Windows

Essential Windows 11 Tweaks for Power Users

Reclaim privacy, boost performance, and customize the taskbar with these practical Windows 11 settings every IT admin should know.

Jul 14, 2026 5 min read By Kiran Kadam
Windows 11 power user guide featured image

Introduction

Windows 11 looks great out of the box, but it also comes with a lot of default settings that are not ideal for power users, IT admins, or anyone who values performance and privacy. This guide walks you through the most useful tweaks you can apply safely — no third-party tools required.

These tweaks are tested on Windows 11 Pro and Home editions. If you manage multiple machines, you can also apply many of these through Group Policy or Intune.

1. Speed Up Boot Time by Managing Startup Apps

Many applications add themselves to startup, slowing down boot time and consuming memory. Windows 11 makes it easy to review and disable them.

Steps

  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click the Startup apps tab.
  3. Review the list. Right-click unnecessary apps and select Disable.
  4. Pay attention to the Startup impact column — focus on high-impact apps first.
Task Manager startup apps tab screenshot placeholder

2. Privacy & Telemetry

Windows 11 collects diagnostic data, shows suggested content, and sends tips. You can turn most of this off without breaking updates.

Settings to Change

  1. Open Settings → Privacy & security → Diagnostics & feedback.
  2. Set Diagnostic data to Required diagnostic data (not Optional).
  3. Turn off Improve inking and typing and Tailored experiences.
  4. Go to General under Privacy and turn off all toggles for ads and suggestions.

For managed devices, you can also disable telemetry via Group Policy or registry. For a single machine, the Settings app is enough.

3. Taskbar & Start Menu

The default centered taskbar and widgets can be customized to match your workflow.

Useful Changes

  • Move taskbar icons to the left: Settings → Personalization → Taskbar → Taskbar behaviors → Taskbar alignment → Left.
  • Remove widgets: Turn off Widgets in Taskbar settings.
  • Disable taskbar chat: Turn off Chat in Taskbar settings.
  • Remove recommended section: Settings → Personalization → Start → turn off "Show recommendations".
Windows 11 taskbar settings placeholder

4. Storage Sense

Storage Sense automatically cleans up temporary files and Recycle Bin items. It is one of the easiest ways to keep disk space healthy.

Steps

  1. Go to Settings → System → Storage.
  2. Turn on Storage Sense.
  3. Click Storage Sense to configure how often it runs and what it cleans.
  4. Also run Cleanup recommendations to remove large unused files.

5. Power Plan for Performance

By default, Windows 11 uses a balanced power plan. On desktops and high-performance laptops, switching to the High performance plan can improve responsiveness.

Command

Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:

powercfg /setactive 8c5e7fda-e8bf-4a96-9a85-a6e23a8c635c

To list available power plans, use:

powercfg /list

Note: On laptops, this will reduce battery life. Use it only when plugged in, or create a custom balanced plan.

6. Enable God Mode

God Mode is a special folder that gives you one-click access to hundreds of advanced Windows settings.

Steps

  1. Right-click on the desktop and choose New → Folder.
  2. Name the folder exactly as shown below (copy and paste the whole name including the brackets):
GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
  1. The folder icon will change. Open it to see all advanced settings.
Windows 11 God Mode folder placeholder

7. Snap Layouts & Virtual Desktops

Windows 11 improves multitasking with snap layouts and virtual desktops. These are especially useful if you work with multiple apps and monitors.

How to Use Snap Layouts

  • Hover over the Maximize button of any window to see layout options.
  • Choose a layout and select which window fills each zone.
  • Use Win + Z to trigger snap layouts with the keyboard.

Virtual Desktops

  • Press Win + Tab to open Task View.
  • Click New desktop to create separate workspaces.
  • Use Win + Ctrl + Left/Right to switch between desktops.

8. Set Windows Terminal as Default Terminal

Windows Terminal is a modern, tabbed terminal that supports PowerShell, Command Prompt, and WSL. You should make it the default terminal.

Steps

  1. Open Windows Terminal.
  2. Click the dropdown arrow → Settings.
  3. Under Default terminal application, select Windows Terminal.
  4. Choose your preferred default profile (PowerShell, Command Prompt, etc.).
wt.exe

You can now launch Windows Terminal from Run dialog by typing wt and pressing Enter.

Conclusion

These eight tweaks make Windows 11 faster, cleaner, and more private without installing any extra software. They are also a great starting point if you manage Windows 11 devices in a small business or school environment.

If you found this guide helpful, share it with other IT admins and Windows users. For more Windows tips, check the related articles below.

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