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Cloudeight InfoAve Weekly Issue #1157 Volume 23, Number 8 December 12, 2025 Dear Friends, Welcome to Cloudeight InfoAve Weekly Issue #1157. Thank you for subscribing and for being a part of our Cloudeight family. We appreciate your friendship and support very much! Please share our newsletters and our website with your friends and family. ![]() If you're not getting our InfoAve Daily newsletter, you're missing out on a lot of good stuff! It's free and it only takes a few seconds to sign up. We'd love to have you with us. Visit this page to sign up for our Cloudeight InfoAve Daily Newsletter.
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Larry
is
having
problems
with
Gmail
Our
answer
Lee
asks
about
BulkCrap
uninstaller
Our
answer I
use
HiBit
Uninstaller,
and
have
for
years,
because
it's
safe
and
thorough
enough,
plus
it
also
allows
you
to
remove
multiple
programs
at
once.
I've
been
using
it
not
only
on
my
computers,
but
also
on
computers
I've
worked
on
remotely.
I
don't
see
any
advantages
to
using
Bulk
Crap
Uninstaller. Hope this gives you some food for thought, Lee. Sharon wants some free Christmas wallpaper Our answer
When you click the download link for the images you want, you choose the size you want for your computer.
Of course, most free things these days come with annoyances. When you click to download the wallpaper, you'll get two advertising (legitimate) popups while the wallpaper is downloading....but they are not tricky and are easy to close.
Merry Christmas!
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Marty asks about passkeys and password managers
Hi TC, I’ve been reading with great interest your recent articles about passkeys. I want to make the jump to passkeys, but I’m looking for a password/passkey manager that is both free and I can also use on both of my PCs (a Win11 and a Win10-along with an iPhone and iPad). I “think Bitwarden is a product with a free version that I could use on all 4 of my devices. When you have a chance, please steer me in the right direction. Your last article on Passkeys spelled it all out so well that I’m no longer afraid to try and make the move to passkeys. Respectfully yours, Marty.Our answer
Hi Marty. Here is some information from Bitwarden that I think will help you.
Bitwarden fully supports passkeys for creating, storing, and using them across your devices.
Bitwarden treats passkeys as a highly secure, modern alternative to passwords and has integrated them into its platform in two main ways:
Bitwarden acts as a synchronizing passkey provider, meaning you can use it to manage your passkeys just like you manage your passwords.
When you visit a passkey-enabled website (like Google, PayPal, or GitHub) and choose to create a passkey, the Bitwarden browser extension or mobile app will prompt you to save it directly into your vault.
When you return to that site, Bitwarden will intercept the login request and offer to use the stored passkey to log you in instantly, typically requiring a quick biometric scan (fingerprint or face ID) or PIN to authenticate.
Because the passkey is stored in your Bitwarden vault, it is securely encrypted and synced across all your devices (desktop, mobile, tablet), ensuring you can use it anywhere.
Note: For mobile devices, you typically need iOS 17 or higher or Android 14 or higher to set Bitwarden as the default passkey provider.
You can read more about Bitwarden & passkeys at https://bitwarden.com/passwordless-passkeys/.
Hope this helps you, Marty.
Carl asks about our "Copy to", "Move to" tip
Hi TC, I am not very good with computers, and sometimes I can’t figure things out. I have tried to load” Copy to and Move to” on my new computer. I have got your Tutorial right here in front of me, and I cannot figure it out. Is that something you could do for me if I sent you a KEY? If not, I understand.
Our answer
Hi Carl. The Copy to / Move to registry no longer works in the current version of Windows 11. That's the problem with registry hacks; operating system updates can render them useless. If we figure out a workaround, we'll publish it, but as of now, I've not found one.
In the meantime, File Explorer now has tabs, so if you want to copy files from one location to another, you can select the files you want to copy (if you have more than one, hold down the SHIFT Key while selecting the files). When you have all the files selected, right-click on the highlighted files and choose "Copy". Then, open a new tab in File Explorer to the location where you want to move the files and click on the folder or drive where you want to copy the files and choose "Paste".
If you want to move files from one location to another, select the files as about, but instead of choosing "Copy" choose "Cut". Open a new File Explorer tab, select the destination folder, and click "Paste".
A little more work but still fairly easy.
Sandy
wants
to
know
more
about
passkeys
Our
answerI read your article on Passkeys vs. two-factor authentication. The biggest problem I am facing is that to use Passkeys, faceprint, fingerprint, whatever, my phone has to have a lock on it. I know, you should always lock your phone. Sometimes, I want it unlocked as to have to keep doing a code, a fingerprint, etc. to open it is very inconvenient. How can you set up Passkeys without it affecting having to have it on your phone? You never used multiple passwords for sites. Can you use the same Passkeys for multiple sites? Thank you for your clarification.
Hi Sandy. Passkeys are tied to a particular device - e.g., a smartphone, a PC, or tablet.
When you create a passkey for a website (e.g., Google, website, bank), your device (phone, laptop, tablet, security key) generates a unique pair of cryptographic keys:
Private Key (The Passkey): This is the actual secret credential. It never leaves your device. This key is what makes the authentication possible.
Public Key: This key is sent to and stored on the website's server. It is not a secret; its only job is to verify the unique signature created by your private key.
The Device Link: Since the Private Key is generated and stored on a specific device, the ability to log in is tied to possession of that device.
You can also save passkeys on a physical device like a YubiKey, which you can then use on different devices. However, it requires you to take the YubiKey with you wherever you go - often not convenient. Read more about YubiKeys here.
You can't use Passkeys unless you unlock your phone. You unlock your phone with a PIN or biometric (fingerprint). Passkeys require face, fingerprint, or PIN verification, and you can't access any of these functions if your phone is locked. You also cannot enter a password or a 2FA code when your phone is locked, so I'm not sure I understand your question.
A passkey unlocks sites that are locked (like bank sites, government sites, other sites that deal with highly personal info). You can't access any sites with a phone that is locked, so maybe you can give me more details on what you're trying to do? Remember, the PIN (or biometric) that unlocks your phone is also the PIN (or biometric) that authenticates passkeys. Your fingerprint, face, or PIN also validates your passkeys.
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Holiday Scams are Coming to Town… You Better Watch Out!
Did you know that online scams triple during the holiday season? Just about every week, we get several emails from people who have fallen for an online scam – especially a computer repair scam. They have given their credit card information and access to their computers to criminals, and it usually starts with a phone call. It goes like this. The phone call comes unexpectedly, and out of the blue, the computer user is informed that their computer is infected with something and/or is sending and spreading malware or viruses and infecting other computers. Of course, the caller has the cure — the fix — the solution. Sadly, many people fall for this and give access to their computers to these scammers, who then connect to the customer’s computer and proceed to ” fix” it. But they don’t fix it. Many times, they install worthless software or software anyone can get free, or worse, they install malware to steal your passwords and usernames, and thus, access to your bank accounts and other highly sensitive and personal information. Users give the criminals their credit card information, and in the best-case scenario, they are charged a few hundred dollars — in the worst cases, their card numbers are stolen and used to make purchases and/or steal identities. We warn you again — never give ANY information to anyone who calls you out of the blue, no matter who they say they represent. One of the biggest scams is the one where the caller identifies himself or herself as a Microsoft employee, telling you that your Windows computer is infected with malware and that your computer is infecting other computers on the Internet. If you have caller ID, their number may show that they are calling from a Microsoft number — but they’re not. It’s really easy to spoof a caller ID. Remember this: No legitimate company is going to call you out of the blue and tell you that your computer is infected. NONE. NADA. ZERO. If you get a call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft or some other legitimate-sounding company, hang up. Do not give them access to your computer. Do not give them your credit card number. Do not give them any passwords. We have published this advice before, yet every week we get several people who come to us for help after falling for a scam. And we help them by removing all the malware installed by the scammers and fixing things these scammers intentionally broke (so they can come back again and get more money from you). So if you remember nothing else from this tip, remember this: If you get a call from anyone claiming to be from Microsoft or some other legitimate-sounding company — or someone who tosses around complex computer terms and claims he or she can fix your computer — hang up. Hang up the phone and do not give them any information. none. nada. zero. If they continue to call after this report them to your phone company and/or your local authorities. The important thing is: Never give your information to anyone who calls you out of the blue, telling you that you have problems with your computer. Never give access to your computer to anyone who calls out of the blue and warns you that your computer is infected. It’s always a scam – always. If you are one who has already fallen for this scam, call your credit card company right away and tell them what happened. Tell them you were scammed and have the charges removed from your credit card. You should be able to get charges made by scam companies removed from your credit card. If you wish, you can report it to your local authorities, although we doubt it will do much good. Scammers are professional crooks, and they are not going to operate under the same name or from the same location or use the same methods for very long. They’re going to move around, change names, and change schemes, and it’s very hard to catch up with them. Artificial Intelligence is making scams even harder to recognize Artificial intelligence has given scammers a tool they can use to vastly improve the scale and realism of social engineering attacks, making them harder than ever to detect. Generative AI tools allow criminals to create flawless phishing emails that are free of grammatical errors and highly personalized, bypassing common spam filters and overcoming a key indicator of old scams. More alarmingly, deepfake technology can clone a person’s voice from mere seconds of audio or create ultra-realistic video of a loved one or a corporate CEO, which criminals use to stage convincing “virtual kidnapping” or urgent financial transfer scenarios that exploit a victim’s trust and sense of urgency. By automating the creation of believable fake websites, professional product images, and engaging fake personas for romance scams, AI lowers the barrier to entry for fraudsters, exponentially increasing the number of sophisticated, targeted attacks that consumers must now guard against. Here is some good information from the U.S. government (and no, we are not being sarcastic!)
See, we told you — the U.S. government has some good advice for you to follow, no matter where you live. Don’t get scammed. We hate to see any of you being taken advantage of by charlatans and criminals. You can read more tips here. During the holiday season, the number of scams triples. Don’t let a scammer ruin the holidays for you.
How to Manage Your Browser Extensions I think all of us get a little extension crazy sometimes. Sometimes you think you need an extension, and so you add it to your browser, and before you know it, you have 10-15 browser extensions. Most people can’t even remember the extension they’ve added. There’s nothing wrong with extensions – at least not the legitimate ones – but having too many extensions can slow down your browser. So, we recommend that you take a look at your browser extensions every so often and remove any that you don’t use or don’t need. There’s an easy way to do it, too, regardless of which browser you use. And it’s all thanks to the puzzle-piece icon that almost all popular browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, have adopted. Manage your browser extensions the easy way. 1 > Open your browser and locate the “puzzle-piece” icon in the toolbar.
2 > Click on the puzzle-piece icon and click on “Manage extensions” in the drop-down menu.
And you’ll see this:
Above: Mozilla Firefox extensions All browsers give you the option to turn off extensions or remove them – either option has the same effect. The fewer extensions you have, the faster your browser will be. So, take some time today to check out the extensions you’ve installed and turn off or remove any that you don’t use.
Please Be SUPER Careful Whenever You Search! There are two things you should never search for and those are "support" and "drivers". Many people have gotten into serious trouble by searching for these. The reason? Criminals and scammers know that people will search for things like HP Printer Support, Canon Printer Support, Dell Support, Display drivers, printer drivers, and so on. These search terms are full of danger for you. Why? Because the unscrupulous know you will be searching for these things and will make ad buys on search engines so their scummy ads will show up on your search results. Once you click on one, you could easily find yourself in a trap or worse, thinking you’re on a legitimate site when you’re not. If you need help with your printer, type in the site’s web address, for instance, http://www.hp.com/ or https://www.canon.com. If you need help, click on support. If you need support for Windows, don’t go searching for Microsoft support. Go to www.microsoft.com and click on support. If you need drivers, don’t search for anything using the word drivers. If you have an NVidia display adapter that you need drivers for, go to NVidia’s website. If you need help with a Dell computer, go to Dell’s website. If you must search for anything having to do with a driver or product support, remember this – only the name before the dot.com or dot.net or dot.org, dot.biz, or dot.tv, etc. in a URL (website address) is the actual domain. For instance, the following web address is not for Dell support: dell.support.geeksrus.com. It is not a Dell site at all – it’s a geekrus site. Likewise, mircosoft.support.wegotcha.com is not a Microsoft site – it’s a wegotcha site, and if you click on a link like that, believe me, they gotcha! Let’s take a test: 1.) Which of the following 3 URLs belongs to Microsoft? A. microsoft.support.com B. support.microsoft.com C. microsoft.windows-support.com Answer? Only “B” is a Microsoft Site. 2.) Which of the following belongs to HP? A. hp.com B. support.hp.com C .hp-drivers.softonic.com D. hp-printer.drivers.com If you said “A” and “B,” you’re right. Both A and B are HP sites. C and D are not. If you learn how to read a URL you’re on the way to safer browsing – and searching. Be careful what you search for and learn how to read URLs (website addresses). Always pay attention to the words/names right before the dot com, dot net, dot. org, etc. in a URL (website address). 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. Your gifts help us to keep on helping you and all our friends. Please consider making a small donation today!
Thousands of Free Christmas and Holiday Fonts for You!
Christmas Day is on the way – it will be here sooner than you think. If you’re making special Christmas cards, Christmas graphics, gift tags, place settings, or other Christmas projects, you might be looking for Christmas and seasonal holiday fonts. We’ve got you covered! We found thousands of free (for personal use) Christmas and holiday fonts you can download and use right now.
Above: Christmas fonts from dafont.com. The three Christmas and holiday font collections we’re featuring today contain a plethora of styles and designs, so you are certain to find just the right fonts for your projects.
No matter what type of Christmas/Holiday fonts you’re looking for, from script to decorative, you’ll find them on our two site picks. There are a lot of font sites, but sadly, many of them like to play games – some even try to get you to install malware or software you don’t want or need. The two sites we recommend do not play games, and when you download the font, you get the font and no malware or sneaky bundled software. Almost all (but not all) the fonts on our three site picks are free for personal use. But you may find a few that are trialware. donationware or shareware… check the text file that comes with the font before using the font. Check out dafont.com’s Christmas fonts Check out Fontspace’s Free Christmas Fonts Check out over 1400 Free Christmas Fonts at 1001 Fonts
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Christmas Memories It’s officially Christmastime. Even for those like me who find the commercial frenzy that drives retailers to start Christmas on Halloween upsetting, Christmastime is here. Unfortunately, many have allowed their greed to overshadow the Christmas spirit and diminish some of the joys of the season by starting Christmas in October. Nonetheless, there are only a few more days left until Christmas, and it seems like the Christmas Spirit is still eluding me, but maybe it’s my own fault. I wonder. We’ve allowed Christmas to become a season of controversy. Some public officials won’t dare call Christmas lights – Christmas lights. Some towns won’t decorate their lampposts and town squares with decorations and festive lights – they fear it will upset some atheist, Jew, Muslim, or other non-Christian. Some store clerks are ordered by their employers to say “Happy Holidays!” instead of “Merry Christmas”. It seems like the Christmas Spirit is alluding me. I wonder if it’s just me. Is it my fault? Somehow, I’ve allowed Christmas to become tainted by commercialism, secularism, and politics- but it doesn’t have to be this way. I’m becoming quite sure of that... We hope you'll read the rest of this essay here. ![]() What is Porch Piracy? Porch Piracy, the theft of delivered packages from a residence's front steps or porch. It has become a major challenge that has exploded along with online shopping. These opportunistic thieves, often dubbed "porch pirates," seize on packages left unattended by delivery drivers. Porch Piracy is widespread and costly. Tens of millions of packages are stolen annually in the U.S., resulting in billions of dollars in consumer and retailer losses. While the crime can occur year-round, incidents surge significantly during the busy holiday season.
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