Windows 11
Windows 11 | News, how-tos, features, reviews, and videos
12 classic but essential (and free!) utilities for Windows 10 and 11
Boost your computer’s performance, find anything on it, and perform other useful tricks with these free tools.
No, Microsoft, don’t require an account to set up Windows 11
A recent preview build of Windows 11 makes an unwelcome change: it mandates a Microsoft account when installing even Windows 11 Professional. But not everyone wants or needs an account.
The Windows 11 feedback loop — what do users want most?
Microsoft says it wants users to weigh in with requests, suggestions, and advice using the built-in Feedback hub. But is that any way to really get Microsoft’s attention?
Workarounds for 4 tasks Windows 11 makes harder
Windows 11 may be prettier to look at than Windows 10, but some tasks have become more difficult. Try these tweaks to get around some impediments that Microsoft introduced in Windows 11.
Research shows Windows updates can take six hours to complete
Devices running Windows 10 and 11 can take up to six hours to fully download and apply software updates, but most will update in under an hour, according to a new report from Microsoft.
The Windows 11 ‘push,’ revisited
Some users still complain that their PCs are being unexpectedly upgraded to Windows 11 without their consent. It’s hard to know exactly what’s going on, but there are ways to avoid the move.
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The basics of patching and repairing balky Windows PCs
When your Windows machine starts acting up, there are some simple ways to get things back on track.
Windows 11 and Android: Rethinking the PC-phone connection
Could the integration of Windows 11 and Android apps lead to disruption for both platforms? We may soon find out.
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How to keep your apps up to date in Windows 10 and 11
With dozens of applications installed on the typical Windows PC, keeping them all updated seems like a Herculean task. Automated tools can lighten the load considerably.
How to handle Windows 10 and 11 updates
You can significantly delay some Windows updates, temporarily pause others, control what time of day they’re installed, uninstall problematic updates, and more. Here’s how.
Patch Tuesday gets off to a busy start for January
For the first Patch Tuesday of 2022, Microsoft offered up fixes for 97 security issues, with six of them rated as critical.
Microsoft touts first PCs to ship natively with secure Pluton chip
Along with thwarting malware, the Pluton chip handles BitLocker, Windows Hello, and System Guard and might help prevent physical insider attacks. The technology is also being used in Azure Sphere in the cloud.
Windows security in ’22 — you need more than just antivirus software
Antivirus software is useful, but sometimes can cause more trouble than it's worth. To be really secure, Windows users have to do more.
How to manually update Microsoft Defender
It’s imperative to keep Microsoft Defender up to date even when Windows Update isn’t working. Here are several methods to manually update Defender.
New Windows 11 device? Want to downgrade to 10? You've got options
If you wound up with a new Windows 11 laptop or desktop over the holidays, but want to run Windows 10 anyway, there are ways to make that happen.
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Patching isn't enough for December's Patch Tuesday
With 67 flaws addressed, six publicly-reported issues and one vulnerability already exploited, this month's updates pale in comparison to the challenges addressing the Log4j issue.
Microsoft cheat sheets: Dive into Windows and Office apps
These guides will help you find your way around several generations of Microsoft’s Office apps for Windows — and Windows itself.
After a rocky year for patching, a look ahead to ‘22
If 2021 was all about ongoing patch issues with Windows 10 — and the arrival of Windows 11 — 2022 might be the year those issues become at least manageable.
