Windows 11: 15 Hidden Features & Tips (2025 Guide)
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I. Productivity & Organization
1 Advanced Snap Layouts
Forget manual window resizing. Simply hover over the "Maximize" button of any window (or press Win + Z) to see available layouts. In 2025, Windows remembers your "Snap Groups," allowing you to instantly reopen a set of 3 or 4 apps arranged exactly how you left them.
2 Virtual Desktops
Separate your work and personal life. Create one desktop for "Work" and another for "Gaming."
Navigate: Win + Ctrl + ← / →
3 Clipboard History
Never lose a copied item again. Enable this feature to keep your last 25 copied items (text and images).
4 Focus Sessions
Integrated into the Clock app, this tool launches a Pomodoro timer, connects your Spotify, and blocks distracting notifications. Perfect for deep work sessions of 45 minutes.
5 PowerToys: The Swiss Army Knife
An official Microsoft app you must install. It adds features like "Color Picker" (grab any color from your screen), "FancyZones" (ultra-advanced window management), and "Text Extractor" (copy text from any image).
II. AI News & November 2025 Update (25H2)
6 Click to Do (Copilot+ PC)
On new Copilot+ PCs, hold the Win key and click anywhere. AI analyzes what's on screen and suggests contextual actions: summarize text, edit an image, or send an email.
7 Recall
The flagship feature of 2025. Find "that document I saw yesterday afternoon" by simply typing your query in natural language. Windows saves secure snapshots of your activity to help you travel back in time.
8 "Recommended" Section in Explorer
File Explorer has changed. The new "Recommended" section uses AI to display files you are likely to want to open, based on your recent meetings and emails.
9 "Fluid" Voice Typing
Voice dictation (Win + H) no longer just transcribes. It now corrects grammar, adds punctuation intelligently, and removes hesitation words ("um," "uh") in real-time.
III. System & Interface Hacks
10 Shake to Minimize
Grab a window by its title bar and shake it with your mouse. All other windows will minimize instantly (Aero Shake).
11 Secret Start Menu
Right-click the Start button (or press Win + X) to directly access Device Manager, Terminal, and Settings.
12 Video Screenshots
The Snipping Tool doesn't just do images anymore. It now records your screen in video (with system audio). Shortcut: Win + Shift + S.
13 Notepad Tabs
Notepad finally supports tabs and auto-save. You can close the app without saving; your notes will be there when you reopen it.
14 Dynamic Lighting
For gamers: control RGB lighting for all your peripherals (mice, keyboards, headsets) directly from Windows settings, without installing bloated manufacturer software (Razer, Corsair, etc.).
15 Phone Link
Stop pulling out your phone. Reply to texts, make calls, and access your mobile photos directly from your PC. In 2025, you can even use your Android phone camera as a high-quality webcam for your PC.
If your PC feels slow, enable "Efficiency Mode" in Task Manager for resource-heavy apps. This lowers their CPU priority and saves battery life without closing them completely.