Windows Tutorial 3
Personalizing Your
Windows Environment
COMPREHENSIVE
Objectives
•
•
•
•
•
XP
Access common tools on the desktop
Customize Windows Sidebar
Create and use shortcuts on the desktop
Use Control Panel
Customize the desktop
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
2
Objectives
•
•
•
•
•
•
XP
Activate a screen saver
Change display settings
Modify the taskbar
Customize taskbar toolbars
Change Start menu settings
Pin items on the Start menu
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
3
Accessing Common Tools
on the Desktop
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
XP
4
Displaying Standard Desktop Icons
XP
• Right-click an empty area of the desktop,
then click Personalize on the shortcut menu
• In the left pane of the Personalization window,
click Change desktop icons
• In the Desktop Icon Settings dialog box, click to
select a check box for each icon you want to add
to the desktop
• Click the OK button
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
5
Displaying Standard Desktop Icons
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
XP
6
Using the Windows Sidebar
XP
• Windows Sidebar is a long vertical bar displayed
by default on the right side of your desktop
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
7
Using Shortcuts
XP
• You can create shortcuts to access drives,
documents, files, Web pages, programs, or other
computer resources such as a printer
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
8
Using Shortcuts
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
XP
9
Using Control Panel
XP
• The Control Panel is a window that contains
specialized tools you use to change the way
Windows Vista looks and behaves
• To open the Control Panel window, double-click
the Control Panel icon on your desktop
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
10
Using Control Panel
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
XP
11
Using Control Panel
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
XP
12
Changing the Desktop Background
XP
• Open the Control Panel window and switch to
Category View, if necessary
• Click Change desktop background in the Appearance
and Personalization category
• Select an image in the Desktop Background window or
click the Picture Location arrow or the Browse button
to select images stored in a different location
• Select a positioning option, if necessary
• Click the OK button
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
13
Changing the Desktop Background
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
XP
14
Changing the Appearance
of Desktop Elements
XP
• A color scheme is a set of colors you apply to
Windows elements
– Window Color and Appearance
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
15
Activating a Screen Saver
XP
• A screen saver blanks the screen or displays a
moving design whenever you haven’t worked
with the computer for a specified period of time
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
16
Changing Display Settings
XP
• The Display Settings dialog box has a Resolution
slider bar that lets you change the size of the
desktop area
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
17
Moving and Resizing the Taskbar
XP
• Make sure the taskbar is unlocked. To do so, right-click
any blank spot on the taskbar, and then click Lock the
Taskbar on the shortcut menu to remove the check
mark
• To move the taskbar, click a blank spot on the taskbar,
hold down the left mouse button, and drag the taskbar
to a new location (the top, bottom, left, or right edge of
the desktop)
• To resize the taskbar, point to a taskbar border until a
resize pointer appears, and then drag the border to a
different height or width
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
18
Moving and Resizing the Taskbar
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
XP
19
Working with Taskbar Toolbars
XP
• One way to customize the taskbar is to use it to
display toolbars
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
20
Customizing the
Quick Launch Toolbar
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
XP
21
Creating a Custom Taskbar Toolbar
XP
• To create a custom toolbar, right-click a blank
area of the taskbar, point to Toolbars, and then
click New Toolbar
• In the New Toolbar − choose a folder window,
click the folder or object you want to turn into a
toolbar, and then click the Select Folder button
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
22
Customizing the Start Menu
XP
• To customize the Start menu, right-click Start
button on the taskbar, then click Properties;
click the Customize button
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
23
Pinning an Item to the Start Menu
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
XP
24
Selecting Start Menu Settings
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
XP
25
Selecting Start Menu Settings
New Perspectives on Microsoft Windows Vista
XP
26