Book description
The smart way to learn Windows 8.1—one step at a time!
Experience learning made easy—and quickly teach yourself how to navigate and use Windows 8.1. With Step by Step, you set the pace—building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them!
Navigate with ease using the new Start screen
Search your files, music, and the web—all at once
Store, access, and manage data in the cloud with SkyDrive
Explore improvements in Internet Explorer 11
Stay in touch using Mail, Calendar, People, and Skype
Customize your computing experience with PC settings
Table of contents
- Windows 8.1
- Introduction
- Conventions and features in this book
-
1. Introducing Windows 8.1
- Getting started with Windows 8.1
- Setting up Windows 8.1
- Identifying your edition of Windows 8.1
- Using the lock screen
- Exploring the Start screen
- Moving around on the Start screen
- Moving tiles on the Start screen
- Customizing the Start screen with Live tiles
- Using charms
- Searching for data, apps, files, and settings
- Access the traditional desktop
- Using the taskbar and Start button
- Working with multiple windows and apps
- Customizing File Explorer
- Exploring PC Settings and Control Panel
- Ending a computing session
- Key points
-
2. Personalize your Windows 8.1 device
- Personalizing the Start screen
- Personalizing the lock screen
- Changing your user account type
- Customizing your user account settings
- Personalizing the desktop
- Changing how the taskbar looks
- Booting directly to the desktop or Apps view
- Accessing and exploring advanced settings
- Switching to a different power plan
- Key points
- 3. Using apps on the Start screen
-
4. Organizing files and folders
- Understanding the Windows 8.1 file system
- Explaining the most common file types
- Acquiring and saving files effectively
- Copy photos from an external drive
- Navigating the File Explorer ribbon interface
- Organizing files and folders
- Renaming files
- Sharing files by using the Share tab
- Customizing File Explorer by using the View tab
- Searching in File Explorer
- Working with deleted files and the Recycle Bin
- Key points
-
5. Using Internet Explorer 11
- What is new about Internet Explorer 11
- Starting Internet Explorer 11
- Using the Internet Explorer app
- Using the Internet Explorer desktop app
- Adding favorites in Internet Explorer
- Pinning websites to the Start screen
- Browsing the web by using the InPrivate mode
- Downloading files from the Internet and managing them
- Understanding the SmartScreen filter in Internet Explorer
- Setting the default Internet Explorer version
- Key points
-
6. Using SkyDrive
- Using SkyDrive
- Browsing SkyDrive from the SkyDrive app
- Uploading a file by using the SkyDrive app
- Downloading a file by using the SkyDrive app
- Accessing SkyDrive from a web browser
- Accessing SkyDrive from File Explorer
- Sharing a SkyDrive folder
- Accessing SkyDrive’s settings
- Synchronizing your Windows settings
- Key points
-
7. Using the social apps
- Using the Mail app
- Adding a Microsoft email account to the Mail app
- Sending an email with a SkyDrive attachment
- Using the People app
- Connecting to your Facebook account by using the People app
- Adding a new contact to the People app
- Using the Calendar app
- Adding an event to your Calendar
- Using the Camera app to take pictures or record videos
- Using the Skype app
- Key points
- 8. Shopping in the Windows Store
- 9. Having fun with multimedia
- 10. Playing games
-
11. Connecting to a network and the Internet
- Understanding the jargon: router, ISP, network adapter, and other terminology
- Using the Networking And Sharing Center
- Connecting to a wireless network
- Connecting to a hidden wireless network
- Compatibility with older routers and networking equipment
- Connecting to the Internet through a mobile modem
- Managing network connections using PC Settings
- Changing the network profile of a network
- Key points
-
12. Allowing others to use the computer
- What is a user account and how many do I need?
- Introducing the Microsoft account
- Accessing the user accounts settings
- Adding a new user account
- Adding a local user account
- Switching between user accounts
- Changing the password for your user account
- Creating a picture password for your user account
- Creating a PIN for your user account
- Changing a user account picture
- Changing a user account name
- Changing a user account type
- Deleting a user account
- Key points
-
13. Sharing files and folders with my network
- Turning on the Sharing Wizard
- Understanding the default network sharing settings
- Setting up a homegroup
- Joining a homegroup
- Finding your homegroup password
- Changing the password of a homegroup
- Accessing homegroup computers and devices
- Leaving a homegroup
- Using the Sharing Wizard to share with the homegroup
- Using the Sharing Wizard to share with specific people
- Sharing a printer with computers on your network
- Sharing a printer with your homegroup
- Key points
-
14. Keeping Windows 8.1 safe and secure
- Understanding the UAC
- Changing the UAC level
- Using the Windows Firewall
- Turning Windows Firewall off or on
- Customizing the list of allowed apps
- Adding new apps to the allowed list
- Removing apps from the allowed list
- Restoring the Windows Firewall default settings
- Using Windows Defender
- Removing quarantined files
- Improving your password habits
- Reasons to consider commercial security solutions
- Key points
-
15. Preventing problems
- Keeping your system up to date by using Windows Update
- Checking for and installing available updates
- Using File History in Windows 8.1
- Turning File History on or off
- Restoring files by using File History
- Using System Restore
- Starting System Restore
- Restoring to a previous state by using System Restore
- Using the Action Center
- Configuring the messages Action Center shows
- Key points
-
16. Supervising a child’s computer use
- Turning on Family Safety for your child
- Setting time limits and app restrictions
- Setting restrictions for games and Windows Store apps
- Setting restrictions for websites and downloads
- Understanding the messages shown by Family Safety
- Managing Family Safety settings and viewing activity reports
- Key points
- 17. Making my computer accessible
-
18. Using Windows 8.1 at work
- Using the Windows Mobility Center
- Turning on Presentation mode
- Using BitLocker to encrypt drives
- Encrypting the operating system drive by using BitLocker
- Encrypting removable storage devices by using BitLocker
- Accessing an encrypted removable storage device
- Decrypting a BitLocker-protected drive
- Setting up a VPN connection
- Other enterprise-friendly features
- Key points
- 19. Using touch-compatible devices
-
20. Tips for improving your computing experience
- Adding Shut Down, Restart, Sign Out, and other shortcuts to the Start screen
- Adding a Control Panel shortcut to the Start screen
- Naming groups of shortcuts on the Start screen
- Booting to the desktop in Windows 8.1
- Transforming the Start screen into a full screen Start menu
- Using the WinX system menu
- Running a desktop app as Administrator
- Printing documents from Windows Store apps
- Turning off notifications for Windows Store apps
- Adding or removing Windows features
- Six ways to start the Task Manager
- Optimizing startup items by using the Task Manager
- Adding clocks and time zones to the Windows taskbar
- Changing the location of the Downloads folder and other user folders
- Burning a disc with File Explorer
- Freeing up disk space by using Disk Cleanup
- Changing the defaults for apps, file extensions, and AutoPlay dialog boxes
- Logging on to Windows automatically, without entering your password each time
- Using shortened URLs when you want to share files from SkyDrive
- Changing the default SkyDrive folder
- Key points
- 21. Troubleshooting problems
- A. Using keyboard shortcuts and touch gestures
- B. Enhancements for using multiple displays
- C. Installing and upgrading to Windows 8.1
- D. Moving your data and settings to Windows 8.1
- E. Glossary
- F. About the authors
- Index
- About the Authors
- Copyright
Product information
- Title: Windows 8.1
- Author(s):
- Release date: November 2013
- Publisher(s): Microsoft Press
- ISBN: 9780735683273
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