as a menu or full screen, provides essentially the same capabilities and look-and-feel as the Windows 8.x Start screen.
This melding of old and new is not limited to the Start menu. Windows 10 lets you run apps in either full screen or a window, just as you can with legacy apps. This capability makes it easier for people who haven't yet switched from Windows 7 or earlier to make the transition to the new Windows 10 interface.
Chapter 3
Getting around the Windows Desktop
IN THIS CHAPTER
Logging in
Using the Windows desktop
Using the Start menu
Using programs
Using virtual desktops
Shutting down the computer
In today's busy world, few people have the time to sit down and learn to use a computer. Many books and online tutorials don't help much because they assume you already know all the basic concepts and terminology. That's a big assumption because the truth is that most people don't already know those things. Most people don't know a file from a folder from a megabyte from a golf ball. These aren't the kinds of things we learned about in school or from our day-to-day experiences.
This chapter is mostly about the things everyone else assumes you already know. It's for the people who just bought their first computer and discovered it has this thing called Windows 10 on it, or for the people who were getting by with an older computer but now have a new Windows 10 computer and want to know more about how to use it.
We often refer to the skills in this chapter as “everyday skills” because they're the kinds of things you'll likely do every time you sit down at the computer. In this chapter, we point out the name and purpose of many elements you'll see on your screen. Together, these bits of information provide basic knowledge about how you use a computer to get things done. It all starts with logging in.
Logging In
The first step to using a computer is to turn it on. Shortly after you first start your computer, the Windows 10 logon screen appears (see Figure 3.1). Windows displays the list of user accounts available on the device. You learn more about user accounts in Chapter 4, but for now, all you need to know is that if you see user account icons shortly after you first start your computer, you have to click one in order to use the computer. Click or tap the account you want to use.
You also can use a Windows 10 feature called Picture Passwords to log in to Windows. The Picture Passwords feature is covered in Chapter 4.
TIP
Two buttons located at the bottom right corner of the logon screen provide access to actions other than logging on. The left button provides Ease of Access options for the visually impaired. The button at the right lets you turn off the computer rather than log in.
Figure 3.1 The Windows logon screen.
If the user account isn't password protected, the Windows desktop appears automatically. If the user account you clicked is password protected, a rectangular box appears instead. You have to type the correct password for the account to get to the Windows Start screen. The letters you type don't show in the box by default. Instead, you see a dot for each letter you type, as in Figure 3.2. This prevents others from learning your password by looking over your shoulder as you type it on the screen. To temporarily see the characters you enter, press and hold the eye icon on the right side of the password box. This toggles on the characters so you can see that what you typed is what you intended to type.
Figure 3.2 Typing a password.
After you type the password, press Enter or click the arrow to the right of the password box.
Pressing Windows+L on the keyboard locks the computer and displays the Lock screen, which is similar in look and function to the logon screen. The Lock screen displays the name of the currently logged on user, along with a password box. Enter the password to unlock the device.
After you've successfully logged in, the Windows desktop appears. Before we dive into the desktop, let's cover the Start menu.
Windows Start Menu
After you log on, you see the Windows 10 desktop. Clicking or tapping the Start menu button in the lower-left corner of the display (at the left of the taskbar) opens the Start menu, shown in Figure 3.3. The Start menu serves much the same function as the Start menu in previous versions of Windows, but it melds the look and feel of the Windows 8 Start screen with the familiar Start menu. Square or rectangular tiles give you quick access to apps, external resources such as OneDrive, folders, and settings.
Figure 3.3 The Windows Start menu.
At the upper left of the Start menu is your user name. You can click or tap on your account name to lock the device, sign out, or change account settings. The left portion of the Start menu gives you access to most used apps, File Explorer, Settings, power options, and access to All Apps (including those not shown on the Start menu).
The right portion of the Start menu contains tiles for various apps, gathered into groups. To open an app from the Start menu, just click or tap its tile. The left side of the Start menu provides quick access to frequently-used apps, and you can open those apps just by clicking or tapping on them. If you don't see the app you need, click or tap All Apps to display an alphabetical list of all of the apps on the device.
Using the Windows Desktop
The Windows desktop is the electronic equivalent of a real desktop. It's the place where you keep stuff you're working on right now. Every program that's currently open is usually contained within some program window. When no programs are open, the desktop and all your desktop icons are plainly visible on the screen.
Users upgrading from previous Windows versions are familiar with the Windows desktop, the primary place for users to start their work in earlier versions of Windows. You work with programs on the Windows desktop in much the same way you work with paper on an office desktop. With Windows 8.x, the Start screen was intended to replace the desktop as the primary work environment. In Windows 10, however, the Windows desktop is still very much a part of Windows, and it's the environment in which you run legacy Windows applications and modern Windows apps – you no longer need to switch between the Start screen and the desktop to switch between legacy apps and modern apps.
The desktop may get covered by program windows and other items, but the desktop is still under there no matter how much you clutter the screen. It's the same as a real desk in that sense. Although your real desktop may be completely covered by random junk, your desktop is still under there somewhere.
Below
