quick settings panel Archives

Winsage

June 13, 2025

Make the most of Windows 11: Tips and tools to improve focus, multitasking, and daily productivity

Windows 11 is the most widely used desktop operating system globally, offering features to enhance productivity. Focus Sessions allow users to work in intervals, with session lengths ranging from 30 minutes to four hours, including breaks. Users can access this feature through the Clock app and can quickly start a 30-minute focus block using Win + N. The Do Not Disturb (DND) feature silences alerts from apps and notifications, helping users concentrate. DND can be activated by clicking the clock in the taskbar or using Win + N, and users can customize which notifications are allowed through the settings. Windows 11 provides three power modes: Best Performance, Balanced, and Best Power Efficiency. Users can modify these settings in the Power & Battery section of the settings, and Energy Saver can be activated quickly from the Quick Settings panel when the battery is low.

AppWizard

May 22, 2025

Pixel Phones Get a Taste of Material 3 Expressive in Android 16 Beta

Google I/O 2025 has concluded, and the Android 16 QPR1 Beta has been launched, introducing the Material 3 Expressive design language. This update is the first Quarterly Platform Release following the stable Android 16 Beta program and is primarily aimed at developers and testers. It enhances user experience with a fresh visual design, which will also extend to Wear OS 6. Key features of the update include a redesigned user interface with increased space for widgets and apps, new system icons in the status bar, a colorful quick settings panel, expanded customization options, and enhanced controls for home and lock screens. The beta is available for various Pixel devices, including Pixel 6, 7, 8, and 9 series, as well as Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet.

AppWizard

May 1, 2025

Android 16’s UI redesign reportedly shows its face in massive leak

A recent leak reveals potential redesign features for Android 16, including a blurred and transparent notification panel, a revamped lock screen with a new font and repositioned date/temperature, and geometric app icon options in the Pixel Launcher. The volume sliders will change from a pill shape to a rectangular design, and there will be updates to the Settings menu with colored icons and a new horizontal battery icon format. Android 16 is expected to debut in Q2 2025, with more details likely to be revealed at Google's I/O 2025 event. The Android 16 Beta 4 update has reached "Platform Stability," indicating that final adjustments are being made before the official rollout.

Winsage

April 7, 2025

5 essential tips to optimize Windows 11 for office work

Windows 11 includes features to enhance productivity, particularly through customization for older PCs. Key strategies include: 1. Virtual Desktops: Use Win + Tab or the Task View icon to create separate virtual desktops for work, allowing for a more organized workspace. Applications can be dragged into this desktop and will reappear upon reopening. 2. Focus Sessions: Activate Focus via Settings -> System -> Focus to set timers for work sessions and breaks, enabling Do Not Disturb mode to silence notifications during work periods. 3. System Optimization: Select a High Performance power plan in Control Panel -> Power Options or Settings -> System -> Power & battery, and disable unnecessary startup apps in Task Manager to improve performance. 4. Pinning Apps and Snap Layouts: Pin frequently used applications to the taskbar for quick access and use Snap Layouts by dragging windows to the screen edges for efficient arrangement. 5. Keyboard Shortcuts: Utilize essential Windows 11 shortcuts to enhance efficiency, such as Windows key + A for Quick Settings, Windows key + E for File Explorer, and Windows key + H for voice typing.

Winsage

March 13, 2025

Lilbits: Microsoft keeps adding AI to Notepad, a fix for broken Chromecasts, and Android 16 Beta 3

Microsoft Notepad has introduced new features, including a spell checker and an AI-powered Rewrite utility, aimed at enhancing user experience. The latest update includes a Summarize tool for generating concise summaries of selected text, available to Windows Insiders with a Microsoft account and a subscription to Microsoft 365 or Copilot Pro. Notepad version 11.2501.29.0 is rolling out in the Canary and Dev Channels on Windows 11. Additionally, the Windows Snipping Tool (version 11.2502.18.0) has been updated to allow users to draw straight lines during screen capture annotations. Android 16 Beta 3 is introducing "platform stability" and accessibility enhancements. Google is working on a fix for 2015 Chromecast devices affected by an expired certificate.

AppWizard

November 1, 2024

How to completely customize your Android Quick Settings panel

Power Shade and Mi Control Center are two applications that enhance the Quick Settings panel on Android devices through extensive customization options. Power Shade allows users to tailor their Quick Settings interface with a user-friendly design, while Mi Control Center offers a unique layout that enhances functionality and creativity. Both applications cater to the trend of personalization in the Android ecosystem.

AppWizard

October 5, 2024

The redesigned camera app in One UI 7 is all about one-handed usage

Samsung showcased the upcoming One UI 7 at a developer conference, featuring a redesigned camera app for Galaxy devices. The settings menu has been repositioned to the bottom of the viewfinder for easier one-handed operation and is now in a carousel format for swiping through options like exposure and flash settings. While these features may not be finalized, they are expected to be close to the final product, with One UI 7 anticipated for early 2025. Additional updates include a separate quick settings panel, notification shade, and new icons.

AppWizard

September 18, 2024

Android 15 volume panel will have useful audio controls for Pixel Buds Pro users

Google has reinstated the Noise Control option for Android 15, enhancing the volume panel and allowing Pixel Buds Pro users to toggle between Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and transparency mode. The Android 15 QPR1 Beta 2 was released, revealing a redesigned Quick Settings panel for Android 16. The volume panel redesign includes pill-shaped sliders and the ability to mute audio streams by tapping the source icon. The reinstatement of the Noise Control button is facilitated by the Pixel Buds app. Additionally, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL has been introduced, featuring a 6.8-inch display and on-device AI assistance with Gemini features.

Winsage

September 7, 2024

A new ChromeOS update brings a touch of Windows 11 to Chromebooks

Google has begun the rollout of ChromeOS 128 across all supported Chromebooks, introducing several new features and enhancements. Key additions include: - Snap Groups feature for split-screen multitasking, allowing users to pair and manage two windows. - Integration of Optical Character Recognition (OCR) in the Camera app, enabling text recognition from physical documents, supporting 77 languages, and allowing text searches and read-aloud functionality. - Improvements to the Magnifier tool, which now works with ChromeVox for better navigation for visually impaired users. - Introduction of Audio Gain Control to optimize microphone volume during video calls. - Simplified privacy controls for cameras and microphones, consolidating permissions management in one location within the Settings menu. Chromebooks automatically check for updates, and users can manually check for updates through the Settings menu.

Winsage

September 7, 2024

ChromeOS just copied one of Windows 11’s best features

Google has released ChromeOS 128, which includes new features to improve productivity and accessibility for Chromebook users. The update introduces Snap Groups, allowing users to organize applications into fullscreen configurations by hovering over the maximize button. It also integrates Optical Character Recognition (OCR) in the ChromeOS camera app, enabling text extraction from images and converting them into searchable PDFs. The OCR feature supports 77 languages and recognizes text in both orientations but is disabled by default. Additionally, the Magnifier tool now works with ChromeVox to assist visually impaired users, though both features require activation in settings. The update also streamlines camera and microphone controls by consolidating privacy settings and introduces Auto Gain Control (AGC) to automatically adjust microphone volume during calls, with notifications for users when AGC is active.