Windows 10. Absolute Beginner’s Guide (2016)
Part I: Getting Started
4. Introducing Windows Apps
In This Chapter
• Learning About Windows Apps
• Finding and Installing Windows Apps in the Windows Store
• Managing Windows Apps Purchases
• Uninstalling Windows Apps
Windows apps are certainly one of the features that set Windows 10 apart from older versions that required a person to have an installation disk or download an application and then laboriously guide that installation by making several choices regarding download destination, features, add-ons, and so forth. Windows apps are applications that are installed through the Windows Store. They are simple to install, manage, and uninstall.
Much of the new look—colors, appearance, layout, and even placement of buttons and menus—in the new Windows comes from a set of design principles introduced with Windows 8 that have been refined in Windows 10. Microsoft has provided guidelines and standards to developers to ensure their apps have consistent features and behavior and that your Windows 10 device is not compromised by a Windows app that has been installed to your device.
This new design standard developed by Microsoft is currently named Microsoft Design Language, although it is still common to hear it referred to as Metro, Modern, Windows 8 style, and Universal. All the applications and tools that Microsoft and other companies build for Windows 10 using Microsoft Design principles are known as Windows Apps.
The goal of Chapters 4 and 5 is to bring you up to speed as quickly and clearly as possible on these new software applications, covering everything from finding an app to install to understanding the special menus and features that set them apart.
This chapter also introduces you to the Windows Store and the process of installing and uninstalling Windows apps on your device. In the following chapter, you will take a closer look at some of the features that characterize a Windows app as well as a number of new concepts and techniques, all intended to help you manage the kinds of apps you’ll find in the Windows Store. Many of these techniques build on some of the skills presented earlier in the book. Be sure to review Chapter 2, “Interacting with Windows,” if you are confused while reading the step-by-step procedures.
Learning About Windows Apps
Windows apps are software applications that have been developed by Microsoft and other software companies specifically for use in Windows 8 and Windows 10. The design principles that govern the development of these apps enable them to run on many devices and form factors; Windows apps that truly meet these criteria are referred to as universal apps. This term first appeared with reference to Windows 8 because some apps were being developed that could also run on the mobile Windows Phone 8 operating system. Windows 10 has taken this concept to a new level by employing the Windows 10 operating system core to power smartphones, Xbox gaming systems, as well as new devices.
The same Windows app can be installed on a Windows 10 PC, a Windows 10 phone, an Xbox, a Microsoft HoloLens, or numerous other devices that use Windows 10. This is certainly not the case with Windows desktop applications, which are very limited by the hardware specifications of a particular device. (See the sidebar “The Difference Between Windows Apps and Desktop Applications” in this section.)
Although a majority of the desktop applications used in previous versions of Windows, especially Windows 7, can run in Windows 10 on a PC, the opposite does not hold true—Windows apps cannot run on older versions of Windows. Here is more basic information you need to know about Windows apps:
• Windows apps can run full screen or in windows on the Desktop. This also is influenced by running your device in Tablet or Desktop mode.
• Windows apps are available only through the Windows Store, which is built in to Windows 10. The Windows Store is covered later in this chapter.
• Windows apps are designed to be more secure, allowing you greater control over whether an app has permission to access or control things like a camera or access your contacts.
• Windows apps can be updated automatically without requiring a reboot.
• The Windows Store also handles the installation of Windows apps in the background, saving you the hassle of selecting options and clicking a series of Next buttons when installing new software.
• Windows apps hide menus and tools. This is not done to trick you! This is done to keep the content front and center. These menus and toolbars are easily revealed when you need them, and you will soon find this to be a practical design that keeps things clean and uncluttered.
• Windows apps leverage features and devices that are installed on your computer in a consistent way for sharing, printing, configuration, and searching. This integration might require a bit of a change in thinking on your part because we traditionally would look inside an app for important tools, such as for sharing to a social media website or when searching for content. Now, it is important to understand that the app will hand these tasks off to the operating system.
Note
Windows 10 leverages the flexibility of Windows apps to care for many common tasks such as playing music, looking at photos, or getting the news. This means that changes to layout and function for apps and other aspects of Windows 10 itself can be handled easily by means of updates without any disruptions or major upgrades just to add functionality to a couple of key system applications. As a result, the appearance of apps and even Windows 10 will continue to evolve and shift as improvements continue to be realized and pushed out to devices by means of updates.
Although the design of a Windows app is generally quite different from a Windows Desktop application, Windows 10 does much to provide a consistent experience when using many standard features that you have grown accustomed to when working with Windows in the past. Some of these include
• Resizing windows in Desktop mode
• Haphazardly arranging multiple windows on the screen while in Desktop mode
• Minimizing windows
This consistency makes it easy to use both types of applications without even thinking about the differences, as shown in Figure 4.1. In the rest of this chapter, you can find enough hands-on instruction to make you a near-expert with Windows apps before you charge off on your own working with them.
FIGURE 4.1 Windows apps and Desktop applications can run side by side in Windows 10. Can you spot the differences?
The Difference Between Windows Apps and Desktop Applications
In this book you might notice Windows apps and Desktop applications referred to as distinct types of software. What is the difference? Generally, they are both applications, code that has been written and assembled to make things happen on your device. The reason for the distinction has to do with how these applications are installed on your device.
A Windows app is installed through the Windows Store. It is sandboxed, which is a technical term referring to a way of running an application that prevents it from making changes to the operating system—Windows 10 in this case. Permission is granted to use system resources and data, and this permission can be revoked if you choose. Windows 10 can recover system resources that an app might be trying to use when performance is affected.
A Desktop application uses a traditional installation disc or downloaded program to install the application. Desktop applications are also generally referred to as Win32 applications. Desktop applications will make changes to the registry and other parts of the operating system so that Windows knows they are on the device. Desktop applications can overload system resources, causing a device to run slowly; a reboot may be required to recover performance. Uninstalling a Desktop application can leave bits and pieces behind, and those bits and pieces can present a higher security risk due to the way they interact with the operating system. Desktop applications are considered in Chapter 7, “Working with Windows Desktop Applications.”
Microsoft has made tools available to developers that enable them to “easily” update Win32 applications and convert them to Windows apps. The process lets Windows create virtual registry changes and directories, allowing the application to work as expected, while still allowing for a secure sandboxed experience for the device that can be easily and cleanly uninstalled. If developers feel this conversion is worth the extra effort, you might soon see long-time favorite Desktop applications appearing in the Windows Store as Windows apps.
Shopping at the Windows Store
The Windows Store is an online marketplace integrated into Windows 10 that sells Windows apps developed by Microsoft and other companies. (You will also find music, movies, and TV shows to purchase or rent.) You buy the apps at the store, and then Windows installs the apps to your device, usually without a single additional step on your part. Using the Windows Store requires an Internet connection—the faster the connection, the faster your apps will be downloaded and installed.
The Windows Store organizes and provides automatic updates to the apps you acquire from the store. This means when the developer for a Windows app releases an update to an app that you own, Windows will install the updates automatically when you have an Internet connection that permits updates to be downloaded.
The Windows Store is also a Windows app, so you should be as comfortable shopping in the store as you are writing and reading email in the Mail app or creating a slide show in the Photo app. The Windows app has been updated to provide a better interface and easier navigation for Windows 10. You open the store by selecting the store’s tile on the Start screen, as shown in Figure 4.2.
FIGURE 4.2 Enter the store by selecting its tile on the Start screen.
With the store open, you can browse through categories to look at all the apps available or use the Search tool shown in the upper-right corner of Figure 4.3. The home screen in the store presents a handful of currently featured apps as well as a list of picks for you and the current top sellers and free apps. Ratings are provided for apps, and you can see the price. Scroll up and down, and select arrows or swipe to scroll right or left in each list of apps on the Home screen.
FIGURE 4.3 The Home screen offers featured apps as well as popular choices in a variety of categories.
By selecting an app, you can read more detailed overviews and specifications of the app to help you determine whether you want the app. More information is provided regarding ratings, and reviews help you understand the reason for the rating, as shown in Figure 4.4. Scroll down to view screenshots, features, and related apps. Finally, important information is provided regarding device support, the app size, and permissions the app requires, as shown in Figure 4.5.
FIGURE 4.4 Select an app in the Windows Store app to learn more about it and look over reviews.
FIGURE 4.5 Checking the app size and permissions in the Windows Store app can help you determine whether you want to install an app.
The Windows Store is divided into types of media, with two types—apps and games—devoted to Windows apps. At any time in the store, you can use the navigation links near the top of the screen to jump back to Home or to look at Apps and Games. The sections of the Windows Store labeled Music and Movies & TV are considered in more detail in Chapter 25, “Having Fun with Movies and Video,” and Chapter 26, “Enjoying Music.” While viewing any of the media types in the app, you can scroll all the way to the bottom of the screen to jump to categories for that type, as shown in Figure 4.6.
FIGURE 4.6 When viewing a media type in the Windows Store app, you can jump to categories within that type from the bottom of the screen.
Purchasing an App
Purchasing an app should take no more than two clicks and possibly a password entry, provided you have set up your account information (see the next section, “Managing Your Windows Store Purchases,” and Chapter 24, “Using Your Microsoft Account for Purchases”). To purchase an app, follow these steps:
1. Select an app within the Windows Store that you would like to install on your device. If this is an app that you already own, the install button will be labeled Install; otherwise, a price is indicated, which in some cases will be Free. Select the Install button.
2. If a price was indicated, you will be prompted to provide your Microsoft account password to confirm your identity. Select OK.
3. You will be prompted to review the purchase information, as shown in Figure 4.7. Select Buy to pay for the purchase or Cancel to return to the app information.
FIGURE 4.7 You will need to confirm your payment information when purchasing an app in the Windows Store app.
4. The Install button will be replaced with progress updates as the app is installed. Above the app information to the left of your account badge will be a downward pointing arrow with the number of current downloads, as shown in Figure 4.8.
FIGURE 4.8 After selecting Install, an app will begin downloading to your device.
5. Select the Downloads indicator to see details of any pending installs in the queue, as shown in Figure 4.9. Apps that are being downloaded or installed will display their progress; they can be paused or canceled from the Downloads and Installs screen. Once finished, the app will remain briefly in the queue showing as Completed.
FIGURE 4.9 You can check the progress as apps are installed.
Newly installed apps will appear in the Start menu with the tag New on their icon to alert you to apps you have not yet opened.
Managing Your Windows Store Purchases
Managing your app purchases includes a few in-app and online tools that can be launched from the Windows Store app. Select your account badge in the Windows Store app to reveal the account tools shown in Figure 4.10. Although some apps in the Window Store are free, most aren’t. Your Microsoft account must include payment information to purchase apps and other media through the Windows Store. You can enter credit card information or a PayPal account number. In addition to setting up your payment option, you also can specify whether a password should be entered each time you purchase an app.
FIGURE 4.10 Manage your activity and apps with your Microsoft account, which can be accessed from the Windows Store app.
To manage your account in the Windows Store, follow these steps:
1. Select your account badge in the Windows Store app to reveal the account tools.
2. Select Settings. The Settings pane for the Windows Store app appears, as shown in Figure 4.11. Windows apps are updated automatically by default. You can disable this option by sliding the switch to Off.
FIGURE 4.11 You manage account information, app updates, and other preferences for the Windows Store in Settings.
3. Reopen the account tools from step 1 and Select Purchased. Your web browser will open to your online Microsoft account Payment and Billing overview, as shown in Figure 4.12. From here, you can see a history of the most recent purchases made using your Microsoft account. Select options such as Purchase History to see a more detailed breakdown of purchases by year. You can also update payment methods and review other aspects of your Microsoft account from here.
FIGURE 4.12 Jump to your online Microsoft account to manage payment and billing information.
4. Reopen the account tools from step 1 and select My Library. The Windows Store app will display the apps and games you own. Select the download arrow to download that app to the current device, as shown in Figure 4.13.
FIGURE 4.13 Download and install apps you already own from your Library in the Windows Store app.
5. Finally, from the account tools, you can select Downloads to jump to the Downloads and Installs screen. This can be useful if you are not always able to get updates. Select the Check for Updates button to initiate a manual check for updates to your apps.
Uninstalling Apps
Uninstalling apps is very straight forward—with the exception of some apps that are considered part of the Windows operating system and cannot be uninstalled. An example of a system app that cannot be uninstalled is the Calculator app. You will no doubt install many apps to try over the life of your device, and new apps might replace old favorites. Uninstalling apps that are no longer used is important to recover storage space on your device, if nothing else.
Follow these steps to uninstall Windows apps:
1. From the Start menu, locate the tile for an app you want to uninstall. Tap and hold or right-click to reveal the options for that app. Swipe up or right-click to select an app you want to uninstall. (It may be easier to select the down arrow and work from the Apps screen.) A check mark appears on the app’s tile, and the App bar appears at the bottom of the Start screen.
2. Select Uninstall, as shown in Figure 4.14.
If you do not see that option, select the ellipsis or More Options to see Uninstall. If you still do not see this option, you might have selected a system app that cannot be uninstalled.
FIGURE 4.14 You can uninstall Window Store apps directly from the Start menu.
3. You will be prompted for confirmation, as shown in Figure 4.15. Select Uninstall.
FIGURE 4.15 To help you avoid unpleasant accidents, you will be asked to confirm your decision to uninstall an app.
Windows apps uninstall remarkably quickly. In the event that you select an app that cannot be uninstalled, you will simply not see the uninstall option. Additionally, if you select an app that is a Desktop application, Windows will open a window to guide you through the process of uninstalling the Desktop application. Uninstalling Desktop applications is considered in more detail in Chapter 7.
The Absolute Minimum
• Windows apps are applications developed by Microsoft and other software developers that are designed to run in Windows 10. This is different from traditional Windows desktop applications.
• Windows apps are purchased through the Windows Store. You can browse for apps by category, or you can search for apps using keywords.
• The Windows Store provides feedback and reviews to help developers improve their products and to alert users to good and bad features. Most developers appreciate feedback and will work to improve their apps.
• Windows apps are available for purchase from the Windows Store. Sometimes, apps are available at no charge or on a trial basis. You enter payment methods, such as a credit card and PayPal information, to pay for app purchases in the Windows store.
• Uninstall Windows apps quickly right from the Start menu.