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You know that feeling you get when your friends or family see you do something on your
computer that they've never seen before? If you’ve had this experience, you know that
“world's coolest power-user” feeling. But if you haven’t, start here. Knowledge is power!
Read these six tips for Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP that will keep you
schoolin' your friends and family.
1. Don't just maximize your windows—go full screen
When you need a really big window for viewing photos and videos, don't just maximize it: go full screen! This tip
works great for viewing photos and videos at maximum size in Windows Explorer or Windows Media Player, utilizing
screen space usually occupied by the header at the top of the screen and the taskbar at the bottom. Here’s how:
Open any photo in Windows Explorer, or open a photo or video clip in Windows Media Player. Do one of the
following:
In Windows 7 and Windows XP, click the F11 key at the top of your keyboard.
The photo or video image enlarges to its maximum size and the title bar and taskbar are hidden.
To undue full-screen mode and restore the window to its normal view, press the Esc (Escape) key at the top of your
keyboard
If you don't see the navigation pane on the left side of an open folder window, click Organize, point to Layout, and
then click Navigation pane to display it.
2. In the Folder Options dialog box, click the General tab, and then do one or both of the following:
o To show all the folders on your computer in the navigation pane, including your personal folder, select the
Show all folders check box, click Apply to see the change, and then click OK.
o To automatically expand the navigation pane to the folder that's selected in the folder window, select the
Automatically expand to current folder check box, and then click OK.
To add a folder, a saved search, a library, or even a drive as a favorite, drag it to the Favorites section in the
navigation pane. Note: You can’t add individual file to Favorites, but you can add them to any folder in
Favorites.
To change the order of favorites, drag a favorite to a new position in the list.
To restore the default favorites in the navigation pane, right-click Favorites, and then click Restore Favorite
Links.
To view the folder where your favorites are stored, click Favorites in the navigation pane. Favorites are stored
as shortcuts.
To remove a favorite, right-click the favorite, and then click Remove. This removes the favorite from the
navigation pane—it doesn't delete the files or folders that the shortcut points to.
The Favorites area of the navigation pane in Windows 7
In Windows Vista, you can add folders to Favorite Links in the navigation pane so that you can open them from any
folder window at any time. To do this, first open the folder that contains the subfolder you want to add. Then simply
drag its icon from the original folder to where you want it in the navigation pane. You can also click Folders at the
bottom of the pane and drag a folder from the folder list up into the Favorite Links section of the pane. Note: You
can’t add individual files to Favorite Links, but you can add them to any folder in Favorite Links.
If the program is already running, right-click the program's button on the taskbar (or drag the button toward
the desktop) to open the program’s Jump List, and then click Pin this program to taskbar.
Or if the program isn't running, click Start, find the program’s icon, right-click the icon, and then click Pin to
Taskbar.
You can also pin a program by dragging the program's shortcut from the desktop or Start menu to the
taskbar.
If the Quick Launch Bar isn’t already visible to the right of the Start button , you’ll need to turn it on. To do
that, right-click an open area of the taskbar. Hover your mouse pointer over Toolbars, then click Quick Launch. The
Quick Launch Bar appears on your taskbar.
To add a program shortcut to the Quick Launch Bar, click the Start button , click All Programs, then click
and drag the application you want to the Quick Launch Bar. Release the mouse button and the application’s icon
appears in the Quick Launch Bar.
To add a folder or file shortcut to the Quick Launch Bar, open Windows Explorer, navigate to the folder, subfolder, or
individual file you want, click and drag the folder or file you want to the Quick Launch Bar. Release the mouse button
and the icon for the folder or file appears in the Quick Launch Bar.
To remove a shortcut from the Quick Launch Bar, right-click on the icon in the Quick Launch Bar of the application,
folder, or file you want to remove and right-click it, click Delete, and then click Yes when asked if you’re sure you
want to delete the shortcut. Note: Although the shortcut is removed from the Quick Launch Bar, the actual
application, folder, or file has not been deleted from your computer.
Windows 7
1. Drag the title bar of a window to the left or right side of the screen until an outline of the expanded window
appears.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 with another window to arrange the windows side by side.
To return a window to its original size click the Maximize button in the window’s title bar and the window expands to
full size.
Tip: To snap an active window to the side of the desktop by using the keyboard, press Windows logo key +Left
Arrow or Windows logo key +Right Arrow.
In Windows Vista and Windows XP, it’s easy to display any two (or more) windows side by side on the desktop, all
equally sized. Press and hold the Ctrl key and click two or more of the window buttons on the taskbar that you want
to open. Release the Ctrl key, right-click, and then do one of the following:
Windows 7
The easiest and most effective way to organize your stuff in Windows 7 is to use file arrangements in your libraries.
You can arrange files in the Documents library by author, for example, or you can arrange the Music library by artist if
you're looking for an album or song by a particular band.
To arrange a library
2. In the navigation pane (the left pane), click a library (such as Music).
3. In the library pane (above the file list), click the Arrange by menu, and then choose a property. For example,
in the Music library, you can choose Artist to quickly arrange your music collection by artist.
The "Arrange by" menu
4. When you arrange your files, Windows doesn't just put your files in a different order. Instead, they are
presented in a completely different way. The arrangements work differently depending on which one you
choose. For example, arranging your pictures by month puts your pictures into stacks, like this:
There are four default libraries in Windows 7, each with its own specific arrangements. You can also create
new libraries and choose which arrangements are available for them.
Windows Vista
Open a folder that contains several different subfolders and file types. Right-click any empty space on the window's
contents pane, point to Group By, and then click your grouping choice.
Windows XP
Open a folder that contains several different subfolders and file types. Right-click any empty space on the window's
contents pane, point to Arrange Icons By, and then click Show in Groups. To arrange the window's contents, right-
click again in any empty space on the window's contents pane, point to Arrange Icons By, and click Name, Size,
Type, or Modified (the choices may vary depending on the contents).
Windows XP Arrange icons by command.