Here is a guide on things to do for those who have just installed or upgraded to Windows 11. Windows 11 is available for all users provided that their PC meets the minimum requirement to run Windows 11. If you haven’t still upgraded to Windows 11, you can try Windows 11 Installation Assistant, create bootable installation media, or ISO image to install Windows 11. Before installing Windows11 there are a few things you should take care of. After installing Windows 11, make sure you don’t miss out on some important things to set up your PC. This post is intended to guide you through the steps you should take after installing Windows 11.
Things to do after installing or upgrading to Windows 11
Here are the things you should do after installing or upgrading to Windows 11:
- Check for Updates.
- Check and change some useful settings.
- Set up Sign-in options.
- Make sure your antivirus is activated and running.
- Remove unwanted Taskbar apps.
- Disable Unnecessary Startup Programs.
- Personalize Windows 11.
- Add missing useful apps to the taskbar.
- Check your power settings.
- Uninstall unwanted apps and Install some useful apps from Microsoft Store.
- Add the required keyboard layout.
1] Check for Updates
It is always recommended to install additional updates along with any major updates. So, after upgrading to Windows 11, make sure you install other available updates for your PC. You can simply open the Windows 11 Settings app and navigate to the Windows Update tab. Here, you can click on the Check for updates button to scan for new and available updates and then download and install them.
Additionally, there might be some pending optional updates that you can find under the Advanced options > Optional updates section. These optional updates are mostly related to your drivers and some new features. So, do check them and install them as they are needed to enhance your PC’s performance.
2] Check and change some useful settings
There are some useful settings that you must check and change to enhance your overall experience of using Windows 11. These settings include disabling annoying notifications, turning off advertisements, changing your default web browser, syncing your clipboard across devices, adjusting power mode, and blocking third-party app installation. There are some more Windows 11 settings that you should change right away.
Read: How to use the new Tips app to explore Windows 11
3] Set up Sign-in options
You also try setting up your sign-in options according to your preference. There are a lot of secure sign-in options that you can choose to log in to your PC to prevent unauthorized access. You can try configuring signing-in options as per your need like Facial Recognition, Fingerprint Recognition, PIN, Picture password, physical security key, and more. To set up your sign-in options, go to the Settings app and go to the Account > Sign-in options section.
4] Make sure your antivirus is activated and running
You should also make sure that anti-virus protection is activated on your PC. With new kinds of malware, trojans, and viruses emerging every now and then, you must prevent your PC from such threats. In case you use the default antivirus in Windows 11, you can configure Windows Defender and turn on active protection against malware and virus.
If you prefer some third-party antivirus like Avast AntiVirus, Kaspersky Free Antivirus, or some other free antivirus, make sure you have properly set up the antivirus program and activated it to protect your system against malicious programs.
Read: How to use Focus assist Automatic rules in Windows 11
5] Remove unwanted Taskbar apps
If your taskbar is too cluttered with multiple unnecessary apps and icons, you can remove them to clear up some space in the toolbar and to focus on more important apps. To do that, right-click on the blank space on the taskbar and then click on the Taskbar settings option. Now, disable the toggle for all the unnecessary taskbar functions.
Read: Windows 11 Tips and Tricks.
6] Disable Unnecessary Startup Programs
Try disabling the unnecessary startup apps to make sure you don’t have unnecessary programs running whenever your restart your system. For that, open the Settings app and then go to the Apps tab on the left. Now, from the right-hand side, click on the Startup option. Next, disable the toggle for all the apps that you don’t want to run at startup.
Read: How to customize Windows 11 Quick Settings
7] Personalize Windows 11
It is also necessary to personalize the look and feel of your PC to create the desired working environment for yourself. You can open up the Settings app and navigate to the Personalization section. From here, you can customize a lot of personalization features including background image, slideshow, accent color, transparency effects, color theme, lock screen, touch keyboard, Start menu, fonts, taskbar behavior, and more.
Additionally, you should also configure Accessibility features like text size, visual effects, mouse pointer and touch, magnifier, text cursor, audio notifications, captions, voice typing, and more. You can go to the Settings > Accessibility tab to customize all these and more options.
See: How to customize the Windows 11 Lock Screen
8] Add missing useful apps to the taskbar
You should also add your important apps to the taskbar so that you can quickly open them whenever needed. Just right-click on the app and then click on the Pin to taskbar option.
Read: What to install after a fresh Windows installation?
9] Check your Power settings
The default power mode is set to Balanced. If you want to improve ad get the best performance out of your PC, you should change your power mode by going to the Settings > System > Power & battery section. Here, set the Power mode to Best performance. Additionally, you can also set up screen and sleep and battery saver options.
Read: How to search for only video files in File Explorer of Windows 11
10] Uninstall unwanted apps and Install some useful apps from Microsoft Store
With the new and improved Microsoft Store, you can get almost any app directly from it. So, make use of it and install the necessary and favorite apps from the Store. You can install VLC media player, SysInternals, Discord, Prime Video, and many more.
You should also take a look at all the unwanted apps that may have got installed and remove them.
11] Add the required keyboard layout
If you are a multilingual person who loves typing in different languages, install and add new keyboard layouts in Windows 11.
To do that, go to the Settings > Time & language and move to the Language & region section. Here, you can add languages and new keyboard layouts.
Hope the above tips help you get started with Windows 11 and improve your overall experience.
Read: How to customize Windows 11 Taskbar area
What are the new features of Windows 11?
Redesigned Start, Taskbar, UI, Snap Layout, and Snap Groups are some of the new features of Windows 11. You also see a new, redesigned, and more accessible Settings app in Windows 11. Apart from that, even the Microsoft Store is all improved. It has integrated Android apps that you can directly get from the Microsoft Store. For the Business and Enterprise users, there are many enhanced Productivity and Collaboration features and Security Features.
Is Windows 11 stable now?
Yes, the official Windows 11 is released on 5th October and it is stable for everyone. For the insiders who have signed up for new features before generic users, the beta features might not run as intended and contain bugs and errors.
TIP: How to install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware
When did Windows 11 come out?
Windows 11 came out on 5th October 2021. So, you all can download and install it NOW!
