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.

Winsage

June 8, 2025

Microsoft is finally tidying up the Search options in the Windows 11 Settings page

Microsoft is updating the Settings page in Windows 11 by merging the "Search permissions" and "Searching Windows" settings into a single page to improve navigation and visual appeal. This change, discovered by a user known as PhantomOfEarth, is currently in development and not yet available on the main Windows 11 branch, but can be previewed by users on Insider builds 26200.5622/26120.4230 by enabling feature ID 57471391. An official rollout is expected soon.

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.

Winsage

May 14, 2025

Microsoft accelerates Control Panel’s inevitable demise as even more settings migrate

Microsoft is transitioning features from the Control Panel to the Settings interface in Windows 11, with recent changes including the migration of certain language options to the Settings panel. This update is currently limited to users on the Dev or Beta builds of Windows 11 and requires manual activation. The feature is not yet available to the general public as Microsoft addresses bugs related to its implementation.

Winsage

May 14, 2025

Microsoft accelerates Control Panel’s inevitable demise as even more settings migrate

Microsoft is transitioning features from the Control Panel to the Settings app in Windows 11, with recent updates including the migration of certain language options to the Settings panel. This update is currently available only to users on the Dev or Beta builds, and they must manually enable it. The rollout is still being fine-tuned before a broader release. Many users find the revamped Settings app to be more modern and efficient compared to the Control Panel.

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 27, 2025

Microsoft continues to dismantle the Control Panel as another feature migrates to Settings

Microsoft is migrating features from the Control Panel to the Settings panel, with keyboard repetition settings being the latest to transition. This change is part of a broader initiative to phase out the Control Panel, which was announced in August 2024. Currently, these keyboard settings are hidden in testing builds and have not yet been rolled out to the live version of Windows. Other settings, such as mouse trails and options to hide the cursor while typing, have already made the transition. Users are generally finding the Settings panel to be a suitable replacement for the Control Panel.

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.

Winsage

December 10, 2024

Windows 11 can now run on unsupported systems, but there’s a catch

Microsoft has allowed users to install Windows 11 on older, unsupported hardware, moving away from its previous strict hardware requirements. Users can manually install the operating system, but devices that do not meet minimum requirements will not receive updates via Windows Update, requiring manual management of updates. A watermark will appear on the desktop, and a notification in Settings will indicate that the upgrade is not recommended. Microsoft will not lower the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11, citing cybersecurity concerns. Unsupported devices will also be excluded from the Windows Insider Program. Users can revert to Windows 10 within ten days of the upgrade through the Settings menu.