No working system is with out its positives, and that features Windows 11, whilst a lot as I complain about Microsoft’s newest working system. Its handful of helpful options continues to develop as time goes on, with increasingly being teased for future launch (like native RGB lighting controls).
But with useful utilities and settings having trickled out slowly, it’s straightforward to overlook just a few right here and there, particularly when flashier methods hog the information headlines. We’ve pulled out 10 options that we don’t suppose get sufficient love—when you’ve heard of them and haven’t tried them but, now’s the time.
Notepad tabs
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Notepad truly predates Windows, but it surely’s nonetheless totally related (and helpful!) at the moment. The streamlined app enables you to open a window to make fast notes. And in Windows 11, now you can handle and navigate between open recordsdata in a single window, because of the addition of tabs. It’s far tidier than opening a brand new occasion of Notepad for every file—and mixed with the brand new darkish mode, it makes the app feel and look trendy.
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Windows 11 makes a wealth of information accessible with only one mouse click on (or fast faucet of Win + W). Right now you will get climate, inventory costs, sports activities updates, and leisure information, and people playing cards are slowly being joined by new additions, like for Xbox Game Pass. It’s a a lot simpler method to keep updated than totally shifting to a browser and poking round in your tabs. And if we’re fortunate, playing cards accessible in preview builds of Windows 11—like Messenger, Phone Link, and PC performance monitoring—will make it to common launch.
Screen recording
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Previous variations of Windows had a Snipping Tool app, however you could possibly solely take screenshots. In Windows 11, display recording lastly will get added—and in contrast to Windows’ Xbox Game Bar’s recording function, you should utilize it to seize particular elements of your display. If you function casual tech help for household and pals, this function could make your life loads simpler when explaining the way to tinker with an app or in Windows. (Note: You’ll need to open the total Snipping Tool app for display recording—it doesn’t seem within the Win + Shift + S keyboard shortcut overlay.)
Quick Assist
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If your family members can handle unfamiliar however fundamental interactions with a PC, a Windows Pro license isn’t essential to offer them distant help. You can have them hearth up Quick Assist as an alternative. (Remember this app from Windows 10? It’s nonetheless round in Windows 11.) Once in this system, they’ll log in to their Microsoft account, after which generate a six-digit code to ship to you. You’ll enter that code into Quick Assist in your PC, at which level you may then see what’s taking place on their finish, and even request full management of their PC.
Clock data
This tiny tweak provides extra precision to your clock readout.
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If you’ve wanted extra precision in your clock readout on the Windows 11 taskbar, you’re in luck. You can now add seconds to the show—however you’ll have to move to taskbar settings to flip it on, slightly than your date and time settings. Under Taskbar behaviors, scroll to the underside of the record and test the field for Show seconds in system tray clock.
File Explorer tabs
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Microsoft didn’t simply add tabs to Notepad. File Explorer got the upgrade, too. You now not want third-party software program to allow the function (like Stardock’s wonderful Groupy). All your quite a few Explorer home windows can now be grouped as tabs in a single container. Just click on the “+” button within the top-most menu bar (or hit Ctrl + T in your keyboard)—every new tab will seem alongside the highest of the window, similar to an online browser.
Fast Snap Bar entry
We love Snap, and having quick entry to the default layouts makes it even simpler to get the precise association to your open home windows.
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Snap is one in every of our favourite options in Windows—with the ability to routinely resize and align home windows saves time and makes working loads simpler. And not solely do you get extra layouts to select from in Windows 11, however you may entry them sooner, too. Just hover your mouse over the maximize button within the higher right-hand nook of any window. A small pop-up menu will seem exhibiting six totally different template choices. Roll your cursor over any of the grids, and your present window will get despatched to that place. Keyboard customers can as an alternative faucet Win + Z, then the variety of the format they need.
Power financial savings
Microsoft’s Energy Recommendations might help scale back your energy invoice.
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Energy prices preserve climbing—and in some elements of the world, they’re nonetheless at report costs. While you may in fact swap your energy plan in Windows to one thing lighter, Windows 11 has just a few particular settings you may activate to scale back idle energy consumption. (After all, why pay for the upper electrical energy use once you’re not energetic on the PC?) You’ll discover these beneath Settings > System > Power & battery > Energy suggestions. You can then activate a number of of the strategies. These extra stringent settings will assist prolong battery life on laptops, too.
Virtual desktops
You can set totally different backgrounds for every of your digital desktops to inform them aside.
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This function may be some of the underrated in Windows. Virtual desktops, which first launched in Windows 10, allow you to unfold your energetic apps and home windows amongst totally different house screens—it reduces muddle and makes your main desktop much less overwhelming. Some folks use their digital desktops to separate out work from play (or analysis from every day duties), whereas others separate applications by class or perform. Navigating between your desktops is as quick as clicking on the Virtual Desktop taskbar icon or tapping Win + Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow.
Clipchamp
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Davinci Resolve is nice when you want deep video enhancing capabilities, however Microsoft has another free possibility that’s simpler to leap into. Clipchamp can deal with fast cuts, fades, and media insertions with ease, and the interface is much much less intimidating. It additionally handles direct uploads to providers like YouTube and TikTok, in addition to cloud saves for OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox. Combine this program with the built-in recording options in Windows (i.e., Xbox Game Bar or Snipping Tool) and you may be in your method to web fame rapidly.