Windows 10 has more features than you might guess. Here are the most important "hidden" features.
1. Window snapping
If you have more than one window open at the same time, it makes sense to arrange them in a manner that allows you to see all of them at once. Here's how.
Activate one of the windows, hold down the Windows key and either hit the left or right arrow key to snap the window to the respective edge on your screen.
Example: [Windows] + [Arrow right]
Once docked, Windows will show a preview of all remaining program windows on the opposite side. Left-click to dock one of them to that side.
Afterwards, each of the two windows will occupy half of the screen space.
This works for up to four programs. To dock a window to the top-left corner, hold down the Windows key and hit up followed by left. Repeat this process for the remaining corners.
2. Virtual desktops
Is your desktop cluttered with icons or do you have to many applications open to fit on one screen? Here's how to create additional virtual desktops that can each hold their own number of icons and applications. Windows 10 doesn't impose a limit on how many desktops you can create.
Hit [Windows] + [Tab] to open the application switcher. Then, click "New desktop" (1) to create a new virtual desktop. The application switcher displays all running applications for the currently selected desktop in the center (2).
Alternatively, you can also click the application switcher icon (3) to open the switcher.
To quickly create a new virtual desktop without going through the application switcher, hit [Ctrl] + [Windows] + [D].
To move a program window to a virtual desktop, open the application switcher ([Windows] + [Tab]) and drag the affected window from the center into one of the desktops at the top. You can move windows between desktops in the same way.
Press [Ctrl] + [Windows] + [Arrow left/right] to switch between the desktops or use the application switcher.
Once you close a desktop through the application switcher (move mouse pointer on the affected entry and click X), the contained program windows will automatically move back to the default desktop, so no document is lost in the process.
3. Address toolbar
The address toolbar is the quickest way to perform online searches or open websites. By default, it will appear behind any shortcuts and running applications. To enable this feature, right-click the taskbar (1) and select "Toolbars" (2) followed by "Address" (3).
The toolbar not only accepts search queries or URLs but also commands such as "regedit" to open Windows Registry Editor. Note that URLs will always open in the system-default web browser.
As an example, I've entered the URL for Ashampoo's website and enlarged the bar for better readability (1). As soon as I hit enter, the website will open in my default web browser (2).
Entering "C:\" (1) will open a directory preview for that drive. Once I select an entry (2), the folder will open in Windows Explorer (3).
4. Taskbar
The Windows taskbar offers many customization options. One of them is the ability to only show the taskbar when the mouse pointer is at the bottom edge of the screen. This way, it won't constantly take up screen estate.
To enable this feature, right-click the taskbar (1) and select "Taskbar settings" (2).
Then, enable "Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode" (1). The taskbar will now stay hidden until the mouse pointer approaches the bottom edge of your screen.
5. GodMode
Windows contains many powerful features not easily accessible. Enter GodMode. This mode has been around since WIndows 7 and provides quick access to multiple system features. Here's how to activate it.
First, switch to your desktop by pressing [Windows] + [D]. To enable GodMode, the new folder must be named:
GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
You can ideally select the name above and hit [Ctrl] + [C] to copy it to the system clipboard. Then right-click the desktop to open the context menu (1) and select "New" (2) followed by "Folder" (3).
Hit [Ctrl] + [V] to use the name you just copied for the new folder.
Once pasted, the folder should read "GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}" (1).
Press the Enter key to complete your input. If done correctly, Windows will then assign a new icon to the folder (1).
You can now double-click the folder to access a compilation of around 250 Windows 10 settings, neatly stored in one place.
Like any other folder, the new folder is searchable. Once open (1), you can use the text field to search for a setting. In this example, I've searched for "display" (2) to list all related settings.
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