8 Ways to Customize Windows 11 With Winaero Tweaker
The Settings app incorporates most of Windows 11’s built-in customization options. However, there are many, many more ways you can tweak Windows 11 beyond those built-in options. Some third-party software packages provide additional customization settings that aren’t available in Microsoft’s latest desktop OS.
Winaero Tweaker is freeware software that packs in many secret customization options for Windows 11. It enables you to apply a wide variety of File Explorer, context menu, desktop and taskbar, appearance, boot and login, and other OS behavior tweaks Windows 11 doesn’t include options for. These are eight ways Winaero Tweaker users can customize Windows 11.
How to Download and Install Winaero Tweaker
To discover Winaero Tweaker, you’ll need to download and install it first. It’s quick and easy to install the software, but you’ll also need to extract its ZIP archive. These are the steps for downloading, extracting, and installing Winaero Tweaker:
Now you’ve got Winaero Tweaker up and running, it’s time to see what you can do with it. Winaero Tweaker includes various settings categories you can expand within its left sidebar to select different options. You can start by applying some, or even all, of the Windows 11 tweaks below.
1. How to Customize Taskbar Thumbnails
Did you know you can resize taskbar thumbnail previews in Windows by editing the registry? However, it’s easier to do that with Winaero Tweaker’s Taskbar Thumbnails option. Double-click theDesktop and Taskbarcategory in Winaero Tweaker to selectTaskbar Thumbnailsand view the options shown directly below.
There are 10 thumbnail preview options you may configure there. To resize taskbar thumbnails, drag theThumbnail sizebar’s slider to the left and right. You can also adjust the vertical and horizontal spacing between taskbar thumbnails by dragging the spacing bar’s sliders. When you’ve tweaked those settings, you’ll need to selectRestart Explorerto apply them.
2. How to Disable Windows Update
Would you prefer to have the Windows 11/10 updates disabled on your PC? If so, you can disable them at the click of a checkbox in Winaero Tweaker. Double-click theBehaviorcategory to selectDisable Windows Updates. Then select theDisable Windows updates and notificationsoption.
3. How to Add a Personalization Submenu to the Context Menu
Winaero Tweaker is a great bit of kit for adding handy new options and shortcuts to Windows 11’s desktop context menu. For instance, it enables you to add anAppearancesubmenu to the context menu that includes handy shortcuts to personalization options in Settings. To add that submenu, double-clickContext Menuto selectPersonalizationin Winaero Tweaker. Select theAdd Personalization submenu to Desktop context menucheckbox.
Check out the newAppearancesubmenu on the context menu by right-clicking the desktop and selectingShow more options. Move the cursor overAppearanceto view that submenu’s options. you could selectColor,DesktopBackground,Screen Saver, andSoundsshortcut options from there.
4. How to Hide Pages From Settings
Windows 11’s Settings app includes many pages for different options. Winaero Tweaker enables you to streamline that app by removing pages you don’t need from it. Alternatively, you can configure Settings to only show selected pages. This is how you customize what pages the Settings app shows:
5. How to Customize the This PC Folders in Explorer
File Explorer has a This PC folder you can expand in its left navigation pane. This PC includes Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, and Videos folders by default. However, you can add custom folders to This PC with Winaero Tweaker like this:
Now you’ll see whatever folder you selected to add within This PC in File Explorer. Double-click This PC on the left of Explorer’s window. You can select to view the folder’s contents from there.
6. How to Add a Settings Submenu to the Context Menu
You can make the Settings app’s tabs more directly accessible byadding context menu shortcutsfor them to the right-click menu. To do so, selectSettingsin Winaero Tweaker’sContext Menucategory. Then clickAdd Settings to Desktop context menuto enable that option.
Now press theShift+F10key combination to view the classic context menu. Hover the cursor overSettingsto view that submenu’s shortcuts. You can select to open more specific Settings tabs from there.
7. How to Add Shutdown Shortcuts to the Desktop
You don’t always have to select to shut down or restart Windows from the Start menu. Why not add a more directly accessible Shutdown or Restart button to the desktop instead? Winaero Tweaker includes five handy options for adding shutdown shortcuts to the desktop.
To access those settings, double-click Winaero Tweaker’sShortcutscategory and selectShutdown Shortcuts. You can select theShut DownandRestartcheckboxes from there. There are alsoHibernateandSleepshortcut options available. ClickCreate Shortcutsto add your newShutdownandRestartbuttons to the desktop.
8. How to Enable a PrtSc Button Sound
Pressing thePrtSckey captures full-screen snapshots in Windows 11. you may assign a sound effect to that keyboard key by selecting Winaero Tweaker’sPlay sound when you press PrintScreen keyoption. To access that option, selectBehavior>Sound for Print Screen keyin Winaero Tweaker.
To configure thePrtSckey’ssound effect, press theCustomize this soundbutton. SelectSnapshotin the Sounds tab that opens. Choose a different audio effect in theSoundsdrop-down menu, and clickApplyto save it.
Customize Windows 11 in Entirely New Ways With Winaero Tweaker
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better freeware customization app for Windows 11 than Winaero Tweaker. Winaero Tweaker is one of the most comprehensive and straightforward to use customization packages for Microsoft’s flagship OS series. It enables you to quickly and easily tweak Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7 in entirely new ways.
Windows 11 sports a brand new UI, but if you feel it’s not to your liking, use these tools to make it truly yours again.
Your phone’s camera app doesn’t show this, so it’s easy to miss.
Unlock a world of entertainment possibilities with this clever TV hack.
Quality apps that don’t cost anything.
you may block out the constant surveillance and restore your privacy with a few quick changes.
You don’t need to fork out for expensive hardware to run an AI on your PC.
