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As of late, Microsoft is focused on polishing Windows rather than adding shiny new features. But that doesn’t mean Windows 11 is falling behind the times; a ton of powerful capabilities you might have missed are just a few clicks away. Whether you’re looking for customization tweaks, productivity upgrades, security improvements, or speed boosts, we’re here to share the expert tips and tricks that help you use the world’s most popular operating system to its full potential.
1. Realign the Start Button
(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)If you’re new to Windows 11, the first thing that jumps out at you is the placement of the Start button. Long located in the lower-left corner of the screen, it’s now centered with the rest of the icons on the taskbar. But don’t worry, you can change it.
Right-click the taskbar and open Taskbar Settings. From the Taskbar Behaviors drop-down menu, change the Taskbar Alignment to Left.
इससे जुड़ी जानकारी
Your taskbar icons move to the left, and the Start button goes back where it belongs. For more on personalizing the Windows 11 taskbar, check out our guide.
2. Download PowerToys
(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)Some of the best Windows 11 features don’t come with the OS by default. Case in point: Microsoft’s free PowerToys package includes 28 must-have extras for power users.
For example, it has tools for renaming files in bulk and resizing images. You also get novel ways to manage windows, including the ability to create custom layouts and a shortcut for making windows always appear on top of others. An application for switching between light and dark modes based on the time of day and the option to control multiple PCs with a single keyboard and mouse round out the current offerings. Microsoft often adds new tools to this package as well.
You can download PowerToys from the Microsoft Store or from other sources via the PowerToys website.
3. Optimize Your PC’s Startup Apps
(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)Windows applications often configure themselves to start automatically when you sign in to your PC. These add clutter to your taskbar’s notification area and slow down the startup process. Applications running in the background can also waste valuable system resources. I recommend tweaking your PC’s startup apps and turning off anything you don’t use.
Simply head to Settings > Apps > Startup. If you don’t want an application to launch when you sign in, flip its switch to Off. The same is possible via the Task Manager, where you can even see your last BIOS startup time. You can still launch any disabled application from a desktop shortcut or the Start menu; it just won’t start when you sign in to Windows.
4. Upgrade Your Copy-Paste Experience
Windows 11 has a Clipboard History feature that remembers text snippets and images you recently copied. To access it, press Windows+V. A pop-up will prompt you to enable Clipboard History if you haven’t already. You can also click the little pin icon to pin copied items to the clipboard history for easy access later.
(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)5. Get AI Assistance With Copilot
(Credit: Microsoft/PCMag)Need to write a recommendation but don’t know where to start? Have to spruce up the tone or grammar of an email? Or maybe you need a goofy image to spice up your newsletter. Copilot can help you with these things and more. Get to it by clicking the colorful, swirly icon on the right end of the taskbar or typing Windows Key-C.
You can also now summon Copilot with the “Hey Copilot” wake word, like you would a smart speaker. Once you do, you hear a chime, and a convincingly human-sounding voice stands ready to answer any question you ask. Copilot is far smarter and more helpful than legacy voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant, though it doesn’t (yet) allow you to control smart home devices. Copilot maintains your conversation’s context, so you don’t have to keep repeating yourself to refine results.
One of Copilot’s coolest, most unique features is Copilot Vision. This can point to parts of your screen to help you with completing a task in any app, including a complex one like <a href="/en/photo-editing/14969/…
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