Windows how-to
Windows How-To Guides
Practical Windows help — fresh Windows 11 guides for what people search today, plus the restored classic how-tos the site was built on.
Two kinds of help live here: fresh, up-to-date guides for Windows 11 (2026), and the restored classic how-tos from the original windows-now.com. The modern guides target the questions people still ask; each one links back to the archived post it grew from.
Fresh for 2026
Up-to-date Windows guides
Current, verified how-tos across everyday Windows 11, Windows Server, workstations and the new wave of Windows AI — for the questions people are actually searching in 2026.
Windows 11
Everyday Windows 11
How to Back Up Your Windows 11 PC
Back up Windows 11 the modern way: Windows Backup and OneDrive, File History versioning, a full system image, and a recovery drive. Step-by-step 2026 guide.
Read the guide →How to Change Default Apps in Windows 11
Change default apps in Windows 11: set defaults per file type and link type in Settings > Apps > Default apps, choose a default browser, and reset to.
Read the guide →Change What the Power Button Does in Windows 11
Change what the power button does in Windows 11: set the physical button and lid-close action in Power Options, add Hibernate to the Start menu, and.
Read the guide →How to Change Title Bar and Accent Colours in Windows 11
Change the Windows 11 title bar colour and accent colour in Settings > Personalization > Colors. Turn on accent colour for title bars and window borders.
Read the guide →How to Connect a Bluetooth Device in Windows 11
How to connect a Bluetooth device in Windows 11: turn Bluetooth on, use Add device > Bluetooth, pair fast with Swift Pair, and fix pairing that won't work.
Read the guide →Core Isolation and Memory Integrity in Windows 11
What Core isolation and Memory integrity actually do, whether they are on by default, why the toggle sometimes refuses, and how kernel driver rules changed in 2026.
Read the guide →How to Customize Visual Effects and Transparency in Windows 11
Customize Windows 11 visual effects and transparency: toggle transparency and animations in Accessibility, and tune the Performance Options dialog for speed.
Read the guide →How to Enable Dark Mode in Windows 11
Enable dark mode in Windows 11 in seconds: Settings > Personalization > Colors > Choose your mode > Dark. Plus Custom mode, accent colors.
Read the guide →How to Factory Reset Windows 11
Factory reset Windows 11 the right way: Keep my files vs Remove everything, Cloud download vs Local reinstall, plus how to clean the drive before selling.
Read the guide →How to Fix No Sound in Windows 11
No sound in Windows 11? Fix it fast: pick the right output device, run the audio troubleshooter, check mute, restart Windows Audio, and update the driver.
Read the guide →Fix Windows 11 Search When It Stops Working
Windows 11 search not working? Restart the search process, run the indexer troubleshooter, rebuild the index and add folders so Search finds your files again.
Read the guide →How to Fix Windows Update Problems in Windows 11
Fix Windows Update in Windows 11: run the troubleshooter, pause and resume updates, free up disk space, restart the update and BITS services, clear.
Read the guide →How to Free Up Disk Space in Windows 11
Free up disk space in Windows 11 fast: use Storage Sense and Cleanup recommendations in Settings, run Disk Cleanup (cleanmgr), and clear the files that.
Read the guide →Essential Windows 11 Keyboard Shortcuts
The essential Windows 11 keyboard shortcuts, grouped by task: snapping, virtual desktops, clipboard history, screenshots, search and more — with clear tables.
Read the guide →How to Manage Startup Apps in Windows 11 (Faster Boot)
Disable startup apps in Windows 11 for a faster boot: use Settings > Apps > Startup, Task Manager startup impact, and the shell:startup folder.
Read the guide →Microsoft Defender in Windows 11: What It Is and How to Use It
Microsoft Defender in Windows 11 is the built-in antivirus in the Windows Security app. Here's how to run scans, set exclusions and turn on ransomware.
Read the guide →How to Mount and Create ISO Files in Windows 11
Mount an ISO in Windows 11 with a right-click, eject the virtual drive, burn an ISO to disc, and see the honest options for creating ISO files.
Read the guide →How to Reset File Explorer Folder Views in Windows 11
Reset folder view in Windows 11: use Folder Options to Reset Folders, clear the Bags/BagMRU cache and sign out, then re-apply one clean view to all folders.
Read the guide →How to Run a Program as Administrator in Windows 11
Run any program as administrator in Windows 11: right-click Run as administrator, Ctrl+Shift+Enter, shortcut and Compatibility settings, elevated Terminal.
Read the guide →SearchHost.exe in Windows 11: What It Is, and Is It a Virus?
SearchHost.exe is the Windows 11 search process. Why Task Manager shows it Suspended, why the usual digital-signature malware test gives a false positive on it, and what to do when it is missing or busy.
Read the guide →How to Set Up a Printer in Windows 11
Add a printer in Windows 11 the right way: USB, Wi-Fi and network setup, adding a printer manually, drivers, setting a default, plus offline and spooler.
Read the guide →How to Set Up Dual Monitors in Windows 11
How to set up dual monitors in Windows 11: connect a second display, extend vs duplicate, Win+P, arrange displays, set the main monitor, scaling and taskbar.
Read the guide →How to Set Up a Local Account in Windows 11
Set up a local account in Windows 11: add an offline account in Settings, switch a Microsoft account to local, and weigh the trade-offs. Step-by-step 2026.
Read the guide →How to Set Up Wake-on-LAN on Windows 11
Set up Wake-on-LAN on Windows 11: enable WOL in BIOS/UEFI, turn on magic-packet wake in Device Manager, disable Fast Startup, and send the packet.
Read the guide →How to Set Up WSL2 (Linux on Windows 11)
Install WSL2 on Windows 11 with one command. Pick a distro, set WSL2 as default, update WSL, share files across Windows and Linux, plus GPU and systemd notes.
Read the guide →How to Show Hidden Files in Windows 11
Show hidden files in Windows 11 fast: View > Show > Hidden items, turn on file name extensions, and use Folder Options for protected system files.
Read the guide →How to Speed Up Windows 11 (Visual Effects and More)
Speed up Windows 11 fast: adjust visual effects for best performance, turn off transparency and animations, trim startup apps, and update drivers.
Read the guide →Stop Windows 11 Folder View From Resetting
Windows 11 folder view keeps changing? Set one view, apply it to all folders of a type, fix the folder template, and clear the Bags/BagMRU cache.
Read the guide →How to Take a Screenshot in Windows 11
How to take a screenshot in Windows 11: PrtScn, Win+Shift+S, Win+PrtScn, Alt+PrtScn, the Snipping Tool app and Game Bar — plus where files save.
Read the guide →How to Turn Off Dark Mode in Windows 11 (and Stop It Coming Back)
Switch Windows 11 back to Light mode, keep some things dark if you want, and fix the four real reasons dark mode keeps returning on its own — including a PowerToys bug that shipped it enabled by default.
Read the guide →How to Use Clipboard History in Windows 11
How to use clipboard history in Windows 11: turn it on, open it with Win+V, pin items, paste as plain text, clear history, and sync across devices.
Read the guide →What Was MinWin, and What Did It Become?
MinWin was never a new Windows kernel, despite what the 2007 coverage said. What it actually was, and where that work shows up in Windows today.
Read the guide →Windows 11 Home vs Pro: Which Edition Do You Need?
Windows 11 Home vs Pro, decided fast: who needs Pro's BitLocker, Hyper-V, Remote Desktop host, Group Policy and domain join — and how to upgrade in minutes.
Read the guide →Windows 11 Media Player: A Practical Guide
How to use Windows 11 Media Player: play local music and video, build a library and playlists, fix metadata and album art, rip CDs, and trim video.
Read the guide →How to Set Up a Screen Saver in Windows 11
Set up a screen saver in Windows 11: open Screen Saver Settings, pick one, set the wait time and the logon-screen option — plus the modern sleep-timeout.
Read the guide →Windows Storage Spaces: Pool Your Drives for Backup and Redundancy
Windows Storage Spaces pools mixed drives into one resilient volume. Pick a resiliency type, create a pool and space in Settings, and know why it is not a.
Read the guide →Windows Server
Windows Server 2025
Add a Second Domain Controller (Windows Server)
Add a second domain controller to an existing Windows Server domain: install AD DS, promote as an additional DC, set DNS and Global Catalog, and verify replication with repadmin and dcdiag.
Read the guide →How to Add Roles and Features in Windows Server
Add roles and features in Windows Server with the Add Roles and Features Wizard or PowerShell's Install-WindowsFeature. Steps for AD DS, DNS, DHCP, IIS.
Read the guide →How to Create a File Share on Windows Server
Create a file share on Windows Server: add the File Server role, run the New Share Wizard, set Share vs NTFS permissions, enable ABE, and map the drive.
Read the guide →Create and Link Group Policy Objects (GPOs)
Create and link Group Policy Objects on Windows Server: open Group Policy Management, make a GPO, link it to an OU, edit a policy, run gpupdate, and check scope with gpresult.
Read the guide →How to Enable Remote Desktop on Windows Server
Enable Remote Desktop on Windows Server: turn on RDP in Server Manager or System Properties, add Remote Desktop Users, open the firewall and keep NLA on.
Read the guide →Fix Group Policy Not Applying in Windows
Group Policy not applying? Force an update with gpupdate, read the results with gpresult, and check OU linkage, security filtering, WMI filters and SYSVOL replication.
Read the guide →Fix: The Trust Relationship Between This Workstation and the Primary Domain Failed
Fix "The trust relationship between this workstation and the primary domain failed" without rejoining the domain — repair the secure channel with PowerShell.
Read the guide →How to Set Up Active Directory (AD DS) on Windows Server
Set up Active Directory on Windows Server: install the AD DS role, promote a domain controller, create a forest, add users and OUs, and join a client.
Read the guide →How to Set Up DHCP on Windows Server
Set up DHCP on Windows Server: install the DHCP role, authorize it in Active Directory, create a scope, add exclusions and reservations, and verify leases.
Read the guide →How to Set Up DNS on Windows Server
Set up DNS on Windows Server: install the DNS Server role, create forward and reverse lookup zones, add A, PTR and CNAME records, and configure forwarders.
Read the guide →How to Set Up Windows Server 2025: A Beginner’s Guide
Set up Windows Server 2025 in a lab: choose Desktop Experience or Server Core, configure the name, static IP, time zone and updates, add a role, and.
Read the guide →Windows Server 2025: Standard vs Datacenter Edition
Windows Server 2025 Standard vs Datacenter: virtualization rights, Datacenter-only features, per-core plus CAL licensing, and how to choose the right edition.
Read the guide →Windows Server 2025: What’s New — A 2026 Overview
Windows Server 2025 new features explained: hotpatching, security hardening, Active Directory, storage, networking, Hyper-V and GPU partitioning, plus.
Read the guide →How to Back Up Windows Server (Server Backup)
Back up Windows Server with the built-in Windows Server Backup feature: install it, run a one-time or scheduled backup, choose full server, system state or bare-metal recovery, and restore.
Read the guide →Getting Started with Hyper-V on Windows Server
Get started with Hyper-V on Windows Server: enable the role, build a virtual switch, create a Generation 1 or 2 VM, install a guest OS and use checkpoints.
Read the guide →Workstation
Workstation & power users
Best Windows 11 Settings for Developers and Power Users
The best Windows 11 settings for developers in 2026: Developer Mode, Windows Terminal, WSL2, winget, long paths, Dev Drive, Sudo for Windows and Git/SSH.
Read the guide →How to Optimize Windows 11 for Heavy Workloads
Optimize Windows 11 for heavy workloads: Best performance power mode, GPU drivers and scheduling, pagefile, startup trimming, NVMe and Dev Drive.
Read the guide →Windows 11 Pro vs Pro for Workstations: Do You Need It?
Windows 11 Pro vs Pro for Workstations, decided fast: ReFS, SMB Direct, persistent memory and far higher CPU-socket and RAM limits — and who actually.
Read the guide →Windows AI
Windows AI, Copilot & Copilot+ PCs
Best Local LLMs to Run on Your PC (2026)
A 2026 roundup of the best local LLMs for Windows PCs — Llama, Qwen, Mistral, Gemma, Phi and DeepSeek — matched to your RAM and GPU VRAM, with honest caveats.
Read the guide →ChatGPT vs Copilot: Which on Windows?
ChatGPT vs Microsoft Copilot on Windows: what each one is, how they overlap and differ, integration with Windows and Office, free versus paid tiers, privacy and data, and which to pick for what.
Read the guide →Copilot in Windows 11: What It Is and How to Use It
Copilot in Windows 11 explained: what the built-in AI assistant does, how to open it, free vs paid, and privacy basics. A practical 2026 guide.
Read the guide →Windows Copilot vs Microsoft 365 Copilot: What’s the Difference?
Windows Copilot vs Microsoft 365 Copilot, explained for 2026: the free consumer Copilot, Microsoft 365 Premium and the work assistant — and who each is for.
Read the guide →GPU vs NPU for AI: What's the Difference?
GPU vs NPU for AI explained: what each processor does, throughput vs efficiency, when each is used, the NPU's role in Copilot+ PCs, and what actually runs on an NPU today.
Read the guide →How Much VRAM Do You Need for Local AI?
How much VRAM or RAM do you need to run a local LLM? A 2026 guide to memory by model size and quantization, GPU VRAM vs system RAM, unified memory and CPU offloading.
Read the guide →How to Disable or Remove Copilot in Windows 11
Disable or remove Copilot in Windows 11: unpin it from the taskbar, uninstall the app from Settings, or use Group Policy and the registry on Pro and.
Read the guide →How to Use (and Turn Off) Windows Recall
How to use, pause, filter and turn off Windows Recall on a Copilot+ PC — the opt-in snapshot feature. Plus how it stores snapshots and how to remove it.
Read the guide →How to Install Ollama on Windows
Install Ollama on Windows and run open AI models locally. Download and setup, ollama run, pulling models, GPU acceleration, the localhost:11434 API, a GUI and uninstalling.
Read the guide →Is Copilot Pro Worth It? (2026)
Is Copilot Pro worth it in 2026? Microsoft retired the plan — here's what it added, who it helped, and whether its successor Microsoft 365 Premium is.
Read the guide →LLM Quantization and GGUF, Explained
LLM quantization and GGUF explained in plain English: why quantised models are smaller and faster with some quality loss, what Q4, Q5 and Q8 mean, what GGUF is and why local models use it, and how to pick a quant for your PC.
Read the guide →Local AI vs Cloud AI: Privacy, Cost & Speed
Local AI vs cloud AI, explained in plain English: what each means, how they compare on privacy and data control, cost, speed and quality, offline use, and when each one makes sense on a Windows PC.
Read the guide →Ollama vs LM Studio: Which Should You Use?
Ollama vs LM Studio compared for running local AI models on Windows: CLI vs GUI, GGUF model formats, ease of use, the API and server, hardware support, and who each suits.
Read the guide →How to Run DeepSeek Locally on Windows
Run DeepSeek models locally on Windows with Ollama or LM Studio. Pick a distilled size for your VRAM, understand reasoning output, and keep prompts fully private.
Read the guide →How to Run Llama Locally on Windows
Run Meta's Llama models locally on Windows with Ollama or LM Studio. Pick the right size for your hardware, use quantized GGUF versions, and call the local API.
Read the guide →How to Run Local AI Models (LLMs) on Windows
Run local AI models (LLMs) on Windows offline with Ollama or LM Studio. Hardware you need — RAM, GPU VRAM, NPUs — plus a plain-English setup walkthrough.
Read the guide →Run Local AI on a Copilot+ PC (NPU)
How to run local AI on a Copilot+ PC: what the NPU can and can't run today, running LLMs on these machines via GPU or CPU vs the NPU, tools that support NPUs, and Arm vs x86 notes.
Read the guide →How to Use ChatGPT on Windows
Use ChatGPT on Windows: the web app, the official Windows desktop app, signing in, voice and attachments, the Alt+Space shortcut, free versus Plus, privacy notes and alternatives.
Read the guide →What Is a Copilot+ PC? (2026 Guide)
What is a Copilot+ PC? A plain-English 2026 guide to the 40+ TOPS NPU bar, RAM and storage minimums, on-device AI features, chips, and whether you need one.
Read the guide →What Is an NPU? (And Why Windows PCs Have Them Now)
What is an NPU? A plain-English 2026 guide to the neural processing unit: what it does, TOPS, how it differs from CPU and GPU, and how to check if your PC.
Read the guide →What Is Liquid AI? LFMs Explained
What is Liquid AI? A plain-English guide to liquid neural networks, Liquid Foundation Models (LFMs) and LFM2, how they differ from transformer LLMs, and why on-device efficiency matters for local AI on your Windows PC.
Read the guide →Windows 11 AI Features Explained (2026)
Windows 11 AI features explained for 2026: Copilot, Studio Effects, Live Captions, Paint Cocreator, Photos generative erase, Click to Do — and what needs.
Read the guide →Networking
Windows networking
Fix: DNS Server Not Responding (Windows)
Fix the DNS server not responding error in Windows: quick router and device checks, flush DNS, switch to 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8, restart the DNS Client service, and reset TCP/IP and Winsock.
Read the guide →How to Flush the DNS Cache in Windows
Flush the Windows DNS resolver cache with ipconfig /flushdns, view it with /displaydns, clear it in PowerShell using Clear-DnsClientCache, and clear browser DNS caches too.
Read the guide →How to Map a Network Drive in Windows 11
Map a network drive in Windows 11 with File Explorer or the net use command, reconnect it at sign-in, store credentials, disconnect it, and fix the common mapping errors. Plus a note on GPO-deployed drives.
Read the guide →Network Connections Folder Is Empty: How to Get Your Adapters Back
ncpa.cpl opens an empty Network Connections window with no adapters. Work through the safe fixes first, then the two registry values that genuinely cause it, with the scope checks that tell you whether each one applies to you.
Read the guide →How to Set a Static IP Address in Windows 11
Set a static IP address in Windows 11 three ways: the Settings app, Control Panel (ncpa.cpl), and PowerShell with New-NetIPAddress and Set-DnsClientServerAddress. Plus DHCP reservations and reverting to automatic.
Read the guide →How to Share Files Between Windows PCs (SMB)
Share files between Windows 11 PCs over SMB: turn on network discovery and file sharing, share a folder, set share and NTFS permissions, access it from another PC, understand password-protected sharing, and why you should not use SMB1.
Read the guide →From the archive