Using your laptop or desktop

Are you or the person you’re trying to help able to:

• Turn on the device?
• Use the controls?
• Understand the parts of the device? For instance, charger, screen, volume buttons
• Log in to the device?
• Lock and unlock the device?
• Use your keyboard, mouse or touchpad to use the device?

How did you do?

I answered no

You may need some extra help before starting chapter 2. Our Digital Helpline is free to use, and we’ll help you get started. You can call the Helpline on 0345 222 0333.

I answered yes

Great, you’re ready to go straight on to chapter 2.

Getting started

To start, let’s look at how to make your device even better for you. By changing some settings, can adapt it to meet your needs. So it’s easier to use, see, hear and experience.

In this chapter, we’ll look at what you can change on your device. They’re all different, so we won’t be able to tell you exactly where to find these features on your device. But we’ll give you some general tips on finding them. You can then test whether they make using your device easier.

Need more help?

• Check your device's instructions
• Ask a friend or family member
• Call our Academy Digital Helpline on 0345 222 0333
• Go to AbilityNet

Finding your settings

You’ll need to use a mouse, touchpad or touchscreen to access the settings. The settings are usually on your desktop or start menu, but it might depend on the device you’re using. Can’t find them? Check your instructions or use the help we’ve mentioned.

Feeling stuck?

There’s a search option on most devices. You can use this to find the setting you’re looking for. For example, you can search for ‘display settings’ or ‘text’ and it will bring you options.

Using settings you can:

Changing your system settings

System settings can help you make some really helpful changes. They’re key to how your computer runs. Let’s look at some of the things you may be able to change in system settings.

You can usually change:

• How things appear on the screen
• The notifications you see
• Your sound settings

How things appear on the screen

This could be anything from the size of your text to how bright the screen is. For example, if you find it hard to look at a bright light for long periods you can make your screen darker. Or if things are too small, you can make them bigger.

The notifications you see

These are alerts that come up on your screen and tell you information. They can remind you to do something, or let you know you’ve got a new message. If you find them distracting, you can turn them off in your settings.

Your sound settings

If some sounds on your device are too loud or too quiet, you can adjust them. You can also change the overall volume, or set applications to different sound levels.

Connecting a device

There are many ways connecting a device can make your laptop or desktop easier to use. Perhaps it’s a mouse that fits better in your hand. It could be switches to help you operate your computer. Maybe a microphone to allow voice commands. Whatever device you’re connecting, you can usually adjust its settings to make it work in a way that suits you.

Here’s how to adapt your mouse:

• Change your cursor speed - Your cursor is the pointer that moves around the screen as you move your mouse. You can make it move faster or slower
• Switch the buttons – Left-handed? You can switch what the buttons on your mouse do when you click them
• Pick the scroll direction and speed – When you’re scrolling up and down a screen, you can change the direction you swipe your mouse. You can also make it faster or slower to scroll

Here’s how to adapt the touchpad on your laptop:

• Change cursor speed – Like the mouse, you can change how fast your cursor moves
• Personalise the taps – Tapping your touchpad lets you do different things. You can usually change what multiple taps and other gestures do
• Reduce tapping options – You can even remove touchpad options to make it simpler and stop you from tapping something by accident

Personalising your device

These settings help you change the look and feel of your device. For example, you can change your background and the colours of your windows. They can also help you change how you move around your device, by adapting your start menu, lock screen and other windows to suit you.

Changing your accessibility settings

These settings take personalisation one step further. They allow you to make changes that can make your device much easier to access. In fact, sometimes you’ll see these settings under ‘ease of access’. Most devices will help with three main things: vision, hearing and interaction.

This can help anyone, at any time, especially if you’re finding your device hard to use. You might need your device to work differently for a short while or long term. For example, say you’ve broken your arm. You’ll be using your device with just one hand. So it will need to work this way just until your arm is better. If you have a visual impairment, you might need more permanent changes

How to adapt your device to suit your needs – select each heading to learn more

Managing your privacy and security settings

These are also in your settings menu. Use them to make sure you’re happy your device is safe and secure. You can do this by giving or taking ‘permissions’ from each app. You can also back up your files and update your software.

Here are some ways to keep your device safe.

Keep your software up to date

Keeping your software up to date makes sure your device is using the latest versions of everything. This includes the software that keeps your device running. You’ll see update notifications every so often. These include changes to make the software run better or do extra things. Some of them improve your security or fix security issues. So always check your device menu to make sure your security and software is up to date. Most devices let you know if you need to download an update.

Set a password or code

Another way you can manage your device’s security is by protecting the device itself. In your settings, you can set a password or code for your device. This lets you lock your device and open it, and will keep others out. Some devices also let you set up ‘biometrics’. These are ways of locking your device that are unique to you and no one can copy. For example it may use your fingerprint, voice or the shape of your face. If you lose your device, this adds an extra layer of safety.

Set up ‘Find my device’

Finally, many devices will now have a ‘Find my device’ setting. Once you set this up, you can use it to track the location of your device. So if it’s lost or stolen, you can track it down more easily.

If you’re still unsure about any of the settings, remember you can:

• Check your device's instructions
• Ask a friend or family member
• Call our Academy Digital Helpline on 0345 222 0333
• Go to AbilityNet

Lesson complete!

Well done on completing this lesson. You should now be able to use your device and change your settings to make it easier to use. We suggest you keep your learning going with our next lesson: ‘Connecting to the internet’. It will help you connect your device to broadband internet or mobile data to help you get online.

Up next for you:

Next lesson: Connecting to the internet
Back to: Get started online