How-To Find Control Panel (Or Settings) in Windows 10

 Today’s How-To Guide for the computer beginner we are going attempt answer the question, ‘How-To find the control panel in Windows 10?”

Today I will briefly explain:

Where is Control Panel in Windows 10?

How-To Move Control Panel to Taskbar or Start Menu

What is Settings?

Where is Control Panel in Windows 10?

In past versions we got so used to using control panel, but its not to easy to find anymore.  They have expanded this tool and call it SETTINGS today.  Let's find Control Panel first before we look at that!

Yellow is your start menu, and next to it is the search tool.  In the area where I drew the green line (search)?  Type in, 'control panel' - you might have to click in that white space before typing.  Notice on the top where I put the purple line it came up with an app named, 'control panel'.  If you click on that your control panel will come up.

How-To Move Control Panel to Taskbar or Start Menu

If you want to keep your control in a place where you won't forget how to search for it?  Let's place it on your START MENU or TASK BAR

We are going to follow the same steps we did above, and yet look to the right hand side of the screen where I placed a red check mark.  It says PIN to either the START MENU or TASKBAR.  Click on either one of those according to what you prefer.

What is Settings?

Settings is what I call an expanded version of YESTERDAY's Control Panel  Settings was introduced in Windows 8.  

We may need to navigate to the Control Panel to access some settings  Yet most if not all of the Settings can be found under the Settings app. In fact, many of the newly added settings and options are available only in the Settings app.

Using our steps above?  Search for SETTINGS and click on it.  It should be the first option on your list.

For myself?  I tend to use settings only, and I did pin it to my Taskbar for reference.

Below is a current picture of the SETTINGS app.  Although, keep in mind Microsoft does change the appearance of apps (or programs, applications) from time to time.

I hope our How-To lesson on the Control Panel or Settings for Windows 10 helped you!

If something is not clear, or you feel something should be added to our lesson? Please feel free to leave your comment or question in section we provided.

Also please subscribe by leaving your email in the box supplied, and you will received future lessons by email as they come out.

Thank you for reading our How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner, and today’s lesson on “How-To find the CONTROL PANEL or SETTINGS in Windows 10”

How-To Find the Taskbar in Windows 10

Today’s How-To Guide for the computer beginner we are going attempt answer the question, ‘What is the Taskbar and Where is it in Windows 10?"

Today I will briefly explain:

What is the Taskbar?

Where is the Taskbar?

What are the different Sections (parts) of the Taskbar

What is the Taskbar in Windows 10?

The Task bar is something you will use all the time, and believe or not in time it will become second nature. 

A taskbar is a visual device on the desktop that typically shows the user which applications (tasks) are currently active and running. Taskbars such as those in Windows operating systems also include icons for commonly-used utilities such as the system clock and antivirus software. In some systems, the user is allowed to modify the contents, location, or appearance of the taskbar.

Where is the Taskbar in Windows 10?

At the very bottom of your screen you will see the Windows 10 Taskbar.  I zoomed into another example below so we can see it close up.

Far Left section of the Windows 10 Taskbar

Far Right Section of the Windows 10 Taskbar

What are the Different Parts or Sections to the Windows 10 Taskbar

I'm going to start with the far left section.

Start Menu

The Windows Icon is the Start Menu that I wrote about in more detail before.  

I pointed to the Start Menu with the yellow arrow.

SEARCH

The next section is a SEARCH section.  You click in that area, and start typing a document name or program (or referred to as app - or application) you want to find.  It has the magnifying glass with the white area next to it. 

What is nice is if I only remember part of the name?  Search will bring up many choices as you type in a list.  Windows might even suggest programs or documents that seem close to your title.

In the above picture I typed in CONTROL PANEL (green mark), and at the very top I marked a purple line for the option that I might select.  As you can see Windows gave me a list, and I can choose any of them by clicking on it.  The document or application will open at that point.  In my case above?  If I click on control panel?  My control panel will open.

CORTANA

I hovered over the CORTANA button, and my taskbar tells me what that icon is.  I want to reference as Microsoft article on Cortana that shows you:  What is Cortana?

TASK VIEW

Again I hovered over this icon (don't click just hover) so I can see what this icon is.  You can do this with most icons.  Task View is better explained as a visual, and so I'm going to link to a Youtube Video so you can see what you can do in Task View

QUICK LAUNCH

In the picture above I included the Task View icon for reference, and then you have a new icons section starting with the blue circle which in my case is Microsoft Edge Browser.  When I purchased my computer these icons were on my QUICK LAUNCH area, and you can PIN or UNPIN these icons with your choices.

In my circumstance?  In the far right you will see the white Wheel looking icon.  This is my SETTINGS section on my Windows 10 machine.  I tend to check items in the SETTINGS almost daily, and I wanted to PIN it to my Quick Launch for easy reference.  If I click on the White Wheel or Gear looking icon?  My SETTINGS will launch.

Above we SEARCHED for control panel.  If you also look to your right side with the Red checkmark?  You see the option to PIN TO TASKBAR.  If you click on that section you will see the program placed in your QUICK LAUNCH area.  That is how I placed my SETTINGS icon there.

If I wanted to remove it?  I would RIGHT CLICK on my Settings Icon

The option as you can see from the picture is there to click on to remove it.  They call it UNPIN.

So if you have some program you use alot?  You can PIN to this Quick Launch Area if you wish, and if you decide you don't want it there?  UNPIN from the taskbar as well.  It's your choice!

MAIN TASK BAR

Next to my Quick Launch area that ends with my Settings Icon is your MAIN TASK BAR.

These are the programs or webpages you are current using or have open.  If you hover over them the icon will give you a quick view of document, program or website.  Notice the blue underlines under these.  

In my case above?  Settings (from quick launch area), Google Chrome Browser, Avast Virus Protection, Word Document, and Lastly Notepad.

Once you close those programs or documents?  They will disappear from your MAIN TASK BAR.

SYSTEM TRAY

Now let's move on to the far right hand side, and you will see an UP arrow like pictured above.  The System Tray is part of the Notification area.  

When you click on this you will see a partial list of your startup programs.  Keep in mind this will NOT list all your startup programs, but it does give you a quick overview of some programs you may or may not wish to have start up automatically.

Some programs, apps or applications once you install them will decide for themselves during installation to START UP when you computer turns on.  You may find them in your system tray, and you have an option to turn them off.

You maybe wondering WHAT those icons are, and if you hover over them (don't click) the system tray will tell you.

In the above picture I hovered over the top right hand icon, and its says NVIDIA settings.  This is a program for my graphics in my computer.    If I click on that icon that program will open, or give me other options.

Now I clicked on the icon to it - CCLEANER.  Notice the options I'm given above.  I can exit for example on the bottom.  

You want to keep your SYSTEM TRAY for important applications only.  For example, I have my system programs or maintenance programs here.  All the rest I click to remove or exit.

The most important thing you can do with the System Tray is to determine whether all of the applications represented by the icons really need to be starting up and running all the time. Each icon represents a little program that is taking memory to remain active. If your computer is starting up or running slowly, see if you can shut some of these down. Common ones that are not needed are quick launches for Acrobat Reader, music or chat programs, like Yahoo! or MSN Messenger. If you don't use them often, remove them.

Microsoft has an article on how to Customize your icons from the System Tray within the Notification Area.

NOTIFICATION AREA

The System Tray is part of the Notification area, but you will use these parts a little more often.  As you can see you have your time, Date, Volume that you might reference each day.

I also have my Wifi, and program to backup my computer to the Cloud.

If you notice that orange dot in the picture...hover over that icon to see a message.

My computer has downloaded some Window Updates, and wants me to restart my computer to install them.  These orange dots 'NOTIFY' you.

If you go back to the SEARCH area, and type in NOTIFICATIONS

You have plenty of options if you wish to add or remove icons from the notifications area (or system tray).

I hope our How-To lesson on the Taskbar for Windows 10 helped you!

If something is not clear, or you feel something should be added to our lesson? Please feel free to leave your comment or question in section we provided.

Also please subscribe by leaving your email in the box supplied, and you will received future lessons by email as they come out.

Thank you for reading our How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner, and today’s lesson on “How-To find the Taskbar in Windows 10”

How-To find the Location of the Start Menu in Windows 10

 Today’s How-To Guide for the computer beginner we are going attempt answer the question, ‘How-To find the Start menu in Windows 10?”

Today I will briefly explain:

Where is the location of Start Menu in Windows 10

What are the sections to the Start menu

How-To change Start Menu Tiles

What is a Live Tile

How do you Turn a Live Tile on and Off

What is Pinning or Unpinning

Where is the location of Start Menu in Windows 10?

In the picture above you will a red arrow pointing to the Start Button.  Once you click that Start button?  You will open up the START MENU.

What are the sections to the Start menu?

On your right hand side you have your applications.  Today they might be referred to as 'apps' or in the past?  Programs on your computer.  They are in order, and in most cases use the program (app) icon.

Yet, if you look above?  Under "B" you will see BACKUP AND SYNC FROM GOOGLE.  Instead of an icon you see a folder.  Notice the down arrow next to title.  When you click on this folder it expands.

I have circled in red a closer look at the folder.  It resembles a FILE folder.  In Yellow?  That expands this application (program or app) to show more.  The Yellow arrow is pointing up to show the additional aspects to this program, and if you look at the picture above (my list of apps compared to this single one)?  The arrow is down and the list isn't expanded.

To close you click on the UP arrow (Yellow circle), and it will look like it did in my first picture.

If you look at the far left?  You will see a menu and icons.

#1 Just expands the look of this list of the Start Menu (Click it once to see what I'm referring to, and then click again to minimize back to this view)

#2 is the account name for the computer user (the name you signed into the computer with)

#3  File Explorer

#4  Settings (an expanded version of Control Panel)

#5  Is the Power Settings (Turn computer off, Restart Computer, etc)

My computer also lists Pictures and Documents.  I think Windows Changes this from time to time.

These are some of the options you will get with your power button (#5 above) when you click it.  

How to Change Start Menu Tiles?

Your tiles are the picture below.  Keep in mind your tiles may look different.  When you first get your computer they randomly pick items for this section, but you can customize it to put your prefered items in there instead.    They call this 'pinning' which is adding an icon or app.  Your 'unpinning' if you wish to remove something.

I'm NOT a gamer, and so these games are worthless to me.  I'm going to 'unpin' this under the "PLAY" section to remove them.  

In the picture above there is a game tile, and I'm going to RIGHT CLICK on that game tile itself.  The above menu comes up.  As you can see I have a couple of options.

The top one is UNPIN FROM START with my red arrow pointing to it.  Now, if I wanted to keep the game, but I didn't want it UNINSTALL (see bottom option) I could click on that option.  Since I'm NOT a gamer?  I may pick to uninstall the game from my computer completely.  I would then click my choice.

Then again you may decide I LOVE this game, but I want the tile bigger!  Notice RESIZE opens up another menu with choices.  The Checkmark on medium means that is the current size they are using.

The more option also has more choices.  

What is a Live Tile?

Windows 10 includes a new 3D animation for live tiles, and then you have static ones that generally have your program (app) logo or icon as the picture.

If we look at my tiles again above?  At the very bottom most people have the tile named NEWS.  It's next to Facebook in the above picture.  As we know NEWS changes, and 3D animation with headlines will change in this tile.

If you look at the top portion with the picture of the game console?  Under the PLAY section? (Xbox console) that is a static tile, and it doesn't change.  It's the same for the Solitaire Icon.

Now, let's turn on a LIVE TILE.  It seems my weather tile isn't showing any weather!

How do you Turn a Live Tile on and Off

Right Click WEATHER, slide down to MORE, and click on TURN LIVE TILE ON

I'm NOT from Washington, but if I was?  You can see the weather for that area.  Not sure why it randomly picked Washington, but I can go back into the app (program) to change my location later.

It's also to small for my liking, and I'm going to use the RESIZE option to make it bigger!

This live tile changes from the next three days (as seen above) to today's forecast.

If I decide I don't want the weather app to be live?  I would do the same progress we just did, but click TURN LIVE TILE OFF.

What is Pinning or Unpinning?

We will go back again to the list of apps (Programs) from our start menu

I have decided I will keep a game they have on my computer, and because BINGO was a childhood favorite?  I'm going PIN Bingo to my START MENU.  That way when I click my START BUTTON it will be easy for me to find!

I'm going to RIGHT CLICK on Bingo Blitz on my list you see above, and click on PIN TO START.

Now it is there for as long as I want it to be!

Yet, those other games that are listed?  I don't need them, and so I can either UNPIN them or UNINSTALL them altogether.

Right click on the Game Icon in the start menu, and click on my top option 'UNPIN FROM START'.

I decided I only wanted to keep my BINGO and SOLITAIRE.  I UNPINNED the rest of the games.

You decide what programs (apps) you use and want to keep in this section, because it is entirely UP to you!

The Windows Community also has a short and brief video on customizing the Start Menu that you might find help on Youtube.

I hope our How-To lesson on the Start Menu for Windows 10 helped you!

If something is not clear, or you feel something should be added to our lesson? Please feel free to leave your comment or question in section we provided.

Also please subscribe by leaving your email in the box supplied, and you will received future lessons by email as they come out.

Thank you for reading our How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner, and today’s lesson on “How-To find the Location of the Start Menu in Windows 10”

How-To do the Windows 10 Update

 Today’s How-To Guide for the computer beginner we are going attempt answer the question, ‘How-To do the Windows Update for Windows 10?”

Today I will briefly explain:

Where is Windows Update? 

How do you install the Window’s updates? 

What are optional updates?

Turning off Automatic updates

Where is Windows Update in Windows 10? 

In Windows 10 your windows update normally runs by itself, and doesn't always need prompting like older operating systems.  They call this automatic updates.  I will also show you how to do the Windows 10 update manually as well.  

You will know something happened with your automatic updates when in your task bar you see the symbols below!

In my taskbar over close to the clock and calendar?  You see the symbol above with the orange dot inside of it.  If you hover over the symbol?  It tells you that Windows 10 Update has taken place, and your computer needs to be restarted in order to install it.  Your done!  Windows 10 is nice that way.

Now if you STILL want to manually check for Windows 10 Updates?  Which I do from time to time anyway, and most people should as well.

Windows updates are in the SETTINGS section of your Windows 10 computer.  We can get to the Windows Update directly, or go to SETTINGS and find the Windows Update Section.

Let's go direct first!

Go to your start button (red arrow) , and type in windows update next to the magnifying glass (you may have to click inside the box before starting to type).  You will see this option pop up like my picture below!

Notice at the top it says, "Check For Updates".  This will automatically take you to the Windows 10 Update Screen when you click on it.  

The second way - or indirect way - to go to Windows Update in the SETTINGS Section seen below:

 

You can go directly to settings in two ways.  One is to push the start button (Yellow circle), and click on the 'settings' icon.  I moved my settings icon to the task bar at the bottom.  Red Arrow (or my attempt at an arrow) points to the settings icon.  The settings icon looks like a gear or a strange wheel.  

Once you have found settings, and clicked on it?  A new window will open that looks similar to the one below.   This is SETTINGS.  Look at my row on the bottom, and you will see UPDATE & SECURITY  That is where your Windows 10 Update is.

How do you install the Window’s updates?

Click on Update & Security.  This will bring you to the Windows 10 Update Section!

If you do NOT have any updates the screen will tell you that, but if you see below?  I do have update.  We will deal with the optional updates as well, but first this is what I do on this screen.

Before I click UPDATE NOW I click on the left hand side of the screen that says WINDOWS UPDATE just to be sure I have the most up to date information.  

Sometimes Windows 10 Updates stay the same as the picture below, and other times it add additional updates.  It could also install the updates it noted on the screen, and now it shows NO updates at this time.  

Now that I have completed the above?  I look at my optional updates.

What are optional updates?

Right underneath the UPDATE NOW (see picture above) you will see the OPTIONAL QUALITY UPDATE AVAILABLE section.  Underneath that you will see VIEW ALL OPTIONAL UPDATES in the blue letters.  It will take you to another Windows Update Screen

Keep in mind at times you will have updates, and other times you may not.  It depends on what Microsoft wants to send out.

Since I have some optional updates?  Let's move forward!

I will click the WINDOWS UPDATE option as seen above with the check mark.  If you click that down arrow (circled in red) next to Windows Updates or Driver Updates it will reveal a list for you to choose from.  Again, sometimes you have one or many...or nothing at all.

Let's look at the Drivers Updates:

If I'm having issues with the Display?  I might pick the first option under Driver Updates since it says its a Display driver.  If you are having problems with sound?  Find your sound drivers.  If you aren't having any problems?  I don't personally fix something that isn't broken.  

Let's install my Optional Windows Update!

Above the HOUSE icon at the very top next to the word OPTIONAL UPDATES you should see an arrow with the word SETTINGS, and that will send you back to the previous screen with were on before.  Now we are back to the Windows Update section!

You will notice two things above.  1)  My screen says I'm up to date for the Windows Update, and 2)  The optional update on the last screen is presented to me under the OPTIONAL QUALITY UPDATE AVAILABLE since I selected it.

As I mentioned before sometimes Windows updates without your prompting it too.  I did have a Windows Update, but when we went to the Optional Update Section?  Windows installed it for me!

I do still want to install the optional update, and if you look at the blue lettering again?  It gives you the option of  DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL.  I click on this option of blue letters.

Also keep in mind depending on your internet speed, file size, number of updates, or a number of other factors this process may go for a while, or be rather quick.  It's seems different each time.

BE PATIENT!!

You will notice the message will tell you that windows is downloading the files first, and then they install them. 

Most of the time the installations are quick enough for you NOT to notice both steps.   Other times you wait for he download and then WAIT again for the installation.  Again - each time is different!

In the picture above the files were downloading (See Status), and it will install my optional update when it is complete.  Most of the time it doesn't prompt you if you want to install it, but if for some strange reason it does?  Click AWAY!

Some Windows 10 Updates will require you to restart your computer, and other times it will not.  Always prepare yourself to restart when it is complete.  Save your files, and do whatever else you need to do when you shut off your computer.

Keep in mind that your restart and shut down may go a little slower, because the computer is processing these new files, updates, etc.  Again, that doesn’t happen all the time!  Yet, if the file is large?  It will take longer than normal.

Once the computer has started up again you will need to follow the steps we did once again, and install the next set of updates (if needed).  You will be doing this until all of them have been completed. 

We do need to take care of the important ones to keep your computer running properly.

YEAH!  Your done!

Turning off Automatic updates

Most of the time you don't want to do this, but there are times in which you might.  I found a video on youtube that explains how to turn these updates off.  For Home versions of Windows 10?  You can't do this permanently.

Finally, remember windows updates are important for your computer!  You need to continue to check for updates from time to times on your own.  They claim the automatic updates will tell you when its time, but we have to remember this a machine.

If you haven’t see the reminder in a while?  Do your windows update manually once again like I have shown you, and keep it UP TO DATE!

If something is not clear, or you feel something should be added to our lesson? Please feel free to leave your comment or question in section we provided.

Also please subscribe by leaving your email in the box supplied, and you will received future lessons by email as they come out.

Thank you for reading our How-To Guide for the Computer Beginner, and today’s lesson on “How-To do Windows Update for Windows 10?”