Laptop & Tablet Basics

Top Ten Tips

 

1. Explore your laptop

Know your device

Plug in the power cable

Access and use USB ports

Locate and the Ethernet port

Connect headphones

Locate additional ports

Locate, insert or remove the battery

Locate the power button and start Windows 8

Use the Windows key

Use the touchpad/track pad

 

2. Learn Windows 8 Essentials

Understand New Windows 8 Terms

Understand your Account Options

Log In to Windows 8

Explore the Start Screen

Access Charms

Explore Charms

Access the Traditional Desktop

Connect to a Wi-Fi network

Connect to an Ethernet network

Flick, Tap, Double Tap, and Scroll for Touch

 

3. Explore Start Screen Apps and Personalize Their Tiles

View Your Local Weather

Explore the Travel App

Search for a Location with Maps

Get the Latest Sports News and Follow a Team

Use an App's Charms

View Your Personal Calendar

Move among Open Apps

Move Tiles on the Start Screen

Turn Live Tiles On or Off

Make App Tiles Larger or Smaller

 

4. Use the Internet Explorer Start Screen App

Understand the versions of IE

Explore the Internet Explorer App

Visit a Website

Manage Tabs with the Hidden Toolbar

Pin a Website to the Start Screen

Explore Settings

 

5. Get an always-available Internet connection

Set up Wi-Fi settings appropriately

Understand your needs

Know what to ask before committing to a plan

Consider a cellular provider

Consider an ISP

Consider a satellite provider

Obtain the proper settings

Make the connection

 

6. Perform Computer Basics on the Desktop

Explore the Desktop

Learndesktop techniques

Explore the taskbar

Understand libraries in File Explorer

Open, close, resize the File Explorer window

Change the view in a window

Snap a window to the side of the desktop

Create a folder or subfolder

Move a folder or file

Search for a file or other item

Back up a folder to an external drive

 

7. Explore Desktop Apps 

Search for an application from the Start screen

Write a letter with WordPad

Save a letter with WordPad

Print a letter with WordPad

Use the calculator

Use the Snipping Tool

Email a snip

Record a sound clip

Explore other Desktop apps

Pin your favorite Desktop apps to the taskbar

 

8. Use the Internet Explorer Desktop App

Explore the Internet Explorer Desktop app

Use tabs

Set a home page

Mark a favourite

Zoom in or out

Print a web page

Clear History

Stay Safe on the Internet

Configure the IE Desktop App as the default

 

9. Configure and Use Mail

Access email

Set up a third party email account

Open and read email

Compose and send a new email

Format email text

Reply to or forward an email

Print an email

Attach something to an email

View an attachment in an email

View junk e-mail

Delete e-mail in a folder

 

10. Personalize Windows 8

Switch from a local account to a Microsoft account

Log on faster: create a pin

Change the picture on the lock screen

Choose lock screen apps

Personalize the start screen background

Add a tile to the start screen

Remove a tile from the start screen

Create a shortcut for a folder or library on the desktop

Create a shortcut for a program, accessory, system tool and more

Add an item to the taskbar

Chose which desktop icons appear

Join a homegroup

Create a new user

Share with the