Windows 10 for Maximum Productivity: The Ultimate Guide
By: Mario Chamorro
Tags: Windows 10, Self Improvement, Software, Technology, Productivity

Windows 10 for Maximum Productivity: The Ultimate Guide

How to customize your install and choose the best add-ons to reorganize Windows 10 for utmost efficiency Mario Chamorro Jun 4·15 min read

Photo by Tadas Sar on Unsplash.

Windows 10 is great and it has really improved a lot from previous versions. But some default features prioritize ease of use or visual appeal instead of productivity. Luckily, with some improvements, you can get the ultimate Windows 10 productivity machine.

Table of Contents

· Taskbar and Desktop

∘ Reduce the taskbar size for increased working space

∘ Don’t merge elements for moving faster between apps and open files

∘ Don’t use the desktop for file management to avoid chaos

∘ Disable notifications for better focus

∘ Activate clipboard history

∘ Hide Cortana

∘ Other recommendations

· Windows File Explorer

∘ Use Windows Explorer Quick Access to efficiently browse folders and files

∘ Set Downloads as default opening folder to save time

∘ Set “Details view” as default for better file management

∘ Use Windows PowerToys for light-speed file management

∘ Windows Explorer shortcuts you must learn

· Hardware configuration

∘ Increase mouse/trackpad sensitivity for faster work

∘ Disable the FN key to work properly

· Productivity software

∘ DisplayFusion for multi-screen management

∘ Snagit for screenshots

∘ RoamResearch for notes management

∘ Other notes management tools: Evernote, Notion, and OneNote

∘ TextExpander for faster typing

∘ Logitech G-Hub to be productive with your mouse

∘ Ccleaner for Windows maintenance

· Chrome

∘ Set up your bookmarks efficiently

∘ Install productivity extensions

∘ Assign shortcuts to extensions

Taskbar and Desktop

Reduce the taskbar size for increased working space

The taskbar is the small bar usually located at the bottom of the screen where all the active and most used (pinned) apps are shown. It is one of the most important and most used Windows features and it is essential to quickly move between apps, folders, and any content you are using.

Unfortunately, since Windows 7, Microsoft decided that the taskbar should be three times bigger than it should be, and most of the users don’t care to change it or don’t know how to reduce its size. As a consequence, they spend their life with a huge ugly bar that takes about 10%-15% of the limited screen size (even worse for laptops, and even even worse for widescreen laptops) and doesn’t offer any advantage.

Also, with the default XXL taskbar, icons are huge but only one icon per app is shown. This means that, with the standard 5–7 pinned icons and open apps, most of the taskbar will be empty. Totally wasted precious productive space.

To fix that, you must reduce the taskbar size and you will have a little functional and efficient taskbar that only takes about 3% of the screen size, with the remaining 97% of the space for you and your productive active windows. To fix the taskbar:

Right-click in the taskbar > Taskbar settings > Use small buttons

Don’t merge elements so you can move faster between apps and open files

You also want to be able to see all the open files at the same time. To do that:

Right-click in the taskbar > Taskbar settings > Combine buttons: When taskbar is full

This way, the taskbar will be reduced and icons won’t be combined unless there is no more available space (something that rarely happens if you use an external display higher than 24 inches).

You don’t want to combine buttons. If you do so when you have two Windows Explorer windows or two Excel files open at the same time, only one icon will be shown and you will need to first click on the icon, and then locate the file you want to open. Much less efficient than quickly seeing all the open tabs and simply making one click on the desired one.

Don’t use the desktop for file management to avoid chaos

Nothing feels more frustrating and distracting than a messy desktop with thousands of files.

Simply compare this: