Free guide · Windows 11 · 15 minutes
10 Windows settings to get your focus back
Every setting below is built in or free, takes a few minutes to set up and is just as easy to undo. Do one or two a day: the goal is to remove friction, not to reconfigure everything at once.
How to use it
- Read the whole list once.
- Pick the 2 or 3 settings that address your biggest friction right now.
- Keep the others for next week.
- Setting 1 Win + V
Turn on clipboard history
- Press Win + V and choose “Turn on”.
- Pin the text you paste often (address, signature, link).
Why: You stop switching back and forth between windows to copy the same information again.
Go further: Module II — Windows - Setting 2 Win + Z · Win + ← / →
Arrange windows with snap layouts
- Hover a window’s Maximize button or press Win + Z.
- Pick a layout, then fill the remaining zones.
Why: Two windows side by side without manual resizing: your head stays in the task.
Go further: Lesson “Window management & tiling” - Setting 3 Win + Ctrl + D · Win + Ctrl + ← / →
Separate contexts with virtual desktops
- Create one desktop per context: deep work, communication, personal.
- Rename them from the Win + Tab view.
Why: Whatever is not about the current task leaves your field of view.
Go further: Module II — Windows - Setting 4
Silence notifications during deep work
- Settings > System > Notifications: turn on “Do not disturb”.
- Add automatic rules (time of day, full screen) and allow only truly important apps.
Why: Every notification invites a task switch, and getting back to the original task takes time.
Go further: Lesson “Focus” (free) - Setting 5 Win + H
Dictate instead of typing
- Put the cursor in any text field and press Win + H.
- Say punctuation out loud (“comma”, “period”).
Why: For a first draft, a message or a quick note, speaking is often faster than typing.
Go further: Lesson “Voice typing” - Setting 6 Win + Shift + S
Capture part of the screen
- Select the area: it is copied to the clipboard.
- Paste it straight into a message or a note.
Why: A precise screenshot often replaces a long paragraph of explanation.
Go further: Module VIII — Shortcuts - Setting 7 Alt + Space (PowerToys Run)
Launch everything from the keyboard
- Install Microsoft PowerToys (free, published by Microsoft).
- Open apps, files and quick calculations from one search bar without leaving the keyboard.
Why: Fewer clicks through the Start menu, fewer micro-interruptions.
Go further: Lesson “Retrieve” (Module VI) - Setting 8 winget
Reinstall your workstation with one command
- Open Terminal and type, for example: winget install Microsoft.PowerToys
- Keep a list of your essential software: your next machine will be ready in minutes.
Why: Your setup becomes reproducible instead of depending on your memory.
Go further: Lesson “Terminal” - Setting 9
Stop retyping the same sentences
- Install a free text expander such as Espanso.
- Create abbreviations for your email, address and standard replies.
Why: A few letters replace whole sentences, without typos.
Go further: Lesson “Automation” - Setting 10
Schedule breaks for your eyes
- Every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet (6 m) away for 20 seconds.
- Turn on Night light in the evening: Settings > System > Display.
Why: The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends the 20-20-20 rule to limit digital eye strain. If discomfort persists, see a health professional.
Go further: Lesson “Health & setup”
Source for setting 10: American Academy of Ophthalmology — Should you be worried about blue light?. Checked on Windows 11 — October 2026.
What next?
These settings remove friction. To build a complete system — focus, time, tasks, knowledge, communication — the CMDglows course goes further, module by module. Module I is entirely free.
Get the next guides
The CMDglows newsletter shares concrete settings and methods to work better on Windows.