Windows 11 for Beginners

An Illustrated Manual to Master All the Microsoft OS Features and Quick

Settings Tips & Tricks for Maximum Performance

James D. Cooney
 © Copyrights 2022 – James D. Cooney

All rights reserved.

This book’s contents may not be reproduced, duplicated, or transmitted without direct written
permission from the author or publisher.

No blame or legal responsibility will be held against the publisher or author for any damages,
reparations, or monetary loss due to the information contained in this book. Whether directly or
indirectly.

Disclaimer Notice:

Please note that the information within this document is for educational and entertainment purposes
only. All efforts have been made to present reliable and complete information. No warranties of any
kind are implied or declared.
 Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: Operations of the Windows 11
Signing in to your device
The Desktop and Start Menu
Customizing your Windows 11 Start Menu
Chapter 2: Windows File Explorer
Tips and Tricks for the Windows File Explorer 11
Important keyboard shortcuts for Windows File Explorer
Chapter 3: Windows 11 Desktop
Customizing the desktop
Display settings
The Taskbar
Chapter 4: The Start Menu
Pinning apps to the start menu
Pinning apps to the taskbar
How to Manually Add an Application to Windows Startup
Chapter 5: Users and Groups
How to Create Admin User
How to create and delete new user
How to Delete User
Snap Layouts
How to Mirror the Screen of Android Device to a Windows 11 PC
Chapter 6: Settings
System settings
Device and Bluetooth settings
Network and Internet Settings
Personalization settings
Application settings
Settings related to Accounts
Time and Language Settings
Settings related to Gaming
Accessibility settings
 Privacy and Security Settings
Windows Update Settings
Chapter 7: Search Indexing
Configuration of the Search Indexing feature
Chapter 8: General Optimization of the Windows 11 O.S
Word and Notepad Documents
Changing the size of text
Connection of your P.C. to the Internet
Browsing on the Windows 11 O.S
Shutting down your Windows 11 P.C.
Chapter 9: Tips and Tricks
Taskbar alignment
Title bar Window shake
Right-click options
Start menu folders
Pin/unpin start menu apps
Snap windows
Secret start menu
Quick settings
Widgets/chat taskbar icons
Volume mixer
Focus assist
File extensions
Customize widgets
Touch keyboard screen
Notifications
Dark mode/ Night light
Default apps
Microsoft ads
Windows Theme
Chapter 10: Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
 Introduction

You might have been hearing of the new Windows 11 Operating system!
Yes, it is now available! Windows Corporation has made it readily available
to all that want to work with it. So, you wouldn’t have to pay a dime to run
the O.S on your P.C. All you need to do is download it from Microsoft’s
official site www.microsoft.com, and then have it installed into your P.C.
Several differences have been noticed between the Windows 10 O.S and the
Windows 11 O.S. Some of them include the Snap Layout and Snap Groups
that offer a better and more improved task switch. In addition, you get to
have a better time playing games and improved Microsoft Store, a faster
connection to the internet, monthly security updates, and so on.
For those interested in a better gaming experience, the features present in the
Windows 11 O.S include the DirectX 12 ultimate, the auto HDR, and so on.
All of these fetches you a screen of brighter and more realistic colors that will
keep you immersed in your game. You also get to access applications that
previously were only available on your Android devices! Once you have your
Amazon App Store, you are good to go!
All of these new features might seem overwhelming for anyone, which is
why this book was outlined. That way, you get to know how to work your
way around your device and get the maximum results!
This book has done a great job of simplifying operations in the new Windows
with more topics at your fingertips. Written in an easy-to-follow, step-by-step
fashion, illustrated screenshots and images, this book is here to help you learn
how to use your PC.
So, let’s delve into the intricacies surrounding the Windows 11 O.S right
away!
 Chapter 1: Operations of the Windows 11

The Windows 11 software is one of the most recent developments of the

Windows Corporation. Luckily, Windows Corporation has made it readily
accessible to those using Windows 10 or any other lower version of the
operating system. You also wouldn’t have to worry about paying – it is
completely free. Also, devices from brands like H.P., Acer, Lenovo, and
Asus would readily have the Windows 11 operating system running on them.
The Windows 11 operating system is very different from the former in that it
features new applications, interfaces, functions, etc. Almost everything—the
menu on the home page, the tools and design of the taskbar, and even the
icons have been changed! Most of the changes might require some level of
technical know-how and information. So, here, we will be running through a
guide on working with most of the features.
Signing in to your device

As said earlier, the Windows 11 O.S has a new design. So, the moment you
turn your computer on, you instantly get to know the date, time, and day. You
wouldn’t find this feature on any older version of O.S.
Then, to head over to the page where you get to log in to your computer, all
you’d need to do is click the page twice.

The login screen usually would bear the name of your P.C. and your profile
photo if you already uploaded one. Ensure that you type in the correct details
to have a successful login. Mostly, you would be required to type in your
password. Once you are done typing, click the arrow next to the box where
you typed the details. If the details are correct, you’d be logged in
successfully.
The Desktop and Start Menu

This feature allows you to browse through the content of your desktop easily.
You also would be able to explore your P.C. and see the sketch or list of all
the applications present. From there, you also get to launch applications and
folders. Also present in the Windows 11 software is a start menu with the
logo of Windows 11 as the icon.

To see all the apps on your device at once, click the ‘Start
Menu.’
 To open any of the applications present on your P.C., click the
icon that represents the app.
If you want easy access to the applications you would frequently be working
with, you could pin them to your Start Menu. To do that:
Click the right button on your mouse while the arrow hovers
over the application.
Then, from the drop-down menu, click ‘Pin to Start.’
Customizing your Windows 11 Start Menu

The Windows 11 O.S has a newly updated start menu that is very different
from the Windows 10 O.S. You can easily get the start menu features
customized to whatever style you want them to be in. There are different
things you can do to customize the start menu of your Windows 11 O.S.

1. Shift the start menu to the left side of the screen.

Usually, the start menu of the Windows 11 O.S would prop up at the middle
of your screen. Asides from the Start Menu, the items in the taskbar and the
items in the taskbar search box also appear in the middle. If you wish to have
it changed, all you need to do is shift it to the left side. You’d recall that the
style of having the Start Menu on the left side is a feature of the Windows 10
O.S. To get that done, follow the procedures below;
Tap the ‘Settings’ icon on the Windows page
Tap ‘Personalization’
Tap ‘Taskbar’
Look for the option that says ‘Taskbar Alignment.’ It is usually an
 option beneath ‘Taskbar behaviors.’
Click the ‘Left’ icon from the drop-down menu.

Once you follow the procedures above, the start menu begins to show up on
the left side of your screen.

2. You can change the color of the start menu

Here, we will be looking at how you can change the color of the start menu
and the taskbar. That is another kind of customization that you can work
through with for your Windows 11 O.S. Follow the procedures listed out
below to finish with this process;
Tap the ‘Settings’ icon or automatically open the application by
pressing down the Windows key simultaneously with the letter I.
Click ‘Personalization.’ The feature usually occurs at the left side of the
list.
Then, on the right side, click ‘Colors.’
Change the ‘Choose your Mode’ to ‘Custom’
 Then, make the default mode of your Windows dark.
Under the ‘Accent Color’ option, click the arrow that brings out the
drop-down menu.
Change the color to ‘Manual.’ Do not go for the Automatic option now.
You would see a toggle button next to the ‘Show accent color on start
and taskbar.’ Click the button to either activate or deactivate the
feature. Here, you want to activate the feature.
Beneath the ‘Accent Color’ option, you get to pick out any color you
want your Start Menu to be in. Of course, the color also applies to your
taskbar.
To continue with the customization, click the ‘View Colors’ icon.
Next, you see a color picker that allows you to choose the accent of the
color you want to work with. You’d also be able to see how the
preview looks like.
Note: Once you make the default mode ‘Light mode,’ you would be
disallowed from choosing a specific color. What happens is that whatever
color is there would be picked out by the O.S. For ‘Dark Mode’ too, the color
would also be applied to the applications.

3. You could customize the lock screen of the O.S

To change the settings behind your Windows 11 O.S lock screen, head over
to the Settings panel. Usually, the options available for setting your lock
screen are not of a broad range. However, you could still get them
personalized just as you want them. For example, the Windows 11 O.S has a
lock screen with just a few details. A few of them include the date, clock, etc.
So, how can you get those things customized?
Press the ‘Window’ button and ‘I’ to automatically go to Settings
Go to ‘Personalization.’
 Go to ‘Lock screen.’
Make the ‘Personalize your Lock Screen’ section bigger
Click ‘Windows Spotlight, Picture, or Slideshow.’
Make the ‘Lock screen status list’ bigger
Choose the application that you want to be displayed on the lock
screen.
Click the toggle button to activate or deactivate the ‘Show the lock
screen background picture on the sign-in screen’ feature.

Before you start customizing the lock screen of your Windows 11 O.S, you
have to first head over to the Settings panel. Then, follow the procedures that
the second and third steps of the procedures outlined above describe. There,
you would find three options;
1. Personalization of your lock screen: This option helps you decide on
what the background of the lock screen displays. For instance, you
could choose the ‘Windows Spotlight’ feature, allowing images from
sites like Bing to be the background image. You could also choose the
‘Picture’ option to allow your favorite picture to stay on the lock
screen.
 2. Lock screen status: This feature lets you see the notification messages
from ‘Calendar,’ ‘Mail,’ and ‘Weather.’
3. Show the lock screen background picture on the sign-in screen:
Usually, the Windows 11 O.S would show the background for the lock
screen on the sign-in screen. The sign-in screen is the page you see
when you want to type in your password details. If you want to change
the image, just click the toggle button.
If you select ‘Picture,’ you would be able to pick an image from the list of
images. Next, click the ‘Browse Photos’ option for you to be able to pick an
image from the list. Then, select any image that you like.
You could also activate or deactivate tips, fun facts, and tricks that could
appear on your lock screen. Then, click the tick from the checkbox beside
those features to deactivate or activate them.

If you select the ‘Slideshow’ feature, you get to choose from a folder of
images manually. The other options include the following;
 Include camera roll folders from this P.C. and One Drive
Only pictures that fit with my screen
When my P.C. is inactive, show the lock screen instead of turning off
the screen.
To activate or deactivate any of the options above, click the checkbox
preceding them.
You also get to deactivate the Lock screen background motion if you wish.

4. Customizing Windows 11 Quick Settings

Here, we will study how to customize the features under the quick settings
panel. But, first, you need to know that the Quick Settings panel allows you
to access the different taskbar features you often work with easily. So, with
just a click of the button on your mouse, you get to access the features. Here,
you will either add or remove features from the panel.
Features present in the Quick Settings menu for Windows 11 O.S
Wi-Fi: This option allows you to connect or disconnect from the
internet easily. The ‘arrow’ also allows you to view all the Wi-Fi
 networks available for you to use at that time. After deciding on the one
you want to use, all you need to do is click it.
Accessibility: This option allows you quick access to important tools
like;
Magnifier
Color filters
Narrator
Mono Audio
Sticky keys
When you want to activate the function of any of these tools, click the
functions. To access the other settings under Accessibility, tap the ‘More
Accessibility Settings’ icon.
Airplane mode: This allows you to either activate or deactivate the
airplane mode feature. The Airplane mode prevents your computer
from having any connection with the internet.
Battery saver: This feature allows you to save your laptop’s battery
when it’s low.
Bluetooth: This feature works to either activate or deactivate Bluetooth.
Bluetooth allows for the sharing of applications.
Focus Assist: This feature allows you to activate or deactivate several
Focus Assist Modes that deactivate notifications from Windows 11.
The modes available include;
Priority only
Alarms only
Disable this feature.
Volume: This feature allows you to either increase or decrease your
device’s volume.
Brightness: This feature allows you to either increase or decrease the
 brightness of your monitor’s screen.

Now, to quickly access quick settings under your Windows 11 O.S, use any
of the procedures listed out below;
Press the buttons for Windows and A down.
Click the icons for Wi-Fi, Volume, or Battery at the lower panels of the
taskbar.
Finally, to customize all the features present under the quick settings, follow
the procedures listed out below;
1. Click the Windows 11 Quick settings
2. Click the Edit Quick Settings icon. This editing icon is represented by a
pencil.
3. Click the Add button to merge new tools or features to the menu. The
features that you can merge to the existing ones include the following;
Project
Mobile Hotspot
Cast
Nearby Sharing
Night Light
Keyboard Layout
All you need to do is click them once to add the features.
4. Remove any of the menu items under the quick settings feature, if you
will. Then, all you need to do is click the ‘Unpin’ feature. You would
see the ‘Unpin’ icon illustrated at the upper right-hand corner of each
of the features.
5. Change the order of the items using the drag and drop feature. To do
this, drag the features present on the editing panel and fix it to wherever
 place you wish.
6. Tap the ‘Done’ icon to save the change(s) you made.

5. Pinning or Unpinning applications

You will find several installed applications pinned to the start menu when
you initially get your device. If you wish to change the order in which they
are pinned, follow the procedures outlined below;
Click the ‘Start Menu’
Click the application you want to run.
To unpin an application, hover the mouse’s pointer across it and then
click the right button of the mouse.
Click the ‘Unpin from Start’ feature.
To remove an application from the Pinned ones, follow any of the steps
below;
Click the ‘Start Menu’
 Click the ‘Apps apps’ button
Click the right button of the application you want to pin down
Click the ‘Pin to Start’ feature.
To shift an application from where it is, i.e., its initial position, click it and
drag it to the location you want to have it fixed to.

6. Customization of the Taskbar for Windows 11 O.S

Here, we will be discussing a few of the methods you can follow when
customizing the taskbar for Windows 11;
Pinning of applications to the taskbar: When you want to pin an
application that you are currently using, follow the procedures below;
First, you will see an icon on the taskbar. The line that runs below
the application shows that it is still functional.
Click the right button of your mouse while the pointer hovers
over the application
Highlight the ‘Pin to Taskbar’ feature and choose it.

When you want to pin an application that is not running, right-click the icon
and click the ‘Show More’ feature. Right from the context menu, click the
‘Pin to Taskbar’ option to get it pasted in the taskbar for Windows 11.
When you want to pin an application that is under the start menu, follow the
procedures below;

Click the Windows button on your keyboard

Click the ‘Start’ icon on the taskbar
Click ‘All Apps’
 Right-click the application that you want to pin
Click ‘More’
Click ‘Pin to Taskbar’
After merging several applications to the taskbar, you might want to delete a
couple. To remove pinned applications and icons from the taskbar, follow the
procedures below;
To remove apps through the taskbar
Right-click the icon
Tap ‘Unpin from Taskbar’
The icon vanishes from the taskbar.

To unpin applications via the Settings area of the taskbar

 Press down the Windows key and letter ‘I’ down simultaneously.
You’d be directed instantly to the Settings menu.
Click the icon for the ‘Start Menu’ and click the ‘Settings’ icon
from the list of pinned applications.
Tap ‘Personalization’
Tap ‘Taskbar’
Tap the toggle feature to activate or deactivate the apps and icons
from the taskbar
When you want to move taskbar icons from the left side of the screen to the
center, follow the procedures below;
Right-click the taskbar
Tap ‘Taskbar Settings.’
A new screen would show up with different menu items you can pick
from.
Go down the screen till you find ‘Taskbar Behavior.’
Then, change the orientation from ‘Center’ to the ‘Left.’
You would also see icons that allow you to do the following extra features;
 Hide the taskbar
Show badges on apps
Hide the far corner button to the right
Taskbar corner icons are the icons you will see on the right side of the
taskbar. To show or hide the taskbar corner icons, follow the procedures
below;
Go to the Taskbar settings panel
Click the ‘Taskbar corner’ icon
From there, you can either merge or remove the pen menu, touch the
keyboard or the virtual touchpad.

7. Removal of applications from the list of recommended applications

The applications you would find in the recommended apps panel are those
you just opened. Now, to have only files under the recommended
applications, follow the steps below;
Open the Settings of your device
 Click ‘Personalization’
Click ‘Start’
Click the toggle button to deactivate the ‘Show recently added apps’
To remove any application from the list of recommended applications,
right-click while the mouse’s pointer hovers across it, and then pick the
‘Remove from list’ feature.

8. Hiding items that were just opened from the Start menu

To hide the recently used or opened applications from the Start menu, follow
the steps below;
Click the ‘Start Menu.’ You would find the start menu beneath the
taskbar
Right-click the application that you want to remove from the list
Click the ‘Remove from List’ option.
To permanently remove an application from the list of recommended
applications, follow the procedures below;
Head over to ‘Settings’
Click ‘Personalization’
Click ‘Start’
Click the toggle button that turns off the ‘Show recently opened items
in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer.’

9. Showing or hiding library folders

The start menu for Windows 11 only shows the following options;
Shut Down
 Restart
Hibernate your computer

Now, if you want to see other files like Documents, Downloads, file explorer,
music, settings, etc., follow the procedures below;
Go to the ‘Settings’ feature
Tap ‘Personalization’
Tap ‘Start’
Tap ‘Folders’
Tap the toggle button beside the feature you want to see in the start
menu.
To add or remove folders from the Start menu of the Windows 11 O.S,
follow the procedures below;
Right-click any space on the desktop page
Click ‘Personalize’
You’d be directed to another page. Click ‘Start’
Click ‘Folders’
Tap the toggle button next to the folders you want to merge to the start
menu. The toggle button also works to remove the apps you need out.
 Chapter 2: Windows File Explorer

The Windows File Explorer was formerly referred to as the Windows

Explorer. It is one file that allows you to manage all the files you have on
your computer. All your folders are also included under the Windows File
Explorer. The Windows File Explorer has several new tools, and here, we
will be looking at how we can get them customized.
To open the File Explorer page, click the icon that lies on the
lower panels. The icon resembles a light brown file. You could also
press the Window key and letter E on your keyboard to instantly get to
the Windows page.

1. Deletion of files from the menu of the Windows File Explorer page
When you need to delete a file, click the file you want to have gone, and click
the ‘Trash’ icon. The trash icon is represented by a small picture of a trash
bin. The icon is also fixed in the panel for menu items.
You could also right-click while your mouse pointer hovers over the app you
want to delete. Then, click the ‘Trash’ icon that appears in the context menu.
2. Changing the size of the file icons
When you want the icons to come out looking bigger or smaller, you can
work from the menu bar of the explorer page. Simply click ‘View,’ and then
choose the size you want the icons to be in.
You could also alter the size of the icons by clicking the small buttons that
are at the bottom right-hand corner of the page.

3. Show or hide navigation, details, and the preview panes

The Navigation panes usually show the folders and local disc(s) that are on
your device. The Preview panes show whatever file you highlight. The
Details pane shows the information tied to whatever file you highlight.
To show or hide any feature under the two panes, click ‘View.’
Then, click ‘Show.’
You will then be directed to a drop-down list that comprises navigation
panes, detail panes, and preview panes. Click the pane you are interested in
working with. The tick that sits just at the end of the line of your option
works to either activate or deactivate the feature. When you see the tick, it
means the file will show up on the explorer page, and if the tick isn’t there, it
means that the file will not show up.
4. Showing hidden items
To show or hide files from the explorer page, click ‘View’ under the menu
panel. Next, click ‘Hidden items,’ which is an option under ‘Show.’
5. Enabling checkboxes
Checkboxes are features that help you to select files easily. To pick out files
from a list, all you need to do is a tick or click the space within the
checkboxes. To have those checkboxes donning your page, click ‘View.’
Then, click ‘Item checkbox.’ The option usually exists under ‘Show.’
6. Hiding the extensions of filenames
Examples of extensions that show up in the name of files include the
following;
 .txt
.docx, etc.

To hide those extensions, click ‘View.’ You will see it in the panel for menu
items. Then, click ‘Show.’ After, click ‘File Name Extensions
7. Pinning an item to quick access
The quick access feature is one that you would find in the navigation pane.
To merge an item to the other items present there, click the icon of three
vertically arranged dots that sit in the menu bar. Then, click the ‘Pin to Quick
Access’ feature.
8. To choose files or otherwise
To either choose files or remove them from the list of chosen files, click the
three vertically arranged dots in the panel for menu items. Then, click the
Selection item in the drop-down menu. You could choose to either select all,
none, or cancel the selection you made.
Otherwise, you could select an item by working with the Ctrl button on your
keyboard. With your finger pressing down on the key, simultaneously click
the application(s) that you wish to select.
To select all the files in a particular section, you could also press down the
Ctrl key and Letter A simultaneously.
9. Creation of new items
To create new items on the Windows File Explorer page, click the ‘New’
icon in the menu panel. Then, click the type of file you want to create.
Usually, you’d get a drop-down list of menu items.
You could also open a folder, click on a space, and click the ‘New’ feature
under the menu for Context.
 10. Sharing of files from the explorer menu
To share files from the explorer menu, highlight the item you want to share,
and click the ‘Share’ feature in the menu panel. After, you can choose the
platform through which you want the file shared.
Tips and Tricks for the Windows File Explorer 11

Here, we will be looking at how you can make maximum use of the features
present in Windows File Explorer 11.
1. Customization of the target folder: To customize your target folder,
follow the procedures outlined below;
Open the File Explorer application
Click the vertically arranged three dots in the menu panel
Click ‘Options’ to get to the ‘Folder Options Dialog Window.’
Click ‘Open File Explorer to’ as This P.C.
Click ‘Apply’
Then, click ‘OK’ to save the changes made.

Every time you launch the Windows File Explorer, you would be shown the
P.C. bar. It would be very useful when you need to alter a couple of settings
later on.
2. Recycle bin showing up in the side panel
Usually, the recycle bin doesn’t appear among the other visible items on the
File Explorer page.
To have the ‘Recycle Bin’ icon showing up at the side panels,
click any point of the page. Ensure that the point you click is devoid of
any file.
Click the ‘Show All Folders’ feature from the next list of
options.
Tap the option, and instantly, the Recycle Bin feature would
appear.
You would also get to view the other hidden ones like the Control Panel and
Library.
3. Customization of the layout in which the folders occur
When you want the files and folders in your device rearranged differently, all
you need to do is change their layout. There are different layout options
available, and they include the following;
Tiles
List
Icons
Details
Content, etc.
In the course of customizing, you could also activate the ‘Compact View’
feature. The feature works to slash the distance between the available
features. You could also arrange the items into specific collections using
yardsticks like size, types, etc.
4. Removal of the recently used files from history
Files Explorer usually allows you to view the recently opened files however
you wish. You could also choose to remove recent files from the File
Explorer page too.
To remove files, click the vertically arranged dots in the menu panel,
and then click ‘Options.’ Under the ‘Options’ page, click the checkbox
in front of ‘Show recently used files in Quick Access.’
Next, click the ‘Apply’ icon and the ‘Ok’ icon to save the changes.
Once the changes are saved, you will stop seeing the files you recently
opened in the File Explorer.
5. Customization of the folder thumbnail
Thumbnails are also known as folder icons. To switch the icons representing
folders to your favorite icons, follow the procedures below;

Right-click the folder whose thumbnail you want customized

Click the ‘Properties’ option, and then head over to the ‘Customize’
feature.
Click the icon file you want to see in the folder’s thumbnail.

6. The appearance of the preview pane

The Preview pane is one feature that helps you access the file before you
open it. You also get to check out the contents before you open the file.
To activate the feature, click the ‘View’ option, and then click
‘Show and enable Preview pane.’
That way, you would get to see a pane for previews on the right side of the
screen.
To hide the preview pane, head over to ‘View,’ then click
‘Show.’ Then, deactivate the preview pane.

7. Sharing of files right from the File Explorer

To share files right from the borders of the file explorer for Windows 11,
follow the steps outlined below;
Right-click the file you want to share
Click the ‘Share’ item from the context menu.
Choose ‘Email’ or any other application via which you can share the
file.
 8. Renaming files in the File Explorer in bulk
When in a situation where you want to change the name of several files at
once in File Explorer, choose all the files and then click the ‘Rename’
feature.
After, type in the name you wish to rename the files to and
click the ‘Enter’ icon.
All highlighted files would then have their names changed to
the name you typed in.

9. Merging and removal of folders under the Quick access feature

To merge the folders that you often work with to the folders under the quick
access feature, all you need to do is right-click the target folder and click the
‘Pin to Quick Access Menu.’
You also get rid of folders from the quick access feature by heading over to
the quick access panel and right-click the folder. After that, tap the ‘Unpin
from Quick Access’ feature.
10. Bulk rotation of images

To rotate images, highlight the file for the images and right-click on the file.
Then, from the items under the ‘Context’ section, click either the ‘Rotate
Right’ option or the ‘Rotate Left’ option.
11. Creation of new files of various file types
By right-clicking the context menu, you get to create different kinds of file
types, e.g., text, bitmap image, Microsoft Publisher, Microsoft Word
Document, and Microsoft Powerpoint Presentation, etc. To create a new file,
follow the procedures below;
 1. Launch the File Explorer app, and then head over to the folder for the
creation of a new file.
2. Right-click any portion of the app that is devoid of any file. Then, click
the ‘New’ option.
3. Click the file you want to create.
4. Type in the name of the file.

12. Opening of files with the right application

When opening a file, you might need a specific platform for the purpose.
All you need to do is right-click the application and click the ‘Open
With’ option.
After that, click the ‘Choose another app’ feature.
After that, tap the application you want to use for opening the file.
Click the checkbox for the option that says ‘Always use this app.’
After that, click the ‘OK’ icon to save the changes made.
So, every other time you open that particular file, the selected application
would be used.
13. Quick editing of file metadata

To edit the files’ metadata, highlight the file and press ‘Shift, Alt, and P’
simultaneously. That way, you get to open the panel for details just on the
right side of the screen. After, choose a field for the metadata and type in the
value. Finally, click the ‘Save’ icon to save the details.
Important keyboard shortcuts for Windows File Explorer

1. Ctrl + N: Opens a new file in File Explorer

2. Ctrl + W: Exits the currently running file in the File Explorer
application.
3. Ctrl + Shift + N: For the creation of new folders
4. Backspace: To head back to the former folder
5. Ctrl + F: To highlight the search box
6. Ctrl + L: To highlight the address panel.
7. Alt + D: To highlight the address panel
8. Ctrl + mouse scroll button: To alter the size and view of the file and
folder icons
9. Ctrl + Shift + E: To show all the folders that exist outside the
highlighted folder
10. Num Lock + *: To show all the subfolders present beneath the
highlighted folder.
11. Num Lock + -: To disperse the items in the highlighted folder
12. Alt + P: To display the preview panel.
13. Alt + Enter: To open the box for the Properties of the
highlighted item.
14. Alt + Right arrow: To access the next folder
15. Alt + Up arrow: To access the folder that another folder exists
in.
16. Alt + Left Arrow: To access the former folder
17. Left arrow: To disperse certain highlighted files.
18. End: To show the end of the window you are currently viewing
19. Home: To show the top of the window you are currently
viewing
20. F11: To reduce or increase the size of the window you are
currently viewing.
 Chapter 3: Windows 11 Desktop

The desktop is simply an area where you can place various icons to launch
specific programs on your computer. You can also place shortcuts to a
website or even shortcuts to files.

To open an application from the desktop, double-click on the app icon.

To open an app from the taskbar, click on the app once.
Different icons will show up on the desktop as you install different programs.
What shows up on the desktop depends on whether the application has been
configured by default to put an icon on the desktop.
Customizing the desktop
Right-click on any empty area on the desktop, and you will get
several options to customize your desktop.

You can change the view to have larger icons, arrange the icons on
your desktop a certain way, align them and even show or not show the icons
on the desktop.
You can also create new shortcuts or folders on the desktop. For
example, to create a new text document, right-click on your desktop, click on
‘new,’ and choose ‘Text document.’
To move icons around, drag them wherever you want.
To delete an icon from the desktop, select the icon and press
‘Delete.’
To retrieve something you’ve deleted from the recycle bin, double
click on the recycle bin icon, right-click on what you wish to recover and
select ‘restore.’
To customize the desktop, right-click on the desktop and choose
‘personalize.’
You can change many settings such as the color, themes, the lock
screen, taskbar items, etc. You can pick different backgrounds photos,
change the contrasts, and so on.
Display settings
Right-click anywhere on the screen and choose ‘display settings.’

You can change the font size, monitor resolution, etc.

The Taskbar
The taskbar is one of the tools of an operating system that is used as a quick
way to launch specific operating system functions.

In windows 11, the taskbar is the set of icons on the bottom of the screen. It
allows you to view the Start menu, perform quick searches, access virtual
desktops and other functions. You also have additional functions like network
connectivity, battery usage, power usage, and other quick settings on the far
right.
Some of the components of the taskbar are:
The start menu has been revamped to a new user interface. You can search
directly for an application by typing on the start menu search bar.
The search menu allows you to search for whatever you want across your PC,
apps, documents, or the web. You can also access the search menu by
pressing the Windows key on your keyboard.
Virtual desktops allow you to launch specific programs on a workspace. In
addition, it allows you to create multiple virtual desktops, which you can
switch in between according to your needs.
Widgets are new additions to the Windows 11 taskbar. To access the widgets,
click on the widget’s icon on the taskbar. For example, we have the weather,
calendar, reminder, sports widgets, etc. You can add other widgets of your
preference as well.

With Chat, Microsoft integrates Microsoft Teams (video conferencing

chatting) as part of this operating system.
By default, you’ll have access to Microsoft Edge, one of the web browsers.
You also have the file explorer and email on the taskbar.
Customizing the Taskbar
Right-click on any space on the taskbar and choose ‘taskbar settings’
 You can customize the taskbar under ‘taskbar settings.’
You can choose whether you want ‘search,’ ‘task view,’ ‘widgets,’ ‘chat,’
etc., to show up as part of the taskbar.
If you have a touch screen, you might want to enable the ‘pen menu’
feature.
If you don’t like the taskbar in the center, you can change it to be on the
left under ‘taskbar alignment.’

Right-click on the Windows icon on the taskbar. You get several options very
similar to the old windows 10 and 7 like disk management, computer
management, task manager, the run command, shut down, etc.
The quick action center on the far right of the taskbar is where you can
configure and connect to wi-fi, airplane mode, change accessibility settings,
set your time, and adjust notification settings.
 Chapter 4: The Start Menu

Knowing how to pin applications to the Windows taskbar is a common

function in the business environment and effective use of Windows 11. The
start menu is a mechanism for you to browse the various applications on your
computer and some of the key functions on the computer.
Click on the Start menu

Some of the components of the start menu are:

‘Search’ lets you search for apps, files on your computer, or even web pages.
Below the search bar are pinned applications – these are common
applications that either Microsoft has pinned or applications you can pin and
would be available for quick use in the future.

To access all the applications on your computer, click on ‘all apps’, and it
will display all your applications.
At the bottom half of the screen, you have some of the recommended items,
either files or applications that you have used.
At the bottom of the start menu, you have your account, where you can lock
the computer, sign out of the computer, or sign in to a different account.
On the far right are the options to power off the computer, restart it, hibernate
or put the computer into sleep mode.
Pinning apps to the start menu
Click on the start menu
Search for the app you want to pin to the start menu, say Excel

Right-click on the app and choose ‘pin to start.’

Pinning apps to the taskbar
Click on the start menu
Search for the app you want to pin to the start menu, say Excel
Right-click on the app and choose ‘pin to taskbar.’

To unpin the app from the taskbar, right-click on the app from
the taskbar and choose ‘unpin from taskbar.’
How to Manually Add an Application to Windows Startup
Right-click on the start icon and choose ‘Run.’ It will bring us the old
run command like in windows 7 or 10. You can also access this by
pressing the Windows key and R
Type in shell:startup and hit Enter

This will bring us to the folder or location where we can place specific
programs that we want to open on startup.
Keep this window open on the left-hand side and then go to your file
explorer and open a new session of the file explorer.
From your file explorer, go to the location of the program you want to
start up every time you boot your computer. Then, right-click on the
program and drag it to the left to ‘create a link in startup.’
 Click “create shortcuts here.”

Instead of using the file explorer, you can do this another way;
Click on the start menu and search for the app you want.
Right-click on the app and choose ‘more.’
 Click on ‘open file location.’

Then right-click on the program and drag it to the left to ‘create a link
in startup.’
Click “create shortcuts here.”
 Chapter 5: Users and Groups
How to Create Admin User
Right-click on ‘This PC’ and select ‘Manage.’

Expand ‘local users and groups’ select users

Right-click on ‘users’ and select ‘new user.’
Fill in the user name, full username, description, password, and confirm
password.
Uncheck ‘user can change password at next log on’
Check ‘user cannot change password.’
Check ‘password never expires.’
Click ‘create’
Click ‘close’
Under the ‘computer management’ tab, right-click on the admin user
you just created and select ‘properties.’

Click on the ‘member of’ tab

Click on ‘add.’
Click ‘advanced’
Click ‘find now.’
Click on ‘administrators’ from the ‘groups’ list.
click OK
click OK
Click on ‘users’ under the ‘member of’ tab and click ‘remove.’
 Click on ‘apply.’
Click ‘ok’
Now, the home admin user has become a member of the administrators’
group has the same rights as the administrator.
How to create and delete new user
First, log in as an admin user

Input your password and press Enter

After logging on as an admin user, right-click on ‘this PC’ and
select ‘manage.’
Expand ‘local users and groups’
Select ‘users’
right-click on ‘users’ and select ‘new user.’

Fill in the full user name, user password, and confirm the
password.

If you check ‘user must change password at next logon,’ it means when the
user logs on the first time, windows will ask the user to change the password.
By default, local users are required to change their passwords every 42 days,
as defined by the local password policy. If you check ‘password never
expires,’ Windows cannot ask the user to renew the password after 42 days.
Click on ‘create.’
Click ‘close’
To sign out of the admin user profile, click on the Windows icon on the
taskbar and select ‘shut down or sign out.’

Click on ‘sign out.’

To sign in with any user profile you created, click on the desktop, and select
the account.
input the user password and press Enter
Accept the privacy settings
How to Delete User
Log on as admin user
Right-click on ‘this PC’ and select ‘manage.’
Select and expand ‘local users and groups’
Select ‘users’
Right-click on the user you want to delete

select ‘delete’
Click on ‘yes.’
Close ‘computer management’ tab
Double-click on ‘this PC’
Double-click on C drive
double-click on ‘users.’
Right-click on the user profile you just deleted and select
‘delete’.
Whenever a user logs on to a machine for the first time, the PC creates a
profile. When we delete a user from computer management, his profile
remains, and to delete it, we have to go inside the users’ folder in C drive.
Snap Layouts
The snap layouts feature is a new addition to windows 11. Although
Windows already includes a feature called ‘snap assist,’ in this new version,
the operating system makes it easier for users to snap windows on the screens
by adding a new snap layouts option when hovering the maximize button.
This is available for file explorer and other applications such as Microsoft
Edge.

On Windows 11, you can hover your mouse on the maximize button and
select where you want to snap the window on the screen.

There are six different ways to snap a window, but this will depend on the
size of the display. So, you may see more or fewer layouts if you have a
smaller screen.
While we have been able to use snap assist with the Windows key + the
arrow keys to snap windows, now that we have a visual aid, it makes it
easier for anyone to snap windows on the screen. Furthermore, we have new
layouts that make it easier to snap windows on wider screens.
In addition, when you snap Windows together, the Windows 11 taskbar will
be able to show the group of snap windows when you hover over an app that
has been snapped.

This feature is enabled by default, but you can always change its behavior
from the multitasking settings page.
Click on Settings
Click on ‘system.’
Click on ‘multitasking.’
On the page, you will see two options new to Windows 11.
You can enable or disable the snap layouts when you hover over the
maximize button.

You can also enable or disable the grouping preview for the taskbar.
How to Mirror the Screen of Android Device to a Windows 11 PC
Windows 11 can allow other devices to connect to it and mirror the screen to
the Windows 11 device. This is done using the projection tool in combination
with the connect tool.
The devices have to be on the same wireless network and support the ‘cast’
connection for this to work.
Go to the windows start and search for ‘projection settings.’
Click on ‘projection settings.’

Select the various options according to the image below:

 You can also choose whether or not to provide a pin under the
‘require PIN for pairing’ option.
When you are ready to allow somebody to connect to your PC,
click on ‘launch the connect app to project to this PC.’
 On the android device, go to ‘settings’ and select either ‘cast,’ ‘mirror,’
or ‘connect,’ depending on the device.
Note: This function will not work on Apple devices.
Press the Windows key + K on your keyboard to cast another
Windows device to your screen.
 Chapter 6: Settings

Here, we will be looking at the various controls under the Settings of the
Windows 11 O.S. In this guide, we have previously discussed several ways
by which you can open the Settings app. So, we will head on to how you can
work with it.
There are eleven classes of items present under the Settings feature. They
include the following;

1. System
2. Bluetooth and Devices
3. Network and Internet
4. Personalization
5. Apps
6. Accounts
7. Time and Language
8. Gaming
9. Accessibility
10. Privacy and Security
11. Windows Update
Now, we will discuss each of these categories one by one. But, first, we
would learn the features they cover and their respective functions.
System settings

The settings covered here include the ones related to the orientation of the
display, sound settings, resolution, and so on. These categories are known as
the sub-divisions of the system settings.

Display: From here, you get to do the following;

Alter the brightness of your device’s display
Application of warm colors to the display screen by fixing the
required duration for the night light.
Adjustment of screen resolution
Adjustment of the screen orientation
Change of the default graphics settings
Sound: This feature allows you to do the following;
Adjust the volume of the system
Pair a new input device
Set an input volume to whatever you prefer
To troubleshoot whatever issues you have with sounds.
Notifications: Here, you get to do any of the following;
Turn on notifications and alerts from applications
Turn off notifications and alerts from applications
Turn on/off notifications from your contacts
Turn on/off notifications from your system.
Focus Assist: This feature allows you to do the following;
Choose the notifications you want to receive
Check the notifications you missed
Summary of details you missed when the Focus Assist was
enabled
Power: This feature allows you to;
Adjust settings connected to Sleep
Adjust settings connected to Battery Usage
Adjust settings related to Battery Saving
Storage: This feature allows you to;
Adjust settings related to Storage spaces
Adjust settings related to Backup options
Adjust settings related to Cleanup offers
Adjust settings related to Configuration tips.
Nearby Sharing: This feature allows you to;
Share files
Share photos
Share links with other proximal Window devices.
Multitasking: This feature allows you to;
Resize and rearrange the Window screens on your device
Practice the process of switching tasks.
Activation: This feature covers the following sections;
Product key
 Activation states
Subscriptions
Troubleshoot: This feature allows you to adjust features related to the
following;
Internet Connections
Windows Update
Printer
Audio
Bluetooth
The feature also allows you to see the kind of troubleshooting your computer
has previously run. Troubleshooting your device will help you fix several of
the problems you could have with the Windows 11 O.S.
Recovery: This feature helps you fix any issue you have with your
device. If you do not get a solution after working with the
Troubleshooting step, you could go for the ‘Reset’ option and have
your Windows reinstalled. The Recovery feature also comprises an
Advanced Startup option, which helps to restart your P.C. Usually, the
restarting is done with the aid of a USB drive or disc.
Projecting to this P.C.: This feature allows you to alter things that have
to do with the different permissions that are associated with your P.C.
When you want to work with the feature for ‘Screen Mirroring,’ you
get to project your P.C. to the screen you are working with at that
moment. That way, the keyboard, mouse, and other connected devices
are in sync.
Remote Desktop: This feature secures a connection to your P.C. so that
you can control it using another proximal device. By enabling this
feature, any of the chosen user accounts would be able to connect to
your P.C. locally.
Clipboard: This feature allows you to run functions like the ones listed
out below;
Cut
Copy
Sync
Clear clipboard settings
About: This feature allows you to do the following;
Get details as regards your P.C.
Know the name of your device
Get the I.D. of your device
Get the Product ID of your device
Product key activation
Remote Desktop
Device Manager
BitLocker
Get the Installed RAM
Know the system type
Know the Windows O.S. specifications
Get suitable support for your P.C.
Device and Bluetooth settings

This setting feature has to do with Bluetooth and other connected devices like
printers, scanners, mice, keyboards, etc. The subdivisions of this division of
settings include the following;
Bluetooth: This allows you to activate the feature that allows your
computer to be noticed by other computers, to facilitate a secure
connection.
Devices: This feature allows you to merge devices to your P.C.
Examples of the devices that can be merged include audio devices,
controllers, keyboards, pens, T.V.s, and monitors.
Printers and Scanners: This feature allows you to connect your device
with printers, scanners and to allow for their troubleshooting.
Your Phone: This feature allows you to link your phone to your
computer. That way, you’d be able to access the photos and other files
present on the mobile device.
Cameras: This feature allows you to access the settings related to the
camera and to manage other cameras that are connected to your device.
Also, you get to adjust the settings relating to cameras under this
feature.
Mouse: This feature allows you to adjust or alter all the settings related
to your mouse. Examples of such settings include the speed of the
mouse’s pointer, the scroll options, the visibility options, etc.
Touch: This feature allows you to activate touch gestures, taps, scroll
moves, zoom motions, and other features relating to finger touch.
Pen and Windows Ink: This feature allows you to use your handwriting
to type in characters and establish certain shortcuts regarding the pen
button.
Autoplay: This feature allows you to activate all the items present
under media and devices. You also get to select the defaulted settings
under Autoplay.
USB: This feature handles all the settings related to USB ports, USB
battery-saving features, and the choice of mobile devices.
Network and Internet Settings

This section of Settings control the following subdivisions;

Wi-Fi: This feature allows you to connect to the internet. By clicking
the toggle icon, you activate Wi-Fi. You can also add networks, remove
them, or run editing on them.
Ethernet: This feature allows you to work with the authentication of the
Ethernet, I.P., and DNS settings.
VPN: This feature allows VPN to work over certain networks and
permit VPN while roaming occurs.
Mobile Hotspot: This feature permits sharing your device’s internet
connection with another device. The sharing usually occurs via
Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
Airplane mode: This feature allows you to bring an end to the external
connections that occur via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
Proxy: This feature allows you to work with Ethernet and Wi-Fi
connections. Here, you will also find options or settings that control
manual setups for proxy.
Dial-up: This feature allows you to establish connections via the Dial-
up feature.
Advanced network settings: This feature allows you to manage features
like Network Adapters, Bluetooth connection, Ethernet, WI-FI, Data
consumption, Hardware and connection issues, etc.
Personalization settings

These settings help to control settings related to the following areas;

Background: This feature allows you to make the background of your
P.C. even more personal. You could work with your pictures, bold
colors, or any other feature.
Colors: This feature allows you to work with light, dark, or custom
colors. You could also activate or deactivate the ‘Transparency’ feature
here
Themes: This feature allows you to work with characters like
background, sound, color, mouse pointers, etc. When you need to brush
up on the outlook of your P.C., you could just change the theme to
something you are comfortable with.
Lock screen: This feature allows you to deal with settings related to the
lock screen of your P.C. Examples of these features include pictures,
applications, and applications.
Touch Keyboard: This feature allows you to choose the dimensions that
your keyboard exists in, the theme for your keyboard, and the size of
the text typed.
Start: This feature allows you to view the applications that were just
added and the ones that stand in as your favorite.
Taskbar: This feature allows you to make features like the search bar,
the taskbar, the widgets, and chat either visible or not.
Fonts: This feature allows you to pick the font you wish to work with
and have new fonts downloaded.
Device usage: This feature allows you to choose the ways you can
work with your device — games, entertainment, business, family, and
so on.
Application settings

This feature allows you to control the following features;

Apps and features: Here, you get to see a list of all the applications on
your device and other settings that are in sync.
Default apps: This feature allows you to set defaults for apps.
Offline maps: This feature allows you to download map applications.
Those apps usually come out to be very useful when you do not have a
connection to the internet. You also get to update your maps if you
wish.
Optional features: This feature allows you to merge features like fonts
and tools to the list of existing features.
Apps for websites: This feature allows you to create links to websites
that can be used in place of browsers.
Video playback: This feature allows you to manage features related to
HDR streaming and other battery features.
Startup: This feature allows for the configuration of applications so that
they begin to run when you sign in and log out of them.
Settings related to Accounts

This feature allows you to control features related to the following sub-
divisions;
Your Info: Here, you get to manage settings related to your account.
From here, you can get to sign in to your Microsoft account.
Email and accounts: Here, you get to manage the accounts related to
your email, calendar, and contacts. You also get to merge accounts
related to your work, school, or other Microsoft content.
Sign-in: This feature allows you to manage features related to facial
recognition, fingerprint, PIN, password, security key, and other forms
of password. The Dynamic lock feature also allows you to lock your
device even when you aren’t in close range.
Family and other users: This feature allows you to ensure that your
family members have a nice experience with the internet. You get to
control what they have access to easily, and so on.
Windows Backup: This feature allows you to keep your files safe, so,
in a case where you lose your device, you can easily get your details
restored.
Access work or school: This feature allows you to link up with any
account you have at work or school.
Time and Language Settings

This feature allows you to manage settings related to the following;

Date and Time: This feature allows you to set both your geographical
location’s time and time zones. You also get to paste calendars of
different types to your taskbar
Language and region: This feature allows you to control your
languages, country, region, and other details related to your region.
Typing: This feature allows you to handle features related to your
keyboard, text suggestions, and other complex keyboard settings.
Speech: This feature allows you to select the language you can work
with when dealing with your P.C. You also get to set up your
microphone to recognize different forms of speech. You also get to
adjust the rate at which the speed plays out from the drop-down menu.
Settings related to Gaming

This feature allows you to control the following sub-divisions;

Xbox game bar: This feature allows you to manage options relating to
the Game Bar.
Captures: This feature allows you to select the location to save your
images. You also get to choose options related to the following;
Video quality
Maximum Recording Duration
Video Frame Rate
Game Mode: This feature allows you to activate the game mode of
your device.
Accessibility settings

This feature allows you to control features related to the following;

Vision: This feature allows you to control things like the following;
The size of your text
The effect of the set visuals
The mouse pointer
The text cursor
The magnifier
The color filters
The contrast themes
Zoom in or out
Hearing: This feature allows you to do the following;
Control of audio and captions
It helps to turn on the sound
It helps to display your audio as text.
Interaction: This feature helps you to control the following;
Speech
Keyboard
Mouse
Eye Control
Get to dictate your words with your voice
Get to either increase or decrease the speed of your mouse keys
Eye Tracker
Privacy and Security Settings

This feature helps to solve issues related to the following fields;

Security: This particular feature controls the following sub-divisions;

The health of your P.C.
Virus and Threat protection
Account Protection
Firewall and Network protection
App and Browser control
Device security
Device performance
Health
‘Find My Device’ feature
Advanced settings for developers.
Windows Permission: This feature controls the following subdivisions;
General
 Speech
Inking and Typing
Personalization
Diagnostics and Feedback
Activity History
Search Permissions
Searching Windows
Online Speech recognition
Storage of the history of your online and offline activities
Activation of Safe search
Activation of Cloud Content Search
The setting of Indexing options.
App permissions: This feature is what you should check when you need
to activate or deactivate the app permissions of the following
applications;
Location
Call History
Notifications
Calendar
Account information
Automatic File downloads
Videos
Pictures
Microphone
Voice Activation
Contacts
File System, etc.
Windows Update Settings

This feature allows you to alter the settings regarding the newly uploaded
updates of your P.C. You would be able to know the last time you ran an
update on your device—the time and the date. You would also know when
you are due to run another update on your device. The features below are a
list of the other things you could do when you get to the Windows Update
settings feature;

You can temporarily stop an update from being installed into your
computer
You get to view the records of your previous updates
You get to download updates over a metered connection
You get to program your active hours
You get to ‘Buy Microsoft Office.’
You get to access other updates
You would find tabs needed for Advanced features
The Windows Insider Program
 Chapter 7: Search Indexing

Search Indexing is a feature that gives your computer the access it needs to
peruse every single folder or file on your P.C. After that, your P.C. can then
give you a response to your search based on metadata. This option usually
comes out to be way better than searching for items manually. In addition,
this feature is compatible with the bulk of the applications on your PC—
Windows File Explorer, Photos, Microsoft Edge, Cortana, etc.
Configuration of the Search Indexing feature

To configure this feature, you first need to choose where you want the files to
be – libraries or your desktop files. You can generally follow the procedures
below to finish the configuration process;
1. Go to ‘Settings’
2. Click ‘Privacy and Security
3. Click ‘Search Windows’
4. Click ‘Find My Files’
5. Click ‘Enhanced’ if you need to run a search through your P.C. You
also get to get your location customized by clicking the Search
Locations.
To configure your indexing options and settings for a search on your
Windows 11 O.S, follow the steps below;
Activate or Deactivate Search Indexing: The service known as
‘Windows Search,’ if changed, can be used for Search Indexing
configuration. To finish the process, follow the steps outlined below;
Press down the Window button and R button on your keyboard
simultaneously.
Click the ‘OK’ icon
Click ‘Windows Search’ twice to access the properties
Proceed to either ‘Start’ or ‘Stop’ the feature.
To activate or deactivate the Search Indexing from Command Prompt,
follow the procedures below;
Run the ‘Command Prompt’ feature from the standpoint of an
administrator
To deactivate the Search Indexing feature, run this command code
—
 sc stop “wsearch” && sc con
To change the options available for indexing, follow the steps outlined
below;
Type ‘Indexing Options’ in the search bar
Click ‘Modify’
Click the checkbox to remove the tick from the folder or file you
do not want the Search Indexing to cover
Click ‘OK’
To deactivate indexing for a drive, follow the steps outlined below;
Click the ‘File Explorer’ application
Click the required drive with the right button of your mouse
Click ‘Properties’
Click the checkbox for ‘Allow files on this drive to have context
indexed in addition to file properties.’
Click ‘OK’
When asked to confirm the process, choose any of the given
options.
Click ‘OK.’
To rebuild your search index, follow the procedures outlined below;
Type out ‘Indexing’ in the search box
Click ‘Advanced’
Click ‘Rebuild’
When prompted to validate your action, click ‘OK.’
Once you are done with that, you would have to wait for a few minutes
to have the issue settled.
 Chapter 8: General Optimization of the Windows 11 O.S

This section will look at several other features that you would work with to
use your Windows 11 O.S to the maximum.
Word and Notepad Documents

In this section, we will be looking at the different methods you can use the
search bar for Windows to access applications like Word and Notepad.
Usually, the method that involves the use of the search bar comes out to be
much faster than the one that involves manual operations. All you need to do
is click the ‘Search’ icon and then type ‘Notepad.’ If you want to launch
Microsoft Word, type out ‘Microsoft Word’ in the search bar.

You could also launch the applications from the Start menu of your Windows
11. All you just need to do is go down the list—it is usually arranged in
alphabetical order. For example, you can go down till you reach ‘N’ and then
search for the Notepad application amongst the other files. Once you see the
app, click it to launch it.
If you are going to work with the M.S. Word application and the Notepad
application frequently, you could just pin them to the taskbar or start menu.
The procedures for doing that have already been discussed in the previous
chapter.
Changing the size of text

To change the text size in Windows 11, the steps are pretty much easy. Most
times, you would need to change the size of the text when you find them too
small or too big. Follow the procedures listed below to continue;
1. Click a space on the desktop
2. From the drop-down menu that appears, click ‘Display Settings.’
3. You would be directed to the page that is headed by ‘Display Settings.’
First, search for the ‘Scale and Layout’ tab, and then, underneath it,
click the ‘Scale’ tab.
4. Increase the size of the font to whatever you prefer. You can also make
other changes from that same tab if you wish. Most other changes are
also available under the ‘Display’ option.
Connection of your P.C. to the Internet

To connect a P.C. that runs on the Windows 11 O.S, head over to the right-
hand side of your taskbar. There, you would see a panel that contains three
icons. One is the icon of a globe, the other is the icon for sound, and the last
is for the battery of your P.C.
Click the icon of a globe, and there, you will see the option for Wi-Fi,
Airplane Mode, Alarm, Bluetooth, etc.
Click the Wi-Fi feature, and then link up to any stable networks
available.
Note that secure links usually require you to present a password.
Browsing on the Windows 11 O.S

To browse on the Windows 11 O.S, you have to ensure that you have a
connection to the internet. Then, you also should ensure that you have a
browser application. Usually, Windows comes with Internet Browsing
applications like Microsoft Edge. The Microsoft Edge feature is one that you
can easily find in the Start Menu. Once the Microsoft Edge is up and running,
you can then search for anything you want. If you wish to work with other
browsers like Mozilla Firefox, you may need to download it from the
Microsoft Edge application if you do not already have the application.
Shutting down your Windows 11 P.C.

If you are going to shut down your Windows 11 P.C., you have to ensure that
you never press the Power button right away! Instead, ensure that you go
through all of the right steps in ensuring that your P.C. is safely powered off.
Here, we will be looking at a couple of methods you could employ in shutting
down your P.C.
1. Click the ‘Start’ icon on the left-hand side of the taskbar. There, a
power icon just at the right corner. Click that icon and then choose
which of the features present you want to work with—Sleep, Shut
Down or restart your P.C.
2. You could also press Alt + F4 to shut your P.C. down.
 Chapter 9: Tips and Tricks

Windows 11, Microsoft’s newest operating system, is packed full of

enhancements and features that are quite useful to help you get the most out
of using Windows 11. This section will show you tips, tricks, and features
you’ll want to use to improve your overall experience using the operating
system.
Taskbar alignment
When you first launch windows 11, you’ll notice that the start menu and
taskbar icons are center aligned instead of left. If you prefer the old layout
with the start menu and pin programs lined to the left:
Right-click on a space in your taskbar and select ‘taskbar settings.’
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click ‘taskbar behaviors’
Scroll down some more for taskbar alignment. Click the drop-down and
select ‘left.’
The start menu and pin programs will be moved to the left.
Title bar Window shake
A feature available in previous versions of Windows was minimizing all
windows except the one that is currently active by clicking the title bar and
shaking your mouse. It used to be called ‘arrow shake,’ but on Windows 11,
it is now called ‘title bar windows shake.’ It’s now turned off by default, but
to turn it on, open the Settings app.
scroll down and select ‘multitasking.’
toggle ‘title bar window shake’ on
Right-click options
When you right-click on a file, it will only show you what Microsoft deems
the most important items in the menu.

If you want to print or access other choices, you must take the extra step of
clicking on ‘show more options’, and what shows up looks like the old right-
click menu.
Start menu folders
Microsoft has removed the ability to pin selected folders to the start menu.
Well, you can still add folders to the start menu but only those that are system
folders.
To add system folders to the Start menu:
Open the Settings app
In the left pane, select ‘personalization.’
Scroll down and select ‘start.’
Click on ‘folders.’
If you want to see folders when you open the start menu, toggle the
switch on for each.
When you’re done, close the settings app
When you go to the start menu, you’ll see those folders you turned on to the
left of the power button.
Pin/unpin start menu apps
Some apps are pinned by default by Microsoft – if you want to get rid of any
app, you have to unpin it from the start menu.
To unpin an app, right-click on it and select ‘unpin from start.’
On the flip side, if you’d like to pin any app to the Start menu;
Click on ‘all apps.’
Find the app you’d like to pin and right-click on it.
select ‘pin to start.’
You can easily move any pinned app by left-clicking on it and dragging it to
where you want it.
Snap windows
A new feature of Windows 11 is the ability to arrange open windows on your
screen.
To snap any window on your screen, hover your cursor over the
maximize button in the upper right, and you’ll see various snapping
templates.

Select the zone within one of the layouts listed, then select the other
windows you want to snap to the layout.
This especially comes in handy if you’re on a laptop or any pc with only one
monitor.
Secret start menu
Just like previous iterations of Windows, Windows 11 also has a secondary
start menu, sometimes referred to as the ‘secret start menu.’
Right-click the Start menu icon to open it, or you could use the
keyboard shortcut Windows key + X.
Here, you can access your power options, device manager, windows terminal,
task manager, and a whole lot more.
Quick settings
On the right side of the taskbar, where you see the internet and speaker icons,
it’ll bring up your quick settings panel when you left-click on it. This is
where you can quickly access some of the settings you use most often, like
your wi-fi, Bluetooth, night light, and others.
To customize this panel, click the ‘edit’ icon.
To unpin any settings buttons, click the unpin icon for those that you
want to remove.
Otherwise, to add new quick settings buttons to the panel, at the
bottom, click on ‘add,’ and select the ones that you’d like to add to the
panel.
Afterward, click on ‘done.’
Widgets/chat taskbar icons
Microsoft wants you to use their new features – two examples are widgets
and chat. So, you’ll find them pinned to your taskbar. However, unlike
programs you pin to your taskbar that can also be unpinned, widgets and chat
can’t be unpinned the same way. So, if you right-click on them, it does
nothing.
To remove these from your taskbar:
Open settings
on the left, choose ‘personalization.’
scroll down and select ‘taskbar.’
In addition to ‘search’ and ‘task view,’ clicking the switches
for ‘widgets’ and ‘chat’ will remove them from the taskbar.
Volume mixer
If you want absolute control of the volume for each program you have
opened, you can now access the volume mixer from your taskbar by right-
clicking the speaker icon and selecting ‘open volume mixer.’
You now see sliders for each program you have opened, and moving the
slides left or right will adjust the volume accordingly.
Focus assist
To reduce distractions, the much-improved focus assist will help your
productivity while working, playing games, or doing some other activity.
To use it:
Open the Settings app
In system settings, click ‘focus assist.’
If turned off, you’ll get notifications from all your apps. You can set it to
‘priority only’. The setting that will give you the least distractions is ‘alarms
only.’ This will hide all notifications except for the alarms you have set.

When you scroll down to the ‘automatic rules section,’ is where focus assist
truly shines. If enabled, based on the activity listed, you can set the
appropriate focus assist level that suits you the best. For example, selecting
‘when I’m playing a game’ lets you choose the focus level for that activity.
File extensions
By default, Microsoft will hide the file extensions for file types like jpeg,
png, mp3, and the other popular formats. If you’d like the file extension types
to be visible, click ‘search’ in the taskbar and type ‘file explorer options.’
Click on ‘file explorer options’
select the ‘view’ tab.
In advanced settings, untick the box next to ‘hide extensions for known
file types’
Click ‘apply’ and ‘ok’ to exit.
When looking at your files, you’ll see the file extension types at the end of
your file names.
Customize widgets
To customize your existing widgets, click the three-dot menu icon in the
widget’s upper right. You can select the size to see more or less information.
Selecting ‘customize widget’ will let you add additional variables to
that widget.

To move any widgets, hover your cursor over the widget, left-click, and
drag it wherever you want.
Touch keyboard screen
If you’re using a PC with a touch screen, you can change the look and theme
of the touch keyboard. You’ll find the icon to the touch keyboard in the lower
right of the taskbar. If you don’t see the icon;
right-click the taskbar and select ‘taskbar settings.’
If the ‘touch keyboard’ switch is off, click to enable the touch
keyboard.
Touch or click the touch keyboard icon to make it visible.
In the upper left of the keyboard, click or touch the ‘settings’ icon.

Select ‘theme and resize.’

Select the theme you want and close the window.
When you open the touch keyboard, you’ll notice that your new theme has
been applied.
Notifications
Earlier, we used focus assist in turning off or setting a priority level for
notifications selectively. So, if you find the notifications in Windows 11 to be
way too much, you can turn them off altogether.
Go into ‘settings.’
In system settings, select ‘notifications.’
Notifications are turned on by default; clicking on the switch will turn
them off for all apps.

You can also turn off notifications individually from apps and other
senders.
Dark mode/ Night light
If you want to give your eyes a break, the dark mode and night light features
are still available in Windows 11.
To enable dark mode, open the Settings app
In the left pane, select ‘personalization.’
Select ‘colors’
Click the drop-down in ‘choose your mode’ and select ‘dark.’
To give your eyes more of a break, enable ‘night light.’
Click on ‘system’ on the left pane.
Select ‘display’
Click on the switch for ‘night light’ to turn it on.
Night light blocks blue light with warmer colors which are believed to help
people who use their computers before they go to bed sleep better.
Additionally, if you click into ‘night light,’ you can set the
strength of the blue light filter, and you can also schedule a time for it
to turn on and off automatically.
Default apps
Windows 11, when compared to previous versions, make it a more tedious
process to change the default apps. For example, if you want to change your
default web browser:
Open the Settings app
On the left pane, select ‘apps’ then ‘default apps.’
It used to be that if you wanted to change your web browser, you go to that
category and select a web browser from the list. Now, you have to find the
browser in the list, select it, and then select each file type individually.

It will recommend Microsoft edge for all file types it can handle; if you don’t
want to use edge, find the program in the list, select it and click ok.
To completely change the default web browser, you must do this for each file
type listed. This is both cumbersome and time-consuming.
Microsoft ads
If you don’t want to see unwanted ads in the apps you use, thankfully, you
can turn them off.
Open ‘settings’
On the left pane, select ‘privacy and security.’
Under ‘windows permissions,’ click on ‘general.’
For all four listed, click the switch off for each if turned on.
Windows Theme
Themes are still a thing in Windows 11, and not too much has changed.

To select a default theme, right-click on your desktop and select

‘personalize.’
Select ‘themes’

Themes will change your background, sounds, color, and sometimes your
mouse cursor at the same time.
To activate any installed theme, simply click on it.
If you want to find additional themes in the Microsoft store, click ‘browse
themes.’
 Chapter 10: Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why can I not change the color of my taskbar?

Usually, when you are working with the ‘Light Mode’ feature, you would
not be allowed to change the color of your taskbar. What you need to do is
change the default mode to dark mode. Once you do that, select an accent
color for both the Start and Taskbar. That process automatically changes
the color of both bars. You could also work with themes as they’d
automatically change the color.

2. Why did the color of my toolbar change suddenly?

To solve this issue, follow the procedures below;

Tap ‘Settings.’
Tap ‘Personalization.’
Tap ‘Accent Color.’
Tap the ‘Manual’ icon and select any color you want.

That way, the color that appears on your toolbar stays fixed as the color
you choose.

3. How can I change the font colour on my toolbar to black?

You cannot change the color of your fonts right away, but then, you
could just check with the preview by following the steps below;

Tap ‘Settings’
Tap ‘Personalization’
Tap ‘Colors’
 Tap ‘Custom colors’
Tap ‘View Colors’

4. How can I install the Windows 11 O.S on my device?

Before you begin to upgrade the operating system of your P.C., you
have to ensure that you have a stable connection to the internet, a
Windows 10 license that is up-to-date, and ensure that the upgrade can
be easily done. To make sure of that, follow the steps outlined below;
Go to Settings
Click ‘Update and Security’
Click the ‘Windows Update’ tab
Click ‘Check for Updates’
Click ‘Download and Install’. This feature only works when there is an
update that can be worked with.
Otherwise, you could download the Windows 11 Disk Image file. The file is
usually available in Microsoft’s store. If you are going to work with this
option, you have to make sure your P.C. has the following;
A 64-bit system that can accommodate the Windows 11 O.S
Ability to download several ISO files in different languages.

After making sure of the features above, you can then proceed to download
using the steps below;
Go to Microsoft’s website at Microsoft.com using any of your Internet
Browsers.
Find ‘Download Windows 11 Disk Image’
 Click the arrow that brings out the drop-down menu and click
‘Windows 11.’
Click ‘Download’
Choose a language from the list and then click the ‘Confirm’ icon
Click ’64-bit Download.’
After doing that, you can create an installation media that can be booted via
Media Creation Tool.
The Windows 11 Installation Assistant can also help install the new
Operating system. However, you should note that the Download will not go
through if you do not have the Windows 10 Operating system on your device
already. You must also have an application that checks the health of your
P.C. If you are going to go with this choice, you’d need to follow the
procedures outlined below;
Head over to the standard website for Microsoft to download the
Installation Assistant application. The official website is
Microsoft.com.
Click the setup file twice
Click the ‘Refresh’ icon if you don’t have the ‘P.C. Health Check’
application.
Click ‘Accept and Install’
Allow the Download to run, and then ensure the verification of the
steps from the standard resources.
Click ‘Restart Now’
Finish with the installation steps.

5. Will the indexing feature slow down my P.C.?

What the search indexing feature does is to make your search on your P.C.
very fast and efficient. You get to check through several files at once and get
a very definite answer. The only time the feature might seem to slow down
the operation of your P.C. is when you are using a computer that has minimal
specifications. That way, the CPU of your P.C. is affected, and your
computer begins to run less efficiently. Once you notice that, try to deactivate
the Search Indexing feature. The processes tied to that have been discussed in
this guide.
 Conclusion

The Windows 11 Operating system is very different from the Windows 10

Operating system, with very beautiful features. This book has outlined every
step, technique, and tip that would be useful for you as you proceed to avoid
getting entangled in a web of complications. Ensure that you follow each step
carefully to get the maximum results.
Also, if you plan on updating the Operating system of your P.C. to the new
Windows 11 update, you must ensure that your computer has the Windows
10 version of the O.S. It is only then that the update can be possible.