Windows 11 ships with two contradictory personalities. Out of the box it’s eager to help — and to pry. It will recommend apps, show tips, nudge you toward Microsoft services and quietly build telemetry profiles. But the OS also hides surprisingly capable productivity features: Snap Layouts, File Explorer tabs, passkeys, an integrated Copilot, virtual desktops and more. Tame the first half, and the second half starts doing real work for you.

Turn off the attention-seeking bits

If you want a calmer PC, start by removing the little things that add up.

  • Clear Start menu clutter: Settings > Personalization > Start. Turn off “Show recently added apps”, “Show most used apps” and the Recommended toggles. That removes the suggestion panel that constantly refreshes with content.
  • Silence notifications: Settings > System > Notifications. Flip the global switch off or use Do Not Disturb for focused sessions. While you’re here, disable “Receive tips and suggestions when using Windows” to stop setup pop-ups.
  • Hide lock-screen content: Settings > System > Notifications > Show notifications on the lock screen — turn it off so messages don’t leak on-screen previews.
  • Kill targeted ads and tracking: Settings > Privacy & security > General. Disable advertising ID, language-based content, and app launch tracking to stop Microsoft from building usage profiles.
  • Limit diagnostics and feedback: Settings > Privacy & security > Diagnostics & feedback. Keep only “Required diagnostic data,” turn off optional diagnostics and set feedback frequency to Never.

    • Those steps strip away a lot of friction. If you want a deeper cleanup focused on quieting AI prompts, ads and unwanted apps, see the practical guide on how to declutter Windows 11 25H2 for step-by-step instructions and screenshots how to declutter Windows 11 25H2.

    Don’t let apps wake up the PC (or your attention)

    Startup apps and background permissions sap battery, memory and your patience. Open Task Manager > Startup apps and disable everything nonessential — cloud sync tools, game launchers, chat clients you don’t need at login. For installed apps, Settings > Apps > Installed apps → Advanced options lets you set Background app permissions to Never for many programs.

    Delivery Optimization also matters: Windows will by default share updates with other PCs. Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Delivery Optimization — disable peer downloads unless you want to conserve bandwidth.

    A warning about updates and restarts: control restart behavior in Windows Update > Advanced options, but remember some updates can trigger BitLocker recovery prompts on business machines — if you manage enterprise devices, keep an eye on recovery guidance and update advisories like Microsoft’s notices about BitLocker issues (/news/windows-bitlocker-recovery-update-warning).

    Make the system work for you — enable the useful stuff

    Windows 11 is full of features most people never discover. Flip a few switches and your workflow changes.

  • Snap Layouts: Hover over a window’s maximize button to see layout presets. Stop wrestling with windows on ultrawide displays.
  • Virtual desktops: Hover over the Task View icon to create separate desktops for work, personal or testing. You can even give each desktop its own background.
  • File Explorer tabs: Finally — tabs in Explorer keep related folders in a single window, reducing desktop chaos and making drag‑and‑drop much smoother.
  • Clipboard history: Settings > System > Clipboard > Clipboard history. Press Windows+V to paste from a list of recent items.
  • Focus Sessions: Built into the Clock app, Focus Sessions silences notifications and ties into the system timer for distraction-free work.
  • Phone Link: Pair an Android phone to get SMS, file access and app mirroring on the desktop.
  • Passkeys and Windows Hello: Where supported, passkeys let you sign in without passwords using fingerprint, face or a PIN — a big win for security and convenience.
  • Copilot: More than a chat box, Copilot can summarize documents, search local files on Copilot+ devices and guide you through Settings. Treat it like an assistant inside the OS rather than a separate app.

    • Use these features together: virtual desktops for context, Snap Layouts for window organization, File Explorer tabs for file moves, and Focus Sessions to block interruptions.

    Small controls, big effects

    A few targeted tweaks often yield the best results:

  • Permanently show file extensions (File Explorer Options > View > uncheck “Hide extensions for known file types”) to avoid suspicious attachments.
  • Turn off Game background recording (Settings > Gaming > Captures) if you don’t need it — it uses CPU/GPU cycles.
  • Use Night light or set a schedule in Settings > System > Display to reduce eye strain in the evening.
  • Restrict app installs: Settings > Apps > Advanced app settings > Choose where to get apps from — set to Microsoft Store only for safer installs on shared or less technical systems.

A toolkit, not a new operating system

Think of Windows 11 as a toolkit that needs a little setup attention. Trim the noise first — recommendations, ads, and runaway background apps — then learn which built-in tools replace the messy stack of third‑party utilities you may have used for years. You’ll likely find you don’t need as many apps as you thought.

Tweak a few settings, try Snap Layouts and File Explorer tabs for a week, and watch small annoyances turn into quiet efficiency. Want a deeper page-by-page checklist for stripping out clutter and quieting AI prompts? The 25H2 cleanup guide has a lot of hands-on detail how to declutter Windows 11 25H2.

Windows 11ProductivityPrivacyHow-To

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