Any Window PC worth buying now comes with Window 10, and you need these 52 Window 10 tips and tricks to master everything your PC can do.
1. Make the Start menu larger or smaller
You can resize the Start menu to any size you like. Move your mouse over the edges of the Start menu. Handles appear that let you drag the borders of the Start menu to shrink or enlarge. The smaller it is, the closer you get to the classic Start menu from Windows 7 and earlier.
2. Add your favorite folders to the start menu
You can pin music, pictures, documents and downloadable folders right to the Start menu. Open the Application Settings and click on Personalization, Click on Choose which folders appear in the Start Menu link at the bottom of all the radio buttons. Now turn on the switches for any folder you want to add to the Start Menu.
3. Turn Live Tiles on and off in the Start Menu
No collection of Windows 10 tips is complete without a way to turn live tiles into icons. Live Tiles can display pending messages, emails, your favorite photos and news. However, there are times when you do not want your information to be readily available. Turn off Live Tiles by right-clicking on them in the Start Menu. Click More. Now click Turn off Live Tile.
4. Use the Start Menu as a Bulletin Board
Pinning a file saves you the hassle of opening an application and navigating to that file. Look for pin options in Groove Music, Outlook Mail, CBS All Access, Microsoft Edge, and many more apps that you can download from the Microsoft Store.
5. Fast speaker switching
When the speaker is connected to your PC via Bluetooth or USB, tap the speaker icon in the lower right corner of your screen. You can switch between multiple speakers from there without going to the Settings app.
6. Snap apps to the sides of the screen with Snap Assist
Don't waste your time resizing apps so you can multitask. Click on their titles and drag them to the edge of the screen. Snap Assist will suggest other apps where you can multitask automatically.
7. See all your open apps and notifications with two fingers
To touch each open application on your PC, place your finger on the left edge of your display and swipe right. This opens the task view. To see all your notifications on PC with a tap, place your finger on the right edge of the display and swipe left.
8. Turn off adaptive brightness
If you're having trouble getting your display backlight properly, read this How to turn off adaptive brightness in Windows 10 guide. Note that you can also adjust the brightness of your screen using the Action Center button in the lower right corner of your screen.
9.How to resize Windows 10 screen
Some Windows PC manufacturers ship their PCs with very large or very small screen elements. To adjust the size of apps and menus in Windows 10, open the app settings. Click on System. Now use the drop-down menu under Zoom and Layout to change how large the applications, text and windows are on your computer.
10. Pairing Windows 10 with the Wireless Display Receiver
Watch videos all over the room with the Miracast receiver and your Windows 10 PC. Open the Action Center by clicking on the pop-up window from the lower right corner of your screen. Click or tap on expand, Now click or tap on connect.
11. Download extensions for Microsoft Edge
Similar to Google Chrome, you can add features to Microsoft Edge with extensions. Click here for links to EnPass, AdBlock, Grammarly, and other Microsoft Edge extensions. Most extensions are free.
12. Add Favorites Bar to Microsoft Edge
Don't get hung up on digging through menus to visit your favorite sites. Just add the favorites bar to Microsoft Edge. Open your browser and click on the three dots in the upper right corner of the screen. Click on Settings, Flip Favorites Bar to enable.
13. Browse the web in full screen mode with Microsoft Edge
To get rid of the address bar and view websites with all images, click the three dots button in the upper right corner of Microsoft Edge. Click on the arrows next to Zoom.
14. Go forward or backward by swiping across Microsoft Edge
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On a PC with a touchscreen display, swipe left on a webpage to go back and swipe right to go to Microsoft Edge. You can turn this off from the settings menu in the app.
15. Take notes in Microsoft Edge
Click the pen icon in the Microsoft Edge address bar to take a screenshot of the web page. After taking a screenshot, use your finger or digital pen to draw on it, select the text, and share it with others.
16. Change your search engine to Google
You can't change the search bar at the bottom of the screen on Google, but you can change the search engine that Microsoft Edge uses. Use this How to change search engine in Windows 10 tutorial to add new search engines to Microsoft browser. Read Microsoft Edge Tricks for more tips on Microsoft Edge for Windows 10.
17. Hide the search bar in the taskbar
Avoid getting too used to the search bar at the bottom of the screen if you don't like Bing. Right click on the bar and hover over the Cortana option in the menu. Click on Hidden. This will remove Cortana from your taskbar.
18. Make your PC's battery last longer with Battery Saver
To extend the life of your Windows PC between charges, click the battery icon in the lower right corner of the screen. Click on the Battery Settings link to the website. Press the switch that says Battery Saver State until next charge. Read Windows 10 tips at How to improve Windows 10 battery life so your laptop or tablet can last even longer.
19. Track packs with Cortana
You can track packages with Cortana. Click on the search bar in the lower left corner of the screen. Click on the notebook icon on the left side of the pop-up window. Select packages from the menu. Use Add Package and insert your tracking number.
Cortana can automatically track packages when you give her access to your email through Outlook Mail. Read 10 Cortana Tips for Windows 10 and Xbox Users Learn more about Microsoft's Personal Assistant.
20. Sync tabs between two computers with Cortana
Click on the search box at the bottom left corner of your screen to open Cortana. When enabled, it keeps track of the few websites you visited last, regardless of which computer you were on. All of your computers must use a Microsoft account for this to work.
21. Send Websites from Your Android Phone or iPhone
Install Microsoft Edge Preview on your iPhone or Android device. Click the Send button at the bottom of your browser to send the web page directly to your computer.
22. Control the volume with your voice and Cortana
If Cortana is on, click the microphone icon at the bottom of the screen and say “Volume up,” “Volume down,” or “Mute.” This also works with “Hey Cortana” if your computer is set to always listen for voice commands.
23. Send Text Messages to Android Phone from Cortana
Android phones with the Cortana app installed can send text messages from your Windows 10 PC. After you've installed the app from the Google Play store, click the Cortana search box at the bottom of the screen and enter “Send text message.” Include the name of the contact to whom you want to send a message. This feature also works with voice command.
24. Let Cortana search for coupons and deals
Go to any online store in Microsoft Edge and Cortana will ask you if you want to see coupons and sales in the address bar. Click on this notice to see the offers of this site.
25. Broadcast from Xbox Game Bar
Windows 10 uses Mixer to stream videos from your games to other people. Press Windows Key and G Key on your keyboard at the same time. Next select the Broadcast button inside the game bar. Anyone with a Mixer account can now see you play your game.