Windows 10: Desktop

The new and improved Windows 10 operating system boasts several enhancements that allows for simple navigation and a user friendly interface.  New features enable easy and accessible organization.  Your desktop can work and look exactly how you want it through personalization options. 

Personalization

Windows 10 features a new user interface for personalization. These options can be accessed by right clicking anywhere on the desktop and selecting Personalize from the menu.  From this menu, you can also change your background, your color scheme, lock screen settings, themes and start menu settings.

Multiple Desktops

A new feature in Windows 10 is having multiple desktops or workspaces running at the same time.  This allows you to organize your programs and windows more effectively.  By default, you will only have one desktop enabled. 

To make a new desktop click the task view button in your task bar and then clicking the new desktop button in the bottom right corner.  This can also be accomplished quickly with the keyboard shortcut: windows key + crtl + D.  

To move between desktops, you can click the task view button again then click your desired desktop in the bottom bar.  This also has a keyboard shortcut: windows key + ctrl + right arrow key for the next desktop and windows key + ctrl + left arrow key for the previous desktop.

To move windows between desktops, click on the task view button again and hover over the desktop with the window you want to move.  The windows in the desktop should then popup. Find the window you want to move and right click on it and go to move to and select the desktop number you want to move it to.

To close a desktop, click on the task view button again and click the red X next to the name of the desktop you want to remove.

Snap

The snap feature allows users to organize windows on their screen with a simple mouse movement or keyboard shortcut.  In Windows 10 the snap feature has been enhanced to allow for more precise snapping.  You can now snap a window into each corner of the screen.  Snapping a window into a corner is done by snapping it to one side then snapping it again either up or down.  For example, to snap a window into the upper left corner you would use the following key combinations: Windows key + left arrow key and then windows key + up arrow key.  Clicking and dragging the title bar of a window to one side of the screen will still align it to that one side but you must use the keyboard shortcut to snap the window into a corner.

Shake

When using the shake feature, all open windows will be minimized leaving only the window you would like to focus on. Simply click the title bar of the window you only want to appear on the desktop, and shake the mouse. This will minimize all other windows on the desktop. Shaking the mouse again will restore all of the minimized windows.

Windows 10: Taskbar

The new task bar is home to a redesigned start button

Pinning to Task bar

Programs, documents, and files can all be pinned and rearranged on the taskbar according to user preference for easy access. You can pin items to the taskbar by clicking and dragging them from the desktop or respective folder to the taskbar. The taskbar in Windows 10 also tells you which programs are currently open and running by the highlighted transparent box around the icon. 

Windows Search

Using the search bar in Windows Explorer will help users find files if they are unable to locate them on their own. The start menu has a search bar built into it but is not shown when you open the normal start menu, unlike in Windows 7 where it was shown at the bottom of the start menu.  To use the search feature you can click on the start menu icon and just start typing, then Windows will search your computer. Search for files and folders using key words and metadata information if applicable.

Start Menu Tiles

Replacing the old start menu from Windows 7 is the new tile meu in Windows 10.  The tile menu is a better visual representation of the start menu.  You can pin a tile to the start menu by right clicking on an item in the startup menu and click pin to start.  Once the tile has been pinned to the start menu you can drag it around to group tiles together.  To remove a start menu tile, right click on the tile and click the unpin from start option.

Shutting Down

To shut down your windows 10 computer open the start menu and click the    button and select the “shut down” option and your computer will do just that.

Windows 10: Help & Support

F1 Key

Pressing the F1 key in Windows 10 will open the Windows Help and Support window. Here you can quickly find an answer by using the search bar or by clicking the direct link to the windows website.