TTZ03 2015
528 tips, tricks and guides – get the most from Windows 8.1 today!
528 tips, tricks and guides – get the most from Windows 8.1 today!
Editorial team Contributors Art Editor
Editor-in-chief
Fraser McDermott
Graham Barlow
Alex Cox, Alan Dexter, Christian Hall, Nick Odzntzis, Nick Peers, Mayank Sharma, James Stables, Mark Wilson, Henry Winchester, Ben Andrews Images
iStockphoto, Future Photo Studio
Management
Marketing
Circulation
content & marketing director
Marketing Manager
Trade Marketing Manager
Nial Ferguson
Richard Stephens
Juliette Winyard
Head of Content & marketing, tech
Nick Merritt
Print & production
Licensing
group editor-in-chief
PRODUCTION Manager
Licensing & Syndication Director
Paul Newman
Mark Constance
Group art director
Production Controller
Steve Gotobed
Vivienne Calvert
Regina Erak regina.erak@futurenet.com Phone +44(0)1225 442244 Fax +44 (0)1225 732275
Subscriptions UK reader order line & enquiries: 0844 848 2852 Overseas reader order line & enquiries: +44 (0)1604 251045 Online enquiries: www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk
Printed in the UK by William Gibbons on behalf of Future. Distributed in the UK by Seymour Distribution Ltd, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PT. Phone: 020 7429 4000
Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA, UK www.futureplc.com www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk Phone +44 ( 0 )1225 442244 Fax +44 ( 0 )1225 732275 All contents copyright © 2015 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored, transmitted or used in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price and other details of products or services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any changes or updates to them. If you submit unsolicited material to us, you automatically grant Future a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in all editions of the magazine, including licensed editions worldwide and in any physical or digital format throughout the world. Any material you submit is sent at your risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents or subcontractors shall be liable for loss or damage. Future is an award-winning international media group and leading digital business. We reach more than 49 million international consumers a month and create world-class content and advertising solutions for passionate consumers online, on tablet & smartphone and in print. Future plc is a public company quoted on the London Stock Exchange (symbol: FUTR). www.futureplc.com
Chief executive Zillah Byng-Maddick Non-executive chairman Peter Allen Chief financial officer Richard Haley Tel +44 (0)207 042 4000 (London) Tel +44 (0)1225 442 244 (Bath)
…to your ultimate companion to Windows 8.1 with 528 great tips for getting more out of your PC Despite being just a point upgrade, Windows 8.1 is a big step up from the original Windows 8. It’s got all the vital tweaks that will transform the original Windows 8 into a much better experience, and best of all, if you’ve got Windows 8 then it’s a totally free upgrade. One of the big strengths of Windows 8.1 is its flexibility – you can do so much with it. It’s packed with settings that can be tweaked, hidden tools you can use to get better performance and built-in apps that make using your PC so much fun. In this tips guide to Windows 8.1, we reveal all the features you need to know to get even more from your PC. We start off with some advice on customising Windows 8.1, looking at what you can change, and why you might want to change
Technology Tips Guides are designed to give you ideas and inspiration for exploring the devices or software you own in more detail. Whatever your skill level, each book aims to help you get the best from the products you love by giving you… A reference guide you can keep on your desk or next to your computer
it. Next up, we tackle some advanced system tools, and show you how they can help find out exactly what’s going on with your PC. In the Explore section we have a creative use for Windows Movie Maker, as well as advice on reading eBooks with ease. Next, we take a look at how to repair Windows 8.1 should you get any problems. And finally we tackle ways you can get more performance from your home computer, whether that’s with faster computing or longer battery life. Armed with this guide, packed full of essential advice, you’ll be getting more from your PC than ever before. Enjoy!
Graham Barlow Editor-in-Chief www.facebook.com/windowsmag
and consult time and time again when you want something new to do or need to solve a problem
things to try, we’ll show you the best ways to do everything
New skills you can take with you through life and apply at home or even in the workplace
Hours of fun thanks to the hundreds of ideas, hints and insider secrets you can use to truly master your device or software
Maximum enjoyment from your hardware and software – from solving new problems to discovering new
Advice you can take everywhere thanks to the free digital edition of this book – see page 146 for more details
How are we doing? Email techbookseditor@futurenet.com and let us know if we’ve lived up to our promises!
Windows 8.1 | 5
Welcome & Manifesto
Welcome!
Windows 8.1 tips & tricks | Contents
100 Windows 8.1 tips & tricks Get started with these great tips for Windows
Contents 10 40
Advanced Windows Tools
Troubleshoot, optimise & tweak your system
Encrypt data for free
Keep important and sensitive files safe and secure
Settings to tweak and hidden features revealed. It’s all here!
6 | Windows 8.1
■ Customise
10 100 Windows 8.1 tips & tricks 22 The best free Windows programs 32 Customise Windows 8.1 36 Conquer the Lock screen
82
■ Advanced tweaks
40 Advanced Windows tools 54 Automate Windows with PowerShell 58 Secure your computer 60 Increase your desktop area 64 Manage your network with free tools
Use this simple, free ebookreading app
100 126
Reinstall or recover If all else fails
Windows problems solved
Improve your PC
92 longer battery life
142
Increase the battery life of your laptop
■ Explore
70 Use the best free productivity tools 75 Manage music with these free tools 78 Try a different web browser 82 Encrypt data for free 84 Organise documents 88 Make a stop-motion movie 92 Read eBooks using Icecream Reader
■ Repair & Recover
96 Repair Windows 8.1 100 Restore, refresh or resinstall Windows 108 Back up your hard disk 111 Recover lost files with these clever apps 114 Safely clean the Registry 119 The truth about bloatware
■ Improve performance 126 101 Windows problems solved 136 Get more speed for free 142 Get longer battery life
Windows 8.1 | 7
Windows 8.1 tips & tricks | Contents
ICECREAM ReadER
8 | Windows 8.1
Customise | Free programs
Customise | Contents
Customise Get your perfect PC setup with these great tips for Windows 8.1 10 100 Windows 8.1 tips & tricks Improve your system with the best tips around 22 The best free Windows programs Get more out of Windows with these great free programs 32 Customise Windows 8.1 Change the look of Windows 8.1 with these tweaks 36 Conquer the Lock screen Customise the Windows Lock screen with ease
Windows 8.1 | 9
Customise | Power User tips “The tips in this feature will unravel hidden features and customisation options” 10 | Windows 8.1
Customise | Power User tips
Windows 8.1 Power User tips Get into the trenches with Mayank Sharma as he helps you get more out of the latest Windows release with these tweaks indows 8.1 is a wonderfully evolved version of the revolutionary Windows 8 release. It’s a direct result of Microsoft paying heed to its customers’ feedback and suggestions. Windows 8.1 offers an improved user experience and better integration with Microsoft applications, like OneDrive and Skype. The original release was criticised for its bias toward touch devices. Windows 8.1, while still built for touch, now offers a better end-user experience to people on traditional non-touch devices. For starters, you are no longer forced to use the Metro interface, as Windows 8.1 boots directly into the Desktop view. Other components critical to the user experience have also been enhanced and have taken on new features and functionalities. At first glance, Windows 8.1 only looks like a touched up version of the previous release. In its quest to minimise changes to the default user experience and maintain consistency with the previous release, most of the new functionality is tucked away under the folds. The tips in this feature will unravel these hidden features and customisation options, and help you personalise your Windows 8.1 so it works just as you’d like it to. So, roll up your sleeves and dive in!
W
Windows 8.1 | 11
Customise | Power User tips
Start screen app notifications on 1 Show the Lock screen
Bring up the Charms bar and go to Settings > Change PC settings. Then navigate to Search and apps > Notifications and toggle the ‘Show app notifications switch’ to On, which also enables the option to add notifications on the Lock screen.
a slideshow on 2 Play the Lock screen
Bring up the Charms bar and head to Settings > Change PC settings > PC & Devices > Lock screen. Toggle the ‘Play a slide show of pictures on the lock screen’ to On and then select a picture source.
Move with one hand 5
To simplify the movement of items, head to Control Panel > Mouse and in the Buttons tab, toggle the option to turn on ClickLock. Then press the Settings button and use the slider control to set the time required to lock a mouse button.
a new tile group 3 Create To create a new group of tiles drag a tile to the right side of the Start screen. When you see a separator, drop the tile to its right. Once the group is created you can add as many tiles as you like.
desktop wallpaper as 4 Set Start screen background
In the Charms Bar, head to Settings > Personalise. This brings up a list of 15 wallpapers for the Start screen and the
default Windows desktop wallpaper is the last one on the list.
6
Use quiet hours
To turn off notifications during a certain time period, head to PC Settings > Search and apps > Notification and use the drop-down lists to define the period of quiet hours you want to use.
people 7 Pin Launch the People app and click on a contact to view their feed. Right-click inside the contact and select the ‘Pin to Start’ option. The app will let you customise the name of the contact as well as pick a size for the tile.
folders 8 Pin Similarly, you can pin frequently
Add apps on the Lock screen 9
Bring up the Charms bar and click on Settings > Change PC Settings. Then head to PC and Devices which brings up the settings for the Lock screen. Next, scroll down and click on one of the grayed-out icons and pick the app you want to appear on the Lock screen.
12 | Windows 8.1
ENJOYED READING THIS MAGAZINE? Subscribe and make great savings at www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk