If you just unboxed a new Windows 11 laptop, there are five settings you should consider turning off right away to tighten privacy, reduce distractions, and reclaim background resources for the tasks that matter most.
Background / Overview
Windows 11 ships with a range of convenience features...
advertising id
diagnostics
do not disturb
enterprise
focus mode
group policy
notifications
performance
privacy
privacy settings
registry
search highlights
security
startup apps
system tips
telemetry
webview2
widgets
windows 11
Microsoft’s quiet expansion of Phone Link into the Windows 11 Start menu has quietly reshaped how many of us treat our phones while working on a PC, folding basic phone functions—notifications, calls, messages, photos, and device status—into a single, one-click experience on the desktop...
android
bluetooth
connectivity
cross-device
desktop workflow
do not disturb
file transfer
gallery
insider preview
iphone
microsoft
notifications
phone link
photo sync
privacy
rcs
security
start menu
windows 11
Microsoft’s latest Windows 11 Insider Preview update, rolled out as KB5065782 to Dev and Beta channel testers on September 12, 2025, repurposes the SCOOBE (Second‑Chance Out‑of‑Box Experience) flow to display a full‑screen Microsoft 365 “needs attention” renewal prompt that occupies the display...
Configure Focus Assist (Win10) and Focus Sessions (Win11) for Distraction-Free Work
Difficulty: Beginner | Time Required: 15 minutes
Introduction
We all get distracted by pop-ups, chat pings, and noisy apps when trying to concentrate. Windows provides built-in tools — Focus Assist on Windows 10...
action center
automatic rules
clock app
distraction free
do not disturb
focus assist
focus sessions
microsoft to do
notification blocking
notifications
pomodoro
priority list
productivity
quick settings
spotify
windows 10
windows 11
When you unbox a new Windows 11 laptop the out‑of‑the‑box experience is deliberately full‑featured — but many of the conveniences Microsoft enables by default trade away privacy, clarity, and system headroom. A short, safe checklist of five settings you should disable right after setup can...
Microsoft's latest Windows 11 preview builds have repurposed the post‑setup SCOOBE flow into a large, full‑screen subscription reminder that will tell Microsoft 365 users their account “needs attention” — and it does so in a way that many will read as a direct, blocking prompt to renew...
Microsoft’s latest Windows 11 Insider builds are shipping a new, full-screen renewal prompt aimed at lapsed Microsoft 365 subscriptions — an eye-catching SCOOBE (Second‑Chance Out‑of‑Box Experience) screen that insiders and early reports describe as a full‑screen nag to renew rather than a...
Microsoft has quietly begun testing app promotions inside the Windows 11 Start menu, placing Microsoft Store recommendations directly into the Start menu’s Recommended area for select Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel — a move that is enabled by default, limited to U.S. Insiders, and...
Microsoft has quietly begun to reshape the sign‑in moment and a few long‑standing UI friction points in Windows 11, shipping a Beta/Canary preview that modernizes Windows Hello, refines the taskbar and system tray, and adds practical productivity shortcuts to Task Manager and jump lists —...
Microsoft's decision to retire the Mobile Plans app for Windows marks the end of a small but strategic piece of the company's push to make cellular connectivity a first-class feature on PCs, and it raises immediate questions for users of eSIM-enabled laptops, OEMs, and mobile operators about...
KDE Plasma 6.4.3 arrives as a small but consequential update, tightening the everyday experience on Wayland with a smarter default screen scaling choice and a raft of fixes across KWin, accessibility, notifications, and classic desktop widgets.
Why a modest point release matters
Plasma’s rapid...
Windows 11 is testing a seamless handoff for Android apps
Microsoft is piloting a Windows 11 feature that lets you pick up activity from certain Android apps right on your PC. The first integration is with Spotify, and the rollout is gradually reaching Windows Insiders in the Dev and Beta...
android
android to windows
app integration
beta channel
cross-device continuity
desktop app
dev channel
handoff
insider
notifications
one-click continuation
phone link
resume from your phone
rollout
spotify
windows 11
windows insider program
Windows 11 is preparing to blur the line between phone and PC even further, with a new capability designed to let you resume Android apps directly on your desktop—no emulators, APK installs, or app store detours required. Instead of relaunching an app and hunting for the point where you left off...
Thanks for sharing. Here’s the quick take and how to try it.
What it is
A new “Resume from your phone” prompt in Windows 11 that lets you pick up an activity that started on your Android phone on your PC.
In early testing with Windows Insiders (Dev/Beta channels). The report you shared says it...
Microsoft’s latest Insider build pushes Phone Link deeper into Windows 11’s Start menu and — for the first time in a widely reported rollout — brings a fuller, more visible iPhone experience to the desktop, while also layering cross-device conveniences and a handful of stability and Copilot-era...
android
ble
build 26120.5761
cross-device continuity
file transfer
insider
iphone
kb5064093
notifications
parity with iphone
phone link
start menu
windows 11
windows insider
workflow integration
your phone
Microsoft’s Windows could reclaim its place as the undisputed productivity platform in 2025 — but only if Microsoft stops prioritizing marketing nudges and gimmicks and instead delivers focused, enterprise-grade features that solve real workplace pain points now, not sometime next quarter...
backup
blue screen
disk cleanup
driver update
hardware
networking
notifications
power settings
privacy
recovery
security
software compatibility
startup issues
storage
system performance
system restore
task manager
troubleshooting
windows
windows update
Out of the box, Windows 11 ships with defaults that favour convenience, energy efficiency, and telemetry-driven features — but those same defaults can make a new PC feel noisy, slow, or invasive. This piece explains six specific settings that are worth turning off (or at least reconfiguring) on...
background processes
desktop shortcuts
disk i/o
display timeout
encryption
enterprise management
focus assist
it provisioning
local data
notifications
onedrive
performance
power settings
privacy
recall
search indexing
sleep mode
startup programs
system settings
windows 11
Mastering Windows 11 means more than just knowing your way around the interface; it’s about efficiency, speed, and unlocking the platform’s full potential through keyboard shortcuts. As Microsoft continues to refine its flagship operating system into 2025, certain shortcuts stand out as...
Windows 11 users have grown increasingly frustrated as the operating system’s Start menu now persistently displays warning-style banners urging users to back up their PCs to the cloud using OneDrive. This aggressive push, which prominently features an “Action advised – back up your PC” message...
cloud backup
cloud storage
digital privacy
eu privacy laws
microsoft 365
microsoft ecosystem
nagware
notifications
onedrive
os updates
privacy concerns
regulatory compliance
software updates
start menu
system notifications
ui design
user control
user customization
user experience
windows 11