Navigating Windows Like a Pro - WINDOWS 10 TIPS AND TRICKS (2016)

WINDOWS 10 TIPS AND TRICKS (2016)

2. Navigating Windows Like a Pro


In This Chapter

Image Using the Start menu

Image Optimizing your input devices and inputting text

Image Resizing and arranging windows


To use Windows swiftly, you need to navigate it efficiently. This chapter starts by making sure you know your way around Windows 10’s redesigned Start menu. After that, you learn to tweak your input devices so that they work the way you prefer, use those devices to input text quickly and accurately, and resize and arrange your windows on the screen.

Using the Start Menu

Windows 10 brings back the Start menu, a key feature of the Windows interface since Windows 95 in 1995, because its replacement, the Start screen in Windows 8, left many users struggling and never became popular. The Windows 10 Start menu includes elements of the Start screen, and you can expand it to fill the screen, giving you arguably the best features of both the Start menu and the Start screen.

Opening the Start Menu

You can open the Start menu in any of these ways:

Image Click the Start button at the lower-left corner of the screen.

Image Press the Windows key on your keyboard.


Image Tip

You can also press Ctrl+Esc to open the Start menu. This keyboard shortcut is mostly useful if your keyboard doesn’t have a Windows key.


Image Tap the Windows button on a touchscreen device.

Getting Around the Start Menu

The Start menu (see Figure 2.1) contains eight main features:

Image

FIGURE 2.1 The Start menu gives you quick access to apps, information, and system features such as Power.

Image Your user name. Click this to display a menu containing three commands: Change Account Settings, Lock, and Sign Out.

Image Most Used. This section of the Start menu shows the apps you have used the most.

Image Recently Added. This section enables you to quickly locate new apps.

Image File Explorer and Settings. Near the bottom of the menu are buttons for launching two widely used apps: File Explorer and Settings.

Image Power. Click this item to display the Sleep, Shut Down, and Restart commands.

Image All Apps. Click this item to display the full list of apps. You can then click an app to launch it.

Image Live Tiles. Live tiles show small amounts of helpful information, such as the current weather, stock status, or the number of unread email messages clamoring for your attention.


Image Note

You can customize the Start menu extensively so that it contains only the items you prefer. See Chapter 5, “Customizing Windows to Suit Your Needs,” for details.



Image Tip

You can drag the border of the Start menu to resize it as needed.


Tweaking Your Input Devices

To create documents swiftly and efficiently, or just to chat with your friends and trounce your enemies at games, you’ll need to make your computer’s input devices work your way. In this section, we look at how to adjust your mouse, touchpad, or touchscreen; how to configure your keyboard; and how to change your input settings.

Adjusting the Mouse or Touchpad

To adjust your mouse or touchpad, open the Mouse & Touchpad pane in the Settings app. Follow these steps:

1. Click Start, Settings to open the Settings window.

2. Click Devices to display the Devices screen.

3. Click Mouse & Touchpad in the sidebar to display the Mouse & Touchpad pane (see Figure 2.2).

Image

FIGURE 2.2 The Mouse & Touchpad pane in Settings enables you to configure your mouse or touchpad.

Configuring Your Mouse

In the Mouse section of the Mouse & Touchpad pane, you can choose the following basic settings for your mouse:

Image Select Your Primary Button. Normally, you’ll want to select Left if you use the mouse with your right hand; select Right if you use the mouse with your left hand.

Image Roll the Mouse Wheel to Scroll. Select Multiple Lines at a Time if you want rolling the mouse wheel to scroll partway down the screen. Select One Screen at a Time if you prefer to move screen by screen.

Image Choose How Many Lines to Scroll Each Time. If you select Multiple Lines at a Time for the Roll the Mouse Wheel to Scroll setting, drag this slider to set the number of lines. As you drag, a number pops up above the slider. You can set any value between 1 and 100. If you select One Screen at a Time for the Roll the Mouse Wheel to Scroll setting, this setting is unavailable.

Image Scroll Inactive Windows When I Hover over Them. Set this switch to On if you want to be able to hover the mouse pointer over an inactive window and have the windows scroll. This behavior can be useful when you use it deliberately; if you do it by accident, it feels like a ghost in the machine, and you may prefer to set this setting to Off.

All these settings are helpful, but Windows also provides other settings to give you closer control of your mouse. To reach these settings, click Additional Mouse Options in the Related Settings area to display the Mouse Properties dialog box (see Figure 2.3).

Image

FIGURE 2.3 Choose settings in the Mouse Properties dialog box to fine-tune your mouse.


Image Note

The tabs and settings in the Mouse Properties dialog box vary depending on the mouse and its capabilities.


You can choose the following settings on the Buttons tab:

Image Switch Primary and Secondary Buttons. Check this box to reverse the mouse’s main buttons. Normally, you’d do this if you use a non-left-handed mouse with your left hand. Some left-handed mouses may also need this setting.

Image Double-Click Speed. Drag the slider along the Slow–Fast axis to set the speed at which you have to click twice to register a double-click. Test the speed by double-clicking the folder icon, which opens or closes when you get it right.

Image Turn On ClickLock. Check this box if you want to turn on ClickLock, which enables you to click and hold an object to lock the pointer on to it. After you’ve locked the object, you can release the mouse button, drag the object to where you need it, and then click again to release the lock. Normally, you’d use ClickLock if you find it awkward to drag an object while holding down the mouse button.


Image Tip

If you turn on ClickLock, click the Settings button to display the Settings for ClickLock dialog box, and then drag the slider along the Short–Long axis to set the length of time you need to hold down a click to trigger ClickLock.


On the Pointers tab (see Figure 2.4), you can choose which mouse pointers to use. Open the Scheme drop-down menu and choose the pointer scheme you want, such as Magnified (System Scheme), which has larger pointers that are easier to see on small or high-resolution screens. You can then customize the scheme by clicking a pointer in the Customize list, clicking Browse, clicking the pointer you want in the Browse dialog box, and then clicking Open. You can check the Enable Pointer Shadow box to add a shadow under the mouse pointer. Click Apply to see the pointers in action.

Image

FIGURE 2.4 On the Pointers tab of the Mouse Properties dialog box, choose which mouse pointers to use. You can also enable the pointer shadow.

On the Pointer Options tab (see Figure 2.5), you can set options to control the pointer’s motion, whether it snaps to default controls, and its visibility. These options are often useful; here are the details:

Image

FIGURE 2.5 On the Pointer Options tab, you can make the pointer snap to the default button in dialog boxes, display pointer trails, and show the pointer location when you press Ctrl.

Image Select a Pointer Speed. Drag this slider along the Slow–Fast axis to set the speed at which the pointer moves across the screen as you move the mouse.


Image Note

Windows changes the pointer speed as you drag the Select a Pointer Speed slider—you don’t need to click Apply to test the change you’ve made.


Image Enhance Pointer Precision. Check this box to make Windows automatically speed up the pointer’s movement when it detects that you are making big movements and slow it down for smaller movements. This feature is helpful for general computing, especially if you have a large screen, because you can move the pointer from one extreme of the screen to another more quickly.


Image Tip

If you play shooter games on your computer, you’ll probably want to turn off Enhance Pointer Precision in order to move accurately and shoot straight.


Image Automatically Move Mouse Pointer to the Default Button in a Dialog Box. Check this box if you want Windows to snap the mouse pointer to the default button (such as the OK button) when a dialog box opens. Some people find this option helpful; others don’t.

Image Display Pointer Trails. Check this box to make a trail of pointer shadows appear behind the pointer as it moves. This option can be helpful if you have vision problems or use an assistive device to move the mouse—or you may just enjoy the visual effect. Drag the slider along the Short–Long axis to set the length of the trails.

Image Hide Pointer While Typing. Check this box to make the pointer disappear while you are typing. Hiding the pointer is usually helpful because it makes sure the pointer isn’t in the way of the text.

Image Show Location of Pointer When I Press the Ctrl Key. Check this box to give yourself an easy way of locating the pointer if you tend to lose it on the screen. Press Ctrl to make Windows flash a contrasting circle around the pointer.

The options on the Wheel tab of the Mouse Properties dialog box enable you to control vertical scrolling and horizontal scrolling:

Image Roll the Wheel One Notch to Scroll. This setting has the same effect as the Roll the Mouse Wheel to Scroll setting (in the Mouse & Touchpad pane in Settings). You can either select the option button called The Following Number of Lines at a Time and specify the number of lines in the box, or select the One Screen at a Time option button.

Image Tilt the Wheel to Scroll the Following Number of Characters at a Time. In this box, set the number of characters you want to be able to scroll left or right by tilting the mouse wheel in that direction.

The Hardware tab of the Mouse Properties dialog box lets you see the device names for each mouse or other pointing device Windows has identified. You can click a device and click Properties to display the Properties dialog box for a device if you want to see more details, including the driver the device is using.

When you finish choosing settings in the Mouse Properties dialog box, click OK to close it.

Taking Control of Your Touchpad

In the Touchpad area of the Mouse & Touchpad pane, you can choose the following settings:

Image Your PC Has a Precision Touchpad. If this switch appears, your computer has a precision touchpad, one that you can use to give touch gestures to Windows. Make sure this switch is set to On.


Image Note

The settings in the Touchpad area of the Mouse & Touchpad pane may vary depending on the computer you’re using and the capabilities of its touchpad.


Image Touchpad. Set this switch to Off if you need to disable the touchpad. For example, if you have a Surface tablet with a Microsoft Touch Keyboard, but you prefer giving commands by using the touchscreen, you may want to disable the touchpad so that you can’t give commands on it by accident. Otherwise, make sure this switch is set to On.

Image Leave Touchpad On When a Mouse Is Connected. Set this switch to Off if you want Windows to automatically disable your computer’s touchpad when you connect a mouse. (Windows does this so that you don’t give commands accidentally on the touchpad.) If you want to be able to use both the mouse and the touchpad, set this switch to On.

Image Reverse Scrolling Direction. Set this switch to On if you want to reverse the scrolling direction. This is sometimes useful, but if you don’t need it, leave this switch set to Off.

Image To Help Prevent the Cursor from Accidentally Moving. In this drop-down menu, set the delay you need in order to avoid accidental cursor movements when you’re typing. Your choices are No Delay (Always On), Short Delay, Medium Delay, and Long Delay. You’ll need to experiment with this setting to find out what works for you.

Image Change the Cursor Speed. Drag this slider to set the speed at which the cursor moves across the screen as you move your finger across the touchpad.

Image Allow Taps on the Touchpad. Set this switch to On to enable yourself to click by tapping the touchpad.

Image Allow Right-Clicks on the Touchpad. Set this switch to On to enable yourself to right-click by clicking the lower-right corner of the touchpad.

Image Allow Double-Tap and Drag. Set this switch to On to enable yourself to double-tap on the touchpad to pick up an object and then drag it.

Image Use a Two Finger Tap for Right-Click. Set this switch to On to enable yourself to right-click by tapping with two fingers on the touchpad.

Image Use a Two Finger Drag to Scroll. Set this switch to On to enable yourself to scroll by dragging with two fingers on the touchpad.

Image Use a Two Finger Pinch to Zoom. Set this switch to On to enable yourself to zoom in by placing two fingers (or your thumb and finger) on the screen and pinching outward, and to zoom out by pinching inward.

Image Choose What to Do with Three Finger Drags and Slides. In this drop-down menu, choose Switching Apps to enable switching apps by dragging three fingers across the screen. Choose Nothing if you don’t want to use this feature.

Choosing the Right Pen and Touch Settings

If your PC has a touchscreen, spend a few minutes adjusting pen and touch settings so that it works the way you prefer. First, open the Pen and Touch dialog box by following these steps:

1. Right-click or long-press Start to display the shortcut menu.

2. Click Control Panel to open a Control Panel window.

3. Click Hardware and Sound to display the Hardware and Sound pane.

4. Click Pen and Touch to display the Pen and Touch dialog box. As you can see on the left in Figure 2.6, this dialog box has three tabs: Pen Options, Flicks, and Touch.

Image

FIGURE 2.6 Choose pen actions and pen buttons on the Pen Options tab in the Pen and Touch dialog box (left). Use the Press and Hold Settings dialog box (right) to enable and customize pressing and holding to right-click.

On the Pen Options tab, you can choose the following settings:

Image Pen Actions. In this box, you can click either the Double-Tap action or the Press and Hold action and then click Settings to display the Settings dialog box for configuring it. For example, in the Press and Hold Settings dialog box (shown on the right in Figure 2.6), you can enable or disable the feature, adjust its speed, and adjust its duration.

Image Use the Pen Button as a Right-Click Equivalent. Check this box if you want to be able to click the pen button to give a right-click.

Image Use the Top of the Pen to Erase Ink (Where Available). Check this box if you want to be able to erase ink by touching it with the top of the pen.

On the Flicks tab (shown on the left in Figure 2.7), you can enable and disable flicks, choose between using navigational flicks only and using navigational flicks and editing flicks, and adjust flick sensitivity. These are the settings:

Image

FIGURE 2.7 On the Flicks tab of the Pen and Touch dialog box (left), choose which flicks to use and adjust the sensitivity as needed. You can use the Customize Flicks dialog box (right) to customize the flick actions.

Image Use Flicks to Perform Common Actions Quickly and Easily. Check this box to enable flicks.

Image Navigational Flicks. Select this option button to use only navigational flicks. Table 2.1 explains the navigational flicks.

Image

Table 2.1 Navigational Flicks and Editing Flicks

Image Navigational Flicks and Editing Flicks. Select this option button to use both navigational flicks and editing flicks. Table 2.1 explains the standard editing flicks.

Image Customize. Click this button to display the Customize Flicks dialog box (shown on the right in Figure 2.7), in which you can choose which action to assign to each flick. Choose the (None) option to leave a flick without an action. Click Restore Defaults to go back to the default flick actions.


Image Note

Some tablets do not display the Flicks tab or the Pen Options tab.



Image Note

You can add a custom flick action by choosing the (Add) item in the appropriate drop-down menu in the Customize Flicks dialog box. After selecting (Add), type the name in the Name box, click in the Keys box and press the key or key combination, and then click Save.


Image Pen. Drag this slider along the Relaxed–Precise axis to set how precisely Windows requires the flicks to be. You’ll need to experiment with this setting to get it right for you and the way you use the pen.

On the Touch tab of the Pen and Touch dialog box (shown on the left in Figure 2.8), you can configure how Windows responds to your touches. These are the settings available:

Image

FIGURE 2.8 On the Touch tab of the Pen and Touch dialog box (left), tap Settings to configure a touch action, and then work in the Settings dialog box that opens (right).

Image Touch Actions. In this box, you can click either the Double-Tap action or the Press and Hold action and then click Settings to display the Settings dialog box for configuring it. For example, in the Double-Tap Settings dialog box (shown on the right in Figure 2.8), you can change the speed and the spatial tolerance.

Image Show Visual Feedback When Touching the Screen. Check this box to have Windows display visual feedback when you touch the screen so that you can tell that your touches are being recognized.

Image Optimize Visual Feedback for Projection to an External Monitor. If you check the Show Visual Feedback When Touching the Screen check box, you can select this check box to make the feedback suitable for showing on an external monitor—for example, when you are demonstrating a technique.

Click OK when you finish making your choices in the Pen and Touch dialog box.

Configuring Pen and Touch Input

Windows enables you to configure your pen and touch displays and to calibrate a touchscreen for pen and touch input. You can also switch between right-handedness (the default) and left-handedness, in which menus appear to the right of your hand so that it doesn’t obscure them.

First, open the Tablet PC Settings dialog box by following these steps:

1. Right-click or long-press Start to display the shortcut menu.

2. Click Control Panel to open a Control Panel window.

3. Click Hardware and Sound to display the Hardware and Sound pane.

4. Click Tablet PC Settings to display the Tablet PC Settings dialog box. As you can see in Figure 2.9, this dialog box has two tabs: Display and Other.

Image

FIGURE 2.9 On the Display tab of the Tablet PC Settings dialog box (left), you can configure and calibrate your pen and touch displays. On the Other tab (right), you can change from right-handedness to left-handedness.

Start on the Display tab, where you can configure the pen and touch displays and choose display options. Follow these steps:

1. Click Setup in the Configure box, and then follow through the process for identifying your pen screens and touchscreens. In the Identify Pen or Touch Input Screens dialog box that opens, click the Pen Input button or the Touch Input button, as appropriate. Then, if Windows prompts you to identify the correct screen, touch it with your finger or the pen; if the screen is wrong, press Enter to move to the next screen, and then touch that screen if it’s the right one.

2. In the Display Options box, make sure the Display drop-down menu shows the right display, such as NotebookPanel; if not, open the drop-down menu and pick the right display.

3. Also in the Display Options box, click Calibrate to launch the calibration process. In the Calibrate Pen or Touch Input Screens dialog box that opens, click the Pen Input button or the Touch Input button, as appropriate. The calibration process then prompts you to touch various points on the screen. When you finish, click Yes in the Digitizer Calibration Tool dialog box that opens prompting you to save the calibration data.


Image Note

If the User Account Control dialog box opens when you’re calibrating a screen, make sure the program name is Digitizer Calibration Tool, and then click Yes.


After you finish with the Display tab, click the Other tab, and then click the Right-Handed option button or the Left-Handed option button in the Handedness box. Then click OK to close the Tablet PC Settings dialog box.

Configuring Your Keyboard

If you use a physical keyboard with your computer, you can configure the repeat delay, the repeat rate, and the cursor blink rate. If you’re fine with the default settings, you don’t need to change them; but if you get doubled keystrokes, or you find that the keyboard responds more slowly than you’d like to repeated keystrokes, you may want to tweak the settings. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Right-click or long-press Start to display the shortcut menu.

2. Click Control Panel to open a Control Panel window.

3. Click the View By drop-down menu and then click Large Icons to switch to Large Icons view.

4. Click Keyboard to display the Keyboard Properties dialog box. This dialog box has two tabs, Speed and Hardware. The Speed tab is where you adjust the settings; the Hardware tab shows you the names of the keyboard devices and enables you to view their properties.

5. On the Speed tab, drag the Repeat Delay slider along the Long–Short axis to adjust the repeat delay. This is the time Windows waits after one press of a key before registering a second press. So if you’re getting unintentional double presses of letters, move the Repeat Delay slide toward the Long end.

6. Drag the Repeat Rate slider along the Slow–Fast axis to set the repeat rate. This is the speed at which a key repeats when you hold it down. You can test the repeat rate by clicking in the text box below the slider and holding down a key.

7. Drag the Cursor Blink Rate slider along the None–Fast axis to set how fast the cursor blinks. Set the slider to None if you want to prevent the cursor from blinking at all.

8. Click OK to close the Keyboard Properties dialog box.

Configuring Typing Settings

Windows provides a handful of Typing settings that you can configure to control spelling, typing, and the touch keyboard on tablets and convertible PCs. To access these settings, choose Start, Settings, click Devices, and then click Typing in the sidebar.


Image Note

The selection of typing settings depends on your computer’s hardware configuration.


In the Typing pane of the Devices screen (see Figure 2.10), you can choose two Spelling settings:

Image

FIGURE 2.10 In the Typing pane of the Devices screen, choose settings for spelling, typing, and the touch keyboard (if you have one).

Image Autocorrect Misspelled Words. Set this switch to On to have Windows automatically fix typos such as “teh” or “aslo.”

Image Highlight Misspelled Words. Set this switch to On to have Windows highlight misspelled words that Autocorrect can’t fix.

For a computer that uses the touch keyboard, you can choose the following settings in the Typing section:

Image Show Text Suggestions as I Type. Set this switch to On to have Windows display suggestions for completing the word you’re typing. The suggestions appear on a bar above the keyboard. You can tap a suggestion to insert the word.

Image Add a Space After I Choose a Text Suggestion. Set this switch to On to have Windows insert a space automatically after you choose a text suggestion.

Image Add a Period After I Double-Tap the Spacebar. Set this switch to On to enable yourself to type a period by tapping the spacebar twice in quick succession.

Also for a computer that uses the touch keyboard, you can choose the following settings in the Touch Keyboard section:

Image Play Key Sounds as I Type. Set this switch to On if you want to hear a sound for each key you press. Some people find this feedback helpful; others don’t.

Image Capitalize the First Letter of Each Sentence. Set this switch to On to have Windows automatically set Shift to On when you start a new sentence or new paragraph. You can tap Shift to turn it off if you need a lowercase letter instead.

Image Use All Uppercase Letters When I Double-Tap Shift. Set this switch to On to enable yourself to apply Caps Lock by double-tapping Shift. This is usually helpful.

Image Add the Standard Keyboard Layout as a Touch Keyboard Option. Set this switch to On if you want to be able to use the standard keyboard layout on the touch keyboard as well as the touch-optimized layout.


Image Note

The standard keyboard for the touch keyboard has a full-ish keyboard layout, including keys such as Esc, Tab, Caps Lock, and Alt (which the touch layout doesn’t have). The main disadvantage of the standard keyboard is that the keys are much smaller, so you need to tap more precisely.


Configuring Your Language and Keyboard Layout

Windows enables you to enter text in many languages and using different keyboard layouts. To configure your language and keyboard layout, you work in the Region & Language pane in Settings, which you open like this:

1. Choose Start, Settings to open the Settings window.

2. Click Time & Language to display the Time & Language screen.

3. Click Region & Language in the sidebar to display the Region & Language pane (see Figure 2.11).

Image

FIGURE 2.11 In the Region & Language pane, you can choose your country or region, add a language, or add a keyboard layout.

If the Country or Region drop-down menu doesn’t show the right country or region, click it and choose your country or region.

If you want to add a language, click Add a Language to display the Add a Language screen, and then click the appropriate language. Windows may need to download and install a language pack for the language.

To add a keyboard layout, follow these steps:

1. Click the language for which you will use the layout. The Set as Default button, the Options button, and the Remove button appear.

2. Click Options to display the Language Options pane (see Figure 2.12).

Image

FIGURE 2.12 In the Language Options pane, you can configure handwriting or add a keyboard layout.


Image Tip

In the Language Options pane, you can also open the Handwriting drop-down menu and switch between Write Characters in Freehand and Write Each Character Separately.


3. Click Add a Keyboard to display a drop-down menu of available keyboards.

4. Click the appropriate keyboard, such as United States-Dvorak or Canadian French.


Image Note

To remove a keyboard, click its button in either the Language Options pane or the Region & Language pane, and then click Remove.


Setting Up Speech Recognition

The Windows 10 Speech Recognition feature enables you to enter text in apps by speaking. If your environment permits dictation, it can be a great way of entering text fast and accurately.

Before you can use Speech Recognition, you must set it up. Follow these steps to display the Speech Recognition screen:

1. Right-click or long-press Start to display the shortcut menu.

2. Click Control Panel to open a Control Panel window.

3. If the View By setting shows Large Icons or Small Icons, click View By and then click Category to switch to Category view.

4. Click Ease of Access to display the Ease of Access pane.

5. Click Speech Recognition to display the Speech Recognition screen.

From the Speech Recognition screen, click Start Speech Recognition. The Set Up Speech Recognition Wizard opens and walks you through the process of setting up the microphone. Here are the screens where you need to pay attention:

Image What Type of Microphone screen. On this screen (see Figure 2.13), click Headset Microphone, Desktop Microphone, or Other, as needed.

Image

FIGURE 2.13 On the What Type of Microphone screen, specify which type of microphone you have.


Image Note

If you’re using a microphone built into your computer, click Other.


Image Improve Speech Recognition Accuracy screen. On this screen, click the Enable Document Review option button to allow Speech Recognition to scan your documents and email messages to learn the words and phrases you use frequently. This helps Speech Recognition identify what you say.


Image Note

If you enable document review, Speech Recognition scans only the documents and email messages that you index for searching. Speech Recognition doesn’t scan anything you exclude from indexing, such as private or confidential materials.


Image Choose an Activation Mode screen. On this screen, click the Use Voice Activation Mode option button if you want to be able to restart Speech Recognition by saying, “Start listening!” Otherwise, click the Use Manual Activation Mode option button; you’ll need to use the mouse or the keyboard to restart Speech Recognition.

Image Run Speech Recognition Every Time I Start the Computer screen. On this screen, check the Run Speech Recognition at Startup box if you want to use Speech Recognition each time. Otherwise, uncheck this box and start Speech Recognition manually when you need it.


Image Tip

Speech Recognition can be a great boon, but it is resource-hungry and can cost you battery power on a laptop or tablet. So if you use Speech Recognition only occasionally, uncheck the Run Speech Recognition at Startup box to spare your computer’s processor and power supply. To turn this option off later, open Control Panel, click Ease of Access, and then click Speech Recognition. Now click Advanced Speech Options in the left pane to open the Speech Properties dialog box, uncheck the Run Speech Recognition at Startup check box in the User Settings area on the Speech Recognition tab, and click the OK button.


Image You Can Now Control This Computer by Voice screen. Click Start Tutorial if you want to take the tutorial, which is a good idea if you have time; if not, click Skip Tutorial.


Image Tip

If you prefer to take the tutorial later, you can click Take Speech Tutorial in the Speech Recognition window at any point. You can click Train Your Computer to Better Understand You and read a set text to your computer to improve the accuracy of dictation. You can also click Open the Speech Reference Card to see a list of common commands for using Speech Recognition.


When you finish the Set Up Speech Recognition Wizard, Speech Recognition starts, and the Speech Recognition control panel appears (see Figure 2.14). You can turn on Speech Recognition by clicking the microphone button at the left end or by saying, “Start listening!” (if you chose Voice Activation mode). To turn off Speech Recognition, click the microphone button again or say, “Stop listening!”

Image

FIGURE 2.14 Click the microphone button at the left end of the Speech Recognition control panel to turn on Speech Recognition.

Inputting Text

After configuring your input methods, you should be all set to input text in documents. In this section, we look quickly at inputting text with a hardware keyboard, with the touch keyboard and handwriting panel on a touchscreen device, and with Speech Recognition on a computer with a microphone.

Inputting Text with a Hardware Keyboard

To input text with a hardware keyboard, you simply press the keys as usual. The only complication is if you have configured multiple languages or keyboard layouts. If so, you can switch among them by clicking the language and keyboard readout in the notification area and then clicking the appropriate language and keyboard on the pop-up panel (see Figure 2.15).

Image

FIGURE 2.15 To switch languages or keyboards, click the language and keyboard readout in the notification area, and then click the appropriate language and keyboard on the pop-up panel.


Image Tip

To switch quickly to the last input method you were using, press Windows Key+Ctrl+spacebar. While you press this keyboard shortcut, Windows displays a drop-down menu onscreen so that you can see the input method to which you’re switching. To switch to another input method, hold down the Windows key and press spacebar to display the drop-down menu. Press spacebar as many times as needed to select the input method you want, and then release the Windows key.


Inputting Text with the Touch Keyboard and the Handwriting Panel

Inputting text with the touch keyboard is also largely straightforward, but you’ll want to use its extra features for helping you enter text quickly and comfortably.

Depending on the app you’re using, the touch keyboard may appear automatically when you tap in a text area. If not, click or tap the Touch Keyboard icon (the keyboard icon) in the notification area to display the touch keyboard.

When you start typing, the suggestions bar displays possible words (see Figure 2.16). You can tap a word to insert it.

Image

FIGURE 2.16 Tap a suggestion on the suggestions bar above the touch keyboard to insert that word.


Image Note

If no suggestions appear, open the Settings app, click Devices, click Typing, and then set the Show Text Suggestions as I Type switch to On.



Image Tip

To give a keyboard shortcut starting with Ctrl, tap Ctrl and then tap the appropriate letter. You don’t need to tap the keys at the same time. To turn on Caps Lock, double-tap the Shift key; tap again when you’re ready to turn off Caps Lock.


To type a number, tap and hold the key in the top row that shows that number, and then tap the number on the pop-up panel that appears. For example, to type 1, tap and hold the Q key, and then tap 1 on the pop-up panel. To type many numbers, touch the &123 key to display the numeric keypad.


Image Note

If the touch keyboard layout you are using has a separate row of numbers above the letter keys, as on most hardware keyboards, you can simply tap the appropriate number keys to type numbers.



Image Tip

To type a character that includes a diacritical mark, such as å or ñ, tap and hold the base character (such as a for å or n for ñ), and then tap the appropriate character on the pop-up panel.


Tap Undock to shrink the keyboard down and make it mobile (see Figure 2.17). You can then tap the Move icon (the icon that shows arrows pointing in all four directions) and drag the keyboard to where you want it on the screen.

Image

FIGURE 2.17 You can undock the touch keyboard so that you can move it around the screen.

Tap the Emoticon button to display the emoticon keyboard (also shown in Figure 2.17). You can then tap the other buttons on the bottom row to switch among the sets of emoticons. Within a set, tap > to display the next screen of emoticons, or tap < to display the previous set. When you locate the emoticon you want, tap it to insert in the document.


Image Tip

To type symbols such as ©, ®, or ÷, tap the !? button at the bottom of the emoticons keyboard, and then tap the appropriate button.


To switch among the available keyboards, tap the button in the lower-right corner of the keyboard. On the pop-up panel (see Figure 2.18), tap the keyboard you want to display:

Image

FIGURE 2.18 Use the pop-up panel to switch among the available keyboards.

Image Touch Keyboard. This is the default layout, optimized for touch.

Image Split Keyboard. The split keyboard is good for when you’re holding a tablet in both hands and typing with your thumbs.

Image Handwriting Panel. Use the handwriting panel (see Figure 2.19) when you need to enter text with a capacitive stylus, a Surface Pen (for Microsoft’s Surface tablets), or your fingertip.

Image

FIGURE 2.19 Use the handwriting panel to enter text with your finger, a stylus, or the Surface Pen.


Image Note

If you have a hardware keyboard attached, pressing a key on the hardware keyboard makes Windows hide the touch keyboard.


Inputting Text via Speech Recognition

After setting up the Speech Recognition feature as explained earlier in this chapter, you can turn on Speech Recognition and dictate text into apps.

If you’ve set Speech Recognition to run automatically when you start Windows, you can just say, “Start listening!” to switch on Listening mode. If not, follow these steps to launch Speech Recognition:

1. Right-click or long-press Start to display the shortcut menu.

2. Click Control Panel to open a Control Panel window.

3. Click Ease of Access to display the Ease of Access pane.

4. Click Speech Recognition to display the Speech Recognition screen.

5. Click Start Speech Recognition.

You can then open or switch to the app into which you want to dictate text, activate Speech Recognition, and then say the text you want to enter.


Image Tip

After you start Speech Recognition, you can activate it by clicking the microphone icon at the left end of the Speech Recognition control panel or pressing Ctrl+Windows Key.


Resizing and Arranging Windows

You can arrange windows either manually or by using the Snap feature. When rearranging windows manually, you can use the command buttons on the title bar, use keyboard shortcuts, or simply drag the windows and their borders.

Resizing and Closing Windows with the Command Buttons

The quick way to resize windows is by clicking the three command buttons that appear at the right end of the title bar for a nonmaximized window (see the top screen in Figure 2.20) or the three command buttons that appear for a maximized window (see the bottom screen in Figure 2.20):

Image

FIGURE 2.20 Click the Minimize button, Maximize button, or Close button to resize or close a window using the mouse (top). Click the Restore Down button to return a maximized window to its nonmaximized size (bottom).

Image Minimize. Reduces the window to the app’s button on the taskbar. To get the window back, click the app’s button; if there are multiple windows, click the one you want on the drop-down menu.

Image Maximize. Enlarges the window to take up the full screen. When you maximize a window, the Restore Down button replaces the Maximize button.

Image Restore Down. Restores the window to the size and position it was in before you maximized it. When you restore down a window, the Maximize button replaces the Restore Down button.

Image Close. Closes the window.

Using Snap and Snap Assist

The Snap feature enables you to arrange windows quickly and regularly on the left or right side of the screen. The Snap Assist feature helps you to quickly snap another open window to the opposite side of the screen.

To use Snap, click the title bar of the appropriate window, and then drag it to the left side or the right side of the screen. When the pointer reaches the side of the screen, Windows displays an overlay showing where the snapped window will go. If this is where you want the window, release the mouse button, and the window snaps into place.


Image Tip

Press Windows Key+Left to snap the active window to the left side of the screen, or press Windows Key+Right to snap it to the right side. When you release the Windows key, Snap Assist appears, and you can click a window’s thumbnail to snap it to the other side of the screen.


Snap Assist then automatically displays thumbnails of your other open windows on the other side of the screen (see Figure 2.21). You can click a window to snap it to that side, giving yourself two windows side by side in moments.

Image

FIGURE 2.21 When you snap a window to the left or right side of the screen, the Snap Assist feature displays thumbnails of your other open windows on the opposite side of the screen so that you can click the window you want.


Image Tip

Drag a window to the top of the screen to maximize it via Snap.


After snapping a window to the left side or right side of the screen, you can press Windows Key+Up to snap the window to the upper-left quadrant or upper-right quadrant. Pressing Windows Key+Up again for that window maximizes the window. Pressing Windows Key+Up for a window you haven’t snapped to the side also maximizes that window.

Similarly, after snapping a window to the left side or right side of the screen, you can press Windows Key+Down to snap the window to the lower-left quadrant or lower-right quadrant. Pressing Windows Key+Down again for that window minimizes the window. Pressing Windows Key+Down for a window you haven’t snapped to the side also minimizes that window.

Arranging Windows Manually

You can easily arrange windows manually. Simply grab the window by the title bar and drag it to where you want. If you need to resize the window, drag the appropriate corner or side as needed.

Resizing, Arranging, and Closing Windows with Keyboard Shortcuts

If your computer has a keyboard, you can manipulate windows quickly and accurately by using keyboard shortcuts. Table 2.2 has the details.

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Table 2.2 Keyboard Shortcuts for Manipulating Windows

Switching Among Open Windows

Windows gives you three main ways to switch among your open windows:

Image Click the window. If you can see the window you need, simply click that window to bring it to the front.

Image Use Task view. Click the Task View button on the taskbar or press Windows Key+Tab to switch to Task view (see Figure 2.22). You can then click the window you want to see.

Image

FIGURE 2.22 Task view enables you to switch quickly among your open windows.


Image Tip

To switch quickly among open windows using the keyboard, hold down Alt and press Tab. On the first press, the Task view screen appears. Press Tab repeatedly to cycle through the windows in Task view from left to right; when you reach the app you want, release the Alt key. If you need to move backward (from right to left) through the open windows, hold down Shift as well as Alt.


Image Use the Taskbar. Click the Taskbar button for the app you want. If the app has multiple windows open, click the appropriate window on the drop-down menu.


Image Tip

Press Windows Key+D to show the desktop, hiding all your apps. This move is most useful if you need to open an app or a document from an icon on the desktop.