How-To Geek

How to Get a "My Computer" Icon on the Desktop in Windows 10

Lowell Heddings — Sun, 01 Nov 2026 02:41:48 GMT

The My Computer icon was a fixture on Windows desktops for decades, but it was removed and renamed with the introduction of Windows 10. Now properly called "This PC," the icon must be added back manually. Here's how to get the This PC icon on your desktop.

4 Milwaukee tools most owners regret buying

Cory Gunther — Sun, 01 Nov 2026 00:00:15 GMT

Milwaukee tools have a solid reputation, and it's one of the best brands in the business, but there are occasional misfires. With hundreds of tools readily available across its growing M12 and M18 platforms, there's bound to be a few duds. Here are a few Milwaukee tools that users most often regret buying.

These 3 networking tools let me take my home with me when I travel

Umair Khurshid — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 23:00:15 GMT

I like traveling, but I have never been particularly fond of carrying too much stuff. A laptop, its charger, a few essentials, and a bag that does not feel like I am moving house are enough for me. Unfortunately, working remotely can complicate that plan. Hotel Wi-Fi is unpredictable, public networks are a privacy concern, and accessing my home lab while I am away requires a little preparation.

Here's how I use a 3D printer to give my old phones, smartwatches, and smart home gear a second life

Joe Fedewa — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 22:31:15 GMT

It's easy to design objects that are fully 3D printed, but I've found that my most useful creations work with existing devices. Often, old gadgets just need to be reconfigured a bit to be repurposed. I've used my 3D printer numerous times to breathe new life into phones, smartwatches, and smart home products.

8 super-useful Roku shortcuts hiding in your remote (plus a bonus tip)

Adam Davidson — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 22:00:15 GMT

There are plenty of settings that you can scroll through on a Roku TV or streaming device, but there are some hidden menus that offer even more options. You can access these secret settings by pressing a sequence of buttons on your Roku remote, although none of them will give you 30 lives.

6 ways homelabbers are saving money and avoiding expensive new gear

Umair Khurshid — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 21:30:15 GMT

Building a homelab can get expensive quickly. A spare PC turns into a virtualization host, which leads to a dedicated NAS, a managed switch, and eventually a rack full of equipment that consumes electricity around the clock. For many homelabbers, the challenge is finding ways to keep experimenting without spending money on new hardware every few months.

5 essential open-source apps every Windows user should install

Goran Damnjanovic — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 21:00:15 GMT

The state of the open-source software community has never been better, with Windows being arguably the biggest platform for open-source apps. The most popular desktop operating system in the world has hundreds of fantastic open-source tools and utilities, with the best of them being able to compete with, and sometimes beat, their premium closed-source peers.

This simple 3D-printing process turned my flat photos into illusory lenticular portraits

Sydney Butler — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 20:30:15 GMT

When most people think of 3D printing, they imagine spare parts, clever home solutions, or, most likely, piles of articulated dragons. But you can create visual art in quite a few ways with a 3D printer.

These 4 small Linux commands make complex terminal tasks feel effortless

Arol Wright — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 20:01:15 GMT

Linux has thousands of commands, and most of us lean on the same few dozen. Many of you might not even use more than 10 unless it's absolutely needed. But it turns out, tucked away in the rest, are small utilities that quietly do the heavy lifting. Here are four that even seasoned users forget exist, along with the situations where they shine.

5 ways flashing existing smart home devices makes ESP32 projects easier

Adam Davidson — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 19:30:15 GMT

I put off trying ESP32 projects for a long time because I assumed they would be complicated and time-consuming, and I didn't have hours to spare. Building ESP32 projects from scratch can take time (though not nearly as much as I'd imagined), but you don't have to reinvent the wheel. Some commercial products contain ESP32 chips, and you may be able to flash them with custom firmware.