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      The first difference is the Start menu. To open the Start menu, click the Windows button at the left edge of the taskbar. As shown in Figure 2.2, the new Windows 10 Start menu is a melding of the Start menu found in Windows 7 and the Start screen found in Windows 8.x. On the left are frequently used apps, settings, and folders, and on the right are tiles for apps. You can start an app just by clicking or tapping on its tile or in the list at the left of the Start menu.

      Before we dig deeper into the Windows 10 interface and its elements, let's look at the gestures and actions you can use within the interface.

      Working with Gestures and Mouse Actions

      There are a handful of touch-based gestures you'll use with Windows 10, along with mouse-based alternatives for use on non-touch devices (or when you have a mouse connected to a touch device). The following list summarizes Windows 10 gestures, along with corresponding mouse actions:

      • Tap/Left-click: Touch a finger to the object you want to select, and then remove your finger from the screen. With a mouse, left-click the object (point to it, click the left button, and then release the button).

      • Tap and hold/Click and hold: Put a finger on the object you want to select, and hold your finger there. Tap and hold is typically followed by another gesture, such as sliding. For example, to relocate a tile on the Start screen, you tap and hold the tile, and after small buttons appear on the right corners of the tile, you can slide it to a new location. The equivalent mouse action for tap and hold is left-click and hold.

      • Swipe: Slide your finger across the display, left, right, up, or down. For example, to view the tiles at the right side of the Start screen if they're off-screen, swipe from right to left.

      • Slide (drag)/Click and drag: After you've selected an object, you can slide it on the display. Tap and hold to select the object, and then simply slide your finger across the screen to move the object. The mouse equivalent is to click and drag the object.

      • Swipe from the edge of the screen inward: There are a handful of tasks you can accomplish by swiping from the edge of the display in toward the middle of the screen. For example, swiping from the left edge lets you switch between apps. Swipe from the right edge to display the Action Center. The mouse equivalent varies depending on the task. To view options for the app, right-click the app.

      • Pinch: Place two fingers on the screen and move them apart or toward each other to zoom in or out, respectively.

      Using the Start Menu

      Now that you know some basic gestures and their corresponding mouse actions, you're ready to start navigating around the Windows 10 interface, starting with the Start menu, previously shown in Figure 2.2. Use any of these actions to open the Start screen:

      • Press the Windows key on the keyboard.

      • Use the mouse to place the cursor at the bottom-left corner of the screen, and then click the Start menu icon.

      To move around the Start screen on a touch device, simply swipe the display up or down to view additional tiles. Then, tap a tile to open its associated app. You can also use the scroll wheel on the mouse to move through the Start menu.

You'll find that tiles on the Start menu can be live, meaning they can dynamically display information. For example, after you add an account to the Mail app, the app tile shows a preview of messages in your Inbox. The Weather tile is also live; it shows the current weather conditions (assuming your device is connected to the Internet). Other tiles show similar dynamic data. Figure 2.3 shows some examples of live tiles.

FIGURE 2.3 Live tiles on the Windows Start menu.

      TIP

      On a touch device, swipe from the left edge of the screen to display the Task view, which you can use to switch among running apps.

      Using the Action Center

The Action Center (Figure 2.4), located at the right edge of the display in Windows 10, replaces the Charms bar found in Windows 8.x. To open the Action Center, click or tap the Notifications button on the taskbar just to the right of the time and date. Or, slide in from the right edge of the display.

FIGURE 2.4 Access settings with the Action Center.

      Where the Charms bar gave you access to settings, devices, search, and a handful of other functions, the Action Center integrates many of those features with system notifications. For example, using the Action Center, you can quickly switch between tablet mode and regular mode, turn on or off airplane mode, and access display and other settings.

Using the Action Center is fairly intuitive. Some of the buttons on the Action Center pane function as toggle switches that turn functions on or off. Examples include tablet mode, airplane mode, and rotation lock. Other buttons open the Settings app to enable you to change settings. For example, if you click or tap VPN in the Action Center, The VPN page of the Settings app opens (see Figure 2.5).

FIGURE 2.5 The VPN page of the Settings app controls VPN connections and settings.

      In addition to buttons for settings and modes, the Action Center shows system notifications, if any are present.

      Working with Windows 10 Apps

      If you're working on a traditional PC with Windows 10 installed, some (potentially many) of your apps will be “traditional” Windows apps. But, as more and more modern Windows apps are published, you'll no doubt have several favorites. On touch devices such as tablets and smaller handhelds, many of your apps will probably be modern Windows apps.

      NOTE

      The term Windows app refers to an app that is designed for Windows 8.x and later Windows versions. Formerly called Metro apps after the original name for the Windows 8 interface, Windows apps generally have a streamlined, minimalist appearance.

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