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When you need a wireless internet connection on your Windows 11 machine, you’ll probably want to connect to Wi-Fi. Here are two different ways to do it—and how to troubleshoot when things go wrong. First, Some Basics If you’d like to connect to a Wi-Fi network using Windows 11, you’ll need to know a few basics first, which we won’t cover in detail here. Obviously, your device must support Wi-Fi—which means it must have some kind of Wi-Fi network adapter either built-in or connected to it....

A custom wallpaper goes really well with custom app icons and custom widgets. You don’t need to be a designer to create your own solid-color or gradient wallpaper. All it takes is the Shortcuts app on your iPhone and iPad. Using the WallCreator shortcut from MacStories, you can generate a solid-color or a gradient wallpaper right on your iPhone or iPad. You can generate the wallpaper randomly, or you can specify a specific color....

Mac users know keyboard shortcuts are the way to go in OS X. Using the keyboard to perform routine and repetitive tasks is a great timesaver and really ups your skill level, but did you know you can add or even customize keyboard shortcuts? Controlling your Mac with the keyboard is no small part of OS X’s (and earlier versions as well) DNA. When you use a Mac, you’re almost obligated to use keyboard shortcuts to do things other computer users might default to the mouse for....

Are you tired of Windows 10 bugging you with the “Get even more out of Windows” splash screen every time you update? It can be handy for some, but it also gets in the way. Here’s how to turn it off. First, open “Settings” by clicking the “Start” menu and selecting the small gear icon (or you can press Windows+I on your keyboard). In “Settings,” click “System.” In “System,” select “Notifications & actions” in the sidebar....

This process is simple, but the option is a little buried. To find it, press the “Home” button on your Roku remote to go to the home screen. Navigate to “Settings” on the left side of the home screen and press the “OK” button to open the Roku TV’s settings. On the Settings screen, navigate to System > Advanced System Settings > Network Connection Reset. Select the “Reset connection” option and press the “OK” button on your remote....

Though it’s had its share of flaky behavior since being introduced in Windows 8, the Windows Store has gotten more reliable over time. It still has the occasional problems, though. One of the more irritating issues is when an app update (or install) gets stuck. Here’s how to fix that. RELATED: Getting to Know the Windows 10 Store The Windows Store offers a pretty solid collection of apps, even if it doesn’t offer desktop apps just yet....

Format an SSD In File Explorer There are a few ways to format a solid-state drive (SSD) in Windows 10. Most of them — like the Disk Management tool — are overkill for your day-to-day needs. The simplest way to format an SSD is through File Explorer. RELATED: What Is a Solid State Drive (SSD), and Do I Need One? In most cases there will be an icon on your desktop named “This PC....

For some people, a normal router works fine for their wireless needs. But if you have dead spots all around your house, you might benefit from a mesh Wi-Fi system, like the Eero. And even if you’re familiar with the Eero system, here are all the nifty things you can do with it that you may not have known about. Use Your Other Router in Conjunction with Eero RELATED: How to Use the Eero in Bridge Mode to Keep Your Router’s Advanced Features...

When you open the Start menu in Windows 10, you normally see an alphabetical list of apps installed on your system. If you’d like to have a smaller sleeker Start Menu, it’s possible to hide the app list on the left. Here’s how. Here’s an example of what a typical Start menu app list usually looks like (although yours will vary based on how you’ve configured your PC). We’ve highlighted the app list in red....

Even though iPhone has Siri, some iPhone owners prefer using Google Assistant for performing spoken-word tasks. With a feature called Back Tap available in iOS 14 and later on iPhone 8 and up, you can quickly launch “Hey Google” by tapping the back of your phone. Here’s how. First, if you don’t have it already, you’ll need to install the Google Assistant app on your iPhone. It’s a free download from the App Store....

While protecting your PC, Windows Defender sends frequent notifications that can become bothersome over time. Here’s how to manage those notifications (or turn them off completely) in Windows 10. First, open the Start menu and type “Windows Security.” Press Enter or click the “Windows Security” shortcut to launch it. (Windows Defender is now known as Windows Security.) In Windows Security, navigate to “Virus & Threat Protection.” Then click “Manage Settings....

Google TV and Android TV have support for many game controllers built-in. If you have a Bluetooth wireless controller, there’s a good chance it will work exactly how you’d expect. You can then use the controller for Android games, emulators, cloud game streaming services, or even just to navigate the smart TV interface. Let’s get started. RELATED: What’s the Difference between Google TV and Android TV? First, select your profile photo on the home screen and go to “Settings....

Chrome’s cross-device sync feature is one of the things that makes it so popular, but it’s not without problems. You may not like Google having all your browser data, for example. Thankfully, you can encrypt your synced data by adding a passcode. What Is Chrome Sync? Here’s all the information that Chrome saves to your Google account with sync enabled: Bookmarks History and open tabs Passwords Payment info Names, addresses, and phone numbers Settings and preferences...

If you’re buying or selling an item and have no idea what it’s worth, don’t worry: By checking the prices of similar sold items on eBay, you can get some idea of an item’s value. Here’s how to run a price check on eBay. First, open your favorite web browser and visit ebay.com. You can also open the eBay app on your mobile device. In the search bar at the top of the page, type in what you’re trying to find the value of....

Many email servers refuse to accept email attachments over a certain size. While attachment sizes haven’t kept up with the times, there are other easy ways to send someone large files over email. Even if you’re using a modern, online email client, message size is limited. Gmail, for example, allows messages to be up to 25 MB, including the message’s text and any attachments. Outlook.com allows only 10 MB. When sending messages over these services, they will automatically give you a helping hand and suggest alternatives—such as using Google drive for Gmail attachments and OneDrive for Outlook....

Clean It Up The first thing to do when preparing to let a child loose on your old laptop is to make sure it’s free of any intrusive, distracting, or inappropriate content. This could be as easy as updating your Windows or Mac machine, uninstalling any unnecessary programs, and deleting all your files. If you’ve already retrieved all important files from the hard drive, the most reliable way to make the laptop kid-friendly is to roll the device back to its original factory settings....

If you want to add a bit more convenience and safety to your home’s smoke alarm setup, the Nest Protect comes with a handful of great features to make that a reality. Here’s how to set it up and what all you can do with it. If you’re not familiar with the Nest Protect (or smart smoke alarms in general), they act like any other regular smoke alarm, but they also connect to your Wi-Fi network in order to send you alerts on your phone if you’re away from home....

Streaming from your Xbox Series X or S directly to Twitch is a slightly cumbersome, yet ultimately serviceable way of sharing live gameplay online. Mixer may be dead, but Twitch lives on—and you don’t need any special hardware to use it. Setting up Twitch Streaming Microsoft’s now-defunct streaming platform Mixer was previously integrated with the Xbox platform at a system level, and it provided a smooth and steady streaming experience....

Today we are going to show you a nifty new shortcut built into Windows 8 that lets you capture everything that’s on your screen–this is the first time that Windows has really included a built-in way to capture screenshots. Taking a Screenshot in Windows 8 Switch to the Start Screen and launch your app of choice. To take a screenshot, hold down the Windows key and press the PrtScn (Print Screen) button on your keyboard....

How to Transfer Chrome Tabs Between iPhone, iPad, and Mac As long as you are signed in to the same Google account in the Chrome browser for your iPhone, iPad, and Mac, you can easily transfer tabs between all your devices. Just make sure that the “Sync” feature is enabled. In Chrome for Mac, click your “Profile” button and make sure that it says “Sync Is On.” On your iPhone or iPad, tap the “Menu” button, and choose the “Settings” option....