Summary of updates to Windows 8June 2014

Table of Contents(CTRL+Click a link to navigate directly to Part 1, 2, or 3.)

Part 1: What Version of Windows Am I Using?Part 2: What's Changed from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1?Part 3: What’s Changed from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 Update 1?

What Version of Windows Am I Using?You can determine which version of Windows is running on your computer using the Control Panel. First, display the Control Panel; then you can use the System window to display your Windows version.

To display the Control Panel:No matter what version of Windows is running, you should see the Windows Desktop or the Windows Start screen.

If you see the Windows Desktop, press the Windows key on your computer keyboard (this key appears

at the left side of the bottom row of the keyboard and displays the Windows logo, similar to ).

If a Start menu opens in the bottom left corner of the screen, click Control Panel on the right side of this Start menu. The Control Panel opens.

If the Start screen appears, type control, and then click Control Panel in the search results. The Control Panel opens.

If you see the Windows Start screen, type control, and then click Control Panel in the search results. The Control Panel opens.

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To use the Control Panel to determine which version of Windows is running:

1. Click System and Security.2. Click System. The System window of the Control Panel appears. The System window includes a

section labeled “Windows edition.” This section indicates whether you are using Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1. See circled areas in the images below.

If you are running Windows 8.1, the System window will not tell you if you are running Windows 8.1 Update 1. There is a simple method to determine if you are running Windows 8.1 Update 1:

View the Start screen (press the Windows button on your keyboard to show the Start screen, if necessary).

In Windows 8.1, a user icon appears in the top right corner. See the image below.

In Windows 8.1 Update 1, a Power Options icon and Search icon appear along with the user icon. See the image below.

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What’s Changed from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1?In late 2013, Microsoft released Windows 8.1, a significant update for the Windows 8 operating system. Many of the changes are focused on making the interface more accessible for users making the transition from earlier versions of Windows. Most tasks can be performed identically in both versions. This document highlights a few major changes present in Windows 8.1:

1) New in File Explorer: This PC directory2) Changed interface for Search3) Changed interface for Apps bar

New in File Explorer: This PC directoryThe biggest change from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 is in the File Explorer window. The top directories Computer and Libraries have been combined and replaced with a new directory called This PC.

Figure 1 below shows the File Explorer window in Windows 8, while Figure 2 shows the File Explorer window in Windows 8.1. Any activities that required navigating to a location within the Computer or Libraries directories can now be completed by navigating to the same locations under the This PC directory.

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Figure 1: File Explorer in Windows 8

Figure 2: File Explorer in Windows 8.1

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Changed interface for SearchThe default options and layout of the Search tool have changed in Windows 8.1. Figure 3 below shows the Search tool in Windows 8. Figure 4 shows the Search tool in Windows 8.1.

In Windows 8.1, the default Apps, Settings, and Files search categories have been replaced with Everywhere, Settings, Files, Web images, and Web videos.

Also, the display of search results has changed. In Windows 8, live search results appear in the main window as a search term is typed. In Windows 8.1, live search results appear in a list below the search text box in the Search pane, but the main window remains unchanged.

Figure 3: Search pane in Windows 8

Figure 4: Search pane in Windows 8.1

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Changed interface for the Apps barThe default behavior of the Apps bar has changed in Windows 8.1. Figure 5 below shows the appearance of the Apps bar after right-clicking a desktop app on the Start screen in Windows 8. Figure 6 below shows the appearance of the Apps bar after right-clicking a desktop app on the Start screen in Windows 8.1.

The most significant change is the removal of the All apps command from the Apps bar in Windows 8.1. In Windows 8.1, the All apps command has been replaced by a down arrow toggle button on the Start screen that can be clicked to display the All apps screen. This button is shown in Figure 7 below.

Figure 5: Apps bar in Windows 8

Figure 6: Apps bar in Windows 8.1

Figure 7: All apps toggle button in Windows 8.1

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Other changes in Windows 8.1 that have less impact on common actions include:

A new option to boot directly to the Desktop instead of the Start screen. This option, accessed by right-clicking the taskbar, clicking Properties, clicking the Navigation tab, and checking “When I sign in or close all apps on a screen, go to the desktop instead of Start”, is intended to make the Windows 8.1 experience more familiar to users of earlier versions of Windows.

Start button added to the left edge of the taskbar on the Desktop. A Start button has been added to the left edge of the Desktop taskbar in Windows 8.1 This button can be used to toggle between the Desktop and the Start screen. Of note, this button does not open a Start menu as in earlier versions of Windows.

Snap left/Snap right commands replaced with Insert Left/Insert Right. Windows 8 introduced the Snap feature to adjust the layout of windows on the Desktop. In Windows 8.1, this feature has been replaced with Insert commands which operate very similarly.

The default Desktop background image has been changed from flowers on a blue background to an orange geometric pattern.

New display options for viewing the All apps list. In Windows 8.1, the All apps list has added an integrated drop-down list that can be used to display apps by name, date installed, most used, and category.

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What’s Changed from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 Update 1?In May 2014, Microsoft released Windows 8.1 Update 1, a relatively minor update for the Windows 8 operating system. Many of the changes are focused on making the interface more accessible for users making the transition from earlier versions of Windows. Most tasks can be performed identically in both versions. This document highlights the most significant changes present in Windows 8.1 Update 1:

4) New in File Explorer: This PC directory5) Changed interface for Search6) Apps bar replaced with context menus and Apps view7) Added Desktop functionality with taskbar available any time by pointing to the bottom of the

screen8) Added app features with ability to display Close and Minimize buttons by pointing to the top of a

Windows 8 app

New in File Explorer: This PC directory One of the biggest changes from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 Update 1 is in the File Explorer window. The top directories Computer and Libraries have been combined and replaced with a new directory called This PC.

Figure 1 below shows the File Explorer window in Windows 8, while Figure 2 shows the File Explorer window in Windows 8.1 Update 1. Any activities that required navigating to a location within the Computer or Libraries directories can now be completed by navigating to the same locations under the This PC directory.

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Figure 8: File Explorer in Windows 8

Figure 9: File Explorer in Windows 8.1 Update 1

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Changed interface for SearchThe default options and layout of the Search tool have changed in Windows 8.1 Update 1. Figure 3 below shows the Search tool in Windows 8. Figure 4 shows the Search tool in Windows 8.1 Update 1.

In Windows 8.1 Update 1, the default Apps, Settings, and Files search categories have been replaced with Everywhere, Settings, Files, Web images, and Web videos.

Also, the display of search results has changed. In Windows 8, live search results appear in the main window as a search term is typed. In Windows 8.1 Update 1, live search results appear in a list below the search text box in the Search pane, but the main window remains unchanged.

Figure 10: Search pane in Windows 8

Figure 11: Search pane in Windows 8.1 Update 1

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Apps bar replaced with context menus and Apps viewThe Apps bar from Windows 8 has been eliminated in Windows 8.1 Update 1, and replaced with context menus and Apps view. Figure 5 below shows the appearance of the Apps bar after right-clicking a desktop app on the Start screen in Windows 8. Figure 6 below shows the same commands on a context menu after right-clicking a desktop app on the Start screen in Windows 8.1 Update 1.

Figure 12: Apps bar in Windows 8

Figure 13: Apps context menu in Windows 8.1 Update 1

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In Windows 8, the All apps command on the Apps bar was used to display and work with all apps installed on a computer. In Windows 8.1 Update 1, the All apps command has been replaced by a down arrow toggle button on the Start screen that can be clicked to display Apps view. This button is shown at the bottom of Figure 7 below.

Apps view in Windows 8.1 Update 1 has the same layout as the All apps screen in Windows 8, with Windows 8 app tiles presented alphabetically, followed by desktop app tiles presented alphabetically, followed by Windows utilities.

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Figure 14: Apps view toggle button in Windows 8.1 Update 1

Apps view toggle button

Added Desktop functionality with taskbar available any time by pointing to the bottom of the screenIn Windows 8.1 Update 1, a new feature allows you to access the Desktop taskbar at any time by pointing to the bottom of the screen. This allows you to switch to and interact with all open apps and apps pinned to the taskbar, even when working in a full-screen Windows 8 app or the Start screen. Also new in Windows 8.1 Update 1, both desktop and Windows 8 apps are represented with icons on the taskbar, making it easier to switch between and interact with them. In Figure 8 below, the taskbar has been accessed by pointing to the bottom of the screen while working in the Weather app.

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Figure 15: Taskbar displayed while working in a Windows 8 app in Windows 8.1 Update 1

Added app features with ability to display Close and Minimize buttons by pointing to the top of a Windows 8 appIn Windows 8.1 Update 1, a new feature allows you to interact with Windows 8 apps using a title bar and window controls similar to those in traditional desktop apps. Point to the top of the screen in any Windows 8 app to display a title bar containing Close and Minimize buttons. Figure 9 below shows the title bar displayed while working in the Help+Tips app.

Figure 16: Title bar displayed while working in a Windows 8 app in Windows 8.1 Update 1

Other changes in Windows 8.1 Update 1 that have less impact on common actions include:

Easy to access Power and Search buttons added next to the User icon on the Start screen. A Windows Store icon pinned to the taskbar by default to allow quick access to new apps. Added taskbar functionality with the ability to pin Windows Store apps and Internet

bookmarks to the taskbar. Windows boots to the Desktop by default on computers without a touch screen. A customizable option to boot directly to the Desktop instead of the Start screen. This option,

accessed by right-clicking the taskbar, clicking Properties, clicking the Navigation tab, and checking “When I sign in or close all apps on a screen, go to the desktop instead of Start” and

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“Show my desktop background on Start”, is intended to make the Windows 8.1 Update 1 experience more familiar to users of earlier versions of Windows.

Start button added to the left edge of the taskbar on the Desktop. A Start button has been added to the left edge of the Desktop taskbar in Windows 8.1 Update 1. This button can be used to toggle between the Desktop and the Start screen. Of note, this button does not open a Start menu as in earlier versions of Windows.

Snap left/Snap right commands replaced with Insert Left/Insert Right. Windows 8 introduced the Snap feature to adjust the layout of windows on the Desktop. In Windows 8.1 Update 1, this feature has been replaced with Insert commands which operate very similarly.

The default Desktop background image has been changed from flowers on a blue background to an orange geometric pattern.

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