You can customize which Apps appear first when you sign in by selecting “Show the Apps view automatically when I go to Start” in the Taskbar Properties Navigation Tab dialog box. The size, position, and direction of your finger gestures and the order in which you use them on screen are all part of your password.
For example, you could sign in to Windows 8.1 with a picture password and some on-screen gestures (combination of circles, straight lines, and taps) instead of your Microsoft ID. There are many ways to personalize the Windows 8.1 interface. If this happens to you, just place the mouse pointer in the top-left corner of the screen to make the window disappear. Luckily an Internet search revealed the non-intuitive solution. While I was exploring for this review, a "Switch between apps" window displayed on screen and would not go away. While Microsoft Windows 8.1 prides itself on being user friendly, the new interface isn’t always as intuitive as Microsoft would have you believe.
Users who need additional guidance with the new OS can visit Microsoft’s Web site for tips and video-based tutorials on how to sign in to your Microsoft account, get and use apps, configure the Start screen, search, share and print, work with SkyDrive, and more. When in All Apps view, you can now personalizing the look of this screen by sorting the apps by name, date installed, most often used, and category.Ī new tile called Help + Tips on the Start screen offers to teach you more about Starting up, the apps installed with the Windows 8.1 upgrade, how to get around, basic touch actions, how to manage your account and files, various settings options, and what’s new. To view all apps installed on your device at one time, swipe down with your finger, or roll over a blank area of the Start up screen with your mouse click the down arrow. For example, keyboard users can access the Start menu from the Start button by pressing the Windows +X key. The Windows 8.1 interface is optimized for touch screens and tablets, but it also works with a mouse and keyboard. If you prefer a DVD version there is a charge.
The Windows 8.1 update is free, available for installation as a 3.6 GB download.
In mid-October 2013, Microsoft released its much-anticipated Window 8.1 upgrade featuring increased personalization options, the return of the Windows Start button, editing tools in the new Photos app, Calculator and Reading list apps, and a new release of Internet Explorer (v.11). Overall, people seem to be getting used to Windows 8 tile interface. On a personal note, I am seeing more Windows 8 devices at educational technology conferences. District decisions to purchase Windows 8 tablets are made for similar reasons. Windows 8 desktops and laptops are making their way into K-12 environments owing to tight integration of the Windows operating system (OS) with Windows servers and network infrastructures, the need to leverage existing investments in Microsoft Office applications, and support for Microsoft’s SkyDrive (a free 7GB (gigabyte) cloud-based storage service ( ).