10 Windows 10 tips and tricks
Get to grips with Windows 10
Windows 10 is brimming with new and updated features for streamlining all your computing tasks. The new release combines the familiarity of Windows 7 with the functionality of Windows 8.
While you can use some features to increase your productivity intuitively, others aren't so forthcoming and require a trip down the menus and settings before they make your life easier.
We've overhauled our Windows 10 tips and tricks guide by grouping the tips into categories, so it's now even easier to find the best Windows 10 tips for your needs.
In this guide we'll take you through Windows' nooks and crannies and help you tweak your Windows installation in a variety of ways to suit your style of working.
Using the tips, you'll be able to shave some time off of tasks that need to be performed regularly and streamline your navigation around the system. We'll also share tips to help tweak the new features based on your preferences, enabling you to use your new installation productively.
1. Use Custom Install
When you're setting up Windows 10 on a new PC, make sure you select the Custom install option instead of the default Express install.
It's more involved but lets you modify important aspects of your installation such as the privacy settings.
2. Remove old files after installing Windows 10
If you have no intentions of reverting to the previous version of Windows, you can save disk space by getting rid of the old OS files. Head over to Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools > Disk Clean-up and toggle the 'Previous Windows installations' box in the list.
3. Sign out of Windows
The Power menu in the Start menu only includes options to Shutdown and Restart the computer. To sign in as another user bring up the Start menu and click on your name displayed at the top.
This brings up a menu which includes the Sign out option.
4. New Action Center
Windows 10 includes a new Action Center that keeps track of notifications from all over the system.
Click on the text bubble icon in the system tray and the panel flows out from the right-hand side of the screen.
5. New snap keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard warriors can save time and snap windows without using the mouse. Use the Win key + Arrow key to snap to one of the four corners of the screen and double-up commands to reach the quadrants.
For example, pressing Win + Right Arrow, then Win +Up Arrow places the current window in the top-right corner.
6. Make Windows touch-friendly
If your computer has a touch screen you can manually enable Windows 10's touch-friendly Continuum interface to operate Windows in a tablet mode.
Head to Start > Settings > System > Tablet Mode to manually alter its behaviour.
7. Disable WiFi Sense in Windows 10
If you're worried about Wi-Fi Sense's security implications you can disable it by heading to Start > Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > Manage Wi-Fi settings.
Now disable all options and ask Windows 10 to forget any Wi-Fi networks you've signed into in the past.
8. Customise Privacy settings
To take charge of general and app-specific privacy options head over to Start > Settings > Privacy. From here you can also individually define which apps can access the connected hardware like cameras and microphones.
9. Customise Battery Saver
The Windows 10 Battery Saver clamps down on background activities in order to maximise your system's battery.
You can enable it from under Start > Settings > System > Battery Saver. It comes online automatically when the charge drops below 20%.
10. Unlock PC with a fingerprint
Windows 10 includes a suite of new biometric security features known as Windows Hello. If you have the required hardware then you can use fingerprint detection or face recognition to log in.
Head to Start > Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options to explore the various available options.
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