Windows 11 is fine but I have to admit I’m not in love with it. Can you love an operating system? Should you?
You probably should – operating systems, whether on your laptop, like Windows 11 or macOS, or on your mobile device, like Android or iOS, are your primary way of interacting with your devices, so if you don’t like the operating system, then you probably won’t like the device.
So what about Windows 11? Meh. It does the job and doesn’t actively annoy me like some versions of Windows have in the past, but it hasn’t really justified its existence as a noticeable improvement over Windows 10.
But what I make Windows 11 love is one of the fun hidden easter eggs that give the operating system something it often lacks: personality.
Some offer a light laugh, while others are fun hidden games that can help you beat boredom without having to install anything and get in trouble with your IT department. Here are the best Windows 11 Easter Eggs I’ve found so far:
Watch Star Wars from Command Prompt
Want to travel to a galaxy far, far away? You can do this through the Command Prompt, in one of the coolest and oldest Windows Easter eggs in the world.
In the Windows 11 search bar, type “Turn Windows features on or off”. Press return, and in the window that appears, scroll down to “Telnet Client” and click the box next to it, then click “OK”.
You may be prompted to restart your PC. Once done, press the Win + R keys on your keyboard and enter the following:
telnet towel.blinkenlights.nlHit return, and the command prompt will appear and the iconic Sci-Fi movie will begin…in ASCII, or American Standard Code, form.
Shake a window to minimize everything else
This is a handy hidden feature that can help you quickly minimize every window except the one you’re working on. This is useful if you have a cluttered desktop and want to focus on just one application.
Although this is a feature of previous versions of Windows, Microsoft decided for some reason to hide it in Windows 11 and disable it by default.
However, you can turn it back on by going to Settings > System > Multitasking. Where it says “Title bar window shake”, make sure the toggle is set to “On”.
Now click on the title bar at the top of the window of the application you want to keep open and, while holding down the mouse button, quickly shake the window from left to right. You should see all background windows minimize, leaving only one application on your desktop.
Don’t worry, the apps didn’t close, they’re just minimized and you can quickly and easily reactivate them by clicking their icons on the taskbar.
Use your voice to type – anywhere
It’s perhaps less of an easter egg, and more of a really useful feature that for some reason Microsoft doesn’t want to shout about.
In Windows 11, you can use your voice to type in just about any app you like, whether it’s Word, Notepad, or a web browser — and you don’t have to buy software. expensive speech recognition to do it.
Instead, click in the text box where you want to write, then click Windows key + H on your keyboard. A small application will appear and start recording. When you speak, your words will be typed and you can also add automatic punctuation to make things even easier.
It’s a great accessibility tool, and it works really well thanks to Microsoft using inline speech recognition, so it should accurately log everything you say without you having to train it.
Rotating sprockets
While those last two hidden features are really useful, this easter egg isn’t, but it’s cute nonetheless.
In Windows 11, if you see a cog icon (like in Notepad), click and hold it, then swipe up and release. The cog should then turn. You can also right-click on it to rotate it as well.
Sure, it’s not particularly useful, but it’s a fun little animation that gives Windows 11 a bit of personality.
Play hidden surf game
If you haven’t (or can’t, if you work under a strict IT policy) install games on your Windows 11 device, don’t worry, there’s always a way to kill some time and relax.
Open the Edge web browser, which is installed by default in Windows 11, and type:
edge://surf…in the address bar. A fun and addictive game will appear where you play as a surfer. Use your mouse or keyboard to avoid obstacles and beat your high score.
It’s a simple game that doesn’t need an internet connection to play, and for those of you old enough, it brings back fond memories of the iconic Ski Free game, which came with early versions of Windows. .
We’ve also rounded up the best free PC games if you want more.
