Windows 11 hidden features

Windows 11 hidden features

Windows 11 does have quite a few “hidden” or lesser-known features that Microsoft doesn’t always advertise front-and-center. Many of them can make your experience smoother, faster, or more customizable. Here are some worth knowing:

🔧 Productivity & Multitasking

• Snap Layouts & Snap Groups
  Hover your mouse over the maximize button (or press Win + Z) to quickly snap windows into organized layouts. Windows remembers these groups when you switch between tasks.
• Virtual Desktops (Desktops 2.0)
  Press Win + Tab to manage multiple desktops, each with different wallpapers and apps. Great for separating work, gaming, and personal tasks.
• Clipboard History
  Enable it in Settings → System → Clipboard and press Win + V to see your clipboard history and pin frequently used items.
• Focus Sessions in Clock App
  Open the Clock app to find a built-in “Focus” timer with Spotify and To Do integration for productivity sprints.

🎨 Personalization & Customization

• Hidden Right-Click Menu
  By default, Windows 11 shows a simplified right-click menu. Press Shift + Right-click (or “Show more options”) to access the full legacy context menu.
• Accent Color on Title Bars
  In Settings → Personalization → Colors, toggle “Show accent color on title bars and windows borders” to make windows easier to distinguish.
• Start Menu Folders
  You can group apps in the Start menu into folders (like mobile home screens) for cleaner organization.

🖥️ System Tools & Shortcuts

• Secret Power User Menu
  Right-click the Start button (or press Win + X) for quick access to Device Manager, Disk Management, Windows Terminal, and more.
• Dynamic Refresh Rate (DRR)
  If you have a high-refresh display, go to Settings → Display → Advanced display and turn on DRR to automatically save battery by lowering refresh when idle.
• God Mode Folder
  Create a new folder on your desktop and rename it to:

• {ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

This unlocks a master control panel with hundreds of hidden system settings in one place.

• Voice Typing Everywhere
  Press Win + H to bring up voice dictation in any text field.

🔒 Security & Privacy

• Windows Sandbox (Pro editions only)
  Lets you run untrusted apps in an isolated environment that disappears when closed. Enable via Windows Features.
• Hidden Privacy Dashboard
  Settings → Privacy & Security → App permissions shows a list of which apps recently used your camera, mic, or location—similar to iOS/Android.

⚡ Pro Tip: If you right-click the Taskbar and choose Task Manager, you’ll notice in Windows 11 it has a refreshed look and also shows power usage per app—handy for tracking down battery drainers.

Perfect 👍 A Windows 11 hidden shortcuts & tricks cheat sheet will save you a lot of clicks. Here’s a clean, categorized list you can keep handy:

⚡ Windows 11 Cheat Sheet: Hidden Shortcuts & Tricks

🖥️ System & Navigation

• Win + X → Power User Menu (quick access to Device Manager, Disk Management, Task Manager, etc.)
• Win + Tab → Task View (manage & create virtual desktops)
• Ctrl + Win + D → Create a new virtual desktop
• Ctrl + Win + Left/Right → Switch between virtual desktops
• Win + Ctrl + F4 → Close the current virtual desktop

🪟 Window Management

• Win + Z → Snap Layouts menu
• Win + Arrow Keys → Snap windows to halves/quarters
• Win + Shift + Up Arrow → Stretch window vertically
• Win + Shift + Left/Right → Move window to another monitor

⌨️ Clipboard & Input

• Win + V → Clipboard history
• Win + H → Voice typing in any text field
• Win + Period (.) or ; → Emoji, GIF, & symbols panel
• Ctrl + Shift + Esc → Open Task Manager directly

🎧 Productivity & Focus

• Win + N → Notifications & calendar panel
• Win + A → Quick Settings (Wi-Fi, brightness, volume, Bluetooth)
• Win + W → Widgets panel (news, weather, stock updates)
• Focus Sessions → In Clock app, set timers with music & task lists

🔒 Security & Tools

• Windows Sandbox (Pro only) → Enable via Windows Features to run apps safely in isolation
• God Mode → Create a folder named:

• {ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

for a master control panel

• Ctrl + Shift + N → Quickly create a new folder in File Explorer

🎨 Personalization & Fun

• Shift + Right-Click → Show legacy right-click menu
• Win + I → Open Settings instantly
• Dynamic Refresh Rate (DRR) → Save battery on high-refresh displays (Settings → Display → Advanced display)
• Start Menu Folders → Drag one app on top of another to group

⚡ Bonus Tip: You can pin anything (apps, folders, even web pages) to Start or Taskbar by right-clicking it → Pin to Start or Pin to Taskbar.