Windows Basics

What is Windows?

Windows is an operating system designed by Microsoft. The operating system is what allows you to use a computer. Windows comes preloaded on most new personal computers (PCs), which helps to make it the most popular operating system in the world.

Windows makes it possible to complete all kinds of everyday tasks on your computer—for example, you can use Windows to browse the Internet, check your email, edit digital photos, listen to music, play games, and do much more.

Windows is also used in many offices because it gives you access to productivity tools such as calendars, word processors, and spreadsheets.

Microsoft released the first version of Windows in the mid-1980s. There have been many versions of Windows since then, but the most recent ones include Windows 8 (released in 2012), Windows 7 (2009), Windows Vista (2007), and Windows XP (2001).

About this tutorial

This tutorial is designed to show you the absolute basics of using a Windows computer, including how to use the desktop, how to open different files and applications, and how to move and resize windows. The information in this tutorial will apply to more recent versions of Windows, including the ones mentioned above. However, once you've learned the basics, you may also want to review one of our version-specific Windows tutorials—just select the version of Windows that's installed on your computer:

• Windows 8
• Windows 7
• Windows XP

Windows 8 vs. earlier versions

While most versions of Windows are relatively similar, Windows 8 works very differently from previous versions. One of the biggest differences is how Windows 8 looks. In general, Windows 8 uses a much flatter, simpler design than previous versions. Throughout this tutorial, you may notice that the images we use switch between Windows 8 and Windows 7. The good news is that many things in Windows 8 work exactly the same way as in previous versions, so much of the information in this tutorial should work for any recent version of Windows.

However, we'll point out any major differences between Windows 8 and earlier versions, which means you'll see some Windows 8-specific information from time to time. If your computer uses Windows 8, you'll want to review both this tutorial and our Windows 8 tutorial to learn more about the differences.