This week's top tips

The most controversial tip so far  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [Windows Intelligence](#) [Windows Intelligence](#) Hi again! I hope you're ready, because today's email might have the most controversial piece of advice I've ever shared in Windows Intelligence. PC geeks like myself have been recommending using a nice clean, empty desktop for many years. Who wants a cluttered desktop? Keep your files somewhere else! But... what if the Desktop is actually a great place to store your files? ⌚ This entire email will take you two minutes to read. Remember: If you'd rather not receive these Monday tip roundups, [you can easily opt out of them](=) without affecting the rest of your subscription. ☑ [Got it — don't show this again](=)​ This week's reader suggestion 📂 This week's reader-submitted tip is a different way of working with your PC. Even if this piece of advice isn't for you, it's a great tip for many people. Yes, that's right: This is about how putting files on your desktop is a great idea, actually. 💻 This works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11, naturally. ➜ Windows Intelligence reader Debra K. recommends saving documents and other files to your PC's desktop rather than burying them in another folder. At this point, you're either nodding in agreement or you think this sounds crazy. If you aren't sold yet, give me a second! Consider the following: - Your Desktop doesn't have to be a program launcher — you can leave it mostly empty and just save files to it while you're working with them. The Desktop then becomes a "workspace" of the files you're actively working with. - You can quickly and easily drag files to and from your desktop to open them in other applications, attach them to emails, and copy them to external drives — all without opening any other windows. - When you use the Save or Open dialog anywhere in Windows, the Desktop is always right there, close at hand, and easy to find. - With Microsoft OneDrive, your Desktop can synchronize between your PCs, giving you access to the same Desktop files everywhere. Really, where else are you going to store files you're working with — in your Documents folder? That's all well and good, but that folder is usually stuffed full. The Desktop makes an excellent temporary workspace. [Files on a Windows 11 desktop.] Now, you don't have to keep your files on the Desktop — but maybe you should give it a try. Seriously. 🌕 This week's Android Intelligence reader tip is all about [an astronomical upgrade for your Google Calendar](=). Check it out! 💡 Got a useful tip you'd like to share with other Windows enthusiasts? [Submit it here](=) — or just reply to this email and share it with me! I'd love to feature your useful advice in a future newsletter. --------------------------------------------------------------- Some tips you don't want to miss Now, a rapid-fire summary of the best useful tips from our most recent issues — just in case you overlooked something or haven't explored it yet! 🖼️ Erase objects from photos with AI: Microsoft is slowly sneaking a "Generative Erase" feature onto all Windows 11 and Windows 10 PCs. It's part of the Photos app, and it lets you erase objects from images in just a few seconds. Here's [how to use the AI eraser on your PC](. 🫰 Snap multiple windows in a single click: You can now snap multiple windows in a single click — if you have Windows 11's latest Moment 5 update, which was released last week. You'll find this option under Snap Layouts: To find it, you can either press Windows+Z, hover your mouse cursor over a window's Maximize button, or click-and-drag a window's title bar to the center of the top edge of your screen. (This one's just for the latest version of Windows 11!) 🔇 Control app volumes with a hidden overlay: The built-in "Game Bar" overlay isn't just for gamers — it has a really convenient volume mixer to control the volume levels of every application on your system and choose your sound devices, too. To access it, press Windows+G. Look for the Audio panel to find these settings — if you can't see it, click the speaker icon on the bar at the top of the screen. ❌ Stop naughty apps in their tracks! Woah, not those kinds of apps! But seemingly innocent, everyday apps that are secretly doing all sorts of shady stuff on our computers — right under our noses! That’s why you need [SpyShelter]()! SpyShelter reveals suspicious activity in real time, helping you detect + stop apps from misbehaving and turning your PC into a fortress. Try SpyShelter for FREE today, and use [coupon code DW0WLWGWFL for 20% off]() when you upgrade! [SPONSORED] 👂 Transcribe audio with a private AI: [Whisper Web]( is a convenient little website that will convert spoken-word audio into text. This awesome free and open-source tool actually downloads an AI model and runs it 100% in your web browser — on your own device — for maximum privacy. [Here's how it works](). 🔎 Teach yourself some advanced Android search secrets: Google's new Android Circle to Search system is awesome — and, like so many Android additions, there's much more to it than what you see on the surface. [Ready to learn some smarter ways for interacting with info?]()​ 🧰 Take total control of your Google ad experience: Do you know what Google knows about you (or at least thinks it knows)? With about two minutes of time, you can access your complete Google ad profile to understand what you're seeing and why — and then customize exactly what sorts of Google-served ads you do and don’t experience. It's incredibly easy to do, [once you know where to start](=). 🫡 Turn your information overload into actionable insights: Need to crank up your productivity? Don’t settle for generic AI outputs — [use Heyday instead](=). Heyday turns everything you’ve read, said, or written into a hyper-personalized, queryable database — just feed it your info and ask it any question. Heyday generates insights instantly: Emails, meeting agendas, and more! Readers of The Intelligence newsletters can [try Heyday for FREE for 14 days](=). [SPONSORED] --------------------------------------------------------------- What did you think? Was this email worth your time? Did you enjoy reading it? [Thumbs Up]() [Thumbs Down](=) Hit the thumbs-up or thumbs-down above to let me know what you think. Thanks as always for reading, and I hope you have an awesome week! Too much email? No worries: You can [opt out of receiving these roundups or unsubscribe entirely here](=). Hungry for even more? [Learn about becoming an Intelligence Insider]( to gain access to our one-of-a-kind community, power-packed advanced resources, our on-demand help desk, and tons of free apps and services.