Windows 10 2021: A Complete Guide to Microsoft Windows 10 with the Latest Tips and Updates

by Hill, Carson

  Use a firewall . A firewall is a software or hardware that can help to protect your computer from malwares (malicious software) or unauthorized users. Having a firewall on each PC on your network will help to control attacks from malicious software on your network, and will also help to protect your personal computer when you are surfing the Internet. Windows 10 has a firewall included in it.

  Connect a PC to your wireless network

  Click on the Network or icon. You will find these icons in the notification area.

  From your list of networks, select the network that you wish to connect to, and then click Connect .

  Enter the security key (usually called the password).

  If there are some additional instructions, kindly follow them.

  How to find the password of your network

  While it is possible that you forget the password for your Wi-Fi network, you will still be able to find the password if there is another Windows computer that is connected to your Wi-Fi network. Once you find the password, it can be used on another device or computer to connect to your Wi-Fi network again.

  On a Windows computer that is connected to your Wi-Fi network, carry out any of the action below

  ▪ On your Windows 10 computer, click on the Start button, then tap Settings, select Network & Internet, click on Status and choose Network and Sharing Center.

  In the Network and Sharing Center, beside Connections, choose the name of your Wi-Fi network.

  In the Wi-Fi Status, click on Wireless Properties.

  In the Wireless Network Properties, choose the Security tab, and then tap on the Show characters check box

  The password for your Wi-Fi network will be shown in the security box of the network.

  On another Windows computer or device, connect to you just as you used to do, and input the password when requested.

  Finding your IP address

  For Wi-Fi connection

  On your taskbar, choose Wi-Fi network, select the Wi-Fi network that you are connected to and click Properties .

  Under Properties, check for your IP address and you will see it listed just next to IPv4 address.

  For Ethernet connection

  On your taskbar, choose the Ethernet network icon > the Ethernet network connection.

  Under Ethernet, choose the Ethernet network connection.

  Under Properties, check for your IP address and you will see it listed just next to IPv4 address.

  How to use Remote desktop on Windows 10

  The Remote Desktop can be used on your Android, Windows or iOS devices to connect to your Windows 10 computer from a very far distance.

  Set up the computer that you plan to connect to so that it will allow remote connections. To do this, use the step below;

  ▪ Ensure that your version of Windows is Windows 10 Pro. To check, navigate to Start , click on Settings , select System, click About and locate Edition .

  ▪ Once you have confirmed that your PC is Windows 10 Pro, click Start , tap Settings , click on System, tap Remote Desktop , and activate (by turning on) the “Enable Remote Desktop .”

  ▪ Note the name of this PC. You will find the name under How to connect to this PC . This will be required later.

  Connect to the set up PC with Remote Desktop:

  ▪ On your local Windows 10 PC: From the search box on your taskbar, enter Remote Desktop Connection , and then choose Remote Desktop Connection . In Remote Desktop Connection, fill in the name of the computer that you plan to connect to (you have been told to note the name of the PC in the previous step), and then tap Connect.

  ▪ On your Windows, iOS or Android device: Launch the Remote Desktop app (you can download the app for free on Mac App Store, Google Play and Microsoft Store), and then add the name of the computer that you wish to connect to (available for free from Microsoft Store, Google Play, and the Mac App Store), and add the name of the PC that you want to connect to (you have been told to note the name of the PC in the previous step). Choose the name of the remote computer that you added, and then wait a few seconds for the connection to be completed.

  Use your PC as a mobile hotspot

  Turn your Windows 10 computer into a secured mobile hotspot by sharing the PC’s internet connection with some other devices over Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi, cellular data connection or Ethernet can be shared from your computer to another device or computer. If your computer has a cellular data connection and you share it, the connection will be using data from your cellular data plan.

  Click on the Start button, then tap Settings , click on Network & Internet and choose Mobile hotspot .

  For the Share my Internet connection from , select the Internet connection that you wish to share.

  Click Edit , fill in a new name for the network and choose a password, and then click on Save.

  Turn on the “Share my Internet connection with other devices .”

  To establish connection on the other device, scroll to the Wi-Fi settings on that particular device, locate the name of your network, click on it, input the password, and then connect.

  Cellular settings for Windows10

  Some Windows 10 devices contain an eSIM or a SIM card that can allow you to connect to a cellular network. This will allow you to go online in more than one place with a cellular signal.

  If your Windows 10 device does not have an eSIM or a SIM card, connection to a cellular network can still be established by plugging in an external cellular gadget (a modem or mobile broadband device). Either way, you need to have a sufficient data plan to connect and enjoy the web.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  FILES AND STORAGE IN WINDOWS 10

  Locating your documents in Windows 10

  You can use any of the method below to find your documents in Windows 10;

  Search using the taskbar: Enter the name of the document, or even apps, that you are looking for inside the search box on your taskbar. Searched results for documents will be made available across your OneDrive and PC under Best match.

  Search File Explorer: Launch your File Explorer from your taskbar or simply right-click on the Start menu, and choose File Explorer , then choose a location from the left pane to browse or search. For instance, click on This PC to look in all drives and devices on your computer, or choose Documents to look only for the files you have saved there.

  What has changed in File Explorer

  Just as it happens with every new thing, the File Explorer in Windows 10 has been much better compared to what was obtainable in the earliest versions of Windows. To check what the File Explorer has got to offer you in Windows 10, simply click on the icon of the File Explorer from the taskbar or the Start menu, or you can alternatively click on the Windows logo key + E on your keyboard.

  Here are the few things that have changed in Windows 10;

  ▪ You can now see OneDrive as part of the File Explorer.

  ▪ When you open File Explorer, you will see Quick access. The folder you frequent quite often and your recently used files will be listed under Quick access, so the trouble of digging through a series of files and folder to find them is not there again. You can also pin your favorite folders and files to the Quick access for easy and fast reference.

  ▪ In addition, you can now use apps to share your photos and files right from the File Explorer. Choose the files that you wish to share, scroll to the Share tab, click on the Share button, and then select an app.

  If you have been using Windows 7 before switching to Windows 10, here are few more differences you will notice;

  ▪ My Computer is now referred to as This PC, and you won’t see it by default on your desktop. You will need to add This PC to the Start menu or to your desktop by opening the File Explorer, click on This PC from the left pane, and then drag it to your desktop. Also, If you want This PC to appear in your Start menu, launch File Explorer, right-click (or press and hold) This PC in the left pane, and then choose Pin to Start.

  ▪ Libraries will not appear in File Explorer unless yo
u want them to show up. To add Libraries to the left pane, choose the View tab, click on Navigation pane , and select Show libraries .

  Pin, remove and customize in the Quick access

  By default, the File Explorer in Windows 10 will open to Quick Access. A folder or file can be set to appear in Quick access so that the file can be easy to find and open. Just right click on the file and choose Pin to Quick access. The file or folder can be unpin later when you do not need it anymore in the Quick access.

  If you wish to see only the folders or files that you have pinned, you can disable recent files or frequent folders. Scroll to the View tab, and then choose Options. In the Privacy section, uncheck the checkboxes and choose Apply. Now the Quick access will only display your pinned folders. (If you turn on the Quick access again, the files and folders that you have previously removed from the Quick access might appear.

  Items can also be removed from the Quick access. If any item shows up, and you don’t want to see that particular item again, just right-click on the item or file and choose Remove from Quick access. The files won’t show up in the Quick access again even when you use them every day.

  How to share files in File Explorer on Windows 10

  Click on a file that you want to send, navigate to the Share tab, and click on Share. Select how you want the file to be sent and then follow the due process for the selected option.

  Use OneDrive

  If you saved OneDrive files on your PC, there are many ways you can share them from file explorer;

  ▪ Get a link you can share with anyone. Press and hold (or right-click) a OneDrive folder or file and choose Share a OneDrive link (If you are using OneDrive for Business, click on Share , choose Copy Link , and then tap Copy .) and you can then post the copied link anywhere you want to post it.

  ▪ Send a link with mail to just few people. Simply press and hold the file or right-click the file, click on More OneDrive sharing options , tap Invite people , and then input their respective email addresses. (If you are using the OneDrive for Business, click Share , choose an option from the drop-down list box, and tap Apply . Then fill in the email addresses just above the blue line and tap Send .)

  How to send email

  If you have the desktop mail app installed on your computer, choose your file, then tap Share , choose Email to open a new message with the attached file.

  Sharing your folders and file over a safe home network

  To share your folder or file from File Explorer, carry out any of the action below;

  ▪ Click on a file or right-click on the file, click on Give access to , and tap Specific people .

  ▪ Choose a file, click on the Share tab found at the top of File Explorer, and then select Specific people in the Share with section.

  If multiple files are selected at once, they can all be shared in the same way. The same thing is applicable if you selected multiple folders; when you share a folder, all the files in the folder will be shared.

  Sharing your files and files in your domain or workgroup

  To share your files with people in your domain or workgroup, follow the prompts below:

  Choose the folder or file that you wish to share.

  Scroll to the Share tab, and choose Specific people from the Share with section.

  Fill in the email addresses for the entire individual that you wish to share your file with, choose Add for each one, and then tap Share .

  How to hide files and folders

  If you wish to hide your file, just right-click on the file and click on the “Properties” dialog from context menu. Tap the “Hidden” checkbox under the Attributes section, and your file will be hidden from view.

  How to show your hidden files and folders

  Sometimes, some files and folders may be hidden on your computer to prevent unauthorized people from accessing the files and folders. If you want to make the files and files visible again, proceed with the below steps;

  Inside the search bar on your taskbar, enter folder , and then tap on Show hidden files and folders from your search results. For Window10 Pro users, select the View tab.

  Under Advanced settings , choose Show hidden files, folders, and drives , and then tap OK .

  One Drive in Windows10

  OneDrive enables users to synchronize files between the cloud and their computer. This is so that you can have the means of navigating your files from anywhere you are – your mobile phone, your laptop and from the OneDrive website at OneDrive.com. If you edit – maybe change, add, or delete a folder or file in your OneDrive folder, the same editing will be made to your folders and files on the OneDrive website. With OneDrive, you will be able to work with your synchronized file right from the File Explorer and even access your files offline. In addition, when you get back online, any changes made by you or another user will be automatically synchronized.

  Install and setup One Drive

  On Windows 10, your PC already has the OneDrive application installed so there is no need of downloading the OneDrive app again.

  Set up OneDrive: Here, you will learn how to set up OneDrive if; you don’t have accounts that are signed in to OneDrive and if you already have a OneDrive account.

  If you have no accounts signed in to OneDrive

  If you currently don’t have an account that is signed in to OneDrive, you can use the instructions below to start OneDrive.

  Click on the Start button (button that look like window pane at the bottom of your screen), enter “OneDrive”, and then open it

  In the OneDrive setup, there are two screens that you need to be on the lookout for;

  ▪ On the This is your OneDrive folder screen, click Next to choose a preferred folder location for your OneDrive files. You can change the location of the folder by clicking on Change location. In fact, if you are planning to change the OneDrive folder location, this is the best time to do that.

  ▪ On the All your files, ready and on-demand screen, you can see how your files are actually marked to display them as locally available, online only, or always available. The Files On-Demand will help you to access all your files in OneDrive without necessarily having the need to download all of the files and use the storage space on your computer. Tap Next .

  Access and manage files on your OneDrive

  Now everything is ready. You will see your OneDrive files in File Explorer under OneDrive folder. If you have two or more accounts, your personal files will be available under OneDrive – Personal and the school files or work files will be accessible under OneDrive - CompanyName .

  You can now see a new blue or white cloud icon (or even both) in the notification area on your computer and your files will be synced to your PC. You will see the blue cloud icon as OneDrive – [YourTenantName] when you hover your cursor over the icon.

  Whenever you want to change the folder that has been synchronized on your PC, just right-click on the cloud icon in your taskbar notification section and click Settings, select Account and tap Choose folders .

  How to back up your documents, pictures and folders in OneDrive

  Setting up folder backup for your laptop

  If you are asked to back up your important folders (Desktop, Documents, and Pictures), click on the prompt to initiate the folder backup wizard.

  If you cannot see the prompt or you have closed the wizard already, click on the blue or white cloud icon from the Windows notification area, and then select Help & Settings > Settings , then Backup > Manage backup .

  From the dialog of the Back up your folders , ensure that the folders you want to back up are selected.

  Click on Start backup .

  You can just terminate the dialog box while you let the files to synchronize to OneDrive. Or, to watch while your files are getting sync, click View upload progress . If the dialog has already been closed, and you would like to open the OneDrive activity center, choose the blue or white cloud from the notification area.

  Change settings for PC folder backup


  If you plan to stop or begin backing up your important folder in OneDrive, the folder selections in the OneDrive settings can be updated.

  Note: If you stop backing up any folder, the files from that particular folder that have already been backed up by OneDrive will stay in OneDrive. The files can be moved to a local folder on your computer if you don’t want the files in OneDrive again. If you later add a new file to that particular folder, the file will not be backed up by OneDrive.