In the Spring of 2018, Microsoft released an update to Windows 10, sometimes called the Spring Creators Update. The update subtly changes Windows 10 by adding new features, as well as removing some old ones. These tips help you work with Windows 10 and its latest update.
The Biggest Changes in Windows 10
Microsoft changed Windows completely with Windows 8, alienating many longtime Windows owners. Windows 8.1 tried to make amends, and with Windows 10, Microsoft finally brought back the familiar desktop and the Start button. Although Microsoft refers to Windows 10 as the “last version” of Windows, that’s not really true. Microsoft updates Windows 10 twice a year, and this book is up-to-date with the changes Microsoft added in the Spring of 2018. In particular, this update brings these changes:
- Service. Microsoft continues to treat Windows 10 as a service rather than a product. And, just like any other service, Windows 10 changes constantly. Microsoft updates some of Windows 10’s apps on a daily or weekly basis, adding new features, removing unpopular ones, and fixing problems.
- Timeline. Just as your browser remembers websites that you’ve visited, Windows 10 now remembers windows you’ve opened. Its new Timeline feature shows your past work as a series of thumbnails of previously opened documents and programs, all sorted chronologically. To return to work quickly, scroll down to a date in the past; you’ll find a waiting list of programs and documents opened on that day, ready to be reopened.
- Nearby Sharing. With e-mail and online storage areas, it’s easier than ever to share files with distant friends and coworkers. Windows 10 expands that sharing circle to include people sitting in the same room. Turn on Nearby Sharing, and Windows 10 can send files to nearby friends using Bluetooth, a technology formerly used mostly by wireless mice, keyboards, and speakers.
- Privacy. Technology companies love collecting your personal information, but they hate returning what they’ve gathered. In a welcome change, the Settings app’s Privacy section now includes a Diagnostic & Feedback section. There, the app gives you more control over the data Microsoft has grabbed, and it even lets you delete portions.
- Edge. Never the most popular web browser, Microsoft Edge continues to add new features. The most welcome may be a “mute” icon atop each tab. When a website begins playing a loud advertisement, a quick click on the tab’s speaker icon cuts the sound.
- Homegroup. Once an easy way to share files across a home network, Homegroup disappears in Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft prefers that people store their files on the Internet through its Cloud service, OneDrive. There, people can email links to others for them to download the information.
- Bug fixes. Windows 10 runs more smoothly across a wider variety of computers and tablets. The update fixes many of the most irksome bugs, and it tries to make it easier than ever for you to find information on your computer and put it to work.
Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows 10
For many years, it’s been easy to place windows side-by-side on the desktop. Windows 10 expands on that concept, letting you easily place four windows side-by-side. With all of your windows visible on the desktop, it’s much easier to copy and paste information between them.
Windows 10 also introduces virtual desktops, a way of creating several separate desktops. You can align one project’s windows and programs on one desktop, for example, then switch to a second desktop to place windows for a separate project.
Both of these new features include their own new keyboard shortcuts.
To Do This. . . | . . . Press These Keys |
---|---|
Snap window to upper right corner | Win+RightArrow, then Win+UpArrow |
Snap window to upper left corner | Win+LeftArrow, then Win+UpArrow |
Snap window to lower right corner | Win+RightArrow, then Win+DownArrow |
Snap window to lower left corner | Win+LeftArrow, then Win+DownArrow |
To Do This. . . | . . . Press These Keys |
---|---|
Create new virtual desktop | Win+Ctrl+D |
Close current virtual desktop | Win+Ctrl+F4 |
View current virtual desktops | Win+Tab (The desktops appear as thumbnails along the screen’s bottom edge.) |
Switch between virtual desktops | Win+Ctrl+Left or Win+Ctrl+Right |
Windows 10 Touch Commands
Windows 10 works well on touchscreens, whether they’re built into tablets, laptops, or even desktop monitors. When faced with a touchscreen device, these commands will help you maneuver through Windows 10. (The term swipe simply means to slide your finger along the screen.)
Swipe from the right edge to see the Action center: Swiping from the right side of the screen reveals the Action center. The Action center lists all of your notifications: subjects from incoming mail, upcoming appointments, and notices from other programs. Along the bottom, the pane shows buttons for four commonly used Settings. (Tap the Tablet mode button, for example, to toggle Tablet mode on and off.)
Mouse equivalent: Click the Action center icon, which resembles a thought balloon used by cartoon characters.
Swipe from the left edge: Swiping from the left shows all of your open windows, letting you return to one with a quick tap. Any virtual desktops you’ve created appear as thumbnails along the screen’s bottom edge; a quick tap summons one of them to the forefront, as well. (You can also create a new virtual desktop by tapping the plus sign icon in the screen’s bottom, right corner.)
Keyboard equivalent: Press Win+Tab.
Press and hold: You can see detailed information without having to commit to an action. In some cases, pressing and holding opens a menu with more options.
Mouse equivalent: Hover over an item to see more options; if that doesn’t work, click the mouse’s right button. Boyka undisputed iv full movie online free.
Tap to perform an action: Tapping something causes an action, such as launching an app, following a link, or performing a command.
Mouse equivalent: Click an item to perform an action.
Slide to drag: This is mostly used to pan or scroll through lists and pages, but you can use it for other interactions, too, such as moving an object or for drawing and writing.
Mouse equivalent:Click, hold, and drag the item. A scroll bar often appears at a screen’s edge, letting you shift your view by dragging the box embedded in the scroll bar.
Pinch or stretch: Place two fingers on the screen and then move them as if you were pinching or stretching a sheet of paper. The onscreen image expands or shrinks accordingly.
Mouse and keyboard equivalent: Hold down the control key on the keyboard while using the mouse wheel to grow or shrink an item on the screen.
Rotate to turn: Hold down two fingers onscreen and rotate them, just as if you were moving a sheet of paper on your desktop. As your fingers move, so does the onscreen object.
Mouse equivalent: None.
Swipe from the bottom or top edge for app commands: App commands are revealed by swiping inward about an inch from the bottom or top edge. Swiping from the very top to the very bottom of the screen lets you close the current app.
Mouse equivalent: Right-click a blank portion of the app to see the apps commands.
Adjusting to a new operating system, whether you’re upgrading from an old version of Windows to Windows 10 or you’ve purchased a new machine running Windows 10, isn’t an easy thing to do. On this Cheat Sheet, you’ll find out what you should do right away, what you shouldn’t do, and how to find the features you’re used to. You also will find some tips for keeping your sanity while adjusting to your new operating system.
How to Get the Most Out of Windows 10
You need to quickly do a few things to get the most out of your Windows 10 operating system. Here’s what you need to do, like, pronto:
Step through the basics using Microsoft’s Get Started app. Click or tap the Start icon in the lower left of the screen and then choose Get Started, up at the top of the Most Used list. It’s an easy introduction to the new layout.
Make sure Windows is updated. Microsoft’s making changes to Windows even as you read this, so take a minute to ensure you’re up to date. Click or tap Start, then Settings, choose Update & Security, and on the right, click the box marked Check for updates.
Get your Universal Windows apps updated. Chances are good that your Microsoft-supplied Universal apps — the tiled ones, on the right side of the Start menu — aren’t up-to-date. Make sure you have all the latest goodies by opening the Store app and clicking the down arrow to the left of your picture, at the top of the Store window.
Show filename extensions. Windows hides a key piece of information from you that can help you identify and avoid viruses: filename extensions, the little piece at the end of each file’s name, usually three characters long (for example,
.docx
or.exe
or.bat
). In File Explorer (the icon looks like a file folder), click View at the top and select the File Name Extensions option.Figure out a Cloud and OneDrive data storage strategy. If you want to use Microsoft’s OneDrive, make sure you understand how it may or may not store copies on your PC. If you want to use Dropbox or one of a zillion competitors, it’s easier if you set it up and use it from the get-go.
“Cloud storage” is a marketing term — when a company talks about storing data in their cloud, they’re just saying you should put it on their computers.
Turn on File History. Unless you’re going to store everything in the cloud, you need to tell Windows that you want it to keep “shadow copies” of files, so you can restore older versions. (Companies that provide cloud storage have that ability built-in.) Windows 7 has File History turned on by default; in Win10, you have to turn it on yourself.
DON’T lose the battle for your privacy before it starts. Windows 10 has plenty of privacy-robbing capabilities — some of which, quite frankly, are necessary if you want to use certain features. Seriously consider setting up a throw-away Microsoft account to log on to your computer.
What You Shouldn‘t Do with Windows 10
Windows 10 is different from any Windows operating system you’ve used before, in both good and bad ways. Here’s how to keep your head while others all about you are losing theirs:
DON’T assume the new apps will work best for you. Many Windows 10 adoptees rush to the new Mail, Calendar, People, Photos, Groove Music, Movies & TV, and other apps, assuming that they’re shiny and new and must therefore be pretty darn good. They aren’t. Most people will do better with an online mail system. The Universal People app is a joke with a hundred better alternatives, and Windows 10’s Photos app isn’t in the same century as Google Photos.
DON’T use Internet Explorer. Yeah, it’s there if you look for it, but don’t go spelunking. Let the bloated dog die. Use Edge, Microsoft’s new browser, or Google Chrome or Firefox.
DON’T lose the battle for your privacy before it starts. Windows 10 has plenty of privacy-robbing capabilities — some of which, quite frankly, are necessary if you want to use certain features. Seriously consider setting up a throw-away Microsoft account to log on to your computer.
- DON’T pay for stuff you don’t need. Registry cleaners, disk defraggers, even extra-cost antivirus programs may not work as well as what you get for free.
How to Find What You Need in Windows 10
If you’re going from an earlier version of Windows to Windows 10, you might be wondering, “Where the Heck Did Microsoft Put It?” about any number of features.
Upgrading from Windows 7
If you’re going from Windows 7 to Windows 10, here’s what’s changed:
Don’t get freaked out by the tiles. No doubt you’ve heard that Windows 8 messed up Windows, but the tiles in Windows 10 are very different from the tiles in Windows 8. If you used Windows 7 gadgets, think of the new tiles as souped-up gadgets, and you won’t be far off the mark.
The Start menu’s all different. Not only does it look different, many of the tricks you know from Windows 7 don’t work.
Windows 7 backup, File History (“shadow copies”), Libraries, and Storage Spaces are all there. You just have to dig deep. Microsoft wants you to use OneDrive. You may have different priorities.
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Upgrading from Windows 8 or 8.1
If you’re going from Windows 8 or 8.1 to Windows 10, here’s the big picture:
Everything you learned about Metro apps disappears in Windows 10. All the time and effort you put into setting up and learning those tiled Metro apps in Windows 8/8.1 won’t help you very much. Microsoft didn’t like them, either. Although you see occasional vestiges of Win8 Metro apps in Windows 10’s Universal apps, by and large, all the old Windows 8 app stuff is dead.
Many of the old Metro features and apps are gone. There’s no Charms bar. There’s no Metro Start screen. No schizoid Internet Explorer, with completely different Universal and desktop versions.
5 Common Cures for Windows 10 Computer Insanity
Many people drive themselves insane when they’re adjusting to a new machine or new operating system like Windows 10. Here are five tips to avoid the insanity:
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If there’s no mouse cursor on the screen or the cursor won’t move no matter how much you move the mouse, check the batteries.
If that doesn’t work,shut the computer down, make sure the mouse is plugged in, and restart the computer. If that doesn’t work, flip the mouse over and use your fingernail to scrape off built-up gunk, or wipe off the laser hatch with a Q-tip dipped in isopropyl alcohol. If the cursor still won’t move, throw the stupid thing away. Mice are cheap. Sheesh.
If you suddenly can’t get at your email or get on the web even though you could get to it yesterday and you haven’t changed anything at all, chill.
Chances are good that your Internet service provider (the place your computer connects to) is having problems. Come back in a few hours. Don’t change your settings.
If you can’t find a file that was sitting around yesterday, chances are good it’s either in the Recycle Bin or you dragged it somewhere weird.
Double-click the Recycle Bin icon. If your file is there, double-click it and then click Restore. If your file isn’t there, click Start, type anything you can remember about the file into the Start Search box, and press Enter. If it was in OneDrive, Dropbox, or some other cloud storage system, it’s still there.
If you spend the money to buy an expensive piece of hardware — a new video card, fancy camera, a second hard drive, or a different router/modem — spend a little bit more money and have the retailer install it.
Life’s too short.
If the stupid computer won’t work right, turn it off.
Go read a book or watch a movie. Get some sleep. Come back when you’re not so tied up in knots. Few pursuits in the history of humanity are as frustrating as trying to get a recalcitrant computer to behave itself.