To this date, users can still access the Windows Media Player Legacy App. However, it is not enabled by default, and therefore, we have to enable it manually through Optional Features. We have crafted a detailed article on how to enable Windows Media Player Legacy App on Windows 11. Kindly refer to it.

Different Methods to Run Windows Media Player Troubleshooter on Windows 11

The troubleshooter we are talking about here is the Windows Media Player Legacy App, not the modern Media Player application. Here are some effective methods for running the Windows Media Player Troubleshooter on Windows 11.

• Using Windows Settings.
• Via the Run Command.

Run Windows Media Player (Legacy App) Troubleshooter using Windows Settings

• Open Windows Settings using the keyboard combination WinKey + I.
• In the Windows Settings, click on System from the left pane.

• Scroll down and locate Troubleshoot. Open Troubleshoot.

• Under Options, you can find “Other Troubleshooters“. Click on that.

• Here, you can find various troubleshooting options like Audio, Network, Internet, and Background Intelligent Transfer Service, and more. Under Other, you can find the option “Windows Media Player“.
• Click on Run Windows Media Player Troubleshooter on Windows 11.

• The Get Help window will open now. The Get Help option will display the following message. “We can help diagnose your problem by running the Windows Media Player troubleshooter. During this process, we will run some diagnostics on your PC to detect the problem you’re experiencing and then run some automated steps to try to resolve it. Would you like us to run this troubleshooter on your device?“

• Click Yes to continue troubleshooting the Windows Media Player Legacy Application on Windows 11.

Windows Media Player (Legacy Application) Troubleshooting via the Command Line Tools

For this method, we can either use the Command Prompt or the Windows PowerShell. For explanation, we will use the Command Prompt.

• To execute the WMP Troubleshoot command on Windows 11, we have to run Command Prompt with Administrative Privileges. Hence, Run Command Prompt as Administrator on Windows 11.
• Go to the Run Command using the keyboard shortcut WinKey + R.
• In the Run, type the command cmd and press CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER.

• The User Account Control will prompt for your confirmation and open Command Prompt with Elevated Privileges.
• We will use the Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool (MSDT.EXE) to run this troubleshooter on Windows 11. MSDT is currently present on Windows 11 for Backward Compatibility. From the 22H2 update, Microsoft is retiring the Windows legacy inbox Troubleshooters and MSDT that runs them. Find more information on the Deprecation of MSDT and Legacy Troubleshooters.
• Kindly execute the following command in the command prompt. msdt.exe -id WindowsMediaPlayerConfigurationDiagnostic

• This command will run Troubleshooter for Windows Media Player Settings issues.

• For troubleshooting Library and DVD playback issues, kindly execute the following commands respectively.

Troubleshoot Windows Media Player Library Issues

msdt.exe -id WindowsMediaPlayerLibraryDiagnostic

• This command on CMD as Administrator will run the WMP Library issues troubleshoot.

Troubleshoot WMP (Legacy) DVD Playback Issues

msdt.exe -id WindowsMediaPlayerDVDDiagnostic

• The above command on CMD with Administrative Privileges will run WMP DVD Playback issues troubleshooting.

How to Repair and Reset Media Player on Windows 11?

In the above section, we saw how to troubleshoot the Windows Media Player Legacy App on Windows 11. The modern Media Player on Windows 11 is the successor of Groove Music Player. Unlike the legacy troubleshooting methodologies using the MSDT, Microsoft has shifted its Troubleshooting Direction, and as a part of that process, repairing and resetting the Media Player on Windows 11 is made easier. The following are the steps.

• Go to the Windows Settings using the keyboard shortcut WinKey + I.
• Click on Apps from the left pane.

• Select Installed Apps.

• Search for and locate Media Player.

• Click on the three dots next to it and then click on Advanced options.

• Here, you can find various advanced options related to the application.
• Scroll down and locate the Reset and Repair options.

• It is always recommended to use the Repair option in the first place. This option will try to repair the application without affecting the App Data.
• If you are facing issues even after repairing, then you can try the Reset option. Kindly note that this option will delete the App Data.

Technical Comparison between Windows Media Player

Information on the Go! With GPU Acceleration on Media Playback, GPU handles tasks like decoding high-resolution video, applying color corrections, and rendering smooth animations, allowing videos to play more efficiently. This makes operations faster and more efficient because GPUs are specialized for parallel processing.

Take Away

The above article covers detailed information on How to Run TroubleShooting for Windows Media Player Legacy App and repair and reset the Modern Media Player on Windows 11.

Have Queries?

If you have any queries, kindly let us know in the comments. For more interesting articles, stay tuned to Winsides.com. Happy Computing! Peace out!

In this quick and informative tutorial, we’ll walk through how to show the battery percentage on Windows 11 using simple, clear, and easy-to-follow steps.

Why Battery Percentage Tracking can be crucial for Windows 11 Laptops?

By enabling the battery percentage display, you can monitor your device’s power consumption more accurately and make informed decisions, such as lowering brightness, closing unused apps, or turning on battery saver mode to extend battery life. This small feature can make a big difference in your overall user experience and productivity. This paves the way for better power management, avoiding unexpected shutdowns, smarter use of power-saving features, improving battery health, and more.

Quick Way to Show Battery Percentage on Windows 11

It is really easy to show battery percentage on Windows 11. Kindly follow the steps below.

Heads up:

• A simple click on the battery icon in the system tray will display the Quick Settings panel, showing the current battery percentage along with other essential controls.

• While this method works well for a glance, many users prefer having the battery percentage visible at all times for convenience. If you like to keep an eye on your battery level without extra clicks, you can enable a more permanent solution by following a few simple steps.

• Go to the Windows Settings using the keyboard shortcut WinKey + I.
• In the Windows Settings, click on System from the left pane.

• Open Power & battery.

• Here, you can find the option “Battery Percentage“. This option will display the battery on the taskbar.

• Toggle Battery Percentage to ON.

• This will show Battery Percentage permanently on the taskbar (System Tray). That’s it.

Take Away

The above article provides detailed information on how to Show Battery Percentage on Windows 11 Laptops. We hope you are satisfied with our article, and if you have any queries, kindly let us know in the comments.

For more interesting articles, stay tuned to Winsides.com. Happy Computing! Peace out!

Key Functions of the Background Intelligent Transfer Service

The functionalities of BITS include the following operations.

• Background Intelligent Transfer Service schedules file transfers when the system is not actively using the network. If the PC is turned off or the internet connection is interrupted, then BITS can resume the download and upload process from where it stopped.
• Many Microsoft Services, including the Microsoft Store and Windows Update, rely on BITS for their functionality.
• BITS is network-friendly as it uses Intelligent throttling, which means it adjusts speed automatically without interfering with Streaming, Browsing, Gaming, etc.
• For Developers, the Background Intelligent Transfer Service can be used to schedule file transfers for background syncing services, such as OneDrive and Microsoft Defender.

BITS has evolved significantly over the years and is crucial for various Windows-related services, including Windows Update, Windows Server Update Services, System Center, Diagnostic Uploads, Telemetry Uploads, Microsoft Defender updates, and more.

How to Control BITS on Windows 11?

On Windows 11, there are several ways to access the Background Intelligent Transfer Service on Windows 11, both GUI and CLI.

1. Open Background Intelligent Transfer Service using Services.msc
2. Use BITS using the Command Prompt
3. Access Background Intelligent Transfer Service using Windows PowerShell
4. Configure and run BITS using BITSadmin

Let’s check out the above methods in detail.

Getting Started with BITS on Windows 11 using Services

• To Access BITS on Windows 11 via services.msc, Go to the Run Command using the keyboard shortcut WinKey + R.
• In the Run, execute the following command services.msc

• You can locate Background Intelligent Transfer Services from the list of services.

• Now, you can find various information related to BITS, such as Status, Start Type, Log On As, and more.
• Right-click on the BITS, and you can find more options such as Start, Stop, Delayed Start, Properties, All Tasks, and more.
• The BITS Properties option provides access to various configurations related to BITS. The following are those options.

Exploring Background Intelligent Transfer Services Properties

• Right-click on Background Intelligent Transfer Service and click Properties.
• The BITS Properties dialog will now appear. Here, you can find various tabs with different configurations. The Tabs include General, Log On, Recovery, and Dependencies.
• Let’s explore the options in each tab.

General Tab – BITS

In the General tab, we can find information such as the Service Name, Display Name, Path to Execute, StartUp Type, Service Status, and Start Parameters.

• The Start-up type includes options to specify how it can be started on your Windows 11. The options are Automatic, Manual, Automatic (Delayed), and Disabled.
• With Service Status, you can Start, Stop, Pause, and Resume BITS services on Windows 11.
• The next option is Start Parameters. If BITS is actively running, then this option will be disabled. To explore the options of the Start Parameters, we will have to STOP BITS. Modern Services does not use Start Parameters, as it is a very old Windows Feature. Unless the Service is specifically coded to accept parameters, Start Parameters serve no purpose. We recommend leaving the field empty.

Log On Tab

In the Log On Tab, you can choose between Local System Account or This Account. This tab includes an option called “Allow Service to Interact with Desktop“. For security reasons, Microsoft isolated services from the user desktop starting with Windows Vista. Services usually run with Local System high privileges, and if they interact with the Desktop, then a malicious app or user may send clicks or keystrokes to take over the service. To avoid this, starting with Windows Vista onwards, Services run on Session 0, and Users run on Session 1. However, this option remains to this date just for backward compatibility.

Important: We strongly recommend not enabling this option, as it can create a potential security vulnerability by allowing high-privilege services to interact directly with the user desktop.

Recovery Tab

• In the Recovery Tab, you can specify the Computer’s response when the service fails. First Failure, Second Failure, Subsequent Failure, Reset Fail Count after, and Restart Service after. These options configure the behavior of Background Intelligent Transfer Services in the event of a Service Failure.
• Other options include Enabling Actions for stops with errors, running a Program, and Specifying Command-Line Parameters.

Dependencies Tab

Some Services depend on other services, system drivers, or load order groups. If a system component is stopped or is not running properly, dependent services can be affected. In this tab, you can view both the services that depend on system components and the system components that rely on services. For example, the Background Intelligent Transfer Service depends on the DCOM Server Process Launcher and the RPC Endpoint Mapper, which are components of the Remote Call Procedure.

Control BITS using Command Prompt on Windows 11

While Microsoft recommends PowerShell to manage the Background Intelligent Transfer Service, there are several commands to control BITS using the Command Prompt.

How to Access Background Intelligent Service using Windows PowerShell?

Windows PowerShell provides the most powerful and modern way to manage the Background Intelligent Transfer Service on Windows 11. Unlike the older CLI tools, such as bitsadmin, PowerShell utilizes a dedicated BITS module that is officially supported, offering cleaner automation, improved error handling, and object-based output. Some of the useful commands to handle BITS using PowerShell are as follows.

Note: To Handle Background Intelligent Transfer Service using Windows PowerShell, it is recommended to run PowerShell with Elevated Privileges.

Configure and run BITS using BITSadmin

BITSadmin is a legacy command-line tool used to manage Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) jobs in Windows. Microsoft has officially deprecated it and recommends PowerShell for the Background Intelligent Transfer Service. For explanation purposes, we are listing the important BITSadmin commands.

How to Run the Background Intelligent Transfer Service Troubleshooter using Windows Settings?

Windows 11 provides a GUI way to access and run the BITS Troubleshooter. Here are the steps. Instead of trying to stop or pause BITS on your own using the above methods, Winsides.com recommends users to use the built-in Background Intelligent Transfer Service Troubleshooter to diagnose issues related to BITS in the first place. Here are the steps.

• Go to the Windows Settings using the keyboard shortcut WinKey + R.
• In the Windows Settings, from the left pane, click on System.

• Navigate to the Troubleshooters option.

• Under Options, open Other Troubleshooters.

• You can find the Background Intelligent Transfer Service under Other options. Click on Run to start BITS Troubleshooter on Windows 11.

• You can then follow the screen options and complete the process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Take Away

Background Intelligent Transfer Service on Windows 11 is one of the most essential yet often overlooked components of Windows 11. It silently powers many of the operating system’s most important features by handling downloads and uploads in a reliable, efficient, and bandwidth friendly way.

Have Queries?

We hope you are satisfied with our article on BITS and if you have any queries, kindly let us know in the comment section. For more interesting articles, stay tuned to Winsides.com. Happy Computing! Peace Out!

Errors related to the File / Folder Paths Character Limitations on Windows 11 (Error 0x80010135)

Error 0x80010135 is a Windows File Operation Error that usually appears when we try to extract, copy, or move a file whose path is too long for Windows or the application handling it. Windows limits the path length to 260 characters for compatibility reasons. However, from Windows 10 onwards, you can overcome this error by enabling Long Paths on your Windows Operating System.

Information on the Go!

The longPathAware element is a setting inside a Windows application’s manifest file that tells Windows the program can safely handle file and folder paths longer than 260 characters. If an application doesn’t include this element, it will still be subject to the old 260-character limit even if you’ve enabled long paths globally in Windows.

Different Methods to Enable Long Paths on Windows 11

1. Toggle Long Paths on Windows 11 using Windows Settings [GUI]
2. Turn on Long Paths using the Windows Registry Editor [Regedit]

The most convenient way to enable Long Paths on Windows 11 is to use the Windows Settings.

Toggle Long Paths on Windows 11 using Windows Settings [Recommended Method]

• Go to the Windows Settings using the keyboard shortcut WinKey + I.
• In the Windows Settings, from the left pane, click on System Settings.

• Under System, scroll down and locate Advanced. Select Advanced Settings.

• You can find various settings there, including options for the Taskbar, Virtual Workspaces, and File Explorer. Under the File Explorer section, you’ll see an option called “Enable long paths.”

• Enabling the Long paths option will remove MAX_PATH limitations from common Win32 file and directory functions. Toggle Long paths to ON.

• That’s it! You’ve successfully removed the file and folder path length restriction on Windows 11.
  

Enable Long Paths on Windows 11 using Windows Registry Editor [Regedit]

If you have any issues following the above method, or if you can’t find the option on the Windows Settings, you can use Windows Registry Editor and enable Long Paths on Windows 11. Here are the steps.

• Open the Run Command using the keyboard shortcut WinKey + R.
• In the Run, execute the following command regedit.

• This action will open Windows Registry Editor after User Account Control confirmation.
• In the Windows Registry Editor, navigate to the following path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem

• In the main panel, you can find a lot of Registry Values. Locate LongPathsEnabled from the list.
• Right-click on LongPathsEnabled and click Modify.

• Edit D-WORD (32-bit) value of LongPathsEnabled will pop up now. Change the Value Data from 0 to 1 and then click OK.

• Once the changes are made, it is recommended to restart your system. Kindly save your work and restart your Windows 11 PC.
• Long Paths is now enabled using Windows Registry Editor.

Can’t Find the LongPathsEnabled Registry Value in your Windows Registry Editor?

If you are not able to find the LongPathsEnabled Registry Value in the File System, then don’t worry, here are the steps to fix this problem.

• In the Windows Registry Editor, navigate to the following path HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem

• Once you are on the path, right-click on the main panel, and click hover over New, and then click on DWORD (32-bit) Value.

• New Value would be created. Rename it as LongPathsEnabled.

• Open the created file by double-clicking on that.
• In the Value data, replace its value from zero to one.

• Finally, click OK.
• That’s it. LongPathsEnabled Registry Value is created, enabled, and saved. Close the Windows Registry Editor, and then restart your PC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Take Away

Long Paths on Windows 11 breaks down the traditional 260-character limit for file and folder path structures, allowing smooth file operations and better compatibility with modern applications. However, some old programs may still not support long paths on Windows 11.

Have Queries?

The above article provides various methods to enable Long Paths on Windows 11. We hope you are satisfied with our article. If you have any queries, please let us know in the comments. For more interesting Windows 11 Tweaks, stay tuned to Winsides.com. Happy Computing! Peace out!

In this latest article, let’s check out how to do an advanced startup on Windows 11 using different methods. Let’s get started.

Different Methods to Use Advanced Startup on Windows 11

Advanced Startup on Windows 11 is especially useful when experiencing issues preventing normal startup. You can use this option for planned maintenance, diagnostics, and recovery setup. The following are the different methods.

• For a clean and safe option, we can use the Windows Settings.
• Access Advanced Startup on Windows 11 using Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell.
• Windows 11 Login Screen – Simple GUI way.

How to Do an Advanced Startup on Windows 11 using the Windows Settings?

• Go to the Windows Settings using the keyboard shortcut WinKey + I.
• In the Windows Settings, from the left pane, click on System.

• Under System, scroll down and locate the option “Recovery“.

• On Recovery, under Recovery options, you find “Advanced Startup“. This option allows users to restart their device to change startup settings, including starting from a disc or USB Drive.
• Click on Advanced Startup to restart your Windows 11 and enter the WinRE.

Access Advanced Startup on Windows 11 using Command Prompt and Windows PowerShell

In general, Power Users prefer to work with Command Line Interfaces as they are fast, reliable, and they have complete control. If your Windows Explorer is giving trouble or something is corrupted, then you can use the Command Prompt and Windows PowerShell to enter WinRE mode. Additionally, if you are managing a Windows 11 PC remotely using RDP or SSH, then Command-Line Interaction is your only way to trigger advanced startup. Here are the steps.

Using Command Prompt

• To restart the PC into the WinRE mode, go to the Command Prompt, and make sure to run Command Prompt with Administrative Privileges.
• The User Account Control will prompt for your confirmation, and open CMD with Elevated Privileges.
• In the CMD, kindly execute the following command. Please note that this command will trigger an instant restart, and hence, if you have any unsaved data or work, make sure to save them all before executing this command to avoid data loss. shutdown /r /o /f /t 0

• This command will immediately reboot your system into Advanced Startup Mode.
• Let’s break down the above command.

Using Windows PowerShell

In this section, we will see how to use Windows PowerShell and get into the WinRE Mode.

• Make sure to run Windows PowerShell with Administrative Privileges. We have a detailed article explaining different ways to open Windows PowerShell with Elevated Privileges. Kindly refer to it.
• Execute the following command in Windows PowerShell that is running with Administrative Privileges. bcdedit /set {current} recoveryenabled Yes

• This command will ensure that the recovery environment is enabled.
• Let’s trigger the reboot into recovery mode using the following command. shutdown /r /o /f /t 0

Use Windows 11 Login Screen and open WinRE Mode

This method is even simpler than using the Windows Settings. We can use the Windows 11 Login Screen and enter the Windows Recovery Environment. It can be useful when you have trouble logging into Windows 11 or get stuck at the login screen.

• Go to the Login Screen where you can enter your PIN or Password to log into your Windows 11.
• In the lower right corner, you can find the Power icon. Click on that. Don’t worry, the system will not turn off right away, rather, a pop-up appears with additional options to access Restart.
• Press and hold the Shift Key on your keyboard and then click Restart.

• Now, your PC will restart and you will enter the Advanced Startup options like Startup Repair, Command Prompt, System Restore, Safe Mode, Uninstall Updates, etc.

Take Away

Windows Recovery Environment or WinRE or Advanced Startup options on Windows 11 provides access to powerful tools that can fix startup issues, roll back updates, and recover the system without full reinstallation. It acts as a crucial lifeline when Windows fails to boot or runs into critical errors.

If everything is going well, and for some reason, you would like to access the Advanced Startup options on Windows 11, then you can use the Windows Settings Method. If you are a Power user or you are working on headless systems, then you can use the Command Prompt and PowerShell Method. Finally, if you are stuck at the login screen, then you can simply use the login screen options themselves to access the WinRE mode on Windows 11.

Have Queries?

This article covers various scenarios and methods to trigger advanced startup on Windows 11. If you have any queries, kindly let us know in the comments. For more useful articles, stay tuned to Winsides.com

Key Steps

1. Go to the Windows Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Locate Notifications and open it.
4. Toggle Notifications switch to OFF.
5. That’s it. All the annoying notifications turned off on your Windows 11.

Should you Turn off Notifications on Windows 11?

Notifications are useful, however, it varies with user and the notification type. Some of the notifications, which may be important but we don’t want them popping up all the time in the Windows 11 Desktop. For example, I prefer to have WhatsApp notifications on my Desktop, however, I don’t prefer them while I am on a office meet. Hence, it is highly essential to have settings to control notifications effectively.

Various Scenarios to Handle Notifications on Windows 11

On one hand, notifications can be really useful, and on the other hand, they can be really annoying. It is all about balancing it and getting the most out of it. Some situations like Work, Presentations, Gaming, Watching Videos, Sleep Hours, Focus Sessions, Low Battery, Spam Alerts, Distractions, etc., can be really annoying, and you can follow the below steps to have a better control on your notifications on Windows 11.

How to Turn Off Notifications on Windows 11? – Quick Steps

• Open Windows Settings using the keyboard combination Win Key + I.
• In the Windows Settings, click on System from the left pane.

• Under System Settings, you can find the option Notifications.

• Toggle the Notifications switch to OFF to turn off notifications on Windows 11.

• This will disable Notifications play sounds, Notifications on the Lock Screen, and Notification Reminders and Incoming VoIP calls on the lock screen, and Notification Bell Icon.
• That is it. No more annoying pop ups on your Windows 11 Desktop.

Customize your Notification Settings on Windows 11

If you don’t want to turn off Notification Settings completely, then you can customize it. Windows 11 offers various customizations settings to manage your Notification Settings Effectively. Here are the various settings you can customize while keeping the Notifications active on Windows 11.

Allow Notifications to Play Sounds

If Allow Notifications to Play Sounds settings is enabled, whenever we receive a notification, it will play the Notification Sound. You can turn off Notification Sounds if it is bothering you.

Show Notifications on the Lock Screen

When Show Notifications on the Lock Screen is enabled, whenever you receive notifications, and if your Windows 11 is locked, then you won’t get any notifications on the Lock Screen. If you are logged in on the Windows 11, then you will get Notifications normally.

Show Reminders and incoming VoIP calls on the Lock Screen

Show Reminders and incoming VoIP calls on the Lock Screen option if enabled, then you will get notifications related to the Reminders, and incoming VoIP Calls on the Lock Screen of Windows 11.

Show Notifications Bell Icon

When Show Notifications Bell Icon is option is enabled, then Windows will display Notifications Bell icon in the System Tray. When you click on the bell icon, it will give access to the Notification Center. If you don’t want this icon in the system tray, you can uncheck the Show Notifications Bell icon.

Do Not Disturb Setting

This is essential when you are going for a office meet, or giving a presentation, or playing a game. When Notifications are ON, then enabling do not disturb will make sure all the notifications are sent to the Notification Center directly without any disturbance. Once, you turn of “Do not Disturb”, then you will start receiving notifications as usual.

Turn on Do not Disturb Automatically

One more interesting option is that you can automate this Do not Disturb. For instance, everyday, you will have an office call from 1900 HRS to 2030 HRS, then you can specify this timing in the Do not Disturb Automatically. By this way, everyday, at the given time, the system will enable Do not Disturb automatically and then disable it after the specified time. You can also schedule Repeat for Daily, Weekends, and Weekdays.

Additionally, there are several predefined options available when the system can enable Do not Disturb automatically. When enabled, the system will enable DND for the following scenarios.

1. When duplicating your display.
2. When Playing a game.
3. When using an app in full screen mode.
4. For the first hour after a Windows Feature Update.

In the above scenarios DND will be activated automatically, and even priority notifications are also hidden.

Set Priority Notifications on Windows 11

There are several notifications that has to be given highest priority. For example, when you have scheduled office meet via Microsoft Teams, then you can prioritize such notification. You can prioritize such notifications us this setting.

You can set Show incoming calls, including VoIP, Reminders regardless of app used as Priority Notifications. Additionally, you can click on Add to add applications to priority notifications.

Focus Session on Windows 11

Focus Session on Windows 11 help you get more done by reducing distractions. Depending on your configuration, you can set the Focus Session Duration, Enable DND, Show Timer in the Clock App, Hide Badges on Taskbar Apps, etc.

Take Away

It is always a healthy and clean practice to have a control over the Notifications on our Devices. Be it your Smartphone, Android TV, or Computer, it is highly recommended to manage your notifications effectively for a better experience.

Have Queries?

We hope you are satisfied with our article on How to Turn off Notifications on Windows 11. If you have any queries, kindly let us know in the comments. For more interesting articles, stay tuned to Winsides.com. Peaceful Computing!

How does Variable Refresh Rate Technology works?

Variable Refresh Rate allows monitors to dynamically adjust their Refresh Rate in real time to match the frame output of the GPU. When the GPU is rendering higher Frame Outputs, why restrict them to the conventional 60 Hz. This Display Technology eliminates Screen Tearing, reduce Stuttering, and improve Gameplay Smoothness.

When the GPU Frame Rate is more then the Monitor output Refresh Rate, then it will result in Screen Tearing. On the other hand, if the GPU Frame Rate is less than the Monitor output Refresh Rate, then it will result in Screen Stuttering or Screen Lag.

It is Healthy to check WDDM Version before Enabling VRR Support on Windows 11

Before getting to Enabling VRR on Windows 11, it is recommended to check the WDDM Version to make sure the functionality of VRR because, VRR Support was initially introduced on WDDM 2.6. Hence, we have to make sure that our WDDM is to the latest version. We have detailed article explaining How to Check WDDM Version on Windows 11. Kindly refer to it.

If your system is using older Windows Display Model Version, then VRR Support may not appear in the Windows 11 Settings or it may not function properly.

Facts on the Go!

Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling, a part of WDDM Updates, reduces latency, and improve performance. It is a worthy option.

Enable Variable Refresh Rate on Windows 11 – Detailed Steps

• To Enable VRR Support, we will use the Windows Settings. Open the Windows Settings using the Keyboard Combination Win Key + I.
• From the Left Pane, click on System.

• In the System Settings, proceed with Display.

• Under Related Settings, you can find the option “Graphics”. Select Graphics.

• Now, under Default Settings, click on Change default graphics settings.

• Here, you can find “Variable Refresh Rate”. Toggle Variable Refresh Rate switch to ON.

• Once Variable Refresh Rate is ON, when possible, you may get a higher frame rate and reduce screen treating in games that don’t support variable refresh rate by default. kindly Restart your system so that the changes made will reflect. Check out: How to change Refresh Rate on Windows 11?

Take Away

With Technological Advancements, We are enhancing our Experience to a better spot everyday, and Variable Refresh Rate is one of those advancements that is intended to enhance your Gaming Performance on Windows 11. Thanks to NVIDIA, and AMD for pioneering such technologies.

Have Queries?

We hope you are satisfied with our article on How to Enable Variable Refresh Rate on Windows 11, and if you have any queries, kindly let us know in the Comments. For more wonderful insights, stayed tuned to Winsides.com. Happy Gaming! Peace out!

How Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling on Windows 11 works?

We all know that the CPU, the Central Processing Unit is the Brain of our system. It controls all the components like Input and Output Devices, Memory, Storage, Graphics, Peripheral Devices, etc. Traditionally, CPU is responsible for scheduling and managing tasks that are sent to the GPU. With HAGS enabled on Windows 11, GPU related Tasks scheduling is partially assigned to the GPU itself.

By this way, GPU can work more efficiently, the load is taken off of the CPU, eventually improving the system performance and reduced input lag. Kindly refer to the following image for the better understanding of the HAGS Mechanism.

From the above image, you can find there is a dedicated GPU Scheduler which is a part of the GPU itself, and GPU-related tasks, and queries are taken care by the GPU itself which reduces the CPU intervention. Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling works only on systems with Windows Display Driver Model 2.7, and higher.

WDDM is essential because it paves the way for Windows to manage how the system interacts with your GPU. Older WDDM versions (WDDM 2.7 and lower) will not support HAGS mechanism and it heavily relies on CPU for instructions. You can check out your WDDM version using the DirectX Diagnostic Tool.

Difference Between HAGS Enabled and HAGS not Enabled on Windows 11

What are the System Requirements to Enable HAGS on Windows 11?

HAGS was initially introduced on Windows 10, and has been been carried forward to Windows 11. Here are the system requirements.

• Operating System: Windows 10 & Windows 11. However, practically speaking, Windows 10 is no more, and hence, it is just Windows 11.
• GPU Hardware: If you are using NVIDIA, then make sure you have GeForce GTX 1000 or newer. If you are using AMD, then make sure you have Radeon RX 5000 or newer.
• WDDM Version: Make sure the Windows Display Driver Model Version is 2.7 and higher. You can check the version under the Display tab of DxDiag Tool.
• Additionally, make sure the Graphics Drivers are up to date.

Turn on Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling on Windows 11

Once we make sure all the pre-requisites are met, we can then proceed to enable Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling on Windows 11. Here are the steps.

• Open Windows Settings using the Keyboard combination Win Key + I.
• From the left pane, click on System Settings.

• Select Display and open it.

• Under Related Settings, click on Graphics.

• Graphics Setting will now open. Here, you can find the option “Change Default Graphics Settings“.

• You can find the option “Hardware accelerated GPU Scheduling“. If it is turned off, toggle the switch to turn on Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling.

• Once the option is turned on, it is highly essential to restart your system. Kindly restart your PC.
• That’s it. HAGS is now Enabled on your Windows 11 Rig.

Other Graphics Settings worth considering on Windows 11

Since we are on the Default Graphics Settings page, there are other options that are worth considering. The options are

1. Variable Refresh Rate (VRR).
2. Optimizations for Windowed Games.

Variable Refresh Rate

Variable Refresh Rate Settings on Windows 11, when possible get a higher frame rate and reduce screen tearing in games that don’t support variable refresh rate by default. If you are Gamer, this setting is worth considering.

Optimizations for Windowed Games

On Windows, we would have played two different types of games, Windowed ( Example: Minecraft Java Edition, etc.) and Borderless Windowed Mode( Example: Valorant, Call of Duty, etc.). Optimizations for Windowed Games enhances Gaming Performance of both modes using features like Flip Presentation Model, Auto HDR, Variable Refresh Rate option which was exclusive only for Full Screen Games.

Information on the Go! Flip Presentation Model is the latest way of rendering frames from the game to the screen. The previous Bit Block Transfer uses CPU and copies Frame and then send it to GPU and then to Screen. However, FPM uses GPU to flip frame buffers directly into the screen.

Disable Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling on Windows 11

Though HAGS are intended to enhance the system and graphics performance, after enabling HAGS on Windows 11, if you face issues like inconsistent frame pacing, stutters, micro lag, crashes, issues with screen recording, etc., then you can consider turning off HAGS.

Possible causes include GPU drivers not optimized for HAGS, older hardware, or the game itself is not designed to work well with modern scheduling, etc., you might face the above issues. Kindly follow the below steps to turn off Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling on Windows 11.

• Go to the Windows Settings and then click on System. Select Display. Under Related Settings, click on Graphics. Proceed with Default Graphics Settings.
• Now, Turn off Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling. You can toggle the switch off.

• That’s it. HAGS is now disabled on your Windows 11 rig. Make sure to restart your system.

Additional Insights

My Asus ROG is running on AMD Ryzen 7 4800H Octa Core with integrated Radeon Graphics and NVIDIA GeForce 1650. When HAGS is enabled on Windows 11, please make sure to keep Radeon Anti Lag option on the AMD Software Disabled to avoid conflicts between the two settings. On the other hand, also make sure to turn off NVIDIA Reflex, if HAGS is enabled.

Take Away

Microsoft has introduced Hardware Accelerated GPU Scheduling to improve the system and gaming performance by giving more control to the GPU. This process reduces latency, and provides smoother performance. Will you enable HAGS on Windows 11? Kindly let us know in the comments.

For more interesting articles, stay tuned to Winsides.com! Happy Gaming! Peace out!

Why is End Task so Brutal and Powerful?

End Task does not care about what the application is doing currently, or what happens to the Data, or anything. It takes a straightforward command from the OS and completes the command. Sometimes it can be tedious if an application becomes unresponsive or frozen, then we may have to wait quite a long time for the application to become responsive, and sometimes, it takes forever. To regain control of the system, we can use the End Task option and kill the process immediately, so that the system can reach its normal status.

Be Cautious while using End Task on Windows 11

While this option brings the System to its normal status, it comes with a cost. All the Unsaved work will be lost.

• For Example, if you are working on a Word Document, and you have typed a 500-word paragraph. It is not saved yet, and for some reason, the Word Application becomes unresponsive. In that case, if you use the End Task option, you will regain your system’s functionality, however, the Word Application will be terminated immediately, and all the data will be lost.
• When a Data Transfer is happening and you end those Tasks, then it may result in possible Data Corruption.
• The most frequently faced situation is when Google Chrome becomes unresponsive because of inadequate system resources when we open several tabs. We will have to use the End Task option in such a case, we will lose all the unsaved Browser Tabs, and Sessions.

Different Ways to End Task on Windows 11

The most popular and traditional way is to use the Task Manager. However, in certain situations, even the Task Manager can become unresponsive. There are so many Memes on the Internet related to this. You are supposed to Kill them and not join them. The other ways to End Task on Windows 11 will be

• Using the Command Prompt (Kill Process)
• Using the Windows PowerShell(Stop Process)

The above two methods are not popular among conventional users. However, for Developers and IT people who work with Windows Servers, these methods can be useful.

There is one more method, and this whole article is about that method. In the latest Windows 11 22H2 update that was released at the end of 2023, a new feature called “End Task in the taskbar by Right-Click” has been introduced.

What does End Task in the Taskbar by Right-click do?

When we open a application on Windows 11, the application’s icon will appear in the Taskbar. The Taskbar shows various useful infromation including different active applications. You can minimize and switch between applications using the Taskbar. End Task in the Taskbar provides the option of “End Task” when we right-click on the application’s icon in the Taskbar. This provides a quick access to End Task option and can be useful for developers and IT people.

How to Enable End Task in Taskbar by Right-click on Windows 11?

To enable this option on Windows 11, we have to make sure that the Developer Mode is on. The first part of this process is to enable the Developer Mode on Windows 11. We have a detailed article explaining How to Enable Developer Mode on Windows 11 with clear steps. Kindly refer to it.

[su_box title=”Important”]Enabling Developer Mode in Windows 11 comes with some risks like Security Vulnerabilities, System Instability, Privacy Concerns, Unauthorized Access, etc. It is mostly for people who are into Development. Hence, kindly be aware of the risks in enabling this mode on Windows 11 and proceed accordingly. [/su_box]

Let’s get to the Second part. The following are the steps to enable end task in taskbar by right-click on Windows 11.

• Use the Keyboard Combination Win Key + I to open Windows Settings.
• Click on System from the Left pane.

• Scroll down and locate “For developers” option and open it.

• Under “For developers” option, you can find the option End Task. This option enables end task in taskbar by right-click.

• Toggle the End Task switch to ON to enable this option on Windows 11.

• That’s it. End Task Option is enabled on Windows 11.
• Let’s check it out. I am using Chrome Web Browser for making this article, let’s right-click on the Chrome Application in the taskbar and check for the End Task option.

Take Away

Enable End Task in Taskbar by Right-click on Windows 11 can be a useful feature for Developers, who faces Unresponsive application issues frequently. However, if you are worried about enabling Developer Mode on Windows 11, you can stick with the conventional method of Task Manager to End Task when an Application becomes unresponsive. The choice is yours.

Have Queries?

If you have any queries, kindly let us know in the Comment Section. For more interesting articles, visit Winsides.com. Happy Computing! Peace out!