1. God Mode
You wouldn't know it by looking at the Desktop or Start screen, but Windows 8 practically bristles with settings you can customize. The problem is that they're scattered throughout Windows 8, and it can be time-consuming to track them down individually.
However, there is one way to find them all in one place: You can use what some people call "God Mode." While the term "God Mode" has a powerful ring to it, the truth is it's not a separate mode that you put Windows into. It's really a hidden folder that gives you fast access to many settings spread out across Windows 8. It's easy to put that folder right on the Desktop.
First, make sure that you can view hidden files in File Explorer, the system navigation app that in earlier versions of Windows was called Windows Explorer. Run File Explorer, click the View tab, and check the boxes next to "Hidden items" and "File name extensions" in the Ribbon at the top.
Then right-click the Desktop and select New --> Folder. That creates a folder on the Desktop named "New folder." Rename the folder:
GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}]
The folder icon changes, and it has the name GodMode.
(Note that the "GodMode" text isn't what turns the folder into a special folder; instead, it's that long string of letters and numbers inside the curly brackets. You can use any text you want before the period just ahead of the opening bracket, and it still points to the same folder and everything works the same.)
Double-click the icon, and you'll launch a folder filled with dozens of actions, tools and tweaks, from "Change Automatic Maintenance settings" to "View update history." They're organized by category. Expand or shrink each category by clicking the small triangle next to it. Each category displays a number next to it, showing how many settings there are in it.
To start any action or tweak, double-click it in the list. In some cases you'll follow a wizard, in other cases you'll need to fill in dialog boxes, and in yet other cases you'll be sent to the Control Panel or another Windows location to do the work.
2. Hot Corners Are Your Friends
If you're a bit befuddled the first time you fire up Microsoft's newest operating system, we understand. Microsoft's left a number of navigational elements invisible to your eye unless you move your mouse over one of the four extreme corners of your screen. Hover your mouse over the top-right or bottom-right to access the Charms Bar: Windows 8's built-in Search and Sharing capabilities, as well as a list of devices you can send the contents of the current app to and Windows 8's ever-important Settings menu. Hover your mouse over the top-left or bottom-left corners of your screen to jump between open apps on Windows 8's "Switch List," just like you would otherwise do by hitting the combination of alt and tab on your keyboard.
3. Set Up Your Lock Screen
Security aficionados, or anyone with a cute picture they’d like to boot into on a daily basis, will be thrilled to learn that Windows 8 includes a nifty new feature called “picture passwords.” Using this tool, you can use any picture stored in your Windows 8 Pictures folder to log into the OS, rather than a traditional text password. Once you’ve selected the picture you want to use, you can create a geometric password using any combination of circles, straight lines or taps on three areas of the screen. Microsoft encourages you to keep the password simple, tracing a loved one’s glasses, for instance, rather than a city skyline.
To set up a picture password, first search for “picture password” on the Start screen. Under Sign-in Options, click Create A Picture Password (if this button isn’t visible, it means you have to create a text password first). Once you’ve clicked on the button, Windows will give you a brief tutorial explaining how to create a picture password, after which the system will prompt you to select one of your own photos. Finally, choose your three gestures, then perform all three again to confirm your selection.
Windows 8 also lets you set up a unique password for each additional user on the device, which is handy if you have multiple family members sharing a single computer or tablet. And don’t worry if you can’t remember your picture password — you can always use a text password or a four-digit PIN instead.
4.How to run programs as Administrator in Windows 8
Many of you are Window Vista and Window 7 users and you may probably know that how important it is run your programs with Admin Privileges to access and change advanced system settings. But in Window 8, right clicking on a program in the Start screen will not display Run as administrator option.
While running as Administrator option is available when you will right click on a program shortcut on the desktop, the same option does not appear when you will right click on a program shortcut in the start screen. So in this post I am going to explain the useful steps for running your programs with admin rights in Window 8. Below are the steps for the same:
Switch to the Metro Start screen.
Now you have to type the programas name to see your program under Application list.
Now right click on the program name to see advanced option.
Now click on the Advanced and select Run as Administrator option.
(Note: You can also use the good old hotkey (Ctrl+ Shift+ Enter) method to run a program with admin rights.)
5. Task switching
The Metro screen doesn't have a taskbar, so you'll soon lose track of the apps you've run. To see what's running, though, just press Alt+Tab. Pressing Win+Tab will switch from one running app to the next, and on a touch screen, swiping repeatedly from the left also cycles through running apps.
You could also simply launch an app again and, if there's another copy running, that one will be displayed.
If you have a keyboard, repeatedly pressing the Windows key will always toggle you between the Metro screen and the last app.
And if you have a mouse, move its cursor to the far left of the screen (roughly in the centre, vertically) and a thumbnail of the last app you used should appear. Click this to relaunch it.
6. Closing time
Metro apps don't have a "Close" button, and this is intentional: apps are suspended when you switch to something else, and are automatically closed anyway if you need the resources.
If you'd like to keep your system clean, though, you can always close them manually. Press Ctrl+Alt+Esc to launch Task Manager, right-click the surplus application and select End Task.
7. How to shut down
To shut down your system from Metro, call up the Settings dialog (move the mouse cursor to the bottom-left corner of the screen and click Settings, or just hold down the Windows key and press I), click the Power icon, then Shut Down.
Or, in the desktop, you can still press Alt+F4, and choose the Shut Down, Restart, Switch User or Log Off option.
8.Spell check
Metro apps all have spellcheck where relevant, which looks and works much as it does in Microsoft Office. Make a mistake and a wavy red line will appear below the offending word; tap or right-click this to see suggested alternative words, or add the word to your own dictionary if you prefer.
9.Hibernate or Sleep
By default Hibernate or Sleep won't appear in the Windows 8 shutdown dialogs, however you may be able to restore them.
Launch the Power Options applet (powercfg.cpl) and click "Choose what the power buttons do" in the left-hand pane.
If you see a "Change settings that are current unavailable" link, then click it, check the Sleep and Hibernate options, click Save Changes, and the new options should now appear in your shutdown dialogs.
10. Windows key shortcuts in Windows 8
The Windows Metro interface is primarily designed for touch screens, but it does also support most of the old Windows key shortcuts, many of which are now more useful than ever.
Win + C : displays the "Charms": the Settings, Devices, Share and Search options
Win + D : launches the desktop
Win + E : launches Explorer
Win + F : opens Search
Win + I : opens Settings
Win + L : locks your PC
Win + P : switch your display to a second display or projector
Win + R : opens the Run box
Win + U : open the Ease of Access Centre
Win + W : search your system settings (type POWER for links to all power-related options, say)
Win + Z : displays the right-click context menu when in a full-screen Metro app
Win + + : zoom in
Win + - : zoom out
Win + Tab : switch between running apps
11. Launch programs quickly
If you're working with a keyboard and don't want to have to scroll through Metro tiles to find the program you need, don't worry, Windows 8 still supports a useful old shortcut.
Open the desktop, launch Media Player, right-click its taskbar button and select Pin this program to Taskbar.
Close Media Player, and drag and drop its taskbar icon to the extreme left, so it's next to the taskbar button, then press the Windows key again to return to the Metro interface.
Now hold down the Windows key, press 1, and you'll see the desktop appear and Media Player launch. You can similarly press the Windows key and 2 to launch the second icon (IE, by default), or 3 to launch the third (Explorer), while adding as many others as will fit.
12. Shutdown shortcuts
The fastest way to shut down your PC is via a suitable shortcut.
Launch the desktop app, right-click an empty part of the desktop and click New > Shortcut.
Enter
shutdown.exe -s -t 00
to shut down your PC,
shutdown.exe -h -t 00
to hibernate it, and click Next.
Type a shortcut name - Hibernate, say - and click Finish.
Right-click the shortcut and select Pin to Taskbar, or copy the shortcut to the C:\Users\<AccountName>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs folder.
Hold down the Windows key and press F to open Search.
Type the name of the shortcut, click Apps beneath the search box, and it should appear on the left.
Finally, right-click the app, select Pin and it should appear on the far right of the Metro screen - just drag it wherever you like.
This is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Accordingly, it is difficult to figure out when to end it. But then, this is dummy text. It is not meant to be read. Period.
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