Soluții

Why does Windows have a bad Security reputation?

• Data 13/09/2024
• Autor Ionela Lamba
• 1
• 64

Microsoft isn’t done with the new Windows sticky notes

• Data 13/09/2024
• Autor Ionela Lamba
• 0
• 63

How to close unresponsive Apps on Windows 11

• Data 13/09/2024
• Autor Sava Niculae Andrei Alexandru
• -1
• 64

End a Program Using a Keyboard Shortcut

The easiest way to close an unresponsive app is by using a Windows keyboard shortcut. This hotkey closes any app in the focus—whether responsive or unresponsive.

To use this method, click the unresponsive app’s window so it’s in the focus. Then, on your keyboard, press Alt+F4. Soon as you press this key combo, Windows will quit the app in the focus.

If the app remains open, wait a few seconds and press the same hotkey again. Make sure not to keep pressing this key combo, or you’ll end up closing other apps as well.

Close a Program from the Windows Taskbar

Windows 11 offers the option to force-close apps right from the taskbar. This option comes disabled by default, but you’re only a few clicks away from turning it on and using it.

To turn on the force-close option, launch Windows 11 Settings by pressing Windows+i. From the left sidebar, select “System.” Scroll down the right pane and choose “For Developers”.

On the For Developers screen, turn on the “End Task” toggle. You can then close the Settings app. To remove the End Task option in the future, turn off the “End Task” toggle.

On the Windows taskbar, find the unresponsive app, then right-click the app’s icon and choose “End Task.”

Windows will force-close the selected app.

End a Task with the Task Manager

Task Manager has long offered options to manage app processes on Windows PCs. You can use this utility to kill an unresponsive app’s process, quitting the app.

To use this method, launch Task Manager by right-clicking the Windows taskbar and choosing “Task Manager.” Another way to launch this tool is by pressing the Windows key, typing Task Manager, and selecting the tool in the search results.

On the Task Manager window, from the left sidebar, select the “Processes” tab.

On the right pane, find the unresponsive app. Right-click the app and choose “End Task.”

Task Manager will immediately close the selected app.

Using Settings

Windows 11’s Settings app also offers the option to terminate unresponsive apps. This requires a few more clicks than the other methods.

Start by launching Settings using Windows+i. From the left sidebar, select “Apps,” then choose “Installed Apps” in the right pane.

Find the unresponsive app on the list. Next to the app, click the three dots and choose “Advanced Options.” If you don’t find Advanced Options for your app, you can’t use this method.

On the following page, scroll down to the Terminate section. Here, click the “Terminate” button.

Settings will close the chosen app.

From Command Prompt

If you prefer command-line methods, or you currently only have access to Command Prompt, you can use a command to list all the running apps and end the unresponsive ones.

To use this method, launch Command Prompt with admin rights if you haven’t already. You can do that by pressing the Windows key, typing Command Prompt, and choosing “Run as Administrator.”

In the User Account Control prompt, select “Yes.”

In Command Prompt, type the following command and press Enter. You’ll see the list of apps running on your PC.

tasklist

From the app list, find the unresponsive app. Then, run the following command, replacing AppName with the name you noted.

taskkill /im AppName /t /f

Here’s what each parameter does in the command:

• taskkill: This is the command that terminates the specified process.
• im: This parameter tells the command the next value is an executable file name.
• AppName: This is the name of the app to be closed.
• t: This parameter tells the command to close the specified app as well as its child processes.
• f: This forces the app to close.

The command has stopped the specified app on your computer.

Using PowerShell

PowerShell works much like Command Prompt, but you’ll use a different command (called a cmdlet) in this utility to force-close frozen apps on your PC.

• Start by pressing the Windows key, typing PowerShell, and choosing “Run as Administrator.”
• In the User Account Control prompt, select “Yes.”
• On the PowerShell window, type the following cmdlet and press Enter. This cmdlet retrieves a list of the running apps.

Get-Process

Find the frozen app on the list. Then, run the following cmdlet replacing App with the frozen app name.

Stop-Process -Name App

Here’s what each parameter does in this cmdlet:

• Stop-Process: This cmdlet terminates the specified process.
• -Name: This parameter tells the cmdlet the next value is a process/app name.
• App: This is the app to be closed.

PowerShell will close the specified app.

If nothing works, Restart your PC

If the frozen app remains frozen even after using the above methods, give your Windows 11 PC a restart to close all the running apps on your system.

Before you reboot your PC, ensure the frozen app isn’t on the startup apps list. If it is, the app will automatically launch (and possibly freeze again) when your computer turns back on. To prevent that, open Task Manager and access the “Startup Apps” tab. Select the unresponsive app on the list and choose “Disable” at the top. Then, close Task Manager.

Once all of that is done, restart your computer by opening the Start Menu, selecting the Power icon, and choosing “Restart.”

You won’t have the unresponsive app running when your computer turns on. If you launch the app, and it continues to freeze up, either the app installation is faulty or there’s a compatibility issue. In this case, uninstall and reinstall the app and see if that fixes the issue. Alternatively, download another version of the app and see if it works.

How to Customize the Taskbar Icons On Windows

• Data 13/09/2024
• Autor Sava Niculae Andrei Alexandru
• -1
• 68

Technically, the only thing you need to swap the default app icons on the taskbar are the icon files. Some apps come preinstalled with extra icons that you can use. Most don’t, so you’ll have to find custom icon files online, put them all in a folder, and then individually change the app icons.

You’ll need to find the shortcuts for every app that’s going to be pinned on the taskbar, and place them all on the desktop. Depending on your chosen theme, you can create a theme pack for the taskbar that matches the overall design. This is what my selection looks like.

To break it down simply, you need two things:

• A folder with all the icon files for your taskbar apps. The file has to be in ICO, EXE, DLL, or ICL format.
• Move all the taskbar app shortcuts to the desktop.

Where to Get the Icons

You can download the icon files from any number of online libraries, some paid, others free. Icons8 and IconsScout are two free libraries. But there are dozens more available online.

Whichever source you pick, be sure to download the icons in one of the recommended file formats. The most popular format is ICO, and that’s the format in which I’ve downloaded the icons. Once you have downloaded all your icon files, place them in one folder for easy access.

Secondly, you want to get the app shortcuts in one place. I’ve collected them on the desktop for ease of use. If the shortcut isn’t already on the desktop, just create a new one.

Search the app name (press the Windows key on the keyboard or click the button in the corner). Click “Open File Location” and find the EXE file in the directory. Right-click on the EXE file and select “Send To” and pick “Desktop.” It should pop up on the desktop right away.

After that, your shortcuts and icon files are good to go.

Changing Taskbar Icons

Now you’re ready to replace the icons on your taskbar. Right-click on a desktop shortcut and click “Properties.” Head to the “Shortcut” tab and click “Change Icon.”

Here you’ll be able to upload a new icon file that replaces the original. Click “Browse” and locate the folder where you’ve saved all your custom icon files. Select the right icon and click “Open.” Click “OK” on both windows after that, and the desktop icon should change.

Repeat these steps for all the desktop icons. When you’re done, the desktop shortcuts should look something like this (except you’d be replacing them with your own icons).

When you’re done, right-click on the desktop shortcuts one by one, select “Unpin from Taskbar.” Then right-click again and select “Pin to Taskbar.”

After you’ve changed the desktop icons and repinned the taskbar icons, you’re all done. Here’s what my taskbar looks like after the changes. You can repeat these steps with other ICO files to get different results. You can also change the taskbar color.

Revert Changes

Reverting the changes and restoring the original icons is just as easy. Once again, right-click on the desktop shortcut and select “Properties.” In the “Shortcut” tab on the properties panel, you’ll find a button labeled “Open File Location.” Click it and copy the program address (you’ll need it later).

Now go back to the “Shortcut” tab under Properties and click “Change Icon” and then “Browse.” Paste the directory you copied earlier in the Explorer address bar. Select the EXE file, click “Open.” You’ll be presented with the default available icons. Pick one and click “OK.”

To change the icon in the taskbar, we’ll use the same trick. Right-click on the desktop shortcut, click “Unpin from the Taskbar.” Then right-click again and click “Pin to Taskbar.” The taskbar icon should change right away. Repeat these steps for the remaining taskbar icons to get back to the default look.