{"id":4488,"date":"2019-04-11T11:20:35","date_gmt":"2019-04-11T11:20:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fileinspect.com\/blog\/?p=4488"},"modified":"2019-04-28T11:50:42","modified_gmt":"2019-04-28T11:50:42","slug":"turn-on-features-in-windows-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fileinspect.com\/blog\/turn-on-features-in-windows-10\/","title":{"rendered":"How to easily turn features on and off in Microsoft Windows 10?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Microsoft\u2019s Windows is a complex operating system with hundreds of features created to improve its functionality. In previous versions, the only way to disable a certain feature was to uninstall it from your PC.<\/p>\n

But with Windows 10, you can turn these features, which are known as \u2018optional features\u2019, on or off via Control Panel. Although Windows 10 introduced the Settings app to give users easy access to system settings, the old Control Panel still offers more options when it comes to configuration and personalization settings.<\/p>\n

Today’s post shows you how to manage Windows 10\u2019s many \u2018optional features\u2019.<\/p>\n

How to Turn On or Off Optional Features on Windows 10 Using Control Panel<\/h2>\n

If you’re an average Windows user, you may never need to use most of these \u2018optional features\u2019 on Windows 10. Some are created for developers, system administrators, and IT specialists. Others like the .NET Framework are required by third-party apps to function properly.<\/p>\n

Many components are for the advanced user, and disabling some of them could lead to slow PC performance or make your system vulnerable. Some of these features are enabled or installed by default.<\/p>\n

This is how to easily turn features on and off in Microsoft\u2019s Windows 10:<\/h3>\n

First, press the Windows Key and type in control panel.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Select \u201cControl Panel\u201d, which should be the first result.<\/li>\n
  2. Choose \u201cPrograms\u201d.<\/li>\n
  3. Select the \u201cTurn Windows features on or off\u201d link. This takes you to the \u201cWindows Features\u201d dialog window, which lists all the features installed on your PC.<\/li>\n
  4. To turn on a feature or component, place a checkmark next to its corresponding box. A filled box indicates that certain parts of the feature are turned on, but not all.<\/li>\n
  5. To disable a feature, simply clear its checkbox, and then select \u201cYes\u201d if prompted.<\/li>\n
  6. When you’re done making the changes, click \u201cOK\u201d.<\/li>\n
  7. Restart your PC for the changes to be effected.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    To the average computer user, some of these components may seem strange. Here\u2019s a list of some of the features that you can disable because you probably don\u2019t need them anymore or won’t use them at all:<\/p>\n

    Media Features<\/h2>\n

    Under Media Features, you\u2019ll find Windows Media Player. Although Windows Media Player is still popular, many users don\u2019t use it because it doesn\u2019t support some video and audio formats. Windows 10 now comes with Groove Music as the default media player, which you can use in place of Windows Media Player.<\/p>\n

    Legacy Components \u2013 DirectPlay<\/h2>\n

    DirectPlay, an API of Microsoft DirectX API, was used 10 years ago for games in Windows Live. Modern games neither use nor need this feature, and you can, therefore, remove it.<\/p>\n

    Internet Explorer 11<\/h2>\n

    As you’re well aware, Microsoft released Edge with the advent of Windows 10. However, you can still find Internet Explorer 11 among the list of features on your system. You can safely remove Internet Explorer 11 if you don\u2019t need to use it.<\/p>\n

    Other features that you can enable or disable safely include:<\/h3>\n