Productivity
The latest Productivity coverage — news, analysis, and updates from the WindowsNews.AI desk.
Forget Windows 11 Search: 6 Keyboard-First Alternatives That Actually Work
Microsoft’s own PowerToys utility now includes a keyboard-first launcher called Command Palette, just one of several alternatives aiming to replace Windows 11’s sluggish search, as highlighted in...
Apple’s Sports Widget Lands on macOS, Windows 11 Users Left Asking: Where Are Our Widgets?
Apple this week expanded its sports widget to macOS, replicating the iPhone and iPad experience with live scores and schedules directly on the desktop. For Windows 11 users, it’s a sharp reminder...
The 10 Open-Source Windows Apps ZDNET Says Every User Should Install Now
ZDNET recently published a curated list of ten open-source Windows applications, each free to download and use, that can replace expensive proprietary software while bolstering privacy and control....
Google’s Experimental Windows App Puts AI Search on Your Desktop—Here’s How It Works
Google has quietly started testing a native Windows application that places a powerful, AI-infused search bar directly on the desktop, summonable from anywhere with Alt + Space. The experiment,...
Windows 11’s Speed Test Shortcut Opens Bing: What It Means and How to Use It
A new “Perform speed test” option has appeared in recent Windows 11 Insider builds, tucked into the taskbar network flyout and right-click menu. Tap it, and instead of a native diagnostic, your...
Raycast's Windows Beta Transforms the Clipboard and Emoji Picker from Afterthoughts into Superpowers
Raycast, the beloved macOS productivity launcher, has opened a private beta for Windows, and its first two big features — a revamped emoji picker and a smarter clipboard history — already fix the...
Windows 11 Taskbar Customization Is Back: Windhawk Adds Vertical Layout, Resizing, and Transparency
Windows 11’s taskbar has been a sore spot for users who relied on the flexible, customizable bars of Windows 10 and earlier. Microsoft locked it to the bottom of the screen, removed the ability to...
Seelen UI: The Free Shell That Gives Windows 11 True Linux-Style Tiling and macOS Docks
{ "title": "Seelen UI: The Free Shell That Gives Windows 11 True Linux-Style Tiling and macOS Docks", "content": "Seelen UI, a free desktop environment for Windows, has recently gained attention...
Google's Alt+Space Overlay Brings Lens, AI Search to Windows. Here's How It Works and What to Watch For.
What’s New Google has released an experimental Windows app that places a compact, floating search bar at your fingertips. The tool, hosted in Google’s Search Labs, can be summoned anytime by...
How to Learn Microsoft Copilot Faster: 5 Video Resources and a 30-Day Plan That Works
Microsoft’s Copilot assistant is no longer a press-release demo. As of early 2025, it’s sitting right inside your Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams apps, ready to draft emails, summarize meetings,...
How Windows Users Can Leverage Tmux for Persistent SSH Sessions and Terminal Multitasking
Microsoft’s Windows Subsystem for Linux has quietly turned millions of Windows desktops into Linux-capable workstations. But one tool that still catches many newcomers off guard is Tmux, a terminal...
Microsoft’s Copilot App Will Auto-Install on Windows PCs Starting October — No Easy Way to Opt Out
Microsoft confirmed this week that Windows machines running desktop versions of Word, Excel, or other Microsoft 365 apps will soon see a new addition to their Start menu — automatically. Beginning...