Microsoft has long hidden certain important files and folders by default in an effort to prevent users from accidentally modifying or deleting critical system files. But, sometimes, power users need access to these hidden files and folders to troubleshoot an issue or access certain data. As long as you promise to be careful, we’ll show you how to show these hidden files and folders in Windows 10.
How to Restrict Apps to Specific CPU Cores with Processor Affinity
Today’s PCs are typically powered by monster CPUs packing four or more cores, and Windows generally does a good job of divvying all of that power up between your apps. But sometimes you want just a bit more control over which processor-hungry apps should be tamed, and that’s where something called processor affinity comes in. Here’s how to restrict specific apps to individual CPU cores for better system-wide responsiveness and, for older apps, stability.
How to Identify Unknown Startup Programs in the Windows Task Manager
The Windows Task Manager lets you see which programs and services are configured to load when you log in to Windows, but the identity and purpose of some of these programs is not always clear. Here’s how you can quickly find out exactly where your Windows startup programs came from and what they’re doing at boot.
How to Use the Windows Right-Click ‘Edit’ to Launch Photoshop Instead of MS Paint
Windows has a handy “Open With” option that lets users open an image file with an application other than the one set as the default for that file type, but this feature doesn’t work when multiple files are selected. One workaround is to use the “Edit” option, but this opens your images MS Paint. Thankfully, you can change which program is associated with the “Edit” option by modifying the Windows Registry. Here’s how to do it.
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The Evolution of the Windows Start Menu: Windows 95 to Windows 10
Make Items on the Screen Bigger with Windows Magnifier
Having trouble reading text or making out fine details in Windows? Instead of lowering your resolution to make everything bigger, which can introduce image quality issues, use the built-in Windows Magnifier utility to selectively zoom in on certain portions of your screen while leaving everything else at native resolution.
How to Quit and Relaunch Windows Explorer
Windows Explorer is one of the most important components of the Windows operating system, but sometimes it can freeze or behave erratically. Instead of a potentially lengthy reboot, you can simply force Windows Explorer to quit and then manually relaunch it, saving time and leaving your applications running. Here’s how to do it.
How to Solve Windows Search Issues with an Index Rebuild
If Windows Search stops working for you and no longer returns search results for files that you know exist, there are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue. Here’s how to fix Windows Search issues in all versions of Windows from 7 to 10.
How to Manage and Hide Notification Icons on the Windows Taskbar
The notification area of the Windows taskbar is a useful and important place to keep track of crucial system and app notifications while you work, but if you have too many apps it can get cluttered. Here’s how to manage and hide notification icons in the Windows taskbar, allowing you to focus only on the notifications that matter to you.
How to Bring Back the My Computer Icon in Windows 8
From Windows 95 to Windows 7, the “My Computer” icon adorned the desktops of hundreds of millions of PCs worldwide, but Microsoft decided to hide it by default in Windows 8 and up. Here’s how to get it back.