Geek Rewind

How to Check if PC Supports Wi-Fi 6 in Windows 11

This post describes steps one can take to verify if their PC supports WiFi 6 in Windows 11.

Windows 11 supports Wi-Fi 6 and WPA3. Wi-Fi 6 gives you better wireless coverage and performance with added security. WPA3 provides improved Wi-Fi security by using the latest standard.

IEEE 802.11ax is the official Wi-Fi 6 (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) and Wi-Fi 6E (6 GHz) standard for wireless local-area networks (WLANs) and the successor of 802.11ac.

Most newer devices will support WiFi 6 today. However, not all PCs are Wi-Fi 6 capable, and the steps below can be used to determine if your Windows 11 supports it.

How to Import Photos and Videos from your Phone in Windows 11

This post describes steps one can take to transfer photos and videos from their mobile phone to Windows 11.

The Photos app in Windows 11 can gather photos from your PC, phone, and other devices, and put them in one place where you can more easily find what you’re looking for.

If you have a mobile device with your pictures and videos, you can import or transfer them to your Windows PC easily suing the Photos app. Simply connect your phone using a USB or USB-C cable and launch the Photos app to begin importing your photos and videos.

Once your phone is connected, browse your collection by date, album, video projects, people, or folder. Or search to find a specific person, place, or thing.

You can also import photos and videos you have stored on a camera’s SD card, a USB drive, or on another device.

For some Samsung devices, you can use Windows Phone Link app to connect your device and get photos from it.

Below is how to get your photos and videos imported to Windows 11.

How to Make a Wi-Fi Network Public or Private in Windows 11

This post describes steps one can take to make a WiFi network public or private in Windows 11.

Windows has two network profiles one can select from: Public and Private. Depending on where you use Windows, one these network profiles will be selected.

When you are setting up Windows and choose to use Windows in a work or school environment, Windows 11 select a private network profile. If you select to use Windows at home, the public network profile is chosen.

At home, your PC will typically be hidden from other devices. Therefore, you can’t use your PC for file and printer sharing. In a business setting, PCs are typically discoverable to other devices on the network, and you can use your PC for file and printer sharing, so private network is used.

When you first connect to a Wi-Fi network in Windows 11, it’s set as public by default. This is the recommended setting. However, you can set it as public or private depending on the network and what you want to do.

Below is how to change a Wi-Fi network to public or private profile in Windows 11.

How to Turn On or Off Typing insights in Windows 11

This post describes steps one can take to enable or disable Typing insights in Windows 11.

Windows uses artificial intelligence to help you type efficiently and save time. Typing insights is a feature in Windows that its uses Microsoft’s Ai and ML systems to learn to suggest words, autocorrect spelling mistakes, interpret swiped typing.

Typing insights is tied directly to Touch keyboard and on-screen keyboard in Windows. When you use a Touch or on-screen keyboard, as you type, Windows make suggestions, spelling correction so you can quickly finish a word.

The same with autocorrection. Windows will make sure that typos are highlighted and autocorrected while you type so you can save time and work efficiently.

Typing insights helps Windows learn and improve on its AL and ML systems so that users can be more productive. However, if you don’t want to submit your typing info to Microsoft, you can choose to turn Typing insights off.

Below is how to enable or disable Typing insights in Windows 11.

How to Show or Hide the Lock Screen Background on Sign-in Screen in Windows 11

This post describes steps one can take to enable or disable the lock screen background picture on the sign-in screen in Windows 11.

The lock screen is the screen or curtain you see when you turn on your computer before the sign in screen. It is also displayed once your computer is locked after you stepped away or press the Windows key + L.

The lock screen comes with a background picture that one can change and customize.

The sign-in screen is hidden just behind the lock screen. In order to view the sign-n screen, you must dismiss the lock screen by either pressing a key on your keyboard, clicking the mouse or swiping up on the lock screen (curtain).

The lock screen background picture will show on the sign-in screen by default. This post shows you how to not always to the lock screen background image on the sign-in screen.

How to Change Drive Letter in Windows 11

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This post describes steps one can take to change a drive or volume letter in Windows 11.

Windows will automatically assigns available letters to connected internal or external hard drives. Letters from A through Z are used to identify and name storage devices that are attached to Windows.

By default, A and B have always been assigned to floppy disk drives. However, you probably will never see a computer with a slot for floppy disk today. In this case, you can assign either A or B to another storage device that is connected to your computer.

Letter (C) is assigned to the System main drive (Local Disk (C:)) where Windows operating system is installed. In computers with multiple drives, the letter D is assigned to the second hard drive or a CD/DVD drive, if a second drive isn’t available.

Letter, E, F G and so forth are assigned based on devices connected with first device been assigned the next unassigned letter in the alphabet.

Below is how to change a drive or volume letter in Windows 11.

How to Change Drive or Volume Label in Windows 11

This post describes steps one can take to rename a drive or volume label in Windows 11.

Windows and drive manufactures assign user friendly names to internal and external drives or volumes. The default internal local drive (C:) will always be called Local Disk as its volume label.

A USB thumb or flash drive will have a USB Drive label typically or the brand name and model of the USB drive.

A volume formatted using NTFS can have a label with up to 32 characters in length, including spaces. A drive formatted using FAT32 can have a label with up to 11 characters in length.

We showed you how to mount a folder as a drive in Widows. You can use this method to rename the drive label.

Below is how to change or rename a volume label in Windows 11.

How to Mount a Folder as Drive in Windows 11

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This post describes steps one can take to mount or map a local folder as drive in Windows 11.

Windows allows users to map network folders as drive. With some tricks, user can also mount or map a local folder as a drive in Windows 11.

Previously, we showed you how to mount an external or internal drive as in a folder rather than a drive letter. This makes the drive appear as just another folder.

The contents of the drive will still physically be located on the drive. You will be able to access the drive’s content via the mounted folder path. Whatever you save in the folder, will actually be saved on the drive.

If you also want to learn how to mount a local folder as a physical drive with a letter, the steps below will show you how to do that.

How to Mount a Drive in a folder in Windows 11

This post describes steps one can take to mount a drive in a folder rather than a drive letter in Windows 11.

Windows lets you mount internal or external drive in an empty folder. This makes the drive appear as just another folder.

You can mount drives only in empty folders on basic or dynamic NTFS volumes. If a folder contains content, you won’t be able to mount it as a drive in Windows.

Below is how to mount a drive as folder rather than a letter.

How to Start and End Focus Session in Windows 11

This post describes steps one can take to start and end focus session in Windows 11.

Focus is a new feature in Windows 11 that helps you minimize distractions. To help you stay on track, it integrates with the Clock app with features like a focus timer and music integration.

When you start a focus session, taskbar badging will turn off, flashing of applications in the taskbar will turn off, a focus timer will appear on screen, and do not disturb will turn on.

When you’re in a focus session, the following will happen:

A focus timer will appear on your screen
Do not disturb will turn on
Apps in the taskbar won’t flash to alert you
Badge notifications on apps in the taskbar will turn off

You’ll receive a notification when your focus session has ended. If you need to, you can also end a focus session early and start receiving notifications again.

Below is how to start and end focus session in Windows 11.

How to Check Drive for Errors with CHKDSK in Windows 11

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This post describes steps one can take to check disk for error using the chkdsk command in Windows 11.

chkdsk is a Windows command that checks the file system and file system metadata of a volume for logical and physical errors. If you run the chkdsk command without parameters, it displays only the status of the volume and does not fix any errors.

If used with the /f, /r, /x, or /b parameters, it fixes errors on the drive or volume.

To run chkdsk, you must be a member of the local Administrators group, or equivalent. You must also open Windows Terminal as administrator in order to run chkdsk command successfully.

Below is how to use chkdsk to check for and fix bad sectors on your system’s hard drive or volume in Windows 11.

How to Buy Digital Product Key for Windows 11 from Microsoft

This post describes steps one can take to purchase a Windows 11 digital product key from Microsoft to activate Windows.

When you purchase a new PC with Windows, it will come with a Windows 11 product key embedded in the UEFI firmware chip which will be used to activate Windows 11.

Microsoft allows free upgrade to Windows 11 from Windows 10. So, you can technically use your Windows 10 key to activate a clean install of Windows 11.

If you purchase a PC with Windows installed but not activated, you’ll have to buy a digital product key of Windows 11 to activate your device. If you don’t activate Windows, it will lock up after a certain time has elapsed.

If you want to buy Windows product key to activate your device, the steps below will help you.