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How to enable night light on Windows 11
A step-by-step guide to help you enable night light on your Windows 11 system.
Windows 11 retains plenty of accessibility from Windows 10, with night light being one of them. It was first introduced in Windows 10 in 2017 to lower the amount of blue light on your computer screen, which can cause eye strain if you use your system for hours in dark surroundings. It can even disrupt your circadian rhythm and sleep cycle by lowering the amount of melatonin produced by your body.
Microsoft announces new AI-powered shopping tools in Bing and Edge
Microsoft claims that Edge has offered $3.7 billion in savings to shoppers worldwide in the last one year.
As part of its push to incorporate AI into most of its products and services, Microsoft has now announced new AI-powered shopping tools in Bing and Edge in a move that the company claims will help shoppers save more while buying goods online. In a statement, the company said that the new tools harness the power of AI to make it "easier to discover, research and complete your purchase, all in one place with information you need from expert sources." The new features include Buying Guide, Price Match, and Review Summaries.
New Clippy app gives us a taste of AI in Windows 11
While we wait for Copilot, an unofficial Clippy app has launched for Windows 11, bringing ChatGPT-like features to your desktop.
Remember Clippy? The assistant found in Microsoft Office in the late 90s and early 2000s is making a return, albeit unofficially, with a new app for Windows 11. The new Clippy app brings the idea of a smart assistant to the modern era thanks to the power of AI, specifically leveraging OpenAI's GPT 3.5 large language model.
DeskScapes 11 lets you use video and animations as your Windows 11 background
Stardock's latest customization tool for Windows 11 aims to bring your desktop to life with animated backgrounds.
Stardock is launching yet another customization tool for Windows 11 today. With tools like WindowBlinds and Groupy 2 under its belt, Stardock has just announced DeskScapes 11, an app for finding and managing Windows 11 wallpapers. It's more than that, though, because it also supports animated wallpapers, something Windows 11 can't do.
June preview update for Windows 11 enables Moment 3 features for everyone
Microsoft is rolling out the June preview update for Windows 11 and it's a significant one that enables features from the Moment 3 update for everyone
The June preview update for WIndows 11, version 22H2 is now out. Coming in as KB5027303, build 22621.1928, this release is a pretty big one compared to what we've gotten in the past. It enables features from the Windows 11 Moment 3 update for everyone. Previously some of these things were either turned off, or just in A/B testing. There's also a round of improvements, on top of the usual bug fixes.
Microsoft is planning to put Windows in the cloud for consumers
Microsoft could be working on a version of Windows 365 for consumers, based on what's written in an internal document
According to redacted internal documents released to the public as part of Microsoft's legal battle with the Federal Trade Commission over its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Windows 11 could soon be heading to the cloud for more users. While Microsoft already offers this as a service for enterprise users, dubbed as Windows 365, the documents make it apparent that the Redmond firm is planning to put Windows in the cloud for consumers, too. That means that soon there's a chance that you might be able to stream and use Windows 11 on any device you own.
Microsoft Surface Duo gets Pixel experience with Android 13
An extremely dedicated developer has brought an updated Android experience to Surface Duo.
The Microsoft Surface Duo was an interesting device when it launched, giving users a foldable phone experience produced by two independent screens. The device originally shipped with Android 10, and while the company has issued a number of updates for the handset, Microsoft really hasn't offered the best software support during the life of the device, with sparse updates when compared to its competitors. Thankfully, the Surface Duo was updated to Android 12L towards the end of 2022, but now, it looks like Android 13 is being made available through unofficial means, which could potentially extend the handset's life.
5 things you can do with a pen on Windows 11
Buying a pen for your Windows 11 convertible or tablet can unlock some fun, new ways to use your device.
Owning a great Windows 11 tablet or a Windows convertible comes with one significant benefit. Some of these devices, like a Lenovo Yoga or HP Spectre, might support pen input. In the case of Surface devices, it's always the Surface Pen, and on other devices, it's either a Wacom EMR pen or an AES pen. And while it's not suggested, you even can use a standard capacitive stylus that mimics using your fingers.
How to extend battery life on Windows 11
If you want to extend the battery life of your laptop, there are a few Windows 11 settings you can change to help with that.
We all want our laptops to last as long as possible without having to be plugged in — after all, that's the whole point of a laptop. While there are many things you can do to extend the battery life of your laptop, such as disabling startup tasks to prevent additional battery consumption. But Windows 11 also comes with a "battery saver" feature that helps you extend the battery life of you're laptop, particularly when it's running low. There are also various settings you can change to help improve battery life on your PC.
How to disable display power savings in Windows 11
Laptops can adjust the brightness of your display to save power, but it comes with some downsides, so you can disable those features in Windows 11.
Battery life is obviously an important factor for any laptop, and because of that, many laptops come with power-saving features that help extend how long you can use them without a charger. A common way to do this is through display power savings, which adjusts the brightness and colors of your screen to save battery when needed. While these features are helpful, they can have a noticeable impact on how colors look on your screen, and they might lessen the experience. It's especially critical if you have color-sensitive work you need to do. As such, it can sometimes be a good idea to disable display power savings.
How to block apps from accessing your webcam and microphone in Windows 11
Windows 11 makes it easier to protect your privacy by blocking access to your webcam, microphone, location, and more. Here's how to do it.
Privacy is a major concern in today's world, and being able to protect it has been a big focus for companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft. That comes in many forms, but in Windows 11, one of the primary ways you can protect your privacy is by managing access to devices that can be used to collect personal information, such as the camera, microphone, and location. If you don't want a specific app to be able to use these sensors and data, you can block it from doing so.
How to install themes on Windows 11
You can give your Windows 11 PC a new look by installing themes from the Microsoft Store in a few simple steps
Windows 11 ships with a pretty great wallpaper and theme by default. You get the classic "Bloom" wallpaper, in either the Windows light dark mode or Windows light mode theme. The wallpaper is vibrant as it, providing a splash of light, but a great way to spice up the look of Windows 11 and give your great laptop a new feel is with themes. There's a wide variety of preset themes you can choose from Microsoft, like "Glow", "Captured Motion," "Sunrise" and "Flow," but additional themes are also available for download from the Microsoft Store.
How to customize touchpad gestures in Windows 11
All Windows 11 laptops have a precision touchpad, which means you can customize certain gestures to quickly access common features. Here's how.
The touchpad is an essential part of any laptop, replacing the traditional mouse with a low-profile solution that still allows you to point, click, and do everything you'd expect to do. For many years, touchpads on Windows laptops weren't that great, since each one was made by a different company and had different drivers, not to mention they were often too small and uncomfortable. Thankfully, that's changed in recent years.
Latest Windows 11 Dev channel build helps makes passwords a thing of the past
The newest Windows 11 Dev Channel build allows you to enroll and use a passkey to sign into apps and websites in place of your password.
It's a busy day today to be a Windows Insider. Microsoft has rolled out both a new Windows 11 Dev channel build, and the usual two builds over on the Beta channel. The Dev channel build, coming in at 23486, adds some passwordless improvements to Windows. Meanwhile, on the beta channel, there's build 22631.1906 for those with new features rolling out and then build 22621.1906 for those with features off by default. We have the scoop right here for you on everything you need to know.
Windows 11 features in preview: Everything you can try right now
Windows 11 is on the way, but you can try some of its features right now. These are all the Windows 11 features currently in preview.
Windows 11 first showed its face on June 24, 2021, and became officially available on Oct. 5 of that same year. Today, most laptops sold come with Windows 11 installed out of the box, but the Windows development cycle never stops, and there's always something to look forward to. That's where the Windows Insider Program comes into play, as it lets fans try out new Windows 11 features in preview before anybody else.
Best tablets in 2023
From Apple's iPads to Android and Windows devices, these are the best tablets you can buy in 2023.
It's true that smartphones are getting bigger and better with larger displays, especially when you consider the excellent foldable phones out now, but they're not quite ready to replace tablets just yet. Tablets are still the perfect companions to have alongside your smartphone, laptop, or PC, as they let you work on things more effectively. The best tablets are the ones that are big enough to keep you entertained when you fire up your favorite apps and games, but not so much that it becomes a hassle to carry them around. You should also pick the ones with a wealth of productivity apps and features to help you get some light work done when you are away from your desk. Choosing the right tablet, however, can be tricky because there are a lot of options that fit the bill.
Windows 11 preview update enables Moment 3 features for all Insiders
Windows Insiders in the Release Preview channel are getting treated to a new build that enabled previous features that were in a gradual rollout
Microsoft has released a new Windows 11 22H2 build to Windows Insiders enrolled in the Release Preview channel. This build is a fairly significant one since it enables many features and enhancements to Windows that were previously in the much dreaded gradual rollout. Essentially, this build enables all the features part of the Moment 3 update.
How to force an app to use the discrete GPU in Windows 11
If your games or apps are running more slowly than you'd expect, you may need to force Windows 11 to run it using the discrete GPU. Here's how.
These days, many of the best laptops, particularly gaming laptops or those aimed at content creators, come with two GPUs inside. It's a bit of a technicality, but laptop processors, such as those from AMD or Intel, always have an integrated GPU that's used for basic display output and rendering on basically every laptop. Gaming laptops may also have discrete GPUs from Nvidia or AMD, but the integrated GPU is still there.
Surface Pro 9 with 5G review: Windows on Arm keeps getting better
Microsoft's Surface Pro 9 with 5G comes with a Qualcomm processor, giving it Windows Studio capabilities and great battery life.
In 2019, Microsoft introduced the Surface Pro X, the first ever Surface Pro not to include an Intel processor. Living side-by-side with the Surface Pro 7, Surface Pro 7+, and finally the Surface Pro 8, the Redmond firm decided this year that Windows on Arm is mature enough to merge the two brands. The Surface Pro 9 with 5G is the first product from the mainstream Surface Pro lineup to include an Arm processor.
How to remove Microsoft Teams on Windows 11
Don't use Microsoft Teams on Windows 11 or want to remove it to free up space? You can remove it in a few simple steps.
Windows 11 is home to a lot of great apps that help make your great laptop or PC even greater. You get the Microsoft Edge browser, a Mail app, and even apps like Paint and a video editor Clipchamp. To help you better stay connected with your friends, however, Microsoft also bundles a personal version of its own communication app with Windows 11, appropriately named Microsoft Teams. It's not to be confused with the work version of the app, which you can download separately and will see as Microsoft Teams (work or school). You should see that the personal version of the Microsoft Teams app is pinned to your Taskbar as Chat.