September 20, 2026
The Complete Laptop How-To Guide: Screenshots, Screen Recording, Wi-Fi and More
A huge share of laptop searches in Kenya aren't about buying a laptop at all — they're from people trying to do something specific on the one they already own. We pulled together the most common questions we see and answered every one of them in a single place, so you don't have to hunt across ten different pages.
How to take a screenshot on a laptop
On Windows
- Press Windows key + Shift + S to open the snipping tool and select any area of the screen.
- Or press Windows key + PrtScn to capture the full screen straight to a file in your Pictures folder.
On a MacBook
- Press Shift + Command + 4 to select a specific area.
- Or press Shift + Command + 3 to capture the full screen.
How to screen record on a laptop
On Windows, press Windows key + G to open the Xbox Game Bar, then click the record button — this works even outside of games, for recording any window or your full screen. On a Mac, open QuickTime Player, choose File > New Screen Recording, and press record.
How to check your Wi-Fi password on a laptop
On Windows: go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks, select your network, and view the password under Wi-Fi Network Properties. On a Mac: open Keychain Access, search for the network name, and tick "Show password" — you'll need your Mac's login password to reveal it.
How to connect a laptop to a monitor, projector or TV
Most modern laptops use HDMI or USB-C for this. Once the cable is connected:
- On Windows, press Windows key + P to choose how the external display is used — duplicate, extend, or second screen only.
- On a Mac, go to System Settings > Displays to configure the external screen and arrange it relative to your laptop's own display.
How to clean your laptop fan and stop fan noise
A loud or struggling fan is almost always dust buildup rather than a failing part. Power off the laptop completely, then use a can of compressed air through the vents — hold the fan blades still with a cotton swab while you spray, so the air pressure doesn't spin the fan dangerously fast. This clears the majority of noise issues on its own.
If noise persists after a proper cleaning, the fan bearing itself or the thermal paste underneath the heatsink may need professional attention — that's a job for a technician, not a DIY fix.
How to fix a slow laptop
- Restart it — genuinely the first thing to try, and it fixes more than people expect.
- Check your free storage. Under 10% free space slows down the entire system, not just file operations.
- Check Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (Mac) for a specific program hogging CPU or memory.
- If the laptop still runs on a traditional hard drive rather than an SSD, that upgrade makes the single biggest difference of anything on this list. A 500GB HDD adds budget-friendly extra storage, though an SSD upgrade is the better fix for speed specifically.
How to format a laptop
Back up everything first — formatting erases all local data. On Windows, go to Settings > System > Recovery > Reset this PC. On a Mac, use Disk Utility from macOS Recovery (hold the appropriate key combination while restarting to access it). If you're not confident doing this yourself, bring the laptop to us and we'll handle it properly, including the backup.
Still stuck, or need a replacement part?
If a fix needs new hardware — a replacement keyboard, a new battery, or extra storage — browse our Accessories category, or message us on WhatsApp and we'll talk you through exactly what you need.