Microsoft's Windows OS isn't any one thing; it's an interwoven patchwork of features built atop other features that trace all the way back to the beginning of the time-tested operating system. Each individual feature is, in turn, the result of a team of dedicated engineers who create the best (often customizable) experience possible.
With such a complex piece of software, it makes sense that there are little tricks and UI flourishes most people don't even know about. We've compiled a list of useful tips that will help you get more out of your Microsoft Windows 10 experience. Or, at least, teach you some things you may not have known about.
Some have been available in Windows for a number of generations, while others are native to Windows 10. Microsoft's most recent update for the OS arrived in May, when it added a bunch of new features and killed a handful of others. So there are plenty of new features and tricks to make the most of a constantly evolving Windows experience.
We have plenty of dedicated Windows fans in our readership who likely know at least some of these features, but you probably don't know them all. Sound off in the comments with any tips and tricks we missed.
Secret Start Menu:-
If you're a fan of that old-school (i.e. non-tiled) Start menu experience, you can still (sort of) have it. If you right-click on the Windows icon in the bottom-left corner, it will prompt a textual jump menu with a number of familiar popular destinations (Apps and Features, Search, Run). All these options are available through the standard menu interface, but you'll be able to access them quicker through this textual interface.
Show Desktop Button:-
This desktop button actually dates back to Windows 7, but is handy nontheless. On the bottom-right corner of the desktop is a secret button. Don't see it? Look all the way to the bottom and right, beyond the date and time. There you'll find a small little sliver of an invisible button. Click it to minimize all your open windows.
There's also the option to have windows minimize when you hover over this button versus clicking. Select your preference in Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Use peek to preview the desktop.
Rotate Your Screen:-
This tip won't be useful to most, but you can rotate your screen by simultaneously pressing Ctrl + Alt + D and any of the arrow buttons. The down arrow will flip it upside down, the left or right arrow buttons will turn it 90 degrees on its side, and the up arrow will bring you back to standard orientation. If you use multiple displays, this feature allows you to orient just that display in a particular way.
Alternatively, you can right-click on the desktop background > Graphics Options > Rotation to turn your page around in all sorts of ways. This feature is available on Windows 7 and 10.
Enable Slide to Shutdown:-
This trick is complicated and probably not worth the effort for what you get out of it, but here you go: Right-click on the desktop > New > Shortcut. In the ensuing pop-up window, paste the following line of code:
%windir%\System32\SlideToShutDown.exe
This creates a clickable icon on your desktop, which you can feel free to rename. To shut down via slide-down, double-click on the new icon to prompt a pull-down shade. Then use your mouse to drag it down to the bottom of the screen. Keep in mind, this isn't sleep, this is a shutdown.
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