Do you find yourself squinting at your screen at night while using Microsoft Paint?
If so, you're not alone.
The light-colored interface can be harsh on the eyes, especially in low-light conditions.
Here's a Cool Tip: Set MS Paint to the New Dark Mode in Windows 11
This Cool Tip makes Paint easier on your eyes inverting the colors of the interface, making it much easier to see in the dark.
fig. 1 - How to Enable Dark Mode in Microsoft Paint
Here's how to do it:
Ensure you have the latest version of Paint from the Microsoft App Store.
The version that supports dark mode is 11.2304.17.02 or greater.
If you need the newer version, go to the Start Menu, and search for the Microsoft Store App.
Open Paint.
Click on the Settings gear icon in the top-right corner.
Select App theme.
Choose Dark.
Select the back arrow to return to the home screen.
Cool Tip:
You can also enable dark mode for all of your Windows apps, including Windows 10, by going to Settings > Personalization > Colors and selecting Dark under Choose your mode.
Have you ever needed to type a special character, such as the British pound sign (£), but didn’t know how to do it on your keyboard?
What about other special characters?
How to do you insert characters that don't appear on the regular keyboard?
Here's a Cool Tip: Windows Character Map.
Here's how to do it.
Click on the Start menu and type Character Map in the search bar.
Click on the Character Map app to open it.
Once the Character Map is open, you can browse through the available characters by scrolling through the list.
To copy a character, simply click on it to select it, then click the Select button. This will add the character to the Characters to copy field at the bottom of the window.
Once you have selected all the characters you want to copy, click the Copy button to copy them to your clipboard.
Now you can switch to your document in Microsoft Word (or any other program) and paste the copied characters by pressing Ctrl + V or right-clicking and selecting Paste.
fig. 1 - Windows Character Map
Windows Character Map is a powerful tool that can help you find and insert special characters into your documents.
By following these simple steps, you can unlock its full potential and make your writing more expressive and engaging.
Have you ever copied something important, only to accidentally overwrite it with something else before pasting?
Have you ever wished you could access your clipboard history and retrieve something you copied earlier?
Here's a Cool Tip: Use the Windows Clipboard History
With Windows 10 and Windows 11 you can use Windows Clipboard History and the keyboard shortcut Windows key + V on both operating systems to make your life easier.
Here's how to do it:
Windows 10 - Enable Clipboard History
Open the Settings app by clicking on the Start menu and selecting the gear icon.
Click on System, then select Clipboard from the left-hand menu.
Under Clipboard history, toggle the switch to On.
Windows 11 - Enable Clipboard History
Open the Settings app by clicking on the Start menu and selecting the gear icon.
Click on Bluetooth & devices, then select Clipboard from the left-hand menu.
Under Clipboard history, toggle the switch to On.
fig. 1 - Windows System Clipboard Option Screen
If you want to sync your copies across devices, set that On as well.
Now that Clipboard History is enabled, you can access it by pressing the Windows key + V on your keyboard.
fig. 2 - Windows Clipboard History
This will bring up a small window showing your clipboard history, with the most recent item at the top.
You can scroll through the list and click on an item to paste it into your current application.
Do you have sensitive information on your computer that you want to keep private?
Do you share a computer with others and want to keep some files or folders hidden from view?
Here's a Cool Tip: Hide Folders in Windows 11
How to Hide Folders in Windows 11
Hiding a folder in Windows 11 is a simple process. Here are the steps to follow:
Find the folder that you wish to hide and right-click it.
Click on Properties or press Alt + Enter.
At the bottom of the properties box, check the Hidden box and click OK.
You’ll be prompted to decide on how you’d like the changes to apply. Click Apply changes to the folder only or Apply changes to this folder, subfolders, and files based on preference.
Click OK to save your changes.
Your folder will now be hidden from view.
fig. 1 - Windows 11 Folder Properties
How to View Hidden Folders in Windows 11
To view hidden folders in Windows 11, follow these steps:
Press WIN + E to launch the File Explorer.
Click on View and then select Show in the drop-down menu.
At the bottom of the menu, click on Hidden.
Your hidden folders will now be visible and accessible in their original location.
Uncheck Hidden before closing File Explorer.
fig. 2 - Windows 11 File Explorer View Hidden Items
How to Unhide Folders in Windows 11
To unhide a folder in Windows 11, follow these steps:
Set File Explorer to show hidden files and folders again by going to View > Show > Hidden items from the toolbar.
Right-click the hidden file or folder (it will be grayed out) and select Properties.
When the item’s properties window comes up, select the General tab, uncheck the Hidden tab, and click OK.
Your folder will now be unhidden and visible again.
Hiding, viewing, and unhiding folders in Windows 11 is a simple process that can help you keep your sensitive information private and secure.
It’s important to note that while hiding folders can help keep your sensitive information private, it is not a foolproof method of protection. Hidden folders can still be accessed by someone who knows how to view hidden files and folders.