9 guides

Guides

How to get more out of the computer you already own.

What these are

Every guide here is written to be useful on its own. You should be able to follow any of it with software you already have, or none at all. Where one of our applications suits the job it gets a mention at the end, clearly marked, and never in place of the explanation.

All guides

Sorting out a photo library Photos and files · 5 min read A safe order of work for organising a large disorganised photo collection, covering duplicates, folder structure, dates that lie, and what to actually delete. Read the guide Why your PC feels slow Windows · 5 min read How to diagnose a slow Windows PC properly, the five causes that account for most cases, and the common advice that makes no difference. Read the guide When a video will not play Media · 4 min read Containers, codecs and why a video plays on one device but not another, with fixes for no picture, no sound, stutter and colour artefacts. Read the guide Backing up properly Files · 4 min read Why cloud sync is not a backup, what the three copy rule means in practice, and a straightforward setup that covers the ways files are actually lost. Read the guide Choosing an image format Photos and files · 5 min read What JPEG, PNG, WebP and AVIF are each good at, how much space the newer formats really save, and when compatibility should decide it for you. Read the guide Free up disk space on Windows Windows · 5 min read A practical order for clearing space on a full Windows drive, using built in tools, with the large hidden files explained and the risky advice flagged. Read the guide Image models on small GPUs Local AI · 6 min read Why AI image models run out of graphics memory on 4 GB and 6 GB cards, what each memory setting actually does, and a working set-up for each size of card. Read the guide One library across game stores Games · 5 min read How to see games from Steam, Xbox, Epic, GOG and elsewhere in a single library, what the different approaches can and cannot do, and how to keep it tidy. Read the guide What offline AI really means Local AI · 5 min read Offline, local and private mean different things in AI software. What each one covers, what a local tool may still send, and how to verify it yourself. Read the guide