The 12 Most Useful Windows 11 Tips and Tricks –

Customize the Start Menu

One of the first areas worth reviewing to make everyday use of the new operating system easier is the Start menu. You can adjust its size and define the content—for example, by pinning additional apps or removing those you do not need.

Go to settings > Personalization > Start to tailor the menu to your preferences.

Startup Behaviour

A practical tip — including in Windows 11 — is to define which programs start automatically when your computer boots up. If you regularly work with the same applications, a well-configured startup setup can save both time and effort.

With just a few clicks, you can decide which applications should launch at startup and which should not.

Windows-Icon > Settings > Apps > Click Startup > Select your preferences

Customize the Taskbar

In previous Microsoft operating systems, the taskbar was always positioned on the left. Most users have become accustomed to this—and, as with any habit, people are often reluctant to change. In Windows 11, however, the taskbar is centered by default, although you can easily move it back to its familiar position:

Right-click the taskbar > Open Taskbar settings from the context menu > Choose the position from the dropdown menu (and adjust additional taskbar behavior settings as needed).

Hide Desktop Icons

The desktop can quickly become cluttered with various files during everyday use. Naturally, the workspace appears cleaner and more professional when it is not covered with everyday items. This function is therefore particularly useful in situations where others can see your desktop—for example, during presentations—as you can simply hide all icons.

Right-click the desktop > View > Show or hide desktop icons.

Use Snap Layouts and Snap Groups

To organize windows on your screen more easily, Windows 11 introduces the Snap Layouts feature. It is particularly useful for multitasking, as it allows you to arrange open applications so you can keep them all in view at the same time. Various layout options are available, tailored to your screen format. You can then assign your applications to the desired positions. The programs arranged on your desktop are displayed in the taskbar as a Snap Group, which can be quickly reselected after an interruption.

Hover over “Maximise” in the window, drag the window to the top edge of the screen, or press Windows key + Z > Select a layout and position the window where required within the layout.

Customize Widgets

Widgets are individual “info cards” displayed on a widget board. This provides you with a compact overview of relevant information—such as weather, time, calendar appointments, news, or stock prices. Many users do not actively use these widgets, possibly simply because they have not tailored them to their personal needs. However, customizing them is very easy.

Open widgets: swipe from the left edge of the screen towards the center, access them via the taskbar, or press Windows key + W > Select or add widgets, choose the size, etc.

Disable Notifications

From system alerts and app notifications to reminders, the large number of notifications in Windows 11 can sometimes become overwhelming. The good news is that you can define both the number of notifications you receive and the type of notification (with or without sound, banner, pop-up, or taskbar icon). This helps reduce distractions and allows you to stay focused on your workflow.

Start menu > Settings > System > Notifications > Turn off notifications for specific programs or define the notification type.

Manage Virtual Desktops

Windows 11 not only offers Snap Layouts to display multiple applications on a single desktop at a glance. You can also extend your workspace with virtual desktops—in Windows 11 these are more powerful and easier to use.
This gives you several desktops on which you can place and organize different windows while switching smoothly between them (Windows key + Tab). For better clarity, these desktops can also be named.

Creating a new virtual desktop is simple: Click Task View> New desktop

Enable Night Mode.

Anyone using their computer in the evening or at night should consider its compatibility with natural biological rhythms. Night mode helps with this—its softer contrast is easier on the eyes, and, by reducing blue light emissions, it helps avoid disruption to the body’s circadian rhythm (bluish light can affect the production of the sleep hormone melatonin).

You can enable night mode under Settings > System > Display > Night mode / Night light or define the times at which your computer should activate it automatically.

Dictation Feature with Automatic Punctuation

A helpful new improvement in Windows 11 concerns text dictation. You no longer need to explicitly name and dictate punctuation (although this is still possible). Instead, the system attempts to insert appropriate punctuation based on pauses in speech, intonation, or context. The more frequently you use this feature, the better the results become, as the system gradually learns your voice and speaking style.

Win + H (dictation feature) > Settings > Enable automatic punctuation

Disable the Cortana Voice Assistant.

For various reasons, it may be advisable to disable the Cortana voice assistant—for example, to protect your privacy, avoid unnecessary resource consumption, reduce internet data usage, or simply because you find Cortana’s constant presence distracting.

Start > Settings > Privacy > Disable voice activation

or

Start > Apps > Apps & Features > Enter Cortana in the search field > Advanced options > In the “Runs at sign-in” section, set the Cortana switch to “Off.”

Show Clipboard History

Finally, we would like to highlight a feature that is not new but has been significantly improved in Windows 11. It is more accessible and user-friendly, allowing you to use the classic copy-and-paste function across multiple applications. This saves time and increases flexibility between different applications and even across devices (via the cloud). You can also permanently save frequently used items in the clipboard and, of course, remove those you no longer need.

Enable clipboard history: Start > Settings or Windows key. + I > System> Clipboard > Turn on clipboard history

or

Windows key + V > Select an item and paste it