Get rid of the yuck in Windows 11

I like Windows 11, but there are a few features I like to see gone. Microsoft is not going to do it, so we have to.

  1. Taskbar clutter
  2. Remove extra taskbar click
  3. (Don’t) confirm your actions (UAC)
  4. Stop multitasking suggestions
  5. Stop suggested actions
  6. Stop recommendations
  7. Stop search results from the Web
  8. Ditch all widgets

To get rid of some taskbar clutter, I suggest turning off some taskbar options. Click <Windows> | Settings | Personalization, then Search = Hide, Task view = Off, Widgets = Off, Chat = Off.

I’m not fond of clicking the ^ in the taskbar to see my important System Tray icons, so I right-click the taskbar, choose Taskbar settings, go to Other system tray icons, and turn on the icons I always want to see.

To get rid of that annoying greyed-out screen asking “Do you want to allow …”, click <Windows> and type UAC to find User Access Control, turn it to its lowest setting, and click <OK>.

To get rid of some annoying multitasking suggestions, click <Windows> | Settings | System | Multitasking | Snap windows, then uncheck the three options that start with “Show”.

To get rid of annoying “suggested actions” when you copy a date, time, or phone number, click <Windows> | System and turn off “Suggested actions”.

To get rid of annoying recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more, click <Windows> | Settings | Personalization turn off “Show recommendations …”.

To stop getting web results when you are searching your Start menu, click <Windows> | Settings | Privacy & security and turn off “Microsoft account” and “Show search highlights”.

And the one that bothers me the most is Widgets. You turned them off in #1, but they’re still there! Click <Windows>-W to see them in all their ugliness. To completely get rid of them, you need to run a command at an elevated prompt: right-click <Windows> and choose Terminal (Admin), then at the C:\> Prompt type ‘winget uninstall “windows web experience pack”‘ (without the single quotes, but with the double quotes), then hit <Enter>. It will take a few seconds, and maybe a reboot, but then the widgets are GONE!

There are more, but those are the main ones.

Teky is for Sale

Happy New Year!

Some of you may know that I started my own business back in November 2008: Teky Technical Services Inc.

I created Teky to fill a need I saw in the community, but also to give myself, and a few other technicians, the opportunity to solve technical problems for homes and businesses in the South Vancouver Island area.

I still enjoy working IN the business, but I never really liked working ON the business; because of this, I have always been on the lookout for someone to buy Teky and run it.

As I approach retirement (my wife retired November 1st, 2022), I have stepped up that search by officially listing the company for sale. You can view the listing by going to VentureConnect.ca or by downloading the PDF brochure.

If you know anyone who would like to take over a business like mine, please send them the info and/or point them my way!

Jeff @ Teky