How to Reset All Audio Settings in Windows 11

To reset all audio devices and volume levels in Windows 11, open Settings and go to System > Sound > Volume Mixer. Look for “Reset Sound Devices and Volumes for All Apps to the Recommended Defaults” and click the “Reset” button.

If you’re PC’s audio isn’t working, or you’d like to bring the sound settings back to the defaults so you can re-customize them, it’s easy to reset all kinds of audio configurations on a Windows 11 computer. We’ll show you how to do just that.

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How to Use Microsoft Word’s Hidden Transcription Feature

Did you know Microsoft Word has a voice transcription feature that lets you upload audio files? You can upload and transcribe unlimited minutes of audio—great for transcribing interviews, meeting minutes, or anything else. It works incredibly well, too.

Word’s Transcribe feature is hidden because it’s not in the version of Microsoft Word you’re probably using. As of April 2023, transcription is only available in Microsoft Word for web—the version of Word you access in a web browser like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, or Apple Safari. If you’re using Microsoft Word for Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, or iPad, you won’t find the Transcribe feature anywhere in your Word application.

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What Is Wi-Fi, and How Does It Work?

Wi-Fi is a networking technology primarily used to connect to the internet. It uses radio waves to transmit data wirelessly and is supported by various modern electronic devices, including computers and smartphones. Wi-Fi has become one of the most popular technologies. Most of us use it to access the internet. But what does connecting to Wi-Fi mean, what does Wi-Fi stand for, and how does it work?

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How to Stream From VLC to Your Chromecast

VLC‘s developers have been working on Chromecast support for some time, and it’s finally available in version 3.0. That means now, you can stream video and audio files from VLC media player on your PC to your Chromecast connected to your TV.

Note: even though this feature is in the stable version of VLC, it can be finicky. Some people report it works perfectly for them, while others report it doesn’t and has problems with certain types of media files. Your experience may vary, but it’s worth trying to see if it works for you—and it should only get better over time.

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How to Chromecast to a TV From a Laptop or Desktop PC

Chromecasts aren’t just useful for watching TV. They also let you easily cast content from your PC, including mirroring your computer’s screen.

We’re assuming you already have a Chromecast or compatible device set up, and you’re ready to jump right into using it. If you’re new to the Chromecast and reading this article because you’re considering purchasing one to mirror your PC’s screen or otherwise cast content, you may want to use the Tables of Contents to jump down to the sections “What Do I Need to Chromecast PC Content to a TV.”

A closeup photo of a laptop casting a web page to a nearby television.

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How to Get the Page Counts for Multiple Word Documents at Once

Finding out how many pages are in a Word document is really easy when the document is open. However, what if you have a lot of documents in one folder for which you want to find out page counts? This is easily done in Windows.

Because this is done in Windows, close all open Word files. Open a File Explorer window (Windows 8 and 10) or a Windows Explorer window (Windows 7). If you’re using Windows 8 or 10, click the “View” tab on the ribbon.

NOTE: The “View” tab is available whether the ribbon is visible or hidden.

In the “Layout” section of the “View” tab, click “Details”.

NOTE: If you’re using Windows 7, click the “More options” down arrow button (right next to the “Change your view” button) and select “Details” from the popup menu.

Right-click on the headings bar in the file list pane. A popup menu displays listing information that can be displayed in columns on the Explorer window and two options that allow you to size columns to fit the content in them. Select “More” from the popup menu.

On the “Choose Details” dialog box, find “Pages” in the “Details” list and select the check box next to “Pages” so there is a check mark in the box. Click “OK”.

The “Pages” column is added to the far right of the current columns. The number of pages in each document displays.

NOTE: If there are any files, such as text files or graphic files, which do not have page counts, the “Pages” column is blank for those files.

Turning on the “Pages” column only affects the current folder. If you’re using Windows 8 or 10, and you want the “Pages” column available for any other folder you open, click the “View” tab again and click the bottom part of the “Options” button. Select “Change folder and search options” from the drop-down menu.

NOTE: If you’re using Windows 7, click the “Organize” button on the toolbar and select “Folder and search options” from the drop-down menu.

On the “Folder Options” dialog box, click the “View” tab.

In the “Folder views” section, click “Apply to Folders”.

A dialog box displays asking if you want to change all folders to match the current folder’s view settings. Click “Yes”.

Click “OK” to close the “Folders Options” dialog box.

NOTE: If you don’t see the page counts for your files after you activate the “Pages” column, you may need to close and reopen the Explorer window.

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How to count characters in Word

You can view your Word document’s character count on your desktop and mobile devices by accessing the app’s “Review” tab and selecting the “Word Count” option. In Word for Windows and Mac, you can also add the character counter to the app’s status bar.

Microsoft Word makes it super easy to count the number of characters in your documents. You can use the status bar or the dedicated Word Count option to view that information. By default, Word displays the character count for your entire document. If you’d like to find the count for specific text, then before using the methods below, select and highlight that text in your document.

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How to Add Gmail to Your iPhone

Google makes it super easy to add your Gmail account to your iPhone. This way, you can access your Gmail emails in your iPhone’s Mail app as well as the Gmail app. You can add your Gmail account to your iPhone’s Mail and Gmail apps individually. To use your email account in the Mail app, simply add Gmail to the iPhone’s Settings menu. On the other hand, to use your account in the official Gmail app for iPhone, use that app to sign in to your account.

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