Windows 10 tips: how to take screenshots, find the secret Start menu and more

Whether you’ve been using Windows 10 for years or have recently upgraded, there are many new and old tips, tricks and hidden features you can learn to make your laptop faster and smoother every day. To teach many of us how to be faster and more productive on your laptop work from home due to the pandemic, or just spend more time on our laptops in general. Finding the secret Start menu and saving battery power with a simple trick are great ways to get more out of your machine.

Microsoft doesn’t typically publicize its hidden features the way Apple does, which can make it more difficult to know how to get the most out of the machine you use day in and day out.

Even learning how to upgrade to Windows 10 for free can be tricky. You’ll want to do this ASAP, by the way, since support for Windows 7 ended last year. So no matter which Microsoft, Dell, HP or other Windows 10 rig you have, these clever tips will help you stay organized and get more done. Plus, here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming spring 2021 update, the most recent Windows 10 October 2020 update, how to use the three best new Windows 10 features and how to troubleshoot any Windows 10 problems.

1. Minimize all windows except the active one

If your desktop screen has gotten too crowded with open windows, you can quickly minimize them all except the one you are currently working in.

Just click the title bar of the window you want to remain open to select it. Then, hold the mouse down and move the window back and forth quickly — shaking it, essentially. After a couple of quick shakes, all other open windows will minimize, leaving only the one you’ve shaken open. Neat, huh?

Read more: 20 pro tips to make Windows 10 work the way you want (free PDF from TechRepublic)

2. Open the ‘secret’ Start menu

You know that to get to the Start menu, you hit the Windows icon at the bottom left of the screen or on your keyboard. But Windows 10 includes a lesser-known second Start menu that makes accessing important features like the Command Prompt, the Control Panel and the Task Manager much easier. You can access it two different ways, either by pressing the Windows key + X, or right click the Windows icon/Start button. 

3. Create an event without opening the Calendar app

Windows 10’s latest update lets you quickly add events to your Microsoft calendar directly from your Taskbar — without actually having to open the calendar at all. Here’s how to do it: 

1. On your Taskbar, click the box with the time and date in it in the right corner. 

2. Click the date when you want to schedule an event. 

3. Enter the event name, time and location. (If you have multiple calendars, click the down arrow next to the event name field to choose the one you want to add it to.) 

4. Click save. The event should appear in your Calendar app across your devices. 

4. Take a screenshot

I know, it’s a basic one — but it’s amazing how easy it is to forget how to take a screenshot on your laptop or desktop when you don’t do it often. 

There are at least eight different ways you can take a screenshot with Windows 10. If you want to capture and save a picture of your entire screen, the easiest way is to hit the Windows key + Print Screen key, and that picture will be saved to the Pictures > Screenshots folder. 

To capture just one part of your screen, hit the Windows key + Shift + S to open a tool called Snip & Sketch, which allows you to click and drag to create a screenshot, which is saved to your Clipboard.

5. Open items on your Taskbar with keyboard shortcuts

If you’ve pinned programs to your Taskbar at the bottom of your screen to create a shortcut, you don’t have to click the icons to open them. Instead, use the keyboard shortcut Windows key + [Number key], with the numeric key corresponding to the position of the application on the taskbar. For example, Windows key + 2 will open the second item on the taskbar.

This is especially useful if you are typing furiously and do not want to lift your fingers off the keyboard. It feels more natural to reach for the Windows key.

6. Determine how much space apps take up

Computers are starting to slow down as they get little space. One quick way to speed them up might be to get rid of apps that take up more space than they should, especially if you don’t use them often.

Navigate to see how much space an app uses Settings> System> Storage. Click on the disk you want to search for (probably the local storage, “This Computer”) and click Programs and games to see a list of programs installed on your computer and how much space it takes up. You probably will not get rid of your browser, but you may find that a game you did not play years ago has a good dead weight to drop.

7. Get rid of ads in your Start menu

If you use Windows 10 by default, you can sometimes see programs on the right side of your Start menu. Microsoft calls them “suggestions,” but they are actually ads for Windows Store programs that you can buy.

On get rid of the ads in your Windows 10 Start menu, go to Settings> Customize> Start. Disable the setting mentioned Show suggestions from time to time in Start to the off position.

8. Turn off background programs

Apps running in the background can receive information, send notifications, and stay up-to-date, even when you’re not using them – which can be useful, but can also suck your battery and data when you connect to a cell phone hotspot.

Check to determine which programs are running in the background and to save battery power and data Settings> Privacy> Background applications. Switch to prevent all applications from running in the background Let programs run in the background on Out. Or you can choose which programs you want to run individually in the background by going to the same page in the list.

9. Use background roll

With Windows 10, you can scroll up and down in any window – even if it’s not the window in which you work directly. This is a useful tool if you have many windows open that you want to view at the same time. time – for example if you want to open new submenu options in new windows to save your time by clicking back and forth on the same page.

Try opening two applications, such as an Internet browser page and a notebook or Word document. Arrange both on the screen so you can see at least some of the text on each. While in one window, hold your mouse or use the touchpad to move to the second window and scroll. Although you are not active in that window, you must move the page up and down.

The feature must be enabled by default, but if it is not, go to Settings> Devices> Mouse, and link Browse inactive windows as I move on On. Then you can place your mouse over a window in the background and use the scroll wheel to scroll.

10. Show file extensions in File Explorer

Microsoft hides file extensions standard, which makes life difficult for people who need to search for specific types of files, such as JPEGs and JPGs. On see file extensions in File Explorer, do the following:

1. Go to the Search bar at the bottom of the screen and tap File Explorer Optionsand click on it. (There are also a number of other ways to get here, but one seems to be the fastest.)

2. Click in the window that appears Look tab.

3. Uncheck the box that says Hide extensions for known file types. Click on Apply, en OK. You should now see file extensions for all files in File Explorer.

You can also select the File Explorer menu to view blank slides, hidden files and folders, and more.

11. Reduce distraction with Focus assist

It’s frustrating to try to do work when you keep interrupting notifications. You can determine how much you get with Focus assist, a tool that runs Windows 10 in the April 2018 update.

Set it up by Settings> System> Focus assist. Choose from three options: Out (get all notifications from your apps and contacts), Priority (see only selected notifications from a priority list that you customize, and send the rest to your action center), and Alarms only (hide all notifications except alarms).

You can also choose to turn on this feature automatically during certain hours, or when playing a game.

Look for more tips and tricks for Windows 10 laptops how to fix a slow computer yourself, en 6 simple security changes that all Windows 10 users should make.