Windows 7 era is coming to an end, so we suggest you upgrade to Windows 10 soon to avoid malware and other issues. Microsoft’s Extended Support will no longer offer tech support for computers running the out of date software starting 14 of January 2020. While Windows 10 is still available for free, it comes with new features that the Windows 7 users might not like very much. Follow the steps below to make Windows 10 look like Windows 7.
Windows 10 Tips To Make It Look More Like Windows 7
Start Menu
Windows 10 Start menu has a more modern interface than Windows 7. You can uninstall some of the pre-installed software bloats, but built-in apps like Mail, for example, will still be present.
If you prefer a more uncomplicated, cleaner Start menu, you can unpin the tiles by clicking right on the tile and choose “Unpin from Start.”
Using a program called Open Shell, you can recreate Windows 7 Start menu, and it also allows you fully customize the Start button, revive the old File Copy UI and bring back the old toolbar in Windows Explorer.
File Explorer
Windows 7’s File Explorer is not very different compared to Windows 10. However, the Quick Access menu feels more like a burden than a useful set of shortcuts.
Go to File > Change folder and search options so you can arrange things as you like. Switch the “Open File Explorer To” drop-down to “This PC” and uncheck both boxes under Privacy regarding Quick Access. You can then clean up the sidebar by unpinning items under Quick Access.
You can minimize the Ribbon by clicking the arrow in the upper-right corner, as its options are available in File Explorer’s right-click menu. If you are keen on getting rid of the Ribbon, use Open Shell or a tool called Ribbon Disabler.
Cloud Services
Windows 10 has Cortana, a new digital assistant, as well as a heavier reliance on OneDrive. Go to Microsoft OneDrive and then to the “Account” tab and click on “unlink this PC” to unlink OneDrive from Windows 10. The other option is to uninstall it entirely by going to Settings > Apps.
Going to Settings > Cortana after the fact, you can turn off most of Cortana features when you first install Windows 10. The other option is to disable it entirely from the registry.
Log In With a Local Account
If you prefer the simplicity of a local account, here is what you need to do. Windows 10 Pro should have an Offline Account option that will allow you to use a local account.
However, Windows 10 Home has removed this option from the setup wizard; you can bypass the Microsoft login by disconnecting your computer from the internet. The other option is to convert your Microsoft Account to a local account from Settings > Accounts > Sign In With a Local Account Instead.
Lock Screen
To get rid of Microsoft’s lock screen, open the Start menu, type Regedit, and press Enter. Navigate to the following registry key in the navigation bar:
“Right-click the Windows folder in the sidebar and choose New > Key and name it Personalization. Then, from that new Personalization folder, right-click an empty space in the right-hand pane and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it NoLockScreen, double-click it to change its Value Data to 1, and restart your computer.”
Automatic Updates
Go to Settings > Update & Security > Change Active Hours to customize when you prefer your device to get the automatic updates. You can also delay Windows updates under Settings > Update & Security > Advanced Options to accommodate your needs.
Your Privacy
One of the reasons why users prefer Windows 7 is due to its privacy. Windows 10 collects a lot more data, so you need to pay more attention to that. Go to Settings > Privacy and start unticking a lot of boxes.
