11 Hidden Windows 10 Features That You Should Know

Windows 10 is the most widely used desktop operating system in the world. It is clear that the number of users who know how to use it is large. However, many of the most useful functions are well hidden. If you want to know some of the secrets of Microsoft’s operating system, this article will interest you. In this list, we gather some of the best hidden features of Windows 10 that bring better productivity, feels innovative, and of course, you’ll have fun with them. Make sure to drop your thoughts after you go through these tips in the comment section.

We have prepared this article using the latest version of Windows 10. However, some of the mentioned functions are also available in previous versions. In addition to the best-hidden Windows tricks, we have already explained how to improve the performance of your computer.

1. Take A Quick Look At The Desktop

Obtain productivity plus with the fast glance to the desktop.

The Windows desktop is one of the most useful folders on the system. Users often use it to quickly save temporary files or to have shortcuts to their favorite applications. To take a quick look at the contents of the desktop, you can click the button in the lower right corner of the taskbar.

But if you want to have a quick view of the desktop without clicking, place the cursor there, right-click and activate the Quick Look option. Now, whenever you want to see the contents of the desktop, just hover your cursor over the button.

2. Customize The Command Console

The command prompt, also known as CMD, allows you to easily customize its appearance. Simply open a new session, right-click on the top bar of the window, and select Properties. In the pop-up window, you can change the font, window layout, and background color. This way, you can make your console unique. And, in case you were wondering, no, you can’t use Comic Sans in CMD.

3. The corners of the screen in Windows 10 hold a surprise.

Windows screens are easily managed in a variety of ways. For example, dragging them to one of the sides will resize them to take up half the screen. Conversely, dragging them to the top will maximize them.

However, a lesser-known way to resize a window is to drag it to one of the corners. By doing so, it will take up a quarter of the screen. By repeating the process with different applications, you can use up to four windows simultaneously. This function is highly recommended when you have a monitor with a generous diagonal.

4. Minimize All Applications By Shaking The Active Window

If you want to minimize all the windows you have on-screen, you can use the keyboard shortcut Windows + M. And what if you want to minimize all of them except the one you have active? It is very easy. Just long-click on the title bar, as you would do to move it around the screen. Then shake the window. The rest of the windows will disappear and only the window you have shaken will be visible.

5. Windows 10 Also Has A Do Not Disturb Mode

Do not disturb mode is not exclusive of mobile devices. In Windows 10, you have it available in the notifications area. To activate it, access it and click on Concentration Assistant. The first mode is Alarms only, which restricts notifications to active alarms. The next one, Priority only, shows you only the notifications that you have indicated as a priority.

6. Combine Dark Mode With Light Mode

The dark and light modes can be combined. To activate this setting, go to the Customization section of the Settings application. Go to the Colors section and, in the first drop-down menu, choose Custom. Once this is done, two additional options will appear. Here you can select the color of the taskbar and the color of the windows independently.

7. Take Full Advantage Of The Clipboard

In the last versions of its operating system, Microsoft has greatly enhanced the clipboard. To see all its options, go to Settings > System > Clipboard. Two interesting features stand out:

Clipboard History. Enabling this feature keeps a record of everything that is copied to the clipboard. To view the history, use the Windows + V combination.

Synchronize between devices. This is ideal if you use more than one computer at a time. When you copy an item, it will be available on all computers that have your Microsoft account.

8. Pause Updates

Windows updates can be very annoying. If you want to take a break, go to Settings > Update and security > Windows Update. There, click the Pause updates for 7 days button. At least for a week, you will be free from installing patches and updates.

9. How To Open The Emoji Selector In Windows 10

Yes, Windows 10 has an emoji selector. To open it, you just need to know the appropriate key combination. This is Windows +. (dot). If you press simultaneously on both keys while the cursor is located in a text field, a pop-up window will appear where you can select your favorite emoji. If you continue writing, Windows will use the text to locate the most convenient emoticon.

10. Activate Voice Dictation In Windows 10

You may be tired of typing. In that case, we recommend that you use the system’s voice recognition service to write your texts. Do it easily with the shortcut Windows + H. At the top of the screen will appear the dictation controls.

11. Use The Windows Playbar For Multiple Purposes

The game bar is not just for gaming.

Windows 10’s gamer tools serve many purposes. For example, it is possible to record the screen, view RAM and CPU status or use your computer’s audio output mixer. All these tools will appear on the screen using the Windows + G keys.