Windows 10 is an operating system packed with functions and features of all kinds. Microsoft is constantly working to offer all users the most complete experience so that they can feel as comfortable as possible with the computer and work in the best possible way. However, so many functions, tools, and features can be overwhelming at first, and many of them end up being forgotten.
We are going to see what are some of the less known and used Windows functions and features so that, if they can be useful to us in our day to day life, we can take advantage of them and enjoy much more than what the Microsoft operating system offers us.
Do you need two operating systems? Test the Windows Subsystem for Linux
Since always, if we needed to use a second operating system, it was necessary, either to install it through a Dual Boot, or to mount a virtual machine and install it on it. Windows 10 wanted to change this and offer Linux users a much more integrated environment with Windows, as well as faster to mount and configure. It is what we know as the Windows Subsystem for Linux , or WSL.
Thanks to Hyper-V virtualization we can install a second Linux operating system on top of Windows 10. This system is integrated and connected with our host system and thanks to it we will be able to run programs and tools from this other OS as if we were doing it. on our own PC. Additionally, the Fall 2021 Update for Windows 10 will open the door to running GUI programs within WSL.
Spatial sound: a 7.1 with any headset
Not all of us have 7.1 headphones with surround sound. Nor do we want to pay the license to use DTS or Dolby on our helmets. For this reason, Microsoft included within Windows a new virtual sound mode known as Windows Spatial Sound, or Windows Sonic .
This function allows us to convert any normal stereo headset, no matter how bad, into headphones with 7.1 surround sound. And the truth is that this effect has nothing to envy that we can obtain with Dolby or DTS codecs. A great option to not leave us a huge amount of money on some “gaming” helmets that will differ little from ours.
Virtual desks
If we usually work with the computer, and we have many windows open at the same time, surely on some occasion we have been saturated and we have lost more time than we should looking for a specific window or a program. It is difficult to organize the desktop considering that we only have two dimensions. However, thanks to virtual desktops we will be able to do it.
Using the Windows + Tab keyboard shortcut we will be able to create the virtual desktops that we want. In each of them we will be able to place the windows that we want so that each one can serve a single purpose. In this way we will not have to be changing windows all the time, but with a keyboard shortcut we can move between these desks and improve our productivity.
Choose when to install updates
There is nothing worse than working on your computer and suddenly restarting because an update has been downloaded. This was one of the most criticized aspects by users since the arrival of Windows 10. And, luckily, it was corrected.
Microsoft added, within Windows Update, the ability to choose a range of “active hours” . In theory, this range of hours will be the period in which we are working, so it will avoid restarting in that period of time.
Windows Hello
Entering the password every time we turn on and unlock the computer can be very annoying. For this reason, Microsoft has created an alternative thanks to which we can forget about the password: Windows Hello . This function of the operating system allows us to use other alternative authentication systems with which to connect to the PC. For example, we can choose a PIN much faster to write, or use biometric authentication systems such as fingerprint or facial recognition.
Game mode and Game Bar
If we usually play with the computer, we will be interested to know that Windows 10 has a ” Game Mode “. What this mode does is detect when a program (usually a game) is running in full screen and, then, deactivates all unnecessary elements of the system to leave more resources for the game and obtain better performance.
In addition, we also have the “bar game” or “Game Bar”. This one, which we can launch at any time with the Windows + G keyboard shortcut, will allow us to have access to the game’s social functions, monitor PC performance and FPS, and much more.
