You've probably heard that Windows 8 is very different from earlier versions of Windows, and it is.
But the good news is that Windows 8.1 brings back many of the features that were missing
when Windows 8 first came out, making it much easier to use.
If you have Windows 8, you can download 8.1 for free. Just go to Microsoft.com and click
Downloads to find the most recent update.
Windows 8 offers a completely new computing experience. If you've used Windows before,
the first thing you'll notice is it looks totally different. Microsoft has moved a lot
of things around, and it may take you a while to figure out how to do even the most basic
tasks, like finding your files, or switching to a different program. One reason why they've
made so many changes is they wanted Windows 8 to run on tablets, as well as desktops and
laptops.
There are actually two different views in Windows 8. Right now we're looking at the
Start Screen. The other view is the Desktop, which looks very similar to earlier versions
of Windows. Chances are, you'll use both of these views for different tasks, and you'll
get used to switching back and forth.
Let's take a look at the Start Screen. You can click on an app to open it. Unlike earlier
versions of Windows, apps don't open in a window; they fill the entire screen. But if
you prefer multitasking, you can drag the app to the side, and then open a second app.
To close apps, just move your mouse to the top of the screen. If you're using a tablet,
you can close apps by dragging them down.
Now let's take a moment to look at the Desktop. This view is pretty similar to earlier versions
of windows, but it's gone through some changes -- most notably involving the Start button.
When Windows 8 first came out the Start button had been removed, but a lot of users found
it hard to adjust to using a desktop without a start button. So Microsoft brought it back
in the 8.1 update, but it functions a little differently than before.
Let me show you what I mean. The Start button used to display a list of programs and shutdown
options. Now clicking it brings you back to the Start screen so you can access your programs
and apps - as well as shut down options, and a new search button.
While you're on the Start screen, you may notice some tiles changing. These are Live
tiles -- they let you see information on the tile itself without even clicking on it. That
means you can see the weather, news headlines, and more right from your Start Screen.
To get the most out of Windows 8, you'll want to go to onedrive.com to create a free Microsoft
account, if you don't already have one. This will let you use Microsoft's online services.
For example, you can use OneDrive to store your documents, photos, and other files in
the cloud. You can also store your calendar, contacts, and more online. Why is this important
for Windows 8? Well, you can log in with your Microsoft account, and it will automatically
pull your calendar, email, photos, and more, so you can access them easily from your Start
Screen. The coolest part of this is that you can log in to any computer that has Windows
8, and all of your settings and your OneDrive files will be there.
Now if you're wondering where all of your old files and folders are, don't worry: You
can still get to them by going to the Desktop and navigating to the folder that you want.
And many of your existing programs will still run from the Desktop view, although you should
do some research to find out whether they are Windows 8 compatible.
As you can see, Windows 8 has introduced a lot of changes.
If you're not comfortable re-learning how to use your computer, then you may want to
stick with your current version for now. But if you're really into new technology, and
you like the idea of storing your files in the cloud, chances are you'll feel right at
home in the new Windows 8.