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Windows 8 & 8.1 Frequently Asked Questions by Start Menu 8 users


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Although Windows 8 and 8.1 have released a long time, you may be still not very clear about their redesigned interface, settings or features.

 

Here we provide answers to a set of frequently asked questions about Windows 8 and 8.1 by our Start Menu 8 users.

 

 

Table of contents

 

Post 1. How to find PC Settings in Windows 8 or Windows 8.1?

 

Post 2. How to skip login screen in Windows 8 or Windows 8.1?

 

Post 3. How to switch user accounts on Windows 8 or Windows 8.1?

 

Post 4. How to change user account name(login name ) in Windows 8 or Windows 8.1?

 

Post 5. How to change the login password in Windows 8 or Windows 8.1?

 

Post 6. How to pin or unpin apps to Taskbar?

 

Post 7. How to unlock Taskbar or move Taskbar?

 

Post 8. How to disable the lock screen in Windows 8 or Windows 8.1?

 

Post 9. How to Disbale Auto Sleep in Windows 8 or Windows 8.1?

 

Post 10. How to Change Lock Screen Background Image in Windows 8?

 

Post 11. How to upgrade to Windows 8.1 from Windows 8?

 

Post 12. How to downgrade from Windows 8.1 to Windows 8?

 

Post 13. How to change our home page, new tabs and default search settings?

 

 

Did not find the answer? Please send your question to the email: beta-feedback@iobit.com

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How to skip login screen in windows 8 or windows 8.1?

 

1.Press the keys Win and R at the same time to open the window Run, then type the following command in the text box:

Netplwiz

 

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2.Click the button OK. Then the window Advanced User Accounts will open.

Note: Advanced User Accounts is sometimes called Advanced User Accounts Control Panel or User Accounts.

 

3.On the Users tab, which should be where you're at now, uncheck the box next to Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer.

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4.Click the button OK at the bottom of the window.

 

5.When the Automatically sign in box appears, enter the user name you wish to automatically login to Windows 8 with.

Important: If you're using a Microsoft account, be sure to enter the entire email address that you use to sign in to Windows 8 with in the User name field. What defaults there might instead be the name associated with your account, not your actual user name.

 

6.In the Password and Confirm Password fields, enter the password you sign in to Windows 8 with.

 

7.Click the button OK.

 

8.Restart your computer and make sure that Windows 8 automatically logs you in. You may catch a glimpse of the Sign in screen, but only long enough to see it log you in without you having to type anything!

 

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How to switch user accounts on Windows 8 or Windows 8.1?

 

1.Run Start Menu 8, click Start button, then you can find PC Settings on the right side of start menu.

 

If you have not installed Start Menu 8, you can download it here: http://www.iobit.com/iobitstartmenu8.php

 

2.Then click the arrow next to the Shut Down button on the bottom right of start menu, click Switch User.

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3.Then click the user you want to switch to.

 

Warning: Make sure to save any open files before switching users because Windows doesn't automatically save files that are open. If you switch to a different user account and that user shuts down the computer, any unsaved changes you made to files that are open on your account will be lost.

 

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How to change user account name(login name ) in Windows 8 or Windows 8.1?

 

1.Run File Explorer.

 

2.Right click the This PC icon in the navigation pane and select Manage from its context menu:

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3.The Computer Management window will appear on the screen. In the left pane, expand the tree nodes to go to Computer Management -> System Tools -> Local Users and Groups -> Users.

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4.Select the user name from the list in the right pane, right click it and choose Rename.

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5.Then you can specify a new login name.

 

 

 

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How to change the login password in Windows 8 or Windows 8.1?

 

1.Run Start Menu 8, click Start button, then you can find PC Settings on the right side of start menu.

 

If you have not installed Start Menu 8, you can download it here: http://www.iobit.com/iobitstartmenu8.php

 

2.Click Accounts, and then click Sign-in options.

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3.Under Password, click Change. Enter your current password, and then click Next.

 

4.Do one of the following:

If you want to change the password for a Microsoft account, enter your current password again. Enter and reenter your new password, and then click Next.

If you want to change the password for a local account, enter and reenter the new password, enter a password hint to help you remember it, and then click Next.

 

5.Click Finish.

 

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How to pin or unpin apps to Taskbar?

 

Method 1:

 

Run Start Menu 8, then click Start button to open start menu. The apps in start menu can be pinned to Taskbar by right clicking apps and choosing Pin to Taskbar.

 

If you have not installed Start Menu 8, you can download it here: http://www.iobit.com/iobitstartmenu8.php

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Method 2:

 

1.Press the Windows + D keys to go to the desktop.

 

2.Pin an app to Taskbar:

Drag a .exe file or shortcut of an .exe file to the taskbar until you see the Pin to (app name) pop-up, then drop the app on the taskbar. (take Command Prompt for example)

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3.Unpin an app from Taskbar:

Right click or press and hold on a pinned app's icon, and click/tap on Unpin this program from the Taskbar.

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How to unlock Taskbar or move Taskbar?

 

Unlock Taskbar:

 

Right-click an empty space on the taskbar. If Lock the taskbar has a check mark next to it, the taskbar is locked. You can unlock it by clicking Lock the taskbar, which removes the check mark.

 

Move Taskbar:

 

1.Right-click on an empty area of the Taskbar.

 

2.When the pop-up menu appears, choose Properties.

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3.The Taskbar Properties dialog box appears. Next to Taskbar location on screen, click the pull-down and choose from Bottom, Left, Right, or Top.

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4. Click OK to close the dialog box and save your settings.

 

 

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How to disable the lock screen in Windows 8 or Windows 8.1?

 

By default, Windows 8 doesn't provide any option to disable lock screen, but you can use following way to disable it.

 

1.Press WIN+R key combination to launch RUN dialog box then type gpedit.msc and press Enter. It'll open Group Policy Editor.

 

2.Then go to:

Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Control Panel -> Personalization

 

3.In right-side pane, double-click on Do not display the lock screen option and set its value to Enabled.

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It'll immediately disable lock screen in Windows 8. If you want to enable lock screen again, set the value to Not configured.

 

 

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How to Disbale Auto Sleep in Windows 8 or Windows 8.1?

 

1.Run Start Menu 8, click Start button, then you can find Control Panel on the right side of start menu.

 

If you have not installed Start Menu 8, you can download it here: http://www.iobit.com/iobitstartmenu8.php

 

2.Click Hardware and Sounds -> Power Options.

 

3.Then click on change plan settings.

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4.Then change the option of Put the computer to sleep to Never.

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Save the settings and now the Windows 8 will never go to sleep mode automatically.

 

 

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How to Change Lock Screen Background Image in Windows 8?

 

1.Move your mouse cursor to top-right corner of screen to access Charms Bar. Alternatively you can press Win+C keys together to access it.

 

2.Now click on Settings option given in Charms Bar. Then click on "Change PC settings" link given at the bottom of right-sidebar.

 

3.It'll open the new immersive or Metro Control Panel showing the lock screen settings page by default.

 

4.Here you can select lock screen background image. Windows 8 comes with 6 built-in background images for lock screen. One is the default background image and other 5 images are given in lock screen settings page to choose from.

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You can click on any desired image and it'll be applied immediately.

 

5.If you want to set your desired wallpaper as background of lock screen, click on "Browse" button and then you can select any desired image.

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Once you select the image, click on "Choose picture" button.

 

6.That's it. Your selected image will be set as lock screen background immediately.

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7.In future, if you want to reset default background images of lock screen, just right-click on the background image in lock screen settings page and select "Revert to defaults" option.

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How to upgrade to Windows 8.1 from Windows 8?

 

Before you begin

 

The system requirements for Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1 are nearly the same as the requirements for Windows 8—if your PC is already running Windows 8 (or Windows RT), in most cases, you can get the free update to Windows 8.1 (or Windows RT 8.1).

 

But before you begin, here are some things to keep in mind:

1.Your files, desktop apps, user accounts, and settings come with you. Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1 come with some new built-in apps, and it will update or replace some of your existing built-in apps. Your existing Windows Store apps don't come with you, but once the update is complete, you can reinstall all of these apps at once—or just the ones you want.

 

2.Window will check your desktop apps and devices for you. As part of the update, it checks your current desktop apps and connected devices, and let you know what you'll need to do to get them ready for the update, or to get them working again after the update. Usually, you won't need to do anything—most desktop apps, devices (like printers), and network connections will work normally after the update.

 

3.Consider using a Microsoft account to sign in to your PC. If you already use a Microsoft account to sign in to Windows 8 or Windows RT, you’ll use that same account to sign in to Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1.

If you don’t, we recommend that you start using a Microsoft account in Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1. Simply put, it’s the glue that holds together so many useful features of the new Windows: the ability to download apps from the Store, automatic syncing of your settings and documents between your PCs, backing up your photos to the cloud so you can get to them from anywhere, and seeing all your contacts from multiple email and social networking accounts together in the People and Mail apps.

 

4.If you already have an account you use with Outlook.com, Xbox LIVE, Windows Phone, or Skype, then you already have a Microsoft account.

 

5.You can keep working while the update is installing. Download and installation times vary from about 30 minutes to several hours, depending on your Internet connection speed, and the speed and configuration of your PC, but you can still use your PC while the update is installing in the background. During this time, if you decide to leave your PC unattended, be sure to save your work and close any apps you have open first, in case your PC needs to restart automatically while you’re away. After it restarts, you won't be able to use your PC for a little while (from about 20 minutes to an hour), while the updates are being applied.

 

 

Prepare your PC

 

There are a few things you should do before you start installing:

1.Back up your files. Although your files and apps come with you when you update to Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, it's a good idea to make sure that your files are backed up first by setting up File History.

 

2.Make sure you have enough free disk space. If you're currently running Windows 8, you need 3,000 MB of available space to install the 32-bit version of Windows 8.1, and 3,850 MB of available space to install the 64-bit version of Windows 8.1. On a Windows RT device, you need 2,250 MB of available disk space to install Windows RT 8.1.

 

3.Plug in your laptop or tablet. It's important to keep your PC plugged in throughout the update process, because if you lose power before it's done, the update might not install properly.

 

4.Connect to the Internet. It's best to stay connected until the update is done. If you don't, you’ll need to connect again to finish setting up later, and setup will take longer.

 

5.Get the latest critical and important updates. There are some updates you might need before you can install Windows 8.1. In most cases, the latest updates will be installed automatically using Windows Update. But if you don’t have automatic updates turned on and you need to check for updates manually.

 

6.Temporarily turn off your antivirus program. Some antivirus software might interfere with the installation. After you install Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, remember to turn your antivirus program back on.

 

 

Get the free update

 

1.Go to the Start screen, and click the Store tile.

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2.In the Store, click the Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 update.

 

3.Tap or click Download.

The update will download and install in the background while you use your PC to do other things.

In some cases, the installer might find something you need to take care of before you can continue installing the update. If so, you'll see a message telling you what you need to do.

 

 

Restart

 

After the update is downloaded and the first phase of the installation is complete (which could take between 15 minutes and a few hours, depending on your system and your connection speed), you'll see a message telling you that your PC needs to restart. It will give you 15 minutes to finish what you’re working on, save your work, and close your apps, and then it will restart your PC for you. Or you can restart it yourself.

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Important: If you leave your PC before it's ready to restart, be sure to save your work and close any desktop apps you're using to make sure you don't lose anything when it restarts automatically. Your PC might need to restart more than once, depending on how it’s set up, and whether additional updates are needed.

 

 

Choose your settings

 

1.Express settings

You'll see a list of recommended settings, called express settings. To accept these settings and continue, click Use express settings. You can change any of these settings later, after you finish setting up. If you'd like to change some of these settings now, click Customize.

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2.Sign in

Next, you'll be asked to sign in. If you already use a Microsoft account to sign in to Windows 8 or Windows RT, your account name will be filled in for you. If you previously used a local account, you can still use it to sign in.

 

3.OneDrive cloud storage

If this is your first time setting up a PC with Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, you'll see the new OneDrive options.

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Welcome to the new Windows

 

The new Start screen will appear.

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How to downgrade from Windows 8.1 to Windows 8?

 

1.Charms bar -> Settings -> Change PC Settings -> Update and Recovery -> Recovery

 

2.You have two choices

Refresh your PC without affecting your files

Remove everything and reinstall windows

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How to change our home page, new tabs and default search settings

 

Change default search in Google Chrome

 

1. Click the Chrome menu [ATTACH=CONFIG]n197507[/ATTACH]on the browser toolbar and select Settings.

2. In the “Search” section, select the engine of your choice from the drop down menu.

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Change homepage in Google Chrome

 

1. Repeat steps 1 and 2 from above.

 

2. Go to Appearance section and click Change link from Show Home button checkbox.

 

3. When the window appears, change your homepage in the box next to Open this page and click OK.

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Change default search in Internet Explorer 11

 

1. Click the Gear icon in the top right corner of the browser window.

 

2. Select Manage add-ons.

 

3. Select Search Providers and choose your preferred provider.

 

4. Click Set as default.

 

5. For more providers, in the bottom left corner of your screen, click Find more search providers.

 

6. Select the engine of your choice.

 

7. Click the Add to Internet Explorer button.

 

8. When the window appears, check the box next to Make this my default search provider.

 

9. Click Add.

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Change homepage and new tabs in Internet Explorer 11

 

1. Repeat step 1 from above.

 

2. Select Internet options.

 

3. In the General tab, find the Home page section and change your homepage address.

 

4. For changing your new tabs, go to Tabs sections and click Tabs button.

 

5. When the window appears, check the When a new tab is opened, open section and select your choice.

 

6. Click OK button.

 

7. To save your changes click OK from Internet Options window.

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Change homepage in Mozilla Firefox

 

1. Click the Firefox button in the upper left-hand side of your browser.

 

2. Go to Options and select Option submenu.

 

3. In the General tab, find the Home page section and change your homepage address.

 

4. Click OK.

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