How to use Quick Actions in Windows 11

The Quick Actions panel in Windows 11 lets you quickly change certain settings on your PC. Here’s how to use and customize it.

Windows 11 introduced a new Quick Actions panel that’s available from the taskbar, allowing for quick access to a variety of settings on your computer. For example, you can turn off Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, but there’s a bit more to it. Let’s take a closer look at the Quick Actions panel and figure out how to make it work more for you.

Using Quick Actions

First, let’s start with the basics. Opening and using the Quick Actions panel should be relatively simple.​​​​​​ The access point for Quick Actions is on the right side of the Windows 11 taskbar. Click the battery, sound, or internet icons on the taskbar to open the Quick Actions panel. If your device has a touchscreen and you’re running Windows 11 version 22H2, you can also swipe up from this area with your finger.

The Quick Actions panel has a series of buttons, which will vary depending on the device. For example, a desktop PC won’t have the option for battery saver or airplane mode. Settings that are currently turned on will be colored (you can customize Windows 11 to change this color), while the ones that are turned off are either white or black.

Some icons, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, have an arrow next to them, which allows you to access more detailed settings. The Accessibility panel also has an arrow, but you may notice it looks slightly different. The Wi-Fi and Bluetooth buttons are split in half, so the left side lets you turn these settings on or off, while the right side lets you choose a network or device to connect to. The Accessibility button automatically shows you a list of accessibility features you can then turn on or off.

Other features, such as Night Light, are simple buttons, with further customization in the full Windows 11 Settings app. If you want to change more advanced settings, you can also right-click one of these buttons and choose Go to Settings. This will open the appropriate page in the Settings app.

Below these buttons is also a set of two sliders, one for brightness (for laptops) and one for volume. The volume slider may also show an arrow next to it.

Connecting to Wi-Fi through Quick Actions

To connect to a Wi-Fi network using the Quick Actions panel, follow these steps:

1. Click the Wi-Fi button so that it’s colored.
   • If there is a Wi-Fi network already saved to your computer, it will connect automatically, as long as it’s within range. The Wi-Fi button should display your network name underneath.
2. If you haven’t connected to a Wi-Fi network before, click the arrow next to the Wi-Fi button. You’ll see a list of available networks.
3. Click the network you want to connect to, and then click Connect.
4. Enter the security key (password) for the network and press Enter.
5. Your PC should now be connected to the internet. You can click Disconnect to stop the connection, or you can click the i button in the top right to see the network properties in the Settings app.

You can always follow these steps again to connect to a different network.

Connecting to Bluetooth devices using Quick Actions

Similar to Wi-Fi, the Bluetooth quick action also lets you do more than just turn Bluetooth on or off. Here’s how to use it:

1. Click the Bluetooth button so that it’s colored.

   

   • If any previously paired devices are nearby and turned on, they’ll connect to your PC automatically. You’ll see the appropriate name under the Bluetooth icon.
2. If you’re pairing a new device, click the arrow next to the Bluetooth button. Nearby Bluetooth devices will show up in a list.
3. Click the device you want to connect to.
4. For devices without screens, such as headphones, your PC should connect automatically. Devices such as displays may show a connection code, which should match on both devices. Click Connect to confirm if that’s the case.
5. Your PC is now connected to the Bluetooth device. You can click it again and then click Disconnect if you no longer want to use it. Modern devices let you see their battery level from this list, too.

   

Changing output devices and volume

If you have multiple audio devices connected to your PC, the volume slider in the Quick Actions panel will show an arrow next to it, as seen below.

When this is the case, the volume slider will only change the volume for the current default playback device. If you notice that the volume isn’t changing when you use the slider or the hardware buttons on your keyboard, this may be why.

To change the default playback device, click the arrow next to the volume slider to see your list of output devices. Your current default will be highlighted, and you can choose a different one.

Once you’ve chosen a default playback device, you can click the arrow in the top left corner of the panel to go back to the Quick Actions view. Now, the volume slider will change the volume for that device.

This can also be useful if you’re actively trying to output sound from two connected devices at once, as some apps let you choose a different playback device from the system’s default. This way, you can more easily control the volume of each device.

It’s worth noting that Microsoft is working on a proper volume mixer in the Quick Actions panel that will provide easier and more advanced controls. We’ll update this article once that becomes widely available.

Editing the Quick Actions panel

Of course, while the Quick Actions panel is useful, it doesn’t mean you can’t make it more useful. It only shows up to six buttons by default, but you can always add more or remove ones you don’t use that often.

1. Open the Quick Actions panel
2. Click the Pencil icon at the bottom, below the sliders.

   

3. To remove a quick action, click the Unpin icon next to it.
4. To add a new quick action, click Add, then choose from the available options. These include Cast, Mobile hotspot, Nearby sharing, and Project.
5. While in edit mode, you can also click and drag any of the quick actions to a different position inside the panel.
6. Click Done when things look good to you, and you’ll be all set.

That covers all you need to know about the Windows 11 Quick Actions panel. While some of this functionality may seem trivial, there are certain things you may not have known, so now you’re all set to make the most of this feature and make your PC more useful to you.