Table of Contents

  1. Dedication

  2. Acknowledgments

  3. About the author

  4. Introduction

    1. Who this book is for

    2. How this book is organized

    3. Stay in touch

    4. Errata, updates, and book support

  5. Part I Windows essentials

    1. Chapter 1 Everything you need to know about Windows 11

      1. What’s new in Windows 11?

      2. Setup, updates, and upgrades

      3. User experience

      4. Windows 11 and the web

      5. Cloud connections

      6. Windows 11 apps and the new Microsoft Store

      7. Security

      8. Windows 11 and hardware

    2. Chapter 2 Setting up a new Windows 11 PC

      1. Backing up data and settings

      2. Downloading and creating installation media

        1. Using the Media Creation Tool

        2. Working with ISO files directly

      3. Windows 11 minimum hardware requirements

        1. Bypassing hardware compatibility issues

      4. Installing Windows 11

        1. How Windows 11 Setup works

        2. Upgrading from Windows 10

        3. Performing a clean install

        4. Performing an edition upgrade

      5. Activating Windows

        1. Windows licensing options

        2. Do you need a product key?

        3. Managing Windows activation

        4. Troubleshooting activation problems

        5. Product activation and corporate licensing

        6. Advanced Windows license management

      6. Using multiple operating systems on the same PC

      7. Tweaking and tuning your Windows installation

    3. Chapter 3 Using Windows 11

      1. An overview of the Windows 11 user experience

      2. Using and customizing the Start menu

        1. Customizing the contents of the Start menu

        2. Arranging pinned apps into folders

      3. Using the Start menu to search

      4. Using and customizing the taskbar

        1. Pinning apps to the taskbar

        2. Changing the order of taskbar buttons

        3. Using Jump Lists for quick access to documents and folders

      5. Customizing the Quick Settings pane

      6. Managing notifications and eliminating distractions

        1. Customizing notifications

        2. Eliminating distractions

      7. Managing and arranging windows

      8. Switching between tasks and desktops

        1. Using Task View to switch between windows

        2. Switching between virtual desktops

      9. Using a keyboard and voice input in Windows 11

        1. Customizing and using a physical keyboard

        2. Using the Touch Keyboard

        3. Using voice commands and dictating text

        4. Using a pen with Windows 11

    4. Chapter 4 Personalizing Windows 11

      1. Customizing the look and feel of Windows

        1. Selecting the desktop background

        2. Selecting colors

        3. Customizing the lock screen and sign-in screen

        4. Assigning sounds to system events

        5. Customizing mouse pointers

      2. Using themes to save and apply personalizations

      3. Fine-tuning visual options

        1. Configuring desktop icons

        2. Making other small visual tweaks

      4. Setting date and time, currency, and other regional options

      5. Overcoming challenges

      6. Working with fonts

        1. Making text easier to read

        2. Using font smoothing to make text easier on the eyes

    5. Chapter 5 Installing and configuring apps

      1. Understanding the Windows app landscape

        1. Legacy desktop apps

        2. Windows apps

        3. Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)

      2. Installing, managing, and uninstalling apps

        1. Using and managing Store apps

        2. Managing legacy desktop apps

        3. Managing Progressive Web Apps

      3. Managing apps and processes with Task Manager

        1. Terminating an app with Task Manager

        2. Finding detailed information about an app

      4. Managing startup apps

        1. Suspending or removing startup items

        2. Advanced tools for managing startup items

      5. Setting default apps and file-type associations

      6. Turning Windows features on or off

      7. Setting AutoPlay options

    6. Chapter 6 Using and managing built-in Windows apps

      1. Apps included with Windows 11

        1. Windows system apps

        2. Provisioned Windows apps

        3. Installed apps

      2. Mail, Calendar, People, and To Do

        1. Managing online accounts

        2. Reading, composing, and managing email messages

        3. Setting up and using Calendar

        4. Adding or editing contacts with People

        5. Managing tasks and lists with Microsoft To Do

      3. Using Microsoft Teams

      4. Music, photos, and movies

        1. Using Media Player to play music and video files

        2. Using Photos to view and edit image files

        3. Using Movies & TV to watch purchased media files

        4. Using Clipchamp to edit video clips

      5. Performing screen captures with Snipping Tool

      6. Using Maps

        1. Searching for places and services

        2. Getting directions

        3. Downloading maps for offline use

    7. Chapter 7 Using Microsoft Edge

      1. An overview of Microsoft Edge

        1. Choosing an Edge release channel

        2. Managing updates

      2. Managing Edge profiles and sync

        1. Using the built-in password manager

        2. Syncing and filling in other information

      3. Customizing browser settings

        1. Changing the browser’s appearance

        2. Installing and managing browser extensions

        3. Customizing the new tab page

        4. Customizing the startup page

        5. Fine-tuning browser performance

        6. Undoing all customizations

      4. Working with tabs

        1. Using vertical tabs

        2. Pinning tabs for quick access

      5. Making webpages easier to read

      6. Finding and organizing information

        1. Changing the default search provider

        2. Finding previously visited pages in History

        3. Saving, editing, and organizing Favorites

        4. Saving and sharing your research as Collections

      7. Managing privacy and tracking prevention

        1. Preventing online tracking

        2. Using InPrivate browsing to suppress your history

        3. Controlling site permissions

        4. Clearing your browsing history and other personal information

        5. Managing cookies

      8. Opening incompatible pages in Internet Explorer mode

      9. Using Microsoft Edge to read and edit PDFs

    8. Chapter 8 Managing local and cloud storage

      1. Setting up hard disks and other storage devices

        1. Running Disk Management

        2. Managing disks from the command prompt

        3. Setting up a new hard disk

        4. Using Storage Spaces to combine disks

      2. Connecting OneDrive to your Windows PC

        1. How OneDrive and OneDrive for Business work

        2. Setting up and using OneDrive

        3. Using Personal Vault

      3. Managing disk space

        1. Changing default save locations

        2. Cleaning up unneeded files

      4. Managing existing disks and volumes

        1. Assigning or changing a volume label

        2. Assigning and changing drive letters

        3. Mapping a volume to an NTFS folder

        4. Shrinking or extending an NTFS volume

        5. Converting a FAT32 volume to NTFS

        6. Deleting a volume

        7. Permanently wiping all data from a disk

      5. Working with virtual hard disks

  6. Part II Managing Windows 11

    1. Chapter 9 Using File Explorer

      1. Mastering File Explorer

        1. Using the navigation pane

        2. Navigating faster with favorite files and folders

        3. Layouts, previews, and other ways to arrange files

        4. Managing file properties and metadata

        5. Using compressed (zipped) folders

      2. Organizing personal data with user profile folders and libraries

        1. What’s what (and where) in your user profile

        2. Relocating personal data folders

        3. Using libraries

      3. Integrating OneDrive with File Explorer

        1. Syncing files and folders

        2. Sharing OneDrive files and folders

      4. Recovering lost, damaged, and deleted files and folders

        1. Restoring files and folders

        2. Purging the Recycle Bin

      5. Sorting, filtering, and grouping in File Explorer

        1. Sorting a folder’s contents

        2. Filtering folder contents

        3. Grouping folder contents

      6. Searching from File Explorer

      7. Configuring the Windows search index

        1. Which files and folders are in the index?

        2. Monitoring the index and tuning indexer performance

      8. Advanced search tools and techniques

        1. Searching by item type or kind

        2. Changing the scope of a search

        3. Searching for item properties

        4. Using multiple criteria for complex searches

        5. Using wildcards and character-mode searches

      9. Saving searches

    2. Chapter 10 Managing user accounts, passwords, and credentials

      1. Creating and managing user accounts

        1. Choosing how you sign in

        2. Administrator or standard user account?

        3. Changing account settings

        4. Deleting an account

      2. Making the sign-in process more secure

        1. Adding security with multifactor authentication

        2. Using Windows Hello

        3. Using a picture password

        4. Setting or changing a password

        5. Managing a physical security key

      3. Signing out, switching accounts, or locking your computer

        1. Using Dynamic Lock

      4. Sharing your PC with other users

        1. Adding a user to your computer

        2. Controlling your family’s computer access

        3. Restricting use with assigned access

      5. Introducing access control in Windows

    3. Chapter 11 Configuring Windows networks

      1. Windows 11 networking essentials

        1. Checking the status of your network

        2. Network management tools

        3. TCP/IP configuration

        4. Mobile hotspots and other metered connections

      2. Enabling network discovery

      3. Setting the network location

      4. Connecting to a wireless network

        1. Connecting to a hidden network

        2. Wireless security

      5. Connecting to another computer with Remote Desktop

        1. Installing Remote Desktop client software

        2. Enabling inbound Remote Desktop connections

        3. Using the Microsoft Remote Desktop app

        4. Using Remote Desktop Connection

      6. Sharing files, printers, and other resources over a local network

        1. Understanding sharing and security models in Windows

        2. Configuring your network for sharing

        3. Sharing files and folders

        4. Sharing a printer

      7. Finding and using shared resources on a Windows network

        1. Working with mapped network folders

        2. Connecting to a network printer

      8. Connecting to and using cloud-based apps and resources

      9. Troubleshooting network problems

        1. Network troubleshooting tools

        2. Troubleshooting TCP/IP problems

    4. Chapter 12 Windows security and privacy

      1. Understanding security threats

      2. Monitoring your computer’s security

      3. Keeping Windows up to date

        1. What you get from Windows Update

        2. Choosing when and how updates are installed

        3. Deferring and delaying updates

        4. Finding technical information about updates

        5. Troubleshooting update problems

      4. Configuring privacy options

      5. Preventing unsafe actions with User Account Control

        1. What triggers UAC prompts

        2. Dealing with UAC prompts

        3. Modifying UAC settings

      6. Blocking malware

        1. Using Microsoft Defender Antivirus

        2. Manually scanning for malware

        3. Dealing with detected threats

        4. Blocking ransomware with controlled folder access

        5. Protecting Windows from exploits

      7. Stopping unknown or malicious programs with Microsoft Defender SmartScreen

      8. Encrypting information

        1. Encrypting with BitLocker and BitLocker To Go

        2. Using BitLocker To Go

        3. Using the Encrypting File System

      9. Blocking intruders with Windows Defender Firewall

        1. Using Windows Defender Firewall with different network types

        2. Managing Windows Defender Firewall

        3. Restoring default settings

    5. Chapter 13 Managing hardware and devices

      1. Adding, configuring, and removing hardware devices

        1. Installing a new Plug and Play device

        2. How device drivers and hardware work together

        3. Getting useful information from Device Manager

        4. Enabling and disabling devices

        5. Adjusting advanced device settings

      2. Setting up Bluetooth devices

      3. Managing USB devices

      4. Updating and uninstalling drivers

        1. Managing automatic driver updates

        2. Updating a device driver manually

        3. Rolling back to a previous driver version

        4. Uninstalling a driver

      5. Printers and print queues

      6. Configuring displays and graphics adapters

        1. Changing display settings

        2. Controlling scaling on high-DPI displays

        3. Using multiple displays

        4. Night Light

      7. Speakers, microphones, and headsets

    6. Chapter 14 Performance and power management

      1. What causes performance problems?

      2. Viewing details about your system

        1. System Information

        2. Systeminfo

        3. Windows Management Instrumentation tools

      3. Monitoring performance with Task Manager

        1. CPU

        2. Memory

        3. Disk

        4. Network

        5. GPU

      4. Using Resource Monitor to pinpoint performance problems

      5. Managing services

        1. Using the Services console

        2. Starting and stopping services

        3. Configuring services

        4. Managing services from Task Manager

      6. Managing battery life on portable PCs

        1. Battery Saver and other power management options

        2. Monitoring long-term battery life and capacity

        3. Configuring power options from the command line

      7. Power management on desktop systems

    7. Chapter 15 Troubleshooting, backup, and recovery

      1. Getting to know your troubleshooting toolkit

        1. Built-in troubleshooters

        2. Windows Error Reporting

        3. Feedback and diagnostics

        4. Reliability Monitor

      2. Event Viewer

        1. Types of events

        2. Viewing logs and events

        3. Customizing the presentation of tabular data in Event Viewer

        4. Filtering the log display

      3. Dealing with Stop errors

        1. Customizing how Windows handles Stop errors

        2. What’s in a Stop error

        3. Isolating the cause of a Stop error

      4. Troubleshooting in Safe Mode

      5. Checking disks for errors

      6. Offering remote support with Quick Assist

      7. Windows 11 backup and recovery options

        1. Using a recovery drive

        2. Using File History to protect files and folders

        3. Using the Reset option to recover from serious problems

        4. Using the Windows 7 Backup program

      8. Configuring and using System Restore

        1. Rolling back to a previous restore point

    8. Part III For IT professionals and Windows experts

      1. Chapter 16 Windows Terminal, PowerShell, and other advanced management tools

        1. Using and configuring Windows Terminal

        2. An introduction to PowerShell

          1. Interacting with PowerShell

          2. Scripting with PowerShell

          3. Finding additional PowerShell resources

        3. Working in a Command Prompt session

          1. Running with elevated privileges

          2. Starting Command Prompt at a particular folder

          3. Starting Command Prompt and running a command

          4. Using AutoRun to execute commands when Command Prompt starts

          5. Editing the command line

          6. Using command symbols

        4. Editing the Windows registry

          1. Understanding the Registry Editor hierarchy

          2. Registry values and data types

          3. Browsing and editing with Registry Editor

          4. Backing up and restoring parts of the registry

          5. Automating registry changes with .reg files

          6. Registry virtualization

        5. Automating tasks

          1. Task Scheduler

          2. Automating command sequences with batch programs

          3. Automating tasks with Windows Script Host

        6. Using Microsoft Management Console

    9. Chapter 17 Running Windows 11 in a virtual machine or in the cloud

      1. Virtualization in Windows 11

      2. Creating an instant VM with Windows Sandbox

      3. Setting up Hyper-V on Windows 11

      4. Creating and managing virtual machines with Hyper-V Manager

        1. What’s in a VM?

        2. Using Quick Create to download and run a preconfigured VM

        3. Building a custom VM with the New Virtual Machine Wizard

      5. Running a virtual machine

        1. Working with Virtual Machine Connection windows

        2. Using enhanced session mode

        3. Working with checkpoints

      6. Changing settings for a virtual machine

        1. Firmware

        2. Security

        3. Memory

        4. Processor

        5. SCSI Controller

        6. Network Adapter

        7. Automatic start and stop actions

      7. Importing, exporting, and moving Hyper-V VMs

      8. Running virtual machines from the cloud

    10. Chapter 18 Using Android and Linux on Windows 11

      1. Linking an Android phone to your PC

      2. Running Android apps on Windows 11

      3. Using the Windows Subsystem for Linux

    11. Chapter 19 Managing Windows PCs in the enterprise

      1. Using a domain-based network

      2. Managing an Azure AD-based network

      3. Managing hybrid networks

      4. Managing computers with Group Policy

        1. Using Local Group Policy Editor

        2. Changing policy settings

      5. Deploying Windows 11 in the enterprise

        1. Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager

        2. Microsoft Deployment Toolkit

        3. Windows System Image Manager

        4. Windows Autopilot

        5. Windows Server Update Services

        6. Windows Update for Business

      6. Managing Windows 11 in the cloud

        1. Microsoft 365 and Windows Enterprise licensing

        2. Azure Virtual Machines running Windows 11

        3. Windows 365 cloud PCs

        4. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

      7. Microsoft Intune

        1. Managing apps with Intune

      8. Managing special-purpose computers

        1. Using shared PC mode

        2. Setting up a kiosk device

    12. Part IV Appendixes

      1. Appendix A Windows 11 editions and licensing options

        1. Windows 11 editions at a glance

        2. Retail and OEM editions

          1. Windows 11 Home

          2. Windows 11 Pro

          3. Windows 11 Pro for Workstations

        3. Editions for organizations

          1. Windows 11 Enterprise

          2. Windows 11 Enterprise E3 and E5

          3. Microsoft 365 E3, E5, and F3

          4. Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC

        4. Editions for educational institutions

          1. Windows 11 Education

          2. Windows 11 Pro Education

          3. Windows 11 SE

      2. Appendix B The Windows Insider Program

        1. How the Windows Insider Program works

        2. Enrolling a device in the Windows Insider Program

        3. Keeping track of what’s in each preview build

        4. Submitting and tracking feedback

      3. Appendix C Help and support resources

        1. Online help

        2. Online reference material from Microsoft

          1. Microsoft Support

          2. Microsoft Docs

          3. Resources for IT Pros

          4. Microsoft Learn

        3. Getting technical support

          1. Microsoft Q&A

          2. Free and paid support from Microsoft

        4. What’s next for Windows

    13. Index