Top 20 Hidden Windows Settings That Instantly Boost Performance and Productivity

Windows is packed with powerful features — but many of its most useful settings are hidden deep within menus or disabled by default. Whether you're using Windows 10 or Windows 11, unlocking these lesser-known tweaks can drastically improve system speed, responsiveness, and your overall productivity.

Here are 20 hidden Windows settings you can activate today to supercharge your PC experience.

1. Enable Ultimate Performance Mode

Windows comes with several power plans, but the "Ultimate Performance" mode is hidden by default.

How to enable:

Open Command Prompt (Admin).
Enter: powercfg -duplicatescheme e9a42b02-d5df-448d-aa00-03f14749eb61
Go to Settings > Power & Sleep > Additional Power Settings and select Ultimate Performance.

🔋 Boosts: CPU performance, especially on high-end PCs.

2. Disable Startup Programs

Too many startup programs slow boot times and consume RAM.

How to disable:

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
Go to the Startup tab and disable unnecessary apps.

🚀 Boosts: Boot speed and frees up system resources.

3. Turn Off Visual Effects

Windows animations look nice but use up memory and CPU cycles.

How to disable:

Press Win + R, type sysdm.cpl, go to Advanced > Performance Settings.
Select Adjust for best performance, or customize manually.

⚡ Boosts: Overall system responsiveness, especially on older machines.

4. Enable Storage Sense

Automatically frees up space by deleting junk files.

How to enable:

Go to Settings > System > Storage.
Turn on Storage Sense and configure it to run automatically.

🧹 Boosts: Storage efficiency and system cleanliness.

5. Uninstall Bloatware

OEM PCs come with pre-installed apps that slow down your system.

How to do it:

Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps.
Uninstall games, trials, and apps you never use.

🧼 Boosts: RAM and CPU availability.

6. Use Focus Assist

Minimize distractions by managing notifications during work.

How to enable:

Go to Settings > System > Focus Assist.
Set rules for automatic quiet time or turn on manually.

🧠 Boosts: Concentration and workflow.

7. Activate Clipboard History

Access a history of copied items with one click.

How to enable:

Go to Settings > System > Clipboard.
Toggle on Clipboard history.

📋 Boosts: Productivity when copying/pasting multiple items.

8. Use God Mode

Unlock a hidden folder containing over 200 Windows tools.

How to activate:

Create a new folder on the desktop.
Name it:
GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

🛠️ Boosts: Fast access to hidden system settings.

9. Adjust Active Hours

Prevent Windows from restarting during your work hours.

How to change:

Go to Settings > Windows Update > Change active hours.

⏰ Boosts: Prevents interruptions during productivity time.

10. Enable Night Light

Reduce eye strain with warmer screen tones in the evening.

How to enable:

Go to Settings > System > Display > Night Light.

🌙 Boosts: Eye comfort and sleep quality.

11. Increase Virtual Memory

If you’re low on RAM, boosting your paging file can help.

How to adjust:

Press Win + R, type sysdm.cpl.
Go to Advanced > Performance > Virtual Memory and set a custom size.

💾 Boosts: App performance on memory-constrained systems.

12. Disable Background Apps

Many apps run in the background and eat resources.

How to disable:

Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps > Click app > Advanced options > Background apps permissions: Never.

🧠 Boosts: Battery life and system performance.

13. Use Windows PowerToys

Microsoft’s free toolkit enhances window management, keyboard shortcuts, and more.

How to install:

Download from https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys

🛠️ Boosts: Workflow and productivity via custom tools.

14. Enable File Explorer Tabs (Windows 11)

Tabbed browsing for folders saves clicks and time.

How to use:

Just open File Explorer. Press Ctrl + T to open a new tab.

🗂️ Boosts: File management efficiency.

15. Clear Temp Files with Disk Cleanup

Free up storage with built-in cleanup tools.

How to use:

Search “Disk Cleanup”, select drive, and check file types to delete.

🧼 Boosts: Storage space and reduces file clutter.

16. Enable Fast Startup

Boot your PC faster by enabling hybrid shutdown.

How to enable:

Go to Control Panel > Power Options > Choose what power buttons do.
Click Change settings that are currently unavailable and enable Turn on fast startup.

⚡ Boosts: Boot speed.

17. Customize Snap Layouts (Windows 11)

Quickly organize windows with built-in layout tools.

How to use:

Hover over the maximize button and pick a layout.

🖼️ Boosts: Multitasking productivity.

18. Disable Transparency Effects

Pretty, but resource-heavy.

How to disable:

Go to Settings > Personalization > Colors.
Turn off Transparency effects.

💡 Boosts: UI speed and reduces GPU load.

19. Configure Indexing Options

Improve search speed by limiting what Windows indexes.

How to adjust:

Search “Indexing Options”.
Modify locations and file types to speed things up.

🔍 Boosts: Faster file searches.

20. Use Game Mode (Even for Work)

Game Mode reallocates system resources for performance — useful even outside gaming.

How to enable:

Go to Settings > Gaming > Game Mode.

🎮 Boosts: App performance by limiting background activity.

Final Thoughts

Most people never scratch the surface of what Windows can do. By unlocking these hidden settings, you’ll not only make your system faster but also turn it into a productivity powerhouse.

Try a few of these tweaks today — and watch your PC run smoother, faster, and more efficiently than ever.

````Retro-futurism````

Friday, May 30, 2025