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22 May 2025

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National parking platform seeks to end 'hassle' of multiple parking apps
The frustration of having to download multiple apps to pay for parking may go if a new platform is widely adopted.

Lineker's football podcast dropped by BBC after row
The Rest is Football will have its last episode on BBC Sounds this week ahead of the host's exit.

Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning is 'a gigantic waste of everyone's money'
Is it really the 'final reckoning'? We can but hope, writes film critic Simon Morris.

These 7 antivirus myths are dead wrong
Antivirus software is an essential piece of protection on any Windows PC. On an internet where malware is only becoming more and more profitable for organized crime, you don’t want to be without a good antivirus program. But there are a lot of myths floating around out there about antivirus software. Let’s bust them. Myth: You need to install antivirus on Windows You don’t have to install antivirus software on Windows because Windows already comes with antivirus software. In fact, Windows has had built-in antivirus software since Windows 8, and it’s still included on Windows 10 and Windows 11 today. The built-in Microsoft Defender antivirus is part of the Windows Security suite of tools. It’s as basic as it comes, but completely free and runs automatically in the background, even if you never think about or install antivirus software. Windows Security Read our review Now, you may prefer another antivirus — other antiviruses have extra tools, protection features, and options, and they use different detection engines. But the good news is that every Windows PC has a baseline antivirus package. We’re long past the days of Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP nagging you to install antivirus software when you set up a new PC. Microsoft’s antivirus gets out of the way when it needs to, automatically disabling its automatic background scanning features if you choose to install a third-party antivirus. You just don’t have to think about it. Myth: Only Windows is vulnerable to malware Malware (including viruses, Trojans, worms, rootkits, ransomware, and all kinds of other appalling things) is a problem on all platforms. Yes, even Linux is vulnerable to malware threats — just check out the recent XZ Utils backdoor saga that nearly saw a rootkit slipped into a critical piece of open-source software. Or, consider the Linux distribution Ubuntu labeling a malicious app that stole people’s cryptocurrency as “safe.” Linux malware often targets server software, as Linux is so much more popular in data centers than on the desktop. I’m not trying to single out Linux here! The reality is that malicious software is a problem on all platforms — even Linux. No platform is above the fray. People may say Macs don’t need antivirus, but Apple actually has an antivirus-style system built into macOS. It’s named XProtect. Various companies also make antivirus programs for Macs. Further reading: Windows includes built-in ransomware protections. Here’s how to turn it on Myth: Antivirus will slow down your PC dramatically Antivirus software runs in the background, scanning files when you download them and before you open them. Before an application launches, your antivirus gives it a quick check and warns you if it appears to be malicious. Now, obviously this will use some system resources. Your PC is doing a bit of extra work. But we’re not in the ‘90s or early ‘00s anymore. Back then, PCs were much slower. Antivirus software just felt so heavy to use, and you could feel it slowing down your PC at times. I remember it well! But that was long ago. Modern antivirus applications shouldn’t slow your PC down in a noticeable way. If it takes 2 percent longer to launch an application, will you notice? Not really. Those shouldn’t be constant slowdowns, either — they should occur when you launch an application and the antivirus is checking it out, not all the time while you do things on your PC. Avast one's virus scans have no real affect on system performance Avast One Read our review Plus, unless you’ve gone out of your way to disable its background scanning (I recommend against it!), Microsoft’s Defender antivirus is already running in the background on your PC, scanning for malware. When we benchmark PCs here at PCWorld, we leave the standard Defender antivirus running. So, even if you chose to swap out the built-in Defender antivirus for another antivirus, you’d just be trading one antivirus for another — not adding an extra performance cost on top. In some cases, antivirus software may slow down a workload: If you’re compiling software, for example, and you have a folder where a large number of files are being created, you may want to simply “exclude” such a folder from your antivirus’s scanning. That’s the most you should need to do. When antiviruses perform their heavy full-system scans, that will definitely slow things down further while they’re running. But those scans are usually scheduled to happen while you’re not using your PC. You shouldn’t notice them at all. Myth: You have to run antivirus software manually There’s no need to regularly open your antivirus program, click the “Scan” button, and wait for the results. Your antivirus is automatically scanning in the background to protect you, checking files when you download and launch them. It’s also performing this type of comprehensive system scan on a schedule — in the background — when you aren’t using your PC. Your antivirus will let you know if it finds as problem. Windows Security is always running in the background on a modern Windows PC — unless you install another antivirus.Chris Hoffman/IDG Save yourself the trouble and avoid the time-consuming manual scans — unless you’re concerned your system might have malware and you want to check all the files on your PC’s storage right now. Scanning like this is just one of many outdated security practices you no longer need to follow. Myth: Antivirus will protect you from all threats Antivirus software isn’t completely perfect. Now, I know this is sort of an obvious statement. But I’ve seen many people act like antivirus will provide them perfect protection and run into trouble. You should think of your antivirus software as a last line of defense. If all your normal security precautions fail or an application you use has a dangerous zero-day flaw that lets an attacker gain access to your PC, your antivirus program is there to pick up the slack and stop malware from running. the best overall av protects against many other threats as well Norton 360 Deluxe Read our review But it’s not perfect. Antivirus software catches malware in several ways. For example, it looks for known-dangerous application files — programs that have been seen before that the antivirus knows is bad — and uses heuristics to attempt to guess whether a newly seen file is dangerous or not. Neither method will catch everything. And Windows Security doesn’t even try to protect users from phishing email attacks or surfing potentially dangerous websites (though many premium AV suites off this). While antivirus is an important layer of protection, it’s not a good idea to rely totally on it. In particular, it’s an extremely bad idea to pirate software and games — if you’re running pirated application files, cracks, key generators, and similar sketchy things, you’re exposing yourself to a lot of potentially dangerous things. Antivirus isn’t guaranteed to protect you from all of them. Myth: You don’t need antivirus if you’re careful On the other hand, some people think antivirus is only necessary for less-experienced computer users without ideal security practices. The idea is that, if you’re careful and smart, you can skip the antivirus and get back that little bit of performance. But this isn’t really true. Malware isn’t just something you get infected with when you’re not careful. Attackers can exploit zero-days in applications you use, and you could be infected simply by viewing a compromised web page. All it would take is the right flaw in your web browser. The Downfall mod for Slay the Spire was compromised and used to spread malware through Steam’s software update system.Chris Hoffman/IDG Also, take a look at Steam: Steam developer accounts have recently been compromised and used to serve malware through Steam game updates — and mod updates. Hopefully Steam’s update system won’t deliver malware to your PC, but it illustrates that it doesn’t just matter how careful you are. A solid antivirus could provide a good layer of protection against attacks like this. Myth: Antivirus will completely protect you Antivirus isn’t all you need to protect yourself — and your PC — online. It’s an important part of the puzzle, but you need more than that. Scam websites and phishing emails are dangerous on every device — not just Windows PCs, but also smartphones. You still need to browse carefully, keep an eye out for scammy-seeming emails, avoid downloading dangerous junk, and not get tricked into giving passwords, payment info, and other personal details to bad websites. Antivirus programs and web browsers do have phishing protection — but, like antivirus scanners, it isn’t perfect. A good password manager is particularly important. Using strong, unique passwords everywhere is critically important. But, unless you have a photographic memory, you’re probably not going to remember dozens (or hundreds) of strong unique passwords for all your accounts. A good password manager is the solution to keep your accounts secure. By the way, even if you do install another antivirus on your Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC, you don’t have to pay for one. There are great free antivirus programs you can install if you’re not looking to pay for one of PCWorld’s favorite antivirus programs, though the premium versions tend to protect against more types of threats (such as malicious links, webcam hacks, and privacy monitoring) and offer additional features (like VPNs and parental controls). Want more PC advice? Subscribe to my free Windows Intelligence newsletter to get all the latest tips, tricks, and news sent straight to your email inbox. the best antivirus overall Norton 360 Deluxe Read our review

Chris Brown freed on bail by London court
The US singer is accused of assault at a nightclub in central London in 2023.

Israel's Eurovision result prompts questions over voting
Countries including Spain, Ireland and Finland raise concerns about the song contest's public vote.

20 incredibly useful Windows keyboard shortcuts I use every day
As a long-time Windows geek, I’ve always loved and relied on keyboard shortcuts. They’re incredible! Like a collection of secret handshakes that can quickly perform useful tasks and dramatically speed up whatever you’re doing on your computer. Get Windows 11 Pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro And yes, keyboard shortcuts are rather secret. Windows doesn’t provide a coach that guides you through the hundreds of keyboard shortcuts you might find handy. They’re just… there. In the background. So, you usually have to seek them out or find out about them the old-fashioned way: by talking with other PC geeks and reading helpful articles like this one. Let me show you the greatest and most practical keyboard shortcuts I actually use all the time. 1. Launch File Explorer If you’re like me, you use File Explorer a lot. With a keyboard shortcut, it’s always close at hand — simply press Windows key + E to launch a new File Explorer window whenever you need one. Related: Useful File Explorer tips to keep under your belt 2. Go straight to Task Manager You probably know the basic Ctrl + Alt + Delete keyboard shortcut, but if you’re using it to open Task Manager, there’s actually a better way: instead, use the Ctrl + Shift + Esc keyboard shortcut. Related: How to access the old Task Manager in Windows 11 3. Open the Settings app Want to change a setting in the operating system? You usually have to do it through the Settings app. Instead of searching the Start menu, there’s actually a keyboard shortcut you can use: Windows key + I. Then, you can search directly in the Settings app for what you need. 4. Dig through clipboard history Chris Hoffman / IDG Did you know that every time you copy an image or text to the clipboard, Windows keeps a running history of it all? The usual Ctrl + V keyboard shortcut only pastes the last thing you copied — but if you want to paste something you copied much earlier, you can! All you have to do is pull up the clipboard history with the Windows key + V keyboard shortcut. (If you’ve never opened it before, you’ll be prompted for permission to activate the feature.) What’s nice about the clipboard history is that you can even pin certain copied items to the panel, making them quick to find in the future. Related: Obscure Windows features everyone should know about 5. Insert emojis anywhere Chris Hoffman / IDG Love ’em or hate ’em, emojis have become part of modern communication — and Microsoft knows this, which is why Windows makes it easy to input emojis in nearly any application. All you have to do is press the Windows key + Period or Windows key + Semicolon keyboard shortcuts. Then, use the search field to find the emoji you want (or just scroll through to browse). 6. Type with your voice Chris Hoffman / IDG Windows lets you input text with your voice in nearly any application. To pull up the voice typing interface, just press Windows key + H. You’ll see a floating window (on Windows 11) or a bar (on Windows 10). This feature is called Voice Typing. You can use the settings menu in the window/bar to activate features like automatic punctuation. (By default, you’ll have to speak words like “period” while you dictate text.) Related: I wrote this article using Windows voice typing 7. Discover the power user menu When Microsoft got rid of the Start menu in Windows 8, they at least had the courtesy to throw a bone to power users: a hidden “power user menu” with quick access to various system settings. And even though Windows 10 brought back the Start menu — which persists into Windows 11 — the power user menu never went away. To open it, press Windows key + X (or right-click the Start button). 8. Lock your computer To protect your computer from unauthorized access — especially in an environment like an office or campus — you should lock your computer whenever you step away. To quickly lock your PC, simply press the Windows key + L keyboard shortcut. 9. Control sound settings Chris Hoffman / IDG If you have multiple sound output devices (e.g., speakers, headphones, wireless earbuds) or multiple sound input devices (e.g., laptop microphone, headset, external microphone), you probably switch between them a lot. Well, you don’t have to dig deep into the Settings app to change between them. You can actually just press the Ctrl + Windows key + V keyboard shortcut to pull up the sound settings menu. It’s also a shortcut to adjusting system volume and per-app volume (using the sliders) and a quick way to pop into the Sound section of the Settings app (by clicking More volume settings). This feature is new to Windows 11, so isn’t available on Windows 10. 10. Snap windows The Snap feature is an essential window management tool for multitasking on Windows 11. You can easily “snap” app windows to edges of the screen using your keyboard. For starters, use Windows key + Left arrow and Windows key + Right arrow to snap the currently focused window to either the left half or right half of the screen. Similarly, use Windows key + Alt + Up arrow and Windows key + Alt + Down arrow to snap windows to the top half or bottom half of the screen, respectively. You can also use shortcuts to move windows to quadrants of the screen. For example, after snapping a window to the left half (using the above keyboard shortcut), keep holding the Windows key and tap the Up arrow to snap it to the top-left quadrant. 11. Activate Snap Layouts Chris Hoffman / IDG As if Snapping itself wasn’t useful enough, Windows 11 also has an additional Snap Layouts feature that makes it easier to snap windows into various configurations. To activate Snap Layouts, use the Windows key + Z keyboard shortcut. You’ll get a pop-up with numbered options — simply press the associated number key to choose that window layout. You can also see Snap Layouts by hovering your mouse pointer over the Maximize button of a window. Or, drag any window to the center-top edge of the screen to see Snap Layout options. Related: New Windows 11 features that make life easier 12. Toggle between windowed and full-screen modes in PC games Many PC games offer both windowed and full-screen modes. If you want to switch between them, it can be quite a hassle to navigate to the game’s settings menu, especially if you do it often. Here’s a faster way to switch between windowed and full-screen modes in many PC games: just press Alt + Enter. This doesn’t work in every game, but it does work in many of them. It’s the first thing I try whenever I want to switch between full-screen and windowed modes. 13. Jump between virtual desktops Windows 11 has a feature called Task View that lets you create “virtual desktops” that you can switch between. A virtual desktop is like a separate instance of “the” desktop, and each virtual desktop can hold its own set of running app windows. There are several keyboard shortcuts for the Task View experience, such as Windows key + Tab, which makes it easy to create new virtual desktops, delete existing ones, and jump between them. But once you’ve created a few virtual desktops, an even easier way to switch between them is to use the Windows key + Ctrl + Left arrow and Windows key + Ctrl + Right arrow keyboard shortcuts. Related: Master these Windows 11 productivity features 14. Move windows between monitors Do you have a sprawling workstation setup with multiple monitors? You can move windows from one screen to the next by pressing Windows key + Shift + Left arrow (to move the currently focused window to the left display) or Windows key + Shift + Right arrow (to move the currently focused window to the right display). 15. Open the classic File Explorer context menu right away On Windows 11, File Explorer has changed a lot from what it was before, particularly with a streamlined context menu. But some options are only found in that classic, old-school context menu. Rather than first opening the context menu and then selecting Show more options (or even hacking your registry with a workaround), you can actually just use a keyboard shortcut to quickly open the old context menu right away: hold down the Shift key while right-clicking in File Explorer to see the classic context menu. This feature is new to Windows 11, so isn’t available on Windows 10. 16. Edit text faster The Ctrl key is one of my favorite underutilized tricks when it comes to fast text editing. In short, holding down Ctrl makes most keys act on entire words rather than individual characters. For example, Backspace deletes the previous character, but Ctrl + Backspace deletes the previous word. Another example, Left and Right arrows move the cursor by one character, but Ctrl + Left arrow and Ctrl + Right arrow moves the cursor from word to word. And it works with the Shift key, too. By holding Shift, you can highlight text as the cursor moves — so, if you want to quickly highlight multiple words in a row, just hold Ctrl + Shift and then tap the Left and Right arrows. (Try holding Shift with the Home and End keys to highlight entire lines of text with just a few keystrokes!) 17. Reopen a closed browser tab All the modern web browsers — including Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Edge — let you quickly reopen tabs that you’ve closed. It’s easy to remember, too: if the Ctrl + T keyboard shortcut creates a new tab, the Ctrl + Shift + T keyboard shortcut reopens the last closed tab. 18. Alt + Tab in reverse Alt + Tab is one of the most iconic Windows keyboard shortcuts. But, if you have a lot of open windows to cycle through, it may make more sense to cycle in reverse sometimes. In that case, just press Shift + Alt + Tab to go backwards through the list of open windows. And that’s not all: while the Alt + Tab dialog is open, you can also use the arrow keys to instantly jump to the selected thumbnail’s window. 19. Rename files quickly Want to quickly rename a file? With a file selected in File Explorer, just press F2, type the name, and press Enter. I like to navigate between files using the arrow keys, then use the F2 key to quickly rename them. Or better yet: after pressing F2 and typing a file name, press the Tab key (instead of the Enter key) to immediately start renaming the next file in the folder. 20. Save a screenshot as a file Chris Hoffman / IDG The built-in Windows screenshot tools have gotten better, but sometimes you want to skip the tools and immediately save as an image file. To save a screenshot to disk without all the intermediate steps, press Windows key + Print Screen. Your screen will flash as Windows saves the screenshot. After that, you’ll find the screenshot in the Screenshots folder inside your user account’s Pictures folder. Related: How to take smarter screenshots in Windows More Windows productivity tips Honestly, as useful as these keyboard shortcuts are, they’re only scratching the surface of what’s buried in Windows. I’m always hunting down useful tips and features to share with the readers of my free Windows Intelligence newsletter! Be sure to check out this unusually hidden shortcut that works in the Task Manager, too. It blew my mind last year. Even for a grizzled PC geek like myself, there’s always more to discover in Windows.