Windows 8.1 Guide for New Users

Transcription

1 Matthew Harris Windows 8.1 Guide for New Users Welcome to this guide for new Windows 8.1 users. It is designed to help users to become more accustomed to using Windows 8.1 (Win8.1) on a daily basis, and to perhaps encourage them to explore more of the features in this operating system. There are also some optional tips near the end of this guide that you can use to adjust the Win8.1 environment to be more like previous Windows versions, but this does require some third-party software to be installed. Please note that this guide is for users that are already used to working with Windows computers, and is not for those that are completely new to PCs. Win8.1 is an incremental update to the new operating system called Windows 8. The update is free to all Windows 8 users via the App Store, as long as they have installed all prior software patches. Please ask your IT administrator if you have difficulty verifying your updates or need help installing Win81. Table of Contents Booting Up & Logging In. Pg. 2 Start Screen and Metro Layout. Pg. 3 The New(ish) Desktop. Pg. 4 The Win8.1 Charm Bar (and other new features). Pg. 5-6 Bring Back the Classic Start Menu! Pg. 7 Software. Pg. 7 Final Advice. Pg. 7 1

2 Booting up and Logging in Both the start-up and login process in Win8.1 are generally the same as previous versions of Windows. The login process will be slightly altered if you are working in a professional IT environment. Your computer may boot into a workable state a bit quicker if you have upgraded to Win8.1 as this process is a bit more streamlined than in the past. If you have bought a new PC with Win8.1 installed, you will be asked to make an account for the PC, which can also be linked to an address. This is a simple process that the PC will walk you through slowly, and you do have the choice of not using an address if you so choose. As Fig.1 shows below, the login screen is very simple, with a username and password box near the Fig. 1: Win8.1 Login Screen. 2

3 Start Screen & Metro Layout The first screen you are presented after you login is one that is entirely new to Win8.1. This particular screen is called the Start Screen and has been designed to replace the traditional Start Menu that is present in previous versions of Windows. Design-wise, the layout is known as Metro and represents Microsoft s new aesthetics policies for all PCs, tablets and phones running Win8.1. On the start screen, you will be presented with many different boxes, each representing an App that can be run. To get to the regular Windows desktop, we must simply find and click on the app that says Desktop, or use the keyboard Fig. 2: Win8.1 Metro Start Screen. The start screen and desktop button are shown in Fig. 2. Please note that your start screen may have the apps displayed in a different order to the one shown here. Apps can be rearranged by simply clicking and dragging the box to the desired location. While the new start screen is very different, it is relatively simple to use and offers a few benefits to its users. For now, we will head to the desktop and explore the changes that have been made 3

4 The New (ish) Desktop The desktop layout you are given in Win8.1 is remarkably similar to previous versions. There is the taskbar that runs along the bottom, with system tools in the right-hand side. Desktop shortcut icons are also here, allowing you to add your favourite programs to the desktop or taskbar as you wish. The start button is also back (assuming you are running Windows 8.1 and not just 8). However, this start button only takes you to the previous Start Screen mentioned earlier in this guide. If you are just running Windows 8 and not 8.1, you can press the Windows key to access Fig. 3: Win8.1 Desktop environment. From this desktop, you can right click and personalise your environment (the same process as in Windows 7) as well as access all of your usual installed software and files. For most purposes, this desktop will operate as per previous Windows versions, except in the case of the start menu, accessing some settings and shutting down the PC. If you find that most of your applications boot you out of the desktop, you can change your default program for any file by right-clicking and selecting Choose Default Program. If you do this for all of your commonly used software, you will never be kicked from the desktop environment again. The full list of default programs can be accessed via the control panel, but 4

5 The Win8.1 Charm Bar (and other new features) Like the new Start Screen, Win8.1 introduces a couple of other new features and settings for users of this operating system. One such add-on is the Charm Bar, a somewhat useful tool that can be used to search, edit particular settings and also shutdown the computer. This bar can be accessed by moving the cursor to either the bottom-right or top-right corner and then moving towards the middle of these two points. With this in mind, it is clear that both the Charm Bar and Start Screen are made for ease of use on tablets, mobiles and touch-screen computers. This, unfortunately, means that there are common computer functions that are now more difficult to access for new users of Win8.1. However, once these new functions have been explored, they are not the most confusing to use, but are still pretty bizarre design choices! Moving on, the Charm Bar includes the date, time and network statuses by default, as well as a search function, sharing function, Start Screen button, external device option and further settings. These options are shown in figures 4 and 5 on the next page of this guide. The charm bar has many features, such as: Search, allowing you to find apps, files, software and other programs. Sharing, allowing integration into social media applications or Microsoft OneNote. External device option, limited to secondary screens and printing from Apps rather than desktop software. Settings button, which opens up more interesting options that are generally quite useful for users. For instance, we can access the traditional control panel from here, change personalisation settings, take a look at our system information and also get access to help topics. Network settings, speaker settings, brightness options, system notifications and keyboard options. Further settings, giving us access to one of only ways we can shut-down the PC (via the power button), settings for accounts and privacy on the computer. This latter settings menu can only be accessed from the bar, and also opens up in an App rather than desktop software. While multiple Apps are open (including the desktop among them), we can switch between 5

6 Fig. 4: Charm Bar Statuses (will be near Fig. 5: Charm Bar Buttons (will be on the right hand side of the screen) Fig. 6: Charm Bar Search function (includes settings and files by default, search bar appears after selection) Fig. 7: Charm Bar Settings (with further options down the bottom) Fig. 8: Charm Bar further PC settings 6

7 Bring Back the Classic Start Menu! If all of these changes are sounding a bit too much to handle, it is worth bearing in mind that Win8.1 does boast faster capabilities than is predecessors, as well as better built-in protection from viruses. It can take time to become accustomed to the new features, but shouldn t become a big issue after a while. For those that wish to have the best bits of the new Win8.1 features as well as the looks and feels of Windows 7, there are numerous software you can download and install to achieve this. One such program, which is commonly recommended and has high review scores, is Classic Shell, which is free to download from the web. It is recommended that you seek advice from your system administrator or computer expert regarding the installation of this software, as there can be many pitfalls when downloading and running software that makes changes to the running of your PC. This guide will not show you how to install this particular software, as it has not been officially recommended by Microsoft. However, it can bring back the function from Windows 7 very quickly and easily. The start button found in Win8.1 is replaced by an almost exact copy of the start menu in Windows 7 and below, complete with search functions, listed software and shutdown buttons. Furthermore, the look and feel of the start menu can be customised to the users liking and comfort. In my experience with Windows 8.1, this tool is invaluable alongside the added benefits of this new operating system. Software It is important to understand that you can find different versions of software to install on your computer. With Win8.1, you can sometimes install a version that can run on the desktop and/or a version that can run outside of it like other apps. Please make sure you are aware of which version of the software you are installing to avoid any confusing situations. For instance, there is a Skype desktop program as well as a Skype App that can both be run on your Win8.1 computer. Any App or desktop software can also be pinned as a shortcut on your Start Screen via rightclicking the software or app and selecting Pin to Start. This means any software, whether desktop-based or not, can be accessed as a shortcut button on the new Start Screen if that is preferable. Final Advice I hope you have found this guide to be of use. Many new users find adjusting to Windows 8.1 difficult as it changes many of the long-standing functions we are all used to as PC users. However, with time and effort, these difficulties can be overcome and the positive features of the 7