Easy Windows 8.1

Mark Edward Soper has been using Microsoft Windows ever since version 1.0, and since 1992 he has taught thousands of computer troubleshooting and network students across the country how to use Windows as part of their work and everyday lives. Mark is the author of Easy Windows 8, Easy Microsoft Windows 7, Teach Yourself Windows 7 in 10 Minutes, and Using Microsoft Windows Live. Mark also has contributed to Que’s Special Edition Using series on Windows Me, Windows XP, and Windows Vista; Easy Windows Vista; Windows 7 In Depth, and has written two books about Windows Vista, including Maximum PC Microsoft Windows Vista Exposed and Unleashing Microsoft Windows Vista Media Center.   When he’s not teaching, learning, or writing about Microsoft Windows, Mark stays busy with many other technology-related activities. He is a longtime contributor to Upgrading and Repairing PCs, working on the 11th through 18th, 20th and 21st editions. Mark has co-authored Upgrading and Repairing Networks, Fifth Edition, written several books on CompTIA A+ Certification (including two titles covering the current 2012 exams), and written two books about digital photography, Easy Digital Cameras and The Shot Doctor: The Amateur’s Guide to Taking Great Digital Photos. Mark also has become a video content provider for Que Publishing and InformIT and has posted many blog entries and articles at InformIT.com, MaximumPC.com, and other websites. He also teaches digital photography, digital imaging, and Microsoft Office for Ivy Tech Corporate College’s southwest Indiana campus in Evansville, Indiana and Windows 8 for the University of Southern Indiana’s continuing education department.  

Introduction

Chapter 1 What’s New and Improved in Windows 8.1

Start Screen

Live Tiles

Supercharged Search

Powerful, Flexible Calculator

Enhanced Split Screen

Internet Explorer 11

Easy Photo Editing

Windows 8.1 Shortcut Keys

Chapter 2 Upgrading to Windows 8.1

Starting the Installation

Reviewing Settings

Completing the Installation

Chapter 3 Essential Windows 8.1 Tasks

Logging In to Windows

Using the On-Screen Keyboard to Log In

Moving Around the Start Screen

Opening the Charms Bar

Using the Touch Keyboard

Entering Emoticons and Special Symbols

Using a Stylus for Handwriting

Using Your Touchscreen

Using Your Mouse or Integrated Touchpad

Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Locking and Unlocking Your PC

Choosing Sleep, Shut Down, or Restart

Chapter 4 Using the Windows 8.1 Start Screen

Working with the Start Screen

Opening an App

Switching Between Apps

Closing an App

Comparing Modern UI Apps and Desktop Programs

Connecting a Drive

Viewing and Using Apps

Using Search to Find “Everything”

Using Search to Find Specific Types of Content

Zooming the Start Screen

Chapter 5 Browsing the Web from the Modern UI

Starting Internet Explorer 11

Entering a Website Address (URL)

Working with Tabs in IE11

Creating a New Tab in IE11

Using InPrivate Browsing

Reopening a Frequently Used Web Page

Removing an Entry from the Frequent List

Pinning a Page to the Start Screen

Unpinning a Page from the Start Screen

Closing a Tab in IE11

Printing a Web Page

Viewing a Page on the Windows Desktop

Closing IE11

Chapter 6 Using Alarms, Calculator, and Sound Recorder

Using Alarms as an Alarm Clock

Using Timer

Using Stopwatch

Starting Calculator and Switching Modes

Converting Values with Calculate

Recording Audio with Sound Recorder

Editing Recorded Audio

Chapter 7 Enjoying Music and Video

Playing Your Music Collection with Music

Exploring Your Music Library

Creating a Radio Station

Explore Featured and Top Music

Playing Music from Explore

Starting the Video App

Learning More About a Highlighted Video

Buying Music and Videos

Searching for TV Shows and Movies

Playing and Downloading Your Purchase

Chapter 8 Using Movie Moments

Starting Movie Moments

Movie Moments’ Basic Controls

Trimming and Splitting Your Video

Creating a Title

Emphasizing Selected Text

Adding Music

Previewing and Saving Your Video

Sharing Your Video

Chapter 9 Viewing and Taking Photos with Photos and Camera

Shooting Photos with Camera

Using the Self Timer

Using Video Mode

View Your Photos with Camera Roll

Crop Your Photos

Making and Saving Other Changes

Chapter 10 Working with Files

Viewing Files on SkyDrive

Creating Folders and Adding Files in SkyDrive

Delete and Rename Files or Folders on SkyDrive and This PC

Cutting and Pasting Files and Folders in This PC or SkyDrive

Copying and Pasting Files in the Same Folder

Using Open With

Chapter 11 Mail, Skype, and Information Services

Starting Mail

Reading a Message in Mail

Marking a Message as Junk

Viewing a Newsletter

Writing and Sending a Message

Starting and Using Calendar

Scheduling Appointments with Calendar

Getting Directions with Maps

Trip Planning with Maps

Using the People App

Checking Weather with the Weather App

Using Finance

Creating a Shopping List from a Recipe with Food & Drink

Using Health & Fitness for Nutritional Information

Starting and Joining Skype

Selecting Favorites

Receiving a Call with Skype

Placing a Call with Skype

Text Messaging with Skype

Chapter 12 Customizing the Start Screen

Relocating Tiles on the Start Screen

Setting Up Name Groups

Pinning an App to the Start Screen

Unpinning an Object from the Start Screen

Pinning a Folder to the Start Screen

Personalizing the Start Screen

Adjusting the Size of Start Screen Tiles

Turning Live Tiles Off and On

Chapter 13 Managing Windows with PC Settings

Adjusting System Volume

Changing Screen Brightness and Notifications

PC Settings Overview

Customize the Lock Screen

Setting Display Resolution

Adjusting Mouse and Touchpad Settings

Changing AutoPlay Settings

Viewing PC Info

Managing SkyDrive Storage Settings

Setting Camera Roll Options

Sync Settings

Metered Connections

Setting Search Options

Setting App Share Options

General Notification Settings

App-Specific Notification Settings

App Sizes and Uninstall Options

General Privacy Settings

Configuring Location Settings

Configuring Webcam Usage

Configuring Microphone Usage

Configuring Time Zone

Configuring Ease of Access

The Recent Settings Pane

Chapter 14 Using the Windows Store

Going to the Store

Searching for Apps by Name

Browsing for Apps by Category

Learning More about an App

Searching for Apps by Keyword Phrase

Installing an App

Rating an App

Uninstalling an App from the Start Screen

Adding a Payment Method to Your Account

Viewing Your Apps

Chapter 15 Playing Games

Shopping for Games

Managing Your Online Gaming Experience

Revisiting the Xbox Games Page for Your Game

Chapter 16 Running Desktop Apps

Opening the Apps Screen

Searching for “Hidden” Apps

Using Sort Options to Find an App

Starting a Desktop App from the Apps Screen

Pinning a Desktop App to the Start Screen

Adding an App to the Desktop Taskbar

Switching Between Apps

Using the Snipping Tool

Using Sticky Notes

Using Character Map with WordPad

Printing

Chapter 17 Managing Storage with File Explorer

Starting File Explorer

Introduction to File Explorer

Using the Home Tab

Using the View Tab

Copying and Moving Files or Folders

Dealing with Filename Conflicts

Burning Data Discs

Selecting, Viewing, and Grouping Options

Creating Compressed Files with the Share Tab

Using Frequent Places

Managing Drives

Chapter 18 Networking Your Home with HomeGroup

Connecting to an Unsecured Wireless Network

Connecting to a Secured Private Network

Connecting to a Hidden Network

Disconnecting and Disabling Wireless Access

Creating a HomeGroup from the Start Screen

Viewing the Password for Your HomeGroup

Joining a HomeGroup from the Start Screen

Opening the Network and Internet Window in Control Panel

Setting Up a HomeGroup from Network and Internet

Joining a HomeGroup from Network and Internet

Opening HomeGroup Files

Customized Sharing for Folders You Choose

Viewing a Folder’s Sharing Settings

Leaving a HomeGroup from the Network Screen

Chapter 19 Working with Photos and Music from Your Desktop

Adding Pictures to Your Pictures Library

Importing Pictures

Selecting Import Options

Using Windows Photo Viewer

Printing Photos with Windows Photo Viewer

Starting Windows Media Player

Playing an Audio CD

Using Playback Controls in Windows Media Player

Ripping (Copying) an Audio CD

Selecting and Playing Albums and Individual Tracks

Setting Up Playlists

Syncing Files to a Media Player

Burning (Creating) a Music CD

Chapter 20 Web Browsing from Your Desktop

Starting IE11 from the Desktop

Entering a Website Address (URL)

Working with Tabs

Setting Your Home Page

Opening a Link

Using Page Zoom

Previewing and Printing a Web Page

Opening the Favorites Center

Adding Favorites to the Favorites Bar

Adding Favorites to the Favorites Center

Organizing Favorites

Saving a Tab Group as a Favorite

Opening a Favorite Website or Tab Group

Using Accelerators

Using InPrivate Browsing from the Desktop

Managing Popups

Setting Internet Privacy Features

Deleting Selected Items from Your History List

Deleting All Items from Your History List

Saving a Web Page

Emailing a Web Page or Link

Chapter 21 Advanced Configuration Options

Configuring Windows Update

Adding and Using an Additional Display

Personalizing Your Desktop Background

Selecting a Standard Window Color

Creating a Customized Window Color

Selecting a Screen Saver

Saving a Desktop Theme

Managing Devices and Printers from the Windows Desktop

Seeing What Programs Are Running with Task Manager

Chapter 22 User Accounts and Sytem Security

Setting Up Windows 8 for Multiple Users

Changing an Account Type

Selecting an Account to Log In To

Setting Up PIN Number Access

Configuring Parental Controls with Family Safety

Reviewing Family Safety Logs

Setting Up and Using a Picture Password

Chapter 23 Protecting Your System

Looking at User Account Control

Configuring Windows Update

Protecting Your Files with File History

Recovering Files with File History

Checking Security Settings with Windows Action Center

Checking for Viruses and Spyware with Windows Defender

Setting Windows Defender Options

Chapter 24 System Maintenance and Performance

Selecting a Power Scheme

Viewing Disk Information

Checking Drives for Errors

Using Windows Troubleshooters

Using System Restore

Displaying System Information (online)

Testing Memory (online)

Scheduling Tasks (online)

Opening the Troubleshoot Startup Menu (online)

Using Refresh (online)

Glossary

 

ONLINE ELEMENTS

Appendix A: Installing Windows to an Empty Drive

 

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