There are some useful new features that you might have missed if you’ve been using Windows 11 for some time or are just getting started with a new Windows 11 PC. Here are ten excellent examples that you need to use.
Quick Settings Menu
The Quick Settings menu, which lets you rapidly adjust system volume, brightness, Wi-Fi settings, power options, and more, is one of Windows 11’s best new features. It takes the place of Windows 10’s Action Center.
Use it by pressing Ctrl+A on your keyboard or by clicking the Wi-Fi and volume icons in the taskbar’s right corner. You’ll see a number of buttons when it appears that you can use to control different parts of your PC. By selecting the pencil icon in the menu’s lower-right corner, you can edit the menu.
New Snap Menu
Snap is not a brand-new feature for Windows 11. It allows you to swiftly resize windows to predetermined sections of the screen without overlapping. It offers six distinct window arrangements with attractive diagrams for your reference. Click the portion of the layout you want to use after hovering over the Maximize button, which is the square next to the “X” in the upper right corner of a window’s title bar. Instantaneously, the window will move into position.
Windows Terminal
The built-in Windows 11 version of Windows Terminal, which was previously only accessible for Windows 10, is a terrific method to access the command line. If you have the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) installed, you can actually switch between that and Windows PowerShell, Command Prompt, Azure Cloud Shell, and even Ubuntu Linux. You can either right-click the Start button and choose “Windows Terminal” from the menu that opens, or you can search for Windows Terminal in the Start menu.
New Themes and Wallpapers
There are many lovely new themes and more than a dozen new wallpapers in Windows 11. Your PC will seem sleek and modern thanks to the wallpapers, and you can rapidly swap between styles using the themes, depending on your mood.
Press Windows+i to access Windows Settings, then select Personalization > Backdrop to change your desktop background. Open Settings and go to Personalization > Themes to switch themes. When you click the desired theme’s thumbnail, the theme switches right away.
Centered Taskbar Icons
Windows 11 places the Start button and program icons in the taskbar’s center by default, which is a significant departure from Windows 10’s placement (although you can still align them to the left if you prefer). We’re astonished by how practical this central arrangement seems in desktop mode as well, especially on ultrawide monitors, as it feels wonderful on touch screen devices (what you need is right in the center of the screen). Give centered icons a try if you started using Windows 11 and instantly aligned your taskbar icons to the left; you might like it.
Virtual Desktops with Unique Wallpapers
In contrast to Windows 10, Windows 11 lets you give each virtual desktop unique desktop background. This makes it convenient to immediately identify which desktop you’re using visually. In order to set a wallpaper, open the virtual desktop, right-click it, choose “Personalize,” then “Background,” where you can modify your wallpaper.
Additionally, you ought to use virtual desktops if you are unaware of them. You can move between desktops in the task view at any moment by selecting the various desktop thumbnail icons, which can be found in the taskbar by clicking the task view icon (two overlapping squares).
New Notepad
A new Notepad text file editor (and fantastic rapid note-taker) that fits the system theme and has rounded corners are now part of Windows 11. Additionally, depending on the system theme, it offers the choice of operating in dark mode or automatically switching between light and dark mode (click the gear icon in the upper-right corner of the Notepad window to change these settings). The best part is that our favorite feature, the instant time/date stamp, is still available when you hit F5.
Microsoft Teams
You’ll be happy to know that Microsoft Teams has thoroughly integrated into Windows 11 thanks to the Chat function, which you can access by selecting the purple word bubble icon on your taskbar. If your company or organization uses Microsoft Teams to coordinate and communicate with one another. Teams may be a fantastic productivity tool because you can use them for collaboration, calendar sharing, and video conferencing as well.
Nearby Sharing
Although it is a little bit of a cheat since it is already in Windows 10, Nearby Sharing feels like a novel feature because so few people are aware of it. In a manner similar to how AirDrop works on a Mac, it enables Bluetooth-based wireless file sharing between two Windows computers. You must enable Nearby Sharing under Settings > System > Nearby Sharing in order to use it. Then, you may choose the Share icon from the context menu when you right-click any file in File Explorer and choose the destination PC. Nearby Sharing also has to be activated on the receiving device.
Run Android Apps
If your computer supports hardware virtualization, you may now run Android apps on Windows 11 thanks to the Amazon Appstore, which is cost-free in the Microsoft Store. You may do this by opening the Microsoft Store (find it in Start), installing the Amazon Appstore, and following the instructions to install the Windows Subsystem for Android. The Amazon Appstore will launch automatically following a restart. Android apps can be downloaded and used after signing in with an Amazon account. A wonderful time!
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