Get to know Windows

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.

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 bottom left corner.

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

To customize Start, swipe up from the bottom edge and tap Customize. (If you're using a mouse, right-click anywhere on the screen and click Customize.) From here you can organize the Start screen however you like by moving tiles around, changing tile sizes, and naming groups of tiles.

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 tap Start.

• With a mouse, click the Windows logo () in the lower-left corner of the screen.
• On a keyboard, use the Windows logo key ().

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.

When you sign in with a Microsoft account:

• Your friends’ contact info and status automatically 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 up to five 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.

Here’s a glimpse of what each charm does—but they can do a lot more, so explore what they can do for you. Check out how the options change when you search from Start or from an app—oftentimes the results from within an app will be specific to that app, whereas searching from Start will bring results from your apps, PC settings, files, and Bing.

The charms

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

• 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 shut down your PC and change the volume and brightness, and to configure account and privacy settings in different apps.

Commands themselves aren’t new, but they now stay out of sight until you need them so you can use the whole screen for what you’re doing.

App 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 command you want. Commands might also appear when you swipe to select, or right-click an item like a tile or photo.

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

Switching apps

To switch to your 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 more than one app at a time, side by side. Depending on the resolution of your screen, you might 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.

Side 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.

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

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 choose Sign out.