Transform your PC's Caps Lock key

Plus copy-paste between devices  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Thanks for reading this special early preview edition of Windows Intelligence, brought to you in partnership with [Thurrott.com](=). This design is merely a placeholder for what's to come. Stay tuned! ​ What's the future of Windows? I can't answer that question — I doubt even Microsoft knows, exactly — but it will involve a lot more AI features. I also bet it will involve a Windows 12, which may arrive in the fall of next year. We'll learn more in a few weeks, when Microsoft holds its big event in New York City on September 21. Microsoft will show off Surface hardware, but the company will also be talking Windows, Microsoft 365, and more. I'll be there on the ground to learn all the details for all of you good people — and Paul Thurrott of our partner site [Thurrott.com](=) will be there, too. Stay tuned! For now, let's talk about that Caps Lock key you probably never use — and other keys you may never touch. Scroll down to this week's Things to Try section to get the goods. Chris Today's read: ⌚ 3 Things to Know: 2 minutes ⌚ 3 Things to Try: 1 minute 30 seconds ⌚ Top Thurrott Thoughts: 30 seconds ⌚ Just for Fun: 30 seconds [] ❱❱ 3 Things to Know This Week 1. Windows 11's big 2023 update is almost here ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Windows 11's big yearly update will likely arrive in the next few weeks. It's nearly done, so now we can take a comprehensive look at its included features. It's not just about AI! 🔎 KNOW MORE: Windows 11 is getting a lot of changes we've already discussed — and some we haven't: An AI assistant, a File Explorer redesign, a new backup and restore system, Windows XP-style taskbar labels as an option, RGB lighting controls in Settings, and more. - There's a big focus on AI, with the "Windows Copilot" sidebar that feels like Bing Chat escaping the browser and becoming a part of your desktop. It's the new Windows assistant — a replacement for Cortana. There are also AI file recommendations in File Explorer and other AI things, like a focus on AI apps in the Store. - Speed seems like a concern with a few new features: The Windows Copilot AI tool seems pretty slow (upwards of 10 seconds to change a setting on your PC), though it is in "preview" form. The new File Explorer has some performance issues, too. - The big update, also known as Windows 11 23H2, will likely arrive later this month. (Last year's update arrived on September 20, 2022.) 📌 READ MORE: [This in-depth review]() dives into exactly what's new and changed in the update. --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. WordPad is dead. Long live Notepad! ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Say goodbye to WordPad: Microsoft will remove the lightweight word processor application from Windows soon. Meanwhile, Microsoft is making Notepad even more powerful. 🔎 KNOW MORE: WordPad hasn't gotten major updates in many years — it still looks like it belongs in the Windows 7 era. However, Microsoft has spent the last few years improving Notepad. - Microsoft will remove WordPad "in a future release of Windows," according to the company's website. This is another clue that Windows 12 is coming soon. - The company recommends using Microsoft Word if you need a word processor to work with rich text (text with formatting, in other words) or Notepad if you're working with a plain-text file. - Notepad is getting a new auto-save feature that will automatically save your state, letting you close and re-open Notepad without losing any work. It's already live in Insider testing versions of Windows, and it should arrive for everyone in this fall's big Windows 11 update. 📌 READ MORE: Learn more about [the removal of WordPad]() or check out [the changes in Notepad](). --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Chrome is transforming in many different ways ➜ THE SHORT VERSION: Chrome is getting some big on-the-surface changes soon, but the browser has also gotten some other noteworthy recent changes that aren't all looks. 🔎 KNOW MORE: Google has announced it will transform Chrome, giving it a new look for its 15th anniversary. (Wow, has it really been that long?) But Chrome has gotten — and is getting — some big functional changes, too. - Visually speaking, Chrome is getting refreshed icons and new color palettes "that better complement your tabs and toolbar." Google says this will arrive in the next few weeks, along with a redesigned menu. - Chrome now also has a feature that puts AI-powered summaries in Chrome's sidebar while you browse. It's experimental, and you have to opt into "Search Labs" to try it. The feature is named "SGE while browsing." (SGE stands for "Search Generative Experience.") - Google's new "Topics API" is also part of the stable version of Chrome, as of July. It's designed to share information about your interests (based on your browsing history) to enable targeted ads without third-party cookies. 📌 READ MORE: Take a look at [the new Chrome redesign](), check out the[AI-sidebar-while-browsing feature](=), or learn [how to control that ad-tracking system](). ​ [] ❱❱ 3 Things to Try This Week 1. Transform Caps Lock into something useful Do you use the Caps Lock key? I sure don't — except when I hit it accidentally. But it's right there in a primo location on your keyboard where something useful could be. Good news: Microsoft's Keyboard Manager PowerToy will let you transform Caps Lock — or any other key — into something you'll find more useful. What you choose is up to you! For example, I just transformed my Caps Lock key into a convenient Play/Pause button for music playback. You could transform it into an easy "Back" button for going back a page while browsing. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. [Caps Lock remapped to Play/Pause Media.] ⌚ Transforming your Caps Lock key will take you 10 seconds if you already have PowerToys installed — or 40 seconds if you have to install it first. 💻 This tool works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. 📌 Read [my new guide to remapping a key or shortcut on Windows]( to learn how to do it. --------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Sync your clipboard between PCs (and Android) We've talked about [clipboard history on Windows PCs](=). But did you know you can sync your Windows clipboard between multiple PCs — and did you know you can even copy-and-paste text between Windows PCs and Android devices? [Synced text from Android on the Windows 11 clipboard.] ⌚ This feature will take you 10 seconds to enable on a Windows PC, and 20 seconds to activate on an Android device. 💻 This works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. It also works with Android devices. (Unfortunately, this doesn't work with iPhones.) 📌 Check out [my guide to syncing your clipboard between Windows PCs and Android devices]() for convenient cross-device copy-pasting. --------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Use Microsoft Word for free Microsoft is axing WordPad in the next release of Windows, and the company recommends using Word instead. Sure, but WordPad is free — and Word normally costs money through a Microsoft 365 subscription (or a one-time purchase.) But there's a way anyone can use Word for free. ⌚ Firing up Word will take you just 10 seconds. 💻 This works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. (And any other device with a web browser, too.) 📌 To use Word for free, just head to [the Microsoft 365 website](). You can sign in with a Microsoft account and use Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for free on the web, even if you don't pay for a subscription. It's a convenient way to open Office documents and do anything else you might need to do with a word processor at home, like work on a résumé. 👀 Want a free word processor you can use locally on your PC? Try [LibreOffice](=), the free and open-source office suite. ​ [] ❱❱ Top Thurrott Thoughts Some standout links and expert analysis from our friends at Thurrott, who have been covering Windows since 1994: - ​[Microsoft is Changing How OneDrive Photo Storage Works in October]() - Your photos will use even more OneDrive storage space. - ​[EU Designates Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Google, Meta, and Microsoft as ‘Gatekeepers’]() - Companies will have to make changes to their platforms. - ​[Microsoft Issues New Windows 11 Build to Insiders in the Beta Channel]( - Microsoft fixed seven bugs in the new File Explorer. - ​[Zoom CEO Calls on FTC to Investigate Office/Teams Bundling Too](- Microsoft was forced to unbundle Teams from Microsoft 365 in Europe. Zoom wants the same requirement in the U.S. - ​[In the Footsteps of Giants (Premium)]() - With Google facing off against the U.S. Department of Justice in an antitrust trial next week, Paul looks back at United States v. Microsoft. - ​[New Game Pass Games for September Include Starfield and Lies of P]( - Starfield, Microsoft's big new game release from Bethesda, the studio that brought you Skyrim and Fallout 4, is now out — and available on Game Pass for Windows PC, Xbox, and cloud streaming. ​ [] ❱❱ And Just for Fun... This week, I had my mind blown by one of the most helpful bugs I've ever seen on Windows. When was the last time you saw a bug that dramatically sped up performance? Here's the bug: After you've launched File Explorer and tapped the F11 key twice — once to enter full-screen mode, and once to leave it — File Explorer is just faster. It opens directories at lightning speed. I've confirmed this "bug" on the stable version of Windows 11. Here, take a look at it in action: [Demonstrating the File Explorer speedup bug.] You can see the dramatic speedup in folder loading time after tapping F11 twice to toggle full-screen mode off and on. All credit goes to [Vivy on X](=) (formerly Twitter) for spotting this. ​ On to the Weekend! While the future of Windows may be a little unclear, our near future is predictable: It's nearly the weekend. Enjoy your weekend, and I'll see you in your inbox next week! Thanks for reading Windows Intelligence and being a part of our early preview phase! We'd love to hear what you think so far. ​[Submit your feedback here]() — or just reply to this email. We'll read every single comment, and your thoughts will absolutely help shape and guide what this newsletter becomes. You received this email because your address was signed up for the Windows Intelligence early preview. If you didn't mean to sign up or no longer wish to be subscribed, you can [unsubscribe or update your preferences here](=).