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Tutorials, how-to guides, and blog posts about using Windows. How to use laptops, tablets, PCs, and other gadgets with Windows.

tutorial Use the Windows Task Scheduler to run apps without UAC prompts, with admin rights

Use the Windows Task Scheduler to run apps without UAC prompts, with admin rights

You may need to frequently run an app that requires administrator permissions, which always triggers a UAC (User Account Control) prompt. You do not want to click Yes or enter the administrator password every time, and you do not want to disable UAC either, because it protects your computer. This is especially annoying when using app updaters, command line tools or game launchers for

How to enable Java in all the major web browsers

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Do you need to visit websites and web services that rely on the old Java technology? Did you install Java on your computer but your browser says that Java is not present on your system? Why isn't Java working as it should and how do you make it work in your favorite web browser? These are the questions that we are going to answer in this guide. We show you

How long are millions of keystrokes and clicks, in years?

  • misc
  • Radu Tyrsina
When you look at the technical specifications for modern gaming keyboards and mice, you notice that manufacturers provide lifespan estimations like "this keyboard will last 80 million keypresses" or "this mouse will last 30 million clicks." What do these metrics mean? Can you use them to estimate how many years these products last? I wanted to answer these questions, and I have performed some experiments, using software that tracks my
article SSD vs. HDD: Do SSD drives give you higher frame rates in games?

SSD vs. HDD: Do SSD drives give you higher frame rates in games?

Gamers worldwide purchase SSD drives for their gaming computers, instead of traditional hard disk drives (HDD). SSD drives are proven to be much faster for writing and reading data, but do they also help you get more frames per second when gaming? To answer this question, we experimented using a desktop computer with a popular video card and switched between using an SSD drive
tutorial 5 ways to tell whether a Windows program is 64-bit or 32-bit

5 ways to tell whether a Windows program is 64-bit or 32-bit

Most of the Windows installations today are 64-bit, so most people use 64-bit operating systems and applications. Even popular applications like Chrome, Firefox, Office, and 7-Zip, are using the 64-bit architecture to provide better performance. All this is good but, on a 64-bit operating system, you can run both 32-bit and 64-bit apps. How can you tell whether a program is 64-bit or 32-bit?
tutorial How to find hidden wireless networks (SSIDs) in your area, in Windows

How to find hidden wireless networks (SSIDs) in your area, in Windows

You might need to find all the wireless networks that are broadcast in your area, including those which have a weak WiFi signal and those that have hidden their SSID (network name). For this task, you have to install a wireless network scanner and use it to identify the WiFi networks which exist in your area. However, many of these tools are expensive and

How to read the passwords stored by Windows, and which are easy to crack

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Windows stores the passwords that you use to log in, access network shares, or shared devices. Some of these passwords are stored safely, in an encrypted format, while others are not. Here is how to see which passwords are insecurely stored by Windows, and identify those that can be easily stolen by others: [DC-SUMMARY-BREAK] Step 1. Download Network Password Recovery, for free First, you need an app that knows where

Set how the screen behaves and when the PC goes to sleep (on battery vs. plugged in)

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
One of the great things about Windows is that it allows you to customize almost everything you want. This includes modifying the default power plans found in Windows so that they better suit your needs. That means that you can configure things like when your Windows laptop or tablet dims or turns off its screen (after a period of inactivity), when it goes to sleep after you step away from

Reviewing Mondly: Learn new languages in a browser or a mobile app

  • review
  • Radu Tyrsina
We recently had the pleasure of testing a language learning tool called Mondly. It helps you learn new languages using your favorite web browser or an app on your iPhone or Android smartphone. We love learning new things, so we were eager to see how Mondly works and whether it can truly help you learn a new language with ease. After using it for a time, here are our impressions:

NetSpot review: a great app for WiFi analysis and troubleshooting!

  • review
  • Radu Tyrsina
Here at Digital Citizen, we review many wireless routers and mesh WiFi systems. In our reviews, we analyze the wireless spectrum in our area, so that we understand how the wireless signal evolves and how capable the device that we are reviewing is. In the past, we used several tools for this task. Some used to be free but now have become rather expensive. Recently, we switched to NetSpot, and

What are power plans and how to switch between them in Windows

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Using a mobile device is handy, especially when you travel a lot, but these devices are limited by the amount of energy their batteries can provide. For this reason, paying attention to the power plan that you are using and its settings can make a huge difference in how much battery time you have available. Fortunately, Windows 10, Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 provide us with the necessary tools to

Review ASUS VivoMini VC65-C1: small form factor PC with many expansion options

  • review
  • Radu Tyrsina
We had the opportunity to test one of the latest Mini PCs created by ASUS. It is called ASUS VivoMini VC65-C1, and it was launched earlier this year. In a small form factor, it promises high performance offered by 8th generation Intel processors, DDR4 RAM, multiple storage options including the possibility to add a Blu-Ray or a DVD writer unit, support for Optane memory, 4K Ultra HD video output and

9 ways to access the power plans in Windows

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Windows operating systems have a useful feature called power plans. They are collections of settings that change the way your hardware and software uses system resources. Thus, power plans can make your PC work faster but use more energy, or they can make your PC work slower but save significant amounts of energy. If you are using a Windows device with a battery, power plans are even more important than
tutorial Fix problem: How do I stop Spotify from opening when Windows starts?

Fix problem: How do I stop Spotify from opening when Windows starts?

Many Spotify users encounter a problem that looks like a bug: the Spotify app opens when you log into Windows, even when you disable its startup entry, or when you set it so that it does not start automatically after you log in. A misconfiguration in your Spotify settings causes this problem. Here is how to fix this issue in a couple of seconds:

How to change your user account password in Windows 10

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
You are probably aware of the risks you are exposed to when you use the same password on all your accounts. Regardless of what type of account you use to log into Windows 10, a weak password can give access to your files to anyone who knows it or can crack it. Therefore, you may want to consider changing it. Also, if your Windows 10 account has been compromised, you

How to free up wasted space with Disk Cleanup, in Windows

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
When we want to tweak different aspects of Windows, we prefer to use the built-in tools provided by the operating system. All modern versions of Windows and especially Windows 10, provide some great tools you can use. One such tool is the underrated Disk Cleanup, which allows you to free up space on your partitions and safely remove system files that you no longer need. Let's see how it works
tutorial How to rename a Windows task created with Task Scheduler

How to rename a Windows task created with Task Scheduler

If you landed on this web page, you probably already know how to work with Task Scheduler to create scheduled tasks. Now it may be that you are asking yourself and the internet search engines about a way to rename a task that is already created and scheduled in Task Scheduler. While it may seem a trivial action to some, things are not as

11 ways to start Disk Cleanup, in Windows (all versions)

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
If you have limited storage space on your Windows 10 PC or device, or if you gather lots of data on it, you might stumble upon issues caused by not having enough free space. In such situations, the first thing you should do is clean the storage of unnecessary files such as temporary files, thumbnails or files that you deleted but are still found in your Recycle Bin. Fortunately, to
tutorial 7 things you can do with the Disk Management tool, in Windows

7 things you can do with the Disk Management tool, in Windows

Modern versions of Windows come with a handy disk management utility that allows you to create, resize and delete drive partitions on the fly, without having to boot into a particular disk utility or purchase additional software. The Windows built-in tool we are talking about is called Disk Management, and it is quite easy to use. If you want to make some changes related
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