Windows tricks to master your PC like an expert

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If you've been using Windows for years but feel like the system does whatever it wants, don't worry: you're not alone. With a few well-chosen tricks, you can tame Windows 10 and Windows 11 , gain speed, eliminate annoyances, and, incidentally, finally feel like you're in control.

In the following lines, we'll compile and reorganize the best tips, hidden features, shortcuts, and practical settings for Windows 10 and Windows 11: from the famous God Mode to Copilot, including virtual desktops, advanced clipboards, keyboard shortcuts, mouse tricks, privacy, productivity, and personalization. Get ready, because by the time you're finished, your passive-aggressive PC is going to start cooperating a lot more.

Copilot, widgets, and fast productivity in Windows 11

With Windows 11, Microsoft has given the interface a significant facelift and integrated Copilot as an AI assistant into the system . You don't need to install anything: simply open Copilot from the taskbar or using its shortcut and start typing or speaking to it.

This assistant lets you generate creative texts, summarize documents, ask for explanations, create images, and search for information without opening your browser. Combined with your usual applications, Copilot can save you a lot of time when you need to quickly research something or prepare content.

Another new feature in Windows 11 is widgets, a panel where you can see information and shortcuts to different applications at a glance . Ideally, you should only keep what you actually use: weather, calendar, tasks, filtered news, notes, etc.

To adjust widgets, right-click on the taskbar, go to Taskbar settings, and enable Widgets . Then open them from the taskbar or with Windows+W, remove any unnecessary widgets, and add new ones using the gear icon and the Discover widgets option.

If you want to make things even more efficient, in Windows 11 it's very useful to pin the programs you use daily (browser, office suite, work apps, etc.) to the taskbar. Just right-click on the open application and choose "Show more options > Pin to taskbar".

Keyboard shortcuts, mouse shortcuts, and hidden features that save you time

Most users stick to the basics, but Windows 10 and 11 are packed with keyboard shortcuts and mouse gestures that speed up any task. They reduce mouse usage, prevent repetitive movements, and improve your comfort while working.

Among the classic productivity shortcuts are Alt+Tab to switch windows, Alt+F4 to close the current app, and Shift+Delete to delete a file directly without going to the trash. They're simple, but once you've mastered them, you'll wonder why you weren't using them before.

Windows 11 adds some neat tricks, like raising or lowering the volume with the mouse wheel : place the cursor over the volume icon in the taskbar and scroll the wheel. If that doesn't work, check in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Mouse that you have enabled the option to scroll inactive windows when you hover the mouse over them.

Don't forget that Microsoft maintains a very extensive list of official shortcuts for almost everything : open Settings with Win+I, open Task View with Win+Tab, create virtual desktops with Win+Ctrl+D, navigate between them with Win+Ctrl+Arrows, and so on. The more shortcuts you memorize, the more you'll notice the boost in productivity.

On computers with a precise touchpad, Windows 10 also allows three- or four-finger gestures on the touchpad to open Cortana, the Action Center, or switch desktops . These gestures are configured in Settings > Devices > Touchpad and are very convenient when working without an external mouse.

Advanced multitasking: Snap, virtual desktops, and window management

If you often work with many windows open, Windows offers several multitasking tools designed to keep everything organized without wasting time dragging things by hand.

In Windows 11, the Snap Layouts feature lets you arrange multiple applications on the screen using predefined layouts (two halves, three columns, grids, etc.). Simply hover your mouse over the maximize button of any window or right-click on it and choose the layout you want; then fill in the gaps with your other applications.

If you don't see this feature, check in Settings > System > Multitasking that Snap Windows is enabled . Windows 10 offers a similar function using Win+Arrows to snap windows to the left, right, or corners.

Another very useful tool is "Shake Title Bar ," a feature inherited from previous versions of Windows. If you have too many windows open, click on the title bar of the window you want to minimize and shake it with your mouse: all the others will minimize . This feature can also be accessed from Settings > System > Multitasking.

Virtual desktops are now essential in both Windows 10 and Windows 11. They allow you to separate your workspace by context : one for work, another for studies, another for leisure, and another for games . They are managed from the Task View (Win+Tab), where you can create a new desktop, rename it, and move windows onto it.

In Windows 11, this feature has been further refined: you can open Task View, click "New desktop" (+), give it a name and a different background , and organize your apps on each one. To switch between desktops, use Win+Ctrl+Left/Right Arrow, and to close them, use Win+Ctrl+F4 or the close button in Task View.

Clipboard, dictation, and narrator: write and read effortlessly

Copying and pasting is an everyday task, but in Windows you can go far beyond the classic Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V. For several versions now, the system has included a clipboard history that saves everything you copy so you can reuse it whenever you want.

To activate it, go to Settings > System > Clipboard and enable Clipboard history . From then on, when you press Windows+V, a panel will open with the most recently copied text and images so you can reuse them without having to search for them again.

If you often write long texts, you'll also be interested in voice dictation in Windows 11 using Windows+H . A box will appear at the top, and everything you say will be converted into text with considerable accuracy, in several languages. It's perfect for drafting emails, documents, or notes without constantly typing away on the keyboard.

On the other hand, Windows 10 includes an emergency on-screen keyboard that can get you out of a bind if your physical keyboard fails (for example, after a poorly placed cup of coffee). It's activated with Windows+Ctrl+O, and although it's slower, it allows you to continue working or enter your login password.

If you have vision problems or work long hours in front of a screen, the system also offers Narrator , a built-in screen reader that reads the content on the screen . It's activated with Windows+Ctrl+Enter, and you can adjust the speed and voice. Microsoft Edge also has a Read Aloud mode (Ctrl+Shift+G in some cases) that reads documents and web pages aloud to you.

Windows Update, restarts, and focus mode

Another common battleground with Windows is automatic updates and untimely restarts . Luckily, these can be somewhat tamed so they don't interrupt your work or hog your connection.

In Windows 11, going to Settings > Windows Update lets you enable automatic updates and set active update times to reduce the chances of your computer restarting in the middle of something important. Within Advanced options, you can adjust the times when the system is typically in use.

Windows 10 also allows you to schedule restarts : in Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Advanced options, you can change how updates are installed and have the system notify you to schedule the restart at a time that suits you best.

If you often use slow connections or mobile data, you can mark your Wi-Fi network as a "metered connection" to delay the download of large updates . This option is located in Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > Advanced options, and it's very useful for avoiding using up your data allowance.

When you really need to concentrate, both Windows 10 and Windows 11 offer a Focus mode that reduces notifications and distractions . In Windows 11, you can configure it in Settings > System > Focus, where you can adjust the session duration, which notifications are allowed, and whether you want it to activate automatically.

In Windows 10, the equivalent is "No Notifications" or Focus Assist , accessible from the Action Center. You can activate it from the corresponding icon, and in the settings, you can decide when notifications are displayed and from which applications.

Action center, quick actions, and practical widgets

Many users overlook the potential of the Action Center (Windows 10) or Notification Center (Windows 11) . Besides viewing app notifications, you can access a set of quick actions here to activate Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, airplane mode, focus mode, and more.

In Windows 10, these quick actions are customized from Settings > System > Notifications & actions . There you can choose which icons appear first and the order in which they are displayed; the rest will remain hidden until you expand the panel.

In Windows 11, the Action Center has been redesigned: clicking the network, volume, or battery icons opens a compact panel with controls for connectivity, sound, brightness, and shortcuts . From there, using the pencil icon, you can add or remove shortcuts as needed.

The widget panel complements all of this by offering a separate space with real-time information (weather, sports, stock market, tasks, calendar, etc.). If you've never used it, it's worth clearing out junk news and keeping only what's truly useful to you.

File search and God mode in Windows

Finding a specific file in a sea of ​​folders can be a nightmare. Although Windows' built-in search has improved, many people use the free tool Everything, which indexes the entire disk and allows you to locate files by name almost instantly . Simply type a few letters and all matching results appear.

But if you want centralized access to all the system's advanced configuration options , then the famous God Mode is for you. It's a hidden panel that groups system settings, administrative tools, hardware options, customization, and much more.

To enable it in Windows 10 or 11, create a new folder on your desktop and rename it GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} (it can also be called God Mode.{…}). Upon clicking OK, the icon will change, and when you open it, you'll see a huge list of tools organized by category.

Another little-known trick is the secret application directory . Open File Explorer and type Shell:AppsFolder in the address bar. This will open a virtual directory with all your installed apps (including modern apps), from which you can launch them, pin them to the Start menu or taskbar, and even uninstall them.

If you prefer to have only certain settings readily available, remember that almost any configuration item or folder can be pinned to the Start menu by right-clicking > “Pin to Start”, creating a mosaic of shortcuts entirely to your liking.

Privacy, accounts, PINs and security access

Windows 10, in particular, is quite talkative out of the box. During installation, if you choose the quick option, the system configures itself to share a lot of usage, location, and diagnostic information . If you already have it installed, you can still review all of this.

Go to Settings > Privacy and take a few minutes to decide what data you want to share and what permissions you grant to each app : camera, microphone, contacts, calendar, location, activity history, etc. It's better to do this carefully than to leave everything at the default settings.

For login, Windows 10 and 11 allow you to protect your account with a numeric PIN , making access faster and more convenient. In Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options, you can configure this PIN, as well as other methods such as fingerprint, facial recognition, or a security key.

If you use a home computer without sensitive information and live alone, you could even disable the username and password prompt when starting Windows . This is done using the "netplwiz" tool (type it in the Start menu) by unchecking the box that requires credentials. Only do this if you truly don't need security.

Another important layer of control is the management of default applications . From Settings > System > Default apps, or by right-clicking any file and selecting "Open with...", you can decide which program opens each file type. This is ideal for replacing a PDF viewer, browser, or media player that you don't like.

OneDrive, sync, mail, calendar and contacts

Since Windows 8.1, Microsoft has integrated OneDrive into the operating system so you can sync files and share folders in the cloud without using a web browser . In Windows 10 and 11, OneDrive appears in File Explorer as a regular folder.

To share a folder, simply right-click on it within the OneDrive directory and select the share option ; a link will be generated that you can send to the appropriate person. In the advanced options, you can decide who can access it and with what permissions.

If you're not happy with the location where OneDrive saves your folder, you can unlink the account from the OneDrive icon in the system tray, move the folder to another location, and set it up again . In the setup wizard, choose the new location, and you're all set.

Windows 10 also includes simple Mail, Calendar, and Contacts apps that integrate with your Microsoft account, but allow you to add others like Gmail, Yahoo, or iCloud. Just go to the settings gear icon in each app, select "Manage accounts," and click "Add account."

Once your Google account is synced, for example, you can see all the events from your Gmail calendar in the Windows Calendar (make sure the Calendar option is enabled in the sync settings) and have a centralized contact list that syncs across devices.

Personalization: Home, colors, backgrounds, and lock screen

Windows offers plenty of room to customize the system's appearance to better suit your tastes and workflow . The Windows 10 Start menu, for example, blends the classic program list with a fully configurable panel of live tiles.

You can drag the icons with your mouse to rearrange them, resize them, or turn off live info by right-clicking, as well as create new sections and rename them. More options for adjusting what appears in the menu are available in Settings > Personalization > Home.

In Windows 11, live tiles disappear in favor of a cleaner Start menu where you can pin your favorite apps . From the app list, right-click > "Pin to Start" and then drag to arrange them in your preferred order. Unpinning is just as simple.

In the colors section, Windows 10 lets you choose an accent color for the taskbar, Start menu, and some windows . You can let it match the wallpaper or choose a specific color from Settings > Personalization > Colors.

If you like to change your background often, you can create a slideshow as a dynamic background . Right-click on the desktop > Personalization > Background, choose "Slideshow," and select the folder with the images you want to rotate. You can define how often it changes.

The lock screen is also customizable. From Settings > Personalization > Lock screen, you can choose a static image, a slideshow, or the content from Windows Spotlight , and decide which apps display quick information (calendar, email, etc.).

For those most protective of their visual privacy, there's even the curious option of creating an invisible folder on the desktop : simply change its icon to a transparent one and name it the blank character Alt+0160. This gives you a "black hole" where you can store discreet items, as long as you remember where it is.

System tools: screenshots, performance, and storage

Taking screenshots is something we do far more often than we realize. Windows offers several shortcuts: Print Screen copies the screen to the clipboard, Alt+Print Screen captures only the active window, and Win+Print Screen saves the image directly to Pictures/Screenshots.

If you frequently use Win+Print Screen, your screenshots might end up as “Screenshot (999).png”. There's a trick to reset the screenshot counter by editing the registry: in regedit, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer, find ScreenshotIndex, and set its value to 1. The next screenshot will then be number 1 again.

The Task Manager in Windows 10 and 11 isn't just for closing unresponsive programs: the Performance tab lets you view real-time graphs of CPU, memory, disk, network, and GPU usage . It's very useful for identifying bottlenecks or applications that are consuming a lot of resources.

In Settings > System > Storage, you'll find a visual disk usage analyzer . Clicking on your main drive will show you how much space applications, documents, images, the system, etc., are taking up, and you can go into each section to clean up what you don't need.

Windows 10 also includes an offline map system : from the Maps app, in Settings > Offline maps, you can download maps by region to consult them even without an internet connection.

Maps, Edge, PDFs, and other useful everyday tricks

In terms of browsing, Microsoft Edge has improved over time, but it can sometimes become cluttered with history, extensions, or passwords you no longer use . To reset it, go to Settings > Clear browsing data, tap "Show more," and select exactly what you want to delete (cookies, history, passwords, cache, etc.).

Another very practical but often overlooked feature is the built-in PDF printing in Windows 10 and 11. In any application that allows printing, press Ctrl+P and choose "Microsoft Print to PDF" as your printer. Instead of printing on paper, a PDF file will be generated in the location of your choice.

If you use your PC a lot for both leisure and work, the Windows 10 timeline or task view can help you pick up where you left off. From the dedicated button on the taskbar (or Win+Tab), you can see not only the current windows but also documents and apps used in the last 30 days, all arranged chronologically.

For those who spend half their lives between PC and mobile, the "Phone Companion" app (or "Mobile Link" in newer versions) lets you sync photos, messages, notifications, and even some apps between your smartphone and computer . This way, you can centralize everything without constantly switching devices.

And if you're feeling nostalgic, the classic Solitaire game is still available in Windows 10, updated as Microsoft Solitaire Collection . It's not very prominent: just go to Start and type "solitaire" to find it, and if you want, you can pin it to the Start menu or taskbar.

With this arsenal of tricks, shortcuts, hidden panels, and customization options, Windows 10 and Windows 11 cease to be a system that drags you along and become a tool fine-tuned to your liking : you automate tasks, control when it updates, take advantage of the cloud, reduce distractions, organize work by desktops, and, above all, make your day-to-day life smoother and less frustrating in front of the computer.