expiration date.
It’s easy to see what version of Windows 10 you have. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog, then enter winver and press Enter. You’ll see a simple dialog box with Version XXYY near the top.
These numbers show the (intended) release year and date. For example, Windows 10 version 2004 corresponds to April 2020, even though the update didn’t launch exactly in that month. You can use this to get an idea of how close to the end of the 18-month support period your version is.
Aside from the number, each version also has a “friendly name” that Microsoft uses to identify them. These once used unique names like the Creators Update or Anniversary Update, but now follow a simple month/year scheme, such as May 2020 Update (which is version 2004).
On the Windows lifecycle page mentioned earlier, you’ll see a list of every Windows 10 version and its end of service date. If the end of support date is close for your version, it’s a good time to update.
Because Windows 10 updates automatically, you don’t usually need to worry about manually updating your copy of Windows before support ends. Unless you’ve delayed Windows 10 updates, Windows will install the latest version soon after it launches.
A few months before the end of support for your version, you’ll see a message on the Windows Update page with a message like “You’re currently running a version of Windows 10 that’s nearing the end of support.” As it gets closer, you might also see a popup warning you about this.
At that time, you should walk through the steps to get the latest update. If you see a “Your version of Windows has reached end of service” message, then it’s time to update right away.
Head to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click Check for updates to get the latest version. Depending on your version of Windows 10, you might see a separate section for the feature update.
If you can’t download the update using this method, head to the Windows 10 download page and click Update now to use the update assistant instead.
If you’re not on Windows 10 yet, you should still plan for the end of service date of your OS.
Those running Windows 8.1 don’t have to worry yet but should make a plan to upgrade to Windows 10 before 2023. As of this writing, as long as you have a genuine copy of Windows 8.1, you can upgrade to Windows 10 for free using the same installer mentioned above. This may not be around in 2022, though, so it’s smart to do it sooner.
While many PCs that can run Windows 8.1 will work with Windows 10, you may want to make sure your computer can run Windows 10 anyway. If you can’t, you’ll need to buy a new system or install Linux on your computer when support ends.
Windows 7 is now out of support; see our guide to your Windows 7 upgrade options for more info. And if you’re still using Windows Vista or XP, it’s time to buy a new computer with Windows 10.
If you have problems installing the latest feature update for Windows 10, try using the Windows 10 download page instead of Windows Update. If that doesn’t work, you can try installing Windows 10 via USB.
Another common issue is not having enough space to run the update. Follow our guide to cleaning up your Windows PC to make some space, then try again.
Finally, make sure your computer meets the requirements for Windows 10, as discussed above. There’s a chance that your computer was compatible with an earlier version of Windows 10 but doesn’t make the cut for the latest offering.
Keeping track of Windows lifecycles can be a little frustrating, but Windows 10 makes this a lot easier. Simply check your version every once in a while to make sure updates are installing automatically, and you shouldn’t have to do much else. If you’re on an older version, it’s wise to upgrade as soon as you can.
If you’re new to Windows 10, have a look at essential tasks to complete after installing Windows 10 for best results.
Image Credit: omihay/Shutterstock
Read the full article: What Happens When Windows 10 Support Ends?
Have you ever looked at a flower and wondered what kind of plant it is ? Fortunately, some apps promise to reveal the names of plants and flowers you find in the wild. You just have to point your phone camera at them to get the answer.
Of the available apps, few are as successful as Microsoft’s Bing and Google Lens. In addition to identifying flowers and plants, these apps can identify products, books, and—in Google Lens’s case—even places.
Here’s how to use Bing and Google Lens for flower identification. We’ll also give you a few additional plant identification apps to try out.
While you might dismiss Bing as inferior to Google, the Bing mobile app is actually great for identifying flora. When you first open it, you’ll see a large search button with a camera and a mic button nearby.
To use Bing as a flower identifier:
Download: Microsoft Bing Search for Android | iOS (Free)
Google Lens is available as a standalone app for Android users. Meanwhile, iPhone owners get Google Lens bundled as part of the Google Photos app. The dedicated Google Lens is far simpler to use. When you open the app, your entire phone screen becomes a camera lens.
To use this to identify a flower by a picture:
If you’re using Google photos for iPhone:
Download: Google Lens for Android (Free)
Download: Google Photos for iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)
Before moving into the other available apps, let’s consider whether Microsoft Bing or Google Lens is better for plant identification by photo.
If you judge purely on how the app successfully identifies flowers, then Google Lens just ekes out Bing. Both apps failed multiple times to identify certain plants and flowers, but both also successfully identified distinct flowers like the hydrangea as well as the lesser-known lantana.
They also both identified petunia and mint. However, with the Bing results, these were identified through a similar photo, rather than the Bing app suggesting it as one of its three main options.
Google Lens distinguishes itself by making its identifications slightly faster than Bing. Plus, the more you use the app, the more you’re contributing to Google’s AI identification skills. There’s plenty more you can do with Google Lens, too, including pulling the contact information from business cards and identifying unusual foods.
The one way in which Bing is better than Google Lens is that it provides you with more image results. So if it doesn’t correctly identify the plant, there’s a chance it will offer up an image that allows you to figure out what plant you’re looking at.
Now that we’ve run through which is better, let’s briefly touch on some other apps you can use to identify plants. Don’t forget about other apps to identify anything else using your phone’s camera.
PictureThis is a plant identifying app with both free and premium versions. It’s one of the most identification apps available, and for good reason.
Easy to use, simple to navigate, and possessing excellent search results, this app proved during testing that it could identify the plants in each photo we took. It also helped us figure out what kind of plant something was when the other two apps failed.
Some aspects to note:
The premium version allows you to identify plants without any limits. It also lets you use the app without any ads or interruptions. Even with the limited free version of PictureThis, however, you can still get a lot out of the service.
Download: PictureThis for Android | iOS (Free, subscription available)
Plant Identification ++ is another plant identifying app that’s free to use with an optional premium subscription. However, the free version still works fine if all you’re hoping to do is identify plants quickly and easily.
When you open the app, take a picture of a plant or pull up a picture from your photo album. Once you take a photo, the app searches its database and pulls up possible results.
We found these search results to be overwhelmingly accurate. Additionally, when you tap on the results, Plant Identification ++ locates the plant’s information page on Wikipedia.
Other features that you should know about:
Essentially, this app is simple to use and low-stress. It’s perfect for plant enthusiasts who don’t want to connect with others on social media. The major downside is that it shows too many ads for its premium subscription, plus it’s only available for iPhone users.
Download: Plant Identification ++ for iOS (Free, subscription available)
Like the other apps on this list, NatureID allows you to explore the world around you. With the option to jump straight into a premium plan after a three-day trial or continue on with the limited free version, NatureID has a solution for everyone. It’s perfect for both power users and occasional enthusiasts.
When you identify a flower by picture, NatureID pulls up an ID card on it. On this card, you’ll see:
This last section is particularly interesting. With Symbolism and Folklore, for example, the app talks about what the flowers or plants have meant historically and what they symbolize now.
Unfortunately, NatureID is only available for iOS.
Download: NatureID for iOS (Free, subscription available)
Identifying plants can be a lot of fun once you get started. The best part about these apps is that if you use them often enough, you’ll begin to recognize flowers and vegetables on your own.
Once you get better at it, you can also check out these mobile gardening apps for Android and iPhone to help you create a gorgeous garden.
Read the full article: The 5 Best Plant Identifier Apps for Android and iPhone
