Windows 11 cheat sheet

Released in October 2021, Windows 11 is the primary numbered replace to Microsoft’s working system in additional than six years. You would count on there can be dramatic adjustments between Windows 11 and Windows 10. But there weren’t. To an ideal extent, Windows 11 appears and works very similar to its predecessor.That stated, there are fairly a number of minor variations between the 2, and the brand new OS could take some getting used to. I’m right here to assist. Whether you’ve upgraded a Windows 10 machine to Windows 11 otherwise you’ve bought it on a brand new PC, this cheat sheet will get you on top of things on it. I’ve additionally offered quick-reference charts itemizing helpful keyboard shortcuts, touchpad gestures, and touchscreen gestures.Since Windows 10 has been in use for thus a few years, I assume most readers are aware of its options. See our Windows 10 cheat sheet for detailed directions on utilizing OneDrive, the Edge browser, the Windows Clipboard, Windows apps, and extra. In this story I’ll deal with options which might be new to Windows 11 or which have modified from Windows 10.Note: As with Windows 10, if you wish to get probably the most out of Windows 11, you’ll have to make use of a Microsoft ID as your person account. Without a Microsoft ID, you received’t be capable of use a variety of apps or sync settings amongst a number of units. So while you arrange Windows 11 for the primary time, sign up with an current Microsoft ID or create a brand new one.The new Start menuThe greatest change in Windows 11 from Windows 10 is entrance and middle, actually. It’s the Start menu. Instead of being anchored to the left facet of the display screen, because it was in Windows 10, it hovers simply above the underside middle of the display screen.It’s a lot smaller than the Windows 10 Start menu, and also you don’t scroll via it as you do via the Windows 10 Start menu. Instead of enormous tiles, a few of that are “live” tiles that show altering data, you get a number of rows of small utility icons. Simply click on the applying you wish to run. IDG
The Windows 11 Start menu is stripped down in comparison with Windows 10’s. (Click picture to enlarge it.)
Windows 11 provides you management over how the app icons are organized on the Start menu — simply drag and drop any icon to a brand new location. The functions you see are simply a few of these in your PC. To see all of them, click on All apps on the prime proper of the menu and so they’ll seem in a scrollable vertical listing.When you right-click a tile, a menu pops up. Here’s the place issues get a bit complicated, as a result of not each Windows app and desktop utility has the identical pop-up menu. Most have some mixture of those choices: IDG
These are a number of the selections which will pop up while you right-click an app’s icon on the Start menu. (Click picture to enlarge it.)
Move to prime: Makes the app the left topmost app on the Start menu — the primary on the listing.Unpin from Start: Select this and the icon vanishes from the Start menu.Run as an administrator: This permits you to run the app or utility as an administrator.Open file location: Opens File Explorer to the folder the place the applying lives.Pin to taskbar: As it says, this pins the app to the taskbar. If it’s already pinned, you’ll get an Unpin from taskbar alternative.App settings: This results in a display screen that permits you to change the app’s settings, equivalent to whether or not to permit it to run within the background or get entry to your microphone.Uninstall: This uninstalls the app. Some Windows apps created by Microsoft, equivalent to Clock, can’t be uninstalled. Over time, nonetheless, Windows 10 has allow you to uninstall extra built-in apps than beforehand. Both Windows 10 and Windows 11 could proceed that development sooner or later.Rate and assessment: This choice is obtainable just for apps downloaded from the Microsoft Store. It brings you to a web page that permits you to fee the app and write a assessment. The ranking and assessment seem within the app’s description within the Microsoft Store.Share: This permits you to share a hyperlink to the app utilizing a wide range of strategies, equivalent to Mail, Twitter, and others.Some Windows apps produce other selections as nicely, relying on their functions. For instance, right-click File Explorer and also you get selections equivalent to mapping or unmapping a community drive.When you click on the All apps icon to show your functions in a scrollable listing, you’ll be able to right-click any app icon to see some mixture of those selections. On the menu you’ll additionally see a listing of recordsdata you’ve not too long ago opened in that app; click on any to run it.The backside of the beginning menu has an especially helpful part referred to as Recommended. It features a listing of apps you’ve not too long ago put in and recordsdata you’ve not too long ago opened. So quite than having to open an utility like Word, after which browse for a file you’ve not too long ago labored on, you’ll be able to simply click on the file in Recommended, and it launches the applying and opens the file in it. To see different recordsdata you’ve not too long ago opened, click on More for an extended, scrollable listing.You can right-click any file on both the Start menu or the scrollable listing, and also you’ll discover some mixture of those choices:Open in net browser: This is obtainable provided that you’re clicking an Office file saved in OneDrive. It will open the file within the net model of the suitable Office app.Open file location: Opens File Explorer to the folder the place the file lives.Remove from listing: Removes the file from the Start menu and the scrollable listing.Windows Search is built-in straight into Start by way of a textual content field throughout the highest of the display screen. At first, it’s a bit complicated to make use of, as a result of clicking the field doesn’t place a cursor within the textual content field and allow you to begin looking out. Instead, a search display screen pops up — the identical one you’ll see while you click on the Search icon on the taskbar. It takes some getting used to. (You’ll discover out extra about Search within the subsequent part of this text.)You also can handle your person account from Start by clicking your account icon on the backside left of the display screen. Click and select Change Account Settings. You’ll be capable of change the photograph related together with your account or take a brand new one, swap to an area account, and extra. When you click on your account icon, you may as well lock your PC and signal out of Windows.To  put your PC to sleep, shut it down, or restart it, click on the ability button on the backside proper of the Start menu.Using searchWindows 11 Search is very similar to Search in Windows 10, with a number of minor tweaks right here and there. To do a search, click on the search button (a magnifying glass) on the taskbar. An oblong pane pops up with a search field on the prime.When you first launch the Search field, it exhibits three areas beneath the tabs; these are considerably complicated and solely typically helpful.Top apps is a row of icons of your generally used functions and apps, equivalent to Word, File Explorer, Settings, and others. Click any icon and also you’ll be despatched to the Search field or part of the app’s icon you clicked. You’ll then need to carry out a search in that app within the standard approach.
Recent on the decrease left has nothing to do with search — it’s purported to be a listing of apps you’ve not too long ago used. Click any to launch it. But the label “Recent” isn’t all the time correct. In my testing, it didn’t listing the apps I had not too long ago launched. Instead, it listed some that I not often used.
Quick searches lists generic searches that Microsoft believes you would possibly wish to run — “On my PC,” “Today in history,” “New movies,” “Translate,” and “Markets today.”
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The “Top apps,” “Recent,” and “Quick searches” areas seem by default on the Windows 11 Search pane. (Click picture to enlarge it.)
It’s rather more helpful to easily kind your search time period into the search field on the prime of the pane. Windows Search makes use of the Bing search engine to look via your recordsdata, your Microsoft OneDrive cloud storage, your movies and music, the apps in your PC, your settings, your e-mail, the online, and extra. The “Top apps,” “Recent,” and “Quick searches” sections disappear, changed by search outcomes and associated searches. IDG
Windows 11’s search in motion. (Click picture to enlarge it.)
You can goal your search by clicking any of the tabs simply beneath the search field:All shows all search outcomes.
Apps exhibits any app-related matches.
Documents exhibits paperwork in your PC that match the search.
Web shows outcomes from the online.
More exhibits outcomes from different locations, together with particular person apps, emails, and folders together with Music, People, Photos, Settings, and Videos. You’ll need to click on the down arrow subsequent to More to see all of them.
One final be aware about search: By default, Windows Search solely appears via a restricted number of default libraries and folders together with OneDrive, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, Videos, and Desktop. It received’t discover recordsdata saved in different places in your PC. However, you’ll be able to change that. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Searching Windows, and within the “Find My Files” part, choose Enhanced. That will inform Windows to look via your complete PC. If there are folders you wish to exclude from the search, go to the “Excluded Folders” part, then click on Add an excluded folder and browse to the folder you don’t wish to search.Widgets, widgets, widgetsWindows 10 has all the time supplied widgets equivalent to a information feed, climate, and extra. You might run them individually, however they by no means had a house of their very own.In Windows 11, that’s modified. Click the Widgets icon on the taskbar (it’s a sq. divided vertically into two sections, one white and one blue), and a big panel seems on the left facet of the display screen displaying a preselected set of them, together with climate, information, sports activities, and others. IDG
In Windows 11, Widgets get a spot of their very own. (Click picture to enlarge it.)
Each widget exhibits altering data, equivalent to inventory costs or the climate. Click one and also you often are despatched out to the online for extra particulars. You can change the scale of every widget, take away it, and customise it by clicking the three-dot menu icon at its higher proper. The menu sometimes presents some mixture of those selections:Small, Medium, Large. Click the suitable choice to vary the widget’s measurement.
Customize widget. This results in a display screen that permits you to change how the widget works. It’s usually totally different for every widget. For instance, within the Sports widget, you’ll be able to select to get information about particular groups or particular leagues. And within the “Watchlist Movers” stock-tracking widget you’ll be able to add new shares to observe.
Remove widget. This removes the widget from the pane.
To add a widget, click on the “Add widgets” button, then flick thru the widget classes and click on the + button subsequent to the widget(s) you wish to add.Teaming up with TeamsWindows 11 was finalized in the course of the COVID pandemic, which modified the best way we work and dwell, with videoconferencing and chat rising as in-person conferences decreased. In Windows 11, Microsoft doubles down on the guess that chat and video conferences will stay an essential a part of folks’s work and personal life, even when life turns into extra regular.So it put a “Chat with Microsoft Teams” characteristic the place you’ll be able to’t miss it. You’ll see an icon for Teams, Microsoft’s chat, and videoconferencing software program, nearly useless middle on the taskbar. Click the icon, and a Teams display screen opens up together with your contacts on them. (Note that the icon appears like a video digital camera till you click on it. At that time, it turns right into a dialog bubble icon.) Scroll and search via your contacts, click on the individual with whom you wish to join, and a Teams chat and videoconferencing window opens, requesting to attach. (You also can use the Windows key + C keyboard shortcut.)At that time, you utilize Teams as you’d usually. If your contact doesn’t use Teams, they are going to get an SMS message, and you’ll chat that approach. (For assist studying to make use of Teams, see “Microsoft Teams: How to use it, and how it stacks up to Slack and Zoom.”) IDG
Teams in Windows 11 makes it straightforward to speak and have video conferences, nevertheless it omits superior enterprise options. (Click picture to enlarge it.)
You ought to be conscious, although, that Teams in Windows 11 is for private use solely, not for enterprise use. That means the complete suite of enterprise Teams options, equivalent to using channels, having the ability to search via message archives, and so forth, isn’t out there. That could change over time, however for now, it’s just for restricted use.Handling Windows 11 updatesWindows 11 is a boon for companies and individuals who didn’t like Windows 10’s twice-yearly characteristic updates due to the potential for bugs being launched with every new launch. Windows 11 solely will get characteristic updates yearly. Better but, you’ll be able to management whether or not and when to put in every new characteristic replace.When Microsoft releases its annual Windows 11 characteristic replace to the general public, it isn’t robotically put in. Instead, Windows notifies you that it’s out there with a message and a “Download and install” hyperlink within the Windows Update Settings pane. If you don’t wish to set up it, ignore the message and your PC stays as it’s. Whenever you wish to set up an replace, simply click on the hyperlink and comply with the directions. IDG
A characteristic replace able to be put in in Windows 10. When a characteristic replace turns into out there for Windows 11 within the fall of 2022, you’ll see one thing related. (Click picture to enlarge it.)
There is one caveat. When your present model of Windows 11 reaches what Microsoft calls “end of service” — the purpose at which Microsoft now not helps it — Windows 11 will set up a more moderen characteristic replace robotically. For Windows 11 Home and Pro customers, that’s often 24 months after your present Windows model’s launch. For Windows 11 Enterprise and Education customers, that’s sometimes 36 months.Even so, it’s theoretically potential to skip over some characteristic updates fully. Since they’re launched yearly, you possibly can set up one model, decline to put in the following one which’s launched, after which set up the one after that.You have management not simply over the annual Windows 11 characteristic updates, but additionally over the minor updates that Microsoft points in between them. You can pause these smaller updates for as much as 35 days.To do it, go to Settings > Windows Update and subsequent to “Pause updates,” click on Pause for 1 week. You can preserve doing this each seven days a complete of 5 instances to delay it for 35 days. IDG
You can delay minor Windows 11 updates every week at a time for as much as 35 days.
To do it, go to Settings > Windows Update > Update historical past > Uninstall updates. That brings you to the Control Panel and a listing of updates. Select the replace you wish to uninstall and click on Uninstall.You also can ask Windows to provide you with a warning, by way of a system tray icon, when it’s essential reboot your PC with a purpose to end an replace. Go to Settings > Windows Update > Advanced choices, and subsequent to “Notify me when a restart is required to finish update,” transfer the slider to On.Next web page: Task View, Snap Layouts, Quick Settings, and extra →