Windows 10: The Missing Manual: The book that should have been in the box

by David Pogue

Overview

Windows 10 hit the scene in 2015 with an all-new web browser (Edge), the Cortana voice assistant, and universal apps that run equally well on tablets, phones, and computers. Now, the Creators Update brings refinement and polish to Windows 10—and this jargon-free guide helps you get the most out of this supercharged operating system.

Windows 10: The Missing Manual covers the entire system, including all the new features, like the three-column Start menu, the extensions in the Microsoft Edge browser, Paint 3D, and live game broadcasting.

You’ll learn how to:

• Explore the desktop, including File Explorer, Taskbar, Action Center, and Cortana
• Work with programs and documents, Windows starter apps, the Control Panel, and 3D apps
• Connect with Edge and email
• Beef up security and privacy
• Set up hardware and peripherals, including tablets, laptops, hybrids, printers, and gadgets
• Maintain computer health with backups, troubleshooting tools, and disk management
• Learn about network accounts, file sharing, and setting up your own small network

Written by David Pogue—tech critic for Yahoo Finance and former columnist for The New York Times—this updated edition illuminates its subject with technical insight, plenty of wit, and hardnosed objectivity.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781491981917
Publisher:	O'Reilly Media, Incorporated
Publication date:	07/09/2018
Edition description:	Updated
Pages:	704
Sales rank:	524,785
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.50(d)

About the Author

David Pogue is the founder of Yahoo Tech, having been groomed for the position by 13 years as the personal-technology columnist for the New York Times. He’s also a monthly columnist for Scientific American and host of science shows on PBS’s “NOVA.” He’s been a correspondent for “CBS Sunday Morning” since 2002.



With over 3 million books in print, David is one of the world’s bestselling how-to authors. He wrote or co-wrote seven books in the “for Dummies” series (including Macs, Magic, Opera, and Classical Music); in 1999, he launched his own series of complete, funny computer books called the Missing Manual series, which now includes 120 titles.



David graduated summa cum laude from Yale in 1985, with distinction in Music, and he spent ten years conducting and arranging Broadway musicals in New York. He’s won two Emmy awards, two Webby awards, a Loeb award for journalism, and an honorary doctorate in music.

Table of Contents

The Missing Credits xiii

Introduction 1

A Short History of Windows 10 1

What's New in the April 2018 Update 2

What's New (if You're Used to Windows 8 or Earlier) 6

What's New (if You're Used to Windows 7 or Earlier) 8

The Very Basics 10

About This Book 14

Part 1 The Windows Desktop

Chapter 1 Desktop & Start Menu 21

The Lock Screen 21

The Sign-In Screen 23

The Desktop 24

Meet the Start Menu 24

Start Menu: The Places List 26

Start Menu: The Apps List 29

Start Menu: The Tiles 33

Shutting Down 41

Navigating the Start Menu by Keyboard 43

The Secret Power Users' Menu 44

Chapter 2 File Explorer, Taskbar & Action Center 47

Universal Window Controls 47

Window Management 50

The Ribbon 58

The File Explorer Address Bar 64

Optional Window Panes 68

Libraries 74

Tags, Metadata, and Properties 79

Window Views 81

Sorting, Grouping, and Filtering 85

The "Folder Options" Options 88

Taskbar 2.0 93

Jump Lists 99

The System Tray (Notification Area) 103

Getting the Taskbar Out of Your Hair 107

Taskbar Toolbars 108

Notifications 111

The Action Center 116

Chapter 3 Organizing & Finding Your Files 121

The Search Box 121

The Search Index 126

File Explorer Window Searches 128

Customizing Search 135

The Folders of Windows 10 138

Selecting Icons 142

Life with Icons 144

Shortcut Icons 151

Copying and Moving Folders and Files 153

The Recycle Bin 157

OneDrive 161

Compressing Files and Folders 167

Burning CDs and DVDs from the Desktop 171

ISO Disk Images 171

Chapter 4 Redesigning the Desktop 173

Background, Colors, Themes, and Fonts 173

Screen Savers 185

Turning Off the New Look 187

Monitor Settings 189

Multiple Monitors 192

Virtual Screens 195

Projecting to Your PC 196

Chapter 5 Cortana, Your Voice Assistant 199

Setting Up Cortana 200

How to Use Cortana 202

What to Say to Cortana 203

Skills: Fitbit, Domino's, Nest 215

Cortana's Personality 216

The Notebook 220

Part 2 The Programs of Windows 10

Chapter 6 Programs & Documents 225

Opening Programs 225

The Two Kinds of Apps 226

The App Switcher Alt+Tab 228

Task View and Timeline $$$+Tab 229

Exiting Programs 232

When Programs Die The Task Manager 233

Saving Documents 236

Closing Documents 240

The Open Dialog Box 240

Moving Data Between Documents 241

Speech Recognition and Dictation 243

Filename Extensions and File Associations 244

Choosing Your Default Apps 250

Installing New Apps 251

Uninstalling Software 255

Program Compatibility Mode 255

Pick Up Where You Left Off 257

Continue on PC 258

Chapter 7 Settings & Control Panel 259

The Settings App 259

System 261

Devices 265

Phone 269

Network & Internet 269

Personalization 271

Apps 271

Accounts 272

Time & Language 273

Gaming 273

Ease of Access 273

Cortana 278

Privacy 279

Update & Security 279

The Control Panel 281

The Control Panel, Applet by Applet 285

Chapter 8 The Windows Starter Apps 301

The New, Unified Design of Apps 301

3D Builder 303

Alarms & Clock 303

Calculator 306

Calendar 307

Camera 314

Character Map 316

Command Prompt 317

Connect 318

Control Panel 318

Cortana 318

Feedback Hub 318

File Explorer 318

Games 318

Get Help 319

Groove Music 320

Internet Explorer 324

Magnifier 324

Mail 325

Maps 325

Math Input Panel 331

Messaging 333

Microsoft Edge 333

Microsoft Solitaire Collection 333

Microsoft Store 334

Mixed Reality Portal 334

Mixed Reality Viewer 334

Mobile Plans 335

Movies & TV 335

Narrator 337

News 338

Notepad 340

On-Screen Keyboard 341

OneDrive 341

OneNote 341

Paint 343

Paint 3D 344

People 349

Photos 354

Print 3D 363

Quick Assist 363

Remote Desktop 363

Run 364

Settings 364

Skype 364

Snipping Tool 364

Steps Recorder 367

Sticky Notes 367

Task Manager 369

This PC 369

Tips 369

Voice Recorder 369

Weather 371

Windows 10 Update Assistant 372

Windows Defender Security Center 373

Windows Fax and Scan 373

Windows Media Player 373

Windows PowerShell 373

Windows Speech Recognition 373

WordPad 374

Xbox 376

Part 3 Windows Online

Chapter 9 The Edge Browser 383

The Start Page 384

The Address/Search Bar 387

Tabbed Browsing 389

Favorites (Bookmarks) 393

History List 395

Cortana Meets Edge 395

Mark Up Your Web Pages 397

Edge as PDF (and Ebook) Reader 400

Tips for Better Surfing 402

Chapter 10 Mail 407

Setting Up 407

The Amazing Expand-O-Window 409

Checking Email 411

What to Do with a Message 412

Settings Fun 418

Chapter 11 Security & Privacy 423

Windows Defender Security Center 424

Five Degrees of Web Protection 433

Hotspot Security 438

Protect Your Home Wireless Network 439

Family Safety (Parental Controls) 440

Privacy from Windows 444

Privacy from Your Apps 447

Part 4 Hardware and Peripherals

Chapter 12 Tablets, Laptops & Hybrids 453

Battery Saver 453

Trackpad Settings 456

Getting Online 457

The Mobile Hotspot 462

Find My Device 464

For Hybrid PCs Only Tablet Mode (Continuum) 465

The Onscreen Keyboard 468

Handwriting Recognition 471

Windows Ink Workspace 473

Controlling Your PC, Long Distance 474

Three Obscure Mobility Features 487

Chapter 13 Printing, Fonts & PDFs 491

Installing a Printer 491

Printing 493

Controlling Printouts 495

Fancy Printer Properties 498

Printer Troubleshooting 499

Fonts 500

PDF Files 502

Faxing 503

Scanning 503

Chapter 14 Hardware & Drivers 505

External Gadgets 506

Bluetooth Gadgets 508

Driver Signing 510

The Device Manager 511

Part 5 PC Health

Chapter 15 Maintenance, Speed & Troubleshooting 517

The Action Center 517

Windows Update 517

Task Scheduler 523

Troubleshooting Tools 526

Two Speed Boosts 529

Resetting (Erasing) Your Computer 532

Windows Recovery Environment 535

Chapter 16 Backups & File History 539

System Images 540

System Restore 543

File History 548

The USB Recovery Drive 553

Chapter 17 The Disk Chapter 555

Storage Sense: More Gigs, Yours Free 556

What's Eating Up Your Disk 557

Disk Cleanup 558

Disk Defragmenter 560

Hard Drive Checkups 562

Disk Management 562

Storage Spaces 568

Dynamic Disks 568

Encrypting Files and Folders 568

BitLocker Drive Encryption 571

Part 6 The Windows Network

Chapter 18 Accounts (and Signing in) 575

Local Accounts vs. Microsoft Accounts 576

Accounts Central 577

Adding an Account 580

Editing an Account 584

Seven Ways to Sign In 589

After You've Signed In 597

The Forgotten Password Disk 598

Deleting Accounts 599

Disabling Accounts 599

The Guest Account 600

Fast User Switching 601

Authenticate Yourself User Account Control 602

Three Advanced Features Worth Mentioning (Maybe) 604

Chapter 19 Sharing Files on the Network 607

Kinds of Networks 608

File Sharing 1 Nearby Sharing 610

File Sharing 2 "Share a Folder" 613

Accessing Shared Folders 618

Mapping Shares to Drive Letters 622

Deep-Seated Networking Options 624

Corporate Networks 628

Part 7 Appendixes

Appendix A Installing & Upgrading to Windows 10 633

Before You Begin 633

How to Upgrade to Windows 10 April 2018 Update 635

The Clean Install 640

The Windows 10 Setup Assistant 643

Jobs Number 1, 2, 3 645

Appendix B Where'd It Go? 647

Appendix C Master List of Keyboard Shortcuts & Gestures 653