Same as in Windows 10, Windows 11 also features a lock screen. IN this lock screen by default, you will see a clock and date above the standard Windows 11 background. Not all users will be happy with this choice but do not worry, you can choose and customize your lock screen to better suit your idea of it.
To personalize the lock screen do:
Right-click on Desktop and select Personalize
Click on the lock screen
Choose one of three options and customize it
Personalize Your Lock Screen
this option will let you set a custom image or slideshow for your lock screen. Choose either one that best suits you. Under selecting picture or pictures for the slide show you can uncheck the option to see tips, tricks, and facts on your lock screen.
Lock screen status
when clicking on this option you can select the application widget that you wish to be shown on the lock screen like weather, mail, calendar, etc. Choose if you would like one by clicking on it.
Show the lock screen background picture on the sign-in screen
as self-explanatory this switch will enable or disable chosen lock screen wallpaper on your login credentials screen.
Close settings
All settings will be automatically saved and applied and when you wish to lock the screen easiest way is to press ⊞ WINDOWS + L shortcut on your keyboard.
If you have multiple keyboards, things can get quite tricky. There are times when the keyboard language changes on its own since the keyboard changes while you are typing. The thing is, the keyboard changes because sometimes we accidentally tap shortcuts like Win key + Space key or Alt + Shift or Ctrl + Shift which changes the keyboard pairs or language. Thus, if your keyboard language changes on its own, there are two ways to resolve it. First, you have to make sure that Windows 10 does not add keyboards without your permission. Second, you have to make sure that the shortcut keys don’t change the keyboard language. This second option is what we’re going to discuss in this post.
You need to first set a different input method for each app window. To do that, you have to disable the change in layout. Refer to these steps:
Go to Settings > Language and input.
Next, type “switching input methods” to open the Advanced keyboard settings with this option inside.
After that, select the checkbox labeled as “Let me set a different input method for each app window” and then click the Save button.
Restart your computer.
Now that you’ve disabled the change in layout, you now have to find the keyboard settings. Just go to Settings > Devices > Typing > Advanced Keyboard settings. From there, you have the option to select which keyboard is going to be used for any app. When you change the keyboard every time you use an app, usually, Windows remember it so that you won’t have to set it up all over again. In addition, the Advanced keyboard settings page also allows you to override the default input method which could be different from the first one in your language list. Aside from that, there is also a Language bar option that comes in handy as you can quickly switch between keyboards. And if you removed it, you have the option to restore the language bar back as well.
Now all that’s left for you to do is to change the Language Settings under the Administrative tab. A user from a forum that came up with this solution, reported that the issue occurred when he started typing in some program with non-Unicode characters which caused Windows to use the default system local language to interpret these characters even though the language is unavailable in the Language bar. To change the Language Settings under the Administrative tab, follow these steps:
Go to Settings > Time and Language > Language > Administrative language settings.
After that, click on Copy Settings under the Administrative tab.
Now make sure that all the Display language, Input language, and Format are English (United States) or any language you prefer.
Then mark the two checkboxes in “Copy your current settings to Welcome screen and system accounts & New user accounts”.
After that, click OK and then exit.
Note: You also have the option to disable those shortcut combinations which can change your keyboard settings accidentally.
As you know, each one of the Windows 10 versions is priced differently and one of the considered more expensive compared to the Windows 10 Home version is the Windows10 Pro. The good thing is, Microsoft allows its users to upgrade from the Windows 10 Home version to the Windows 10 Pro version at a reasonable cost instead of buying the entire license again.
However, upgrading your Windows 10 computer is not always that easy and you might encounter some errors along the way. One of the reported errors you could encounter is an error message that says, “Something happened, and we couldn’t start the upgrade”. This kind of problem is due to the problems with the Microsoft Store or the key authorization and to fix it, there are several options you can check out. You can try to run the built-in troubleshooters such as the Windows Update troubleshooter, Windows Store Apps troubleshooter, or Microsoft Accounts troubleshooter. You could also try to reset the Windows Store cache or re-register the Windows Store app. For more details, refer to each one of the given options below.
Option 1 – Try to run the Microsoft Accounts troubleshooter
Since the Microsoft Accounts troubleshooter is not built-in into the Windows operating system, you can download this troubleshooter by clicking on this link.
Option 2 – Try running the Windows Update Troubleshooter
Running the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter could also help you resolve the “Something happened, and we couldn’t start the upgrade” error. To run it, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.
Option 3 – Run the Windows Store App troubleshooter
The Windows 10 Store Apps Troubleshooter will help you in fixing the problem in Microsoft Store. This is a great built-in tool from Microsoft that helps users fix any app issues. To use the Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter, follow the steps below.
Tap Win + I keys again to open the Windows Settings panel.
Go to Update & Security and then go to Troubleshoot.
Under the Troubleshoot section, on your left-hand side, scroll down to find Window Store Apps.
Then click on the Run the troubleshooter option and follow the on-screen instructions and then see if it fixes the problem.
Option 4 – Try to reset the Microsoft Store cache
As you know, like any other apps, Microsoft Store also caches as you view apps and games so it is most likely that the cache is no longer valid and must be removed. To do so, follow the steps below.
Right-click on the start button and click on Command Prompt (administrator).
Next, type in the command, “wsreset.exe” and tap Enter. Once you do, the command will clear the cache for the Windows Store app.
Now restart your PC and afterward, try opening Microsoft Store again and then try to install your app or update your computer again.
Option 5 – Try to re-register the Microsoft Store app via Windows PowerShell
Tap the Win + X key combination or right-click on the Start button and click on the Windows PowerShell (Admin) option.
If a User Account Control or UAC prompt appears, just click on Yes to proceed and open the Windows PowerShell window.
Next, type in or copy-paste the following command to re-register the Microsoft Store app and tap Enter:
Although there are several Windows 10 devices that are touchscreen-based, the mouse still remains to be an important part of usage for many users especially the ones who do some hardcore work on their Windows 10 computers or laptops. If you’re one of the users who often edit images or videos either for fun or work, using Touch is difficult as it’s a bit hard to drag on the screen so nothing really beats the mouse. However, as awesome as the mouse is, there are times when you encounter issues while using it. One of these issues is when your mouse pointer lags or freezes so in this post, you can try out a few tips that can help you resolve the issue.
Option 1 – Clean both the mouse and the mousepad
It might sound silly but it is a fact that either the mouse or the mouse pad themselves is the problem. Even though mouse balls are long gone, the laser lights that replaced them are not immune to some dirt which is why you need to clean the bottom of the mouse and then clean the mouse pad afterward.
Option 2 – Try changing the USB port
This is another basic thing you can do to resolve the problem since there are instances when USB ports where either your mouse is connected have gone rogue so you need to try switching to a different port and then see if the problem’s fixed or not.
Option 3 – Switch back to the default settings of the mouse
Switching your mouse back to its default setting is always a good idea since you are dealing with a pointer issue. To go back to the default settings of the mouse, here’s what you have to do:
Click on Mouse and Touchpad.
Next, click on Additional Mouse Settings located in the right pane.
After that, click on the “Use Default” option under the Pointer tab.
Then click on Apply and OK to save the changes made.
Option 4 – Try disabling Smooth Scrolling
You have to slow down both the horizontal and the vertical scrolling of the mouse in the settings which are called “Smooth scrolling”. This will help if you think that the websites you are visiting scroll up and down way too fast.
Option 5 – Try to update or rollback mouse drivers
If the first few options didn’t work for you, then it’s time to either update or roll back the mouse drivers. It is most likely that after you updated your Windows computer that your driver also needs a refresh. On the other hand, if you have just updated the mouse driver then you need to roll back the driver. Whichever applies to you, refer to the steps below.
The problem may be caused by a corrupted or outdated driver. So you have to update or reinstall the mouse driver. How? Follow these steps:
Open the Devices Manager from the Win X Menu.
Then locate the Mouse and other pointing devices and right-click on the mouse driver to open the Properties.
After that, switch to the Driver tab and click on the Uninstall Device button.
Follow the screen option to completely uninstall it.
Finally, disconnect the mouse and plug it back in to reinstall the mouse driver.
Note: You can install a dedicated driver on your computer in case you have it or you could also look for it directly from the website of the manufacturer.
Option 6 – Try to check if your laptop is turning off the mouse
In case you don’t know, the power management can turn off the devices that are not in use to save battery power if you use a laptop. And this can also happen on USB-based devices like the mouse. Thus, you need to verify if your laptop is turning off the mouse.
Go to Device Manager > Universal serial bus controllers > USB Root Hub > Power Management.
After opening Power Management, uncheck the “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” option.
If you have lots of USB Root hubs, you can try changing each one of them and see if it works or not.
Option 7 – Try updating the Graphics Drivers
Tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
Type in devmgmt.msc into the box and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
After that, a list of device drivers will be displayed. If you see a red or yellow sign that shows up against the driver, right-click on the driver’s name and select “Update Driver Software” or “Uninstall”. And if you find any “Unknown device”, you need to update it as well.
Select the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option and then follow the instructions to complete the process.
Restart your PC.
Note: You also have the option to go directly to the website of your graphics card manufacturer and check if there’s a new update – if there is, download it.
Option 8 – Try setting the No Delay option for Touchpad
If you are using a laptop that’s touchscreen-based, you can try setting the delay to zero in the settings. To do so, simply go to Settings > Devices > Mouse and Touchpad. From there, you can set the delay before clicks to “No Delay”.
Error code 10 is a type of Window Device Manager error code. This error code is generated when the Device Manager can’t start the hardware device or is experiencing device driver issues. It is displayed in the following format:
"This device cannot start. (Code 10)"
You can access complete details about error codes related to Device Manager such as code 10 through the Device Status area in the Device Properties.
By accessing Device Status, you can easily view the status of each device and learn about the specific device that could be causing the problem.
Solution
Error Causes
Error code 10 can be triggered due to several reasons. These include:
Outdated drivers
Corrupted drivers
Incompatible drivers
Device configuration issues
Hardware compatibility problems
Device driver corruption can cause you great inconvenience and PC performance issues. The computer’s operating system relies heavily on device drivers to communicate with the hardware.
For example, the printer driver facilitates functioning of the printer. Similarly, the graphic card driver ensures proper video output on the monitor screen.
However, your PC hardware, such as printer or keyboard, may stop functioning properly if their device drivers become outdated or corrupt. Therefore to avoid inconvenience and to ensure your PC works properly, it is important to resolve the problem immediately without any delay.
Further Information and Manual Repair
To repair error code 10, you don’t have to be a technical whiz or hire a professional computer programmer. Here are some of the best and easy to perform DIY methods that can help you fix this device error in no time.
Method 1 - Reboot Your PC
Sometimes temporary problems in Device Manager can also generate code 10 error. Therefore it is advisable to restart your PC. Rebooting your system might fix the error. Try it! If it does, great, however, if the error still persists, then try other methods listed below.
Method 2 - Reinstall Drivers
Go through the Device Status in the Device Properties to view the driver causing the problem. If any driver is tagged with a yellow exclamation point, it means that driver is the one causing problems. Once identified, uninstall that driver and then reinstall it. This will hopefully resolve the problem.
Method 3 - Update the Device Driver
Whether the error code 10 is generated due to incompatible, corrupted, or outdated device drivers, simply update the device driver to resolve. To update the driver, go to the Device Manager, then click the driver tab in the device properties dialog box.
After that, click update driver. This will start the hardware update wizard. Then follow the instructions to update the driver on your PC. During this process, you may be prompted to provide the driver path.
If you don’t have it, then you will have to download the latest driver from the hardware vendor’s official website. This can be time-consuming and stressful.
Method 4 - Install DriverFIX
Another alternative is to install DriverFIX. It is a user-friendly device driver management software with an intuitive interface.
Its intelligent algorithm is designed to detect all the problematic drivers in seconds. It automatically updates and accurately installs appropriate drivers and ensures your PC runs at its optimum level in no time.
Click here to download DriverFIX on your system to resolve error code 10.
This post will guide you in fixing the error 0x80070103 when installing Windows Update. According to users who encountered this problem, Windows Update (WU) fails to install several different updates. This kind of Windows Update error is can mostly be seen in the Windows Update screen inside the update reports although it is also known to occur when a user attempts to install a peripheral driver – only if the Windows Update offers to update the driver through a prompt and when you click Yes.
There are several possible causes for this error, it could be that Windows Update is trying to install a particular driver for the second time already which happens when it gets confused by an additional piece of identical hardware like the graphics adapter. Aside from that, the Windows Update might have already installed the driver which is known to occur with unsuitable versions of the already installed driver. In addition, the error could also be due to a third-party program interference like a security program or a utility program that is using the same driver and conflicts with the Windows Update.
Here are some suggestions that might help in fixing the Windows Update error 0x80070103.
Option 1 – Install the updates in a Clean Boot State
You might want to try putting your computer in a Clean Boot state and then install Windows Updates again without any trouble. During this state, you can start the system with a minimum number of drivers and startup programs that will surely help you in isolating the root cause of the issue.
Log onto your PC as an administrator.
Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
Click Disable all.
Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
After that, try to install the Windows Updates or upgrade again.
Option 2 – Try installing the failing driver without using Windows Update
If installing the updates in a clean boot state didn’t help, you can try a manual approach to yield much better results using the Device Manager or by downloading the driver from the manufacturer’s website manually.
Tap the Win + R keys to launch Run.
Type in msc into the box and tap Enter or click OK to open the Device Manager.
After that, a list of device drivers will be displayed. Look for the device driver you and then select either “Update driver” or “Uninstall device”. And if you find any “Unknown device”, you need to update it as well.
Select the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option and then follow the instructions to complete the process.
If you have chosen to uninstall the driver, follow the screen options to complete the process and then restart your PC.
Note: You also have the option to go directly to the website of your device driver manufacturer and go to the section called Drivers then check if there’s a new available update – if there is, download and install it.
Option 3 – Try to run the Windows Update Troubleshooter
You might also want to run the built-in Windows Update Troubleshooter in Windows that could help you in resolving the Windows Update error 0x80070103. All you have to do is go to Settings > Update& security > Troubleshoot > Windows Update. From there, click on the Run the troubleshooter button and follow the next one-screen instructions that appear. After that, restart your computer and check if the error is now fixed or not by trying to install the update once again.
Drwtsn32.exe (DrWatson Postmortem Debugger) is a process file from Microsoft Corporation that runs on Microsoft Windows Operating System. This file is digitally signed from Microsoft Windows Component Publisher- Microsoft Timestamping Service.
This file is a type of executable file. It is useful to debug and creates log files when an error occurs during running or program execution.
The information logged by DrWatson is used by technical support personnel to diagnose a program error for a computer running Windows. It creates log files in the following location C:Documents and SettingsAll UsersApplication DataMicrosoftDr Watson.
However, when using Internet Explorer, MS Outlook or any other application on Windows, you can experience drwtsn32.exe application error. This error occurs when the drwtsn32.exe file crashes. The error is displayed as:
“DrWatson Postmortem Debugger has encountered a problem and needs to close”"drwtsn32.exe - DLL Initialization Failed" when shutting down
Solution
Error Causes
The ultimate reason behind ‘drwtsn32.exe application error’ is malware and viral infection.
Malicious software can enter your PC through downloaded files , browsing on unsafe websites and phishing emails. These viruses can disguise themselves as DrWatson utility. Plus theymay have the same name as this process.
However, the best way to detect if it is a virus is to track its location. Malicious software will usually hide in some other location instead of its standard location.
However, other reasons for this error also include incompatible software and damaged system files.
Further Information and Manual Repair
a) Scan PC with an Anti-Virus
It is advisable to repair this issue right away especially if the underlying cause is a viral infection typically because viruses can expose you to privacy errors and risks such as cybercrime, identity theft, and data security issues.
To resolve it, download a powerful antivirus. Scan your PC with it and remove all the viruses immediately. However, when doing so, you may have to compromise PC performance and halt other PC activities. Anti-viruses are notorious for slowing down PC speed.
In addition to this, sometimes you may have to stop other activities on your PC for the antivirus to scan for viruses.
b) Repair Registry Errors with Restoro
Nonetheless, if the drwtsn32.exe application error is related to system file corruption, then this indicates registry issues where all the system data is stored.
Registry issues occur if you don’t maintain your PC properly and let invalid, wasted and obsolete files accumulate on your PC. This damages and corrupts the system files and generates such error messages. To repair it, download a registry cleaner.
However, the best alternative to resolve drwtsn32.exe application error in seconds whether the error is linked to registry issues or viral infection is to download Restoro.
This is a multi functional PC fixer embedded with multiple utilities including a powerful antivirus, a registry cleaner and a system optimizer.
It wipes out all the unnecessary files stored in the registry, repairs the damaged and corrupt system files and restores the registry. With the help of the antivirus, all privacy errors and viruses are scanned on your PC and removed immediately.
And to ensure your system’s speed is not compromised, it also functions as a system optimizer and increases your PC’s speed significantly.
The software is safe and efficient. It has simple navigations and a user-friendly interface which makes it very easy for all levels of users to work around. It is compatible with all Windows versions.
Click here to download Restoro and resolve drwtsn32.exe application error today!
If you are trying to run or starting a program on your Windows 10 computer and you suddenly get an error message saying, “Error 1061 The service cannot accept control messages at this time”, read on as this post will show you what you can do to fix the problem.
This kind of error pops up since the Application Information Service does not respond to the requests to raise applications to Administrator in Windows 10 like the Task Manager, Service updates, and so on. Thus, you won’t be able to run or open apps and will only get stuck with this error.
The “Error 1061 The service cannot accept control messages at this time” message is a type of network error that typically occurs when there is a temporary mismatch between the requested control and the state of the service to be controlled. It’s most likely that the service is in a state of start-pending, stop-pending, stopped or it may already be used by another user which explains why this error message suddenly appears.
You can encounter this error message on any Windows operation. Here are some of the most common occurrences:
Debugging a Windows service
Starting Task Manager
Starting Registry Editor
Starting Firewall
Starting services.msc
Starting dsm.exe
Updating services
Asking for file permissions, etc.
According to Microsoft MSDN, the error occurs because:
“There is a temporary mismatch between the requested control and the state of the service to be controlled. The service may be in a state of start-pending, stop-pending, or stopped. Wait a few minutes, then retry your operation.”
If after a few minutes, the error still appears, then you may have to follow the options prepared below.
Option 1 – Try to restart the Credential Manager Service
Go to the Start menu.
Then type in “services” in the search box.
From the search results, right-click on “Services” and select the “Run as Administrator” option.
Next, look for the Credential Manager Service in the Services window.
Once you found it, double-click on it to open its Properties. From there, you need to click on the Stop button.
After that, set the Credential Manager Service to “Automatic” and click on the Start button to restart it.
Option 2 – Try to start the Application Information Service
You can also try starting the Application Information Service to fix the “Error 1061 The service cannot accept control messages at this time”. Just open the Windows Services Manager and make sure that Application Information Service is Started. And if you find that it’s already started, you need to restart it.
Option 3 – Try killing the IIS Worker Process via Task Manager
Tap the Ctrl + Alt + Del keys and select the Task Manager.
Next, click on More details to expand the Task Manager and then look for the IIS Worker Process entry which should be displayed in the list under the Processes tab. From there, you can see it in the Background processes. Once you find it, kill its process.
You can also try to look for the “w3wp.exe” entries and end its process. if you find many entries, right-click on some of them and select the End task option from the context menu.
The Windows Subsystem for Linus, also known as WSL, is a useful and excellent tool for developers. However, it isn’t without flaws as users can still encounter some errors when using it. One of these errors is the error code WslRegisterDistribution, 0x8007019e,0x8000000d. Although it seems like the error is have something to do with the installation of WSL, it could be a false positive since some users who’ve installed WSL still encountered the same problem. Here’s the context of the error:
“Installing, this may take a few minutes…WslRegisterDistribution failed with error: 0x8007019e/0x8000000dError: 0x8007019e/0x8000000d The parameter is incorrect.Press any key to continue.”
Error code 0x8007019e or 0x8000000d could be due to the absence of supporting Windows 10 features since the error does not even let one use the WSL-based command line. If you are one of the users facing this problem, then you’ve come to the right place as this post will provide you with a couple of suggestions to fix it.
There are two options you can check out to fix the problem, but before you do that, you need to make sure that the Windows Subsystem for Linux feature is enabled. The two options include enabling WSL using the “Turn Windows features on or off” option and using the Windows PowerShell.
Option 1 – Try to enable the WSL using the “Turn Windows features on or off” option
To get started, search for “Turn Windows Features on or off” in the Start Search and click on the appropriate result to open a dialog box.
After that, you will see a populated list in the dialog box and from there, look for the “Windows Subsystem for Linux” option.
Once you find it, select OK. This will search and install the system files needed and ask you to restart your computer.
Restart your computer. The Linux distro should now work without any trouble.
Option 2 – Try to use Windows PowerShell
The next thing you can do to fix the error code 0x8007019e or 0x8000000d is to use Windows PowerShell.
Tap the Win + X keys and click on the “Windows PowerShell (Admin)” option to open Windows PowerShell as admin.
After that, execute this command to enable the Windows Subsystem for Linux feature: Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux
The command you entered will start to search for the required system files and install them.
If prompted, type “Y” to restart your computer. This should fix the problem.
One of the selling points of Windows 11 was the ability to run Android apps natively in it without the need for any third-party software. It is not a big surprise that even after its release Microsoft is evolving and expanding Windows 11 and its features.
Microsoft is now rolling out an update for the Windows Subsystem for Android on the Dev Channel of the Windows Insiders program. The new version upgrades the core operating system from Android 11 to Android 12.1 (also known as Android 12L), which means the new system and app features in Android 12 and 12.1 are now available on Windows for the first time. However, not the new features in those updates apply to the modified version that runs on top of Windows. For example, one of the main improvements in 12.1 was a dual-pane notification panel for larger screens, but Android app notifications on Windows just show up in the Windows notification panel.
The upgrade also improves how Android apps integrate into Windows. The Windows taskbar will now show which Android apps are currently using the microphone, location, and other system services — similar to many native Windows applications. Toasts messages (the small popups that some apps use for temporary messages) are now displayed as Windows notifications, and the titlebar on Android apps will use the current activity name for the title.
Full changelog
Windows Subsystem for Android updated to Android 12.1
Advanced networking on by default for newer x64 Windows builds
Updated Windows Subsystem for Android Settings app: redesigned UX and diagnostics data viewer added
Simpleperf CPU profiler recording now works with Windows Subsystem for Android
Windows taskbar now shows which Android apps are using microphone and location
Improvements to Android app notifications appearing as Windows notifications
Reduced flicker when apps are restored from minimized state
Apps are not restarted when devices come out of connected standby on recent Windows builds
New video hardware decoding (VP8 and VP9)
Fixes for on-screen keyboard in apps
Fixes for full-screen Android apps and auto-hidden Windows taskbar
Windows Subsystem for Android updated with Chromium WebView 100
Added support for Android NetworkLocationProvider in addition to GpsLocationProvider
Improved general stability, performance, and reliability
The new update is limited to Windows Insiders for now, but once Microsoft fixes all the bugs, it should start rolling out to everyone on Windows 11 that has the Android Subsystem enabled.
Finally upgraded to Microsoft’s newest OS, but the performance is a bit sluggish? Here are a few useful tips you may not have thought about that could significantly transform your experience!
How to speed up Windows 11?
1. Disable startup programs
There are many programs that launch right on startup that really aren’t essential. This, in turn, causes your PC to launch and run more slowly.
To check which programs are enabled on startup, go into the Task Manager and select the Startup tab. Find every program that doesn’t need to launch immediately, right-click on it and press ‘Disable’.
This will not shut down the program in that instant. It’ll just prevent it from running automatically as you turn on your PC. You can always launch it manually when you need it.
2. Expand your memory and storage
If you want your PC to run super smoothly, you need to have enough memory to support that. This is especially significant for those of you who love to multitask. Upgrading your RAM gives your PC more space to store the temporary data it needs to complete processing tasks. In other words, processing takes a lot less time.
Your long-term storage is equally important. Hopefully at this point you’re already using SSD over HDD, since this type of storage offers a faster boot time.
Credit: Marc Pezin on Unsplash
In any case, we recommend expanding your storage capacity. The more files and data you store, the more there is to load, significantly influencing your PC’s speed. Larger storage capacity means new data and essential updates can be stored comfortably, preventing any strain on your PC’s performance.
3. Clean up disk space
If you aren’t willing to upgrade your storage just yet, the least you can do is clean up your storage right now.
Aside from manually deleting stuff you no longer need, you can also get rid of temporary files that clutter up your storage and eat up performance for no reason. To get to them, click Windows + X and select ‘Run’ (or just type it in the search bar).
A small window will pop up, where you need to type %temp%. This will take you to a whole folder full of all the temporary files you can remove without thinking twice.
For those who upgraded from Windows 10, there’s a neat trick to get rid of potential leftover files you don’t need on your brand new iteration. Only do this if you’re 100% sticking with Windows 11, though. Go to System > Storage > Temporary files. Make sure to only leave ‘Previous Windows Installation’ and ‘Windows Update Clean-up’ checked and click on ‘Remove files’.
Lastly, make use of Windows 11’s fantastic Storage Sense feature. Turning it on will enable your PC to constantly watch out for junk or unused files to optimize your PC’s performance to the maximum.
4. Install pending updates
This one should go without saying, but pending updates can be detrimental to your Windows 11 performance. The longer you leave them untouched, the more bugs the outdated programs and patches can cause. So, make sure to regularly check for updates and install them as soon as they’re available.
5. Disable visual effects
As cool as visual effects, animations, shadows and transparency are, they can also put quite a toll on your computer’s speed. On a newer setup this generally shouldn’t be a problem, but if you do notice a drop in performance, definitely consider turning off some of these settings.
To do this you can go to the Control Panel, System Properties and click the ‘Advanced’ tab. In the Performance section, choose Settings. If you’d like a quicker way to get to the dialog (Performance Options) with Visual Effects, you can also type sysdm.cpl in the search bar.
Once there, you can either have your PC choose what’s best, choose the best appearance or the best performance. The other option is to manually toggle the effects off and on. The biggest obstacles to speed are taskbar animations, window shadows, control/element animations and animations upon minimizing/maximizing.
Credit: Windows on Unsplash
In the same vein, you should go to Settings > Personalization > Colors and disable Transparency, to prevent your computer from doing overtime just to hit the aesthetic appeal.
6. Get rid of bloatware
Bloatware is one of the biggest culprits of slow computer speed.
Pre-installed software that’s pretty much useless but takes up valuable system resources has been around since day one. No matter which device or platform you’re talking about. Luckily, a lot of it is removable, making it easy to lighten the load on your device.
To boost your Windows 11 computer, go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps.You’ll probably see a bunch of apps you don’t want or need. Click on the three dots next to each one you want to remove and press ‘Uninstall’.
Aside from helping optimize performance, removing bloatware has another great benefit. Unfortunately, often this pre-installed software is quite vulnerable, exposing you to great risk of cyberattacks. So, removing it definitely improves your device’s security and gives you at least some peace of mind.
Summary
These are a few of our fastest tips for boosting performance. There are other, more complex and time-consuming ways, of course. If you’ve tried these quick ones and still need advice on how to improve your PC’s speed, feel free to reach out!
To personalize the lock screen do:
