18 Hidden Windows Features You Probably Didn’t Know About

If you think you know Windows inside and out, think again!

I bet there’s a few awesome features you’re missing out on.

After spending way too many years in front of these machines, I’ve uncovered some gems that can make your life easier.

Let’s dig in.

GodMode

This classic trick still works in Windows 11, giving you a super control panel with tons of settings.

It’s great for quickly accessing settings without digging through menus.

Make a new folder on your desktop and rename it:  GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

Bam, you’ve got a control panel on steroids – every Windows setting in one spot.

Secret Start Menu

Wanna feel like a power user? Hold down the Windows key and press X.

It provides quick access to advanced system tools like Event Viewer, Device Manager, Command Prompt, and more.

This is my go-to shortcut for quick access to power user tools.

Bonus: Press Win+X then hit “M“. This opens up Device Manager. You’re practically an IT pro.

Try Win+X followed by U, then U again. Your computer instantly shuts down.

No more clicking through menus. It’s one my favorite shortcut to quickly power off my computer.

Virtual Desktops

Stop cluttering up your screen! Virtual desktops let you organize your apps into separate workspaces.

It’s like having multiple monitors without the extra hardware. (Win + Ctrl + D to create a new one, Win + Ctrl + Left/Right to switch between them)

Use Win + Tab to see all your desktops at a glance!

Snap Layouts

Tiling windows is so much easier with snap layouts. Snap your windows into place and multitask like a pro.

Here’s how it works:

1. Hover your mouse over the maximize button of any window
2. Choose a layout from the menu that appears
3. Click the other zones to choose which apps to fill them with
4. Boom! Your windows are perfectly arranged.

You can restore a whole Snap Group from the taskbar by clicking its group icon.

File Explorer Tabs

Tired of having a million File Explorer windows open? Use tabs instead!

I’ve been hacking this with a third-party file manager previously. When Microsoft FINALLY added tabs to File Explorer in Windows 11, it almost made me weep with joy.

This lets you have multiple folders open in the same File Explorer window.

Ctrl+T to open a new tab, Ctrl+W to close.

Glorious! No more 37 explorer windows cluttering up my taskbar.

Storage Sense

This magical feature automatically frees up space by removing junk like temp files and emptying your recycle bin.

Set it and forget it under System -> Storage -> Storage Sense.

It’s like having a maid for your hard drive.

Dynamic Lock

If you have a smartphone, you can use it to lock your PC automatically when you walk away.

It’s a handy security feature for those who often forget to lock their PC.

To set it up:

1. Toggle the Bluetooth on.
2. Go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices
3. Click “Add device” and follow the prompts to pair your phone
4. Once paired, go back to Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options
5. Scroll down to “Dynamic Lock” and click “Allow Windows to automatically lock your device when you’re away“
6. That’s it! Now your PC will lock when your phone goes out of Bluetooth range

Windows Sandbox

Ever download a software you’re not 100% sure about?

Run it in Windows Sandbox first. It’s a totally isolated environment that acts like a fresh Windows install. If the app is shady, no harm done!

Here’s how to enable it:

1. Go to Control Panel > Programs > Turn Windows features on or off
2. Scroll down and check the box next to “Windows Sandbox“
3. Click OK and let Windows do its thing
4. Once it’s enabled,  you can find Windows Sandbox in your Start menu.
5. Launch it whenever you want to try out some new software without risking your main PC!

Night Light

I’m a night owl, and staring at a bright screen in the dark can be rough. Night Light tints your screen amber to reduce eye strain.

It’s like f.lux, but built right into Windows

Here’s how to turn it on:

1. Open Settings > System > Display
2. Toggle on “Night light“
3. Click on the Night light option. Adjust Strength and Schedule night light.
4. Your eyes will thank you!

Pin to Start and Taskbar

Make your most-used apps, files, and folders easy to access.

Here’s how:

1. Find the app or folder you want to pin in your Start menu
2. Right-click it and select “Pin to Start“
3. To unpin something, right-click it in the Start menu and select “Unpin from Start“
4. Drag and drop your pinned items to arrange them how you like

Show/Hide Desktop Icons

Distraction-free workspace? Yes, please!

Just right-click your desktop and choose View -> Show desktop icons to toggle those pesky icons on and off. Out of sight, out of mind.

Clipboard History

Stop losing those important clips you copied!

Hit Win+V and browse through a list of everything you’ve copied recently. If not enabled, click on Turn on to enable Clipboard history.

You can even pin the ones you use often.

Voice Access 

Okay, this one blew my mind. You can control your ENTIRE PC with your voice. Dictate text, navigate apps, and even click buttons.

Here’s how to set it up:

1. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Speech.
2. Toggle on “Voice Access“.
3. Under “Voice Access“, select “Download voice access“.
4. Once installed, say “Voice access wake up” to start!

It’s like having a digital assistant inside Windows!

Voice Typing

If you’re not ready for full voice control, you can still use your voice to type.

Did you know you can type with your voice in Windows?

Just hit Win+H and start talking.

It’s surprisingly accurate and a great way for crafting quick emails or jotting down notes.

Copy and Paste Across Devices

If you’ve got multiple PCs, this is a game-changer.

Sign into your Microsoft account on all your devices and enable Clipboard History. Now you can copy on one device and paste on another!

To enable it:

1. Go to Settings > System > Clipboard.
2. Toggle on “Clipboard history” and “Sync across devices“.
   
3. Sign into your Microsoft account if prompted.

To use it on your mobile phone,

1. Install the SwiftKey Keyboard app from Microsoft.
2. In the app, tap the clipboard icon and sign into your Microsoft account.
3. Go to SwiftKey settings > Rich Input > Clipboard. Then, enable “Sync clipboard history“.
   

Now you can copy on your PC and paste on your phone, or vice versa. Handy for quickly sharing some text!

Additional Clocks on the Taskbar

Got family, friends, or coworkers in different time zones? Keep track right on your taskbar.

1. Right-click the clock on your taskbar and select “Adjust date/time.”
2. Open Additional Clocks.
3. Click on Show this clock checkbox.
4. Select the Time Zone from the given dropdown and give it a name, like “Mom in Aussie.“
5. You have the option to add one more clock.
6. Click on Apply then OK.

Now you’ll see multiple clocks when you click the time. No more mental math!

Copy to / Move to  Folder (Registry Hack)

I miss the old “Copy To Folder” and “Move To Folder” context menu options. But you can get them back with a simple Registry tweak.

Here’s how:

1. Press Win+R, type “regedit“, and press Enter
2. Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AllFilesystemObjects\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers
3. Right-click “ContextMenuHandlers“, choose New > Key, and name it “{C2FBB631-2971-11d1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}“, this will be the “Move to folder” option later.
4. Again, Right-click “ContextMenuHandlers” again, choose New > Key, and name it “{C2FBB630-2971-11D1-A18C-00C04FD75D13}“, this will be the “Copy to folder” option later.
5. Close Registry Editor and restart your PC
6. The “Copy to Folder” and “Move to Folder” options should now appear when you right-click files and folders!

Restore Old Context Menus

Speaking of the Registry, if you prefer the old-school context menus, you can bring them back.

1. Hit Win+R and type cmd
2. Copy and Paste the following command and hit enter
3. reg.exe add "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InprocServer32" /f /ve
4. Restart File Explorer and the old menus will be restored.

There you have it, folks – 18 hidden Windows features that’ll make you feel like the Gandalf of your PC.

Got a killer feature I missed? Share it in the comments.

Found this useful? Pass it on to your friends and coworkers. The more we share, the more we all learn.

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