desktop wallpaper Archives

Winsage

June 9, 2025

Microsoft cuts the Windows 11 bloat for Xbox handhelds

Microsoft has streamlined Windows 11 for gaming handhelds, introducing the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X in collaboration with ASUS. This new approach eliminates non-essential components of the operating system to enhance the gaming experience. Key features not loaded during gameplay include the desktop wallpaper, taskbar, and various productivity-related processes. The idle power consumption of these handhelds is about one-third that of a traditional Windows desktop, freeing up around 2 GB of memory for gaming. Users can choose to revert to the full Windows 11 experience if desired.

Winsage

May 3, 2025

Here’s why Windows 7 took so long to boot with solid color backgrounds in 2009

Some users of Windows 7 experienced a 30-second boot delay when using solid color desktop backgrounds shortly after its launch in October 2009. This issue arose because Windows waited for system components, including desktop icons and the background, to report readiness. If any element was absent, the operating system paused for up to 30 seconds. The problem was also linked to group policies that hid desktop icons. Microsoft addressed the glitch by November 2009. As of recent data, Windows 7's market share has decreased to 2.5 percent, and Microsoft has ceased support for the operating system.

Winsage

May 1, 2025

Turns out that the earliest versions of Windows 7 took longer to load depending on your choice of desktop wallpaper

The mauve desktop background in Windows 7 may have caused slow boot times, with users experiencing delays of up to 30 seconds at the welcome screen when using a solid color background. This issue was attributed to a programming error and was addressed by Microsoft in November 2009, five months after the launch of Windows 7.

Winsage

April 29, 2025

Windows 7 users with a solid background color faced delayed login process — it took four months for Microsoft to fix

Users of Windows 7 experienced a startup delay of up to 30 seconds if they chose solid color backgrounds due to the logon system waiting for the loading of the desktop wallpaper bitmap. This issue arose because the code to report that the wallpaper was ready was embedded within the wallpaper bitmap code, leading to a timeout if no wallpaper was present. The delay affected users who hid their desktop icons as well, but the actual startup time was not extended; the Welcome screen remained visible for the duration of the timeout regardless of system readiness.

Winsage

April 19, 2025

5 Easter and spring Windows 11 themes to enjoy your Holiday

Windows 11 offers customizable themes to enhance your digital workspace for spring and Easter. 1. Chicks and Bunnies: A free theme featuring 14 high-definition images of bunnies and chicks, compatible with Windows 10 and 11. 2. Easter Theme: Includes 18 high-definition wallpapers with vibrant patterns and motifs for Easter, ideal for a wallpaper slideshow. 3. Happy Easter: Contains 19 high-definition images celebrating Easter with bright colors and joyful compositions, available for Windows 10 and 11. 4. Cherry Blossoms: Features 16 wallpapers showcasing cherry trees and scenic views, offering a serene alternative to Easter themes. 5. Spring Theme: Comprises 17 high-definition wallpapers depicting blossoming flowers and lush landscapes, celebrating the rejuvenation of nature.

Winsage

March 9, 2025

Enable old Classic Notepad in Windows 11 24H2 without AI and modern UI

Users can restore the classic Notepad experience by disabling the .txt execution for notepad.exe in the App execution aliases settings. To launch the legacy version, they can use the Windows Run dialog and type notepad.exe. Microsoft has introduced a ChatGPT-based "Rewrite" feature in Notepad, requiring a Microsoft account and a Microsoft 365 subscription for access, while core functionalities remain available without an account. To enable the classic Notepad in Windows 11, users should check if it is installed, remove the association with the new Notepad, and associate .txt files with the legacy version. They can also create a Start menu shortcut for the classic Notepad. To revert to the new Notepad, users can delete the classic shortcut and adjust settings in the Registry Editor and App execution aliases.

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.

Winsage

October 7, 2024

How to Remove “Learn About This Picture” Icon in Windows 11

Microsoft has released the stable build of Windows 11 24H2, which includes new AI features and reintroduces the "Learn About This Picture" icon on the desktop. Users can remove this icon by using the Registry Editor or by changing their wallpaper to one from their personal collection. To remove the icon via the Registry Editor, users need to navigate to a specific path, find the corresponding value, change it to 0, and refresh the desktop.

Winsage

October 2, 2024

Windows 11 2024 Update even gives unsupported PCs a performance boost

Microsoft recently released the Windows 11 2024 Update, also known as version 24H2, which includes new features and performance enhancements for PCs. The update is generally available and reportedly improves performance even on unsupported PCs. Key features of the update include an updated File Explorer with a new home tab layout, the ability to duplicate tabs, a revamped context menu, support for .7z and .TAR archive formats, direct access to Android phone file systems, a new Outlook app, enhanced Copilot, AI-driven photo editing tools, improved Windows Update processes, AI-based voice clarity, simultaneous power settings configuration, a new Energy Saver mode, adjustable mouse scroll wheel direction, Wi-Fi 7 hardware support, a new PRISM emulation layer for x86 apps on Arm devices, integration of Phone Link into the Start menu, a simplified taskbar system tray layout, redesigned Quick Settings, and default Windows Spotlight images as wallpaper.

Winsage

September 3, 2024

One of the best tools for updating your Windows wallpaper is about to get an update

Microsoft is developing new flyouts for Windows Spotlight, which will enhance user experience by providing more options for discovering information about daily wallpapers tailored to user interests. Users must be part of the Beta Channel Insider program and enable the feature via Vivetool to access these new options. Currently, three flyout variants are being tested: a compact flyout menu without search links, a minimized flyout that cannot be expanded, and the existing flyout associated with Windows Spotlight.