Changes in Windows 10 from Windows 8.1

Windows 10 has some changes and major upgrades when compared to Windows 8.1. Here are some of the most important changes and upgrades that you should know about…

1. Windows 10 has a default setting that shares your Internet over WiFi. It’s a handy tool if you want to use it, but can be a bit risky if you don’t. Just to be safe you can turn it off easily. Open Settings (found on the taskbar or Start Menu), then select Change WiFi Settings and click Manage Wifi Settings. Look for the boxes that say, “For networks I select, share them with” and uncheck them. There are also some settings about connecting to Hotspots that you should definitely check out and modify to your preference.

2. There is a lot of excitement regarding the Start Menu. You can now customize it unlike Windows 8.1. You can do a lot of helpful things like adding/removing tiles, enabling/disabling live tiles, and changing the size of the Start Menu. You can also change its appearance. It is worth spending a few minutes to personalizing your start menu as this will save time as you work.

3. Unexpected restarts after updates can be a hassle. Windows 10 has given you the option to be notified of when these restarts will happen. To access this go to Settings and look for the Advanced Update section. A drop down menu will appear and choose “Notify to schedule restart”. The updates and restarts will still take place but now you’ll be notified beforehand.

4. One of the new features is the Action Center. The Action Center is where all your notifications appear. Live tiles are great and useful, but having one place for all your notifications is even better. We recommend spending some time and getting acquainted with the Action Center.

5. Having all your notifications in one place is great, but too many notifications can get a bit overwhelming. Just like on your phone, you can choose the specific apps that you want notifications from. To choose which ones simply click the notifications icon found in the system tray. Click All Settings, then System, and finally Notifications & Actions. Once here you can select which apps you want notifications from. There are also a few more settings that you can tweak according to your preference.

Windows 10 is quite customizable so we recommend getting to know your options and personalizing your system to fit your needs.