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WINDOWS 10: THE BEST HIDDEN FEATURES, TIPS, AND TRICKS

Windows 10: The best hidden features, tips, and tricks

By Jamie Lendino (http://www.extremetech.com/author/jlendino) on November 23, 2015 at 9:29 am
116 Comments (http://www.extremetech.com/computing/191541-windows-10-the-best-hidden-features-tips-and-
tricks#disqus_thread)

0
sshhaarreess

Now that Windows 10 is out and millions of people are already running it, lets take a look at some
of the best hidden features, tips, and tricks in the operating system. If youre still on the fence, take
note: You really do want Windows 10, despite a lot of the gripes weve shared over the past several
months. Its worth getting on the list for (or downloading the Windows 10 ISO directly
(http://www.extremetech.com/computing/211139-microsoft-windows-10-is-released-heres-how-to-
get-it)). It combines the best of Windows 8 super-fast startup, improved security with much of
what made Windows 7 familiar and easy to use, and without trying to force you to buy a touch
screen or learn a whole set of hidden UI gestures.

And if youre a computer nut like me, tweaking the OS is always the fun part. Discovering and
implementing power user tips are my favorite part of getting a major new version of an OS. I still
remember back when DOS 5.0 came out, and I was running DOS 3.3, and I got to try all these new
things to optimize my 286. And when I upgraded from Windows/286 to Windows 3.0
(http://www.extremetech.com/computing/218336-microsoft-windows-turns-30-a-brief-
retrospective), I felt like my life had changed. (Weve come a long way.) Nostalgia aside, heres
what you need to know to amp up your Windows 10 (http://www.extremetech.com/tag/windows-10)
install and take it to the next level.
Set up GodMode
The awesomely named GodMode brings up a special menu that putslots of settings together in
one place. To enable it, create a new folder anywhere on your root drive and rename it GodMode.
{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}. It will create a special icon that when you click on it
shows you a beautiful advanced control panel.
(http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Windows10VM.jpg)

Task view and virtual desktops

One of the best things about Windows 10 is how it handles virtual desktops. The fact that it nally
handles them at all, out of the box, is a great step, since Mac OS X and Linux users have had that
capability for a long time. It lets you set up a series of tasks and windows on your desktop, your
email and Twitter window on another, and a third for general Web browsing and research. To get
started, click the Task View icon on the taskbar (immediately to the right of the Search box), or hold
down the Windows key (abbreviated throughout as Win) and Tab. You can also drag an app to a
new virtual desktop by bringing it over to the +New Desktop option at the lower right. (Click to read
more on Task View and Virtual Desktops (http://www.extremetech.com/computing/211522-
navigating-windows-10-how-to-use-task-view-and-virtual-desktops).)

Configure privacy settings

When youre rst setting up Windows 10, make sure to select a Custom install so you can modify
the privacy settings (http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/211208-windows-10s-default-privacy-
settings-and-controls-leave-much-to-be-desired), instead of going with the Express install. (If you
already installed it, no worries; you can x it all in Settings). Otherwise youll nd yourself agreeing
to all sorts of private data sharing and while Windows 10 is free for Windows 7 and Windows 8
users, its not a free product in and of itself so theres no reason to share your personal
information when its not required.

Make the desktop more stylish

Windows 10 lets you personalize your desktop more thoroughly than before. Head to Start >
Settings > Personalization > Colors, and choose Show color on taskbar and Start Menu. You can
also tell it to automatically pick a color from your wallpaper and apply it underneath icons of open
apps, and you can remove the Start Menus translucent option.

Print to PDF
You can nally print a document (or rather, save it) as PDF without using a third-party utility. This
makes it much easier to save and distribute documents that arent easily modied. Another long
overdue feature makes it in under the radar.

Make sure WiFi Sense is off

You may feel differently about this, but I certainly dont like the idea of allowing access to my WiFi
network unless I specically give out the password. Heres how to make sure your computer isnt
doing that (http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/209208-windows-10s-new-wi-sense-shares-
your-wi-password-with-facebook-outlook-and-skype-contacts) and if it is, how to turn it off.

Schedule Windows updates

Instead of getting ambushed whenever Microsoft decides to push out a patch, you can schedule
restarts to install updates by going to Start > Settings > Updates and Recovery > Windows Update.
You can do this for future updates as well by selecting Notify to Schedule Restart.

Run it in a virtual machine

If youre thinking of taking the Windows 10 plunge, but dont want to disturb your machine thats
currently running just ne, heres how to install Windows 10 in a virtual machine
(http://www.extremetech.com/computing/198427-how-to-install-windows-10-in-a-virtual-machine)
rst. Note that this is different than the virtual desktops I mentioned above; its virtualizing the
entire OS within another OS (your existing one).

(http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Explorer-Home.png)

Windows Explorer Home tab and Quick Access

Windows Explorer windows are a lot more useful this time around, thanks to a new Home tab
(pictured above). It makes le copies a cinch. If you look at the top left of the window, youll see a
new Quick Access group that lets you navigate to recently accessed folders. That makes it much
easier to maintain a fast workow as you navigate around your computers le system. And
whileFile Explorer defaults to the Quick Access view, if you dont like it, you can set it back to This
PC by choosing View > Options > Open File Explorer > This PC.

(http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Start-Menu-Clip1.jpg)
Customize the Start Menu
The new Start Menu is such a huge improvement over what came with Windows 8.1 that its almost
impossible to describe the relief. It combines the best elements of Windows 7 and Windows 8. And
its also fully customizable.You can resize tiles in the Start menu by right-clicking them and
choosing Resize, and then selecting a size from the pop-up menu. You can also unpin them or
uninstall them completely. I admit the rst thing I did is unpin all of Microsofts tiles and then shrink
the size of the menu so it looks a lot like Windows 7 (pictured).

For a while, during some of the Windows 10 Technical Preview builds, you could pin the Recycle
Bin to the taskbar, which makes it a bit more like OS X. Unfortunately, that functionality seems to be
gone in the release version, though you can still pin it to the Start Menu as a tile.

Command prompt tweaks

A lot of Windows 10 utilities underneath the service still look the same as they did in Windows 7
and Windows 8. But one of the hidden tweaks is in the Command Prompt head over to
Properties and youll suddenly nd you can enable a host of customizations, including a
transparent background, resizing the window, and word wrap.

Battery saver
If youre on a laptop and your battery is running low, Windows 10 is smart enough to begin
throttling back background services and other threads so that you can squeeze the last bit of
battery life out of your machine. To enable Battery Saver, click the Start menu, and head to Settings
| System | Battery Saver.

Background scrolling
Ever notice how when you hover your mouse cursor over a window and try and scroll, you still
cant, because the window wasnt active? Turn this feature on in Settings | Devices | Mouse and
Touchpad and youll be able to do just that.

Keyboard shortcuts
Here are some keyboard shortcuts you may want to be aware of ones that will really help your
daily workow:

Windows Key-Tab (Task View)

Windows Key-Right-Up (Moves app to top right quadrant)
Windows Key-Ctrl-Left or Right (virtual desktop)
Windows Key-Ctrl-D (new virtual desktop)
Windows Key-Ctrl-C (Cortana listening)
Windows Key-S (Daily Glance for weather, news, sports)
Windows Key-Ctrl-F4 (closes virtual desktop)
Windows Key-Up and Down (snap apps to top or bottom of screen or maximizes)
 (http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/OneDrive.png)

OneDrive integration
Free cloud storage is a godsend these days, and Microsoft makes it super easy in Windows 10 with
OneDrive. You can use it to store les for mobile device access from iOS or Android, and you can
even set it to let you access any le on your PC remotely not just the ones you drag over to your
OneDrive folder.

Amp up Cortana
If youve got a laptop, or a desktop with a microphone attached, click the search eld and select
the Notebook icon on the left. Then click Settings and click Let Cortana respond to Hey Cortana.
Now Cortana will listen for your commands.Cortana can also use Google instead of Bing, even
though Microsoft really wants you to use the latter. Install theChrometana
(https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chrometana-redirect-
bing/kaicbfmipfpfpjmlbpejaoafdnabnc?hl=en)extension in Chrome, or just install Firefox and make
that your default browser; both will accomplish the task of removing Bing from Cortanas brain.

Use Maps offline

The new Maps app lets you work oine (Remember those old Microsoft Maps programs?); click
Settings > Download or Update Maps, and then select the continent and country you want.

Xbox Streaming
Windows 10 nally shows some real Xbox integration, and you can use it to log into your Xbox Live
account. But more importantly, you can use it to stream Xbox One games locally on your PC
(http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/210424-windows-10-beta-users-can-now-stream-xbox-one-
games-locally). Youll have to enable it rst on the Xbox One under Settings | Preferences | Allow
game streaming, and then on the PC in the Xbox application. (Interestingly, Microsoft is also going
the other way and adding keyboard and mouse support to the Xbox One
(http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/210778-microsoft-will-add-keyboard-mouse-support-to-xbox-
one-for-gaming) not that youll need that, since youve already got a PC.)
(http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Control-Panel.png)

Record gamesand app videos

You can now record videos of apps or games using the Game DVR function. Press the Windows
Key + G, click Yes, this is a game box, and then youll see options to manipulate the recording.

Find the original Control Panel (and other goodies)

The new Settings panel is easy to navigate and makes more sense than the crufty old Control
Panel, but youll still need the latter to access some deeper options in the system. Its easy to call
up, even though its hidden; just right click on the Start button on the bottom left of the screen and
choose it from the pop-up menu, or type Control Panel in the Search bar at the bottom left in the
taskbar. When you right-click the Start button, youll see all kinds of useful things there, such as
Computer Management and Disk Management; for what its worth, those options bring you right
back to the familiar Windows 7-style apps in each case.

Tone down Notifications

Notications are a giant pain in Windows 10; theres just too many of them, and some are
unnecessary. Turn em off by heading to Start > Settings > System > Notications and actions, and
turn off Windows tips and specic app notications (youll need to scroll down for the latter).

Nix the Office ads

Are you sick of the occasional Oce ads that pop up on the desktop? So are we. To kill
them,right-click on Get Oce in the Start Menu and uninstall it.

FFoorr m
moorree,, rreeaadd Why is called Windows 10 not Windows 9 (http://www.extremetech.com
/computing/191279-why-is-it-called-windows-10-not-windows-9), and if youre a gamer, Demystifying
Direct X 12 support in Windows 10: What AMD, Intel, and Nvidia do and dont deliver
(http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/207598-demystifying-directx-12-support-what-amd-intel-
and-nvidia-do-and-dont-deliver)
Tagged In
software (http://www.extremetech.com/tag/software)
microsoft (http://www.extremetech.com/tag/microsoft)
operatingsystems (http://www.extremetech.com/tag/operating-systems)
windows (http://www.extremetech.com/tag/windows)
windows10 (http://www.extremetech.com/tag/windows-10)
Desktop (http://www.extremetech.com/tag/desktop)
startmenu (http://www.extremetech.com/tag/start-menu)
windows10technicalpreview (http://www.extremetech.com/tag/windows-10-technical-preview)
Explorer (http://www.extremetech.com/tag/explorer)
windows10tips (http://www.extremetech.com/tag/windows-10-tips)

Post a Comment 0 Comments

116 Comments ExtremeTech
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Join the discussion

Christopher Alan VanOstrand

a year ago
Another very nifty thing you can do is right click the start button for a very
useful menu of some of the most used system programs. Such as the control
panel and device manager task manager and so on. Denitely love that.
11 Reply

Roman Schlaepfer > Christopher Alan VanOstrand

a year ago
That was in W8 as well :-)
4 Reply

Christopher Alan VanOstrand > Roman Schlaepfer

a year ago
Well I was just mentioning it because I really like it. And for a good amount
of people who came from windows 7 to windows 10 might not know about
it. A very nice addition coming from 7.
10 Reply

Raj Yadav > Christopher Alan VanOstrand

3 months ago
Use Win + X instead...

For extended use, press Win + X then highlighted letter to open certain app
or feature...
For example: Win+X, A Opens cmd as Admin
Win + X, F Opens Programs and Features
0 Reply

standard > Roman Schlaepfer

a year ago
Many of us will be new to what was introduced in 8, due to avoiding it like
the plague :P
16 Reply

RCW > Christopher Alan VanOstrand

a year ago
Or get there with Windows key + X
5 Reply

Dopinionated > RCW

a year ago
Thank you!
0 Reply

John B. > Christopher Alan VanOstrand

a year ago
I found that too; it's turned out to be quite useful!
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