If you feel like Windows 10 should improve its accessibility features, you’re in luck. Microsoft is introducing major upgrades on its OS’s display and audio features with significant tweaks on its Ease of Access, Narrator, and related settings.

Better Ease of Access settings

Some users rarely tinker with their computer’s accessibility settings because they’re difficult to locate and adjust. Luckily, in the upcoming Windows 10, this won’t be the case. Microsoft will soon launch Ease of Access settings that’s easier to discover, learn, and use. The enhancements are categorized into Vision, Hearing, and Interaction (speech and eye control) groups.

Those who want bigger characters can adjust settings under “Make everything bigger,” which lets you enlarge apps and text. You can also “Make everything brighter” by increasing the brightness of your built-in display, and “Simplify and personalize Windows” by turning on or off animations, transparency, and automatically hiding scrollbars in Windows on the Display page. You can also ask Cortana to find a specific setting for quicker access.

Narrator enhancements

Narrator is Windows 10’s screen-reading app that reads text on a PC screen and ‘narrates’ to users their notifications, calendar reminders, and other events. In the latest update, Narrator’s audio performance will provide faster, more responsive, and more accurate narration.

Previously, it reads bolded, italicized, or underlined statements by using statements like “start/end bold.” But in the new version, the narrator will change reading pitch, speed, and tone to emphasize certain texts.

Other improvements include a capability to run on Safe Mode and an enhanced Microsoft Edge browsing, which now announces various processes such as when users are opening or closing tabs, or loading or refreshing pages.

Eye Control adjustments

Windows 10’s eye control feature lets users control the mouse, type using an on-screen keyboard, and use text-to-speech with eye-control technology found in eye-tracking devices.

Soon to be introduced in Windows 10 is the capability for users to scroll and click directly from left to right, and quickly access Windows Start, Timeline, and other common tasks. And with the ability to pause eye control, users can hide the launchpad to enjoy undisrupted reading or streaming.

Other upcoming upgrades

Microsoft Learning Tools (advanced tools to enhance reading and writing skills) will soon include more intuitive text suggestions when using a keyboard, and language support for touch keyboards. Microsoft will also continue to work on improving its assistive technology partnerships.

Microsoft listened to users’ feedback and made several improvements in its accessibility features and apps so that people with poor vision, hearing loss, limited dexterity, and other disabilities will have a much better experience. If you need further help with Windows 10 features, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

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Windows 10 users are well aware of the fact that installing updates can take a long time. In fact, you’ll find many users venting about this issue in online forums and complaining to their service providers. So what kind of feedback are they getting, and why are Windows 10 updates so slow?

Why do updates take so long to install?
Windows 10 updates take a while to complete because Microsoft is constantly adding larger files and features to them. For instance, the latest Fall Creators update, which made plenty of adjustments to Cortana, Photos, and Edge, can take upwards of four hours to install. And it takes even longer if you have a fragmented or nearly filled hard drive.

In addition to the large files and numerous features included in Windows 10 updates, internet speed can significantly affect installation times. This is especially true if your network is being overburdened by multiple people downloading the update at the same time.

If multiple downloads aren’t being attempted and you still experience slowness, then either some broken software components are preventing the installation from running smoothly, or apps and drivers that run upon startup are likely to blame.

When you experience any of these issues, try the following:

Free up storage space and defragment your hard drive
Because many Windows 10 updates take up a lot of space in your hard drive, you need to leave enough room for them. This means deleting files and uninstalling software you no longer need.

You’ll also want to defragment your hard drive, a process that organizes data on your hard drive so it can read and write files faster. While this may sound complicated, it’s actually as easy as pressing the Windows button and typing Defragment and Optimize Drives. From there, just select the hard drive, click Analyze, and if the drive is more than 10% fragmented, press Optimize.

Run Windows Update Troubleshooter
If broken software components are causing installation problems, this tool might be able to fix the issue and decrease download and install times.

Disable startup software
Before your update begins, you should also disable third-party applications that can potentially cause disruptions. To do this, press the Windows button again and type msconfig. In the System Configuration Window, go to Services, click Hide all Microsoft services, then click Disable all. Afterwards, access Task Manager (press Ctrl + Alt + Delete) and disable any startup program that might interfere with updates like an Adobe app or printer software.

Optimize your network
Sometimes a faster connection is all you need. Consider switching to fiber optic cables or purchasing more bandwidth from your internet service provider. It’s also a good idea to use bandwidth management tools to make sure enough network resources are reserved for things like Windows 10 updates, not bandwidth hogs like Skype or YouTube.

Schedule updates for low-traffic periods
In some cases, however, you may have to accept the fact that certain updates do take a long time. So instead of installing them during the day, schedule them for after hours when you’re not using your computers. Simply go to Settings and specify when you prefer updates to be installed.

If you need help with any of the tips above, we’re always here to help. Call us today to meet with our Windows specialists!

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