11 Things You Can Do in Windows 11 That You Couldn’t Do Before

The Windows 11 rollout is underway, with model new PCs and newer {hardware} the primary in line. If you’re on an older machine, you might need to attend a couple of months to see an choice to improve.

Word of warning: Be positive to take a look at our Windows 11 improve information earlier than putting in. While your entire functions and information ought to safely survive the software program replace, it’s all the time a good suggestion to double-check that you just’ve acquired backups in place, ought to one thing sudden occur alongside the best way. It’s all the time price ready awhile to improve simply in case there are unresolved bugs that weren’t caught within the OS beta.

If you’re attempting to resolve whether or not to improve in any respect, right here’s the whole lot you’ll get in Windows 11 which you could’t get in Windows 10 (though we’ve got a few workarounds for that, too).

1. Use Snap Layouts

As on Windows 10, you may drag open home windows to the aspect or the nook of the display screen to ‘snap’ them in place and organize your functions alongside one another, however Windows 11 builds on this. Hover the cursor over the maximize/decrease button on a window or hit Win+Z to see a alternative of predefined layouts you may decide from. The accessible layouts will rely upon the width of your show, however the characteristic is now even simpler to utilize.

2. Manage Multiple Desktops Faster

Windows 10 already supported digital desktops (Microsoft simply calls them Desktops), however they’re simpler to make use of and extra discoverable in Windows 11. By default, you’ll see a Desktops button down within the taskbar after putting in the brand new OS (the icon displaying two rectangles). Hover over it and click on New desktop to offer your self some further house. Desktops give your applications extra room, with out requiring any additional bodily shows.

3. Open Files Straight from the Start Menu

The redesigned Start menu is likely one of the Windows 11 modifications you’ll discover first, and it now acts as a hub in your file and shopping historical past in addition to an inventory of utility shortcuts. The precise information you’ll see will rely upon whether or not or not you employ Microsoft (Office) 365 and what number of Windows 11 PCs you’ve synced throughout the cloud, however preserve a watch out for them. Go to Personalization and Start from Windows Settings to configure the characteristic.

4. Keep Your Focus with the Clock App 

The Clock app in Windows 11 isn’t only for telling the time—it’ll additionally enable you to keep targeted for particular durations of labor and research. Open the Clock app, then select the Focus periods choice from the panel on the left: When you click on Get began you’ll be invited to arrange your duties and timings. This integrates with the To Do app in Windows 11 too, and you’ll even add songs from a Spotify playlist that will help you keep totally concentrated.

5. Quickly Connect to Microsoft Teams

Rejoice, followers of Microsoft’s Slack competitor! Teams is now built-in entrance and heart in Windows 11—it’s proper there on the taskbar after you replace the OS—and Microsoft is pushing it as the first technique to keep in contact with mates, household, and work colleagues (sorry, Skype). If you’ve by no means used Microsoft Teams earlier than, click on Get began on the primary display screen and comply with the prompts to attach with different individuals over video, voice, or textual content chat.

6. Enjoy a More Modern-Looking Windows 

Windows 11 brings with it a large overhaul of the software program’s visuals, so the whole lot seems much more trendy and designed particularly for the units of immediately (somewhat than, say, the Nineties). Open up File Explorer or Windows Settings, for instance, and also you’ll see there’s higher use of house, colour and iconography in contrast with Windows 10, making it extra interesting general.

7. Get More Stats on Battery Usage 

Open up Windows Settings, select System and Power & battery, and also you’ll discover there’s a extra detailed breakdown of how your battery is draining in Windows 11—choose Battery utilization for much more stats. It’s a part of a push to make Windows even higher on tablets and 2-in-1 units, which additionally means an interface that’s simpler to make use of on a touchscreen with out a keyboard (extra readability and house with the visuals, bigger menu buttons, and so forth).

8. Try Out the New and Improved Microsoft App Store

Windows 11 brings with it a brand new and improved model of the Microsoft Store, with higher curation, deeper integration with digital content material like motion pictures, and a extra polished look. It’s now simpler to get round, even when the precise functions themselves are nonetheless hit or miss—you may anticipate extra enhancements right here within the coming months, particularly in relation to gaming, which Microsoft is pushing in Windows 11.

9. Use Secondary Displays More Easily 

One of the enhancements that Windows 11 ushers in that you just may not discover right away is how secondary shows are detected. The software program ought to now keep in mind how your home windows had been organized on an exterior monitor, so if you happen to disconnect after which reconnect it once more, this system home windows will return to their earlier place. It’s a small change that’s nonetheless going to be very useful for anybody utilizing a number of shows.

10. Manage Taskbar Widgets

We acquired a glimpse of widgets in Windows 10 with a pop-up window subsequent to the notification space, however in Windows 11 they get their very personal icon on the taskbar, and there are extra of them to choose from, too. Click on the taskbar icon to see information, climate, your upcoming calendar appointments, ideas for utilizing Windows 11, and extra. Select Add widgets button to do exactly that—you’ll be capable of set which widgets seem on display screen and which don’t.

11. Run Android Apps

This characteristic isn’t accessible at launch, however quickly Windows 11 will be capable of run Android apps from the Amazon Appstore when Microsoft lastly pushes the replace out. For now, we don’t know precisely when that’s going to be, however we do know that they’ll work in an analogous technique to commonplace Windows apps—it is best to be capable of snap them to the display screen edges or pin them to the taskbar, for instance.