Windows 8 was very different from Windows 7, but change is only speeding up — Windows 8.1
has seen quite a few changes since Windows 8. You’ll have new things to
learn. whichever which version of Windows you’re upgrading from.
This
isn’t an exhaustive list, but it will help you get to grips with
Windows 8.1 and locate the settings you may be looking for — especially
if they’ve moved since Windows 7 or 8.
Desktop Options Aren’t Enabled By Default
Microsoft made a significant effort to make Windows 8.1 less awkward for desktop users,
but the only difference you’ll notice by default is that the Start
button is back. If you want to boot to the desktop and prevent the app
switcher and charms from appearing when you move your mouse to the top
corners of your screen, you’ll need to configure these options yourself.
To do so, right-click your taskbar, select Properties, and change the
options on the Navigation tab
You Can Shut Down in Two Clicks
Press Windows Key + X or right-click
the Start button to open the power user menu. This menu contains
shortcuts with quick access to commonly used options like the Control
Panel, Task Manager, and File Explorer. On Windows 8.1, you can now shut
down from this menu — it takes just as many clicks as it did on Windows
7.
Default File Associations Are Still Frustrating
Windows 8.1′s file associations
are still obnoxious for desktop users. When you open an image from the
desktop, you’ll be whisked away to the full-screen Modern interface with
your taskbar and entire desktop hidden. It would make sense for each
environment to have its own file associations, so you’d see a desktop
program when you opened a picture from the desktop, but Microsoft hasn’t
done this.
If you use the desktop, you’ll need to head into the
Default programs control panel and change the default file associations
for images, PDFs, music, and video files.
Bing Integration Can Be Disabled
Microsoft’s Bing search engine is
integrated in Windows 8.1, allowing you to easily search with Bing from
the system’s search feature. To accomplish this, searches you start
typing on your computer will be sent to Bing’s servers. If you’d rather
not have the searches you type sent to Bing, you can disable Bing integration from the Search and apps panel in the PC Settings app.
Tiles Aren’t Created By Default
Windows
8 automatically created tiles on your Start screen when you installed a
Windows 8 app or desktop program. Windows 8.1 no longer does this,
allowing you full control of your Start screen layout. To add tiles for
newly installed programs, click the arrow button or swipe up on the
Start screen. Right-click or long-press an application shortcut and
select Pin to Start to create a tile for it.
SkyDrive Only Syncs Files in the SkyDrive Folder, Mostly
Windows 8.1′s SkyDrive integration
will only synchronize files and folders in your SkyDrive folder at
C:\Users\NAME\SkyDrive. You can’t synchronize folders outside of this
folder, and the old symbolic link trick won’t work either. SkyDrive will
also sync the photos in your Camera Roll folder, but it won’t sync
other images in your Pictures folder.
To sync another folder, you’ll have to try moving it into SkyDrive and creating a symbolic link elsewhere.
Libraries Are Hidden By Default
Libraries
are now hidden by default, even though they’re still used heavily by
Modern apps. For example, image applications have access to your
Pictures library, while video players have access to your Videos
library.
To make libraries visible again, right-click in the left pane of the File Browser and select Show libraries.
Internet Explorer’s Two Interfaces
Internet
Explorer still offers two interfaces — the full-screen, Windows 8-style
one and a desktop application. When you launch the Internet Explorer
tile from the Start screen, you’ll see the Windows 8-style Internet
Explorer.
If you’d rather use the desktop version of Internet
Explorer when you click the Internet Explorer tile, open IE on the
desktop, click the gear menu, and select Internet options. Click the
Programs tab and set Internet Explorer to open “Always in Internet
Explorer on the desktop.”
If Internet Explorer isn’t your default browser, it will always open on the desktop and you’ll be unable to change this setting.
Snap is Improved
Snap
is an extremely important part of using Windows 8 apps, as it allows
you to use multiple apps at a time. It feels fairly limited on a laptop
or desktop, but it’s refreshing and powerful on a tablet.
To snap
an app, swipe in from the left of your screen and position the app’s
tile at the left or right sides of the screen. It will snap alongside
the current app. With a mouse, move your mouse to the top-left corner of
the screen and drag-and-drop the app’s tile onto your screen where you
want it. You can now resize the apps to use as much space as you like or
even view three or more apps on screen at once, depending on your
screen resolution. Windows 8.1′s Modern interface is much more powerful than Windows 8′s.
Administrative Tools Are Hidden By Default
The
system tools found in the Windows Administrative Tools folder —
applications like the Task Scheduler, Event Viewer, Services, and
Computer Management tools — are normally hidden. They won’t appear in
your All apps list and you won’t be able to find them by searching your
installed applications, either. If you need them, head to the Start
screen, press Windows Key + C, select Settings, select Tiles, and enable the Show administrative tools option on the Tiles pane. They’ll show up in All apps and appear when you search for them by name.
I mostly focused on the desktop here, but tablet users aren’t left out. If you use Windows 8.1 on a tablet, please keep visiting my blog to check out the list of new features Windows 8.1 brings for tablet users in my next post.
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