5 easy Windows 11 tips and tricks to make using the operating system easier

Windows 11 is among us now. Since October 2021, millions of users have embraced Microsoft’s latest desktop operating system. Now that we have a better understanding of Windows 11, it's time to discover all the latest features this new platform has to offer.

Whether Windows 11 is truly a new desktop operating system is debatable. Rather than a giant leap from Windows 10 to 8, it feels more like a subtle upgrade to its predecessor.

Some users might say this is a rebranded Windows 10, but that’s not a bad thing.

After all, Windows 10 is the most popular addition to its operating system family after the failure of its predecessor. If Microsoft's previous desktop platform wasn't broken, why fix it?

The latest platform offers much the same performance as its predecessor, but with improved UI design and some cool new features.

What’s new in Windows 11?

It's always the most exciting thing to discover new features for a recently released platform when you open it for the first time.

Windows 11 is no exception in this regard. The first difference most users are likely to notice is Windows 11's centralized taskbar icons, which are noticeably different from its predecessors. The second thing users won't notice is the

redesigned Start menu

. Gone are the tile shortcuts in Windows 10. It's certainly a very different Start Menu, with pinned apps and recommended files sections. The menu also includes a search box, just like in Windows 7.

Beyond that,

The Widget Panel

is probably the biggest new thing in Windows 11. The panel offers eight different widgets that users can add and customize. It's a bit like the Widgets sidebar in Vista, albeit in a more limited form. Most users may notice that

File Explorer

is also different in Windows 11. It is a new style file manager utility with a command bar that replaces the previous ribbon tab interface. File Explorer also has a new icon set and redesigned context menu in the latest platform. The

Action Center

in Windows 11 has also undergone major changes. The new Action Center has separate settings and notifications panels. Users can access its options by clicking on the new Quick Settings button on the system tray. These are probably the most notable new features in Windows 11. However, there's a lot to explore in Big M's latest desktop operating system.

Here are some handy Windows 11 tips and tricks you can try out in the new platform.

What are your best tips and tricks for Windows 11?

1. Adjust the taskbar size

1. First, press the Windows key S hotkey in the search box.
2. Type Registry Editor in the search text box.
3. Next, click Registry Editor in the search utility to open it.
   
4. Browse to this registry key location: <strong>HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\</strong>
5. Right-click on the Advanced key and select New.
   
6. Then select the DWORD (32-bit) value option.
   
7. Enter TaskbarSi as the name of the new DWORD.
8. Double-click on TaskbarSi to open the window in the screenshot below.
   
9. Then enter 0 or 2 in the value data box. Enter 2 to expand the taskbar or 0 to reduce its size.
10. Click "OK" on the "Edit DWORD" window to exit.
    
11. After this, close the Registry Editor.
12. Press the Start button and select its power option.
    
13. Then click Restart. After this, Windows 11 will have a larger or smaller taskbar depending on the value you entered.

You can restore the original medium taskbar by entering 1 in TaskbarSi's Edit DWORD window. Alternatively, right-click TaskbarSi and select Delete.

2. Try new keyboard shortcuts

Windows 11 provides a new set of keyboard shortcuts for some of its features. You can press these hotkeys to bring up the widget panel, notification center, quick settings, team chat, and snap layouts. Press these hotkeys to turn on their functionality:

• Windows key W：Widget panel
• Windows key N:Notification Center
• WindowsKey A：Quick Settings
• ##Windows Key C:Team Chat
• WindowsKey Z:Align Layout
• Shift F10：Traditional context menu (need to select an item)

3. Restore classic file resources Manager

Open Registry Editor as described in steps one through three of the first tip.
1. Then open the following registry key:
2. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions<strong></strong>
Right-click the Registry Editor Shell Extensions key on the left to select
3. New.
   
Select the
4. Key option.
   
Enter the
5. Block name for the new registry key.
Right-click on the Blocked key you just added and select the
6. New > String Value option for it.
   
Enter
7. {e2bf9676-5f8f-435c-97eb-11607a5bedf7} as the name of the string value.
   
Then exit the Registry Editor.
8. Restart your PC by selecting the
9. Power>Restart Start menu option.
This registry edit restores tabbed File Explorer from Windows 10 in the new platform. You can also temporarily remove the command bar from File Explorer by pressing its

F11 hotkey. 4. Organize open application windows

Windows 11 has a new Snap Layouts feature that helps users better organize windows. To activate snap layout, simply hover your cursor over the

Maximize button in the upper right corner of the window.

You will then see the Snap Layout option shown below.

You can then choose one of four window layout options. Using these options, you can neatly arrange multiple software windows side by side on your desktop without overlapping.

Snap Layouts also groups windows on the taskbar. After arranging several windows using this feature, you'll see a group thumbnail preview of the layout on your taskbar.

Selecting this thumbnail preview will open all grouped windows you have arranged.

5. View Command Terminal

1. Command Terminal is a new command line application you can use in Windows 11. A quick way to open it is to right-click on the desktop and select Open in Windows Terminal.
   
2. After opening the command terminal, you can open multiple tabs. To do this, click the Open a new tab button shown below.
   
3. To choose a different command line shell for a tab, press the small arrow button and select one on the menu.
   
4. You can further configure the command terminal by selecting the Settingsmenu option.
5. In the Settings tab that opens, you can click the Default Profile drop-down menu to select an alternative default command shell.
   
6. You can also customize the colors of the app by clicking Color Scheme on the left side of the Settings tab. Select a different color scheme in the drop-down menu and select the Save option.
   

6. Add different backgrounds to virtual desktops

1. You can choose a new "Choose Background" option to change the wallpaper of an alternate virtual desktop in Windows 11. To add a different wallpaper to them, hover your cursor over the taskbar button shown below.
   
2. Click the New Desktop option to add one.
3. Right-click on the new desktop and select its "Choose Background" option.
   
4. Select a new background for your desktop in the Personalization tab that opens.
5. You will then have two virtual desktops with different wallpapers, as shown in the snapshot below.
   

7. Move the taskbar icon to the left

1. Click Start on the taskbar, and then Select Settings from its menu.
   
2. Select the TaskbarNavigation option on the Personalize tab.
   
3. Double-click Taskbar Behavior to expand its settings.
   
4. Select Left on the taskbar alignment drop-down menu. Your taskbar icon will now be left aligned.
   

8. Select a touch keyboard theme with new custom settings

1. Press the Windows keyI Hotkey startup settings.
2. Select the Personalize tab.
3. Double-click Touch Keyboard on the Personalization tab.
   
4. Choose a new touch keyboard color theme.
   
5. Alternatively, click the Customize Theme radio button and Edit. You can then set a touch keyboard theme with your own color selection.
   
6. After setting the custom touch keyboard theme, press the "Save" button.

To enable the touch keyboard, right-click the taskbar and select Taskbar Settings. Click the Touch Keyboard option here to turn it on. You can then click on the Touch Keyboard system tray icon. Note that you also need a touchscreen PC to use the touch keyboard.

Can I find more tips in Windows 11?

Windows 11 includes a Tips app that you can access through the Widgets panel. Press the Widgetstaskbar button. Click the Add Widget button on the panel and select the prompt from there.

You can then read more Windows 11 tips in the Tips widget. Alternatively, you can click the Tips link at the top of the widget to open its app. The app contains 18 Windows 11 Tips themes for you to browse.

Windows 11 may not be fundamentally different from its predecessor, but there's still a lot to discover in the new desktop operating system. Therefore, it's worth upgrading to Windows 11; even more so given that it's currently a free and available upgrade.

Microsoft is currently rolling out the new platform to Windows 10 PCs that meet its system requirements. Users who have not yet installed Windows 11 can install it through the Windows Update tab in Settings. This tab will provide Windows 11Download and Install options for users who can upgrade to it.

The above is the detailed content of 5 easy Windows 11 tips and tricks to make using the operating system easier. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!