Logging In

Obviously, the first step to using a computer is to turn it on. Shortly after you first start your computer, the Windows 8 Lock screen appears (see Figure 4.2). To log in, slide the display up. To slide on a touch device, move your finger from the bottom of the display toward the top. With a mouse, click and drag the display toward the top. Windows displays the list of user accounts available on the device. You learn more about user accounts in Chapter 5, but for now, all you need to know is that if you see user account icons shortly after you first start your computer, you have to click one in order to use the computer. Tap (touch or click) on a user tile to enter the password for that user account, and then press Enter or tap (or click) the arrow icon to the right of the password field.

FIGURE 4.2 The Windows Lock screen

You also can use a new Windows 8 feature called Picture Passwords to log in to Windows. The Picture Passwords feature is covered in Chapter 5.

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If the user account isn’t password-protected, the Windows Start screen appears automatically. If the user account you clicked is password-protected, a rectangular box appears instead. You have to type the correct password for the account to get to the Windows Start screen. The letters you type won’t show in the box by default. Instead, you’ll see a dot for each letter you type, as in Figure 4.3. This prevents others from learning your password by looking over your shoulder as you type it on the screen. To temporarily see the characters you enter, press and hold the eye icon on the right side of the password box. This toggles on the characters so you can see that what you typed is what you intended to type.

After you type the password, press Enter or click the arrow to the right of the password box.

FIGURE 4.3 Typing a password

After you’ve successfully logged in, the Windows Start screen appears.