5 slick ways I automate my Windows PC

If you use your PC for anything serious, you probably repeat the same little actions dozens of times a day: launching the same apps, moving the same files, clicking through the same menus. That friction adds up.

Sure, you can clear years of Windows clutter without installing a single app, but automation is how you turn Windows into an assistant instead of just a tool. It doesn't have to be complicated or something that only tech wizards can do. Windows itself has quite a few handy ways to automate it built in.

My PC sets itself up before I touch the mouse

Auto-starting apps, tabs, and tools the moment Windows boots

The first thing I automated was simply getting into work mode for the day. Instead of launching all the apps I need one at a time, I have Windows start my entire work stack automatically. This includes my browser with the usual tabs, editor, communication tools like Slack, and a couple of other utility programs I use daily.

On Windows, there are two easy ways to do this:

• Startup folder: Press Windows Key + R, type shell:startup, and drop in shortcuts for whatever you want to launch when you log in.
• Task Scheduler: If you want more control, like apps only launching at a specific time on specific days, use Task Scheduler and create a task that runs specific apps or a simple batch file.

The net effect is small but meaningful: by the time I sit down and unlock my PC, my work environment is already waiting. I no longer have to spend the first 10 minutes of my workday launching apps and opening tabs or channels.

Windows snaps exactly where I want them every time

Automating window layouts so multitasking never gets messy

Getting apps open is the first step. Getting them where you want them is the next one. Manually resizing and arranging windows is one of those quiet time-wasters you don't notice until you stop doing it. On Windows 11, Snap Layouts help, but you can go further.

• Built-in Snap: Drag a window to the edges or corners, or use the Windows Key with arrow keys to tile windows into halves or quarters.
• PowerToys FancyZones: FancyZones lets you define custom zones and then snap windows into those layouts with a shortcut.

I keep a few favorite layouts for writing, coding, and communication. With a couple of keystrokes, all the usual apps fall into place. It turns context switching from a chore into a near-instant operation.

My Downloads folder cleans itself

Automatically sorting, renaming, and deleting clutter

The Windows Download folder is where organization goes to die. So I stopped trusting myself to manage it manually. It moves PDFs, documents, installers, screenshots, and more to separate folders and deletes anything older than 30 or 60 days.

There are two ways to do this, depending on the complexity level you're willing to put up with. The easy approach is to use Storage Sense to automatically delete temporary files and old items in the Downloads folder. This is easy and built in, but there's one PowerToys tool that can give you much more power over the process.

You can use Power Automate to constantly watch the Downloads folder and move files based on extension or name. The payoff is huge. My downloads folder doesn't become a dumpster, and I don't waste time dragging files around or wondering where I put an important document.

I let hotkeys do the boring work

Hotkeys and macros save me dozens of clicks on Windows

If you find yourself doing anything more than a few times a day, consider giving it a dedicated hotkey. This is exactly why I tried a gaming mouse and instantly got hooked. All those extra buttons serve a valid purpose outside of games, and you can easily map key combinations, controls, and macros to buttons.

This is also where my Stream Deck Neo comes in handy. It was a gadget made for streamers, but I can't work without it now. I've got tons of useful shortcuts to launch apps, paste snippets of text I often use, commands for various programs, and more. The more you replace multi-step clicks with a single key combo, the more automated your machine feels in daily use.

Windows quietly maintains itself in the background

Automating updates, cleanup, and routine system tasks

There's a lot of low-level care and feeding a Windows machine needs. Updates, cleanups, reboots, driver updates, and more can clog up your PC over time. Most people either end up obsessively micromanaging this or ignore it entirely. I have an annual ritual that keeps my Windows laptops running like new, but periodic maintenance needs to be done regardless.

I automate as much of this as possible, but in a controlled manner:

• Windows Update: Scheduled for a time I don't care about, with active hours set so it doesn't ambush me mid-task.
• Storage cleanup: Storage Sense periodically clears cache, temporary files, and old Recycle Bin contents.
• Scheduled reboots: An occasional planned restart flushes out cruft and ensures updates are actually complete.

The goal isn't to tweak every knob; it's to only touch the system when something truly interesting is happening. Everything else becomes invisible background noise.

Automation is the best Windows upgrade you’ll never install

Automation on Windows isn't about building a sci-fi robot butler; it's about eliminating all the small, repetitive tasks that chip away at your focus.

Once you get a taste for it, you'll start to see automation opportunities everywhere. And over time, your Windows PC will quietly shift from something you manage into something that quietly manages itself around you.