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12 Settings You Should Immediately Change On Your New Windows Laptop
Winsage
February 23, 2025

12 Settings You Should Immediately Change On Your New Windows Laptop

Windows 11 introduces new features and settings that may require adjustments for user preferences. 1. To clean up the lock screen, go to Settings > Personalization > Lock Screen and set "Lock screen status" to "None" or select a relevant widget. Uncheck "Get fun facts, tips, tricks, and more on your lock screen" for a minimalist appearance. 2. To move the Start menu back to the left, navigate to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar and change the alignment to "Left." You can also customize pinned apps in the Start menu. 3. To trim down notifications, visit Settings > System > Notifications and disable unnecessary notifications or set up Do Not Disturb. 4. To disable the advertising ID, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > General and turn off "Let apps show me personalized ads by using my advertising ID." Also, disable "Show me suggested content in the settings app." 5. To reduce Windows location permissions, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location and disable permissions for specific apps. 6. To disable inking and typing personalization, navigate to Settings > Privacy & Security > Inking and Typing Personalization and toggle it to "Off." Consider disabling "Online speech recognition" under Privacy & Security > Speech. 7. To turn off diagnostic and feedback settings, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Diagnostics & feedback and turn off "Send optional diagnostic data." 8. To disable delivery optimization, navigate to Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Delivery optimization and set "Allow downloads from other PCs" to "Devices on my local network." 9. To disable Copilot, go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar and toggle off Copilot or uninstall it via Apps > Installed Apps. 10. To disable Recall, navigate to Settings > Privacy & Security > Recall & Snapshots and turn off the "Save snapshots" toggle. 11. To remove unwanted apps, use tools like Geek Uninstaller or Revo Uninstaller to thoroughly uninstall applications and clean up leftover files. 12. PowerToys, a collection of utilities from Microsoft, can enhance productivity and can be downloaded from GitHub or the Microsoft Store. Disable any unused utilities after installation to conserve resources.
Windows 11 Pro vs Windows 11 Home: which version is right for you?
Winsage
February 20, 2025

Windows 11 Pro vs Windows 11 Home: which version is right for you?

Windows 11 Pro and Windows 11 Home are two primary versions of Windows 11, each catering to different user needs. Windows 11 Pro allows for up to 2TB of RAM and 128 CPU cores, while Windows 11 Home is limited to 128GB of RAM and 64 CPU cores. Pro includes additional features for networking, security, and management, which may not significantly impact everyday performance for typical users but can enhance performance for those using virtual machines. Support for both versions is available through online resources, phone support, and in-app help, but Pro users may receive quicker responses and more specialized assistance due to dedicated support options. In terms of pricing, Windows 11 Home is more budget-friendly, while Windows 11 Pro is priced higher due to its advanced features aimed at professionals and businesses. Upgrading from Home to Pro is possible for a fee, and there are differences between OEM and retail versions. Windows 11 Home is suited for average users and families, while Windows 11 Pro is tailored for advanced users and professionals, offering enhanced security, device management, and connectivity features.
7 alternatives to built-in Windows tools that will blow you away
Winsage
February 17, 2025

7 alternatives to built-in Windows tools that will blow you away

- Process Lasso is a powerful alternative to Task Manager, offering features like dynamic CPU adjustments and SmartTrim memory management. - Notepad++ is a text editor that supports multiple programming languages, syntax highlighting, and includes macros and plugins. - 7-Zip is a file compression tool that handles various formats and allows users to split, merge, and encrypt files. - Everything is a search tool that quickly finds files and folders, scanning both names and document contents. - Audacity is a multitrack digital audio workstation for recording audio, supporting various formats and real-time effects. - Flow Launcher allows users to launch files, folders, applications, and websites without using the Start menu. - VLC Media Player plays a wide range of audio and video file formats and offers features like file conversion and live stream recording.
12 Ways To Make Windows 11 Run Faster
Winsage
February 16, 2025

12 Ways To Make Windows 11 Run Faster

Windows is a dominant operating system known for its affordability and software compatibility, but users often face performance issues. To enhance performance on Windows 11, users can: 1. Restart the device weekly and ensure it is up-to-date to resolve bugs and improve security. 2. Disable unnecessary startup applications via Settings > Apps > Startup or Task Manager. 3. Use Task Manager to monitor and terminate resource-hungry applications. 4. Uninstall unnecessary pre-installed software using tools like Revo Uninstaller or Geek Uninstaller. 5. Upgrade hardware by installing an SSD or adding RAM for better performance. 6. Regularly scan for malware using Windows Security to maintain system health. 7. Adjust power settings to "Best Performance" under Settings > System > Power & battery > Power Mode. 8. Free up disk space using built-in tools like Storage Sense or by manually deleting old files. 9. Disable unnecessary visual effects via Settings > Accessibility > Visual Effects or Control Panel. 10. Pause OneDrive or other cloud storage services to reduce resource consumption during intensive tasks. 11. Disable File Explorer search indexing if frequent searches are not needed. 12. Use the system restore feature to revert to a previous state if performance issues persist.
8 Old Windows Apps That Are Still Around in Windows 11
Winsage
February 12, 2025

8 Old Windows Apps That Are Still Around in Windows 11

Windows 11 includes several classic applications that remain relevant and functional for users: - Notepad: A simple text editor for quick note-taking and code editing. - Paint: A basic graphics editor for quick sketches and image editing. - Calculator: An evolved multifunctional application that includes scientific and graphing capabilities. - Windows Media Player: A reliable option for playing local media files. - WordPad: A formatted text editing experience between Notepad and full-fledged word processors. - Snipping Tool: A utility for capturing screenshots easily. - Task Manager: A tool for monitoring system performance and troubleshooting issues. - Control Panel: A powerful tool for advanced system management options.
silver Android smartphone
Winsage
February 11, 2025

3 Settings to Disable on Your Windows PC and Why?

Many PC users experience security concerns and unusual system behavior, such as sluggish performance and excessive personalized ads, often due to default Windows settings that allow data collection and tracking by Microsoft. Users can regain control by adjusting settings to limit data tracking, improve system efficiency, and enhance privacy. Three key settings to disable include: 1. General Privacy Settings: Access through Windows key + I, then navigate to Privacy & security or Privacy, and click on General. Disable features that allow tracking of activity and data sharing with Microsoft and third-party advertisers. 2. Diagnostic and Feedback Settings: Found under Privacy & security or Privacy, select Diagnostics & feedback. Disable optional diagnostic settings that send detailed reports about device usage to Microsoft, or choose Required Diagnostic Data. 3. Background Apps: Go to Privacy & security or Privacy, then Apps permissions, and click on Background Apps. Toggle off "Let apps run in the background" to prevent apps from consuming resources when not in use. These adjustments can enhance privacy and system performance.
silver Android smartphone
Winsage
February 8, 2025

The wait is over: Windows 11 users finally get the File Explorer upgrade they deserve, but not from Microsoft

Microsoft is addressing challenges with Windows 11, particularly in managing tabs in File Explorer, which has not fully met user expectations. A third-party application, ExplorerTabUtility, enhances tab management by making tabs in File Explorer function more like those in web browsers. It allows users to open folders and external links in new tabs, offers tab history, and includes features like "Smart tab switching" to avoid duplicate tabs. The app also simplifies tab duplication with a Ctrl + D shortcut and runs with minimal system resource usage. To install ExplorerTabUtility, users need .Net 9 and Windows 11 22H2 or later, and it is available for download on GitHub.
Best tips I use to boost search efficiency on File Explorer for Windows 11
Winsage
February 8, 2025

Best tips I use to boost search efficiency on File Explorer for Windows 11

Searching for files on Windows 11 can be optimized using File Explorer's search feature, which includes advanced search filters, boolean operators, wildcards, and indexing settings. To search efficiently, open File Explorer (Windows key + E) and use the following filters: - Basic filters: - kind: Searches for file types (e.g., kind:document, kind:image). - ext: Searches by file extension (e.g., ext:.pdf). - date: Searches by modification date (e.g., date:today). - size: Searches by file size (e.g., size:>100MB). - Boolean operators: - AND: Finds files containing both terms. - OR: Finds files containing either term. - NOT: Excludes files with a specific term. - Wildcards: - asterisk (): Represents any sequence of characters (e.g., .txt). - question mark (?): Represents a single character (e.g., file?.txt). - File properties: Search by metadata (e.g., author:John, tag:important). - Advanced query syntax: Use specific syntaxes to refine searches (e.g., datemodified:last week). - Search options: Access additional filters through the "Search options" menu in File Explorer. - Save query: Save frequent searches for easy access. - Enhanced Indexing: Enable this option to broaden search capabilities across the entire system. - AI integration: Microsoft is incorporating AI features for natural language searches, currently available on Copilot+ PCs.
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