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ОглавлениеCHAPTER 1
Getting Started with Windows
To do something useful with your computer and with Windows, you need to learn a few basic tasks and techniques. These include exploring the screen, learning how to put your computer to sleep, how to restart and shut down your computer, how to connect to your network, and how to switch to a Microsoft account. You also need to learn how to work with apps, including installing them, starting them, and switching between them and arranging them when you have multiple apps running. This chapter also shows you how uninstall apps.
Connect to Your Wireless Network
Explore the Screen
Before getting to the specifics of working with Windows, take a few seconds to familiarize yourself with the basic elements of the screen. These include the desktop, the Start button, and the taskbar. In most cases, the Start button and the taskbar are always visible. If you do not see them, move the mouse pointer to the bottom of the screen.
Desktop Icon
An icon on the desktop represents a program or Windows feature.
Mouse Pointer
When you move your mouse, this pointer () moves along with it.
Desktop
This is the Windows “work area” where you work with your programs and documents.
Start Button
Click Start () to start programs and launch many Windows features.
Search Icon
Click Search () to search for items on your PC or on the Internet.
Taskbar Icons
You use these icons to launch some Windows features with just a mouse click.
Taskbar
The programs you have open appear in the taskbar. You use this area to switch between programs if you have more than one running at a time.
Notification Area
This area displays small icons that notify you about things that are happening on your computer. For example, you see a notification if an update to Windows is available.
Time and Date
This is the current time and date on your computer. To change the date or time, click the time.
Notifications
This icon tells you the number of notifications that you have yet to view. Notifications give you information about what your computer and its apps are doing.
Explore the Start Menu
To get the most out of Windows, you need to know the layout of the Start menu. As its name implies, the Start menu is your main Windows starting point. Most of the tasks you perform with Windows — such as running apps, searching your PC, working with your Microsoft account, and restarting or shutting down your PC — are launched via the Start menu.
This section gives you an overview of the Start menu. The tasks you can run via the Start menu are covered in the rest of this chapter and throughout this book.
Start Menu
Click Start () or press to open the Start menu on the Windows desktop.
User Account
This icon represents your Windows user account. Clicking this icon displays a menu of user account-related tasks.
Power Icon
Click Power () to restart, shut down, or sleep your computer.
Recommended
This area displays recently added apps as well as documents you have worked with recently. Click an item to launch the app or open the document. You can also click More to see a longer list of recent apps and documents.
Pinned
This area displays apps that have been given a fixed position on the Start menu. Click an app’s icon to launch the app. You learn how to pin apps to the Start menu in Chapter 2.
All Apps
Click All apps to see the full list of apps on your computer.
Search Box
You use this text box to search for items such as documents, settings, or apps on your PC or on the Internet.
Start and Close an App
To perform tasks of any kind in Windows, you can use one of the apps installed on your computer. The application you use depends on the task you want to perform. For example, to surf the World Wide Web, you use a web browser application, such as the Microsoft Edge app that comes with Windows. To use an app, you select the one you want to run from the Start menu.
When you are done with an app, you should close it to reduce resources and keep the desktop uncluttered.
Start and Close an App
Start an App
Click Start ().
The Start menu appears.
If you see the app you want on the main Start menu, you can click the app icon and then skip the rest of these steps.
Click All apps.
The All Apps list appears.
Click the app you want.
To quickly navigate apps alphabetically, you can click any letter and then click the letter that contains the app you want.
If the app is in a submenu, you can click the submenu and then click the app icon.
The app runs.
Close an App
Click Close () or press + .
Note: If the app asks if you want to save changes, click Yes to ensure you do not lose any work.
Windows closes the app.
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Is there an easier way to locate an app?
Yes, you can perform a search to locate it. Click Search () on the taskbar and then begin typing the name of the app. As you type, Windows displays a list of apps and other items that match the characters. When you see the app you want, click it to run the program.
How do I navigate the pinned apps?
The default Start menu has two pages of pinned apps. To navigate the pages, click Next Page () () and Previous Page () (not shown), which appear to the right of the pinned apps. See Chapter 2 to learn how to add your own pinned apps to the Start menu.
Connect to Your Wireless Network
If you have a wireless access point and your computer supports wireless networking, you can connect to the device to access your network. If the access point is also a router that is connected to the Internet, then connecting to the wireless network gives your computer Internet access, as well.
Most wireless networks are protected with a security key, which is a kind of password. To connect, you need to provide Windows with the key. However, after you connect to the network once, Windows remembers the key and connects again automatically whenever your computer is within range of the network.
Connect to Your Wireless Network
Click Network ().
Click Manage Wi-Fi Connections ().
Windows displays a list of wireless networks in your area.
Click your network.
If you do not see the list of wireless networks, you can click the B Wi-Fi switch to On ( changes to ) to turn on your computer’s wireless capability.
Note: For home use, the terms wireless and Wi-Fi are synonymous.
To have Windows connect to your network automatically in the future, click Connect automatically ( changes to ).
Click Connect.
If the network is protected by a security key, Windows prompts you to enter it.
Type the security key.
If you want to be certain that you typed the security key correctly, you can temporarily click and hold C Display Password Characters ().
Click Next.
Windows connects to the network.
The network icon changes from Disconnected (D ) to Connected () to indicate that you now have a wireless network connection.
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How do I disconnect from my wireless network?
To disconnect from the network, follow these steps:
Click Network ().
Click your network.
Click Disconnect. Windows disconnects from the wireless network.
Put Windows to Sleep
You can make your computer more energy efficient by putting Windows into sleep mode when you are not using the computer. Sleep mode means that your computer is in a temporary low-power mode. This saves electricity when your computer is plugged in, and it saves battery power when your computer is unplugged.
In sleep mode, Windows keeps your apps open. This is handy because it means that when you return from sleep mode, after you sign in to Windows again, you can immediately get back to what you were doing.
Put Windows to Sleep
Click Start ().
The Start menu appears.
Click Power ().
The Power options appear.
Click Sleep.
Windows activates sleep mode.
Note: To return from sleep mode, press your computer’s Power button.
Restart or Shut Down Windows
You can restart Windows, which means that it shuts down and starts up again immediately. This is useful if your computer is running slowly or acting funny. Sometimes a restart solves the problem.
Alternatively, when you complete your work, you could shut down Windows. However, do not just shut off your computer’s power because doing so can cause problems: If you have documents with unsaved changes, you may lose those changes; you also could damage one or more Windows system files, which could make your system unstable. Therefore, you should always follow the proper steps when shutting down your PC.
Restart or Shut Down Windows
Shut down all your running programs.
Note: Be sure to save your work as you close your programs.
Click Start ().
The Start menu appears.
Click Power ().
The Power options appear.
Click a command:
You can click Restart to shut down and then start your computer.
You can click Shut Down to turn off your computer.
Switch to a Microsoft Account
You can get much more out of Windows by using a Microsoft account. When you connect a Microsoft account to your Windows user account, many previously inaccessible Windows features become immediately available. For example, you can use the Mail app to access your email and the OneDrive app to store documents online. You can also download apps from the Microsoft Store, access your photos and documents anywhere online, and even sync your settings with other PCs for which you use the same account.
Switch to a Microsoft Account
Click Start ().
Click Settings.
Windows opens the Settings app.
Click Accounts.
The Accounts window appears.
Click Your info.
The Your Info window appears.
Click Sign in with a Microsoft account instead.
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Can I create a Microsoft account if I do not already have one?
Yes. When you get to the Sign In screen (shown later in this section), click Create one to open the Create Account window, type your email address, click Next, type a password, click Next, follow the prompts to complete the account, and then continue with step 10 later in this section.
Can I use a new email address for my new Microsoft account?
Yes, you can. In the Create Account window, click Get a new email address and then type the username you want to use with Outlook.com. Your new address will be username@outlook.com.
You do not need to use a Microsoft account to use Windows. Instead, you can use a local account, which allows you to log in to your PC, personalize settings, and use most Windows features. With a local account, you cannot install programs from the Microsoft Store if you are using Windows 11 Home. If you are using Windows 11 Pro, you can install only free programs from the Microsoft Store. To install any program from the Microsoft Store and to synchronize your settings across other Windows devices, you need to switch to a Microsoft account.
The Sign In window appears.
To create a new Microsoft account, you can click A Create one and then follow the instructions in the first tip earlier in this section.
Type your email address.
Click Next.
The Enter Password window appears.
Type your password.
Click Sign in.
Windows asks you to verify your current account password.
Type your password.
Click Next.
Windows asks if you want to use a PIN with your account.
Click Close ().
Note: See Chapter 11 to learn how to add a PIN to your account.
Windows connects the Microsoft account to your user account.
The next time you start Windows, you can use your Microsoft account email address and password to sign in.
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If I no longer want to use a Microsoft account with Windows, can I remove it?
Yes, but you will no longer see any personal data on the Start screen, you will not be able to access your files online, and your settings will no longer sync between PCs. To remove the Microsoft account, click Start (), click your user name in the lower-left corner, and then click Change account settings. In the Accounts window, click Your info, and then click Sign in with a local account instead.
Install an App
If Windows does not have an app that you need, you can obtain the app and then install it on your computer. You usually obtain apps from the Microsoft Store, which is an app that is preinstalled with Windows. Many Microsoft Store apps are free, but some require a payment using the credit card you have on file with your Microsoft account.
You can also install apps that are not available via the Microsoft Store. In this case, you obtain (and usually pay for) the app on the web and then download the app to your computer. However, it is important to only install apps that you obtained from a reputable and secure site.
Install an App
Click Start ().
Click Microsoft Store.
You can also click Microsoft Store ().
Note: You need a Microsoft account to install from the Microsoft Store, as described in the previous section, “Switch to a Microsoft Account.”
The Microsoft Store app appears.
Click Apps.
Microsoft Store displays the Apps screen, which enables you to browse apps by category.
Alternatively, if you know the name of the app you want to install, you can use the Search box to locate the app.
For each category, you can click See all to view all the apps in the category.
Click the app you want to install.
Click Free.
Alternatively, if the app is not free, you can click the price button, type your Microsoft account password, click Sign in, and then follow the prompts to complete the purchase.
Windows installs the app.
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How do I install software downloaded from the Internet?
To begin, click File Explorer (). The File Explorer program window appears. Click your Downloads folder. When the Downloads folder appears, double-click the file. The software’s installation app begins. Follow the installation instructions the app provides to install the downloaded software.
Keep in mind that if you saved the downloaded file in a folder other than Downloads, use File Explorer to find the downloaded file. Also, the downloaded software may be multiple compressed files. In that case, extract the files and then double-click the setup file. See Chapter 10 for more about File Explorer and compressed files.
Switch Between Running Apps
If you plan on running multiple apps at the same time, you need to know how to easily switch from one application to another. In Windows, after you start one application, you do not need to close that application before you open another one. Windows supports a feature called multitasking, which means running two or more applications simultaneously. You can switch from one program to another using the taskbar, the Task View feature, or the keyboard.
Switch Between Running Apps
Switch Apps Using the Taskbar
Windows displays a line under the icon of the current app. A
Position the mouse pointer () over the taskbar icon of the app you want to switch to.
Windows displays a thumbnail version of the app window. B
Click the app’s taskbar icon.
Note: An app does not have to be minimized to the taskbar for you to use the app’s taskbar icon.
Windows brings the app’s window to the foreground.
Note: If you can see part of the app’s window, you can also switch to the app by clicking its window, even if the window is in the background.
Switch Apps Using Task View
In the taskbar, click Task View () or press + .
Windows displays thumbnails for each running app.
Click the thumbnail of the app you want to switch to.
Windows switches to the app.
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How can I switch between apps using the keyboard?
There are two methods you can use to switch between apps using the keyboard:
The first method is to press and hold and then press to see thumbnail versions of the open windows. Press until the window you want to work in is selected and then release .
The second method is to press + to open Task View. Use the arrow keys — particularly and — to select the thumbnail of the app you want to work with and then press .
Arrange Running Apps
You can make it more efficient to multitask apps by arranging the app windows on the desktop. There will be times when you want to view the content of multiple windows at the same time. For example, you might be surfing the web using Microsoft Edge in one window, but also want to watch the Mail window for incoming email. Rather than constantly switching between the apps, you can select a snap layout that makes both apps visible on the desktop. A snap layout is a predefined arrangement of two or more app windows.
Arrange Running Apps
Position the mouse pointer () over Maximize () in the upper-right corner of an app you want to arrange.
Note: If the app window is already maximized, hover over Restore () instead.
Windows displays a gallery of snap layouts. In this case, Windows is showing four different layouts. Depending on your screen size, you might see more layouts.
Note: The blank boxes in each layout show you how the app windows will be arranged on the desktop.
In the snap layout you want to use, click the box that represents the position you want to use for the current app.
Windows arranges the app window is the position you specified.
Position the mouse pointer () over Maximize () in the upper-right corner of another app you want to arrange.
Note: If the app window is already maximized, hover the mouse pointer () over Restore () instead.
In the snap layout you want to use, click the box that represents the position you want to use for the app.
Windows arranges the app windows in the snap layout you selected.
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Is there an easy way to switch to all the apps in an existing snap layout?
Yes. While the snap layout is in place, Windows groups the applications together. If you want to display the apps in that layout all at once, you can select the group.
To select an app layout group, hover the mouse pointer () over the taskbar icon of any app in the snap layout. In the thumbnail windows that appear, click the one labeled Group ().
Uninstall an App
If you have an app that you no longer use, you can free up some hard drive space and reduce clutter on the Start screen by uninstalling that app. When you install an app, the program stores its files on your computer’s hard drive, and although most programs are quite small, many require hundreds of megabytes of hard drive space. Uninstalling an app you do not need frees up the hard drive space it uses and removes its icon (or icons) from the Start menu (if it has any there) and the All Apps list.
Uninstall an App
Uninstall via the Start Menu
Click Start ().
Use the Start menu or the All Apps list to locate the app you want to uninstall.
Right-click the app.
Click Uninstall.
Windows asks you to confirm.
Click Uninstall.
Windows removes the app.
Uninstall via Settings
Click Search ().
Type uninstall in the Search box.
Click Add or remove programs.
The Apps & Features window appears.
Click More () to the right of the app you want to uninstall.
Click Uninstall.
Windows asks you to confirm.
Click Uninstall.
Windows removes the app.
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How can I uninstall the app that is taking up the most space?
Click Start () and then click Settings to open the Settings app. Click Apps and then click Apps & features. In the Sort By list, click Size. Windows sorts the apps from largest to smallest. Click the app you want to remove. Click Uninstall. Click Uninstall when Windows asks you to confirm. Windows removed the app.
