The logo of the site you are visiting is used when creating a desktop shortcut so that it is more easily identifiable.
screenshot / screenshotQ: I recently migrated from my old Windows 8.1 PC to my new Windows 10 PC. I moved my data files using a product called PC Mover Pro and that seems to have worked pretty well. I had many shortcuts that were links to my favorite websites; the shortcuts moved over but their icons did not make the trip. Instead the shortcuts all have the Microsoft Edge icon. I really miss those other icons and I cannot find them anywhere.
A: The icons you are referring to are created using what is known as a Favicon. This is usually the logo of the site you are visiting and is used when creating a desktop shortcut so that it is more easily identifiable.
To create one of these, you simply click your mouse on the URL in the address bar and drag it to the desktop to create the shortcut.
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When setting up a new Windows 10 computer, Windows is going to set Microsoft Edge as the default browser and will cause these shortcuts to have the Microsoft Edge logo and wont display the Favicon shortcut you previously created and moved to the new computer.
This means you will have to recreate your desktop shortcuts from scratch.
In my experience, Microsoft Edge doesnt seem to manage these kinds of shortcuts very well, so this might not always work. Chrome and Firefox seem better suited for this so you might consider installing one of those browsers if you want this functionality.
Q: When I log into PayPal, Netflix and other sites, I get an email stating an unknown computer has signed into my account and if its not me I should change my password, even if I check the box Remember This Device.
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A: Websites keep track of you and your devices using cookies. Once you visit the site and log in successfully, the site places a small file called a cookie so that it recognizes your system when you come back.
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If you are using something like the CCleaner registry cleaner or other security applications that erase these files or you have your browser set to delete them when you restart, the sites will think you are visiting for the first time and your visit will trigger their security protocols.
While I do not like to save my banking passwords on my PC for security reasons, I do allow cookies so that when I go back to the site so that I am not forced to prove who I am before being able to log in again.
If, by chance, this is not the reason you are seeing this problem then I would recommend that you reset your browser. Its possible you have a corrupted or out of date cookie and the site is struggling to update it on your system.
Jay Lee
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