Buzz
Discover and master the latest features in Microsoft's newest Windows operating system with these savvy tricks.
1. Unleashing the Power of Windows 10's Features
Explore and take command of the cutting-edge features in the latest Windows operating system from Microsoft.
1. Customize Your Start Menu
The Start Menu is back, revamped and warmly welcomed in the latest Windows operating system from Microsoft. No longer reminiscent of older versions, Windows 10 combines modern Live Tiles with a user-friendly touch interface, reminiscent of Windows 8.
Customize your Windows 10 Start Menu easily by clicking and holding the mouse pointer on the edges of the Start box, adjusting its size to your liking.
You can personalize your Windows 10 Start Menu your way.
Access more settings for the Start Menu from Settings > Personalization > Start in the Windows 10 Control Panel. Here, you can even activate the Start Page in full-screen mode. Toggle recent app lists, recent groups, and suggested content and apps. Customize the list to include links like Settings and Explorer using the Customize List option.
2. Set Up Cortana
Unlike Apple's Siri or Google's Google Now, the digital assistant Cortana in Windows 10 allows you to control what it knows about you to provide relevant reminders and useful information. You can do this by selecting options in Cortana's Notebook, Contacts, and Maps.
Similar to Google Now, Cortana can listen to keyword phrases and respond accordingly. To enable this, activate this 'female assistant' by clicking on the Windows 10 search box. This allows Cortana to use location, microphone, contacts, email, messages, and your browsing history, all of which you can adjust individually. Cortana can show you current news, sports, weather information, and even tell jokes.
3. Configure Continuum
Continuum is a platform that automatically adjusts the interface depending on whether you're operating in laptop or tablet mode. This feature is especially useful when running Windows 10 on a hybrid tablet-laptop or a desktop equipped with a touch screen.
For instance, if you're using a Surface Pro 3, when you detach the Type Cover keyboard, you'll receive a prompt asking if you want to switch to tablet mode. This brings up the Start Screen, and any modern apps can run in full-screen mode, akin to Windows 8.1.
4. Utilize Virtual Desktop
Windows 10 allows users to simultaneously run multiple virtual desktops. This feature enables swift switching between running applications and is highly regarded compared to other desktop operating systems.
To work with these virtual desktops, simply click on the multi-screen icon next to the search box on the taskbar and then click the plus sign in the right corner to add a virtual desktop to the running list. To switch between desktops, press the multi-screen button again and choose the thumbnail of the desktop you want to switch to.
5. Set Up New Mail App
The email app bundled with Windows 10 is hailed as an improvement over its predecessors. It features a conversation-centric interface with a preview pane for email content, integrated buttons for accessing the calendar, and modern contact apps. You can add multiple email accounts from any provider to the new Mail app in Windows 10, including email services like Outlook.com, Hotmail, Exchange, Exchange ActiveSync, Office 365, Google, iCloud, and more.
Easily manage all your email accounts with a unified user interface. Users no longer need to spend time logging into different websites to gather information thanks to this well-rounded Mail app.
6. Use Explorer Quick Access Feature
The File Explorer file manager in Windows 10 can now display recently used files and folders at the top of the list. This feature proves highly useful for quickly accessing essential document and image files without performing multiple actions, as required in previous Windows versions.
In fact, the new Explorer Quick Access feature operates on a principle similar to the Favorites feature in web browsers. It's a place where you can pin your favorite files for quick access. Quick Access automatically organizes recently accessed files and frequently accessed folders at the top of the list for convenient user search.
7. Harness the Power of New Keyboard Shortcuts
Windows 10 introduces several new keyboard shortcuts. For instance, holding the Windows key and then pressing the right arrow followed by the up arrow will move the active program window to the upper right corner of the Windows screen.
Meanwhile, the Windows-Tab combination opens a list displaying all running programs and virtual desktops. To create a new virtual desktop, press Windows-Ctrl-D. Windows-C initiates voice commands for Cortana, and pressing Windows-S provides weather, sports, and news information.
8. Sync Your OneDrive Cloud Account
In Windows 10, simply use the same email account to log in on multiple devices, and you'll have the same settings, from Lock Screen to Desktop Wallpaper. Activate this feature in Windows by going to Settings > Accounts.
According to Microsoft, this feature operates on the OneDrive cloud service platform. Users can access files on OneDrive from various devices. Another notable feature of OneDrive is Fetch File, allowing access to all files on one computer from other computers through the OneDrive website. While browsing files remotely, you can download copies to work on. You can also stream videos and view photo slideshows.
9. Add Your Xbox Account
If you own an Xbox gaming console, you can use the Xbox app in Windows 10 to play games on your computer. Essentially, Windows 10, once installed on your computer, comes with a built-in Xbox app that connects players with the gaming console and brings the Xbox experience to the PC.
The app allows users to access their friend list, send messages, and share information about Xbox games directly from the computer instead of the gaming console. You can play games from your Xbox One on a Windows 10 computer through Wi-Fi.
10. Explore the New Edge Browser
Many users grew tired of Internet Explorer due to its lack of compatibility with some new websites and slow performance. While recent versions of IE have seen significant improvements, Microsoft decided to launch an entirely new browser, Edge, in Windows 10 with many appealing features.
Edge browser provides modern speed and compatibility. The app also offers tools not found in IE, including webpage annotation, Reading View mode, and various extensions.
