The best hidden features of Windows 10’s Anniversary Update - mcginnisjoyinewerhat

A year's worth of features inside Windows 10

Since Microsoft rolled down Windows 10 at the end of last July, the company has been busy adding features to the code. Cumulatively, these additions and tweaks have produced the Windows 10 Day of remembrance Update. (Read our Anniversary Update recap here.)

We've played around with Insider builds for the last year, enduring some of the early bugs and enjoying the discovery of some of the more obscure features. Non all of these features are particular to the Anniversary Update code, per atomic number 34, but they're all relatively new-sprung. Likewise, these features aren't "hidden" in the sense that you need to edit the register to find them.

Still, these are the features that are non being heavily promoted inside the Day of remembrance Update—the likes of, say, Windows Ink. You power know some them; you might not. Merely these are the kind of hidden gems I've really enjoyed using, and think that you bequeath, too.

A handy Vallecula Music miniplayer

Image by Gull Hachman

One of the most requested features for Windows 10 has been a miniplayer for Groove Music, Windows 10's euphony app. While the app itself is responsive—import it bequeath reformat itself as you adjust the size of the window—it's not really a miniplayer, intrinsically: Even when reduced As far as it will go, the window takes up a lot of space.

Course, some app can be decreased to the taskbar, simply then it becomes unusable, right? Not in that case. Levitate over the Vallecula icon in the taskbar, and you'll visualize both minimal controls to play, pause, and skip between tracks. It's certainly nothing compared to the currently defunct Winamp MP3 player, but information technology's still a prissy little addition to the Anniversary Update.

(Note that this ISN't the only way to control condition your music; you tail end too tell Cortana to "skip to the next track." Just if you use the more natural command, "trifle music," while a Song dynast is already paused, she'll most likely jump to a random cut in your playlist.)

Use Cortana atomic number 3 your own personal reminder

Image by Mark Hachman

What's the combination of the garden-shed lock? What toys does Jan's nephew like? What's the name of Miguel's math instructor?

Sometimes we want to remember stupid little facts for a day, an 60 minutes, operating room indefinitely. With the improved version of Cortana in the Day of remembrance Update, you can tell apar the digital assistant to "recollect" a finicky fact, such as your hotel room number. Regrettably, unlike other Cortana reminders, they don't seem to pass over from the PC to the phone—yet. But at the least they're on that point.

Voucher clipping with Cortana, on Edge

Image by Commemorate Hachman

Though it's one of the features I highlighted in my Windows 10 Anniversary Update review, shopping with Cortana might be cardinal of the underappreciated features of Windows 10—especially if you ne'er consumption Edge. Open a site like Target.com or BestBuy.com in Microsoft's web browser, and Cortana will generally pop up an offer to economic consumption one of several coupons. (Bank note the $250 MacBook Air discount, for example.)

I'm not saying that Cortana's releas to offer you a coupon for the specific item you're buying, and you might find the same voucher code if you hunt around the web. But the feature is a nice little convenience within Edge, and one you should capitalize of.

Solve hardware rising slope issues with the Activation Troubleshooter

Anyone who's upgraded their PC has wondered at some dot whether Windows wish accept the changes, or funny you of nerve-racking to copy the OS to another machine and demand your Windows license cay. With Windows 10, you can part facilitate this risk aside tying your Windows 10 permit to your Microsoft account—you shouldn't deliver to case in your Windows 10 key again, arsenic it's now stored in the cloud.

If Windows 10 freaks come out after a computer hardware upgrade to your PC,  go toSettings > Update & Security,bestow your Microsoft chronicle (if IT isn't connected already), and then click Troubleshoot at the tail of the screen. If everything goes as planned, your worries should end there.

Modify your audio source with ease

Image by Mark Hachman

Sometimes I find like working with headphones on, to unreverberant the roar of my coworkers (or my kids). Sometimes I feel like using the speakers in my tablet or monitor to period of play back any video I resonate. Windows 10 has been within reason finicky just about automatically switching to headphones if a pair of cans is plugged in. But now, even if I do have headphones connected, I potty switch back and forth between audio sources by clicking the volume icon along the taskbar, and thenup to the source menu. Before, I had to this via a Control Panel setting, and it was a pain in the tooshie.

Windows Ink shortcuts, even when the twist is locked

Paradigm by Mark Hachman

Yes, a version of this feature shipped with the Surface Pro 3 and Windows 8. Still, with Windows 10 and the Day of remembrance Update, there's flush more tractability to launch apps corresponding the Windows Ink Workspace with a click of your stylus. Granted, not all tablets ship with a style that has a quick-launch "eraser" button, and you'll need to make sure your stylus is impending. Merely within those parameters, IT's a great way to speck a quick note when you can't inquire the speaker to slow down and repeat herself.

A quick sink in on the taskbar reveals your calendar

Image by Mark Hachman

There are so many ways to check your calendar in the Windows environment, simply with the Windows 10 Anniversary Variation, Microsoft has added another: the taskbar. Just tap it, and up will pop a view of the month, with a legal brief summary of the day's events. Quick and easy!

Use Windows How-do-you-do to authenticate purchases in the Store

Image by Mark Hachman

We force out already log in to our Windows 10 PCs via Windows Hello, which uses our face, fingerprint, or iris to prove who we say we are. One day, we should be fit to eliminate the need to remember complex passwords for various sites throughout the web, by victimization Windows Hi instead.

This capability isn't quite in time ready for the entanglement escaped, simply itis waiting inside the Microsoft Store. Pony up for a purchase and you bottom use Windows Howdy to confirm it. (It's lickety-split, but don't worry—Windows Hello International Relations and Security Network't the final step in the buy, and you'll motionless have a chance to change your mind at a subsequent dialog box.)

Hey Insiders, are there any obscure features you've found that are deserving sharing? Lashkar-e-Tayyiba us know in the comments at a lower place.

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• Windows
• Microsoft
• Cortana
• Small and Medium Concern
• Windows 10

As PCWorld's senior editor, Mark focuses along Microsoft tidings and chip technology, among other beatniks. He has erst backhand for PCMag, BYTE, Slashdot, eWEEK, and ReadWrite.

Source: https://www.pcworld.com/article/415562/the-best-hidden-features-of-windows-10s-anniversary-update.html

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