We are specialists in quality batteries. We have batteries, chargers and accessories for everything you can think of. Low prices, big inventory, expert advice. Find your battery here!
Google is testing even more new features in its Messages beta app
These include an expanded 14-line message view and new RCS message labels
While these are still in beta testing, they could start rolling out to users this month
Over the past couple of months,Googlehas been doubling down on eradicating all traces of Google Assistant to makeGeminiits flagship voice assistant, but amidst the organized Gemini chaos, Google has been paying a lot of attention to improving its Messages app, giving it some much-needed TLC.
It’s safe to say that the new revisions to the Google Messages app have significantly improved its UI. Itsnew snooze function for group chats alsocomes to mind, but Google is still in its beta testing era. For a while, Google was experimenting with aneasier way to join group chats,followingWhatsApp’s footsteps. Now, it’s testing five more features that could make up the next wave of Google Messages upgrades this month.
Although these features are in beta, there’s been no comment on whether they’ll be officially rolling out to users. With that said, we’ll be keeping an eye out for any further updates.
Just a few weeks ago, we reported on a new upgrade found in Google Messages beta indicating thatGoogle would get better at handling lengthy text messages.
For a while, Google Messages users have been restricted to a four-line view limit when sending texts, meaning that you would need to scroll to review your entire message before sending. This is particularly frustrating when sending long URL links.
But that could soon be a thing of the past, as9to5Googlehas picked up a new beta code that reveals an expanded message composition field on thePixel 9athat now reaches up to 14 lines.
Recently, Google has been testing new in-app labels that could distinguish whether you’re sending an SMS or RCS message.
Thanks to an APK teardown fromAndroid Authority, the labels found in beta suggest that soon you’ll be able to see which of your contacts are using RCS in Messages, adding a new RCS label to the right side of a contact’s name or number.
Unsubscribe from automated texts
This is a feature we’re quite excited to see, and we’re hoping for a wider rollout this month. A few weeks ago, anunsubscribe buttonwas spotted at the bottom of some messages, which could give users an easier way of unsubscribing to automated texts and even the option to report spam.
When you tap this, a list of options will appear asking you for your reasons for unsubscribing, which include ‘not signed up’, ‘too many messages’, and ‘no longer interested’ as well as an option for ‘spam’. If you select one of the first three, a message reading ‘STOP’ will be sent automatically, and you’ll be successfully unsubscribed.
Read receipts gets a new look
(Image credit: 9to5Google)
Google could introduce another revamp of how you can view read receipts in the Messages app. In November 2024, Google tested a redesign of its read receipts that placed the checkmark symbols inside the message bubbles, which used to appear underneath sent messages.
In January, Google tested another small redesign introducing a new white background, which could roll out soon, and while this isn’t a major redesign, it’s effective enough to make read receipts stand out more.
Camera and gallery redesign, and sending ‘original quality’ media
We first noticed that Google Messages was prepping anew photo and video quality upgrade. In March, more users started to notice a wider availability, but it’s still not yet fully rolled out, meaning it could be one of the next new updates in the coming weeks.
Essentially, Google could be rolling out a new option that allows you to send media, such as photos and videos, in their original quality. This will give you the choice of the following two options:
‘Optimize for chat’– sends photos and videos at a faster speed, compromising quality.
‘Original quality’– sends photos and videos as they appear in your phone’s built-in storage.
I’ve been an iPhone user since 2009 when I got my first iPhone 3G, and since then I’ve been a loyal customer, upgrading annually to the best smartphoneApplehas to offer.
WhenSamsungreleased the S25 series of smartphones earlier this year with AI at their core, I knew I had to finally give Android a proper go and see whatGoogle’s mobileoperating systemwas capable of.
Over the next few weeks I’m going to pit my S25’sGalaxy AIfeatures against my iPhone 16 Pro Max’sApple Intelligencecapabilities to see which smartphone has AI features worth using compared to those that are just a gimmick.
When I received the S25, early last week, the first thing I decided to do was test Galaxy AI’s photo editing prowess, after all,Clean Upon iPhone is one of the most complete Apple Intelligence features to date, or so I thought.
To start my Galaxy AI Generative Edit versus Clean Up comparison, I decided to start by erasing my French Bulldog, Kermit, from his very plain grey bed. I thought this was a good starting point as while the bed is a plain background, there would be the shadow of the dog coming from the natural sunlight of the window in front of the camera.
Galaxy AI had no issue removing Kermit from his bed, in fact not only did it remove the shadow, it continued the brown stitching of the bed’s border, and smoothed out the surface to completely erase any sign of Kermit from the photo.
Apple Intelligence’s Clean Up, on the other hand, failed miserably at this simple task, leaving Kermit’s shadow while removing the dog from the bed. This AI editing created a sort of blur effect that would never pass for an edited image, let alone an original one.
Next up, I took my two smartphones to my local coffee shop to test AI photo editing out in the wild. As I went later in the day, there were only two croissants left, one regular and one pain au chocolat.
For this test, I decided to remove the pain au chocolat from a photo as the coffee shop’s branded paper underneath was monochrome and a repeating pattern that I thought would make for an interesting comparison.
Again, Samsung’s AI editing was impressive, to say the least. Not only did the pain au chocolat completely disappear from the image, but Galaxy Ai replicated the branded pattern perfectly, keeping some crumbs for added realism.
The iPhone’s attempt was again, pretty rubbish, creating a sort of crumpled paper effect and leaving the pain au chocolat’s shadow in plain sight. This was again pretty disappointing from Apple Intelligence, there may be a trend appearing here…
I asked the barista behind the bar if he could pour a Flat White so I could try and remove the coffee cup from his hands using Galaxy AI and Apple Intelligence.
I thought it was worth trying just to see how the AI photo editing tools handle pouring liquid, and again the results are night and day.
On the S25, the cup disappeared, Galaxy AI recreated the barista’s thumb, inserted some objects on the surface, and tried to create the impact of the hot milk on the sink below.
While the liquid’s physics is somewhat off, the editing of the hand and the recreation of what Galaxy AI perceived to be behind the cup were seriously impressive.
As for Apple Intelligence… I’ll let the image do all the talking.
Galaxy AI 3-0 Apple Intelligence
The empty shop
Original
Galaxy AI
Apple Intelligence
、
At this point, I had completely accepted the disparity in effectiveness between Samsung and Apple’s offerings, so I decided to push Generative Edit and Clean Up as far as these flagship smartphones would allow me to.
I took a photo of the busy coffee shop, and after erasing one of the people from sight I decided to go even further and just erase everything from the photo, leaving nothing but the seating.
Again, Galaxy AI passed with flying colors, recreating the shops outside the window, and extending the sofa where I had removed my table and coffee cup. Apple Intelligence, well… It mushed everything together and was absolutely useless.
Galaxy AI 4-0 Apple Intelligence
A whitewash
It’s fair to say there’s a clear winner when it comes to AI photo editing between these two devices, and if you follow any smartphone news you’re probably not surprised.
What was surprising to me, was just how amazing Galaxy AI’s photo editing is, and how bad Clean Up on my top-of-the-line iPhone is.
I’ve used Clean Up in the past and found it did a decent, but hardly mind-blowing job when it comes to removing a subject from a photo. After using the S25, I can’t believe Clean Up has even shipped in its current state knowing what alternatives are out there.
I want to emphasize that both companies have taken a different approach to AI photo editing. Apple wants to keep the image as close to the original as possible, while Samsung is happy to showcase its AI power and offer more emphatic editing.
While I think that’s worth keeping in mind, I do still think Apple’s Clean Up approach should be capable of some of the simple edits you’ve seen above. Instead, it’s come incredibly short of the mark when Samsung’s offering is capable of truly achieving what it sets out to do.
Everything from .ae to .zw will now redirect to google.com.
REUTERS / Reuters
Googleannouncedtoday that it will no longer be using country code top level domains for searches. Instead, all search services will happen on the google.com URL and local results will be delivered automatically. For example, that means users in the UK will no longer see google.co.uk in their browser’s address bar. Google URLs with those country-specific domain endings will now redirect to the main google.com address.
Google started using location information to automatically provide search results based on geographyin 2017. With that change, it didn’t matter whether you entered a query into a local country code URL or into google.com; you’d always see the results version for the place you were physically located. Today’s announcement seems to take that initial action to its conclusion by sunsetting those ccTLDs.
“It’s important to note that while this update will change what people see in their browser address bar, it won’t affect the way Search works, nor will it change how we handle obligations under national laws,” Google noted in its announcement.
The company recommends switching update channels as a band-aid solution.
(Image credit: Microsoft)
Microsofthasconfirmed a bugin Outlook Classic, where users are experiencing CPU usage spikes, as high as 50%, when simply typing in the application. Notably, reports of this incident can be traced back to November last year, and even now, users have been asked to switch to the Microsoft 365 Apps update channel as a temporary workaround.
After around six months since the first sighting, Microsoft is finally addressing an issue in Outlook (Classic), which led to increased CPU usage, visible slowdowns, and even freezes whenever you’d sit down to compose an email or type a message. Microsoft quotes a figure ranging from a 30-50% hit to the CPU utilization, and that’s sure to be noticeable, especially on aging hardware.
The developer team was able to reproduce this bug on updating to Microsoft 365 Apps Version 2406 Build 17726.20126+, which was released in June 2024, on the Current, Monthly Enterprise, and Insider Channels. As of writing, a concrete solution is not available, so users have been recommended to move to the Semi-Annual Channel release, where this issue has not been observed.
If you’re running an organization with several devices, Microsoft offers adetailed guidefor migrating your update channel with options like Group Policies, the Office Deployment Tool, Microsoft Configuration Manager, and Intune, just to name a few. For home users, a simpler way to achieve the same result is by just tweaking the registry as follows:
Open a Command Prompt (CMD) window with admin privileges.
Paste the following command and hit Enter: “reg add HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\office\16.0\common\officeupdate /v updatebranch /t REG_SZ /d SemiAnnual”
In Outlook, navigate to File > Office Account > Update Options and select “Update Now” to switch to the Semi Annual Channel.
Affected userswent through several troubleshooting hoops, like turning off graphics acceleration, disabling the spell-check utility, along with add-ins, but to no avail. It got so bad that a user with a beefy i9-14900HX reported CPU temperatures breaching 95 degrees Celsius just by having the ‘New Message’ window open, which is used to compose emails.
As the problem is still under investigation by the Outlook team, this is no more than a stopgap solution. The nature of this bug seems to be tied to how the software handles text fields, but it’s quite puzzling how such an obvious issue slipped past the developers in the first place.
Google Messages is taking a page out of iMessage’s book, using color to denote RCS and SMS/MMS users.
Anyone using RCS chats, both on Android and iOS, will have their contact name colored in Material You pastels.
The Google Messages app will also place a small RCS badge to the right of contact names.
While there are a number of visual cues to designateRCS chatsfrom standard SMS/MMS messaging in the Google Messages conversation list, there aren’t any before you create a new conversation.
In the beta version of theGoogle Messages app, the site discovered small RCS badges beside the contact names of people who have enabled RCS when creating a new conversation. After tapping theStart chatbutton in Google Messages, the list of suggested contacts shows the RCS badge for RCS users and nothing for SMS/MMS users. The feature works for both RCS users on Android and iOS, which is notable.
TheNew conversationtab also changes the color of contact names that are using RCS. The color is changed from black to Material You pastels. These light shades are more clearly visible when using light mode compared to dark mode. This tweak bears a strong resemblance tohow Apple handles messages, using blue to denote iMessage users and green for everyone else.
It’s also neat that if a contact has two numbers, you can individually see whether one or both numbers support RCS. The badges and color codes for RCS could be helpful in certain situations when youcan only send an RCS chat, like if mobile service is unavailable and you’re relying on Wi-Fi.
Since this feature is working in the Google Messages app beta, it could come to the stable release soon. However, it’s unclear when or if this feature will be officially released, as Google hasn’t publicly announced it.
When it comes to HDMI vs DVI cables, which should you get? Our guide reveals all.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Although the term DVI isn’t probably one that you’ve heard for a while, it’s important to know the difference between HDMI and DVI cables when you’re looking at the best system for video editing, gaming or productivity. Many of thebest monitors for video editing, graphic design and photography, for example, still offer multiple connectivity options, including DVI. With several peripherals littering our desks, all of which need to be hooked up somehow, it’s important to know how this should it be done to achieve optimum results. Often, that comes down to a simple question: do you need an HDMI or DVI cable?
To the untrained eye, it can be a minefield of resolutions, data rates and supported features. Thebest laptops for graphic design, for example, often don’t offer DVI connectivity anymore as frankly it’s an outmoded option, but if you have one of thebest monitors for graphic designor creativity, you’re able to plug in a DVI cable with a simple adaptor. We’ll look at the topic in a bit more detail in this article, and assess whether DVI, as an industry standard connectivity option in the 1990s and 2000s, is still an option you need to have in your arsenal.
The answer depends on more than just the ports on yourbest laptop for video editing. But fear not, our no-nonsense guide lays out exactly why you might need each cable, and which is the best option for creatives right now.
Comparing HDMI and DVI plugs shows the large difference in size between them(Image credit: Rankie)
There’s a large difference in size between HDMI and DVI.
Being the older standard, it’s perhaps unsurprising that DVI is the larger of the two. A typical DVI plug is rectangular in shape, with 24 pins three rows deep making up the bulk of its front side. To the right of this matrix is a square consisting of four more pins. The whole arrangement is flanked on either side by screws that fix it in place. The number of pins, combined with the screws, make DVI a relatively large plug and unlike HDMI, DVI cables can be quite easy to damage. If you bend the pins, plugging them in can be quite a challenge – definitely up there with one of the more frustrating elements of outdated computer hardware.
HDMI is much smaller than DVI and throughout the course of the mid 2000s became the standard for audio and video connectivity. The plug is a slim rectangle with a sloped lip below it and in the middle is a thin gap surrounded by 19 pins. Despite having close to the same number of pins as DVI, HDMI plugs are much more compact, and much easier to plug in largely thanks to the pins being protected and the lack of securing screws, which can get annoying if the rear of your system is hidden against the wall or an obstacle.
To put a spanner in the works, it is possible to get Mini and Micro versions of both DVI and HDMI plugs, and these are generally found on olderApplecomputers such as the originalMacBook Airand 2009 Mac mini. Mini-HDMI and Micro-HDMI can be found on a wider variety of devices, including some tablets and phones, but are still uncommon compared to standard HDMI plugs.
Need to connect HDMI and DVI devices together? Adapters are simple and won’t break the bank(Image credit: Rankie)
There’s a simple solution you can purchase if you need to connect HDMI and DVI devices together. Adaptors generally work well and are very affordable to get hold of.
One of the most important questions when it comes to deciding between HDMI and DVI is what each standard works with and whether it’ll work with your devices. Check the ports on your hardware as many pieces of hardware, including some olderNvidiaand AMD graphics cards, have ports for both but your TV or monitor may only support one or the other. If your monitor is an older model, it will have both options, and any screen from the early to mid 2000s may only feature a DVI, so it’s worth checking what hardware you already have and its requirements if you’re on an older setup but would like to upgrade.
HDMI is much more common than DVI and that’s been the case for the best part of the last two decades, so it’s unlikely you own a screen that doesn’t support it. When it comes to laptops, HDMI’s smaller connector is much more likely to make an appearance due to its space-saving design. You’re also likely to find it on larger computers, TVs, monitors, games consoles and a variety of other hardware types. It’s worth saying however that we’re entering a new generation of connectivity now – where HDMI replaced DVI, we’re now seeing DisplayPort and USB-C eating into HDMI’s market share. Luckily, no matter what hardware you have, adaptors are relatively easy to come by.
Quality
HDMI plugs are far more compact than their DVI equivalents, allowing them to be used in smaller devices(Image credit: Rankie)
HDMI plugs are far more compact than their DVI equivalents, allowing them to be used in smaller devices, but both DVI and HDMI have certain limitations on what they can display both in terms of an output device’s resolution and its refresh rate. Given that HDMI is newer than DVI, it’s unsurprising that it works with better specifications in both cases.
The latest version of HDMI (2.1b) can support a maximum data rate of 48 Gbit/sec and video resolutions up to 10K, which is far more than most people will need. In terms of refresh rate, HDMI can support up to 4K at 144 Hz natively, or a mind-boggling 8K at 60 Hz natively or 120Hz if using Display Stream Compression. It also works with HDR video output (although its maximum resolutions and refresh rates take a slight hit given the increased bandwidth used by HDR video).
DVI only has a maximum data rate of 9.9 Gbit/sec, so taking that into account, the maximum resolution and refresh rate it can support is 3840×2400 at 30 Hz, or 2560×1600 at 60 Hz. It’s likely that if you own an DVI compatible monitor, you’re running on HD at 1920×1080 or less due to the available technology at the time, and with DVI, you’re also likely suffer from a difference in colour rendition as DVI only supports 8-bit RGB colours, whereas you’ll get 12-bit performance in HDMI, so more colours can be rendered natively.
As well as its visual advantages, HDMI can also transfer audio signals, something DVI is unable to do. That means streaming a video from one device to another only requires one cable with HDMI; with DVI, you also need to account for audio cables and associated sockets.
Price
Regardless of whether you need an HDMI or DVI cable, neither is likely to set you back very much. For example, you can pick up anHDMI cableon Amazon for around $5/£5, orDVI cablefor around $7/£7. There are also plenty of adaptors on offer for around the same amount of money that can convert your video signal from DVI to HDMI and vice-versa, meaning outdated monitors can still be used no matter your setup.
It’s worth noting that you may sometimes see expensive versions of each cable doing the rounds, with fancy-sounding features and eye-watering price tags. Even the cheapest HDMI or DVI cable will get your signal to its destination just as fast as the most expensive one, without leaving a galling dent in your finances.
Which should you buy?
Of course this will very much depend on the system and the screens you are using in your setup, but one simple fact can’t be escaped: DVI is an entirely outmoded connectivity option these days and you’ll achieve better results overall from upgrading your setup to factor in more options like HDMI and USB-C.
If you’re looking at motherboards and must choose between one that supports HDMI and one that supports DVI, we’d advise HDMI every time. HDMI is a more modern standard and supports much higher resolutions and refresh rates, and will also work with a wider variety of peripheral devices. To future-proof your setup, we’d recommend a motherboard that hosts the option for USB-C as well as HDMI.
If you have a DVI device that you need to hook up to another device, you can always use anHDMI to DVI cableoran adapter; neither is likely to cost you much more than a fiver. Given that HDMI cables are more modern, more common and often cheaper than their DVI equivalents, there’s no real reason to stick to DVI unless your equipment dictates, but even then we’d recommend looking at some of our guides to help you upgrade to a more modern system.
The PS5 Digital Edition has seen price rises in some regions
The price has gone up in the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand
The disc drive, however, has seen an overall reduction in price
As of today, thePlayStation 5Digital Edition has been hit with another wave of price increases in some regions. But there is some good news for PS5 Pro owners looking to pick up the disc drive.
Announced via an officialPlayStation Blog post,Sonyhas confirmed that the PS5’s price will be increased in the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. The company cited “a challenging economic environment, including high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates” as key reasons for the “tough decision.”
In the UK and Europe, there have been no price changes for the standard PS5. Otherwise, you can see the current changes here:
Europe
PS5 Digital Edition – €499.99
PS5 – No change
UK
PS5 Digital Edition – £429.99
PS5 – No change
Australia
PS5 Digital Edition – AU$749.95
PS5 – AU$829.95
New Zealand
PS5 Digital Edition – NZD $859.95
PS5 – NZD $949.95
In slightly better news, especially for PS5 Pro owners looking to add a physical disc option to their setup, the price of the disc drive has been reduced. The new disc drive prices are as follows:
Europe
€79.99
UK
£69.99
Australia
AU$124.95
New Zealand
NZD $139.95
The new prices in these regions have been reflected on PlayStation Direct, Sony’s official storefront for PlayStation products including the PS5. However, you may still have luck at other retailers if you’re currently in the market for the console.
For example, in the UK, Argos currently has the PS5 Digital Edition bundled withAstro Botat a very wallet-friendly£339.99right now. Currys is also yet to reflect the price increase, and the PS5 Digital Edition is still available here for£389. If you’ve been planning on picking up a PS5 soon, then, it may be a good idea to pounce now before the price increases are reflected across the board.
This is good news for the tech sector as tariff impacts continue.
Amidst the flurry of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration over the last few weeks, we finally have some exemptions that should significantly impact the tech sector. While the initial reciprocal tariffs will remain for imports, U.S. Customs and Border Protection shared some new exemptions on tech-related goods.
The update was announced yesterday evening and follows various tariff increases, particularly on Chinese imports. The exemptions include many products we’re excited to see get some relief. The complete list is available in theofficial bulletin,but it includes computers, smartphones, semiconductor chips, and other tech goods like flat panel TVs, solar cells, and flash drives.
The most recent tariff increase from Trump was 145% on Chinese goods. This sent waves across the tech industry, as many realized the significant impact it would have on many tech products that we rely on, including laptops, desktops, CPUs, semiconductor chips, and any PC component. Large companies like Apple, HP, Dell, and more preemptively imported extra stock before the tariff announcement to skirt some of the impact.
These exemptions should benefit industry leaders and consumers alike, who have been anticipating serious price hikes on imported products. This should offset the price increases for customers and manufacturers who rely on imports for construction materials.
The United States imports around66% ofits tech goodsfrom China, which caused significant concern when tariffs were first announced and subsequently raised on Chinese imports. We recently reported expectations that consoles, monitors, and laptops would be among the most impacted.
Many tariffs initially imposed on April 5th will be reduced for 90 days, but tariffs on China havecontinued to increase. This exemption list is the first we’ve seen concerning the tariff situation with China. That said, tariffs will remain in place for all other imports not included in the exemption list.
The situation is subject to change, but we’ll report any significant updates on the tariff situation as things progress, so be sure to check back regularly for more information.
Become a Windows 11 power user with these simple tips
Whether you’re a lifelong PC user or you just got your firstWindows 11 laptop, there are a few things you can do to make it a little more capable, comfortable and easy to use.
I know because I’ve been using the latest version of Windows since it was in beta, and when I wrote myWindows 11 reviewI was a little underwhelmed by how the finished product failed to live up to Microsoft’s hype.
But it was still a decent operating system when it launched in 2021, and in the years since the company has put in work to shore up its deficiencies and make it (generally) better and easier to use.
That said, there are still a lot of recommendations I make when helping a friend or family member get acquainted with Windows 11 for the first time. And withWindows 10 reaching its end of lifein 2025, I think there are going to be lot of people getting to grips with Windows 11 for the first time this year.
That’s why I collected my top 15 Windows 11 tips together in one place. These tips can help you be happier, more comfortable and more productive, making your time on even thebest Windows laptopsand desktops that much better.
Launches whatever is pinned to your taskbar in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd…etc. position
Windows 11 has a massivelist of keyboard shortcutsyou can use to instantly launch apps, commit actions and generally get things done a lot faster than if you used the mouse.
You don’t need to learn all of them (and trust me, you don’t want to) but there are at least a few dozen that I find super useful for helping me get things done as efficiently as possible.
There are one or two very specific keyboard shortcuts farther down in this list, but I wanted to take a moment to list my favorite and most-used keyboard shortcuts in the chart above for easy reference.
Back in the early days of Windows Microsoft used to sell add-on packs that had a bunch of new features and tools for power users.
Those days are behind us now, thankfully, as all Windows updates and upgrades are free—including PowerToys, a bundle of extras that you can use to do some frankly incredible things in Windows 11.
You can download PowerToys from the Microsoft Store app (check out our guide tohow to get PowerToys in Windows 11for step-by-step guidance) and there are loads of cool tools to play with inside. One of my favorites is PowerToys Run (pictured above), a supercharged version of the Windows Run command that works a lot more like the Spotlight Search in macOS by allowing you to type in natural language.
Windows will then try to find what you’re looking for, whether that’s an app you want to run on your PC, a file hidden in a folder somewhere or a key website somewhere on the web.
There are lots of other PowerToys that replicate or improve upon features in competing operating systems too, like Mouse Without Borders, which lets you use one mouse across multiple PCs the same way you can use a single mouse across multiple Macs and iPads with Universal Control.
Or try Shortcut Guide, which makes it easy to quickly summon a customizable guide to keyboard shortcuts so you don’t have to keep referring to Microsoft’s (or my) lists of shortcuts.
Use Windows 11 Voice Access for extra productivity with no hand strain
Windows has had various forms of voice-to-text typing and voice controls for some time, but with Windows 11 Voice Access I think Microsoft has achieved a new level of utility that makes it worth using for everyone, not just folks who have a hard time typing.
Of course, Voice Access is even more valuable for those of us who have compromised hands and wrists or otherwise have a hard time using a traditional PC because it lets you do the lion’s share of your Windows work without using your hands.
Once you get comfortable using Voice Access you can not only talk to your PC to tell it what to type, you can tell it to launch or close programs, click buttons on websites, enter text and other data in website fields and generally get a lot done without touching the keyboard. It feels kind of futuristic, too, like you’re talking to one of the Esper supercomputers in Blade Runner.
Windows 11 Voice Access has been a game-changer for how I work, and it’s now built right into the latest versions of the operating system, so you should be able to find it by justhitting the Start button and typing “Voice Access”, then launching it from the search results.For more guidance and tips, check out our guide tohow to use Windows 11 Voice Access to tell your PC what to do.
Take advantage of Clipboard history
I don’t know about you, but I spend a lot of my workday copying and pasting text, images and files across various projects I’m working on within Windows 11.
That’s why I was so happy when I discovered the Clipboard history, which is exactly what it sounds like: a historical log of everything you’ve copied to the Windows clipboard recently.
You can access it by simply hitting theWindows key + Vkeyboard shortcut, at which point the little window will appear with a reverse chronological log of everything you’ve copied (you may have to hit the “Turn on” button first to turn it on).
Try it and you’ll see not only is the clipboard history in this little app, it also has tabs for pasting in emoji, GIFs, special characters and more.
Save power and money with Energy Saver
Windows laptops have had some sort of “battery saver” power mode that conserves power for at least a decade, but recently Microsoft built that feature up into a new “Energy Saver” power mode that you can use on both laptopsanddesktops.
The value is obvious if you’re on a laptop that’s running low on juice, because enabling Energy Saver mode lowers the rate at which your machine consumes battery power.
But the fact that you can now use it on Windows 11 desktop PCs means you can fine-tune your PC’s power draw to some extent, which can save you hundreds of dollars on your power bill in the course of a year. You can also dig into theSystem > Power > Energy recommendationssubsection of the Windows 11 Settings menu for more guidance on how to cut down on your power bill.
To enable or disable Energy Saver, just open your Quick Settings menu by clicking the system tray on your taskbar or hitting Windows key + A.
Get to grips with God Mode
If you don’t feel powerful enough in Windows 11 after downloading PowerToys, it’s time to try God Mode.
“God Mode” in Windows 11 is actually a semi-secret list of shortcuts that let you do a lot of things inside Windows without having to dig through menus. They’re very useful for creating shortcuts to do things like create a restore point for Windows, creating or deleting new user accounts, show hidden files and folders and more.
But it’s a little tricky to access God Mode, because you have to create a new folder on your Windows desktop and then rename it to a very specific weird string of characters:GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
Once you do that a little control panel icon will appear on your desktop, and you can open it to see a list of dozens and dozens of shortcuts to key Windows features. It’s a tricky process, so make sure to consult our guide tohow to enable God Mode in Windowsif you have any questions!
Save your most-used files as Favorites in File Manager
This feature wasn’t in Windows 11 at launch, but less than a year inMicrosoft gave File Explorer a makeoverand added some useful new features that made it a lot more versatile.
One my faves, pardon the pun, is the ability toright-click any file and select Add to Favoritesin the context menu.
That will ensure that file appears in a special “Favorites” section of the File Manager Home screen every time you open the app. I use this for key work documents and regularly-used templates, but you can use it however makes sense for your workflow.
Try the Xbox Game Bar
If you play games on your Windows PC you should check out the Xbox Game Bar, a built-in feature that you can summon by hitting theWindows key + Gkeyboard shortcut.
Doing so brings up an overlay that has key widgets for PC gaming, including an audio control widget for controlling key details like volume levels, which mic and speakers you’re using and more.
There’s also a performance monitor, a screenshot widget, and even a full Widget storefront where you can download additional tools like aSpotifywidget, aRazerCortex widget and even widgets designed to help you in specific games like Valorant.
Microsoft has done a lot to improve this feature since it debuted, so give it a try next time you’re gaming.
Take advantage of Focus assist
I love using Windows 11’s Focus feature when I’m working and when I’m gaming because it puts the kibosh on annoying pop-ups and notifications for as long as you need.
To try it yourself, simplyopen the Focus settings menu within the Windows 11 Settings menu(the fastest way is to hit theStart buttonand typeFocus,then hitEnter) and use the tools therein to customize how long you want a Focus session to last when you start the timer.
Once you do start a Focus session, a timer will appear on-screen (though you can choose to hide it) and Windows’ built-in Do Not Disturb mode will switch on. This will hide things like notification badges on apps and stop apps flashing in the taskbar when they want your attention, but only for the duration of the Focus session.
You can customize which notifications appear and how in the Focus settings menu, which can make it a great resource for managing your attention.
Try out Dark Mode
If you want to take things to the next level, you can even customize your perfect Windows 11 color palette.
Now that so many of us are using monitors with sky-high brightness settings and HDR support, I truly feel that every app and website should offer a dark mode option.
Sadly that’s not yet the case, and even when an app or ‘site does have a dark mode it’s often a hassle to fiddle with the settings on each and every one.
That’s why I’m so grateful Windows 11 has a “dark mode” you can enable which will switch the appearance of Windows to a cooler, darker palette. Even better, it will do its best to automatically switch all apps which support it to dark mode, saving you some time and hassle.
To enable Dark Mode in Windows 11, navigate to Settings > Personalization > Colors and select “Dark” from the “Choose your mode” dropdown menu. You can also set up custom color palettes if you prefer.
Try out Phone Link to get texts on your PC
If you’ve been jealous of the way Macs and iPhones are so deeply integrated that owners of both can get texts right on their PC, it’s time for you to try out Phone Link.
For the last year or so the Phone Link app has been included by default in Windows 11, so you should be able tosummon it by just hitting the Start button and typing Phone, then clicking the Phone Link iconin the search results.
Once you launch it you can sync your iPhone or Android device to your PC and start sending and receiving text messages right from within Windows. Unfortunately, it’s pretty limited with iPhones, so you can only take full advantage of this feature if you’re using an Android device that’s running Android 8 or later.
But I’m still using an iPhone and I find even the basic utilities of Phone Link pretty handy to have, so I recommend you give it a shot.
Clear out annoying taskbar clutter
Trim down your Windows 11 taskbar in the Settings menu.
When I first started using Windows 11 I was so annoyed by what Microsoft did to the taskbar. I’m not talking about the centered Start menu, either; I got used to that pretty quickly, and after all you can move it back to the lefthand corner if you really want (just right-click the taskbar and selectTaskbar settings > Taskbar behaviorsand changeTaskbar alignmenttoLeft).
I like my Windows taskbar to work for me, so one of the first things I do on every new Windows PC I review is to get rid of all the default taskbar icons for apps like Copilot, Edge, the Microsoft Store and Task View.
Some of these, like the Microsoft Store shortcut, can be removed by simply right-clicking the icon on the taskbar and selectingUnpin from taskbarfrom the context menu.
Others take more work to dislodge. You can hide them from the taskbar by navigating toSettings > Personalization > Taskbarand opening theTaskbar itemssub-menu, where you’ll have the choice to disable the Microsoft Teams, Widgets, and Task view buttons.
Note that if you disable the Widgets button it will disappear from the taskbar, meaning you will no longer get live weather updates via it (if you have it configured that way) and you won’t be able to access your Widget menu by mousing over it.
Shake things up to stay focused
Windows 11 has a handy little feature that allows you to quickly minimize all windowsexceptthe one you’re focusing on by simply shaking it around a bit. The window, that is, not your PC—try not to shake that around at all if possible.
This is a fun way to quickly get rid of (without actually closing) everything except what you want to focus on. I’ve found it comes in real handy when working across multiple monitors.
To enable it, simply navigate toSettings > System > Multitaskingandswitch Title bar window shaketoOn.
Fine-tune volume with a spin of your scroll wheel
Hover your mouse over this icon, roll your scroll wheel back and forth and watch the volume percentage go up and down.
Here’s a fun little secret not many Windows 11 users know: you can quickly adjust your PC volume by moving your mouse over the speaker icon in your taskbar and rolling the scroll wheel on your mouse or trackball up and down.
I really love doing this because it saves me at least two clicks every time, and that adds up in the course of a month. But more importantly, it makes me feel both cool and smart to know how to use this little feature.
You can put folders and key settings right on the Start menu
See the little white icons in the lower-right corner of the Start Menu? Those are how these commonly-used folders appear when you enable them.
If you need faster access to key aspects of your PC like the Settings menu, the Downloads folder or your Network settings you can add them right to your Start menu with a few simple clicks.
To do so, navigate toSettings > Personalization > Start > Folders. In this sub-menu you’ll see a list of nine folders (from Downloads to Pictures) you can choose to put back on the Start menu. Note that they appear not with their usual icons alongside everything else, but rather as small white glyphs in the lower-right corner of the Start Menu.
You can do even deeper customization of your Start Menu if you back out of the Folders sub-menu. In the generalSettings > Personalization > Startsettings you’ll find even more options to change the way icons are spaced in the menu, whether or not your most recently-used apps and files appear, and more.
Foldables are here to stay. You were wrong if you figured they would be a short-lived fad or relegated to some niche corner where nobody paid any attention to them, and many people did. While not yet mainstream, they’re not going away anytime soon.
They have their pros and cons, and some models do it better than others. One thing they all have in common is a big sheet of glass that can be bent across itself, then straightened back out (hopefully) hundreds of thousands of times.
It sounds a little bit crazy. I think most of us have broken glass and consider it fragile. It is. But with the right parts and the right techniques glass, like everything else, can be bent.
While a foldable phone may fold, the glass doesn’t. Folding a sheet of glass would instantly break it, so instead it’s bending, and yes there is a difference.
Take a sheet of paper and lay it on a table. Now grab the top corners and bring them to the bottom corners. You’ve bent the paper. If you apply pressure along the bend and create a crease, it’s folded. Your foldable phone never allows the glass to fold, just bend. this sounds a bit like nitpicking, but it matters.
Everything will bend if you make it thin enough. A framing timber in your roof won’t bend, but a thin sheet of wood veneer or a branch on aBonsai treewill because it’s thinner. If you apply enough pressure to bend a thick hunk of wood, it’s going to break because of what’s called tensile strength.
When glass, or anything else, bends, you’re stretching the materialoutsidethe radius of the bend itself. A material’s tensile strength determines how far it can be stretched before it breaks, and dense, thick materials are both stronger and harder to bend than thin materials. The force required to bend a thick piece of wood will cause it to break as soon as or right after it begins to bend.
By using a very thin sheet of glass, you’re stretching less material and putting less tensile strain on it. This allows it to stretch and bend before it reaches its breaking point.
Don’t get too hung up on this because it works just like you think it does — thin things are easier to bend without breaking. But thin glass is only one of the things that lets your foldable fold … erm bend.
Making a phone with a glass screen that folds in half is a pretty amazing accomplishment. But as mentioned, the glass is just one piece of the puzzle.
That thin glass — often calledUTGfor ultra-thin glass — isn’t the same as the glass used on other phones. It’s been treated in ways that allow it to stretch even more than it normally would.
The exact methods and materials used are company secrets, but different polymers are injected into the glass and used as a coating over the glass to allow for a lower tensile strain during the bending process. Making the glass as thin as human hair (thinner, actually) isn’t enough.
Next, you have to make sure the glass doesn’t touch itself while in the bent position, but you need to do it the right way. There are two reasons for this, but from a design standpoint, it is important that the least amount of bending be used to fold the body of the phone on itself. Ideally, there is a larger air gap at the bend point than the outside edges, and the outer case of the phone is built so that it’s doing the touching instead of the glass itself. It doesn’t matter if the phone is a flipper or a folder, the glass can’t touch, and the point nearest to the bend will have a larger gap the the edge.
That’s where the most important part of all this comes into play:the hinge. Hinges have improved dramatically since the failure that was the first Samsung Galaxy Fold, but even that was an engineering feat.
A hinge must be designed to allow for fluid motion only in the way it was designed to, well, to hinge. You can’t have unwanted linear force or any sort of warping during the process, and every time it moves, things must be very consistent. The hinge not only needs to be sturdy, stout, and precise; it needs to be durable as well. The 200,000th time the hinge folds needs to be the same as the first.
We see new hinge designs with every release cycle because it’s the most important component of a foldable, even if it’s not the most spectacular. There is no one correct way to accomplish this, and every company making foldable phones does things a little differently. They all have the same end goal, though: be strong enough to resist unwanted “twisting”, be precise enough to meet design specifications, and be durable enough to do it hundreds of thousands of times before it fails.
The last (and worst) piece: some plastic
If you were to grab a foldable phone and press really hard on the screen with your thumbnail, you would be able to put a tiny dent in it. This is because you’re not really touching the glass itself; there is a thin layer of plastic covering it all. If you were to grab a first-generation foldable you would put a bigger dent on the screen using a lot less force because this process has been refined a lot in a few years. The latest phonesalmostfeel like glass when you touch them.
This isn’t done because phone makers love the feel of plastic, it’s done for the same reason the glass can’t touch itself when bent in half. The glass on a foldable phone needs to stay as defect-free as possible.
If you look at the screen on your “regular” phone very closely you’ll find a bunch of very tiny scratches. These have almost no effect on the operation of your phone and most of the time you wouldn’t even know there were there. But they are, and they would spell the death of a foldable.
Any defect — a chip or a scratch — in a piece of bendable glass creates a weak point that will be prone to expanding as the glass is stretched (on one side) and compressed (on the other side) during the bending process. That means the glass is going to crack where the defect is.
A non-removable screen layer of a thin, flexible plastic material over the glass acts as a sacrificial layer that will absorb the abuse instead of the glass getting it.
A lot of different companies now make foldable phones in several different styles. Now you understand how it works a little bit and know how things will keep getting better each and every year.
(Image credit: 9to5Google)
