Some of Windows 10’s most useful features are mysteriously tucked away. We reveal how to find and make the most of the operating system’s hidden ‘modes’.

If you're a new Windows 10 user, it may take some time to get to grips with its intricacies. However, even those of us who have used this operating system for the last few years can sometimes miss out on some of its most useful settings and tools. This is because Microsoft, for one reason or another, mysteriously hides them away.

In this article, you can look forward to learning all about Window 10's hidden 'modes' as we'll explain where to find them, what they do and how to make the most out of them. A number of these hidden modes are widely known – for example, you may have heard of Safe Mode even if you've never used it.

Despite this, there are others, which aren't even called modes, like the Immersive Reader in Edge, which can make them harder to find.

It can be extremely difficult to find these special modes unless you know where to look, and what you're looking for. It's safe to say they are definitely worth exploring to see how they can improve your Windows 10 experience and even be a solution to frustrating problems you might have with the OS.

God mode

What it does: In Windows 7, Microsoft introduced a useful hidden tool called God Mode which displays all the OS's customization options and administration tools on a single screen. Although in Windows 10 the tech giant has moved a lot of the configuration functionality to the Settings app, it hasn't removed the Control Panel from the operating system. This means that God Mode still works and can help you change lots of settings in a single place. A benefit for users is that all the mode's hundreds of entries are organised into categories and sorted alphabetically.

Where to find it: To enable the feature, right-click the desktop and select New, Folder. Highlight this folder, press F2 and call it:

GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

Note the full stop, curly brackets and lack of any spaces. You'll see a new God Mode icon (left) appear on your desktop.

You can create similar shortcuts for different sets of Windows settings by repeating the process above and using one of these alternative strings instead:

Default Programs.{17cd9488-1228-4b2f-88ce-4298e93e0966}

My Computer.{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

Network.{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}

Programs and Features.{15eae92e-f17a-4431-9f28-805e482dafd4}

Power Settings.{025A5937-A6BE-4686-A844-36FE4BEC8B6D}

Icons And Notifications.{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9}

Firewall and Security.{4026492F-2F69-46B8-B9BF-5654FC07E423}

How to use it: Once you've created your God Mode folder (or any of the alternatives listed above), you simply double-click it to access the system settings contained within. Double-click any setting to open it, so you can perform the relevant tweaks.

Game mode

What it does: First introduced in the Windows 10 Creators Update, Game Mode is designed to intelligently manage system resources to prioritise gaming. This means that other applications won't be able to muscle in and slow things down, and Windows won't attempt to install updates at a crucial point midway through a game.

Where to find it: Type gaming into the search box and press Enter to open the Game Mode settings page. The feature should already be enabled by default but, if it isn't, flick the toggle to On. If you don't play games, you can disable the mode.

How to use it: Game Mode should kick in automatically when you start playing a supported game. You can open the Game Bar at any time by pressing Win+G, which presents a number of features you can enable, including telling Windows to remember that the application currently running is in fact a game (if it doesn't already know this).

Battery saver mode

What it does: Windows 10's 'Battery saver' mode extends how long your laptop or tablet can last between charges. You'll have seen something similar kick in on your phone when the battery gets low. It basically tweaks certain features to reduce the amount of power your device uses, such as lowering display brightness and throttling the resources used by apps you're not actively using.

Where to find it: Click the battery icon on the taskbar and, in the window that opens, use the slider to set a balance between battery life and performance. You can also open the Battery settings page from here. This lets you set a trigger for 'Battery saver' to kick in (when battery life falls below X%). You can turn the feature on or off by opening the notification centre and clicking the button there.

How to use it: In most cases, you'll only want 'Battery saver' mode to come into effect when you start running out of juice, but you can enable it any time. Say, for example, you left your charging cable at home, you might want to enable the mode from the start, to get as much power out of your device as possible, all day long. There's also a toggle on the Battery saver's settings page that lets you keep it in this mode until the next charge.

Guest mode

What it does: If people regularly ask to use your computer, you can create a Guest account that will keep them away from your private data.

Where to find it: Windows used to have a Guest Account option, but that's no longer available in Windows 10. Instead, you need to create an account using the Command Prompt. Press Win+X and select 'Command Prompt (Admin)' – or 'PowerShell Admin', if that's what you see. You can't call the account Guest, so we'll call it Visitor instead. Type net user Visitor * and press Enter. You don't need a password, so just hit Enter again. Next, type net localgroup users Visitor /delete and press Enter, then type net localgroup guests Visitor /add and press Enter again. Close the window.

How to use it: Once the Visitor account is set up, just reboot Windows or log out to see a Visitor option when you go to log back in. Select this for your guest and they'll be able to use your PC and programs, but not view or access your data.

Enhanced search mode

What it does: By default, Windows 10 indexes your libraries and the desktop to make it easy to find content, but you can expand this so that it searches your entire PC, or customise the search.

Where to find it: Click Start, open Settings and go to Search. Click 'Searching Windows' on the left, then select the Enhanced option on the right.

How to use it: If this is the first time you've used the Enhanced search feature, Windows will need to index your files. You can track the progress of this under Indexing Status, above. Depending on how full your hard drive is, this will take some time. Use the Excluded Folders option to specify any folders you want the indexing process to ignore. By default, these will include system folders.

Comptatibility mode

What it does: If a program won't run in Windows 10, perhaps because it hasn't been updated for a few years, you can try using Compatibility mode to fool the software into thinking it's running on an older operating system, such as Windows 7.

Where to find it: Right-click the problematic software's '.exe' file and select 'Troubleshoot compatibility'.

You'll be given two choices: to try the recommended settings or troubleshoot the program – this will let you specify which version of Windows to mimic.

How to use it: Select the option to troubleshoot the program, then tick 'The program worked in earlier versions of Windows but won't install or run now'. Click Next. You can choose which older version of Windows to try. If you aren't sure, tick 'I don't know'. Click the 'Test the program' button to see if Compatibility mode did the trick.

Focus assist mode

What it does: When you're playing games or running some other type of full-screen application, you may not want to be bothered by distracting notifications. Focus Assist automatically hides these notifications from you until after you've finished whatever it is you're currently doing. It can also hide notifications at specific times of the day.

Where to find it: Type focus assist into the Windows search box and press Enter to open the feature's Settings window. Here, you can turn it on, choose which notifications you see or hide them all, except alarms.

How to use it: The Settings window lets you configure the automatic rules. Choose the hours and activities when you want Focus Assist to run and silence notifications. The feature will provide a summary of what you missed when you emerge from Focus Assist mode, though you can disable this option if it's not required.

Hibernate mode

What it does: While it's best to shut down your PC when you're not using it, you also have the option of putting it to sleep or into hibernation. With the latter, Windows copies everything in the memory to a file on your hard drive (called Hiberfil.sys), then powers down properly. When you turn on your computer, Windows loads this saved file into the memory, bypassing the usual boot checks and allowing you to resume where you left off.

Where to find it: Hibernation is primarily designed for use on laptops, so it's often turned off by default on desktop PCs. To enable it on a system running Windows 10, type cmd into the Windows search box, then press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to open a command-prompt window with administration rights. Type powercfg /hibernate on and press Enter. Type exit to close the window.

If there's no Hibernate option visible in the Shutdown menu, type power options in the Windows search box, press Enter and click the 'Additional power settings' link on the right. Select the 'Change when the computer sleeps' link on the left and choose 'Change advanced power settings'. Click the plus sign next to Sleep and turn off the 'Allow hybrid sleep' option. You can choose when Windows hibernates through the 'Hibernate after' setting.

How to use it: Hibernate mode is very straightforward to use. Once it's enabled, click the Start button, then the Power button and select Hibernate. If you've just set up the feature and it's not visible, try rebooting your PC.

Fix problems with Windows
Safe mode

What it does: If Windows won't load or is being prevented from running normally, a rogue startup program or driver may be to blame. Before you do anything else, try running Windows in Safe Mode. This is a light version of the operating system in which only the bare minimum of drivers and services essential for Windows to run are loaded. It also uses a generic video-card driver, in case that's the cause of your woes.

Where to find it: There are a few ways to access Safe Mode in Windows 10. If you can get into the operating system, type msconfig into the Windows search box and press Enter. Select the Boot tab and, under 'Boot options,' tick 'Safe boot' and OK it. Restart your PC.

The other option is to click the Start button, hold down Shift, click the Power button and select Restart. You can also hold down Shift and select Power, Restart from the Windows sign-in screen. When the Windows recovery menu loads, click Troubleshoot, 'Advanced options' and choose 'Start up Settings', then click Restart. Choose the boot option you require.

If you can't get into Windows at all, turn off your PC, restart it and, as it tries to load the operating system, restart your PC again. Do this three times and the Windows recovery menu will load.

How to use it: There are two versions of Safe Mode – with networking and without. 'Safe Mode with Networking' adds the network drivers and services, so you can access other computers on your network and – most usefully – the internet. If Safe Mode loads successfully, you can use System Restore to roll your computer back to when everything was working, then uninstall any troublesome software or look for another solution.

S mode

What it does: Windows 10's S mode locks down the operating system, ostensibly to keep your computer safe from possible threats. It's suitable for inexperienced PC users or those who need a faster, more locked-down system, such as in a business or school environment. You can only install apps from the Microsoft Store, browse the web with Edge and search with Bing.

Where to find it: S mode comes installed on certain new PCs and tablets, such as Microsoft's Surface Go 2 (you can't buy the OS separately). If you're not sure whether you have it, go to Settings, System, About and scroll down to the Windows Specifications section. If it mentions 'S mode', then that's what you're running. Alternatively, try installing a third-party program from outside the Store or using a different browser. S mode won't let you.

How to use it: Given S mode's limitations, you'd probably rather be using the full-blown Windows 10 operating system. However, this is a one-way process – once it's disabled, you can't re-enable it. To make the switch, go to Settings, select Update & Security and click Activation on the left. On the right, click the link under 'Go to the Store to switch to Windows 10 Pro'.

Dark mode

What it does: You've been able to customise the look of Windows for many years, but Windows 10 comes with a handy but hidden built-in Dark mode that not only looks good, but can save battery life and reduce eye strain.

Where to find it: To turn on Dark mode, open the Start menu and select Settings. Click Personalisation and select Colours, on the left. Click the Dark option under 'Choose your default Windows mode'.

How to use it: Once you've enabled Dark mode, it will change Windows 10's theme automatically (to change it back, select Light). You may also want to click Dark under 'Choose your default app mode', to have your apps take on the same theme. You can enable or disable transparency effects from this menu, too.

Tablet mode

What it does: If you use Windows 10 on a tablet or a laptop with a touchscreen, interacting with the operating system using your fingers can be fiddly. Tablet mode frees up screen space and makes it easier to navigate, replacing the Start menu with a Start screen like the one introduced in Windows 8.

Where to find it: Type tablet mode into the Windows search box and press Enter. The Tablet mode settings screen will open. You can have Windows always open in Tablet mode when you turn on your PC, but this isn't always practical, so click the drop-down menu under 'When this device automatically switches tablet mode on or off' and select 'Always ask me before switching'.To activate Tablet mode, open the Notification Centre on the Taskbar and click the 'Tablet mode' button.

How to use it: Once in Tablet mode, you can interact with the Start screen by pressing the tiles. There's also a three-line menu button in the top-left corner for accessing all apps and other settings. In addition, you can use gestures to control the on-screen action: swiping in from the right side opens the Action Centre, while swiping in from the left displays all open apps in View, making it easier to switch between them.

Nice Information

Goldbw122:
Nice Information

Thank you.

Do you want your OS environment and apps to respond quicker and run faster?

Do you want to always get the newest security updates, patches to restrict easy access of viruses, malwares, spywares affecting your OS environment?

Do you want to get critical updates to improve all app functions on your environment

Do you want to have personalization settings unblocked?

Do you want to have free support from MS Agent?

Kindly check if your Windows OS is activated and if not, ensure you get a valid activation/license key as this will save you the stress of resolving issues on your system by paying technicians all the time for OS related issues.

Genuine and Legitimate Activation/License retail keys directly from Microsoft available at a very low cost. kindly reach out via my signature for more details.

Exchange Server 2016 (Standard and Enterprise Edition)
Exchange Server 2019 (Standard and Enterprise Edition)

Office 2013 (Professional, Standard and Ultimate version)
Office 2016 (Professional, Standard and Ultimate version)
Office 2019 (Professional, Standard and Ultimate version)

Office 365
- Project Professional 2019
- Office Home and Business 2019
- Visio Professional 2019
- Office Professional Plus 2019

Office Home and Business 2016 for Mac
Office Home and Business 2019 for Mac

Office Professional Plus 2016
Office Professional Plus 2019

SharePoint Server 2016 (Standard and Enterprise)
SharePoint Server 2019 (Standard and Enterprise)

Visual Studio Enterprise 2017
Visual Studio Enterprise 2019

Visual Studio 2017 for Mac
Visual Studio 2019 for Mac

Windows 10 Pro Plus
Windows 10 Enterprise
Windows 10 Pron N
Windows 10 Education


Windows Server 2016 (Datacenter, Remote Desktop Services user connection(50) and Standard)

Windows Server 2019 (Datacenter, Remote Desktop Services user connection(50) and Standard).

For all the learners out there : Free week at Pluralsight

Thanking Pluralsight for the Free week of access to so much learning materials.

https://www.pluralsight.com/offer/2021/q4-free-week?

Do you want your OS environment and apps to respond quicker and run faster?

Do you want to always get the newest security updates, patches to restrict easy access of viruses, malwares, spywares affecting your OS environment?

Do you want to get critical updates to improve all app functions on your environment

Do you want to have personalization settings unblocked?

Do you want to have free support from MS Agent?

Kindly check if your Windows OS is activated and if not, ensure you get a valid activation/license key as this will save you the stress of resolving issues on your system by paying technicians all the time for OS related issues.

Genuine and Legitimate Activation/License retail keys directly from Microsoft available at a very low cost. kindly reach out via my signature for more details.

Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 (Standard and Enterprise Edition)
Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 (Standard and Enterprise Edition)

Office 2013
Office 2016
Office 2019 Professional Plus
Office 2021 Professional Plus

Microsoft 365
- Project Professional 2019
- Office Home and Business 2019
- Visio Professional 2019
- Office Professional Plus 2019

Office Home and Business 2016 for Mac
Office Home and Business 2019 for Mac

Office Professional Plus 2016
Office Professional Plus 2019

SharePoint Server 2019 (Standard and Enterprise)

Visual Studio Enterprise 2017
Visual Studio Enterprise 2019

Visual Studio 2017 for Mac
Visual Studio 2019 for Mac

Windows 10 Pro Plus
Windows 10 Enterprise
Windows 10 Pron N
Windows 10 Education

Windows 11 Pro


Windows Server 2019 (Datacenter, Remote Desktop Services user connection(50) and Standard)

Looking for the best security software, you should always take into account all the pros and cons before deciding on which variant fits your needs. The marketplace is abundant in security tools, and it became harder to make a choice. For that reason, to ease your search, we offer a list of top five antivirus programs that received high ratings among the users.
Total AV

A comparatively young company Total AV entered the market and has already captured the attention of users. At the moment, this highly ranked antivirus is one of the leaders among other popular security software programs. If you hesitate whether to choose Total AV, you will be glad to know that there is a free version of it. Besides, even if it is a free antivirus version, you still get a set of basic protection features. Total AV is worth trying due to an affordable cost, security tools, and interface that is easy to navigate.

Pros

Free version
Detects and removes all the unneeded duplicates
The affordable pricing of the packages
Compatible with Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS
Cleanup and system boost tools maintain a healthy state of your PC
Read more from source