Windows 10 For Seniors For Dummies. Weverka Peter

Smiley Face key. Tap the smiley face key again to return to the standard layout. (Smileys are also called emoticons or emoji.)

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But wait! There's more. Tap the keyboard key, which is in the lower-right corner of any layout, to display the four options shown in Figure 1-6.

      FIGURE 1-6

      ❯❯ Tap the Standard button (shown in Figure 1-6) to return to the standard layout from the split or handwriting layout. (More on those two layouts next.)

❯❯ Tap the Split button to view the split keyboard layout, shown in Figure 1-7. This layout is handy for typing with your thumbs while holding two sides of a tablet.

❯❯ Tap the Handwriting button to view the handwriting layout, shown in Figure 1-8. This layout enables you to write with a finger or a stylus (a special pen). Printing usually works better than script.

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      FIGURE 1-8

      

If your touchscreen doesn’t come with a stylus, you can buy one and use it instead of your finger for improved precision.

Turn On Your Computer

      1. Push the power button briefly and release it. Every computer has a power button. (When we can no longer turn them off, the machines win.) If you have a desktop computer tower, the power button is probably on the front of the tower. Otherwise, you might have to feel around the front and sides of the screen or near the hinges of a laptop. Typically, your computer will beep, some buttons will light, and the screen may flash a logo or a message that disappears before you can read it. (Just let that go.) Soon, you will see the first Windows 10 screen.

      2. Turn on any separate hardware (such as a monitor, speakers, or a printer).

      

The remaining steps in this section occur only when your computer is set up for the first time.

      3. The first time you turn on your computer, a series of Windows Setup screens appears. Accept the defaults or change them appropriately and then select the button labeled Next.

      4. Select Install Now. (Note the option to Repair Your Computer, used if something goes wrong in the future.) The screen displays Setup is starting.

      5. If you see a message asking you for a product key (a mix of 25 letters and numbers found on the back or bottom of your computer or on related paperwork), type those characters (hyphens are inserted automatically) and then select Next.

      

If your computer doesn't have a keyboard, as is the case with many tablet computers, see the preceding section, “View the Virtual Keyboard,” for information on how to type onscreen.

      6. On the License Terms screen, select the check box next to I Accept the License Terms. Feel free to be the first person ever to read the terms before agreeing to them. (If you refuse to accept the terms, you can't use Windows 10.) Then select the Next button. You may see an indication of the Windows 10 installation progress. Your computer may restart during this process, as well.

      7. On the Personalize screen, select a background color for the most common screens. When you make a selection, the screen background changes to reflect your choice. Preview as many choices as you like.

      8. In the box under PC Name, type a short, simple name for your computer, but don't use spaces. The name can be based on location (such as office) or computer brand (such as Dell) or something more creative (Firefly, perhaps). This name is visible on a network, if you have one. Select Next.

      

You can return to a previous screen (perhaps to confirm or change a selection) by selecting the Back button (an arrow in a circle, near the top-left corner of the screen). The Next button will move you forward again.

      9. If a wireless Internet connection is available, you are prompted to select a connection and then enter the network password. For now, select Connect to a Wireless Network Later. See Chapter 4 for information on connecting to a network.

      10. On the Settings screen, select the Use Express Settings button for the easiest setup. If you choose the Customize button instead, you'll have to work through several screens of options.

      

If this is the first time that Windows 10 has started on your computer, you must create a user account, even if no one else will use the machine. See Chapter 4 for details on creating and changing user accounts.

      11. If you have an Internet connection, you see the Sign In to Your PC screen. (If you don't have an Internet connection, skip this step.) If you see the Sign in Without a Microsoft Account option, select it. You see a screen summarizing the differences between a Microsoft account and a local account. Select the Local Account button. (You use a Microsoft account in Chapter 4.)

      12. In the User Name box, type a short and simple name. Your user name appears throughout the system, from the login screen to the Start screen to the location containing all your documents. Use a simple, clear name. Your first name is just fine.

      13. In the Password box, type a password. A password is an optional security measure. If you enter a password when you create your user account, that password is required each time you start the computer. If someone other than you tries to start your computer, he or she will have to know (or guess) the password to get into your files. (Don’t put your password on a note stuck to the computer or nearby.)

      

For home computers, passwords may be unnecessary unless you need to keep someone else in the house out of your business. Laptop users should always create a password, however, because it is easy to lose a laptop – don’t make it easy for a thief to use your computer.

      14. In the Reenter Password box, type the same password again.

      15. In the Password Hint box, type a hint to remind yourself – and no one else – what your password is. Do not type the password itself here, or a hint such as my first name.

      

I use my phone number as the hint. That way, if my computer is lost, someone might see