5 helpful Home windows 11 options I at all times allow first on a brand new PC

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

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

new laptop
, and it acquired me enthusiastic about all of the options I have to allow that Microsoft does not activate by default.

Home windows 11 presents a big selection of person options and

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

5

Finish activity for the Taskbar

No extra struggling to open Process Supervisor

Pocket-lint / Microsoft

It drives me completely bonkers after 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 taking a look at a frozen recreation or program that will not shut. Normally, you would need to hit Ctrl+Alt+Delete, open the Process Supervisor, and shut it from there.

Fortunately, there is a a lot simpler approach to do that, with out struggling to open the Process Supervisor. You possibly can allow a characteristic 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 Process possibility. If a program freezes on you and does not crash, now you can finish it by merely right-clicking it within the Taskbar and deciding on Finish activity as a substitute of Shut window. This must be a characteristic 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 presents

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 in a roundabout way (taking a look at 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 if you happen to 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 recordsdata. It is properly price using that cupboard space, as it may well make fixing your PC within the occasion of a nasty replace a lot simpler.

To seek out System Restore, seek for it in Home windows search and choose “Create a restore level.” You will see all of the drives you possibly can create restore factors from there. For those who create a restore level however need to delete it to avoid wasting area, you are able to do so from the identical display screen by deciding on 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 alternative file varieties every day, whether or not they’re JPEGs, PNGs, PDFs, or Photoshop recordsdata. Nevertheless, typically within the File Explorer menu, it may be exhausting to tell apart amongst them. That is the place this optionally available Home windows characteristic 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 each one your recordsdata 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 in case you are savvy with Home windows, that is extremely helpful for shortly deciphering what file kind you’re coping with. As somebody who captures and edits a whole lot of pictures for work, this can be a must-have Home windows characteristic.

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2

Clipboard Historical past

Discover any hyperlinks or textual content you have copied immediately

Pocket-lint / Microsoft

I ship quite a lot of hyperlinks to individuals all through the day, and one Home windows 11 characteristic that makes it simpler to view all of them is Clipboard Historical past. This characteristic isn’t enabled by default, nevertheless it saves your clipboard historical past, permitting you to shortly retrieve any hyperlinks or textual content you have copied and pasted in the course of the day.

To allow this helpful characteristic, go to System > Clipboard > Clipboard Historical past. Alternatively, you possibly can deliver up the Clipboard Menu and activate Clipboard Historical past by urgent the Home windows Key + V.

Upon getting turned it on, any hyperlinks or textual content you will have copied will likely be listed in your Clipboard Menu, enabling you to repeat them once more or view them. I’ve used this many occasions 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 simple to delete your historical past as properly; merely click on the Clear all button within the Clipboard Menu.

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1

Routinely disguise your Taskbar

Solely see your Taskbar once you want it

Pocket-lint / Microsoft

I am going to admit this characteristic is extremely area of interest, however as somebody who makes use of a QD-OLED monitor every single day, burning my Taskbar into the display screen is the very last thing I need to cope with. Home windows presents a characteristic that lets you routinely disguise your Taskbar when it isn’t in use. Not solely is that this aesthetically pleasing, nevertheless it additionally helps stop display screen burn-in.

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

Here is one other bonus characteristic to take a look at: if you happen to don’t love your Taskbar centered, you possibly can change it again to the left, just like previous variations of Home windows. From that very same Taskbar behaviors settings display screen, search for Taskbar alignment and alter it to Left. I personally favor the centralized Taskbar, so I stored it enabled.

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