As its bland name might suggest, the newly released Windows 8.1 Update offers fewer new features than Windows 8.1 did when it launched last fall. Don't let that discourage you. Despite the smaller scale, the newest iteration offers the best Windows 8 experience yet, especially if you use a non-touch PC.
Like its predecessors, however, Windows 8.1 Update might baffle the uninitiated. Microsoft tweaked the UI to help longtime PC users feel more at home among Live Tiles, Windows Store apps, and charms. But depending on your hardware, some of the tweaks might be inactive by default. Moreover, even if they're turned on, you might want to disable some of the changes. Windows 8.1 Update is meant to be personalized, but that means the out-of-box settings aren't going to please everyone.
[Why are so many people still using Windows XP? Read Windows XP Holdouts: 6 Top Excuses.]
Still, once you've learned your way around, Windows 8.1 Update is more cohesive and productive than earlier versions, particularly if you prefer the desktop to the Start screen. Here are eight tips and tricks to help you get the most out of Windows 8.1 Update.
1. Start by tweaking the UI.
Windows 8.1 Update installs differently on different machines. If you're using a tablet, it will still boot by default to the Start screen, but laptops and PCs now power up to the desktop UI. If your system isn't configured to your preferences, the UI can still be disorienting, and some of the new features might appear absent. It's best to personalize your settings right away.
There are several ways to do so. From the Start screen, you can use the new PC Settings Live Tile, or activate the Charms menu (swipe from the right of a touchscreen, or mouse to the top-right hot corner) and choose "Change PC Settings." Once in the PC Settings, choose "PC and devices," which includes a broad range of personalization controls.
Many users will want to check out "Corners and edges," which includes one of the update's marquee new features-- the ablity to choose whether Windows Store apps can be pinned to the desktop taskbar.
Windows 8.1 Update offers the best blend yet of desktop and Modern apps, but you might have to enable some new features.
You'll also want to check out the PC Settings "Search and apps" menu. Its "Defaults" sub-menu lets you choose which programs deal with given file types. Previously, if you opened a jpeg from the desktop, you might have been thrust into the Modern-style Photos app. Windows 8.1 Update is designed to be smarter about file associations. Non-touch hardware should launch jpegs in Windows Photo Viewer instead of the Photos app, for example. Ideally, the update will make the same decisions you would-- but if not, this menu lets you sort things out.
You can also modify PC Settings from the desktop, either via the Charms menu or the Control Panel (right-click or press-hold the Windows button in the bottom left), or by right-clicking the taskbar and selecting
Michael Endler joined InformationWeek as an associate editor in 2012. He previously worked in talent representation in the entertainment industry, as a freelance copywriter and photojournalist, and as a teacher. Michael earned a BA in English from Stanford University in 2005 ... View Full Bio
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