Figure 2.9 Notepad and a Windows 10 app snapped side-by-side.
To snap the desktop and a modern Windows app, first switch out of tablet mode (if the device is not already in window mode). Then, open the app in a window. If you want to work with a desktop app, open it from the desktop or Start menu. With either app in the foreground, drag the title bar of the other app to the left or right side of the screen to dock the app. You can drag the edge of an app's window to resize it as needed.
If you're an experienced Windows user, you'll be happy to learn that the methods you've used in the past to switch between apps are still available in Windows 10. For example, you can press Alt+Tab to view a list of running apps (see Figure 2.10) and select one to bring to the foreground. Continue pressing Alt+Tab until the desired app is highlighted; then release the keys to switch to that app. You can also press Windows+Tab or swipe in from the left edge to open the task view showing thumbnails of your running apps (see Figure 2.11). Click or tap on an app to bring it to the foreground.
Figure 2.10 Use Alt+Tab to switch between apps.
Figure 2.11 Use Windows+Tab to switch between apps.
Closing a modern Windows app is easy, although you may not have figured it out on your own if Windows 10 is running in tablet mode. Just grab the app at the top and drag it down to the bottom of the display.
This method isn't very intuitive, but it's the easiest way to close a app. When using a mouse, move the cursor to the top of the app until the title bar appears; then click and drag the app by its title bar to the bottom of the screen. When using a touch device, swipe down from the top to the bottom of the screen. The app should close.
Getting to the Desktop
Unless Windows 10 is running in tablet mode, the desktop has the same prominence as in Windows 7, which means that if you aren't running any apps in full screen mode, you see the desktop. If you can't see the desktop, you can simply minimize apps until it is visible. Or, you can click the right edge of the taskbar (to the right of the time/date display) to minimize all apps.
If Windows 10 is running in tablet mode, you can bring a desktop app to the foreground using the Alt+Tab and Windows+Tab methods described previously in this chapter. Or, tap or click Task view in the taskbar to open the task view. If you truly need to view the desktop, for example to access a shortcut on the desktop, simply take the device out of tablet mode using the Action Center.
Using the Taskbar
The Windows taskbar remains a prominent fixture on the Windows 10 desktop and is visible even if you are running Windows 10 in tablet mode. The Windows taskbar deserves mention here, if for no other reason than that you probably want to pin apps to the taskbar so you can get to them quickly from the desktop.
Figure 2.12 shows the taskbar at the bottom of the desktop with a small selection of apps pinned to it. As in previous versions of Windows, you can open or switch to an app by tapping or clicking its icon on the taskbar.
Figure 2.12 The taskbar remains an important fixture in the Windows 10 interface.
You can pin legacy Windows apps and modern Windows apps to the taskbar, as well as app resources such as File Explorer. To pin an app to the taskbar, open the Start menu or search for the app in Search, right-click or tap and hold the app's tile, and in the app menu, tap or click Pin to Taskbar.
Wrapping Up
Windows 10 melds the best of the modern Windows interface with the familiar desktop interface. With the return of the Start menu, you can open apps in much the same way as in Windows 7 and earlier. If you've become enamored of the Start screen in Windows 8.x, the Windows 10 Start menu, whether running as a menu or full screen, provides essentially the same capabilities and look-and-feel as the Windows 8.x Start screen.
This melding of old and new is not limited to the Start menu. Windows 10 lets you run apps in either full screen or a window, just as you can with legacy apps. This capability makes it easier for people who haven't yet switched from Windows 7 or earlier to make the transition to the new Windows 10 interface.
Chapter 3
Getting around the Windows Desktop
IN THIS CHAPTER
Logging in
Using the Windows desktop
Using the Start menu
Using programs
Using virtual desktops
Shutting down the computer
In today's busy world, few people have the time to sit down and learn to use a computer. Many books and online tutorials don't help much because they assume you already know all the basic concepts and terminology. That's a big assumption because the truth is that most people don't already know those things. Most people don't know a file from a folder from a megabyte from a golf ball. These aren't the kinds of things we learned about in school or from our day-to-day experiences.
This chapter is mostly about the things everyone else assumes you already know. It's for the people who just bought their first computer and discovered it has this thing called Windows 10 on it, or for the people who were getting by with an older computer but now have a new Windows 10 computer and want to know more about how to use it.
We often refer to the skills in this chapter as “everyday skills” because they're the kinds of things you'll likely do every time you sit down at the computer. In this chapter, we point out the name and purpose of many elements you'll see on your screen. Together, these bits of information provide basic knowledge about how you use a computer to get things done. It all starts with logging in.
Logging In
The first step to using a computer is to turn it on. Shortly after you first start your computer, the Windows 10 logon screen appears (see Figure 3.1). Windows displays the list of user accounts available on the device. You learn more about user accounts in Chapter 4, but for now, all you need to know is that if you see user account icons shortly after you first start your computer, you have to click one in order to use the computer. Click or tap the account you want to use.
You also can use a Windows 10 feature called Picture Passwords to log in to Windows. The Picture Passwords feature is covered in Chapter 4.
TIP
Two buttons located at the bottom right corner of the logon screen provide access to actions other than logging on. The left button provides Ease of Access options for the visually impaired. The button at the right lets you turn off the computer rather than log in.