Mastering Windows 10 Made Easy Training Tutorial

Windows is a family of operating systems developed by Microsoft Corporation. Windows provides a graphical user interface (GUI), virtual memory management, multitasking, and support for many peripheral devices. Learn this and more during this lecture.

One way to navigate through the Windows environment is by using your mouse. A mouse is a device that you control with your hand. You roll it around on a pad. This allows you to move the mouse pointer, usually an “arrow” icon, on your screen to select files and folders. There are many variations of the mouse, but they are all designed to perform the same basic functions. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In Windows 10, the Desktop is only available for laptops, desktops, and larger tablets. It is not available for very small tablets or Windows Phones. For devices that have a keyboard and no touchscreen, Windows 10 will display the Desktop environment by default. Devices that have a touch screen with no keyboard connected will default to “Tablet Mode,” instead. Learn this and more during this lecture.

The Start button in Windows 10 is a small button that displays the Windows logo and is always displayed at the left end of the Taskbar. You can click the Start button to display the Start menu or the Start screen within Windows 10. Learn this and more during this lecture.

The Start menu has been re-introduced in Windows 10. The new Windows 10 Start menu is a hybrid of the Start menu found in Windows 7 or earlier and the Start screen from Windows 8. If viewing the Desktop in Windows 10, you can view the Start menu by clicking the “Start” button, which has the Windows logo on it, in the lower-left corner of the screen in the Windows Taskbar. Alternately, you can press the Windows key on your keyboard to display the Start menu at any time. Learn this and more during this lecture.

You can customize the appearance of the Start menu in many ways. You can control the placement and grouping of the live tiles shown at the right side of the Start menu, as well as name the tile groupings you create. You can also control the appearance of many of the individual live tiles themselves within the Start menu. In this lecture, you will learn how to customize the Start menu in Windows 10. Learn this and more during this lecture.

The Start screen appears in Windows 10 if using a tablet or if you change the default “Start” settings to enable its display. If viewing the Desktop in Windows 10, you can view the Start screen by clicking the “Start” button, which has the Windows logo on it, in the lower-left corner of the screen in the Windows Taskbar. Alternately, you can press the Windows key on your keyboard to display the Start screen at any time. Learn this and more during this lecture.

You can customize the appearance of the Start screen in many ways. You can control the placement and grouping of the live tiles shown at the right side of the Start screen, as well as name the tile groupings you create. You can also control the appearance of many of the individual live tiles themselves within the Start screen. In this lecture, you will learn how to customize the Start screen in Windows 10. Learn this and more during this lecture.

In Windows 10, devices that have a touch screen with no keyboard attached will default to using the tablet mode. However, note that users of desktops, laptops, and larger tablets can also manually switch to the tablet mode, even if their device defaults to the Windows 10 Desktop. Users of devices such as the Microsoft Surface Pro, which can switch between tablet and laptop modes, will notice that the Continuum feature of Windows 10 will automatically adjust their device between the tablet and laptop modes, as needed. Learn this and more during this lecture.

This lecture discusses using tablet mode in Windows 10. When Windows 10 is in tablet mode, many changes to Windows 10 automatically occur. Many of these changes impact the way you use Windows 10, while other changes affect the user interface and how applications behave. Learn this and more during this lecture.

You can use the “Search the web and Windows” search box within the Taskbar of the Desktop to search for content within the web and within Windows. To search in Windows 10, click into the “Search the web and Windows” box within the Taskbar of the Desktop to display a “Search” pane above the box. Learn this and more during this lecture.

Windows 10 introduces the new “universal app” window. This window is like a modified version of the “modern” app windows introduced in Windows 8, combined with the title bars from the older “desktop-style” windows. This lecture will discuss the new universal app windows and the navigation features that you will often encounter within them. Learn this and more during this lecture.

While the ability to “snap” an app window to the side of the screen was introduced in earlier versions of Windows, you will find that snapping apps to the side of the screen is even easier in Windows 10. In addition to new keyboard shortcuts for app snapping, you can now snap windows on top of one another, vertically, or even snap them into the corners of a window, if desired, and if your screen is large enough. Learn this and more during this lecture.

The window is one of the basic elements of the Windows operating system. You perform most activities in different windows within the application. Windows that appear within the Desktop will most often share a similar structure and layout. In this lecture, we will examine how to resize windows commonly found within a Desktop. Learn this and more during this lecture.

When you need to turn off your computer, it is very important to do so properly. Do not simply unplug the computer or interrupt its power source! Doing so could possibly corrupt the information in your computer! Learn this and more during this lecture.

With Windows 10, you can download apps for your computing devices from the Windows Store. Note that you must be signed into your computer using a Microsoft Account to download apps from the Windows Store. Learn this and more during this lecture.

Windows 10 gives you additional sign-in options if you do not wish to use a Microsoft account password to log in to your device. After you have initially signed-in to your device you can then create the other sign-in options you prefer and set Windows 10 to use them, instead. You can use a PIN number or a picture password to sign in to your Windows 10 device, instead, if you prefer. Learn this and more during this lecture.

After creating a PIN or picture password for login, you may want to change or remove your PIN or picture password. To do this, click the “Start” button, if necessary, to display the Start screen or Start menu. If using the Start screen, click the “Nav button” in the upper-left corner of the Navigation Bar to display the Navigation pane. Then, in either the Start screen or Start menu, click the “Settings” command to open the “Settings” window. Learn this and more during this lecture.

File Explorer has been available in Windows for many, many years. However, Windows 10, has added a few new features to “File Explorer.” Note that in releases of Windows prior to Windows 8, File Explorer was referred to as “Windows Explorer.” It doesn't really matter what you call it, as long as you realize that Windows Explorer and File Explorer are basically the same program, with a few differences between versions and names within the different Windows operating systems. Learn this and more during this lecture.

You use File Explorer to navigate through the files and folders your device can access. Within the large pane at the right side of File Explorer, you will see the contents of the currently selected drive or folder. Within this pane at the right, you can double-click a drive or folder icon to open it. Windows will then display its contents in the pane at the right side, showing you any folders and files within that location. Learn this and more during this lecture.

Windows 10 lets you change the display of the files and folders shown in the right pane within the File Explorer window. This is just a matter of personal preference. Your options are to display folder items as “Extra large icons,” “Large icons,” “Medium icons,” “Small icons,” “List,” “Details,” “Tiles,” or “Content.” Learn this and more during this lecture.

In order to perform many file management activities within File Explorer, you must first learn how to select files. You can select a single file in File Explorer by clicking it once. It will then be highlighted. The highlight indicates that the file is selected. When a file is selected, it has the focus of the Windows application and any commands that you subsequently perform will be applied to the selected file only. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To open a file that is shown within the right pane of the File Explorer window, double-click the file. Alternately, you can right-click the file to display a pop-up command menu. You can then click the “Open” command within the pop-up menu to open the selected file. Learn this and more during this lecture.

Windows records the history of folders that you have opened. To reopen a frequently opened folder, you can use File Explorer in Windows 10. Learn this and more during this lecture.

After you begin to create and save files, you may want to create additional folders and subfolders to help you organize your saved materials. You can create a folder within almost any other folder you can access though File Explorer. Sometimes you may do this on shared network drives, assuming that you have the required network permission to do so. Learn this and more during this lecture.

You can rename files and folders you have created to reflect changes made to their contents or to correct typos made when originally naming the files or folders. However, you should only rename files that you have created. Learn this and more during this lecture.

Once you've decided to start organizing your files and folders, you will want to move or copy files and folders to a new location. There is a difference between moving and copying files and folders. When you move a file or folder, you cut the original item and then paste it into a different location on your computer. When you copy a file or folder, you make an exact copy of the selected file or folder and then paste the copy into a new location in your computer. When you move a file, it is often referred to as “cutting and pasting.” When you copy a file, it is referred to as “copying and pasting.” Learn this and more during this lecture.

Many computers have a CD or DVD drive that can create recordable CDs or DVDs so you can save content from your computer onto removable media for transfer. To burn a CD or DVD, you must first insert a blank, recordable CD or DVD into the corresponding drive in your computer. Learn this and more during this lecture.

Routinely deleting files you no longer need helps keep your files and folders organized and saves space on your computer. However, before you delete a file, be absolutely sure you no longer need it! Learn this and more during this lecture.

Libraries are collections of folders that contain files of a selected type. The libraries you receive by default in Windows 10 are “Camera Roll,” “Documents,” “Music,” “Pictures,” “Saved Pictures,” and “Videos.” However, note that libraries are hidden by default in Windows 10. So, to view your libraries in File Explorer in Windows 10, click the “View” tab in the Ribbon. Learn this and more during this lecture.

You can also use File Explorer in Windows 10 to manage your computer and its hard drive. To do this, click the “This PC” icon at the left side of File Explorer. To manage a selected hard drive in your computer, click the name of the hard drive to manage in the pane at the right side of the File Explorer window. Learn this and more during this lecture.

The “Quick access” view, shown at the top of the Navigation pane, is the new default view of File Explorer when it is initially opened. For users who are upgrading from Windows 8.1 or 8 and who choose to keep their old files, you will find your old favorites that used to be pinned under the “Favorites” folder within File Explorer are now shown within the “Quick access” view. Learn this and more during this lecture.

You can zip a file or folder in the File Explorer window to compress its contents into a single “zipped” file that can be sent to others or simply compressed for storage. In order to open the contents of a zipped file, the recipient must unzip the file to uncompress the zipped folder and its contents once again. Windows 10 contains the ability to zip and unzip files and folders shown within the File Explorer window. Learn this and more during this lecture.

You can unzip a zipped file that is shown within a File Explorer window in order to open the zipped file's contents. To do this, display the zipped file that you want to unzip within a File Explorer window. Then click or tap the zipped file to select it. Notice that a new “Compressed Folder Tools” contextual tab appears within the Ribbon of the File Explorer window when a zipped file is selected. Click the “Compressed Folder Tools” contextual tab within the Ribbon to view your unzipping options. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To change the display settings in Windows 10, open the “Settings” window in Windows 10 and click the “System” button in the middle of the screen to display system settings for your device. Then click the “Display” category in the pane at the left side of the window to show the display settings for Windows 10 in the area to the right. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To change the notification and action settings in Windows 10, open the “Settings” window in Windows 10 and click the “System” button in the middle of the screen to display system settings for your device. Then click the “Notifications & actions” category at the left side of the window to change the actions and notifications that appear within the “Action Center” pane. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To manage the apps installed in Windows 10 and manage optional features, open the “Settings” window in Windows 10 and click the “System” button in the middle of the screen to display system settings for your device. Then click the “Apps & features” category at the left side of this window to view the apps that are installed and to uninstall apps you do not want in the area to the right. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To manage the multitasking settings in Windows 10, which includes managing app snapping and virtual desktops, open the “Settings” window in Windows 10 and click the “System” button in the middle of the screen to display system settings for your device. Then click the “Multitasking” category at the left side of this window to view the options for app snapping and managing virtual desktops in the area to the right. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To manage the battery life for devices that use battery power in Windows 10, open the “Settings” window and click the “System” button in the middle of the screen to display system settings for your device. Then click the “Battery saver” category at the left side of this window to view the options for battery saving in the area to the right. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To manage your device's power and sleep settings in Windows 10, open the “Settings” window and click the “System” button in the middle of the screen to display system settings for your device. Then click the “Power & sleep” category at the left side of this window to view the power management and sleep options in the area to the right. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To manage your device's storage space in Windows 10, open the “Settings” window and click the “System” button in the middle of the screen to display system settings for your device. Then click the “Storage” category at the left side of this window to view storage and save options in the area to the right. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To manage your device's offline maps, open the “Settings” window and click the “System” button in the middle of the screen to display system settings for your device. Then click the “Offline maps” category at the left side of this window to view offline map settings in the area to the right. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To set which apps are used to open files and perform tasks by default in Windows 10, open the “Settings” window and click the “System” button in the middle of the screen to display system settings for your device. Then click the “Default apps” category at the left side of this window to view settings that determine which app is set to be used by default to perform tasks in Windows 10 in the area to the right. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To view information about your device, open the “Settings” window and click the “System” button in the middle of the screen to display system settings for your device. Then click the “About” category at the left side of this window to view general information about your device in the area to the right. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To manage the printers and scanners connected to your computer, open the “Settings” window and click the “Devices” button in the middle of the screen to display device settings for your computer. Then click the “Printers & scanners” category at the left side of the window to display your connected printers and scanners in the area to the right. If you have connected a printer or scanner that is not automatically recognized, you can click the “Add a printer or scanner” button in the “Add printers & scanners” section to have Windows attempt to automatically search for and install it. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To manage other types of devices connected to your computer, open the “Settings” window and click the “Devices” button in the middle of the screen to display device settings for your computer. Then click the “Connected devices” category at the left side of the window to display your other types of connected devices in the area to the right. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To manage the mouse and touchpad settings for your device, open the “Settings” window and click the “Devices” button in the middle of the screen to display device settings for your computer. Then click the “Mouse and touchpad” category at the left side of the screen to view mouse and touchpad settings in the area to the right. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To manage the AutoPlay settings for your device, open the “Settings” window and click the “Devices” button in the middle of the screen to display device settings for your computer. Then click the “AutoPlay” category at the left side of the window to set your AutoPlay preferences in the area to the right. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To view data usage for your device, open the “Settings” window and click the “Network & Internet” button in the middle of the screen to display network and internet settings for your device. Then click the “Data usage” category at the left side of this window to view data usage settings in the area to the right. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To manage the VPN settings for your device, open the “Settings” window and click the “Network & Internet” button in the middle of the screen to display network and internet settings for your device. Then click the “VPN” category at the left side of the “Network & Internet” settings window to view VPN settings in the area to the right. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To manage the dial-up settings for your device, open the “Settings” window and click the “Network & Internet” button in the middle of the screen to display network and internet settings for your device. Click the “Dial-up” category at the left side of this window to view dial-up connection settings in the area to the right. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To manage the Ethernet settings for your device, open the “Settings” window and click the “Network & Internet” button in the middle of the screen to display network and internet settings for your device. Then click the “Ethernet” category at the left side of this window to view Ethernet connection settings in the area to the right. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To manage the proxy settings for your device, open the “Settings” window and click the “Network & Internet” button in the middle of the screen to display network and internet settings for your device. Then click the “Proxy” category at the left side of this window to view proxy server settings in the area to the right. A proxy server is a server to which your computer connects for things such as internet access. Learn this and more during this lecture.

Within the “Settings” window in Windows 10, you can click the “Personalization” button in the middle of the screen to display personalization settings. The categories of “Personalization” settings are then listed in the left pane in the window. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To change the background for your device, open the “Settings” window and click the “Personalization” button in the middle of the screen to display personalization settings for your device. Then click the “Background” category at the left side of this window to view desktop background settings in the area to the right. The “Preview” section shows a preview of the changes you make within this window. You use the “Background” drop-down to select what to show in the background of the desktop. Your choices are “Picture,” “Solid color,” or “Slideshow.” Learn this and more during this lecture.

To change the colors for your device, open the “Settings” window and click the “Personalization” button in the middle of the screen to display personalization settings for your device. Then click the “Colors” category at the left side of this window to view Windows 10 accent color settings in the area to the right. The “Preview” section shows a preview of the changes you make within this window. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To change the theme settings for your device, open the “Settings” window and click the “Personalization” button in the middle of the screen to display personalization settings for your device. Then click the “Themes” category at the left side of the window to see theme settings in the right side of the screen. Note that these settings are only links to theme-related windows in the Control Panel and theme-related dialog boxes. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To change the start menu or start screen settings for your device, open the “Settings” window and click the “Personalization” button in the middle of the screen to display personalization settings for your device. Then click the “Start” category at the left side of the window to see Start menu and Start screen settings in the right side of the screen. Learn this and more during this lecture.

Within the “Settings” window in Windows 10, you can click the “Accounts” button in the middle of the screen to display account settings. The categories of “Accounts” settings are then listed in the left pane in the window. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To manage your account settings, open the “Settings” window and click the “Accounts” button in the middle of the screen to display account settings. Then click the “Your account” category at the left side of this window to view settings for your user account in the area to the right. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To manage the sign-in options for your device, open the “Settings” window and click the “Accounts” button in the middle of the screen to display account settings. Then click the “Sign-in options” category at the left side of the screen to see the available security and sign-in options that you can set in the area to the right. Use the “Require sign-in” drop-down to choose when Windows should require you to sign in after you have been away from the computer. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To manage your work access account settings, open the “Settings” window and click the “Accounts” button in the middle of the screen to display account settings. If using Windows 10 Pro, click the “Work access” category at the left side of this window to view workplace connection settings to the right. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To manage family and other users, open the “Settings” window and click the “Accounts” button in the middle of the screen to display account settings. Then click the “Family & other users” category at the left side of the screen to manage your family and other user accounts on this device in the area to the right if you are signed in with a user account that is set up as an “Administrator” user account on this computer. Note that family settings may not be available for computers that are joined to a domain. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To manage sync settings, open the “Settings” window and click the “Accounts” button in the middle of the screen to display account settings. Then click the “Sync your settings” category at the left side of the window to view the synchronization options for your Microsoft user account at the right side of the window. Normally, when you sign in to any Windows 10 device with your user account, the settings will be synchronized so that all your settings are the same between devices. However, you can change these synchronization settings on this device by changing the settings within this section. Learn this and more during this lecture.

To manage date and time settings, open the “Settings” window and click the “Time & language” button in the middle of the screen to display time and language settings. Then click the “Date & time” category at the left side of this window to view date and time settings in the area to the right. Note that this is the same window that appears if you click the date/time display in the taskbar and then click the “Date and time settings” link in the pop-up window that appears. Learn this and more during this lecture.