In Windows 11, the Start button is now centered on the taskbar. To move it back to the left:

1. Right-click the taskbar and open Taskbar Settings.

2. Select the Taskbar Behaviors drop-down.

3. Change Taskbar Alignment to Left.

This will move the taskbar icons and the Start button to the left.

Microsoft Copilot can assist with writing recommendations, improving email tone and grammar, creating images, writing code, summarizing web pages or PDFs, and more. Access it by clicking the colorful icon on the taskbar or pressing Windows Key-C. You can use voice commands, and it remembers the conversation context.

Recent updates include plug-ins for making reservations and changing PC settings. If you prefer not to use Copilot, you can turn it off in Settings > Personalization > Taskbar.

In Windows 11, Quick Settings are separated from notifications. Click the taskbar area with Wi-Fi, speaker, and battery icons to access controls for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, airplane mode, and more. To customize, click the pencil-shaped Edit quick settings button to add or remove settings buttons.

Microsoft has replaced the old Task View button with a redesigned icon on the taskbar, which makes it easier to create and manage multiple desktops. Just hover over the icon to see any open virtual desktops or create a new desktop. These desktops can then be rearranged as needed, and apps that are in one desktop can be dragged into another.

Windows 11 enhances widgets, accessible via a new taskbar icon. You can check weather, sports scores, stock prices, traffic, manage your Outlook calendar, to-do list, and read news. Widgets are customizable and rearrangeable. You can also add third-party widgets like Spotify and Facebook Messenger. Manage newsfeed preferences through Microsoft Start.

Windows 11 enhances the snap-and-resize feature with Snap Layouts. You can still drag windows to the sides and corners, but now there’s a hover menu over the Maximize button offering various layout options based on your display size. Updated with more layout options and thumbnails for running apps, you can select a formation and move your apps into place. This behavior can be turned off in Settings. Keyboard shortcuts like Windows Key-Left Arrow quickly snap windows to the left half of the screen.

Windows 11’s Phone Link app allows you to connect your smartphone to your PC wirelessly. You can see phone notifications, reply to texts, and make calls from your computer. Android users get additional features like accessing photos, using the phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot, playing music, and running phone apps on the PC screen.

Passwords are becoming outdated and less secure. Modern websites and apps support more secure passkeys, which are tied to the device they reside on. Windows 11 can store passkeys or use those on other devices like smartphones. Passkeys on Windows 11 utilize Windows Hello authentication via PIN, facial recognition, or fingerprint.

Focus Sessions on Windows 11, found in the Alarms & Clock app, helps you set aside time for uninterrupted work. It provides at least 30 minutes of distraction-free time and schedules a five-minute break if you work beyond 45 minutes.

The Windows 11 22H2 update adds tabs to File Explorer, similar to macOS Finder, allowing you to open folders in new tabs and drag files between them. You can also rearrange tabs and use keyboard shortcuts like Alt-Left Arrow to navigate.

The initial Windows 11 release streamlined the File Explorer ribbon with prominent buttons for common actions like Cut, Copy, Paste, and more. A New button was added for creating folders, shortcuts, and documents. The buttons change based on context, such as showing a Search Options button when using the search box.

View the Full App List

In Windows 11, to view your full list of installed apps, you need to click the All Apps button in the Pinned section of the Start menu. You can then browse or search for a specific app. Typing the first few letters of the app’s name can speed up the search. Within the All Apps list, clicking a letter of the alphabet shows a grid of the entire alphabet for quick navigation.

Pin Apps to the Start Menu

Windows 11 replaces Live Tiles with a simpler Start menu where you can pin apps for easy access. Open the App List, right-click an app, and select Pin to Start to move it to the Pinned section. Drag apps to rearrange them. To remove apps, right-click and choose Unpin from Start. A new update allows you to drag icons on top of each other to create folders and adjust the sizes of Pinned and Recommended icons.

Recent updates include plug-ins for making reservations and changing PC settings. If you prefer not to use Copilot, you can turn it off in Settings > Personalization > Taskbar.

Customize Your Interface with a Theme

In Windows 11, themes work with dark mode. Go to Settings > Personalization to select a default theme, changing the background, sounds, cursor, accent color, and color theme. You can also edit current themes, add new ones from the Microsoft Store, or create your own.

Customize the Start Menu

In Windows 11, the Settings button isn’t above the Start button by default. To add it back, go to Settings > Personalization > Start > Folders. You can also add File Explorer, other common folders, and Network icons from there.

Get Better App and File Recommendations

The new Start menu in Windows 11 includes a Recommended section for recent files and frequently used apps. To customize it, go to Settings > Personalization > Start, where you can choose to stop showing recently installed apps, frequently used apps, or recently opened items.

Change the Default Apps

In Windows 11, setting a default app is more complex than in Windows 10, as you need to specify it for each file type. Open the Settings app, go to the Apps section, and choose Default apps. Click on the desired app to see the file types it can handle, then select the file type and choose the app from the menu that appears.

Windows 11 improves battery usage visualization. Go to Settings > System > Power & battery, then open the Battery usage tab to see a chart of power usage over time and a list of apps with their power consumption. You can shut down background usage and put apps to sleep if they use too much power.

Windows 11 now has a full-featured Sound menu with the ability to pair new input and output devices.

Open Settings > System > Sound and click Add device under the Output section to link external speakers or other devices. Or click Add device under Input to connect an external microphone.

Microsoft Teams is pinned to the Windows 11 Taskbar by default, allowing you to launch video calls and start chats. You can sync contacts through the Teams mobile app or invite non-Teams users via email or text. SMS conversations and video chats via web links are also possible. Initially integrated into Windows 11, Teams is now an optional app that can be uninstalled.

Windows 11 offers extra control over audio output, including mono and enhanced audio modes. To enable mono audio, go to Settings > System > Sound and turn on Mono audio. For enhanced audio features like bass boost and virtual surround, go to All sound devices under the Advanced section, select a device, and enable Enhance audio in the Properties menu.

Get Used to the New Touch Gestures

For touch-screen PCs and tablets like the Surface Pro 8, Windows 11 introduces new touch gestures. Swiping in from the left opens the Widgets panel, while swiping up with four fingers shows Task View. Swiping in from the right opens notifications. Swiping down with three fingers in an app window minimizes the app and shows the desktop, and swiping three fingers up opens all running windows.

Learn New Keyboard Shortcuts

Windows 11 has new keyboard shortcuts, and they’re worth learning:

• Windows Key-W to open the Widgets panel.
• Windows Key-A to access the Quick Settings.
• Windows Key-Z to access Snap Layouts.
• Windows Key-K to cast media.

A couple of the best keyboard shortcuts are still in place from Windows 10, including Windows Key-V to show clipboard history and Windows Key-Shift-S for the screenshot tool.

Record Audio with the New Sound Recorder App

Windows 11’s new Sound Recorder replaces the Voice Recorder, featuring a redesigned interface with audio waveforms and more input options. It supports output to formats like AAC, MP3, WMA, FLAC, and WAV. However, it lacks audio trimming features.

Back-Up Your PC with Windows Backup

The Windows 11 23H2 update introduced a new Windows Backup app. It saves your files, settings, apps, and credentials (including Wi-Fi logins) to OneDrive. When you move to a new PC, you can sign in and restore everything to your familiar setup.

Clear Your Desktop with Title Bar Shake

The Windows title bar shake feature, continued from earlier versions, is not enabled by default in Windows 11. To enable it, go to Settings > System > Multitasking or search for “shake” in Settings. This feature lets you grab a window’s top title bar and shake it to minimize all other windows, helping to clear a messy desktop and focus on the active window.