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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016
Get productive with Windows 10 Windows 10 For Dummies is the all-time bestselling computer how-to book--and it's been fully updated for the enhancements coming with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update! Free of confusing jargon and packed with lots of helpful step-by-step explanations, it quickly gets you started with exploring the Start menu, storing files on the Cloud, creating desktop shortcuts, connecting to a printer, using Windows social apps, organizing digital photos, interpreting error messages, and so much more. Windows 10 keeps your PC or tablet running, organizes your files, and provides a platform to run your important applications. In short, it's the brain and heart of your computer. The simple steps and friendly advice inside help you manage files and applications, connect to the Internet, customize your Windows experience, and make repairs when things go haywire. * Fast answers to Windows 10 questions * Steps for customizing your Windows 10 PC * Tips for solving common Windows problems * Covers using Windows 10 on a tablet If you're new to Windows or upgrading to its new operating system, grab this book to get to know Windows 10 a little better.
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Windows® 10 For Dummies®, 2nd Edition
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Media and software compilation copyright © 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2016947152
ISBN: 978-1-119-31104-1
ISBN (ePDF): 978-1-119-31105-8; ISBN (ePub): 978-1-119-31106-5
Windows® 10 For Dummies®
To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Windows 10 For Dummies 2nd Edition Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.
Table of Contents
Cover
Introduction
About This Book
How to Use This Book
Touchscreen Owners Aren’t Left Out
And What about You?
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1: Windows 10 Stuff Everybody Thinks You Already Know
Chapter 1: What Is Windows 10?
What Is Windows, and Why Are You Using It?
What’s New in Windows 10?
Should I Bother Upgrading to Windows 10?
What’s So Different About Windows 10?
Why Does Windows 10 Keep Changing?
Can My Current PC Still Run Windows 10?
The Different Flavors of Windows 10
Chapter 2: Starting with the Start Menu
Being Welcomed to the World of Windows
Figuring Out the New Windows 10 Start Menu
Exiting from Windows
Chapter 3: The Traditional Desktop
Finding the Desktop and the Start Menu
Working with the Desktop
Bellying Up to the Taskbar
Setting Up Multiple Desktops
Making Programs Easier to Find
Chapter 4: Basic Desktop Window Mechanics
Dissecting a Typical Desktop Window
Maneuvering Windows Around the Desktop
Chapter 5: Storage: Internal, External, and in the Cloud
Browsing the File Explorer File Cabinets
Getting the Lowdown on Folders
Peering into Your Drives, Folders, and Other Media
Creating a New Folder
Renaming a File or Folder
Selecting Bunches of Files or Folders
Getting Rid of a File or Folder
Copying or Moving Files and Folders
Seeing More Information about Files and Folders
Writing to CDs and DVDs
Working with Flash Drives and Memory Cards
OneDrive: Your Cubbyhole in the Clouds
Part 2: Working with Programs, Apps, and Files
Chapter 6: Playing with Programs, Apps, and Documents
Starting a Program or an App
Opening a Document
Saving a Document
Choosing Which Program Should Open Which File
Navigating the Windows Store
Taking the Lazy Way with a Desktop Shortcut
Absolutely Essential Guide to Cutting, Copying, and Pasting
Chapter 7: Finding the Lost
Finding Currently Running Apps and Programs
Finding Lost Windows on the Desktop
Locating a Missing App, Program, Setting, or File
Searching with Cortana
Finding a Missing File inside a Folder
Finding Lost Photos
Finding Other Computers on a Network
Chapter 8: Printing and Scanning Your Work
Printing from a Start Menu App
Printing Your Masterpiece from the Desktop
Scanning from the Start Menu
Part 3: Getting Things Done on the Internet
Chapter 9: Cruising the Web
What’s an ISP, and Why Do I Need One?
Connecting Wirelessly to the Internet
Browsing the Web with Microsoft Edge
Finding More Information with Cortana
Saving Information from the Internet
Chapter 10: Being Social: Mail, People, and Calendar
Adding Your Accounts to Windows
Understanding the Mail App
Managing Your Contacts in the People App
Managing Appointments in Calendar
Chapter 11: Safe Computing
Understanding Those Annoying Permission Messages
Avoiding Viruses with Windows Defender
Avoiding Phishing Scams
Setting Up Controls for Children
Part 4: Customizing and Upgrading Windows 10
Chapter 12: Customizing Windows with the Control Panels
Finding the Right Switch
Setting the Stage with the Windows Settings App
Bringing out the Big Guns: The Desktop’s Control Panel
System and Security
User Accounts
Network and Internet
Changing the Appearance of Windows (Appearance and Personalization)
Hardware and Sound
Time and Language
Adding or Removing Apps or Programs
Modifying Windows for the Physically Challenged
Chapter 13: Keeping Windows from Breaking
Tuning Up Windows with Built-In Maintenance Tools
Backing Up Your Computer with File History
Finding Technical Information about Your Computer
Freeing Up Space on Your Hard Drive
Empowering Your Power Button
Setting Up Devices That Don’t Work (Fiddling with Drivers)
Chapter 14: Sharing One Computer with Several People
Understanding User Accounts
Changing or Adding User Accounts
Switching Quickly between Users
Changing a User Account’s Picture
Setting Up Passwords and Security
Signing in with Windows Hello
Chapter 15: Connecting Computers with a Network
Understanding a Network’s Parts
Setting Up a Small Network
Setting Up or Connecting with a Homegroup
Part 5: Music, Photos, and Movies
Chapter 16: Playing and Copying Music
Playing Music with the Groove Music app
Handing Music-Playing Chores Back to Windows Media Player
Stocking the Windows Media Player Library
Browsing Windows Media Player’s Libraries
Playing Music Files in a Playlist
Controlling Your Now Playing Items
Playing CDs
Playing DVDs
Playing Videos and TV Shows
Creating, Saving, and Editing Playlists
Ripping (Copying) CDs to Your PC
Burning (Creating) Music CDs
Chapter 17: Fiddling with Photos (and Videos)
Dumping a Camera’s Photos into Your Computer
Taking Photos with the Camera App
Viewing Photos with the Photos App
Part 6: Help!
Chapter 18: The Case of the Broken Window
Toggling Between Tablet and Desktop Mode
The Magic Fixes in Windows
Windows Keeps Asking Me for Permission
I Need to Retrieve Deleted Files
Fixing Broken Apps
My Settings Are Messed Up
I Forgot My Password
My Computer Is Frozen Solid
Chapter 19: Strange Messages: What You Did Does Not Compute
Add Your Microsoft Account
Choose What Happens with This Device
Did You Mean to Switch Apps?
Do You Want to Allow This App to Make Changes to This Computer?
Do You Want to Save Changes?
Found Some Malware
How Do You Want to Open This?
Let This App Use Your Precise Location?
Reconnect Your Drive
There Is No Email Program Associated to Perform the Requested Action
You Don’t Currently Have Permission to Access This Folder
Chapter 20: Moving from an Old PC to a New Windows 10 PC
Hiring a Third Party to Make the Move
Transferring Files Yourself
Chapter 21: Help on the Windows Help System
Getting Started with Windows 10
Contacting Support
Part 7: The Part of Tens
Chapter 22: Ten Things You’ll Hate about Windows 10 (And How to Fix Them)
I Don’t Want Windows 10!
I Want to Avoid the Apps!
I Want to Avoid the Desktop!
I Don’t Want a Microsoft Account
Windows Makes Me Sign In All the Time
The Taskbar Keeps Disappearing
I Can’t Line Up Two Windows on the Screen
It Won’t Let Me Do Something Unless I’m an Administrator!
I Don’t Know What Version of Windows I Have
My Print Screen Key Doesn’t Work
Chapter 23: Ten or So Tips for Tablet and Laptop Owners
Turning on Tablet Mode
Switching to Airplane Mode
Connecting to a New Wireless Internet Network
Toggling Your Tablet’s Screen Rotation
Choosing What Happens When You Close Your Laptop’s Lid
Adjusting to Different Locations
Backing Up Your Laptop Before Traveling
Accessing the Mobility Center
About the Author
Connect with Dummies
End User License Agreement
Guide
Cover
Table of Contents
Begin Reading
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Introduction
Welcome to Windows 10 For Dummies, the world’s best-selling book about the newest — and supposedly last — Windows version, Windows 10!
This book’s popularity probably boils down to this simple fact: Some people want to be Windows whizzes. They love interacting with dialog boxes. Some randomly press keys in the hope of discovering hidden, undocumented features. A few memorize long strings of computer commands while washing their hair.
And you? Well, you’re no dummy, that’s for sure. But when it comes to Windows and computers, the fascination just isn’t there. You want to get your work done, stop, and move on to something more important. You have no intention of changing, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
That’s where this book comes in handy. Instead of making you a whiz at Windows, it merely dishes out chunks of useful computing information when you need them. Instead of becoming a Windows expert, you’ll know just enough to get by quickly, cleanly, and with a minimum of pain so that you can move on to the more pleasant things in life.
And you’ll be able to do that whether you’re dealing with a touchscreen tablet, laptop, or desktop computer.
About This Book
Don’t try to read this book in one sitting; there’s no need. Instead, treat this book like a dictionary or an encyclopedia. Turn to the page with the information you need and say, “Ah, so that’s what they’re talking about.” Then put down the book and move on.
Don’t bother trying to memorize all the Windows jargon, such as Select the Menu Item from the Drop-Down List Box. Leave that stuff for the computer enthusiasts. In fact, if anything technical comes up in a chapter, a road sign warns you well in advance. Depending on your mood, you can either slow down to read it or speed on around it.
HOW I WROTE THIS BOOK
How did this book arrive in your hands so quickly after Microsoft released its big Summer update? No, I didn’t crank it out in two weeks. While building Windows 10, Microsoft ships early releases to people who’ve signed up for its Windows Insider’s program (https://insider.windows.com). This gives Microsoft a way to test new features before shipping them to the public. And it gives me a chance to write about features before they’re released.
I spent many months poring over early releases, writing up sections of the book in advance. Then, when Microsoft released its final, approved version to the Windows Insider members, I went over every section and step-by-step instruction to make sure the book’s instructions matched Microsoft’s final release.
A few weeks later, when Microsoft released the final version of Windows to the public, the publisher was able to release this book, as well.
Instead of fancy computer jargon, this book covers subjects like these, all discussed in plain English:
Keeping your computer safe and secure
Making sense of the new Windows 10 Start menu
Finding, starting, and closing programs and apps
Locating the file you saved or downloaded yesterday
Setting up a computer or tablet for the whole family to share
Copying information to and from a disc or flash drive
Saving and sharing files from your smartphone or digital camera
Printing or scanning your work
Creating a network between two or more computers to share the Internet, files, or a printer
Fixing Windows when it’s misbehaving
There’s nothing to memorize and nothing to learn. Just turn to the right page, read the brief explanation, and get back to work. Unlike other books, this one enables you to bypass the technical hoopla and still complete your work.
How to Use This Book
Windows 10 will most definitely leave you scratching your head at some point. It’s the most complicated version of Windows ever released to the public, so take pride in the fact that you’re strong enough to persevere.
When something in Windows leaves you stumped, use this book as a reference. Find the troublesome topic in this book’s table of contents or index. The table of contents lists chapter and section titles and page numbers. The index lists topics and page numbers. Page through the table of contents or index to the spot that deals with that particular bit of computer obscurity, read only what you have to, close the book, and apply what you’ve read.
If you’re feeling adventurous and want to find out more, read a little further in the bulleted items below each section. You can find a few completely voluntary extra details, tips, or cross-references to check out. There’s no pressure, though. You aren’t forced to discover anything that you don’t want to or that you simply don’t have time for.
If you have to type something into the computer, you’ll see easy-to-follow bold text like this:
Type Media Player into the Search box.
In the preceding example, you type the words Media Player and then press the keyboard’s Enter key. Typing words into a computer can be confusing, so a description follows that explains what you should be seeing on the screen.
When I describe a key combination you should press, I describe it like this:
Press Ctrl+B.
That means to hold down your keyboard’s Control key while pressing your keyboard’s B key. (That’s the shortcut key combination that applies bold formatting to selected text.)
Whenever I describe an email address or filename, I present it this way:
notepad.exe
And website addresses appear like this:
www.andyrathbone.com
This book doesn’t wimp out by saying, “For further information, consult your manual.” Windows doesn’t even come with a manual. This book also doesn’t contain information about running specific Windows software packages, such as Microsoft Office. Windows is complicated enough on its own! Luckily, other For Dummies books mercifully explain most popular software packages.
Don’t feel abandoned, though. This book covers Windows in plenty of detail for you to get the job done. Plus, if you have questions or comments about Windows 10 For Dummies, feel free to drop me a line on my website at www.andyrathbone.com. I answer a reader’s question on my website each week.
Finally, keep in mind that this book is a reference. It’s not designed to teach you how to use Windows like an expert, heaven forbid. Instead, this book dishes out enough bite-sized chunks of information so that you don’t have to learn Windows.
Touchscreen Owners Aren’t Left Out
Although Windows 10 comes preinstalled on all new Windows desktop PCs and laptops, Microsoft also aims this bold new version of Windows at owners of touchscreens. Tablets, phones, and some laptops and desktop monitors come with screens you can control by touching them with your fingers.
If you’re a new touchscreen owner, don’t worry. This book explains where you need to touch, slide, or tap your fingers in all the appropriate places.
If you find yourself scratching your head over explanations aimed at mouse owners, remember these three touchscreen rules:
When told to
click,
you should
tap.
Quickly touching and releasing your finger on a button is the same as clicking it with a mouse.
When told to double-click,
tap twice.
Two touches in rapid succession does the trick.
When told to
right-click
something,
hold down your finger on the item.
Then, when an icon appears,
lift your finger.
The right-click menu appears onscreen. (That’s what would have happened if you’d right-clicked the item with a mouse.) While you’re looking at the pop-up menu, tap any of its listed items to have Windows carry out your bidding.
If you find touchscreens to be cumbersome while you’re sitting at a desk, you can always add a mouse and keyboard to your touchscreen tablet. They work just fine. In fact, a mouse and keyboard almost always work better than fingers on the Windows desktop, even in Windows 10. (They’re almost mandatory on small Windows tablets.)
And What about You?
Chances are good that you already own Windows 10, or you’re thinking about upgrading. You know what you want to do with your computer. The problem lies in making the computer do what you want it to do. You’ve gotten by one way or another, perhaps with the help of a computer guru — for instance, a friend at the office, a relative, or perhaps a neighbor’s teenager.
But when your computer guru isn’t around, this book can be a substitute during your times of need.
Icons Used in This Book
It just takes a glance at Windows to notice its icons, which are little push-button pictures for starting various programs. The icons in this book fit right in. They’re even a little easier to figure out.
Watch out! This signpost warns you that pointless technical information is coming around the bend. Swerve away from this icon to stay safe from awful technical drivel.
This icon alerts you about juicy information that makes computing easier: a new method for keeping the cat from sleeping on top of your tablet, for example.
Don’t forget to remember these important points (or at least dog-ear the pages so that you can look them up again a few days later).
The computer won’t explode while you’re performing the delicate operations associated with this icon. Still, wearing gloves and proceeding with caution is a good idea.
Are you moving to Windows 10 from an older Windows version? This icon alerts you to areas where Windows 10 behaves quite differently from its predecessors.
Beyond the Book
Like every Windows For Dummies book, this one comes with a free Cheat Sheet that brings together some of the most commonly needed information for people struggling with Windows. It describes how Microsoft changed Windows 10 one year after its release, and offers keyboard shortcuts as well as tips on using Windows 10 on a touchscreen. To get the Cheat Sheet, head for www.dummies.com and using the Search box, search for Windows 10 For Dummies 2nd Edition Cheat Sheet.
Where to Go from Here
Now you’re ready for action. Give the pages a quick flip and scan a section or two that you know you’ll need later. Please remember, this is your book — your weapon against the computer nerds who’ve inflicted this whole complicated computer concept on you. Please circle any paragraphs you find useful, highlight key concepts, add your own sticky notes, and doodle in the margins next to the complicated stuff.
The more you mark up your book, the easier it will be for you to find all the good stuff again.
Part 1
Windows 10 Stuff Everybody Thinks You Already Know
IN THIS PART …
Understand the changes in Windows 10.
Navigate and customize the new Start menu.
Store files in the Cloud with OneDrive.
Chapter 1
What Is Windows 10?
IN THIS CHAPTER
Getting to know Windows 10
Discovering the new features in Windows 10
Deciding whether to switch to Windows 10
Upgrading to Windows 10
Figuring out whether your PC is powerful enough to run Windows 10
Knowing which version of Windows 10 you need
Chances are good that you’ve heard about Windows: the boxes and windows that greet you whenever you turn on your computer. In fact, millions of people worldwide are puzzling over Windows as you read this book. Almost every new computer and laptop sold today comes with Windows preinstalled, ready to toss colorful boxes onto the screen.
This chapter helps you understand why Windows lives inside your computer, and I introduce Microsoft’s latest Windows version, Windows 10. I explain how Windows 10 differs from previous Windows versions and help you determine whether you should upgrade your computer to Windows 10.
Finally, I explain what’s new in Windows 10 and how to install this upgrade onto your Windows 7 or 8.1 computer.
What Is Windows, and Why Are You Using It?
Created and sold by a company called Microsoft, Windows isn’t like your usual software that lets you calculate income taxes or send angry emails to politicians. No, Windows is an operating system, meaning it controls the way you work with your computer. It’s been around for 30 years, and the latest incarnation is called Windows 10, shown in Figure 1-1.
FIGURE 1-1: Although Windows 10 looks different on different PCs, it usually looks much like this.
The name Windows comes from all the little windows it places on your computer screen. Each window shows information, such as a picture, a program, or a baffling technical reprimand. You can place several windows onscreen simultaneously and jump from window to window, visiting different programs. Or, you can enlarge one window to fill the entire screen.
When you turn on your computer, Windows jumps onto the screen and begins supervising any running programs. When everything goes well, you don’t really notice Windows; you simply see your programs or your work. When things don’t go well, though, Windows often leaves you scratching your head over a perplexing error message.
In addition to controlling your computer and bossing around your programs, Windows comes with a bunch of free programs and apps — mini-programs. These programs and apps let you do different things, such as write and print letters, browse the Internet, play music, and send your friends dimly lit photos of your latest meal.
And why are you using Windows? Well, you probably didn’t have much choice. Nearly every computer, laptop, or Windows tablet sold after July 2015, comes with Windows 10 preinstalled. A few people escaped Windows by buying Apple computers (those nicer-looking computers that cost a lot more). But chances are good that you, your neighbors, your boss, and millions of other people around the world are using Windows.
Microsoft wants Windows 10 to run on PCs, laptops, tablets, and phones. (It looks and behaves quite similarly on all of them.) That’s why Windows 10 includes many large buttons for easier poking with fingers on touchscreens. Windows 10 can also run apps, small programs usually found on smartphones and tablets, in windows on a desktop PC.
To confuse everybody, Microsoft never released a Windows 9. Microsoft skipped a version number when moving from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10.
The desktop’s traditional Start menu, missing from Windows 8 and 8.1, returns in Windows 10. Microsoft has tinkered with the popular menu since Windows 10’s initial release, making it a little easier to understand. (I explain how to customize the new Start menu to your liking in Chapter 2.)
SEPARATING THE ADS FROM THE FEATURES
Microsoft touts Windows as a helpful companion that always keeps your best interests in mind, but that description isn’t really true. Windows always keeps Microsoft’s interests in mind. You’ll find that out as soon as you call Microsoft for help with a Windows problem. Microsoft charges $100 an hour for phone support.
Microsoft also uses Windows to plug its own products and services. Microsoft Edge, the new Windows web browser, opens with links to Microsoft’s own websites, for example. The browser’s Favorites area, a place for you to add your favorite web destinations, comes stocked with Microsoft websites.
Windows 10 places a link to OneDrive, its online storage service, in every folder. But Microsoft isn’t as quick to mention that you must pay an annual fee when you reach your storage limit.
Ads appear on the Start menu, as well as the Windows Lock Screen, the screen that appears when you haven’t used your PC for a while.
The Maps app uses the Microsoft Bing mapping service, rather than Google Maps or another competitor.
Microsoft also wants you to start buying apps rather than traditional programs. Apps are sold only through the Windows Store, and Microsoft takes a cut of each sale.
The list goes on.
Simply put, Windows not only controls your computer but also serves as a huge Microsoft advertising vehicle. Treat these built-in advertising flyers as a salesperson’s knock on your door.
What’s New in Windows 10?
Microsoft views Windows 10 as a one-size-fits-all computing solution that runs on laptops and desktop PCs (shown earlier in Figure 1-1) as well as phones and tablets, shown in Figure 1-2.
FIGURE 1-2: Windows 10 behaves almost identically on laptops and desktop PCs (shown earlier), phones (left), and tablets (right).
Windows 10 can even run on your TV through Microsoft’s Xbox One game console. Windows 10 behaves almost identically on every device, and it brings a huge bonus: Apps known as universal apps will run on a Windows 10 phone, tablet, PC, laptop, and Xbox One.
Besides aiming to run on everything but clock radios, Windows 10 brings these changes to your computer:
Start button and menu:
Removed from Windows 8 and half-heartedly tacked back onto Windows 8.1, the Start button and Start menu triumphantly return to the desktop in Windows 10. The revamped Start menu sports a column of icons, as well as fingertip-sized tiles for launching apps. (Tile haters find instructions for removing them in
Chapter 2
.)
Apps on the desktop:
Apps,
which are small programs from the world of phones and tablets, consumed the full screen in Windows 8 and 8.1. Windows 10 now lets you choose whether to run apps full screen or within desktop windows.
Continuum:
This buzzword simply means that Windows 10 senses how you’re using a device and behaves accordingly. When Windows 10 runs on a tablet, for example, Continuum enlarges the Start menu and apps to fill the screen with larger buttons, sized appropriately for fingertips to tap. But when you attach a mouse or keyboard to your tablet, your tablet switches away from Tablet mode; the Start menu retreats to a small corner of your screen, and apps begin to run in desktop windows. Continuum lets your tablet switch quickly into a desktop PC and then back to a tablet when needed.
Cortana:
The digital assistant in Windows 10, Cortana, helps you manage your computing by fetching lost files, stocking your calendar with appointments, grabbing up-to-date traffic information about your commute, and extracting informational tidbits from the Internet. Controlled through either your voice or keyboard, Cortana works from the Search box adjacent to the Start button.
OneDrive:
Formerly called
SkyDrive,
Microsoft’s online file storage service comes built into the Windows 10 desktop. However, OneDrive no longer stores your files on both your PC
and
the Internet (sometimes called the “cloud”). Instead, OneDrive asks you to choose which files and folders should live
only
on the cloud and which should live on both the cloud
and
your computer.
More Apps:
The Windows Store offers more than 700,000 apps. That’s nowhere near the number of apps found for the iPhone, iPad, or Android phones and tablets, but you can find plenty of big names like Facebook and Netflix, with more on the way.
Multiple desktops:
Windows 10 lets you create extra desktops, and you can switch between them with a click or tap. You can set up one desktop for work and another for gaming, for example. (Or, you can completely ignore the feature.)
Windows Hello:
This welcome security update allows you to sign into your computer without typing in a password. With the right fingerprint reader or camera, your computer can recognize either your face, fingerprint, or iris and automatically let you in. You can even access supported websites without having to type in your username and password.
Windows Ink:
This big update lets you write on your tablet’s screen with a special pen, letting you add handwritten notes and drawings to apps like Maps, the Microsoft Edge browser, and Office.
Windows 10 is now a service:
Perhaps most important, Microsoft treats Windows 10 as a constantly changing
service
rather than a finished product. Microsoft plans to keep adding new apps, features, and updates to Windows 10 for as long as you own the device.
Unlike Windows 8 and 8.1, Windows 10 no longer feels like two operating systems crammed into one computer. It feels like a single operating system that brings out the best in both tablets and desktop PCs.
For its first year of release, Windows 10 was a free upgrade for people owning fully patched Windows 7 or 8.1 computers. The upgrade is no longer free, but it still keeps all of your files, apps, and programs in place. Owners of older PCs can also upgrade to Windows 10, but the upgrade will wipe out all of your files and programs. You’ll need to reinstall everything from a backup. (If your old computer is a slow crawler, it will still be a slow crawler after upgrading to Windows 10. You’re probably better off buying a new PC with Windows 10 preinstalled.)
Windows no longer comes in a Windows RT version. If you bought a Windows RT tablet, such as the Surface RT or Surface 2, you can’t upgrade it to Windows 10.
Should I Bother Upgrading to Windows 10?
If you’re happy with your current version of Windows, don’t bother upgrading to Windows 10. Most people stick with the Windows version that came preinstalled on their computers. That way they avoid the chore of figuring out a new version. Windows 10 comes with a steep learning curve because it’s quite different from earlier Windows versions.
Also, many of the biggest changes in Windows 10 work best with touchscreens — those fingertip-controlled screens found on expensive cellphones, tablets, and some of the latest laptops and desktop monitors. Most desktop PC owners don’t need that feature.
Instead of upgrading, stick with the masses and stay with your current Windows version. When you’re ready to buy a new computer, Windows 10 will be installed and waiting for you.
But if you’re running Windows 8.1, and you’re unhappy with it, you may enjoy upgrading to Windows 10. The update smooths over many of the rough edges of those Windows versions, especially on desktop PCs and tablets that convert into PCs.
If you’re one of the few people with a Windows cell phone, then move to Windows 10. The two work together quite smoothly.
After Windows 7, Microsoft ended its support for Windows XP mode, a popular way to run a Windows XP desktop within Windows 7. If you rely on Windows XP mode in Windows 7, stick with Windows 7. The same holds true for Windows Media Center, a popular way to record TV shows and watch DVDs. If you rely on either of those two programs, don’t upgrade to Windows 10.
HISTORY FOR WINDOWS 7 UPGRADERS
Windows 7 diehards missed a lot of hubbub by skipping Windows 8 and 8.1. Those two poorly received Windows versions affected Windows 10 quite a bit, so here’s a wee bit of history so you’ll understand Windows 10 a little better.
For years, Microsoft had watched helplessly as hordes of people bought iPhones, iPads, and apps — small and simple programs for lightweight touchscreen tasks. To compete, Microsoft designed Windows 8 for touchscreen tablets and unleashed it in 2012. Like the competition, Windows 8 opened to a screen full of touchable colorful tiles, each representing an app.
Even the desktop was relegated to an app, a tiny tile on the screen. But when opened, the Desktop app lacked its Start button and menu. Microsoft expected people to return to the tile-filled opening screen to launch their desktop programs.
Most desktop owners hated Windows 8. And because very few people bought Windows 8 tablets, Windows 8 bombed in the marketplace. Windows 8.1 made a few amends, but not enough.
With Windows 10, Microsoft aims to placate desktop lovers by bringing back a more traditional Start button and Start menu. To please tablet owners, the Start menu can fill the screen on command, making it easier to control with fingertips.
Best of all, Windows 10 is smart enough to change shape depending on what device it’s installed on. On a tablet, Windows 10 presents the tile-filled, full-screen Start menu, which subtly changes its spacing to accommodate finger taps. On desktop PCs, Windows 10 shows the traditional desktop, Start menu, and Start button. And the menus remain small, which works well for the pinpoint clicks of a mouse.
With Windows 10, Microsoft hopes Windows will finally serve the needs of both desktop traditionalists and tablet owners.
What’s So Different About Windows 10?
Today, computing falls into two camps: creating and consuming. People turn to their desktop PC for creating things. They write papers, send email, prepare tax returns, update blogs, edit videos, or, quite often, tap whichever keys their boss requires that day.
But when consuming, people often walk away from their desktop PCs. They pull out their smartphone or tablet to read email, watch videos, listen to music, and browse the web.
That split creates a problem. Desktop PCs, phones, and tablets all work differently; each offers different screen sizes, programs, and commands. What works well with fingers doesn’t always work well with a mouse and keyboard. Sharing files among gadgets can be a nightmare.
Windows 10 aims to fix those problems by creating one operating system that works well on everything, letting both consumers and creators work on a single device. To do that, Windows 10 includes two different modes:
Tablet mode:
For on-the-go information grabbers with touchscreen tablets, the Windows 10 Start menu fills the entire screen with large, colorful tiles that constantly update to show the latest stock prices, weather, email, Facebook updates, and other tidbits. Shown earlier in
Figure 1-2
, that information appears before you touch a button. And
touch
is a keyword: The full-screen Start menu works best with a touchscreen monitor or tablet.
Desktop mode:
When it’s time for work, the traditional Windows desktop brings all its power — as well as its more powerful and detailed menus.
Some people like the convenience of having both types of computers built into one: a touchscreen laptop, for example, or a tablet with a docking station that lets you plug in a mouse and keyboard. Others find the two experiences to be oddly disjointed.
If you can stomach the initial confusion, Windows 10 may offer you the best of both worlds: You can stay on the full-screen Start menu for quick, on-the-go browsing. And when work beckons, you can head for the desktop, where your traditional Windows programs await.
If you’re sitting at a desktop PC, Windows 10 should automatically open to the desktop. Windows 10 tablets usually open to a full-screen Start menu.
If Windows 10 doesn’t open to the mode you prefer, click the Action Center icon (shown in the margin) found on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen; when the Action Center pane appears, click the Tablet mode toggle button. Your Start menu should quickly return to its proper size.
Microsoft’s game console, the Xbox One, runs in Tablet mode. The Xbox One’s game controller serves as your finger, letting you move from tile to tile by pressing the controller’s arrow keys. (If you’ve attached a Kinect controller, you can control the Xbox One with your hands, as well.)
I explain the new Windows 10 Start menu in
Chapter 2
; the Windows desktop awaits your attention in
Chapter 3
.
Why Does Windows 10 Keep Changing?
Microsoft calls Windows 10 a service rather than an operating system. Like any other service, it’s subject to changes. Every month or two, Microsoft changes Windows 10 slightly. Some of Microsoft’s changes occur more quickly: Your apps, for example, can update weekly. Some update daily.
Other changes arrive packed into large groups. For example, Microsoft released a large update in November 2015, that changed Windows 10 in a variety of ways. An update in mid 2016 called the Anniversary Update changed Windows yet again. (This edition of the book includes all of those updates.)
You may not notice any changes made by the updates. Indeed, most of them just fix hundreds of annoying bugs, making Windows 10 run and install more smoothly. But if you’re curious, here are some visible ways that Microsoft has changed Windows 10 since its release in late July 2015:
Microsoft’s Edge browser now remembers your Favorites, Reading list items, and settings. It stores them with your Microsoft account, along with your other settings. When you sign into another Windows PC, tablet, or phone, Edge will behave just like it did on your old PC.
Before the update, Windows 10 painted white across every window’s title bar. That sea of white title bars made it difficult to find your active window at a glance. Now you can splash an accent color on the title bars by clicking the Start menu, choosing Settings, and clicking Personalization. In the Colors section, click the toggle called Show Color on Start Taskbar, Action Center and Title Bar.
You can install apps to a memory card, a boon for owners of small tablets with limited memory.
Windows 10 includes several new apps: Messaging, Phone, and Skype Video. Each one includes access to Skype, a system that lets you make voice and video calls over the Internet.
Once limited to Microsoft account holders, Cortana now works with local accounts, as well. While reading your mail, Cortana can remind you of upcoming movies and shows, even offering to book you a ride to the event. Cortana also lets you search within PDF files, too, letting you highlight words or phrases, right-clicking and choosing Ask Cortana for more information.
Microsoft sends these updates automatically to your computer through Windows Update; you don’t need to jump through hoops to find and install them.
Your apps update themselves automatically through the Windows Store. That’s why the Music app automatically changed its name to the Groove Music app, for example. The Photos app suddenly added a way to search your photos by folder.
So, when something suddenly changes with Windows 10, don’t think it’s your fault. Microsoft constantly changes Windows 10, and Windows will keep changing for years to come.
Can My Current PC Still Run Windows 10?
If you want to upgrade to Windows 10, your computer probably won’t complain. Windows 10 should run without problem on any PC currently running Windows 7, 8, or 8.1.
If your PC runs Windows Vista or Windows XP, it may still run Windows 10, but not very well. I don’t recommend it.
If you have a technogeek in your family, have him or her translate Table 1-1, which shows the Windows 10 hardware requirements you can find written in the fine-print for new computers.
TABLE 1-1 The Windows 10 Hardware Requirements
Architecture
x86 (32-bit)
x86 (64-bit)
Processor
1 GHz or faster
Memory (RAM)
At least 1GB
At least 2GB
Graphics Card
DirectX 9 graphics device with Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) driver
HDD free space
At least 16GB
At least 20GB
Firmware
Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) 2.3.1 with secure boot enabled
In common language, Table 1-1 simply says that nearly any computer sold in the past five years can be upgraded to Windows 10 with little problem.
Windows 10 runs nearly any program that runs on Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1. It even runs some Windows XP programs as well. Some older programs, however, won’t work, including older games and most security-based programs, such as antivirus, firewall, and security suites. You’ll need to contact the program’s manufacturer for an upgraded version.
Don’t know what version of Windows runs on your current PC? If clicking the Start button brings a Start menu, right-click the menu’s Computer entry, and choose Properties. The screen that appears lists your Windows version.
If there’s no Start button, you’re running Windows 8. And if clicking your Start button fills the screen with a bunch of colorful tiles, you’re running Windows 8.1.
The Different Flavors of Windows 10
Microsoft offers several different versions of Windows 10, but you’ll probably want only one: the aptly titled “Home” version.
Small businesses will choose Windows 10 Pro, and larger businesses will want Windows 10 Enterprise.
Here are some guidelines for choosing the version you need:
If you’ll be using your PC at home or small business, pick up
Windows Home.
If you need to connect to a domain through a work network — and you’ll know if you’re doing it — you want
Windows Pro.
If you’re a computer tech who works for businesses, go ahead and argue with your boss over whether you need
Windows Pro
or
Windows Enterprise.
The boss will make the decision based on whether it’s a small company (Windows Pro) or a large company (Windows Enterprise).
For more details about upgrading to Windows 10, visit Microsoft’s Windows website at www.windows.com.
Chapter 2
Starting with the Start Menu
IN THIS CHAPTER
Starting Windows
Signing in to Windows
Understanding the Start menu
Switching among apps
Seeing all your apps and programs
Customizing the Start menu
Turning off your computer
First, the big news: Windows 10 brings back the Start menu! Now the bad news: The new Start menu doesn’t look much like the Start menu in your earlier version of Windows. In fact, it doesn’t even look like Windows 10’s original Start menu from last year.
The basic mechanics remain the same, though. Click the Start button in the screen’s bottom-left corner, and the Start menu rises, listing the apps and programs installed on your PC. Click an app or program, and it leaps to the screen, ready for action.
In this chapter, I explain how to figure out this odd, shape-shifting Start menu. On touchscreen tablets, the Start menu fills the entire screen. Its large tiles make them easy to tap with your fingertips. On a desktop computer, however, the Start menu retreats to a corner of the screen, where you can click its tiny buttons and menus with your mouse pointer.
Whether you’re using a tablet or desktop PC, this chapter shows how to make the Start menu do its main job: launch your apps and programs.
If you’re using a touchscreen computer, substitute the word tap when you read the word click. Tapping twice works like double-clicking. And when you see the term right-click, touch and hold your finger on the glass; lift your finger when the right-click menu appears.
Being Welcomed to the World of Windows
Starting Windows is as easy as turning on your computer — Windows leaps onto the screen automatically with a flourish. But before you can begin working, Windows stops you cold: It displays a locked screen, shown in Figure 2-1, with no entrance key dangling nearby.
FIGURE 2-1: To move past this lock screen, press a key on the keyboard or drag up on the screen with your mouse or finger.
Introduced back in Windows 8, the lock screen appears before you can sign into your computer with your account name and password.
How do you unlock the lock screen? The answer depends on whether you’re using a mouse, keyboard, or touchscreen:
Mouse:
On a desktop PC or laptop, click any mouse button.
Keyboard:
Press any key, and the lock screen slides away. Easy!
Touch:
Touch the screen with your finger and then slide your finger
up
the glass. A quick flick of the finger will do.
When you’re in the door, Windows wants you to sign in, as shown in Figure 2-2, by clicking your name and typing in a password.
FIGURE 2-2: Click your user account name and then type your password on the next screen.
I’ve customized my lock screen and Sign In screen. Yours will look different. When facing the Sign In screen, you have several options:
If you see your name or email address listed, type your password.
Windows lets you in and displays your Start menu, just as you last left it.
If you don’t see your name, but you have an account on the computer, look in the screen’s bottom-left corner.
There, Windows displays a list of all the account holders. You may see the computer owner’s name.
If you bought a new computer, use the account you created when turning on your computer for the first time
. As part of its setup process, Windows guides you through creating an account on your computer.
No account?
Then find out who owns the computer and beg that person to set up an account for you.
If you need more information about user accounts, including creating new ones and managing old ones, flip ahead to Chapter 14.
Don’t want to sign in at the Sign In screen? Two of the screen’s bottom-corner buttons offer these other options:
The little wheelchair-shaped button,
shown in
Figure 2-2
and the margin, customizes Windows for people with physical challenges in hearing, sight, or manual dexterity, all covered in
Chapter 12
. If you choose this button by mistake, click or touch on a different part of the screen to avoid changing any settings.
The little round button,
shown in
Figure 2-2
and the margin, lets you shut down or restart your PC, as well as put it to sleep — a power-saving state that quickly awakes. (If you’ve accidentally clicked the button and shut down your PC, don’t panic. Press the power button on your PC’s case, and your PC returns to this screen.)
Even while locked, as shown earlier in Figure 2-1, your computer’s screen displays current information in its bottom-left corner. Depending on how your PC is configured, you can see the time and date; your wireless Internet signal strength (the more radio waves in the icon, the better your connection); battery strength (the more colorful the icon, the better); your next scheduled appointment; a count of unread email; and other items.
Understanding user accounts
Windows allows several people to work on the same computer, yet it keeps everybody’s work separate. To do that, it needs to know who’s currently sitting in front of the keyboard. When you sign in — introduce yourself — by clicking your username and typing your password, as shown in Figure 2-2, the Windows Start menu and desktop appear as you just left them, ready for you to make your own personalized mess.
When you’re through working or just feel like taking a break, sign out (explained at this chapter’s end) so that somebody else can use the computer. Later, when you sign back in, your own files will be waiting for you.
Although you may turn your work area into a mess, it’s your own mess. When you return to the computer, your letters will be just as you saved them. Jerry hasn’t accidentally deleted your files or folders while playing Words with Friends. Tina’s Start menu still contains links to her favorite scrapbooking websites. And nobody will be able to read your email.
Until you customize your username picture, you’ll be a silhouette, like the account listed in the bottom-left corner of Figure 2-2. To add a photo to your user account, click the Expand icon (shown in the margin) in the Start menu’s upper-left corner. Then click your username in the column that appears, and choose Change Account Settings from the pop-up menu. When the Settings menu’s Your Info section appears, click the Camera icon to take a quick shot with your computer’s built-in camera. Still wearing your pajamas? Then choose the Browse For One link to choose a photo already stored in your Pictures folder
Keeping your account private with a password
Because Windows lets many people use the same computer, how do you stop Diane from reading Rob’s love letters to Miley Cyrus? How can Grace keep Josh from deleting her Star Wars movie trailers? Using a password solves some of those problems.
In fact, a password is more important than ever in Windows 10 because some accounts can be tied to a credit card. By typing a secret password when signing in, you enable your computer to recognize you and nobody else. If you protect your username with a password, nobody can access your files. And nobody can rack up charges for computer games while you’re away from home.
Also, if your computer is ever stolen, a password keeps the thieves from logging onto your account and connecting to any websites with your account.
To set up or change the password on your account, follow these steps:
Click the Start button and then click the Settings icon.
When the Start menu appears, click the Settings icon near the menu’s bottom-left corner. (It’s the little gear directly above the Power icon.) The Settings app appears.
Click the Accounts icon (shown in the margin). When the Accounts pane appears, click the words Sign-in Options along the pane’s left edge.
Options for signing into your computer appear on the right.
From the Password section on the app’s right side, click the Change button, shown in Figure2-3. Don’t have a password? Click the Add button instead.
You may need to type your existing password to gain entrance.
Type a password that will be easy to remember.
Choose something like the name of your favorite vegetable, for example, or your dental floss brand. To beef up its security level, capitalize some letters and embed a number or two in the password, like TurnipsR4Me or Floss2BKleen. (Don’t use these exact two examples, though, because they’ve probably been added to every password cracker’s arsenal by now.)
If asked, type that same password into the Retype Password text box so Windows knows you’re spelling it correctly.
In the Password Hint box, type a hint that reminds you — and only you — of your password.
Windows won’t let you type in your exact password as a hint. You have to be a bit more creative.
Click the Next button and click Finish.
Do you suspect you’ve botched something during this process? Click Cancel to return to Step 3 and either start over or exit.
FIGURE 2-3: Click the Password section’s Change button.
After you’ve created the password, Windows begins asking for your password whenever you sign in.
Passwords are case-sensitive. The words Caviar and caviar are considered two different passwords.
Afraid that you’ll forget your password someday? Protect yourself now: Flip ahead to
Chapter 14
, where I describe how to make a Password Reset Disk, which is a special way of resetting forgotten passwords for local accounts. (You can reset a lost Microsoft account password online at
http://live.com
.)
When you change your Microsoft account password on your PC, you also change it on your Windows phone, your Xbox, and every other device where you sign in with a Microsoft account. (I cover Microsoft accounts in this chapter’s next section.)
Windows also allows you to create a picture password in Step 4, where you drag a finger or mouse over a photo in a certain sequence. Then, instead of entering a password, you redraw that sequence on the sign-in picture. (Picture passwords work much better on touchscreen tablets than desktop monitors.)
Another option in Step 4 is Create a PIN. A
PIN
is a four-or-more character code like the ones you punch into Automated Teller Machines (ATMs). The disadvantage of a PIN? There’s no password hint. Unlike Microsoft accounts, your PIN only works on the computer where it was created.
Tired of constantly entering your password? Connect a Windows 10 compatible fingerprint reader or camera to your PC. (Some laptops, tablets, and keyboards have them built in.) Your computer quickly lets you in after you either scan your fingertip or gaze into your PC’s camera. I describe how to sign in with Windows Hello in Chapter 14.
Forgotten your password
already?
When you type a password that doesn’t work, Windows automatically displays your hint (if you created one) which should help to remind you of your password. Careful, though — anybody can read your hint, so make sure that it’s something that makes sense only to you. As a last resort, insert your Password Reset Disk, a job I cover in
Chapter 14
.
I explain lots more about user accounts in Chapter 14.
