Technical information

Chapter 2: The Traditional Desktop
39
✓ Show Desktop Icons: Always keep this option
turned on. When turned off, Windows hides
every icon on your desktop. If you can remem-
ber in your frustration, click this option again to
toggle your icons back on.
✓ Show Desktop Gadgets: Gadgets are little things
like clocks and weather forecasters you can add
to your desktop. Introduced in Windows Vista
and Windows 7 but rarely used, they’ve been
replaced by apps.
Most View options are also available within any of
your folders. To find them, click any folder’s View tab
that lives along its top edge.
Jazzing up the desktop’s background
To jazz up your desktop, Windows 8 covers it with a
pretty picture known as a background. (Many people
refer to the background simply as wallpaper.) When
you tire of the built-in scenery, feel free to replace it
with a picture stored on your computer:
1. Right-click a blank part of the desktop, choose
Personalize, and click the Desktop Background
option in the window’s bottom-left corner.
2. Click any one of the pictures, shown in Figure 2-3,
and Windows 8 quickly places it onto your desk-
top’s background.
Found a keeper? Click the Save Changes button
to keep it on your desktop. Or, if you’re still
searching, move to the next step.
3. Click the Browse button to see photos inside
your Pictures library or My Pictures folder.
Most people store their digital photos in their
Pictures library or My Pictures folder.
These materials are the copyright of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and any
dissemination, distribution, or unauthorized use is strictly prohibited.