How to set up a new Windows

I rate Microsoft windows 10 at one level above a nasty computer virus, Steven Magee

Windows 11 feelsresponsive and fast. It is better for multi-tasking, more battery-efficient, and has a better design and interface, but security and privacy are big concerns. This article is written for those that have just installed or updated to the latest version of Microsoft Windows and explains what to do to set it up correctly and harden it as much as possible.

 

• Create two local accounts, one for administration tasks and the other for normal, day to day use: Settings, Account, Family & Other users, Other users: Add other user, and smash the Add account button. Choose I don’t have the person’s sign-in information, then select Add a user without a Microsoft account. On one of the account, click on Change account type, and select Administrator.

  Go to Windows’ Control Panel, User Account, User Accounts, and remove the old Microsoft account or make it a standard user (i.e., not an Administrator).

• Update your operating system (Start, Settings, Windows Update), programs, and drivers to their latest versions.

It is worth noticing that Windows will automatically update your drivers via Windows Update, but you may want to do it manually by going to Device Manager, double clic a category, e.g., Display adaptors, right click a device, e.g., NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 or AMD Radeon RX 5700, click Properties, switch to the Driver tab, and smash the Update Driver button.  

• O&O ShutUp10++ is a free antispy tool for Windows 10 and 11. Download and launch it, then select Actions, Apply only recommended settings. It helps you define how Windows 10/11 should respect your privacy by deciding which unwanted functions should be deactivated.  

  To remove unwanted ads manually: Settings, Personalization, Lock screen, Personalize your lock screen (Picture/Slideshow) and uncheck Get fun facts, tips, trick, and more on your lock screen. Besides, go to Settings, Personalization, Device usage, and turn off all the options. Futhermore, navigate through Settings, System, Notifications, and uncheck Offer suggestions on how I can set up my device and Get tips and suggestions when I use Windows or just toggle off the Notification slider. Go to Settings, Privacy & Security, General, and turn off all the toggles; and repeat the process again: Settings, Privacy & Security, Diagnostic & feedback.

• Change your sign-in settings: Settings, Accounts, Sign-in options. You can sign-in using a PIN, a security key (a physical security key, e.g., YubiKey 5 NFC or Titan Security Key, is highly recommended), password, or a picture password.
• Show File Extensions: Open File Explorer, click on View in the top menu, select Show, File name extensions.
• Disable Cortana (Windows Pro/Enterprise). Launch the group policy editor by pressing simultaneously the keys Windows + R, and then typing gpedit.msc. Go to Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, All Settings, double click on Allow Cortana and disable it.  
• Activate Ransomware Protection. Settings, Privacy & Security, Windows Security, Virus and Threat Protection, Manage Ransomware Protection, and turn on the Controlled folder access (it blocks unfriendly apps to modify your files and data), and make sure that you add all your important files and directories.  

• Microsoft Defender is an anti-malware component of Microsoft Windows. It is one of the most effective software when it comes to eliminating threats and viruses in your computer. Enable it: Settings, Privacy & Security, Windows Security, Virus and Threat Protection, Virus and Threat Protection - Manage settings, and turn on the Real-time protection switch.

• Windows Defender is a decent firewall and can be enough for most users.

If you don’t have any other firewall running in your system, you should turn on the Windows Defender’s firewall by navigating through Settings, Privacy & Security, Windows Security, Firewall & network protection. If the firewall is off, you will see a red x icon, click the Turn on button to turn on the firewall. The red x icon will turn into a green check.  

• Enable BitLocker encryption (it is not available in Window’s home edition 😠): search for Control Panel, click on System and Security, BitLocker Drive Encryption, and smash the Turn on BitLocker option.   Next, select how to save the recovery key: Save to your Microsoft account (it is convenient, but not safe), Save to a file, or Print the recovery. You will be prompted to choose how much of your drive you want to encrypt (Encrypt entire drive) and encryption mode (Compatible mode), click the Run BitLocker system check option and smash the Continue button.

• Set up a backup plan. Enable System Restore, backup with File History, and/or Windows’s Backup and Restore.

To enable System Restore, go to Start and type restore, and then click Create a restore point. On the System Protection tab, in the Protection Settings section, make sure that System Restore is enabled for your C: drive (Protection is On). If this is not the case, select the C drive (C: -System-), and click the Configure button, then Turn on system protection. Create a restore point, too by clicking on Create.

• Files is a free and modern file explorer for Windows with a powerful yet intuitive designed. It has cool features like multiple tabs, panes, columns, shell extensions in the context menu and tags.

There are multiple settings to customize Files to your needs: Settings, Appearance (Custom Themes), Preference (Show hidden files and folders, Show dot files, Hide protected operating system Files), Experimental (Show Folder Size, Set Files as the default File manager).  

• Ninite is not a package manager, and yet it is one of the easiest and fastest ways to update or install software. You can update or install multiple apps at once. You may want to install: Compression (7-Zip, PeaZip); Web Browser (Chrome, Edge, or Firefox); Office Suite (LibreOffice, OpenOffice), Media (VLC -the best media player-, Audacity, Spotify, HandBrake), Imaging (GIMP, Greenshot/ShareX -Capturing screenshots-, IrfanView), File Sharing (qBittorrent), Developer Tools (FileZilla, Visual Studio Code, PuTTY, Notepad++), Security (KeePass -a password manager-), Online Storage (Dropbox, Google Drive).

• Activate the Windows built-in Clipboard Manager under Settings, Clipboard, and then make sure the toggle is ON in the Clipboard history. To get to your clipboard history at any time, press Windows + V.

• Uninstalled unnecessary or unwanted applications, i.e., Windows Bloatware by going to Control Panel, Uninstall a program under Programs, look for an application you want to uninstall such as Mail, Your Phone, XBox, Paint 3D, right click on it, and select Uninstall.

• Disable Notifications: Settings, System, Notifications, and set the toggle to OFF to disable the notifications from all your apps, and uncheck Get tips and suggestions when I use Windows, Offer suggestions on how I can set up my device, and Show me the Windows welcome experience after updates and occasionally when I sign in to highlight what’s new and suggested.

• Configure your power management settings: Settings, System, Power & battery, Power mode, and choose Best performance (it prioritizes speed and responsiveness over battery life)/Recommended or Best power efficiency (it delivers longer batter life)/Balanced.

• Hide some taskbar icons: Settings, Personalization, Taskbar, set the toggle to OFF to some bloatware and unnecessary apps, e.g., Search, Widget, Chat, Taskbar corner overflow (Microsoft Teams, XBox, Windows Explorer). I also like enabling Automatically hide the taskbar to give me a little more space in my desktop.

• Activate Windows’ God mode, a super quick and convenient access to many Control Panel settings. Right-click on a free space on your desktop, click on New, Folder, and enter the following name _ GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}_

• Enable Night light: Settings, System, Display, and toggle on the Night light slider. It shows warmer colors on your display to help you sleep at night.

• Windows terminal is a modern host application for Command-line tools and shells, like Command Prompt, PowerShell, zsh and bash (WSL). It’s very powerful and offers a lot of customization and productivity features like tabs, themes, customized color schemes, shortcuts, and much more.

1. Install Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL): wsl ‐‐install or wsl ‐‐install -d Ubuntu
2. To make Windows Terminal able to render the fancy icons, install NERD-FONTS. Download a font, e.g., Droid Sans Mono Nerd Fonts; extract or unzip the archive, and install all the .otf Font files.
3. Install Zsh, Oh My Zsh in WSL, and more, Spice your Windows’s terminal.

• Personalize your Windows. Set a desktop wallpaper (Settings, Personalization, Background, and select Windows spotlight to get a daily wallpaper provided by Microsoft for your desktop), lock screen (Settings, Personalization, Lock screen), mode (Personalization, Colors, Choose your mode: Light/Dark/Custom), accent color (Personalization, Colors, Accent color), and account picture (Settings, Accounts, Your info).