Engadget Guide Walks Through Windows 11 Settings Worth Changing

On default apps, the guide notes that Windows tracks a default program for every file type. Users who have installed alternative browsers, image viewers, text editors or PDF readers should set them as defaults, otherwise each file has to be opened through the right-click "Open with" menu. The path given is Settings, then Apps, then Default apps, where choosing a program shows every file type it can open and clicking a file type brings up a window for picking a replacement tool. Browsers get a dedicated "Make [app] your default browser" button at the top of their entry, and a "Choose defaults by file type" option at the bottom of the app list allows changes by extension, such as deciding which program opens TXT files.

The clipboard manager is described as a core productivity tool that is off by default. Windows normally holds only one item at a time, so copying something new erases the last entry. Turning on Clipboard history under Settings, System, Clipboard lets Windows retain the last 25 cut or copied items, which appear in a window when the user presses Win + V. Users with several PCs can also enable the option that syncs clipboard history across devices, so something copied on a laptop is available on a desktop. Frequently reused items, such as an address or a canned response, can be kept permanently with the Pin icon, and the "Paste as Text" option in the three-dot menu strips formatting, which the guide says is useful for Word documents. For heavier use, it points to the third-party tool ClipClip, which stores more snippets and sorts pinned clips into folders.

The guide devotes considerable space to switching off promotional content. A fresh Windows install, it says, pushes "suggestions" that are mostly advertisements for other Microsoft products, and removing them requires visits to several panels. Under Settings, Personalization, Start, users can disable "Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more." Under Privacy & security, Search, the "Show search highlights" toggle clears promotional material from the search panel. Under Personalization, Lock screen, the guide advises disabling "Get fun facts, tips, tricks, and more on your lock screen," moving the "Personalize your lock screen" dropdown away from Windows spotlight, deleting unused widgets and turning off suggested widgets. It also recommends clearing every toggle under Personalization, Device usage, and disabling both "Personalized offers" and "Recommendations and offers in Settings" under Privacy & security, Recommendations & offers. The last stop is System, Notifications, where users can sort the app list by name, find "Suggested" and disable it, then open Additional settings at the bottom and clear both checkboxes.

The same pass, the guide adds, is a good moment to open Settings, Apps, Installed apps and look for manufacturer-added bloatware. It says some preinstalled programs, such as driver updaters, are worth keeping, while those that duplicate Windows functions or amount to free trials for cloud tools and security suites can be removed.

Among smaller changes, it recommends enabling End Task under Settings, System, Advanced, which adds a shortcut for terminating a program to the right-click menu for taskbar icons, useful for users who frequently need to force-close applications. The guide also addresses when Windows updates are installed.