Ballew - Windows 8.1 Plain & Simple

For my friend, mentor, and (retired) agent, Neil Salkind, PhD.

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This was a fun book to write, what with all of the images, steps, callouts, and red pointy lines! Of course, all I had to do was write the words, take the shots, and detail what I wanted to show; many other people contributed and were responsible for the final product you hold in your hands now. And although I dont know all of them and cant thank them personally, there are a few I know by name.

Kenyon Brown served as my acquisitions and developmental editor, and brought me on to this project. He held my hand while I learned the ropes and was pretty patient with me; there was a lot to learn, having never written a Plain & Simple book before. Kristen Brown was my production editor, and she was in charge of making sure everything was placed correctly on the page, that the various people working on the book were available when needed, and was responsible for ironing out any differences that came up between the participants (although I cant recall any, now that Im thinking about it). Ultimately, Kristen was responsible for the book going to press. Thanks to Simon May for his excellent technical editing and Richard Carey for the excellent copyediting, too. There are always mistakes to be corrected, no matter how careful one is.

Id also like to mention that while all of this was going on, I was still in charge of my 93-year old father, his two dogs, and my two cats and their two hamsters, among the other myriad tasks associated with daily living. I teach at Brookhaven Community College (part of the Dallas County Community College District) and serve as the Microsoft IT Academy Coordinator there, too. I have a pretty popular YouTube channel to keep up with as well.

If you can imagine it, I was writing another Windows 8.1 book for Microsoft Press at the same time I was writing this one. Looking back, Im not sure how I did it, to be honest! Luckily I have help with the daily chores; Cosmo and I are celebrating 20 years together, my daughter is very patient with my busy schedule and works around it so I can see my new granddaughter, and they are all okay with me going to bed at eight-thirty or nine p.m. and rising early to write quietly. Thanks, everyone!

In this section:

Knowing how to use your Windows operating system is key to a successful computing experience. Even if youve been using Windows for years, there are a lot of new features and interface changes to get used to. This is true even if you are only moving from Windows 8; Windows 8.1 is packed with lots of enhancements and additions, including new apps, a redesigned Start button, an Apps view, lots of customization options, and more.

This book is designed to give you a simple-to-use visual reference that has you using Windows 8.1 right away. This book will help you understand the new Windows 8.1 Start screen, apps, and available touchscreen capabilities. This book will also direct you quickly to some of the more traditional features so that you can use your existing knowledge of Windows to ease your learning curve.

Whether youve used Windows before or are just starting out, this easy-to-understand book takes you through tasks step by step with a friendly visual interface that makes learning intuitive.

A quick overview

Windows 8.1 Plain & Simple is divided into sections; each section has a specific focus with related tasks. To help you understand how to move around and use the book, you might want a quick overview of the books structure. This section is .

, provide an introduction to the Windows 8.1 interface and the basic skills you need to navigate its features. You discover how to start and shut down Windows, get help, and how to provide input with your mouse, keyboard, or fingers by using a touchscreen.

, covers how to use the Settings charm to control volume and brightness, how to change the time zone, manage power, display an on-screen keyboard, and connect to a network.

, leads you through common tasks associated with personalizing your computer by modifying settings for colors, backgrounds, and more. You learn how to organize and customize tiles on the Start screen, as well.

, covers all the tools Windows 8.1 offers for searching content both on your computer and online.

, introduces you to the useful Maps app to help you find your way. If youve never used apps before, this is a great place to start.

, gets you online, connecting to the Internet and learning to use the new features of the Internet Explorer 11 browser to navigate the web.

In , provides steps for managing your contacts and time by using the People and Calendar apps.

, lets you communicate with the people you know using email, text, voice, and video.

In , you learn how to shop at the Windows Store for apps, sort, apps, and view your own apps.

In , youll learn all about using the Music app to play music, obtain music, and create playlists, including buying music at the Xbox Music store. The Music app finds your music and makes it available here automatically.

, provides instructions for viewing your own pictures and videos and making purchases at the Xbox Video store.

In , you learn about using applications, such as finding, opening and closing an app, inserting pictures, and entering and formatting text. Youll also discover the ins and outs of saving and printing files.

, provides the practical content that helps you connect with a network, manage your security and privacy, and maintain Windows to keep it trouble-free.

, shows you how to work with user accounts and security tools such as Family Safety, Windows Firewall, and Windows Defender.

, helps you keep your data safe and secure, and available from anywhere.

, shows how to use File Explorer to manage the data you keep. Youll learn to find, rename, move, copy, paste, and delete files, as well as how to create compressed folders and back up your data.