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How to Backup and Restore PowerToys Settings in Windows 11

November 25th, 2022 by Admin

How can I transfer PowerToys settings to another Windows 11 computer? Need to create a backup of your PowerToys settings before reinstalling Windows? In this tutorial we’ll walk you through the steps to backup and restore PowerToys settings in Windows 11.

Part 1: Backup PowerToys Settings with Ease

Once you open PowerToys, select the General category. On the right-hand pane, scroll down to the bottom and you should see the “Backup & restore” section. Click the Browse button to choose the location where you want to save your backup, and then click the Backup button.

You’ll immediately get the message saying “Backup completed”.

The backup file ends with .ptb extension, which is actually self-extracting archive. If you rename the file extension to .zip and unzip it, you’ll see a bunch of .sqlite files.

Part 2: Restore PowerToys Settings on the Same or Different PC

Before getting started, transfer or copy the .ptb file you’ve backed up previously to your target computer. Next, follow these steps to perform the restore:

Open the PowerToys app and choose the General category. Under the “Backup & restore” section, click the “Refresh” link to make sure your target .ptb file is detected by PowerToys. If there are multiple .ptb files at the backup location, just the file with the latest date will be used for restoring.

Click the Restore button. PowerToys will automatically restart and apply your new settings.

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Find out Which Process is Locking a File in Windows 11 / 10

November 21st, 2022 by Admin

Cannot delete file because it is being used by another process? When you try to delete a folder / file, you might get the error message saying “The action can't be completed because the file is open in another process.” If there are many processes running in the background, it’s really difficult to figure out which process is locking the file and preventing you from deleting it. In this tutorial we’ll walk you through the steps of using Microsoft PowerToys to find out which process is locking a folder or file in Windows 11 / 10.

How to Find out Which Process is Locking a File in Windows 11 / 10

  1. Open the Microsoft Store app. Type PowerToys in the search box at the top and the “Microsoft PowerToys” app will appear. You can then click it to install.

  2. After installing, you can use the Search button in the taskbar to launch the Microsoft PowerToys app.

  3. When the PowerToys Settings window opens, choose “File Locksmith” in the left sidebar. Click the “Enable File Locksmith” toggle switch to set it to On.

  4. Open File Explorer and right-click any file which is currently locked by another program, choose the “What’s using this file” option from the context menu. On Windows 11, you will first have to select the “Show more options” and then choose the required option.

  5. The File Locksmith dialog box will display the list of processes which are locking your chosen file. You can click the “End task” button to terminate the process.

That’s it!

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2 Methods to Stop Apps from Opening on Startup in Windows 11

November 17th, 2022 by Admin

How can I stop Discord from running automatically when I start my computer? If your PC takes a long time to boot up, it could be the result of having too many startup programs. To speed up the boot process, you can disable unnecessary startup programs. Unlike previous versions of Windows, Windows 11 no longer allows users to disable startup apps using the System Configuration (msconfig) utility.

In this tutorial we’ll show you 2 methods to stop apps from opening on startup in Windows 11, without using third-party software.

Method 1: Disable Startup Apps in Windows 11 Using Task Manager

  1. To open Task Manager in Windows 11, right-click the Start button in the taskbar and choose “Task Manager“.

  2. In the left sidebar of Task Manager, click the “Startup apps” icon. Scroll through the list of apps and locate the app which you want to stop from opening on startup. Right-click it and choose Disable.

  3. The apps you have disabled will no longer automatically start up when you reboot your PC.

Method 2: Disable Startup Apps in Windows 11 Using Settings App

  1. Press Windows key + I keys to open the Settings app. On the left-hand sidebar, click on Apps. On the right pane, scroll down to the bottom and click Startup.

  2. You’ll see a list of apps which can be configured to launch at startup. To disable startup apps, turn off the toggle switch next to the apps you want to disable, it will no longer launch automatically once you restart your PC.

Conclusion

These are the most common ways to disable startup programs in Windows 11. Some apps (such as anti-virus software, Discord, Steam, instant messenger) also offer built-in settings to disable automatic launch at startup through the apps themselves.

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Add a Context Menu to Permanently Delete Files in Windows 11 / 10

November 14th, 2022 by Admin

When you right-click a file and select Delete, or press the Delete key on the keyboard, Windows will move the file to the Recycle Bin by default. To permanently delete that file, you have to empty the Recycle Bin. In this tutorial we’ll show you how to add “Permanently delete” to context menu in Windows 11 / 10, which can help you permanently delete files without sending them to Recycle Bin.

How to Add a Context Menu to Permanently Delete Files in Windows 11 / 10

  1. Open Registry Editor and navigate to the location: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shell. In the left sidebar, right-click the shell key and select New -> Key.

  2. Name the new key Windows.PermanentDelete and select it. In the right pane, right-click the blank area and choose New -> String Value.

  3. Name the new DWORD ExplorerCommandHandler, and then double-click it and set its value data to {E9571AB2-AD92-4ec6-8924-4E5AD33790F5}.

  4. Use the same method to create another three different string values: Icon, Position and CommandStateSync. Set the value data of Icon to shell32.dll,-240. The value data of Position could be Top or Bottom, while leaving the value data of CommandStateSync to be empty.

  5. Close Registry Editor. When you right-click any folder or file, you’ll see the “Permanently delete” option appear in the top or bottom of the context menu.

  6. When you click the “Permanently delete” option, a pop-up dialog will ask you to confirm before permanently deleting your chosen folder or file.

That’s it!

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

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2 Ways to Stop Taskbar Icons from Flashing in Windows 11

November 10th, 2022 by Admin

See the Microsoft Teams icon blinking orange to indicate you got a new message? When a background app needs your attention, the taskbar icon may start flickering 7 times. If you easily get distracted, you can stop taskbar icons from flashing or blinking in Windows 11.

Method 1: Change How Many Times Taskbar Icons Flash

  1. Open Registry Editor and navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. In the right pane, double-click the DWORD ForegroundFlashCount to modify its value.

  2. Set its value to 1 so taskbar icons will only flash once. Keep in mind that setting the ForegroundFlashCount value to 0 won’t disable flashing.

  3. Close Registry Editor. Reboot your computer to see the changes.

Method 2: Disable Flashing on Taskbar Apps

  1. Right-click the empty space in the taskbar and choose “Taskbar settings“.

  2. When the Settings app launches, click the “Taskbar behaviors” option to expand it.

  3. Uncheck the “Show flashing on taskbar apps” option.

    This will completely prevent taskbar icons from blinking orange when apps need attention of the user.

That’s it!

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Add the Task Manager option to Taskbar Context Menu in Windows 11

November 2nd, 2022 by Admin

When you right-click the taskbar in Windows 11, you may find that the Task Manager option is missing from the context menu. If you want to restore this reduced functionality, here’s a simple method to add the Task Manager option back to taskbar context menu in Windows 11.

How to Add the Task Manager option to Taskbar Context Menu in Windows 11

  1. Open Registry Editor and navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FeatureManagement\Overrides\4. Right-click the 4 key in the left sidebar and select New -> Key.

  2. Name the new key as 1887869580, then select it. In the right pane, right-click the empty area and choose New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value.

  3. Name the DWORD as EnabledStateOptions, and leave its value data at 0 (unchanged).

  4. Create a second DWORD value and name it EnabledState. Double-click it and set its value data to 2.

  5. Close Registry Editor and reboot your computer to apply the changes. The next time you right-click the taskbar, the Task Manager option should appear in the context menu of the taskbar.

That’s it!

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2 Ways to Disable Safeguards for Feature Updates in Windows 11

October 31st, 2022 by Admin

Windows 11 won’t upgrade from 21H2 to 22H2? Even if you run Windows Updates several times, Windows 11 22H2 update doesn’t show up and you don’t see it offered for download? This problem happens if your computer doesn’t meet the minimum system requirements. In order to bypass the upgrade block, you need to disable safeguards for Feature Updates in Windows 11.

Method 1: Disable Safeguards for Feature Updates via Group Policy

  1. Open Local Group Policy Editor and browse to:
    Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Update -> Manage updates offered from Windows Updates, then double-click the “Disable safeguards for Feature Updates” policy in the right pane.

  2. Choose the Enabled option, click Apply and then OK.

  3. After restarting your computer, you’ll be able to use the Windows Update to download and install the latest feature updates.

Method 2: Disable Safeguards for Feature Updates 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 sidebar and choose New -> Key.

  2. Name the new key WindowsUpdate and make sure it’s selected. Next, right-click the blank area in the right pane, and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value.

  3. Name the new DWORD DisableWUfBSafeguards, and then double-click it. Set its value data to 1. Click OK.

  4. Close Registry Editor and reboot your system. The next time you run Windows Update, the latest feature updates should become available and you can install it.

That’s it!

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How to Disable Suggested Actions when Copying data to Clipboard in Windows 11

October 21st, 2022 by Admin

When you copy a phone number, date or time from web browser, Notepad or other apps, Windows 11 will predict the suggested actions based on the clipboard contents, and you’ll see options to make a phone call or create a calendar event.

If you don’t want to be disturbed by suggested actions, you can turn off this feature with ease. In this tutorial we’ll show you 2 methods to disable suggested actions when copying data to clipboard in Windows 11.

Method 1: Disable Suggested Actions in Windows 11 via Settings App

  1. Use the Windows + I keyboard shortcut to open the Settings app. Select System on the left, and then click Clipboard on the right.

  2. Click the “Suggested actions” toggle to turn the feature off. Windows 11 should no longer show suggested actions based on the text you’ve copied into the clipboard.

Method 2: Disable Suggested Actions in Windows 11 via Registry Editor

  1. Open Registry Editor and browse to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SmartActionPlatform\SmartClipboard. In the right pane, right-click the empty space and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value.

  2. Name the DWORD as Disabled, and then double-click it and set its value data to 1 for turning off suggested actions.

    Whenever you need to enable suggested actions, just change its value data to 0.

  3. Close Registry Editor. Log off and then log back in to see the changes.

That’s it!

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Prevent Windows Update from Asking for BitLocker Recovery Key upon Reboot

October 13th, 2022 by Admin

BitLocker keeps asking for recovery key at startup? After installing a Windows update which updates UEFI or TPM firmware, it may cause your computer to prompt for BitLocker recovery key on the first or second restart. In such situation, there is almost no other choice than to find your BitLocker recovery key.

To save yourself a potential headache, you can prevent Windows update from asking for BitLocker recovery key upon reboot.

How to Prevent Windows Update from Asking for BitLocker Recovery Key

Before installing certain updates (such as KB5012170) which may cause BitLocker issue, you need to temporarily suspend BitLocker by following the below steps. It’s still not late if you’ve installed such update but have not yet restarted your computer.

  1. Open an elevated Command Prompt. Enter this command and press Enter to suspend BitLocker immediately. BitLocker will automatically resume after two reboots.
    manage-bde -protectors -disable %systemdrive% -rebootcount 2

    If you’re using Windows PowerShell (admin), enter this command instead:
    Suspend-BitLocker -MountPoint "C:" -RebootCount 2

  2. Now, you can install Windows updates to update or flash the BIOS or TPM firmware on your computer, and it should never prompt you to enter BitLocker recovery key during boot. After a reboot, you can open an elevated Command Prompt and run this command to get the number of reboots remaining before automatically resuming BitLocker.
    manage-bde -status %systemdrive%

  3. After the second reboot, BitLocker should automatically be enabled and the protection status is On.

    If you want to manually resume BitLocker to verify that it is enabled, use the following command:
    manage-bde -protectors -enable %systemdrive%

    For Windows PowerShell, run this command:
    Resume-BitLocker -MountPoint "C:"

That’s it!

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3 Methods to Change File Sharing Encryption Level in Windows 11

October 10th, 2022 by Admin

By default, Windows 11 uses 128-bit encryption to help protect file sharing connections, which is more secure than 40- or 56-bit encryption. If you need to share files between your PC and an old PC or MacBook which still uses 40- or 56-bit encryption, it’s necessary to adjust the encryption level and make them match each other. In this tutorial we’ll show you 3 methods to change file sharing encryption level in Windows 11.

Method 1: Change File Sharing Encryption Level via Settings App

  1. Press the Windows + I keys to bring up the Settings app. In the left sidebar, choose Network & internet. Next, click Advanced network settings on the right.

  2. Under the “More settings” section, click the “Advanced sharing settings” option.

  3. Expand the “All networks” section, you’ll see the “File sharing connections” drop-down menu. From there, you can choose to use 128-bit encryption (Recommended) or 40- or 56-bit encryption.

Method 2: Change File Sharing Encryption Level via Registry Editor

  1. Open Registry Editor and navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\MSV1_0. In the right pane, you should see two DWORD entries: NtlmMinClientSec, NtlmMinServerSec. We need to change their value data.

  2. Double-click each of them and change their value data to 0 for using 40- or 56-bit encryption, or set their value data to 20000000 (in Hexadecimal) for using 128-bit encryption.

  3. Close Registry Editor.

Method 3: Change File Sharing Encryption Level via Control Panel

  1. Open Control Panel in Large icons view, click on the Network and Sharing Center category.

  2. Click the “Change advanced sharing settings” link in the left side pane.

  3. Expand the “All Networks” section. Under File sharing connections, you can then choose “Use 128-bit encryption to help protect file sharing connections” or “Enable file sharing for devices that use 40- or 56-bit encryption“.

  4. Click on the “Save changes” button.

That’s it!

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Posted in Others, Tips & Tricks, Windows 11

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