5 Ways to Customize Windows 10

Your computer is not just a machine that works for you. You should add a personal touch to make it look and feel like a part of you. Fortunately, Windows 10 offers a full range of customization options, allowing users to create a unique Windows environment. This will not only personalize user experience, but also helps to improve productivity. This guide shows you the various ways of customizing Windows 10 to make it more personal.

Related: How to secure and protect Windows 10 computer?

How to Customize Windows 10?

• Customizing for first time use
• Personalizing your settings
• Setting up themes
• Customizing Start menu
• Setting up taskbar

1. Customizing Windows 10 for First Time Use

After Windows 10 installation, Windows offers to walk you through OOBE – Out of the Box Experience. It is a series of screenplay instructions that allows you to personalize the OS. This allows you to choose custom settings for first use based on your preferences. Here you can customize privacy settings, Cortana, keyboard layout and so on. To start the OOBE tour, click the “Use Express Settings” option and follow the instructions to customize various elements.

However, there are many other ways of extending your personality to your Windows PC.

2. Customizing Windows 10 with Personalization Settings App

Windows 10 allows you to tweak the looks and feels of the OS, making it appear and work as you want. To access these customization options, press the “Win + I” shortcut keys on your keyboard to open the settings app and then select “Personalization” from the options.

Setting the Windows 10 Desktop Background

• Click the first option on the left sidebar to customize the desktop background.
• On the right-side pane you under the title, “Background” you can set a solid color, a picture or multiple pictures in a slideshow.
• If you choose a picture, you may choose one of the displayed pictures or click “Browse” to select one from your PC storage.
• In the “Fit” section, click the arrow to expand and select how you want the image to display on your screen (fit, center, fill and so on).
• Once you set your background you can see how it will appear on the preview at the top of the right panel.

• If you choose slideshow, you can browse to add a photo album, set the change intervals and sequence.

3. Customize Windows 10 Themes

Themes settings allow you to personalize several elements like color, sound and mouse cursor.

Select a Custom Theme Color

• Click “Color” to open the color settings, and pick a color of choice from options. You may tick the box to allow Windows to automatically pick a color that matches your background.
• Moreover, you can click the “Custom color” option to create a unique color.

• Scroll down the color settings to customize more options like enable/disable the “Transparency effects”, apply your custom color on the taskbar, Start and Action Centre.
• You may also switch between light and dark default app mode.

• Go back to theme settings and customize the other options. When you are done, click on “Save theme” button to apply the changes.

4. Customize Windows 10 Start Menu

• Click “Start” on the left sidebar menu and switch on or off the toggle button to enable/ disable start features such as:
  • App list.
  • Most used apps.
  • Recently added apps.
  • full/ mini start screen.

Further Start Menu Customization

• Click the start button, and place the mouse on the left or top edge of the start menu window.
• Click and hold the edge, then drag to resize the window.

• You may also pin/unpin items on the Start menu tiles. Just right-click on a tile item and click “Unpin” to remove the item from the start screen.
• Moreover, you can organize the tiles into groups by dragging the icons into a specific group and give the group a custom name.

• Click on the 3 horizontal bars at the top of the start screen to expand the menu.
• Under the user account name right-click an item and then select “Personalize this list” to specify the folders that you want to appear in this section.

5. Customizing Windows 10 Taskbar

• Right-click on an empty space on the taskbar to access other customization options. Here you can personalize several items including Windows 10 Cortana, cascading windows and Ink Workspace button among others.
• Select “Taskbar settings” to personalize the taskbar.

• You can modify the appearance of the taskbar by turning on/ off the toggle switch on the resulting taskbar settings screen.
  • You may enable taskbar auto-hide to maximize the display screen for other app items.
  • Lock the taskbar.
  • Resize the taskbar icons.
  • Change the location of the taskbar on your display among other settings.

Conclusion

These are not the only ways of customizing your Windows 10 OS. There are more customization options including:

• Lock screen settings.
• Personalizing the notification area.
• Choosing a custom power plan.

The list is just endless. The best approach is to ensure that your custom Windows 10 environment makes you enjoy the best Windows experience while improving your productivity. Additionally, if you do not understand any feature, it is advisable to leave the default settings.