Desktop & Downloads

Tech Tip Tuesday (May 12, 2026)

An image featuring a chaotic computer desktop background with the large text "My desktop is fine, Brian." at the top. The desktop is completely cluttered with dozens of overlapping icons, images, and files, including several instances of BonziBuddy, various video game icons like Steam and No Man's Sky, and random JPEG images. On the left side, the Windows Start menu is open, further obscuring the screen. In the upper-left corner, a classic Microsoft Office Clippy icon is visible, with a hand-drawn arrow pointing to it and the caption "Clippy is judging."

These are two areas we don’t deal with very often because we don’t usually think about them. My desktop is covered by the windows I’m working in, and my Downloads folder is where all five versions of my Canva exports end up.

However, it’s time to clean up your chaos, Will Hunting.

Below are two tips, along with a few tools built into Windows to help!

An infographic about desktop organization with a minimalist design. The top features a dark purple header with the white text "DESKTOP ORGANIZATION." Below the header, a large white card with a soft pink and blue drop shadow contains the bold number "10–15" above the text "maximum icons or files on the desktop." At the bottom of the image, smaller italicized text reads: "Clutter causes chaos, as the brain struggles to prioritize attention amid distractions. (cognitive load theory)"

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Customize the Desktop Icons in Windows - Microsoft Support

Learn how to customize the default desktop icons in Windows, adjust their size to suit your preferences, and show or hide all icons as needed.

support.microsoft.com

Manage drive space with Storage Sense - Microsoft Support

How to use Storage Sense to free up hard drive space on your Windows device.

support.microsoft.com

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Managing AI Cheating Resources

And none of them are checkers.

Recently, Eric Curts published a PD and video recording about how we handle the rise of AI in our K-12 classrooms. Rather than just focusing on detection, he dives into how we can proactively adapt our assignments and have honest conversations with our students about academic integrity in the age of generative AI.

PD Agenda - Managing AI Cheating

Managing AI Cheating Managing AI in Schools - bit.ly/curts-aicheat 🧔 Presenter Eric Curts EdTech Coach, AI Strategist, Author, Blogger, Speaker, Google Champion 💡 My EdTech blog - controlaltachieve.com 💎 My EduGems website - edugems.ai 📧 Email - ericcurts@gmail.com 🏫 Bring me to...

docs.google.com

Turn Back Some Cartoon Time, Cher

World Toon Video (W.T.V.), a new Google Arts & Culture experiment, uses AI to transform your selfie into a custom cartoon character. After selecting a drawing style, you can place your character in various settings ranging from historical landmarks to outer space to generate a personalized animated clip.

Have someone teleport back in time with good ol' Steamboat Willie.

World Toon Video (W.T.V.) - Google Arts & Culture

Star in your own educational adventure with World Toon TV, a new experiment turning your selfie into a travel toon, with the help of Google AI.

artsandculture.google.com

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Capability vs. Preparedness

The Stanford HAI 2026 AI Index Report highlights a critical turning point where AI has transitioned from experimental curiosity to mainstream enterprise integration. The central theme of this year's report is the mismatch between the breakneck speed of technical advancement and the lagging pace of institutional governance, safety frameworks, and reliable measurement.