As good as Windows 11 is, there are some quirks that are hard to ignore, especially for power users. Now, there’s no shortage of third-party apps available that can help you fix these Windows 11 annoyances. For instance, you can use Windhawk to fix the taskbar, replace the Start menu with Flow Launcher, use ExplorerPatcher to edit the context menu, and so on. But downloading and setting up a separate app for each of these annoyances can quickly get tiring.
Winaero Tweaker is a free app that lets you bring back legacy features, apply system-level tweaks, and fix common problems with Windows 11. The best part is, it’s dead easy to use. All you have to do is search for the tweak you want to apply and tick its checkbox. That’s it.
Fix the right-click menu, remove ads, and disable updates
Take back control, one tweak at a time
The most common complaint I’ve heard about Windows 11 is its minimalist context menu. Sure, it looks clean and modern, but it’s not exactly functional, as it hides several useful options behind the “Show more options” button. With Winaero Tweaker, fixing this takes less than a minute. Open the app, scroll to Classic Full Context Menu, check the box, and hit Restart Explorer.
It gets better. Winaero Tweaker also lets you edit the right-click menu. This means you can add more options like Create Restore Point or Kill Non-Responsive Apps, and even shortcuts to your favorite Windows tools like the Task Manager, Command Prompt, Snipping Tool, and more.
Another major annoyance with Windows 11 is the number of ads it shows. These appear everywhere, from the Lock screen and the Start menu to even in notifications. Winaero Tweaker can take care of that too. Head to Behavior > Ads and Unwanted Apps, and you’ll see a list of checkboxes that let you turn off every kind of ad Windows tries to sneak in.
Finally, if you despise automatic Windows and driver updates, Winaero gives you the option to turn those off. Head to Behavior > Disable Windows Update or Disable Driver Update and tick the relevant checkbox.
Turn off annoying features, strengthen privacy, and bring back classic apps
Distractions gone, privacy restored and nostalgia included
One thing you may have noticed while using the Windows 11 search menu is how it also shows the results from the internet. While that’s not exactly a bad thing, Windows forces those web searches through Bing in Edge, regardless of what your default browser is. It’s also annoying when you’re trying to open Notepad, mistype it as “Nottpad,” and it opens a web browser. If you find this annoying, Winaero Tweaker includes the option to turn off web searches in the Start menu entirely.
Then there’s the “Let’s finish setting up your device” screen, which Windows shows up after every major update. It’s not exactly helpful, since all it does is nudge you to use a Microsoft account, enable OneDrive and set Edge as the default browser. With Winaero Tweaker, you can disable that screen altogether. Those who are concerned about privacy can also turn off Telemetry, which stops Windows from sending diagnostic and usage data back to Microsoft.
Besides disabling things, Winaero Tweaker lets you bring back classic apps like the Windows Photo Viewer, the old Notepad, Windows 7 Games, and even those desktop widgets. You’ll also find options to enable the classic ribbon interface in File Explorer, restrict background apps at once, adjust window borders, speed up animations, and do a lot more.
Why Winaero Tweaker feels like the settings app we deserve
The Control Panel Microsoft should’ve made
Screenshot by Pankil Shah — No attribution required
Winaero Tweaker feels like one of those tools that should ship with Windows. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel or do anything groundbreaking. It simply gives you back the control that Microsoft took away. And the best part is that you don’t need to mess with the registry, use obscure PowerShell commands, or go through complicated workarounds. Every tweak is right there and easy to apply.
The layout is simple and logical. On the left, all the tweaks appear in categories, like Appearance, Behavior, File Explorer, Context Menu, and so on. On the right, each tweak gets its own short description, so you always know what change you’re making.
You can even bookmark your favorite tweaks or use the search menu to get to them easily. Also, if you use multiple PCs or switch to a different one, you can export all your Winaero preferences and then import them on a new machine. Finally, if you’re worried about breaking your system with too many tweaks, Winaero Tweaker also includes an option that lets you reset all the changes in one go.
Windows 11 has improved a lot since launch. It’s been almost four years, so Microsoft has had plenty of time to address common concerns and refine the experience. Still, there are things that continue to frustrate users like me, and Winaero Tweaker is the most comprehensive tool for fixing them.
