User Data Not Protected In The Outlook Webmail App For Android

One of the Outlook problems reported to Microsoft help desk recently related to the lack of data protection features in the Outlook webmail app for Android. It was the tech security firm Include Security, who first reported this issue. The company highlighted that Microsoft has not put in place any strong security options in Outlook’s Android app for protecting user data.

About the Outlook problems mentioned in the Include Security report

Include Security, like many other tech security firms out there, research on popular applications and operating systems in order to find out security flaws in it. This helps them to design better security solutions. As a part of their research on the Outlook Android app, they realized that Outlook webmail app for Android leaves user data unprotected against hackers.

The two things that protect Outlook data in an Android device include the inbuilt security feature of the device and the security measures of the Outlook app. The Pincode feature in the Android OS is something we all use to lock our smartphone, but not many users are aware of the same feature in Outlook app.

However, according to the Include Security report, both these Pincode security functions only lock the graphical user interface. This means that if you have any Outlook files stored in the micro SD card in your smartphone, they can be easily accessed by removing it from your phone. As you can see, the Pincode security feature can be easily bypassed when the micro SD card is inserted in a PC.

Researchers at Include Security point out that the main shortfall in the Outlook app for Android is lack of an encryption feature. In addition, even if an Outlook user wants to use the Pincode feature in the app, it has to be enabled first. In response to these reports, Microsoft issued a clarification note stating that the Outlook app relies on the security features of the operating system. In other words, there is no encryption option in the Outlook app.

So, if a user wants to protect his Outlook data stored in the smartphone by encrypting it, he can either use the options offered by the device platform, or use an external encryption application for this purpose. It is also a smart idea to keep all your Outlook data stored in the smartphone’s internal memory and not on the external micro SD card.

What To Do When Outlook Fails To Load

Microsoft Outlook is an email application client from Microsoft that helps a user to send and receive email messages, thus making communication with friends and families easier. Moreover, it provides a task manager, address book, and calendar, making the tasks of a business or home user easier. However, even though it is much popular and provides many advantages, Outlook can sometimes show some problems, where it will not work properly. If these issues crop up, you can make use of some troubleshooting steps to solve the problems easily.

By executing some simple steps, you will be able to solve the issues when Outlook not working. When you are working with Outlook, there is a chance that it may show some error report or crash. The main reason for such an issue will be due to change in the computer registry or because of a system update. However, it can be solved easily by following the below given steps.

Instructions

• Move the mouse pointer towards the lower left corner of your Windows computer display and locate the button called Start. Once it is located, you need to click the Start button. This will open a Windows Start menu on your system. From the Windows Start menu, you need to click the button called My Computer. 
• From the local drive, you need to find the folder called Microsoft Office seen in the directory called Program Files. 
• Next, from the sub directory called Office, locate the file that is named Outlook.exe. The name of the sub directory will change depending upon the version of Microsoft Outlook that you are using in your computer. This can be Office9, Office10, Office12, or Office14. 
• After finding the specific file named Outlook.exe, you need to right click it and from the available drop down menu, you need to choose the option labeled Properties. 
• Now, checkmark the box that is seen adjacent to Run this program in compatibility mode. To save the changes that you have made, you need to click the OK button seen at the bottom right side of the window called Properties. Finally, you need to restart your computer and start Microsoft Outlook. Now Microsoft Outlook will work without any problems. 

These instructions will help you to fix the Outlook not working issues in Microsoft Outlook. To know more, contact our Outlook support desk.

Software Giant Provides Support For Xbox One Controller On Windows Pc

Here comes an exciting news for Xbox One gamers. Microsoft recently revealed that Xbox One games will be compatible with Windows PC from now on.

If you were an Xbox One user, then you would surely know what an excellent piece of gear its controller is. It is normal to wish for using it with your Windows powered PC. Gamers from across the globe have been waiting for the software giant to incorporate a facility allowing Xbox One controller to be used with their personal computers. There are many Microsoft tech support forums flooded with requests concerning the same. And now, Microsoft has finally announced that it will be baking Windows PC compatibility for Xbox One controller into a Windows update in the pipeline.

The wish has been granted, though a year late. Microsoft Corporation is now offering drivers that will make the handset usable on a computer without spending any extra money on a gamepad. Larry Hryb, aka Major Nelson noted that the drivers would come bundled with the forthcoming Windows software update. He further added that mentioned drivers can be installed manually as well.

You are required to choose the drivers that corresponds to your PC (x86 for 32-bit and x64 bit for 64-bit systems). After installing the drivers, all you need to do is connect the handset or controller using a micro USB cable. If unsure, you can approach Microsoft tech support team for help regarding the new update installation.

The Xbox One controller will work perfectly fine with any game as it supports on the gaming console. The great thing is that the controller can be used with any personal computer with USB facility using a micro-USB cable. Now, the only disadvantage is that wireless controllers are not supported (not yet) and there is no dongle that is PC compatible for allowing wireless usage.

You might know that the Xbox 360’s handset is compatible with PC. Players can connect their gamepads to the PC through a USB port. But, if you remember, wireless controllers were made compatible with PC only after nine months of Xbox 360 roll-out. Now, since the announcement of PC support for wired gamepads for Xbox One, the next logical move for Microsoft is to provide wireless capabilities similar to the Xbox 360.

The new controller for Xbox One is a nice upgrade over the old one. There are some marked improvements compared to the old one. Unlike the old one, the use of black plastic in the new controller makes sure that it will not look yellowy and dirty.

Unblocking Links In Microsoft Outlook

Many users prefer using Microsoft Outlook mainly because of the useful options this program provides them. Outlook is Microsoft’s most advanced email applications, which you can synchronize with a POP3 account. In addition to being such an amazing email application, Outlook also serves as a personal information manager for the users. While the personal information is stored in specific folders known as personal storage tables, Outlook address book stores the contact information. There is also a dedicated technical support team known as the Outlook help desk, which fixes all the issues related to this program.

It is quite obvious to have links in an Outlook message, which you can click on to follow them. But sometimes, you may find the links in the messages blocked. In some cases, such an issue occurs because Outlook may consider these links not to be safe.

But you don’t have to worry now. Follow these instructions provided by the Outlook help desk to unblock links in Microsoft Outlook:

• At first, you can try adjusting Outlook’s Junk Mail filters. In the Outlook settings, you can either increase or reduce the Outlook’s security levels. Once you change the settings, you may be able to unblock the link in the Outlook message. It is recommended to reduce Outlook’s security level temporarily.
• Now, you can go ahead and try adjusting Outlook’s Automatic Download settings. This can be found in the Trust Center. Here, you can check the Don’t Download Pictures Automatically in HTML Email Messages or RSS Items option. This will help you to temporarily unblock the link in the message.
• You can now paste the link outside of Outlook. After this, you need to right-click the blocked link in Outlook. This will open a shortcut menu, wherein you need to click on the Copy Hyperlink option.
• Next, you can open a new browser window or tab and paste the copied link into the address bar of the browser.
• Try searching for the characters BLOCKED: in the hyperlink and once you find it, delete them. Then, you can hit Enter to enable the browser to follow the link.

By following these steps, you can easily unblock links in the messages you get in Microsoft Outlook application. To get more information on the features and options in Microsoft Outlook, feel free to dial our 24/7 Outlook technical support team.