Windows 10 Plain & Simple

Nancy Muir Boysen is the author of more than 100 books on technology and other nonfiction topics. Prior to her author¿ing career, Nancy was a senior manager at several technology publishers as well as a training manager at Symantec. She has a Certificate in Distance Learning Design from the University of Washington and has taught Internet safety and technical writ¿ing at the university level.

Acknowledgments xv
Chapter 1: About this book 1
A quick overview 2
A few assumptions 6
What’s new in Windows 10? 6
The final word 7
Chapter 2: First look at Windows 10 9
Signing in to your user account 11
Signing in with a different user account 12
Using the Start menu 15
Viewing All Apps 16
Working with Task View 17
Using multiple desktops 18
Opening the Action Center 19
Working with settings in the Action Center 20
Shutting down Windows 10 21
Chapter 3: Navigating Windows 10 23
Opening and closing windows 24
Accessing Settings 25
Setting up accounts 26
Managing passwords 28
Adding a picture password 30
Using a PIN 32
Exploring the Start menu 35
Expanding the Start menu 36
Adjusting system volume 40
Setting the date and time 41
Managing power options 42
Chapter 4: Customizing the appearance of Windows 10 45
Changing the desktop background 46
Customize the Lock Screen 47
Adjusting colors and transparency 48
Using themes 50
Changing the screen saver 51
Making timeout settings 52
Enlarging text 53
Changing screen resolution 54
Customizing the taskbar 55
Adding tiles to the Start menu 56
Moving tiles 57
Using Snap to arrange apps on the desktop 58
Resizing tiles 60
Chapter 5: Working with productivity applications 61
Finding and opening applications by using the Start menu 62
Opening applications using Cortana 63
Working with toolbars and menus 64
Cutting, copying, and pasting content 65
Formatting text 66
Formatting paragraphs 67
Saving files 68
Printing documents 69
Sharing files via email 70
Closing applications 71
Uninstalling applications 72
Chapter 6: Finding content with File Explorer and Cortana 73
Finding content by using File Explorer 74
Changing File Explorer views 75
Sorting files 76
Creating a new folder 77
Moving files among folders 78
Renaming files and folders 79
Deleting files and folders 80
Compressing files 81
Sharing files via email 82
Searching by using Cortana 83
Searching for favorite places 84
Managing the Recycle Bin 86
Chapter 7: Making Windows accessible 87
Using Magnifier 88
Setting up high contrast 89
Adjusting screen brightness 90
Making elements on your screen easier to see 91
Changing mouse settings 92
Changing keyboard settings 93
Using touch feedback 94
Working with Narrator 95
Using Speech Recognition 96
Turning on closed captioning 98
Using visual alternatives for sounds 99
Chapter 8: Accessing and managing networks 101
Connecting to a network 103
Joining a homegroup 104
Making Wi-Fi Sense settings 106
Making your computer discoverable 108
Setting file and printer sharing options 109
Using Airplane Mode 110
Disconnecting from a network 111
Chapter 9: Going online with Microsoft Edge 113
Setting a home page 115
Browsing among webpages 116
Working with tabs 117
Viewing your browsing history 118
Marking up webpages 119
Using Reading View 120
Adding items to Favorites or Reading List 121
Using InPrivate browsing 122
Finding content on pages 123
Zooming in and out 124
Managing downloads 125
Chapter 10: Connecting with others 127
Adding contacts in People 128
Editing contacts 130
Linking contacts 131
Sharing contacts 132
Chapter 11: Using Mail 135
Setting up email accounts 136
Reading email messages 138
Opening an attachment 139
Replying to a message 140
Forwarding a message 141
Creating a new message 142
Formatting message text 143
Adding attachments 144
Moving emails to folders 145
Deleting emails 146
Chapter 12: Shopping for apps in the Windows Store 147
Searching for apps 149
Creating payment information for an account 150
Managing settings for updates 152
Reading reviews 153
Buying an app 154
Rating an app 155
Chapter 13: Enjoying music 157
Buying songs or albums 158
Adding local music files 160
Playing music 161
Adjusting volume 162
Searching for music 163
Creating playlists 164
Using Cortana to identify music 165
Chapter 14: Recording and watching videos 167
Recording your own videos by using the Camera app 168
Buying videos 169
Locating videos in the Movies & TV app 170
Playing videos 171
Configuring settings in the Movies & TV app 172
Playing video by using Windows Media Player 174
Creating playlists by using Windows Media Player 175
Chapter 15: Working with the Camera and Photos apps 177
Taking photos or videos by using the Camera app 178
Editing photos by using the Photos app 179
Enhancing a photo 180
Cropping photos 181
Rotating photos 182
Viewing albums 183
Working with photos in Paint 184
Creating a slideshow 186
Setting a photo as your lock screen or desktop background 187
Sharing photos 188
Deleting photos 189
Chapter 16: Keeping on schedule with Calendar 191
Displaying Calendar 192
Changing views 193
Adding an event 194
Using Cortana to add an event 195
Inviting people to an event 196
Editing an event 197
Changing work week settings 198
Displaying the US Holidays and Birthday calendars 199
Deleting an event 200
Chapter 17: Tracking your sports, news, stocks, and fitness 201
Reading news articles 202
Adding and turning off interests 203
Choosing a sports category 204
Adding a sports favorite 205
Creating an investment Watchlist 206
Viewing markets 207
Using Diet Tracker 208
Creating a profile 210
Chapter 18: Checking the weather 213
Viewing the current weather 214
Adding your favorite places 215
Changing your launch location 216
Choosing Fahrenheit or Celsius 217
Viewing weather maps 218
Finding weather news 219
Displaying historical weather data 220
Chapter 19: Using Maps 221
Opening Maps and showing your location 222
Getting directions in Maps 223
Zooming in and out 224
Changing map views 225
Rotating and tilting maps 226
Viewing Favorites 227
Viewing cities in 3-D 228
Chapter 20: Playing with Xbox games 229
Buying games 230
Adding friends 232
Switching between an avatar and a gamerpic 233
Playing games 234
Inviting friends to play games 235
Sending a message to a friend 236
Recording game screens 238
Chapter 21: Adding and working with other devices 239
Adding a connected device 240
Adding a printer or scanner 241
Making printer settings 242
Using Bluetooth devices 244
Viewing device properties in Device Manager 245
Updating device drivers 246
Removing a device 247
Chapter 22: Working with OneDrive 249
Navigating OneDrive 250
Creating a new folder 251
Uploading files to OneDrive 252
Searching for a file in OneDrive 253
Creating documents with Office Online 254
Sharing folders 256
Renaming files and folders 257
Deleting files and folders 258
Chapter 23: Maintaining and protecting your computer 259
Optimizing your hard disk 260
Using Disk Cleanup 261
Obtaining updates 262
Resetting your computer 263
Working with Windows Defender 264
Running Windows Defender updates and scans 266
Configuring Windows Firewall 267
Changing Location settings 268
Chapter 24: Troubleshooting 269
Searching for help by using Cortana 270
Using Task Manager 271
Restoring your system to an earlier time 272
Getting help from Get Started 273
Getting remote assistance 274
Using Advanced Startup 276
Appendix: Taking advantage of Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts 277
Glossary 281
Index 289
About the author 301