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Windows 11: Latest Tips and Tricks You Can Actually Use (Step-by-Step)

ByTechieGeek

 

Before you start: confirm the device is actually current

A lot of the “new” improvements only show up after the latest cumulative update.

Do this (end user or admin)

  1. Settings → Windows Update
  2. Select Check for updates
  3. Install all quality updates
  4. Restart if prompted

Verify

  • Settings → System → About → Windows specifications
  • Or run:
winver

1) Secure Boot readiness: stay patched and confirm Secure Boot is on

This is the simplest security win that prevents later pain.

Achieve it

  1. Settings → Windows Update → install the latest quality updates
  2. Confirm firmware settings support Secure Boot

Verify (fastest)

  1. Press Win + R
  2. Type: msinfo32
  3. Check:
    • BIOS Mode: UEFI
    • Secure Boot State: On

Enterprise notes (Intune)

  • Keep WUfB update rings healthy.
  • Watch for device populations that sit offline for long periods (spares, kiosks, lab devices).

2) Cross-device resume (Android to PC): connect Phone Link and enable cross-device experiences

This is how you get the “continue on PC” experience to work reliably.

Achieve it

  1. On Windows 11:
    • Open Phone Link
    • Sign in with the same Microsoft account (or work account if supported in your org)
  2. On Android:
    • Install and open Link to Windows
    • Pair the phone to the PC
  3. On Windows 11:
    • Settings → Bluetooth & devices → look for Mobile devices / Phone Link
    • Enable the available cross-device options (features vary by build and device)

Verify

  • Phone Link shows the phone as Connected
  • You can access at least one enabled capability (notifications, messages, photos, or app streaming depending on device)

Enterprise notes

  • If users can’t pair, check firewall/proxy restrictions and whether Phone Link is allowed in your environment.

3) File Explorer feels slow on network shares: patch first, then reduce Explorer overhead

Recent improvements help network navigation, but you still need clean client-side behavior.

Achieve it

  1. Patch Windows (see “Before you start” section)
  2. Reduce Explorer overhead:
    • Open File Explorer
    • Select View → turn Preview pane off (if enabled)
    • Options (three dots) → Options
      • Under Privacy, select Clear
      • Optionally disable recent files if it causes delays in your environment

Verify

  • Browse the same SMB path before/after and confirm folder open times improve.
  • Check latency from the client:
Test-NetConnection <fileserverFQDN> -Port 445

Enterprise notes (Intune)

  • If complaints are widespread, compare performance by update ring to see if an older ring correlates with slowness.

4) Narrator: reduce noise by adjusting spoken detail

Narrator can now be tuned so it reads what matters, in the order you want.

Achieve it

  1. Settings → Accessibility → Narrator
  2. Review:
    • Verbosity or detail settings (wording can vary)
    • How controls are announced
    • Whether hints and advanced details are read aloud

Verify

  • Turn Narrator on: Ctrl + Win + Enter
  • Navigate through a Settings page and confirm it reads fewer unwanted details.

5) Voice Access and Voice Typing: set them up properly and control timing

If voice features feel “too eager” or “too slow,” timing settings matter.

Achieve Voice Access

  1. Settings → Accessibility → Speech
  2. Turn on Voice access
  3. Complete any first-run setup prompts (language model, microphone)

Achieve Voice Typing tuning

  1. Press Win + H
  2. Open voice typing settings (gear icon if present)
  3. Adjust timing (often labeled as a “wait time” before acting)

Verify

  • Voice Access responds to basic commands (open, click, scroll)
  • Voice typing waits appropriately before committing actions

6) Windows Hello with an external fingerprint reader: enroll it correctly

This is useful for desktops or laptops without built-in sensors.

Achieve it

  1. Plug in the fingerprint reader
  2. Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options
  3. Select Fingerprint recognition (Windows Hello)
  4. Select Set up and follow enrollment prompts

Verify

  • Lock the PC (Win + L) and sign in using the fingerprint sensor

Enterprise notes

  • If sign-in options are missing, confirm policies are not restricting Windows Hello.
  • If you use WHfB, confirm device TPM health and identity state.

7) Storage settings now prompts for elevation: plan for it in support scripts

Users may hit UAC prompts when opening storage-related paths.

Achieve it (as a user)

  • Open Settings → System → Storage
  • Approve the UAC prompt (admin credentials required if the user is standard)

Verify

  • Storage settings open and the user can access the expected area

Enterprise notes

  • If your helpdesk handles frequent “I can’t open storage settings” tickets, document the UAC behavior and standard-user limitations.

8) Faster patch triage: find KBs and build numbers in under 30 seconds

This saves time during troubleshooting and change control.

Achieve it

  1. Settings → Windows Update
  2. Select Update history
  3. Copy the latest KB number

Verify from PowerShell

Get-HotFix | Sort-Object InstalledOn -Descending | Select-Object -First 10

9) WPA3 or Wi-Fi suddenly broke after updates: use a clean troubleshooting flow

If a device can’t connect to a Wi-Fi network it used to, treat it as either a driver issue, profile issue, or update regression.

Achieve it

  1. Patch fully and reboot
  2. Forget and re-add the network:
    • Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi
    • Manage known networks → select SSID → Forget
    • Reconnect and re-enter credentials
  3. Update Wi-Fi drivers:
    • Device Manager → Network adapters → Wi-Fi adapter → Update driver
    • Prefer OEM driver if you manage driver baselines

Verify

netsh wlan show interfaces

Confirm:

  • State is connected
  • Signal is reasonable
  • Authentication matches expected (WPA2/WPA3)

10) Store apps do not update with Windows Update: update them separately

This is a common “I’m fully updated but the app is old” issue.

Achieve it (GUI)

  1. Open Microsoft Store
  2. Go to Library
  3. Select Get updates

Achieve it (admin-friendly)

winget source update
winget upgrade --all

Verify

  • Store Library shows apps as up to date
  • winget upgrade returns no pending upgrades

Enterprise notes (Intune)

  • Confirm Store is allowed (or confirm your org’s alternative servicing path).
  • If using Microsoft Store apps via Intune, confirm assignment and update behavior matches your servicing model.

Autopilot and Intune add-on: how to ensure “Day 0” devices are fully patched

If you want newly provisioned devices to be secure on first login, do not rely on luck.

Achieve it

  1. Use WUfB rings (quality updates) targeted to Autopilot devices
  2. Consider pre-provisioning for corporate devices so setup finishes before the user gets it
  3. Use Delivery Optimization and content caching where appropriate (bandwidth control)

Verify

  • Device appears in Intune with a recent check-in
  • Update compliance reports show the device at the expected patch level
  • winver matches your ring expectations

Quick checklist

  • Patch first, then troubleshoot.
  • Validate Secure Boot (msinfo32).
  • Set up Phone Link for cross-device continuity.
  • Tune Narrator and voice features from Accessibility settings.
  • Enroll external fingerprint sensors from Sign-in options.
  • Troubleshoot Wi-Fi with forget/re-add, driver update, then validate with netsh.
  • Update Store apps separately (Store Library or winget).
  • For Autopilot, verify Day 0 patch posture using WUfB rings and reporting.

 

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