How to clean and secure your browser like a pro

The Internet runs on ads, but when you see them in your browser, your first instinct should be to run the other way—fast. The lion’s share of the Internet is wallpapered with tacky ads that invite you to “Lose 15 lbs. with this 1 weird tip” and load your browser with spyware in the process. In other corners of the Web, you might download a free game or a piece of music from an untrustworthy site, ending up with malicious adware that hitched a ride along with it.

Legitimate sites do a decent job of screening their advertisers, weeding out those that spread viruses, malware, or scams. But even a single instance of malicious adware on your PC can inject bad ads into otherwise innocuous websites. Worse, the adware can change your homepage and redirect your searches and the URLs you try to visit. I’ve deep-cleaned countless PCs, and almost every time I remove viruses and malware from a machine, I find that adware was previously installed.

The Internet runs on ads, but when you see them in your browser, your first instinct should be to run the other way—fast. The lion’s share of the Internet is wallpapered with tacky ads that invite you to “Lose 15 lbs. with this 1 weird tip” and load your browser with spyware in the process. In other corners of the Web, you might download a free game or a piece of music from an untrustworthy site, ending up with malicious adware that hitched a ride along with it.

Legitimate sites do a decent job of screening their advertisers, weeding out those that spread viruses, malware, or scams. But even a single instance of malicious adware on your PC can inject bad ads into otherwise innocuous websites. Worse, the adware can change your homepage and redirect your searches and the URLs you try to visit. I’ve deep-cleaned countless PCs, and almost every time I remove viruses and malware from a machine, I find that adware was previously installed.

Three old Windows right-click tricks that still rock

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. But what about old tricks? As a longtime Windows user, I can tell you that occasionally I get so accustomed to doing things a certain way, I forget that there are faster, easier ways.

With that in mind, I've rounded up three right-click tricks you may have forgotten. Or never learned. Either way, you'll be glad you know them. (Note that these are all for Windows 7/8. They may be available in XP and/or Vista as well--I don't recall--but I no longer have those operating systems on which to double-check.)

1. Right-click the desktop for bigger icons

On today's higher-resolution displays, you may find your desktop icons a little small for your liking. If so, right-click any empty spot on the desktop, mouse over View, and then click either Medium icons or Large icons. Presto! Bigger icons.

On my 13.3-inch laptop, which has a rather high native resolution (1,920 x 1,080), the Medium setting is definitely preferable.

2. Right-click Taskbar icons for recent items and shortcuts

See those icons in your Taskbar? Mine include not only Chrome and Explorer, but also Outlook, Word, and Excel.

When you right-click any of them, Windows gives you a list of time-saving shortcuts: recent documents, most-visited sites, new appointment (in the case of Outlook), and so on. In other words, instead of running an app and then going about your business, this lets you choose your business and launch the app at the same time.

It's a small thing, but it's definitely one of my favorite little Windows tricks.

3. Right-click desktop icons to pin to Start Menu or Taskbar

Speaking of icons, when you right-click any icon that's on your desktop, you'll see two options in the list that appears: Pin to Start and Pin to Taskbar.

These are great for putting your favorite programs iin your preferred launching area. For example, some old-school users still like to start with the Start Menu. Personally, I'm a fan of keeping my most-used apps on the Taskbar. This right-click option makes either one a snap.

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