Key Points to Lock Your Screen In Windows 11

• On your keyboard, use the shortcut Winkey + L
• It will instantly lock your screen & take you out to the login screen.

Method 1: Using Start Menu:

This is one of the old, unique, and straightforward methods to lock your screen on your Windows 11 device. However, this method is suitable for those who prefer using the GUI and a mouse.

• Step 1: Click the Start button located at the bottom-left corner of your screen.

• Step 2: Now you need to click on your profile icon at the top of the Start menu.
• Step 3: From the dropdown menu, select Lock. It will instantly lock your screen.

This is the fast & simple method to lock your screen. You can secure your device in just a few clicks.

Method 2: Using CTRL + ALT + Del:

This method is one of the classic ways to lock your screen. Those who are familiar with Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10 definitely know this method to lock the screen.

• Step 1: You need to press Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys on your keyboard simultaneously.
• Step 2: From the screen that appears, click on Lock. It will bring you to the lock screen.

Method 3: Using Power User Menu:

• Step 1: Firstly, you need to right-click the Start button or simply use the keyboard shortcut Winkey + X.
• Step 2: In the list of options, you need to click the option Shut down or sign out >.
• Step 3: Now simply click the Lock button to lock your screen instantly.

Method 4: Using Run Command:

This is one of the unique methods to lock your screen using the Run Dialog box. This is mostly suitable for tech-savvy people.

• Firstly, you need to open the Run window using the keyboard shortcut Winkey + R
• Now, enter the following command rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation
• Hit the Enter button or click the OK button to lock your screen.

Method 5: Using Screensaver (Automated Lock Screen):

This is one of the unique methods, and it is a kind of automation process. All you have to do is set a screensaver and a timeout for a minute or longer.

• Step 1: Firstly, you need to right-click on the desktop and choose Personalize.

• Step 2: Now, go to Lock screen settings.

• Step 3: Scroll down and click on Screen saver settings.

• Step 4: Once you click the option, the Screensaver Settings window will be displayed on your screen.
• Step 5: Here, I choose the 3D Text option as a screensaver and set the time to 1 minute. Check the option “On resume, display logon screen,” which will ask you to re-enter the login password to sign in.
• Step 6: Once you have done all the settings, click the Apply and OK buttons.

• After a minute, your computer will launch the screensaver on your device by locking your screen automatically, as shown in the image below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Take Away:

Locking my screen in Windows 11 is essential for maintaining security and privacy, especially when I need to step away from my computer. I’ve found that there are multiple ways to do this, each offering convenience and reliability.

Have Queries?

Whether I use the Start menu, the classic Ctrl + Alt + Delete method, or even set up an automatic lock through screen saver settings, I have several options to choose from. By using these methods, I can ensure that my personal information and work remain secure. If you have any questions, let us know in the comments. Find more informative tutorials on our Blog WinSides.com

Method 1: Using Command Prompt:

• Click the Start Menu and search for Command Prompt
• You need to choose the “Run as Administrator” option to launch the command prompt in admin mode.

• Once the command prompt is launched, you need to execute the following command:
  • winsat formal

The tool will run a series of tests and display performance metrics in different areas like CPU, Memory, Disk, and Graphics.

Once the tests are finished, you can view the final report generated by the ‘winsat formal‘ command in the Command Prompt. From the results, you can easily understand your PC’s Windows Experience score.

Method 2: Using PowerShell:

• Click the Start Menu and search for PowerShell
• You need to choose the “Run as Administrator” option to launch the powershell in admin mode.

• Now you need to execute the following command:
  • Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_WinSAT

• The above command will provide your pc’s Windows Experience Index stats.

Method 3: Using XML Report:

Though the Window 11 removed the Windows Experience report from the settings, Windows still generates a WEI report in XML format. Follow the steps below to view the XML files.

• You need to navigate to the following folder:
  • C:\Windows\Performance\WinSAT\DataStore
• Now, in the list of files, you need to look for the file name “Formal.Assessment (Initial).WinSAT.xml“,

• Once you found the file, you need to open the xml file using the website.

Method 4: Using 3^rd Party Apps:

You can also use the Third-Party Tools to view performance reports, although it won’t show the WEI in the traditional format.

1. ChrisPC Win Experience Index:

This app will help you rate your computer and gain access to the Windows Experience Index score on Windows 11.

• You can download the software from the following link: Download ChrisPC Win Experience Index App.
• Once you have downloaded the application, proceed with the installation.
• Launch the application after the installation is complete.

• If you want to get the latest and detailed report of your pc, then you need to click the Re-run the assessment button.
• The assessment will take more than a minute to complete. Once the assessment is completed, the rating will be displayed as a graph value.

2. ExperienceIndexOK:

A lightweight utility that displays the WEI score without requiring an installation. You can download the app from the following link: Download ExperienceIndexOK app.

• After the app is downloaded, extract the zip file and run the exe file to launch the application.

• You can re-run the assessment if you want to update the index score.
• It will launch the Winsat.exe application in the Command Prompt and run multiple tests to determine the score. It will take more than a minute to complete.
• The updated score will be displayed in the app after completing the assessment.

In conclusion, while Microsoft has removed the Windows Experience Index feature from Windows 11 settings, there are still several ways to check your system’s performance score. By following the methods outlined in this tutorial, you can easily assess your PC’s performance and gain insights into its capabilities. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your hardware or simply monitor how well your system is running, these alternatives provide a simple way to access the Windows Experience Index on Windows 11.

Read more:

• Enable Unified Write Filter in Windows 11
• How to Enable Unbranded Boot in Windows 11?
• How to Empty The Recycle Bin in Windows 11?

Method 1: Viewing Folder Size by Hovering on it:

This is the simplest way to view the folder size. All you have to do is hover over the folder, and the folder size will be displayed as a tooltip. Refer to the image below for a visual example.

Method 2: Finding Folder Size using File Explorer Properties Option:

This is another simple method, similar to the one above. Instead of hovering, you just need to right-click on the folder and choose the Properties option to view the folder size. It will display the directory size under both “Size” and “Size on Disk” options. Alternative you can use the keyboard shortcut ALT + Enter to launch the properties after choosing the folder/directories.

Step 1: Right Click -> Properties:

Step 2: Viewing Folder Size:

You can enlarge the image by clicking on the image above.

Method 3: Viewing Folder Size from Details in File Explorer:

This method is similar to the previous one and also relies on the Properties option. First, select the folder or directory, then in the right pane, you will see an option named Details. Click on it, and from there, you can access the Properties option. Once clicked, you can view the folder size in the Properties window.

Now, you can view the size of the directory from the properties option.

Method 4: Listing Folder Size using PowerShell:

• Click the Start Menu and search for PowerShell
• You need to choose the “Run as Administrator” option to launch the powershell in admin mode.

• Now, you need to run the command:
  • cd "C:\path\to\your\folder"
• Replace the above path with yours.

• Executing the command will change the directory to your input directory in the powershell.

• Now, you need to execute the following command:
  • Get-ChildItem -Recurse | Measure-Object -Property Length -Sum

• The command will display the output in the Bytes value, & You can use the external tools to convert your bytes to KB: https://www.gbmb.org/bytes-to-mb
• You can compare the values with those obtained from methods 1 to 3.

Method 5: Get Folder Size using Command Prompt:

• Click the Start Menu and search for Command Prompt
• You need to choose the “Run as Administrator” option to launch the command prompt in admin mode.

• Now, you need to enter the Drive ID, In my case, I’m going to change to D: drive.
  • D:

• Use the command now:
  • cd "path\to\your\folder"

• Replace the above path with yours.

• Now, you need to execute the following command:
  • dir /s

• The command will display the output in the Bytes value, & You can use the external tools to convert your bytes to KB: https://www.gbmb.org/bytes-to-mb
• You can compare the values with those obtained from methods 1 to 3.

Method 6: Using 3rd Party Apps:

If you’re interested in trying a unique way to view folder sizes, you’ll need to install third-party apps. I have listed some lightweight and effective apps that work well to display folder and directory sizes on Windows PCs.

WinDirStat is a popular and powerful disk usage statistics viewer. It provides a visual representation of the files and folders on your drive, making it easy to identify which files or directories are taking up the most space. The graphical treemap helps you understand disk space allocation by representing files as colored rectangles based on their size, allowing you to quickly spot large folders and files. It’s a lightweight tool that makes it an excellent option for users who need to analyze disk usage. You can download the app here: https://windirstat.net/

TreeSize Free is another widely used tool to view folder sizes and disk usage. It provides a hierarchical view of your folder structure, showing sizes in a clear and readable format. You can quickly drill down into subfolders to see where storage is being used the most. It’s highly efficient for scanning drives and directories, even for larger storage volumes. TreeSize Free also allows you to sort and filter results. You can download the app here: https://www.jam-software.com/treesize_free

Conclusion:

In conclusion, checking folder or file sizes is an essential task for managing storage on your Windows 11 PC. With the methods mentioned above, from using File Explorer to leveraging Command Prompt, PowerShell, or third-party apps, you now have a variety of tools at your disposal to easily view directory sizes. Whether you prefer a quick hover or more detailed analyses with apps like TreeSize Free or WinDirStat, these methods ensure you can efficiently manage your storage. Find more interesting tutorials on WinSides.com

Frequently Asked Questions by Users?

Below are the commonly asked questions by users related to this topic.

Read More:

• Properly Eject USB or External SSD/HDD in Windows 11!
• How to Print Screen/Screenshot Without the PrintScreen Button in Windows 11?
• How to stop apps from opening at startup in Windows 11?

Have Queries?

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

Steps used in this video

1. Open Windows PowerShell.
2. Go to Settings.
3. Navigate to PowerShell Profile from the left pane.
4. Under the PowerShell profile, you will find Appearance. Open Appearance.
5. Locate Retro Terminal Effects and enable it.
6. Finally, click Save.
7. PowerShell Retro Terminal Effect is ON.

Leave your Feedback!

If you have any queries, kindly let us know in the comments. Stay tuned to winsides.com

Renaming multiple files at once can be a tedious process, especially when dealing with hundreds of them. Fortunately, I found a way to make this much easier using the PowerToys utility from Microsoft! PowerToys includes a feature called “PowerRename” that allows us to rename batches of files instantly. In this tutorial, I will share all the possible methods to rename batch files using the PowerRename utility provided by Microsoft PowerToys.

What is Powertoys’ PowerRename?

PowerRename is a tool that enhances the standard file renaming capabilities in File Explorer. This utility allows you to perform complex renaming tasks using search and replace, bulk editing, and regular expressions (regex). It is designed to minimize the effort needed to manage and rename batches of multiple files efficiently.

Why Choose Powertoys’ PowerRename?

With PowerRename, you can able to do the following functions:

• Search and Replace Text: You can easily find specific text in file names and replace it with new text.
• Use Regular Expressions: You can apply complex patterns to rename files.
• Preview Changes: This option allows you to see how files will be renamed before finalizing the operation.
• Undo Renames: You can quickly reverse changes using the standard Windows Explorer undo feature.
• Filter Results: You can simply select which files to rename by filtering results based on various criteria.

You can download the latest version of PowerToys from the official GitHub repository. Alternatively, my brother wrote a helpful guide on how to download and install the PowerToys tool on your Windows 11 PC.

1: Batch Rename Files using PowerRename:

After installing PowerToys, open the application by searching for it in the Start Menu. Once it’s open, scroll down a bit until you find the “PowerRename” option in the list on the left side. Click on it and make sure the function is enabled, as shown in the image below.

Below the “Enable PowerRename” option, you’ll see “Shell Integration“, which lets you choose how you want the PowerRename option to appear in the context menu. If you select “Default and extended context menu“, the PowerRename function will appear on both the regular context menu when you right click a file or folder. If you choose the “Extended Context Menu only” option, the function will only appear when you press Shift button and right click.

• First, open the folder that contains the files you want to rename in batches.
• Then, select all the files you want to rename, hold down the Shift key on your keyboard, and right click the selected files.

• Once you click the PowerRename option, the PowerRename window will appear on your screen.

The PowerRename interface consists of several key components:

• Search For: Enter the text or pattern you want to find in the file names.
• Replace With: Enter the text you want to replace the search pattern with.
• Options Panel: Various checkboxes to customize your renaming, including:
  • Case Sensitive: Match case exactly.
  • Match All Occurrences: Replace all instances of the search text within the name.
  • Use Regular Expressions: Enable regex patterns for advanced renaming.
• Files, Folders & Sub-Folder: Clearing causes files and folders to be excluded from the operation.
• Text Formatting: Convert items to all lowercase, all uppercase, title case (where the first character of each sentence is capitalized), or capitalize every word.
• Preview Window: Displays the before and after names of the files so you can review the changes.

When the window appears on your screen, you’ll see two input fields: “Search for” and “Replace with“. In the “Search for” field, enter the text you want to find in the selected files. In the “Replace with” field, enter the text you want to use as a replacement in the selected files.

• I entered “file” in the “Search for” field and “file-type” in the “Replace with” field, then clicked the Apply button. This instantly renamed all the selected files with the new text.

As you can see in the above image, the files have been renamed as file-type.txt.

1a: Replace Part of Filename in Multiple Selected files:

If you want to replace part of the filename in the selected files, just enter the text you want to find in the “Search for” field and the text you want to use as a replacement in the “Replace with” field. For example, PowerRename will search for “file” in the selected file names and replace it with “text” in all the chosen files.

As shown in the image above, PowerRename instantly replaces and renames a part of the filename with the text entered in the “Replace with” field for all the selected files.

1b: Remove Part of Name from Multiple Selected Files:

With PowerRename, you can remove a part of the name from multiple selected files. To do this, enter the text you want to remove in the “Search for” field, and leave the “Replace with” field empty. Then, click the Apply button. This will replace the text with an empty string, effectively removing it from the filenames of the selected files.

As shown in the image above, PowerRename instantly removes a part of the filename with the empty field in the “Replace with” field for all the selected files.

1c: Remove Spaces in Filename from Multiple Selected Files:

The PowerRename function lets you remove any empty spaces from the filenames of selected files. To do this, enter a space ” “ in the “Search for” field, leave the “Replace with” field empty, and click the Apply button. This will remove all the spaces in the filenames of the selected files.

As shown in the image above, PowerRename instantly removes the spaces of the filename with the empty field in the “Replace with” field for all the selected files.

1d: Change File Extension in bulk Selected Files:

The PowerRename option allows you to change the extension of multiple selected files at once. Below the “Replace with” field, you’ll find an “Apply to” dropdown box. Click this dropdown, and you will see three options: “Filename + Extension,” “Filenames Only,” and “Extension Only.” You need to choose “Extension Only.” Then, in the “Search for” field, you need to enter the existing file extension, and in the “Replace with” field, enter the new extension you want to apply to all the selected files.

As shown in the image above, PowerRename instantly replaces the file extension (txt) of the filename with the extension (docx) in the “Replace with” field for all the selected files.

1e: Rename Files in Sequential Numbering to Selected Files:

With PowerRename, you can automatically add a sequential number to the end of each filename by using the “Enumerate items” option. This helps you rename the files in a sequential order.

As shown in the image above, PowerRename instantly numbers using Enumerate Items option the selected files that match the “Search for” regex.

1f: Using Regular Expression to Rename Batch Files:

This is a unique and powerful way to rename batch files that match the given regex. If you are new to regex (Regular Expressions), click the info icon as shown in the below image to display the basic regex value and its functions.

In the example, I’m going to use the regex method in both Search for and Replace with field to bulk modify and rename the selected file names.

As shown in the image above, I entered “Text \S\S\S\S+” in the search field. Here, “Text” looks for the word “Text,” while “\S” searches for any non-whitespace character, and “\S+” matches one or more non-whitespace characters. In the “Replace with” field, I used “File – $YYYY.docx.” This replaces the word “Text” with “File,” and “$YYYY” adds the year, represented by four or five digits depending on the calendar used. When you click the Apply button, it renames the files based on the regex pattern.

If you don’t know any regex, don’t worry! I’ve included some basic regex patterns that might help you.

I have added some commonly using Search For regex expressions:

Using Boost Library:

The Boost library in PowerRename is a set of tools that help with complex text tasks, like finding patterns using regular expressions (regex). It makes it easier for PowerRename to search, find, and replace text in file names based on the patterns you set. This helps you rename multiple files quickly and easily.
You can simply enable by it from the PowerToys’ PowerRename function settings.

You can find more boost library regular expression here: https://www.boost.org/doc/libs/1_86_0/libs/regex/doc/html/boost_regex/syntax/perl_syntax.html

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion:

That’s it, folks! I’ve shared everything I know about using the PowerRename tool to rename multiple files. I’ve explained each feature in the simplest way to help you learn quickly and use it for your needs. If you’re new to regex, I recommend using the table as a reference.

Have Queries?

If you have any questions or suggestions, please comment below. For more tutorials, visit stay tuned to Winsides.com. Happy Computing! Peace out!

CMD Command:

dism /online /get-features /format:table

PowerShell Command:

Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online

Sort Enabled Windows Features using PowerShell:

Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online | Where-Object {$_.State -eq 'Enabled'}

Sort Disabled Windows Features using PowerShell:

Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online | Where-Object {$_.State -eq 'Disabled'}

Have Queries?

If you have any queries about the above video, kindly let us know in the comments section.

Out of curiosity, I looked into different ways to adjust brightness and found that there are more than 8+ methods to change brightness on Windows 11. Let’s dive into these methods and I will recommened you to find the Windows Features.

Quick Steps:

• Open Settings app using keyboard shortcut Winkey + I.
• You need to select the System from the left menu.
• Then click the Display option from the list on the right side.
• Now, you need to adjust the slider to increase or decrease the brightness of your screen.

Method 1: Using Keyboard Shortcut Function Keys:

This is the easiest way to adjust the brightness on your Windows 11 screen. Look for the brightness icons on your keyboard one for increasing and one for decreasing brightness. By pressing the Function (Fn) key along with the brightness buttons, you can easily change the brightness of your screen.

As you can see in the image above, the brightness increase/decrease buttons are combined with the arrow keys. In this case, you have to press Fn + Up arrow to increase the brightness and Fn + Down arrow to decrease the brightness. This setup may be different depending on the brand of your computer. If you are using a desktop keyboard, the location of these buttons can also vary between different brands.

Method 2: Using Action Center Menu:

• You need to use the keyboard shortcut Winkey + A to launch the Action Center Menu.
• Now, you need to adjust the scrollbar to change the brightness of your device screen.

This is one of the easiest and quickest method to change your device brightness.

Method 3: Using Mobility Center to Change Brightness:

The Mobility Center is a quick access window that gives you control over settings like display brightness, audio output, battery status, multiple displays, and synchronization options.

• Use the Winkey keyboard shortcut to launch the Start Menu on your device.
• I want you to enter the text Mobility Center to display the mobility center and its options.

• Under the Display Brightness menu, you need to adjust or change the scroll bar to increase or decrease the screen brightness as shown in the below image.

Method 4: Using Settings App to Alter Brightness of your Screen:

This is one of the official and quickest ways to adjust the screen brightness on your Windows 11 device.

• To open the Settings app, you can either use the keyboard shortcut WinKey + I or open the Settings app by searching for it in the Start menu.

• Click on the System from the left side menu to expand its option.
• Now, you need to choose the option Display from the list.

• Use the Brightness slider under the “Brightness and Color” section to adjust the brightness.

Method 5: Automatic Screen Brightness Adjustment by Windows:

With the recent update of Windows 11, you can now automatically adjust your device’s screen brightness! Follow the instructions below to do this.

• open the Settings app, you can use the keyboard shortcut WinKey + I

• Click on the System from the left side menu to expand its option.
• Now, you need to choose the option Display from the list.

• Now, expand the Brightness section by clicking the arrow next to it. Then, check the box for Change brightness automatically when lighting changes.

Note: This method is only available for laptops with sensors. If your device doesn’t have them, you won’t see the checkbox in your Settings app.

Method 6: Using Command Prompt:

• Click the Start Menu and search for Command Prompt
• You need to choose the “Run as Administrator” option to launch the command prompt in admin mode.

• Now, you need to execute the following command:
• PowerShell (Get-WmiObject -Namespace root/WMI -Class WmiMonitorBrightnessMethods).WmiSetBrightness(1, 100)

In the above command, the lowest brightness value is 1, and the highest is 100. You can change the numbers to adjust your screen brightness using the Command Prompt.

As you can see in the above GIF, before running the command, the brightness was set to 100%, as shown in the Action Center. After executing the command, the screen brightness was reduced to 40%, which can also be seen in the Action Center.

Method 7: Using PowerShell Method:

• Click the Start Menu and search for PowerShell
• You need to choose the “Run as Administrator” option to launch the powershell in admin mode.

• Now, copy the following command and execute it on your powershell window:
• (Get-WmiObject -Namespace root/wmi -Class WmiMonitorBrightnessMethods).WmiSetBrightness(1,100)

In the above command, the lowest brightness value is 1, and the highest is 100. You can change the numbers to adjust your screen brightness using the PowerShell.

As you can see in the above GIF, before running the command in the powershell, the brightness was set to 100%, as shown in the Action Center. After executing the command, the screen brightness was reduced to 50%, which can also be seen in the Action Center.

Method 8: Using Twinkle Tray 3rd Party Apps:

There are many third-party apps available to adjust brightness, but Twinkle Tray is authorized by Microsoft and regularly updated by its developer on GitHub and the Microsoft Store. That’s why I recommend this app.

• Firstly, you need to download the application from the official website. https://twinkletray.com/
• Install the exe file, if you choose to download the standalone installer.
• Once the installation completed, you can see the star shaped twinkling icon in the tray menu.
• Click on the icon to explore its options and use the scroll bar to changes the screen brightness.

Feature of Twinkle Tray App:

Twinkle Tray offers a range of options and features to suit your needs, and it’s completely free.

• Blends seamlessly with Windows 10 & Windows 11.
• Works with most laptops and DDC/CI-enabled monitors.
• Set hotkeys to adjust the brightness of specific displays or all displays.
• Control DDC/CI features like contrast, volume, and power state.
• Adjust brightness based on the time of day or when idle.
• Supports command-line arguments for custom scripting.
• Normalize backlight across different monitors.
• Available in over 20 languages.
• Starts automatically with Windows.

You can find more essential information in their official website.

Method 9: Using Graphics Card Control Panels:

• Right-click on the desktop and choose NVIDIA Control Panel if your device uses NVIDIA. Otherwise, select the control panel for your graphics card.
• Once the application opens, go to Display and select Adjust desktop color settings.
• Use the scroll bar to adjust the screen brightness.
• When you’re done, you can close the application by clicking the Exit button.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, adjusting the brightness on your Windows 11 device is essential for a comfortable and productive work environment, especially during late night sessions. Whether you prefer using keyboard shortcuts, the Settings app, or third-party tools like Twinkle Tray, there are plenty of methods available to suit your needs. By exploring and customizing these options, you can find the best way to control your screen brightness and reduce strain on your eyes. I highly recommend exploring these features and tools to make your nighttime work more comfortable and headache free.

Read more:

• How to Check Installed Windows 11 Edition?
• Reset Network Settings in Windows 11 – Quick Ways
• How to Adjust Mouse Pointer Speed in Windows 11?

But for some tasks, the command prompt should have a elevated permission, if you are not using it from the administrator login. You might need to run the command prompt as administrator for performing peculiar tasks! And it is always recommended to use the command prompt with elevated permission because it might help you to executing commands and performing task without any hassle. In this article, I’ve shared the multiple methods to elevate and run command prompt as administrator in Windows 11 pc.

Difference B/W Normal Rights and Admin Rights Command Prompt:

Method 1: Run Command Prompt as Admin using Start Menu:

• Firstly, you need to click the Start icon.
• Now, you need to enter the term “Command Prompt” or “CMD“.

• In the search results, right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator.
• Alternatively, you can click Run as Administrator on the right-hand pane.
• If prompted, click Yes on the User Account Control (UAC) dialog box.
• Then the command prompt application will be launched with admin privileges.

Method 2: Run Command Prompt as Admin using Run Window:

• Firstly, you need to launch the Run window using the keyboard shortcut.
  • Winkey + R
• Then enter the keyword “cmd” and use the keyboard shortcut, CTRL + SHIFT + Enter.

• This key combination will launch the command prompt application with the admin privileges.

Method 3: Run Command Prompt as Admin using Search Shortcut:

• Firstly, you need to use the keyboard shortcut Winkey + S, It will launch the Windows Search Shortcut window.

• Now, you need to right click on the command prompt and choose Run as Administrator option.

• After choosing the option, the command prompt application will be launched with admin privileges.

Method 4: Open Command Prompt as Admin using File Explorer:

• Firstly, you need to open the File explorer using the keyboard shortcut: Winkey + E.
• Then, you need to go to This PC option.

• Now, in the address bar, you need to run the command “cmd” and use the keyboard shortcut: CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER button.

• This action will launch the command prompt application with admin rights.

Method 5: Using Task Manager:

• Use the keyboard shortcut: CTRL + SHIFT + Esc to launch the task manager on your pc.

• In the right top, you can see the option named “Run New Task“.
• Click the option, it will launch a window which is similar to Run window.
• Then, you need to enter the command “cmd”

• Before clicking the ok button, don’t forgot to check the box named “Create this task with administrative privileges.“

• Now, the command prompt app will launch with elevated admin rights.

Method 6: Using Windows Terminal:

• Use the keyboard shortcut: Winkey + X to launch the Quick Access menu on your pc.

• Select Windows Terminal (Admin) from the list.

• If Windows Terminal opens to PowerShell or another shell, click the down arrow at the top of the Terminal window, select Command Prompt, and it will open with administrative privileges.

Method 7: Using Desktop Shortcut:

• Right-click on your desktop and select New > Shortcut.

• Type cmd as the location and click Next button.

• Name the shortcut (e.g., “Command Prompt Admin”) and click Finish.

• Right-click on the created shortcut and choose Properties.
• Under the Shortcut tab, click on Advanced and check Run as administrator.

• Click OK, then Apply. Now, double clicking this shortcut will open Command Prompt as an administrator.

Conclusion

Running Command Prompt as an administrator is a crucial skill for performing advanced tasks in Windows 11. Using the methods listed above, you can easily elevate Command Prompt whenever needed. The above methods are tested and verified ones and the quickest one is Method 1, 2 & 7. The shortcut method is permanent one, once you have created it will launch the command prompt with elevated admin rights whenever it is accessed. Find more interesting tutorials on Winsides.com

After doing some research, I found that Windows 11 offers a method to hide drives without deleting or losing data. I tried this feature, and it worked well! I successfully hid the drive containing all my important project data.

In this tutorial, I’ll share my experience and provide step by step instructions on how to hide drives in Windows 11. This is a great way to secure sensitive information without needing to share access.

Method 1a: Hide Drive Using Disk Management:

• Firstly, you need to use the keyboard shortcut to launch the quick menu.
  • Winkey + X
• Then in the menu, you need to choose the Disk Management option.

• It will display all the available drives on your device.

• Now, you need to right-click the drive that you want to hide and choose the Change Drive Letter and Paths option.

• Now in the pop-up window, you need to click the Remove button to hide the drive.
• Click the Yes button if it prompted to complete the action.

Note: This method will not delete or remove any data while hiding it. Your data will be protected while doing the process.

Method 1b: Unhide Drive using Disk Management:

To unhide the drives that has been hidden using disk management tool. Follow the below steps.

• Choose the hidden drive (The drives without having any Letter assigned).
• Once you found the hidden drive and then you need to Right-click the hidden drive and choose the Change Drive Letter and Paths option.

• Now, choose the Add button will launch the Add Drive Letter or Path window will be appear on your screen.
• Choose the Drive Letter from the Drop down box or if you add it with other drive choose the “Mount in the following NTFS Folder” option.
• Finally, Click the Okay button to confirm the changes.

In this way, you unhide the drive using the Disk management tool. You can find the drive in the File Explorer, Based on the alphabetical order of the Drive Letter you chose will be appear.

Method 2a: Hide Drive keeping its Data Using Command Prompt:

• Click the Start Menu and search for Command Prompt
• You need to choose the “Run as Administrator” option to launch the command prompt in admin mode.

• Now you need to enter the following command:
  • diskpart
• The command will launch the diskpart.exe application in the console as shown in the below image.

• Enter the following command which will list all the drives available in your device:
  • list volume

• You need to identify which drive you want to hide and execute following command:
  • select volume N

Note: I’m going to hide my N:\ Drive and so i’m using the letter D in the above command, Replace N:\ with the number of the volume you wish to hide.

• Now the drive that need to hidden is chosen, Execute the following command to hide it without losing its data from the file explorer.
  • remove letter=N

• Once you execute the above command, you will get the message saying “DiskPart successfully removed the drive letter or mount point.”
• In simple words, the drive is hidden from the file explorer without losing its data. You can find the drive has been hidden in the File Explorer.

Method 2b: Unhide Drive using DiskPart.exe tool:

To unhide the drive that has been hidden in your device:

• Open the command prompt with Admin Privileges
• Now you need to enter the following command:
  • diskpart

• Enter the following command which will list all the drives available in your device:
  • list volume
• Now, the list of volumes will be displayed including the hidden drives. Identify the volume that you want to unhide back again.

• To select the hidden drive, you need to execute the below command:
  • select volume 1

• Now, you need to execute the following command to assign the Path or Letter to the hidden volume:
  • assign letter=N
• You will receive the following message “DiskPart successfully assigned the drive letter or mount point.“
• The drive will be visible back again without losing its data and can be found in the File Explorer.

Method 3a: Hide Drive or Volume using PowerShell:

• Click the Start Menu and search for PowerShell
• You need to choose the “Run as Administrator” option to launch the powershell in admin mode.

• To list all the available drives or volume in your device, use the following command:
  • Get-Volume

• Once you identified the drive, you need to execute the following command:
  • Set-Partition -DriveLetter N -IsHidden $true

• That’s it, This is the quickest way to hide the drives using the PowerShell command.

Method 3a: Unhide Drives or Volumes using PowerShell:

• You cannot simply reverse the hidden process, you need to do some extra steps to unhide the hidden drives or volumes.
• Open the PowerShell with admin privileges and execute the following list of commands.
  • diskpart
  • list volume

• You need to choose the hidden volume before unhiding it.
  • select volume 1

• Now, you need to assign the Drive Letter to the hidden drive using the following command:
  • assign letter=N

• Enter the exit command to exit the diskpart.exe console from the PowerShell.

• To unhide the drive or volumes, executing the following command:
  • Set-Partition -DriveLetter N -IsHidden $false

Method 4a: Hiding Drives using Group Policy Editor:

This method required Group Policy Editor enabled in your device, if your device says “gpedit.msc Not Found“, download the gpedit.msc.bat file and execute it to enable the group policy editor on your device.

• You can launch the Group Policy Editor application using the Run Command, to launch the Run window use the following keyboard shortcut:
  • Winkey + R
• Once the Run window is launched, use the Run Command to launch the Group Policy Editor:
  • gpedit.msc

• Go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer.

• You need to double-click Hide these specified drives in My Computer option.

• Now, you need to choose the Enabled option and choose the drive that you need to hide from the drop down.

• Finally, click the Ok button to confirm the changes.

Note: The Group Policy Editor in Windows provides only a limited set of predefined options for hiding drives (such as restricting drives A, B, C, or D), which unfortunately does not allow you to directly select other drive letters like N or X.

Method 4b: Unhide Drives or Volumes using GP Editor:

• You can launch the Group Policy Editor application using the Run Command, to launch the Run window use the following keyboard shortcut:
  • Winkey + R
• Once the Run window is launched, use the Run Command to launch the Group Policy Editor:
  • gpedit.msc

• Go to User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > File Explorer.

• You need to double-click Hide these specified drives in My Computer option.
• Now, click the Not Configured option and click the OK button to confirm the changes.

Method 5a: Hide Volumes or Drives using Registry Editor:

• You can launch the registry editor from Run Window but before that you can use the keyboard shortcut to launch the Run Window:
  • Winkey + R
• Once the Run window is launched, use the Run Command to launch the Registry Editor:
  • regedit

• In the registry editor, navigate to the following path:
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

• Ignore the existing values and right click on the empty pane choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it NoDrives.
• Once the key file has been created, double click on it and set its value to hide specific drives.
• For example, setting the value to 4 hides drive D or (Use the binary sum if you need to hide multiple drives, e.g., 4+8 for drives C and D.)

• Click the OK button and restart your system for changes to take effect. This will hide your drive or volume.

Method 5b: Unhide Volumes or Drives using Registry Editor:

• You can launch the registry editor from Run Window but before that you can use the keyboard shortcut to launch the Run Window:
  • Winkey + R
• Once the Run window is launched, use the Run Command to launch the Registry Editor:
  • regedit

• In the registry editor, navigate to the following path:
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

• Delete the DWORD file named as “NoDrives” if exist or else create the New DWORD File and name it as NoDrives.
• Once the NoDrives DWORD file has been created, double click and set the value to 0 to unhide all drives and volumes on your pc.
• Click the Ok button and restart your pc to take effect.

Conclusion:

By following these steps, you can effectively hide drives in Windows 11 to protect sensitive files from unauthorized access. Whether you’re concerned about privacy during repairs or simply want to keep personal files hidden, this method allows you to secure your data without deleting or moving anything.

I hope this tutorial has been helpful in enhancing your privacy and security on Windows 11. Feel free to revisit this tutorial whenever you need to hide or unhide drives on your system. Stay safe, and keep your important project files protected! Find more informational tutorial on our Home Page: WinSides.

Method 1: Switch Between Windows using Alt + Tab Shortcut:

This is the usual or traditional keyboard shortcut to cycle through the opened windows.

• Option1: Click ALT + Tab
  • This is the classic way to switch between open windows.

• Option 2: You can hold the ALT button and click the Tab key each time to cycle through the each open window.

• Option 3: You can hold the ALT key and use your mouse to select a window from the grid if you prefer.

Note: If you only have two windows open, pressing Alt + Tab once will instantly switch between them.

Method 2: Quickly Switch Between Apps using Winkey + Tab:

• You need to click Winkey + Tab key, this keys will opens Task View, showing all open windows and virtual desktops.

• Now, you can choose any opened windows of your preference.
• You can also use this view to create or switch between virtual desktops.

Method 3: Window Switcher using Ctrl + Alt + Tab:

• Using the shortcut CTRL + ALT + TAB keys will brings up the window switcher and keeps it open even after releasing the keys.

• You can use either your mouse or <- or -> arrow keys to navigate and hit the ENTER button to choose the window.

Method 4: Sequential Switching using ALT + ESC:

• This keyboard shortcut is similar to the 1st method, but this method opens each window in sequential manner.
• This shortcut switches directly without the thumbnail preview as seen in Alt + Tab

Method 5: Using Snap Layouts:

• Click the Winkey + Z will enables the snap layouts of the each opened window.

• Snap layouts appear, allowing you to organize and switch between windows.
• Choose a layout, and your windows will be automatically arranged for quick switching.

• Choosing this layout will organise the windows as Two Vertical Columns on the Left, One Large Section on the Right.

Layout Explanations:

• Layout 1: Two Equal Halves.
• Layout 2: Three Sections- Two Vertical Columns on the Left, One Large Section on the Right.
• Layout 3: Three Equal Columns.
• Layout 4: Left Half, with Two Smaller Sections on the Right.
• Layout 5: Four Equal Quarters.
• Layout 6: Left Third, with Two Stacked Sections on the Right.

Method 6: Using Winkey + Number Key:

• The number keys from 1 to 9 represent the location of the apps pinned to the taskbar.

• Clicking the keys Winkey + 1 or Winkey + 3 will open or switch to the corresponding app on your Taskbar.
• If the app has multiple windows open, you can clicking the number continuously to cycle through them.

Note: This only works for the first 10 apps pinned apps to your Taskbar.

Method 7: Minimising & Displaying Windows using Winkey + D:

• Click the keys Winkey + D will minimize all the opened windows including all applications and go to the Desktop.
• Using the shortcut keys again will display or restore all the windows to its previous position.
• This is useful for a quick view of the desktop when you have multiple open windows.

Method 8: Switching Using Virtual Desktops (Win + Ctrl + Arrow Keys):

• Before using the shortcut, you need to create multiple desktops to organize your windows.
• Then, you need to click the Winkey + CTRL + <- or -> keys to switch between virtual desktops quickly.

• Each desktop can have different apps open which will allows you to cycle between sets of apps rather than individual windows.

Method 9: Using Taskbar to Switch Between Windows:

• This is not exactly an shortcut, all you have to do is simply use the mouse to choose the opened apps from the taskbar.
• Click on the apps pinned in the taskbar without any other methods directly to launch the apps as shown in the image below.

Conclusion:

These alternative methods to cycle through windows on Windows 11 can significantly improve workflow efficiency for developers. By moving beyond the traditional ALT + Tab shortcut, you can improve your work processes, save time, and enhance productivity. Whether you’re handling multiple applications or need a more customized way to navigate between tasks, these methods provide you with greater control. Explore these options and find the ones that best suit your needs for a more seamless Windows 11 experience. Find more interesting tutorials on our homepage, WinSides.com