Every Windows user goes through the same cycle: install apps, search for software, download utilities… and often we do all this because we don’t realize our PC already has tools built right into the operating system.
Today’s journey is about those hidden features — the ones many people overlook, yet they quietly sit inside Windows 10 and Windows 11, waiting to make your life easier.
And the best part?
You don’t need to download anything.
You don’t need complicated setup.
Just a small shortcut or a simple setting can save hours of effort.
Let’s walk through these one by one, in a relaxed, storytelling way — so you not only learn the feature, but also understand where and why it helps in real life.
🟦 Clipboard History — The Feature Everyone Wanted but Never Noticed
Before we jump into tools, imagine this situation for a moment.
You copied a phone number.
Then you copied an address.
Then you copied a paragraph from a website.
And suddenly… everything you copied before is gone.
This is usually the moment people think, “I wish my PC remembered what I copied earlier.”
Well, your PC does remember it — if you know where to look.
Clipboard History is one of the most underrated tools in Windows.
How to open it
Press:
Windows Key + V
The moment you do this, a small elegant window pops up, showing every item you copied earlier — text, links, small images, even emojis.
You can scroll through them, pick anything you copied in the past, and paste it again anywhere.
This single feature saves hours for students, programmers, office users, and anyone who copies information frequently.
And the surprising part?
Most people don’t even know this exists.
🟦 Snipping Tool — Screenshot, Screen Recording & Text Extraction in One Place
Now let’s move toward a tool people think they know… but they’ve only scratched the surface.
The Snipping Tool has quietly evolved into one of the most powerful built-in utilities in Windows.
Earlier, it was just a screenshot tool.
Today, it’s practically a mini content creation studio.
What the new Snipping Tool can do
- Take screenshots easily
- Record your screen in Full HD
- Capture microphone audio
- Extract text from images
- Take quick notes
- Blur, highlight, and annotate content
Think about it — people still search online for expensive screen recorders, but Windows already offers unlimited screen recording, with no watermark and no time limit.
If you need to:
- create tutorials
- explain errors
- share a bug with a friend
- extract text from a scanned page
…Snipping Tool does all of this instantly.
Every student, creator, and office worker should try this at least once.
🟦 Nearby Share / Microsoft Companion App — Effortless File Transfer Between PC & Phone
Another situation we all face:
You want to send a photo from your phone to your PC.
Or maybe transfer a PDF from your PC to your phone.
And you think, “I need a third-party app for this.”
But the truth is simpler.
Windows already includes a file-sharing system called Nearby Share (also known as Microsoft’s phone link and companion features inside the Microsoft Edge ecosystem).
Whether you have:
- an iPhone
- an Android
- or another Windows device
…this tool lets you transfer files without cables, without apps, and without complexity.
How it works
- Ensure Microsoft Edge is installed on both devices
- Look for the three-dot menu → Drop / Share
- Select any file
- Send it directly to your PC or phone
Fast, clean, secure — and already built into your system.
This is one of those tools people search endlessly for, never realizing Windows has solved the problem already.
🟦 Emoji & Symbol Panel — Not Just Emojis, But Kaomoji, Symbols, and More
We all type messages on our phones filled with emojis.
But when we use a PC, many people assume emojis are only for mobile.
Windows has a solution here too.
You can open the emoji panel instantly by pressing:
Windows Key + . (dot)
or
Windows Key + ;
And suddenly the full emoji world appears on your screen — smileys, animals, shapes, kaomoji, symbols, currency icons, arrows, math symbols, and even GIFs (in supported regions).
It’s not just about fun — many office users rely on symbols for reports, documents, and presentations.
This panel makes it effortless.
🟦 Generative Erase & Background Removal Inside Photos App
This is where the story gets interesting.
For years, removing backgrounds or erasing objects from photos required separate apps — heavy tools, subscriptions, or complex editors.
But now Windows integrates Generative Erase right inside the built-in Photos app.
When you open a picture and go to Edit, you’ll find options to:
- erase objects
- clean unwanted areas
- remove distractions
- blur backgrounds
- extract subjects
This works shockingly well.
The AI fills the space naturally, without leaving strange marks.
If you ever wanted to remove someone walking in the background or clean a messy object from your product photo, this is a game-changer.
🟦 Storage Sense — Automatic Cleanup for a Healthier PC
Storage issues might be the most common reason behind slow systems.
People often install third-party cleaners, worry about junk files, or feel confused about what takes up space.
But Windows has Storage Sense, a built-in tool that automatically:
- analyzes disk usage
- clears temporary files
- identifies large folders
- removes old update files
- cleans recycle bin
- manages storage intelligently
You don’t need to guess what is consuming space.
Storage Sense breaks everything down clearly.
Go to:
Settings → System → Storage → Storage Sense
Turn it on, and let Windows manage the cleanup automatically.
This is one of the most practical tools every user should enable.
🟦 Video Wallpaper — A Fresh, Modern Touch for Your Desktop
Many users install third-party tools for video wallpapers — but now Windows 11 (25H2 and newer) offers built-in support.
Inside Settings → Personalization → Background, you can choose a video instead of a static wallpaper.
Just click Browse, select your video, and it becomes your live desktop background.
No extra software.
No performance-heavy apps.
Just a clean visual experience built directly into the OS.
This feature is rolling out gradually, but most users on Windows 11 25H2 already have it.
🟦 Microsoft PowerToys — The Super Toolkit for Advanced Users
If there’s one tool that transforms your Windows experience entirely, it’s Microsoft PowerToys.
This is an official utility set from Microsoft that unlocks dozens of pro-level features:
- FancyZones window manager
- PowerRename
- File Explorer add-ons
- Color picker
- QuickAccent typing
- Mouse utilities
- Text extractor
- Hosts file editor
- Screen ruler
- Always-on-Top shortcut
- And many more
PowerToys is like a Swiss-army knife for Windows.
If you want to extend what your PC can do, without installing random software from unknown sources, this is the safest and most powerful option.
Official Download
https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys
Once you install it, your Windows experience becomes richer, smoother, and noticeably more productive.
Disclaimer
Some features (like video wallpaper and advanced Photos AI tools) may roll out gradually depending on your Windows version and region. Ensure your system is updated through Windows Update for the best experience.
#Windows11 #Windows10 #MicrosoftTools #PowerToys #ClipboardHistory #SnippingTool #DTPTips
