battery saver Archives

Winsage

April 18, 2025

TranslucentTB is the best free program I use to make Windows 11 look even better

Windows 11 has limited customization options for the taskbar compared to previous versions, leading to user dissatisfaction. TranslucentTB is a free application that allows users to customize the taskbar's transparency and color independently from other elements, offering various effects such as Mica and Acrylic. Users can eliminate the taskbar's border and adjust transparency levels for a personalized appearance. The app also enables different transparency effects and colors based on specific scenarios, such as when no windows are open or when the Start menu is accessed. TranslucentTB is available on the Microsoft Store.

BetaBeacon

March 22, 2025

Android Circuit: Galaxy S26 Ultra Leaks, Pixel 9 Pro On Sale, Epic’s Free Android Games

Google's Pixel 9a has the best battery life of any Pixel available today, with over 30 hours of battery life and over 100 hours with Extreme Battery Saver.

Winsage

March 2, 2025

Microsoft shares more information about USB settings in Windows 11

In 2023, Windows 11 introduced official USB4 support with data transfer speeds of 40Gbps, later expanded to 80 and 120Gbps. A dedicated Settings page for managing USB4 devices and hubs was added. Recent updates included connection notifications for issues, alerts for slow charging due to incompatible chargers, a USB battery saver feature for energy conservation, and a section detailing connected USB4 devices. These settings are located under Settings > Bluetooth & Devices > USB, with some features being device-specific.

Winsage

February 28, 2025

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27802 (Canary Channel)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27802 has been released to the Canary Channel. Key updates include new battery iconography with colored icons indicating charging states (green for charging, yellow for energy-saving mode, and red for critically low battery), an option to display battery percentage in the system tray, and the ability to share files directly from taskbar jump lists. Changes also include improvements to the Desktop Spotlight icon interaction and various bug fixes across different components, such as File Explorer and audio issues. Known issues include potential problems with Windows Hello PIN, certain games causing bugchecks, and printing from specific applications leading to errors. Users transitioning to the Canary Channel may face issues that require a clean installation to exit the channel.

Winsage

December 12, 2024

7 settings to change on your Windows 11 PC to maximize battery life

Windows PCs, particularly newer laptop models, have improved battery performance, but users often experience reduced battery life over time. A three-year-old Windows laptop may drop from six to seven hours of screen time to struggling to reach three hours. Software adjustments can help maximize battery life. 1. Lowering screen brightness to around 30-40% can extend battery life. 2. The Battery Saver option in Windows 11 can be manually enabled to disable power-hungry activities. 3. Reducing display and sleep timeout settings can conserve energy. 4. Disabling unnecessary startup applications can save battery resources. 5. Turning off animation effects can improve battery life, especially on older devices. 6. Shutting down the laptop instead of just closing the lid can prevent unexpected battery drain. 7. Changing the power mode from Balanced to Best power efficiency can significantly extend battery life.

Winsage

December 8, 2024

Microsoft brings big change to Windows 11’s battery indicator making it even more useful

The battery indicator in Windows 11 will soon feature a dynamic color-changing design, displaying a green icon while charging and an orange icon when battery saver mode is activated. This enhancement is currently exclusive to the Dev build and can be accessed through a utility like ViVeTool. The feature was discovered by a user named Phantom of Earth, and instructions for activation include specific commands for enabling the updated battery icon and section labels for the battery usage graph. The timeline for broader rollout beyond the Dev build is currently uncertain.

Winsage

December 7, 2024

These are my 15 favorite features and changes that Microsoft added to Windows 11 in 2024

- Windows 11 introduced the Sudo command, allowing users to execute commands with elevated privileges without launching the Windows Terminal as an administrator. - An "Energy Saver" mode was added to enhance power management, combining features of the previous "Battery Saver" and "Power Mode." - Users can now modify power button actions directly from Settings without accessing the legacy Control Panel. - The date and time format in the Taskbar's System Tray has been revised to omit the AM/PM designation and the four-digit year. - Taskbar navigation has been improved, allowing users to focus on applications using their initial letters. - Users can customize mouse scrolling direction via Settings without accessing the Registry. - Windows 11 now supports Wi-Fi 7, promising speeds exceeding 40 Gbps. - A network refresh button was added to the Quick Settings flyout for easier scanning of available wireless networks. - Auto Super Resolution (Auto SR) enhances gaming visuals on Copilot+ PCs by upscaling images and improving frame rates. - Windows Studio effects enhance video and audio calls with AI-driven features, now available to all Copilot+ PC users. - The context menu in File Explorer has been updated to include labels for commonly used actions. - A new archive compression wizard allows users to create Zip, TAR, and 7zip files. - The "Link to Windows" feature enables browsing and transferring files from Android devices to Windows 11 computers without a USB connection. - The "Windows Setup" interface has been revamped with a cleaner design and simplified installation process. - A customizable Copilot key option allows users to remap this key to any application from the Microsoft Store.

AppWizard

December 3, 2024

Gemini app widely rolling out Utilities Extension on Android

The "Utilities" Gemini Extension has been rolled out for the Gemini app, enhancing functionality for Android users by eliminating the need for Google Assistant for basic tasks. Users can activate the extension through the app's multitasking feature. Once enabled, it allows users to perform various tasks directly from the lock screen, such as setting alarms, controlling device features, checking battery levels, taking photos, and managing media playback. The extension also enables the app to extract information from Pixel Screenshots. Users can issue multiple commands at once, open websites and apps, control device features, take photos, and manage alarms and timers. The extension prioritizes the Google Clock app for alarm and timer functions.

Winsage

October 28, 2024

Microsoft heard you like Windows updates, so it updated how updates update

Microsoft has unveiled Windows 11 version 24H2, also known as the Windows 11 2024 Update, which includes improvements to the update installation process, resulting in a 45.6% faster installation, 39.7% quicker restart times, and a 15.3% decrease in CPU consumption compared to version 22H2. Key enhancements include parallel processing of component manifests, optimized reading and parsing of component manifests, and scalable use of available RAM. Traditional feature updates are now approximately 200 MB smaller due to certain inbox applications being updated through the Microsoft Store. Notable features in the update include: - Integration of Phone Link with the Start menu. - Simplified layout for the taskbar system tray. - Revamped Quick Settings for improved speed and customization. - Windows Spotlight image as the default wallpaper. - Animated taskbar app preview thumbnails. - Support for HDR images as desktop wallpapers. File Explorer updates include: - Updated home tab layout with shared documents. - Ability to duplicate tabs via right-click. - Enhanced context menu layout. - Support for .7z and .TAR archive formats. - Direct viewing of Android phone file systems. New apps and features include: - A new Outlook app for email, calendar, and contacts. - Updated Copilot as a standalone web application. - AI features in Photos for generative erase and background editing. - A new Recall app for information retrieval using AI. - Paint with generative AI capabilities. Settings updates include: - Windows Update with checkpoints and hot patching. - Voice Clarity using AI to eliminate background noise. - Simultaneous configuration of power settings. - A new Energy Saver mode. - Configurable mouse scroll wheel direction. - Support for Wi-Fi 7 hardware. - A new PRISM emulation layer for x86 apps on Arm devices. - Enhanced performance for Arm-based devices. - AutoSR using AI to improve gaming performance. - Live Captions translating languages into English in real-time. - Advanced Windows Studio Effects for webcam enhancement.

Winsage

October 10, 2024

Windows 11 bug steals 8.63GB of storage space that you can’t get back

Users of the Windows 11 2024 Update are facing a storage issue where an 8.63GB set of files remains on their systems, found in the "Windows Update Cleanup" section of Temporary files. This problem has been reported widely across forums and confirmed through tests on multiple PCs. Despite this storage challenge, the update introduces several enhancements, including a revamped File Explorer, improved multitasking features, new archive formats, seamless access to Android file systems, an upgraded Outlook app, enhanced Photos app capabilities, optimized Windows Update processes, AI-driven Voice Clarity technology, customizable power settings, support for Wi-Fi 7 hardware, and various improvements to the Taskbar and Quick Settings.