Tame the Windows 10 Action Center [Video]
The Windows 10 Action Center recycles its name from a former feature in the Control Panel, but is opened up to all notifications and is more customizable than you might notice at first.
Create a Spotlight Effect in Office [Video]
Did you know you can use tools and skills you already have to produce higher quality graphics for your presentations, without paying for or learning expensive image editing programs?
![Radial Menu in OneNote MX [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/cmdrkeene.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/radial.png?fit=189%2C188&ssl=1)
Radial Menu in OneNote MX [Video]
The OneNote radial menu provides finger-friendly access to common commands. When you’re familiar with the layout of the menu, you can use it without opening it first: just swipe in the direction of the command you want to select.
![More Commands in the Quick Access Toolbar [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/cmdrkeene.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Excel.png?fit=354%2C147&ssl=1)
More Commands in the Quick Access Toolbar [Video]
Pinning submenu commands to the toolbar not only provides more direct access, but also serves as a status indicator to a state that may otherwise be hidden. For example, now I can tell at a glance the status of my Excel workbook calculations, and change it if necessary before I make an edit that would trigger a lengthy calculation.
![Using Gmail in Windows 8 Mail App [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/cmdrkeene.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Gmail.png?fit=159%2C159&ssl=1)
Using Gmail in Windows 8 Mail App [Video]
Gmail’s use of labels instead of folders typically means that using the service with most mail clients can be tricky. If you know how Gmail archives instead of deletes messages though, you can more easily triage and archive mail from Windows 8.
![Deep Pinning on the Windows 8 Start Screen [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/cmdrkeene.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Deep.png?fit=328%2C162&ssl=1)
Deep Pinning on the Windows 8 Start Screen [Video]
Your Start screen tiles can link deeper into your apps, providing a one-touch shortcut to the content you care about most. Whether it’s people, email, news, or content from a variety of other apps, you can deep pin it on your Start screen easily.
![Use Quick Access from the Keyboard [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/cmdrkeene.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/QuickAccessFileExplorer.png?fit=254%2C148&ssl=1)
Use Quick Access from the Keyboard [Video]
Did you know that you can add your own commands to the toolbar at the top of Microsoft Office programs? This also applies to several apps in Windows 7, and has even been expanded to the File Explorer in Windows 8!
![Apply Folder Styles to All Subfolders [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/cmdrkeene.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/FolderTemplates.png?fit=629%2C479&ssl=1)
Apply Folder Styles to All Subfolders [Video]
Have you ever wondered why different folders have different layouts in Windows, or how to apply your preferred layout to all folders? Windows actually allows you to push a folder view down to all subfolders using Folder Types (templates), but it’s not very discoverable.
![Enable Full File Search in Non-Indexed Folders [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/cmdrkeene.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Full-Search.png?fit=488%2C479&ssl=1)
Enable Full File Search in Non-Indexed Folders [Video]
Enable deep searching inside files in all folders, even if the search system hasn’t indexed the location. Searches in these places might take longer because they haven’t been scanned ahead of time, but this will provide consistent search experience everywhere.
![Sync Your Libraries to SkyDrive [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/cmdrkeene.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/SkyDrive.png?fit=516%2C478&ssl=1)
Sync Your Libraries to SkyDrive [Video]
With this tip, you can tell your Libraries to save to SkyDrive for seamlessly enabling any app to save to the cloud. SkyDrive lets you keep your files in the cloud and your computer in constant sync, and allows for access anywhere from your smart phone or any browser. You can even remotely fetch files that you didn't sync as long as the remote…
![Changing the Xbox Keyboard Layout [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/cmdrkeene.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Xbox.png?fit=577%2C440&ssl=1)
Changing the Xbox Keyboard Layout [Video]
Did you know the Xbox on-screen keyboard can be placed in different orders to suit your preference? If you're a touch typist that already knows the positions of keys as they exist on a standard keyboard, you might be slowed down when typing on the default Xbox keyboard that places keys in alphabetical order. Or you might be the opposite entirely. Here's how to…
![Instantly Search Inside More File Types [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/cmdrkeene.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/FileTypes.png?fit=537%2C471&ssl=1)
Instantly Search Inside More File Types [Video]
Need to find some code, script, or other text in non-standard files? Let Windows Search index and provide instant results for CSS, JavaScript or other file types by setting up content indexing for more file types in Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8.
![Automatically Login to Windows [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/cmdrkeene.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/AutoLogin.png?fit=385%2C331&ssl=1)
Automatically Login to Windows [Video]
Have you ever wanted to bypass the Windows login screen? Believe it or not, auto-login has been available in Windows for decades, but the options to enable this feature are hidden with good reason: carelessly enabling automatic login can be risky