Microsoft's desktop operating system. Tips, shortcuts, and maintenance recipes for daily productivity.
Performance
Turn off "Animate controls and elements inside windows" to make Windows feel snappier.
Maintenance
Every once in a while, run the built-in "Disk Cleanup" tool.
File Explorer Privacy
In File Explorer > View > Options, under the Privacy section at the bottom of the General tab, turn off "Show recently used folders in Quick Access".
WARNING
Never install software from the Microsoft Store if you need to create a shortcut from the .exe -- it sandboxes the installation.
Shortcuts
General
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Display desktop | Win D |
| Open File Explorer | Win E |
| Delete whole word | Ctrl Backspace |
| Select characters | Shift Arrow |
| Select words | Ctrl Shift Arrow |
| Show emoji & symbols | Win . |
| Always on top | Win Ctrl T |
| Clipboard history | Win V |
| Sticky notes | Win Alt S |
| Task switcher | Alt Tab |
| Task view | Win Tab |
| Switch desktop left | Ctrl Win Left |
| Switch desktop right | Ctrl Win Right |
| Open widgets | Win W |
| Open Claude | Ctrl Alt Space |
File Explorer
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Create new folder | Ctrl Shift N |
| Copy file path | Ctrl Shift C |
fman
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| GoTo | Ctrl P |
| Open in Explorer | F10 |
| Switch pane | Tab |
| Command Palette | Ctrl Shift P |
Run Commands
Common commands for the Run dialog (Win R):
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
%appdata% | Open AppData/Roaming folder |
shell:startup | Open Startup folder |
taskschd.msc | Open Task Scheduler |
Codecs & Drivers
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| K-Lite Codec Pack | All common audio and video codecs |
| Novation Components | Novation controller firmware & drivers |
| Wacom Drivers | Wacom tablet drivers |
Winget Commands
winget is the built-in Windows package manager - install, upgrade, and manage software from the command line.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
winget search <name> | Search for a package |
winget install <name> | Install a package |
winget uninstall <name> | Uninstall a package |
winget upgrade | List packages with available updates |
winget upgrade --all | Upgrade all installed packages |
winget list | List installed packages |
winget export -o packages.json | Export installed packages to a file |
winget import -i packages.json | Install packages from an exported file |
Command Prompt Recipes
Show folder structure as tree
Navigate to the target folder, then:
tree /a /f > output.docOpens output.doc to view the entire directory tree.
Delete all ._Thumbs.db files
del /s /q ._Thumbs.db/s searches subdirectories, /q suppresses confirmation.
On macOS / Linux:
find . -type f -name "._Thumbs.db" -exec rm {} \;Automated Tasks
Windows has a built-in Task Scheduler that works with scripts for periodic tasks like backups.
Typical setup: a .bat script for execution and a .vbs wrapper to keep the terminal hidden.
TIP
Use Robocopy to automate backups.
Emergency & Troubleshooting
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) | Clean removal of GPU drivers when having display issues |
| WSL | Windows Subsystem for Linux |
| Clean Install Windows | Step-by-step guide |