Introduction

      Windows has a long and glorious history, stretching all the way back to Windows 1.0 in 1985. It was sent to the bit bucket in the sky at the end of 2001. Windows 3.0, starting in 1990, began to fill Microsoft’s coffers and 3.1 (1992) is widely held as a landmark achievement in the history of computing. Then came Windows NT — a completely new beast, built to be a server — and the reunification of consumer and server side in Windows 95 (Chicago), Windows 98 (Memphis — the first version to ship with Internet Explorer built-in), 2000, and the much-maligned Windows ME.

      With Windows XP (Whistler) in 2001, Microsoft took on the mantle of juggernaut, and blew away everything in its path. Also in 2001, the US Department of Justice sued Microsoft for using its monopoly power to roll over other Internet browsers. Such was the staying power of Windows XP that it was used in a significant number of PCs for many years after its launch.

      Windows Vista came along in 2006/2007, but it was upstaged in 2009 by Windows 7 — arguably the most-loved version of Windows. It continues to capture a large share of Windows users and was only recently upstaged by Windows 10.

      Then, in 2012, there was Windows 8. Think of Windows 8/8.1 as an extended, bad, no-good, horrible nightmare. Microsoft’s woken up now. They fired almost everybody who ran the Windows 8 operation, cleaned out the house, and brought in some truly gifted engineers. Windows 10 is a brand-new day. Whether it’s your brand-new day is another story.

      Windows 10, released in July 2015, looks a little bit like Windows 7 and a little bit like Windows 8.1. It doesn’t work like either of them, but for the billion-and-a-half Windows users out there, at least it’s recognizable as Windows.

      If you haven’t yet taken the plunge with Windows 10, I advise you to go slowly. Microsoft is furiously working on extending the product and shoring up problems. The Windows 10 you know today will change in a few months — a new version appears every six months — and you may like the new one better. Before installing Windows 10, I would simply count to ten.

For most Windows 8 and 8.1 users, Windows 10 is a no-brainer. You can kvetch about some problems — the disappearance of Windows Media Center, for example. There are dozens of additional details, but by and large, Windows 10 is what Windows 8.1 should’ve been.

      Windows 7 users did not have as much incentive to move to Windows 10, but there are some good changes. Microsoft effectively ditched Internet Explorer and built a much lighter and more capable browser called Microsoft Edge. Instead of desktop gadgets, which in Windows 7 were held together with baling wire and chewing gum, Windows 10 sports an entire infrastructure for apps (also known as Universal apps). Windows 10 works with all the new hardware, touchscreens, and pens. There’s an improved Task Manager, File Explorer, Clipboard, and a dozen other system utilities.

      Is that enough to convince Windows 7 users to abandon ship in droves? Probably not. The single biggest allure of Windows 10 for the Windows 7 battle-hardened is that it’s clearly the way of the future. Also, since January 2020, Windows 7 no longer receives updates and security patches. That’s a major risk for users who want to stay safe on the Internet.

      If you want a better Windows, for whatever reason, you’ll have to go through Windows 10.

      Here’s what you should ask yourself before you move from Windows 7 to Windows 10:

This isn’t the manual Microsoft forgot. This is the manual Microsoft wouldn’t dare print. I won’t feed you the Microsoft party line or make excuses for pieces of Windows 10 that just don’t work: Some of it is junk, some of it is evolving, and some of it is devolving. My job is to take you through the most important parts of Windows 10, give you tips that may or may not involve Microsoft products, point out the rough spots, and guide you around the disasters. Frankly, there are some biggies.

      I also look at using non-Microsoft products in a Windows way: iPhones, Androids, Kindles, Gmail and Google apps, Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox, Firefox, Google Chrome, iCloud, and many more. Even though Microsoft competes with just about every one of those products, each has a place in your computing arsenal and ties into Windows 10 in important ways.

      I’ll save you more than enough money to pay for the book several times over, keep you from pulling out a whole shock of hair, lead you to dozens if not hundreds of “Aha!” moments, and keep you awake in the process. Guaranteed.

About This Book

      Windows 10 All-in-One For Dummies, 4th Edition, takes you through the Land of the Dummies — with introductory material and stuff your grandmother can (and should!) understand — and then continues the journey into more advanced areas, where you can truly put Windows to work every day.

      I start with the Windows 10 Start menu, and for many of you, that’s the only Start you’ll ever need. The Start menu coverage here is the best you’ll find anywhere because I don’t assume that you know Windows 10 and I step you through everything you need to know both with a touchscreen and a mouse.

      Then I dig in to the desktop and take you through all the important pieces.

      I don’t dwell on technical mumbo jumbo, and I keep the baffling jargon to a minimum. At the same time, though, I tackle the tough problems you’re likely to encounter, show you the major road signs, and give you lots of help where you need it the most.

      Whether you want to get two or more email accounts set up to work simultaneously, turn your tiles a lighter shade of pale, or share photos of your Boykin Spaniel in OneDrive, this is your book. Er, I should say ten books. I’ve broken out the topics into ten minibooks, so you’ll find it easy to hop around to a topic — and a level of coverage — that feels comfortable.

I didn’t design this book to be read from front to back. It’s a reference. Each chapter and each of its sections are meant to focus on solving a particular problem or describing a specific technique.

      Windows 10 All-in-One For Dummies, 4th Edition, should be your reference of first resort, even before you consult Windows Help and Support. There’s a big reason why: Windows Help was written by hundreds of people over the course of many years. Some of the material was written ages ago, and it’s confusing as all get-out, but it’s still in Windows Help for folks who are tackling tough legacy problems. Some of the Help file terminology is inconsistent and downright misleading, largely because the technology has changed so much since some of the articles were written. Finding help in Help frequently boggles my mind: If I don’t already know the answer to a question, it’s hard to figure out how