Launching and switching between applications

Launching applications

There are a few methods for launching applications:

Taskbar shortcut

If the application you want to launch appears on your taskbar, click the application icon shortcut and the application will start.

Desktop shortcut

If the application has a shortcut on your desktop, double-click the shortcut and the application will start.

Start menu

Click the Start button and then either:

• locate the application within the list of tiles and click the application tile; or
• scroll through the list of applications until the application is revealed and click it; or
• click one of the alphabetic headers, A, B, C etc. Then click the letter which is the first letter of the application you want to start and then locate and click the application you want to launch.

Search

To start your search, click into the Type here to search text box and type the name of the application you want to launch, when it’s revealed within the search results, click it.

File Explorer

If you are using File Explorer to review your files and folders and want to open a file in its default application, double-click the file. The default application will open and the file will open into the application.

Switching between open applications

There are a number of ways to switch quickly and easily between applications that are already open:

Taskbar

Look at the taskbar. The applications that are open appear as icons on the taskbar with blue lines beneath them. When you point to the icon it reveals a thumbnail of the window or documents that are open within that application. Click the application icon to switch to that application.

Task View

Click the Task View button on the taskbar to reveal the Task View window. Click the application that you want to switch to.

Keyboard shortcuts

To reveal Task View press and hold down the Windows key, positioned to the left of the spacebar and tap the Tab key.

This will reveal the open applications in Task View. You can then release all keys and either click on the application you want to use, using your mouse, or from the keyboard, use the cursor keys to highlight the application you want to use, and press Enter.

An alternative to using Task View is to press and hold down the Alt key, positioned to the left of the spacebar and tap the Tab key.

This will reveal the open applications. Keep pressing the Tab key to cycle through the applications. When you reach the one you want to switch to, release the Alt key.