11 tips for personalizing Windows 11

Windows 11 whitethorn look much restrictive and much constricted compared with Windows 10. And that's existent to a definite degree, particularly with specified items arsenic the caller Start paper and the taskbar. But you're not stuck with the look, consciousness and features of Windows 11 the mode it comes.

SEE: Windows 11 cheat sheet: Everything you request to cognize (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

You tin personalize the caller mentation successful a fig of ways to marque it much comfy and inviting. That whitethorn mean changing the inheritance representation and colors, trying antithetic themes, tweaking the Start menu, customizing the Lock screen, and adjusting the taskbar. Here are 11 ways to personalize Windows 11.

Change your inheritance image

Don't similar the default inheritance representation successful Windows 11? Head to Settings, prime Personalization, and past click connected Background. Assuming you privation a picture, prime 1 of the different built-in images. Better yet, click the Browse Photos fastener and take 1 of your ain photos oregon images (Figure A).

Figure A

Create a inheritance slideshow

Want your inheritance representation to alteration automatically? A slideshow volition bash the job. In the Personalize Your Background section, click the Picture fastener and alteration it to Slideshow. Select a circumstantial folder of images from your PC. You tin past set however agelong each representation lasts and whether to shuffle the bid (Figure B).

Figure B

Choose your colors

Under Personalization, prime the mounting for Colors. Here, you tin power betwixt airy and acheronian themes. You tin besides take your favourite accent color, which past appears wrong definite windows and perchance connected the Start menu, Taskbar, rubric bars and windows borders (Figure C).

Figure C

Turn to a theme

After you've customized your inheritance image, colors and different ocular elements, you whitethorn privation to prevention them collectively arsenic a theme. In Settings, spell to Personalization and past Themes. Click Save to prevention your existent configuration arsenic a theme. Alternatively, click 1 of the displayed themes to use a antithetic look. You tin adjacent download further themes from the Microsoft Store (Figure D).

Figure D

Personalize the Lock screen

You tin marque the Lock surface much welcoming and much useful. Under Personalization, click the mounting for Lock Screen. For the background, take among Windows Spotlight, Picture oregon Slideshow. Windows Spotlight displays antithetic images and different accusation from Microsoft. Next, opt to show the weather, your latest email, oregon your calendar connected the surface (Figure E).

Figure E

Tweak the Start menu

Not blessed with the much stark and restrictive Start paper successful Windows 11? Though customization options are limited, determination are steps you tin instrumentality to tweak it. Under Settings, spell to Personalize and past to Start. First, crook disconnected immoderate items you don't privation to spot successful the Start paper oregon the All Apps screen. You tin disable precocious added apps, astir utilized apps, and precocious opened items. Further, you tin adhd circumstantial folders to the Start paper truthful they're much easy accessible. Click the introduction for Folders and crook connected the switches for specified folders arsenic Settings, File Explorer, Documents, Downloads and Pictures (Figure F).

Figure F

Tidy up the Start menu

You astir apt don't request each the existing icons placed by default connected the Start menu. You besides apt privation to adhd your ain apps. And possibly you privation to alteration the bid successful which the apps look truthful the ones you usage astir often are astatine the top. You tin bash each that straight from the menu. Right-click connected an app you privation to region from the Start paper and prime Unpin From Start. Click the nexus for All Apps to look for apps you privation to adhd to the menu. Right-click connected 1 and prime Pin To Start. Back astatine the menu, right-click an app you privation astatine the apical and prime Move To Top. Finally, resistance and driblet antithetic apps to benignant them according to your ain preferences (Figure G).

Figure G

Populate the Desktop

There are astir apt definite apps you privation to adhd to the desktop for speedy access. Unlike successful Windows 10, you can't adhd pinned apps from the Start paper to the desktop. Instead, you person to spell done the All Apps screen. Click the Start fastener and prime the nexus for All Apps. Drag an app onto the desktop, and a shortcut is automatically created to it (Figure H).

Figure H

Adjust the taskbar

Like the caller Start menu, the Windows 11 taskbar has gotten complaints implicit its deficiency of flexibility. Still, you tin set the caller taskbar successful a fewer ways. Go to Settings and past Personalization and past Taskbar. First, crook disconnected immoderate apps you don't request connected the taskbar, specified arsenic Search, Task View, Widgets oregon Chat. Next, crook connected immoderate features you privation to entree from the System Tray country of the taskbar, including Pen Menu, Touch Keyboard and Virtual Touchpad. Then crook connected the switches for immoderate apps you privation to spot straight connected the System Tray, specified arsenic OneDrive, Teams oregon Explorer (Figure I).

Figure I

Add apps to the taskbar

You tin easy adhd immoderate app to the taskbar. Right-click connected an app successful the Start paper and prime Pin To Taskbar. Right-click connected an app astatine the All Apps screen, prime More, and past prime Pin To Taskbar (Figure J).

Figure J

Control the taskbar

You can't determination the Windows 11 taskbar to immoderate of the 4 sides of the surface arsenic you tin with the Windows 10 taskbar. But you tin astatine slightest determination it to a much acquainted spot. From the Taskbar Personalization screen, prime the enactment for Taskbar Behaviors. Change the alignment from Center to Left. Here, you tin besides opt to fell the taskbar and amusement oregon not amusement badges connected taskbar icons (Figure K).

Figure K

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