Windows was first made available to the public on July 21, 2015. It has been used for more than a year. But there are secrets in Windows 10 that might have escaped users' watchful eyes.
Microsoft operating systems have always been innovative. A part of why it's been thriving is its exciting user interface. MSN recently revealed 10 hidden tricks that can let you use Windows 10 with more ease.
1. A Simple Start Menu
The Windows 10 Start menu brings nostalgia to classic Microsoft operating systems. The fancy Windows button on the bottom left of your screen actually shows a simple Start menu. When you usually click it, you choose from tiled apps and features. But if you right-click the Windows button, you will see a list menu. It includes Programs and Features and Control Panel.
Use this trick if you want an easier way to access the said options.
2. The Windows 7 Desktop Button
The desktop button in Windows 7 is the same as in Windows 10. It is a button devoid of any icon or label. This makes it barely noticeable. It is found beside the date and time at the bottom right of your screen. Once you click it, all the windows that are currently opened will be minimized.
They will be cleared from your screen. Your desktop will be displayed instead. The settings can be changed with the right-click the button. You can choose whether to show the desktop or only peek at it.
The peek-at-desktop works when you hover your mouse cursor over the desktop button.
3. A Rotating Screen
There is an auto-rotate funtionality in a phone or tablet. However, this is not the case in Windows 10. You can set up your screen in portrait or landscape display by either pressing these keys simultaneously: Ctrl + Alt + D + (up or down or right or left arrow button).
You can also take the longer route. Right-click your desktop background and select Graphic Options. Then, you have to choose the degree of rotation.
4. Slide To Shut Down
Shutting down your laptop or PC is fast and easy. Use the slide to shut down if you have more spare time. First, you need to right-click on your desktop. Go to New and then Shortcut. Paste this code %windir%System32SlideToShutDown.exe in the pop-up window.
Type the name of the shortcut after you clicked Next. It will be displayed on your desktop after you clicked Finish. You have to double-click the shortcut to shut it down. Use your mouse to drag the pull-down shade to the bottom of the screen.
5. Personalized Tiles In Start Menu
You can personalize the tiles you see in your Start menu. They can be too big or too small. You can adjust the size by right-clicking a particular tile. You can also do this to unpin a tile from the Start menu or turn the live tile off. It can also be used to share or uninstall apps.
6. Shake The Top Of Your Window
You can have too many windows that are in full display. But you would want one specific window on your screen. You can grab the top of that window and shake it. All the other windows will be minimized. Do the same thing to restore the other windows. This feature is akin to Windows 7.
7. Drag Windows To Fit
Your window can take up only half or a quarter of your screen. You just have to drag it. The window will fit half of the screen if you drag it to the left or right. You can drag it in any corner to fill a quarter of your screen.
The other way is to click the top of your window. Press the up, down, left or right keys while doing this.
8. The Cortana Games
You can use Cortana to play games like Rock Paper Scissors, Roll the Die or Flip the Coin. You simply type or say the name of the game. Make sure that Cortana is installed in your Windows 10
According to Microsoft, Cortana is only available in 13 regions and eight languages. It is Microsoft's own personal intelligent assistant often compared to Apple's Siri and Google's Google Now.
9. The Taskbar Right-click
Your taskbar is more than what is seen. Try to right-click it. You will discover how useful it is. This trick will let you access the Task Manager. A number of presets for the toolbars, Cortana and window schemes will also be seen. It saves you a good amount of time.
10. The God Mode
The God mode is more for computer savvy. It is the one-stop shop for all your settings. It includes the administrative tools and troubleshooting. To enable this mode, right-click on your desktop. Select New and then Folder.
Paste this code GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} as the name of your new folder. Once it is done, you can double-click to access it.
