Turn off Windows 11 notifications: Some app alerts get annoying fast. Go to Settings > System > Notifications > Notifications from apps and other senders, and toggle off the ones you don’t want. To silence them all, go back to Settings > System > Notifications, and turn it off completely.
Change where Windows saves screenshots: By default, pressing Windows key + PrtScn saves them in the Screenshots folder under Pictures. To choose a new location, right-click the Screenshots folder and go to Properties > Location > Move. Pick your new folder, and click Apply, then OK to save.
Customize Windows 11 Start menu: Under Pinned apps, right-click anything you don’t need (like Disney+) and select Unpin from Start. To add an app, right-click its shortcut and choose Pin to Start. You can also drag apps to arrange them in any order you want or group them together.
Got videos eating up space on your PC? HandBrake is a free tool that shrinks them down. Drag and drop your video into the app, choose a Save location, pick a Preset like Very Fast 1080p30, and click Start Encode. FYI: Quality may drop depending on the Preset, so keep testing until you find your sweet spot. This tip alone is worth the price of this newsletter.
🌐 Faster than bookmarks: You can set your browser to reopen all tabs when it starts. In Chrome, go to Settings > On startup and select Continue where you left off. In Firefox, go to Settings > General > Startup and check Open previous windows and tabs. No more scary crashes.
🕒 Stay focused on Windows 11: Need to work without distractions? Go to Settings > System > Focus. Set your Session duration, and choose options like Do Not Disturb or Hiding taskbar flashes. When you’re ready, click Start focus session, and a timer will begin in the Clock app to keep you on track.
💥 Rename your Windows 11 PC: I called mine “Sir Crash-a-Lot.” Personalize it by going to Settings > System > About > Rename this PC. Type your new name, click Next, then Restart to apply. Now it’s easier to identify your computer when you’re on a network or connecting via Bluetooth. Nice.
🌐 Better Chrome: You can change those little shortcut icons in the middle of the Google home page. Open a new tab, click Customize Chrome (bottom right) and scroll to Shortcuts. Toggle on Show shortcuts, and select My shortcuts or Most-visited sites. To remove one, click the three-dot menu and hit Remove.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Need an emoji fast? On Windows, press Windows key + . (period) to open the emoji keyboard. On Mac, it’s Command + Control + Space. No excuse for dry replies. 😉
📌 Can’t pin an app to the Windows 11 taskbar? Usually, you right-click the desktop shortcut and select Pin to taskbar. If that option’s missing, use the search bar instead. Just type the app’s name, and when it appears, click Pin to taskbar on the right side of the menu.
Add Bluetooth devices to your PC: If your Windows computer has Bluetooth, you can connect a wireless mouse or headset. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices and make sure Bluetooth is toggled On. Click Add device and choose Bluetooth. Put your gadget in pairing mode, select it when it shows up and hit Done.
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Multiple desktops on Windows 11: You can split up work and hobbies with separate spaces for each. Click the Task View icon on the task bar and select New desktop. Now right-click the new one to rename it and give it a different background. It’s like having a second screen, without actually buying one.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: In Google Docs, press Ctrl + Shift + C (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + C (Mac) to check your word count. It all adds up!
🔎 Find anything fast in Microsoft Word: Can’t remember how to insert a table? Don’t waste your time digging through menus and settings. Click the search bar at the top, type in “table” (or whatever else you need), and the option will pop right up. FYI: This trick works in Excel, too.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Made a whoopsie? Press Ctrl + Z on Windows or Cmd + Z on Mac to instantly undo your last action. Works for typing, deleting and formatting.
Your laptop will thank you: Windows 11 swapped out Power saver for a new Energy saver mode. Go to Settings > System > Power & Battery > Energy saver. Turn on Always use energy saver to dim the screen, pause app syncing and disable fancy effects. Or set it to kick in automatically at a battery level, like 20%.
Add labels to your Windows 11 taskbar: No more guessing which icon does what. Right-click the Taskbar, go to Taskbar settings > Taskbar behaviors, then scroll to Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels. Change it to Never to always show labels, or When taskbar is full to show them until space runs out.
💻 Know your Chromebook shortcuts: Need a cheat sheet? Press and hold Ctrl + Search + S to see them all. A few combos to try: Ctrl + N opens a new browser window, Ctrl + T opens a new tab, and Ctrl + Shift + T brings back a tab you just closed. Nice.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Use Ctrl + Shift + N (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + N (Mac) to open a private browsing window in most browsers. No history, no cookies, everything stays incognito.
Make the cursor pop: On Windows, if you’re having trouble seeing your mouse pointer, go to Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch. Under Mouse pointer style, choose Custom and pick a new color. Now drag the Size slider to make it bigger.