This week's top tips

Most people don't know this trick  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [Windows Intelligence](#) [Windows Intelligence](#) I've gotten a lot of great feedback from readers about how Windows Intelligence helps them discover new things. I love writing Windows Intelligence because it helps me learn new things, too. This week's reader-submitted tip is another awesome little trick I was surprised to discover. I feel like I saw this trick long ago — but I didn't use it enough and I forgot about it. Now, thanks to one of my awesome Windows Intelligence readers, I get to discover it again — and share it with you, too. (Do you have an awesome tip to share with me and your fellow Windows Intelligence readers, too? Just reply to this email and share it with me!) ⌚ 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 🖱️ Selecting files in File Explorer is pretty easy. You can hold the Ctrl key and click each item in turn to select multiple items. Or, you can click an item, hold the Shift key, and click another item to select a range. But did you know you can actually combine these tricks for much faster file selection? Better yet: This selection trick works in other applications, too — including Microsoft Excel. 💻 This works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. ➜ This tip comes from Windows Intelligence reader Russ T., who mentions he's always surprised how few people know about this trick. The trick is about using both the Ctrl key and the Shift key while clicking items. You can quickly select lots of items, adding multiple groups of files to your selection at once. It's a little weird to explain in words, but it's obvious once you see it in action or try it yourself. Instead of just using the Ctrl key to add individual files to your selection, you can combine it with the Shift key. Check it out: Here's the sequence of steps in the animation above: - Click file A to select it. - Hold down the Ctrl key and click File C. - Without releasing the Ctrl key, also hold down the Shift key, click file G, and then release the Shift key. This adds files C through G to the selection. Then: - Click file I, while still holding down the Ctrl key. - Hold down the Shift key, and click file K. This adds files I through K to the selection. - Release the Ctrl and Shift keys. That's it! That's a mouthful! But again, it's all about adding the Shift key to your Ctrl-clicking. Instead of holding down the Ctrl key and clicking files one by one, you can combine the Ctrl key with the Shift key to quickly add ranges of files to your selection. This works in other applications, too! Try it in Microsoft Excel to quickly add ranges of cells, rows, or columns to your selection in a spreadsheet. I'll admit: I feel like I've seen this trick before, but I never added it to my workflow and forgot about it. I should use it more often! 🖼️ Looking for this week's Android Intelligence reader tip? It's all about a collection of smarter search terms for the Google Photos app. [Read it here!](=)​ ​ 💡 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! 🔒 Activate ransomware protection in Windows: The Windows Defender antivirus included with Windows includes a powerful anti-ransomware feature called "controlled folder access." It provides extra protection for your Documents folder and other critical system folders. [Here's how to activate it](. 💻 Turn your user account into a local account (if you want): Microsoft is blocking more workarounds for creating a local user account on Windows 11. But you can always switch to a local user account after setting up your PC. Just head to Settings > Accounts > Your info and use "Sign in with a local account instead." I don't recommend doing this — most people will probably be better off signing into their PCs with a Microsoft account — but you can use a traditional local account if you want. (Want to set up a Windows 11 PC without a Microsoft account? [This workaround still works](=).) ⌨️ Minimize all windows except your current one: Want to minimize all windows on your desktop — except the one you're currently working with? Just press Windows+Home. (On some keyboards, the Home key is combined with another key, so you may have to press Windows+Fn+Home instead.) 🤖 Turn AI into your personal assistant: Tired of getting bogged down with time-sucking, menial tasks? The [AI Task Delegation Playbook]( by HubSpot teaches you how to turn AI into your personal assistant (absolutely free). This bundle of curated Google Sheets supercharges your productivity with plug-and-play templates and tools for email, content creation, and more. What will you do with all your newfound time? [Download the AI delegation guide]( for FREE! [SPONSORED] 🎨 Discover the ultimate free online image editor: You can edit images on any computer — no software installation, account creation, or payments necessary. Just use [the Photopea image editor](=) in your web browser. Our readers love it. [Learn more about Photopea here](=). 💦 Splash into some secret Android Chrome settings: The Chrome Android app is overflowing with interesting under-development options that can make your mobile web browsing meaningfully more pleasant. JR dug deep to find [six such splendid treasures that are well worth your while to try](). They'll each take you a minute or less to start using! 🏠Give yourself a handy new home control widget: Google's got a useful new connected-device control widget on the way to Android devices everywhere. To find it, [snag the free Google Home app](, then open it once and tap the yellow-colored beaker icon in the app's upper-right corner to opt into its Public Preview program. Head back to your home screen and press and hold your finger onto any open space to add a new widget, then look for Home in the list of options and find the new Home widget within it. 🗳️ [What type of smartphone do you use?]() Cast your vote in this week's Windows Intelligence poll! 🤯 95% off the complete AI and Code masterclass: Thinking about a career in tech, entrepreneurship, or simply sharpening your brain? For a limited time, Mammoth Interactive’s [Python, Machine Learning, AI Mega Bundle+ is just $499.99 $27.99!]() The masterclass covers foundational concepts all the way to advanced techniques, and lets you master Generative AI, Prompt Engineering, and Python at your own pace. [Invest in your future and enroll today]() for just $27.99! [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. Finally, if you enjoyed this issue, please consider supporting my work directly with [one-time contribution](=), or make a contribution via [PayPal]( or [Venmo](=)!