Innehållsförteckning för Issue 8 från Windows 11 The Complete Manual

Since its release Windows has become the mainstay operating system for the beginner, intermediate and advanced computer user. It’s designed to push the boundaries, to encompass the everyday digital and help bring us closer together than ever before. It brings a fresh new look, together with powerful new code under the hood. Everything you need to help drive you into the future. This series will guide you through Microsoft’s latest operating system, offering you something new to learn on every page and providing you with the necessary knowledge to make Windows work for you. In here you’ll find tips and tutorials, unlocking the secrets of AI, the OS and helping you become a more advanced user. So, let’s dive into Windows and start building both your confidence and understanding of…

Connecting to Wi-Fi A Wi-Fi network connection is now by far the most common way people connect to the Internet. The process should be fairly familiar to you by now, but if not, here are the exact steps to connect. Step 1 If your computer is not connected to the Internet, Windows will display a small globe icon on the right side of the taskbar. You can either click this and select Wi-Fi from the quick settings, or you can open the main Settings app > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi (the best route with a brand new connection). Step 2 Use the slider switch to enable Wi-Fi on your computer. Now click “Show available networks” to see a list of the networks within range of your computer. This may…

Get to Grips with Start If you have used Windows before, the Start menu shouldn’t hold too many surprises for you, but it is still a good idea to familiarise yourself with its features. Step 1 The completely redesigned Start menu is opened by clicking on the Windows icon in the taskbar, or by pressing the Windows Key on your keyboard. It opens above the taskbar icons, floating in the middle of the screen. It will appear over the top of any open windows. Step 2 The Start menu is arranged into four main sections: Search, Pinned Apps, Recent or Recommended Files and Account/Power. Clicking in the Search field will switch to the dedicated Search panel, rather than letting you type your search term directly into the Start menu. Step…

Mastering the Windows 11 Taskbar The taskbar has always been more useful than many users realise. In Windows 11 the emphasis has shifted much more towards a simplified, but still powerful, selection of pinned tools/apps. Taskbar Layout The taskbar runs the full length of the bottom of the screen, and is now divided into two main sections: Start Menu/Pinned App and System Tools. In Windows 11 the taskbar app icons are arranged in the centre of the taskbar (although this can be changed), with system tools on the right. Start Menu The first icon in the row of taskbar icons is the Start menu button. Clicking this opens the Start menu directly above the icons. You can right-click the Start menu button to see a jump menu of additional links…

Show Libraries Your Libraries in Windows 11 are preset system folders that are the default locations for your Camera Roll, Music, Saved Pictures, Documents, Pictures and Videos. You can easily have these displayed in the File Explorer. Right-click on any free area of the Navigation Pane and from the menu, click Show Libraries. You can then expand the list of libraries by clicking the small arrow. The View Tab The View tab in File Explorer allows you to completely change how the window looks, how files are displayed and even whether each item has a permanent check box next to it. One of the most useful tools in the View tab is the Details Pane button. This switches the Preview Pane to show a list of file details instead. This…

Privacy & Security The privacy settings contains sections for all of the main areas where your privacy may be compromised, including some which might not be obvious at first. Windows Update It is important to make sure that your Windows computer is up-to-date with all the latest updates and revisions. Here you can check to see which updates are available to download and install. System Settings These are the core settings for your computer. Things like Display, Sound, Power & Battery and Storage can be found in this settings category. Bluetooth & Devices Having trouble with your mouse or printer? This is where you can access the settings for almost anything that connects to your computer. Network & Internet View, connect to and manage your Wi-Fi, Network and other Internet…

Get Started with Edge Edge in Windows 11 feels much less clunky than the previous version and already feels more like the most popular browsers available, such as Chrome or Firefox. Installing Edge Edge comes pre-installed with Windows 11, and if you have upgraded from Windows 10 (and were using Edge previously) it should already be set up and working as normal. If you bought a PC with Windows 11 installed, or have never used Edge before, it will require a bit of setup to begin. Edge Setup During setup, you have the option to import browser data such as bookmarks and favourites from Google Chrome, choose the initial start page layout and set up syncing across devices (other computers, your phone, etc.) Once installed, Edge opens at the start…

Calendar Updates The new Windows 11 Calendar app is one of a number of apps that Microsoft are actively updating on a regular basis. Features were removed and added even in the first few months of Windows 11’s launch, and there’s more to come. Whether any of the previous features that were removed will return is anyone’s guess, as Microsoft is remaining silent. But, with each new update, the Calendar gets better, so keep an eye on it and see how it evolves over time.…

Basic Keyboard Shortcuts Ctrl+C________________________________Copy the selected item Ctrl+X_________________________________ Cut the selected item Ctrl+V_______________________________ Pastetheselecteditem Ctrl+Z ______________________________________ Undo an action Alt+Tab___________________________ Switch between open apps Alt+F4______________________Close an active item, or exit an app Shift+Delete__________ Delete item without moving to RecycleBin Ctrl+Shift+Esc________________________ Open the Task Manager Windows Key Shortcuts Windows key______________________________ OpenStartmenu Windows key + A____________________Open Quick Settings panel Windows key‌+ S_______________________________ Open Search Windows key‌+ C___________________________ Open Teams Chat Windows key‌+ Tab___________________________Open Task view Windows key + I___________________ Open Windows 11 Settings Windows key + W________________________ Open Widgets panel Windows key + E__________________________ Open File Explorer Windows key + R__________________________ Open the Run app Windows key + V_________________________ Open the Clipboard Windows key + G_____________________Open the Xbox Game Bar Windows key + N_____________________ Open Notifications panel Windows key + X_________________ Open…

Nearby Sharing Share your files quickly with Nearby Sharing: your computer automatically picks the fastest way to share your file or webpage, either over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Step 1 To enable Nearby Sharing, open Settings and click on System. Now click on Shared experiences and turn on the Nearby Sharing option. You may be asked to sign in, or confirm sign in, if you have several accounts associated with your computer (Microsoft account, email account, etc.). Step 2 You can also activate Nearby Sharing from the quick actions menu in the Action Center. You can send any video, photo, document or webpage viewed on Microsoft Edge to people or devices nearby by clicking on the share icon in the top right corner of the app or right-clicking to view the…

Exploring the Notification Center The Notification Center is an important and useful element in Windows 11, providing you with access to the calendar as well as notifications and alerts. Step 1 New notifications and alerts will pop up at the bottom-right corner of the screen (by default, but you can change the notification settings), disappearing after a few seconds. After the initial pop-up has disappeared, you can view all current notifications by clicking on the time/date in the taskbar. Step 2 You can see if there are new notifications waiting to be viewed by the badge that will appear on the corner of the time/date in the taskbar. You can turn off these badges in the settings, but they are a useful and unobtrusive way to see, at a glance,…

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. Step 1 Task View is accessed by clicking the third icon in the taskbar; the white square on the black square. The Task View screen is split into two sections: Open tasks and desktops. Any apps or windows you have open, even if they are currently minimised, will be displayed in the open tasks panel. Step 2 The size and shape of the windows shown in Task View depend on the size and shape of the actual window. For example, if you have Microsoft Edge open at full screen, it will be displayed as a wide rectangle in…

What Features in File Explorer? File Explorer is a much undervalued part of Windows. And while it hasn’t fundamentally changed for several versions of the operating system, Windows 11 has made some changes, which we’ll take you through here. Step 1 The way you browse files in Windows 11 is similar to previous versions of Windows, but File Explorer has been slightly simplified. The main Quick Access window shows you your most frequently used folders (after all, how many of us dip into more than five or ten folders in a day?) and also recent files. Step 2 The sidebar also works on the same principle, and via a new Quick Access feature you can pin folders or files that you want to stick around. It will also show you…

Wonderful Widgets If you are not used to using widgets, you could be excused for hardly noticing they are a part of Windows 11. But once you do start using them, their usefulness becomes obvious. Step 1 To open the widget panel, click or tap the button in the Taskbar (the blue and white square icon) or press Windows key + W on the keyboard. The panel slides out from the left side of the screen, and will sit over the top of any other apps or windows you currently have open. Step 2 The widget panel is initially split up into three main sections: Widgets, Dsicover, Following, Watch and Play. Scroll down the panel to see more content. At the top-right is an account icon, which opens a new…

Customise Mail You can customise how the Email app looks in a number of ways, from simple changes like choosing between a light and dark theme, to setting the overall colour and changing the background image for the app. To personalise the Mail app, click the Settings button and select “Personalisation”.…

Setting Up Calendars The calendar can be a great productivity tool. We’ll show you how to set up your calendar, arrange events and change settings, so your calendar is exactly the way you want it. Adding Calendars Like Windows 11’s email app, Calendar also enables you to add multiple accounts; and from different providers too. So whether you use an Outlook calendar at work or have shared Google calendars, you can join them all together in the Calendar app. To Start click on Add Accounts. Sign In to Calendars Now add the accounts you want to use in Calendar. You can do this at any point you choose via Settings > Accounts. From there you can easily add an Outlook.com, Exchange, Google or iCloud calendar; or enter advanced settings for…

Go Shopping With more content, and more to explore, there’s a lot to cover in the Windows 11 App Store. Here’s how it works, and some of the highlights. Step 1 The Windows App Store is located, by default, within the taskbar. It’s easy to identify, it’s the carrier bag icon with the Microsoft logo. Click it, and as long as you’re signed into a valid Microsoft account, it will launch with the latest trending and highlighted apps displayed. Step 2 Let’s run through locating and installing an app from the App Store. In the Search box, located at the top of the Store window, enter: VLC. In case, you’re wondering, VLC is a free, cross-platform media player. In the Search bar, there will be a number of returned results,…

Silver Linings Here’s a quick guide on how to get the best from your OneDrive service, and how to ensure that your important data is always backed up and safely stored within that voluminous online cloud. Step 1 You can check to see if you have Microsoft’s OneDrive already loaded on your Windows 11 computer by clicking in the notification area in the bottom-right of the desktop. You’re looking for a cloud icon. If it’s not there, simply click the Windows Start button and type ‘OneDrive’. Click the OneDrive app that appears in the list. Step 2 You may be asked to sign in with your Microsoft account, follow the instructions, and you’ll notice that the cloud icon in the notification area may have an extra icon over it to…

Using the Your Phone App The setup steps for connecting a mobile device to your Windows computer are the same for almost all compatible Android devices. The app offers additional features for Samsung devices. Step 1 Open the main app list from the Start menu and look for “Your Phone”. Click the app and then click the “Get Started” button on the screen that opens. You will need to sign in with the same Microsoft account on both the PC and the companion app on your phone. Select/sign in to that account next. Step 2 On your Android phone, open a browser window and go to www.aka.ms/yourpc. You may already have an app installed that can link to windows called Your Phone Companion (on Samsung, open the Quick settings and…

Managing Your Images The Photos app has seen some useful improvements over the last few years and is actually very powerful now. It doesn’t offer the flexibility of an app like Photoshop Elements, but it does simple image management well. Step 1 Photos shows all of your images in a chronologically displayed timeline of images (All Photos), with some automatically created collections (Memories) and further options below it. You can click on any image to get a full-window view of it, allowing you to view, adjust and edit it. Step 2 Along the top of the full image view is a toolbar. This contains zoom and rotate buttons, an edit image button and draw button, as well as delete, add to favourites, file information, save as, resize and several more.…

Hello Windows 11 One of the first tasks to complete when you boot into Windows 11, is to run through the Getting Started guide. Here’s how it works. Step 1 You’ll find the Getting Started guide in the Start menu, when you click the Windows logo button on the taskbar. It’s a welcome to Windows setup wizard, and makes sure you’re ready to use your files, and get access to your work quickly and effectively. Once it has opened, click the Get Started button to continue to the next step. Step 2 Microsoft’s use of OneDrive for both business and personal data has become one of the cornerstones of the company’s services. OneDrive offers a secure space to store your data, which will always be available no matter what happens…

Then and Now We’ve come a long way since the early days of Windows version 1.0. Through ups and downs, Windows has evolved to become the most used desktop operating system in the world. Over 35 years have passed since Windows 1.0 has released, let’s see what the next 35 hold for Microsoft’s OS.…

Using Snap Layouts Snap Layouts are a quick and easy way to organise a busy or cluttered desktop. They are similar to Snap Assist, but are created in a new and different way. Step 1 Snap Layouts can be created with just one open app or window, but really come into their own when several are open. Move your mouse over the Maximise button (top-right corner) of any open app or window, without clicking. After a second, a brand new menu will pop up, showing the available layouts you can use. Step 2 There are 4 preset layouts available (at present, although more may be added): 2 equal windows side-by-side, 2 unequal windows side-by-side, 3 windows and 4 equal windows. Click on whichever you want to use, and the window/app…

Creating New Folders It may seem too simple if you are a long time Windows user, but here’s a look at how to create new folders on the desktop and within other folders. Step 1 On the desktop, right-click and select New folder from the action menu that appears. The familiar yellow folder icon will then appear at that position on the desktop (wherever you clicked), with the name automatically set as ‘New folder’ but highlighted ready to change. Step 2 You can leave the name as ‘New folder’ if you wish. If you then create a second folder next to the first, it will automatically be named ‘New folder (2)’. You can rename a folder at any time by left-clicking on the title once, or right-clicking and selecting Rename…

Edge Settings Alongside options to change the style of the Edge browser, including changing to a dark theme, are several important settings. You can choose how the Edge browser opens, showing the Start page or another specified page for example. The advanced settings include options to block pop-ups and allow Flash Player.…

Setting Up Email Accounts The Windows 11 email client can be used to view emails from multiple accounts, from your POP3 Internet provider account, to Microsoft Exchange, Gmail and even Apple’s iCloud. Step 1 If opening Mail for the first time, you will be greeted by a welcome screen, containing a link to “+Add account”. Click this to open the list of available account types. You will need the server, password and other information required for each email account you want to add to Mail. Step 2 You can add accounts from many popular providers including Google, Yahoo! and Apple’s iCloud. You can also set up other more specialist accounts if you have the details. Finally, there’s also an option to add a Microsoft Exchange account, if your workplace uses…

Step 1 If you need to search for anything on your Windows 11 PC, the taskbar search tool is now the place to do it. The search field in the taskbar from Windows 10 is no longer there. You can also access search through the Start menu, or by pressing Windows key + S on your keyboard. Step 2 In addition to files and folders, you can search for web results and apps. When you first click in the search box you will see three tabs along the bottom that let you choose what to search for; but even if you don’t click one of these, the search function is smart enough to return results from all. Step 3 Search results are displayed in sections (best match, apps, folders, etc.)…

From Set Up to reaching for the stars As the key part of the 2023 Windows 11 update and the replacement for the rather poor former Windows AI assistant Cortana, the Copilot app is packed with features. Let’s take a look at our top picks. Step 1 When you open Copilot, via the quick launch or Alt+Space, the application will request that you sign in using your Microsoft account. The first time sign in will require a two stage conformation using your back up email address or via your mobile phone. Once complete the app opens. Step 2 In the keyboard input bar at the bottom of the app, notice the “Think Deeper” icon. This link acts a short tutorial which is recommended for all first time users. This outlines…

Setting Up the Teams App Getting started with Microsoft Teams on Windows 11 is relatively easy if you have a Teams account already set up, which we assume you do if you are trying to use this app. Step 1 Click the Teams Chat icon in the taskbar, or open the Teams app in the main apps list. If your Microsoft account email matches the one you use when setting up your Teams account, the app should automatically detect it, and log you in to the app after a few moments. Step 2 If the app doesn’t recognise your email address, it will open the Teams login screen. Here you can choose an account to sign in to (if any are displayed), or you can pick another account. If you…

Blocking Notifications Choose which notifications you want to see and hear. The remainder of your alerts will go into the Action Center so you can see them at a more convenient time. Step 1 You can easily activate Focus Assist using the quick actions panel in the Action Center. The default setting is Off. Click the Quick action button once to allow priority notifications only, click it a second time to allow alarms only. Click the button a third time to turn Focus Assist off again. Step 2 You can also turn Focus Assist on or off in the main settings (settings > system > focus assist). Once there, you can also set up your automatic rules and customise your priority list. You can set automatic rules based on times,…

Importing to a Folder The setup steps for connecting a mobile device to your Windows computer are the same for almost all compatible Android devices. The app offers additional features for Samsung devices. Step 1 The first thing you need to do to import photos directly from a phone or camera is to connect the relevant cable to your PC. In almost all cases, this will be a USB cable of some sort. You will have been supplied a transfer cable with the device you are using. Plug this into a free USB port. Step 2 Normally, when you first plug a device in to your computer which contains storage of some sort, Windows will ask how you want to handle the files in that storage. Scroll down the list…

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