Windows 8 Absolute Beginner’s Guide   Make the most of your new Windows 8 device—without becoming a technical expert! This book is the fastest way to take control of Windows 8, and use it to create, connect, and discover… simplify and organize your whole life… learn more, play more, do more, live better! Even if you’ve never used Windows 8 before, this book will show you how to do what you want, one incredibly clear and easy step at a time. Windows 8 has never, ever been this simple!   Who knew how simple Windows 8 could be? This is the easiest, most practical beginner’s guide to navigating Windows 8—whether from a desktop, notebook, or tablet… simple, reliable instructions for doing everything you really want to do! Here’s a small sample of what you’ll learn:   •     Discover Windows 8’s whole new approach to running a computer •     Run Windows 8 the way that’s easiest for you: mouse, touch, or keyboard •     Find and use the old Windows Desktop along with all your favorite Windows XP and 7 programs •     Get online with Internet Explorer® 10 and master its new tools and shortcuts •     Set up your home network, printer, and other devices •     Master quick, easy new ways to use Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn® •     Safeguard your personal information and keep it private •     Enjoy all your digital photos, videos, movies, and music •     Connect with anyone through email, messaging, and video chat •     Discover and play new Windows 8 games, and use Windows to control your Xbox 360 •     Manage even the most gigantic collections of data and media •     Automatically back up your information to external drives, DVDs, or Microsoft SkyDrive® •     Fix problems, protect yourself from viruses, and keep Windows 8 working reliably   Paul Sanna is the author of almost two dozen computer books on topics such as Microsoft Windows, Internet Explorer, and Windows security. He has extensive experience working with and explaining pre-release versions of Windows. He currently advises his clients on software decisions, both for the desktop and for large business projects. 

Table of Contents:
Table of Contents Introduction ........................................................................................................ 1 What Is an Absolute Beginner? ................................................................................ 3 How This Book Is Organized .................................................................................... 3 Conventions Used in This Book ............................................................................... 5     Selects and Selecting ........................................................................................... 5     Special Elements .................................................................................................. 6   1 Starting and Stopping Windows 8 .............................................................. 7 Starting Up Windows 8 .......................................................................................8     Powering Up Your Computer .............................................................................. 8     Choosing an Operating System .......................................................................... 9 Signing In to Windows 8 ......................................................................................... 11 Handling Special Windows 8 Startup Situations .................................................. 16     Restarting Windows After a Problem ............................................................... 16     Waking Up Windows .......................................................................................... 17     Handling Messages You Might Receive While Signing In ............................. 17 Exiting Windows ...................................................................................................... 19     Signing Out of Windows 8................................................................................. 19     Locking Windows 8 ............................................................................................ 20     Putting Windows 8 to Sleep .............................................................................. 20     Shutting Down Your Windows 8 Computer ..................................................... 21     Restarting Windows 8 to Install Updates ......................................................... 21   2 Interacting with Windows 8 ...................................................................... 23 Getting to Know the Windows 8 Interfaces .......................................................... 24     Using the Mouse in Windows 8......................................................................... 24     Using the Keyboard in Windows 8 .................................................................... 26     Using Touch in Windows 8 ................................................................................ 27     Using the Virtual Keyboard ................................................................................ 29 Using Windows Controls in the Desktop App ...................................................... 30     Window ................................................................................................................ 31     Button .................................................................................................................. 32     Option Button or Group .................................................................................... 32     Text Box .............................................................................................................. 33     Check Box ........................................................................................................... 33     Windows 8 Toggle ............................................................................................. 33     List Box ................................................................................................................ 34     Drop-Down List ................................................................................................... 35     Combo Drop-Down List ..................................................................................... 36   3 Learning Windows 8 Basics ....................................................................... 39 Working at the Start Screen ................................................................................... 40     Returning to the Start Screen ............................................................................ 41     Seeing Tiles off the Screen ................................................................................ 42     Displaying All Tiles ............................................................................................. 42     Selecting a Tile ................................................................................................... 44     Moving a Tile ...................................................................................................... 45     Making a Tile Bigger or Smaller........................................................................ 45     Adding a Tile to the Start Screen ..................................................................... 46 Opening the App Bar .............................................................................................. 47 Using the Charms Bar ............................................................................................. 47     Using the Search Charm .................................................................................... 49     Using the Share Charm ...................................................................................... 52     Using the Devices Charm .................................................................................. 53     Using the Settings Charm .................................................................................. 54 Selecting Files in Windows 8 .................................................................................. 55 Finding and Using the Control Panel .................................................................... 57   4 Personalizing Windows 8 ........................................................................... 61 Personalizing Language, Keyboard, and Number Settings................................. 62 Personalizing Colors and Pictures .......................................................................... 65     Personalizing the Start Screen .......................................................................... 65     Personalizing Your Account Picture .................................................................. 67     Personalizing the Lock Screen ........................................................................... 68 Personalizing Tile Groups ....................................................................................... 69     Creating a Tile Group ........................................................................................ 70     Moving Tile Groups ............................................................................................ 71     Naming a Tile Group ......................................................................................... 71 Setting Up Accessibility Options............................................................................ 72 Personalizing How Notifications Work ................................................................. 75 Personalizing How Your Windows 8 Settings Synchronize ................................. 77 Personalizing the Desktop ...................................................................................... 77     Changing the Desktop Background ................................................................. 77     Changing the Mouse Pointers Used on the Desktop ..................................... 79     Change the Desktop’s Color Scheme .............................................................. 81     Setting Up a Desktop Screen Saver ................................................................. 81   5 Connecting to the Internet ........................................................................ 85 Reviewing Important Internet Connection Basics ................................................ 86     Learning About Internet Service Providers ...................................................... 86     Checking the Hardware Required to Connect ................................................ 86 Learning the Internet Connection Services Typically Available .......................... 87     Understanding Routers for Internet Connection Sharing ............................... 90     Understanding Network Adapters .................................................................... 91 Connecting to the Internet ..................................................................................... 91     Connecting to a Wireless Network ................................................................... 91     Connecting Where Free Wi-Fi Is Advertised ................................................... 94     Connecting to Pay-as-You-Go Wi-Fi................................................................. 95     Connecting to a LAN/Wired Network .............................................................. 95     Connecting After Upgrading to Windows 8 .................................................... 96     Connecting After You Restart Your Device ...................................................... 96     Connecting in Other Scenarios ......................................................................... 96   6 Surfing the Web in Windows 8 .................................................................. 99 Introducing Internet Explorer ............................................................................... 100 Navigating to Websites ........................................................................................ 103 Enhancing Your Browsing ..................................................................................... 109     Zooming In and Out ......................................................................................... 109     Viewing Web Pages in the Desktop Browser ................................................ 110     Pinning Websites to the Start Screen ............................................................. 110 Sharing and Printing While You’re Web Browsing ............................................. 112     Sharing Web Pages .......................................................................................... 113     Printing Web Pages .......................................................................................... 113   7 Connecting with the People App ............................................................ 117 Introducing the People App ...........................................................................118 Connecting with Your People .........................................................................121 Checking What’s New with Your People ........................................................125 The Me Page ...................................................................................................127 Setting Up Your Contacts ................................................................................128     Linking to Facebook ......................................................................................... 128     Linking to Google, Hotmail, and Exchange/Outlook/Office 365 ................ 130     Linking to Twitter .............................................................................................. 133     Linking to LinkedIn ........................................................................................... 135   8 Using the Mail App and Messaging to Stay Connected .......................... 137 Exploring the Mail App ......................................................................................... 138 Setting Up Email .................................................................................................... 139     Setting Up Your Email Accounts ..................................................................... 140 Reading Your Email ............................................................................................... 143     Replying to a Message..................................................................................... 144     Filing a Message in a Folder ........................................................................... 145     Deleting a Message ......................................................................................... 146     Forward a Message .......................................................................................... 146     Mark a Message as Unread ............................................................................. 147 Writing an Email Message .................................................................................... 148     Formatting Your Email Message ..................................................................... 149     Addressing Your Message ............................................................................... 151     Attaching a Photo or Another File to Your Message .................................... 152     Checking Spelling in Your Message ............................................................... 152 Using the Messaging App .................................................................................... 153   9 Using the Calendar App .......................................................................... 157 Getting to Know the Calendar App ..................................................................... 158     Starting the Calendar App .............................................................................. 158     Controlling the Calendar View ........................................................................ 159     Setting Calendar Colors .................................................................................. 161 Synchronizing with Other Calendars ................................................................... 162     Connecting to Your Hotmail Account ............................................................ 163     Connecting to Your Gmail Account ............................................................... 164     Connecting to Your Exchange/Outlook/Office 365 Account....................... 165 Entering New Events into Your Calendar............................................................ 167   10 Sharing Your Windows 8 Computer with Others .................................... 171 Windows 8 Users and Account Basics ................................................................. 172 Adding a New User ............................................................................................... 174     Adding a New User with a Local Account ..................................................... 175     Adding a New User with a Windows Account ............................................... 176 Creating a PIN or Picture Password ..................................................................... 179     Adding a PIN to Your Account ....................................................................... 180     Adding a Picture Password to Your Account ................................................. 180 Making Changes to User Accounts ..................................................................... 184     Changing a User’s Type ................................................................................... 184     Removing a User Account ............................................................................... 185   11 Sharing Files and Printers with Homegroup ............................................ 187 Networking with Homegroup ............................................................................... 188 Using the Windows Homegroup .......................................................................... 189     Creating a Homegroup .................................................................................... 191     Joining a Homegroup ...................................................................................... 194     Leaving a Homegroup ..................................................................................... 195     Troubleshooting Homegroup Connections ................................................... 195 Setting Up Sharing ................................................................................................ 196     Disabling Sharing for Specific Files or Folders .............................................. 196     Sharing Files and Folders Only with Specific Users ...................................... 197 Sharing Your Printer ............................................................................................. 198 Seeing Stuff Shared By Others ............................................................................. 199   12 Mastering Windows 8 Apps .................................................................... 203 Learning Basic Windows 8 Apps Info .................................................................. 204 Running Windows 8 Apps ..................................................................................... 205     Starting a Windows 8 App ............................................................................... 205     Starting Additional Windows 8 Apps ............................................................. 206     Stopping a Windows 8 App (If You Must) ...................................................... 207     Using the App bar to Change a Windows 8 App’s Settings ........................ 207 Managing Windows 8 Apps ................................................................................. 208     Using the App Switcher ................................................................................... 209     Switching to the Previous App ........................................................................ 210     Showing Two Windows 8 Apps on the Screen .............................................. 210 Shopping at the Windows Store .......................................................................... 214     Purchasing an App ........................................................................................... 215     Managing Your Account .................................................................................. 216   13 Working with the Desktop App .............................................................. 221 Introducing the Desktop App .............................................................................. 222     Starting the Desktop ........................................................................................ 222     Returning to the Start Screen .......................................................................... 224 Keeping the Desktop Organized ........................................................................ 225     Automatically Line Up Icons on the Desktop ............................................... 226     Arrange the Desktop by Icon Type ................................................................ 227     Change the Size of Desktop Icons.................................................................. 227     Hide All Desktop Icons .................................................................................... 228 Working with the Taskbar ..................................................................................... 228     Receiving Alerts and Notifications .................................................................. 228     Adding Toolbars to the Taskbar ..................................................................... 230     Displaying Special Icons on the Desktop ....................................................... 231   14 Using Windows Desktop Programs ......................................................... 235 Introducing Windows Desktop Programs ........................................................... 236 Running Programs on the Desktop...................................................................... 237     Running Multiple Windows Desktop Programs ............................................. 237     Making It Easy to Start Your Favorite Desktop Programs ............................ 239     Saving Files to the Desktop ............................................................................. 239     Exiting Desktop Programs ............................................................................... 241 Working with Windows ......................................................................................... 241 Installing and Removing Programs ...................................................................... 245     Installing Program............................................................................................. 245     Removing Windows Programs ........................................................................ 245   15 Organizing Files and Folders with Windows Explorer ............................. 249 Files and Folder Basics .......................................................................................... 250     Understanding Files ......................................................................................... 250     Understanding Folders .................................................................................... 251 Exploring Your Files and Folders with Windows Explorer ................................. 252     Working with Libraries ..................................................................................... 254     Navigating the Folder Tree ............................................................................. 255     Customizing the Content Pane ....................................................................... 257     Exploring the Preview and Details Pane ........................................................ 259     Folder Options .................................................................................................. 261 Navigating Through Your Folders ....................................................................... 263 Selecting Files and Folders ................................................................................. 266     Selecting a Single File at a Time ..................................................................... 266     Selecting Multiple Contiguous Files ............................................................... 267     Selecting Multiple Noncontiguous Files ........................................................ 268 Common Files and Folders Tasks ........................................................................ 269   16 Storing Files on Drives, Disks, and the Cloud ......................................... 273 Working with External Drives ............................................................................... 274     Connecting Your Drive the First Time ............................................................ 275     Naming Your New Drive .................................................................................. 275 Storing and Sharing in the Cloud ........................................................................ 276 Saving Data to DVDs ............................................................................................. 279 Data Backup Strategies ......................................................................................... 282 Backing Up with File History ................................................................................. 283     Setting Up File History ..................................................................................... 283     Backing Up ........................................................................................................ 287     Restoring Files .................................................................................................. 287   17 Setting Up Hardware the Easy Way ........................................................ 289 Setting Up Your Display ........................................................................................ 290     Adjusting the Resolution (Making the Screen Bigger or Smaller) ............... 290     Setting Up Multiple Monitors .......................................................................... 292 Setting Up Your Mouse ......................................................................................... 294     Changing the Mouse Pointers Used on the Desktop ................................... 298 Setting Up Your Keyboard .................................................................................... 299 Setting Up Sound .................................................................................................. 301     Setting Up Your Speakers ................................................................................ 301     Selecting Sounds for Windows Events ........................................................... 303 Setting Up Power Use ........................................................................................... 305     The Easy Method to Set Up Power Use ......................................................... 306     The Really Easy Method to Set Up Power Use .............................................. 306     The Manual Method to Set Up Power Use .................................................... 308   18 Printing, Scanning, and Faxing in Windows 8 ......................................... 309 Printing in Windows 8 ........................................................................................... 310     Setting Up a New Printer ................................................................................. 310     Printing in Windows 8 ...................................................................................... 311 Faxing in Windows 8 ............................................................................................. 313     Sending a Fax ................................................................................................... 314     Receiving a Fax ................................................................................................. 315 Scanning in Windows 8 ......................................................................................... 316     Setting Up Your Scanner ................................................................................. 316     Scanning in Windows 8 .................................................................................... 316   19 Safe and Private Internet Computing ...................................................... 319 Understanding Internet Threats and Risks .......................................................... 320     Web Browsing Risks ......................................................................................... 320     Learning About Risky Attachments and Other Email-Related Threats ....... 321     Learning Phishing Threats ............................................................................... 322     Avoiding Virus Threats ..................................................................................... 325 Defending Yourself ................................................................................................ 325     Reviewing All-in-One Internet Defense Suites .............................................. 325     Defending with Windows Defender ............................................................... 326     Checking Your Security Status at the Action Center .................................... 330     Using SmartScreen to Avoid Dangerous Websites ....................................... 330     Covering Your Internet Tracks ......................................................................... 332     Browsing Quietly and Invisibly with InPrivate Browsing ............................... 333     Using Windows Firewall ................................................................................... 334 Managing All Your IDs and Passwords ................................................................ 334   20 Performing Routine Maintenance ............................................................ 337 Keeping Current on Windows Update ................................................................ 338 Delete Unused Files .............................................................................................. 341 Defragmenting Your Drive .................................................................................... 343 Update Internet Security Definitions ................................................................... 345 Sample Maintenance Schedule ............................................................................ 345   21 Troubleshooting and Solving Problems in Windows 8 ............................ 347 Using the Troubleshooting Wizards .................................................................... 348 Using Task Manager to Close Unresponsive Programs ..................................... 349 Understanding Refresh and Restore .................................................................... 350     Getting a Do-Over with Refresh ..................................................................... 351     Restarting from Scratch with the Reset Option ............................................. 352 Reviewing Your System Core Info ........................................................................ 353   22 Keeping Current with the Bing Apps ...................................................... 355 Introducing the Bing Apps ................................................................................... 356 Read the News That’s Fit to Bing ........................................................................ 357 Getting the Bing Weather Report ........................................................................ 359 Keeping Score with Bing Sports .......................................................................... 361 Getting the Bing Money Story ............................................................................. 362 Vacationing with the Bing Travel App ................................................................. 364 Trending Topics with Bing .................................................................................... 366 Finding Your Way with Bing Maps ....................................................................... 367   23 Enjoying Your Digital Photos .................................................................. 369 Learning Photos App Basics ................................................................................. 370 Browsing Through Your Photos ........................................................................... 374 Working with Your Photos .................................................................................... 375 Bringing In Your Facebook and Flickr Photos .................................................... 377     Bringing In Facebook Photos .......................................................................... 377     Bringing In Flickr Photos .................................................................................. 379     Bringing In SkyDrive Photos ............................................................................ 379   24 Enjoying Movies and Videos in Windows 8 ............................................. 381 Getting Started with the xbox video App ........................................................... 382     Setting Up Your Xbox LIVE Account .............................................................. 382     Adding Your Videos to the Videos Library .................................................... 384 Moving Through the xbox video App ................................................................ 386 Shopping for Videos.............................................................................................. 391     Making a Purchase ........................................................................................... 391     Renting a Selection .......................................................................................... 392   25 Listening to the Music in Windows 8 ...................................................... 395 Getting Started with the Music App .................................................................... 396     Learning What’s Where in the Music App ..................................................... 397     Setting Up Your Xbox LIVE Account .............................................................. 399 Loading Your Music into Windows 8 ................................................................... 401     How to Link Your Music ................................................................................... 401     How to Move Your Music ................................................................................ 402 Browsing Through Your Music ............................................................................. 403 Playing Music ......................................................................................................... 405 Purchasing Music ................................................................................................... 405 Importing and Creating Music CDs ..................................................................... 407     Importing Music from a CD ............................................................................. 408     Creating a Playlist and Music CD .................................................................... 409   26 Gametime with Windows 8 and Xbox 360 .............................................. 411 Using Xbox LIVE with Windows 8 ........................................................................ 412 Setting Up Your Xbox LIVE Account .................................................................... 413 Controlling Xbox from Windows 8 ....................................................................... 416     Installing Xbox SmartGlass .............................................................................. 417     Using Xbox SmartGlass .................................................................................... 418 Learning the Xbox Games App ........................................................................... 420   Index .............................................................................................................. 423