As the new update of Windows 10 is here, you get to see several new features and enhancements to the operating system. There are visual enhancements, improvements to Windows update and more and better ways to shuffle across different devices and operating systems.
Windows 10 is offering several new features and powerful tools for technical geeks. Some of these features are relatively older while others were rolled out during Window 10’s latest update. But all these features are really helpful in saving time and eliminating headaches.
Here is the list of top 10 lesser-known Windows 10 features:
· Timeline
Timeline feature was rolled out as a part of Windows 10’s latest update. It is one of the most interesting features out there. This feature is like a history panel for your desktop programs and files. This feature allows you to see files that you have opened previously that too in sequential order. Moreover, you can select the files there and open them. This is a great way to manage your files and apps that you use regularly.
Timeline is linked with your Microsoft account, not your PC. which is why you can get access to your cloud files anywhere. You can use this feature to open and edit those files in no time on any device that you login to.
This feature is still not perfect as most of the software area not compatible with this feature, which is why app developers need to work on their apps. This is why this feature is limited to software developed by Microsoft for now. You can open Timeline through task view icon on taskbar or by tapping Windows key + tab on your keyboard.
· Cloud Clipboard
Windows now enables you to sync your device with cloud, this enables you to edit your copied content from any device you are logged into. You can even adjust the content of your clipboard according to needs as well. There’s clipboard history viewer as well so that you can evaluate your content on your clipboard.
You can choose if you want your data synced to your cloud clipboard automatically or manually. The data stored in the cloud would be available for a certain period of time and can be accessed and edited at any point of time.
To enable this feature you need to open clipboard settings. You can open clipboard settings with the help of the search box and there you can toggle ON-Sync across devices.
You can automatically sync the text that you copy as well. You just choose option Automatically syncing according to your requirements. However, if you want all this to be manually chosen you can do that as well. You can turn on or off the clipboard history from there as well.
· Nearby Sharing
It’s not always about sharing text between devices, and there is going to be a time when you won’t be having a flash drive with you. This is where this feature comes in handy. To enable nearby sharing, both the PCs will either need to be a part of the Insider program or just be up-to-date with the latest version of windows.
Open shared experiences in settings and toggle ON the nearby sharing button. Two apps are most suited for sharing data via nearby sharing: Microsoft Edge browser and Windows Explorer. Both these apps contain a share button which can be used to share the access of that file to another PC.
With the help of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, this feature lets you share files and URLs with local PCs. Although the transfer speed is relatively low which is why this feature is limited to its usage.
· Storage Sense
Over time, storage space becomes a really big issue to those who like to dump all their files into their PC. Downloads and Recycle Bin are the most common app and folder, as they accumulate tons of space on your PC. Storage sense is a feature that lets you delete most of the unused and unnecessary files from your PC. It automatically detects these unused files and deletes them for you.
You can turn ON storage sense by opening storage sense from settings. This will scan and delete all the files that haven’t been used for more than thirty days.
You can give more control to storage sense, as you can make this feature clear up the clutter on your drive folders as well. It will just send those unused files to your cloud storage and would delete the file from your PC. Pretty convenient right?
· Dynamic Lock
This is a really important and useful feature for those who carry sensitive data on their laptops and PCs. As you sometimes forget to lock your laptop before leaving and this might lead to potential theft of your sensitive data. With Windows 10’s dynamic lock you need now worry about that.
This feature pairs with your mobile phone via Bluetooth and automatically locks the paired PC or laptop when you wander away. You can activate this feature with a quick multi-step process where you pair your devices together. You can even decide how far away you need to be from your PC to initiate a dynamic lock.
· New Start Menu And Show Desktop Button
With the latest Windows 10 update, you see a different start menu with some new tweaks. You get a tiled start menu which can be modified according to your taste as well. You can even make your start menu cover up your complete desktop which looks really awesome.
However, you can even turn your start menu back into its older style. You can right-click on your start menu button and a textual jump menu will pop up with several handy options. Thereafter, you can just change all the start menu settings as you like.
On the bottom-right corner, there is a button that is hardly visible. This is your show desktop button. This is one of the handiest features on your PC. You can minimize all the folders and apps with just a click. There’s one another feature that most people don’t know about, that is when you hover over this button you can minimize windows. You can activate this feature using taskbar settings.
· Sandboxing Tool
This feature is like your free and reliable antivirus program. This powerful tool lets you check untrusted or virus-prone apps and files in a safe environment. You can launch the app from start menu and a new window will open where you can try and check out the suspicious files and apps.
This feature creates a virtual copy of your operating system where you can test all the files that you want and no harm will come to your PC or files.
However, this function is only available to professional, Enterprise and Education users running a 64-bit edition of the windows.
· Visually Refreshing
At first, you might not notice anything new with your update, but there are several tweaks in your new windows update giving it a more coherent look. You can now switch between light and dark modes.
The action center now contains a brightness slider as well. You will even see a little microphone icon in the notification area whenever any app tries to use microphone, this is a little security tweak for your own data protection.
· Cortana
You might have already noticed that Cortana icon is now embedded into the taskbar. Previously, clicking the search bar would wake up the voice assistant which was really annoying. With the new updated it is much easier and clear in terms of using search bar and Cortana.
· Offline maps
Now windows comes with a maps app that can be used to search different locations and for navigation purposes as well. You can even use this feature offline as well. You just need to download these regional maps and you’ll be able to get all the relevant information even when you are offline.
You can download these offline maps from settings. Where you can download offline maps for specific regions as well. There are several features that won’t work with offline maps but nevertheless, this feature is still really handy.
