Get to know Windows

This version of Windows comes with many new ways of exploring and interacting with your PC. Here’s a quick overview.

For the most up-to-date info, go online and visit www.windows.com for more in-depth support, tutorials, and help.

Start screen: All your favorites

You can pin apps, websites, people, and folders to Start to easily get to what you use most. Tiles and notifications show what’s new, so you can get important info and updates at a glance.

There are lots of ways to get to Start, but here are a few quick ones:

  • With touch, swipe in from the right edge of your screen, and then tap the Start charm.

  • With a mouse, click the lower-left corner of the screen.

  • On a keyboard, use the Windows logo key Windows logo key .

From Start, you don't have to bring up the charms to begin a search—start typing to search for what you want. You can choose results from your apps, files, PC settings, and Bing.

To see a list of all apps on your PC from Start, slide up from the middle of the screen or use the mouse to click the down arrow in the lower-left corner.

Customize your Start screen

To pin an app to Start, select the app by pressing and holding or right-clicking the tile, and then tapping or clicking Pin to Start.

To move a tile on your Start screen, press and hold the tile you want to move. (If you're using a mouse, click and hold the tile.) Then, drag the tile to where you want to place it.

To resize a tile on your Start screen, press and hold the tile you want to resize. (If you're using a mouse, right-click the tile.) Tap or click Resize, and then choose the size you want.

To create a group of tiles, press and hold or right-click the tiles you want to group together. Then, drag them to an open space. When a gray bar appears behind them, release the tiles. This will create a new group. To name the group, tap or click where it says Name group above the group and enter a name.

Discover great apps in the Windows Store

Browse categories, view lists of popular apps, or search to find exactly what you want.

Tap or click Store on the Start screen to open the Windows Store.

Connected to the cloud

When you sign in with a Microsoft account, your PC is connected to the cloud and:

  • Your friends’ contact info and status stay up to date. Connect contacts from your email, social networks, and other accounts and see them all in one place in the People app.

  • You can get to and share your photos, docs, and other files from online storage services, social networks, and other accounts without signing in to each one.

  • Your personal settings can be synced to any PC running Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 that you sign in to, including your themes, Start layout, language preferences, browser favorites, and apps.

  • You can get apps in the Windows Store and use them on other PCs running Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 that you sign in to.

If you didn’t sign in with a Microsoft account when you set up your PC, you still can. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen and tap Settings. (If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, and click Settings.) Tap or click Change PC settings, tap or click Accounts, and then tap or click Connect to a Microsoft account.

The charms: Search, Share, Start, Devices, and Settings

The charms appear on the right side of your screen. Swipe in from the right edge or move the mouse pointer into the lower-right corner and then up to see them, and then choose the one you want.

Illustration of the charmsThe charms
  • Use the Search charm to find what you're looking for. Enter a search term once, and you can quickly get results from the web, your PC, and your apps.

  • Use the Share charm to send links, photos, screenshots, and other content to your friends and social networks without leaving the app you’re in.

  • Use the Start charm to go to the Start screen or, if you’re already there, to return to the last app you were using.

  • Use the Devices charm to print things, stream media to other devices, project, and connect to other devices you own.

  • Use the Settings charm to do basic tasks like shutting down your PC and changing the volume and brightness, and to configure account and privacy settings in different apps and get help for the app you're using.

App commands: New, Refresh, and other commands

The app commands appear at the top and bottom of your screen. Swipe up or down from either edge or right-click to see them, and then choose the one you want. Commands might also appear when you swipe across, or right-click an item like a tile or photo.

Illustration of the app commandsApp commands

Switch between apps

Sometimes you want to return to an app you were just using or quickly switch through your recent apps.

Illustration of switching appsSwitching apps

To switch to the previous app, swipe in from the left edge, or move your pointer to the upper-left corner and then click the corner.

To see a list of your recently used apps when using touch, swipe in from the left edge without lifting your finger, and then push the app back toward the left edge.

To see a list of your recently used apps when using a mouse, move your pointer into the upper-left corner and then move it down the left edge.

Use multiple apps side by side

Depending on the resolution of your screen, you may be able to use up to 4 apps at once on a screen. Experiment with different layouts to find out what works best for you.

Illustration of two apps side by sideSide by side apps

Slide your finger in from the left edge or move your pointer to the upper-left corner until the app appears. When you can see it, drag the app until the current app changes size, and then move the app to where you want it. You can also bring in apps straight from your list of recently used apps.

Lock, sign out, and shut down

When you're done using your PC for a while, you can either lock it, sign out of it, or shut it down.

Lock your PC

When you lock your PC, the apps you were using will still be running when you come back and everything will be like it was when you left it. To lock your PC, tap or click your account picture in the upper-right corner of the Start screen, and then tap or click Lock.

Sign out

When you sign out of Windows, all the apps you were using are closed, but the PC isn't shut down. To sign out, tap or click your account picture in the upper-right corner of the Start screen, and then tap or click Sign out.

There's also another faster way to sign out of Windows in desktops and laptops:

  1. Move your mouse to the lower left-hand corner of the screen and right-click or press the Windows logo key Windows logo key+X on your keyboard.
  2. Tap or click Shut down or sign out, and then tap or click Sign out.

Shut down

If you're going on vacation and don't plan to use your PC for a while, you might want to turn it off completely. There are different ways to shut down depending on whether you use a laptop, desktop, tablet, or have a PC that came with Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1.

Show all

Shut down using mouse and keyboard (faster)

In Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1

  1. Move your mouse to the lower left-hand corner of the screen and right-click, or press the Windows logo key Windows logo key+X on your keyboard.
  2. Tap or click Shut down or sign out, and tap or click Shut down.

Shut down using only touch

To shut down your PC, whether it’s a desktop, laptop or tablet:

  1. Close any desktop apps you have open—this will prompt you to save your work.

  2. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Settings.
    (If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, and then click Settings.)

  3. Tap or click Power, and then tap or click Shut down.

Shut down PCs with InstantGo

If you bought a Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 PC that came with InstantGo, there's a quicker way to shut down:

  1. Close any desktop apps you have open—this will prompt you to save your work.

  2. Press and hold the power button on your PC until you see Slide to shut down your PC on the screen (about four seconds).

  3. Swipe down or drag the lock screen down with your mouse.

    If you change your mind, swipe up or drag the lock screen up with your mouse to go back to what you were doing on your PC.

To learn how to use these new features and discover new ways to do other common tasks, see Touch: swipe, tap, and beyond and Mouse and keyboard: What's new.