Windows is full of useful features, and new elements are constantly coming into the mix. To be sure, Microsofts given us plenty of features that arent particularly useful. Some things even blink into existence for a short while before vanishing completely. (Remember Paint 3D, or when Cortana was the Copilot of its day?)But dont let that give you the wrong impression. Microsoft has added all sorts of awesome options into Windows in recent months, and many likely arent yet on your radar.Here are the ones you should be using and, statistically speaking, probably arent.Want more Windows PC tips? Sign up for my free Windows Intelligence newsletter. Ill send you free copies of Paul Thurrotts Windows Field Guides (a $10 value) as a special welcome bonus!Windows feature #1: Security code magicMany websites and online services send you a security code via SMS when you log in. You dont have to pick up your phone to find it, though theres a better way.Assuming youve set up Phone Link and given it access to your text messages and notifications, you can do it all in a few clicks. Simply click the code in the notification on your screen and then paste it into whatever website you need. Its incredibly convenient and fast.Just note that this only works if you have an Android phone. It wont work with iPhones. Apple doesnt give Microsoft a way to integrate with iPhones at such a deep level. For iPhone users, this kind of magic will require a Mac.The Phone Link messaging notification offers up a one-click-copy button when a code is involved.Chris Hoffman, FoundryWindows feature #2: Voice typingYou can easily type with your voice within any Windows text field using Windows Dictation. To get started, just press Windows+H.The Windows Dictation program will pop up, and you can then use Windows+H to toggle dictation on and off whenever you want to speak into your computers microphone.Its incredibly easy and doesnt require any complicated setup.Windows feature #3: Virtual desktop shortcutsYouve probably seen the Task View button pinned to every Windows PCs taskbar out of the box. That button can help you manage multiple desktops but theres something about clicking it multiple times that makes things clunky.To use virtual desktops properly, you need keyboard shortcuts. Try pressing Windows+Ctrl+Left arrow and Windows+Ctrl+Right arrow to quickly move between desktops. This is the key to properly integrating multiple desktops into your workflow in a clean-and-quick way.Windows feature #4: Smarter snippingWindows 11s Snipping Tool is particularly powerful. It now has built-in optical character recognition, too, so you can use it to convert words in any application into copy-pasteable text.To do so:Press Print Screen or Windows+Shift+S. Take a screenshot of your entire screen, a window, or perhaps just part of your screen.Click the image thumbnail when it appears in the notification.Click the Text actions button on the bar it may appear at the top or bottom of the window, depending on your windows size.You can now select any text you like or click the Copy All Text button. Easy.Windows 11s Snipping Tool also lets you record a video of your screen thats another useful feature many people may not know about.The Windows 11 Snipping Tool Text actions button looks a bit like text on a page.Chris Hoffman, Foundry(Windows 10 has an older version of the Snipping Tool, and these features arent available in it.)Windows feature #5: Clipboard historyWindows can keep a history of things you copy to your clipboard both text and images. To give it a try, and turn it on if it isnt already, just press Windows+V.The system is pretty self-explanatory, but you can also pin things youve copied to your clipboard history to make them easily accessible in the future.Dont miss the emoji picker, either. Its somewhat integrated with the clipboard history, but you can press the Windows key and either the period or semicolon key to open a pop-up emoji menu directly.From there, just type to search for an emoji. Lets say you want to insert a ghost emoji, just press the Windows key and the period key and then start typing ghost.Windows feature #6: File Explorer tab togglingWith the release of Windows 11, File Explorer gained tabs. But Ive seen a lot of people who dont use them very often.Heres a way to make it easier: You can middle-click a folder in File Explorer to open it in a new tab. Then, you can click that tab or use Ctrl+Tab to switch to it.Want even more tricks for File Explorer tabs? No problem. (That middle-click-to-open-a-new-tab trick works in web browsers, too!)Windows 10s File Explorer still doesnt have tabs, notably unless you turn to third-party software.Windows feature #7: Nearby sharingWindows has a built-in Nearby sharing feature that lets you wirelessly transfer files between Windows PCs. Its kind of like Apples AirDrop but just for Windows computers.To find it, head to Settings > System > Nearby sharing. Then, whenever you select a file in File Explorer and activate Share on the toolbar or in the context menu, youll have the option to send files to nearby PCs.This only works between Windows PCs. If you want to transfer files wirelessly between Android phones, too, you can install Googles Quick Share app. (Unfortunately, theres no good way to use AirDrop with an iPhone from a Windows PC.)Windows feature #8: Advanced pastingMicrosofts free PowerToys package is full of useful tools you should be using. One especially unappreciated one is PowerToys Advanced Paste. After installing PowerToys, you can copy text and then press Windows+Shift+V to open the PowerToys Advanced Paste window.One of the options youll find is Paste as Markdown. Markdown is a formatting language that many modern applications use. This makes it a great bridge you can copy formatted text in Microsoft Word and then use PowerToys Advanced Paste to paste it into an application that supports Markdown formatting, keeping all that Word formatting. Its a great trick.PowerToys lets you paste as plain text, even in apps that dont support it.Chris Hoffman, FoundryWindows feature #9: Snappier snappingWindows lets you snap windows to different areas of your screen by pressing the Windows key along with an arrow key. Thats an old keyboard shortcut many people know, but theres something new you mightve missed.On Windows 11, things get a little more interesting with Snap Assist. You can now press Windows+Z to see a menu of various window positions you can snap the current window to complete with suggested windows to snap alongside. Then, you can press one of the arrow keys displayed on the Snap Assist popup to choose how you want to snap the window.Try it its powerful.Windows feature #10: Automatic cleanupAssuming you dont use your Recycle Bin for long-term file storage, you may want to have Windows automatically clean it. Windows can get rid of old files for you for example, you could have it automatically clear files 30 days after you send them to the Recycle Bin.Its all part of Windows Storage Sense feature. Heres how to set it up.Hey Ill stay on top of the latest Windows features for you and bring you only what really matters. Sign up for my free Windows Intelligence newsletter today to get three new things to try in your inbox every Friday and a free in-depth Windows Field Guide gift.