Computer Basics Absolute Beginner's Guide, Windows 10 Edition (includes Content Update Program) (8^th Ed.)

Make the most of your new Windows® 10 notebook or desktop computer–without becoming a technical expert! This book is the fastest way to get comfortable, get productive, get online, get started with social networking, make more connections, and have more fun! Even if you’ve never used a Windows computer before, this book shows you how to do what you want, one incredibly clear and easy step at a time. Computer basics have never, ever been this simple!

Who knew how simple using computers could be?

This is today’s best beginner’s guide to using your computer or tablet with the new Windows 10 operating system…simple, practical instructions for doing everything you really want to do!

Here’s a small sample of what you’ll learn:

• Set up your new computer and use the Windows 10 Start menu and desktop
• Connect to the Internet and browse the Web with Microsoft Edge
• Get started with social networking on Facebook®, Twitter™, Pinterest™, and LinkedIn®
• Use Windows 10’s built-in apps–and find great new apps in the Windows Store
• Connect printers and external storage, and set up automatic file backup
• Create a home network in just minutes
• Go online to shop and sell–and smart search with Microsoft Cortana®
• Get your office work done fast
• Organize, view, and share photos
• Play music using Spotify®, Pandora®, iTunes®, and more
• Watch TV shows and movies online with Netflix® and Hulu™
• Protect yourself against viruses, spyware, and spam
• Keep your system running reliably at top speed

This book is part of Que’s Content Update Program. As Microsoft® updates features of Windows, sections of this book will be updated or new sections will be added to match the updates to the software. See inside for details

Introduction 1

How This Book Is Organized 3

Which Version of Windows? 4

Conventions Used in This Book 4

Menu Commands 4

Shortcut Key Combinations 5

Web Page Addresses 5

Special Elements 5

There’s More Online 6

Chapter 1  How Personal Computers Work 7

What Your Computer Can Do 8

Good for Getting Online 8

Good for Social Networking 8

Good for Communicating 9

Good for Sharing Photos and Home Movies 9

Good for Keeping in Touch 9

Good for Entertainment 9

Good for Keeping Informed 10

Good for Work 10

Good for Play 10

Inside a Personal Computer 11

The Motherboard: Home to Almost Everything 11

Microprocessors: The Main Engine 12

Computer Memory: Temporary Storage 13

Hard Disk Drives: Long-Term Storage 14

Solid-State Drives: Faster Long-Term Storage 14

CD/DVD Drives: Storage on a Disc 15

Keyboards: Fingertip Input 16

Mice and Touchpads: Point-and-Click Input Devices 18

Network Connections: Getting Connected 19

Sound Cards and Speakers: Making Noise 19

Video Cards and Monitors: Getting the Picture 20

Other Parts of Your Computer System 21

Providing Additional Functionality with Peripherals 21

Doing What You Need to Do with Software and Apps 22

Making Everything Work—with Windows 22

Different Types of Computers 23

Desktop PCs 24

Notebook PCs 25

Tablet PCs 27

Hybrid PCs 28

Which Type of PC Should You Choose? 29

Don’t Worry, You Can’t Screw It Up—Much 30

Chapter 2  Setting Up and Using a Notebook Computer 33

Understanding Notebook PCs 34

Connecting Peripherals and Powering On 36

Getting Connected 36

Powering On for the First Time 37

Chapter 3  Setting Up and Using a Desktop Computer 39

Understanding the Components of a Desktop Computer System 40

Before You Get Started 42

Connecting a Traditional Desktop PC 43

Connect in Order 43

Connect by Color 44

Connecting an All-in-One Desktop 45

Turning It On and Setting It Up 46

Getting the Right Order 46

Powering On for the First Time 46

Chapter 4  Getting to Know Windows 10—for New Computer Users 49

Introducing Microsoft Windows 50

Starting and Logging In to Windows 50

Getting to Know the Windows Desktop 52

Learning Basic Operations 53

Pointing and Clicking 53

Double-Clicking 53

Right-Clicking 54

Dragging and Dropping 54

Mouse Over 54

Moving and Resizing Windows 54

Maximizing, Minimizing, and Closing Windows 55

Scrolling Through a Window 56

Peeking at the Desktop 57

Using Dialog Boxes, Tabs, and Buttons 57

Using the Start Menu 59

Navigating the Start Menu 59

Launching a Program 60

Reopening Recent Documents 60

Using the Taskbar 60

Deciphering Taskbar Icons 60

Opening Applications and Switching Between Windows 61

Using Jump Lists 61

Managing Taskbar Buttons 63

Switching Between Programs 63

Learning Important Windows Shortcuts 63

Shutting Down Windows—and Your Computer 65

Chapter 5  Getting to Know Windows 10—If You’ve Used Windows Before 67

A Short History of Windows 68

Early Windows 68

Windows Goes Mainstream 69

Starting It Up with Windows 95 69

Windows XP, Vista, and 7 70

Then Came Windows 8 70

Introducing Windows 10 71

Windows 10 for Windows 8/8.1 Users 72

Windows 10 for Windows 7 Users 73

Windows 10 for Windows XP Users 74

The Most Important New Features of

Windows 10 75

Back to the Desktop (Goodbye, Start Screen) 75

The Start Menu Returns—Better Than Ever 77

Modern Apps in Desktop Windows 79

More New Stuff 80

Chapter 6  Using Windows 10 on a Touchscreen Device 83

Understanding Windows 10’s Tablet Mode 84

Using Tablet Mode 84

Scrolling Through the Tiles 86

Opening a Tile 86

Finding Additional Apps in the All Apps List 86

Using Windows 10 with a Touchscreen Display 87

Tapping 87

Pressing and Holding 87

Swiping 87

Panning 87

Zooming 87

Rotating 88

Other Important Touch Operations 88

Chapter 7  Working with Files, Folders, and Online Storage 89

Understanding Files and Folders 90

Using File Explorer 90

Launching File Explorer 91

Exploring the File Explorer Window 91

Working with Ribbons and Tabs 92

Navigating the Folders on Your PC 93

Viewing Files and Folders 93

Changing the Way Files Display 93

Sorting Files and Folders 94

Grouping Files and Folders 94

Searching for Files 95

Performing Basic File and Folder Operations 95

Creating New Folders 96

Renaming Files and Folders 96

Copying Files 97

Moving Files 97

Deleting Files 98

Working with the Recycle Bin 98

Restoring Deleted Files 98

Managing the Recycle Bin 99

Working with Compressed Folders 100

Compressing a File 100

Extracting Files from a Compressed Folder 100

Copying Files to Another Computer 101

Copying Files over a Network 101

Copying Files with a Portable Drive 101

Copying Files via Email 102

Working with Cloud-Based Storage 102

Accessing OneDrive from File Explorer 102

Using Microsoft OneDrive 103

Syncing Files on Your PC to OneDrive 104

Evaluating Other Online Storage Services 105

Chapter 8  Personalizing Windows 107

Personalizing the Windows Desktop 108

Changing the Desktop Background 108

Changing the Accent Color 109

Choosing a Windows Theme 110

Customizing the Taskbar 111

Customizing the Start Menu 112

Personalizing the Lock Screen 112

Changing the Lock Screen Background 112

Displaying a Slide Show on the Lock Screen 113

Adding Apps to the Lock Screen 114

Changing Your Account Picture 114

Setting Up Additional User Accounts 115

Setting Up a New Family Member 116

Setting Up Other Users 118

Switching Users 119

Logging Out 119

Logging In with Multiple Users 120

Configuring Other Windows Settings 120

Configuring Settings with the Settings Tool 120

Configuring Settings from the Traditional Control Panel 123

Chapter 9  Connecting Other Devices to Your PC—and Your PC to Other Devices 125

Getting to Know the Most Popular Peripherals 126

Adding New Hardware to Your System 127

Connecting and Using a Printer 129

Understanding Different Types of Printers 129

Connecting a Printer to Your Computer 132

Connecting a Printer to Your Network 133

Printing to Your System’s Printer 133

Connecting Portable Devices to Your PC 134

Connecting Your PC to Your Living Room TV 135

Chapter 10  Adding Storage and Backup 139

Understanding External Storage 140

Connecting an External Hard Drive 141

Backing Up Your Important Files 141

Backing Up to an External Hard Drive 141

Using Windows’ File History Utility 142

Backing Up Online 143

Chapter 11  Setting Up a Home Network 145

How Networks Work 146

Wired Networks 146

Wireless Networks 146

Connecting and Configuring 147

Setting Up a Wireless Network in Your Home 148

How It Works 148

What You Need 149

Making the Connections 150

Connecting Your Computer to Your New Network 150

Connecting via Ethernet 151

Connecting Wirelessly 151

Connecting Computers in a Homegroup 152

Creating a New Homegroup 152

Connect to an Existing Homegroup 153

Accessing Computers on Your Network 154

Accessing Homegroup Computers 154

Accessing Other Computers on Your Network 155

Chapter 12  Connecting to the Internet—at Home and Away 157

Different Types of Connections in the Home 158

Broadband DSL 158

Broadband Cable 159

Fiber Broadband 159

Broadband Satellite 159

Sharing an Internet Connection 160

Connecting to a Public Wi-Fi Hotspot 160

Chapter 13  Browsing and Searching the Web 163

Understanding the Web 164

Using Microsoft Edge 164

Browsing the Web with Edge 165

Revisiting History 166

Opening Multiple Pages in Tabs 167

Saving Your Favorite Pages 167

Returning to a Favorite Page 168

Displaying the Favorites Bar 169

Displaying a Page in Reading View 170

Browsing in Private 170

Setting a Different Start Page 171

Using Google Chrome 171

Searching the Web with Google 173

Understanding Web Search 173

Using Google Search 173

Constructing a Query 174

Performing an Advanced Search 175

Searching for Images 175

Using Wikipedia for Research 176

Understanding Wikipedia 176

Searching Wikipedia 177

Reading Wikipedia Articles 178

Searching—and More—with Cortana 178

Search Cortana from the Taskbar 179

Search Cortana from Microsoft Edge 180

Search Cortana by Voice 180

View News and Other Information 181

Set a Reminder 182

Chapter 14  Shopping and Selling Online 185

How to Shop Online 186

Step 1: Find an Online Store 186

Step 2: Find a Product 187

Step 3: Examine the Product 188

Step 4: Order the Product 188

Step 5: Check Out 189

Step 6: Confirm the Order 190

How to Shop Safely 190

Buying and Selling on eBay 191

How Does an eBay Auction Work? 191

Buying Fixed-Price Items 194

Protecting Yourself Against Fraudulent Sellers 194

eBay Selling, Step-by-Step 195

Buying and Selling on Craigslist 197

Understanding Online Classifieds 197

Browsing the Listings 197

Buying on Craigslist 198

Listing an Item for Sale 199

Making the Sale 201

Chapter 15  Sending and Receiving Email 203

How Email Works 204

POP/IMAP Email Versus Web Mail 204

POP/IMAP Email 205

Web Mail 205

Using Gmail 206

Navigating Gmail 206

Reading Messages 207

Viewing Conversations 208

Replying to a Message 208

Composing a New Message 208

Sending and Receiving Photos and Other Files 209

Using the Windows 10 Mail App 211

Checking Your Inbox 211

Sending New Messages 212

Adding Another Email Account 213

Chapter 16  Social Networking with Facebook and Other Social Media 215

Using Facebook 216

Signing Up and Signing In with the Facebook App 216

Getting to Know Facebook 216

Finding Friends 217

Searching for Friends 219

Viewing a Friend’s Timeline Page 219

Posting Status Updates 220

Determine Who Can—or Can’t—See a Status Update 222

Viewing Friends’ Updates in Your News Feed 222

Uploading Photos to Facebook 224

Viewing Photos 226

Managing Your Privacy on Facebook 227

Using Pinterest 229

What Pinterest Is and What It Does 229

Navigating the Pinterest Site 230

Viewing Boards and Pins 230

Following Other Users 231

Pinning Items 232

Repinning Existing Items 233

Creating New Board 234

Using LinkedIn 235

Personalizing Your Profile 236

Finding New Connections 236

Contacting Other LinkedIn Members 237

Using Twitter 237

Joining Twitter 237

Navigating Twitter 238

Tweeting with Twitter 239

Following Other Users 239

Customizing Your Profile 240

Using Social Networks—Smartly and Safely 240

Protecting Your Children 240

Protecting Yourself 241

Chapter 17  Video Chatting with Friends and Family 243

Video Chatting with Skype 244

Adding Contacts 244

Making a Video Call 245

Video Chatting in Facebook 246

Video Chatting in Google Hangouts 248

Chapter 18  Using Applications on the Desktop 251

Managing Applications in Windows 10 252

Finding Installed Apps 252

Pinning Apps to the Start Menu 254

Pinning Apps to the Taskbar 254

Adding App Shortcuts to the Desktop 254

Working with Applications 255

Using Menus 255

Using Toolbars and Ribbons 256

Closing an Open App 257

Working with Universal Apps 257

Exploring Windows 10’s Built-In Apps and Utilities 258

Exploring Windows 10’s Universal Apps 261

Weather 261

Maps 262

News 264

Sports 265

Money 265

Alarms & Clock 266

Chapter 19  Finding and Installing New Apps 269

Finding and Installing Apps from the Windows Store 270

Opening the Windows Store 270

Browsing the Windows Store 271

Searching the Windows Store 272

Downloading an App 272

Finding and Installing Apps from Your Local Retailer 273

Finding and Installing Apps Online 274

Understanding Cloud Computing Apps 275

Chapter 20  Doing Office Work 277

Getting to Know Microsoft Office 278

Using Office on the Desktop 278

Using Office Online 280

Which Version of Office Should You Use? 281

Word Processing with Microsoft Word Online 282

Exploring the Word Workspace 282

Working with Documents 283

Entering Text 283

Editing Text 284

Formatting Text 284

Checking Spelling and Grammar 285

Printing Your Document 285

Number Crunching with Microsoft Excel 285

Exploring the Excel Workspace 285

Entering Data 286

Inserting and Deleting Rows and Columns 287

Adjusting Column Width 287

Calculating with Formulas 288

Including Other Cells in a Formula 288

Quick Addition with AutoSum 289

Using Functions 290

Formatting Your Spreadsheet 290

Creating a Chart 291

Giving Presentations with Microsoft PowerPoint 292

Exploring the PowerPoint Workspace 292

Applying a Theme 293

Inserting New Slides 294

Adding and Formatting Text 294

Start the Show! 294

Exploring Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides 294

Using Google Docs 295

Using Google Sheets 296

Using Google Slides 297

Chapter 21  Staying Organized 299

Using the Windows Calendar App 300

Displaying Different Views 300

Creating a New Appointment 301

Using Web-Based Calendars 302

Using Web-Based To-Do Lists 303

Chapter 22  Viewing and Sharing Digital Photos 305

Transferring Pictures from Your Camera, Smartphone, or Tablet 306

Connecting via USB 306

Transferring Pictures from a Memory Card 306

Transferring Photos from a Smartphone or Tablet 307

Scanning a Picture 307

Viewing Your Photos with the Windows 10 Photos App 308

Editing Your Photos with the Photos App 309

Automatically Enhancing a Photo 310

Rotating a Photo 310

Cropping a Photo 310

Removing Red-Eye 311

Retouching a Photo 312

Applying Filters 312

Adjusting Brightness and Contrast 313

Adjusting Color and Tint 313

Applying Special Effects 314

Using Other Photo-Editing Programs 315

Printing Your Photos 316

Choosing the Right Printer and Paper 316

Making the Print 316

Printing Photos Professionally 317

Sharing Photos at an Online Photo Site 318

Emailing Digital Photos 319

Chapter 23  Watching Movies, TV Shows, and Other Videos 321

Watching Streaming Video Online 322

Viewing Movies and TV Shows on Netflix 322

Viewing TV Shows on Hulu 325

Viewing Videos on Network Websites 327

Downloading Videos from the iTunes Store 328

Viewing Videos on YouTube 330

Searching for Videos 330

Viewing Videos 331

Sharing Videos 331

Uploading Your Own Videos to YouTube 332

Making Your Own Home Movies 332

Playing DVD Movies on Your PC 333

Watching Online Videos on Your Living Room TV 333

Chapter 24  Playing Music 335

Listening to Streaming Music Online 336

Listening to Spotify and Other On-Demand Streaming Services 336

Listening to Pandora and Other Personalized Playlist Services 338

Listening to Traditional Radio Stations Online 340

Purchasing and Downloading Digital Music 341

Purchasing Music from the iTunes Store 341

Purchasing Music from the Amazon Digital Music Store 343

Purchasing Music from Google Play Music 344

Playing Digital Music on Your PC 344

Playing Music with the iTunes App 345

Playing Music with the Groove Music App 346

Playing Music with Windows Media Player 347

Listening to CDs on Your PC 348

Playing a CD 348

Ripping a CD to Your PC 349

Burning Your Own CDs 349

Chapter 25  Protecting Your PC from Computer Attacks, Malware, and Spam 351

Safeguarding Your System from Computer Viruses 352

Watching for Signs of Infection 352

Catching a Virus 352

Practicing Safe Computing 353

Disinfecting Your System with Antivirus Software 354

Hunting Down Spyware 356

Defending Against Computer Attacks 356

Using the Windows Firewall 357

Using Third-Party Firewall Software 357

Fighting Email Spam 357

Protecting Your Email Address 358

Blocking Spammers in Your Email Programs 359

Resisting Phishing Scams 359

Shielding Your Children from Inappropriate Content 360

Using Content-Filtering Software 360

Encouraging Safe Computing 360

Chapter 26  Performing Preventive Maintenance and Dealing with Common Problems 363

Maintaining Your Computer 364

Cleaning Up Unused Files 364

Removing Unused Programs 365

Performing a Hard Disk Checkup with ScanDisk 366

Keeping Your Hardware in Tip-Top Condition 367

System Unit 367

Keyboard 368

Display 368

Printer 369

Maintaining a Notebook PC 369

Using the Windows Mobility Center 369

Conserving Battery Life 370

Securing Your Notebook 371

Troubleshooting Computer Problems 371

Troubleshooting in Safe Mode 372

Reacting When Windows Freezes or Crashes 373

What Causes Windows to Freeze? 373

Dealing with Frozen Windows 374

Dealing with a Frozen Program 374

Dealing with a Major Crash 375

Restoring, Resetting, or Refreshing Your System 376

Restoring Your System to a Previous State 376

Refreshing System Files 377

Resetting Your System to Its Original Condition 378

Index 381

Michael Miller is a successful and prolific author with a reputation for practical advice, technical accuracy, and an unerring empathy for the needs of his readers.

Mr. Miller has written more than 150 best-selling books over the past 25 years. His books for Que include Easy Computer Basics, My Windows 10 Computer forSeniors, My Facebook for Seniors, My Pinterest, and My Social Media for Seniors.

He is known for his casual, easy-to-read writing style and his practical, real-world advice—as well as his ability to explain a variety of complex topics to an everyday audience.

Learn more about Mr. Miller at his website, www.millerwriter.com. Follow him on Twitter @molehillgroup.