You may have tried to compress a file or folder in Windows 11 only to see an error stating the operation cannot be performed because the item is encrypted. Or you might have attempted to encrypt a compressed file and received a similar failure. This conflict occurs because NTFS, the default file system in Windows … Read more
When you download a file from the internet, Windows 11 adds a hidden tag called the Mark of the Web. This tag tells security features like Microsoft Defender SmartScreen to block or warn about the file. Even after you mark the source as trusted in Windows 11 settings, the Mark of the Web can remain … Read more
File Explorer search stops returning results or returns outdated files on Windows 11. This happens when the search index becomes corrupted or outdated. Rebuilding the index normally removes all indexed locations, forcing you to re-add them manually. This article explains how to rebuild the search index while keeping your custom indexed locations intact. Key Takeaways: … Read more
After a feature update on Windows 11, you may notice that the classic right-click menu no longer appears. Instead, the new compact context menu shows only a few basic options and hides the full menu under “Show more options.” This change occurs because Windows 11 feature updates reset certain registry settings that control which context … Read more
When you compare the folder or file size shown by TreeSize with the size shown in Windows 11 Disk Properties, you often see a discrepancy. This difference can be several megabytes or even gigabytes, which creates confusion about which tool is accurate. The mismatch typically occurs because TreeSize and Windows Explorer count files in fundamentally … Read more
Windows 11 uses NTFS file attributes to manage data efficiently, but some attributes like Sparse and Compressed are hidden from File Explorer by default. These attributes reduce disk space usage for specific file types, such as virtual hard disks or log files, but they can cause confusion when you try to understand actual disk usage. … Read more
Copying a folder on Windows 11 takes much longer than expected. You may see the progress bar crawl for large folders even when files are small. One hidden cause is LZNT1 compression, a built-in file compression algorithm that Windows 11 applies to folders and files. This article explains how LZNT1 compression works, why it slows … Read more
You run the OneDrive dehydrate command expecting all synced files to become cloud-only placeholders, but some files remain marked as “Always keep on this device.” This happens when the command cannot override files with explicit local-pin settings or files in a blocked folder. OneDrive’s dehydrate operation respects per-file and per-folder attributes that you or an … Read more
You need to verify the integrity of a downloaded file or check a checksum on Windows 11. PowerShell offers a built-in way to compute SHA-256 hashes without installing or importing any external modules. This article explains how to use the native Get-FileHash cmdlet and the underlying .NET classes to generate SHA-256 hashes directly from the … Read more
Quick fix: File Explorer Search shows stale results when the Search Indexer is paused or behind. Resume indexing: open Control Panel → Indexing Options, check if it’s paused, and click Resume. If results stay stale, rebuild the index via Advanced → Rebuild. You search for a file you know exists. File Explorer returns old results … Read more