Cloudeight InfoAve Weekly - A weekly computer publication featuring tips, tricks, website & freeware picks, answers to your computer questions and more!

If you're not getting our InfoAve Daily newsletter, you're missing out on a lot of good stuff!

We gladly help everyone who writes every day by answering their questions and helping to solve their computer problems. Please help us continue to do that!

Make a small donation and help us help you!

Terry asks about personal data removal services..
Do you recommend 'data-remover' software like incogni? If so, is free software available? Is a novice+ PC'er savvy enough to do without software? Terry

Our answer
Hi Terry, First, there's nothing the user has to do other than provide personal info to the data removal service. There's nothing to learn, no computer skill level required.

I think trying to clean up all your online data is like trying to empty a bucket in the rain. There are no free services like Incogni, but some may offer a limited service or a limited-time service for free.

Only you can decide whether Incogni and similar services are "worth it," depending on your goals, budget, and tolerance for manual effort. Here are some of the pros and cons:

How Data Removal Services (like Incogni) Work

These services automate the process of sending "opt-out" requests to hundreds of data brokers and people-search sites on your behalf. Under privacy laws like GDPR (Europe) and CCPA (California), you have the right to request that these companies delete your personal information. Manually doing this for dozens or hundreds of brokers is incredibly time-consuming and often intentionally made difficult by the brokers themselves.

They first scan a vast network of data brokers to identify where your personal information is being held.

Then they send out official data deletion requests/

They then typically follow up on these requests and monitor to ensure your data is removed. Many also attempt to get you added to "suppression lists" to prevent future collection by those specific brokers.

They provide a dashboard where you can see the progress of your removal requests.

My "Bucket in the Rain" Argument

New Data Collection: Data brokers are constantly acquiring new information from various sources (public records, online activity, third-party purchases). Even if your data is removed, it's probable for it to reappear or for new data to be collected and linked to you again in the future. This is why ongoing monitoring and resubmission of requests are often necessary, which these services typically provide.

These services only target data brokers and people-search sites. They cannot remove:

Information you've publicly posted on social media (unless you delete the original post/account yourself).

Public records (court documents, property records, etc.).

News articles or legitimate public mentions.

Data held by companies you have direct relationships with (e.g., your bank, your utility provider), unless you directly contact them.

While many services are effective for a large percentage of brokers, some brokers are more stubborn or less compliant, and complete removal from every single site is rarely guaranteed; Read the fine print. Consumer Reports, in past studies, has found varying degrees of effectiveness among different so-called "data-removal" services.

So, I can't tell you whether it's worth paying for a service like Incogni. Most charge from $8 to $25 a month when billed annually. Incogni charges about $99 a year annually or about $8.75 billed monthly. Rates may vary - I'm just trying to give you an idea that these services are not free, nothing is guaranteed, and there's nothing they can do that you cannot do yourself if you're willing to spend the time.

My bucket-in-the-rain is a good analogy. You will never be able to empty the bucket unless it stops raining, and I don't think it will ever stop raining.

I hope this helps you make a great decision.

Jan needs a good PDF editor.

Can you please tell me if there is a way to edit a PDF without subscribing to Microsoft? When I open a PDF file and need to make an edit, I’m unable to without paying for a Microsoft subscription. Thank you.

Our answer

We just featured a really good free PDF editor in our Weekly newsletter sent yesterday - it's called PDFGear. You can read all about it here.

If you're not subscribed to our newsletters, we hope you'll join us... They're free.

You can subscribe to our free weekly newsletter here.

You can subscribe to our free daily newsletter here.

We'd love to have you on board!

Robert wants a way to sort his Gmail from oldest to newest
Seeing as you both use Gmail, I have a question. How do you or can you have your mail received sorted by newest received at the bottom and not the top? I have looked in settings and on the web with no help. I'm new to using Gmail. Thanks

Our answer
Hi Robert. Gmail (on the web) does not offer a permanent way to sort email from oldest to newest (oldest at the top). You can change it on a per-session basis, but you can't make it the default. Here's one of our articles on sorting Gmail. You'll see in this article how to put the oldest emails at the top and the newest at the bottom.

I know this is not what you wanted, but there's no way to permanently sort Gmail from oldest (top) to newest (bottom). If you set up Gmail in an email client like Outlook, OE Classic, Thunderbird, etc., you can sort mail that way.

Candace is getting a new PC
Hi there! I'm looking to buy a new laptop from Best Buy, as my current one is showing a bulging battery. The laptop I'm looking at is the HP - OmniBook X - Copilot+ PC - 17.3.

Model: 17-dd0013dx

SKU: 6614108

Could you help me as far as what and how to back up my current laptop, and what and how to transfer to the new laptop?

I don't use Cloud services, but I am currently using an external hard drive for backup (File History).

I have a Microsoft account and will mainly use the new laptop for Facebook. Browsing the internet and storing pictures. I have less than 5 games stored and about 10 webcams. I also store a few financial and medical records. I currently use LibreOffice but would like to switch to Microsoft 365. I also have a Gmail account.

In addition, how do I make sure that my Canon TS 3100 series printer is compatible with the HP?

I'm sure I'll have more questions along the way, and I appreciate any help you may have to offer. Thanks so much.

Our answer
Hi Candace. We never recommend moving games, apps, or programs from one computer to another. It just creates a mess. The best thing to do is to reinstall whatever apps, games, and programs you use on the new PC.

We've written a guide on transferring files (documents/pictures/music/ etc. from your current computer to your new computer. This works with any version of Windows. You can read our guide here.

The printer brand doesn't matter. Canon printers work on HP computers. It's not the brand of computer that matters; it's the version of Windows your printer supports. Canon supports both Windows 10 and Windows 11. Just be sure you go to the Canon website and download the correct drivers for your printer model for Windows 11 from this page.'

I hope this helps you, Candace. If you need more help, let me know.

We can fix your Windows computer... check out our low prices here!

Kathi asks, "What the heck is a HEIC?"

First, thank you again, TC, for tuning up my computer and installing Emsisoft on my laptop and desktop. Sometimes I get photos from relatives, and it is a heic. I don't know what that is, and I can't see any photos. Do you have any idea? Thanks, Kathi.

Our answer
Hi Kathi. Thanks for your nice comments. It seems we get questions about Apple's HEIC format often, so today, inspired by your question, we made iMazing Converter a freeware pick. It's so easy to use, you don't even need to read the instructions. Just drag the HEIC file into the program and click Convert. That's it. It converts to JPEG format by default, but you can select PNG. It also converts HEVC (Apple video format) to MP4 so you can view it on Windows.

You can read our review here... the download link is at the bottom of the article.

I hope this helps you, Kathi.

Nancy has questions about label visibility in Gmail

I'm not sure if I'm at the right spot, but I have a question about my Gmail program. The left side, where labels etc. come on when I sign in, and then in about 10 seconds disappears. It doesn't even show sent, trash, or spam. Is there something you could do to help me? I would gladly pay you to come on my pc and take a look, as this is so frustrating. Thank you, Nancy.

Our answer
Hi Nancy. It's very easy to change the view on Gmail so you can see the folders (labels). Here's how.

Open Gmail & sign in

Look near the top left corner... You see an icon that looks like 3 horizontal lines.

Click on that icon....

As you can see above there are no folders or labels showing. Once you click on that icon, you'll see this:

All labels/folders will be visible.

I hope this helps you, Nancy.

Marilyn was scammed
I have been using Emsisoft for years. I thought that it was a Malware and Antivirus protector. Recently, my computer was invaded by a Trojan, and Emsisoft never caught it or apparently knew anything about it. Do they not cover that type of malware? I had to go through Microsoft to have it removed and install SAFESYS Innovations.

Our answer

Hi Marilyn. I am sorry to say that you were scammed. Microsoft does not install software or fix personal computers. Emsisoft protects users from all malware, including Trojans. You were victimized by a tech support scam.

A lot of reports on platforms like Reddit and HP Community forums link "Safesys Innovations LLC" to instances where users were billed for services, had software like "Ultraviewer" installed, and were subjected to pop-up notifications for fake viruses. This is a classic pattern of tech support scams, where scammers pretend to be legitimate tech support, gain remote access to computers, and then pressure users into paying for unnecessary or fraudulent services.

Also, complaints on BBB Scam Tracker detail how many users have reported being billed by "Safesys Innovations LLC" after what they believed was legitimate tech support from companies like Microsoft, HP or Cisco. The common theme is that these "techs" gain remote access to computers, perform unnecessary actions, install unwanted software (like "EXOS" that asks for an unknown login), and then demand payment, often for hundreds of dollars. Users describe being charged significant amounts and then having difficulty disputing the charges, especially since they "authorized" the payment, albeit under false pretenses.

Make sure you call your credit/debit card company or bank and tell them you were scammed so you can try to recover any money you paid the scammers.

I'm sorry this happened to you.

Reg Organizer: Cloudeight recommended and endorsed.

Now available: Reg Organizer 9.40

If you purchased or renewed Reg Organizer through Cloudeight within the last 12 months, you're entitled to a free version upgrade to Reg Organizer 9.31. Works great with Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Save $14 on Reg Organizer right now!

Reg Organizer - A Swiss Army Knife of Windows Tools - Works Great on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Cloudeight InfoAve Premium -Tips & Tricks

How to Access Your Hard Drives’ S.M.A.R.T. Data on Windows 11
Windows 11

Accessing S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) data allows you to check the health and predict potential failures of your hard drives and SSDs. While Windows offers some basic built-in tools, third-party software and manufacturer utilities provide much more detailed information.

Here’s how you can access S.M.A.R.T. data on Windows 11.

Windows 11 provides a quick, high-level check of your drive’s health, which relies on S.M.A.R.T. data.

Go to Settings.

Click on System in the left sidebar.

Click on Storage in the right pane.

Scroll down and click on Advanced storage settings.

Click on Disks & volumes.

How to Access Your Hard Drive's S.M.A.R.T. Data on Windows 11- Cloudeight InfoAve

Look under the drive you’re checking (normally you’ll check “Windows C” and “System”). You’ll see a short description and the drive status: “Healthy,” “Warning,” or “Bad.”

Windows Magnifier: Make Things Easier to See
Windows 10 / Windows 11

One thing we all share besides this blue planet is getting old. And getting old comes with its frustrations, most of which I won’t get into here. However, one of the things most older people have is trouble seeing things on a computer screen. Sometimes, it gets frustrating. Windows Magnifier can help.

Until recently, I thought Magnifier was for the severely sight impaired, but I was wrong. It’s for anyone who has trouble seeing some things on the screen. It’s very customizable and you may want to play with the settings to get it to work exactly as you need it to work. This tutorial was written for Windows 11. If you’re using Windows 10 the instructions are the same except Accessibility is called “Ease of Access in Windows 10.

Using Magnifier in Windows 11

1. Turn on Magnifier

Keyboard Shortcut: Press the Windows logo key + Plus sign (+).

Or you can press Windows Key + U to go to Accessibility settings:
In Accessibility turn on the Magnifier switch.

Windows Magnifier - Cloudeight InfoAve

2. Adjust Magnification

Zoom In: Press the Windows logo key + Plus sign (+).

Zoom Out: Press the Windows logo key + Minus sign (-).

Windows Magnifier - Cloudeight InfoAve

3. Change Views:

Keyboard Shortcut: Press the Windows logo key + Ctrl + M to cycle through the views.

Settings: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier and select a view from the Change Magnifier view dropdown menu.

4. Turn Off Magnifier

Keyboard Shortcut: Press the Windows logo key + Esc.

If you want to use your mouse, open Accessibility (Windows Key + U click on Magnifier, and turn off the Magnifier switch.

We’ve covered the basics of Windows Magnifier and how to use it. To learn more see this Microsoft page.

3 Super Easy Tips That Will Save You Time
Windows 10/Windows 11

Tip #1

Let’s say you are filling out a Web form and you make a mistake -you typed in the wrong email address or whatever. Instead of backspacing to remove the incorrect address, put your cursor in the form field and press the CTRL key plus the A key, and then the Delete Key. CTRL + A highlights everything in the form field. The Delete key deletes all the highlighted text.

Tip #2

Now, imagine you’re viewing a very long web page and you want to go back to the top. Instead of scrolling back up, press the HOME key. If you want to go to the bottom of the page, instead of scrolling all the way down, simply press the END key. It’s easy, I tells ya!

Tip #3

OK, last one: Here’s a really easy way to highlight a large block of text. Put your cursor at the top of this tip and left-click. Now put it at the bottom of this tip and click while holding down the SHIFT key. Pretty cool, huh?

Want more tips, tricks, and information?

We have thousands of Windows tips, tricks, and more on our InfoAve website.

Subscribe to our free InfoAve Daily newsletter.

Help us help you.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US!

When you support us with a small gift, you help us continue our mission to keep you informed, separate the truth from the hyperbole, and help you stay safer online. Plus, our computer tips make your computer easier to use.

Did you know that we provide support to thousands of people? Every week, we help dozens of people via email at no charge. The questions and answers you see in our newsletters are from the email answers and help we provide to everyone free of charge.

Thanks to your gifts, we do a lot more than provide this free newsletter. We help you recognize online threats, fight for your online privacy, provide you with the knowledge you need to navigate the Web safely, provide you with suggestions for safe, free software and websites, and help you get more out of your PC.

Please help us keep up the good fight with a small gift.

Interested in making an automatic monthly gift? Visit this page. Help us keep helping you... and help us keep you safe on the Web

Cloudeight InfoAve Premium -Tips & Tricks

Create Great Online Graphics in a Snap with Snappa

Snappa - A Cloudeight Site Pick

Today’s site of the week ought to appeal to 82.3% of you. That’s the percentage of our subscribers who love to work with graphics. Of course, it’s based on an EB International Poll, and she does not bother polling anyone. She uses my top hat, writes numbers on pieces of paper, then picks three numbers, averages them, and adds “point 3” to it so it looks official. See what I have to put up with?

I spent a good amount of time on this site playing around with graphics. But instead of trying to make a graphic to dazzle you, I tried to make a graphic to ingratiate myself with EB. But I know I’ll fail… no one ingratiates themselves with EB. Go ahead and try. I dare you!

Anyway, in my futile attempt to please her and thus get a paycheck from the famously parsimonious EB, I created this flattering graphic.

EB FAN CLUB- CLOUDEIGHT

Ain’t it cute? Imagine a T-shirt like that? Or perhaps a bumper snicker… don’t correct that EB, that’s what I meant SNICKER. Feel free to download the above graphic and send it to EB and see if she’ll like you more than she does me!

How about another one? This time without the surly influence of EB.

And we all love Cloudie, right? Wouldn’t that make a great t-shirt!

Do you think you’re the only one who loves this part of these articles – where I stop my oral – or in this case- written – perambulation, and bring in the developers to top things off and tell you what the heck this Cloudeight Site Pick is good for? I love it too! And it’s okay. I know you’re tired of my rambling by now. I get it. I work with EB. I have tough skin,

I can take it. I’m used to it I tells ya! Yes, I can take a hint. I herewith present you with some words from the developers of our site pick… Snappa – not to be confused with the once-popular sugary drink Snapple.

Take it away, developer people:

“A Brief History

Snappa was founded in 2015 when we noticed that a lot of small businesses struggled to create quality online graphics. The tools available were not only complicated, but they were incredibly time consuming. Hiring a graphic designer was also out of the question.

Since then, we’ve been optimizing our graphic design tool to be as quick and easy to use as possible.

Today, Snappa is used by thousands of marketers, entrepreneurs, and non-designers to create a wide range of graphics for social media, display ads, blog posts, and more.
The Team

Snappa is proudly headquartered in Canada. We’re a small, but hard working team that spans across the country.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are all of your photos and graphics completely free?

They sure are! All photos and graphics included in Snappa are 100% royalty-free. They can be used for both commercial and non-commercial purposes and you are not required to provide attribution.

Can I use my own company logos and graphics?

Of course! You can upload all of your own photos and graphics into the program and keep your branding intact.

Can I use my own custom image dimensions?

Definitely! In addition to providing popular presets, Snappa allows you to create images with custom sized dimensions thus giving you endless possibilities for creating graphics.

Are you always adding to your library of photos and templates?

Absolutely! Over a thousand new photos are added daily and our team of in-house designers are busy creating new templates each and every week.

Do I need to install anything to run Snappa?

Nothing whatsoever! Snappa lives in the cloud so you can access it on any laptop or desktop computer with an internet connection.

That’s about it, folks. If you like playing around with graphics, or if you’re a graphic designer for a poor, broken-down, financially-challenged company like Cloudeight, and/or you don’t have any money, and/or you’re just looking to waste some time – quality time, you’ll enjoy Snappa – we’re pretty sure you will. At least 82.3% of you will.

YES, you do. You do need to sign up to create graphics and download graphics you make to your computer, but signing up is free. Free accounts are limited to three downloads a month. If you’re a serious designer and do stuff for money or fame, you can create unlimited graphics and downloads for $10 a month.

To get a free account, all you need to give them is your name and your email address. If you’re paranoid, give them any old name – like Lucy Jupiter, or Bill Andromeda, and don’t use your main email address. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Now it’s time to say goodbye and send you off to make some eye candy or dazzling graphics. Or should I say it is time for 82.3% of you to take a trip to Snappa and see what you can do? Thanks for the scientific poll, EB. You’re a peach!

Cloudeight InfoAve Premium - Essays , Rants, etc.

Help Me Wish Darcy a Very Happy Birthday!

Some of you know her as EB, some of you know her as Darcy, and most of you know she’s a special lady. She is the one who makes sure that everyone who writes gets an answer, every order gets filled, and everyone with a computer problem who has a Cloudeight Direct service key gets scheduled.

Without her, Cloudeight would not be around anymore.

She’s a fighter and she cares. She’s the one who takes the ideas I come up with and makes them work. My head’s always in the clouds — which is why we are called Cloudeight…not really. She makes this our business and our site work. And she comes up with some great ideas too – like Cloudeight Direct, just to mention one.

Her birthday is July 30th. What I wish the most for her birthday is that all her dreams come true.

You don’t know this, but she used to own a bar...

Read the rest of this essay here.

What is an active window?

EB is cheap. She has central air but won't use it unless the outside temperature is above 105°F (40.5 °C). When it is 104°F or lower, she opens her windows to let in the hot breeze (if any). The window that catches the breeze is the active window. It is usually located on the windward side of the house. The other windows are open, but inactive since they are on the side of the house opposite from the direction of the wind. I always try to sit near the active window so as not to die of heat stroke.

NO NO NO... you want to know about the active window in Windows. Right? OK...

When two or more program windows are open on the desktop, only one of them can be the active window. The active window has some unique characteristics:

1. The active window is usually the window on top of all other windows. Inactive windows will be under the active window, so they won't cover up the active window. The only exception to this would be when you have one window selected as "Always on top"

2. In the taskbar, the icon for the active window is highlighted with a brighter color.

3. The title bar for the active window is a different color from that of the inactive Windows.

4. Anything you enter with the keyboard applies to the active window only. You can’t type or edit content in an inactive window.

Please turn on the A/C, EB!

Cloudeight InfoAve Premium

Sales of the following products and services help support our newsletters, websites, and free computer help services we provide.

Cloudeight Direct Computer Care: Single Keys, SeniorPass, or Season Tickets - always a great deal. Cloudeight Direct Computer Care is like having PC insurance. Get more information here.

Emsisoft Anti-Malware: Emsisoft is the only Cloudeight-endorsed and recommended Windows security program. It provides users with a complete antivirus, antimalware, anti-ransomware, and anti-PUPs solution. We offer single Emsisoft licenses and multi-computer licenses at discount prices. Also, we offer our exclusive Emsisoft with Cloudeight installation & setup. Get more information here.

Reg Organizer: Reg Organizer is the Swiss Army Knife of Windows tools. It's far more than just a registry optimizer and cleaner... it's a Windows all-in-one toolkit. Reg Organizer helps you keep your computer in tip-top shape and helps you solve annoying Windows problems. Reg Organizer works great with Windows 10 and Windows 11! Get more information about Reg Organizer (and get our special discount prices) here.

MORE IMPORTANT STUFF!

Your InfoAve Weekly Members' Home Page is located here.

Help us grow! Forward this email newsletter to a friend or family member - and have them sign up for InfoAve Weekly here!

Get our free daily newsletter! Each evening, we send a short newsletter with a tip or trick or a computer-related article - it's short and sweet - and free. Sign up right now.

We have thousands of Windows tips and tricks and computer articles posted on our Cloudeight InfoAve website. Our site has a great search engine to help you find what you're looking for, too! Please visit us today!

Help us by using our Start Page. It costs nothing, and it helps us a lot.

Print our Cloudeight Direct Flyer and spread the word about our computer repair service! If you want to help us by telling your friends about our Cloudeight Direct Computer Care service, you can download a printable flyer you can hand out or post on bulletin boards, etc. Get the printable PDF Cloudeight Direct Computer Care flyer here.

We'd love to hear from you!

If you have comments, questions, a tip, a trick, a freeware pick, or just want to tell us off for something, let us know.

If you need to change your newsletter subscription address, please see "Manage your subscription" at the very bottom of your newsletter.

We received hundreds of questions for possible use in IA news. Please keep in mind that we cannot publish all questions and answers in our newsletters, but we try to answer every single question. We can only use a few in each week's newsletter. If you have a support question about a service or product we sell, please contact us here.

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter! Get computer tips & tricks every night. Our daily newsletter features a computer tip/trick or two every day. We send it out every night around 9 PM Eastern Time (USA). It's short and sweet, easy to read, and FREE. Subscribe to our Cloudeight InfoAve Daily Newsletter!

Cloudeight InfoAve Premium

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of Cloudeight InfoAve Weekly. Thanks so much for your support and for being an InfoAve Weekly subscriber.

Have a great weekend. Be safe!

Darcy & TC
Cloudeight InfoAve Weekly - Issue #1138
Volume 22, Number 41
August 1, 2025

Not a subscriber? Subscribe to our FREE Cloudeight InfoAve Weekly Newsletter here.

Cloudeight InfoAve Premium

"Cloudeight InfoAve Weekly" newsletter is published by:

Cloudeight Internet LLC
PO Box 73
Middleville, Michigan, USA 49333-0073

Read our disclaimer about the tips, tricks, answers, site picks, and freeware picks featured in this newsletter.

Copyright ©2025 by Cloudeight Internet