10 Hidden Windows 10 Features That Boost ProductivityWindows 10 ships with many features that are useful but often overlooked. Whether you’re a casual user, a student, or a power user, discovering these hidden tools can shave minutes off routine tasks and smooth your workflow. This article walks through ten such features, explains what they do, and shows how to use them effectively.
1. Virtual Desktops (Task View)
Virtual desktops let you create separate workspaces to organize windows and tasks. Use one desktop for email and communication, another for documents, and a third for media or testing.
- How to open: Press Win + Tab or click the Task View button on the taskbar.
- Create a new desktop: Click “New desktop” (or press Win + Ctrl + D).
- Switch: Use Win + Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow.
- Close a desktop: Open Task View and click the X on the desktop thumbnail or press Win + Ctrl + F4.
Why it helps: Reduces clutter and context switching by grouping related apps together.
2. Snap Assist and FancyZones
Snapping windows side-by-side has been improved in Windows 10 with Snap Assist and the ability to arrange windows into grids. For advanced control, use Microsoft PowerToys’ FancyZones.
- Basic snap: Drag a window to a screen edge or press Win + Left/Right/Up/Down.
- Snap Assist: When you snap one window, Snap Assist shows thumbnails of other open windows to fill remaining space.
- FancyZones (PowerToys): Create custom window layouts and quickly snap windows into them using a modifier key.
Why it helps: Speeds up multi-window workflows and maximizes screen real estate.
3. Clipboard History and Cloud Sync
Windows 10 includes a clipboard history that stores multiple copied items and can sync across devices using your Microsoft account.
- Enable: Go to Settings > System > Clipboard and toggle on Clipboard history and Sync across devices (optional).
- Use: Press Win + V to open clipboard history and paste previous items.
- Pin important items to keep them available.
Why it helps: Saves time re-copying text, links, and images and makes switching devices smoother.
4. Focus Assist (Quiet Hours)
Focus Assist reduces interruptions by suppressing notifications during work sessions, presentations, or gaming.
- Open: Settings > System > Focus assist.
- Modes: Off, Priority only, Alarms only.
- Automatic rules: Enable during specific hours, when duplicating your display, or when playing a game.
- Priority list: Choose which apps or people can break through.
Why it helps: Keeps you concentrated and prevents notification overload during critical tasks.
5. Windows Quick Assist and Nearby Sharing
Helping a colleague or sharing files quickly is easier with these built-in features.
- Quick Assist: Launch Quick Assist from the Start menu to provide or receive remote help. It uses a security code for temporary access.
- Nearby Sharing: Share files and links instantly with nearby Windows devices over Bluetooth or Wi‑Fi.
- Enable: Settings > System > Shared experiences > toggle Nearby sharing.
- Share: Right-click a file > Share > choose a nearby device.
Why it helps: Reduces setup time for remote troubleshooting and file transfers.
6. PowerToys — Fancy Utilities for Power Users
Microsoft PowerToys is an official set of utilities that extends Windows 10 with small but powerful tools.
Key PowerToys tools:
- FancyZones: Custom window layouts.
- PowerRename: Bulk rename files with search-and-replace, regex support, and previews.
- Keyboard Manager: Remap keys and shortcuts.
- File Explorer add-ons: Preview SVG and Markdown files.
Why it helps: Adds productivity-focused features not included in core Windows.
7. Storage Sense and Disk Cleanup Automation
Storage Sense keeps your disk tidy by automatically removing temporary files, emptying the recycle bin, and cleaning up unused content.
- Enable: Settings > System > Storage > toggle Storage Sense.
- Configure: Set frequency, choose files to delete, and automatically remove locally available cloud content older than a set number of days.
- Disk Cleanup: Run Cleanmgr or use the built-in option in Settings for quick results.
Why it helps: Frees disk space and reduces the need for manual maintenance.
8. Timeline — Resume Past Activities
Timeline (accessed through Task View) surfaces recently used files, websites, and activities, letting you jump back into work you were doing earlier.
- Open: Win + Tab to view Timeline entries.
- Customize: Manage which apps can show activities via Settings > Privacy > Activity history.
- Sync across devices: Sign in with a Microsoft account and enable activity history syncing.
Why it helps: Quickly resume interrupted tasks across devices without hunting for files.
9. Windows PowerShell and Windows Terminal
Command-line tools provide automation and faster file/task management.
- PowerShell: More powerful than Command Prompt; use scripts to automate repetitive tasks.
- Windows Terminal: A modern host for PowerShell, Command Prompt, and WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) with tabs, themes, and split panes.
- Install from Microsoft Store and set as default terminal in Windows Terminal settings.
Why it helps: Automates workflows, runs batch jobs, and provides advanced control for troubleshooting.
10. God Mode (Advanced Settings Folder)
“God Mode” exposes a long list of control panel settings in a single folder for power users who want quick access.
- Create: Make a new folder and rename it to:
- GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
- Open the folder to see hundreds of settings organized for quick access.
Why it helps: Puts obscure system settings in one place so you don’t need to hunt through menus.
Conclusion These hidden or underused Windows 10 features help reduce friction, organize workflows, and automate routine tasks. Try enabling one or two that match your daily needs — small changes often compound into meaningful productivity gains.
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