Control Panel Applets Flashcards
Sound
The Sound applet, as the name implies, has everything to do with sound settings. Here you can choose and configure sound output devices, sound input devices, and default Windows sounds. The Sound applet is one of the tools that exists in both Windows Settings and the Control Panel. Figure 12-9 compares the Sound Control Panel applet (left) to the Sound section of the System category in Windows Settings (right). At first glance they look very different, but if you open both tools and click through their options, you’ll see that they do basically the same job. Having said that, never assume that both Windows Settings and the Control Panel always have the same features.
System
The System applet opens Windows Settings in the About section of the System category, displaying information about the computer. This includes the version of Windows, processor speed, RAM, if it’s 32-bit or 64-bit, if pen or touch is enabled, computer name, workgroup, and if Windows is activated. This is one of the first places you go to view specifics on the system you are working with.
Indexing Options
Indexing describes the way a computer gathers information about files to make it easier to find what you are looking for and stores the file information in a database-type format. This makes the search process much faster. Imagine having to open every folder and look through it to find what you need. Indexing solves this problem by creating a directory that you can reference and access files from. However, not every folder is indexed, as there are many folders that you will seldom, if ever, use. To speed up processing, these folders are excluded from the initial indexing. However, if there is something you want to index, because you use it frequently, the Indexing Options tool lets you select files and folders that you want indexed.
To index selected files or folders, click Indexing Options in the Control Panel. You will see a list of the folders that are indexed. As just noted, very few folders are actually indexed by default, with Figure 12-10 serving as an example of what you might expect to see.
Ease of Access
Microsoft works hard to make Windows usable by folks with physical limitations, and Ease of Access Center in Control Panel is the place to go to adapt the OS to those needs. For those with sight impairment, you can launch Magnifier to enable them to enlarge part of the screen and launch Narrator to read the screen out loud. For those who need help with keyboard and mouse control, Ease of Access provides features such as On-Screen Keyboard, Sticky Keys (key combinations can be typed one key at a time), and Filter Keys (ignores double taps).
Administrative Tools
Administrative Tools is a special setting of File Explorer that enables you to open a specific set of applets—it’s like a super applet launcher! You’ve already seen some of these applets in earlier chapters—such as Disk Cleanup and Defragment back in Chapter 9. We’ll also cover a number of these applets in this and later chapters. For now just know that you can launch many applets from this one super applet
File Explorer Options
File Explorer is your go-to tool for file manipulation in Windows. Here you can delete, copy, and move files. You can create folders and move or copy those folders as well. Equally, you can double-click on any file to launch it or run it. I have File Explorer open 50 percent of the time on my machine. Figure 12-12 shows the contents of the C:\ drive on my system.
The File Explorer Options applet enables you to personalize what File Explorer shows you. Want File Explorer to open to Quick access rather than This PC? Set that here. Want to see the file extensions for every file? This applet is where you do that.
