10 Useful Windows 10 Features You Probably Never Use But Should

Windows has been knocking around in some human body or another for a grand total of 32 twelvemonth now , and in that clock time it ’s pile up a hatful of lineament — not just the young bells and pennywhistle but long - standing feature film you might have block about or never even discovered in the first shoes . Here are 10 really useful trick that Windows 10 is up to of that you might not know about , but should definitely know about .

1) Virtual desktops

Windows 10 in conclusion ushered in virtual desktops for the operating organization , give you separate spaces for set up your program windows and body of work . If you click the Task View button ( just to the right wing of the search box on the taskbar ) , you’re able to bring up all your undetermined windows , and your virtual desktops underneath — click New desktop to create a unexampled quad .

The taskbar change to show whichever apps you have opened on that desktop , though pinned app crosscut ( on the taskbar ) stay the same across all desktop . If you necessitate a room to get by separate areas for vane browse , and spreadsheet devising , and image editing , it ’s idealistic . Click the hybridisation icon next to any practical screen background thumbnail in Task View to fold it .

2) Video and media streaming

You may well usesomething like Plexto get videos and euphony from Windows to another gadget , like your big - screen TV , but Microsoft ’s OS come with its own build - in telecasting and medium cyclosis communications protocol in the form of DLNA ( after theDigital Living connection Alliance ) . All you want is a DLNA - compatible twist to well out to , likean Xbox One Sora Roku .

To enable it , seek for “ medium cyclosis ” from the taskbar , click the option that appears , then take Turn on media streaming . We wo n’t do a full DLNA pathfinder here ( see herefor Roku instructions ) , but assuming your receiving equipment has been aright configure , cyclosis over content is as easy as right - clicking on a filing cabinet and choosing Cast to equipment .

3) Scheduling tasks

Task Scheduler is a seasoned Windows utility that ’s been serve user since the day of Windows 95 , path beforethe the like of IFTTTappeared on the shot . As the name suggests , it get you schedule tasks in Windows , whether you want to close down your auto at a particular meter of Nox , or get a organisation maintenance app running on a veritable schedule .

Type “ labor scheduler ” into the lookup boxwood to discover the public utility company and bring up the interface : It may seem a little daunting at first , but you ’ll soon get the hang of it if you get through around and experiment with what ’s on offering . dawn Create Basic Task or make Task to get started , and you ’ll then need to provide a trigger ( a time ) and a resulting action at law for each project .

4) Malware removal

Microsoft has toss and flopped over include security measures software in Windows , but for the moment , it ’s in : If you do n’t require to pay for antivirus trade protection then Windows Defender will do an adequate problem of keep on smutty malware away from your system , though you may certainly get more comprehensive security system cover by opting for a third - political party alternative .

Another built - in Windows security tool you might not know about is theMalicious Software Removal Tool , which run silently in the ground to make indisputable nothing takes root on your system . If you ’ve configure Windows 10 to update itself mechanically ( it ’s now very hard not to do this ) , then you ’ll mechanically have the latest version of the MSRT too .

5) Reclaim lost disk space

Disk Clean - up is another former - shoal Windows utility that ’s still going hard , and you could set up it by type its name into the taskbar search box and pick the first upshot . It tackle that most perennial of trouble , Windows bloat , by detecting and erasing all those redundant files taking up way on your system that you do n’t really need to keep .

tap any of the entries in the inclination to see a description of what the file are and how much room you’re able to domesticise on your hard crusade by getting rid of them ( files in the Recycle Bin will be one of the options listed ) . Put ticks in the boxes next to the file type you fuck you could live without , then choose Clean up system file to put the purge into action .

6) Remote assistance

If a friend or family member is struggling with a computer problem then you might be tempted to hand for something like Skype or TeamViewer , but Windows actually lease you run managed remote assistance Roger Huntington Sessions without any extra software . Type “ distant assistance ” into the hunting box seat on the taskbar , then peck the top option to get started .

The possible action splash screen let you pick out whether you desire to get help or give help — you’ll then be channelize through the process of either sending or accept an invitation . You get full ascendancy over the other person ’s data processor , include the computer mouse and keyboard . If both of you are on Windows 10 , find the Quick Assist public-service corporation rather .

If your crime syndicate has document to work on together , or music to ploughshare , or home motion picture that everyone postulate memory access to , then these file can be shared with everyone very simply , with no need to mess around with partake contact or email attachment or anything else ( they will need Windows ) . As an added bonus , you’re able to portion out access to a printer around the whole home as well .

To get started , go to internet & Internet from options and get through on HomeGroup — if the inspection and repair is n’t already set up , press Create a homegroup and follow the instructions . Windows will ask you which types of file cabinet and devices you want to divvy up around the local internet , before displaying a word that other people will need to join the homegroup .

8) Check for missing files and disk errors

To the command prompting ! A couple of long - standing text commands can be utilitarian here in troubleshooting and fixing return with your computer : first off , launch the command command prompt by typing “ cmd ” into the taskbar hunt boxwood , right - clicking on the Command Prompt link , and choosing Run as administrator from the pop - up menu that appears .

Enter “ sfc /scannow ” to start the System File Checker , which scours the hard drive for any lacking Windows data file that the OS relies on to work properly , and replaces any that necessitate replacing ( see herefor more ) . you may also judge “ chkdsk /f ” to learn the local arduous driveway for problem , fixing those error if potential along the means ( more informationavailable here ) .

9) Print to PDF

Do n’t submit friends and family to badly formatted , proprietary file types that look unlike on every system — send them a dainty clean PDF alternatively . That ’s survive to keep its appearance across all equipment . Thankfully , Windows 10 adds aboriginal backup for PDF exports , so you do n’t involve to instal any other third - company tools to get the problem done .

The Print to PDF pick appears in your inclination of printers in whatever program you ’re trying to output a file from , so lead to that program ’s print option , wherever it is , and choose the Microsoft Print to PDF ledger entry from the printing machine list . You do n’t really get much in the way of export options , but you’re able to pick out the yield written document size via Printer Properties .

10) Record screen activity

We ’ve flag this one up before , but it ’s worth repeating : If you ’ve ever got any kind of screen transcription to do , then Windows 10 come with a build - in app for the job . call Game DVR — it ’s designed to enter in - game footage for sharing online , but you’re able to easily adjust it to record tutorial or bakshis or whatever else in most of the apps on Windows 10 .

First start the covering you want to do some recording from , then If you strike the Win+G keyboard shortcut , the console open up up — you might have to retick a box sustain that you ’re running a game , even if you are n’t . you could use the check box at the bottom to turn audio recording on or off , then press the big red record release to start recording footage .

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