Windows 8 Bible

Using User Accounts

As mentioned at the start of this chapter, each user account is like its own separate PC. Every user has his or her private Documents, Pictures, Music, and Video folders for storing files. Each user account can have its own Windows apps, e-mail account, and Internet favorites. Each user can customize the desktop, Start menu, and other settings to that user’s own liking.

When you first start your computer, the Windows lock screen appears. Press Enter, swipe up (on a tablet or touch screen), or roll the mouse wheel up to display the sign in screen. You also see the sign on screen when you sign out of your user account. If you click a user account that isn’t password-protected, you’re taken straight into the account. But if you click the picture for a password-protected account, a password prompt appears.

To get into the account, you need to enter the appropriate password. Entering the wrong password displays a message stating the user account name or password is incorrect. You can click OK to try again. You can’t get into the user account until you’ve entered the correct password for the account.

The first time you (or someone else) log in to a new user account, it’s just like starting Windows 8 on a brand-new PC. The desktop has the default appearance. All of the document folders in the account are empty. There is no e-mail account, no Internet favorites, and no Windows apps installed. To use e-mail, the user (or administrator) needs to set up the account with ...