The Top 10
These are Zhero’s top 10 tips and tricks for Windows 10 users:
- Secret Start Menu
- Right-click on tiles
- Right-click on taskbar
- Windows Defender
- Shake it
- Use less processor
- Recording
- Schedule an event
- Focus with Focus assist
- Make Windows faster
1. Secret Start Menu
Click on the Windows icon in the corner of your screen or hit the Windows key and you’ll get the secret start menu. You get a layout of your most-used programmes, power options, short-cuts to file explorer and settings. Hitting Windows + X puts the Task Manager, Control Panel and Device Manager at your fingertips.
2. Right-click on Tiles
You can personalize tiles by right-clicking on them to prompt a pop-up menu. You will have several options such as unpinning from the Start menu, resizing windows or turning off the tile.
3. Right-click on Taskbar
Right-click on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen and you can access shortcuts to your desktop, Task Manager, Cortana and much more.
4. Windows Defender
Windows 10 has Windows Defender as a built-in cybersecurity layer. The tools will block malware and other cyber attacks in real-time or you can perform a scan when it suits you. To make sure it’s on, click on Start >> type ‘Windows Defender >> select the app >> make sure real-time protection is on.
5. Shake It
If you find that you have too many windows open and you want to declutter down to one, then do this. Left-click on the window you want to keep, hold it down and shake your mouse. All the other windows are instantly minimized. Do it again to restore the windows.
6. Use Less Processor
Apps and programmes running in the background can really slow your PC down. It’s easy enough to stop these. Open the Task Manager from the Start menu and click the ‘Processes’ tab.
You will see which apps and background processes are running and how much of your CPU, memory, disk, and network resources they are using. Right-click on any one of them to end the task.
7. Recording
While we often watch videos in real-time, you can also record them and view them later. When you are watching a video, click on the Windows key and hold the letter G at the same time. Then click on the Xbox widget and you will see the options for recording or taking a screenshot.
8. Schedule an Event
You can add events to your Microsoft calendar directly from the Taskbar. Left-click the time and date and then click on the date when you want to schedule an event. Enter the event name, time and location and click save. The vent will appear in your Calendar app.
9. Focus with Focus Assist
Too many notifications can be disruptive. Go to the secret start menu and go to Settings >> System >> Focus assist. Choose from three options:
- Off – get all notifications from your apps and contacts
- Priority – see only selected notifications from a priority list that you customize
- Alarms only – hide all notifications, except for alarms
10. Make Windows Faster
To make Windows 10 run much faster, use these Windows Top 10 tips:
- Change your power plan to ‘High performance’ or ‘Balanced’
- Stop OneDrive from syncing – you choose the sync time
- Increase the size of your RAM – this doesn’t cost much
- Use SSD instead of HDD – no moving parts, more reliable and much faster
- Go to Settings >> System >> Storage and use Storage Sense to free up space
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