General
Welcome to the "Get to know your Windows desktop computer" course. In this video, you'll learn about the major parts of your computer and what they do. The monitor, or screen, lets you see what's happening on your computer. If you have an all-in-one style computer, its computing hardware is built into the rear of the monitor. The desktop is the main display area on your computer. It's a quick way to find the apps, functions, files, and folders you need.
Your computer's monitor has a camera at the top called a webcam. It's used for making video calls and automatically turns on when you need it. A small light may be visible when the webcam is in use. The Start menu at the bottom of the screen contains important apps and settings. Its icon looks like a window, and you can click on it to see the options. Edge lets you explore the internet. Outlook lets you read and send emails. Settings helps you set up your computer the way you like. Power lets you restart, shut down, lock, or put your computer to sleep to save power.
At the bottom of the screen, the Search field lets you find files and applications on your computer. You can type what you're looking for, then choose from the list of results. At the far right of the screen, the Status Symbol icons let you access useful information and tools. The Wi-Fi icon indicates your computer is connected to Wi-Fi and the internet. You can use the volume icon to increase, decrease, or mute sound on your computer. You can see the current time and date, and click on the notifications icon to view messages and updates you might have missed.
To turn your computer on press and hold the power button. In this demonstration, the power button is on the back of the monitor. When your computer is on, the monitor will show something on the screen. To turn your computer off, save and close any files and applications you have open. Briefly press and hold the power button until the screen becomes black. Your computer has sockets or ports for connecting devices such as a camera, mouse, keyboard, or memory stick for saving and sharing files. Most devices connect to the ports using different types of USB cables, and you may need an adaptor to match the port on the computer. The headphone socket lets you connect cabled headphones or an additional speaker to your computer. For your computer to work, it needs to be plugged into mains power.
Connect the computer's power cord into the power socket on the computer and plug the other end into the wall outlet. Your computer's keyboard lets you type letters, numbers, and symbols. It also lets you adjust volume, sound, and many other settings. The mouse allows you to select and open items on the screen. As you move your mouse, the pointer will move in the same direction. The pointer can also be called a cursor. To select an item, move the pointer over it and click once on the left button of your mouse. This is called a left-click. To open the item, click it twice quickly. This is called a double-click. To see more options for an item, move the pointer over it and click once on the right button of your mouse. This opens a menu and is called a right-click. You can left click to select from the list.
If your mouse has a small wheel, you can roll it forward or back with your finger to scroll through a document or web page. You should now know about your computer's monitor, desktop, keyboard, mouse, and connector ports. If you're unsure about any parts of your computer, you can rewind the video, or click the chapter headings to jump to the start of a chapter.