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Tricks and Treats: Windows 8

Tricks and Treats: Windows 8

So! You've made the transition to Windows 8 - but how on earth do you use it?! This email gives you a few basic tricks to make Windows 8 a bit less scary.

1. Start Menu? Windows key + X


2. Make it Your own!


As much as the Food & Drink app is great - I don't need it on my Start Screen at work! Right click the apps you don't want and 'Unpin from Start' - this will send them into a list of apps which you can access by clicking the small arrow at the bottom of the Start Screen. They're not gone forever - just moved out of the way.

If you click the small arrow at the bottom of the Start Screen you'll probably find something you often use (like Word or Excel), right click it and 'Pin to Start', then it will be there when you load up your computer.

Even more useful is the 'Pin to Taskbar' option. This means that the apps you use most can be pinned to the taskbar on the normal Windows Desktop.

3. Snipping Tool

Definitely a 'treat' app. SO useful. Take my word for it and just pin it to the taskbar. You basically open the app, click the scissors, select the part of the screen you can to keep / save / send to a colleague and it opens it in a new window ready for you to copy and paste into whatever you need to. Easy!!!


This is what opens once you've clicked it. Select 'New'...


..and select whatever you want to be snipped!


4. Shortcuts!

Here's a few tricks to make you feel like a Windows 8 pro! The Windows key is your new best friend....

Win + D - switches between desktop and the tiled Start Screen

Win + C - opens the charms! (the menu that pops up on the right)

Win + I - opens the Settings (Control Panel, PC Information etc)

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