Deep Analysis Win 8.1 Hidden New Features

After several months of waiting, the Windows 8.1 preview was finally released, bringing a lot of remedies for Windows 8 and bringing a new application experience. You must be familiar with the biggest change in Windows 8.1 is the return of the start button and Bing control the search toolbar, split screen function support customization and so on. But are you aware of some of the subtle features of the new operating system? These details are not as dazzling as Windows 8 application syncing and IE11 tabs can support multiple devices, but they are easy to use and intimate. These hidden new features exist in an inconspicuous corner of Windows 8.1, unless you're deep enough to dig into the new system, or read this article, or you can hardly find them all at once.

Shut down from the Start button

Let's start with some basic, but not so obvious, features.

Yes, the start button is back, but the start menu does not. So, if you don't know the secret of the start button, then you may still need to find a half-day in the Charm bar to shut down your computer. So what is the secret about the start button?

When your mouse moves to the start button in the lower left corner and right clicks, a bunch of options pop up, including quick connections to the usual hard to find. Features such as disk management, command line tools, and shutdown reboot options.

In addition, no matter what program you are using, just press and hold the "Start” button for about one second, and the pop-up option lets you choose whether to close or restart your computer, thus eliminating the need to play with hidden menus. Trouble.

Booting directly to the desktop or application

Perhaps for a diehard fan of a desktop operating system, the next thing I want to talk about is a bit unbelievable, you must have heard of it. Windows 8.1 can let users enter the desktop directly after booting, right? But obviously Microsoft doesn't want you to really do this, because this feature option is buried in the corner of the operating system.

How to use this function? Open to the desktop, right click on the taskbar (the property option of the taskbar is another old friend with a slightly changed appearance), select properties, open a new navigation tab. You will find options for launching directly to the desktop or application here. What a handy setting this is! Of course, other options are also very useful, such as the new option to ban the top hot zone. These options can also be found in the Modern-style PC settings, but there are many options for starting the screen that can only be found here.

Opening the Metro version of IE11 in multiple windows

When you are crazy about the new features brought by Windows 8.1, don't forget that you can now apply the same application Opened in a split screen window, which was not possible in previous Windows 8.

However, although I have spent a lot of effort, I have not been able to explore this feature in the preview version of Windows 8.1. Open the same application on both sides of the screen, one side —— it just doesn't work.

But Modern IE is fine. You can open multiple instances of the Modern version of IE11. If you have already opened multiple tabs in an instance, long press and hold one of the tabs, then you can choose to reopen the tab in the new pop-up instance window. Similarly, long press and hold a link in the web page, pop-up window with multiple options at the bottom of the screen, including "Open this tab in the new instance window".

Selecting this option will cause the current page (or selected link page) to appear in the new IE11 window instance. Windows 8.1 automatically helps the two windows to be split into 50/50 layout ratios.

Sky Drive Synchronization

SkyDrive plays a very important role in Windows 8.1, and it carries the vision of Microsoft's seamless connection in the cloud.

In fact, because SkyDrive is so important to Windows 8.1, Microsoft left a large chunk of it in the Modern style PC settings. With a lot of setup options, you can now synchronize between different devices, so good! But if you really want to enjoy your life in the cloud, you still need to find the options down the layers and then proceed.

Open the Charm toolbar and select “Set” > “Change PC Settings”. Open the SkyDrive option and select the file in the menu.

This way your computer has the ability to automatically store images from your documents and camera folders to SkyDrive by default. If you prefer, you can use any Windows 8 device to connect to SkyDrive to view pictures, and it's as easy as using your own computer.

Quiet Hours Setup

It's not easy to have a relaxing day, especially when your toolbar keeps popping up for reminders. Windows 8 has embraced the reminder function like Apple and Android, making a sound or lighting up your lock screen to remind you. Fortunately, Windows 8.1 has set a new Quiet Hours setup option for you, which bans annoying reminders.

Again, this setting is also hidden deep. Open the Settings sidebar and find “Change PC settings” > “Search & apps” > “Reminders”. Scroll down until you see the "Quiet Hours" setting options. The Windows 8.1 system initially sets the midnight to 6 am to be quiet, but you can modify this time period at will.

How to Manage Applications

Those modern applications floating on the Windows 8 interface really bother me. Of course, it's not that they are crowded together (Windows 8.1 is the same), but because in the traditional desktop, you can't find them in the file manager, file structure, and control panel program management.

But Windows 8.1 has improved on this. Open the “Search & App & rdquo; settings again and select “App Size” in the left menu. The screen will then display a list of all the apps you have installed and how much storage they have. If you want to empty some disk space, you can select the unwanted apps and pop up the delete option.

Wireless Miracast Pairing

People don't like wired connections, and Windows 8.1 doesn't like it either. Like Android 4.2, Microsoft's operating system upgrades include full support for Miracast, a fully-fledged wireless display technology standard. Similar to Apple's AirPlay technology, Miracast enables wireless synchronization of computers and TV screens.

However, because the Miracast technology is so new that you may not be able to find a device such as a TV with this feature around your life. Don't worry, you can buy a Miracast receiver with an HDMI interface so you can transfer TV shows to a Miracast-compatible display device. Especially when Microsoft's Xbox One game console is launched at the end of this year, it will be equipped with a full-featured Miracast receiver, which will further deepen the collaborative work between Windows 8.1 and Xbox.

If you want to connect a Windows 8.1 device to a Miracast receiver, you can drill down to find options in the mordern-style PC settings. At the same time, you can choose a simpler method, open the charm bar of the device, select the item > add a display. If there is a Miracast display device in the vicinity, Windows 8.1 will be able to find it.

About Printing

Windows 8.1 brings a number of improvements in the processing of various printer devices. This includes support for 3D printers by adding drivers and native APIs. Hopefully this will make 3D printing technology as simple and popular as 2D printing technology, rather than just staying at the level of a few technical experts.

The idea is that you want to be able to apply 3D printers directly to life through the print options on the charm bar. Therefore, if Microsoft supports printer software, you can print directly on such a fresh and modern interface. Please see how the MakerBot Replicator 2 3D printer is connected to the Windows 8.1 system in the figure below.

In addition, Windows 8.1 also supports connecting NFC printers. If your Windows computer and your printer are equipped with an NFC module (although it's rare at the moment), you can simply identify one of the devices and gently touch another device to automatically identify and connect to the print. La.

If NFC or 3D printers are still not realistic for you, then I think you will be very happy to hear this message: Windows 8.1 also supports Wi Direct printing. What do you mean? It's simple: you don't need to go through a Wi-Fi network or install any software, you can connect to a printer that supports Wi-Fi Direct. It should be noted that the specific connection steps depend on the printer you are using and the Windows 8.1 device.

The above is a preliminary excavation and introduction of some hidden features of the Windows 8.1 preview. If you and your Geek friends find interesting features and applications in it, please leave a comment in the comments. Share it.