Basics
The desktop, the windows and the bar along the bottom
The three buttons in the corner of every window cause more confusion than anything else on a computer, and two of them do almost the same thing.
Published 10 August 2026 · Updated 10 September 2026
What the desktop is
The desktop is a folder that happens to be displayed as the background of the screen. Files put there are stored in a folder called Desktop like any other.
Because it is always visible, it becomes a dumping ground. A desktop with sixty icons is a folder with sixty files in it and no organisation.
Using it as a temporary tray — things arriving today, cleared weekly — works well. Using it as an archive does not.
Windows and their buttons
Every window has three buttons at the top right. The first, a line, hides the window without closing it; the program keeps running.
The second, a square, makes the window fill the screen, and pressing it again returns it to its previous size.
The third, a cross, closes it. If there is unsaved work, a prompt appears; if there is not, it simply closes. Hiding and closing are frequently confused, and the difference is whether the program is still running.
The taskbar
The bar along the bottom shows what is currently open. A hidden window has not gone anywhere; it is on the taskbar, and clicking it brings it back.
Programs can be pinned there permanently so they are one click away. Right-clicking an icon offers to pin or unpin it.
The right-hand end shows the clock, the volume, the network and any programs running quietly in the background. Hovering over each explains what it is.
Several windows at once
Holding Alt and pressing Tab switches between open windows. Holding Alt down while pressing Tab repeatedly moves through the list.
Dragging a window to the left or right edge of the screen makes it fill that half, which is how two documents are compared. The Windows key with the left or right arrow does the same.
This is the main practical advantage a computer has over a tablet, and most people never use it.
Losing a window
A window can end up positioned mostly off the screen, particularly after disconnecting a second monitor. It is still there and can be recovered.
Right-clicking its taskbar entry and choosing Move, then using the arrow keys, drags it back into view.
Windows key with the arrow keys also forces it back onto the screen and is usually quicker.
The start menu
The start menu lists installed programs and, more usefully, searches. Pressing the Windows key and typing three letters of a program's name is the fastest way to open anything.
It also finds settings. Typing “printer” or “sound” goes straight to the relevant panel without navigating menus.
Programs that are not in the list may still be installed; searching by a different part of the name usually finds them.
Notifications
Messages appearing in the corner come from programs, from the system, and occasionally from web pages that were given permission.
Notification permissions granted to websites are the source of most unexpected pop-up messages, and they can be revoked in the browser's settings.
The notification area keeps a history, so a message that vanished before it was read is usually still retrievable.
Making the screen comfortable
Display scaling — usually 100, 125 or 150 per cent — enlarges everything at once and is the setting most worth adjusting.
Night light or a similar setting reduces blue light in the evening and is worth trying if screens make it harder to sleep.
A dark theme suits some people and not others. It is entirely a matter of comfort and can be switched back in seconds.
What this guide does not cover
Specific versions and their menu layouts.
Multiple monitors and advanced display settings.
Customising the system appearance in depth.
General information only. Menu names differ between systems and versions; look for the equivalent rather than the exact wording.