end task Archives

Winsage

September 1, 2025

How to Turn Off Copilot: Complete Step-by-Step Guide for Windows, Microsoft 365, and Edge

Microsoft Copilot is an AI assistant integrated into Windows and Microsoft applications, designed to assist with tasks like text generation and document summarization. Users may want to disable it due to concerns about privacy, system performance, user control, and compliance in business environments. To disable Copilot in Windows: 1. Taskbar Settings: Right-click the taskbar, select Taskbar settings, scroll to Taskbar items, and toggle Copilot to Off. 2. Group Policy Editor (Pro/Enterprise): Press Windows + R, type gpedit.msc, navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components, locate Copilot settings, double-click Turn off Copilot, select Enabled, and apply. 3. Registry Editor (Home Edition): Press Windows + R, type regedit, navigate to HKEYCURRENTUSERSoftwarePoliciesMicrosoftWindows, create a new key named Copilot, add a DWORD value named TurnOffCopilot set to 1, and restart. 4. Firewall Blocking: Open Windows Security, navigate to Firewall & Network Protection, create a New Outbound Rule to block Copilot services. 5. Task Manager: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, locate the Copilot process, right-click, and select End Task for a temporary solution. To disable Copilot in Microsoft 365 applications: - For Word, Excel, PowerPoint: Go to File > Options > Advanced, scroll to Copilot settings, and uncheck Enable Copilot. - For Outlook: Click File > Options > General, locate AI Features, and toggle Turn off Copilot. - For privacy settings: Open File > Account > Manage Settings and turn off Connected Experiences. To remove Copilot from Microsoft Edge: - Open Edge, navigate to Settings > Sidebar, toggle off Copilot, and disable additional AI features under Privacy & Services. To prevent Copilot from reinstalling after updates: - Pause updates in Windows Update, verify settings post-update, or use Group Policy or Intune for multiple devices. Disabling Copilot does not negatively impact system performance and can potentially improve speed by reducing memory and CPU usage. Businesses can enforce settings across multiple devices using Group Policy or Intune.

Winsage

May 12, 2025

Microsoft is testing a new ‘Advanced Settings’ page in Windows

Microsoft is testing a revamped "Advanced Settings" page for its Windows Server operating system, which will replace the previous "For Developers" page. This new page aims to improve user accessibility by including features beneficial to a wider audience, such as the "End Task" option. It introduces a "long path" setting that removes the 260-character limitation on file paths, helping users avoid the "Path too long" error. The changes are currently exclusive to Windows Server but may extend to Windows 11 within the calendar year.

Winsage

May 12, 2025

Do these five important things after installing Windows 11

- After setting up Windows 11, it is recommended to back up your BitLocker key to prevent access issues, as drives are encrypted by default without user notification. - To back up the BitLocker key, sign in to your Microsoft Account, navigate to the "Devices" tab, and manage recovery keys. - Context menus in Windows 11 can be cleaned up by uninstalling unnecessary applications or modifying the system registry to remove unwanted entries. - The "End Task" feature can be enabled by navigating to Settings > System > For developers and toggling on the feature. - To reduce notifications and ads, users can disable various settings in the Personalization and Privacy & Security sections of the Settings app. - OneDrive auto-backup is enabled by default, and users can disable it by accessing OneDrive settings and turning off backup options.

Winsage

April 28, 2025

Search Bar Not Working in Windows 11? Follow these Fixes

Numerous users have reported issues with the search bar functionality in Windows 11. A guide has been compiled to offer effective solutions, including: 1. Restarting File Explorer by opening Task Manager, finding "Windows Explorer," right-clicking it, and selecting "Restart." 2. Rebuilding the search index by accessing Windows Settings, navigating to Privacy & Security, selecting "Searching Windows," clicking on "Advanced indexing options," and choosing "Rebuild." 3. Starting the Windows Search service by opening the Run dialog, typing services.msc, locating "Windows Search," stopping the service, starting it again, setting the Startup type to "Automatic," and restarting the PC. 4. Ending the SearchHost.exe task in Task Manager by finding "Search," right-clicking it, and selecting "End task." 5. Using the Recovery tool via Windows Update by accessing Windows Settings, navigating to System -> Recovery, and clicking "Reinstall now" next to "Fix problems using Windows Update." Rebooting after these steps should restore the search bar's functionality. Rebuilding the search index can enhance local search speed, and users may also consider removing Bing search results from the Start menu.

Winsage

April 27, 2025

5 features I wish were enabled by default on Windows 11

Microsoft Windows 11 includes several features that are not enabled by default, which can hinder user experience: 1. System Restore: Allows users to create restore points for system recovery but is not enabled by default due to disk space concerns. 2. End Task Feature: Enables users to right-click on unresponsive apps in the taskbar to force quit them, but requires activation through Settings. 3. File Extension View in File Explorer: Users must manually enable the display of file extensions for better file management. 4. Hibernate Mode: A power-saving option that saves the system state to the hard drive, not readily accessible in power settings and requires enabling through Control Panel or command line. 5. Start Menu on the Left: The Start menu is centered by default, but users can adjust it to the left through Settings, which some long-time users prefer.

Winsage

April 22, 2025

New Windows 11 setting lets users kill stubborn apps instantly from taskbar

Microsoft has introduced a new "End Task" option in Windows that allows users to close unresponsive applications directly from the taskbar by right-clicking on the app. This feature simplifies the process compared to the traditional method of using Task Manager. To activate it, users must go to Settings > System > For Developers and toggle on the "End Task" setting. The "End Task" command forcefully terminates an application and its related processes, unlike the "Close Window" command, which may leave background processes running. However, it cannot terminate system processes like File Explorer, and using it may result in the loss of unsaved data. This feature is located in the "For Developers" section of Settings and does not require Developer Mode. It has recently been included in the final Windows 11 24H2 build.

Winsage

March 24, 2025

What Is Runtime Broker On Your PC, And Is It Safe To Disable It?

The Runtime Broker is a core process in Windows that manages permissions for Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps. It typically uses minimal CPU resources but can spike to around 30% when a UWP app is launched to verify permissions. High CPU usage may persist even after closing an app, which can often be resolved by ending the process in Task Manager. If issues recur with a specific app, users can either uninstall it or check for updates. Disabling the Runtime Broker is not recommended, as it may destabilize the system and compromise security. Users can verify the legitimacy of the Runtime Broker process by checking its file location in the C:WindowsSystem32 directory. If the location differs, it may indicate malware.

Winsage

December 27, 2024

4 ways to restart File Explorer in Windows 11

When File Explorer on Windows 10 or 11 has issues like freezing, it can often be resolved by restarting it. There are several methods to restart File Explorer: 1. From Task Manager: Press Win+Shift+Esc, go to the Processes tab, right-click Windows Explorer, and select Restart. 2. Kill explorer.exe and run a new instance: Open Task Manager, right-click Windows Explorer, choose End task, then click Run new task, type explorer.exe, and hit OK. 3. From the command line: Use PowerShell or Command Prompt as an administrator and execute the commands: - taskkill /f /im explorer.exe - start explorer.exe 4. Create a Batch File: Write the following in Notepad:


   taskkill /f /IM explorer.exe
   start explorer.exe
   exit

Save it with a .bat extension for quick access. These methods help restore access to files and folders when File Explorer is unresponsive.

Winsage

November 27, 2024

Windows 11 24H2 beset by another bug, and this one affects gamers

Gamers using Ubisoft titles are experiencing issues with the Windows 11 24H2 update, leading to freezing, crashing, or black screens. Affected games include Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Assassin's Creed Origins, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Star Wars Outlaws, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Microsoft has blocked the 24H2 update for PCs with these games installed and advises against manual updates. Ubisoft has released a hotfix for Star Wars Outlaws, but performance issues may still occur. Users can end tasks in the Task Manager to close unresponsive games. Additionally, a glitch affecting USB-connected devices using the eSCL protocol has been reported, prompting Microsoft to block the update for such devices. Since its launch on October 1, Windows 11 24H2 has faced multiple bugs, leading to two bug patches in late October and mid-November, with ongoing issues still emerging.

Winsage

November 27, 2024

Why Microsoft Is Blocking Windows Updates If You Play Ubisoft Games

Ubisoft's update for Star Wars Outlaws has revealed compatibility issues for users on Windows 11 24H2, affecting multiple Ubisoft titles including Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Assassin’s Creed Origins, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Players report problems such as games becoming unresponsive during startup, loading, or gameplay, as well as black screens and performance drops. Microsoft has introduced a compatibility check to postpone the Windows 11 24H2 update if these titles are installed. For users already on the update, Microsoft suggests using Task Manager to end the task of the problematic game to restore system responsiveness.