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Hands-on with Phone Link Start Menu Companion: Why Does It Even Exist?
Abubakar Mohammed
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You can enable the Phone Link Start menu companion from Settings > Personalization > Start. Once enabled, the companion should appear when you launch the Start menu. It will show you quick shortcuts to messages, calls, and photos, alongside recent calls, messages, and photos.
You can test out Microsoft's new Windows CPC aka NXT OS on your PC. It's a stripped-down version of Windows and the shell is powered by Edge WebView.
Forget OCR Tools: Windows 11’s Photos App Now Lets You Copy Text from Images
Arjun Sha
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You can now copy text from images via the Photos app on Windows 11. You no longer need to rely on third-party tools. Just move to Windows 11 24H2 and update the Photos app via Microsoft Store.
Adminless Windows 11 is Coming; Here’s What It Means for Security on PCs
Arjun Sha
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Microsoft is working on an "Adminless" Windows 11 security feature aka "Administrator Protection" that will replace the UAC prompt with secure user authentication. Administrator rights will be temporarily granted, improving the security of Windows 11 PCs significantly.
If you find the "Learn About This Picture" icon annoying on your desktop, you can remove it through the Registry Editor. You can also change the wallpaper from your own collection to quickly hide the icon.
You can now buy Lunar Lake laptops. The new Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors offer great efficiency and performance, rivaling even ARM-based Snapdragon X Elite in terms of battery life. The cheapest Lunar Lake laptop is offered by Acer at $1199.
Here’s How to Access Android Phone Storage Directly in Windows 11 File Explorer
Arjun Sha
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You can now access your Android phone's storage directly in Windows 11 File Explorer. You just have to set up Phone Link and enable "Show mobile device in File Explorer" in Windows Settings. You can access all the directories and copy files even when your phone is locked.
The AppData folder, as the name suggests, stores application-specification files such as log data, settings, cached files, configuration files, and more. You can delete unnecessary files from the AppData folder to free up storage space on your PC.
Microsoft has introduced several AI features to Windows 11 with the 24H2 update. However, most of them are exclusive to Copilot+ PCs featuring an on-device NPU. You can access AI features like Recall, Image Creator in Photos, Generative Fill/Erase in Paint, AI in Windows Search, and more.
The Windows 11 24H2 update is finally here and it brings a number of AI features. However, most of them are exclusive to Copilot+ PCs. New AI features include Cocreator and Generative Fill/Erase in MS Paint, a new Copilot app, AI Super Resolution, Voice Clarity, and more.
Sagnik Das Gupta
Lenovo showcased its Auto Twist AI PC at the IFA 2024, and it has certainly grabbed the internet's attention. This strange laptop has a motorized twistable hinge backed by AI face tracking that is meant to follow you around to ensure that the display always faces you. In addition, it can also use voice commands to open and close its lid, or transform into tablet or laptop modes.
Intel's new Lunar Lake architecture is redesigned to offer best-in-class efficiency, outperforming even ARM chips. Intel has now packed the CPU, GPU, and NPU onto the Compute tile. And it's manufactured on TSMC's N3B process node. The CPU cores -- Lion Cove and Skymont -- have been enhanced dramatically for improved efficiency and performance. Intel has removed HyperThreading from its CPU after two decades. The new Lunar Lake NPU can perform up to 48 TOPS alone. And the integrated Xe2 GPU is 30% faster than Meteor Lake GPU at half the power.
You can now end tasks from the Windows 11 Taskbar. You don't have to open the Task Manager to do it. It's hidden under the Developer Settings page. Once enabled, you can kill any task from the Taskbar. That said, it doesn't work for Windows Explorer.
Intel's new Lunar Lake architecture is generating quite a buzz as the company moves to a mobile-first approach, emphasizing efficiency at every step. Intel is taking Qualcomm head-on to prove x86 chips can be as efficient as ARM-based SoCs. Intel has moved to TSMC's 3nm process node to manufacture its Compute tile and has added integrated memory directly on the SoC, similar to Apple Silicon. There are many such radical new changes Intel has opted for Lunar Lake. Go through our article to find all the key architectural changes.
If you are looking for a suitable alternative to Phone Link with rich features, check out Motorola's Smart Connect app. It's designed for Motorola and Lenovo phones, but it works great on other Android devices as well. You get phone mirroring, fast file transfer, the phone webcam feature, a cross-syncing smart clipboard, and more.
Phone Link Brings Quick File Transfer Between Windows 11 and Android; Here’s How It Works
Arjun Sha
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Phone Link has gained the ability to transfer files between Windows PCs and Android devices. And it's much more hassle-free than Google's Quick Share tool. You can simply click on "Share" in the Windows context menu and choose "Phone Link" to transfer a file. Make sure you have installed and set up the Link to Windows app on your Android phone.
New Windows 11 Recovery Tool Fixes Your PC Using OS Update, Not Installation Media
Arjun Sha
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Microsoft has come up with a seamless recovery tool that allows you to re-install Windows 11, in case you are facing any issues. This method doesn't delete your files, apps, and settings. Best of all, you don't need to create an installation media or tinker with partitions to perform re-installation
We have thoroughly benchmarked the Snapdragon X Elite processor on a variety of tests including Geekbench, Cinebench, 3DMark, Speedometer, and more. While the performance is top-notch, it draws more power than Apple M-series chipsets. But it's still much better than x86 processors when it comes to delivering performance at lower power. Go through our article to find all the benchmark numbers.
Microsoft doesn't allow users to easily remove Edge from PCs. We have, however, found a nifty way to uninstall Microsoft Edge from Windows 11 and 10 PCs. With a dedicated uninstaller program, you can permanently remove Edge and prevent it from reinstalling as well.
In case you are not aware, Microsoft has removed WordPad from Windows 11 24H2 and it won't be available in future builds too. You can, however, bring it back by downloading a small package. Many users love WordPad for the ability to open DOCX and RTF files quickly.
Snapdragon X Elite Reviews are Out: Solid Performance and Great Battery Life
Arjun Sha
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The embargo has finally lifted and many outlets have reviewed the Asus Vivobook S15, which is powered by the Snapdragon X Elite processor. As Qualcomm claimed, the Snapdragon X Elite chipset delivers great performance, matching the Apple M3 in multi-core tasks, and the battery life rivals the MacBook Air M3. The X Elite-powered PC delivers battery life up to 13 hours while performing everyday tasks.
The support window for Windows 10 is winding down so it's the best time to upgrade to Windows 11. Over the past few years, Windows 11 has gained substantial improvements in performance and security. Foreground app prioritization and faster boot process are some of the key improvements introduced on Windows 11. Hardware-based security features are also enabled by default. In addition, new AI features and experiences are coming to Windows 11.
I Tested an Open-Source Alternative to Windows Recall That Works on Any PC
Arjun Sha
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If you want to try out an alternative to Windows Recall, check out OpenRecall which is open-source and entirely free. It does all the processing locally and works on any x86 PC without an NPU. Keep in mind, the local vector database is not encrypted so that might be a major security concern.
If you are facing the PcaWallpaperAppDetect (PcaSvc.dll) error on Windows 11 version 24H2, you are not alone. The error is caused due to a scheduled task. You can simply delete the task by following our guide and you are good to go.
Apple's M4 chipset is clocked at a mighty 4.4GHz frequency and it delivers unrivaled performance and efficiency. In comparison to the Snapdragon X Elite's top variant, the M4 has a 23% lead in single-core CPU performance while drawing much less power. And the 10-core M4 GPU outperforms Snapdragon's 6-core Adreno GPU handily. That said, Qualcomm makes a comeback in NPU performance, outranking Apple's 16-core Neural Engine.
A new tool called Winpilot lets you disable all types of ads on Windows 11 with a single click. The tool uses PowerShell scripts and Registry keys to modify key settings which disable the ads on Windows 11. The tool is free to use and works quite well. You can also use it to debloat your computer.
Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus: What’s the Difference, SKUs, and Benchmarks
Arjun Sha
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Qualcomm is all set to redefine the PC ecosystem with its Snapdragon X series lineup. There are a total of four chipsets: three are from the Snapdragon X Elite platform and one is from the Snapdragon X Plus platform. The top-tier Elite variant, X1E-84-100, offers a dual-core boost up to 4.2GHz. The Plus variant offers multithreaded frequency up to 3.4GHz. The Adreno GPU can perform up to 4.6 TFLOPs on the top-end variant, but the rest of the lineup offers performance up to 3.8 TFLOPs. That said, the Hexagon NPU is the same across all chipsets, which delivers performance up to 45 TOPS.
Microsoft is now pushing ads in the Windows 11 Start Menu with the April 2024 optional update. If you are seeing promotional ads in the Start Menu, you can disable it from Windows Settings.
Safe mode can help you troubleshoot issues with Windows. There are five widely known ways to get into secure boot — click Restart while holding the Shift key, using Settings, using the Command line, forcing Windows into the recovery settings, and using the System Configuration tool. Once into advanced options, you'll need to go to Troubleshoot > Startup Setting > press F4 to boot into Safe mode.
In the build-up to the launch of Snapdragon X Elite, we take a look at the x86 architecture, and how different is the ARM architecture. Can the Snapdragon X Elite fix poor battery life and thermal performance, mostly seen on Windows laptops? We tackle all these questions and try to understand the future of ARM-based PCs.
If you use a Windows laptop, you should enable the hibernate mode on Windows 11. It allows you to save your current session and quickly resume the session with all your open apps and files. Hibernation consumes almost no power, as it completely switches off the PC, saving the current state of the session. You can enable it from the Control Panel, Command Prompt, or Registry Editor.
Satyam Kumar
Enabling Local Group Policy Editor on Windows 11 Home is possible. Even though Microsoft only includes gpedit.msc for Windows 11 Pro, with the utility made available to download will help you enable Group Policy Editor on a non-Pro Edition of Windows. You simply download the utility, run two files (one being ".exe" setup and the other being a ".bat" file) to install various components. After that, gpedit.msc not found error gets fixed. There are also some troubleshooting steps that we have talked in case the user still cannot launch gpedit.msc after the tutorial.
Microsoft is slowly adding new features to Copilot on Windows 11. Copilot has finally received the file upload capability on Windows 11. You can upload a range of documents including PDF, DOC, XLS, PPT, TXT, and more. Copilot seamlessly ingests the documents and answers from the provided document accurately. From analyzing financial sheets to summarizing PDFs and understanding private code documentation, the feature can be immensely helpful to all kinds of users.
Microsoft has finally brought the ability to use your phone as a high-quality webcam on Windows 11. The feature is currently available to Windows Insiders only, but it's coming to all users in the next few months. I tried the connected camera feature and was impressed with the streaming quality. Although the streaming is being done remotely, there were no lags or stutters in the video preview. You can use your phone as a webcam in any video conferencing app or within a browser too.
The new Sticky Notes app, integrated with OneNote, is a great tool for users who are looking for a solid note-taking app for Windows 11 and 10. You can dock it on the desktop for permanent visibility, capture screenshots with the source link, color code notes, press the hotkey to quickly open it anywhere in the system, and more. Best of all, you can sync all your desktop notes with your smartphone as well. You can get the new app by joining the Microsoft 365 Insider program in the Beta channel.
Rather unsurprisingly, Microsoft decided to disable the classic "Show desktop" button on Windows 11 to give space for Copilot. This has irked many Windows users who want to instantly declutter everything on screen through the button. If the "Show desktop" button is missing from the Windows 11 Taskbar on your PC, do not worry. You can enable it right away from Taskbar Settings -> Taskbar behaviors -> turn on "Select the far corner of the taskbar to show the desktop" option.
Adjusting the brightness on your Windows 10 computer is an easy task. There are several way to go about the same and some of the most common ones include using the keyboard shortcuts, navigating the UI, and going to settings to adjust the brightness in Windows 10. Besides, if you use a PC, you can use your monitor buttons to increase or decrease the brightness on Windows 10.
PowerShell is used by developers and general users alike to automate tasks on Windows 10 and 11. You can use a simple text editor like Notepad to create a PowerShell script. However, for advanced users, PowerShell ISE is recommended as it offers an integrated scripting environment. You can also run the scripts from the GUI interface or from the PowerShell or Terminal window. Bear in mind that you need to change the execution policy to "RemoteSigned" in order to run a local script.
Finding the Windows version on Windows 11 and 10 is quite easy and straightforward. You can open Windows Settings and move to System -> About to find the OS build, edition, and version. Apart from that, enter "winver" in the Run dialog box to view the Windows version details. And if you are interested in using Command Prompt or Powershell to check the Windows version, you can do that too.
Earlier, third-party Android emulators like BlueStacks and Gameloop used to rule the roost, but with the introduction of Google Play Games on PC and Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) by Google and Microsoft, things have changed for better. With better optimization from Google and app developers, Android apps run much better on Windows 10 and 11 PCs. Particularly, Google Play Games on PC consumes less memory and offers better performance. However, you can use WSA to use any Android app on your Windows 11 PC. You can also explore other emulators such as LDPlayer, MEmu Play, and Nox Player.
You can search for a multitude of apps in Windows Package Manager using the Winget command-line tool. With the "winget search appname" command, you can search for apps and install them instantly. The best part is that it also lists apps from Microsoft Store, besides the Winget repository.
The Windows Package Manager (also known as Winget) is a nifty tool to search, install, upgrade, and remove packages on Windows 10 and 11. You can enable Winget on Windows 10 and 11 by installing App Installer from the Microsoft Store. Luckily, Windows 11 users have Winget pre-installed on their system. We have also added some helpful Winget commands for you to try the command line tool.