Over the past few weeks, we have looked at some basic options available in Microsoft’s Windows 11 operating system. Since then, many people have emailed me asking for more information regarding Windows 11. Just as I thought, there are some of you out there who have recently purchased new computers. Some of you found some parts of Windows 11, to be different from Windows 10 and would like to learn about it.
Today we will continue to look at a few more options you have with Windows 11.
First, we will look at the Power Button in Windows 11. To get started, click the menu button and then look to the lower right for the power button. The universal symbol for off/on or power looks like a circle with a vertical line at the top. When clicked, you will see “Sign in options,” “Shut down,” or “Restart.” Your options may also include “Hibernate” and/or “Sleep.” It depends on how the Operating System was installed. I do not suggest using those two, but it is a matter of opinion only.
The one at the top, “Ways to sign in” does just that. The default is your password; however, there are several other ways you can choose to log into your computer. You can use Facial recognition (this has never worked well with my ugly mug) or Fingerprint recognition, which none of my computers have that ability.
The one that I elect to use is a PIN. Microsoft suggests a four-digit PIN is safer than a password, why? It is because the computer is the only place those digits are used. Your password can be attacked online and possibly expose your computer. Whereas the PIN is only stored in one place and that is your computer. If you have Windows 11 your computer has TPM, unless you hacked it. TPM is a Trusted Platform Module, which is a hardware chip that has special security embedded to make it tamper-proof. At this point, no known software attacks can hack it. It comes with a default of digits, but you can also choose to use letters and symbols along with digits.
The last item in the way you may choose to log on to your computer is with a Security key. I have a YubiKey that I have used in the past (yubico.com). I liked it as without the key I could not log into my computer at work. Very secure! So secure, in fact, that one day I left my key at home and had to spend about an hour getting into my computer without the key. Secure for sure, convenient for sure…unless you leave your key elsewhere. I no longer use the key for that reason.
If you want more details or to find out about how the “Additional settings” work, you have several choices. You could click the link under “Related” that says, “More about sign-in options” and you will get a lot of good information from Microsoft. Next, you could come back here next week for more about those settings. Finally, use the contact form or voicemail me from GrayHaired.Tech.
Next, back to the power button; “Shut down” and “Restart,” easy, right? I have written about it previously, and gotten emails later questioning me. But, actually, restarting does more for your computer than shutting it down and restarting it later. Restarting clears the RAM, whereas a total shutdown does not. I have set my desktop computer to automatically restart every other night around 2 am. This keeps it running smoothly. I hardly ever shut my desktop down. My notebook, on the other hand, I shut down when I am done with it and also restart it every week or so depending on how often I use it.
Keep this in mind, when you visit GrayHaired.Tech you can re-read these articles and get graphics and sometimes videos to help you out. This week, I have a special guest appearance, see below!
Chewy checking out my YubiKey
