Most Popular Windows Downloads And Posts Of 2011


Windows had some great apps and how-tos in 2011, not to mention our first preview of Windows 8 and all the fun that comes along with a public beta. Here’s our look at Lifehacker’s most popular Windows downloads, how-tos, and other posts from the past year.


How to Break Into A Windows PC (And Prevent It From Happening to You)

If you’re trying to break into a Windows computer-whether you’ve forgotten your password or are hatching an evil plan-you have quite a few options. More »


How To Control Multiple Computers With A Single Keyboard And Mouse

If you have two or more computers at one desk, you don’t want two or more sets of keyboards and mice cluttering up your workspace, too. You can buy a hardware gadget that lets you share a single keyboard and mouse with several computers (which involves a mess of tangled wires), or you could use a… More »


Superior Alternatives To Crappy Windows Software

Whether it comes bundled with your computer, bundled with other software, or is just the go-to program for a specific task, the Windows ecosystem is rife with oft-used, yet craptastic software. More »


How To Automatically Download TV Shows As Soon As They’ve Aired

Video content is readily available online for you to download, but the download process isn’t always as simple and automated clicking a button on a TiVO or DVR. More »


Become A Command Line Ninja With These Time-Saving Shortcuts

The command line can be quite powerful, but typing in long commands and file paths gets tedious pretty quickly. Here are some shortcuts that will have you running long, tedious, or complex commands with just a few keystrokes.

Image remixed from an original by xkcd.

Power users love the command line… More »


Lifehacker Pack for Windows: Our List Of The Best Windows Downloads

Whether you’ve just reinstalled Windows or you need to fill some holes on your software collection, we’ve got everything you need in our annual Lifehacker Pack. More »


The Hexagonal Desktop

Claudia is a Fringe fan, but she’s also a fan of being able to see a ton of important information at a single glance on her desktop. She combined her two loves into this fun and informative HUD for her Windows 7 desktop using Rainmeter. More »


Top 10 Ways to Speed Up Windows Boot Time

If there’s one thing everyone dreads, it’s rebooting their computer. It may only take a minute or two, but it can seem like forever. Here are our top 10 tweaks that’ll make your computer boot a little faster. More »


How To Fix Annoyances With Firefox 4’s New Look

Firefox 4 has a lot going for it, but many of you (and us) mentioned that its UI has a few quirks that are a little annoying. Here’s how to fix some of the worst offenders. More »


What’s New And Awesome In Firefox 4

Windows/Mac/Linux: Firefox 4 is officially out, and it’s got a lot going for it, including a more minimalistic interface, synchronisation, and a serious speed increase. More »


How To Turn Your Computer Into The Ultimate Remote Access Media Server

If you’re out of the house a lot but still want access to files on your home computer, one of the best ways to solve that problem involves setting up your computer as a remotely accessible home media server. More »


How To Make Your Entire Home AirPlay-Compatible

Apple’s new media-streaming technology, AirPlay, is a great way to stream devices across your home, but it only works on Apple-approved destinations out of the box. More »


Top 10 Micro-Apps For Windows And Mac OS X

Your Windows system tray and Mac OS X menubar have become prime real estate for highly functional micro-applications that provide easy access to information, settings, and tasks. More »


How To Dual-Boot Windows 7 And Windows 8 Side By Side

The Windows 8 developer preview is out for all to try, but installing it over your main Windows setup is a scary (and unrealistic) prospect. Here’s how to dual boot Windows 8 with your current Windows 7 installation so you can run them both side by side. More »


Internet Explorer 9 Screenshot Tour: The Best New Features in IE9

Internet Explorer 9 has officially launched as the latest and greatest browser from Microsoft. IE9 introduces a new streamlined interface, improved performance, Windows 7 integration, and more. More »


Elune Is A Simple, Beautiful Theme For Windows 7

Windows 7: If you’re looking for an attractive visual style for your Windows 7 desktop, Elune is simple glassy theme by deviantART user minhtrimatrix that’ll give your computer a relaxing, natural feel. More »


Power Up Your XBMC Installation With These New Add-Ons

In its latest update, much-beloved media centre application XBMC added one-click add-on installation, bringing browser-like extensions to your media centre. More »


Set Up An Automated, Bulletproof File Back Up Solution

More and more, the fragments of your life exist as particles on a disk mounted inside your computer — disks susceptible to temperature changes, power surges, fire, theft, static, and just plain wear and tear. More »


How To Create An Attractive, Customised Desktop HUD With Rainmeter

Whether your goal is to make your desktop look beautiful or you want an information-rich desktop that provides constant track of your system status, RSS feeds, and other info, Rainmeter is the best tool for the job. More »


Ask LH: Do I Really Need To Eject USB Drives Before Removing Them?

Dear Lifehacker,Some of my computers (like my Mac) are always warning me about disconnecting flash drives without ejecting, while Windows doesn’t seem to have a problem-in fact, my external USB drive doesn’t even have an eject option. More »


How To Get Mac OS X’s Best Features On Windows

Whether you’re a die-hard Windows fan or simply a Mac user required to occasionally use Windows, it’s hard to argue against the fact that Mac OS X has some killer features. More »

There you have it. Windows has had a pretty good year, and while a lot of the above posts apply to Mac and Linux too, Windows isn’t without its own unique apps and tricks. Whether your favourite post made the list or not, lets hear about the Windows downloads and how-tos you enjoyed this year in the comments.


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At Lifehacker, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.

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