Here’s What’s Different About Windows 10 for Windows 7 Users

[Batu69]

Unlike Windows 8, Windows 10 actually feels designed for a PC with a keyboard and mouse. Windows 7 users will be much more at home with Windows 10, but there are still some big changes.

If you’re a Windows 7 user, you might be surprised to see just how much has changed after you upgrade. Thankfully, there are no weird hot corners to learn.

Microsoft Account Integration

When you set up Windows 10, the first thing you’ll be asked is whether you want to log into your Windows system with a Microsoft account. This is similar to logging into a Mac or iPhone with an Apple account, or a Chromebook or Android device with a Google account.

If you log in with a Microsoft account, many desktop settings (including your wallpaper) will sync between your PCs. You’ll be automatically logged into Microsoft services like the OneDrive client integrated into Windows. A Microsoft account is mandatory to use some of the new features, like the Windows Store.

If you don’t want to use a Microsoft account, that’s also fine — there’s a small little link that allows you to set up a traditional, local Windows account. You can easily convert it to a Microsoft account later, if you like.

The New Start Menu

The Start menu looks very different from how it did on Windows 7. The live tiles found on Windows 8’s Start screen make a return here. But, don’t worry — you can remove all the live tiles if you don’t like them. Just right-click them and remove them. The Start menu looks a bit different, but it has all the usual features you’d expect — a list of all your installed applications as well as power options for shutting down or restarting your PC. Move your mouse to any edge of the Start menu and you’ll be able to resize it.

Universal Apps and the Windows Store

Many of the apps that come with Windows 10 are “universal apps,” which are the successor to Windows 8’s “Metro apps” or “Store apps.” Unlike on Windows 8, these apps actually run in windows on the desktop, so you may actually be interested in using them.

To get more of these apps, you’ll need to open the Store app included with Windows and download them from the Windows Store. There’s no way to “sideload” these types of apps by downloading them from the Internet, although you’re free to avoid them entirely and install traditional Windows desktop applications from the web. You can also mix and match traditional Windows desktop applications and new apps from the Store. They’ll all run in windows on your desktop.

Settings App vs. Control Panel

The Settings option in the Start menu takes you straight to the new Settings app, which is evolved from the PC Settings app on Windows 8. This is designed to be a more user-friendly way to configure your computer.

However, it still doesn’t contain every setting. The old Windows Control Panel is still included. Some older settings may only be available in the Control Panel, while some newer settings may only be available in the Settings app. To quickly access the Control Panel and other advanced options, you can right-click the Start button or press Windows Key + X. This menu is a useful holdover from Windows 8.

The Refresh and Reset options also make the leap from Windows 8 to 10. These allow you to quickly get your computer back to a like-new state without having to actually reinstall Windows.

You won’t be able to disable automatic Windows updates on Windows 10 Home systems. You’ll need Windows 10 Professional to defer updates.

Cortana and Task View on the Taskbar

The Windows taskbar has changed a bit. In Windows 8, Microsoft removed the Start button from the taskbar and you only saw icons for your programs here. In Windows 10, the Start button isn’t just back — there’s a “Search the web and Windows” field that launches Microsoft’s Cortana assistant and a Task View button that provides an overview of all your open windows and virtual desktop features.

Both of these features are enabled by default. If you’d like to disable them, you can just right-click the taskbar and choose to hide the Search and Task View options.

Edge Replaces Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer is no longer the default browser, although it’s still available for businesses that still need access to its older rendering engine. In its place is a modern browser named Edge. Microsoft’s Edge browser should be more standards-compliant and perform better. It also no longer supports ActiveX controls, so all those old Internet Explorer toolbars and browser plug-ins will no longer function. If you’ve been using Internet Explorer, this is the browser you’ll be using instead. If you’re using Chrome or Firefox, you can install that and continue browsing normally.

Desktop and Security Improvements

Many other desktop improvements from Windows 8 are still here, but you won’t have seen them if you’ve been using Windows 7. The Task Manager was given an upgrade, so it’s easier to see what’s using your system resources and even manage startup programs without third-party software. Windows Explorer was renamed File Explorer and now has a ribbon — even if you don’t like the ribbon, File Explorer offers many useful features. For example, the file-copying-and-moving dialog window is much improved and Windows can mount ISO disc image files without third-party software.

There are also many security improvements from Windows 8. Windows 10 includes Windows Defender by default — Windows Defender is just a renamed version of Microsoft Security Essentials, so all Windows systems have a baseline level of antivirus protection. SmartScreen is a reputation system that tries to block harmful and unknown file downloads from harming your computer.

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These are far from the only improvements found in Windows 10. For example, you’ll find a notification center and redesigned power, network, and sound icons in the system tray. Windows 10 includes Game DVR functionality for recording and streaming PC games. Microsoft has made many low-level tweaks that make Windows use less disk space, boot faster, and better protected against attacks.

Despite all the changes, Windows 10 is much easier to get to grips with than Windows 8 was. It’s based on the familiar desktop interface, complete with a start menu and desktop windows. Windows 10 does have a “Tablet mode,” but you have to enable that manually — or have it automatically enabled when using tablet hardware. You aren’t forced into tablet mode on typical PCs.

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[straycat19]

So the logical question is how do we DeCrapify Windows 10 and get rid of all the unnecessary junk like the windows store and all the universal apps, any tablet related software/services and Cortana? I have purchased small SSD drives for each of my laptops and desktops. I am going to image them and then upgrade them to Windows 10 when the upgrade comes out, remove them and put the original drives back in and continue running Windows 7 probably for years but will be able to put the SSDs in and have my legitimate Win10 if/when I need to.

[heyyahblah]

Right now there are only a few items you can remove, like XBOX (for people that don't have it), news, stocks, money, and a few other apps. Other ones that I have tried in the TP are built in and cannot be removed (but hopefully this will change). If not, I am sure a few reg hacks and tweaks will come along that we can remove all this un-necessary bloatware garbage.

For me, since I'm not an idiot, cortana is useless spying junk. You can disable it, but I will be hoping to remove it completely and just have a normal local search like before, not one that searches the web. A lot of those tiles are still useless garbage. A lot of those apps are junk, especially photos app since Windows 8, I hate that. I just use Windows picture viewer as my default. I just need to open and look at a picture, the sorting I do on my own, photos app is crap and a waste of space, same with videos app. I use VLC for everything, so for me its useless, and lastly I could careless about wallstreet so I dont need stocks/news/money. If i want any of that crap I'll google it, I don't need it (on the fly) wasting un-necessary resouces on my computer. But that's just me, not sure how other users feel.

Hopefully there will be more tweaks and tricks to remove the un-necessary junk.

[Pete 12]

YES, agree for the 200% !

For these reasons I will not upgrade to Win10, for the moment we stay with Win7, coz there are simply no reasons at all for "upgrading" !

Better wait and see if its getting better, after some time, and a lot of bloatware has been removed by common sense !

[heyyahblah]

So many you cannot remove it's annoying. You cannot remove XBOX, Music, Photos, Video, People, etc, there are a few more I can't remember off the top of my head right now, but it's so annoying because I go into APPS and it combines my installed programs with the listed stupid Windows apps. I think they should be seperate like in Programs & Features menu. You have your installed applications and then the Micorosoft stuff is listed spereately if you want to see it. Here its all garbaled together with the Windows Junk.

I prefer the Control Panel over the Settings menu, Settings is really annoying. I don't like Cortana their either and just argh, so much is bothering me.

[psyko666]

YES, agree for the 200% !

For these reasons I will not upgrade to Win10, for the moment we stay with Win7, coz there are simply no reasons at all for "upgrading" !

Better wait and see if its getting better, after some time, and a lot of bloatware has been removed by common sense !

Can you please shut up and stop whining about Windows 8.1 and Windows 10, you always keep talinkg how shitty it is BUT you DO download WIndows 8.1!!

Prove: //www.nsaneforums.com/topic/213768-windows-81-with-update-iso-all-languages-repository/?p=781030

So please stop your stupid comments about how BAD Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 is!! :mad2:

[dcs18]

So the logical question is how do we DeCrapify Windows 10 and get rid of all the unnecessary junk like the windows store and all the universal apps, any tablet related software/services and Cortana?

I played with the very early Previews of Windows 10 (exploring the above possibilities) - ATM, I am back to the 8.1 Update 3 and Windows 7 Ultimate, SP1.

A User can rid his Windows 10 of every unwanted feature - options continue to be available just as they were, also on the 8.X Additionally, one can even make Windows 8.X and 10.X more beautiful than Windows 7.

It all boils down to the level of the User's expertise. :)