Windows 11 is great — it’s worth upgrading from Windows 10. But like every version of Windows, it’s at its best when you make a few tweaks to it. Besides making Windows 11 like Windows 10, or customizing the Windows 11 taskbar, there are some changes anyone. CAN make Windows 11, and they changed everything NEED make In my humble opinion, at least.
So, if you’re looking for an upgraded, enhanced, and better Windows 11 experience, here are the top five changes you should make right now.
Disable tracking and personalization
If, like me, you are not a fan of deep personalization or collecting data on you in general, then like me, you will look for the least tracked version of Windows you can find. While Windows 11 collects more data on you than previous versions, you can disable some of it, and restrict the way the operating system automatically personalizes your experience.
Step 1: Find the Privacy Settings in the Windows search bar, and select the appropriate result.
Step 2: selection general.
Step 3: Toggle off any tracking and personalization features you don’t want. Personally, I refuse them all, but your interests may vary. It will also turn off Windows 11 ads, which feel very invasive.
Step 4: Return to the Privacy Settings menu, then select Diagnostics and feedback.
Step 5: Select each of the options and toggle them, especially the Send optional diagnostic data option. When it is done, it should be said next Diagnostic data that you are alone Sending the necessary data.
Step 6: Go back to the Privacy Settings menu again. Scroll down until you find it Location settings. Select it.
Step 7: Toggle Location services on Off. Alternatively, select individual apps that you do not want to use your location information.
Step 8: Go back to Privacy Settings again, and select Account Information. Select which apps you want to use your account information, and toggle others to off, or turn off Account information entirely.
There are a few other settings you can change, so check the Privacy and security menu to see if you want to disable any other data collection, but these are the main ones I turned off.
Turn on Dark mode
Some people are fine with their websites and operating systems blinding them to white pages. I’m not. I do dark mode as much as I can because it’s more comfortable to read on almost all the days I spend working and playing on my PC, and I find everything more readable in light text on a dark background than in another way.
Fortunately, Windows 11 has a robust and versatile Dark mode that you can enable with just a few clicks.
Step 1: Open Windows Settings by pressing Windows Key + I.
Step 2: selection Personalization from the left hand menu.
Step 3: selection Colors.
Step 4: Next to Choose your mode option, use the drop-down menu to select anger.
Windows 11 will then convert all its own windows to a darker theme, as well as any compatible apps you have installed. If you want apps not to ape Windows this way, you can move the toggle to Custom instead. That gives you the option to tell Windows itself to stay dark, while your apps use their default coloring.
Show hidden files
Hidden files aren’t something you should normally use, but if you’ve ever brought over a save game from an older installation of Windows, or modified an application in some way, then you’ll know that you need access to hidden files that Microsoft hides in a default installation. Fortunately, Windows 11 makes it as easy as Windows 10 to show hidden files.
Step 1: Open File Explorer and select view from the top menu.
Step 2: selection showthen toggle Hidden objects.
You should now be able to see hidden folders, such as Appdatain their respective directories.
Disable all (annoying) notifications
I hate notifications. If it’s important, I’ll remember it. Or maybe not. But either way, I don’t need Windows or anything to interfere with what I’m telling me to do otherwise. Windows 11 is too annoying for this, so I turned them all off, but you can do less if you want.
Step 1: Open Windows Settings by pressing the Windows key + I.
Step 2: selection Notifications.
Step 3: Toggle Notifications on Off, if you want to turn off all notifications. Alternatively, use the list below to toggle specific apps and system settings that you’re happy to receive notifications from. Toggle all to others Off.
Step 4: Scroll down the page, and you’ll find three additional toggle options. This is related to the Windows setup process, as well as Windows tips. You can turn it off too, by unchecking the boxes.
Turn on file name extensions
This may not be for everyone, but not seeing filename extensions is a huge bummer of mine. Some apps I use don’t use it properly with saved images, while adding mods to games sometimes means tweaking file types to make it work properly. Considering that malware can hide as different file types, checking a file’s extension before launching it is also a good security measure.
Whatever the reason, though, I just want to know what files I’m using, and without filename extensions, that’s not always obvious. Enabling them in Windows 11 was one of the first customizations I made.
Step 1: Open File Explorer and select view from the top menu.
Step 2: selection showthen toggle File name extensions.
You should now be able to see the file extension of each file in File Explorer.
What else?
Now that you’ve customized Windows 11 to your liking and mine, have you tried installing Android apps on Windows 11? There are some cool ones worth trying. Alternatively, if you need any help taking screenshots in Windows 11, there are a few ways to do it.
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