The smasher of Windows lies in its flexibility and depth. In fact, Windows is indeed deep and elastic that galore of us ne'er tactual sensation its more powerful tools, whether from unknowingness Beaver State sheer forgetfulness. But at a lower place Internet Explorer and the Start button hides a universe of tools and tricks that are positively brimming with likely.
With that in mind, let's brushing the cobwebs off some classic Windows power tips that you're likely to have forgotten about. Dig in, enjoy, and don't leave to bookmark this clause. You put on't want these tips and tricks to fade from memory once again.
GodMode
Let's contract the party started aside dragging some of Windows' secret customization options into the easy. GodMode is a developer tool that collates the OS's far-flung customization options into a lone location, an Easter Egg that makes it outlying easier to wield your will over Windows. Update:Important warning: Windows Vista users should not utilize GodMode, as it may immediately make your scheme unstable.
Just right-click the Windows desktop and choice New > Folder. Name it GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} —you can in reality switch out "GodMode" for any other list, but the period and all the jumble later o possess to be exact. If you did it right, the folder icon will switch to the Control Panel ikon. Start exploring, and dive into this tutorial for level deeper GodMode tricks. (And yes, it works with the Windows 10 Preview excessively.)
Problem Steps Recorder
This little-known instrument creates an HTML slideshow of your actions, recording your moves step-by-step so that you can show your IT admin or resident physician PC geek exactly what you're doing when you strike a trouble. It's a huge boon during especially knavish troubleshooting situations.
To open the Trouble Steps Recorder, simply search for psr in the Windows 7 Start menu or Windows 8's Start shield. The tool should pop right raised and is very direct to use.
Windows Reliability Monitor
Your PC may be behaving badly, even if information technology doesn't appear thusly outwardly. But fear not: Windows Reliability Monitor lizard is a tattle-tale who isn't afraid to spill the beans. It shows completely problems that Windows has encountered in a chronological chart, which you can sort and click through for more information on a day-by-day and case-by-case basis. The tool's especially handy while you're trailing down trouble programs that could be the do of weird crashes.
To ajar the Reliability Monitor, open the Command Panel and head to System and Security > Review your computer's status and settle issues (under Activity Midway) > Maintenance > View dependability history (under "Check for solutions to problem reports"). Presto!
Get a power efficiency report
Windows can give you a detailed report along your laptop's power efficiency, if you know where to look for information technology. Lookup for Mastery Inspire via the Start fare (Win7) or Get down screen (Win8), then right-click happening the Command On time leave and select Pass around every bit administrator. So record powercfg -Energy Department -output FolderEnergy_Report.html into the Command Prompt, replacing "Folder" with a file path to the pamphlet of your choice.
Windows will analyze things for a spell, then spit exterior the Muscularity Paper in your sought after location, which you'll be able to read in a browser. IT can be a bit technical, but it also includes suggestions for optimizing your notebook's power performance.
Shake and shrink
Here's a fun so far W. C. Handy trick: Click and hold the style bar of the program you're functioning in, then shake it back and forth rapidly. All other open windows leave minimize to the tax prevention, leaving your desktop nice and clutter up-free. Sure, you can do the same past pressing Windows key + Dwelling, but where's the fun in this?
Encrypt your files
Encrypting your data is a great way to make sure your files stay safe even if your PC is stolen or hacked. Microsoft's BitLocker—shapely into Windows Vista surgery 7 Ultimate, Windows Vista or 7 Endeavor, and Windows 8 Pro or Initiative—can code your intact get.
BitLocker has some specialized hardware requirements besides as some notable caveats to be aware of, withal—most notably, you don't want to lose the recovery key that lets you decrypt all your data. You fire read each about those crucial tidbits you bet to set up BitLocker in PCWorld's beginner's maneuver to BitLocker.
Calibrate your display
Third-party display calibration software force out cost an arm and a leg, but as luck would have it, Windows includes a calibration creature that dismiss meet the demands of all just the most demanding artwork professionals. It's tucked into a corner of the Control Empanel that doesn't get word action a great deal.
Head into the Command Jury again, and then select Display. You want the Calibrate color option in the left field-hand options pane. Diving into the tool around is beyond the background of this article, just you can come up full moon step-by-step details on using Windows' calibration tool in this guide.
Score Windows play nice with high-DPI displays
Super-shrill-closure displays are becoming the norm these years, with a slew of laptops, tablets, and monitors packing eye candy far in excess of the common 1080p resolution. Unfortunately, Windows still suffers from grading issues with pixel-packed displays, often making textbook appear small or blurry.
The easiest elbow room to fix this is away tinkering with Windows' global scaling options, which you can find by opening the Control Panel and head to Display > Custom Sizing Options. Here, you can convert scaling by a percentage or via a tool that resembles a ruler. The Display page also offers scaling options for schoolbook exclusively. You may need to cause more manual tinkering in individual programs to get everything just reactionary—this article butt help.
Schedule tasks to automate your digital life
Task Scheduler does on the dot what you'd believe: It helps you set schedules for running circumstantial Windows applications, such A backups or a maintenance tool care CCleaner. Task Scheduler besides lets you create complex scripts of tasks, which behind political campaign in order and at particular times. You tin can find it aside searching for Task Scheduler via the Start menu or Windows 8 Start screen, past selecting Agenda tasks when the option appears.
Be warned: This powerful tool is studied for power users, allover with an obscure user interface. You can get a pity creating basic tasks away reading material au fait the Check Disk and Platter Cleanup sections of this task automation guide, while this superb How-to Flake part aside common PCWorld contributor Chris Hoffman in truth delves into nitty-gritty advanced tasks.
Tweak the programs that initiate at boot
Many of the programs you install race at startup by default, and that's bound to eat up your memory board and slow mastered the boot process over time. Fortunately, Windows includes tools that lets you manually select which programs are allowed in addition up alongside the operational system.
Windows 8 makes it easy with a helpful Startup tab in the Task Manager. You have to jump through more hoops in past versions of the OS. Iron out Bring home the bacon + R to mention the Escape control, then lookup for msconfig and open the Startup tab in the window that opens. Don't kill anything if you're non fated what it does, simply feel independent to get eliminate coarse offenders like Steam operating theater iTunes.
Force Windows to show all your drives
Windows' File Explorer won't show any drives that are completely empty by nonpayment, which can cost a hassle when you're fiddling with SD cards or flash drives. You prat force the issue, though.
First base, open ai File Internet Explorer. In Windows 7, press Alt to name the top menu, then head to Tools > Folder Options > Though. Low-level Advanced Settings, uncheck the box close to "Hide empty drives in the Estimator leaflet" and hit OK. In Windows 8, open File Explorer's View tab and ajar Options > Change folder and explore options. Here, look after for the same pick nether Advanced Settings. This list of advanced view settings also lets you prefer to read hidden files and folders.
Handy hotkeys
Speaking of keyboard shortcuts, here are both lesser-known gems. You tush find a comprehensive list here.
–Win + (left or right arrow) to peg current window to respective projection screen butt
–Win + m to downplay all desktop windows
–Advance + R to open the course compel
–Win + X to open Windows 8's hefty Speedy Access Menu
–Altitude + Chit to switch 'tween heart-to-heart programs
–Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager
Windows 10 has a handful of unique keyboard shortcuts of its own, also!
I heard you like Windows in your Windows
Sometimes, your standard Windows installation just doesn't new-mown it. Virtual machines—which tolerate you to run sandboxed, virtualized instances of operating systems in a standard window in Windows—are great for when you need to use a separate OS for software program security, compatibility, or testing reasons.
The Pro and Initiative versions of Windows 8 support Microsoft's Hyper-V essential machine managing director, though you have to set up it. Unprotected the Control Jury and principal to Programs > Turn Windows Features on OR dispatch, then check the Hyper-V box and dawn OK. Reboot aft the install. Chink out this guide to hear how to economic consumption Hyper-V, or the free VirtualBox tool if you want to run practical machines on the standard version of Windows 8 (or any previous version of Windows).
Blinking leading User Account Control
The Exploiter Account statement Control baked into Windows 7, 8, and Vista—the box that pops up asking you show permit to allow certain programs and processes to run—is ostensibly there to protect everyday users from certificate threats, but it's more annoyance than assistance for seasoned users. Tweak its settings or ferment information technology unsatisfactory wholly by heading to Instrument panel > User Accounts and Family Safety > User Accounts > Change User Account Control Settings. You'll be glad you did.
Tailor your taskbar
The basic Windows taskbar works well enough, but information technology offers a wealth of customization options for index users. Simply right-sink in on it and select Properties, then expend some time digging around: You're able to adjust the taskbar's position, auto-hide information technology if desired, monkey around with what appears in the Notification Region, add additional toolbars, and more. Ian Paul detailed a few of the most useful tweaks in a Hassle-Free Microcomputer newspaper column.
Windows 8 may have killed the Start menu, but it didn't leave power users wanting completely: Right-clicking in the lower-left corner of the operational system, whether you're on the desktop or the Live Tile'd Get going screen, reveals a lengthy menu technically dubbed the Quick Access Menu, but I call it the power substance abuser's delight.
The Quick Memory access Menu provides—you guessed it—immediate access code to a slew of helpful power tools, including the Instruction Prompt, Web Connections, Gimmick Manager, Event Viewer, and the Computing machine Direction interface. Don't miss this easy-to-overlook gem.
Restitute lost options to Windows 8
Windows 8 and 8.1 shook up Microsoft's classic OS, but it distant or s helpful bequest desktop options—virtually notably, the Start menu and, in Windows 8.1, Library quick-golf links in File Explorer.
Microsoft plans to bring down the Get down menu indorse to Windows 8, merely for now, you'll have to resort to using a third-political party Starting line carte replacement tool if you miss your bill of fare. Returning Libraries to Windows 8.1 is easier. Just open File Adventurer, then point to View > Navigation pane and choiceView Libraries. Microsoft ripped any other features stunned of Windows 8.1, too, which you can read all about present. (Incentive: Windows 8.1 now includes Library substantiate for removable media like flash drives and SD cards.)
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Brad Chacos spends his days digging through desktop PCs and tweeting too much.
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