Computer Tricks and Secrets

Short answer: the old folder-background image trick from Windows XP/Vista no longer works in modern Windows, but you can still personalize folders by changing their icon and color . This is genuinely useful for organizing, color-coding folders makes them easy to find at a glance. Here is how. Why the old folder background is gone Windows XP and Vista let you set a background image inside a folder window. Microsoft removed this in later Windows versions, so old tutorials for it no longer apply. The modern, supported way to personalize folders is through icons and colors instead. Change a folder's icon (built in) Right-click the folder > Properties . Go to the Customize tab. Click Change Icon and pick one from the list, or Browse to a custom .ico file. Apply. The folder now shows your chosen icon. You can also add a preview image via "Choose File" under folder pictures in the same tab. Color-code folders with a free tool Windows has no built-in folder...

Short answer: you can make a Windows folder effectively invisible by giving it a blank name and a transparent icon, so it sits on your desktop with nothing showing. It is a fun trick for casual privacy, but remember it only hides the folder, it does not protect the contents. Here is how to do it and how to find it again. Step 1: Give the folder a blank name Right-click the folder > Rename . Delete the name, then hold Alt and type 0160 on the numeric keypad (this inserts an invisible character), then release Alt and press Enter. The folder now has no visible name. (The Alt+0160 code enters a non-breaking space, so Windows accepts the "blank" name.) Step 2: Give it a transparent icon Right-click the folder > Properties > Customize tab > Change Icon . Scroll through the icon list to find a blank/transparent icon (there are empty gaps among the icons), select it. Apply. Now both the name and icon are invisible, the folder is effectively hidden in p...

Short answer: you can make an "undeletable" folder in Windows by naming it with a reserved system name (like CON, PRN, or AUX) via Command Prompt, Windows refuses to delete or rename it normally. It is a fun trick, and here is exactly how to create one AND how to remove it again (the important part people forget). Why some names are undeletable Windows reserves certain names (CON, PRN, AUX, NUL, COM1-9, LPT1-9) for legacy devices. File Explorer will not let you create or delete a folder with these names, so a folder made this way via the command line resists normal deletion and renaming, which is what makes the trick work. How to create one Open Command Prompt . Navigate to where you want it (e.g. cd C:\Users\YourName\Desktop ). Create the folder using the special syntax: md CON\ (The trailing backslash and the reserved name are what let it be created.) You now have a folder named CON that Explorer cannot delete normally. How to remove it (do not skip this) S...