In this guide we will show you some of the less used and lesser-known Windows accessories and, while it may seem like a “beginner” article, I’m willing to bet that many of the tools have escaped even the most experienced.
Although Windows 10 has been out for some time now, you may be surprised by the accessories built into the system that makes it unnecessary to download additional programs from the Internet!
Best tools built into Windows 10
Below we have collected all the tools and accessories that Microsoft has integrated into Windows 10 and which are often little advertised or used, often forcing users to download what they need from the Internet. Instead of downloading programs after programs, we can try to use one of the following simple, fast, and easy to use accessories.
Capture and annotate
On Windows 10 we can capture a screen or a specific screen window using the tool Capture and annotate, which we can quickly open by searching for its name in the Start menu at the bottom left.
This tool allows you to quickly capture a screenshot of what passes on the screen and save it in an image file with lots of annotations, arrows, privacy pixels, and so on, so you can immediately share what we see in a blog, in chat or on social networks.
On Windows 10 we can also find the old one snipping tool in Windows 7, although it will be removed shortly to leave room only for the app developed specifically for the new operating system.
Video editor
We could not mention among the lesser-known instruments Video editor, which took the place of Windows Movie Maker in Windows 10 and which we can open by searching for its name in the Start menu at the bottom left.
This simple tool allows you to edit and create new videos starting from movies shot with your smartphone, videos already in our possession, and photographs. With this tool, we will be able to add a soundtrack to our videos, add special effects and transition effects, as well as cut portions of videos that we don’t use.
If instead, we want to use Windows Movie Maker we suggest you read our guide Download Movie Maker for Windows to edit video on your computer.
Movies and TV
While we can still use Windows Media Player as a music and video player on Windows 10, the tool Microsoft is focusing on for the future is Movies and TV, a simple and immediate player that we can open by searching for it directly from the Start menu.
As we can see from the app home, there are also streaming contents that can be purchased directly online, so that we can enjoy a new movie without having to buy a DVD or subscribe to a digital subscription (the films purchased are linked to our Microsoft account forever).
Even if it doesn’t live up to third party programs such as VLC, Movies, and TV can be very useful for those who want to immediately see a video without downloading anything else.
Voice recorder
On Windows 10 the tool with which to make voice recordings has been completely revised, making it much easier to use; to open it just search Voice recorder in the Start menu.
With this tool we will not have to do is grant permissions for the microphone and start recording with it; for this purpose, we can use both the webcam microphone and a dedicated microphone.
WordPad
To quickly write documents without buying Word we can rely on the new version of WordPad on Windows 10, much more powerful than the old versions.
In fact, it is a “little Word” with which we can write short documents and save them in RTF format or in one of the supported free formats (ODT).
If we are looking for more advanced features but don’t want to spend money on the Office suite, we can replace WordPad with the free and open-source LibreOffice suite.
Other tools built into Windows 10
We will have used a good part of the tools seen at least once since we installed Windows 10: otherwise, we can immediately make good use of them by opening the Start menu and looking for the app that is right for us.
But Windows 10 has other good hidden and little-known tools, like the ones listed below:
- Sticky Notes is a useful epr accessory for writing Post-it notes on your computer desktop to take notes and keep them as if they were notes attached to the monitor; on Windows 10 the app has evolved and become Memo, a really powerful app with which to keep post-its and synchronize them between PC and smartphone.
- Windows IExpress I’m sure it’s a little known tool with which it is possible to create a self-extracting archive. You know, when you download a program to install, where do you see that by launching the .exe file, many other files related to the program are extracted? With this tool we can create an installation file that allows those who receive it to automatically extract all files in a folder of your choice; you can also create a self-extracting archive by putting some photos in it or you can automate the launch of a command.
To start it, just open the Start menu and type iexpress; during the installation package creation wizard, you can write a welcome message or initial instructions, you can attach a license file (which can be any text where you can write whatever you want), you can choose the files to include in the archive and you can also write a final message of greetings or thanks. - The magnifying glass (Magnify) in Windows has always existed but many neglect this accessory, which is not only useful for those who see little but which can also become an exceptional resource for presenting documents and slides of a project in meetings. article on the magnifying glass for zooming in presentations.
- Remote assistance is another of those accessories that are never used and that instead could be taught to parents or friends who always ask for support. Without downloading additional programs we can remotely control a PC by opening the Start menu and typing Quick assistance, so as to open the new Windows 10 tool with which to offer or request remote assistance in a similar way to when seen on TeamViewer. On Windows, we can always use Remote Desktop Connection as an alternative and always effective connection tool. If we are looking for a tool that works via the Internet, we can also read our guide Best 7 remote desktop programs to remotely connect to your computer.
- The Windows Disc Image Burner is another fairly hidden accessory that can only be found by right-clicking on an ISO file and choosing “You open” if you don’t have any other burning software installed, or on”Open withIt is a program for burning the contents of an ISO image to a CD or DVD without having to install any other burning tools.
- L’Custom font editor is an accessory available in Windows 10, to be searched for from the Start menu search bar. This hidden, little advertised, and very little used and known tool is used to create a new character map. Given the lack of flexibility of the tool, it can be useful more than anything else to create logos and symbols or single characters that you often want to type with the keyboard.
- Wireless Screen Connection, which allows you to connect to a screen, even the TV, wirelessly.
Conclusions
Windows 10 hides many other utilities within it, many of which have already been discussed in the past such as, for example, Bitlocker, ReadyBoost, the secret menu with Shift-right button, the jumplist, the full control panel “GodMode” and the virtual wireless router. Some of these accessories can be very useful, especially on a new computer where nothing has yet been installed.
Still, on the subject of tips and tricks for Windows 10, we invite you to read our guides 10 advanced changes to Windows 10 from registry keys are 10 Mouse and Keyboard tricks to use on your Windows PC.