Windows still hides useful conveniences under familiar menus, and a handful of these lesser-known features in Windows 11 can change the way you interact with your PC — from accessibility workarounds to offline backup tools you can trust. A recent roundup of five “hidden” Windows capabilities — ClickLock, the old screen saver utilities, the so‑called God Mode folder, the built‑in battery report, and File History — highlights options many users never discover on their own.
Windows has been refined for decades, and over the years Microsoft has kept both legacy utilities and new accessibility/diagnostic features in the OS. Some of these are quietly tucked away in Control Panel dialogs or accessible only via command line. That combination of legacy UI and modern Settings means there are practical, low‑friction tools that can solve real problems — especially for power users, IT pros, and anyone who prefers local tools to cloud services.
This feature guide explains what each hidden feature does, how to enable and use it in Windows 11, and — critically — the strengths, limitations, and risks you should weigh before changing system settings or relying on these tools as part of a backup or maintenance workflow. Where possible the technical details and commands below have been validated against Microsoft documentation and independent guides to ensure accuracy.
Wherever possible, rely on authoritative documentation and keep administrative controls in place for shared systems. For power users and IT pros, combining these features with tested imaging, an external backup strategy, and driver/OS updates creates a practical, low‑cost maintenance and recovery workflow.
Use these hidden Windows features deliberately: enable ClickLock or File History when they help your workflow, use God Mode for quick access when you know what you’re changing, and run a battery report before deciding on battery replacement. Small features, properly understood and applied, can deliver meaningful gains in daily productivity and system resilience.
Source: Neowin 5 hidden features in Windows you probably didn't know about
Background
Windows has been refined for decades, and over the years Microsoft has kept both legacy utilities and new accessibility/diagnostic features in the OS. Some of these are quietly tucked away in Control Panel dialogs or accessible only via command line. That combination of legacy UI and modern Settings means there are practical, low‑friction tools that can solve real problems — especially for power users, IT pros, and anyone who prefers local tools to cloud services.This feature guide explains what each hidden feature does, how to enable and use it in Windows 11, and — critically — the strengths, limitations, and risks you should weigh before changing system settings or relying on these tools as part of a backup or maintenance workflow. Where possible the technical details and commands below have been validated against Microsoft documentation and independent guides to ensure accuracy.
ClickLock — a simple accessibility and workflow shortcut
What ClickLock does
ClickLock lets you simulate a continuous mouse hold without actually keeping the button depressed. Press and hold the primary mouse button for a short time, and Windows “locks” that press so you can drag or select without keeping pressure on the button; click again to release. It’s effectively a toggle-like drag helper built into the OS, useful when a physical mouse button is unreliable or when extended dragging causes fatigue.How to enable ClickLock (quick steps)
- Open Settings (Windows + I) and go to Bluetooth & devices > Mouse, then click “Additional mouse settings” under Related settings.
- In the Mouse Properties dialog open the Buttons tab.
- Check Turn on ClickLock and (optionally) click Settings to adjust the lock delay.
- Click OK to apply.
Practical benefits
- Reduces hand strain during prolonged dragging or selection tasks.
- Works on touchpad and mouse devices (the left touchpad button maps to the primary mouse button).
- Helpful as a workaround for intermittent physical button failure.
Risks and quirks
- ClickLock can be triggered unintentionally until you acclimate to the delay; occasional accidental locks may confuse new users.
- Device drivers or third‑party mouse utilities sometimes conflict with ClickLock behavior; if you see permanent locks or unlocking failures, test with the vendor drivers removed. Community reports and vendor support pages document such conflicts.
Screen savers — yes, they still exist (and they’re configurable)
Why screen savers still matter
Modern displays don’t suffer CRT burn‑in like legacy monitors, but screen savers remain useful for brief idle animations, privacy (lock on resume), and classic personalization. Windows 11 still ships with familiar screen savers — 3D Text, Bubbles, Mystify, Photos, and Ribbons — and you can configure an idle timeout and whether the system requires a password on resume. These settings are available in the Screen Saver Settings dialog.How to open Screen Saver Settings
- Open Settings > Personalization > Lock screen and click Screen saver.
- Or type “Change screen saver” in Windows Search to open the legacy Screen Saver Settings dialog directly.
- Choose a screen saver, click Settings to personalize options (e.g., font and message for 3D Text, a folder for Photos), set Wait time, and toggle On resume, display logon screen if you want an automatic lock.
Use cases and limitations
- Use the Photos saver to cycle through albums when your PC is idle (helpful for demo machines or kiosk screens).
- Use the On resume… option as a simple security measure when stepping away briefly.
- Do not rely on a classic screensaver to protect data — it is not a substitute for full session locking or disk encryption.
God Mode folder — a consolidated Control Panel for power users
What the God Mode folder is
The informal “God Mode” is a special folder that exposes a single, alphabetized view of hundreds of Windows settings, Control Panel applets, and administrative utilities. It’s a convenient aggregator — essentially a curated shortcut list to components that otherwise live across multiple Control Panel and Settings locations. The underlying trick uses a well‑known folder GUID: ED7BA470‑8E54‑465E‑825C‑99712043E01C.How to create the God Mode folder
- Right‑click the desktop and choose New > Folder.
- Rename the folder exactly to:
GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} - The icon will change to a Control Panel icon; open it to browse dozens or hundreds of settings in one view. Alternatively you can create a shortcut to the shell GUID with:
explorer shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
which avoids renaming an existing folder.
Strengths
- Speeds access for administrators and power users who know what they want; no need to hunt across nested Settings pages.
- Handy for training or to build step lists for troubleshooting — you can open the relevant Control Panel entry directly from the folder.
Risks and guardrails
- It is not a special privilege escalation or a backdoor; it only aggregates access to controls already available to the signed‑in user. However, the folder can make it easier to change advanced system settings; inexperienced users should avoid using it as a “one‑stop” place to tweak unfamiliar controls.
- In managed environments, Group Policy and administrative restrictions can (and should) be used to prevent misuse. If you’re a system administrator, block access to Control Panel if you want to prevent this aggregation.
Battery Report (powercfg /batteryreport) — a lightweight laptop diagnostic
What the battery report gives you
The built‑in battery report is generated by the powercfg tool and produces an HTML file detailing battery capacity history, cycle counts, recent usage, and battery life estimates. For laptop users worried about degradation, it’s one of the most useful, no‑install diagnostics you can run. The report exposes the Design Capacity versus Full Charge Capacity and provides time‑series data that helps diagnose whether the battery is failing or simply needs calibration.How to generate a battery report
- Open an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell (Run as administrator).
- Run:
powercfg /batteryreport - The command writes an HTML file to the current folder and prints the exact file path in the console (commonly C:\Users\<username>\battery-report.html if run from a user shell; if run from an elevated prompt the current directory may be C:\Windows\System32). Use /output to specify a different path, for example:
powercfg /batteryreport /output "C:\Temp\battery-report.html"
or request XML with /xml for programmatic parsing.
How to interpret the report (quick guidance)
- Installed batteries: manufacturer, chemistry, design capacity vs full charge capacity. A large and growing gap between the two indicates degradation.
- Battery capacity history: shows full charge capacity over time — useful for tracking decline after weeks/months.
- Battery life estimates: compare recent “at full charge” estimates to the original design to quantify lost runtime.
Caveats and limitations
- The report reflects the OS’s measurement and usage telemetry — it’s accurate for trends but not a direct cell‑level manufacturer test.
- Reporting depends on device drivers exposing correct ACPI data; incorrect or missing driver data can make entries blank. Microsoft guidance notes this and instructs users to review the Command Prompt output for the saved file path rather than assuming a fixed location.
File History — a no‑cloud, local file backup with versioning
What File History does
File History is Windows’ built‑in local backup solution that continuously saves copies of files from libraries, Desktop, Contacts, and Favorites to an external or network drive. It provides versioned recovery — you can “time‑travel” to previous versions of files — and is an excellent offline alternative if you do not want to rely on cloud backups like OneDrive. Microsoft documents enabling File History through Control Panel > System and Security > File History.How to enable File History (step‑by‑step)
- Connect an external USB drive or ensure you have a reachable network share.
- Open Control Panel > System and Security > File History.
- Select a drive (or Select drive), then click Turn on. File History will begin copying files from protected libraries.
- To add a folder not already covered, add it to a library (right‑click the folder > Show more options > Include in library) or create a custom library.
Strengths
- Continuous, incremental local backups that are fast to restore from without internet dependency.
- Version history for files makes it easy to recover accidentally edited or deleted content.
- No subscription fees; data remains under your control.
Limitations and risks
- File History is not a full‑image backup: it saves user files, not installed applications, system state, or the OS. For complete recovery after disk failure you still need full disk imaging or system backup tools.
- It requires an external or network storage device; if the backup drive fails or is disconnected, histories stop being updated.
- Restoration requires caution: ensure you understand where File History restores files (it can restore to original location or a custom folder) and verify permissions.
Security, privacy, and administrative considerations
Privacy concerns
- Clipboard history and other sync features (not a core item on the five‑point list but commonly related) can sync sensitive content across devices when cloud sync is enabled. Be mindful of what you copy if you enable cross‑device sync. (Tip: clear sensitive clipboard entries and disable cloud sync for clipboard if handling secrets.)
Administrative controls
- In managed environments, administrators should use Group Policy or Intune to control access to aggregated tools like God Mode and to enforce backup policies instead of leaving users to configure File History alone.
- File History and ClickLock can be enabled or disabled centrally; system lockdowns are appropriate in high‑security contexts.
Best practices
- Use batteryreport periodically (for example, after 3–6 months of laptop use) to track degradation and to make an informed decision on battery replacement. Always run the command with /output to place the file somewhere you can access it easily.
- Combine File History with a separate disk image or cloud backup. File History is excellent for file versioning, but a full system image protects against drive failure and ransomware.
- Test restores: a backup that hasn’t been tested is not a backup. Periodically restore a few files from File History to confirm behavior and locations.
Quick reference: commands and locations
- ClickLock: Control Panel > Mouse > Buttons > Turn on ClickLock (Click Settings to adjust delay).
- Screen Saver: Settings > Personalization > Lock screen > Screen saver (or search “Change screen saver”) — options include 3D Text, Bubbles, Mystify, Photos, Ribbons.
- God Mode folder: Create New Folder and rename to GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} or use explorer shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}.
- Battery report: powercfg /batteryreport (saves to the current directory; use /output to specify a path).
- File History: Control Panel > System and Security > File History — choose a drive and Turn on.
Final analysis — why these “hidden” features still matter
Each item on this list is small by design but delivers disproportionate utility:- ClickLock and the screen saver options are simple accessibility and convenience tools that remain relevant for users with older hardware or special needs.
- God Mode is an efficiency hack for people who need to move fast across Windows’ many settings.
- Battery Report puts diagnostic power in users’ hands and is especially valuable for laptop owners troubleshooting capacity loss.
- File History gives privacy‑minded users a robust local backup option without vendor lock‑in.
Wherever possible, rely on authoritative documentation and keep administrative controls in place for shared systems. For power users and IT pros, combining these features with tested imaging, an external backup strategy, and driver/OS updates creates a practical, low‑cost maintenance and recovery workflow.
Use these hidden Windows features deliberately: enable ClickLock or File History when they help your workflow, use God Mode for quick access when you know what you’re changing, and run a battery report before deciding on battery replacement. Small features, properly understood and applied, can deliver meaningful gains in daily productivity and system resilience.
Source: Neowin 5 hidden features in Windows you probably didn't know about
