Introduction
In the previous versions of the Windows Operating Systems, you could modify or access various settings of your system using the applications in Control Panel. Microsoft's latest operating system is Windows 8. Windows 8 is supported by the Metro User Interface. PC Setting allows you to modify the system settings of your device from a streamlined interface. Windows 8 provides the PC Settings. PC users have Control Panel as the hub for controlling their system settings. While the Control Panel is still there for the desktop mode of the OS, there is a new hub in Windows 8 called the PC Settings, that lets you change the important settings of your PC. Windows 8 provides a how to synchronize setting for your PC. Sync settings are one of the major features available in Windows 8, which allows a user to synchronize the personalization of his Windows account once he logs on to his computer. PC Setting includes Desktop personalizations like colors, background pictures. Using the PC Setting, you can change the Personalized Settings, User Settings, and other Settings.
Accessing PC Settings
- Access the Charm Bar on the right side of the screen or Windows Key + C on your keyboard.
- Click on Settings.
After clicking on Settings, you will click on More PC Settings that shows up in the end.
Let's go through the various sub-categories under the PC Settings option.
Personalize
Personalize provides three choices as "Lock Screen", "Start Screen", "Account Picture". You can change the Lock Screen wallpaper and can can select the application such as email, calendar, message to be displayed on the Lock Screen. Under the Start screen option, you can change background details such as color and wallpaper. You can set an account image under the Account picture option.
Users
In Users Settings, you can change your password, or create a picture password or create a 4-digit PIN. In User Settings, you choose between using your Microsoft account to login to Windows, or just a local account the way it was on Windows 7.
Notifications
You can manage Notifications Settings. You can adjust whether you want notifications on your lock screen or whether you do not want them at all. You can turn on/off the Notifications sound features.
Search
In this Search section, you can choose whether to let Windows keep your Search history or not and history is enabled, you can set Windows to show the application you search most on the top of the screen results.
Share
You can control which applications appear when you click Share from the Charms bar, as well as the ability to organize them in the list based on the frequency of use.
General
In the General, you can modify the timezone Settings and you have the PC reset and refresh option. You can access the language setting and you can also access the advanced system startup and spelling auto-correction.
Privacy
You are allowed to control the access to your personal information such as location, real name and account picture from various applications that you use. You can select whether or not applications can send the links of web content that you access from the applications (including the website you visit).
Devices
You can monitor the various device connections on your computer or your network. If you are using a metered connection then you can upgrade the software required for these device connections.
Ease of Access
In this section, you can manage accessibility settings such as high contrast, large text, caret browsing, narration, notification display time, cursor thickness, etc.
Sync Your Setting
Under sync settings, you can manage how Windows syncs all the PC settings with your Microsoft account.
HomeGroup
In this section, you can share various music files, images, documents and devices such as printers in the same group. You can also create your own HomeGroup. You can set a password for accessing this group.
Windows Update
You can keep your device updated with the latest modules and Microsoft applications using this feature.
Resources
Summary
In this article, we earned about Use PC Settings in Windows 8.