Understanding the Windows 8 Start Screen - by Denver Network Support Company

Understanding the Windows 8 Start Screen

DENVER IT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS

N O R T H S T A R , I N C .

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Understanding the Windows 8 Start Screen

www.nssit.com

How to Work in Windows 8

The Windows 8 Start Screen is the complete replacement for the

ubiquitous start menu which most PC users have been accustomed to since the launch of Windows 95

some seventeen years ago.

The changes are profound as they are controversial but, fortunately, there is not a particularly steep learning curve involved in finding

your way around the new interface.

As your chosen Denver IT Support Company,

we’re here to get you started with Windows 8 the right way.

Understanding the Windows 8 Start Screen

The new Start Screen is Windows 8′s one-and-only start menu.

The code has been completely removed, so if you want to work with a more familiar interface like

that of previous editions of Windows, you will need a third-

party program such as Stardock’s Start8.

The full-screen interface, previously dubbed

“Metro,” will be the first thing you see when you

log into Windows.

When you log in for the first time, you will be given the chance to choose a color scheme and a

background.

If it’s your first time using Windows 8, you will likely find yourself a little overwhelmed at

first.

While the Start Screen is heavily biased toward touch-screen platforms, it is also perfectly adequate with the traditional

desktop or laptop computer.

The following guide will help you to acquaint

yourself with the all-new Windows 8 interface.

An Overview of the Start

Screen

The first thing you will notice when

you start Windows 8 for the first time is the various tiles on the left-hand side of the Start

Screen.

These tiles represent the new Windows 8 default

apps such as News, Sports,

Messaging, Mail, Weather, Photos

and Desktop among others.

Some of them will also show live information on them. The weather tile, for example, shows weather forecasts

for your location.

When you click on one of the

tiles, the full app will open,

providing further details and

functionality.

Desktop applications will be represented by square-shaped tiles with the icon and name of

the program they are connected to.

To access the settings, networking, search and device features, move the mouse pointer to either the top- or

bottom-right corner of the Start Screen.

A new menu will appear. To zoom out of the Start Screen, move the mouse pointer to the bottom-right of the screen and click on the “-”

symbol in the corner.

To access the advanced system menu, right-click in the bottom-left corner

of the Start Screen.

If you want to use the traditional Windows desktop, click on the Desktop tile. The desktop will automatically open if you attempt to run a desktop program

such as any program designed for a previous edition of Windows.

By moving the mouse pointer to the top-left corner of the Start

Screen, you will be able to glance through a list

of open applications including desktop

applications and the new Windows 8 apps.

If you are on the desktop, simply moving the pointer to the bottom-left corner of the screen will bring up the Start Screen option.

Adding Shortcuts to the Start Screen

Be aware that the following instructions do not apply to Windows 8

apps.

When you install a new program, it should add a shortcut to the Start Screen automatically, even if it is a

program designed for an older version of Windows.

The same is true of the new Windows 8 apps which are installed through the

Windows 8 Store.

However, adding a custom shortcut to the screen may not be immediately obvious for some.

The quickest way to do this is to open the advanced system menu by right-

clicking in the bottom-left corner of the screen and clicking “File Explorer.”

Navigate to the program, drive, folder, or file that you want to add to the Start Screen and click “Pin to Start.”

When you return to the Start

Screen, you will see the new

shortcut.

To do this, right-click on the shortcut and click “Open file location” in the

menu bar which appears at the bottom of the screen.

This will open the Start Menu folder in Windows

Explorer.

Press “F2″ and type in a name for the highlighted file before pressing

Enter.

You can close the window when you’re done.

To remove a shortcut on the Start Screen, right-click on it and click “Unpin from Start.”

Do NOT click “Uninstall” unless you want to

completely remove the shortcut.

You will still be able to find the shortcut by right-clicking anywhere on the Start Screen and clicking

“All apps.”

Organizing Your Start Screen

Organizing the Start Screen is easier and

quicker than organizing the traditional Start Menu in Windows 7 and earlier.

Drop the tile to the right of the bar.

Drag each tile into the section you want it to be in.

You can, for example, have a separate section for video games and another

one for utilities and another for multimedia and Internet applications.

To name the groups, zoom out of the Start Screen by clicking on the small “-”

button in the bottom right-hand corner.

Right-click on the group you want to rename and click

“Name Group,” type in a name

and press Enter.

Customizing Your Start

Screen

You can customize your Start Screen only in a limited variety of ways using

Windows 8′s built-in tools.

This includes changing the color scheme and choosing from a preinstalled set of

background images.

To customize the Start Screen, move the mouse pointer to the bottom- or top-right corner and click “Settings” followed by “Change PC settings.”

Your changes will take effect immediately.

Please feel free to contact us for your network analysis.

THANK YOU!

Looking forward to our future collaboration!

N O R T H S T A R , I N C .

303-552-0018 // www.nssit.com

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