Help Yourself: Tech Tips Weekly
9h 28mBeginner2021-07-14
Authors
Dan Gookin
Creator, Teacher, and Technology Writer with 20+ years of experience
Course details
For basic IT issues, most users prefer to help themselves. If you are interested in troubleshooting your own computer issues, this series is the answer. The tips are equally useful to end users, small businesses that perform their own IT, and enterprise IT help desks that want to reduce Level 1 service tickets. Instructor Dan Gookin focuses on the Windows PC, covering topics related to hardware, networking, security, and the operating system itself. No preexisting knowledge is required.
Skills covered
Help Desk SkillsSerial (Weekly)IT Help Desk
Concepts
Operating System
- Dealing with a bad sign-in
- Doing a Windows checkup
- Recovering a deleted file
- Locating a lost file
- Rolling back an update
- Fixing a full hard drive
- Controlling the taskbar
- Speeding up a slow computer
- Uninstalling software
- Mapping a network drive
- Managing desktop icons
- Configuring system updates
- Formatting media
- Setting laptop power options
- Setting desktop power options
- Dealing with an unknown file type
- Restarting the operating system
- Renaming a group of files
- Opening an unknown file attachment
- Knowing when to call for help
Networking
- Finding the PC's IP address
- Understanding networking terms
- Reviewing network layout
- Troubleshooting the network connection
- Managing Wi-Fi networks
- Restarting the network
- Checking network privacy
- Accessing a shared folder
- Sharing a folder
- Updating the Wi-Fi password
- Checking your internet speed
- Mapping a network drive
- Working with a flakey Wi-Fi connection
Security
- Being password smart
- Updating your password
- Spotting a secure website
- Recognizing a phishing attack email
- Clearing the browser history
- Reviewing Wi-Fi security options
- Managing online passwords
- Disabling Windows remote desktop access
- Running Windows Defender
- Understanding website certificates
Hardware
- Checking a bad keyboard or mouse
- Understanding PC sound connections
- Turning off a stubborn computer
- Identifying odd computer noises
Microsoft Office
- Disabling the backstage
- Showing (and hiding) the ribbon
- Selecting another printer
- Repairing an Office installation
- Updating the Quick Access Toolbar
- Excel - Freezing rows or columns
- Excel - Understanding hash errors
- Excel - Using the single quote
- PowerPoint - Starting a presentation
- PowerPoint - Move around a presentation
- PowerPoint - Create a slideshow video
- PowerPoint - Slideshow tips
- Word - Centering a page
- Word - Adding a page border
- Word - Changing the default font
- Word - Removing the last blank page
- Word - Rotating a single page
- Word - Restoring the Save All command
- Word - Setting tab stops
Windows 10
- Creating a new task view
- Changing AutoPlay behavior
- Pruning recent file lists
- Reviewing keyboard shortcuts
- Configuring Windows 10 sync
- Arranging windows
- Saving your eyes with dark mode
- Using night light
- Ratcheting up privacy protection
- Understanding Quick Access
Troubleshooting
- Accepting why things go wrong
- Checking the hardware
- Locating troubleshooting tools
- Using the Task Manager
- Activating File History
- Reviewing events
- Recovering an earlier version of a file
- Restoring files from a backup
- Setting a restore point
- Using system restore
Laptop Assistance
- Preparing for a road trip
- Going on the road
- Configuring the power buttons
- Adding a full-size monitor and keyboard
- Entering tablet mode
- Connecting to a projector
- Exploring keyboard secrets
- Working with the touch keyboard
- Protecting your laptop
- Connecting to a VPN
Shortcuts and Time-Savers
- Pinning items to the taskbar
- Adding the address bar
- Sending favorites to the desktop
- Changing file association
- Safely removing external storag
- Recognizing USB colors
- Launching a program at startup
- Using pins for popular files
- Useful keyboard and mouse shortcuts
- Panic-driven keyboard shortcuts
Images and Graphics
- Fixing a photo
- Changing image file formats
PC Performance
- Monitoring performance
- Disabling Windows background services
- Understanding memory leaks
- Stopping a stuck program
- Using file and drive compression
- Adding a second hard drive
- Adding more memory
- Disabling startup programs
- Improving hard drive performance
- Reviewing system performance
Storage Management
- Looking at storage
- Visiting the Disk Management console
- Preparing a new drive
- Partitioning a new drive
- Repartitioning a drive
- Extending and shrinking partitions
- Creating a mirrored volume
- Formatting and reformatting media
- Reassigning drive letters
- Mounting an external drive
File Management
- Creating files, rules, and limitations
- Organizing files in folders
- Moving and duplicating files
- Working with removable storage
- Archiving files and folders
- Deleting and recovering files
- Creating a shortcut
- Starting a new item
- Opening a file with a specific program
- Marking files as read-only or hidden
General Computer
- Locking the PC
- Stopping a print job
- Adding more USB devices
- Buying a new PC or laptop
- Using a UPS
- Updating the graphics driver
- Starting the Windows recovery environment
- Entering safe mode
- Using a foreign-language keyboard
- Applying BitLocker protection
Acrobat and PDF Tips
- PDF tips and tricks
- Filling in and signing a PDF form
- Working with PDF files on the web
- Creating a PDF
- Creating a PDF form
- Exporting a PDF to Microsoft Office
- Securing a PDF
- PDF troubleshooting
Excel Help
- Handy Excel keyboard shortcuts
- Creating an instant table in Excel
- Dealing with cell references in Excel
- Sizing rows and columns in a worksheet
- Naming cells
- Creating a drop-down list
- Working with text
- Using the LOOKUP formulas
- Modifying a chart
- Merging Excel and Word
Web Browser Tips
- Selecting the perfect browser
- Choosing a search engine
- Setting site permissions
- Opening a group of bookmarks
- Managing Chrome extensions
- Customizing the browser
- Changing the web page view
- Configuring multiple browser accounts
- Dealing with cookies
- Browsing privately
Windows 11 Upgrade
- Qualifying for the Windows 11 upgrade
- Checking for Windows 11 updates
- Clearing a stuck Windows update
- Reviewing Windows 11 changes
- Checking out the widgets
- Exploring files in Windows 11
- Accessing the Windows 11 shortcut menu
- Reviewing the Windows 11 taskbar corner
- Setting display options in Windows 11
- Using Linux in Windows 11
- Discovering Windows 11 backup options
Workplace IT Help Desk
- Using the office printer
- Creating an Outlook contact group
- Creating a shared calendar in Outlook
- Sharing a calendar event in Outlook
- Archiving email in Outlook
- Dealing with suspect email in Outlook
- Creating a junk email rule in Outlook
- Keeping your account secure
- Maximizing an online meeting
Microsoft Online
- Installing and using OneDrive
- Exploring OneDrive files online
- Sharing a OneDrive file or folder
- Confirming the file is saved to the cloud
- Accessing Microsoft 365
- Using Microsoft Word online
- Working in Excel Online
- Using Microsoft PowerPoint Online
- Exploring the online version of Outlook
- Getting feedback in Office
- Tracking changes in Word
- Comparing document versions
- Reviewing document history in OneDrive
Simple Hardware Upgrades
- Replacing a keyboard or mouse
- Adding a second monitor
- Going wireless
- Adding a Wi-Fi adapter
- Connecting and using a webcam
Computer Help and Support
- Signing into Windows
- Repairing Windows
- Controlling the taskbar
- Speeding up a slow computer
- Uninstalling software