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To disable Windows 11 background apps, open Settings > Apps > Installed apps , click the menu button next to the app and select “Advanced options,” and then select “Never” from the “Let this app run in the background” setting under the “Background apps permissions.” On Windows 11 , apps from the Microsoft Store can continue to run in the background to download data and provide notifications for updates, but you can prevent them from running in the background to save battery and system resources, and in this guide, you will learn how....

On Windows 10, badges are lightweight notifications designed to alert you when you missed any event in the taskbar for a particular app without you having to open Action center, Start menu, or the app. Depending on the app, you’ll see a badge indicating the number of notifications you have missed. For example, in the “Mail” app, you’ll see the number of emails you haven’t seen. The “Alarm & Clock” app will show any active alarm....

To enable the new Copilot on Microsoft Excel, you need a Microsoft 365 and Copilot Pro subscription associated with your Microsoft account. On Excel, if the “Copilot” feature is still missing, open Excel > File > Account and click the “Update License” button. If you don’t have a Pro subscription, you won’t be able to access the chatbot AI on any of the apps. On Microsoft Excel, Copilot Pro should enable automatically, but if it’s still missing, in this guide, I will show you how....

On Windows 11 build 25300 , you can enable an early preview of the new interface changes for the Snap Layouts flyout, and in this guide, you will learn how. If you want to get hands-on with the new interface changes, you can use a third-party tool called “ViveTool,” created by Rafael Rivera and Lucas on GitHub , to enable the option on your computer. This guide will teach you the steps to turn on this new feature on Windows 11....

On Windows 11 build 25309 , you can enable an early preview of the new volume mixer in the Quick Settings flyout, and in this guide, you will learn how. The new interface has been officially announced and it should enable by default on build 25309, but if it’s not, there’s a quick way to enable it. If you want to get hands-on with the new feature, you can use a third-party tool called “ViveTool” created by Rafael Rivera and Lucas on GitHub , to enable the option on your computer....

To enable update previews on Windows 10, open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update , and turn on the “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” toggle switch. On Windows 10 , you can download non-security updates to test new features and fixes as soon as they’re available, and in this guide, I’ll outline the steps to complete this configuration. Microsoft makes cumulative updates every second Tuesday of each month (also called “Patch Tuesday”) as part of the system maintenance process....

On Windows 11 , the Snipping Tool app is causing problems among many users. According to various reports from users at Microsoft’s community forums (via WindowsLatest ), the app is crashing with the “This app can’t open – A problem with Windows is preventing Screen Snipping from opening. Refreshing your PC might help fix it” error message. One person at Microsoft’s community forums explains that using the Windows key + Shift + S keyboard shortcut does not open the experience to take screenshots....

Microsoft is now in the process of rolling out a new design for Outlook.com, but it’s currently only available for those users who opt-in using the “Try the beta” toggle on the web. However, it appears that the option to activate the new interface is not appearing to everyone, but if you can’t wait, there is an easy workaround to get it now . In this guide , you’ll learn the steps to get an early access at the Outlook design on the web....

To move installed apps to another drive on Windows 11, open Settings > Apps > Installed apps , choose “Move” from the app’s menu, select the new location, and click “Move.” To move installed apps on Windows 10, open Settings > Apps > Apps & features , choose the app, click “Move,” select the new location, and click “Move.” Windows 11 (and 10) allows you to move installed apps to an external or secondary drive without having to reinstall them, and in this guide, I’ll outline the steps to complete this configuration....

On Windows 11 , you can remove a school or work account from the Settings app, but you need to know where to look, and in this guide, you will learn how. Whenever you add a work or school email account, Windows 11 thinks that the device belongs to an organization, and as a result, it will prevent you from changing certain settings, and you will notice unwanted behaviors when using an email client app, such as Outlook, and you may even get prompts to sign in to the account when you don’t even use it....

Windows 10 comes with its own VPN client, which you can configure to quickly and securely access a private network over the internet. The only caveat is that once you save the settings, it’s not possible to retrieve the password if you forgot it and you need this information to set up a new connection on another device. However, you can use third-party tools, such as Dialupass, to quickly recover the saved password for all virtual private network (VPN) connections....

To find and download Spotlight images on Windows 11, open the “%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState\Assets” location path on File Explorer, copy the large files, and convert them to “.jpg” images through Command Prompt. These instructions should also work on Windows 10. UPDATED 11/7/2023: On Windows 11 , you can find and save the images from the “Spotlight” feature, and in this guide, I’ll show you the steps to complete this task. Spotlight (or “Windows Spotlight”) is a feature that allows you to show different background images on the desktop throughout the day, similar to the Spotlight feature available for the Lock screen....

On Windows 11 , you can set up a proxy server quite easily. A proxy server is a service that works as a man-in-the-middle between the computer and the internet. When using this feature, the requests you make to websites and other services will be handled by the proxy instead. Usually, you’d see a proxy configuration in organizations and schools, but anyone can set up a proxy server because of its benefits....

Firefox by default uses a default theme that take colors from the color accent currently set on your personalization options on Windows 10. However, the web browser from Mozilla includes an additional light and dark themes that brings the same Microsoft Edge look and feel. If you want to switch the current Firefox theme, it’s a pretty easy task. You just need to know where to look. In this guide , you’ll learn the steps to switch to the light or dark theme on Firefox on Windows 10 , but of course, these steps also work in other platforms....

To uninstall Cortana from Windows 11, open Settings > Apps > Installed Apps , click the menu button for “Cortana,” and choose “Uninstall.” Alternatively, open PowerShell (admin) and run the “Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.549981C3F5F10 | Remove-AppxPackage” command. Also, you can remove Cortana from Command Prompt (admin) using the “winget uninstall –id 9NFFX4SZZ23L” command. Microsoft has confirmed that it will be ending its support for Cortana for Windows 11 and 10 before the end of 2023....

The easiest and safest method to upgrade for free to Windows 11 22H2 from Windows 10 is using the “Windows Update” settings. The reason is that through “Windows Update” settings, you will receive a notification letting you whether or not version 22H2 is compatible with your computer, and you can continue with the installation with a few clicks knowing that all your files, most settings, and applications will migrate automatically to the new version....

You can upgrade to Windows 11 25H2 from Windows 11 23H2 using Windows Update, ISO file, Installation Assistant, or the Insider Program. Microsoft will end support for Windows 11 23H2 on November 11, 2025. UPDATED 11/12/2025: It’s possible to perform a direct upgrade from Windows 11 23H2 to Windows 11 25H2 (skipping version 24H2), and in this guide, I’ll show you how to complete this process. Microsoft has ended support for Windows 11 23H2 on November 11, 2025, affecting several versions of the operating system, including Windows 11 Home, Pro, Pro Education, and Pro for Workstations....

In an earlier article you’ve learned how to transfer files to a new Windows 7 PC with Windows Easy Transfer using an external hard drive or USB drive. Now for those of you who want to go with something a little more sophisticated (geeky) or you just don’t have an external storage device, in this article you are going to learn how to use Windows Easy Transfer using your local network....

Microsoft announces that it has locked acquisition of SwiftKey , one of the most popular on-screen keyboard software for mobile devices, for an undisclosed amount. The company says that SwiftKey will continue to be available on Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android devices, but depending on Microsoft’s plans, looking at previous acquisitions, it’s probable that SwiftKey may eventually be rebranded or made part of a different product. The company also explains that it will integrate the SwiftKey technology into its Word Flow keyboard software for Windows phones, and it’s likely we’ll be seeing a future version of the software combining both technologies....

Microsoft is working on a redesigned version of Edge for Windows 11. The new version will introduce a new UI and features like Split-screen and Tab Activity Center. It’s unclear when it’ll release, but some elements are already available through the Insider program. A new version of Microsoft Edge is in the works, and it’s expected to introduce a new user interface and features to further integrate the browser on Windows 11 ....