Windows 8 has two primary screens: Start and Desktop
The Start screen contains tiles that are connected to apps, folders, photos, and websites that
are alive
with the latest information.
Use this screen to quickly open items that you use often.
The Desktop screen is similar to previous versions of the Windows desktop.
It contains a work area, taskbar, folders, and icons.
Use this screen to work with desktop software applications.
This video shows you how to customize these Windows 8 screens to fit your needs.
The display resolution determines how much information appears on the screen.
With lower resolution, fewer items fit on the screen, but those items will be bigger.
At higher resolution, more items fit on the screen, but they will be smaller.
To set the display resolution, open the desktop screen.
Right-click an empty area of the desktop and select Screen resolution.
If more than one monitor is connected to your computer, select the number of the monitor
you want to adjust.
In this example, we have only one monitor.
The Resolution box contains a slider bar that you can use to change your screen resolution.
The Recommended setting provides the best quality resolution for your display.
To change the resolution, drag the slider down to decrease the resolution,
or drag the slider up to increase the screen resolution.
Click OK to save settings.
In the confirmation box, click Keep changes.
Note: For the best image quality on flat panel monitors, use the monitor's native resolution or
recommended settings, which is usually found in the documentation that came with it or
in the onscreen display menu.
In Windows 8, you can change the Start screen wallpaper and rearrange and resize the app tiles.
To change the Start screen wallpaper, type personalize on the Start screen.
Select Change the background and colors on Start.
To change the wallpaper, select the wallpaper you want to use.
The new wallpaper appears on your Start screen.
If you want to change the wallpaper's background color, select the color from the Background
color pallet.
For example, if you want gold, select gold from the small color tiles.
Then select the shade of gold that you want to apply.
If you want to change the accent color, select the color from the Accent color pallet.
If you want a green accent, select green from the small color tiles.
Then select the shade of green that you want to apply.
You can also rearrange and resize the app tiles on the Start screen.
To rearrange tiles, click and drag it to its new location.
For example, you can move the Weather tile below the Sports tile.
This allows you to group tiles to make them easier to find.
If you want to name the group, select one of the apps in the group, and then type a
name for the group.
To change the size of a tile, right-click the tile, click the Resize icon, and then
select the size.
For example, to change the size of the Music tile, right-click the Music tile and select
the size you want.
The tile adjusts to the size selected.
On the desktop screen, you can change the background, add a screen saver, make items
bigger, and change window colors.
To change the desktop background, right-click on the desktop, select Personalize, and then
click Desktop Background.
Windows provides a variety of desktop backgrounds.
Or, you can click Browse to find a picture stored on your computer.
Select the background you want to use.
To change where the picture displays on the screen, select a position from the Picture
position box.
Click Save Changes.
To change the screen saver, right-click the desktop background, select Personalize, and
click Screen Saver.
Windows is preloaded with a number of screen savers.
In the drop-down box, select the screen saver you want to use.
In the Wait box, select the number of minutes of inactivity before the screen saver opens.
If you want the logon screen to open after the screen saver opens, click On resume, display
logon screen.
Click OK to save your changes.
You can make text and other items on your desktop bigger.
Right-click the desktop background, select Personalize, and then Display.
Under Change the size of all items, you can click the bar to toggle between
Smaller, which is the standard size, and Larger.
If you don't want to change the size of all items on your desktop, you can select the
item you wish to change,
and then select the text size.
Click Apply to save your changes.
You can also change the color of the task bar, the window borders, and the title bar.
Right-click the desktop background and select Personalize.
Then click Color.
Select a new color from the color pallet.
If you want to change the intensity of the color, move the Color intensity slider.
If you want to mix colors, click Show color mixer and create your own color.
After you have selected the color you want, click Save changes.
You can find additional helpful videos at hp.com/supportvideos
and on our YouTube channel, youtube.com/howto4u.