72 |^ |^ November 2019
T
he Windows desktop has
undergone some radical
changes over the past
few years, but after
experimenting with
Windows 8’s Metro user
interface – which was rapidly scaled
back in Windows 8.1 – Windows 10 has
returned the desktop to something
closer to Windows 7. This means the
desktop has returned to its original
function – as a virtual desk. You can
use it as a simple backdrop when
switching between application
windows, or keep shortcuts, files and
folders on it for easy access (right-click
on it and choose Personalise to change
its look and feel).
Adding items to the desktop is simple
enough – just drag them from a File
Explorer window. You can also create
desktop shortcuts by right-clicking the
file or folder in question and choosing
‘Send to‘ > ‘Desktop (create shortcut)’.
While this is convenient, your Windows
desktop can quickly become messy,
and get buried beneath any application
windows that you have open.WKHUHWRSODFHVKRUWFXWV
An alternative route to follow is to
keep the desktop clutter-free – simply
right-click the desktop, choose View
and untick ‘Show desktop icons’ to
hide everything without removing it.
You can then store shortcuts using
other desktop elements, such as the
Start menu or the Taskbar. The most
visible place is the Taskbar – ‘pin’ a
program here and you’ll be able
to access it with a single click
from anywhere.
To pin items, open a program
window so its icon appears in the
Taskbar, then right-click the icon and
choose ‘Pin to taskbar’. Once pinned,
simply drag items around to reorderthem. You can also pin items from
elsewhere – right-click a program’s Start
menu shortcut and look under the More
menu or click and drag a program file or
shortcut from File Explorer on to the
Taskbar itself.
There’s also the Start menu for
shortcuts – the step-by-step guide on
the page opposite includes steps for
pinning shortcuts to the Start menu
in addition to customising it in other
ways. Also take the time to right-click
the Start button to reveal a list of
handy shortcuts to system tools andsettings – this Quick Access menu can
also be invoked by pressing the [Win]
+ [X] keys.MRUHTDVNEDUWULFNV
The Windows 10 Taskbar also includes
shortcuts to Cortana (covered on page
73) and Task View, which enables you
to view all open windows in a grid-like
view, making it easy to switch between
them. Task View also enables you to
organise your windows into multiple
virtual desktops, then switch between
them. Either click ‘New desktop’ to
create a blank desktop, or right-click a
window in Task View and choose ‘Move
to’ and select an existing desktop or
create a new one from scratch.In the right-hand corner of the Taskbar
sits the notification area. You’ll see a
selection of small app icons providing
updates and access to key apps and
settings. Many programs set to start
with Windows hide away here, enabling
you to right-click them to access their
features, tweak their settings or simply
exit the program completely. Click the
‘^’ button on the left to reveal ‘hidden’
app icons. Just drag icons from here on
to the notification area to pin them
permanently, or vice versa to hide them
from view. More options for configuringthese can be found under Settings >
Personalisation > Taskbar – click ‘Select
which icons appear on the taskbar’.
In the far right-hand corner is the
Action Centre, which is Windows 10’s
notifications system. Click the button to
view a slide-out window that provides
notifications from a range of sources.
These are displayed chronologically, and
many come with buttons for taking
further action. At the bottom of the
Action Centre is a series of buttons
giving you quick and easy access to
certain functions.
Choose which buttons are displayed,
plus control how notifications behave
by visiting Start > Settings > System >
‘Notifications & actions’.“Click the button to view a slide-out
window that provides notifications
from a range of sources”
Master the desktop
The Windows 10 desktop can be at once both familiar and
alien. Discover how to make the most of its best features
The Windows 10 desktop can easily be customised.You can easily set up and manage multiple virtual
desktops using Windows 10’s Task View.