Tutorials

Windows 11 tutorials, tricks, tips, and guides.
Enable or Disable Audio Enhancements in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable audio enhancements for sound device(s) in Windows 11. Audio enhancement packages are designed to enhance your specific audio hardware performance and quality. Available audio enhancements will vary depending on the manufacturer. Sometimes these audio enhancements can cause problems with audio and sound. If you encounter an audio or sound problem, you can try disabling audio enhancements to see if it may solve the problem. Reference: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/disable-audio-enhancements-0ec686c4-8d79-4588-b7e7-9287dd296f72 Option One: Enable or Disable Audio Enhancements in Settings Option Two: Enable or Disable Audio Enhancements in Control Panel Enable or...
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Enable or Disable Snap Layouts on Top of Screen in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable showing snap layouts when dragging a window to the top of the screen for your account in Windows 11. The Snap windows feature in Windows allows you to automatically resize and arrange windows on your screen. Windows 11 includes a Snap Layouts feature that allows you to select how to snap the current window. Reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/desktop/modernize/apply-snap-layout-menu Starting with Windows 11 build 22557, Microsoft added a new way to snap windows into snap layouts that works wonderfully with both touch and mouse! To try it out, just drag a window to the top of the screen to reveal the snap layouts, drop the window on top of a zone to snap it...
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Add or Remove Power Button on Sign-in Screen in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to add or remove the Power button on the sign-in screen for all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11. The Power button on the sign-in screen can allow users to sleep, hibernate, shut down, or restart the computer without having to sign in to Windows. The Shutdown: Allow system to be shut down without having to log on security policy setting determines whether a device can be shut down without having to log on to Windows. Reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/threat-protection/security-policy-settings/shutdown-allow-system-to-be-shut-down-without-having-to-log-on You must be signed in as an administrator to add or remove the Power button on the sign-in screen. This does not...
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Analyze and Clean Up Component Store (WinSxS folder) in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to analyze and clean up the component store (WinSxS folder) to reduce its size in Windows 10 and Windows 11. The WinSxS folder is located in the Windows folder, for example C:\Windows\WinSxS. It’s the location for Windows Component Store files. The Windows Component Store is used to support the functions needed for the customization and updating of Windows. Here are some examples of how the Windows Component Store files are used: Using Windows Update to install new component versions. This keeps systems secure and up-to-date. Enabling or disabling Windows features. Adding roles or features using Server Manager. Moving systems between different Windows Editions. System recovery from corruption or boot...
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Enable or Disable Show Battery Percentage on Taskbar in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off displaying the battery percentage on the taskbar for your account in Windows 11. By default, you can always check your PC's battery status and more when you hover over the battery icon in the taskbar system tray. Starting with Windows 11 build 26120.3000 (Dev), Microsoft is introducing new and improved battery icons in Windows 11. These icons have been designed to communicate battery status of your PC with just a quick glance. Key changes include colored icons to indicate charging states, simplified overlays that don’t block the progress bar, and an option to turn on battery percentage. When your battery icon is green, this shows that your PC is charging and in a good state. A yellow...
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Reset All Local Group Policy Settings to Default in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to reset all Local Group Policy Editor settings back to the default "Not configured" state in Windows 10 and Windows 11. This will reset all group policies back to default whether they were configured in the Local Group Policy Editor or manually in Registry Editor. The Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) is a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in that provides a single user interface through which all the the Computer Configuration and User Configuration settings of Local Group Policy objects can be managed. The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10/11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions, but all policies can be manually configured using Registry Editor in any...
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Enable or Disable Let's finish setting up your device in Windows 11
The tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the "Let's finish setting up your device" screen for your account in Windows 11. The Let's finish setting up your device screen is a second-chance out of box experience (SCOOBE) that may occasionally show when you sign in to suggest ways to get the most out of Windows and finish setting up this device. Starting with Windows 11 build 25309, Microsoft is trying out a more personalized second-chance out of box experience (SCOOBE) with your user name included in the title. Option One: Enable or Disable "Let's finish setting up your device" in Settings Option Two: Enable or Disable "Let's finish setting up your device" using REG file EXAMPLE: Let's finish setting up your device...
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Restore Missing Power Plans in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to restore the built-in Balanced, High performance, Power saver, and/or Ultimate Performance power plans if missing in Windows 10 and Windows 11. A power plan is a collection of hardware and system settings that manages how your computer uses power. Power plans can help you save energy, maximize system performance, or achieve a balance between the two. A power plan is also known as a power scheme. Changes made to a power plan settings will affect all users that use the same power plan as their default active power scheme. Windows 10/11 includes the following power plans by default: Balanced = Offers full performance when you need it and saves power when you don't. This is the best power plan for most...
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Change System Product Name in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to change the system product name in Windows 11. The system product name is the specific model of your Windows 11 device. An OEM device's system product name (ex: "Surface Pro X") usually cannot be changed. If you built the PC yourself, then there usually isn't a system product name specified allowing you to change the default System Product Name displayed to a custom name you want instead. You must be signed in as an administrator to change the system product name. EXAMPLE: System Product Name Here's How: 1 Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe). 2 Navigate to the key below in the left pane of Registry Editor. (see screenshot below)...
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Determine Platform Role of Windows 11 or Windows 10 Device
This tutorial will show you how to determine the platform role of your Windows 10 or Windows 11 device. The platform role of your Windows devices can be specified by the OEM as a desktop, mobile, slate, server, workstation, or appliance PC. References: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/display/determining-whether-a-platform-is-mobile-or-desktop https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/winnt/ne-winnt-power_platform_role Here's How: 1 Open System Information (msinfo32.exe). 2 Select System Summary in the left pane. (see screenshots below) 3 You will now see the Platform Role in the right pane. That's it, Shawn Brink
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Use Classic Icons or Thumbnails on Alt+Tab in Windows 11
The tutorial no longer works starting with at least Windows 11 build 22000.856 and higher. You can press the Alt + Tab or Ctrl + Alt + Tab keys to switch between open windows in Windows 11. Pressing Alt+Tab will show open windows as thumbnails by default. You can also press and hold the right Alt key, press and release the left Alt key, and press Tab to have Alt+Tab show open windows as classic icons instead of thumbnails. This tutorial will show you how to always show classic icons or thumbnails on Alt+Tab by default for your account in Windows 10 and Windows 11. EXAMPLE: ALT+TAB showing classic icons and thumbnails (default) Here's How: 1 Do step 2 (classic icons) or step 3 (thumbnails) below for what you want. Use...
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Enable or Disable Secure Boot in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable Secure Boot on your Windows 10 and Windows 11 PC. Windows 11 minimum system requirements include your system to be UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) and Secure Boot capable. While the requirement to upgrade a Windows 10 device to Windows 11 is only that the PC be Secure Boot capable by having UEFI enabled, you may also consider enabling Secure Boot for better security. Secure Boot is an important security feature designed to prevent malicious software from loading when your PC starts up (boots). When the PC starts, the firmware checks the signature of each piece of boot software, including UEFI firmware drivers (also known as Option ROMs), EFI applications, and the...
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