In this article, we’ve selected top 20 tips and tricks to improve Windows 11
Whether you’ve just bought a new computer with Windows 11 or decided to upgrade to Windows, you’ll notice some changes that offer different designs and special features.
Use keyboard shortcuts
Shortcuts are very useful in everyday life and save time and effort. They can be used for various tasks. In fact, there are too many of them to remember, so here are the main ones:
Windows + W to open the widget panel;
Windows + C to open the Teams chat application;
Windows + Z to open snapshot layout;
Windows + N to open the notification panel;
Windows + A Opens quick settings like Wi-Fi and Brightness.
Record video
The Xbox Game Bar isn’t just good for computer gamers for many reasons. One of the features is to simply capture the screen in motion.
Pressing the Windows logo key followed by G will launch the application. Once you get there, you’ll shoot right away. Plus, monitor system performance and participate in chats with your Xbox friends.
Screenshot
There are several ways to get the famous print screen in the new Windows. The easiest way is through the Snip & Sketch app. That’s because it allows you to annotate and quickly crop recordings.
To activate it, press Windows + Shift + S . The tool will appear at the top of the screen. From there you can select the area, window or monitor to capture. Then a thumbnail will appear in the bottom right corner, click on it to draw it.
Turn on dark mode
Windows 11 tips include adjusting various visual settings — including turning on transparency, adjusting colors, and choosing dark mode. To do this, just click Settings in the Start menu, then Personalization, then Colors. In the “Choose Your Mode” option, select “Dark” and you’re done!
Set night light
For a more enjoyable experience, night light mode lightens your eyes with a warm display. In this setting, blue light is filtered out and you can sleep better.
To do this, go to Settings > System > Display > Night Light. You can also adjust the intensity of this option or schedule it for a specific time.
Choose a theme
Themes are a feature in newer versions of Windows. Access is the same as Dark Mode (Settings > Personalization). In this window, you can change the background image, sound, cursor, theme color, and more. Open the Themes tab where you can edit the current theme, download new themes from the Microsoft Store, or even create your own!
Access your clipboard history
If you are one of those people who copy and paste text and files a lot, you must have replaced an important copy with a new copy without saving the previous one. However, there is an almost unknown setting that allows you to view your clipboard history and select frequently used items.
To access it, just use Windows + V and the last 25 copies are there, including emoji and GIFs. If you are in the habit of copying passwords or sensitive information, remember to periodically clear this history.
Move the taskbar to the left
One difference between Windows 10 and newer versions of the operating system — which many users find odd — is the placement of the taskbar and start menu. For those who always access these features on the left side of the screen, the center-to-center spacing is a big change. The good news is that you can move them.
Pressing Windows key + I will take you to settings. From there, select Personalization and Taskbar. So just go to taskbar behavior and choose where you want.
Customize the start menu
Another potentially annoying change is that you can’t pin folders to the Start menu. This can actually be changed, with one caveat: only system folders (Settings, File Explorer, Documents, Downloads, Pictures, etc.) can be located next to the power button.
If you specifically need these folders, click Windows + I , then Personalize > Folders, and choose the icons to display on the main menu.
Make voice input
You probably already know this feature from your smartphone, but now you can enjoy voice typing on your computer too. On Windows 11, just press Windows key + H while typing, click the microphone icon, and start speaking.
Settings include auto-start when the cursor is in a text field and automatic punctuation based on the rhythm of your speech.
Communicate with the team
Microsoft Teams is built into Windows 11 and is the system’s official messaging, calling and video conferencing app. Multiple features can be accessed without opening the program, and by syncing your contacts, you can also video chat with people who are not registered on the platform. This is possible because they can access the chat through a link opened in their browser.
Quickly minimize your window
If you have a lot of windows open, you can use this feature to reduce distractions. To enable it, go to Settings > Multitasking > Swing title bar windows.
Despite the unintuitive name, this tweak only opens one window and minimizes others. To do this, select the tab you want to keep open while moving the cursor left or right. If you repeat the process, everything will be restored.
Use snap layout
Speaking of multiple windows, Snap Layouts is a feature that allows an easy way to organize what’s open on the desktop, with a greater degree of customization.
Features in Windows 11 can be accessed using Windows + Z or by hovering over the Minimize/Maximize button. So just select one of the available layouts and the various windows and applications on the screen can be automatically repositioned.
Create multiple workspaces
Like Snap Layouts, the ability to generate virtual desktops promises to increase your productivity. Updates in Windows 11 allow you to manage assemblies used on different desktops, transfer them between Spaces, apply different backgrounds, and make other customizations.
For example, you can organize items or separate your computer for private and professional use with the key combination Windows + TAB or in the taskbar’s task view.
Customize your widget
Widgets are fun devices for getting everyday information about the weather, stock market, traffic, sports results, news, and more. However, there are several options available, not all of which are suitable for everyone, so customization is important.
To customize the function, open the menu and click the three dots next to the icon. So you can select, drag and delete each size. If you want to add new content, scroll down and press the “Add Widget” button.
A better view of the battery
Users can easily view the battery consumption data under the current operating system. In Settings > System Settings > Power & Battery, you can see a graph with a list of apps’ power consumption, usage analysis over the past few days or hours, and options for extending device autonomy Recommendations – eg B. Sleep.
Adjust sound settings
More than just an intensity control now, the new volume mixer lets you apply app-specific sound customization through the settings menu. In this way, individual calibration allows you to keep the volume of individual programs open to avoid interruptions.
More advanced features include sound format adjustment, bass boost, equalization and audio quality enhancement.
Improve productivity with focus sessions
It can be hard to focus on work with so many notifications popping up all the time, but there is a solution: focus on meetings. The tool is integrated into the Clock app and allows you to set the interval when all alarms are silenced from 15 minutes to 4 hours.
Distraction-free time starts at 45 minutes, with five-minute preset breaks in between. Additionally, there is an opportunity to control the duration of certain tasks and hide programs from the main Windows 11 interface.
Just visit settings
A simple command can make it easier to search for basic functions in different menus. Right-click on Start and you’ll find a list of important buttons like Shutdown, System, Task Manager, Settings, Search, File Explorer, and more. However, thanks to the relocation, this tool already exists in other versions of the operating system for several icons, and it wins in importance.
Customize the look of your keyboard
On touch devices, it’s an interesting feature, as it allows for customizing the keyboard — well beyond the choice of white or black. Press Windows + I to go to Personalization > Virtual Keyboard. From there, there are 16 predefined themes that vary in key size and background type.
Hide recommended files
One controversial change in Windows 11 is the Recommendations section in the Start menu, which shows recently and frequently opened files and folders. If you don’t like it because it takes up a lot of screen space or whatever, know that you can disable it by pressing Windows + I > Personalization > Start > Show recent items in Start, Jump Lists and File Manager. However, if you toggle the options off, you’ll also delete them from File Explorer, as you can’t set a preference for each option.
See the right-click menu for more options
The right-click menu is easier. There you will only find the most important settings. If you’re looking for other options, such as B. Print or Set Background, select Show More Options Bar (Shift+F10).
Pins for quick access
Another interesting customization is the ability to pin apps to the Start menu. This gives you easy access to the tools you use most. To do this, open the application list, right-click a program and select Pin to Start. Then go to the pinned section and select the desired position by dragging the icon.
Set default apps
Choosing the default app for each file type has gotten more complicated in Windows 11. Open Settings, click Applications, select Default Applications, and then click the program you want to set as the default for specific files.
Run the app in beta
Windows Insiders can get an early preview of Android apps in the Microsoft Store. With this trial version, you can run mobile applications smoothly without installing an emulator. However, the novelty has yet to arrive in Brazil and is only available in the US with AMD, Intel or Qualcomm processors.
