Whether you’ve been using Windows 10 for years or recently updated, there are plenty of hidden tips, tricks, and features that will make using your laptop every day a faster and smoother process. For example, find the secret start menu and save battery life with a simple trick.
Microsoft doesn’t usually advertise Windows 10 hidden features as Apple does, which can make it difficult to know how to get the most out of the machine you use day in and day out.
Even learning how to upgrade to Windows 10 for free can be tricky. By the way, you’ll want to do it as soon as possible, as compatibility with Windows 7 ended in January. So no matter what Microsoft, Dell, HP, or other Windows-based computers you use, these tips will help you stay organized and get more done.
Open the ‘secret’ start menu
You already know that to access the Start menu, you must press the Windows icon at the bottom left of the screen or on your keyboard. But Windows 10 includes a lesser-known second Start menu that makes it easy to access important functions like Command Prompt, Control Panel, and Task Manager. You can access it in two different ways, either by pressing the Windows key + X or by right-clicking the Windows icon / Start button or right-clicking the Windows icon / Start button.
Remove ads from the Start menu
When you run Windows 10 with the default settings, you can sometimes see apps on the right side of your Start menu. Microsoft calls them “tips,” but they’re actually ads for Windows Store apps you can buy.
To get rid of these ads in the Windows 10 Start menu, go to Settings> Personalization> Start. Change the setting called Show Suggestions Occasionally on Startup to the Off position.
Minimize all windows except the active one
If your desktop screen has become too crowded with windows open, you can quickly minimize them except the one you’re currently working on.
Just click on the title bar of the window you want to remain open to select it. Then, hold down the mouse and move the window back and forth quickly, shaking it, essentially. After a couple of quick shakes, all other open windows will minimize, leaving only the one you’ve opened.
Create an event without having to open the Calendar app
The latest Windows 10 update allows you to quickly add events to your Microsoft calendar directly from your Taskbar, without having to open the calendar. Here we tell you how to do it:
- In your taskbar, click on the time and date box in the right corner.
- Click on the date you want to schedule an event.
- Enter the event name, time, and place. (If you have multiple calendars, click the down arrow next to the event name field to choose the one you want to add.)
- Click Save. The event should appear in the Calendar app on all your devices.
Take a screenshot
I know, it’s basic, but it’s amazing how easy it is to forget how to take a screenshot on your laptop or desktop when you don’t do it often.
If you want to capture and save an image of your entire screen, the easiest way is to press the Windows key + the Print Screen key, and that image will be saved in the Images> Screenshots folder.
To capture only part of your screen, press Windows Key + Shift + S to open a tool called Snip & Sketch, which allows you to click and drag to create a screenshot, which is saved to your Clipboard.
Open items in your Taskbar with keyboard shortcuts
If you have pinned programs to your Taskbar at the bottom of the screen to create a shortcut, you don’t have to click on the icons to open them. Instead, use the keyboard shortcut Windows Key + [Number Key], with the number key corresponding to the position of the program on the Taskbar. For example, the Windows key + 2 will open the second item on the taskbar.
This is especially useful if you are typing and don’t want to lift your fingers from the keyboard. It may seem more natural to hit the Windows key.
Find out how much space apps take
Computers begin to run more slowly as they run out of space. A quick way to speed them up can be to get rid of apps that take up more space than they should, especially if you don’t use them regularly.
To see how much space an app uses, go to Settings> System> Storage. Click on the drive you want to search for (probably local storage, “This PC”) and click on Applications & Games to see a list of applications installed on your machine and how much space they are taking up. You probably won’t get rid of your browser, but you may find that a game you haven’t played in years is a good dead weight to erase.
Remove apps in the background
Apps running in the background can receive information, send notifications, and stay up-to-date, even when you’re not using them, which can come in handy but can also absorb battery and data, if you connect via mobile phone as an access point, for example.
To control which apps are running in the background and save some battery power and data, go to Settings> Privacy> Background apps. To prevent all applications from running in the background, turn on Allow applications to run in the background to Off. Or, you can choose which apps to run in the background individually by going to the list on the same page.
Slide through windows in the background
With Windows 10, you can scroll up and down in any window, even if it’s not the one you’re working on directly. This is a useful tool when you have many windows open that you want to look at the same time: for example if you want to open new submenu options in new windows to save time by clicking on the same page.
You try to open two programs, for example, an Internet browser page and a notepad or Word document. Arrange both on the screen so that you can see at least some of the text in each. While in a window, move the mouse or use the touchpad to move to the second window and scroll. Even if you are not active in that window, the system should allow you to move the page up and down.
The feature should be turned on by default, but if it isn’t, go to Settings> Devices> Mouse and turn on Roll inactive windows when you mouse over them to On. Then you can mouse over a window in the background and use the scroll wheel to scroll.
Show file extensions
Microsoft hides file extensions by default, making life difficult for people who need to search for specific file types, such as JPEG and JPG. To view file extensions in File Explorer, do the following:
- Go to the search bar at the bottom of the screen, type File Explorer Options, and click on it. (There are other ways to get here, too, but this seems to be the fastest.)
- In the popup, click on the View tab.
- Uncheck the box that says Hide extensions for known file types. Click Apply and OK. You should now see the file extensions for all files in File Explorer.
You can also use the File Explorer Options menu to choose to show empty drives, hidden files and folders, and more.
Eliminate distractions with Focus assist
It’s frustrating trying to do your job when notifications constantly interrupt you. You can determine how many notifications you get with Focus support, a tool that Windows 10 added in the April 2018 update.
Set it up by going to Settings> System> Focus assist. Choose from three options: Off (you will receive all notifications from your applications and contacts), Priority (see only the selected notifications from a list of priorities that you are going to customize and send the rest to your action center) and Only alarms (hide all notifications, except for alarms).
You can also choose to automatically activate this feature during certain hours, or when you’re busy playing something.
