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Windows 10 Tips, Tricks & Apps Unlock the full potential of Windows 10
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Contents Everything you need to know about Windows 10
Complete guide 8 10 11 12 14
Introducing Windows 10 Welcome back to the desktop Windows 10 FAQs What's new in Windows 10? Install or upgrade to Windows 10
50 essential 16 Quick Windowstips 10 tips 18
• Get the old Start screen • Use a metered internet connection • Use File History
20
• Share everything with your friends • Create PDF files to send to others • Scroll inactive windows
22
• Add folders as Start tiles • Make use of jump lists • Pin your Data usage
24
• Customise File Explorer • Set the default apps • Show file extensions
26
• Auto-save files to OneDrive • Record game movies • Search for anything on your PC
6 Windows 10 Tips, Tricks & Apps
Tips 30 36 40 46 50 54
Customise Windows 10 Secure your PC Increase productivity Get more from Cortana Manage OneDrive Browse with Edge
58 62 68 72 76
Keep informed Stay entertained Download new apps Activate Tablet mode Troubleshooting
Tricks 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 100 102 104 106 108 110 112
Customise the Start menu in Windows 10 Use dictation and speech commands Control apps with Task Manager Manage your printers and other devices Share over a homegroup network Protect your PC with security software Keep on top of your PC’s health Solve problems with the Device Manager Personalise Mail to suit your needs Customise and improve Skype Take great photos with the Camera app Use Photos to create great image edits Work with Microsoft Office web apps Make the most of the versatile OneNote Make your Calendar easier to read Compress your files and documents
114 116 118 120
Master the advanced power settings Learn to defragment your hard disk Manage Windows 10’s Storage Spaces Boost Windows speed and get a better PC
Apps 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145
Games Social Entertainment Photography Music & Video Sport Books & Reference News & Weather Health & Fitness Food & Dining Lifestyle Shopping Travel Finance Productivity Tools Security Business Education Government
Windows 10 Tips, Tricks & Apps 7
Introducing Windows 10
How to install Windows 10
See just how straightforward it is to install Windows 10
M
ost PCs running older versions of Windows can run Windows 10. Some can be upgraded, but others require a clean install. So, should you upgrade or clean install Windows 10? Windows XP and Vista users cannot upgrade; a clean install is the only option. Many Windows 7 and 8 users can upgrade, but it depends on several factors. For some, a clean install is a must. A clean install erases everything on the disk before installing Windows 10. This clears out junk files that have accumulated, and afterwards the computer will run better than before. The disadvantage is that your files are erased. Before starting, plug in a USB drive and copy your Documents, Pictures, Videos and Music folders to it. After installing Windows 10 they can be copied back. All software is deleted and new software must be installed. Installing Windows 10 involves downloading it from Microsoft’s website and then copying it to a DVD or USB flash drive (thumb drive). The PC is then restarted from this media and it installs.
Install Windows 10
Download and install the latest version
1: Download the installer
2: Select the media type
3: Burn the disc
Go to www.microsoft.com/software-download/ windows10 and click the Download tool. Choose the Run option or save it and run it afterwards from the Downloads folder.
Windows 10 can be installed from a USB flash drive of 8GB or larger, or DVD. Choose an option. If your PC has a DVD/CD writer, put a blank DVD-R in the drive to create an install disc and select ISO file.
You are prompted to save the ISO file, and it is saved to the Documents folder. Afterwards, click the option to open the DVD burner and copy it to a DVD-R disc.
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Introducing Windows 10
“Some PCs can be upgraded, but others require a clean install”
Upgrade Upgrade to Windows 10 and keep all your files
U
pgrading to Windows 10 is often an automatic process. You’ll see a message on the screen saying that Windows 10 is ready to install, or that it is available to download and install. If you do not see this message, try running Windows Update in the Control Panel until you do. Modern PCs run 64-bit Windows and it is the best choice when there is 4GB or more of memory, but the 32-bit version is commonly used in older PCs and those with less than 4GB. Windows Upgrade installs the same
Upgrade to Windows 10
version that you have. To switch from 32-bit to 64-bit, use the install method outlined earlier and make a boot DVD or USB flash drive. If there are problems with Windows Update or you don’t see an upgrade message, follow the guide below to download and install Windows 10. It uses the download tool on the Microsoft website and handles the upgrade process. Your files and software are kept and nothing is deleted, but we still recommend backing up before starting. Plug in a USB disk drive or flash memory drive and copy across.
Enhance your system
1: Get the upgrade
2: Select the upgrade
If you don’t see an upgrade prompt, go to www.microsoft.com/software-download/ windows10. Click the download button and run the tool afterwards.
When the download tool is running, it checks and prepares the PC for the upgrade. This can take a minute or two. When ready, it displays two options. Select ‘Upgrade this PC now’.
4: Restart and install
3: Download and install
4: Use Express settings
Restart the computer and look for an option to boot from the DVD or USB flash drive (sometimes you must press an F-key like F9). The installer starts and the rest is easy.
There is little to do once the process starts and the tool first downloads Windows, which could take an hour or two depending on the internet speed. Take a break and come back.
Near the end when Windows 10 has almost finished installing, you might see a screen like this, which asks if you want to use Express settings or not. Click the button to finish.
Windows 10 Tips, Tricks & Apps 15
Tips | Tricks | apps
Secure your PC
Up your Windows 10 security and avoid hackers and malware
E
ach new release of Windows is more secure than the previous one and if you have upgraded from a very old version like Windows XP then the difference is huge. Windows 10 is the most secure yet, but that does not mean that you can forget security issues. Security features like Windows Defender and Windows Firewall must be enabled to boost the PC’s protection. The question is, are they turned on? Our guides show how to check that everything is safe. Windows Defender is used to scan the disk for malware like viruses and spyware. Windows will remind you when you need to scan and reminder messages appear in Action Centre. Windows Firewall is a feature that prevents unauthorised access to your computer through the internet by hackers and malicious programs. It should be enabled and you will see a reminder if it isn’t, but it is a good idea to check. We will show where the settings are located. Third party security software such as Avast, AVG, Panda and Avira is recommended because it is more powerful than Windows Defender and Windows Firewall. As soon as you can you should consider buying an internet security suite from one of these or another vendor. In the meantime, here is how to secure your PC.
Settings
Check the protection status
1: Search the settings
2: Turn on Defender
3: Additional Defender settings
Hold down the Windows key and press ‘I’ to open the Settings app. Type ‘defender’ into the search box and three Windows Defender results are found. Click the first one, Windows Defender settings.
If there is third party security software running on the computer, these settings can safely be turned off, but in the absence of anything else, turn on realtime protection and cloud-based protection.
Scroll down the settings and there is an option to add exclusions. Normally there are none, but you can click the link and check. Down at the bottom is a link to open Windows Defender.
36 Windows 10 Tips, Tricks & Apps
Tips | Tricks | apps
Scan for problems Is your PC clean? Use Defender to find out
T
he internet is a fantastic resource and there are some great websites and lots of superb software, but lurking among the sites and programs are viruses and spyware. Malware is quite rare if you only use trusted websites and sources of software, but there is still a small chance that it could get onto your computer. Windows Defender does two things and the first is to try to prevent malware from installing and the second is to scan for anything that might have slipped through and to remove it before it can do any harm to your computer.
Windows Defender
It’s a good idea to scan the disk for viruses and spyware using Windows Defender at least once a week. If you don’t, then Windows will remind you to carry out this task with a message in Action Centre. Windows Defender can be found on the Start>All apps menu, you can type the name into the taskbar search box and it can be accessed through the Control Panel. It is simple and effective, but not perfect (buy a security suite for more protection). Windows Update will occasionally scan the disk for viruses when updates are delivered to ensure the computer is as protected as possible.
Set up Microsoft Edge options Configure Internet Options and reset Edge to solve problems
Check the disk for malware
Click the search box in the taskbar, enter ‘internet options’ and click the result. Malware changes the home page, but it can be reset by entering a URL here.
1: Action Center messages
2: Update Windows Defender
Action Center is opened by clicking the icon at the right side of the taskbar and if your computer has not been scanned by Windows Defender for some time, a message appears there.
Open Windows Defender and select the Update tab. If it says the virus and spyware definitions are not up to date, click the Update definitions button and updates are downloaded from the internet.
3: Check and scan
4: The scan results
Select the Home tab to see the program status. Although protection is turned on, you must run Windows Defender every week and click the Scan now button. Usually just a quick scan will do.
Scanning can take 20 minutes or more, but you can carry on using your computer while it runs. Afterwards it displays the results and it will clean up any suspected spyware or viruses.
Select the Security tab and then tick Enable Protected Mode. If the security level is not set to Medium-high for the Internet, click the Default level button.
If you have security problems with Microsoft Edge, select the Advanced tab and there are two buttons. Click Restore Advanced Settings, and Reset.
Windows 10 Tips, Tricks & Apps 37
Tips | Tricks | apps
Download new apps Find great apps for leisure, education or work on the Windows Store
T
here are countless sources of software on the internet and tens of thousands of applications, utilities and games that can be downloaded. Although there are some great programs around, there are also viruses, spyware, and types of malware. In contrast, the Windows Store is a safe place to find and download software. There are many fantastic apps and it is very easy to navigate, find apps and install them. It takes the hassle and risk out of getting software for your computer. There are lots of free apps in the store, but if you choose to buy some, payments are safe and secure. The Windows Store is recommended because of its ease of use and safety compared to the wild west frontier of the open internet where many dangers lurk. The store contains more than just apps and there is music, films and TV shows too. The best content in each section is highlighted in the store and you can view top lists that show what everyone else is buying and downloading. These features allow you to easily find the best apps, music and movies for your computer. There are search facilities that enable you to find content and the results can be filtered by category. Apps can be updated and you can view your purchase history.
Windows Store
Browse the best apps
1: Open the Store
2: Browse recommended apps
3: Browse featured apps
Click the Store app tile on the Start menu or click the icon in the taskbar. The large area at the top shows several highlighted apps. Click the right and left edge to browse them.
Just below the highlighted apps is Picks for you. Click ‘Show all’ on the right to view a collection of apps recommended by the Store based on your interests and previous app downloads.
Back at the home screen, click Featured below the highlighted apps. This shows a collection of apps that are currently being promoted. There are often great ones here, so check them out.
68 Windows 10 Tips, Tricks & Apps
Tips | Tricks | apps
Browse categories Navigate the store sections and find the best content
T
he Windows Store is divided into sections, these include Apps, Games, Music, and Film & TV. Each section is quite similar and whether you are purchasing a movie or downloading a free app, the store experience is pretty much the same. Our tutorial will focus on apps, but the other store sections are similar, so if you are looking for music or even movies you can apply the techniques we outline and browse, search and purchase items in the same way. The store opens with highlighted items that show promoted apps, movies or music, and it
Windows Store
provides links to see the top items within each of the sections. You can view charts that show the best selling items in each store section, the top free content, what’s new and rising. These are great places to visit when you have a new computer and a fresh copy of Windows 10. A few apps, music and movies will make your Windows PC much more entertaining. You can also narrow the view in each section to specific sub categories and this means you can easily find the content you are interested in. Let’s see how to browse the store.
Learn how to install an app Get information about an app and download it to your device
Browse the Store categories Now you know how to browse and find apps, click one to view the details. There is a brief description on the left, a screenshot on the right and a Free button or a price.
1: Pick a category
2: Top of the charts
There are separate store sections for apps, games, music, films and TV. Click one of the sections at the top, such as Apps. The store shows content specific to the selected section.
In each store section is a link to show the top content. Here in the Apps section, click ‘App top charts & categories’. Click an item on the left, such as Top free to see a list.
3: Add a filter
4: Find new apps
There is a category list on the left that organises apps according to their content and type. Click ‘Food & dining’ for example, and you can now see the top free food-based apps.
The Top free, Top paid and Best rated charts do not change very often and the best way to find new apps is to click ‘New and rising’. Narrow the list by selecting a category.
Just below the two-line description is More. Click it and the text is expanded to provide a comprehensive explanation of what the app can do and the benefits of installing it.
Scroll down the page and there is information about in-app purchases. Many free apps have optional extras. Check the score and if you want the app, click the Free or Price button to install it.
Windows 10 Tips, Tricks & Apps 69
Tips | Tricks | apps
Work with Microsoft Office web apps Save the cost of buying Microsoft Office and use the free web-based version in Edge instead
M
icrosoft Office is the standard productivity package on the PC, used by businesses and individuals everywhere. It is a powerful suite of applications, but if you do not need to create complex documents, presentations or spreadsheets, the webbased version could be all you require. When using Office web apps, there is no need to buy a subscription and the apps themselves run in a web browser. Just go to onedrive.com in Edge. You might need to sign in with your Microsoft account the first time you access the website, but from then on you will be able to dive straight in. A list of your OneDrive files and folders will be displayed, and this is a direct mirror of OneDrive on the disk drive. Click the menu button in the top left corner and you’ll find there are lots of web apps available. We take a look at Word, Excel and PowerPoint here, but there are many more. All files are saved to OneDrive and so they appear on the PC’s disk drive, too.
Spreadsheets look complicated, but are easier with practice. The rows are numbered and the columns have letters. Cells are referred to by the column and row, so B3 is column B row 3. To add two cells together, such as B3 and D4, enter =B3+D4 (always start with an ‘=’).
106 Windows 10 Tips, Tricks & Apps
© Toshiba Europe GmbH
Spreadsheet basics
Tips | Tricks | apps
Microsoft Office
Use Word, Excel and PowerPoint
1: Start Word
2: Replace the images
3: Replace the text
To create a document, go to onedrive.com in Edge, click the button in the top left corner for the menu and click the Word tile. Select the template you want to use for your document.
Some templates have dummy text and images that need to be replaced. Click an image, select the Insert tab and click Picture in the toolbar. Select an image from the disk drive or Bing.
The document templates, apart from the blank one, contain dummy headings, body text and so on. Click in the text, delete it and then type in your own. Style it using the features in the toolbar.
4: Save the document
5: Create a spreadsheet
6: Add functions
There is no need to save the Word document because it is saved automatically and downloaded to the PC. If you want to save it as a PDF document, click the File menu and select Download as PDF.
At onedrive.com, click the menu button, then Excel. Select a template or a blank document. Click in the cells and enter text or numbers to create a spreadsheet like this simple monthly budget.
To perform calculations on numbers, click the arrow next to Autosum in the toolbar and select More Functions. Select a function in the list, such as SUM, to insert it into the spreadsheet cell.
7: Complete the function
8: Create a chart
9: Create a presentation
The function selected is inserted, but it is not completed. You must finish it off by selecting the cells. With the SUM function for example, you specify the start and end cells, such as SUM(C4:C5).
Spreadsheets look better with charts. Click and drag over two columns of cells and click a chart type on the CHART tab of the toolbar. Drag the chart to position it and drag the corners to resize it.
PowerPoint creates slide shows and using it is similar to Word and Excel. Open the onedrive.com menu and click PowerPoint. Select a template and then replace the dummy text with your own.
Windows 10 Tips, Tricks & Apps 107
Tips | Tricks | apps
Entertainment Make computing a fun experience
Y
our computer is made for productivity. From word processors to databases, it has helped businesses become more efficient and industrious. Furthering business, after all, was one of the main reasons for creating the personal computer in the first place. Yet, as technology has
progressed, PC productivity is also doing a terrific job of delivering an unwelcome by-product: stress. Therefore, entertainment on that same platform has been recognised as a salve to the user’s sanity. More than a counter for over-working, though, the PC has now been welcomed into the living room,
becoming more widely accessible and is now offering a realistic way to integrate entertainment within the home. From movies to music, the PC has become an essential friend of the family to not only escape a hard day’s work but to inform, expand choice and broaden everyone’s horizons.
Perfect – Piano Plus Price: £2.29/ $2.99 Developer: JetSoft Studio Quite simply, this app transforms your Windows 10 PC into a piano featuring 31 simultaneous notes and stereo HQ sounds for real music production. Simple to use, you can choose your octave using the arrows at the top of the interface and then tinkle the virtual ivories to your heart’s content. There is precious little to this app beyond the ability to play piano, but we can’t emphasise how good it sounds – so if you need something to practise on, look no further.
Fresh Paint Price: Free Developer: Microsoft Corporation A simple paint program that can be used by the entire family, Fresh Paint even allows you to turn your own photographs into great artistic paintings. All you have to do is import the photo and browse through the simple options to explore what you can do to unleash your creativity. The program will allow you to brush over an image or even blend the colours of the photo into the program’s colours. There's also a zoom function included.
Netflix Price: Free Developer: Netflix, Inc A TV and movie subscription service, with Netflix, you can watch thousands of TV episodes and movies upon signing up and paying a regular monthly fee. You can watch the media on your PC, of course, but also via a game console, tablet, phone and Blu-ray player. The choice is yours. After you have watched your fill, you can also rate and review the broadcasts.
Now TV Price: Free Developer: Sky UK Limited Now TV is Sky’s on-demand service that enables you to watch movies, shows and live sports events on your PC. Through this app you can browse through the many Sky TV channels and their wealth of content, purchase a special pass to watch your preferred channel for a certain amount of time and then sit back as the content is streamed to your PC.
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Pixel Art Studio Price: Free Developer: Gritsenko Retro pixel art will always have a place at the top table of 'cool' and his marvellous free app lets you create pixel art of your desktop with relative easy. Whether it's simply artwork to create and display or you're making graphics for a game, this app has all of the tools that you need to transform your ideas into art. It's optimised for pen and touch devices but works fine with your mouse.
Tips | Tricks | apps
Photography Record your precious memories in a flash
P
hotography is one of the most vibrant sections of the app store. There is a gamut of impressive cameras and technology out there: from specialist digital cameras or the increasingly complex phone-based affairs. Along with digital technology, modern photography also takes advantage of cloud technology (like OneDrive), syncing photos snapped on a phone, for example, to virtual storage, as well as to a Mac or PC, streamlining the process of backing up photos or sharing them with friends. It’s another convenience that makes the new breed of smart cameras a killer type of technology. Using this kit, users often build some wildly inventive images. Whether you’re a professional photographer or a complete beginner, you can’t help but appreciate the variety and quality of photography apps that are on offer here.
Photo Editor Pro Price: £49.99/$59.99 Developer: Polarr Used by pros, Photo Editor Pro offers a wide range of powerful auto-enhancement tools and advanced filters to edit and enhance every aspect of your photos. The program includes a complete set of colour-masking, healing and face-editing tools as well as over 100 filters. To add a look of professionalism to your work, you can create and uplaod watermarks on the images.
“Modern digital photography takes advantage of cloud technology, syncing your photos to virtual storage” PhotoFunia
Adobe Photoshop CS6 Extended
Price: Free Developer: Capsule Digital This editing suite has various tools and effects to create fun and unique images. The software is cloud-based, which means you will need to have an internet connection for the app to work. If you do have Wi-Fi then you can access over 500 effects, each with examples of the final image, and the editing process is as simple as importing a photo and clicking 'Go.'
Price: Free Developer: Adobe Systems Incorporated The free trial version of this app has to be downloaded off-site, so when you access its details, it will be at the Adobe site where you will need to download it. You’ll find that this app will take a fair while to transfer to your PC. But once installed, you will be able to create 3D graphics, 2D images, plus movies, using an array of top-quality tools. The sky is the limit here, so set your creativity free and create some masterpieces!
Adobe Photoshop Express Price: Free Developer: Adobe Systems Incorporated For over 20 years Adobe has offered cutting-edge picture-editing facilities through its Photoshop range and this app allows you to enjoy some of Photoshop’s most popular photo-editing features for free. You can crop, straighten and flip your photos, auto-fix the brightness, exposure and shadows, adjust the colours and apply a wide range of filters to really make your images stand out. It’s easy to use and perfect for pimping up your pictures.
Fotor Price: Free Developer: Chengdu Everimaging This app provides cutting-edge tools for making photo editing on your Windows 10 PC an intuitive experience. Included in the package are tools to resize images, tweak the colour levels, add frames, one-touch enhancement, tilt shift and more – so you can really go to town taking your images to a whole new level of brilliance in minutes.
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