Windows 11 For Seniors For Dummies

IN THIS PART …

Fine-tune Windows 11.

Manage printers and other peripherals.

Manipulate files and folders.

Keep backup copies of files and folders.

Chapter 13 Maintaining Windows 11

IN THIS CHAPTER

Installing and uninstalling software

Deciding which apps run when your computer starts

Keeping Windows 11 up to date

Preventing viruses from infecting your computer

Windows 11 is a bit like a car. To make it run well, you have to maintain it.

Windows 11 uses several tools to keep you informed of issues that pertain to your computer’s health. The Reliability Monitor can help you pinpoint problems with hardware and software.

Machines such as can openers aren't getting any smarter. Your computer, however, can be programmed to do something it’s never done before. To make your computer capable of doing new things, you install new programs. On the other hand, your computer may have some programs that you’ll never use and wouldn’t miss. You don’t have to get rid of them, but doing so is easy enough and can make your computer run better.

In this chapter, you work with the Windows Security screen to check your computer’s health status. You also install a program and, optionally, uninstall one. This chapter also shows how to make your computer work faster by controlling the startup apps, defragmenting your hard drive, and deleting unnecessary system files. Finally, you discover how to protect your computer against spyware, viruses, and other foreign invaders.

Install a New Program

You can install software that you download from the web or from a CD or DVD. (Windows 11 apps must be installed through the Microsoft Store.) In this set of steps, you install Audacity, a free program for editing audio files. To install Audacity, open your browser and enter audacityteam.org/download in the address bar. You land on the web page for downloading Audacity. (See Chapter 6 for information on using the Edge browser.)

If a website offers to install a program automatically, regard that suggestion with suspicion. It may be legitimate or it may be malevolent. Decline downloads from sources that you don’t know and trust already.

Select the Audacity Installer link for Windows to go to the web page for downloading programs.

Select the Audacity Installer link to start the download; however, note that Edge may do this for you automatically. Either way, a Downloads pop-up menu appears, showing that the software has been downloaded. Choose Open File on this pop-up, shown in Figure 13-1.

The User Account Control dialog box appears. Select the Yes button to tell Windows you want to download and install the program. In the Select Setup Language dialog box, choose English and select OK.

Generally, if the installer for a program offers Express or Custom installation options, choose the Express option to let the installer set up the program without further input from you. The Custom or Advanced Settings option allows you to specify where to install the program and, perhaps, which parts of the program to install.

In the Setup – Audacity dialog boxes that appear, click Next until you come to the dialog box that asks whether you want to install the program. Select the Install button. In the Information dialog box shown in Figure 13-2, top, select the Next button. Last but not least, select the Finish button in the dialog box that tells you that Audacity has finished installing, as shown in Figure 12-2, bottom. The Audacity program opens on your screen.

FIGURE 13-1

Many programs try to connect to the Internet for updates during installation or when you run the installed program. The first time you run a program, you may be asked whether you want to register the program or configure some aspect of the program. Go with the default (assumed) responses, if you're not sure.

Close Audacity. You can do that by selecting the Close button (the X) in the upper-right corner of the screen.

In the unlikely event that you need to install a program that comes on a CD or DVD, insert the program disc into your computer’s disc drive or tray, label side up (or, if your computer has a vertical disc slot, insert the disc with the label side facing left). The AutoPlay dialog box appears. Select the option to run Install or Setup. User Account Control may ask whether you really want to run this program. (Windows 11 tries to keep you from installing software unintentionally by asking for confirmation.)

FIGURE 13-2

Remove a Programs

Unlike Windows 11 apps from the Microsoft Store, you install other programs from a website or even a CD. To see which programs are installed, open the Control Panel. Select the Search icon on the taskbar and type control panel; then select Control Panel in the Search results.

Many of the functions covered in this chapter are part of the Control Panel, which presents many functions for tweaking your computer setup.

In the Control Panel window (shown in Figure 13-3), under Programs, select Uninstall a Program. (You don’t have to uninstall anything right now; you can simply see what the option offers.) You see the Programs and Features window.

FIGURE 13-3

The Programs and Features window lists programs installed on Windows 11, but it does not list your Windows 11 apps. Initially, these programs are sorted by name. You may want to see the date you last used each program, because a program you haven’t used in ages may be a candidate for removal. (Otherwise, skip to Step 5.) Use one of the following techniques to display the date last used:

Mouse: Move the mouse pointer over any column heading, such as Name. Click the right mouse button.

Touchscreen: Tap and hold down on any column heading, such as Name. When a box appears around your fingertip, lift your finger.

On the context menu that appears, select More. In the Choose Details window (shown in Figure 13-4), select Last Used On and then select the OK button. The Last Used On column appears to the right of all the other columns.

Before you uninstall a program that you may want to reinstall later, make sure you have the installer file (or the installer CD or DVD for older programs) (or that you know where to download it from the web again). You have no undo option when you uninstall a program.

FIGURE 13-4

To uninstall a program, select it. For this example, select Audacity, as shown in Figure 13-5. You don’t have to uninstall Audacity, but if you do, you can follow the steps in the preceding section to reinstall it.

FIGURE 13-5

Select the Uninstall button (located above the list of program names). Some programs offer the Change and Repair options as well as Uninstall. Repair or Change may be useful for a program that you want to keep but isn’t running as expected. When Windows 11 asks whether you really to uninstall, select Yes or No.

If you uninstalled Audacity or another program, it will no longer appear in the Programs and Features window.

Just because you can uninstall a program doesn't mean you should. You can simply ignore programs you don't use. Look at a program's name, publisher, and date installed to determine whether you actually use a program. You may recognize a program you installed recently, as opposed to one installed before you got your computer. If you find that it's more productive to remove large programs than small ones, repeat Steps 3 and 4 to group by size.

After you install a program, take note of whether your computer runs differently. If your computer slows or behaves sluggishly, the program you recently installed could be the culprit. Uninstall it, if necessary.

Control Startup Apps

Startup apps are applications that start running when you turn on your computer. You might be surprised by how many startup apps run in the background without your knowing it. Occasionally you install new software or download a program from the Internet and discover that it runs automatically whether you like it or not. Sometimes the number of startup apps slows the computer down. To see which apps start running automatically when you turn on your computer, start the Task Manager with one of these techniques:

Keyboard: Press Ctrl+Alt+Del and select Task Manager on the blue screen.

Search: Select the search icon on the taskbar, enter task in the Search box, and then select the Task Manager in the search results.

Select More Details (if necessary) in the Task Manager window and then select the Startup tab, as shown in Figure 13-6. This is the list of applications that start when your computer starts.

Use one of these techniques to open your browser, go on the Internet, and find out what one of these startup applications does:

Mouse: Right-click an application and choose Search Online.

Touchscreen: Tap and hold down the name of an application. When a box appears around your fingertip, select Search Online.

FIGURE 13-6

Notice the Startup Impact column in the Task Manager. Applications with a high impact such as Microsoft OneDrive may be slowing down your computer. If you decide that one of these applications is unwanted or is slowing you down, disable it. (Don’t worry, you can enable it later on very easily, as we explain shortly.) To disable an application, select its name in the list and then select the Disable button.

To enable a startup application in the Task Manager (refer to Figure 13-6), select its name and then select the Enable button. The Status column in the Task Manager tells you whether a startup application has been disabled.

Explore System Information

Select the search icon on the taskbar and type control panel in the Search box.

Select Control Panel in the Search results. In the Control Panel, select System and Security.

In the System and Security window, select System. The System window shown in Figure 13-7 appears. This screen is chock-full of information and functions. (You need to scroll down the screen to see everything.) Note each of the following areas onscreen:

Windows edition: Of course, you have Windows 11. However, Windows 11 comes in two primary editions: the Home edition, which you are likely to have, and the Pro edition, for computer professionals. You may find information here about so-called Service or Experience Packs, which are large collections of updates to Windows 11.

Device Specifications: This section displays details about your hardware, including the processor, the amount of installed memory (RAM), and other details.

Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings: This information pertains to your network, if you have one. If a computer can’t connect to a network, the problem is often related to the name of the Workgroup (a network). The Change Settings function lets you change the Workgroup name to match other computers on the same network.

Windows 11 gives your computer a nondescript, generic name to begin with. To give your computer a more descriptive name, select Rename this PC at the very top of the System window (refer to Figure 13-7). Enter a new name in the Rename Your PC dialog box.

Product key and activation: In an effort to control software piracy involving bootlegged copies of Windows 11, each copy of Windows 11 must be activated. Odds are that you activated your copy the first time you started your computer.

FIGURE 13-7

Don’t be alarmed by the System information and options. If all goes well, you don’t have to use most of what you find here. Some familiarity with this screen will be useful, however, if all doesn’t go well later.

Check Your Security and Maintenance Status

In Control Panel, select System and Security, and on the next screen, choose Security and Maintenance (see Figure 13-8). The Security and Maintenance window appears, as shown in Figure 13-9.

Another way to open the Security and Maintenance window is to type Security and Maintenance using Search on the Windows taskbar.

FIGURE 13-8

FIGURE 13-9

Note any message displayed under Review Recent Messages and Resolve Problems. Ideally, you see No issues have been detected by Security and Maintenance. If you see a message concerning a specific problem, select that message for more information.

Select the Security heading in the Security and Maintenance window. That section expands to detail security functions. Every option should display On or OK. Here's a brief description of each item under Security:

Network Firewall: The firewall scans Internet traffic and blocks activity from programs that don’t have explicit permission to use Internet access. When you install a program that uses the Internet, you may be asked to approve the connection the first time. The safest practice is to reject online connections that you don’t initiate or recognize.

Virus Protection: Having virus protection for your computer is essential. Windows Defender, an antivirus protection program, comes with Windows 11, although you can install another antivirus program if you want. Later in this chapter, “Protect Your Computer from Viruses and Other Threats” explains how the Windows Defender works.

Internet Security Settings: These settings pertain to your browser. The default settings may be adequate.

User Account Control: This function notifies you of programs that try to make changes to your system and requires that you confirm any such changes. In particular, UAC lets you know when a program tries to run or install software that may be malicious. When in doubt, say No or Cancel to UAC messages.

Select the Maintenance heading to see what that section includes. Functions under Maintenance consist of the following:

Report Problems: This setting is on, allowing Windows 11 to regularly check for solutions to problems it uncovers. (In Step 5, you run the Reliability History report from this part of the screen.)

Automatic Maintenance: Your computer automatically performs critical updates, security scans, and diagnostics each day.

If your computer is in a guest room or bedroom, you may want to change the Automatic Maintenance setting to run maintenance tasks at some time other than the default 3:00 a.m. Your computer may actually wake up at that hour for maintenance (although, if your computer is connected to a power strip, you can turn off the power strip and prevent your computer from turning on automatically in the middle of the night). If the computer can’t run maintenance at the appointed hour, it will do so at the next opportunity.

File History: See Chapter 16 for information on using the File History option, which is off by default.

Drive status: Drives are hard disks inside or attached to your computer. Your documents, photos, and Windows 11 itself are stored on one or more drives. Ideally, the drive status is All drives are working properly. See Chapter 16 for information on backing up and restoring files.

Device software: If a device on your computer needs a driver or other type of software to run properly, you are alerted here (if no drivers are needed, you see the words No action needed). Select Install Device Software to install the software.

The Security and Maintenance window is a troubleshooting tool, so you should check it if you have problems running Windows 11.

Under Report Problems, select View Reliability History. As shown in Figure 13-10, the Reliability Monitor screen graphs your computer’s stability and indicates hardware and software problems, including those you may not be aware of. On this screen, red circles indicate critical events such as computer crashes; blue circles are information about software installation and updates; and yellow triangles indicate warnings about noncritical events (something that didn’t crash the computer). Select a day in the graph to display details in the lower portion of the screen.

Reviewing the Reliability Monitor screen helps you distinguish between a one-time glitch and a recurring or worsening problem.

FIGURE 13-10

Speed Up Your Computer

Frequently used computers tend to slow down over time. However, Windows 11 offers a couple of administrative tools that can make your computer work faster. To find out what these tools are, select the Search icon on the taskbar and type windows tools in the Search box. Then select the Windows Tools app in the search results. The Windows Tools app shows you a folder of tools you can use, as shown in Figure 13-11.

Select Defragment and Optimize Drives. The Optimize Drives screen opens, as shown in Figure 13-12. When you save a file, the new data you recently added gets placed on the hard drive wherever Windows 11 can find room for it. Consequently, a file is stored in many different places. If you’ve used your computer for a long time, files become fragmented — the bits and pieces are spread all over the drive, and your computer has to work hard to assemble all the pieces to open a file.

FIGURE 13-11

FIGURE 13-12

Select the C: drive and then select the Optimize button. Windows 11 optimizes your hard drive by moving the bits and pieces of files so that they are stored next to each other on the hard drive. It can take a few minutes or a few hours to optimize a hard drive, but no matter, because Windows 11 conducts this activity in the background and you can go on to do other tasks.

Return to the Windows Tools screen (refer to Figure 13-11) and select Disk Cleanup. The Disk Cleanup for Windows dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 13-13. It tells you how much disk space you can make available on your hard drive by removing unnecessary files.

FIGURE 13-13

Select the types of files you want deleted, and then select the Clean Up System Files button. A message box appears as the files are deleted from your computer.

Protect Your Computer from Viruses and Other Threats

Windows can identify and remove viruses, spyware, and other malefactors from your computer. To refine how Windows secures your computer against outside threats, select the Search icon on the taskbar and type virus in the Search box. In the Search results, choose Virus & Threat Protection. The Windows Security page opens, as shown in Figure 13-14. This page tells you whether the defense mechanisms on your computer are up to date. If they aren’t up to date, you can take actions here to update your computer’s defenses.

FIGURE 13-14

Windows performs “quick scans” in the background each time you run your computer. From time to time, to make sure your computer is thoroughly clean of viruses and spyware, run a full scan. Select the Scan Options link to display the scan options, shown in Figure 13-15. Then make sure that the Full Scan option is selected and select the Scan Now button.

FIGURE 13-15

A full scan can take a long time as Windows examines all the files on your computer for viruses and spyware. You can do other tasks on your computer while the full scan is running. If Windows finds a bad actor, the file with the virus or spyware is quarantined so that it won’t harm your computer.

Close the Windows Security window.

Chapter 14 Connecting a Printer and Other Devices

IN THIS CHAPTER

Understanding plug-and-play hardware devices

Setting up a printer

Examining devices connected to your computer

Fine-tuning a touchscreen

Every computer has a screen. Most computers, other than tablets, also have a keyboard and a mouse or other pointing device. You can add a mouse to a laptop that lacks one or replace the keyboard or mouse that came with your computer. Add a printer or a scanner to extend your computer’s functionality.

For any hardware add-ons — which tech folk call peripherals — Windows 11 has a trick up its sleeve. Thanks to plug-and-play technology, which automatically identifies add-on devices, connecting new devices to your computer can be quite easy.

In this chapter, you explore the devices connected to your computer, as well as options available for those devices. You find out how to access devices connected to your computer and also calibrate a touchscreen to make it work better for you.

Trust USB Plug and Play for Hardware

You may find many kinds of add-on devices useful:

A printer lets you, well, print documents and photos. Your choices for printers include black and white versus color, and inkjet versus laser printer. A multifunction printer also works as a copier, scanner, and fax machine.

A digital camera captures photos that you can copy to your computer to enjoy and to share with others. See Chapter 11 for information on working with photos.

A scanner enables you to make digital images of old photos or documents so that you can view them onscreen. Chapter 11 explains how to use a scanner.

An external hard drive stores backup copies of your files. See Chapter 16 for information on adding an external hard drive to your computer.

An additional or replacement pointing device (your mouse is a pointing device), including a trackball or a pen with a tablet, may be more comfortable to use than what came with your computer. Switching between pointing devices helps you avoid repetitive stress. A wireless mouse eliminates the hassle of dealing with a cord. Some people like to add a mouse as an alternative to their laptop's built-in touchpad.

A microphone is crucial for communicating by voice with your computer, through speech recognition, or with your friends over the Internet. A combination headset with microphone may produce the clearest sound.

A video camera (or webcam) is essential for video phone calls à la the Jetsons. See Chapter 11 for information on using a video camera.

Some of these devices are built into computers; some are not. Most devices that aren’t built in connect to a computer using USB (Universal Serial Bus) technology. When you connect a device to your computer using a USB cable to the USB port (see Figure 14-1), the device identifies itself to the computer. This identification process is called plug-and-play. Ideally, you connect your device, and it simply works.

FIGURE 14-1

Windows 11 uses a device driver to communicate with an add-on device. The driver is really a program that tells Windows 11 how to run the device. When you connect a device, such as a printer, Windows 11 looks for a driver (in this case, a printer driver). That driver may be built into Windows 11, come on a disc that’s packaged with the device, or need to be downloaded from the Internet, either automatically by Windows 11 or manually by you.

Every computer has at least one USB port. Some are in the front; others are in the side, back, or top of the computer and are harder to reach. If your computer doesn't have enough ports, you can add more by buying a USB hub, which is a small box with several USB ports. If a port is hard to reach with a device’s cable, you can buy a USB extension cable. Office supply stores may have hubs and cables, or you can easily find them online.

If you have a newer computer, it may also have one or more USB-C ports. The USB-C is a newer type of USB connection that uses a smaller connector shape than the former USB and it’s easier to plug in. Also, USB-C cables are much faster than USB. Consult your computer documentation for more details.

Just because you can plug something into your computer doesn’t mean you should! Flash drives and other storage media that plug into your PC can also contain viruses, so be sure to use only items from trusted sources. In other words, if you find a flash drive on the sidewalk, don’t take it home and plug it into your computer!

Bluetooth is a wireless technology for adding devices to your computer. If your computer has Bluetooth, you can use Bluetooth as well as USB to add some devices, such as a microphone, headset, or wireless keyboard and mouse.

See All Devices

Select the Search icon on the taskbar and type settings in the Search box; then click the Settings app that appears in the search results. The Settings window opens. Choose Bluetooth & Devices to open the Bluetooth & Other Devices category of the Devices window, as shown in Figure 14-2. Devices listed may include your monitor, speakers, headphones, keyboard, mouse, and more. Devices shared through your network (if your computer is connected to a network) also appear here. For information on adjusting device settings, see the “Access Device Options” section, later in the chapter.

Select the Printers & Scanners category in the Devices window, to see the screen shown in Figure 14-3. This screen lists printers and scanners that are connected to your computer.

FIGURE 14-2

Some, but not all, devices display information below the device name. A network device may display Offline (not accessible) or it may display nothing if it is accessible. A printer may display Ready or it may display nothing if the printer isn’t ready.

You are unlikely to need the Add a Bluetooth or Other Device button because most devices are added automagically (that’s a word nerds like to use). However, if you select Add a Device, Windows 11 scans for additional hardware that you may have connected to the computer. No harm in doing so.

FIGURE 14-3

Connect a Printer or Other Device

Take your printer out of the box. Keep all the packing material together until you know you won’t need to return the printer. Arrange all the components for easy access. In addition to the printer, you’ll probably find ink cartridges or a toner cartridge, a power cable, and some basic installation instructions. Read the setup instructions that come with your printer before you do anything else!

Some of these steps apply to other devices, such as a mouse, a webcam, or a microphone. Printers often have more packaging and require more assembly than other devices.

Most printers connect wirelessly to your home Internet router. That way, you can wirelessly print from any computer, tablet, or even your phone. If you need to connect the printer to your computer using a USB cable, you’ll need to buy one because USB cables aren’t typically included with the printer. Fortunately, they are cheap and available at most big-box stores or online.

Remove all tape from the printer. Most printers ship with the print mechanism locked in place to prevent it from moving during shipping. Look for brightly colored tape, paper, or plastic indicating what you need to move or remove to release the print mechanism.

Put the printer within cable length of your computer if you’re not using a wireless printer. Insert the ink or toner cartridge before you turn on the printer for the first time. Place some paper in the paper drawer or tray. Connect the printer to the power supply. Plug the printer cable into the printer and into the computer. If you’re using a wireless printer, follow the setup instructions for connecting the computer to your Internet router.

Very likely, you have to download and install a software program from your printer’s manufacturer in order to install your printer. Chapter 13 describes how to install programs from a company website.

Turn on the printer. A notification tells you that Windows is “setting up a device.” If all goes well, you soon see this notification: Device is ready, your printer (the brand and model number of your printer) is set up and ready to go. You may see other informational messages as Windows 11 handles the configuration, and you may see messages from the printer software as well. Just follow the printer manufacturer’s instructions as needed.

To confirm that your printer is installed properly, see the preceding section, “See All Devices.”

Access Device Options

For more control over device setup, open the Control Panel to the Devices and Printers window. To do so, select the Search icon on the taskbar and type control panel in the Search box. Select Control Panel in the search results to open the Control Panel, and select View Devices and Printers (under Hardware and Sound) to display the window shown in Figure 14-4.

The Device and Printers window shows the devices attached to your computer, including the computer itself, the display (or monitor), external add-on devices (such as a hard drive, flash drive, or memory card), and the mouse.

FIGURE 14-4

Most of these devices also appear in the Devices category of the Settings app (refer to Figure 14-3). However, you’ll find options under Devices and Printers that aren’t available in the Settings app.

Windows 11 automatically installs the Microsoft Print to PDF software. This software doesn't print but does create files that you can print later using a real printer. For example, if you’re in a coffee shop and want to print a web page or an email message, you can use this device and then open the file it creates when your computer is connected to a printer.

Double-click or double-tap the device you want to examine. This action opens the device's properties in a window with options or in a smaller box with limited information and options. (Older devices have more limited information.) Figure 14-5 shows information about a printer. When you’re finished reviewing the information or selecting available options, return to the previous screen by clicking the back arrow on the toolbar.

FIGURE 14-5

Display the context menu of options for your printer (or any device) using one of these methods: Click the right mouse button, or tap and hold until you see a small box appear under your finger, and then release. Select Printer Properties from the context menu. (Oddly, the menu also has a separate Properties option — be sure to select Printer Properties instead.)

In the Properties window, select the Print Test Page button. Another window opens indicating A test page has been sent to your printer. Select Close.

If a test page doesn’t print, check that both ends of the cable are plugged in properly and make sure the printer is turned on. If you’re using a wireless printer, make sure the printer is connected to your Internet router. Try to print a test page again. For more help, contact the printer manufacturer or the store where you bought the printer, or search the web.

If you’re having problems with any device, select the Troubleshoot option on the context menu to open a guided troubleshooting program that will walk you through options for resolving problems with the device.

The top of the Devices and Printers window has the Add a Device and Add a Printer buttons, but you need to use them only if Windows 11 doesn't automatically detect and install your device. With USB and plug-and-play technology, most devices install automatically.

Calibrate Your Touchscreen

If you have a problem accurately selecting objects on your screen using touch, you can calibrate your screen alignment. In this case, calibrating means to help Windows 11 understand what constitutes a tap on the screen. Select the Search icon on the taskbar and type control panel in the Search box. Select Control Panel in the search results and then select Hardware and Sound in the Control Panel window. You see the Hardware and Sound window, shown in Figure 14-6.

In the Hardware and Sound window, select Calibrate the Screen for Pen or Touch Input (it’s under Tablet PC Settings); see Figure 14-6. The Tablet PC dialog box appears (see Figure 14-7).

Select the Calibrate button. User Account Control may ask you to confirm that you want to run the Digitizer Calibration Tool. If so, select Yes.

If your touchscreen is badly calibrated, you may not be able to tap the Calibrate button. In that case, plug in a mouse to make the selection, and then continue using touch.

The screen displays lines around its perimeter, forming a box near the edge of the screen and a second box inside the first about half an inch from the edge. Lines connect these boxes near each corner. The result is 16 intersections. Starting at the upper-left corner, use your finger or a stylus to tap each intersection, which displays two short black lines forming crosshairs. As you touch each intersection, Windows 11 measures your touch and adjusts touch settings accordingly. After each touch is recorded, the crosshairs move to the next intersection to the right. (If the crosshairs don’t move, tap the previous intersection again.) As the crosshairs move, tap the highlighted intersection, left to right, down, and then left to right again. The process takes much longer to read about than to do.

FIGURE 14-6

If Windows 11 doesn’t recognize your touch, it won’t continue with the process. The screen says Right-click anywhere to return to the last calibration point. What if you don’t have a mouse? Tap and hold until you see the little box under your fingertip, and then release — that’s the touch equivalent of a click of the right mouse button.

After you have selected each of the 16 calibration points in turn, a box pops up asking whether you want to save the calibration data. Select OK unless you think something went wrong. In that case, select Cancel.

FIGURE 14-7

Chapter 15 Working with Files

IN THIS CHAPTER

Saving, opening, searching for, and organizing files

Organizing files in folders

Renaming and deleting files and folders

Retrieving a deleted file from the Recycle Bin

All the data inside your computer is stored on a disk. Your computer has a primary disk, formally called the internal hard drive. You may see this disk referred to as the C: drive. (The terms drive and disk are interchangeable.)

The contents of a disk are organized into individual files. When you create a file and save it for the first time, you create a file on a disk. Many other files on the disk belong to the programs you use, including the thousands of files that make up Windows 11.

Disks also are organized into folders, which are containers for files. For its own files, Windows 11 has a main folder that contains dozens of other folders (called subfolders). Inside or below that user account folder, Windows 11 creates more folders to help you organize your files by type. For example, by default, all your photos go into the Pictures folder, and all your documents go into the Documents folder.

In this chapter, you discover how to save and open a file, search for files, and explore your disk, folders, and files. You work with File Explorer as you create new folders to organize documents and move files from one folder to another. You also copy files from your hard drive to other disks to take with you or give to other people. This chapter also explains how to rename and delete files and folders. What if you delete a file or folder and you regret doing so? Don’t worry, because this chapter shows how to get back a file or folder that you mistakenly deleted.

Save and Open a File

In computer land, nothing is more important than files. Computer programs are stored in files. Data is stored in files. To start working, you open a file. When you’re finished working, you save and close your file. To experiment with files, open WordPad, the word processing app that comes with Windows 11.

Chapter 2 explains how to open apps. Chapter 9 looks into WordPad and how it can serve your word processing needs.

As shown in Figure 15-1, type a few words into WordPad and then save your file. Most apps (WordPad included) offer three ways to save a file:

Select the Save button.

Press Ctrl+S.

Open the File menu and choose Save.

When you save a file for the first time, the Save As dialog box appears (refer to Figure 15-1). It invites you to give the file a name and to tell Windows 11 which folder to keep it in. Enter the name My File in the File Name text box. The Save As dialog box offers the means of choosing a folder for your file. For now, you can store your file in the Documents folder, the folder that Windows 11 selected for you (refer to Figure 15-1). Notice that the Documents folder is already selected in the navigation pane on the left side of the Save As dialog box.

Select the Save button in the Save As dialog box. Congratulations! You just saved your file. The title bar at the top of the WordPad window shows the name of your file, “My File.” When you’re not sure what a file is called, look at the title bar along the top of the screen.

Close WordPad. The fastest way to close an app is to select the Close button (the X) in the upper-right corner of the screen.

Open WordPad as you did in Step 1. Where is My File, the file you saved and named in Steps 4 and 5?

Open the File menu (select the word File in the upper-left corner of the screen) and choose Open. The Open dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 15-2. This dialog box is the mirror image of the Save As dialog box that you saw earlier. Use it to locate the file you want to open. In this case, Windows 11 has opened the dialog box to its favorite folder, Documents, which also happens to be the folder where My File is stored.

Choose My File and then select the Open button (refer to Figure 15-2). My File opens onscreen.

FIGURE 15-1

FIGURE 15-2

Most apps offer shortcuts for opening files. In WordPad, for example, you see a list of files that you recently opened on the File menu. You can select a filename on the list to open a file straightaway.

To quickly open a file (or application) you opened recently, click or tap in the Search box on the left side of the taskbar. A pop-up menu appears with the names of files you opened recently. You can select a filename in the list to open a file. Select an application name to open an application.

Find a Misplaced File

To search for a misplaced file, begin with the Search icon, located on the taskbar. Type the name of a document or photo you have on your computer. The search results appear, as shown in Figure 15-3.

FIGURE 15-3

Initially, the search results shows all and sundry — settings, apps, files, websites, and other search opportunities — in the search results. If you don’t see the item you want in a search, narrow the list of items by selecting one of the tabs at the top of the search window — Apps, Documents, Web, or More. Documents, for example, narrows the search to items on your computer.

To open a file, select it in the search results. If more than one application on your computer is capable of opening the file, you may see the How Do You Want to Open This File? dialog box, as shown in Figure 15-4. Select an application to open the file.

The How Do You Want to Open This File? dialog box offers a means of telling Windows 11 to always open files of a certain type with a particular application (refer to Figure 15-4). Selecting the Always Use This App to Open check box tells Windows 11 to open files of a certain type automatically with the app you chose.

FIGURE 15-4

Close the app that opens the file by using one of these methods:

Click or tap the Close button (the X located in the upper-right corner of the screen).

Press Alt+F4.

Strictly speaking, if you find what you’re looking for, stop looking. (No extra charge for pearls of wisdom.) In this case, however, keep looking, because doing so reveals important information about how files are organized and how you can take control of that organization.

On the taskbar, select the File Explorer icon (the yellow folder). File Explorer opens. Notice that File Explorer contains a toolbar, a left navigation pane, and a right content pane that displays the contents of the selected folder, as shown in Figure 15-5.

FIGURE 15-5

Select This PC on the left side of the File Explorer window, and then select the box labeled Search (probably followed by This PC), below the toolbar and to the right. Type the same search term you used in Step 1. As you type, File Explorer displays any matching files, highlighting the text that matches. Figure 15-6 shows the results of a search on a computer using the search term Kauai sunset.

On a touchscreen, the virtual keyboard doesn’t appear on the desktop until you select the keyboard icon on the right side of the taskbar.

If the search results include too many files, thereby making it hard to see the one you want, type more of the filename in the Search box. The number of matching files should decrease as you type more text in the box.

The focus of a search — where File Explorer searches — determines what files and folders are found. In Step 5, you selected This PC, making all the files on your computer the focus of the search. Accordingly, Windows 11 searched for files and folders throughout your computer. To change the focus of your search to the Pictures folder, select the Pictures folder in the navigation pane. Then select the box labeled Search and enter your search term again. The search results focus on files in the Pictures folder.

FIGURE 15-6

You can use the Sort feature on the toolbar to refine a search, as needed. Start a search and then click Sort ⇒   More. You can then choose to sort by date created, authors, tags, and so forth.

Add a Location to Quick Access

If you frequently access a specific location using File Explorer, you might want to add that location to the Quick Access section of the navigation pane for easy access. The Quick Access section is located at the top of the navigation pane. Windows 11 places some folders in the Quick Access folder list automatically, including the Documents folder and the Pictures folder. As well, it lists in alphabetical order folders that you visit frequently.

Display the Quick Access folders. To do so, click or tap the arrow next to Quick Access in the navigation pane to expand it, as shown in Figure 15-7.

FIGURE 15-7

Select a folder that you access frequently. For example, if you’re currently working on files you keep in a folder called My Work, select that folder in the navigation pane.

On the See More button on the toolbar (it looks like three dots), select the Pin to Quick Access option on the menu (refer to Figure 15-8). The name of the folder you selected in Step 3 now appears in the Quick Access folder list. Notice the pin beside its name.

Select your folder in the Quick Access folder list. Next time you want to get to this folder, you can get there quickly by selecting Quick Access in the navigation pane and then selecting your folder.

FIGURE 15-8

To remove a folder from the Quick Access list, select the folder you want to remove. Then right-click the folder and choose Unpin from Quick Access on the shortcut menu.

Use File Explorer for Easy Access to Files

Select the File Explorer icon on the taskbar if File Explorer is not already open. The right side of Explorer is called the content area. The left side of Explorer is called the navigation pane and contains folders. Explorer starts with its focus on your Quick Access and This PC folders, and on your C: drive and Network drives (if your computer is connected to a network).

The keyboard shortcut to open File Explorer is    + E.

On the left, select Music, and then Pictures, and then Videos, while noting the files in the content area on the right. Many Windows 11 apps store files by default in the Documents, Music, Pictures, and Videos folders. Select the Documents folder again.

To create a practice document that you can use in later sections, select the New Folder menu on the toolbar. In the New section, select Text Document, as shown in Figure 15-9. (If you don’t see this option, make sure that the Documents folder is selected.) An empty text document is created and the words New Text Document are highlighted so that you can type a new name. Type practice file. (You’ll rename this file in a later section.) Feel free to repeat this step to create additional items for practice, such as Microsoft Word Documents or Bitmap Images.

On a touchscreen, the virtual keyboard doesn’t appear on the desktop until you select the keyboard icon on the right side of the taskbar.

Select the View button on the taskbar. In the drop-down menu that appears, select each option, such as Extra Large Icons and Large, Medium, and Small Icons. Try them all, if you like.

FIGURE 15-9

Certain layouts are better for certain purposes. For example, photos are easier to recognize as Extra Large Icons than as a List. Figure 15-10 shows documents using the Details view, which includes the date the file was modified.

FIGURE 15-10

Create a Folder to Organize Your Files

In the File Explorer navigation pane, select the Documents folder.

Select the New Folder button on the taskbar. An icon for the new folder appears in the content area on the right, with the name New folder next to it and already selected (see Figure 15-11).

On a touchscreen, the virtual keyboard doesn’t appear on the desktop until you select the keyboard icon on the right side of the taskbar.

Type practice folder as the new name. Don’t move the cursor or mouse before you start typing. Your new text will replace the highlighted text automatically. Press the Enter key to make the new name stick. (If you have a problem naming the folder, see the “Rename a File or a Folder” section, later in this chapter.)

Open your new folder by double-clicking or double-tapping its icon. Notice that the content area is empty.

To return to the Documents folder, select Documents in the navigation pane.

FIGURE 15-11

Don’t worry too much about creating folders, because the folders that Windows 11 provides may be all you ever need. As you accumulate more files, however, placing them into other folders can help you stay organized. In the Documents folder, for example, you might create a subfolder called Finances for files related to income, expenses, and investments, and another subfolder called Family for family-related documents. Which folders and subfolders to create and how to name them depends entirely on your own sense of order.

Use Check Boxes to Select Files

In File Explorer, you select files to move, copy, rename, or delete. You can add a check box to make selecting multiple files easier. This option may be turned on by default. Select a file or folder in File Explorer, and if a check box appears next to it, you don’t need to do anything else. If not, however, you can turn on this feature. In File Explorer, select the View button on the toolbar and then select Show. Click the Item Check Boxes option on the menu that appears, as shown in Figure 15-12.

Select the Documents folder (or any folder that contains more than one file). To select a file, click or tap its filename. (You won’t see the check box until you select it with a tap or a click, or hover over it with the mouse pointer.) Repeat to select additional files. If you want to deselect a file, select the check box again to remove the check mark. Close the window after you've seen how these check boxes work. Figure 15-13 shows four selected files.

If you want to select only a single file, you can select anywhere on the filename. You use the check box when you want to select more than one file at a time.

The See More button on the toolbar offers other methods for selecting. Select All does just what it says — selects all objects in a folder or library. Select None works similarly. Invert Selection switches the selection. For example, if we chose Invert Selection in the context of Figure 15-13, the four selected files would be deselected and all the other files would be selected. Sometimes it’s easier to select the files you don’t want and then invert the selection.

FIGURE 15-12

FIGURE 15-13

Undo or Redo an Action

Sometimes you make mistakes when you’re working with Windows 11. For example, you may give a file the wrong name or move a file to the wrong folder. The good news is that you can easily undo your last action. Just click the See More button on the toolbar and you see Undo in the menu list, as shown in Figure 15-14.

If you make a mistake and want to undo your last action, just click the Undo button. Note that there is no time limit for Undo, so no rush. However, also note that Undo undoes only your last action. You can’t use this feature to undo something you did several steps back as you’re working in File Explorer.

The keyboard shortcut for undo is Ctrl+Z.

You can also redo an action that you’ve chosen to undo. Say you undo a filename for a document, but then you realize that the original file name was correct after all. In that case, just select See More and then select Redo, as shown in Figure 15-14.

The keyboard shortcut for redo is Ctrl+Y.

FIGURE 15-14

Move a File from One Folder to Another

You can move files to organize them. For this exercise, select the Documents folder in File Explorer. Select one of your documents.

To move more than one file at a time, see the section “Use Check Boxes to Select Files,” earlier in this chapter.

In the navigation pane, scroll to find the folder you want to move the file to. When you see it, just drag the file to the new folder in the navigation pane and release it. This action moves the file out of the original folder and to the new folder you’ve chosen.

Use these same steps to move a subfolder from one folder to another. However, don't move folders that Windows 11 creates.

Rename a File or a Folder

You can change the name of any file or folder you create. (Don’t rename files in the Windows or Program Files folders.) For this exercise, select the Documents folder in File Explorer. Then select one of your files.

To rename more than one file at a time, see the section “Use Check Boxes to Select Files,” earlier in this chapter. On completion of the rename operation, the files you selected will share the name you provide; each file will have a unique number added to the name, starting with (1).

On the toolbar, select the Rename button. In the content area, the current name of the file or folder is selected, as shown in Figure 15-15. If you type anything while the text is selected, you erase the current name, which is convenient if the new name is completely different from the old name. If you want to keep most of the current name and edit it, select inside the name or press the left- or right-arrow key to move to the place in the name where you want to type new text.

Type the new name, which can be more than 200 characters long (although a dozen characters may be more than enough). You can capitalize letters and use spaces and dashes, but you can’t use slashes or asterisks, which Windows 11 reserves for other purposes.

On a touchscreen, the virtual keyboard doesn’t appear on the desktop until you select the keyboard icon on the right side of the taskbar.

When you’ve typed the new name, press the Enter key to finish the process.

FIGURE 15-15

You can right-click a file’s icon to see the Rename option on the context menu that appears. You may find this method faster.

Delete a File or Folder

You can delete any of your files that you no longer need. (Don’t delete files in the Windows or Program Files folders.) For this exercise, select the Documents folder in File Explorer. Then select one of your files.

To delete more than one file at a time, see the section “Use Check Boxes to Select Files,” earlier in this chapter.

On the toolbar, select the Delete button.

The keyboard shortcut to delete the selected file is the Delete key (surprise!).

A confirmation dialog box appears and asks whether you really want to delete the file, as shown in Figure 15-16. Here’s your chance to change your mind if you want. However, for this exercise, select Yes in the dialog box to delete the file.

If you don’t see a confirmation dialog box like the one in Figure 15-16, tell Windows 11 that you want to see this dialog box when you delete files and folders. Just right-click the Recycle Bin and click Properties. On the Properties dialog box, select Display Delete Confirmation Dialog and click OK, as shown in Figure 15-17.

Select another file, and then select the Delete button. The Delete File confirmation window appears. This time, select No to cancel the operation.

FIGURE 15-16

FIGURE 15-17

Get Back a File or Folder You Deleted

Normally, when you delete a file or folder, Windows 11 moves the object to the Recycle Bin. Objects remain in the Recycle Bin indefinitely, allowing you to restore something you deleted long after you did so. To open the Recycle Bin, go to the desktop and double-click or double-tap the Recycle Bin icon. The Recycle Bin opens, as shown in Figure 15-18.

If many files or folders are listed in the Recycle Bin window, type the name of the item you want in the Search box in the top-right corner of the window. If any files match what you type, they appear in the content area.

Note that on a touchscreen, the virtual keyboard doesn’t appear on the desktop until you select the keyboard icon on the right side of the taskbar.

To restore a file or folder to its original location, select the file or folder in the Recycle Bin window. Select See More on the toolbar and select Restore the Selected Items. The selected file or folder returns to the folder it was in before it was deleted.

If Windows 11 needs disk space, it will automatically clear out the oldest files in the Recycle Bin first. If you want to get rid of everything in the Recycle Bin, select Empty Recycle Bin on the toolbar. After you empty the Recycle Bin, you can’t undo your action.

Don’t select the Restore All Items button, because doing so puts every single item in the Recycle Bin back in its original location. Most of the files in the Recycle Bin are probably files that you really meant to delete. Choosing this command would be like dumping the trash can on your living-room floor to find a penny you threw away.

See Chapter 16 for information on backing up and restoring files.

FIGURE 15-18

Chapter 16 Backing Up and Restoring Files

IN THIS CHAPTER

Attaching files and copying them to a storage drive

Managing files on OneDrive

Creating and storing backup files

Restoring a failed computer

Some of your files — photos and documents — are priceless. If you accidentally delete a treasured file, what can you do but cry? You can insure your well-being by creating copies of your documents and photos.

The best insurance involves storing copies of files on devices separate from your computer. Such devices include the following:

Flash drive and memory card: Carry your files when you’re away from your computer by storing them on a portable storage device. For example, you can store files on a USB flash drive (also called a thumb drive), or a memory card, which is the size of a postage stamp and is most often used in laptop computers and digital cameras. Common capacities for flash drives and memory cards range from 8 to 256GB.

A gigabyte (GB) of storage can hold thousands of files, but you’ll be amazed by how quickly you can fill that space.

External hard drive: This type of drive has a much higher capacity than a flash drive, making it ideal for backing up all your files — the best insurance. Affordable external hard drives range from 500GB to 3TB.

A terabyte (TB) of storage is equal to a thousand gigabytes, which should be enough room to back up everything on your computer.

Network drive: If your computer connects to a home network, you may be able to copy files to other devices on the network. For example, you can use a large-capacity network drive to back up files from more than one computer.

OneDrive: Your Microsoft Account comes with 5 gigabytes of free storage in the cloud (which means on the Internet). Anything stored in OneDrive is duplicated on additional computers you log in to with the same Microsoft Account.

OneDrive provides storage but not a backup (duplicate). If you delete a file from OneDrive, any copies stored on linked computers are also deleted.

In this chapter, you copy files to a flash drive and hard drive so that you can transport files between machines and back up your files. You also find out how to store files in the Microsoft cloud with OneDrive. As well, you use the Backup function, which automatically copies files as a backup. Consider this scenario: You write a letter to a friend and save it to your Documents folder. Later that day, you delete part of the letter and save it again, replacing the original document. The next day, you wish you still had the deleted text. The Backup function comes to your rescue because it saves versions of files; you can recover the latest version or an earlier version of a file. As we wrote this book, we saved it hundreds of times — the Backup function could save every version, allowing us to roll back to an earlier copy, to before we had made some big goof. (That’s purely hypothetical, of course.)

Finally, in this chapter, you explore the Reset function, a tool you may need if you have problems with your computer. The Reset function reinstalls Windows 11 but preserves your personal data.

Add an External Hard Drive or Flash Drive

Before you attach a flash drive or hard drive to your computer, consider the following options that Windows 11 automatically offers for using the newly attached drive:

Configure Storage Settings opens the Settings app so that you can configure the storage settings on your computer.

Open Folder to View Files displays the contents of the disk in File Explorer on the desktop. You select this option to copy files to or from the drive you’re attaching.

Take No Action dismisses the notification.

Notifications appear for the amount of time specified in PC Settings. If the notification disappears before you can select it, you can redisplay it by removing and then reinserting the drive or USB cable.

Locate an unused USB port on your computer. A USB port is a small rectangular slot on the front or back of a desktop computer or along any edge of a laptop or tablet computer. USB ports are often marked with a symbol that looks like a trident, as shown in Figure 16-1.

If a USB port is hard to reach, you can buy an extension cable from any office supply store. You can also buy a hub, which adds ports to your computer.

If you’re using a flash drive, insert it into the USB slot. USB fits one way only. If you’re using an external hard drive, plug it into a power source, if one is required, and then connect a cable to the USB port. Turn on the external drive, if it has a separate power switch. (Flash drives and some external hard drives don’t have separate power supplies or switches.)

Windows 11 displays a notification to Choose what to do with removable drives. (You can click the mouse instead of tapping.) If you select the first notification, a list of choices appears, such as Open folder to view files. If you know which action you want to take, you can select that action. Otherwise, select Take No Action or wait until the notification disappears on its own.

FIGURE 16-1

Copy Files to or from a Flash Drive

To copy files or folders to a flash drive, insert the flash drive into one of your computer’s USB ports.

Laptops, like cameras, often have a slot for a memory card. Want to turn your memory card into a flash drive? Simply buy a device called a dedicated or single-purpose memory card reader. Strictly speaking, a multipurpose card reader also works, but multicard readers cost more and are often larger than single-card readers. In addition, a dedicated memory card reader doesn’t need a cable to connect a camera to a computer. You can just download your pictures to your hard drive from the card.

If Windows 11 displays a notification, when you insert the flash drive or memory card, select Open Folder to View Files, which will open File Explorer on the desktop. If File Explorer doesn’t open automatically, go to the desktop and then select the yellow folder icon in the taskbar to open File Explorer.

The keyboard shortcut to open File Explorer is    + E.

In File Explorer, navigate on the left to the folder that contains the files you want to copy. See Chapter 15 for information on navigating in File Explorer. Select the folder.

On the right side of File Explorer, select the folder or file you want to copy. If you see a check box to the left of each object you want to copy, you can select each check box to copy multiple files simultaneously. (If you don’t see check boxes next to files, see Chapter 15 for information on enabling this function for file selection.)

To select every object on the right simultaneously, use the Select All button available on the See More menu.

The keyboard shortcut to select all files in File Explorer is Ctrl + A.

Select the Copy button, as shown in Figure 16-2.

Click the little arrow next to This PC in the File Explorer navigation pane and locate the flash drive or memory card. The drive will not be Local Disk (C:), where Windows 11 resides. Select the removable flash drive or memory card to which you want to copy the files, as shown in Figure 16-3, and then select the Paste button on the toolbar. If the files copy quickly, you may not see any indication of progress; otherwise, a progress bar is displayed until copying is complete.

OneDrive may be listed in the Copy Items window. Files you copy to OneDrive are automatically copied to the cloud and to linked computers.

If you copy a file that is already on the destination disk, the Replace or Skip Files window appears, as shown in Figure 16-4. (Perhaps you’re copying a newer version of a file you copied before.) Note the available options:

Replace the File in the Destination: Selecting this option replaces one file with another. Be certain that you don’t need the replaced file (as you might if you want to keep different versions of files).

Skip This File: Selecting this option does nothing with this file.

Compare Info for Both Files: Selecting this option opens another window in which you can select files on the left to replace those on the right, and select files on the right to keep. Selecting the same file on the left and right creates a second file with a number added to the name, such as my file (2). This option enables you to have the original and the new file.

Select one of the previous options. If you selected Compare Info for Both Files, select the files to replace or skip, and then select the Continue button. You may or may not see a progress indicator, depending on how quickly the files are copied.

Confirm that the copy worked by navigating on the left to the location you selected as the destination in Step 6. If the files are there, congratulations; you’re done. If not, try Steps 4 through 6 again.

Remove the flash drive or memory card you inserted in Step 1. You’re good to go.

FIGURE 16-2

FIGURE 16-3

FIGURE 16-4

If you have files or folders that you’d be devastated to lose, follow the steps in this task to create backup copies of those items on a portable storage device. Then keep that device in a safe place.

To copy files from a flash drive or memory card, follow these same steps but select the flash drive in Step 3 and the folder or other destination to which you want to copy or move files in Step 6.

Use OneDrive to Store File Copies

Use OneDrive to back up and store files on the Microsoft cloud — in other words, to back up and store files on servers that Microsoft maintains on the Internet. If you have a Microsoft Account, you are entitled to 5 gigabytes of free storage space on the Microsoft cloud. If you have an Office 365 subscription, you are entitled to 1,054 gigabytes (1 terabyte). Here’s the big advantage of OneDrive: You can access files that you keep on the cloud from any computer connected to the Internet, whether you’re in Tallahassee or Timbuktu. Use one of these techniques to open the Set Up OneDrive dialog box and tell Windows 11 that you want to use OneDrive:

Select the OneDrive icon in the notification area located in the lower-right corner of the screen.

Select the Search icon on the taskbar and enter onedrive in the Search box; then select the OneDrive app in the search results.

If you’re signed in with a Microsoft Account, Windows 11 already knows your password. Skip to Step 3.

In the Set Up OneDrive dialog box, enter your email address and select the Sign In button. In the dialog box that appears, enter the password to your email account and select the Sign In button.

The next dialog box welcomes you to OneDrive or tells you where your OneDrive folder is located (which dialog box you see depends on whether you are signed in with a Microsoft or a local account). Click the Next button or Close button as necessary. You’re ready to copy the folders you want to back up or store into your OneDrive folder in the Microsoft cloud.

Open File Explorer and copy the folders you want to back up or store into the OneDrive folder. As shown in Figure 16-5, this folder appears in the navigation pane on the left side of the File Explorer window. Don’t let appearances fool you. Although the OneDrive folder appears alongside the other folders in the navigation pane, that folder lives in the Microsoft cloud, not on your computer. Folders and files on OneDrive show a green check mark to let you know they’re on OneDrive (refer to Figure 16-5).

Chapter 15 explains how to copy and move files with File Explorer. As well, it explains how to create and save files.

In File Explorer, open one of the folders on your computer that you copied to OneDrive, create a new file, and save the new file under the name Sync in the folder you opened.

In File Explorer, select the OneDrive folder and then, in OneDrive, open the folder with the same name as the folder you opened in Step 5. You see the Sync file on OneDrive. When you save a file in a folder that is also kept on OneDrive, a copy of the file is made to OneDrive automatically. Microsoft calls this syncing (for synchronizing). Thanks to syncing, you don’t have to copy files to OneDrive on your own because the copies are made automatically.

To see which folders from your computer are synced to folders in OneDrive, select the OneDrive icon in the notification area, choose Help & Settings on the dialog box, and then choose Settings in the pop-out menu. The Microsoft OneDrive dialog box appears. On the Account tab, select the Choose Folders button. The Choose Folders dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 16-6. You can deselect a folder in this dialog box to prevent OneDrive from syncing a folder on your computer to its counterpart folder on OneDrive. Deselect a folder if you don’t care to back up its contents on OneDrive.

Start the Edge browser and go to the OneDrive online website at this address: onedrive.live.com. If necessary, enter your password. You see the folders from your computer that you store on OneDrive, as shown in Figure 16-7. You can manage your files and folders starting here. For example, you can delete, move, and download files and folders.

FIGURE 16-5

Chapter 6 shows how to use Edge, the official web browser of Windows 11.

FIGURE 16-6

FIGURE 16-7

Turn On File History

To enable Windows 11 to create backup copies of your files, first make sure that an external drive such as a hard drive or flash drive is connected to your computer. Then search for File History and select the File History option from the search results. Ideally, you have an external drive that has as much or more storage space as you computer’s internal disk drive.

The File History window opens, as shown in Figure 16-8. File History recognizes the drive you have attached to your computer and can use it to store backup copies of your files. If you don’t have a drive connected, you’ll see the option to select a drive. Remember — File History has to use an external drive for it to work.

File History stores information on an external drive or a network location. After you turn on File History, it will automatically create copies of your documents and photos on the drive you identify. If you lose, delete, or change your mind about changes to a file, you can restore the backup copy created by File History following the steps in the “Restore Files with File History” section, later in this chapter.

By default, File History backs up every personal file you have on your computer. However, you can exclude folders from this backup process in order to save space on the external drive. Select Exclude Folders on the left side of the File History window to tell Windows 11 which folders to exclude, as shown in Figure 16-9. Just click the Add button to add excluded folders to the list.

By default, Windows 11 saves copies of files every hour, but you can change this and other file history settings. In the File History window, select Advanced Settings, which you can change as follows (see Figure 16-10):

Save Copies of Files: This option controls how frequently File History checks for new or changed files and saves those changes. We recommend that you select Every 10 Minutes to minimize the chances of losing new or changed documents.

When you go on vacation, consider disconnecting the external drive and storing it in a fireproof safe or a safe deposit box. The drive is your insurance against theft or destruction.

Keep Saved Versions: By default, File History keeps copies of your files forever. This option allows you to limit how long copies are kept. Leave this set as Forever.

FIGURE 16-8

To turn off File History or start backing up to another drive, return to the File History window (refer to Figure 16-8) and use the options on the left side of the window. You can select a different drive, exclude folders, configure advanced settings, or even turn off File History.

FIGURE 16-9

FIGURE 16-10

Restore Files with File History

Select the Search icon on the taskbar and type file history. On the search results screen, select Restore Your Files with File History – Control Panel. File History opens on the desktop.

The most recent backup versions created by File History appear in the window, shown in Figure 16-11. To see other versions of backups, select the left-pointing arrow at the bottom of the window. To return to the most recent backup, select the right-pointing arrow.

Don’t select the Restore button until you select the specific file(s) you want. Otherwise, all files will be restored simultaneously.

Generally, you want to restore the most recent version of a file. However, if you want to restore content that you changed prior to the most recent version, browse to an earlier backup.

If you know the location of the file you want to restore, you can open that file’s folder in the File History Restore window with a double-click or double-tap (see Figure 16-11). For example, if you’re trying to restore a photo and you know it’s in the Pictures folder, you can open that folder and find the photo you want. If you’re not sure of the folder location, select the Search All box in the upper-right corner and type the file’s name. Matching results appear as you type. Select the file you want to restore.

Select the Restore button. If you restored a file you previously deleted, you can close File History. Skip the remaining steps.

If the Replace or Skip Files window opens in the preceding step, a different version of the file exists in the original location. If you’re sure you want to restore the previous version of the file, you can choose Replace the Files in the Destination. However, to see additional options, select Compare Info for Both Files. The File Conflicts window appears, as shown in Figure 16-12.

In the File Conflicts window, consider the following selections:

Select files on the left to replace files in the destination with the backup files. (This is the same as selecting Replace on the Replace or Skip Files screen.)

Select files on the right to cancel restoring those files. (This is the same as selecting Skip on the Replace or Skip Files screen.)

If you select the same files on both sides of the window, File History will leave the original as is and restore the backup version with the same name plus (2), allowing you to have both versions. (You need this option only if you’re uncertain about which version you want.)

If you’re restoring multiple files at the same time, you can select different options for each: replace one, skip another, and have File History create a copy for another. That’s a lot of choices in one little window.

Select Continue, and Windows 11 completes the operation based on your choices in Step 6. The location of the restored files opens in File Explorer.

FIGURE 16-11

FIGURE 16-12

Reset a Misbehaving Computer

Glitch happens. The computer misbehaves, a program crashes, or the machine becomes unexpectedly slow. If your computer is misbehaving, try resetting it. Select the Search icon on the taskbar and type settings. Select the Settings app in the search results. Under System, scroll down and select Recovery (see Figure 16-13).

Before you reset your PC, see Chapter 13 for information about updating and maintaining Windows 11. Updating Windows may resolve some problems.

The Reset function should leave your data alone and unchanged. However, consider following Steps 1–4 in the section “Restore Files with File History” to confirm that your external drive contains all your files. Better safe than sorry.

FIGURE 16-13

Under Reset This PC, select the Reset PC button, as shown in Figure 16-14.

Before choosing the reset option, try the Fix problems Without Resetting Your PC option first (refer to Figure 16-14). This action may fix the PC’s problems much faster.

The Reset function doesn’t remove apps installed through the Microsoft Store but does remove any apps you installed any other way. This safety feature is based on the assumption that something you installed from some other source is causing a problem. Be certain that you either don't need a desktop app or that you have the materials necessary to reinstall a desktop app, such as Microsoft Office. Windows 11 will create a file on the desktop after the fact, identifying the programs it removed.

In the Choose an Option dialog box, select Keep My Files. (Or select Cancel, if you’re just exploring this feature and don’t want to continue with it.)

Reset runs, and your computer will restart at least once. When the reset process is complete, the Lock screen appears. Sign in as usual. If you see a file named Removed Apps on the desktop, double-click or double-tap it to open that file in your browser. The removed apps are listed. If you’re aware that one of these apps created a problem, don’t reinstall it.

FIGURE 16-14

Don’t be intimidated by the Reset function — it's easy, quick, and worthwhile if it makes a problem computer run better.