Microsoft Tips, Tricks & Info
2024FEB13
Table of Contents / Source:
Microsoft's official PC Cleaner app is now on the Microsoft Store - and makes big promises about speeding up your PC for free
Microsoft is making its powerful clean up tool PC Cleaner easier to install by adding it to the Microsoft Store (which is built-in to Windows 11) - and it could be a handy tool for speeding up your computer and fixing issues.
Further reading:
- Microsoft's PC Manager app is now widely available to free up your system resources - xdadevelopers.com
- Two years isn't a long time to wait for this 4.5-star-rated app that lets you boost the performance of your Windows 11 PC - windowscentral.com
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How to Clean Install Windows 11
Considering an upgrade to Windows 11? You can upgrade directly through Windows 10, but you might prefer a clean Windows 11 install to start with a fresh OS. Or you might want to install Windows 11 on a different device entirely. Whatever your reasons, it's easy to install Windows 11.
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Why 16GB of RAM Is the New Standard for Windows PCs
Microsoft wants to bump up the baseline for RAM in PCs. But are its claims legitimate, or is it a ploy to sell more hardware?
Further reading:
- How to tell if you can upgrade a laptop's RAM - xdadevelopers.com
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Windows 11: Release date, price, and everything that's new
Since its original release, Windows 11 itself has seen a fair number of changes, with big updates like version 22H2 and version 23H2. It's an always-evolving operating system, and that means it's a good idea to keep up with what's being added over time.
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Windows 11 will soon no longer boot on PCs that are too old to boot it anyway
PCs with very old CPUs are going to be in for a rough time this fall when the next version of Windows 11 rolls around, as version 24H2 will be the first to no longer boot on CPUs without the POPCNT (population count) instruction. This means PCs that are over 15 years old and couldn't officially run Windows 11 before now definitely won't be able to.
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The iTunes app in Windows 11 has been replaced with four new apps that’ll make life a whole lot easier for iPhone users with Windows PCs
The iTunes for Windows app has just received a sweeping overhaul. The app has now been split into four different entities: an iCloud app, Apple Music, Apple TV and a new Devices app. These new apps offer a refreshed onboarding and set-up experience, aesthetic improvements and a more intuitive syncing process that’ll make downloading your iCloud content to your PC much easier.
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How to use Image Creator from Microsoft Designer (formerly Bing Image Creator)
It's free, there's no waitlist, and you don't even need to use Edge to access it. Here's everything else you need to know to get started using Microsoft's AI art generator.
Further reading:
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How to stop spam emails in Outlook, Gmail, and more
In this guide, we’ll show you how to use filters, blocking, and spam reporting features to help stop spam from invading your inbox. We’ll also go over a few more tips on how to reduce unwanted messages overall.
Further reading:
- Google and Yahoo have changed their policy, here's what you need to know and what to do - techradar.com
- How to Create Gmail Filters to Easily Organize Your Inbox - makeuseof.com
- 5 email management tips to keep Gmail chaos out of your life - popsci.com
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Windows 11 is losing Mail and Calendar apps - so you'll have to use Outlook whether you like it or not
Microsoft has set a date to remove the Mail and Calendar applications at the end of the year from Windows 11, as well as dropping the apps from the Microsoft store. The company will also stop putting out updates or support once the year is out. So, if you haven’t moved over to Outlook, you’ve got until December 31, 2024 to do so.
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Android 14's flash notifications are great for accessibility — but that's not all
In a world where staying connected is as crucial as your morning coffee, Android 14 is the shining armor for all things notification-related. In addition to features like improved battery life and predictive back gestures, Android sprinkled some notification magic and added flash notifications to this update.
Further reading:
- Android 14: The complete guide to Google's new release - androidpolice.com
