COMPREHENSIVE Windows Tutorial 3 Personalizing Your Windows Environment
Dec 16, 2015
XPXPXPObjectives• Access common tools on the desktop• Customize Windows Sidebar• Create and use shortcuts on the desktop• Use Control Panel• Customize the desktop
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XPXPXPObjectives• Activate a screen saver• Change display settings• Modify the taskbar• Customize taskbar toolbars• Change Start menu settings• Pin items on the Start menu
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XPXPXPDisplaying Standard Desktop Icons• Right-click an empty area of the desktop,
then click Personalize on the shortcut menu• In the left pane of the Personalization window,
click Change desktop icons• In the Desktop Icon Settings dialog box, click to
select a check box for each icon you want to add to the desktop
• Click the OK button
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XPXPXPUsing the Windows Sidebar• Windows Sidebar is a long vertical bar displayed
by default on the right side of your desktop
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XPXPXPUsing Shortcuts• You can create shortcuts to access drives,
documents, files, Web pages, programs, or other computer resources such as a printer
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XPXPXPUsing Control Panel• The Control Panel is a window that contains
specialized tools you use to change the way Windows Vista looks and behaves
• To open the Control Panel window, double-click the Control Panel icon on your desktop
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XPXPXPChanging the Desktop Background• Open the Control Panel window and switch to
Category View, if necessary• Click Change desktop background in the Appearance
and Personalization category• Select an image in the Desktop Background window or
click the Picture Location arrow or the Browse button to select images stored in a different location
• Select a positioning option, if necessary• Click the OK button
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XPXPXPChanging the Appearance of Desktop Elements• A color scheme is a set of colors you apply to
Windows elements– Window Color and Appearance
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XPXPXPActivating a Screen Saver• A screen saver blanks the screen or displays a
moving design whenever you haven’t worked with the computer for a specified period of time
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XPXPXPChanging Display Settings• The Display Settings dialog box has a Resolution
slider bar that lets you change the size of the desktop area
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XPXPXPMoving and Resizing the Taskbar• Make sure the taskbar is unlocked. To do so, right-click
any blank spot on the taskbar, and then click Lock the Taskbar on the shortcut menu to remove the check mark
• To move the taskbar, click a blank spot on the taskbar, hold down the left mouse button, and drag the taskbar to a new location (the top, bottom, left, or right edge of the desktop)
• To resize the taskbar, point to a taskbar border until a resize pointer appears, and then drag the border to a different height or width
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XPXPXPWorking with Taskbar Toolbars• One way to customize the taskbar is to use it to
display toolbars
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XPXPXPCreating a Custom Taskbar Toolbar• To create a custom toolbar, right-click a blank
area of the taskbar, point to Toolbars, and then click New Toolbar
• In the New Toolbar − choose a folder window, click the folder or object you want to turn into a toolbar, and then click the Select Folder button
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XPXPXPCustomizing the Start Menu• To customize the Start menu, right-click Start
button on the taskbar, then click Properties; click the Customize button
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