Recent Discussions
Using Widgets Effectively in Windows 11
With Windows 11, Microsoft introduced the Widgets feature — a fly-out panel that gives quick access to personalized information like weather, news, calendar events, and more. While it might seem like a simple cosmetic addition, when used smartly, it can help streamline your workflow, keep you informed at a glance, and reduce unnecessary context-switching. This guide will explain what Windows 11 widgets are, how to activate and configure them, and how to use them effectively for productivity and personalization. https://dellenny.com/using-widgets-effectively-in-windows-11/Customizing the Lock Screen in Windows 11 A Step-by-Step Guide to Personalize and Optimize
When you start your PC or wake it from sleep, the first thing you see is the lock screen. In Windows 11, it’s more than just a gateway to your desktop — it’s an opportunity to make your computer feel personal, functional, and inspiring. Whether you prefer a minimalist look or something dynamic with useful information, customizing your lock screen in Windows 11 is quick and rewarding. This guide will show you how to personalize it step by step — from changing wallpapers and adding slideshows to setting widgets and status apps. https://dellenny.com/customizing-the-lock-screen-in-windows-11-a-step-by-step-guide-to-personalize-and-optimize/
Win 10 to Win 11 with cpu/mb replacement
My desktop PC is a home built machine, a beast in its day but now about 6 years old, which is currently running Windows 10. I get the normal nags from Microsoft inviting me to upgrade to Windows 11 but the current system fails the “can your machine run Windows 11” test. I’m about to rebuild the PC by replacing the CPU, which means replacing the motherboard, but I’m retaining pretty much everything else. (Plan is to upgrade the GPU when prices calm down a bit.) I guess this is going to qualify as a brand new PC as far as Microsoft is concerned, but just before I go out and buy a new Win 11 license I thought I’d ask just in case I have overlooked something that will allow me to retain my existing license and save a little money on the upgrade.Windows update active hours constraint
I’m trying to avoid my machine rebooting while I am not around to exercise a modicum of control. In my Windows Update settings I have disabled “get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” and I have “pause updates” set to 1 week. In the advanced settings I have disabled “get me up to date”, and I have enabled “Notify me when a restart is required”. Today I sat down to my PC to discover that it had terminated all my running programs and rebooted. Without any kind of prompt or warning. Which brings me to “Active Hours”. Active hours can be set automatically or manually and I thought I could set them to 00:00 to 23:59 to prevent updates running without me being around. But no, Microsoft absolutely prevents the active hours from covering a period longer than 18 hours. Why??? So far as I can tell, I have done everything available in the settings to prevent what nevertheless happened at some point in the last 24 hours. I am not aware of an urgent zero-day security problem that demanded an instant patch. Why did my machine do a forced restart when so far as I can tell I have clearly insisted that it not do so? I must be missing something! Any suggestions?can I recreate my original user folder and desktop folder?
This is somewhat embarrassing. I failed to take the necessary precautions, such as setting a restore point, before making changes while trying to backup to OneDrive. During the process I wanted to relocate my user desktop folder from OneDrive to the C: drive. This has changed my user profile folder which now shows as a Desktop icon with all the user folders and desktop items in the one folder. All user folders now appear on the desktop. Is there a way I can recreate my original user folder and desktop folder or am I going to have to reset/restore windows? Very grateful for any help
Microsoft : “What needs your attention” displays during a Windows Upgrade
I'm experiencing an issue during a Windows upgrade where a message from Microsoft appears stating "What needs your attention." This notification seems to interrupt the upgrade process, and I'm unsure what specific actions are required to resolve it. It’s causing delays and uncertainty about whether the upgrade will complete successfully or if there are underlying problems that need addressing.
Strange display color problem when switching users
Windows 10 Pro 22H2 system with 2 different users. It’s more of a minor annoyance than a real nuisance, but if I switch from the logged in user to the other user, and then switch back to the original user, the gray background color changes slightly. And, like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words so here they are. Here’s the display I get if I login with either user 1 or user 2. If I then switch to the “other user“, it still appears exactly the same as above! However, if I then switch back to the original user, it looks like this. Notice how the gray is a completely different shade.
Windows 10 gets 6 years of ESU?
Just updated both of my Windows 10 22H2 Pro PC’s with the June KB5060533 (no problems) and noticed it added some new folders/files as follows: The names & contents would “appear” to indicate Microsoft intends to provide ESU updates for Windows 10 for another 6 years after EoS.
Comment convertir des fichiers HEIC en JPG sur Windows 11 facilement
Bonjour à tous, Je viens de transférer des photos depuis mon iPhone vers mon PC Windows 11, et elles sont toutes au format HEIC. Malheureusement, certaines applications Windows ne les lisent pas bien, donc je cherche une solution fiable pour convertir heic en jpg sans perdre en qualité. J’ai entendu parler de l’extension HEIF de Microsoft, mais je ne sais pas si ça permet vraiment de convertir les fichiers. Je préfère éviter les sites en ligne si possible pour des raisons de confidentialité, donc une option locale serait idéale. Est-ce que quelqu’un peut me recommander un outil gratuit, une méthode intégrée à Windows, ou même une commande PowerShell pour convertir heic en jpg ? Merci beaucoup pour votre aide !Why oobe\bypassnro Not Working for Windows 11 25H2
Hi all, I managed to install windows 11 with a local account by applying the oobe\bypassnro trick. It worked like a charm in the past with Windows 11 22H2, 23H2 and 24H2 installation as far as I have tried. However, it seems this bug was patched by Microsoft and oobe\bypassnro not working for Windows 11 25H2. Is there any other methods I can try in order to install Windows 11 without a Microsoft account? Thank youデータ損失なしでWindows 10をWindows 11にアップグレードする最善の方法
皆さんこんにちは。 現在 Windows 10 を使用しているのですが、Windows 11 へアップグレードしたいと考えています。自分で調べたところ、Windows Update からできる場合と、ISOファイルを使う方法があるようですが、環境によって手順が違うようで少し混乱しています。 私のPCは比較的新しい方ですが、TPM 2.0 や Secure Boot の条件を満たしているかどうかもよく分かりません。アップグレード前に互換性チェックや準備しておくべきこと、確実な手順などがあればぜひ教えてください。 また、アップグレード中にデータやアプリが消えないようにしたいので、バックアップ方法や注意点があればアドバイスいただけると助かります。データ損失なくWindows 10からWindows 11へ安全にアップグレードするための推奨方法について、詳細な情報をお知らせいただければ幸いです。
USB drive not showing up in file explorer
Hi The laptop makes usual ding noise when the USB drive is added but there is no option to open the files from File Explorer. I've done some research and tried various things - restart, uninstalling drivers etc and have found myself on the Event Viewer page for the USB drive. The following is displayed: Device settings for USBSTOR\Disk&Ven_SanDisk&Prod_Cruzer_Blade&Rev_1.00\04016924101322110935&0 were not migrated from previous OS installation due to partial or ambiguous device match. I'm thinking this is the problem?? But how do I fix it? Many thanks in advance for any helpUnable to Download or Update Apps in Microsoft Store – Error Code 0x800706D9
Hello everyone, I’m facing an issue with the Microsoft Store. I am unable to download new apps or update existing ones. Every time I try, I receive the following error message: Error code: 0x800706D9 I have already tried the following steps: Restarted my PC Signed out and signed back into the Microsoft Store Ran the Windows Store Apps troubleshooter However, the problem still persists. I am currently using Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26120.6982 and I am part of the Windows Insider Program. Could anyone please help me understand what causes this error and how to fix it? Thank you in advance for your help.Automating Virtual Desktop Creation and Movement in Windows 11 Using Command-Line and Scripting
Windows 11 brought several improvements to virtual desktops, making multitasking and workspace organization smoother than ever. However, if you’re someone who thrives on automation — or simply wants to switch desktops or create new ones without clicking through the task view — you’ll be happy to know that you can manage virtual desktops using command-line tools and scripts. In this post, we’ll explore how to automate virtual desktop actions such as creating, deleting, renaming, and switching between desktops using both PowerShell and third-party command-line utilities. https://dellenny.com/automating-windows-11-virtual-desktop-management-via-scripting-command-line/Live Captions for Videos and Calls in Windows 11
In today’s world of hybrid work, online learning, and endless video content, accessibility and clarity are more important than ever. Windows 11 introduces a game-changing feature designed to make spoken content more inclusive and easier to follow — Live Captions. https://dellenny.com/live-captions-in-windows-11-real-time-subtitles-for-videos-and-calls/How to Sync Your Android Phone with Windows 11 Using Phone Link
If you’ve ever wanted to reply to texts, check notifications, or access your phone’s photos without picking it up, Windows 11’s Phone Link app makes it easier than ever. By syncing your Android phone with your Windows PC, you can enjoy a truly connected experience between your devices. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set it up and make the most out of it. https://dellenny.com/how-to-sync-your-android-phone-with-windows-11-using-phone-link/Why Use Windows 11 for Smart Home Control
In a modern connected home, we expect to be able to control lights, thermostats, security cameras, smart locks and other devices not just from our phones—why not from our PC? With Windows 11, you can elevate your smart home setup by turning your desktop or laptop into a central command station. This guide will walk you through how to integrate Windows 11 with your smart home devices, the benefits and the practical steps. https://dellenny.com/integrating-windows-11-with-smart-home-devices-a-complete-guide/second monitor Odyssey G40B not working since win 11 25H2
I have two monitors Odyssey G40B which are connected to both my work and home PCs. They worked without problem until my home PC was upgraded to windows 11 25H2. At which point the home PC failed to detect the second identical monitor. The work PC is still at Win 11 24H2 and both monitors work fine. I've changed the monitors around and changed the cables and ports but the home PC will only recognise one monitor whereas the work PC displays on both. I've tried updating the drivers on windows 11 home PC. Deleting and reinstalling the display adapters and installing windows 11 25H2 on the home PC to no effect. I've now missed the 10 window to easily rollback 25H2. Has anyone else seen this issue or have any suggestions? Regards Simon
Windows 11 22H2 Upgrade from Windows 10 – Stuck at 48%
Trying to upgrade to Windows 11 22H2 keeps getting stuck at 48%. Tried so far: All Updates/Clean Boot/DISM/SFC/Chkdsk-F Saw this as an option. Has anyone tried it? If updates continually get stuck due to drivers, open Command Prompt as administrator and run: rundll32.exe pnpclean.dll,RunDLL_PnpClean /DRIVERS /MAXCLEAN Dell E6540 Latitude Windows 10 22H2 Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4800MQ CPU @ 2.70GHz, 2701 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s) 16GB Ram
Events
Get answers to your questions about adopting Windows 11 and managing Windows devices across your organization. Find out how to proactively implement and monitor Zero Trust practices. Get tips on keep...
Online
Catch up on the latest capabilities for Windows 365 and get answers to your questions! Host Christian Montoya and members of the product team provide answers and insights to help you configure, deplo...
Online
Recent Blogs
- Learn all about the Windows and Windows 365 sessions, labs, and experiences at Microsoft Ignite!Oct 30, 2025
- 2 MIN READExplore new standardized titles for updates across Windows OS, .NET Framework, driver, and Visual Studio.Oct 29, 2025
