For the time being, Windows 7 is still, by far, the most popular Windows operating system in the world. While for those who have a Windows 8 PC it is better to switch to Windows 10, those who have a PC with Windows 7, already fast, stable and fully functional, are certainly less encouraged to do the update, which I remember, for now it is still free.
We have already seen, however, that Windows 10 has brought numerous changes and new functions and it would be a shame, for those who do not want to upgrade, to lose some of these features that have made Windows certainly more functional and more complete.
Although Windows 10 changes a lot inside and in the settings, there are also some tools that can also be integrated into Windows 7 and Windows 8.1, installing some tools that bring the best of Windows 10 in previous versions .
If you want to get a taste of what your PC would be like by updating it to Windows 10 or to have some of its best functions even on Windows 7 and 8.1 without having to do a new installation, you can install the following programs.
1) To try the Windows 10 Start menu you can install the free Start Menu Reviver program, already reported some time ago.
Even if Windows 7 doesn't have applications, the program converts the common programs that are installed (including Chrome and Office programs) into resizable tiles similar to the Windows 10 apps.
You can also add other programs using the tile icons, change the colors of these icons and the image inside.
You can then move, drag and drop the various blocks or exchange them for position.
The program settings then allow you to increase the size of the Start menu, change the background color and choose how your items on the expanded Start menu look like.
2) Add a virtual desktop
One of the most particular functions of Windows 10 is that of virtual desktops, very useful, to open different desktop environments and to keep the full-screen windows of different programs open.
For example, you can open Chrome, Word and Excel on the main desktop and a second version of Chrome and VLC in another, thus separating work from pleasure.
To have virtual desktops in Windows 7 just install a virtual desktop program, such as Dexpot or even Desktops,
Dexpot offers an even better set of virtual desktops than the one available in Windows 10, because the program remains in the taskbar and indicates which desktop you are on, which is currently not possible in Windows 10.
You can also right click on a window title to copy it or move it to another virtual desktop.
Dexpot virtual desktops can be a maximum of 12.
3) Add a Task Switcher
In Windows 10 there is an all new button called " activity view " very convenient to view the open activities in one screen and switch between them as you would do with the task switcher of the mobile phone.
To have a button of this type in Windows 7 and Windows 8 you can install the Switcher program, originally written by a Microsoft employee for Windows Vista, which still works well on Windows 7 and 8.
4) Use apps in windows in Windows 8.1
One of the biggest limitations of Windows 8.1 is the fact that applications, those downloaded from the store, open only in full screen.
In Windows 10 this flaw has been corrected, fortunately.
Those who do not want to switch to Windows 10 and stay on Windows 8.1, if they use applications and want to see them open in windows as classic programs do, must install a program called ModernMix, which however is not free (even if it costs only $ 5)
5) 4 windows side by side on the screen
In Windows 10, by moving the windows to the corners of the screen, they automatically arrange themselves in a 4X4 grid.
To do the same in Windows 7 and Windows 8, you can install one of the programs to Align and move Windows windows quickly with automatic arrangement or to keep 4 open windows side by side.
In this regard, I invite you to read the article on how to organize windows on the Windows desktop.
6) Use a virtualization program
Windows 10 Pro and the Education and Enterprise versions have included a virtualization program called Hyper-V.
This allows users to run other operating systems (like another version of Windows or Linux) within a virtual machine.
In order to install an operating system in Windows 7 or 8.1, you must instead install a program like Virtualbox, which I have already talked about in the past.
7) Better command prompt
Windows 10 has improved the command prompt which now also supports copying and pasting from other programs via keyboard shortcut CTRL-C and CTRL-V .
However, on Windows 7 and Windows 8 you can install an alternative, advanced and better looking command prompt like conEmu.
The conEmu command prompt has larger fonts, can have colors to distinguish commands and has many customization options.
8) Tool for writing on web pages
In Windows 10, the Microsoft Edge browser allows you to take notes by drawing or writing over open web pages.
A similar function can be achieved in Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 by installing the Web Paint extension available for Firefox and Chrome.
9) Windows-X menu to quickly open settings in Windows 7
In Windows 8.1 and Windows 10, pressing the Windows-X keys together or pressing the right mouse button on the Start menu button opens a quick menu that leads to the main system settings screens.
To have a similar menu in Windows 7 you can install a tool called WinPlusX .
10) Improved task manager in Windows 7
In Windows 7, a feature absolutely not up to par is the task manager to manage the processes, clearly lower, in terms of functionality and clarity, than that of Windows 10 and 8.1.
You need to download a program to have a better task manager in Windows 7 like Process Hacker or Process Explorer, absolutely necessary.
In addition to the task manager program you must also, in Windows 7, install a program to manage the startup of the computer, which in Windows 10 is always done by the task manager.
11) Antivirus
To have the same antivirus included in Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 it is necessary, in Windows 7, to download and install Microsoft Security Essentials which is the same identical program.
Alternatively you can always use another of the best free antivirus.
12) PDF printer
In Windows 10 you can create a PDF from any printable file, using the Save to PDF option for each document or image from the Print window.
To have the same function in Windows 7 and 8.1 you need to install an additional program as a regular printer that creates PDF from documents and web pages .
13) Mount ISO files
In Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 ISO files can be opened as virtual CDs by pressing on them with the right mouse button and finding the option to mount them.
The same thing is impossible in WIndows 7 if you don't use a program to mount ISO .
14) The Windows 10 search bar
I explained in another article how to add the search bar in Windows 7 and 8.1 as on Windows 10, this time without installing external programs.
15) Onedrive
In Windows 10 Onedrive is integrated and linked to the Microsoft account used.
Those who use Onedirve on Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 must instead install the program from the official website to synchronize files in the cloud space offered by Microsoft
READ ALSO: What changes in Windows 10 for those who have Windows 7
