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2 Methods to Change Drive Icon in Windows 11 / 10

April 26th, 2022 by Admin

Can I set a custom icon for a drive in File Explorer? Windows allows you to change individual folder icons with ease, but it doesn’t give you similar options to customize the drive icons. In this tutorial we’ll show you 2 simple methods to change drive icon for local disk or external USB drive in Windows 11 / 10.

Method 1: Change Drive Icon Using Registry Editor

  1. Open Registry Editor and navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\DriveIcons. Right-click the DriveIcons key and select New -> Key.

  2. Rename the new key to the drive letter of your desired local drive. In our example, we named the key to ‘D‘ as we’re going to set a custom icon for the D: drive.

  3. When the drive letter key is selected, use the similar method to create a subkey named DefaultIcon. Next, double-click the (Default) entry in the right pane.

  4. Click inside the “Value data” box, type the full path (surrounded by quotes) of the .ico file you want to use as your new drive icon. Click OK.

  5. Close Registry Editor. You’ll immediately see the new drive icon in File Explorer. If you want to reverse the changes, just delete the DriveIcons key and the default drive icon will come back.

Method 2: Change Drive Icon Using autorun.inf File

  1. Before getting started, you need to prepare or create an .ico file, and then copy that .ico file to the root of the drive where you want to use it as drive icon.
  2. Next, press the Windows key + R to launch the Run box. Type notepad and then press the CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER keyboard shortcut to open NotePad as administrator.

  3. Enter the following lines. Remember to replace drive.ico with the actual name of the .ico file that you’ve saved in the root of your target drive, and substitute drive_name with the actual new name.
    [Autorun]
    Icon=drive.ico
    Label=drive_name

  4. When finished, click the File menu and select Save. Next, browse to the root of your target drive, change the “Save as type” to “All files“, and enter autorun.inf in the “File name” box, click Save.

  5. You need to restart your computer to make the changes take effect. If the method doesn’t work with your computer, try to restore the local group policy to defaults.

Conclusion

If the Autoplay feature is disabled using group policy, then the second method doesn’t work. But the second method is a better choice if you want to change drive icon for external USB drive.

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Posted in Others, Tips & Tricks, Windows 10, Windows 11

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2 Methods to Disable Recent Search History in Windows 11 Taskbar

April 8th, 2022 by Admin

When you hover over or click the Search icon in the taskbar, Windows 11 will show you recent search history. For privacy reasons, you may want to clear the existing search history and let Windows not track your search activities in future. In this tutorial we’ll show you 2 simple methods to disable recent search history in Windows 11 taskbar.

Method 1: Disable and Clear Recent Search History via Settings App

  1. Press the Windows key + I to launch the Settings App. Select the “Privacy & security” category from the left sidebar, and then click “Search permissions” on the right pane.

  2. Turn off the toggle switch just below “Search history on this device” and it will prevent Windows from tracking your future search activities, but previously saved search history still remains on your PC.

    If you want the previous search history to be removed, then proceed to click the “Clear device search history” button. Windows 11 will no longer show recent searches when you hover over the search icon in the taskbar.

Method 2: Disable Recent Search History via Registry Editor

  1. Open Registry Editor and navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SearchSettings. On the right pane, double-click the DWORD IsDeviceSearchHistoryEnabled.

  2. Set its value data to 0 and click OK, Windows will then stop saving your future search history. Whenever you need to enable recent search history again, just change its value data back to 1.

  3. Close Registry Editor and the changes will take effect immediately.

That’s it!

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Posted in Others, Tips & Tricks, Windows 11

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Another Way to Create App Execution Alias in Windows 11

April 6th, 2022 by Admin

By default, Windows 11 allows you to enable Execution Aliases for UWP apps only. Previously we’ve covered how to create aliases for any programs using a registry tweak. In this tutorial we’ll show you another way to create App Execution Alias using Command Prompt in Windows 11.

How to Create App Execution Alias Using Command Prompt

  1. To get started, open the Command Prompt as administrator. Next, use the mklink command to create a symbolic link which points to the executable file of your target application. Remember to replace alias_name with your desired alias.

    mklink %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WindowsApps\alias_name.exe "the_full_path_of_your_executable_file"

  2. Open File Explorer and type the following location in the address bar and press Enter. You’ll see the newly-created symbolic link which works almost the same as the other app aliases.
    %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WindowsApps

  3. Now, you can use the new alias to start your program directly from the Run dialog box, Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell.

That’s it!

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Posted in Others, Tips & Tricks, Windows 11

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How to Remove “Look for an app in the Microsoft Store” Context Menu in Windows 11

April 4th, 2022 by Admin

When you right-click a file and select Open with -> Choose another app, the pop-up dialog allows you to change the default app or pick up the “Look for an app in the Microsoft Store” option. If you think the “Look for an app in the Microsoft Store” option is useless, you can hide or remove it.

In this tutorial we’ll show you 2 methods to remove “Look for an app in the Microsoft Store” context menu in Windows 11.

Method 1: Remove “Look for an app in the Microsoft Store” via Group Policy

  1. Open Local Group Policy Editor and browse to: Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System>Internet Communication Management -> Internet Communication settings​. On the right pane, find the “Turn off access to the Store” policy and double-click it.

  2. Select the Enabled option. Click Apply and then OK.

  3. Restart your system to see the changes. You’ll find the “Look for an app in the Microsoft Store” option disappears in Windows 11.

Method 2: Remove “Look for an app in the Microsoft Store” via Registry Editor

  1. Open Registry Editor and navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows. Right-click the Windows key in the left pane and select New -> Key.

  2. Name the new key “Explorer“, and then select it. On the right pane, right-click the blank area and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value.

  3. Name this new DWORD “NoUseStoreOpenWith“, and change its value data to 1.

  4. Close Registry Editor and reboot your computer. The next time you log in to your Windows account, you’ll no long see the “Look for an app in the Microsoft Store” option.

That’s it!

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How to Reset or Change Default Apps for File Types in Windows 11

March 29th, 2022 by Admin

Windows doesn’t open your desired app for .jpg file extension? File type associations messed up? File associations decide which application opens when a file is double-clicked. In this tutorial we’ll show you how to restore corrupted file associations to default, or change default apps for file types in Windows 11.

Part 1: Reset Corrupted File Type Associations

Press Windows + I on the keyboard to open the Settings app. Select Apps in the left navigation pane, and then click “Default apps” on the right.

You’ll see a list of default apps. Scroll down to the bottom and click the Reset button.

A pop-up window will ask you to confirm. Click OK and it will restore all file type associations to Microsoft recommended defaults.

Part 2: Change Default App Associations

Open the Settings app using the same method as above, and navigate to: Apps -> Default apps. In order to quickly change default apps for specific file extensions, you can search for either file type or or default app.

Change File Associations by File Types:

Just type the file extension (for example, .txt) in the text box at the top and press Enter. You’ll see the app with which it is currently associated. Just click on that app to change the association.

You’ll get a pop-up which asks how do you want to open this file extension from now on. Click the More apps option and select the desired app you want to use, and click OK.

Change File Associations by Default App:

Click the text box labeled “Set defaults for applications“, and type the name of the current default app which you would like to change. When the app you’re searching for comes up, click on it.

It will display a list of file extensions which can be associated with this app. You can click your desired file type and change the file association to a different program.

That’s it!

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Posted in Others, Tips & Tricks, Windows 11

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How to Create Execution Aliases for Specific Apps in Windows 11

March 23rd, 2022 by Admin

Unable to turn on App Execution Aliases for your desired application through the Settings app? Don’t worry! You can make a program alias using a registry tweak. In this tutorial we’ll walk you through the steps of creating an execution alias for any specific app in Windows 11.

How to Create Execution Aliases for Specific Apps in Windows 11

  1. Open Registry Editor and navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths. In the left pane, right-click on the “App Paths” key and select New -> Key.

  2. Name the new key with a meaningful alias of your desired app. The alias should end with the “.exe” extension. Next, double-click the (Default) value in the right pane.

  3. Enter the absolute filename of your app’s executable file, and click OK.

  4. Next, right-click the blank area in the right pane and select New -> String Value.

  5. Name the string “path”, and change its value data to the full path (minus the filename itself) of your app.

  6. Close Registry Editor. Now you can type that alias in the Run command box, Command Prompt or PowerShell to launch your app quickly.

Conclusion

That’s how you can create an execution alias for any specific app in Windows 11. When you need to rename the app alias, just open Registry Editor and browse to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths, expand the “App Paths” key in the left pane. Right-click the subkey which is named with your app alias, and rename it with a new alias.

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How to Enable or Disable App Execution Aliases in Windows 11

March 22nd, 2022 by Admin

In Windows 11, apps can declare an unique alias name used to run the app from Command Prompt. When the App Execution Aliases feature is turned on, you can use an alias to start your app without having to specify the full path to your app. In this tutorial we’ll show you how to enable or disable App Execution Aliases in Windows 11.

How to Enable or Disable App Execution Aliases in Windows 11

  1. Open Windows Settings app by pressing the Windows + I keyboard shortcut, and then navigate to Apps -> Apps & features.

  2. Click More settings on the right side.

  3. Click App execution aliases.

  4. You’ll see a list of apps as well as their alias names. The alias names always end with the “.exe” extension. You can turn on or off the toggle switch next to your desired apps.

    For example, if you’ve enabled App Execution Aliases for the “Windows Terminal” app, then you can simply type wt.exe in the Command Prompt to launch Windows Terminal. When you disable its alias name, you’ll get the error message:

    ‘wt’ is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

That’s it!

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Posted in Others, Tips & Tricks, Windows 11

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How to Remove the “ENG US” Language Bar from Windows 11 Taskbar

March 17th, 2022 by Admin

How can I hide the “ENG US” language switcher icon in the notification area? If you get used to changing the input languages with keyboard shortcut, it’s not necessary to show the language bar icon in the taskbar. In this tutorial we’ll show you how to easily remove the “ENG US” language bar from Windows 11 taskbar.

How to Remove the “ENG US” Language Bar from Windows 11 Taskbar

  1. Press the Windows + I shortcut keys to bring up the Settings app. Select Time & language from the left navigation pane, and click Typing on the right side.

  2. Choose the “Advanced keyboard settings” option.

  3. Tick the “Use the desktop language bar when it’s available” checkbox and then click the “Language bar options” link.

  4. Select the Hidden option under the Language Bar section. Click Apply and then OK.

  5. This should immediately remove / hide the “ENG US” language icon from your taskbar.

Conclusion

This method can also remove floating language bar from Windows 11 desktop. If you keep using the system default language on your computer, just uninstall the other language packs and the “ENG US” language switcher icon will automatically disappear from the taskbar.

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Posted in Others, Tips & Tricks, Windows 11

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Show Language Bar on Taskbar or Desktop in Windows 11

March 14th, 2022 by Admin

How can I remove floating language switch bar? Can I dock the language bar in the taskbar? If you have installed more than one language, you can switch languages using the language bar. In this tutorial we’ll show you how to configure Windows 11 to show language bar on the taskbar or desktop.

How to Show Language Bar on Taskbar or Desktop in Windows 11

  1. Press the WIN + I keyboard shortcut to launch Windows Settings app. Click Time & language on the left side, and click Typing on the right pane.

  2. Click the “Advanced keyboard settings” option.

  3. If you would like to configure the language bar to be docked in the taskbar, just uncheck the “Use the desktop language bar when it’s available” option and you’re done.

    When you need to show floating language bar on the desktop, check the “Use the desktop language bar when it’s available” option. Next, click the “Language bar options“.

    Make sure that at least the “Floating On Desktop” option is selected. You can optionally configure desktop language bar to show text labels or show as transparent when inactive.

That’s it!

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4 Methods to Disable / Remove Widgets on Windows 11 Taskbar

March 8th, 2022 by Admin

How can I remove the Widgets icon from the taskbar in Windows 11? If you accidentally hover over the Widgets icon on the taskbar, the Widgets panel will pop out from the left side of the screen. This could be quite annoying if you are not interested in news, weather or stocks.

In this tutorial we’ll show you 4 methods to disable, remove or uninstall the Widgets button from the taskbar on Windows 11.

Method 1: Remove Widgets from Taskbar Using Settings App

  1. Right-click the blank area in the taskbar and choose “Taskbar settings“.

  2. The Settings app will open and take you to the page: Personalization -> Taskbar. On the right, turn off the toggle next to Widgets.

  3. The weather widget will no longer be present in your taskbar.

Method 2: Remove Widgets from Taskbar Using Registry Editor

  1. Open Registry Editor and navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced. On the right-hand pane, look for the DWORD TaskbarDa and double-click on it.

  2. When a small pop-up window appears, change its value data from 1 to 0. Click OK.

  3. Close Registry Editor. The weather widget will disappear from the Windows 11 taskbar. Whenever you need to restore the Widgets icon, simply change the value data of TaskbarDa to 0.

Method 3: Disable Widgets in the Taskbar Using Group Policy

  1. Open Local Group Policy Editor and browse to: Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Widgets. Double-click the “Allow widgets” policy on the right pane.

  2. Choose the Disabled option. Click Apply and then OK.

  3. Restart your computer to apply the changes. The widgets icon will be removed from the taskbar and you will also find the “Widgets” option in the Settings app is greyed out.

Method 4: Uninstall Widgets Using PowerShell or Command Prompt

  1. Open Windows Terminal as administrator and run the following command to uninstall the Widgets feature.
    winget uninstall "windows web experience pack"

  2. When you’re asked if you agree to all the source agreements terms, type Y and press Enter.

  3. After a while, the Windows Web Experience Pack will be uninstalled successfully. Restart your computer and the widgets icon will no longer show up in the taskbar. If you launch the Settings app and go to: Personalization -> Taskbar, you’ll see that the Widgets option is also removed.

Whenever you need to enable the Widgets feature, use your Web browser to visit the Windows Web Experience Store link and click the Get button. It will launch Microsoft Store and let you download and install the Windows Web Experience Pack with ease.

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Posted in Others, Tips & Tricks, Windows 11

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