Do more with Windows XP
Working with your
desktop settings
Using
shortcuts
If you want a quick way to get to a
particular file or application, you can easily add a shortcut to
your desktop. A shortcut is shown as an icon with a little arrow on
the corner.
- To create a
shortcut to a file, display the file in Windows Explorer or My
Computer and right click on it. Choose Send To and then
‘Desktop (create shortcut)’.
- To create a
shortcut to a program, find it on the Start menu and then
right-click on it. Choose Send To and then ‘Desktop (create
shortcut)’.
Change your Taskbar
The Taskbar is the
bar that normally sits along the bottom of your screen, showing you
the programs you have running. Other things you can do with your
Taskbar are as follows:
- Right-click
on a blank area of the Taskbar and make sure the ‘Lock the
Taskbar’ is not ticked.
- Click and
drag on the top edge to stretch or shrink the Taskbar.
- Click on a
blank area in the Taskbar to drag to the top, left or right of
your screen.
- To hide your
Taskbar, right-click on a blank area and choose Properties.
Tick the Auto-hide the Taskbar option and click OK. Your
Taskbar will now have hidden itself off the edge of the screen.
Move your mouse to the edge of the screen and it will reappear.
This is useful if you like to have a bit more space on your
screen. To turn off this option, simply follow the same
instructions.
- Right-click a
blank area of the Taskbar and click the ‘Lock the Taskbar’
option to make sure that you don’t move or lose it accidentally.
Backgrounds and
screen savers
To change a whole
variety of options such as the Theme (the Windows look and feel_,
the background picture on your desktop and the screensaver (the
moving image which appears after a period of inactivity) simply
right-click on a blank area of your desktop and then choose
Properties.
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