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How to get a transparent taskbar on Windows 11
Do you want to make the Windows 11 taskbar transparent? Here's how you can do exactly that.
Windows 11 offers plenty of customization options out of the box, but it's also still limited in many ways. One of the ways you can customize Windows 11 is by making the taskbar transparent, and, to some extent, you can do this natively with Windows settings, but third-party apps can offer additional options that are even better.
How to use animated wallpapers on Windows 11
Windows 11 may not support animated wallpapers out of the box, but you can liven up your desktop thanks to a third-party app.
Windows 11 gives you plenty of customization options to make the operating system feel more like your own. But sometimes those options aren't enough. For example, Windows 11 doesn't natively support animated wallpapers, only static images (though you can cycle through different images if you want to). Fortunately, whenever there's no official Windows feature for something you want, there's always a third-party service that can scratch your itch.
3 things to expect from this week's Windows and Surface event
Microsoft is hosting its first big event of 2024 on March 21, and you can expect new Surface PCs and Windows features, plus a lot of Copilot news.
Microsoft's first big event of 2024 is right around the corner. On March 21, we're getting a digital presentation focused on "Copilot, Windows and Surface", meaning you can expect new devices and software news. Thankfully, with Microsoft events, we generally have a pretty good idea of what's coming, so we're here to break it down for you.
How to batch rename files in Windows 11
Renaming multiple files can be a tedious tasks, but there are ways you can batch rename files in Windows 11 to make it easier.
Renaming files on Windows 11 doesn't require rocket science. While renaming a bunch of photos and files one at a time is tedious, batch renaming is relatively easy. You can use third-party apps or simply rely on the default method to change the names of multiple files quickly.
How to get the Samsung Notes app on any Windows PC
If you use Samsung Notes on your phone but don't want a Samsung laptop, you can install the Notes app easily on any Windows 11 (or 10) PC.
Samsung has been making some of the best laptops you can buy for the last few years. Not only are Samsung Galaxy laptops very premium devices with excellent displays and top-tier specs, but the company has also invested in building a robust ecosystem, including some cross-device apps like Samsung Notes.
How to install Windows 11 on almost any unsupported PC
Want Windows 11 but have an unsupported computer? Here's how to install Windows 11 even if your PC doesn't meet the minimum requirements.
Windows 11 is the latest version of the most popular operating system in the world, and as long as you have a supported PC, it's very easy to install. But that's the problem: Windows 11 has significantly higher system requirements compared to previous versions of Windows, so there are a lot of unsupported PCs you can't install it on.
How to download and install Windows 11
Curious to check out Microsoft's new operating system? Here's how you can download Windows 11 right now to try it for yourself.
Windows 11 has been out for nearly two years, but for many people, it's still news. After all, Windows 10 is still fully supported, and not everyone is eager to upgrade to Windows 11 for one reason or another. But if you've been holding out and you finally want to make the jump, we're here to help with that.
How to shut down your computer using the keyboard
Want to turn off your computer more quickly? Try these keyboard shortcuts.
Whether you're using a Windows 11 PC or a Mac, shutting down your computer is a simple action, and something we all do every day. Typically, you'd do this using the Start menu on Windows or the Apple menu on a Mac. But you can also use your keyboard to shut down your computer faster or if something else goes wrong where you can't access the normal menu. Let's take a look at how it works.
6 best operating systems for Raspberry Pi 5
Unsure about which OS you should use with your Raspberry Pi 5? Here are six operating systems worth running on the palm-sized system
Thanks to their small size, decently capable specs, and large community, the Raspberry Pi SBCs remain some of the best devices for home projects. Like the average desktop, the operating system is one aspect every mainline entry in the Raspberry Pi lineup needs to function.
How to password protect a folder on Windows 11
If you want to make sure no one can access your private files, there are a couple of ways you can protect your folders with a password on Windows 11.
Although Windows 11 has an array of security features and drive encryption powered by BitLocker, there is no straightforward way to lock a folder on Microsoft's desktop OS. Adding an extra layer of security over private folders is important before sharing your Windows laptop or PC with someone else. Here are the effective ways to password-protect any folder on Windows 11.
How to customize notification settings on Windows 11
Notifications can be useful, but also overwhelming at times. Here's how you can customize notification settings in Windows 11 to your liking.
Push notifications play a major role in our workflow. That said, when you install dozens of apps on your laptop, things get a bit noisy and constant alerts spoil your work setup. Instead of dealing with frequent message banners, use the steps below to customize notification settings on Windows 11 to your preference.
How to create a battery report on Windows 11 to learn more about it
Creating a battery report in Windows 11 is a great way to learn how well your laptop's battery is doing. Here's how to do it.
The suggested estimated time on your laptop's battery indicator rarely aligns with what you actually get. Thankfully, if you want to get a clearer picture, you can create a battery report on Windows 11 (and previous versions) to learn all there is to know about it.
Fences 5 review: Making the Windows 11 desktop a powerful tool
Stardock's Fences 5 is an excellent way to organize your desktop, but its true power lies in what it can do to boost your productivity on Windows 11.
Stardock is no stranger to making great tools for customizing Windows, and the company has done so for many years. A few months ago, I reviewed Start11 v2, and found it to be a nearly essential tool for making the most of the Windows 11 Start menu, turning it into what it should be. Fences, on the other hand, aims to power up the Windows desktop, which is a tool I don't use that much in the first place.
How to find out your RAM specs on Windows 11 PCs
If you're not sure what kind of RAM is inside your PC, Windows 11 gives you a way to easily find out the specs of the memory.
Having enough memory in your PC is important if you want to have a smooth experience. RAM, the common acronym for Random Access Memory, is fast and efficient memory that temporarily stores files your computer needs to access quickly and frequently, and the more of it you have, the more files it can store. That means you can switch between apps faster when you have a lot of them open, or it may help in apps that load a lot of assets, such as when editing a high-resolution image or a complex video. If you don't know how much RAM is in your PC, it's relatively easy to find the details on Windows 11.
Microsoft is now badgering Chrome users to switch from Google to Bing in latest annoying pop-up
Microsoft is once against showing intrusive notifications to Windows users on Chrome, urging them to switch from Google Search to Bing.
A few days ago, we learned that Microsoft is spamming the Windows 11 lock screen with QR codes which leads unsuspecting users to a promotion for the company's latest Copilot ads. Following backlash, the firm removed this "advertisement", but it seems that it hasn't learned its lesson just yet, as yet another dubious ad promoting the GPT-4-powered Bing has been spotted by several Chrome users.
How to change where screenshots are saved by default in Windows 11
Do you want to save your Windows 11 screenshots in a different folder? Here's how you can move the Screenshots folder to a different location.
Depending on how familiar you are with Windows 11 (and previous versions), you may know that there's a fairly easy way to take screenshots of your entire screen by pressing the Windows key + Print Screen (Prt Scn) shortcut on your keyboard. It can even capture images across multiple monitors. These screenshots are automatically saved to a dedicated Screenshots folder in your Pictures library, but did you know you can choose where this folder is stored? Here's how to change that location for a more customized screenshot setup.
How to make Windows 11 look like Windows 10
Not everyone is a fan of the look of Windows 11, and if you want to go back to the Windows 10 look, you can do so with these tools.
Windows 11 is a big shift compared to Windows 10 in terms of design, and that change is especially significant when you consider that Windows 10 was around for six years before Windows 11, so people got very used to how it looks. And while Windows 11 arguably looks much nicer, some people might miss that old look after upgrading.
How to record your screen in Windows 11
Screen recording in Windows 11 can be accomplished in a few relatively easy ways. Our guide can walk you through each process, step by step.
Recording your screen in Windows 11 can be accomplished in more than a few ways, whether it's with tools built into the OS or with third-party software. Being able to record what's on your screen is incredibly useful, as it makes it easy to share content, share a specific problem (or a a potential solution), or capture gaming sessions to later share online.
Microsoft is finally fixing its confusing Teams apps for Windows 11
You'll soon be able to say goodbye to your duplicate Teams apps on Windows 11, with a unified app coming very soon.
Microsoft is making the Teams app on Windows 11 a whole lot less confusing, as the company is working to create a unified app that supports both personal and work or school accounts. This has been one of the most heavily requested features for Teams, and starting with Windows 11 build 26080 in the Canary and Dev channels, you can start testing it right now.
How to change or tweak keyboard layouts in Windows 11
The Windows 11 settings app makes it easy to change your keyboard layout in just a few clicks.
Windows 11 is an operating system that's friendly to users from all over the world, speaking all kinds of different languages. If you've moved to a new country and aren't comfortable with the language, you can easily change the language on your PC to match what you're most comfortable with. But you can also change the language and layout used for your keyboard, which affects things like spellchecking, but also how you enter certain special characters.