Make Windows better
Expert tips for a better experience.
WINDOWS 11 INSIDER
Edit photos and screenshots from your phone
Windows 11’s 22631.3227 build, available to Insiders, lets you edit photos and screenshots you’ve taken on your Android device. Open Settings (press Windows key+I), click ‘Bluetooth & devices’ on the left, followed by ‘Mobile devices’. Next, click the ‘Allow this PC to access your mobile devices’ slider so it turns on ( 1 in our screenshot below). Windows 11 will download an update to a program called Cross Device Experience Host.
When it’s installed, sign in with your Microsoft account. Next, in the ‘Manage mobile devices’ window, click ‘Add device’
2 and scan the QR code with your phone. This will send a six-digit code to your PC. Next, grab your Android device and install Microsoft’s ‘Link to Windows’ app from the Google Play Store (tinyurl. com/APC533cross).
Open the app then enter the code which was sent to your PC. Once complete, tap Done on your phone, then click Continue on your PC.
Now, when you take a photo or screenshot on your phone, a notication will appear in the bottom-right corner of your PC. Click this and your photo or screenshot will open in Snipping Tool 3 , ready to be edited.
WINDOWS 10 & 11
Sync your iPhone or iPad with your PC As well as new Windows apps for accessing Apple TV and Apple Music, the company has released its new Devices tool to sync content from your iPhone/iPad with your computer (these new apps are replacing iTunes). Install Apple Devices by searching for it on the Microsoft Store app or visiting tinyurl.com/APC533sync. Click Open ( 1 in our screenshot below left) then once installed connect your iPhone/iPad 2 .
WINDOWS 10 & 11
Create a shortcut to switch user You can always switch users on your PC without signing out, but you’d typically have to go through the Start menu. You can do this faster by clicking a desktop shortcut.
To create it, download the Switch User Shortcut program (tinyurl.com/ APC533switch – click Download Now in the box at the top. Now extract the les ‘Switch User’ and ‘tsdiscon.exe’ from the ZIP le ( 1 in our screenshot below). If you’re using Windows 10, copy ‘tsdiscon. exe’ to C:\Windows\System32 (you won’t need to to this if you’re using Windows 11).
Next, right-click ‘Switch User’, click Copy, then right-click your desktop and click Paste so the program’s icon then appears 2 . When you double-click this for the rst time, you’ll see an ‘Open File Security Warning’ box. Untick ‘Always ask before opening this le’ box 3 and click Open. You’ll be taken to a screen where you can switch user accounts.