7 things you never knew you could do with Windows 11
From hidden menus to speaking out commands
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WithWindows 11approaching its first major update in the form of ‘Sun Valley 2’, there are already a few features that you may not be aware of that could help your workflow.
Some may be hidden in plain sight, or they’re buried deep in the System Settings app. But regardless, each of these tools aim to make it easier to create a document or simply access an app more simply.
With this in mind, we’ve listed seven hidden features that you may not be aware of to help you feel like a veritable Windows wizard.
Voice Typing
Dictation on Windows has improved massively in recent years, withWindows 11only making it easier and more accessible with commands and punctuation features.
No matter where you are in Windows 11, pressWIN + Htogether, and you’ll be able to speak out a message and, if you wish, a command to open an app, for example.
Emoji & GIF Picker
If you want to quickly add in an emoji or a GIF to a document or a message, press theWIN + .keys together, and a pop-up will appear, allowing you to search for the right image or emoji. From this window you can easily move from pictures to GIFs (although we did find the former slightly limited in the amount of emojis you could use).
Hidden Start Menu
It may be a big adjustment if you’ve moved from a different version of Windows and you’re trying to get to grips with the new start menu, however there’s a hidden menu that can bring up the majority of what you need.
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Right-click on the Start menu icon, and you’ll be greeted with a selection of apps, ready to go.
Hidden Context Menu
The right-click menu in Windows 11 was one of many refreshes (read: changes) thatMicrosoftgave to theoperating system, but there’s still a way to bring it back if you need a different action.
Simply go to ‘More Options’ or pressShift + F10, and the original context menu will show up.
Snap Layouts
While a couple of these layouts are already switched on, you need to go further to enable all the layouts to take advantage of your monitor.
Go to theStart Menu > Settings > System > Multitasking, and make sure to switch on all the layouts. Next time, you’ll be able to put apps alongside one another, or you can hold a window and shake it to minimize all other apps and just focus on the one you’re on.
Adjust volume for apps only
A useful, but hard to find feature in Windows 11 here, where you can temper down the volume in one app, such as Discord, but keep it higher for another app, such asGoogleChrome.
Go toSettings > System > Sound > Volume Mixer, and you’ll be able to configure the volumes for every app that’s active.
Hidden Clipboard
Windows 11 has improved how you can copy and paste text with the same speed as pressing CTRL + C and CTRL + V.
PressWIN + Vand a pop-up will appear, showing previously copied text which you can paste in.
Daryl had been freelancing for 3 years before joining TechRadar, now reporting on everything software-related. In his spare time, he’s written a book, ‘The Making of Tomb Raider’. His second book, ‘50 Years of Boss Fights’, came out in 2024, with a third book coming in 2025. He also has a newsletter called ‘Springboard’. He’s usually found playing games old and new on his Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and MacBook Pro. If you have a story about an updated app, one that’s about to launch, or just anything Software-related, drop him a line.
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