Windows hacks and tips

13 Useful Windows 10 Registry Hacks to Optimize Your Experience

Windows Registry holds all the tweaks to customize your Windows experience and deal with little nuisances that Microsoft wrongly assumes every user will love. From changing the Windows design to unlocking hidden features, there are tweaks for everything. To help you improve your Windows 10 experience, here are a bunch of Windows 10 registry hacks worth trying.

Warning: messing with the registry could corrupt your Windows. It is recommended that you follow the instructions precisely and don’t mess around if you don’t know what you are doing. Just to be safe, create a backup of your registry before making any changes.

Accessing the Windows Registry

As all the tweaks require a trip to the Windows Registry, it is important to know how to access the Registry. Press the Win + R keys and type regedit in the “Run” dialog that opens. Click “OK” and the Windows Registry will open.

1. Increase Network Speeds

Many of the registry tweaks in the list will involve design or aesthetic changes that may make Windows 10 feel that much slick and better to you. But there’s also a whole trove of registry hacks designed to improve your Internet speeds.

If you’re having problems or experiencing packet loss, there are various things you can do, like increase your IRP Stack Size, enable TCP extensions, or increase the maximum number of ports available to various programs trying to connect to your router.

There are enough network speed tweaks in regedit that we have a whole list dedicated to it. If you’re mainly in the Registry Editor to improve your Internet speeds, then click on over.

2. Use Windows Photo Viewer Instead of Photos App

Everyone has at some point had problems with the Photos app in Windows 10. It’s no big secret. At the same time, the Windows Photo Viewer that we know from back in the Windows 7 days did the job very well, yet it was removed with a Windows 10 update some years ago.

The code for Photo Viewer is still there in Windows 10. You just need to create a fairly elaborate registry entry to unlock it. It’s a little different than your typical registry tweak, and we’ve created a guide for how to use the registry to make Windows Photo Viewer your default photo app in Windows 10.

3. Disable Windows 10 Lockscreen

The lock screen is a nice added layer of security on your Windows PC, requiring a password or PIN for you to log back in. If you feel secure in the security of your PC, you can turn the lock screen off altogether.

There are a couple of ways you can do this in Windows 10, one of which is through the registry editor. Here’s our guide on how to disable your Windows 10 lock screen through the registry.

4. Show Detailed Information on Startup

If your PC is experiencing slowdowns or inexplicable crashes, then you should make it your priority to diagnose what’s causing those problems. One possible way to do this is to set the Windows 10 startup to “Verbose Mode,” which will give you a much more detailed breakdown of the processes happening on your PC as you boot.

To activate this, go to the following registry key:

Next, right-click an empty space in the pane on the right, then select “New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value.”

Name the value “VerboseStatus,” right-click it, select Modify, and in the “Value data” box enter 1.

5. Open Last Active Window in Taskbar

Ever since Windows 7, open apps in the taskbar (or Start bar) have had their own icons, with each open window or instance of that app bundled under that one icon, and visible in thumbnails when you hover your mouse over the icon. This is designed to save space in your taskbar, and generally make things neater.

By default, when you click a taskbar icon for an open app, these thumbnails pop up, but you can make a registry tweak so that when you click a taskbar icon, the last active window of that app opens, which can save some time. Here’s how to do it.

6. Disable Shake to Minimize

The “Aero Shake” is a feature introduced in Windows 7 that lets you minimize windows by grabbing the one you want to keep open and “shaking” it. You may not have realized you even had this feature, but now that you know, you might not want it because it can sometimes minimize all your windows without you necessarily wanting that.

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Shake to Minimize can also be a problem for people prone to hand tremors due to illness or other causes. If this describes you, click through for our guide on how to remove the “Shake to Minimize” feature.

7. Add Your Own Apps and Options to the Context Menu

The context menu is a fine thing, but to really take control of it, you can create registry keys to add specific apps or Windows features to it. The exact way to do this will depend on what you want to add to the context menu. We have registry hacks for adding “Check for Updates” to the context menu, for example, or adding the “Defrag” option to your context menu.

We also created a guide showing you how to add an “Open with Notepad” option to the context menu, though really you can replace Notepad in this guide with any other app on your PC.

8. Change Windows Apps and Settings to “Dark Mode”

The debate of whether reading white writing on a dark background or dark writing on a light background is healthier rages on, but if you’re in the first camp, then you can use the registry to activate Dark Mode across Windows.

9. Remove the Windows 10 Action Center Sidebar

Windows 10 Action Center Sidebar offers handy quick access buttons and notifications. However, if you find these buttons to be unnecessary and are not comfortable with the sidebar taking up half the screen when you open it, you can simply disable it.

There are a couple of ways to do this, including the trusty registry, so click on through for our guide on how to remove the Windows 10 Action Center altogether.

10. Remove the OneDrive Button from the File Explorer

If you don’t use OneDrive or shifted to another cloud storage service after Microsoft decided to downgrade its storage packages, then there is no point of its icon hanging around in the File Explorer.

We have a registry-based guide that shows how to get rid of it. There are a couple of steps to the process, so check out our guide on how to hide OneDrive from File Explorer.

11. Automatically Delete Pagefile.sys at Shutdown

The Pagefile.sys file is pretty handy in Windows 10, stepping in as virtual RAM to take some load off your physical computer RAM to help speed up the process of retrieving program data, navigating your PC quickly, and other vital functions that RAM carries out.

The pagefile does, however, take up quite a bit of storage space on Windows 10, so here’s our registry hack to automatically delete Pagefile.sys when your PC shuts down.

12. Adjust Menu Animations

You can also adjust menu animations to make them look snappier. If you have a slower PC, then faster animations should make it easier to navigate. We have a detailed article on how to adjust and disable menu animations; you can refer to it to learn how to pull off that registry tweak.

13. Disable Windows 10 Startup Delay

Windows puts a tiny delay on startup to help apps starting up with Windows go through the process smoothly and so that you can start with a smooth desktop without lags.

However, if you don’t have many startup apps – for instance, if you have disabled startup apps – this delay could be unnecessary. You can disable this delay to speed up the Windows startup. With all that in mind, here’s our guide on how to disable the startup delay in Windows 10 using the registry editor.

Registry tweaks aren’t the only way to turbo-charge your Windows 10 experience. We also have a list of many other Windows 10 tweaks for you to check out. Say what you will about Windows – its tweakability runs deep. If you have any other neat registry tricks or Windows hacks, do share them in the comments.

Related:

Content Manager at Make Tech Easier. Enjoys Android, Windows, and tinkering with retro console emulation to breaking point.

Best Windows Tricks And Hacks 2021 (Top 20+ Tips)

First of all, Windows is the most used OS for PC. It is the best PC operating system in the world. There is rather just one contender for Windows which is Apple’s Mac OS. There are many features in Windows.

These features have yet evolved along with the updates Microsoft has offered for Windows. It lets you handle all your storage, your folders and your files. It gives you the ability to move and copy files, create and manage folders and much more.

Windows let users organize their file system using a straightforward Graphical UI. Among the main functions, there are various Windows tricks and hacks. Most users don’t know these windows tricks and tips because they are not very common.

So, here we have a list of Best Windows tricks and secrets. These windows tricks and tips are straightforward yet quite useful. Therefore, you can learn them easily and use them in daily work. These Windows hacks will make small operations on files straightforward and convenient.

List Of Best Windows Tricks And Hacks.

1. List Of Windows CMD Tricks.

CMD means command prompt is an executable command-line interpreter which helps to serve various functions in the windows OS. Windows provide this command service similar to other command line & DOS shells provides for UNIX.

This provides root access to various features. So with the help this we can perform various windows tricks and hacks. To know some great and helpful CMD tricks go through our full guide below.

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2. Notepad Tricks & Hacks.

We think every person had used notepad for writing down notes or to access text-based files in windows. But had even thought that we could create a different extension, can write programming codes and perform various other Windows tricks and hacks.

Notepad is a rather simple yet handy app in the Windows OS. So if you want to read some fascinating notepad tricks, then again go through this amazing guide

3. Drag And Drop In The Address bar.

First of all, the Address bar is a small bar on the top of the screen in the Windows Explorer. It shows the path of the current directory. So, this means you can see all the folders you have opened to reach the current screen. But it has another feature.

You can drag and drop either files or folders to any folder shown in the Address bar to move them. This is a straightforward trick, yet it is very effective when used.

4. Customize Folders by Changing Colors.

Another really good in all windows tricks is to customize folder icons and to change their colours. This is a fun trick, but it also helps you to organize stuff better as you can set a different colour for a different type of folders according to the type of files they store. Read here to know how to change folder colours.

5. Lock Private File & Folders.

In Windows, you can actually lock the folders that contain your private files. This feature can be beneficial when there are multiple users on a single PC, and you want to hide your files.

So, if you want to hide your files by locking your folders, click on the link below to read further.

6. Increase RAM Virtually With USB.

This is one of the most useful in all Windows tricks. It lets you increase the RAM on your system without any extra cost or installing hardware in your CPU. All you need is a flash memory stick, or simply a Pendrive and windows use it as virtual memory to smooth your PC. Click on the link below to read the full guide on how to use a Pendrive as RAM.

7. Use Custom Windows Themes.

Most users do not know that you can even install and use 3rd party custom themes to change the look and feel of your windows OS. In windows 7 and Vista, all you need is the .exe file of the theme, and you are good to go.

But in Windows 8 as well as 10, you need to install a theming application such as “UxStyle”. The custom theme makes your PC stand out from the rest of the computers.

8. Use Features From The Ribbon.

There is a hidden ribbon full of windows shortcuts and quick access tools that you can use for your convenience. The Ribbon comes on the top of your screen and has many tabs containing all the necessary options for all your file operations.

The Ribbon can be shown and hidden using a small arrow on the top right of your Windows Explorer screen.

9. Change Default Folder.

When you open Windows Explorer, you are greeted with a default screen. It is your library showing folders like desktop, documents, downloads, music, pictures, etc. Since most users do not know this, but you can change this default screen.

You can set it to any desired folder that you want quick access to. This can be very helpful if you have folders deep inside your directories.

Steps To Change Folder Location:

Step 1. Right-click on the windows explorer icon, and open Properties.
Step 2. There you Can see the target path is somewhat like AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries. Now we have to change this path to the desired folder.

10. Faster Copy/Move Speeds.

Windows Explorer handles copying and moving files pretty well. But if you are looking for amazing in all windows hacks which really save our time then, then we have a solution. This hack will help to boost transfer speed.

You can install this excellent 3rd party software called TeraCopy. Whenever you paste something, TeraCopy comes into play and takes over. It has faster speeds and more options. Now you can copy-paste like a pro.

11. Use Easy Access.

Another useful windows secret shortcuts. In the Ribbon, Home tab has an option of Easy access.

Easy access allows you to :

  • Pin file/folder to Start (the Start menu, not Taskbar)
  • Add file/folder to Library or Favorites.
  • Map a network drive.
  • Make file/folder offline, or Sync.

12. Save Internet Data And Increase Speed (Windows 10).

If you are using a relatively newer version of Windows, then you might have noticed an increase in the data usage by the system. To get rid of this problem and increase the internet speed of your PC, follow this simple trick.

Turn off all the updates and set your connection as METERED. In Windows 10 you can do this by going to “Settings“, “Network and Internet” and then click on “advanced options”. For other windows version users, we recommend below article.

13. Use Secret Dark Theme (Windows 10).

Windows 10 has a hidden dark theme that looks very neat and exclusive. You can give it a try by following the given instructions.

Click Start, type ‘regedit’ and press Enter on your keyboard.

In the Registry Editor, navigate to

HKEY_CURRENT_USER,SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\ Personalize.

In the right-hand pane, right-click a space and select New, then ‘DWORD (32-bit) Value’.

Rename the highlighted ‘New Value #1’ ‘AppsUseLightTheme’, then log out of Windows and log back in again.

14. Edit Send Menu.

Whenever you right-click on a file, there is an option of Send To. This option contains direct shortcuts to send the file to various sources. But what most Windows users do not know is that they have the ability to customise these options. Send To options can be customised by the following the given steps.

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Step 1. Go to C:\Users\*Username*\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo. If this is hidden, make sure you enable hidden folders from Folder Options.

Step 2. Here you will see Folders for each send to option.

Step 3. To Remove any Option, you can delete that File from Send to folder.

Step 4. Copy the folder that you want to show up in Send to Menu and Paste it there in that Folder.

Step 5. Now Check the Send to menu to See the Changes.

15. Invert Selection.

As the name suggests, invert selection selects the files that are not selected and vice versa. This can be helpful when selecting a large number of files in a folder. You can easily do it from the Ribbon.

16. Windows Explorer Open and Exit Shortcuts.

This is probably a quite common Windows Explorer trick. We decided to mention it because of some users who might not know. There are simple shortcuts to open as well as close windows explorer.

1. To open Windows Explorer, press Win+E.
2. In Windows 8 or 8.1, hold down Ctrl & Shift key and right-click the blank space in Taskbar to see Exit Explorer option.

17. Change Default location in OneDrive.

As we all know, Windows OS has furthermore integrated OneDrive right into it. It syncs files between cloud and local storage. Most users do not know this, but you can change the default folder where your files are stored in OneDrive.

Steps To Change Default Storage Folder In OneDrive are :

Step 1. Go to File Explorer.
Step 2. Right-click OneDrive from the left navigation panel.
Step 3. Choose Properties.
Step 4. Change the default location in the Location tab.

18. Create PDF anywhere (Windows 10).

Microsoft has built an automatic PDF Creator in Windows 10. While previously users had to install third-party software like CutePDF etc. but those were crammed with malware. But now, in Windows 10, this feature is built right in the print option.

To save an article as PDF, click on the print option. Then, in the list of printers, select “Microsoft Print to PDF”. And you are done.

19. Pin Settings To Start Menu.

With Windows 8.1 and 10, the settings menu has been different than the control panel. Thus, users are finding it rather difficult to navigate through all the options. For convince, users can now pin their most-used settings in the start menu. “Right-click” on the settings menu and select “Pin to start”. As easy as it is.

20. Use HomeGroup.

HomeGroup has existed in Windows OS from a while now, but very few users use it. It is a local network sharing feature which helps you access and share files on Windows computers in the same network.

You can select the folders that you want to share with people in your HomeGroup. To use HomeGroup, head to ‘control panel’ and open the “network and sharing” option.

21. Windows Keyboard Shortcuts.

Most people do not use these nut once you get used to the Windows keyboard shortcuts, they are real-time savers and are really helpful. Hence, here we have the best Windows keyboard shortcuts for you so you can access features of Windows OS very quickly.

KEY COMBINATION ACTION PERFORMED
Windows key + A Open Action center.
Windows key + C Open Cortana in listening mode.
Windows key + D Display and hide the desktop.
Windows key + E Open File Explorer.
Windows key + G Open Game bar when a game is open.
Windows key + H Open the Share charm.
Windows key + I Open Settings
Windows key + K Open the Connect quick action.
Windows key + L Lock your PC or switch accounts.
Windows key + M Minimize all windows.
Windows key + R Open Run dialog box.
Windows key + S Open Search.
Windows key + U Open Ease of Access Center.
Windows key + X Open Quick Link menu.
Windows key + Number Open the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.
Windows key + Left arrow key Snap app windows left.
Windows key + Right arrow key Snap app windows right.
Windows key + Up arrow key Maximize app windows.
Windows key + Down arrow key Minimize app windows.
Windows key + Comma Temporarily peek at the desktop.
Windows key + Ctrl +D Add a virtual desktop.
Windows key + Ctrl + Left or Right arrow Switch between virtual desktops.
Windows key + Ctrl + F4 Close current virtual desktop.
Windows key + Enter Open Narrator.
Windows key + Home Minimize all but the active desktop window (restores all windows on second stroke).
Windows key + PrtScn Capture a screenshot and save in Screenshots folder.
Windows key + Shift + Up arrow Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen.
Windows key + Tab Open Task view.
Windows key + «+» key Windows key + «-» key
Ctrl + Shift + Esc Open Task Manager.
Alt + Tab Switch between open apps.
Alt + Left arrow key Go back.
Alt + Right arrow key Go foward.
Alt + Page Up Move up one screen.
Alt + Page down Move down one screen.
Ctrl + Alt +Tab View open apps
Ctrl + C Copy selected items to clipboard.
Ctrl + X Cut selected items.
Ctrl + V Paste content from clipboard.
Ctrl + A Select all content.
Ctrl + Z Undo an action.
Ctrl + Y Redo an action.
Ctrl + D Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin.
Ctrl + Esc Open the Start Menu.
Ctrl + Shift Switch the keyboard layout.
Ctrl + Shift + Esc Open Task Manager.
Ctrl + F4 Close the active window.

In conclusion, we hope these windows tricks and secrets are helpful in day to day usage. In case of any query, could you write to us in comments below?

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