100 Windows 71-80 tips and tricks

 

 

71. Use maximum CPU power

You can make sure you are using the maximum power of your main processor on a desktop PC running Windows 10 by heading to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options.
Here click Change Advanced Power settings > Processor power management > Minimum processor state and change it to 100%.

72. Customise your app notifications

Notifications from all the installed apps can make you miss the real important ones. To curb notifications head to Start > Settings > System > Notifications & action. Scroll down and selectively turn off apps that you don't want to hear from.

73. No automatic updates

By default some Windows updates will automatically restart your computer to finishing installing. To put yourself in charge, head to Start > Settings > Updates and Security > Windows Update > Advanced Options.
Under the 'Choose how updates are installed' pull-down menu, select the 'Notify to schedule restart' option.

74. Schedule restarts

To continue working uninterrupted, you can ask Windows 10 to delay applying an update that requires a restart. Head to Start > Settings > Updates & security.
If you have an update pending, you can schedule your reboot after selecting the 'Select a restart time' radio button.

75. Get updates from other sources

Windows 10 lets you download updates from other computers on the network and the Internet using peer-to-peer technology, rather than Microsoft directly.
To tinker with the setting, head to Settings > Update & Recovery > Windows Update > Advanced Options > Choose how you download updates.

76. Remove old files after installing Windows 10

If you have no intentions of reverting to the previous version of Windows, you can save disk space by getting rid of the old OS files. Head over to Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools > Disk Clean-up and toggle the 'Previous Windows installations' box in the list.

77. Customise Privacy settings

To take charge of general and app-specific privacy options head over to Start > Settings > Privacy. From here you can also individually define which apps can access the connected hardware like cameras and microphones.

78. Find the original Control Panel

The new Settings panel is easy to find and is easier to navigate than the old Control Panel. But the latter is still available and comes in handy for accessing advanced options. You can find it by pressing Win + X on your keyboard and bringing up the power user menu.

79. Setup Metered connections

If you are connected to a mobile WiFi hotspot, you might want to configure it as a metered connection to restrict your data usage.
Head over to Notifications > All settings > Network & Internet > WiFi > Advanced options and under 'Metered connection' enable the 'Set as metered connection' option.

80. Unlock PC with a fingerprint

Windows 10 includes a suite of new biometric security features known as Windows Hello. If you have the required hardware then you can use fingerprint detection or face recognition to log in.
Head to Start > Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options to explore the various available options.