Latest news with #PhoneLink
Mint
16 hours ago
- Mint
Microsoft introduces fresh Windows 11 update to help laptops last longer on battery
Microsoft has announced a new Windows 11 update that helps laptops run longer without needing a charger. This update is part of ongoing efforts to make devices adjust better to your daily habits and keep them powered up when you need them most. As part of this release, a new adaptive energy saver mode will automatically turn the main energy saver on or off. It looks at your laptop's workload instead of only checking how much battery is left. For example, if you are browsing a website or reading a document it will quietly enable energy mode to slow down the background processes and reduce screen brightness. When you start editing video or using intensive applications, the system shifts back to full power mode without needing to change any settings. Energy saver mode in Windows 11 typically dims the display brightness by 30%. It turns off transparency effects and stops apps from running in the background. Windows updates, and apps like OneDrive, OneNote, and Phone Link might not sync completely while energy saver is on. Microsoft says that their goal is to make the battery saver feel invisible but still effective. The company explains that it wants users to spend less time adjusting battery settings and more time focusing on their work. Many people forget to enable battery saving options until their laptops are already warning them about low charge status. This adaptive approach aims to remove that step altogether. The new adaptive energy saver mode will work only on devices with a battery. It won't change your laptop's screen brightness when it turns on or off, making it less noticeable on laptops, tablets, and handhelds. Soon you will be able to see more precise battery estimates and track which apps are using the most battery. This will help you spot issues like background apps draining more energy than expected. For example, if you leave multiple tabs open or videos playing in the background, the dashboard will show how much battery those habits use, so you can decide what to close. Windows 11 update also adds smarter controls for screen refresh rates and brightness. When you step away, your system will lower its refresh rate automatically and return to normal when you come back. This helps save power during everyday use. The update is now rolling out in the latest Windows 11 release. You can check Windows Update in your settings to see if it's ready for your laptop.
Ammon
17 hours ago
- Ammon
Microsoft has a new trick to improve laptop battery life on Windows
Ammon News - Microsoft has started testing a new feature in Windows 11 that will improve laptop battery life. A new adaptive energy saver mode will soon automatically enable or disable the main energy saver mode, based on your laptop's workload rather than just its amount of battery life left. The energy saver mode in Windows 11 typically dims a display brightness by 30 percent, disables transparency effects, and stop apps running in the background. Non-critical Windows update downloads are also paused, and certain apps like OneDrive, OneNote, and Phone Link may not sync fully while energy saver is enabled. This new adaptive energy saver mode, which will only be available on devices with a battery, will automatically enable or disable without affecting screen brightness. That will make it less noticeable on devices like laptops, tablets, and handhelds. 'Adaptive energy saver is an opt-in feature that automatically enables and disables energy saver, without changing screen brightness, based on the power state of the device and the current system load,' explains Microsoft's Windows Insider team. Microsoft has started testing this with Canary Channel Windows 11 testers recently, so expect to see it appear in Windows 11 later this year.
Hans India
19 hours ago
- Hans India
Microsoft Tests New Adaptive Energy Saver to Extend Windows 11 Laptop Battery Life
Microsoft is rolling out a clever new feature designed to increase battery life in Windows 11 laptops. The tech giant is currently testing an adaptive energy saver mode that will automatically switch the energy saver on or off based on your activity, not just the remaining battery life. Traditionally, Windows 11's energy saver dims your screen by 30 percent, disables transparency effects, pauses background app activity, and halts non-critical updates. Apps like OneDrive, OneNote, and Phone Link may not fully sync during this time. What makes this new adaptive energy saver interesting is that it works behind the scenes without lowering screen brightness, making it less disruptive for users on laptops, tablets, and handheld devices. 'Adaptive energy saver is an opt-in feature that automatically enables and disables energy saver, without changing screen brightness, based on the power state of the device and the current system load,' says Microsoft's Windows Insider team. The feature is currently being tested with Canary Channel Windows 11 users and is expected to roll out more widely later this year. Desktop PCs won't get this new adaptive version since they don't run on batteries, but Microsoft did extend its main energy saver mode to all PCs last year, helping even desktops cut down on power consumption.
India Today
a day ago
- India Today
This new Microsoft feature could give your Windows laptop more battery life
Microsoft is testing a new feature for Windows 11 laptops that could help users get more out of their device's battery. The feature is called adaptive energy saver, and instead of waiting for your battery to get low, it adjusts power-saving settings based on how your laptop is being newCurrently, Windows 11 has a regular energy saver mode that turns on when the battery drops below a certain percentage. It reduces screen brightness, stops apps from working in the background, and delays non-essential updates. But the new adaptive energy saver mode works of just relying on battery percentage, it looks at how much work your laptop is doing. If your system is not under heavy load, like when it's idle or running light tasks, this feature can automatically turn on energy-saving measures, even if your battery is still high. This helps reduce power usage in moments when your laptop doesn't need full performance. And unlike the regular energy saver, it doesn't dim your screen, which means users can continue working without any noticeable change in display it helpsThe biggest advantage here is subtle power management. Since the adaptive mode doesn't reduce screen brightness, you're less likely to notice that it's even active. But it still pauses non-critical updates, stops certain background apps, and disables visual effects like example, apps like OneDrive or Phone Link may not sync fully while the feature is running. Windows Update may also skip less important downloads temporarily. All of this adds up to lower power usage, helping the battery last longer, especially during periods of low feature is designed only for devices with batteries, such as laptops, tablets, and handheld PCs. It won't work on desktop PCs, although Microsoft had earlier extended basic energy saver tools to desktops as well to help reduce electricity it's availableMicrosoft has started rolling out this feature to testers in the Windows 11 Canary Channel, one of the early testing groups for new features. If the testing goes well, adaptive energy saver is likely to reach all Windows 11 users later this the feature is optional, meaning it won't turn on by itself. Users will need to go into settings and enable it manually. This gives users the freedom to decide if they want Windows to manage background power use even when battery is not running it mattersMost new laptops today already offer good battery life thanks to improvements in processors from companies like Intel and Qualcomm. But people who spend long hours working without charging still look for ways to get a little more time on battery. For them, this small change could make a real difference. Without affecting performance during heavy tasks or dimming the display, adaptive energy saver can quietly stretch your battery life in less demanding moments.- Ends
Android Authority
17-05-2025
- Android Authority
It just got way easier to control your Android phone from your Windows PC
Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority TL;DR Microsoft is enhancing Windows 11 by adding a dedicated Phone Link panel to the start menu for easier Android device management. This new panel provides quick access to your phone's status, messages, calls, photos, and recent activity directly from the start menu. It also includes a 'send files' button for seamless file transfers and shortcuts to the main Phone Link app and relevant settings. If you want to control your Android phone from a Windows PC, there's no better tool than Microsoft's Phone Link. To get started, simply open the Phone Link app on your Windows PC and download the Link to Windows companion app on your Android phone. Follow the setup guide, and you'll soon be displaying your phone's notifications, text messages, photos, and more directly on your PC. Repeatedly opening the Phone Link app on your PC to access your phone's content can be cumbersome, so Microsoft is rolling out an update to the Windows 11 start menu that adds a dedicated Phone Link panel. Located to the right of the Windows 11 start menu, the Phone Link panel offers a quick glance at your device's status, including its connection status and battery level. It also features buttons for Messages, Calls, and Photos, providing direct access to your text messages, call history, and image gallery within the main Phone Link app. Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority Below this, the 'Recent' section displays your most recent phone calls, text messages, and images. While it doesn't show recent notifications directly, you can configure these to appear as banners in the bottom right corner of your screen. Similarly, your most recently opened apps aren't listed here, but you can quickly access them by clicking the Phone Link icon in the system tray. (As a reminder, Phone Link can stream Android apps to your Windows 11 PC, though this feature is limited to certain devices.) Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority Finally, a prominent 'send files' button sits at the bottom of the Phone Link panel. Clicking this opens a new window where you can either drag and drop files or use the 'select files' option to browse and choose files via File Explorer. Adjacent to the 'send files' button, a context menu provides shortcuts to: open the main Phone Link app; access settings to customize which recent activities the panel displays; and open Windows 11's general start menu settings. Microsoft is gradually rolling out the Phone Link panel to the start menu on all Windows 11 PCs. I received it on my PC (running Windows 11 version 26100.4061) today, though the rollout to users on the stable channel has been underway for at least the past week. This feature was available to Windows Insiders in the Beta and Dev channels for several months, so it's good to see Microsoft finally bringing it to everyone on the latest stable release of Windows 11. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
