5 helpful Home windows 11 options I all the time allow first on a brand new PC

Not too way back, after upgrading my PC’s CPU and motherboard, I carried out a recent set up of

Windows 11
. I normally undergo this course of yearly or two, or anytime I arrange a

new laptop
, and it bought me occupied with all of the options I have to allow that Microsoft would not activate by default.

Home windows 11 provides a big selection of person options and

customization options
. Understandably, many of those options will not be enabled by default; nonetheless, they are often fairly useful for on a regular basis duties. At any time when I arrange a brand new Home windows 11 desktop or laptop computer, these are the 5 options I allow first to reinforce my expertise.

5

Finish activity for the Taskbar

No extra struggling to open Activity Supervisor

Pocket-lint / Microsoft

It drives me completely bonkers once I’m taking part in a recreation, and it freezes as a substitute of simply crashing to the desktop. Then, when I attempt to shut this system by clicking the X button to kill it, nothing occurs, and I am caught a frozen recreation or program that will not shut. Often, you would need to hit Ctrl+Alt+Delete, open the Activity Supervisor, and shut it from there.

Fortunately, there is a a lot simpler approach to do that, with out struggling to open the Activity Supervisor. You’ll be able to allow a function that permits you to finish duties proper from the Taskbar. It is game-changing, actually. All it’s a must to do is go to Settings > System > For Builders and allow the Finish Activity possibility. If a program freezes on you and would not crash, now you can finish it by merely right-clicking it within the Taskbar and choosing Finish activity as a substitute of Shut window. This needs to be a function that Home windows permits by default sooner or later.

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4

System Restore

Save your PC after a rogue replace

Pocket-lint / Microsoft

Whereas Microsoft now provides

Windows Backup
, which lets you retailer your PC settings within the cloud, having a manually saved restore level also can present peace of thoughts, particularly if a Home windows Replace negatively impacts your PC indirectly ( you, 24H2).

System Restore first debuted with Home windows ME (Millennium Version) in 2000 and has been a part of each Home windows launch since then. This legacy system recovery tool enables you to create a restore level to which you’ll be able to revert again to for those who encounter any points with Home windows sooner or later. Bear in mind that it does take up cupboard space, because it saves your system and registry settings together with some private information. It is effectively price using that cupboard space, as it may well make fixing your PC within the occasion of a nasty replace a lot simpler.

To search out System Restore, seek for it in Home windows search and choose “Create a restore level.” You will see all of the drives you may create restore factors from there. In the event you create a restore level however need to delete it to avoid wasting house, you are able to do so from the identical display by choosing configure.

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3

View file extensions in File Explorer

By no means be confused about file varieties

Pocket-lint / Microsoft

I cope with many various file varieties every day, whether or not they’re JPEGs, PNGs, PDFs, or Photoshop information. Nonetheless, generally within the File Explorer menu, it may be onerous to tell apart amongst them. That is the place this non-compulsory Home windows function comes into play, permitting you to view file extensions in File Explorer.

To allow this, go to File Explorer > View > Present > File Extensions. When you flip it on, you’ll instantly discover that every one your information now have their file kind listed on the finish of their names. Microsoft in all probability doesn’t allow this by default to keep away from complicated newer customers, however if you’re savvy with Home windows, that is extremely useful for rapidly deciphering what file kind you might be coping with. As somebody who captures and edits lots of of photographs for work, this can be a must-have Home windows function.

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2

Clipboard Historical past

Discover any hyperlinks or textual content you’ve got copied immediately

Pocket-lint / Microsoft

I ship a wide range of hyperlinks to individuals all through the day, and one Home windows 11 function that makes it simpler to view all of them is Clipboard Historical past. This function shouldn’t be enabled by default, but it surely saves your clipboard historical past, permitting you to rapidly retrieve any hyperlinks or textual content you’ve got copied and pasted throughout the day.

To allow this useful function, go to System > Clipboard > Clipboard Historical past. Alternatively, you may convey up the Clipboard Menu and activate Clipboard Historical past by urgent the Home windows Key + V.

After you have turned it on, any hyperlinks or textual content you could have copied might be listed in your Clipboard Menu, enabling you to repeat them once more or view them. I’ve used this many instances to discover a hyperlink I copied earlier within the day, and I discover it a lot faster than checking my Google Chrome historical past to retrieve a hyperlink I needed to revisit. It is easy to delete your historical past as effectively; merely click on the Clear all button within the Clipboard Menu.

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1

Mechanically disguise your Taskbar

Solely see your Taskbar if you want it

Pocket-lint / Microsoft

I am going to admit this function is extremely area of interest, however as somebody who makes use of a QD-OLED monitor daily, burning my Taskbar into the display is the very last thing I need to cope with. Home windows provides a function that means that you can robotically disguise your Taskbar when it is not in use. Not solely is that this aesthetically pleasing, but it surely additionally helps forestall display burn-in.

To allow this, head to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar behaviors > Mechanically disguise the taskbar. As soon as it is activated, your taskbar will disappear. However don’t be concerned; all that you must do to make it reappear is both hit the Home windows key or hover your mouse close to the underside of the display.

This is one other bonus function to take a look at: for those who don’t love your Taskbar centered, you may change it again to the left, just like previous variations of Home windows. From that very same Taskbar behaviors settings display, search for Taskbar alignment and alter it to Left. I personally favor the centralized Taskbar, so I saved it enabled.

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