Top 10 Worst Windows 10 Features (in My Opinion)

I only started using the Windows 10 operating system in June 2020, but I first heard of it long before that. Admittedly, this Windows installment has many improvements compared with previous versions (especially Windows 8/8.1), but it also has lots of features that you may not want. In this blog we are going to discuss these features and try to rank them the old-fashioned way, based on my personal opinion. Without further ado, let's jump right into number 10!

In Windows 10, it's no longer that easy to change your default browser. Whenever you try to change the default browser you'll get a warning, and you'll have to look in the settings and modify your default browser. Previously, this whole process could be completed in just a single click. Nevertheless, I am actually kind of okay with Microsoft Edge and I've been using it for quite some time now, so that's why I put it on number 10.

In Windows 10, a shutdown may not be the same as you would expect. Instead of shutting down completely, the system closes all apps and then brings itself into a status similar to hibernation, in order to shorten the time taken for the next startup. While this feature can save you time, this means that shutting down and then rebooting may not be able to solve certain problems that a normal reboot could solve. Well, what if you have to reboot your system normally? It's simple, just click Restart instead of Shut Down.

Going down memory lane, the classic startup sounds of Windows XP and Windows 7 can definitely make people feel nostalgic, but there's no Windows 10 counterpart of those startup sounds! The system boots and gets itself up and running, and then that's it. Nothing can be heard immediately after that. Personally I don't feel very disappointed for the loss of this feature though, since it only has minimal effects on your experience of using Windows.

Having used Windows 7 for almost five years, I have to say that the lack of Aero effects (window transparency) is one of the worst features of Windows 10. While this may not be an important thing to retain, Aero effects do add to the modern feeling of the Windows operating system and the enjoyment of people using it. Just imagine that you start your computer to play some games after working or studying all day, and then you're greeted with all those Aero effects... I don't even know how to describe that feeling.

Previously, you used to get pop-up notifications whenever your battery had almost no power left. What about in Windows 10? Well, you now receive a notification that dims your screen and interrupts your use of the system. While this brings more attention to you (for sure), it can disrupt whatever you're doing when that notification screen pops up. This can be detrimental since your work is interrupted all of a sudden and it may be hard to pick up where you left off.

I'm pretty sure most readers of this blog are more used to Control Panel than the new Settings app. Yes, most settings of Windows 10 are now in the Settings app. Where's the control panel then? Well, you can still access it and use it just like before (sort of), but more often than not you'll encounter a link that takes you to the relevant setting in the Settings app. It appears that Microsoft is phasing out the classic Control Panel so that everything will be in the Settings app in the not-so-far future, so while you can still use Control Panel, feel free to use it! No one's stopping you.

As far as I'm concerned, most of us have had an episode of using Windows Media Player to play music and videos on our computers. What about in Windows 10? Well, this classic media player is now deprecated. Microsoft has developed new apps to act as substitutes, and it's encouraging people to use those apps instead of Windows Media Player. It's not known whether Microsoft will remove it from Windows eventually, but while it's still here, don't take it for granted.

Microsoft originally developed Solitaire for the purpose of teaching people how to use a mouse, and since then it has become one of the most-played games of all time. Microsoft removed Solitaire in Windows 8 but returned it as Microsoft Solitaire Collection in Windows 10. But what about the other games, like Minesweeper? Nowhere to be found. While it's easy to find online versions of those games these days, we certainly miss the unique feeling of playing them using built-in Windows apps.

As someone who speaks two languages, I have to say that this feature of Windows 10 is one of the most unwanted. Previously, when you wanted to change the display language of the system, you could simply download the language pack and then modify the settings. You can certainly do the same in Windows 10, but the system may not be able to apply the new language to everything. To illustrate, I'll just take the current system I'm using to write this blog. A few months ago I changed the display language to English, but some Windows apps (like Task Manager and Notepad) are still in Chinese. I don't know why, but at least you can still kind of modify the language, so again, don't take this for granted.

Let's face it: Windows 10 updates are compulsory. The system will automatically download updates regularly, and you can only pause updates instead of stopping them indefinitely. While the installation of updates may improve your experience of using Windows somewhat, these updates are now infamous for "removing old bugs and adding new bugs". Occasionally, your system may even crash after an update is installed.

Obviously I didn't cover everything, but these features are the worst in my opinion. Again, it's not that this installment of the Windows system has nothing good at all. So when using the Windows 10 operating system, try to appreciate its benefits instead of being irritated by its drawbacks. Thanks for reading, and if you've ever experienced what you think is one of the worst Windows 10 features, feel free to let me know in the comments!