Windows 11 can automate more of your PC routine than its aging Task Scheduler interface suggests. Rokas Tenys/Shutterstock Task Scheduler has been part of Windows for years, but it's so old-school that you might have written it off. Ignore the gray menus, though, and there's a surprisingly capable automation tool underneath. Microsoft explains that Task Scheduler waits for a trigger you configure, then runs the associated task when it fires. This trigger may be a specific time, Windows startup, your login or even a system event.
Setting up Task Scheduler is easier than it looks. To get started, type "Task Scheduler" into the Start menu and click it. Select Create Task in the right Actions pane. Under General, give the task a Name. Open Triggers, select New and choose when to run it. In Actions, choose New, then Start a program. You can direct Windows to a program, command-line tool or Power Shell. Review Conditions and Settings to determine whether the task can run on battery power, must wait until the PC is idle or should catch up after a missed run.
Three automations are worth setting up. Microsoft's package manager Win Get can keep apps updated with winget upgrade --all --silent --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements --disable-interactivity. Trim startup apps by disabling normal startup entries and launching them with a delayed logon trigger instead. Task Scheduler also works well with Power Shell for scripts like copying files. Power Automate for desktop is better suited to automations requiring clicking through apps.
Source: Engadget · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing