Master Windows 10 at your fingertips using the many features hidden within Microsoft’s OS.
Windows 10 is full of surprises, even for the most seasoned users. Microsoft’s operating system released in 2015 contains many more or less hidden features, often unknown to users, but which once mastered, greatly facilitate its daily use.
From trackpad gestures to keyboard shortcuts, including managing windows or activating the clipboard history, we have selected some twenty hidden functions for you to help you make better use of Windows 10.
1. Access an advanced Start menu
You are undoubtedly familiar with the classic Start menu, but do you know the advanced Start menu?
With a simple right click on the Start menu button, it is possible to access certain advanced options without having to navigate through endless menus: System settings, task manager, device manager, numerous menus linked to the System, etc.
2. Minimize all windows except the active window.
Not many people know it, but Windows offers many possibilities for managing the display of windows. It is possible, for example, to minimize all open windows except the active window, in a rather peculiar way.
Hold the click on the title bar of the window you want to keep, and shake it. All other windows should automatically be minimized to the taskbar.
3. Get to the office quickly
Likewise, it is possible to quickly display the desktop in several ways. The first, using the Windows keyboard shortcut + D.
The second by clicking on the thin line displayed at the right end of the taskbar, just next to the time and the notification counter. One click displays the desktop, a second click displays all your windows again.
It is also possible to display a quick preview of the desktop by hovering over this thin line.
To activate this option, open Windows 10 Settings, go to Personalization and then in Taskbar to activate the Use Aero Peek function to preview the desktop.
4. Use trackpad gestures
Mac users are used to using gestures on their trackpad to perform certain operations (zoom, rotate content, etc.), or display certain system elements (desktop, open windows, etc.).
The same is also possible on Windows:
- pinch two fingers on the trackpad to zoom in / out on content
- drag two fingers to scroll through the content of the pages.
- slide three fingers up to show all windows
- slide three fingers right or left to switch from one application to another (as with the Alt + Tab shortcut)
- slide three fingers down to display the desktop
- three-finger tap to display the Windows search engine
- four-finger tap to open the notifications area.
5. Automatically resize your windows to half the screen
If you are one of those users who like the view of windows to be tidy, you can display two windows side by side on each half of the screen very easily.
Click on the top bar of a window, and move the mouse pointer to the right or left edge of the screen.
The window should automatically stick to the side of the screen you brought it to and resize itself to take up half of the display. Then all you have to do is select the second window that you want to keep active so that it fits into the remaining space.
6. Quickly open a new application window
You can quickly open a new window of an application (file explorer, web browser, word processor, etc.) by simply clicking with the mouse wheel on the application icon displayed in the taskbar.
7. Activate background scrolling
Do you ever try to scroll through content with the mouse wheel on a window displayed in the background without being able to do so? This can be remedied very easily.
Open Windows Settings, go to Peripherals, then in the Mouse section, enable the option Scroll through inactive windows when I point them with my mouse.
Thus, to scroll the content of a page displayed on an inactive window, you will only have to hover over the window with the mouse pointer, and use the wheel as usual to scroll the content.
8. Customize the Windows theme
The most seasoned users are undoubtedly already aware, but Windows offers two different themes for its interface: a light theme and a dark theme, the famous “Dark Mode” which has been very successful recently.
To customize the theme of your Windows, open Settings, then in Personalization, enter the Color menu, and pull down the Choose your color menu.
You can opt for the light theme, the dark theme, or choose custom settings to, for example, use a Windows Light mode, while maintaining a Dark application mode.
9. Rotate the screen orientation
Need to display a long page or a portrait image on your screen? Start by physically rotating your screen. To reorient the display correctly, no need to go to the settings, just use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + D + directional arrow according to the desired orientation.
10. Use the Concentration Assistant
If your concentration drops at the slightest distraction, perhaps it is better to configure the Windows 10 Concentration Assistant. Thanks to it, all the notifications that you usually receive on your machine will be silenced.
To find it, go to Settings, then within the System menu, enter Concentration Assistant.
You can then choose to hide certain notifications, but also activate the option during a defined time period, or when you use your computer for a specific task (screen mirroring, games, etc.).
11. Easily find an application
Rather than clicking on the Start menu to scroll alphabetically through the programs installed on your machine to open the correct application, type the first letters of its name in the search field displayed on the taskbar. The application you are looking for should automatically appear at the top of the list.
12. Limit background apps
To limit the use of the battery of your laptop PC, but also to save some mobile data savings if you work in tethering, it is possible to prevent certain applications from running in the background.
To do this, open Settings, enter the Privacy menu, scroll through the options shown in the side column, and go to the Background Apps menu.
You will only have to deactivate the apps that you do not want to allow to work without opening them.
13. “Print” PDF documents
What is the better way to share a document than to freeze it within a PDF file. Windows 10 includes in its print settings, an option to generate a PDF file.
Open the print module from a document using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + P, then from the drop-down menu for choosing the printer to use, select Microsoft Print to PDF.
Then click on the Print button. In the dialog box that opens, enter the name of your document, select a backup directory and validate by clicking on Save.
14. Make the most of keyboard shortcuts
Most Windows users know the basic keyboard shortcuts, which allow them, for example, to copy and paste an item (Ctrl + C / Ctrl + V), or to save a file (Ctrl + S).
Learning dozens of keyboard shortcuts by heart can seem overwhelming, but knowing the essential keyboard shortcuts for Windows 10 can save you precious time every day.
15. Activate voice dictation
Entering text on the keyboard is a real pain for some. But there is a much faster way to enter text in Windows 10: voice dictation.
Go to Settings, then in the Privacy section, go to the Voice menu to activate Online Speech Recognition. Then you just need to use the Windows + H keyboard shortcut from a program where you have to enter text to trigger the voice dictation.
16. Use clipboard history
Few users know it, but Windows 10 takes a clipboard history with it.
However, the module is disabled by default. Once configured, it allows you to store several items in memory that you copy using the Ctrl + C shortcut (text, photos, etc.), access to the history of copied items then being done with the Windows shortcut + V.
17. Display the Emoji and Kaomoji window
If you are the type to brighten up your conversations with smileys and other emojis, know that this is not just reserved for mobiles. Windows 10 has a library of emoji and other kaomoji that you can use to illustrate your emails or instant messaging conversations.
To access it, use the Windows + shortcut; .
18. Declutter your PC’s disk
As on iOS and Android, Windows 10 includes a module allowing you to quickly view the distribution of the occupation of the hard drive.
Open the Settings then in System, enter the Storage menu.
You can also take the opportunity to activate the Storage Assistant, which will occasionally automatically delete files you no longer need, such as items put in the trash or temporary files.
19. Use the built-in screenshot tool
No, you don’t need to paste a screenshot into Paint to save it. Windows 10 includes a screenshot tool capable of directly saving screenshots to your hard drive. Disabled by default, you have to go to Windows Settings to configure it.
Another solution for those in a hurry, use the Windows + ImpEcr keyboard shortcut which will take a complete screenshot of the screen and save the image in a directory named Screenshots in the Windows Images folder.
20. Activate God Mode
For somewhat advanced users of Windows 10, it is possible to activate a “God Mode” which groups together in a single window, many advanced parameters of Windows 10.
To activate God Mode, go to the desktop, right click, and choose to create a New Folder that you will name
GodMode. {ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
The renamed folder should instantly change its appearance. Double click on it to open the God Mode window.
You will find a little more than 200 advanced parameters accessible in one click and covering both power management and network settings or even the management of Windows 10 user accounts.