The Ultimate Windows 10 Manual

Windows 10 Essentials Start Menu, Action Center and Taskbar Start Menu, Action Center and Taskbar The Start menu, taskbar and Action Center are likely to be three of the most used areas of the Windows 10 interface for most people. There have been several additions and improvements to these tools in the recent Anniversary update, making them even easier and more intuitive to use, so let’s take a look at what you can do with these essential Windows tools. All Apps List As you use Windows 10 and the various apps and software, a list of your most used tools will appear here. This is constantly updated as your use of the OS evolves. At the top of the All Apps list is a Recently Added section, showing newly installed…

Windows 10 Essentials How to Use the Start Menu How to Use the Start Menu The Start menu in Windows 10 is about much more than just displaying a list of your apps and software. It includes Live Tiles, shortcuts to folders and settings, and you can now even create folders within the menu itself. So whether you just want to use it as a simple list or if you want to make it the hub of your PC, the Start menu has it covered. Get to Grips with Start Microsoft has completely redesigned the Start menu for a new era and it seems to get improved with every update to the OS, so it takes a little getting used to at first. Here’s our tour of the new Start.…

Windows 10 Essentials How to Use the Action Center How to Use the Action Center There have always been pop-up messages in Windows but now there is a centralised way in which these are viewed and interacted with. Called the Action Center, it is designed to work more like the notifications panel on a smartphone or tablet. Exploring the Action Center The new Action Center is a key interface element in Windows 10, providing you with access to Quick actions buttons as well as the notifications and alerts. 1 You can open the Action Center by clicking the speech bubble icon on the far-right of the taskbar or by pressing the Windows key + A on your keyboard. If you hover the mouse pointer over the Action Center button, it will…

Windows 10 Essentials How to Use the Taskbar How to Use the Taskbar In previous versions of Windows, the taskbar was relegated to being an occasional tool. In Windows 10 it’s back where it belongs, at the very centre of the desktop workspace. Some slight tweaks in both the Anniversary and Creators updates, have made it an even more useful tool. Mastering the Windows 10 Taskbar The taskbar has always been more useful than many users realise and with Windows 10 there are several new features and options that make it even more so. Let’s take a look at them. Explore the Taskbar The Windows 10 taskbar runs the full length of the screen and contains several separate areas. These are, from left to right: the Start menu button, the…

Windows 10 Essentials Task View and Virtual Desktops Task View – Multitask in Windows 10 Windows 10 has taken huge steps towards creating an OS which is suited to everyone, including busy multitaskers. It’s easier than ever to switch between tasks in Windows 10 with Task View and you can even have extra workspaces for working in different apps. Using Task View Task View is a quick way to view and manage all of the windows and apps open on your PC at any given moment, even those that are minimised. 1 Task View is located next to the Windows 10 Search Box, identified as a filmstrip type icon. It has changed recently, due to the Spring Update, and now incorporates both Task View and the Timeline features. Don’t worry if…

Windows 10 Essentials How to Use Snap Assist How to Use Snap Assist Snap Assist enables you to ‘snap’ windows to the sides of the screen. With displays getting bigger, the logic is that we can have more windows on our screens. Being able to split the screen into different sections for different windows is useful and Snap Assist in Windows 10 is designed to help. Snapping Windows It is very easy to have several windows open after just a few minutes of working on your PC and it is equally easy to lose track of them. Snapping windows helps prevent that. 1 To snap any open window or app to the side of the screen, left-click on the title bar at the top of it and drag it over to…