Use a picture password to log into your computer

Use a picture password to log into your computer

Windows 8 introduce a new security feature, picture password. While you can continue to use a numeric combination as your password, you can enable the security feature if you have a touch enabled device and experience the new way of logging into your Windows 8 device. To find more info on picture password, read the blog post “Signing in with a picture password”, in which Steven Sinofsky and his team provides a detailed explanation of what a picture password is and how it works.

1. Open the Windows Charms (Windows + C).
2. Click Settings and then More PC settings
3. In the PC settings window click Users and then select Create a picture password

Bonus tip: A four digit pin password can also be created and used to access your computer.

Essential Windows 8 keyboard shortcuts

Essential Windows 8 keyboard shortcuts

• Admin Menu:
  It's not the Start Menu so familiar in earlier versions of Windows, but the Admin Menu is as close as it gets in Windows 8. Windows + X pops it up from the bottom left corner.
• Charms:
  When you hit Windows + C the Charms bar pops out from the right-hand side of the screen. Charms, a new Windows feature, are a set of tools such as Search, Share and Settings that are located in a Charms Bar that can be flicked in from the right side of the display on a touchscreen.
• Settings:
  One of the Charms is Settings. To avoid calling out the Charms bar then choosing Settings it's possible to go directly to Settings: Windows +I. This will reveal the Power button, too. Click on that to reveal the Sleep, Shut down and Restart options, options users say are way too hard to find.
• Sharing:
  If you are in an application and want to email or share its content with someone on a social network, hit Windows + H.
• Second screen:
  If you are connecting to a second screen as you might presenting a PowerPoint in a conference room, use Windows + P.
• Search:
  There are three layers of Search: Apps, Settings and Files. Using touch it calls for whisking out the Charms bar, selecting Search then choosing one of the three layers. With shortcuts, each layer can be reached with one command. They are: Apps: Windows + Q ; Settings: Windows +W ; Files: Windows + F
• Snap an app:
  It's possible to snap an application on hold in the right or left quarter of the screen with a second active app occupying the rest of the screen. To snap to the right, press Windows + . ; to snap to the left, press Windows + Shift + .
• Running Apps:
  Thumbnails of apps that are running are concealed off the left side of the screen. Pressing Windows + Tab reveals them.
• To close an app:
  It's just like it was in Windows 7: Alt + F4 .
• The desktop:
  While it's different from the traditional desktop, it is much more familiar territory than the Start Screen. Typing Windows + D brings up the Desktop.
• Explorer:
  To launch the familiar Windows Explorer, type Windows + E.
• Lock the PC:
  Windows + L brings the computer back to the lock screen, which requires a password.
• Screen shot:
  Press the Windows key + Print screen to create a screen shot, which is automatically saved into your My Pictures folder.

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Customize your tiles (Windows 8)

Windows 8 tips and tricks

Customize your tiles

Make the most of your Windows Start screen tiles by adjusting the sizes, where they are located, and what is listed.

• Move any tile by clicking and dragging the tile. While moving a tile, if you need a larger view of the Start screen move the tile towards the top or bottom of the screen to zoom out.
• Use your mouse wheel to scroll left-to-right through your tiles.
• Any Desktop shortcut or program can be pinned to the Start screen by right-clicking the icon and choosing Pin to Start.
• In the bottom right-hand corner of the start screen is a magnifying glass with tiles, click this icon to get a zoomed out view of your Start screen. In this view, if you right-click on a group of tiles you'll be given the option to name group, which can be useful if you have a group of related tiles (e.g. games). In this view, you can also click and drag a group to organize your tile groups.
• Create a new speed bump between tile groups by moving a tile to a speed bump.
• Resize any User tile or Live tile by right-clicking the tile and choosing resize.
• If there is a tile you want on your Taskbar, right-click the tile and choose Pin to taskbar.
• Show admin applications on the Start screen by clicking Settings in Charms, click Settings, and change the Show administrative tools from No to Yes.
• In Internet Explorer 10, you can also pin any of your favorite web pages to your Start Screen.