Controlling Windows 10 Settings by Tom Krauser
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Controlling Windows 10 Settings By Tom Krauser In this article we will look at controlling Windows 10 settings. We will deal primarily with the settings accessible when the Setting icon (gear) is clicked from the Start Menu. Windows Setting Icon When the Settings icon is clicked the Windows Settings window is opened. We will only cover in detail a few of the more frequently used setup options. You can use the internet and YouTube to get more detailed information on specific settings. In Windows 10 the older Windows version of Control Panel is still available for users who prefer the older layout. To access the older Control Panel: Click Start, scroll down to Windows System and click on it, then click on Control Panel. You could also add this to your Start Menu by right clicking on the Control Panel icon and select Pin to Start. System The System icon brings up settings related to: Display: This allows selecting different displays if PC has multiple displays and changing the settings for the selected display. You can identify and detect different monitors in multiple monitor setups. The size of default text can be changed. Screen resolution can be set based on capability of the video card. The orientation of the screen can be changed from Landscape (default) to Portrait so monitor can be placed with the longest side of the screen up. Screen brightness (laptops) can be set to save power. Notifications & Actions: Sets up notifications from various apps and senders. Power & Sleep: Settings for turning the screen off if no user activity for a pre-selected time if PC is plugged in or on battery. Can also set if the computer goes into Sleep mode after a pre-selected time if PC plugged in or on battery. Battery (Laptops): Shows status of laptop battery. Controls setting of when laptop shuts off on low battery. Controls if screen dims when on battery to save power. Storage: Shows the storage capacity of various drives on the PC. Has setting to automatically free up space by getting rid of temporary files and emptying the waste basket. Can change where apps, documents, music, pictures, videos, and maps are saved by default. Tablet Mode: Can change the settings for Tablet mode behavior for the device. Multitasking: Changes the Snap settings when arranging windows on the display. In Snap the open windows are displayed side by side. Projecting to this PC: Can allow Windows PCs or phone to project to the screen on your PC and use its mouse and keyboard. Shared Experiences: Lets apps on other devices (including linked phones and tablets) open and message apps on the PC, and vice versa. Remote Desktop: Lets you connect to and control your PC from a remote device by using Remote Desktop client app. You will be able to work from the device as if you were working directly on your PC. I prefer the free program TeamViewer to remote connect PCs and devices over Remote Desktop. About: Provides information about virus and firewall protection; Device specifications including renaming the PC; and Windows specifications including changing the product key or upgrading edition of Windows. Devices The Devices icon brings up settings related to: Bluetooth & other devices: Allows turning Bluetooth On/Off; adding a Bluetooth device; Printers & Scanners: Allows adding, managing, deleting a printer or scanner Mouse: Allows configuring/switching the mouse buttons; control how the mouse scroll wheel responds. Under “Additional mouse options” control which pointing device you are using, you can switch the primary and secondary buttons; change the double-click speed; change the pointer look and behavior; on laptops with touch pads you can configure it such that when an external pointing device is being used the touchpad is deactivated. Touchpad (Laptops): Controls setting the sensitivity of the touchpad. Under Additional Settings you can disable the touchpad if an external pointing device is installed. Removing the external mouse will automatically enable the touchpad. Users have found that if touchpad is active that the cursor may get accidentally moved when working on documents with hand resting on the touchpad if the touchpad thinks you are clicking on the touchpad. Typing: Configures how misspelled words are corrected or highlighted; shows text suggestions. Pen & Windows Ink: Configure (On/Off) writing in the Handwriting Input Panel with your fingertip; Turn On/Off recommended apps in Windows Ink Workspace. AutoPlay: Turn On/Off using AutoPlay for all media and devices; allows choosing default action when a removable drive is connected; allows choosing the default action when a memory card is plugged in. USB: Allows notification if there are issues connecting to USB devices. Phone The Phone icon allows you to add your phone so that you can start browsing the web, writing emails, and using apps on your phone, then continue on your PC instantly. It allows you to add your phone information so your phone and PC can be connected. Network & Internet The Network & Internet icon brings up settings related to: Status: Shows network status; allows changing connection properties; shows available networks; change adapter settings; network sharing options; HomeGroup settings including creating a HomeGroup; Wi-Fi: Turn Wi-Fi On/Off; show available Wi-Fi networks; manage know networks; turn On/Off ability to connect to hot spots. Ethernet: Shows Ethernet status; change adapter options Dial-up: Allows setting up a dial-up connection. VPN: Allows adding a Virtual Private Network (VPN) and turn On/Off VPN connections. Airplane mode: Allows turning On/Off Airplane mode; also can turn On/Off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Mobile hotspot: Allows turning On/Off sharing of internet connection with other devices; sets up a network name and password for sharing. Data usage: Shows data usage over Wi-Fi and Ethernet Proxy: Configure Proxy settings for Ethernet and Wi-Fi connections if used (normally Off) Personalization The Personalization icon brings up settings related to display: Background: Configure the screen background from a picture, solid color, or a slideshow. Choose how the background appears on the screen (Fill, Fit, Stretch, Tile, Center, Span). Colors: Change the colors used on the screen, Start Menu, Taskbar, Title bars. Lock Screen: Select the Lock screen background and whether that screen is used for login screen. Change when Lock Screen activates when plugged in or on battery. Themes: Allows selecting a theme for the screen. Can download different themes from the internet. Can change default sounds, colors, mouse cursors. Start: On Start menu can change from default of 3 tiles across on a row to 4 on a row; can configure shows app list in Start menu; show recently used apps; show most used apps; have the Start menu take up the whole screen; show recently opened items on Start or Taskbar; select which folders appear on the Start menu. Taskbar: Configure if the Taskbar is locked, hidden, uses smaller icons, location of taskbar on screen, which icons show in notification area, whether system icons show, if taskbar shows on multiple displays when used. Apps The Apps icon brings up settings related to: Apps & Features: Controls installing and removing apps from PC. This is the option you would use to uninstall any software you no longer wanted on your PC. To uninstall software left click on the software you want to uninstall and then click on Uninstall. Only one program can be uninstalled at a time. You may have to reboot the PC to complete uninstall. Default Apps: This option allows you to set the default program which opens selected types of applications. For example, normally Microsoft Edge is the default browser when a program tries to open a website. You can change the default browser to any browser you have installed on your computer. At the bottom is the option to “Choose default app by file type”. This allows you to choose the program that opens each file type. Another option is which program will open a PDF file. Microsoft Edge is the default to open PDF file types in the browser but you may want to change the default PDF file opener to Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. Adobe is a free download that gives you a lot more flexibility with PDF files. Offline maps: You can download maps for apps to use when you are not connected to the internet. For example, the Maps app can use offline maps when you search for places or directions. Apps for Websites: Some websites can be opened by an app or a browser. For example Grove Music can be opened with the app or if turned off the browser will open the website. Video playback: Changes the video settings for apps that use the video playback platform that is built into Windows. Accounts The Accounts icons brings up settings related to: Your info: Provides info about your login account. Allows you to switch between a Microsoft login or a local login. Allows you to change your picture using the PC camera or browse for one on the computer. Email & app accounts: Allows adding an Email, calendar, and contact account which can be used by other apps. Sign-in options: Change the sign-in options. Choose if you have to sign back in after PC had gone to sleep mode. Option to change your password. Create a PIN to use in place of a password. Can create a picture password log- in. Access work or school: Get access to resources like email, apps, and the network on work or school files if allowed by them. Family & other people: Allows you to sign into your Microsoft account to manage other accounts or to add another account as either a Microsoft account or a local account.