Windows 11 All-in-One For Dummies

Windows 11 All-in-One For Dummies

by Ciprian Adrian Rusen
Released March 2022
Publisher(s): For Dummies
ISBN: 9781119858690

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Book description

Get more out of your Windows 11 computer with easy-to-follow advice

Powering 75% of the PCs on the planet, Microsoft Windows is capable of extraordinary things. And you don’t need to be a computer scientist to explore the nooks and crannies of the operating system! With Windows 11 All-in-One For Dummies, anyone can discover how to dig into Microsoft’s ubiquitous operating system and get the most out of the latest version. From securing and protecting your most personal information to socializing and sharing on social media platforms and making your Windows PC your own through personalization, this book offers step-by-step instructions to unlocking Windows 11’s most useful secrets. 

With handy info from 10 books included in the beginner-to-advanced learning path contained within, this guide walks you through how to: 

  • Install, set up, and customize your Windows 11 PC in a way that makes sense just for you 
  • Use the built-in apps, or download your own, to power some of Windows 11’s most useful features 
  • Navigate the Windows 11 system settings to keep your system running smoothly  

Perfect for anyone who’s looked at their Windows PC and wondered, “I wonder what else it can do?”, Windows 11 All-in-One For Dummies delivers all the tweaks, tips, and troubleshooting tricks you’ll need to make your Windows 11 PC do more than you ever thought possible. 

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Introduction
    1. About This Book
    2. Foolish Assumptions
    3. Icons Used in This Book
    4. Beyond the Book
    5. Where to Go from Here
  5. Book 1: Getting Started with Windows 11
    1. Chapter 1: Introducing Windows 11
      1. Taking Your First Look at Windows 11
      2. Hardware and Software
      3. Must You Run Windows?
      4. Understanding Important Terminology
      5. Buying a Windows 11 Computer
      6. What You Might Not Like about Windows 11
    2. Chapter 2: Seeing What’s New in Windows 11
      1. Rolling Back to Windows 10
      2. Microsoft’s Design Philosophy behind Windows 11
      3. Understanding the Types of Windows 11 Apps
      4. Seeing What’s New for the Windows Crowd
    3. Chapter 3: Windows 11 Versions
      1. Windows 11 Editions
      2. Which Version of Windows Are You Running?
  6. Book 2: Personalizing Windows
    1. Chapter 1: Getting Around in Windows
      1. Navigating around the Desktop
      2. Using Windows 11 on Tablets and Touchscreens
      3. Shut Down, Sleep, Restart, Sign Out, Lock, Sleep
      4. Taking Screen Shots
      5. Keyboard Shortcuts
    2. Chapter 2: Logging into Windows 11
      1. Working with the Lock Screen
      2. Logging in without a Password
    3. Chapter 3: Handling Notifications and Quick Actions
      1. What, Exactly, Is a Notification?
      2. Using the Notification Center
      3. Disabling Notifications
      4. Enabling Focus Assist
      5. Using Quick Actions
    4. Chapter 4: Managing User Accounts
      1. Understanding Why You Need Separate User Accounts
      2. Choosing Account Types
      3. Knowing What’s Good and Bad about Microsoft Accounts
      4. Adding Accounts in Windows 11
      5. Changing Other Users’ Settings
      6. Switching Users
    5. Chapter 5: Understanding Microsoft Accounts
      1. Realizing Which Accounts Are Microsoft Accounts
      2. Deciding Whether You Want a Microsoft Account
      3. Setting Up a Microsoft Account
      4. Discontinuing Your Microsoft Account
      5. Taking Care of Your Microsoft Account
      6. Controlling Which Windows 11 Settings Get Synchronized
    6. Chapter 6: Protecting Your Privacy
      1. Realizing Why You Should Care about Privacy
      2. Handling Your Privacy in Windows 11
      3. Knowing What Connections Windows Prefers
      4. Seeing Fewer Ads in Windows 11
      5. Controlling Location Tracking
      6. Minimizing Privacy Intrusion
  7. Book 3: Working on the Desktop
    1. Chapter 1: Running Your Desktop from Start to Finish
      1. Working with the Desktop
      2. Setting Up Your Display
      3. Working with a Mouse and a Touchpad
      4. Using Virtual Desktops
      5. Managing Icons and Shortcuts
    2. Chapter 2: Personalizing the Start Menu
      1. Touring the Start Menu
      2. Modifying the Start Menu
    3. Chapter 3: Exploring Search and the Taskbar
      1. Searching in Windows 11
      2. Touring the Windows 11 Taskbar
    4. Chapter 4: Working with Files and Folders
      1. Using File Explorer
      2. Working with ZIP Files
      3. Right-Clicking in Windows 11
    5. Chapter 5: Connecting to the Internet and Browsing the Web
      1. Connecting to the Internet
      2. Using Microsoft Edge
      3. Using Other Web Browsers
      4. Changing the Default Browser in Windows 11
    6. Chapter 6: Calling on Cortana
      1. The Cortana Backstory
      2. Setting up Cortana
      3. Turning on Voice Activation for Cortana
      4. Using Cortana
      5. Exploring Cortana’s Settings
      6. Useful or Fun Commands for Cortana
    7. Chapter 7: Maintaining Your Drives
      1. Using Maintenance Tools for Your Computer Drives
      2. Accessing the Health Report
  8. Book 4: Using Windows Apps
    1. Chapter 1: Using the Mail and Calendar Apps
      1. Choosing Mail and Calendar Apps
      2. Using the Mail App
      3. Mail Settings
      4. Avoiding Calendar App Collisions
    2. Chapter 2: Keeping Track of People
      1. Alternatives to the People App
      2. The Contact List in Windows 11
      3. Adding Contacts in the People App
    3. Chapter 3: Working with Photos
      1. Viewing Pictures with the Photos App
      2. Adding Photos
      3. Editing Photos
      4. Switching to Light Mode in the Photos App
      5. Working with Albums
    4. Chapter 4: Note-Taking with OneNote
      1. Getting Started in OneNote with or without a Pen
      2. Adding Notebooks, Sections, and Pages
      3. Adding Content to a OneNote Page
      4. Sending Sites from Microsoft Edge to OneNote
      5. Configuring OneNote’s Settings
    5. Chapter 5: Storing in OneDrive
      1. What Is OneDrive?
      2. Setting Up a OneDrive Account
      3. The Four States of OneDrive Data
      4. Adding Files and Folders to OneDrive
      5. Changing the States of OneDrive Data
      6. Sharing OneDrive Files and Folders
    6. Chapter 6: Communicating with Skype
      1. Signing Up with Skype
      2. Adding a Contact
      3. Testing Your Skype Settings
      4. Improving Skype’s Settings
      5. Making Individual and Group Calls
      6. Recording Calls
    7. Chapter 7: Using Widgets
      1. Working with Widgets
      2. Customizing Widgets
      3. Adding Widgets
    8. Chapter 8: Handling Music, Movies, and Videos
      1. Getting Your Groove Music On
      2. Playing Videos and Music with Windows Media Player
      3. Ripping Music from Your Old CDs
      4. Setting Up Spotify
      5. Creating Your Own Videos
      6. Using the Movies & TV App
    9. Chapter 9: Playing Games
      1. Searching the Microsoft Store for Games
      2. Enabling Game Mode
      3. Using the Xbox Game Bar
      4. Setting the Default Graphics Card
      5. Bringing Back the Classics
  9. Book 5: Managing Apps
    1. Chapter 1: Navigating the Microsoft Store
      1. Understanding What a Windows 11 App Can Do
      2. Browsing the Microsoft Store
      3. Installing Apps from the Microsoft Store
      4. Uninstalling Windows 11 Apps
    2. Chapter 2: Using Built-In Applications
      1. Checking Out the New Clock App
      2. Getting Weather Forecasts
      3. Editing Text Files with Notepad
      4. Writing with WordPad
      5. Doing Math with Calculator
      6. Checking Out the New Paint App
      7. Creating Sticky Notes
      8. Keeping Track of Tasks with Microsoft To Do
      9. Navigating with Maps
    3. Chapter 3: Getting Apps from the Web
      1. Finding Safe Places to Download Desktop Apps
      2. Checking Apps for Malware
      3. Uninstalling Desktop Apps or Programs
    4. Chapter 4: Keeping Apps and Drivers Up to Date
      1. Updating Your Microsoft Store Apps
      2. Updating Programs and Desktop Apps
      3. Updating Drivers
  10. Book 6: Sharing, Socializing, and Working Online
    1. Chapter 1: Being Social on Facebook and Twitter
      1. Getting Started with Facebook
      2. Getting Started with Twitter
    2. Chapter 2: Mastering Tools for Remote Work
      1. Getting Started with LinkedIn
      2. Video Conferencing with Zoom
      3. Contacting Others through Teams
      4. Working Remotely with Windows 11
  11. Book 7: Controlling Your System
    1. Chapter 1: Navigating Windows Settings and Languages
      1. Understanding the Settings App
      2. Exploring the Control Panel
      3. Putting Shortcuts to Settings on Your Desktop
      4. God Mode (Still) Works in Windows 11
      5. Using Search to Quickly Find Settings
      6. Installing New Languages in Windows 11
    2. Chapter 2: Managing Windows Updates
      1. Understanding the Terminology
      2. Installing Updates for Windows 11
      3. Postponing Windows 11 Updates
      4. Getting Updates for Office
      5. Stopping Updates from Rebooting Your PC
      6. Getting Information about and Removing Updates
      7. The Case against Windows Automatic Update
    3. Chapter 3: Troubleshooting and Getting Help
      1. Troubleshooting the Easy Way
      2. Troubleshooting the Hard Way
      3. Using Windows Terminal
      4. Experimenting with Windows Sandbox
      5. Tricks to Using Microsoft Support
      6. Snapping Your Problems
      7. Recording a Video of Your Problems
      8. Connecting to Remote Assistance
      9. Troubleshooting Remote Assistance
      10. Getting Better Help Online
    4. Chapter 4: Storing in Storage Spaces
      1. Understanding the Virtualization of Storage
      2. Setting Up Storage Spaces
      3. Working with Storage Spaces
      4. Storage Space Strategies
    5. Chapter 5: Working with Printers
      1. Installing a Printer
      2. Using the Print Queue
      3. Troubleshooting Printing
    6. Chapter 6: Working with USB and Bluetooth Devices
      1. Connecting USB Devices
      2. Connecting Bluetooth Devices
      3. Unpairing Bluetooth Devices
  12. Book 8: Maintaining Windows
    1. Chapter 1: Backing Up Data
      1. Finding Windows 7’s Backup Options in Windows 11
      2. The Future of Reliable Storage Is in the Cloud
      3. Backing Up and Restoring Files with File History
      4. Storing to and through the Cloud
    2. Chapter 2: Resetting Windows to a Working State
      1. Resuscitating Malfunctioning Windows 11 PCs
      2. Resetting Your Windows 11 PC
      3. Resetting Your PC to Factory Settings
      4. Restoring to an Earlier Point
    3. Chapter 3: Troubleshooting with Safe Mode
      1. Working in Safe Mode
      2. Entering the Windows Recovery Environment
    4. Chapter 4: Monitoring Windows
      1. Viewing Events
      2. Gauging System Reliability
    5. Chapter 5: Managing Running Apps, Processes, and Startup Apps
      1. Using Task Manager
      2. Dealing with Misbehaving Apps
      3. Getting More Info from Task Manager
      4. Managing Startup Apps from Settings
  13. Book 9: Securing Windows
    1. Chapter 1: Spies, Spams, and Scams Are Out to Get You
      1. Understanding the Hazards — and the Hoaxes
      2. Staying Informed
      3. Is My Computer Infected?
      4. Getting Protected
      5. Dealing with Data Breaches
    2. Chapter 2: Fighting Viruses and Other Malware
      1. Basic Windows Security Do’s and Don’ts
      2. Making Sense of Malware
      3. Deciphering Browsers’ Inscrutable Warnings
    3. Chapter 3: Running Built-In Security Programs
      1. Working with Windows Security
      2. Controlling Folder Access
      3. Judging SmartScreen
      4. Booting Securely with UEFI
      5. Controlling User Account Control
      6. Poking at Windows Defender Firewall
    4. Chapter 4: Enhancing Your Security
      1. Encrypting Your PC with BitLocker
      2. Managing Your Passwords
      3. Fighting Back at Tough Scumware
      4. Securing Your Communication with VPN
  14. Book 10: Enhancing Windows
    1. Chapter 1: Linking Android to Windows
      1. Making Windows Talk to Your Android Device
      2. Linking an Android Smartphone to a PC
      3. Turning a Smartphone into a PC Webcam
    2. Chapter 2: Using Your iPhone with Windows
      1. Installing iTunes on Windows 11
      2. Installing iCloud on Windows 11
      3. Controlling Windows from an iPhone or iPad
    3. Chapter 3: Wrangling E-Book Files
      1. Working with E-Book Files
      2. Getting e-Books from Your PC to Your Kindle
    4. Chapter 4: Getting Started with Gmail and Other Google Apps
      1. Introducing Google’s Ecosystem
      2. Setting Up Gmail
      3. Sending and Reading Emails from Gmail
      4. Moving an Existing Account to Gmail
      5. Adding Google Drive to File Explorer
      6. Using Google Apps to View and Edit Files
    5. Chapter 5: Using Outlook.com and Microsoft 365
      1. Using Outlook.com
      2. Handling Outlook.com Failures
      3. The Office App and Microsoft 365
      4. Using the Free Office Web Apps
    6. Chapter 6: Discovering the Best Free Windows Add-Ons
      1. Windows Apps You Absolutely Must Have
      2. The Best of the Rest — All Free
      3. Don’t Pay for Software You Don’t Need!
  15. Index
  16. About the Author
  17. Advertisement Page
  18. Connect with Dummies
  19. End User License Agreement

Product information

  • Title: Windows 11 All-in-One For Dummies
  • Author(s): Ciprian Adrian Rusen
  • Release date: March 2022
  • Publisher(s): For Dummies
  • ISBN: 9781119858690