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Sharon wants to do a factory reset
How do I reset my new laptop to its original state when I purchased it? I think I'm having issues with what I saved from my old computer using an external hard drive. I saved a picture on my desktop, but when I go to my desktop file, it's not there. I need to start over. UGH!

Our answer
Hi Sharon. Are you sure you want to do a factory reset and put the computer in the state it was when you bought it? If you bought it with Windows 7 and upgraded to Windows 10 or bought it with Windows 10 and upgraded to Windows 11, then you'll be back to the original operating system. It's much easier and much faster to use Windows Reset / Remove everything to wipe your computer and reinstall Windows without doing a factory reset.

You can reset Windows 10 or 11 like this:

Type RESET in the taskbar search

Press Enter when you see Reset this PC

This will open System > Recovery

Click on "Reset PC"

You will see this:

Choose "Remove everything" and follow the onscreen instructions.

This will wipe your hard drive and reinstall Windows. It will take about 45 minutes to an hour.

When you're done, you can set up your PC the way you want it and install whatever apps and programs you need.

If you still think you'd rather do a factory reset, let me know he make and model of your computer. Each manufacturer has their own way of doing a factory reset.

Margaret is not seeing her temp files using %temp%
When I type in %temp%, I am getting pictures of various file folders instead of just a list of the temporary files. This just happened. How do I correct this? Thank you.

Our answer
Hi Margaret. If you're not seeing the AppData\Local\Temp folder when you enter %Temp% in the Run box (Windows key + R), then something is not right. On every computer I have and every computer I've ever had, no matter the version of Windows, Windows Key + R, %temp%, and pressing Enter always opens C:\Users\*your username*\AppData\Local\Temp.

So please try it again.

Hold down the Windows key and tap the R key.

In the Run box that appears, enter

%temp%

Then press "Enter".

I hope this helps you, Margaret.

Larry says his LastPass master password stopped working

It has been a long time since we communicated. Now I need your help again. I have been using LastPass for several years without any problems, but three days ago, my master password quit working. I have used every avenue to get a one-time password so I can enter a new MP, but have been unsuccessful. Today I tried to revert, but was also unsuccessful. A couple of weeks ago, my C drive failed, so I had the shop replace it with a new one and have been restoring my new system. I have tried to delete LastPass altogether and start over, as I have a paid-up account. I guess that I have rambled on enough. Is this something that you can help me with? Thanks. Larry.

Our answer

Hi Larry. First of all, it's almost impossible for your master password to stop working. If you get a new computer or switch hard drives, you can log in to LastPass online using your master password and download LastPass on your new hard drive or computer. Did you try logging into your LastPass account online?

If you can't log in online, then it sounds more like you lost or forgot your master password. If you lose your master password, you're kind of out of luck. That's the purpose of a master password: It's the decryption key that unlocks (decrypts) all of your encrypted passwords. I cannot help you retrieve your master password, and LastPass warns you that when you create an account, they don't store or know your master password.

If you can't log in online and/or you forgot your master password, here's how to delete your LastPass account.

Go directly to the LastPass deletion page: https://lastpass.com/delete_account.php

Click the Delete button.

A pop-up will appear asking if you remember your Master Password.

Since you don't know yours, select "No".

You will be prompted to enter the email address associated with your account. LastPass will then send an email with a unique link to permanently delete the account via email verification. Follow that link to complete the deletion.

You can delete (uninstall) LastPass from your computer by doing one of the following:

If you installed LastPass on your computer, go to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps (Windows 10) or Settings > Apps > Apps & features (Windows 10) and look for LastPass in the alphabetical list of programs. Click the ellipsis (three dots ...) to its far right and click "Uninstall".

If you installed LastPass as a browser extension, open the browser, click on the Puzzle piece in the toolbar, and click "Manage extensions". Find LastPass and click on it. Then click "Remove". If you have LastPass installed on more than one browser, you will need to do this for each browser on which it's installed.

I hope this helps you. If you have more questions, let me know.

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Clint has questions about passkeys
I have been reading a lot about passkeys lately, and everything you put into this week's newsletter further encourages me to start using them exclusively and do away with all passwords. That brings on more questions. I intend to use a fingerprint for identification because I'm thinking someone using AI could duplicate my face. I doubt my fingerprints could be duplicated. What should I do with my premium subscription to LastPass? I have many dozens of sites in my LastPass vault. Do I visit every one of those sites to make a change, or will the change be made the next time I visit that site? Do you feel it is a complicated enough issue that some kind of tutorial could be made? Nobody does it better than you! My wife and I both use LastPass, and that lets us peruse each other's sites, but passkeys would put a stop to that. That's the only thing I see as a negative to passkeys. Do you know of a workaround for that? I'm sure that a lot of your long-time friends, as I am, are depending on you for the latest advice on this issue because there seem to be more instances of scams every day.

Our answer
Hi Clint. It’s smart to look ahead as passkeys are the future of secure logins.

Let's review your concerns.

1. Biometrics (Fingerprint vs. Face ID)

Your concern about AI duplicating your face is understandable, especially with how advanced deepfakes are becoming.

For passkeys, which rely on the secure elements of your device, both Face ID and fingerprint ID are extremely secure against remote, digital attacks (like those using AI deepfakes). The biometric data never leaves your device; it's only used locally to unlock the cryptographic key stored on your device. Since the system checks for depth (Face ID) or liveness (fingerprint/Touch ID), they are highly resistant to simple 2D photos or digital models and manipulation.

If you are worried about physical coercion or a very close lookalike (like a twin), some experts suggest fingerprint (Touch ID) may be slightly more secure than face recognition, as fingerprints are more unique than facial patterns, and spoofing a live fingerprint is extremely difficult.

Use the biometric method you feel most comfortable with. If a fingerprint gives you greater peace of mind, it is a perfectly good choice. Both are dramatically more secure than any password or even passwords + 2FA combinations.

Moving on to LastPass...

Moving from LastPass Passwords to Passkeys

LastPass is one of the password managers that now supports saving and syncing passkeys across your devices (if they run the latest versions of the LastPass extension and mobile apps). This means you don't have to rely solely on Apple's iCloud Keychain or Google's Password Manager.

Ensure your LastPass browser extension is updated to the latest version to ensure full passkey compatibility.

Since you cannot migrate all 70+ sites at once, prioritize based on security risk. For example, sites that deal with money (banking sites, credit card sites, shopping sites, etc.) or sites dealing with highly personal info like government sites, medical sites, insurance sites, etc., should be the highest priority. For example, it's much more important to upgrade to a passkey on your bank site than it is for a newspaper site.

Navigate to Security Settings and find the Security or Password & Authentication section.

Look for a setting titled "Passkeys," "Passwordless Login," or "Security Keys."

Create the Passkey:

Click "Create Passkey."

The website will initiate a request to your browser/OS.

A prompt will appear (from your device's operating system, potentially mentioning LastPass as the storage provider) asking you to confirm the creation of the passkey.

You will use your chosen biometric (your fingerprint) to confirm the creation.

If you are using LastPass as your primary passkey manager, ensure the passkey is saved to your LastPass vault when prompted.

Test your Passkey: Log out immediately and then attempt to log back in. The site should now offer "Sign in with a Passkey."

Use your fingerprint to log in without typing a password.

Your old LastPass password remains in your vault, but it is no longer the primary login method for that site. You can keep it as a backup or note that a passkey is now in use.

I hope this answers your questions, Clint.

Lynne now has McAfee courtesy of Adobe
Hello, TC and Darcy. I downloaded Adobe Acrobat Reader and acquired McAfee. Is it safe? Also, do you know of an ad blocker for an Android mobile phone? Thank you for all your help. Hope you have a nice weekend. Sincerely, Lynne.

Our answer
Hi Lynne. Adobe has, for years, played games by bundling McAfee with its downloads. They do this for a reason - to make money by giving away Acrobat Reader for free. McAfee pays Adobe for bundling McAfee AV with their downloads, plus a kickback if someone buys it after the free trial.

McAfee is an overly zealous, high-resource antivirus/security program like Norton. Not only is it hard to uninstall, but it's also expensive. Adobe bundles a trial version of McAfee with its downloads, and when your free trial ends, you'll be asked to pay between $30 and $50 and then $85 to $150 (or more) a year to renew it. The only thing you can do now is uninstall it from your computer using the McAfee Removal Tool, which you can download free from here.

While you need a good antivirus and antimalware program, you certainly don't need McAfee, and you certainly don't need to pay that much. We recommend Emsisoft and use it ourselves. If you purchase from us, it costs $29.99 for the first year and $25 per year to renew it. You can read more about Emsisoft here.

We just wrote an article about blocking ads on Android phones. You'll be happy to know you don't need to download anything, and it works very well. See our tutorial here.

One other note... You don't need Adobe Acrobat Reader. You can read PDFs with any browser, such as Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Brave, Opera, etc. If you need to create and edit PDFs, you can get a free program called PDF Gear.

I hope this helps you, Lynne.

June asks about our Christmas/Winter screensaver
Hey guys. It's been years since I became a regular reader of your site. Really trusted your site. You had screen savers back then. I loved the one with the snowman at night, with snow gently falling, a Christmas tree, and a cabin in the woods. Do you remember that? Boy, I would love to have that. I don't know how I lost it. But it probably would not run on this updated computer anyway. I just learned yesterday that you don't even need a screensaver anymore. I felt pretty silly about that. I am very happy I found your updated site. I need it, LOL. Thanks for listening, June.

Our answer
Hi June. Thanks so much for your long-time friendship and support.

I believe you're asking about our WinterHouse Screensaver that we've featured every Christmas for many years. You can read more about it and download it from here.

I hope that this is the screensaver you were looking for.

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

Cloudeight InfoAve Premium -Tips & Tricks

The Quick & Easy Way to Show Hidden Files, Folders, and Drives
Windows 10 / Windows 11

By default, Windows hides certain files, folders, and drives. But often, the Windows tips we write and others you find online assume you can view hidden files, folders, and drives.

Some files and folders in Windows are automatically marked as hidden because Windows doesn’t want you messing around with them. But leaving them hidden hinders your ability to make changes that can enhance your Windows experience. As we’ve mentioned, many of our tips and tricks, and others you find online, assume you can view hidden files.

For example, if you need to access the AppData folder in your users’ directory, you must unhide hidden files, folders, and drives. We think it’s a good idea that you be able to see all files, folders, and drives on your computer, and here’s an easy way to do it.

Windows 10

1.) Open File Explorer (Windows key + E is a great shortcut).

2.) Click on the “View” tab at the top.

3.) Tick the box next to “Hidden items”.

Cloudeight Windows 10 tips

4.) Close File Explorer.

Windows 11

1.) Open File Explorer (Windows key + E ).

2.) Click on the “View” tab at the top.

Cloudeight Windows 11 tips

3.) Tick on “Show” in the drop-down menu.

4.) Click on “Hidden items”.

5.) Close File Explorer.

That’s it! From now on, you will be able to see all your files, folders, and drives, including the ones that Windows was previously hiding from you.

Get a Big List Of Gmail Shortcuts By Using This Keyboard Shortcut
Windows 10/Windows 11 + Gmail

We love shortcuts. They save time and sometimes sanity. If you use Gmail and you like Shortcuts, here’s a tip you’ll love.

Did you know that if you log in to your Gmail account, then press the SHIFT key + ? (the SHIFT key plus the question mark key), you’ll instantly get a page of Gmail shortcuts?

You can. Try it!

See? You’ll get a scrollable list of shortcuts that can make your Gmailing more productive.

Cloudeight InfoAve Gmail Tips

There you go. A quick Gmail trick we hope you’ll love!

The Emergency Restart Feature Hidden in Windows 11
Windows 11

We’ve all been there. The computer screen freezes, and nothing works. The keyboard is frozen, the screen is frozen, and the computer is non-responsive. So, the only thing we could do was shut down the PC using the power button and then restart. But there’s a new hidden feature in Windows 11 that makes it easier to restart when everything is frozen. It’s called “Emergency Restart”. Now you don’t have to use the power button to shut down the PC and risk data corruption. Windows 11’s “Emergency Restart” feature is accessible through the security screen.

Here’s How to Access the Security Screen

Press the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys simultaneously.

This action should interrupt the frozen application and bring up the full-screen Windows security menu, which offers options like Task Manager, Sign Out, and Shutdown.

How to Trigger the Emergency Restart

Locate the Power icon (the circle with a vertical line) in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

Hold down the Control (Ctrl) key.

While holding Ctrl, click the Power icon.

A warning box will pop up confirming the action.

Confirm and Proceed

Windows 11's Emergency Restart Feature - Cloudeight InfoAve

The warning will state: “Click OK to immediately restart. Any unsaved data will be lost. Use this only as a last resort.”

Click OK to execute the Emergency Restart. Your system will immediately reboot, hopefully resolving the issues that caused the freeze.

Now you know all about the new Windows 11 restart feature, let’s hope you never have to use it!

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.

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

Tubi TV: Free TV with over 250,000 Titles to Choose From

Tubi TV is rather unique in the world of streaming services. Unlike its pricier counterparts, Tubi offers a massive library of movies and TV shows completely free. Tubi has no subscription fees and offers hundreds of hours of entertainment. Does that sound too good to be true? Let’s take a look and see what makes Tubi TV a great choice for streaming TV.

Tubi TV - A Cloudeight Freeware Pick
Above: Screenshot of Tubi TV running on my Windows 11 PC.

Tubi boasts a vast collection of over 250,000 titles, or over 52,000 movies. From cult classics and hidden gems to popular favorites and documentaries, there’s something for everyone. Feeling nostalgic? Tubi has a treasure trove of older movies and TV shows that will have you reminiscing. Want to catch up on a specific genre? Tubi offers a well-organized selection of comedies, dramas, thrillers, and more.

Above: Just a few of the thousands of movies available on Tubi TV.

Tubi TV is 100% free. You pay zero subscription fees. You can enjoy all this content without ever having to enter your credit card information. You don’t even have to create an account; it’s optional. But creating an account lets you create a list of favorites, pause what you’re watching, and pick back up where you left off whenever you are ready.

Above: Live TV guide on Tubi TV.

Tubi has a user-friendly interface that makes navigating the platform easy. Finding what you want to watch is easy with clear categories and a very good search feature. Tubi is also available on a wide range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, streaming devices, and Windows PCs, so you can watch your favorite shows on the go on your phone, on your laptop or desktop, or on your big-screen TV while you’re curled up on the couch.

Yes, there are ads… that’s why it’s free. Tubi uses commercial breaks to keep the platform running, but they are generally shorter and less frequent than broadcast television. Plus, unlike some free services, the ads on Tubi are not intrusive and don’t usually disturb your viewing experience.

I love Tubi TV. It’s my favorite streaming app. I pay good money for Netflix and Amazon Prime, but I can honestly say I watch Tubi TV more than either of those. Tubi TV is a fantastic option for anyone looking to save money on entertainment. With its impressive library of over 250,000 titles, user-friendly interface, and free price tag, Tubi TV offers incredible value.

You might not find the latest blockbusters here, but there’s plenty of great content to discover and enjoy. From newer movies to film noir, Tubi has them all. So, if you’re looking for a free and legal way to stream movies and TV shows, Tubi TV is worth checking out.

If you have a Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, or other streaming device, search for Tubi – it’s available for all popular streaming devices. It’s available for most Smart TVs. You can also use Tubi TV on Android smartphones and tablets, and Apple iPhones and iPads. You can also watch TV shows, movies, and more on your Windows PC.

Watch Tubi TV on your Windows PC - Cloudeight InfoAve

You can watch Tubi TV and all of the movies and content on Tubi on your Windows PC. Just visit https://www.tubitv.com/

Cloudeight InfoAve Premium - Essays , Rants, etc.

The Fateful Chestnut

On a cool March day, I was taking my daily 4-mile walk when suddenly – and stupidly – I tripped on a chestnut that had fallen on the wooden boardwalk that winds through the woods. Sadly, this chestnut was not roasting on an open fire; it had fallen on the walkway the previous autumn and somehow managed to make a home there.

Or maybe it was destiny. Maybe it was placed there by an unseen force – or maybe the wind. Or perhaps, more sinisterly, it was placed there to attack me and ruin my life!

Or maybe not. Maybe in the grand scheme of things, I’m no more important than a grain of sand on some unnamed beach thousands and thousands of miles away. But I like to think that I am a bit more important than that – and I’m sure you do too.

Anyway, that fateful chestnut ended my years of walking 4 to 6 miles a day and began my never-ending trip into medical purgatory. When I say “trip,” I mean trip. I tripped my way onto the never-ending medical treadmill...

Please read the rest of this essay here.

What is a VPN?

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is basically a private, encrypted tunnel for your internet connection. Let's make a little analogy...

Imagine you're driving on a public highway (the internet). Everyone can see what car you're in and where you're going. A VPN lets you drive into a private, dark tunnel instead. Your real car (your device's identity and location) is hidden, and everything you do inside your car and the tunnel is encrypted, meaning no one—not your internet provider, not hackers, and not the websites you visit—can easily peep in and see what you're up to. It’s like a cloak of invisibility.

However, don't get carried away. Some VPN providers promise that their VPN services can prevent identity theft and scams, but I'm sorry to tell you that a VPN does not prevent identity theft, and a VPN cannot prevent you from being scammed or tricked.

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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 #1153
Volume 23, Number 4
November 14, 2025

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