Top 10 Windows 8 tips and tricks
Update to Windows 8.1
On April 8, 2014, Microsoft released Windows 8.1, which was a free upgrade for anyone running Windows 8. This update addressed many of the problems users had with Windows 8. By popular demand, it also brings back the Start button.
The Windows 8.1 update is no longer provided by Microsoft, who encourages you to upgrade to Windows 10. Visit Microsoft's Windows 10 page for the Windows 10 update.
The remainder of this page contains instructions and tips for legacy systems which already have the Windows 8.1 update installed.
Customize your tiles
Make the most of your Windows Start screen tiles by adjusting the sizes, where they are located, and what is listed.
- Move any tile by clicking and dragging the tile. While moving a tile, if you need a larger view of the Start screen move the tile towards the top or bottom of the screen to zoom out.
- Use your mouse wheel to scroll left-to-right through your tiles.
- Any desktop shortcut or program can be pinned to the Start screen by right-clicking the icon and choosing Pin to Start.
- In the bottom-right corner of the start screen is a magnifying glass with tiles, click this icon to get a zoomed out view of your Start screen. In this view, if you right-click a group of tiles, you can name group, which is useful for naming related tiles (e.g., games). In this view, you can also click-and-drag a group to organize your tile groups.
- Create a new speed bump between tile groups by moving a tile to a speed bump.
- Resize any User tile or Live tile by right-clicking the tile and choosing resize.
- If there is a tile you want on your Taskbar, right-click the tile and choose Pin to taskbar.
- Show admin applications on the Start screen by clicking Settings in Charms, click Settings, and change the Show administrative tools from "No" to "Yes."
- In Internet Explorer 10, you can also pin any of your favorite web pages to your Start Screen.
Windows 8 keyboard shortcuts
Knowing at least some Windows 8 keyboard shortcuts helps make your Windows 8 experience more enjoyable. Try to memorize these top Windows 8 keyboard shortcuts.
- Press the Windows key to open the Start screen or switch to the desktop (if open).
- Press the Windows key+D opens the Windows desktop.
- Press the Windows key+. to pin and unpin Windows apps on the side of the screen.
- Press the Windows key+X to open the power user menu, which gives you access to features most power users would want (e.g., Device Manager and Command Prompt).
- Press the Windows key+C to open the Charms.
- Press the Windows key+I to open the Settings, which is the same Settings found in Charms.
- Press and hold the Windows key+Tab to show open apps.
- Press the Windows key+PrtScr to create a screenshot that is automatically saved into your My Pictures folder.
See our Windows shortcuts page for a full listing of all Windows shortcuts.
Know your hot corners
The corners on your screen are hot corners and give you access to different Windows features. Below, is a brief explanation of each of these corners.
Bottom-left corner
The bottom-left hot corner of the screen lets you access the Start screen. If you're in the Start screen and have the desktop open, this corner opens the desktop from the Start screen.
Right-clicking in the left corner opens the power user menu.
Top-left corner of the screen
Moving the mouse to the top-left corner and then down displays all the apps running on the computer. Clicking and dragging any of these apps to the left or right side of the screen snaps that app to that side. Each of these open app icons can also be right-clicked to close or snap.
Right side of the screen
The right the screen gives access to the Windows Charms.
Taking advantage of search
The Search in Windows 8 is significantly improved compared to all previous versions of Windows. To search for a file or run a program in Windows 8 from the Start screen, start typing what you're trying to find or want to run.
As you begin typing, the results start appearing on the left side. The Search also supports limiting the search to apps such as Finance, People, Maps, Photos, Mail, Music, Videos, Weather, and more. If what you are searching for is not a file or program, click the app you want to use as the search. For example, if you were searching for "New York" and selected the Weather app you would be shown the weather in New York, NY.
By default, Search organizes the available Apps by how frequently they are used and then in alphabetical order. To keep your favorite app at the top of the Search list, right-click the app and choose Pin. Pinning the app locks it in place regardless of how often it is used. If there's an app you don't want (e.g., Finance) it can be turned off through the PC settings, which is found under the Settings in the Charms.
The Search is found through Charms and can also be opened by pressing Windows key+F.
Running two apps side by side
Any app can be pinned to the left or right side of the screen. For example, open the People app and press the Windows key+. (period) key to move that app to the right side of the screen. Pressing the same keys a second time moves it to the left side. Pressing the same keys a third time makes it full screen. While an app is pinned, any other app or program can be opened and loaded into the available space on the screen. For example, in the picture below, we've opened a browser window and have the People app running to monitor our social networks.
Open Apps can also be pinned by clicking the top of the tile and dragging it to the left or right side of the screen.
The desktop can also be pinned to the left or right side of the screen.
For snap to work properly your resolution must be at least 1,366 x 768.
Windows 8 Task Manager
The Windows 8 Task Manager is significantly improved over previous versions of Windows. Changes include a total percent usage of your processes, improved performance graphs, and a Startup tab to see startup processes. It includes the App history tab (as shown below) to see the total resources an app has used. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to start exploring the new Task Manager.
Use a picture password to log into your computer
Windows 8 includes a new feature called Picture password, which lets you authenticate with the computer using gestures that include circles, straight lines, and taps. Enable this feature if you want a new way to access your computer or have difficulty with passwords.
- Open the Windows Charms.
- Click Settings and then More PC settings
- In the PC settings window, click Users and then Create a picture password
A four digit pin password can also be created and used to access your computer.
Take advantage of Windows 8 apps
Windows 8 comes included with several apps to help you get the most from your computer. Below are some of them.
People
Microsoft touts the People feature in Windows 8 because they understand how many people are using social networks today. In the People feature, you'll be able to connect your Windows computer to all the major social networks including Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Once connected, you can pin the people app and monitor your social network (as shown below). You may then use "People" in the Search interface to find people. You may also choose to see an overview of what is happening in all your social networks.
Reader
The Reader app gives you PDF (Portable Document Format) support right out of the box.
SkyDrive
The SkyDrive app gives you access to the Microsoft cloud service for storing photos, documents, and other files in a cloud and access or share those files easier.
Store
Take advantage of the Windows Store and install one or more of the thousands of available apps designed for Windows 8. The Store is found in the Start screen, or use Search to search the Store app for any apps that you are trying to find.
Know the answers to common questions
Windows 8 is the biggest change to Microsoft Windows since the introduction of Windows 95, which was released in 1995. Since so many people have grown up with Windows, it can be difficult to transition to a new way of doing things. Below, is a short list of the most common questions previous Windows users have.
Know the jargon
Knowing all the new jargon introduced with Windows 8 help improve your familiarity with Windows 8 and make it a more enjoyable experience. Below, are a few links to the most commonly used Windows 8 terms.