Advertisement

Article

Five hidden Windows 10 tools

Five hidden Windows 10 tools
Alex Beech

Alex Beech

  • Updated:

Microsoft’s new Windows 10 operating system has been downloaded by millions of people, so we already have a good idea of its many strengths. But with Cortana, virtual desktops, and the new start menu, all garnering some much deserved attention, it can be easy to miss the smaller improvements.

These more subtle improvements are there though – and many of them will add just as much, if not more, to your Windows 10 experience. Here are the five best.

Disk Manager

Yes, Windows 10 now makes it easier than ever to see how you are using your hard drive space. By going to Settings > System > Storage you can choose the disc you want to analyze the quickly see how much room each individual folder and file is taking up – you can even delete files directly from this menu.

Integrated video capture

Window 10 makes it easy to capture what’s going on in your open programs. Starting a recording is as easy as holding the Windows, Alt, and R keys.

Alternatively, if you are more interested in recording a game, then you have Xbox application. Holding Windows and G will bring up the Xbox widget to let you start recording.

Battery Monitor

Designed to run on desktop, laptops, and tablets, Window 10 offers you even more power management options. Going to Settings > System > Battery Saving > Battery lets you see your battery usage over the last week, two days, and 24 hours. It even shows how much power individual apps are using, letting you cancel the more resource intensive ones.

Command Line

The command line is hardly new, but Windows 10 has improved the functionality of this tool. Opening up the app’s properties now allows you to alter the window’s opacity, and the text’s color, size, and font to make it easier to read. You can even copy and paste from other programs – which I can attest is a huge deal from all the time I have struggled to transcribe lines of what looks like gibberish.

Wi-Fi Sense

If, like me, you are a horrible person who feels put out every time you have to search for your Wi-Fi password for a friend to connect, then Wi-Fi Sense may have the solution. This app looks at your Outlook, Skype, and Facebook contacts, then automatically connects your Windows 10 using friends through your device.

Related Stories

How to get the most out of Cortana, the Windows 10 virtual assistant

Making Cortana and Google get along

10 tips for customizing Windows 10

Follow me on Twitter: @DoFuss

Alex Beech

Alex Beech

Latest from Alex Beech

Editorial Guidelines