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

I have been utilizing Windows 11 each day on each my laptop computer and desktop for over 4 years, and I nonetheless discover new features and tools to discover nearly day by day. Though Home windows 11 provides many various options and settings that may be fairly useful, not all of them are instantly apparent, and typically it’s a must to dig via the settings menu to seek out them.

Whether or not it is saving battery life, integrating your cellphone along with your PC, or staying on activity with Focus Mode, listed here are six underrated Home windows 11 options that may transform how you use your PC each day. They’re fast to seek out and allow, and when you’re utilizing them, you will 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 without delay, 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 possibly can seize a window and shake it along with your mouse to reduce all different home windows behind it in your display screen. So, if you happen to’re attempting to lock in and deal with one factor, it could possibly clear your desktop in seconds. And if you wish to deliver the whole lot again, simply shake the window once more.

This characteristic is not new to Home windows 11 and was first launched with Home windows 7. Nevertheless, 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 possibly can press the Home windows Key + Residence 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 Fee

You’ll be able to solely allow this you probably have a laptop computer show with a 120Hz refresh fee or greater

Many Home windows laptops these days include excessive refresh fee shows. For instance, the Asus gaming laptop I am utilizing helps a refresh fee of as much as 180Hz. A lot of these shows are nice, and visually, they make your expertise smoother and extra responsive. Nevertheless, one of many drawbacks of utilizing a better refresh fee 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 Fee. This characteristic, known as Dynamic Refresh Fee (DRR), routinely modifications your laptop computer’s refresh fee relying in your exercise. Whether or not you are looking, watching movies, or gaming, DRR ensures a better refresh fee for easy visuals. Conversely, when the machine is idle or displaying a static picture, DRR lowers the refresh fee to save lots of battery life.

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

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The Begin menu in Home windows 11 helps you shortly entry your most-used apps or really useful information. Nevertheless, by default, it would not embody a characteristic that may make it extra helpful: your file folders.

If you would like a quick method to entry your Paperwork, Downloads, or Photos, you possibly can add shortcuts for them on to the Begin menu, permitting you to open them in seconds at any time when 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 possibly can add, together with: Settings, File Explorer, Paperwork, Downloads, Music, Photos, Movies, Community, and Private Folder. Sadly, you possibly can’t add a customized folder shortcut to the Begin menu’s Folders, however hopefully, Microsoft will add this characteristic sooner or later. Moreover, below 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 quite than file or app suggestions.

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4

Lock in with Focus Mode

Quickly halt notifications for a set interval

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

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

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5

Home windows Cellphone Hyperlink

Make cellphone 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 establishing the Cellphone Hyperlink app in your PC, you possibly can handle your cellphone’s notifications, ship and obtain textual content messages, and deal with calls solely out of your PC.

Moreover, Cellphone Hyperlink makes it straightforward to switch information out of your cellphone to your PC shortly. I typically edit photographs 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 cellphone 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

Should 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 possibly can obtain it free of charge from the Home windows Retailer. PowerToys provides many additional options to Home windows 11, reminiscent of the power to preview information with out opening them with Peek or discover any colour in your display screen with Shade Picker.

My favourite characteristic is the Command Palette, which provides a search perform just like macOS Highlight. If you must find a file or app in your PC, Command Palette might 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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