With Windows 8, the way we interacted with Computer has changed enormously. By default, Windows 8 looks better and more beautiful than its predecessors. It boasts many new fancy features and customization capabilities like a Smartphone/Tablet. Here are some cool ways you should know to customize Windows 8 like a Pro.
1. System Screens
Windows 8 has brought the concept of Start screen to desktops and alongwith it, it has customizable Lockscreen. These system screens creates a first impression on Windows 8 boot so, lets start customization them first. To do that, take your mouse cursor to bottom right which opens Charms bar. Click on Gears icon to access Settings followed by “Change PC Settings” which lands you in Personalize tab.
1 a. Lock Screen
Change Lock Screen Background Image – Windows 8 has some inbuilt elegant set of images to be set as Lock screen background. You can either choose one from the list or browse the one of your choice saved on computer.
Choose Lock screen Apps– Similar to mobile phones and tablets, Windows 8 Lock screen allows to get notifications of apps. For example- Notification of received email or upcoming calender event or simply flaunting the title of music track being played. These apps can be chosen as per requirement from Personalize tab itself.
Just select and exit, you don’t have to press Save or Apply.
1 b. Home Screen
Set the color matching to your graphics selected for Start screen. To do this, select one of the displayed images. On this same screen, you will see several boxes: each has an edge – which indicates the main color of the home screen – and a small box, which represents the color of the buttons on Windows 8.
2. Account Picture
When you login Windows using Microsoft account, it imports all information about you including Profile Picture which becomes Account Picture of Windows.
This can be changed. Click Browse and select the image of your choice or use the Camera button to click new one.
3. User Settings
Windows 8 has a new way of keeping password called picture password. In this, you have draw a pattern on image to unlock computer. Also, there is a quick way to unlock PC using PIN which is a 4 digit code more convenient than typing a long password. Here’s how to use them.
3a. Picture Password
Perfect for those who have a Touchscreen PC but others can even use it with Mouse. Choose any picture and draw 3 drawings over it using touch or mouse cursor. Windows records the position of drawing, size and direction and saves it as password. This method is somewhat difficult to crack but at the same time fast and easy for the user who knows the pattern.
3b. PIN
The PIN is nothing more than a quick password of four digits, so you can access Windows 8 on a specific PC.
4. Customizing the Desktop
Along with the Metro Homescreen, Windows has the traditional desktop too. It can be accessed by clicking the Desktop tile on metro screen which is generally at bottom left. Personalization of this is similar to what you have always been doing with Windows 7. Right click on Desktop and click Personalize to open options to customize Wallpaper, Themes and more.
Just note that Windows 8 is compatible with .themepack files which was theme extension in Windows 7.
5. Pin Favorite site on Homescreen as a Tile
If you are a loyal reader of any website or access it daily, create a tile for quick access. It will act as a shortcut on homescreen to open the site in web browser directly. Sadly, it is available only in Internet explorer.
To do that, open the website you want to pin in Internet explorer. If browser opens in Metro mode, Pinning option is given in bottom bar. For desktop mode however, you will have to click gear icon on top right to open Settings menu. Now, click “Add site to Start Screen”.
This was all about customizing Windows 8. But don’t only go by looks and visual appearance.
To present yourself as Pro, computer should also run at top speed and for that it should be optimized. Instead of making hands dirty playing with registry and junk on Windows, I personally use Advanced SystemCare 6 Pro. It automatically does maintenance of my PC and speeds up the working.
I hope these tips are enough to take your Windows 8 system out of Default settings and customize your own way. There are many 3rd party software which offer sophisticated solution to customize Windows but I won’t recommend using them as long as you can do it yourself.
Windows 8 is indeed a beautiful piece of OS, agreed?
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