Using Live Tiles Windows 10

How to use Live Tiles in Windows 10


Before any of the Windows 10 apps have been used, they are depicted on the Start menu with tiles of solid color. However, once you open an app it activates the Live Tile feature (if it is supported by that app). This enables the tile to display real-time information from the app, even when it is not the app currently being used. This means that you can view information from your apps, directly from the Start menu. To use Live Tiles:


  • Right-click on a tile to select it. If it has Live Tile functionality, click on More > Turn live tile on to activate this feature


Don't forget:

The apps with Live Tile functionality include Mail, People, Calendar, Photos, Groove Music, News, Sport, and Money. Some of these, such as Mail, require you to first set up an account before Live Tiles can be fully activated.


  • Live Tiles display real-time text and images from the selected apps. These are updated when there is new information available via the app

  • To turn off a Live Tile, right-click on a tile to select it and click on More > Turn live tile off


Beware:

If you have too many Live Tiles activated at the same time it can become distracting and annoying, with a lot of movement on the Start menu.


Install and Uninstall

Installing apps from a CD or DVD If the app you want to install is provided on a CD or DVD, you normally just insert the disc. The installation app starts up automatically and you can follow the instructions to select features and complete the installation. If this does not happen automatically:


Hot tip:

You can access the Run function in Windows 10 by right-clicking on the Start button and selecting Run from the contextual menu.


1. Insert the disc and click on this notification window

2. Double-click on the Set-up.exe file link to run it. Follow the onscreen prompts to install the app

3. Apps that are installed from a CD or DVD are added to the all apps list on the Start menu


Hot tip:

Apps can also be installed from discs from File Explorer. To do this, locate the Set-up.exe file and double-click on it to start the installation process in the same way as in Step 2.


Uninstalling apps

In some previous versions of Windows, apps were uninstalled through the Control Panel. However, in Windows 10 they can also be uninstalled directly from the Start menu. To do this:

  • Right-click on an app to access its menu

👉Real also: Get apps from Microsoft Store on your Windows 10


  • A window alerts you to the fact that related information will be removed if the app is uninstalled. Click on the Uninstall button if you want to continue


This app and its related info will be uninstalled. Uninstall


  • If the app is a new Windows 10 one or has been pinned to the Start menu (or Taskbar), its title will be removed from its pinned location(s). For other apps, they will no longer be available from the list of apps


Don't forget:

Some elements of Windows 10, such as the Control Panel, still refer to apps as programs, but they are the same thing.


If apps have been installed from a CD or DVD they can also still be uninstalled from within the Control Panel. To do this, select the Programs options and click on the Uninstall a Program link. The installed apps will be displayed. Select one of the apps and click on the Uninstall/Change link.


Task Manager


Task Manager lists all the apps and processes running on your computer; you can monitor performance or close an app that is no longer responding.


To open the Task Manager:


  • Right-click on the Start button and select Task manager, or press Ctrl + Shift + Esc


Don't forget:

As an alternative, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete to display the Windows Security screen, from where you can start Task Manager.


  • When Task Manager opens, details of the currently running apps are displayed

  • If an app is given the status of Not Responding and you cannot wait for Windows to fix things, select the app and click on the End task button


Beware:

If an app stops responding, Windows 10 will try to find the problem and fix it automatically. Using Task Manager to end the app may be quicker, but any unsaved data will be lost.


  • Click on the More details button to view detailed information about the running apps. Select the Processes tab to show the system and the current user processes

  • The total CPU usage and the amount being used by each process are shown as (continually varying) percentages

  • Select Performance to see graphs of resource usage

  • The Performance panel shows graphs of the recent history of CPU and memory usage, along with other details


Alternative view

In addition to the standard view, with menus and tabs, Task Manager also has a CPU graph-only view:


Don't forget:

If you have a network adapter fitted to your computer, the Task Manager will feature a Networking tab.


1. To switch to the graph-only view, double-click the graph area on the Performance tab

2. To switch back to the view with menus and tabs, double-click the graph area a second time

3. Select the Wi-Fi button in the Performance section to view the activity on your local area network. This tab also offers a graph-only view


Hot tip:

Resize the window so it does not take up too much space on your screen, and you can see the effects on the CPU and memory as you use your system.


Resource Monitor


The Resource Monitor provides an even more detailed view of the activities on your computer and can be an essential aid in troubleshooting. To start the Resource Monitor:


  • From Task Manager, Performance tab, select the Open Resource Monitor


Hot tip:

Right-click any process and choose Analyze Wait Chain... to see which tasks are holding up an unresponsive application.


  • This displays CPU, Memory, Disk, and Network details

  • For even more detail, select one of the tabs, e.g. Memory