The First Things You Should Do with Your New Windows 11 Computer
It’s always very exciting to bring a new system home to replace the aging one that has seen better days. Here are the things I recommend doing in terms of setting up your new PC!
Congratulations on your new computer! It’s always very exciting to bring a new system home to replace the aging one that has seen better days. Contemporary technology opens more possibilities and capabilities. Now to get the most out of your system and get more done! Since it’s a new computer, it most likely came with Windows 11. Here are the things I recommend doing in terms of setting up your new PC!
This blog post summarizes my more detailed First Things You Should Do When Setting Up Windows 11 posts, which are exclusive to paid subscribers.
Windows Update
If your new computer has been sitting in a warehouse or on a shelf for a while, it probably needs updates. Open the Start Menu, then click Settings > Windows Update and select Check for Updates. When updates finish, click Restart.
After restarting, return to Windows Update and repeat this process until you see “You’re up to date.”
Some updates appear in Optional Updates, which you might find under Advanced Options when they are available. Install those only after required updates are complete, then check again.
Microsoft Store App Updates
This is a step commonly missed by people, even those in tech support. Windows 11 comes with a few apps from the Microsoft App Store, so be sure to open that and check for updates there as well. To do that, left-click the Store app once to open it.
Click on “Library” in the bottom left corner, then click “Get Updates” a wait a moment. Almost all pre-installed apps will have updates, so this process might take a little while.
Taskbar and Start Menu
The Taskbar is the row of icons at the bottom of the screen in the centre. On the left, it starts off with the Start Menu icon. Besides that, you’ve got search, then File Explorer, Microsoft Edge, the Microsoft App Store, and more.
Microsoft likes to continuously make changes in Windows 11 on the fly as they test different features, though it’s usually not too bothersome. One of those changes is the Search function in the Taskbar. You may see a search box, or “pill” with rounded corners, or simply a magnifying glass implying you can click it to search.
You can change the look and feel of the Taskbar by right-clicking an empty area of it and clicking on "Taskbar Settings". You can change the Start Menu in Settings > Personalization > Start.
The Start Menu
The Start Menu in Windows 11 isn’t great out of the box, so to speak. It has a lot of unused space, a “Recommended” area containing ads for apps, and a tiny “all apps” button you can click to see a list of installed programs and apps.
In the Start Menu itself, you can change which apps are “pinned”, and even uninstall them from here. Simply right-click any icons and choose from the options.
I strongly recommend replacing the existing Start Menu with a very reasonably priced alternative, Start11, from Stardock. It’s $7 for life and is the best investment you can make in using Windows 11.
Open Shell is an alternative FREE option.
To customize your Taskbar further, go to “Settings”, “Personalization”, and on the “Taskbar” page, turn off any switch for the items you don’t want to see or use. This includes things such as Widgets, Chat, and more. You’ll find more options when you scroll down as well.
Desktop Icons
Windows 11 does not come with commonly used location icons on your desktop for convenient access, unlike Windows 7 back in the day. To enable these, open up Settings via the Start Menu, and click on Personalize. Then click on “Taskbar”, then on “Themes” on the left pane. On the right-hand side, open up “Desktop Icons”. A separate small window will open. Put a checkmark in each checkbox next to the desktop icons you want to use, then click “Apply” and “OK”, and close any open windows.
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