25 Best New Windows 10 Features You Should Know

Oct. 26, 2020

List of New Windows 10 Features

You can set a download limit and Windows 10 will not hog your internet bandwidth beyond that point. You can find the option under Windows Settings -> Update and Security ->Delivery Optimization -> Advanced Option-> Download Settings. That’s it. I think for many PC users, this might be the best Windows 10 features to have come up in the last few years.

If you are unaware,PowerToysis a tool developed by Microsoft that brings additional features to Windows 10. The tool does not ship with Windows 10, but you need to install it separately. That said, the tool istightly integrated with Windows 10and has some amazing features which you are going to love.

Among all of them, I love using PowerToys Runs to quickly search for files, folders, programs, basically anything I want. Itworks just like the Spotlight feature on macOSand also has a similar visual look. To get started, download PowerToys fromhereand enable PowerToys Run. You can then just press Alt + Space to bring up the cool Run bar.

Your Phone is not a new addition to Windows 10, but it’s constantly getting new features after every major update. With the Your Phone app, you canget smartphone notifications, text messages with the ability to reply, messages from WhatsApp and other social media apps, images from your smartphone, and much more.

The best part is that now you can even attend calls on your Windows 10 computer which is amazing. Not to mention, if you have aflagship Samsung devicethen you can evenaccess Android apps on your PC. Basically, Your Phone bridges the gap between smartphones and PCs to offer a seamless experience across different ecosystems. So go ahead and use the Your Phone app on Windows 10.

It comes pre-installed on the latest version of Windows 10. If the app is not available natively then you candownload it from the Microsoft Store. Keep in mind, Your Phone app has muchtighter integration with Androidthan iOS devices. All in all, I would say, the Your Phone app is one of thebest Windows 10 appsand you must give it a try.

This way, you will save a lot of battery juice ongaming laptops. So to find the option, openSettings -> System -> Display-> Scroll down and open Advanced Display Settings -> scroll down and you will find the new Refresh Rate section.

Apart from that, WSL 2 also bringssupport for mounting Linux filesystems like EXT4which is incredible. Microsoft has also announced that Linux GUI apps will be coming to Windows 10 in a future update.

But you don’t have to wait for that long, you canrun Linux GUI programson Windows 10right now. If you want toget started with WSL 2 on Windows 10then go through our linked guide.

Don’t worry, this processwon’t delete any of your personal files and folders. However, it will remove all the installed apps and settings that you have customized. Also, it will delete all the C drive files including desktop data so make sure to move them to another drive.

The disappointing part about Cloud Reset is that it will add the bloatware that OEMs include in the OS. Nevertheless, the feature is a godsend and makes the Windows reinstallation process a breeze. To find the feature, openSettings -> Update and Security -> Recovery-> click on Get Started under Reset this PC -> Keep my files -> Cloud download.

Many are unaware but you can cast Windows 10 to smart TVs just like Android casting. It works on Android TVs and also some LG, Sony, and Samsung TVs that run their proprietary OS. Windows 10 and the smart TV useMiracast technology to cast the screenseamlessly. We have written a detailed guide onhow to cast Windows 10 to smart TVsso go through the tutorial and you will find the feature really helpful.

While Virtual Desktop has been available on Windows 10 for quite some time, now Microsoft has brought the option torename your virtual desktops. You can rename it to your own preference and make it easier to navigate across various virtual desktops.

Microsoft has added an option to display FPS (frame per second) counter in the Xbox Game Bar. While gaming, you canenable the FPS counteras an overlay window. The best part about this feature is that now you no longer have to rely on third-party apps like FRAPS.

Winget is a cool new feature of Windows 10 operating system. For years, we have been waiting for a native package manager on Windows 10, but finally, Winget is here. It’s a command-line tool that helps youinstall and remove programs just like the Linux terminal. In just one command, you can install apps without having to go through the installation wizard.

There are many advantages of a package manager such as Winget. For instance, you can nowbulk install Windows 10 apps with Winstall. Here, Winstall uses the Winget tool todeploy several commands at once. That’s pretty cool, right? So toget started with Winget, go through our linked guide.

“Cloud Clipboard” has got a couple of pretty neat improvements. You can now save up to 26 most recent items you copied to the history. You can access these items usingWindows + V keyboard shortcut. More significantly, it also lets you sync the copied items to other PCs connected with the same Microsoft account.

To make the most of this useful feature, head overSettings -> System -> Clipboard. Now, ensure that the options forClipboard historyandSync across devicesare ideally configured.

Specifically aimed at Pro or Enterprise users, Windows Sandbox is a worthy addition to Windows 10. What makes it super handy is the ability to let youtest software securely in a completely isolated environment even without setting up a time-consuming virtual machine.With the help of XML configuration files, you can disable network access and even be able to expose specific folders from your main Windows system.

Moreover, when you close out Sandbox, all the data is automatically wiped out. If you often find yourself dealing with some random or suspicious software, Sandbox would surely become your favorite. That said, note that this feature is only available forWindows 10 Prousers and not Windows 10 Home users.

To use Windows Sandbox, ensure that your computer supports hardware virtualization. The PC must have AMD64 architecture, 4GB of RAM (8GB is recommended) as well as 1GB of HDD space. Also, make sure your device has a minimum of 2 processor cores ( though 4 cores with hyperthreading are preferred). To enable Windows Sandbox, open “Start” and Search for “Turn Windows features on or off”.

Then, you need to click the top result to get started with the Windows Features experience. Next, check the “Windows Sandbox” option and click on “OK”. Finally, click on the “Restart now” button. Up next, go through a simple set-up and then start testing any software in a safe environment.

Microsoft had integrated Cortana with the Search Bar to offer more seamless search results. Unfortunately, the implementation didn’t go down well with many users ( me included) as it seemed to mess up the whole thing and made it slower. Thankfully, Microsoft has now separated the core Windows 10 search and Cortana.

Now,when you start typing in the Search Bar, you will see files/applications on your computer and web results.And, Cortana will be responsible for nothing more than voice searches, which appears to be a well-timed change.

One of my favorite features of the latest Windows 10 update is Enhanced searching. At times, I feel the need tosearch the entire system and not just file libraries and desktop, especially when looking for a file that seems to be missing.

With the introduction of Enhanced search, I can search the entire PC and quickly track down something that’s not available at the usual places. If you are also in the same boat, chances are you may appreciate this new feature as well.

To enable Enhanced searching, launchSettings -> Search Windows -> Searching Windows -> Enhanced(It’s under Find My Files section).

Moreover, the latest update also allows Windows users toskip major updates (18 months)as long as the operating system has the support for security updates.

If you want to delay the download and installation of a new Windows update, openSetting -> Update & Security -> Windows Update -> Advanced options. Now, turn on the toggle forPause Updates.

To activate this theme, click on theStart menuand chooseSettings. Now, click onPersonalizationand selectColors. Under the “Choose your color” section, select theLight theme, Dark, or Custom.

Tip:If you want to have the pie of both dark and light themes, choose Custom. Then, select separate options for apps and windows mode. It will let you set apps in light mode and adorn Windows with a nice-looking dark theme.

And I guess, a lot of Windows users are also going to appreciate the option touninstall many default apps including 3D Viewer, Calculator, Mail, Calendar,Movies & TV, Paint 3D, Snip & Sketch, Sticky Notes, and Voice Recorder.

So, from now onwards, you can continue to bash the game boss or decimate your opponents without having to put your favorite music on the back burner. To get started,click on the “menu button” and choose “Spotify”.After that, sign into your Spotify account and then get the most out of Spotify widget to play music and control playback.

Who wants to remember passwords and enter them time and time again? Though some of thebest password managersdo make the sign in process smooth sailing, there is always a desire to embrace a life without passwords. If my own experience holds true, I think no one enjoys dealing with passwords.

Windows 10 has offered a better way to let users log in without a password. Now, users cancreate Microsoft account using their phone number and then use Windows Hello for quick authentication.

Though “Task Manager” has always been a highly efficient tool for keeping a track of what’s happening on your PC and nabbing the culprits that may make your computer sluggish, it’s become even smarter now.

The latest Windows 10 update lets youset up the default tab when you launch Task Manager. Additionally, you can also check out whether an app supportsDPI settings or not.

How often have you gone for a software update, only to realize that your system doesn’t have enough space to get the update? Well, it has happened to many of us at some point or the other.

To find out how much storage Windows has reserved on your PC, head over toSettings -> System -> Storage -> Show More Categories -> System & Reserved.Now, check out the storage under theReserved storagesection.

Times when you are creating big projects or designing something amazing, “Focus Assist” becomes really important Now, it’s become even more helpful in letting you fully concentrate on your task by putting random notifications or alerts at bay.

To put this feature into action, openSettings -> System -> Focus assist. Under Automatic rules, make sure the switch forWhen I’m using an app in full screen modeis turned on. Going forward, whenever you open an app in full screen, Focus Assist will turn on automatically, thereby putting all the distractions away.

Until now, when you right-clicked on a font file in File Explorer and selected Install, you had to enter an admin credential and the font would be installed for all users. Long story short, the process wasn’t straightforward at all.

But with the arrival of the latest Windows version, you will just need todrag the font file from Explorer to the Settings -> Font page and it will install it right away.

Despite being an iconic feature of Windows for several years, the Start menu never had a pristine and clutter-free appearance. However, things seem to have changed for the better. The default Start menu nowsports a single column and looks a lot cleanerthan ever before.

Better yet, you will now be able to unpin default group of tiles more conveniently. Simplyright-click on the group of tilesand choose“Unpin Group From Start”. It’s a much better implementation than getting rid of each unnecessary tile one by one, isn’t it?

If you are using Windows tablets, the new predictive feature can go a long way in accelerating your typing on the touch keyboard. Based on your typing style, it willautomatically adjust the hit target for the keys and slightly increase the key size of the ones you are likely to touch.

Thus, you will be able to type both faster and more conveniently. Having used Windows phone back in the day, I can tell, for sure, that it’s a pretty good take and can play a vital role in making typing more convenient.

If you see historically then the Start Menu is something that is unique and one of the main features of Windows OS across several versions. Apart from that, currently, I would say the Your Phone app, the new Dark mode, Clipboard History, and a range of great first-party programs like MS Office and Paint have made Windows so popular.

The advantage of using Windows 10 is that you will get unparalleled app support that is nowhere seen in any other desktop platform. Apart from that,Windows 10 has almost become freeso consumers don’t need to pay for pricey activation charges.

Further, Windows 10 works on all kinds of hardware and allows users to customize and play with core system settings to no end.

If you want to use Windows 10 effectively then, first of all, learn thebest Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts. It will boost your productivity immeasurably. Apart from that, you should take advantage of Clipboard History, Virtual Desktops, touchpad gestures, and more. You can find more suchWindows 10 tips and tricksfrom our linked guide.

There are endless cool things that you can do on Windows 10. Fromcreating your own keyboard shortcutto runningAndroid on top of Windows, there is no dearth of features on Windows 10. You cancontrol your PC with Google Assistantand use Linux apps within Windows 10 using WSL 2.

If I have to mention one hidden feature of Windows 10 then I would say the ability to defer Windows 10 updates. Using the Group Policy editor, you candefer Windows updatesup to 365 days. Other than that, you can use seamless snapping on Windows 10 tablet mode just likeWindows 10X.

God Mode on Windows 10 allows you to access key Control Panel and core Windows 10 features in one window. It can be helpful for users who frequently deal with system settings.

Rather than just adding a plethora of new features, Microsoft has put more emphasis on enhancing performance and boosting thesecurity of Windows 10. Though I’m always up for cool features, what I appreciate more is the improved and seamless performance as it plays a significant role in bolstering productivity.

You can also go through our tutorial and learn how tospeed up Windows 10 considerably. Anyway, that is all from us. What about you? What’s your take on the latest versions (20H1 and 20H2) of Windows 10? Sound off your thoughts in the comments below.

Passionate about Windows, ChromeOS, Android, security and privacy issues. Have a penchant to solve everyday computing problems.