This week's top tips

The magic of the Esc key  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [Windows Intelligence](#) [Windows Intelligence](#) We all tend to get a little stuck in our ways. (Okay, maybe you don't — but I do.) We find a trick that works, and we keep using it. Then, one day, someone suggests an alternative to us — and we're surprised we didn't discover it sooner. This week's reader-submitted tip is about a clever little trick like that — an obvious-in-retrospect piece of advice a Windows Intelligence reader just sent to me. I love learning things like this, and I also hope that each Windows Intelligence newsletter can be an opportunity for you to discover — or rediscover — a useful trick on your PC, too. Now, on with the show! ⌚ 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 ⌨️ Last week, I covered a little-known keyboard shortcut for maximizing a window vertically — that's Windows+Shift+Up arrow. But an eagle-eyed reader shared a quick-and-clever alternative that works very well, too. 💻 This works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. ➜ Windows Intelligence reader Graham wrote in with a little trick that I've never thought to use before. It takes advantage of the excellent Windows key+arrow key shortcuts for snapping windows — but it snaps one window at a time, "maximizing it vertically" and making it use half your display. To do this, just press Windows+Left arrow or Windows+Right arrow. Then, tap the Esc key. Normally, these convenient window-snapping shortcuts require you snap a second window — you can choose one with your mouse or by using the arrow keys and pressing Enter. But I've never thought to immediately press the Esc key, which lets you use these shortcuts to quickly snap a single window. Clever! [Snapping a window and pressing Esc on Windows 11.] Of course, the Esc key works to close all kinds of dialogs and prompts throughout Windows. Have a Save dialog, Print dialog, or Properties dialog open? Just tap Esc to get rid of it. Simple. 📞 Looking for this week's Android Intelligence reader tip? It's all about a better way to work with custom contact-specific ringtones. [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! 🧑 Set up the closest thing to a "guest account" on your PC: Want to let someone else use your PC? A guest account is the safest way to do it — whether you have a new Copilot+ PC with Microsoft's Recall feature or any other PC. Microsoft has deactivated the classic Windows guest account, but here's [the best way to share a PC with a guest](=). 👀 Clear your browser history in a few keystrokes: To quickly start clearing your browser history, press Ctrl+Shift+Delete in your browser of choice. (Use Google Chrome? After pressing Ctrl+Shift+Delete, you can then immediately press Tab and then press Enter to wipe your browser history.) ⌨️ Maximize a window vertically without making it wider: Press Windows+Shift+Up arrow to maximize a window vertically without also enlarging it horizontally. You can also do this with your mouse — hover your mouse cursor over the top edge of a window until it transforms into a cursor with two vertical arrows, indicating you can resize the window. Then, double-click. 🤝 Where AI meets device management: Fast-food chain, the doctor’s office, the gym — all these places (and more!) likely rely on a fleet of devices to operate successfully. Managing that can be technical and time-consuming, but it doesn’t have to be. Esper’s [~free~ guide to using modern techniques to better manage company hardware]() outlines how companies can create a system where devices self-diagnose and self-heal, solutions are scalable, and AI can be deployed to improve efficiency, privacy, and security. [Simplify device management today with this free guide!]() [SPONSORED] 🤝 Share sensitive info securely — in a QR code: An open-source tool called [WeExpire]( makes it easy to leave important info for your friends, family, and loved ones in case of an emergency. It's [simple to set up and completely free to use](). 🏠Create a powerful home screen command center: Android's home screen flexibility is one of the platform's greatest assets — and with a couple minutes of simple tinkering, you can transform your home screen into a custom command center that puts your pending notifications front and center. [Give it a whirl](=) and see how it works for you! 🛟 Float any website for easy multitasking magic: You'd be forgiven for failing to notice, but your phone's got a neat new trick for shrinking any website you're viewing down into a small floating box so you can keep it handy while you do other stuff on your device. Best of all, it'll [take you all of 10 seconds to start using](). 🗳️ [Which old-school instant messaging app was your favorite?](=) Vote in this week's retro Windows Intelligence poll! 😲 Pull a fast one on Big Wireless: Who says perks like unlimited talk ‘n’ text, flexible monthly phone plans, mix-and-match family plans — and more — need to cost a lot? Our partner [Mint Mobile]() is offering The Intelligence readers ANY 3-month plan for just 15 bucks a month. (That’s a 50% off discount on the Unlimited Plan!) [Save a fistful of cash and switch to Mint Mobile today!]() [SPONSORED] * Service currently available in the U.S. only. --------------------------------------------------------------- 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](=)!