6 underrated Home windows 11 options I discovered that make my PC so a lot better

I have been utilizing Windows 11 day-after-day on each my laptop computer and desktop for over 4 years, and I nonetheless discover new features and tools to discover virtually every day. Though Home windows 11 gives many various options and settings that may be fairly helpful, not all of them are instantly apparent, and generally you must dig by means of the settings menu to seek out them.

Whether or not it is saving battery life, integrating your telephone together with your PC, or staying on job with Focus Mode, listed here are six underrated Home windows 11 options that may transform how you use your PC day-after-day. They’re fast to seek out and allow, and when you’re utilizing them, you may want you had discovered them sooner.

1

Title bar window shake

Clear your desktop in seconds

I’ve a nasty behavior of opening too many packages and browser tabs directly, making my monitor look cluttered on a regular basis. That is why this Home windows 11 characteristic, known as Title Bar Window Shake, is so helpful. When you flip it on, you may seize a window and shake it together with your mouse to reduce all different home windows behind it in your display. So, should you’re attempting to lock in and concentrate on one factor, it could actually clear your desktop in seconds. And if you wish to carry all the things again, simply shake the window once more.

This characteristic is not new to Home windows 11 and was first launched with Home windows 7. Nonetheless, with Home windows 11, it is not enabled by default. To make use of it your self, simply go to Settings > System > Multitasking > Title bar window shake and toggle it on. Alternatively, you may press the Home windows Key + Dwelling to get the identical impact, however I discover shaking my lively window to be extra enjoyable.

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2

Save battery with Dynamic Refresh Charge

You’ll be able to solely allow this when you’ve got a laptop computer show with a 120Hz refresh charge or greater

Many Home windows laptops these days include excessive refresh charge shows. For instance, the Asus gaming laptop I am utilizing helps a refresh charge of as much as 180Hz. A majority of these shows are nice, and visually, they make your expertise smoother and extra responsive. Nonetheless, one of many drawbacks of utilizing a better refresh charge show on Home windows is that it consumes extra energy, thereby impacting battery life.

Fortunately, Microsoft gives a characteristic akin to the iPhone’s ProMotion and Android’s Adaptive Refresh Charge. This characteristic, known as Dynamic Refresh Charge (DRR), routinely adjustments your laptop computer’s refresh charge relying in your exercise. Whether or not you are searching, watching movies, or gaming, DRR ensures a better refresh charge for clean visuals. Conversely, when the system is idle or exhibiting a static picture, DRR lowers the refresh charge to save lots of battery life.

To allow DRR in Home windows 11, your laptop computer show should help a refresh charge of as much as 120Hz and VRR. You will discover this characteristic beneath Settings > System > Show > Superior Show > Select refresh charge > Dynamic Refresh Charge to toggle it on.

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The Begin menu in Home windows 11 helps you shortly entry your most-used apps or beneficial recordsdata. Nonetheless, by default, it would not embrace a characteristic that may make it extra helpful: your file folders.

If you’d like a quick approach to entry your Paperwork, Downloads, or Footage, you may add shortcuts for them on to the Begin menu, permitting you to open them in seconds each time wanted. These shortcuts seem to the left of the Energy choices when you add them.

So as to add your folders to the Begin menu, go to Settings > Personalization > Begin > Folders. You will see 9 choices you may add, together with: Settings, File Explorer, Paperwork, Downloads, Music, Footage, Movies, Community, and Private Folder. Sadly, you may’t add a customized folder shortcut to the Begin menu’s Folders, however hopefully, Microsoft will add this characteristic sooner or later. Moreover, beneath Personalization > Begin, I like to recommend adjusting the format of your Begin menu to show extra Pins, permitting you to view extra of the apps you’ve got pinned slightly than file or app suggestions.

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4

Lock in with Focus Mode

Briefly halt notifications for a set interval

If that you must escape from all of the distractions round you and get some work accomplished, Home windows 11’s Focus Mode is ideal for that. By beginning a Focus Session, your PC will enter Do Not Disturb Mode, which means you will not obtain any notifications, hear any sounds, or see any alerts in your PC. That is all designed that can assist you keep targeted and keep away from distractions.

If you wish to begin a Focus Session, you may go to Settings > System > Focus and choose Begin Focus Session. On the identical display, you can even alter the period of your Focus Periods. Alternatively, you can begin a Focus Session from the Clock app or by choosing Focus within the Calendar, positioned on the backside proper of your display. I like to recommend utilizing Focus Mode from the default Home windows 11 Clock app, because it includes a dashboard with a number of helpful choices, together with the power to create duties in your focus periods and hyperlink to Spotify.

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5

Home windows Cellphone Hyperlink

Make telephone calls and ship texts out of your PC

I began utilizing Windows Phone Link only a month in the past and remorse not attempting it earlier. This convenient app connects your smartphone to your PC, supporting each Android and iOS units. After organising the Cellphone Hyperlink app in your PC, you may handle your telephone’s notifications, ship and obtain textual content messages, and deal with calls completely out of your PC.

Moreover, Cellphone Hyperlink makes it simple to switch recordsdata out of your telephone to your PC shortly. I usually edit images on my PC, and with Cellphone Hyperlink, I can switch them in seconds as a substitute of utilizing a cable or cloud companies like Google Drive. Cellphone Hyperlink is included with Home windows 11, so it is pre-installed in your PC. Simply obtain the Hyperlink to Home windows app in your telephone from the App Store or Google Play Store to get began.

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6

Unlock extra Home windows 11 options with PowerToys

It is free and formally from Microsoft

In the event you’ve by no means tried Microsoft PowerToys earlier than, I extremely advocate giving it a shot. It isn’t included by default on Home windows 11, however you may obtain it at no cost from the Home windows Retailer. PowerToys provides many further options to Home windows 11, comparable to the power to preview recordsdata with out opening them with Peek or discover any coloration in your display with Coloration Picker.

My favourite characteristic is the Command Palette, which provides a search perform much like macOS Highlight. If that you must find a file or app in your PC, Command Palette may help discover it. For extra particulars about PowerToys, try my different Pocket-lint story, the place I discover a few of its most useful features.

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