Windows 11 is Fine But I have to admit, I’m not fond of her. Do you like the operating system? Should you?
Maybe you should – Operating systems, whether they’re on your laptop, like Windows 11 or macOS, or on your mobile device, like Android or iOS, are the main way you interact with your devices, so if you don’t like an operating system, you probably won’t. You love the device.
So, what about Windows 11? Meh. It does the job and doesn’t actively bother me like some versions of Windows in the past, but it didn’t really justify its existence by being a marked improvement over Windows 10.
But what am I an act Love in Windows 11 is some fun hidden in easter eggs that give the operating system something it often lacks: personality.
Some provide a light chuckle, while others are fun hidden object 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 the command prompt
Fancy moving to a galaxy far, 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 Back, and in the window that appears, scroll down to “Telnet Client” and click the box next to it, then “OK”.
You may be asked to restart your computer. Once done, press the Win + R keys on your keyboard and enter the following:
telnet towel.blinkenlights.nlHit return, the command prompt appears and the iconic Sci-Fi movie begins…in ASCII, or American Standard Symbol, format.
Shake a window to minimize everything else
This is a useful hidden feature that can help you quickly minimize every window except the one you’re working on. It’s useful if you have a cluttered desktop and just want to focus on one application.
While this was a feature in previous versions of Windows, for some reason Microsoft decided to hide it away in Windows 11 and turn it off by default.
However, you can turn it back on by going to Settings > System > Multitasking. When it says “Vibrate window title bar,” make sure the toggle switch is set to “On.”
Now click on the title bar at the top of the application window that you want to keep open and, while holding the mouse button, quickly shake the window left and right. You should see any background windows minimize, leaving the only application on your desktop.
Don’t worry, the apps aren’t closed, they’re just minimized, and you can quickly and easily back them up by clicking their icons in the taskbar.
Use your voice to type – anywhere
This is probably less of an Easter egg, and more of a really useful feature that Microsoft doesn’t want to scream about for some reason.
In Windows 11, you can use your voice to type in pretty much any app you want, be it Word, Notepad, or a web browser — and you don’t need to buy expensive voice recognition software to do so.
Alternatively, click on the text box where you want to type and then hit 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 easier.
It’s a great accessibility tool, and it works really well thanks to Microsoft’s use of online speech recognition, so you should accurately take note of everything you say without having to train it.
Rotary gears
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 cogwheel icon (like in Notepad), tap and hold it, then drag and let go. The gear should then rotate. You can also right click on it to make it spin 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
If you don’t (or can’t, if you’re on a strict IT policy) have any games installed on your Windows 11 device, don’t worry, there’s still 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, addictive game will emerge where you play as a surfer. Use your mouse or keyboard to avoid obstacles and beat your best score.
It’s a simple game that doesn’t need an internet connection to play, and for those of you who are older, it brings back fond memories of the popular Ski Free, which came with early versions of Windows.
We’ve also rounded up the best free PC games if you’d like more.