How well do you really know Windows 8? Check out these ten helpful tips when it comes to Microsoft’s newest operating system Windows 8. Do you know how to take a screenshot on the Surface? Do you know how to get the Function keys to display on the on-screen keyboard? Well, now you will know! Check out these tips!
- How do I get a list of all Windows 8 Store apps I have ever downloaded across all of my devices?
Open store app, swipe from top of screen (or right-click with mouse), select “Your apps”. Change the drop-down to show “All Apps”
- How do I take a screen shot on the Microsoft Surface?
Press “volume down” and Windows key at the same time. Screenshots are saved in a “screenshots” folder in your picture library
- How do I get Function keys to display on the on-screen keyboard?
Settings charm, “change PC settings”, General, set “Make the standard keyboard available” to “on”. When in use, press Keyboard button at bottom right of keyboard, then select full keyboard (second from right). When it displays, press FN to see function keys
- If the on-screen keyboard is obscuring something on the screen, how do you make it disappear for a while
Press keyboard button at bottom right of on-screen keyboard, then press the right-most icon (rectangle with arrow down beneath it)
- How do I prevent Windows 8 from syncing my browser history across my PCs?
Settings charm, “change PC settings”, “Sync your settings”, set “Browser settings and history” to “off”
- How do I increase or decrease the number of apps that are shown when you use the Share charm?
Settings charm, “change PC settings”, “Sync your settings”, “Share”, change “Items in list” setting
- How do I move left and right on the start screen a page at a time when using keyboard and mouse?
Use PGUP and PGDN keys. You can also use HOME and END keys to move to left hand side and right hand side of start screen
- How do I “zoom out” (known as “semantic zoom”) on the start screen or in an app when using a keyboard and mouse?
Move mouse to right-hand side of scroll bar and press the “-“ sign. Click anywhere to zoom back in
- How do you send a friend a link to install an app that you have on your PC?
On start screen, right-click on the app tile (or pull down slightly with finger if you have touch), bring up the charms and select the share charm
- How do you do the equivalent of pressing “Alt+F4” to close an app when you’re using a Microsoft Surface that doesn’t have an F4 key?
Press Alt + Fn + Play/Pause
