How do I access the PC Settings and what are the options available in Windows 8?
How do I access the PC Settings and what are options available in Windows 8?
PC Settings is a one-stop hub for all the items you need in controlling your system settings. It provides you access to many settings related to Personalization, Users, Notifications, Search, Share, General, Privacy, Devices, Wireless, Ease of Access, Sync your Settings, HomeGroup, and Windows Update.
To go to PC Settings, follow the steps below:
- Move your mouse from the top or bottom-right corner of the screen, and then click on Settings charm from the Charms bar.
- Click Change PC settings option located at the bottom-right of the Settings charm. PC Settings window is displayed.
- Personalize
The Personalize section allows you to change settings for your Lock screen, Start screen and Account Picture.Under Lock screen settings, you can set the background image of your Lock screen, set the apps that display quick status while your screen is locked, and set an app that displays detailed information.
Under Start screen settings, you can set the background image and the background color theme for your Start screen.
Under the Account picture settings, you can set your account picture from an existing file on your computer or SkyDrive, or take a snapshot of yourself using your computer's built-in camera.
- Users
User settings allow you to choose between your local account or Microsoft account to login in to Windows. You can also change your password, create a picture password and create a pin. It also allows you to set a password that a user must enter when your computer wakes up. On this section, you can add other users that can login to your computer.
- Notifications
Notifications settings allow you to enable or disable app notifications during login and on the lock screen and play notification sounds. You can also set what kind of apps you would want to enable notifications.
- Search
Search settings allow you to enable or disable showing of apps you search most often at the top and allow Windows to save your searches as future search suggestions. You can also set which apps can be used to provide you with additional search results.
- Share
Under Share settings, you can set which apps would appear when you use Share charm.
- General
Under General settings, you can set the time and date of your computer, App switching, Spelling, Language and refreshing of your computer.
- Privacy
Privacy allows you to set if you would want apps to use your current location, your name and account picture.
- Devices
In Devices settings, you can manage your devices connected with your computer as well as the devices connected within your network. You can also choose whether you want to disable or not your download whenever you're on metered Internet to help prevent extra charges.
- Wireless
Under Wireless settings, you can enable or disable Airplane mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 3G/4G data connection if there's any.
- Ease of Access
Under Wireless settings, you can enable or disable High contrast, Make everything on your screen bigger, Tab through web pages and apps using caret browsing. - Sync your settings
Under Sync Your Settings, you can select the settings you want to sync with your Microsoft account.
- HomeGroup
In HomeGroup settings, you can join a particular HomeGroup in your network. You can also manage the settings in sharing contents to your homegroup members.
- Windows Update
In Window Update settings, you can check for any updates available for your computer.