Introduction

Remember when video games rewarded curious players with secret items and hidden areas? The same happened with other types of software! In the early days of computing, developers would secretly embed games, jokes, animations, and hidden features into their software – little rewards for users who ventured beyond the obvious. The term “Easter egg” itself came from Atari’s Adventure game in 1979, where developer Warren Robinett hid his name in a secret room, creating what’s considered the first video game Easter egg.

During the ’80s and ’90s, Easter eggs flourished in software. Microsoft Word had a hidden pinball game, Excel contained a flight simulator, and countless applications tucked away developer credits in creative ways. These hidden treasures made software feel more personal and reminded users that real humans – with a sense of humor – created these programs. However, as software became more serious and security-focused in the 2000s, many companies began phasing out traditional Easter eggs. Microsoft famously banned them in 2002 as part of their Trustworthy Computing initiative.

Yet the spirit of Easter eggs lives on, though in a more subdued form. Modern operating systems still contain hidden features and clever tricks, but they tend to focus more on functionality and user experience rather than pure entertainment. Let’s explore some of the most interesting secrets you can find in today’s Windows 11 and recent macOS versions.

win11

Windows 11’s Hidden Treasures

God Mode Returns

The famous God Mode from previous Windows versions is still alive and well in Windows 11, now more useful than ever with Windows 11’s expanded settings menu.

How to Access:

  1. Right-click on your desktop
  2. Select New > Folder
  3. Name it exactly: GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
  4. Access every Windows setting in one place

Edge Browser’s Secret Game

Microsoft Edge in Windows 11 includes a hidden surf game, similar to the Chrome dinosaur game but with more features.

How to Play:

  1. Open Edge
  2. Type edge://surf in the address bar
  3. Choose between surfing, skiing, or skating modes
  4. Use arrow keys to play

Teams Easter Egg

In Windows 11’s Teams integration, try typing (coffee) in a chat message - you’ll get a coffee cup emoji animation. There are several other hidden emoticon commands too!

Windows Terminal Secrets

Windows Terminal has some hidden features that make it more fun to use:

# Try these commands:
wt new-tab "cmd" ; split-pane -p "Windows PowerShell" ; split-pane -H "wsl"#

This creates a split view with CMD, PowerShell, and WSL all at once!

PowerToys Run Easter Eggs

If you have PowerToys installed, try pressing Win+Space and typing time flies - you’ll see a fun animation.

Modern macOS Hidden Features

Terminal Fun

The Terminal in modern macOS versions continues to offer entertaining features:

# Make your Mac speak
say "I am your computer"

# Try different voices
say -v "Good News" "Breaking news: Your Mac has secrets!"

# Create ASCII art from images
imgcat yourimage.jpg   # If you have iTerm2 installed

More Info in Control Center

Click the Control Center while holding Option to reveal additional settings and information about your system.

Screenshot Secrets

Press Cmd + Shift + 5 to access the full screenshot toolbar, but did you know you can: Hold Option to temporarily hide the Dock and Desktop icons Hold Control to copy directly to clipboard Press Space to capture a specific window with a shadow effect

Finder Easter Eggs

Try these in Finder:

  1. Hold Option while clicking the View menu to access hidden view options
  2. Press Cmd + Option + P + R during startup for a “chime” on newer Macs
  3. Hold Option while clicking the Apple menu to see additional system info

Built-in Games

While not exactly Easter eggs, many users don’t know about the built-in games in Messages:

  1. Open Messages
  2. Start a conversation
  3. Click the Apps button
  4. Find GamePigeon or other built-in games

The Future of Easter Eggs

Finding an Easter egg in software creates a unique moment of connection between developers and users. It transforms regular software interactions into memorable discoveries, showing that real people with creativity and humor built these tools we use every day. As software becomes more advanced, I think the role of Easter eggs remains important. While security and stability have to come first, there’s still room for hidden features that make technology more engaging. Whether it’s a hidden game in a browser, a fun command in the terminal, or an unexpected animation, these discoveries add personality to our digital tools. I say to the developers building our modern software:

Keep creating Easter eggs!