Microsoft Windows is the most frequently installed operating system in the world and it was reported that in October 2020 88.8% of all PCs worldwide were operating on this OS. Windows continues to be powerful and is constantly developing new features to facilitate the productive work of computers.
The support of Windows 7 ended in 2020 and its users moved to Windows 10. Nowadays Microsoft estimates that there are more than 1.3 billion devices all over the world running Windows 10.
After reading this article about Windows 10 tips and tricks, you will have a chance to not only be able to operate this software, but also become proficient and take advantage of all the functions of your OS.
Microsoft doesn’t normally announce all its new features as other companies, like Apple, do. For that reason, it is more complicated to learn how to benefit from all the functions Windows 10 offers.
Here are the most helpful Windows 10 hacks that will boost your efficiency and teach you to get the most out of what your OS has to offer.
Image source: https://www.pcworld.com
Windows 10 Tips and Tricks that Can Enhance Your Workflow
Opening the Secret Start Menu
To access the usual Start Menu, you should click the Windows icon at the left bottom of your screen. It shows you a lot of well-known destinations such as Search, Apps and Features, and many others. Additionally, Windows 10 proposes a new quicker way to open this attribute.
With the help of the Secret Start Menu, you can get to major features like the Task Manager and the Run more simply. There are a couple of ways to do it, either when pressing the Windows key + X, or with the right click of the Start Button.
Using Show Desktop Button
The Show Desktop Button is a very easy feature to use, which has been popular since its emergence in Windows 7. This function has made minimizing all opened windows as easy as possible! It looks like a secret button on the bottom right corner of the desktop. You have to look precisely beyond the time and the date to find this thin silver line which presents a hidden button. You should click it when you want to minimize all your opened windows in one fell swoop. In order to open all the windows back, you have to click this little button once again.
It can be arranged in your settings that you will be able to minimize windows by hovering over that button without clicking it. To make this option possible, go to Settings>Personalization>Taskbar, after which turn on “Use peek to preview the desktop.”
Taking a Screenshot on Windows 10
Taking a screenshot on Windows 10 is clear and swift as there are no less than eight ways to do it. When you want to capture your full screen and save a picture, you need to press the Windows key + Print Screen key. You will be able to find the picture in the Pictures>Screenshots folder.
If you want to take a photo of only a certain part of your screen, click the Windows key + Shift + S. This will open a tool Snip & Sketch, where you will be able to take a screenshot, which the program saves to your Clipboard.
The Game bar is a great assistant from Windows 10 to those who are keen on playing video games. It is a professional built-in-tool, created to help gamers take screenshots, record video, and broadcast their play online. If you want to start using it, you need to go to Settings>Gaming>Gamebar.
On the older versions of Windows users had to use third-party software such as Movavi Screen Recorder for Windows or OBS to create screencasts, schedule recording and draw on videos, or capture your webcam.
Shaking Away the Chaos
This function was presented in Windows 7, but many people are not familiar with it and do not use it. If you have many files opened and the mess doesn’t let you focus on one thing, you can take the highest part of one window and shake it, which will make all other windows disappear. Don’t worry! All your closed windows aren’t gone into obscurity. You can shake your opened window again and the other windows will be back.
Dragging the Windows and Pinning Them
This feature was present in Windows 7 as well, but now it has some improvements. You can take any window and drag it to the right or left side of your screen, after which it will adapt in size to half of the screen. You also have a chance to drag the window to any corner to make it fill the quarter of the screen but not a half.
Using Upgraded Windows Search
If it takes you too long to find some file or program on your computer, the useful feature of Windows 10 comes in handy for you. When you click the Search Icon, you will see the top apps you open often and you can choose one of those.
Start typing the name of the application you need down in the Search Window. You can narrow down the search type by clicking one out of three icons on the top left of the window.
Configuring Focus Assist to Keep You Concentrated
If the notifications always pop up when you are working and distract you from your activity, then Focus Assist is created exactly for you to silence the messages and keep you on-task! Go to Settings>System>Focus Assist and customize your notifications.
You can configure this software to turn on automatically at a certain time, or it can be turned on only when you are sharing your screen to avoid that some awkward message may appear.
As soon as you are ready to get back to entertain yourself, your action center will show you all the notifications that you had to miss while Focus Assist was on.
Creating Events Without the Need to Open the Calendar Application
In Windows 10 you can add events to the calendar on your computer directly from the Taskbar. You have to hit the box with the date and time and click the date of your event. After that put in the name, time, and location of your event, and don’t forget to save it!
Opening the Windows on Your Taskbar with Keyboard Shortcuts
At the bottom of your screen, there are icons of various programs. When you want to open any, you don’t necessarily need to click the icon. You can apply a keyboard shortcut Windows key + [Number key], where the number key represents the position of the program on the taskbar.
Removing Ads from the Start Menu
In Windows 10 you can often see ads appear on the right side of the Start Menu. To banish them, you should go to Settings>Personalization>Start and turn off the setting Show suggestions occasionally in Start.
Conclusion
Windows 10 and its Windows 10 has various features to make your work easy and convenient, and the crucial thing is being able to use them. Now that you are acquainted with many Windows 10 t ips and tricks aiming to help you get the full benefit from this Operating System, your time has come to apply these hints in life and become a true Windows 10 specialist!
