Windows 11 is the latest system from Microsoft. In addition, it has brought important changes. These go beyond the interface and the design of the system. In fact, Microsoft has introduced other improvements that affect the functions, performance, stability, and security of the operating system. However, this has required a significant increase in the minimum requirements. The arrival of Windows 11 took place in October last year. Therefore, it is very likely that you have been using it for some time. Consequently, you are probably familiar with it and know a lot about it. However, there are some hidden features that you may not be aware of. Read on to find out 11 secret features of Windows 11.
Some useful features of Windows 11 are not in sight
These secret or hidden functions of Windows 11 will make our life easier. Furthermore, if you have any questions, just let us know in the comments. Moreover, if you know any other function, you can share it with us.
Windows 11 introduces new keyboard shortcuts
Those new keyboard shortcuts introduced by Windows 11 are quite useful. Especially when working with multiple windows or multiple instances of the web browser. On the other hand, others also allow direct access to such important things as settings, widgets, or notifications. Next, I show you 6 new keyboard shortcuts present in Windows 11.
- Win key + Alt + Up arrow: the active window moves to the upper half of the screen.
- Windows key + Alt + Down arrow: the active window moves to the lower half of the screen.
- Win key + A: takes you directly to the quick system settings.
- Windows key + W: with this shortcut, we open the widget’s menu.
- Win key + N: it is a shortcut to see the history of notifications.
- Windows key + C: it allows us to open the Microsoft Teams chat application.
Restores the old context menu completely.
One of the changes that generated more controversy with the arrival of Windows 11 was the modification of the contextual menu. That is, the one displayed when right-clicking the mouse. It is well known that in Windows 11 it shows fewer options than in Windows 10. On the other hand, to access all these functions, it is necessary to click on the Show more options button. However, we can bring back the classic menu. Let’s see how to do it:
- Left-click on the icon or folder you want to select.
- Now, instead of right-clicking, press shift+ F10 on your keyboard.
- This will directly open the classic context menu that you would get when right-clicking in Windows 10.
- On the other hand, it is also possible to recover the classic menu by modifying the Windows registry. However, here I prefer to share this trick because it is more secure.
Access to the secret Windows 11 start menu.
With Windows 11, Microsoft also changed the Start menu. However, this change was not entirely well received. In fact, even today, it continues to generate some discomfort among users. Look, many users are still not fully adapted. However, all is not lost. In fact, we will be able to access a sort of secret menu that will make everything easier. There are a couple of ways to open it.
- Press the Windows key and the X key simultaneously.
- Right-click on the Start menu icon.
Minimize all windows at once, except the one you are using.
Working with many windows open can help us to be more productive. However, it can also be chaotic. Occasionally, it is necessary to reduce the number of windows on the screen to focus on one of them. It can be a tedious task to do this manually and individually. We will then take advantage of a secret function.
This way, you will be able to minimize all the windows that are open on your computer, and leave only the active one. Suppose you have several web pages open for a job. Then, if you want to focus on writing it without being distracted by anything, you can hide all these advantages at once. To use this function, just use the shortcut Windows key + Start (Home key).
There is another way to activate this function through the Windows 11 setup menu. But it is so tedious and complicated, that it is not worth commenting on it.
Moving the start menu and taskbar to the left.
The change of both elements to a central position was another of Microsoft’s decisions that did not end up pleasing users. Therefore, we will now see how to easily return them to the left. Here’s what you need to do:
- Press the Windows key + I to open the configuration menu.
- Go to Personalization > Taskbar Behavior.
- Click on the left option to determine the alignment of the taskbar.
- Done, the taskbar and the start menu will return to the same position they both had in Windows 10.
You can revert this change at any time by repeating the steps provided. Only now, you choose the Center option.
Disable widgets and chat in Windows 11
They are certainly two key features within Windows 11. However, for many users, they do not provide a fascinating value. Moreover, they can end up consuming valuable resources. In case you do not use these elements, you can disable them. This way you can even improve system performance. Let’s see how to do it.
- Press the Windows key + I to open the configuration menu.
- Go to Personalization > Taskbar.
- Seek the option to enable/disable widgets and chat. You will only need to disable both.
As in the previous case, you can reverse this by repeating the process and checking the option to activate these two functions.
Okay, so we have seen 6 hidden features of Windows 11. As you can see, they are features that will improve your experience with the system. See you later!
