Navigating Windows

Whether you're new to computers or just Windows, it's

important to learn the basics of using your computer. If it all
seems a little overwhelming right now, don't worry! We'll take
you through it step by step and show you some of the most
fundamental things you'll need to know, including how to work
with the desktop, open and close windows, and turn off
your computer.

Watch the video below to learn the basics of navigating

Windows.

The desktop

Once your computer has finished starting up, the first thing
you'll see is the desktop. You can think of the desktop as the
main workspace for your computer. From here, you can view
and manage your files, open applications, access the Internet,
and much more.

Click the buttons in the interactive below to become more

familiar with the desktop.

In Windows 8, you will usually see the Start screen before the
desktop. To learn more, review our lesson on Getting Started
with Windows 8.
Working with applications

An application—also known as a program—is a type of

software that allows you to complete tasks on your computer.
Windows comes with many built-in applications you can use.
For example, if you want to browse the Internet, you can
use Microsoft Edge (or Internet Explorer if you're using
Windows 8 or earlier).

To open an application:
1. Using your mouse, click
the Start button, then select the
desired application. If you don't see
the one you want, click All
Programs to see a complete list of
applications. In our example, we'll
open Microsoft Edge.

2. The application will appear in a new

window.
There is no Start menu in Windows 8, so you'll usually open
applications from the Start screen. Click the Start button to go
to the Start screen, then click an app to open it.

Working with windows

Whenever you open a file, folder, or application, it will appear in

a new window. You can have multiple items open at the same
time in different windows. You'll use windows all the time, so
it's important to know how to switch between open windows,
how to move and resize windows, and how to close windows
when you're done using them.

In Windows 8, some programs will open on the Start screen, not

the desktop. If you're using Windows 8, note that the
information below applies only to windows you have opened on
the desktop.

Parts of a window
 You'll see the same three buttons in the upper-right corner of
almost every window. These buttons allow you to perform
several functions, including these below.

 Click the Minimize button to hide

the window. The window will be
minimized to the taskbar. You can
then click the icon for that window
on the taskbar to make it reappear.

 Click the Maximize button to make

the window fill the entire
screen.

 If the screen is maximized, the

Maximize button will be temporarily
replaced by the Restore button.
Just click it to return the window to
its original size.

 Click the Close button to close the

window.

To move a window:

1. Click and drag the top of the window to move it to

the desired location on the screen. When you're
done, release the mouse.
 2. The window will appear in the new
location.

To resize a window:
1. Hover the mouse over any corner of
the window, then click and drag the
mouse to make the window larger or
smaller. When you're done, release
the mouse.

2. The window will be resized.

Switching between windows

If you have more than one window open at the same time, you
can quickly switch between them by clicking the icon for that
window on the taskbar.

Shutting down your computer

When you're done using your computer, it's important to shut

it down properly. The procedure will vary slightly depending
on which version of Windows you're using.

To shut down your computer:

 If you're using Windows 10, click
the Start button, then
the Power icon, then click Shut
down.

 If you're using Windows 8, click

the Start button to access the Start
screen, click the Power icon near
the upper-right corner, and
select Shut down. If you don't see
this option, it means you'll need
to upgrade to Windows 8.1.
Review this page from our
Windows 8 tutorial to learn how.
  If you're using Windows 7 or earlier,
Click the Start button, then
select Shut down.

Restarting and Sleep mode

You can also click the power button button for more options.
For example, if your computer has become unresponsive, you
can choose Restart to quickly turn it off and on again.

You can also choose to put your computer into Sleep mode.
This turns off most of your computer's processes, but it
remembers which applications and files are open. It allows the
computer to start up more quickly because you won't have
to wait for the operating system and applications to load. Note
that your computer may go into Sleep mode automatically if
you haven't used it for more than a few minutes.

If you have a laptop, you can simply close the lid to put it into
Sleep mode.

Waking your computer from Sleep mode

If your computer is in Sleep mode, you'll need to wake it to use

it. To wake the computer from Sleep mode, click the mouse or
press any key on the keyboard.

Opening files with different applications

When you open a file in Windows, it will usually open in the

default application for that type of file. For example,
a photo will open in Windows Photo Viewer (or
the Photos application in Windows 8) by default. But you may
not always want this. In this lesson, we'll show you how
to open a file in a different application, as well as how
to change the default application so a file will always open
in your preferred program.
If you're using Windows 8, files will usually open in a Start
screen application, even if you opened it from the desktop.
If you prefer to work in the desktop, you can choose to open
the file with a desktop application. For example, a jpeg
picture in Windows 8 will open in the Photos application by
default, but you can open it on the desktop in Windows Photo
Viewer instead.

Opening a file in the default application

As you learned in our lesson on Working with Files, you can
locate and double-click a file to open it. It will open in
the default application for that type of file.

To open a file in a different application:

Sometimes you may want to open a file in a different

application without changing the default. For example, you
may want to open a photo with Microsoft Paint to crop or
resize it.
 1.
From the desktop, right-click the desired file.
2. From the drop-down menu, click Open with, then
select the desired application. In this example, we'll
select Paint.
3. The file will open in the selected application.

To change the default application:

You may prefer to change the default application for certain

types of files so they'll always open in the new app when
you double-click them. For example, you may want your photos
to always open in Windows Photo Viewer instead of
the Photos application.

1. From the desktop, right-click the desired file,

select Open with, and click Choose another
app from the menu that appears.
2. Select the desired application. If you don't see the
one you want, click More apps or Look for an app
in the Store to look for other applications. In this
example, we want to open the file in Windows
Photo Viewer. Then check off Always use this
app to open .jpg files and click OK.
 3. The file will open in the new application. The next
time you double-click a file of that type, it will open
in the new default application.

What is a flash drive?

A flash drive is a small, removable hard drive that plugs into

a USB port on your computer. You can purchase a flash drive
for less than $20 at just about any retail store with an
electronics department, and even at some grocery stores and
pharmacies. Flash drives are a convenient way to bring your
files with you and open them on a different computer. You
could also use a flash drive to back up important documents
and other files. In this lesson, we'll show you how to use a flash
drive with your computer.

To connect a flash drive:

1. Insert the flash drive into a USB port on your
computer. You should find a USB port on the front,
back, or side of your computer (the location may
vary depending on whether you have a desktop or a
laptop).
2. Depending on how your computer is set up, a dialog
box may appear. If it does, select Open folder to
view files.

3. If a dialog box does not appear, open Windows

Explorer and locate and select the flash drive on the
left side of the window. Note that the name of the
flash drive may vary.
Working with a flash drive:

Once you've connected a flash drive, you can work with it just
like any other folder on your computer, including moving and
deleting files.

1. If you want to copy a file from your computer to

the flash drive, click and drag the file from your
computer to this window.

2. The file will be duplicated, and this new version will

be saved to the flash drive. The original version of
the file will still be saved to your computer.
 3. If you want to copy a file from your flash drive to
your computer, click and drag the file from this
window to your computer.

4. If you want to remove a file from your flash

drive, click and drag the file to the Recycle Bin. A
dialog box will appear. Click Yes to confirm that you
want to permanently delete the file.

To safely remove a flash drive:

When you're done using a flash drive, don't remove it from the
USB port just yet! You'll need to make sure to disconnect it
properly to avoid damaging files on the drive.

1. Right-click the flash drive, then

select Disconnect (or Eject).
2. You can now safely remove the flash drive from the
USB