A better
desktop
1 Scroll inactive windows
If you often work with multiple open
windows, then Windows 10 enables you
to save time by giving you the option to
scroll through inactive windows in the
background when you hover over them.
2 Snap windows
to corner
Windows 10 includes a Snap Assist feature
that lets you snap two windows side-by-side
- just drag an open window off screen and
you are offered a choice of running apps to
snap next to it. Also, to snap a window to
a quarter size of the monitor, just drag the
window to a corner.
3 Arrange windows to
suit the way you work
In addition to Snap, you can arrange
windows in other ways as well. Right-click
on the taskbar to reveal three window
arrangement schemes: namely, Cascade
Windows, Show windows stacked, and
Show windows side by side.
4 try out the new snap
keyboard sh ortcuts
Use the keyboard to save time and snap
windows without touching your mouse.
Use the [Win] key with the arrow key to snap
an app to one of the four corners of the
screen and double-up commands to reach
the quadrants. For example, pressing [Win]
with the right arrow, then [Win] with the
up arrow places the current window in the
top-right corner.
5 Use Virtual Desktops
Windows 10 lets you add multiple
virtual desktops. For this, click the Task View
button on the taskbar and then click on the
New desktop button. See Tip 11 if you want
to hide the Task View button.
61 Bypass the
sign-in sc reen
Make booting up quicker by logging
straight into Windows. Type netplwiz in the
search bar to bring up the User Accounts
window. In the Users tab, deselect the ‘Users
must enter a username and password to use
this computer’ option.
97 Create a local
account
If you don’t want the benefits of OneDrive
synchronised account, you can create a
standalone offline account. Head to ‘Start
> Settings > Accounts’ and click the ‘Sign in
with a local account instead’ link.
desktop
1 Scroll inactive windows
If you often work with multiple open
windows, then Windows 10 enables you
to save time by giving you the option to
scroll through inactive windows in the
background when you hover over them.
2 Snap windows
to corner
Windows 10 includes a Snap Assist feature
that lets you snap two windows side-by-side
- just drag an open window off screen and
you are offered a choice of running apps to
snap next to it. Also, to snap a window to
a quarter size of the monitor, just drag the
window to a corner.
3 Arrange windows to
suit the way you work
In addition to Snap, you can arrange
windows in other ways as well. Right-click
on the taskbar to reveal three window
arrangement schemes: namely, Cascade
Windows, Show windows stacked, and
Show windows side by side.
4 try out the new snap
keyboard sh ortcuts
Use the keyboard to save time and snap
windows without touching your mouse.
Use the [Win] key with the arrow key to snap
an app to one of the four corners of the
screen and double-up commands to reach
the quadrants. For example, pressing [Win]
with the right arrow, then [Win] with the
up arrow places the current window in the
top-right corner.
5 Use Virtual Desktops
Windows 10 lets you add multiple
virtual desktops. For this, click the Task View
button on the taskbar and then click on the
New desktop button. See Tip 11 if you want
to hide the Task View button.
6 Peek at the desktop
Right-click on the thin button at
the far right of the taskbar (it’s after the date
and doesn’t look like a button) and choose
‘Peek at desktop’. Now, when you roll the
pointer over it, it’ll show you a quick preview
of the desktop.
Right-click on the thin button at
the far right of the taskbar (it’s after the date
and doesn’t look like a button) and choose
‘Peek at desktop’. Now, when you roll the
pointer over it, it’ll show you a quick preview
of the desktop.
7 Customise
Quick Access
Quick Access allows you to
immediately jump into your
favourite folder and most
recently used files. To customise
its contents, switch to the View
tab in Explorer and hit ‘Options’.
Note that at the bottom of the
General tab are further
options to show/hide certain
bits of information.
Quick Access
Quick Access allows you to
immediately jump into your
favourite folder and most
recently used files. To customise
its contents, switch to the View
tab in Explorer and hit ‘Options’.
Note that at the bottom of the
General tab are further
options to show/hide certain
bits of information.
8 View apps
from across
desktops
By default the taskbar displays
windows and apps from the
current desktop. To change this
behaviour, head to ‘Start > Settings
> System > Multi-tasking > Virtual
Desktops’ and select the ‘All
desktops’ option from the pulldown
menu.
9 Move between
Virtual Desktops
To move windows between virtual
desktops, bring up the Task View and drag
an open window from the current desktop
straight into the one you want to move
it into. Alternatively, drag a window to
the ‘new desktop’ button to create a new
virtual desktop.
desktops
By default the taskbar displays
windows and apps from the
current desktop. To change this
behaviour, head to ‘Start > Settings
> System > Multi-tasking > Virtual
Desktops’ and select the ‘All
desktops’ option from the pulldown
menu.
9 Move between
Virtual Desktops
To move windows between virtual
desktops, bring up the Task View and drag
an open window from the current desktop
straight into the one you want to move
it into. Alternatively, drag a window to
the ‘new desktop’ button to create a new
virtual desktop.
10 Get back icons
on the desktop
For easier access to certain key locations on
your computer, head to ‘Start > Settings >
Personalisation > Themes’. Next, click the
‘Desktop icon Settings’ and select the icons
you want to place on the desktop.
on the desktop
For easier access to certain key locations on
your computer, head to ‘Start > Settings >
Personalisation > Themes’. Next, click the
‘Desktop icon Settings’ and select the icons
you want to place on the desktop.
11 Hide the task
view button
If you don’t use virtual desktops, or use the
keyboard to switch between them, you can
banish the Task View icon by right-clicking
on the taskbar and deselecting the ‘Show
Task View button’ option.
view button
If you don’t use virtual desktops, or use the
keyboard to switch between them, you can
banish the Task View icon by right-clicking
on the taskbar and deselecting the ‘Show
Task View button’ option.
12 Remove Cortana’s
search box
Similarly, you can reduce the space taken
by Cortana in the taskbar, if you don’t use it
much. Right-click on an empty part of the
taskbar, select Cortana and choose ‘Hidden’
to change it to a pop-up. Keep Cortana on
the taskbar as an icon by choosing ‘Show
Cortana icon’.
search box
Similarly, you can reduce the space taken
by Cortana in the taskbar, if you don’t use it
much. Right-click on an empty part of the
taskbar, select Cortana and choose ‘Hidden’
to change it to a pop-up. Keep Cortana on
the taskbar as an icon by choosing ‘Show
Cortana icon’.
13 Pin and reorder
your folders
You can also pin folders in File Explorer’s
Quick Access list to make sure they don’t
disappear regardless of their frequent or
recent use. To change their listing order,
simply select a folder and drag it above or
below the other listed folders.
your folders
You can also pin folders in File Explorer’s
Quick Access list to make sure they don’t
disappear regardless of their frequent or
recent use. To change their listing order,
simply select a folder and drag it above or
below the other listed folders.
14 Change the default
view in File Explorer
File Explorer now defaults to the Quick
Access view, but if you want it to go
straight to, say, This PC, on launch, click
on the View tab, select Options and
change the ‘Open File Explorer to’ setting
to ‘This PC’.
view in File Explorer
File Explorer now defaults to the Quick
Access view, but if you want it to go
straight to, say, This PC, on launch, click
on the View tab, select Options and
change the ‘Open File Explorer to’ setting
to ‘This PC’.
15 Make Windows
touch -friendly
If your computer has a touchscreen you
can manually enable Windows 10’s
touch-friendly interface to operate
Windows in a tablet mode. Head to ‘Start
> Settings > System > Tablet Mode’ to
manually alter its behaviour.
touch -friendly
If your computer has a touchscreen you
can manually enable Windows 10’s
touch-friendly interface to operate
Windows in a tablet mode. Head to ‘Start
> Settings > System > Tablet Mode’ to
manually alter its behaviour.
16 Manage
notifications
To customise which quick
action icons are displayed in
the Notification Center, head
to ‘Start > Settings > System >
Notifications & actions’ and then
click on the four icons displayed
to select a different icon from a
pull-down list.
Windows 10
100 hints & tips
get going with
the start Menu
notifications
To customise which quick
action icons are displayed in
the Notification Center, head
to ‘Start > Settings > System >
Notifications & actions’ and then
click on the four icons displayed
to select a different icon from a
pull-down list.
Windows 10
100 hints & tips
get going with
the start Menu
17 Swipe menu
All your apps run full-screen when
you’re using Windows in Tablet mode.
To bring up the menu and access any
commands and the window control, simply
swipe in from the top.
All your apps run full-screen when
you’re using Windows in Tablet mode.
To bring up the menu and access any
commands and the window control, simply
swipe in from the top.
18 Use Custom Install
When you’re setting up Windows
10 on a new PC, make sure you select the
Custom install option instead of the default
Express install. It’s more involved but lets
you modify important aspects of your
installation, such as the privacy settings.
When you’re setting up Windows
10 on a new PC, make sure you select the
Custom install option instead of the default
Express install. It’s more involved but lets
you modify important aspects of your
installation, such as the privacy settings.
19 Shake to minimise
To declutter your screen you can
quickly minimise all open windows except
the one you’re currently viewing. Just click,
hold and shake its title bar. Repeat the
action to restore all minimised windows.
To declutter your screen you can
quickly minimise all open windows except
the one you’re currently viewing. Just click,
hold and shake its title bar. Repeat the
action to restore all minimised windows.
20 Mount
ISO images
You don’t need any third-party
software to browse the contents
of an ISO image. Right-click on
an ISO image and click ‘Mount’.
The ISO images are automounted
as virtual discs and
you can then access them from
the File Explorer.
21 Enable jumplists
You can save a considerable amount
of time by using Jump Lists with your mostused
apps. Open Settings from the Start
Menu and go to ‘Personalisation > Start’ and
select the last option to see jump lists on
your Start Menu and Taskbar.
ISO images
You don’t need any third-party
software to browse the contents
of an ISO image. Right-click on
an ISO image and click ‘Mount’.
The ISO images are automounted
as virtual discs and
you can then access them from
the File Explorer.
21 Enable jumplists
You can save a considerable amount
of time by using Jump Lists with your mostused
apps. Open Settings from the Start
Menu and go to ‘Personalisation > Start’ and
select the last option to see jump lists on
your Start Menu and Taskbar.
22 Keyboardfriendly
Start
You can operate the Start menu almost
entirely using the keyboard. Hit the
Windows key to bring it up and then use the
search feature and arrow keys to navigate it
without a mouse.
Start
You can operate the Start menu almost
entirely using the keyboard. Hit the
Windows key to bring it up and then use the
search feature and arrow keys to navigate it
without a mouse.
23 Colourise Start
The default colour of the Start
Menu doesn’t please everyone. To pick
your own colour, head to ‘Start > Settings >
Personalisation > Colours’ and disable the
‘Automatically pick an accent colour from
my background’ option. You can then pick
an accent colour from the palette.
The default colour of the Start
Menu doesn’t please everyone. To pick
your own colour, head to ‘Start > Settings >
Personalisation > Colours’ and disable the
‘Automatically pick an accent colour from
my background’ option. You can then pick
an accent colour from the palette.
24 Streamline Start
If you don’t want the Start menu to
show the most-used programs in the upper
left-hand side, open the Settings app from
the Start Menu and head to ‘Personalisation
> Start’. Set the ‘Show most used apps’
option to ‘Off’.
If you don’t want the Start menu to
show the most-used programs in the upper
left-hand side, open the Settings app from
the Start Menu and head to ‘Personalisation
> Start’. Set the ‘Show most used apps’
option to ‘Off’.
25 Hide Recently
opened apps
If you don’t want the Start Menu to show
your recently opened programs and files,
head to ‘Settings > Personalisation > Start’
and toggle the ‘Show recently added apps’
option to ‘Off’.
opened apps
If you don’t want the Start Menu to show
your recently opened programs and files,
head to ‘Settings > Personalisation > Start’
and toggle the ‘Show recently added apps’
option to ‘Off’.
26 Choose
your folders
Open the Settings app from Start
Menu and go to ‘Personalisation
> Start’ and click on the ‘Choose
which folders appear on Start’
link. Now you can customise the
folders list that shows on the
Start menu.
your folders
Open the Settings app from Start
Menu and go to ‘Personalisation
> Start’ and click on the ‘Choose
which folders appear on Start’
link. Now you can customise the
folders list that shows on the
Start menu.
27 stop an app appearing
in ‘Recently Us ed’ List
You can also prevent particular apps from
showing up in the recently used apps list
(despite how frequently you use it) without
turning off the feature entirely. To do this
right-click on an app and select ‘Don’t show
in this list’.
in ‘Recently Us ed’ List
You can also prevent particular apps from
showing up in the recently used apps list
(despite how frequently you use it) without
turning off the feature entirely. To do this
right-click on an app and select ‘Don’t show
in this list’.
28 Turn off Live Tiles
If you’re distracted by the constant
updates and changes in the tiles, you can
turn off their ability to display updates. Just
right-click on them and select the ‘Turn live
tile off’ option.
If you’re distracted by the constant
updates and changes in the tiles, you can
turn off their ability to display updates. Just
right-click on them and select the ‘Turn live
tile off’ option.
29 Switch to Start Screen
If you wish to pin more items to the
Start menu you can actually make it stretch
across the entire screen. Head to ‘Start
> Settings > Personalisation > Start’ and
toggle the ‘Use full-screen Start when in the
desktop’ option.
If you wish to pin more items to the
Start menu you can actually make it stretch
across the entire screen. Head to ‘Start
> Settings > Personalisation > Start’ and
toggle the ‘Use full-screen Start when in the
desktop’ option.
30 Pin Most used settings
You can pin shortcuts, files and
folders to Start Menu. Just right-click on
a chosen item and select the ‘Pin to Start’
option. This will immediately pin the item to
the right-side of the Start menu.
You can pin shortcuts, files and
folders to Start Menu. Just right-click on
a chosen item and select the ‘Pin to Start’
option. This will immediately pin the item to
the right-side of the Start menu.
31 Alter names and icons
of the tiles
Right-click on a tile of a non-Modern app
and select the ‘Open file location’ option.
This will open the Programs folder. Press
[F2] to rename the shortcut. To change its
icon, right-click on the shortcut and head to
‘Properties > Change Icon’.
of the tiles
Right-click on a tile of a non-Modern app
and select the ‘Open file location’ option.
This will open the Programs folder. Press
[F2] to rename the shortcut. To change its
icon, right-click on the shortcut and head to
‘Properties > Change Icon’.
32 Remove tiles
On the other hand, if you have
no use for the tiles on the Start menu
you can remove every one of them by
right-clicking on each and selecting the
‘Unpin from Start’ option.
On the other hand, if you have
no use for the tiles on the Start menu
you can remove every one of them by
right-clicking on each and selecting the
‘Unpin from Start’ option.
33 Resize the Start menu
To make room for your
customisations, you can easily resize
the Start menu to your liking. Just move
your mouse pointer to the top-border
or right-border of the Start Menu, the
pointer will change into arrows and you’ll
be able to increase or decrease height
and width.
34 Uninstall apps from
the Start Menu
You can right-click on any Modern or
traditional desktop app in the Start menu
and then select the ‘Uninstall’ option from
the pop-up menu to remove that app
from your PC.
To make room for your
customisations, you can easily resize
the Start menu to your liking. Just move
your mouse pointer to the top-border
or right-border of the Start Menu, the
pointer will change into arrows and you’ll
be able to increase or decrease height
and width.
34 Uninstall apps from
the Start Menu
You can right-click on any Modern or
traditional desktop app in the Start menu
and then select the ‘Uninstall’ option from
the pop-up menu to remove that app
from your PC.
35 Run app as admin
If you want to run installed
apps with escalated privileges for more
freedom, right-click on them and select
the ‘Run as administrator’ option.
Remember, however, this facility is
available only for regular apps and isn’t
available for Modern apps.
If you want to run installed
apps with escalated privileges for more
freedom, right-click on them and select
the ‘Run as administrator’ option.
Remember, however, this facility is
available only for regular apps and isn’t
available for Modern apps.
36 Use the Power
Us er menu
The new Start menu doesn’t bring back
Control Panel to the menu list, but you’ve
still got the power user menu from
Windows 8. Right-click on the Start icon or
hit [Win]+[X] to bring it up.
Us er menu
The new Start menu doesn’t bring back
Control Panel to the menu list, but you’ve
still got the power user menu from
Windows 8. Right-click on the Start icon or
hit [Win]+[X] to bring it up.
37 Sign out of Windows
The Power section in the Start
menu only includes options to Shutdown
and Restart the computer. To sign in as a
different user bring up the Start menu and
click on your name displayed at the top.
This brings up a menu that includes the
Sign out option.
The Power section in the Start
menu only includes options to Shutdown
and Restart the computer. To sign in as a
different user bring up the Start menu and
click on your name displayed at the top.
This brings up a menu that includes the
Sign out option.
38 Label and
group tiles
By default, the Start menu
arranges tiles inside two groups.
Click on these labels to rename
them. If you’ve pinned tiles of
your own, hover over the area
above them and click on the two
parallel lines to name the group.
Windows 10
100 hints & tips
Christmas 2015 | | 17
Windows
apps
group tiles
By default, the Start menu
arranges tiles inside two groups.
Click on these labels to rename
them. If you’ve pinned tiles of
your own, hover over the area
above them and click on the two
parallel lines to name the group.
Windows 10
100 hints & tips
Christmas 2015 | | 17
Windows
apps
39 Find apps faster
After click ‘All apps’ in the Start menu you can avoid scrolling through the
alphabetically arranged list of apps, by clicking on a letter to view the
alphabet. Now click any letter that takes you directly to the apps grouped
underneath it.
After click ‘All apps’ in the Start menu you can avoid scrolling through the
alphabetically arranged list of apps, by clicking on a letter to view the
alphabet. Now click any letter that takes you directly to the apps grouped
underneath it.
40 New
Action Center
Windows 10 includes a new
Action Center that keeps track of
notifications from all over the
system. Click on the text bubble
icon in the system tray and the
panel flows out from the righthand
side of the screen.
41 Print to PDF
You can now save documents as
PDFs without any third-party software as
both the Modern apps and the traditional
desktop programs offer the option as part
of their standard printing options.
Action Center
Windows 10 includes a new
Action Center that keeps track of
notifications from all over the
system. Click on the text bubble
icon in the system tray and the
panel flows out from the righthand
side of the screen.
41 Print to PDF
You can now save documents as
PDFs without any third-party software as
both the Modern apps and the traditional
desktop programs offer the option as part
of their standard printing options.
42 Mail gestures
The new Mail app in Windows 10
supports a couple of gestures for common
tasks. Click on the gears icon in the app
to bring up the Settings and switch to the
‘Option’ section. Now enable the ‘Swipe
actions’ option and use the menu to define
actions for the left and right swipe gestures.
The new Mail app in Windows 10
supports a couple of gestures for common
tasks. Click on the gears icon in the app
to bring up the Settings and switch to the
‘Option’ section. Now enable the ‘Swipe
actions’ option and use the menu to define
actions for the left and right swipe gestures.
43 Make Cortana
respond to voice
For hands-free operation, click on the
Cortana search bar, select ‘Notebook’ from
the left menu, choose ‘Settings’, and enable
the ‘Let Cortana respond to “Hey Cortana”’
option. Now repeat the phrase at any time
to activate Cortana.
respond to voice
For hands-free operation, click on the
Cortana search bar, select ‘Notebook’ from
the left menu, choose ‘Settings’, and enable
the ‘Let Cortana respond to “Hey Cortana”’
option. Now repeat the phrase at any time
to activate Cortana.
44 Make Cortana
respond only to you
You can now ask Cortana to respond only to
your voice. Head back to the Settings in the
Notebook and press the ‘Learn my
voice’ button and say the phrases so
Cortana can recognise your voice.
respond only to you
You can now ask Cortana to respond only to
your voice. Head back to the Settings in the
Notebook and press the ‘Learn my
voice’ button and say the phrases so
Cortana can recognise your voice.
45 Cortana natural
language search
Since Cortana understands natural
language you can use it for complex
search tasks. For example, ask Cortana
to “Find pictures from August” and
it will rummage through your local
and online files and apply filters to
fetch results.
language search
Since Cortana understands natural
language you can use it for complex
search tasks. For example, ask Cortana
to “Find pictures from August” and
it will rummage through your local
and online files and apply filters to
fetch results.
46 Offline
maps
Save time and money when
searching for directions on the
go by downloading an offline
version of a map. Head to ‘Start >
Settings > System > Offline Maps’
and then click the ‘Download
maps’ button. Now you can drill
down to the geographic region
you’re interested in to download
the map.
maps
Save time and money when
searching for directions on the
go by downloading an offline
version of a map. Head to ‘Start >
Settings > System > Offline Maps’
and then click the ‘Download
maps’ button. Now you can drill
down to the geographic region
you’re interested in to download
the map.
47 Share your
preferences
with Cortana
You can receive better
recommendations if you let
Cortana know your preferences.
For example, open Cortana’s
Notebook and head to ‘Eat &
Drink’ to define your choice
of cuisine, price range and
more. Repeat the process for
other sections.
with Cortana
You can receive better
recommendations if you let
Cortana know your preferences.
For example, open Cortana’s
Notebook and head to ‘Eat &
Drink’ to define your choice
of cuisine, price range and
more. Repeat the process for
other sections.
48 Send an email
with Cortana
You can also use Cortana to send an email
hands-free. Say “Send an email to [Name]”
followed by the message. Cortana will
search for the name in the People app and
compose the email using your spoken text.
If you don’t wish to make any changes, just
say “Send”.
with Cortana
You can also use Cortana to send an email
hands-free. Say “Send an email to [Name]”
followed by the message. Cortana will
search for the name in the People app and
compose the email using your spoken text.
If you don’t wish to make any changes, just
say “Send”.
49 Manage contacts
A contact in the People app can
include an email address, work/home
address and more. And depending on
what information has been added to the
contact, you can use the app to launch a
Map view of the address or compose an
email to the contact.
A contact in the People app can
include an email address, work/home
address and more. And depending on
what information has been added to the
contact, you can use the app to launch a
Map view of the address or compose an
email to the contact.
50 Cortana in
the Edge brows er
Cortana can also help you as you browse
the web. To enable it in Microsoft Edge, go
to ‘Settings > Advanced Settings >View
Advanced Settings’ and under ‘Privacy and
Services’ enable ‘Have Cortana Assist Me in
Microsoft Edge’.
51 Edge Reading
enhancement
Edge has a distraction-free view for
reading web pages that you can switch to
by clicking on the Reading View icon (or
[Ctrl]+[Shift]+[R]). To configure the Reading
View head to Settings and scroll down to
the Reading section.
the Edge brows er
Cortana can also help you as you browse
the web. To enable it in Microsoft Edge, go
to ‘Settings > Advanced Settings >View
Advanced Settings’ and under ‘Privacy and
Services’ enable ‘Have Cortana Assist Me in
Microsoft Edge’.
51 Edge Reading
enhancement
Edge has a distraction-free view for
reading web pages that you can switch to
by clicking on the Reading View icon (or
[Ctrl]+[Shift]+[R]). To configure the Reading
View head to Settings and scroll down to
the Reading section.
52 Move Ph otos from
your phone
Plug your Android/iOS phone to your
Windows 10 computer using the regular
microUSB cable. This will launch the new
Phone Companion app with information
about your phone. Now scroll and select
the ‘Import photos and videos into the
Photos app’ option.
your phone
Plug your Android/iOS phone to your
Windows 10 computer using the regular
microUSB cable. This will launch the new
Phone Companion app with information
about your phone. Now scroll and select
the ‘Import photos and videos into the
Photos app’ option.
53 Selectively Sync
folders with OneDrive
OneDrive is now more flexible and userfriendly.
To customise the folders it syncs,
right-click on the OneDrive icon in the
notification area, select Settings, switch
to the ‘Choose folders’ tab, and click the
‘Choose folders’ button to select the cloud
folders that you want available locally.
folders with OneDrive
OneDrive is now more flexible and userfriendly.
To customise the folders it syncs,
right-click on the OneDrive icon in the
notification area, select Settings, switch
to the ‘Choose folders’ tab, and click the
‘Choose folders’ button to select the cloud
folders that you want available locally.
54 Acc ess files remotelY
Under the OneDrive Settings tab,
if you toggle the ‘Let me use OneDrive to
fetch any of my files on this PC’ option,
you can access your files from another
computer using the OneDrive website.
Under the OneDrive Settings tab,
if you toggle the ‘Let me use OneDrive to
fetch any of my files on this PC’ option,
you can access your files from another
computer using the OneDrive website.
55 Contact
Support
If you need help setting up
a Windows app or are facing
any issue, you can use the
Contact Support app under
the ‘Start > All apps menu’. The
app will help you find
discussions relevant to your
technical problems on the
community forums.
Windows 10
100 hints & tips
Christmas 2015 | | 19
Settings
& tweaks
Support
If you need help setting up
a Windows app or are facing
any issue, you can use the
Contact Support app under
the ‘Start > All apps menu’. The
app will help you find
discussions relevant to your
technical problems on the
community forums.
Windows 10
100 hints & tips
Christmas 2015 | | 19
Settings
& tweaks
56 Enable new features
in Command Prompt
The new Command Prompt in Windows 10
allows you to use [Ctrl]+[C]/[V] to copy
and paste commands more easily. To
activate the feature, open the Command
Prompt, right-click its title bar and select
Properties. From there you can find and
enable the new features under the ‘Edit
Options’ section.
in Command Prompt
The new Command Prompt in Windows 10
allows you to use [Ctrl]+[C]/[V] to copy
and paste commands more easily. To
activate the feature, open the Command
Prompt, right-click its title bar and select
Properties. From there you can find and
enable the new features under the ‘Edit
Options’ section.
57 Record a video
of an app
You can now use Windows 10’s Game
DVR function to record video of any open
app or desktop software. Press [Win]+[G]
to open the game bar that has a circular
Record button. Recorded videos are saved
under ‘Video > Captures’ folder. Note
that recording may slow performance
depending on the demands of the app.
of an app
You can now use Windows 10’s Game
DVR function to record video of any open
app or desktop software. Press [Win]+[G]
to open the game bar that has a circular
Record button. Recorded videos are saved
under ‘Video > Captures’ folder. Note
that recording may slow performance
depending on the demands of the app.
58 Automatically
backup libraries
To back up your libraries, plug in an external
drive and head over to ‘Start > Settings >
Update & Security > Backup’. Click on the
‘Add a drive’ option and select the plugged
in drive and then enable the option, found
under ‘File History’.
backup libraries
To back up your libraries, plug in an external
drive and head over to ‘Start > Settings >
Update & Security > Backup’. Click on the
‘Add a drive’ option and select the plugged
in drive and then enable the option, found
under ‘File History’.
59 Acc ess Previous
versions of files
Once you’ve set up the File History
preference, you can right-click on any file,
select ‘Properties’, and open the ‘Previous
Versions’ tab to see past revisions to the
file saved by either File History or
Windows’ system restore points.
versions of files
Once you’ve set up the File History
preference, you can right-click on any file,
select ‘Properties’, and open the ‘Previous
Versions’ tab to see past revisions to the
file saved by either File History or
Windows’ system restore points.
60 Edit and
share photos
You can use the built-in Photos
app to fix many common photo
flaws. You can straighten and
sharpen images and apply
filters and effects. If you have
installed social apps such as
Facebook or Twitter you can use
Photos to share images with
friends and family.
share photos
You can use the built-in Photos
app to fix many common photo
flaws. You can straighten and
sharpen images and apply
filters and effects. If you have
installed social apps such as
Facebook or Twitter you can use
Photos to share images with
friends and family.
61 Bypass the
sign-in sc reen
Make booting up quicker by logging
straight into Windows. Type netplwiz in the
search bar to bring up the User Accounts
window. In the Users tab, deselect the ‘Users
must enter a username and password to use
this computer’ option.
62 Analyse available
storage space
To figure out what kind of files are taking
up room on your computer, head to ‘Start
> Settings > System > Storage’ and click on
the drive name to get a breakdown of how
the space is being used.
storage space
To figure out what kind of files are taking
up room on your computer, head to ‘Start
> Settings > System > Storage’ and click on
the drive name to get a breakdown of how
the space is being used.
63 Save apps to
external drives
If you use an SSD as your system drive
you can ask Windows 10 to install apps on
another disk by heading to ‘Start > Settings
> System > Storage’ and pointing to it under
the ‘New apps will save to’ option.
external drives
If you use an SSD as your system drive
you can ask Windows 10 to install apps on
another disk by heading to ‘Start > Settings
> System > Storage’ and pointing to it under
the ‘New apps will save to’ option.
64 Customise your default
app ass ociations
If the default file associations don’t
work for you, you can change them by
right-clicking on a file and selecting the
‘Open with’ option. Now select the ‘Choose
another app’ option and pick the app you
wish to use.
app ass ociations
If the default file associations don’t
work for you, you can change them by
right-clicking on a file and selecting the
‘Open with’ option. Now select the ‘Choose
another app’ option and pick the app you
wish to use.
65 Define keyboard
sh ortcut for apps
To get faster access to apps, you can launch
them by using custom keyboard shortcuts.
For this, right-click on an app’s icon and
head to ‘Properties > Shortcut’. Now click
inside the text box labelled ‘Shortcut key’
and press any key.
sh ortcut for apps
To get faster access to apps, you can launch
them by using custom keyboard shortcuts.
For this, right-click on an app’s icon and
head to ‘Properties > Shortcut’. Now click
inside the text box labelled ‘Shortcut key’
and press any key.
66 Set display for
each monitor
With Windows 10 you can configure
different DPI scaling ratios if you’ve
got multiple monitors attached to
your computer. Right-click on the
desktop and head to ‘Display settings’,
which lets you configure each detected
display individually.
each monitor
With Windows 10 you can configure
different DPI scaling ratios if you’ve
got multiple monitors attached to
your computer. Right-click on the
desktop and head to ‘Display settings’,
which lets you configure each detected
display individually.
67 Disable Wi-Fi Sense
If you’re worried about Wi-Fi Sense’s
security implications you can disable it by
heading to ‘Start > Settings > Network &
Internet > Wi-Fi > Manage Wi-Fi settings’.
Now disable all options and ask Windows 10
to forget any Wi-Fi networks you’ve signed
into in the past.
If you’re worried about Wi-Fi Sense’s
security implications you can disable it by
heading to ‘Start > Settings > Network &
Internet > Wi-Fi > Manage Wi-Fi settings’.
Now disable all options and ask Windows 10
to forget any Wi-Fi networks you’ve signed
into in the past.
68 Customise the
Battery Saver
The Windows 10 Battery Saver
clamps down on background activities in
order to maximise your system’s battery.
You can enable it from under ‘Start >
Settings > System > Battery Saver’. It comes
online automatically when the charge drops
below 20%.
Battery Saver
The Windows 10 Battery Saver
clamps down on background activities in
order to maximise your system’s battery.
You can enable it from under ‘Start >
Settings > System > Battery Saver’. It comes
online automatically when the charge drops
below 20%.
69 ’God mode’
God Mode is a one-stop panel
that gathers all Control Panel commands
God Mode is a one-stop panel
that gathers all Control Panel commands
70 Customise
Sync settings
You can easily take charge of
the settings that synced from
the current installation to your
online account. Head over to
‘Start > Settings > Accounts >
Sync your settings’ and disable
any of the listed settings that
you don’t want to sync with
your Microsoft account.
within Windows 10. Create a folder on your
desktop named: GodMode.{ED7BA470-
8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}. Once
made, the folder will change to the Control
Panel icon and be rename to ‘GodMode’.
Sync settings
You can easily take charge of
the settings that synced from
the current installation to your
online account. Head over to
‘Start > Settings > Accounts >
Sync your settings’ and disable
any of the listed settings that
you don’t want to sync with
your Microsoft account.
within Windows 10. Create a folder on your
desktop named: GodMode.{ED7BA470-
8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}. Once
made, the folder will change to the Control
Panel icon and be rename to ‘GodMode’.
71 Use maximum CPU
You can make sure you are using the
maximum power of your main processor on
a desktop PC by heading to ‘Control Panel >
Hardware and Sound > Power Options. Here
click Change Advanced Power settings >
Processor power management > Minimum
processor state’ and change it to 100%.
You can make sure you are using the
maximum power of your main processor on
a desktop PC by heading to ‘Control Panel >
Hardware and Sound > Power Options. Here
click Change Advanced Power settings >
Processor power management > Minimum
processor state’ and change it to 100%.
72 Customise your
app notifications
Notifications from all the installed apps can
make you miss the real important ones. To
curb notifications head to ‘Start > Settings >
System > Notifications & action’. Scroll down
and selectively turn off apps that you don’t
want to hear from.
app notifications
Notifications from all the installed apps can
make you miss the real important ones. To
curb notifications head to ‘Start > Settings >
System > Notifications & action’. Scroll down
and selectively turn off apps that you don’t
want to hear from.
73 No automatic updates
By default some Windows updates
will automatically restart your computer to
finish installing. To put yourself in charge,
head to ‘Start > Settings > Updates and
Security > Windows Update > Advanced
Options’. Under the ‘Choose how updates
are installed’ pull-down menu, select the
‘Notify to schedule restart’ option.
By default some Windows updates
will automatically restart your computer to
finish installing. To put yourself in charge,
head to ‘Start > Settings > Updates and
Security > Windows Update > Advanced
Options’. Under the ‘Choose how updates
are installed’ pull-down menu, select the
‘Notify to schedule restart’ option.
74 Sch edule restarts
To continue working uninterrupted,
you can ask Windows 10 to delay applying
an update that requires a restart. Head to
‘Start > Settings > Updates & security’. If you
have an update pending, you can schedule
your reboot after selecting the ‘Select a
restart time’ radio button.
To continue working uninterrupted,
you can ask Windows 10 to delay applying
an update that requires a restart. Head to
‘Start > Settings > Updates & security’. If you
have an update pending, you can schedule
your reboot after selecting the ‘Select a
restart time’ radio button.
75 Get updates from
other sources
Windows 10 lets you download updates
from other computers on the network
and the internet using peer-to-peer
technology, rather than Microsoft directly.
To tinker with the setting, head to ‘Settings
> Update & Recovery > Windows Update
> Advanced Options > Choose’ how you
download updates.
other sources
Windows 10 lets you download updates
from other computers on the network
and the internet using peer-to-peer
technology, rather than Microsoft directly.
To tinker with the setting, head to ‘Settings
> Update & Recovery > Windows Update
> Advanced Options > Choose’ how you
download updates.
76 Remove old files
If you have no intentions of reverting
to the previous version of Windows, you can
save disk space by getting rid of the old OS
files. Head over to ‘Control Panel > System
and Security > Administrative Tools > Disk
Clean-up’ and toggle the ‘Previous Windows
installations’ box in the list.
If you have no intentions of reverting
to the previous version of Windows, you can
save disk space by getting rid of the old OS
files. Head over to ‘Control Panel > System
and Security > Administrative Tools > Disk
Clean-up’ and toggle the ‘Previous Windows
installations’ box in the list.
77 Customise
Privacy
settings
To take charge of general and
app-specific privacy options
head over to ‘Start > Settings >
Privacy’. From here you can
also individually define
which apps can access the
connected hardware like
Cameras and microphones.
Windows 10
100 hints & tips
Privacy
settings
To take charge of general and
app-specific privacy options
head over to ‘Start > Settings >
Privacy’. From here you can
also individually define
which apps can access the
connected hardware like
Cameras and microphones.
Windows 10
100 hints & tips
79 Setup Metered
connections
If you are connected to a mobile Wi-Fi
hotspot, you might want to configure it
as a metered connection to restrict your
data usage. Head over to ‘Notifications
> All settings > Network & Internet >
WiFi > Advanced options’ and under
‘Metered connection’ enable the ‘Set as
metered connection’ option.
connections
If you are connected to a mobile Wi-Fi
hotspot, you might want to configure it
as a metered connection to restrict your
data usage. Head over to ‘Notifications
> All settings > Network & Internet >
WiFi > Advanced options’ and under
‘Metered connection’ enable the ‘Set as
metered connection’ option.
80 Unlock your PC
with a fingerprint
Windows 10 includes a suite of new
biometric security features known as
Windows Hello. If you have the required
hardware then you can use fingerprint
detection or face recognition to log in.
Head to ‘Start > Settings > Accounts >
Sign-in’ options to explore the various
available options.
78 Find
the original
Control
Panel
The new Settings panel
is easy to navigate and is
easier to navigate than the
old Control Panel. But the
latter is still available and
comes in handy for accessing
advanced options. You can
find it under the [Win]+[X]
power user menu.
with a fingerprint
Windows 10 includes a suite of new
biometric security features known as
Windows Hello. If you have the required
hardware then you can use fingerprint
detection or face recognition to log in.
Head to ‘Start > Settings > Accounts >
Sign-in’ options to explore the various
available options.
78 Find
the original
Control
Panel
The new Settings panel
is easy to navigate and is
easier to navigate than the
old Control Panel. But the
latter is still available and
comes in handy for accessing
advanced options. You can
find it under the [Win]+[X]
power user menu.
81 Slide down the
desktop to sh utdown
Head to ‘Windows > System32’ and doubleclick
on the slidetoshutdown.exe program.
Performing this action from now on will
drop in your lock screen image from the top
and cover half of your screen. Just slide the
image to the bottom of your screen to shut
down your computer.
desktop to sh utdown
Head to ‘Windows > System32’ and doubleclick
on the slidetoshutdown.exe program.
Performing this action from now on will
drop in your lock screen image from the top
and cover half of your screen. Just slide the
image to the bottom of your screen to shut
down your computer.
82 Generate a
Battery Report
If you want to keep tabs on your laptop’s
battery level, launch the Administrative
command prompt and type the following
command powercfg -energy -output C:\
report.html. The command will analyse the
battery status and create a Power Efficiency
Diagnostics Report in the root directory of
the C: drive.
Battery Report
If you want to keep tabs on your laptop’s
battery level, launch the Administrative
command prompt and type the following
command powercfg -energy -output C:\
report.html. The command will analyse the
battery status and create a Power Efficiency
Diagnostics Report in the root directory of
the C: drive.
83 Disable data
collection
To prevent your computer from
communicating with Microsoft HQ, type
services in the Start menu search bar
to bring up the Services Management
console. Now find and disable the services
named ‘Diagnostics Tracking Service’ and
‘dmwappushsvc’. You’re done.
collection
To prevent your computer from
communicating with Microsoft HQ, type
services in the Start menu search bar
to bring up the Services Management
console. Now find and disable the services
named ‘Diagnostics Tracking Service’ and
‘dmwappushsvc’. You’re done.
84 Improved Registry
Editor
If you use the Registry Editor, Windows 10
now lets you navigate the quintessential
power user app with ease. You can now
jump between the same entries under
the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_
CURRENT_USER hives using a special
context-menu entry.
Editor
If you use the Registry Editor, Windows 10
now lets you navigate the quintessential
power user app with ease. You can now
jump between the same entries under
the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_
CURRENT_USER hives using a special
context-menu entry.
85 Create a recovery disc
Plug in a USB drive and head to
‘Start > Settings’ and type recovery in the
Find a setting textbox and select the ‘Create
a recovery drive’ option. This will launch
a wizard which wipes the USB drive and
transforms it into a recovery drive.
Plug in a USB drive and head to
‘Start > Settings’ and type recovery in the
Find a setting textbox and select the ‘Create
a recovery drive’ option. This will launch
a wizard which wipes the USB drive and
transforms it into a recovery drive.
86 Side load
Windows
apps
Just like Android, Windows 10
now lets you install Windows
apps from other sources besides
the Windows Store. To enable
this action, simply head over to
‘Start > Settings > Update &
security > For developers’ and
click the ‘Sideload app’ option.
Windows
apps
Just like Android, Windows 10
now lets you install Windows
apps from other sources besides
the Windows Store. To enable
this action, simply head over to
‘Start > Settings > Update &
security > For developers’ and
click the ‘Sideload app’ option.
tool. Click the ‘System Image Backup’ link
in the lower-left corner to start a wizard;
this lets you select the destination drive for
storing the backup image.
in the lower-left corner to start a wizard;
this lets you select the destination drive for
storing the backup image.
87 Decrease
effects
If you are running Windows 10 on
a resource strapped machine,
you can squeeze more
performance by turning down
the bling. Head to ‘Control Panel
> System and Security > System’
and click ‘Advanced system
settings’. Now click ‘Settings’
under the Performance section
and customise the effects.
Advanced
tricks
effects
If you are running Windows 10 on
a resource strapped machine,
you can squeeze more
performance by turning down
the bling. Head to ‘Control Panel
> System and Security > System’
and click ‘Advanced system
settings’. Now click ‘Settings’
under the Performance section
and customise the effects.
Advanced
tricks
88 Create a system image
Head to ‘Start > Settings’ and type
file in the textbox and select the ‘File History’
Head to ‘Start > Settings’ and type
file in the textbox and select the ‘File History’
89 Restart Explorer
To quickly apply changes that require
restarting the computer, launch the Task
manager by right-clicking on the taskbar.
Click the ‘More Details’ button and under
the ‘Processes’ tab look for an entry named
‘Windows Explorer’. Then right-click on it
and select ‘Restart’.
To quickly apply changes that require
restarting the computer, launch the Task
manager by right-clicking on the taskbar.
Click the ‘More Details’ button and under
the ‘Processes’ tab look for an entry named
‘Windows Explorer’. Then right-click on it
and select ‘Restart’.
90 Change the location
of Edge’s Downloads
To force the Edge browser to use a
custom Downloads folder, head to
the Registry Editor and navigate to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\
Classes\Local Settings\Software\
Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\
AppContainer\Storage\microsoft.
microsoftedge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\
MicrosoftEdge\Main key. Create a new
String named ‘Default Download Directory’
and set its value to the path of the new
folder, such as D:\Downloads.
of Edge’s Downloads
To force the Edge browser to use a
custom Downloads folder, head to
the Registry Editor and navigate to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\
Classes\Local Settings\Software\
Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\
AppContainer\Storage\microsoft.
microsoftedge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\
MicrosoftEdge\Main key. Create a new
String named ‘Default Download Directory’
and set its value to the path of the new
folder, such as D:\Downloads.
91 Stream media across
the network
Go to ‘Control Panel > Network and Internet
> Network and Sharing Center’ and click on
‘Change advance sharing settings’. Then go
to All Network section and click the ‘Choose
media streaming options’ link and turn on
media sharing.
the network
Go to ‘Control Panel > Network and Internet
> Network and Sharing Center’ and click on
‘Change advance sharing settings’. Then go
to All Network section and click the ‘Choose
media streaming options’ link and turn on
media sharing.
92 Streamline the
Navigation Pane
To remove the OneDrive link in Windows
Explorer launch the registry editor and head
over to the key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\
CLSID\{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-
224DE2ED1FE6}. Then in the right-side
pane, change the value of the System.
IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree variable to ‘0’.
Navigation Pane
To remove the OneDrive link in Windows
Explorer launch the registry editor and head
over to the key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\
CLSID\{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-
224DE2ED1FE6}. Then in the right-side
pane, change the value of the System.
IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree variable to ‘0’.
93 Modify Windows
update policy
If you want to always be notified of an
impending Windows update, you can
change the setting in the Registry Editor.
Launch regedit and head to the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\
Policies\Microsoft\Windows key. Here create
a new key under Windows key and set its
name as WindowsUpdate. Then create
another new key under WindowsUpdate
key named AU. Here create a new DWORD
named AUOptions and set its value to ‘2’.
Lastly click ‘Check for updates’ in Windows
Update to bring the changes into effect.
update policy
If you want to always be notified of an
impending Windows update, you can
change the setting in the Registry Editor.
Launch regedit and head to the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\
Policies\Microsoft\Windows key. Here create
a new key under Windows key and set its
name as WindowsUpdate. Then create
another new key under WindowsUpdate
key named AU. Here create a new DWORD
named AUOptions and set its value to ‘2’.
Lastly click ‘Check for updates’ in Windows
Update to bring the changes into effect.
94 Restore the previous
Volume Control UI
To bring back the vertical volume lever
in the system tray, simply bring up the
Registry Editor and head over to the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\
Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\
key. Then create a new key named MTCUVC
and under it create a new DWORD named
EnableMtcUvc and set its value to ‘0’. The
volume control UI will be restored.
Volume Control UI
To bring back the vertical volume lever
in the system tray, simply bring up the
Registry Editor and head over to the
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\
Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\
key. Then create a new key named MTCUVC
and under it create a new DWORD named
EnableMtcUvc and set its value to ‘0’. The
volume control UI will be restored.
95 Monitor
with Task
Manager
Windows 10 also includes an
improved Task Manager with
a better layout and easily
digestible information and
useful graphs. Familiarise
yourself with the Task Manager
to monitor the resources of
your PC and to terminate
unresponsive processes.
with Task
Manager
Windows 10 also includes an
improved Task Manager with
a better layout and easily
digestible information and
useful graphs. Familiarise
yourself with the Task Manager
to monitor the resources of
your PC and to terminate
unresponsive processes.
96 Disable
new battery
flyout
To bring back the old battery
display in the taskbar, head to
the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\ImmersiveShell
key in the Registry Editor. Here
create a new DWORD named
UseWin32BatteryFlyout and set
its value to 1.
new battery
flyout
To bring back the old battery
display in the taskbar, head to
the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\ImmersiveShell
key in the Registry Editor. Here
create a new DWORD named
UseWin32BatteryFlyout and set
its value to 1.
97 Create a local
account
If you don’t want the benefits of OneDrive
synchronised account, you can create a
standalone offline account. Head to ‘Start
> Settings > Accounts’ and click the ‘Sign in
with a local account instead’ link.
98 Speed up app
launch es at boot
On a super-fast machine you can disable
the artificial app startup delay. Launch
regedit and navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_
USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer. Right click
Explorer, select ‘New > Key’, and name it
Serialize. Under this key, simply create a
DWORD value called StartupDelayInMSec
and set it to ‘0’.
launch es at boot
On a super-fast machine you can disable
the artificial app startup delay. Launch
regedit and navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_
USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer. Right click
Explorer, select ‘New > Key’, and name it
Serialize. Under this key, simply create a
DWORD value called StartupDelayInMSec
and set it to ‘0’.
99 Customise the Power
Us er menu
To reorganise and or remove entries
go to ‘C:\Users\<username>\AppData\
Local\Microsoft\Windows\WinX’. Here
you’ll notice three folders that house
entries for the Power User menu. You
can move them around or remove them
to suit your workflow.
Us er menu
To reorganise and or remove entries
go to ‘C:\Users\<username>\AppData\
Local\Microsoft\Windows\WinX’. Here
you’ll notice three folders that house
entries for the Power User menu. You
can move them around or remove them
to suit your workflow.
100 Enable the
Admin acc ount
By default, the built-in Administrator
account is hidden to users. To enable
it, launch the Command Prompt
as Administrator and type net user
administrator /active:yes. Now logout to
see the newly added Administrator account
on the login screen.
Admin acc ount
By default, the built-in Administrator
account is hidden to users. To enable
it, launch the Command Prompt
as Administrator and type net user
administrator /active:yes. Now logout to
see the newly added Administrator account
on the login screen.
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