The right hidden setting can make Windows 11 feel like a brand-new machine. Here are seven lesser-known tricks—a mix of performance boosters and quality-of-life upgrades—that Microsoft buried in the settings, and how to unlock them.
🚀 1. Unlock the “Ultimate Performance” Power Plan
Windows 11 offers balanced, best performance, and eco modes, but there is a hidden plan designed for high-end workstations that eliminates CPU ramp-up lag entirely. It keeps your processor at its base clock or higher at all times, which can make every interaction feel slightly faster.
How to unlock it: Open PowerShell as an administrator and paste the following command: powercfg -duplicatescheme e9a42b02-d5df-448d-aa00-03f14749eb61. Then, go to your Control Panel power options, and you will see Ultimate Performance as a selectable plan.
🛡️ 2. Disable VBS (Memory Integrity) for Gaming Speed
Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) is a protective layer that runs a “mini-Windows” in the background to isolate critical security assets. While excellent for security, it can reduce gaming performance by 5–15% . If you prioritize raw speed for gaming or heavy applications and are comfortable with the security trade-off, disabling it can provide a noticeable boost.
How to disable it: Search for Core Isolation in Windows Settings and toggle Memory Integrity to Off. Be aware that this trades a layer of security for performance, so only do this if you understand the implications.
🗑️ 3. Remove Copilot to Reclaim Memory
Copilot is deeply integrated into Windows 11 and can consume up to 500MB of RAM in the background, and over 1GB when actively used. If you do not rely on the AI assistant, removing it can free up significant resources.
How to remove it: While you can disable it in settings, a more thorough method is to use a tool like Chris Titus Tech’s Windows Utility (WinUtil) or Win11Debloat. These utilities allow you to tick a box and remove Copilot completely, rather than just hiding it.
🧹 4. Debloat Windows with a Single PowerShell Command
Your PC likely shipped with OEM apps and Microsoft services you never asked for, and they consume resources in the background. Instead of hunting through settings for an hour, you can use a script called Win11Debloat to declutter your system in minutes.
How to use it: Open PowerShell and run the following command: & ([scriptblock]::Create((irm "https://debloat.raphi.re/"))). The script will launch an interface that lets you remove pre-installed apps, disable telemetry, and tweak settings safely, with options to back up your registry first.
📋 5. Enable Clipboard History (Win + V)
Windows has a built-in clipboard manager that is off by default. Once enabled, it stores up to 25 of your most recent copied items, including text, links, and images (up to 4MB). You can pin items you want to keep permanently, and access an emoji selector from the same window.
How to enable it: Press Windows Key + V. A prompt will appear asking if you want to turn on clipboard history—select Turn on. From then on, that same shortcut opens your clipboard history from any text field.
⚡ 6. Enable “End Task” on the Taskbar
Closing an app from the taskbar does not always fully shut it down. Windows 11 has a hidden setting that adds an End Task option to the right-click menu of any taskbar app, allowing you to kill the app and all its background processes without opening Task Manager.
How to enable it: Go to Settings > System > Advanced and toggle End task to On. Now, when you right-click an app icon on the taskbar, you can select End Task to force it to close completely.
⌨️ 7. Reassign the Copilot Key to Something Useful
Many new laptops replaced the Right Ctrl key with a dedicated Copilot key. If you never use Copilot, Microsoft now allows you to reconfigure it. You can set it to function as the Right Ctrl key, open Search, or launch a specific app of your choice.
How to change it: Go to Settings > Personalization > Text input (or search for “Copilot key” in Settings) and choose your preferred function from the dropdown menu. This is a recent change, so ensure your Windows 11 is up to date via Windows Update.
Windows 11 is a capable
operating system, but it is also heavier than its predecessors. These seven tricks do not require a new PC or a fresh install—just a few minutes in the right menus. Unlocking the Ultimate Performance plan and disabling VBS are the most direct ways to reclaim speed, while removing Copilot and running a debloat script free up memory that your apps can actually use. The usability upgrades—clipboard history, End Task, and the reassigned Copilot key—are the kind of features you will wonder how you ever lived without once you turn them on.
Start with one or two that match your priorities, and measure the difference. Your PC might feel newer than you expect.
