Tutorials

Windows 11 tutorials, tricks, tips, and guides.
Hide or Show Widgets in Widget Menu on Game Bar in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to hide or show widgets in the Widget Menu on the Home Bar of the Game Bar screen for your account in Windows 11. You can open the Game Bar to take control of all your favorite gaming activities while playing on your Windows 11 device. The Home Bar is the bar at the top of the Game Bar screen. The Widget Menu on the Home Bar allows you to open installed widgets, and add or remove favorite widgets on the Home Bar. You can choose to hide or show the following widgets in the widgets menu: Xbox Achievements – Track your games’ progress and see what you’ve unlocked. Xbox Chat - Send and receive chat or party chat messages with your friends. Xbox Looking for Group – Use Looking for Group to find players...
Gaming
Enable or Disable Include Drivers with Windows Updates in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable including drivers with Windows Updates in Windows 10 and Windows 11. Windows Update will include drivers when available in Windows 11 by default. You can enable the Do not include drivers with Windows Updates policy to not include drivers with Windows quality updates. Reference: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/update/waas-wu-settings#do-not-include-drivers-with-windows-updates You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable including drivers with Windows Updates. This will still not always prevent drivers for existing devices from getting updated via Windows Update. Option One: Enable or Disable Include Drivers with Windows Updates in Local...
Windows Update
Add Empty Folder context menu in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to add or remove the Empty folder context menu for folders for all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11. You can add a Empty folder context menu to permanently delete the file contents of a folder after a one time Y/N confirmation to prevent emptying the folder by mistake. Subfolders and their contents will not be deleted. Only the file contents in a folder you right clicked on will get permanently deleted. While you must be signed in as an administrator to add or remove the context menu, all users can use the context menu. EXAMPLE: Empty folder context menu In Windows 11, you will need to click/tap on Show more options first by default, then click/tap on Empty folder. Here's How: 1 Do step 2...
General
Enable or Disable Game Bar Compact Mode in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off Game Bar Compact Mode for your account in Windows 11. You can open the Game Bar to take control of all your favorite gaming activities while playing on your Windows 11 device. Compact Mode simplifies Game Bar use, making it more intuitive and easier to navigate on small screens, Windows handhelds, and when playing with a controller. When you open Game Bar with Compact Mode turned on, a single-widget view will be presented where you can access your Xbox gaming activities in one place. If you turn on Game Bar Compact Mode, it will stay turned on whenever you open the Game Bar until turned off. Features of Compact Mode: Navigate with bumpers = When using a controller, you can switch...
Gaming
View AI Components Installed on Windows 11 PC
This tutorial will show you how to view all AI components installed on your Windows 11 PC. If your Windows 11 device (ex: Copilot+ PC) has a NPU, you will have a System > AI components page in Settings. You can see which AI component updates have been installed in Windows Update history. Here's How: 1 Open Settings (Win+I). 2 Click/tap on System on the left side, and click/tap on AI components on the right side. (see screenshot below) Open AI components Settings 3 You will now see all AI components found installed on your PC. (see screenshot below) That's it, Shawn Brink Check If PC Has a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) in Windows 11
System
Turn Off BitLocker for Drive in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to turn off BitLocker for an encrypted drive in Windows 10 and Windows 11. BitLocker Drive Encryption is a data protection feature that integrates with the operating system and addresses the threats of data theft or exposure from lost, stolen, or inappropriately decommissioned drives and computers. You can turn on BitLocker to encrypt the operating system drive (Windows drive), fixed data drives (internal hard drives), and removable data drives (external hard drive or USB flash drive). When you turn off BitLocker for a drive encrypted by BitLocker, it will completely decrypt the drive. It is required to unlock the BitLocker encrypted drive before being able to turn off BitLocker for the drive. You...
Privacy and Security
Run Storage Sense Now in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to manually run Storage Sense on demand in Windows 11. Storage Sense can automatically free up drive space for you by getting rid of items that you don't need, like temporary files and items in your Recycle Bin. If Storage Sense is turned on, you can select to automatically run Storage Sense Every day, Every week, Every month, or During low free disk space (default). You can use Run Storage Sense now to free up drive space on demand. Reference: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/manage-drive-space-with-storage-sense-654f6ada-7bfc-45e5-966b-e24aded96ad5 Here's How: 1 Open Settings (Win+I). 2 Click/tap on System on the left side, and click/tap on Storage on the right side. (see screenshot...
System
Turn On or Off Auto-unlock for BitLocker Drive in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off auto-unlock for a fixed or removable data drive encrypted by BitLocker for your account in Windows 10 and Windows 11. BitLocker Drive Encryption is a data protection feature that integrates with the operating system and addresses the threats of data theft or exposure from lost, stolen, or inappropriately decommissioned drives and computers. You can turn on BitLocker or Device Encryption to encrypt the operating system drive (Windows drive), fixed data drives (internal hard drives), and removable data drives (external hard drive or USB flash drive). If BitLocker or Device Encryption has been turned on for the operating system drive, you can set BitLocker to automatically unlock fixed...
Privacy and Security
Enable or Disable Suggested Actions in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off Suggested Actions for your account in Windows 11. Suggested actions that appear when you copy a phone number or future date in Windows 11 are now deprecated. Microsoft is disabling this feature. https://www.elevenforum.com/t/suggested-actions-when-copy-date-time-or-phone-number-now-deprecated-in-windows-11.31407/ Starting with Windows 11 build 25115 and build 22622.290, you can try out a new Suggested Actions feature for making everyday tasks quicker in Windows 11 through inline suggested actions. When you copy a date, time, or phone number, Windows will suggest actions relevant to you such as creating calendar events or making phone calls with your favorite apps. Suggested Actions...
System
Check Windows Package Manager (WinGet) Version in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to check the current version of Windows Package Manager (WinGet) you have installed in Windows 10 and Windows 11. The winget command line tool enables users to discover, install, upgrade, remove and configure applications on Windows 10 and Windows 11 computers. This tool is the client interface to the Windows Package Manager service. Windows Package Manager winget command-line tool is already available on Windows 11 and modern versions of Windows 10 as a part of the App Installer. References: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/package-manager/ https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/package-manager/winget/ https://github.com/microsoft/winget-cli/releases Here's How: 1 Open Windows Terminal...
Apps
Open and Close Copilot Quick View in Windows 11 and 10
This tutorial will show you how to switch between quick view and full view in the Copilot app for your account in Windows 10 and Windows 11. Microsoft Copilot is your everyday AI companion that helps you to be smarter, more productive, more creative, and more connected to the people and things around you. Whether you want to learn how to code, plan an Influencer level vacation, or just need a little help writing a hard email, your everyday AI companion is there to help you get the job done like a pro. If you missed that meeting and need a quick recap or can’t figure out the tax code for your new side hustle, Copilot is there to sprinkle some AI pixie dust on the problem. There when you need it, Copilot works smoothly, seamlessly, and...
Apps
Enable or Disable Alt+Spacebar shortcut for Copilot Quick View in Windows 11 and 10
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the Alt + Spacebar keyboard shortcut to open and close Copilot quick view for your account in Windows 10 and Windows 11. Microsoft Copilot is your everyday AI companion that helps you to be smarter, more productive, more creative, and more connected to the people and things around you. Whether you want to learn how to code, plan an Influencer level vacation, or just need a little help writing a hard email, your everyday AI companion is there to help you get the job done like a pro. If you missed that meeting and need a quick recap or can’t figure out the tax code for your new side hustle, Copilot is there to sprinkle some AI pixie dust on the problem. There when you need it, Copilot...
Apps

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