Last week, we looked into a few more features in Windows 11’s Start Menu and gazed into more of the magic of personalization (not really magic, but it sounded poetic here).
Today we will start out with a look at Themes. Themes were also present in Windows 10. They are similar in Windows 11, but offer a few more tricks. Think of them as pre-constructed color palettes and wallpapers that change the look and feel of your whole desktop. Would you like to experience a sunrise over a peaceful, watery view? Well, there is a theme for that, and more. If you are adventurous, you can even make some sound changes or new cursor styles. Changing themes is pretty simple. To start, right-click on your desktop and choose “Personalize.” Then, as it says, “Select a theme to apply.” Your background will change to that Theme. This includes the background color or graphic, the colors of title bars, and more.
Click on Background if you wish, then choose your own photo for a background, or even choose a folder containing your personal photographs, and it will create a slideshow background.
Click around on the other choices available and see what you can do in the Personalization area. Do not fear; anything changed here may be changed back, as it was, or changed back, and none of it will damage anything in your system. Well, ok, as one friend tried, he made his background blue and the text the same blue. Then all the text blended into his background. He could not see anything but a big blue screen with no text on it. Do not do this!
Now we will take a look at how to personalize your Taskbar. Right-click on the taskbar and select “Taskbar settings,” and then look at the first items under “Taskbar items.” They are “Search,” with several ways to show or not show the Search textbox on your taskbar. Try all of the views you like and stick with the one you prefer. The next is “Copilot” which is an AI (Artificial Intelligence) feature that I do not use, so I cannot say much about it. If you would like to read about it, go here: ghtech.site/copilot. The next one is “Task view.” This allows you to view multiple desktops while using your computer. I have never had a need for it, as I open all the apps I need in one view, but you can give it a try and see how you like it. Some people say they keep their business work in one screen and their private stuff in another. I have never worried too much about that.
How about some “Widgets?” They are mini apps that provide quick access to information and tools right on your desktop. They are small, customizable tiles with information. Widgets share live information like weather, news headlines, sports scores, stock prices, calendar appointments, and more.
Click the weather icon in your taskbar on the far, lower left of your taskbar, or press Windows key + W. There, you may explore pre-installed widgets. The defaults are basic widgets like weather, news, and sports. Click the three dots (…) in the corner of a widget and choose “Pin” to keep it easily accessible. Click the “+” icon in the top-right corner to see available widgets from installed apps and the Microsoft Store. Drag and drop widgets to arrange them to your liking.
Do not overload your widget info. Choose widgets that provide information you are genuinely interested in. You can group similar widgets together for better visual flow and quicker access. So, organize them a little. Keep up with them, and if a widget no longer draws your attention, unpin it, and free up space for something more useful.
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