Quick Tips

Calculator from search

Did you know you can do quick calculations right from the search bar without having to open calculator first? Just start typing your calculation into the search bar and the result will appear!

Organise the start menu

The start menu is there for quick access to the programs you use most frequently. You can organise your start menu easily so it suits your use of the computer.

• Start by removing tiles on the start menu that you do not use. Simply right-click on a tile and click Unpin from start. The item will still be available on the start menu if needed.
• You can remove all the tiles from the start menu and then drag the right side of the menu toward the left if you want the original style menu.
• Drag the remaining tiles around so they are arranged into groups of programs of a similar type.
• Rename the groups as necessary by hovering over the two lines to the right of the group name and clicking once then type an appropriate name.
• Resize tiles as necessary by right-clicking on the tile and clicking Resize.
• You can group multiple tiles together by dragging one on top of another, keep dragging more tiles onto the group as needed.

Virtual desktops

With an ever-increasing number of people working from home, it is a good idea to separate the work, office or school tasks being carried out on your computer from other tasks. Windows has a tool to help you keep these tasks separate known as Virtual desktops. With virtual desktops you can easily manage your desktop into virtual workspaces keeping different desktops for each broad category of task you are currently working on.

To work with these:

• Click the Task View icon next to the search box in the toolbar.

• To add a new desktop, click the + icon at the top of the screen. To add additional desktops after the first one has been added, click the New desktop icon at the top of the screen.

• To work on the new desktop you just created, click the Desktop 2 icon at the top of the screen. You will be presented with a Windows desktop with no open windows showing and no icons cluttering your taskbar but your start menu and all desktop icons intact.

• You can give the desktops suitable names such as Work Desktop and Personal Desktop by right-clicking on the relevant desktop icon and then clicking Rename.

• If you have multiple desktops open, you can view the open programs on any individual desktop by hovering your mouse over the desktop icons at the top of the page one by one and the open programs will be displayed under the desktop icons.

• To close a desktop, place your mouse over the desktop you want to close then click the close button that appears above it next to its name. If there are any open windows remaining on that desktop, they will be moved to another desktop.