Essential Windows 11 Tricks and Keyboard Shortcuts that Make Life Easier

You’ll find in this post the Windows 11 tricks and keyboard shortcuts that help you handle a computer much more efficiently. So much so that they might inspire you to move to the latest operating system if you’re still using Windows 10.

Coincidentally, the first tip below will help you with the migration process on a computer that does not meet the new operating system’s hardware requirements.

Make it a weekend project to master them all—they are pretty straightforward—or check back once in a while for reference when you forget. I’ll likely update this post with new tricks anyway.

Dong’s note: Indeed, I first published this piece on November 5, 2021, and updated it on December 12 with additional information, tips, and tricks. Hint: Use the Table of Content below for quick access.

Windows 11 tricks and keyboard shortcuts: The list

Before we continue, let’s go through a few mundane things that we tend to assume that everyone knows.

In reality, some don’t, or at least don’t care enough to remember which is which. And we can’t go forward if we’re not on the same page regarding names.

Everyday Windows items and shortcuts

Again, savvy users need not apply, though this part can be a good refresher on Microsoft Windows. But if you think you’re too cool for it, click here to skip.

• The Taskbar: This is the bar that, by default, runs at the bottom of your computer’s screen. Among other things, it holds the Start button and shortcut icons of other software.
• The Start button: This is the first icon on the Taskbar (from left). It has the logo of Windows. When you hit the Start button, the Start menu will appear.
• The Start menu: It’s the iconic graphical user interface element available since Windows 95. The menu, invoked via the Start button or the Windows key on the keyboard, holds shortcuts to applications and settings of the computer.
• The Windows key: Available in most QWERTY keyboards, the Windows key lies between the Ctrl and Alt keys at the lowest row. Its name comes from the fact it has the Windows logo on top. If you use a Mac keyboard (on a Windows computer), the Command key functions as the Windows key.
• Esc (escape) key: This is the key at the top left corner of a keyboard. It’s generally used to quickly dismiss certain dialogs or invoke the “Cancel” command.
• A keyboard combo: A combination of one or more special keys (Ctrl, Alt, Windows, or Shift) with a regular key to start an action. To execute a combo, you press and hold the special key(s) and another key on the keyboard. Standard Windows keyboard combos:
  • Ctrl + C (press and hold the Ctrl key and then press on C): Copy. The selected item will be stored in the Clipboard (you don’t see it), ready for you to paste it somewhere.
  • Ctrl + X: Cut. This is similar to Ctrl + C, but when you paste the item, it will be removed from its original location (when possible.)
  • Ctrl + V: Paste (or place) the copied item at a new location.
  • Ctrl + Z: Undo an immediate previous action (when possible).

Let’s move on to other cool tricks with that out of the way.

1. Upgrade an “unsupported” Windows 10 hardware to Windows 11

By now, you must have been aware of Microsft’s ridiculous hardware requirements that prevent users from upgrading many Windows 10 computers, including some with powerful hardware, to its latest Windows 11.

The truth is, those requirements seem arbitrarily made up to force you into getting new hardware. You can upgrade all Windows 10 computers to Windows 11 for free. This post on the in-place Windows 11 upgrade will guide you through the process.

2. Avoid using Microsoft accounts

Unlike widely reported, you do not need a Microsoft account to use Windows 11.

But the software company does try to coerce you into making one by seemingly offering no other option when you create a user account within Windows 11 so that later it can push so many different products and services (like One Drive, Teams, Sky, etc.) on you.

The software giant has become increasingly aggressive on this front since the early version of Windows 10.

This approach is a terrible practice and is bad for your privacy. On top of that, it’ll cause the login time to be longer—the computer has to ping the Microsoft server and services each time you sign in. So there are more reasons not to use it than to use it.

And you sure can avoid it. Here’s how to easily create a (new) local account on Windows 11 (it works on Windows 10, too):

Disconnect your computer from the Internet before you proceed to create a new account.

Update: With the latest Windows 11, it’s getting hardware and harder to use the disconnection trick. You might want to follow this new method to avoid a Microsoft account.

Here’s how to temporarily disconnect when applicable:

• Unplug the computer’s network cable. Or
• Temporarily turn off or disconnect its Wi-Fi via the little icon at the Taskbar’s right corner—you can also turn on the Airplane mode. (This is a good opportunity to use the Win + A keyboard shortcut—more below.)

The lack of Internet access will force Windows to allow you to create a local account.

3. The Windows key shortcuts everyone should know

These keyboard shortcuts start with the Windows key (“Win” for short). To use one, you press and hold the Windows key and then press another keyboard key.

For example, the Win + A combo means you press and hold the Windows key, then hit the A key on the keyboard.

If you’re on a computer, you can try any of these combos below right now. They are fun! By the way, most of these also work on Windows 10 and earlier.

(Again, if you’re on a Mac running BootCamp, or use a Mac keyboard on a Windows computer, use the Command key in the place of the Windows key.)

Combo	Action
Win + A	Open Quick Settings to change time, Wi-Fi, Airplane mode, notification, etc. Esc to close.
Win + B	Move the mouse’s focus to the first item at the Taskbar corner at the lower right corner of the screen. Now you can use the Left and Right arrow keys to move between them and Enter to open the selected one.
Win + C	Open Microsoft Teams. (Windows 11 installs Microsoft Teams by default—good luck getting rid of it!) Esc to close.
Win + Ctrl + D	Open a new Virtual Desktop. You will get a new desktop screen that’s clean. Now you have the following applicable shortcuts: Win + Ctrl + Left (or Right) Arrow: Switch between virtual desktops. Windows + Ctrl+ F4: Close the current virtual desktop you’re viewing.
Win + D	Toggle: Minimize all windows and get you to the Desktop screen, or restore them to their original statuses. (Toggle means you can switch between two repeatable actions by pressing the regular key again while still holding the special key (s) down.)
Win + E	Open File Explorer
Win + G	Open the Game Bar (only gamers need to apply). Esc to close.
Win + H	Open Microsoft Speech Service (Windows 11’s built-in voice dictation). Esc to close.
Win + Home	Toggle: Minimize/restore all other windows, except for the one you’re working on—you won’t see anything if your current window is in the maximized state or if it’s the only open window.
Win + I	Open Windows 11’s Settings. (This is equivalent to clicking on the Start menu and then on the Settings cogwheel.)
Win + K	Open Cast to connect the computer to a wireless display (TV, projector, external display, etc.) Esc to close.
Win + L	Lock the computer. (You should always do this when you leave the computer for an extended amount of time.)
Win + M	Minimize all open windows (similar to Win + D above, except it’s not a toggle).
Win + N	Open Notification Center. Esc to close.
Win + P	Open More Display setting, similar to Win + K but only for wired screens connected to the computer via a cable. Esc to close.
Win + Pause/Break	Open System -> About (This is a quick way to know the specs of a computer) Alternatively, you can use Win + I and then click on About.
Win + PrtScn	Take a screenshot of the entire screen (On most computers, just the Prtscn will do.) Ctrl + V: Paste the screenshot on an application, such as Paint.
Win + R	Open the Run dialog (This allows you to enter a quick command.) Esc to close.
Win + S (or Q)	Open the Search window and set the focus on the search field. You now can type in a search term. Esc to close.
Win + Shift + S	Take a screenshot of a portion of the screen. (You’ll have the option to draw a rectangle of what you want to save as a photo.) Ctrl+V: Paste the shot to any application.)
Win + Space Bar	Rotate between available keyboards. (Applicable only to those using multiple input languages or methods, such as English, Spanish, Japanese, Vietnamese, etc.)
Win + T	Set focus on the first application icon on the Taskbar (to the right of the Start button). Now you can use the Left and Right arrows to move between them and Enter to call up the selected application.
Win + Tab	Display all the Task Views (all open windows). You can then choose which one you want to work on. Esc to close. (Alternatively, you can use the Alt + Tab; in this case, you can keep holding Alt while tapping on Tab to move between the windows, releasing the Alt key to open the selected window.)
Win + V	Open the Clipboard. Here you can turn on its History and manage items that you have stored in it via the Ctrl+ C combo mentioned above. Esc to close.
Win +  W	Open Windows 11’s Widgets window. Esc to close.
Win +  X	Open Menu X. (Equivalent to right-clicking on the Start button.) Esc to close.

By the way, of these combos, the Win + S, Win + X, Win + R, Win + D, Win + I, and Win + E are my favorites, in that order. I use them almost every day.

Most importantly, practice the Win + S combo a few times and remember it! We’ll use it a lot from here on out.

4. Make your computer run faster by reducing unnecessary graphic effects and animations

By default Windows 11 comes with many flashy animations and transitional effects that, while cool, only make the computer slower.

Mostly, they waste system resources, and we should turn them off. Here are the steps:

• Hit Win+R (or Win + S) and enter the following text (you can copy and paste):

sysdm.cpl

• Press Enter to call up the System Properties window.
• Pick the Advanced tab.
• Check the Custom radio button on, then uncheck the seven top checkboxes. (You can choose, but you should uncheck all seven and possibly more!)
• Click on Apply and then OK.

And that’s it. You’ll notice better performance.

5. Remove unnecessary Startup programs

Almost all applications you put on your computer these days want to run automatically each time you turn on the computer.

While some must run on startup, most are just a waste of recourses while nagging for your attention, and we should disable them. Here are the steps:

• Hit Win + S and enter the following text on the search field, and press Enter:

task manager

• (Alternatively, you can also right-click on the Start button—or use the Win + X combo—to open Menu X and click on Task Manager).
• On the Task Manager window that appears, if you see “More details” at the bottom, click on it—the text will change to “Fewer details,” and the window will display more details.
• Pick the Startup tab.
• Select each startup program you don’t need to use and click on the Disable button.

That’s it. Restart the computer, and it’ll run better, by a bit or a lot, depending on how many startup programs you used to have.

6. Add quick shortcuts to profile sub-folders to the Start menu

There’s an area at the bottom of the Start menu, which is blank by default, where you can place shortcuts to your account’s quick access folders (Pictures, Downloads, Music, Video, etc.).

Here’s how to populate that area:

• Hit Win + S and enter the following text om the search field:

start setting

• As “Start settings” appears in the search result, hit Enter or click on it to open Personalization -> Start window
• Click on Folder
• Slide the dot for each folder to on (or off).

7. Customize the Start menu’s pinned apps and make them persistent in all (new) user accounts

Just like Windows 10, by default, Windows 11’s Start menu comes with tons of pinned apps, most of which are those that Microsoft wants to stuff down its customers’ throats.

But like the case of Windows 10, you can remove these apps and pin new ones to the menu easily—right-click on an item, and the rest is self-explanatory.

The problem is this: the changes you’ve made will stay with the current account. When you make a new account—for another user—those pinned bloatware apps will come back—they are the default. And the trick to keep them at bay in Windows 10 no longer works.

Here’s the new trick to make the Start menu persistent throughout the entire computer, applicable only to Windows 11:

• Hit Win + S and enter the following text on the search field:

cmd

• Run elevated Command Prompt: As the Command Prompt appears in the results, right-click on it and choose Run as administrator (and accept the User Account Control security warning—click on Yes). The Administrator: Command Prompt window will appear.

• Enter the following command and press Enter (you can copy and paste):

xcopy "%LocalAppData%\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState\start*.bin" "%OSDisk%\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.StartMenuExperienceHost_cw5n1h2txyewy\LocalState\" /y

That’s it. From now on, all new accounts you’ll create on the computer will share the same pinned apps that those of the current account.

8. Customize Taskbar, including moving the Start menu to the left

By default Windows 11 puts the Start menu in the middle of the screen. You can change that and other items on the Taskbar.

Here’s how to change that:

• Hit Win + S and enter the following text in the search field:

taskbar settings

• Hit Enter or click on the search result to open the Personalization -> Taskbar window.
• To add/remove the Taskbar items: Move the dot to the on or off position for each.
• To move the Start menu to the left: Click on Taskbar behaviors and change the value of Taskbar alignment to “Left”.
• You can also use this page to customize other aspects of the Taskbar, including the corner overflow (right end) and more.

9. Make default apps persistent in all (new) accounts

Default apps automatically launch when you launch an applicable service or file. In other words, these are the apps associated with particular file types.

For example, if you double-click on a Word file, Microsoft Word will launch and automatically open that document for you to view its content and make changes.

And that’s fine.

However, there are many file types and services. Each can be handled by multiple applications. In web browsing, for example, we have Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, etc. Some of these apps are far better than their peers.

A bit of Windows 11 default app lamentation

As the maker of the Windows operating system, Microsoft insists on making its own apps the default, despite the fact they are far inferior and many cases. It’s a type of monopoly or unfair advantage. Just bad.

Personally, I’d prefer Chrome as my default browser and VLC as my default player for all types of multimedia content (video and sound). But you might have your preferences.

Starting with Windows 11, Microsoft has deliberately and egregiously made it hard to change the default apps, especially regarding browsers—it nags and forces Edge on the users.

(That behavior alone is enough for everyone to stop using Edge. But if you like it, I’m nobody to judge.)

How to change the default apps in Windows 11

There are many ways to change the default app in Windows. You’ll find two in this part.

The easy way (best for general file associations in any Windows version)

1. Right-click on a file (I used a PDF file as an example). A context menu will pop up. Choose Properties. The Properties window will appear.
2. On the Properties window, pick the Change button after “Open with:”. The app selection window will appear.
3. Pick a new app—you can browse for one if you don’t find your fav on the list—as the default and click OK.

That’s it. From now on, whenever you double-click on any file of the same type (PDF in this case), the new default app you have picked will launch instead of the old one (Edge.)

The detailed way (best for picking the default browser in Windows 11)

The method below is more detailed, specifically for Windows 11 and especially when you want to change the default browser:

• Hit Win + S and enter the following text in the search field:

default apps

• Open Default Apps. Now follow these steps:

1. In the search field, enter the current default app that you want to change. (That’s “edge” in this example.)
2. Select the default app in the result.
3. Pick a file type (or service) that the current app (Edge) is the default, and the app selection window will appear.
4. Pick the new app (Chrome in this case—but you can choose your own.)
5. Hit the OK button.
6. Repeat from step #3 for other file types/services if applicable.
7. Repeat from step #1 for a different app.

Now, your current account will have all your favorite apps as the default. Mission accomplished. Well, almost.

When you create a new user account on the computer, Microsoft’s default apps will apply to that account. And you will have to repeat all the above.

There’s a way to avoid that.

How to make the current account’s default apps persistent in all new user accounts in Windows 11

It’s much faster to apply the current file associations (default apps) to the rest of the (new) user accounts on a Windows 11 computer.

Here are the steps:

• Run elevated Command Prompt—see trick number 7 above.
• Enter the following command and press Enter (you can copy and paste).

Dism /Online /Export-DefaultAppAssociations:"C:\Windows\System32\OEMDefaultAssociations.xml"

That’s it! From now on, all new user accounts will share the same default apps as the current account.

10. The good-old “God mode”

God mode is a fancy name for a trick dated back to Windows Vista. It’s a way for you to create a shortcut that opens up a window containing a vast collection of tools to customize the OS quickly.

Here’s how to create this God mode shortcut:

• Right-click on a space on the desktop and choose New -> Folder.
• Copy and paste the following text and use it as the name of the new folder, then press Enter:

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

That’s it. Now you’ll see the icon of the folder change into that of the Control Panel. Open (double-click) it, and you will see a long list of shortcuts.

Alternatively, you can also rename any existing folder with that name to get the same result.

Important: If you choose to rename an existing folder with content (sub-folders and files) into this name, you will lose access to its content—it can be hard to get that back. The point is don’t do it. Only rename an empty folder to this name.

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And that’s it for now. Check back in a while, and you might see more valuable tricks.

The takeaway

For the most part, Windows 11 is Windows 10 in disguise. However, it has a new user interface that requires some attention.

Hopefully, the new interface will remain more consistent than the case of Windows 10. But if not, using the Win + S combo and typing in the name of the item you need access to will likely persist throughout different versions, as it has been that way since Windows 8.