From Xbox for Windows and Cortana for desktop to some resurrected Start Menu and new multitasking tools, Windows 10 provides a bevy of useful features. Fundamental essentials Ten best.

1. Start Menu returns

It's what Windows 8 detractors were clamoring for, and Microsoft brought back the Start Menu with Windows 10. Now, whenever you click on the Start button at the end left from the screen, you get two panels side by side, using the left column showing pinned, recently used, and most-used apps.

There is also an electrical button at the top for options such as Hibernate, Standby and Shutdown, as well as an all apps option a la Windows 8. The best column includes a selection of live tiles that you could customize, resize and reorganize. Not that, however the search field at the end will look up related Internet results in addition to programs and files (as it did on Windows 7).

Better still, you can have the Start Menu expand to full screen whenever you want, eliminating the need for a Modern UI Start Screen.

2. Cortana on desktop

Being lazy just got much easier. Windows 10 brings Microsoft's voice-controlled digital assistant Cortana to desktop computers, making it easier for you to interact with your device without lifting a finger. You can search your hard drive for particular files, pull-up photos from specific dates, or launch PowerPoint presentations simply by telling your computer to do so. You may even get Cortana to send an e-mail while you're focusing on a spreadsheet, making multi-tasking that much easier.

3. Xbox app

Now you can play any Xbox One game on your PC or tablet using the Xbox app for Windows 10. The operating system supports Xbox game streaming (through your home network) with improved speed and graphics performance thanks to DirectX 12 support. The app also lets you record, edit and share your fragging victories with the Game DVR feature, which lets you grab the prior Thirty seconds of your game which means you don't miss unexpected wins. You may also join your pals in games across Windows 10 or even the Xbox platforms, and find out your friends' activity via Xbox Live.

4. Project Spartan browser

Forget Internet Explorer. The long-derided browser will be substituted with the newly announced Project Spartan. New features include PDF support, a reading mode that increases the layout of long articles, and a new note taking feature. The latter lets you scribble on any page and share your comments together with your friends through social networking sites using a slide-in menu which means you do not possess to depart the browser. Even better, Project Spartan will feature Cortana support within the browser, so she can pull contextual information from the sites you're on to do things like navigate to some restaurant you are looking up or pull-up an upcoming flight time without needing to go into your email.

5. Improved multitasking

A brand new Multiple Desktops feature lets you run another group of windows as though on another screen, but with no physical monitor. This really is much like Apple's Spaces feature on OS X, and helps you manage your large number of keep the windows open and apps. Rather than having multiple windows open along with each other on one desktop, you can set up a whole other virtual desktop for those programs to reside in. Setup one specifically for home and leave your apps such as Netflix and Amazon open, and make another desktop for focus on that you simply keep Word, Excel and Ie open.

It's easy to keep track of your open apps on Windows 10. You may either hit the new Task View button around the taskbar or swipe in from the left edge of the screen to drag up a one-page look at all of your open apps and files. It's not very different from using the Alt-Tab combination shortcut in your keyboard, but this presents a convenient method for touch-oriented users to obtain an overview of what's running.

Microsoft also updated its Snap View multitasking feature to let you dock windows to the four corners of the screen. While you could split your display between apps before, the amount of programs you might have side-by-side was restricted to your device's screen resolution. The machine will even suggest the other open apps will fill available space, a feature called Snap Assist.

6. Universal apps

To make the transition across devices more seamless, Microsoft introduced a new category of software called Universal Apps, which use exactly the same code but adapt their interface towards the device in your hand. The organization also bundles its very own set of Universal apps using the OS, including Photos, Videos, Music, Maps, People & Messaging and Mail & Calendar, which all function the same way on tablets, phones and PCs. The information is stored and synced via Microsoft's cloud service OneDrive so that you can get in which you left off on another device.

Some of these apps, such as Photos, are brand new. Photos will pull your images across your computer and mobile devices and organize, enhance and sync them through OneDrive. The machine even detects duplicates and stores only one copy of the identical image, and can automatically create good-looking albums for you. The Mail app has additionally been overhauled and can certainly be a form of Outlook, filled with an editor according to Microsoft Word.

7. Office apps get touch support

The latest version of Office apps Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook give a touch-first interface across phones, tablets and PCs. The persistent function ribbon at the top is now an app bar that turns up only if you need it. In Outlook, you are able to delete messages out of your inbox by swiping each admission to the left. Swiping right flags that message. The apps look and carry out the same manner on the PC because they do on the mobile device for any more coherent experience.

8. Continuum

With the rise of hybrid laptop-tablet devices, Microsoft makes it much simpler to change between either mode. The system will detect if you've connected a keyboard or mouse and switch modes for more convenient interaction. Should you remove the keyboard/mouse, a notification will pop up from the task bar at the end, asking if you want to activate Tablet mode. When you do, you are greeted using the more touch-friendly profile. Dock your tablet in to the keyboard again, and you will get the same prompt, this time asking if you wish to exit Tablet mode.

9. Action Center

Windows 10 provides a new way to take a look at all of your notifications in one location. The experience Center collects alerts out of your device from all your apps, like the notifications drawers in iOS and Android. Depending on the app, you may also respond or react out of this panel itself, with every notification expanding to exhibit more actions. The Action Center also offers a quick method to toggle connectivity options along with other settings, for example display brightness and contrast.

10. Unified settings / Control Panel

Rather than having two apps to control your device settings in charge Panel and PC settings, Microsoft makes things less confusing by bringing them together in one. You can manage your device in one place instead of hunting for a specific menu.