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What’s Changed in Windows 8.1

Microsoft recently 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) Changed layout in Navigation pane for File Explorer windows

2) Changed interface for Search

3) Changed interface for Apps bar

Changed layout in Navigation pane for File Explorer windows The 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 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.

Figure 1: File Explorer in Windows 8

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Figure 2: File Explorer in Windows 8.1

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Changed interface for Search The 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 Apps bar The 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 Desktop instead of Start screen. This option, accessed

through…, is intended to make the Windows 8.1 experience more familiar to users of earlier

versions of Windows.

Start button added to left edge of taskbar on 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 like 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.

Default Desktop background image changed.

New display options for viewing 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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Shelly Cashman Office 2013 and Windows 8 Chapter

Windows 8.1 Supplement

Office 2013 and Windows 8: Essential Concepts and Skills

Microsoft has 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 changes present in Windows 8.1 that vary significantly from the steps and figures in

the Shelly Cashman Office 2013 and Windows 8: Essential Concepts and Skills chapter.

Starting Windows (Page OFF 6)

Figure 3a: Windows 8.1 lock screen

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Figure 5: Windows 8.1 Start screen

The Windows Start Screen (Page OFF 8)

In Windows 8.1, note that the App bar does not include a button that enables you to display all of your apps. To

display the Apps list in Windows 8.1, tap or click the down arrow button in the left lower section of the Start

screen, as shown in the revised Figure 5 above. To return to the Start screen from the Apps list, tap or click the

up arrow button in the left lower section of the Apps list.

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To Run an App from the Start Screen (Page OFF 12)

Figure 8: Windows 8.1 Desktop

To Switch between an App and the Start Screen (Page OFF 13)

In Windows 8.1, a Start button has been added to the left edge of the desktop taskbar. Tap or click this Start

button to switch from the desktop to the Start screen. See the revised Figure 9.

Figure 9: Start button on taskbar in Windows 8.1

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Organizing Files and Folders (Page OFF 24)

The fourth paragraph in this section describes the library features in Windows 8.

In Windows 8.1, the organization of the left navigation pane in the File Explorer window has changed from that

in Windows 8. The top directories Computer and Libraries have been combined and replaced with This PC. 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 in Windows 8.1.

See the revised Figure 33 below.

Figure 33: Default appearance of File Explorer window in Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1 users can manually restore display of the Libraries group in the File Explorer navigation pane. This

would make it possible to follow the steps in the remainder of this section as written, with only small differences

in the appearance of the File Explorer window.

To restore display of the Libraries group in Windows 8.1: tap or click the View tab in File Explorer, tap or click

the Options button in the Show/Hide group to open the Folder Options dialog box, tap or click the Show libraries

check box in the Navigation pane section, then tap or click OK. Close the File Explorer window, then tap or click

the File Explorer app button on the taskbar. The File Explorer window will match the figures in the text, but with

Computer replaced with This PC.

(Note that this change will add the Libraries category to the File Explorer window, but NOT to file windows

opened in Office apps, such as the Open, Save, Save As, and File New Database dialog boxes.)

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When following the steps in the remainder of this section after making this change, be sure to always tap or click

the library name in the Libraries section of the navigation pane, not the This PC section.

For example, see revised Figure 34 below showing File Explorer window after tapping or clicking the Documents

library in the navigation pane after making this settings change in Windows 8.1

Figure 34

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To Expand a Folder, Scroll through Folder Contents, and Collapse a Folder

(Page OFF 29)

In Windows 8.1, the default contents of the Documents library have changed. The My Documents folder is

named just Documents in Windows 8.1. Also, the Public Documents folder is not present in the Documents

library in Windows 8.1. See revised Figure 40 below.

Figure 40: Contents of Documents library in Windows 8.1

Step 2, first bullet: Double-tap or double-click the Documents folder, which expands the folder to display its

contents and displays a black arrow to the left of the Documents folder icon.

Step 2, second bullet: Double-tap or double-click the CIS 101 folder, which expands the folder to display its

contents and displays a black arrow to the left of the folder icon. If the CIS 101 folder does not expand, tap or

click the white arrow to the left of the folder icon to expand the folder. See revised Figure 41 below.

Figure 41: Expanded CIS 101 folder in Windows 8.1

Step 3: Double-tap or double-click the folder identifying your class (CIS 101, in this case) to collapse the folder. If

the CIS 101 folder does not collapse, tap or click the black arrow to the left of the folder icon to collapse the

folder.

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To Save a File in a Folder (Page OFF 31)

Step 2: Figure 46 shows the Save As dialog box with the default save location of Libraries > Documents.

However, note that in Windows 8.1 the default save location appears as This PC > Documents. See revised

Figure 46 below. This difference does not affect the actions followed to complete the steps in this section.

Figure 46: Save As dialog box in Windows 8.1

Step 4: Navigate to the desired save location (in this case, the Word folder in the CIS 101 folder [or your class

folder] in the Documents folder in the Documents library) by performing the tasks in Steps 4a and 4b.

Step 4a:

If the Documents library is not displayed in the navigation pane, slide to scroll or drag the scroll bar in the

navigation pane until Documents appears (below This PC).

If the Documents library is not expanded in the navigation pane, double-tap or double-click Documents to

display its folders in the navigation pane. (Remember that the My Documents folder is not present in

Windows 8.

If your class folder (CIS 101, in this case) is not expanded, double-tap or double-click the CIS 101 folder to

select the folder and display its contents in the navigation pane (See revised Figure 48 below).

Step 4b: Tap or click the Word folder in the navigation pane to select it as the new save location and display its

contents in the file list.

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Figure 48: Contents of CIS 101 folder in Save As dialog box in Windows 8.1

To Run an App Using the Search Box (Page OFF 46)

Step 2: Note that the Search interface in Windows 8.1 contains several changes from the interface in Windows

8:

1. In Windows 8.1, search results appear below the Search box in the Search pane. In Windows 8, search

results appear in the search results area to the left of the Search pane.

2. In Windows 8.1, the default search category is Everywhere, while in Windows 8 it is Apps.

3. In Windows 8.1, the available search categories are Everywhere, Settings, Files, Web images, and Web

videos. In Windows 8, the available search categories are Apps, Settings, and Files.

See revised Figure 70 below.

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Figure 70: Search pane in Windows 8.1

Step 3: Type PowerPoint 2013 as the search text in the Search box and watch the search results appear in the

Search pane. See revised Figure 71.

Figure 71: Search results in Windows 8.1

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To Save a File in a Folder (Page OFF 50)

Step 5: Navigate to the desired save location (in this case, the PowerPoint folder in the CIS 101 folder [or your

class folder] in the Documents folder in the Documents library).

For specific instructions, perform the tasks in Steps 5a through 5d.

5a If the Documents library is not displayed in the navigation pane, slide to scroll or drag the scroll bar in the

navigation pane until Documents appears.

5b If the Documents library is not expanded in the navigation pane, double-tap or double-click Documents to

display its folders in the navigation pane.

5c If your class folder (CIS 101, in this case) is not expanded, double-tap or double-click the CIS 101 folder to

select the folder and display its contents in the navigation pane.

5d Tap or click the PowerPoint folder in the navigation pane to select it as the new save location and display its

contents in the file list.

To Save a File in a Folder (Page OFF 53)

Step 5: If necessary, navigate to the desired save location (in this case, the PowerPoint folder in the CIS 101

folder [or your class folder] in the Documents folder in the Documents library). For specific instructions, perform

the tasks in Steps 5a through 5d above.

To Create a New Blank Office Document from File Explorer (Page OFF 56)

Step 1:

If necessary, double-tap or double-click the File Explorer app button on the taskbar to make the folder

window the active window.

If necessary, double-tap or double-click the Documents library in the navigation pane to expand the

Documents library. Be sure to target the Documents library in the Libraries section of the navigation pane,

not in the This PC section of the navigation pane. For information on displaying the Libraries category in the

navigation pane, see the steps at the bottom of page 4 of this document.

If necessary, double-tap or double-click your class folder (CIS 101, in this case) in the navigation pane to

expand the folder.

Tap or click the Excel folder in the navigation pane to display its contents in the file list.

With the Excel folder selected, press and hold or right-click an open area in the file list to display a shortcut

menu.

Tap or point to New on the shortcut menu to display the New submenu (See revised Figure 83).

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Figure 83: New submenu in File Explorer window in Windows 8.1

To Save a File with a New File Name (Page OFF 62)

Step 6: If necessary, navigate to the desired save location (in this case, the Excel folder in the CIS 101 folder [or

your class folder] in the Documents folder in the This PC directory).

To Create an Access Database (Page OFF 64)

Step 2: Tap or click the ‘Browse for a location to put your database’ button to display the File New Database

dialog box.

Navigate to the location for the database, that is, the This PC directory, the Documents folder, then to the folder

identifying your class (CIS 101, in this case), and then to the Access folder. See the revised Figure 96 below.

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Figure 96: File New Database dialog box in Windows 8.1

To Rename a File (Page OFF 72)

Step 1:

If necessary, tap or click the File Explorer app button on the taskbar to make the folder window the active

window.

Navigate to the location of the file to be renamed (in this case, the Word folder in the CIS 101 [or your class

folder] folder in the Documents folder in the Documents library) to display the file(s) it contains in the file

list.

Press and hold or right-click the Elephant Habitat icon or file name in the file list to select the Elephant

Habitat file and display a shortcut menu that presents a list of commands related to files. See revised Figure

105 below.

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Figure 105: File shortcut menu in Windows 8.1