How to Use Each Part of Windows 7 Sourcing

Showing you the features of the System tray, the file explorer, and the start button. Showing you how to use some of the features and access things you may not even know at first. Windows 10 should be too different, but should still have some of the same features and same way to get there.

Step 1: The System Tray

The System tray is the small bar at the bottom right of your screen. The windows 7 system tray isn't too different than other versions. It has small features such as, the time, date, and speaker volume. It also has icons for certain programs so the user is reminded that they are there to click for easy access to them. The windows 10 (bottom picture) has another tab with more features than windows 7 (top).

Step 2: System Tray (Desktop Button)

The desktop button is the button at the very edge of the system tray or task bar (the whole bar at the bottom of screen). The desktop button will bring you straight to your desktop, without closing any tabs. So you can easily 'minimize' the tabs you don't want people to see when they walk by or you could just use it for a short cut to get to your desktop screen. (Top, Windows 7, Bottom, Windows 10). Clicking the desktop button again (after you pressed it once) will bring you back to the window or tab you were just on. The desktop button is just a small simple little button for a shortcut to get straight back to your desktop screen without reaching your arm all the way to press that thin little line at the top once or more times.

Step 3: System Tray Calendar and Time

The calendar and time is very straight forward, tells the time and the date. You can change the time and date to the timezone you are in by clicking the time/date in the system tray and click "Change date and time settings..." From there, well... you can change the date and time to the correct timezone if you have moved or the time isn't right. As shown in the second picture, you have a window pop up. There it'll say "Change time zone..." and "Change time and date..." Click the "Change time and date..." button, as the arrows are pointing, and from there should have the small tab (Picture 3). You can get more advanced with the time by clicking the "Change calendar settings" and change the dates(long date and short date) through there (picture 4).

Step 4: System Tray Icons

The Icons are the little images along the system tray. Whatever things you download that needs you to be reminded of will be there or by clicking the small arrow. They are things like anti-virus scans or volume control. You are able to to customize the icons and snap them along the system tray by dragging them. (More info on icon customization http://www.howtogeek.com/75510/beginner-how-to-customize-and-tweak-your-system-tray-icons-in-windows-7/)

Step 5: The Small Features for the System Tray

The smaller less important ones on the system tray is the speaker volume button and connection button (windows 10 has the keyboard feature). They are pretty straight forward, one shows your connections to WI-FI and the internet and the other is sound volume.

Step 6: The Start Button

The Start button is the small circular windows button at the bottom left corner. The Start button is where you will find most of your software programs that you have installed into your computer, but usually the 'recently used' ones. You can see the rest of your programs you have installed by clicking all programs (picture 2). Through the start menu, you will see documents, your programs, control panel, log off, and many more other buttons. The start button is where most of the "action" happens. Windows 10 has a much bigger start menu with more features to go from.

Step 7: Start Button Log Off Options and File Search

If you can't find the program or file you are looking for, you can always search it under the "All Programs" button. For windows 10, "Ask Cortana...". Clicking the arrow beside the "log off" button will give you more options. Switch users which will allow you to switch to a different user without logging off and closing all your tabs or unsaved work. There is also shutdown to shutdown everything, but it will close everything and close work without saving it. You also have Restart which will restart the computer if you have any problems, but it will do the same as shutting down, it will close everything. The Lock option prevents other from using the computer until you have entered your password again. Then finally, the Sleep option. The Sleep option is good if you're not going to use your computer for a while. It powers down all hardware to save you energy.

Step 8: Start Button: Changing Your Picture

To change your profile picture or avatar, click your picture when the start menu is opened up. You will then be brought to another window with many options to go to. Click the "Change your picture" button and you will be brought to a wide selection of pictures to choose from. At the bottom you will see "Browse for more pictures..." There you can select your own pictures if you don't like any of the ones that are given to you. On the window before (picture 2), you have other options like change your account name.

Step 9: The File Explorer

The File explorer (the folder icon on the task bar as shown in the picture) helps you navigate through your content and work with your files and folders in an easier manner. The left side of the file window is the navigation pane, where you can select the folders you have your put the files you're looking for. The file explorer also has some connections with the start menu.

Step 10: File Explorer Parts

The File explorer has many different parts (the parts in the picture aren't all the parts), The red is the navigation pane. The Purple is the details pane, it allows you to see additional information on the selected files or picture. The Yellow is the Toolbar, shortcuts will appear in the toolbar depending on the item types in the navigation pane. The Blue is the view button where you can change the way the items are displayed. The Green is the file search, which is pretty straight forward, you use it to search for specific files or folders. The Gray is just simple straight forward things, refresh, back and forth buttons, and the "help" button.

Step 11: Creating Your Own File Libraries

Creating Libraries is an easier way to finding your files. Libraries are collections of your stored content that can be easily accessed through the Desktop Search. Libraries don't replace your folders, they just put them in a single collection. There are four default Libraries, Documents, Pictures, Music, and Videos. To create your own Library, select "New Library" in the toolbar or right click the "Libraries" in the navigation pane. From there select "New" and then "Libraries".

Step 12: Steps List

•System Tray (Step 2-5)
→ System Tray (Desktop Button)
→ System Tray Calendar and Time
→ System Tray Icons
→ The Smaller features for System Tray

•Start Button (Step 6-8)
→ Log off options and File search
→ Changing your Picture

•The File Explorer (9-11)
→File Explorer Parts
→Creating your own Libraries