9 Windows settings EVERY user should change NOW!

If you use Microsoft Windows, there are some SERIOUS changes you need to make to your Operating System if you want to remain safe and not get hacked. In this video, I walk you through 9 settings that I think every PC user should change ...and some should be changed IMMEDIATELY!

*** LOTS of people seem to like the wallpaper on my PC in this video. Here's the link!

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🔍 Here are some other related videos you might enjoy:

⏰ Timecodes ⏰
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⚡️ Here are tools that I *highly* recommend and use personally every day...
Hardware ---
◼ 142-piece magnetic electronics precision screwdriver set with 120 bits
◼ Sabrent USB-C docking station for SATA and m.2 with offline cloning
◼ StarTech 4-bay USB 3.0 hard drive docking station 6Gbps
◼ StarTech 2-bay USB 3.0 hard drive docking station SATA 6Gbps
◼ Netgear A6100 wifi adapter
◼ Godshark NVME to USB adapter M.2 SSD to Type-A USB 10Gbps
◼ Cordless, rechargeable air duster 6000mAh 10w fast-charging

💢 Here is some helpful/useful and FREE everyday software that you might enjoy!
◼ Ninite (used to automatically download and install your favorite software):
◼ Defraggler (used to defragment and organize your files on hard drives, not for SSD):
◼ Open Office (Microsoft Office FREE replacement)

💢 Hey, do you want even MORE in-depth techie stuff? Check out my friend Nico's page, Nico Knows Tech. Tell him I sent you and watch the obscenities fly LOL

⚠️ Affiliate link notice ⚠️
Some links included in this video are affiliate links. The creator may make a small percentage from any products that you purchase through one of these links. This purchase comes at ZERO extra cost to you, and greatly helps to support the growth of this channel.

Thanks so much for stopping in and watching!

[icecreamjunkie]

Quick tip about local accounts: When you’re setting up Windows 11 on the first boot, it doesn’t give you a choice to sign in with a local account. You may think you have to use a Microsoft account, but it’s easy to bypass. Just type ‘a’ in both the username and password fields. It will say it failed to sign in and let you use a local account.

[jjtxoss]

Purchased a new HP computer last month 5-24, with WINDOWS 11, at 77 years of age I am not computer savy I would like to thank you for your step by step videos on setting up a LOCAL ACCOUNT and how to make my new computer secure too. Your explanation between setting up a local account or a Microsoft Account was excellent. This is my computer not Microsoft’s computer 💻 I want to eliminate big corporations from spying and tracking me. Thank you once again for your informative videos that are educating thousands of people like myself. 😊

[cddrury]

Thank you for highlighting my biggest pet peeve - hidden file extensions. You nailed it when you said it was also your biggest pet peeve. I really can't believe Microsoft still has this setting as a default as, like you said, could easily trick a user into clicking what they think is a document but is actually an executable program. I knew about LTT's hack, but I did not know the reason was because of hidden file extensions.

[TheGrandePiano]

for the tip no. 3 do NOT just go and disable everything in the startup tab, especially if you don't know what you're doing. Some of the programs, especially on laptops are audio drivers, touchpad drivers and maybe other more important procesess. Turning them off may cause your system breaking and with that major confusion as to what is causing the issues. Read online what each individual procesess does and turn off accordingly.

[samuel_towle]

I long ago gave up trying to figure out the reasoning behind some of the MS Windows settings. They always seemed configured to make the life of the user or support person more difficult. I see some things never change.

[roysainsbury]

Back in DOS days you always saw file extensions, so I've always turned that on in Windows. Also, showing the full path in the title bar (now the tabs). This avoids having two windows open with apparently the same name but are actually in different locations.

[wmcomprev]

For all the system admins out there, I recommend setting the option to show file extensions in Group Policy so that they are automatically set to show on all your client computers.

[ovimir]

I would always recommend keeping UAC turned on no matter how knowledgeable and experienced you might be. It isn't about checking what you are actively doing, it's about stopping things you don't know about happening in the background. It is extra security for one button press and could save a lot of heartache.

[Thurgosh_OG]

I do most of these but it's nice to be reminded of some, like the file extensions one.

[DEVAEGIR]

With the startup, I have noticed that Win10 (and Win 11) have a much shorter list, as if most of these are hidden. Win7 had a very substantial list where you could go and surgically adjust the whole process.

[robira]

Great information! I just bought a new HP desktop and used several of your recommendations.

[wallyworld]

Just found your channel. Kudos...this video and the 2 rescue USB's video are invaluable. Thanx again!

[themegaman]

Consider me subscribed! You've just saved my skin here; I've been using Windows since the 1990's, and I noticed some things in the 2000's that were established standards like system restore quietly exited out. I had to throw out entire systems in the past 10+ years, since Windows 7, and looks like I won't have to trash anymore PC's in a while thanks to your channel; keep it up!!

[coryhammer]

Great tips, even for computer experts. Its a good checklist to make sure you didn't forget something. Microsoft keeps moving the setting around so this helped me find settings that were not obvious. Why does Microsoft disable hibernation by default now? I set my laptop to hibernate when I close the lid. If I travel and don't open my laptop for a few days I don't want the battery to be completely dead when I try to use it because it drained in sleep mode instead of hibernating and turning off. So annoying. With SSDs, resuming from hibernate doesn't take long.

[edwardmccarthy]

Thanks. Not only did you explain the issue, and the rational, but you explained how to fix these issues. I use probably 4 of them. Much appreciated!

[jaredcrawford]

Wow, what a great video. I have just returned to the Windows ecosystem after years of being solely on MacOS. I feel so much better using windows now knowing that content like this is on YT to learn from and help make the experience a pleasant one. Thanks for your content.

[area_]

Very useful info for most people. I think it would be useful to stress that you should not mess about with UAC at all! Although when set to default high priority, it causes you to have to jump through a lot of hoops to get things done, it is designed to protect you from hackers and it does a pretty good job of it. I am an experienced software engineer with many years of working on Windows and Linux, and I keep my UAC level just one below the top setting. But well done for this useful video.

[alherzog]

Thanks for sharing these details. Greatly appreciated

[DanakarEndeel]

Thanks for the tips! I already had several of them done in the past but you did show me a couple more I didn't know about. 😃

[southpark]

For #4 O&O Shutup is a great way to get more granular + extra privacy controls on your device