Latest Laptop How-To Stories
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How-To
How to properly wipe your laptop data before getting rid of it
Worried about privacy? Here's what you need to do before you sell, give away, or dispose of your laptop.
Tip
Complete your Cyber Monday laptop with these must-have accessories
Make the most of a Cyber Monday laptop deal by adding on these laptop essentials!
How-To
The right way to run a laptop with the screen closed
Here's what you'll need to use your laptop with a closed lid, how to get it set up, and a few caveats and best practices to keep in mind.
How-To
How to try a new laptop at home before you commit to buying it
There's a secret to worry-free laptop shopping — if you shop at the right stores. Learn how to buy your next laptop with absolute peace of mind.
How-To
6 ways to fix a temperamental laptop touchpad
Is your laptop touchpad misbehaving? Before you plug in a mouse, try these six simple fixes first.
How-To
How to truly erase data from USB flash drives
Do you have a USB stick that contains a lot of junk? Here's how to empty it completely.
How-To
How to connect a PS5 controller to your laptop (and set it up right)
Learn whether you should connect your PS5 controller to your laptop using a wired or wireless connection, plus a few caveats to keep in mind with DualSense controllers on PC.
How-To
15 tips to give you more power in Google Contacts
A digital contact list is part of most email services — and it can do more than many people realize.
How-To
4 eco-friendly ways to get rid of a laptop
Before you toss your laptop into the trash, here are some greener alternatives that might actually serve you better.
How-To
18 tweaks that give Windows 11 a personalized feel
Not happy with the look of Windows 11? Here are tips to make your computer look better and feel better.
How-To
4 ways to cool down your laptop in the summer heat
Summer is here and temperatures are rising. While a high temperature is great for a beach day, it's less great for your laptop. Here are four ways to cool down your laptop in the summer heat.
How-To
USB-C not charging? Try these tricks
Here are a few tips to try when your USB-C device isn't charging.
How-To
How to use an external monitor with a gaming laptop
If your gaming laptop screen feels too cramped, hook up an external monitor! Here's how to do it and what you need to know.
Tip
Here's why the F and J keys on keyboards have bumps on them
The F and J keys on the keyboard have small bumps on them. There's a practical reason for it.
How-To
How to speed up your laptop without spending a dime
There's nothing more disappointing than an agonizingly slow laptop. If you're looking to speed things up, here's how to do it without spending your hard-earned cash.
How-To
How to work on your laptop with a migraine
My wife, a migraine sufferer, offers her tips to get through the day while using a laptop. Try them — they may help you!
How-To
How to turn your laptop into a desktop workstation
If you're not going anywhere for a while with your laptop, why not kick back and get the full desktop experience? Here's how.
How-To
How to use a laptop with multiple monitors: The ultimate guide
If you work exclusively with your laptop, and enjoy media or play games, a second or third screen is a must. You can find suitable solutions here.
Tip
How to repair USB 3.0 ports in Windows 11
USB 3.0 is still one of the most popular USB standards. However, it can happen that the USB 3.0 ports on the Windows 11 PC no longer work for no apparent reason. Fortunately, they can be repaired in most cases.
How-To
How to fix audio problems on your Windows PC
If your computer audio abruptly stops working, you can try these simple steps in five minutes or less.
How-To
Windows 11: How to improve your security and privacy
We show you how Windows 11 keeps you safe and how to maximize your privacy.
How-To
Don't be fooled by back-to-school Chromebook trap deals
Amazon vendors are selling Chromebooks whose support runs out soon. It's a trap! Here's how to pick the best Chromebook deals for back-to-school.
How-To
9 tips for preventing laptop theft
With this guide and the right tools, you can protect your laptop from theft—and that's especially important when you're distracted or on vacation.
How-To
How to find power-hogging software with Windows Task Manager
If you're trying to salvage every last bit of battery life on your laptop, the Windows Task Manager can help you find the programs consuming the most power.
How-To
3 tweaks that help your laptop battery last longer
If you're trying to help your laptop's battery survive until the end of the day, these three settings tweaks help substantially.
How-To
Is your laptop slow? Try these 9 things before you give up
Don't ditch that aging laptop until you try these speed-boosting tricks first.
How-To
How to factory reset your Windows 11 laptop
If you're dealing with a slow laptop, a factory reset may be in order. Here's how to do it.
How-To
How to take a screenshot on your Windows 11 laptop
Need to take a screenshot on your Windows 11 laptop? We've got you covered.
How-To
How to update your laptop’s Nvidia graphics driver
To get the best experience out of your gaming laptop, you should always make sure your Nvidia graphics driver is up to date.
How-To
How to change the default browser on your laptop
Switching to a different browser is shockingly easy. Here's how to do it.
How-To
How to change your laptop's power settings
These power-saving tips and tricks will help conserve your laptop's battery life.
How-To
How to adjust the brightness on your laptop
Adjusting the brightness on your laptop screen can help alleviate eye strain and tension headaches.
How-To
How to play Steam games on a Chromebook
Google has published instructions on how to play Steam games on your Chromebook. Here's a list of which Chromebooks are supported and which games you can play on them.
How-To
What to look for in a cheap Chromebook
Is a cheap Chromebook good enough for homework and distance learning? We discuss the most important criteria as you buy cheap Chromebooks for the holidays and Black Friday.
How-To
How to charge your Surface laptop to 100%: Solving the smart charging mystery
Microsoft's latest Surface Pro 8 and Surface Laptop Studio include smart charging, a feature that protects the battery by keeping it from being fully charged. Here's how to turn that off so you can fully charge your laptop.
Updated
How to speed up your laptop with Windows 11’s power mode
Windows has an easy way to increase your PC's performance. In Windows 11, it's called the Power Mode. We'll show you how to find Power Mode in Windows 11.
How-To
How to play games on a Chromebook
You can play games on a Chromebook, whether browser- or Android-based, or streamed PC games from the cloud.
How-To
Fix your laptop’s color and brightness with this hidden Windows app
Fix Windows 10 auto-brightness and color problems with this hidden Intel app.
How-To
How to benchmark your PC laptop for real-world gains
Free benchmarking software can help you understand how well your laptop performs. And that has numerous payoffs.
How-To
How to tell which GeForce 30-series laptop is the most powerful
How can you tell whether a RTX 30-series gaming laptop is using Nvidia's higher-power "Max-P" GPU, or the lower-power "Max-Q" version? It's not easy, but we have some tips for figuring it out.
Updated
How to use a Chromebook: 10 must-know tips, tricks, and tools for beginners
Chromebooks are dead-simple to use, but just like any PC a little tweaking makes your experience that much better.
How-To
How to disable your laptop touchpad
Does your laptop touchpad get in the way while you type? Here's how to turn it off.
Updated
How to remove malware from your Windows PC
Has malicious software taken your PC hostage? Our malware-removal guide will help you clean out your PC and restore it to a pristine state.
Updated
How to transform your laptop into a gaming powerhouse with an external graphics card
With a little bit of research and elbow grease (or a Thunderbolt 3 dock), an external graphics card setup lets you upgrade your laptop for a fraction of the cost of a new gaming PC.
How-To
How to install Windows on your Mac using Boot Camp
After following these simple instructions, you'll be able to dual-boot your Mac into Windows.
Answer Line
What to do when your laptop’s touchpad stops working
The touchpad built into your laptop no longer responds to your fingers. Here's what to do about it.
How-To
How to add an SSD to your laptop
By adding a solid-state drive to a budget laptop, either as a hard-drive replacement or companion, you can realize noticeable gains and get additional life from your portable PC.
How-To
How to upgrade your laptop’s RAM
You can significantly improve your laptop PC's performance by adding RAM, especially if you're running a 64-bit version of Windows.
How-To