This week's top tips

Keyboard shortcuts and buried settings  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [Windows Intelligence](#) [Windows Intelligence](#) I share a lot of keyboard shortcuts, and the F keys — F1 through F12 — at the top of your keyboard are often a part of that. But, on many PC keyboards, those F keys are combined with action keys. Pressing the F1 key might actually just Mute your computer. You can hold down the "Fn" (function) key while pressing a key to perform its alternate action. Today's reader-submitted tip is about a way to take more control and make your keyboard work the way you want it to. ⌚ 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 ⌨️ Your PC keyboard's F keys are often combined with action keys for things like controlling volume and screen brightness. You normally have to hold the Fn key to perform the secondary action. 💻 This works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11. ➜ Windows Intelligence reader Jim H. wrote in and mentioned the Fn Lock key, which many keyboards have. This is kind of like how toggling "Caps Lock" means you can stop pressing Shift — using Fn Lock will lock the function keys in their alternate state. Does your laptop or desktop keyboard have a Fn Lock or F Lock key? It's often the Esc key, so you can often press Fn+Esc to toggle Fn Lock. Look at your keyboard and see what's printed there. [The Fn Lock label on a laptop's Esc key.] On other keyboards, you can press Fn+Caps Lock to toggle Fn Lock. I also have some laptop keyboards here that don't have Fn Lock keys at all — yikes! If your laptop's keyboard isn't cooperating, there's often a way to toggle Fn Lock "the hard way" — by digging into your computer's UEFI or BIOS settings screen. First, you'll have to boot to the UEFI settings screen — Microsoft has some [instructions for booting to UEFI](=). On an HP laptop without an Fn Lock key I have here, the option is named "Action Keys Mode." Toggle that to change how these keys work on your keyboard. Depending on your computer, the option may be named something else — or it may not even be here at all! That's the PC industry for you. Obviously, you shouldn't have to dig into a low-level system menu to change how this works. But sometimes you do! It depends on your laptop manufacturer. [The "Action Keys Mode" option in UEFI settings on an HP laptop.] ⌛ This week's Android Intelligence tip is all about accessing your phone's notification history — yes, there's a notification history on Android! Here's [how to find and make the most of your Android notification history](=). ​ 🎁 Share your knowledge, get a free gift in return Hey — let's feature your advice next! If you've got a useful shortcut you rely on, an off-the-beaten path application that makes your life easier, or any other Windows-related suggestion you'd like to share with your fellow Windows Intelligence readers, [share it with me here](=). If I end up using your tip in a future issue, I'll send you a [free month of ​Intelligence Insider membership]() as a special thank you gift for your submission! --------------------------------------------------------------- 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! ☀️ Give Widgets a second chance on Windows 11: Widgets just got a lot better on Windows 11 PCs! You can finally hide that feed of viral stories, revealing a surprisingly useful combination of ways to access important information at a glance. Here's [how to set up Widgets to be maximally useful and minimally annoying](=). 🔍 Get your Show Desktop button back: A new Windows update hides the classic Show Desktop button, which has been at the rightmost edge of the taskbar for many years. To get it back on Windows 11, right-click an empty spot on your taskbar, select "Taskbar settings," expand "Taskbar behaviors," and enable "Select the far corner of the taskbar to show the desktop." 🖱️ Change your mouse cursor color: Windows lets you change your mouse cursor color — instead of white, it can be black or any other color of the rainbow. To try a new color, head to Settings > Accessibility > Mouse pointer and touch (on Windows 11) or Settings > Ease of Access > Mouse pointer (on Windows 10.) Choose your preferred color here. 🧑‍💻 Has your productivity taken a hit? Email, social media, your coworker's adorable new puppy calendar. Never-ending distractions can put your performance on life support — but the [FREE productivity course from HubSpot]() can help! The brains behind The Hustle compiled their tried-and-true productivity hacks for working better, faster. [Download HubSpot’s workplace productivity course]() and watch your performance skyrocket! [SPONSORED] ✅ Use the list-making app of the future: [Superlist](), a free new app from the creators of Wunderlist, combines a powerful-but-easy-to-use list-making app with a convenient note-taking app. It just might be the list-making app of your dreams. Try it out! It's available for [Android](, [iPhone](=), and [the web](=). 🤳 Unlock your phone's physical gesture magic: No matter what Android phone you're using, you could be shaking it, flipping it, and performing other physical movements to accomplish all sorts of time-saving tasks. All you need is [the right app and about 60 seconds to get things going](=). 🗃️ Become a certified Android file master: An Android device is ultimately a computer, and unlike certain other types of smartphones, that means you have the ability to manage files on its storage in some genuinely interesting ways. Check out [this freshly updated Android file management guide]() to see what advanced productivity powers you might be missing. 👋 Say goodbye to empty ink cartridges: With [HP Instant Ink](), you'll never be caught without ink again. Their smart printers monitor your ink levels and send new cartridges directly to your door before you run out. Readers of The Intelligence newsletters can claim a $10 welcome credit on HP’s affordable plans, which include reliable ink delivery and used ink cartridge recycling. [Claim your $10 credit]() and simplify your life with automatic ink delivery! [SPONSORED] --------------------------------------------------------------- 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.