Windows 7 Start and Sub Menus
At the bottom left of the Windows screen is either a round circle, or a rectangular button titled "Start." You can left mouse click on this item to open the Windows Start menu, or hit the Windows key one time to do the same thing. If you bring up the Windows Start menu and want to close it, either hit the Escape key or Windows key. The Windows Start menu in Windows 7 will come up with two columns, unless you set it up differently. On the left side menu will be from top to bottom, programs that you have pinned to the Start menu, then below those, most commonly used programs, and below those an "All Programs" menu item. Just below the "All Programs" menu item is the edit box for searching for programs and files. At the top of the second column of the Windows Start menu is your Windows username, "Documents, Pictures, Music, Computer, Control Panel, Devices and Printers, Default Programs and Help and Support. The Computer item leads to the "Windows File Explorer." The "Documents item leads to the default folder where all of your documents are saved, unless you tell Windows to save them elsewhere. The "Search" edit box will allow you to type in the name of a website you want to go to, the name of a program you want to open, or the name of a file you want to find. Do the following activities to develop your skill in using the Windows Start menu. There are headings on this page. Use the letter h to move forward through the headings, or Shift h to move backwards through the headings. When you hear a heading you want to work with, down arrow or press the read all command. There is an audio (MP3 format) demonstration link that you can open and listen to, or download to put on another device. When you are finished move to the link at the bottom of this page titled "BACK" to go to the "Simple Windows Lessons" web page.
NOTE: The following will not work if you are using Windows 8. In Windows 8, when you hit the Windows key it moves you to the "Metro" view. The Metro view is a group of items, going left to right across the screen, that you can Tab through, and hit Enter on. Hitting the Windows key a second time takes you back to the Windows 8 Desktop, which is much the same as the Windows 7 Desktop, only there is no Start menu. The Start menu of Windows 8 is the Metro view.
1. Hit the Windows key one time to open the Windows Start menu.
2. Hit the Windows key a second time to close the Windows Start menu.
3. Hit the Windows key to open the Windows Start menu.
4. Hit the Escape key to close the Windows Start menu.
1. Hit the Windows key one time.
2. Down arrow through all of the items on the left side column of the Windows Start menu. You should hear any programs that are pinned to the Start menu, followed by programs you most commonly use, followed by the "All Programs" menu item, and finally the "Search" edit box.
3. From the "Search" edit box, right arrow one time, and then down arrow through the items on the second column of the Windows Start menu. You should hear your computer user name followed by "Document, Pictures, Music, Computer, Control Panel, Devices and Printers, Default Programs and Help and Support.
4. Hit the Windows key to close the Windows Start menu.
2. Type the name of a program you want to open, such as "Word" (without the quotes).
3. Down arrow until you hear the name of your program.
4. Hit the Enter key one time and your program will open.
5. Press and hold down the Alt key and hit the F4 key one time to close the open program.
6. Hit the Windows key one time.
7. Type "www.google.com" (without the quotes).
8. Hit the Enter key one time and the Google website will open.
9. Press and hold down the Alt key and hit the F4 key to close the Internet.
10. Hit the Windows key one time and type the name of a file that you forgot where you put.
11. Down arrow until you hear the name of the file you are hunting for.
12. Hit the Enter key one time and the file you were searching for will open.
13. Press Alt F4 to close the open file.
14. Hit the Windows key one time.
15. Type the name of the same file you searched for before.
16. Down arrow until you hear the name of the file you are searching for.
17. Hit the Applications key one time.
18. Down arrow to "Open File Location."
19. Hit the Enter key one time and you will be placed on the name of the file, in the folder where it is located. You will now know where the file is located. You can do something like Control c to copy the file, and then paste it elsewhere.
20. Press Alt F4 to close the folder where the file is located.
1. Hit the Windows key one time.
2. Up arrow one time and you will be on the "All Programs" menu item.
3. Right arrow one time to open the "All Programs" sub menu.
4. Down arrow to see all of the menu items in this sub menu. Try right arrow to open sub menus, down arrow to explore them, and left arrow to close them.
5. Down arrow until you hear the menu item "Back."
6. Left arrow one time to close the "All Programs" sub menu and you will be back on the main Windows Start menu.
7. Hit the Windows key one time to close the Windows Start menu.
1. Hit the Windows key one time.
2. Right arrow one time to the "Shut Down" item.
3. Down arrow until you hear the "Computer" menu item.
4. Hit the Enter key one time and the "Windows File Explorer" will be open. This is the same area that can be reached by pressing Windows key and the letter e.
5. Press Alt F4 to close the Windows File Explorer.
1. Hit the Windows key one time.
2. Right arrow one time and you should hear "Shut Down."
3. Down arrow to the "Documents" menu item.
4. Hit the Enter key one time and the folder where your documents are saved, unless you tell Windows otherwise, will come up.
5. Press Alt F4 to close the "Documents" folder.
1. Hit the Windows key one time.
2. Right arrow one time and you will hear "Shut Down." Do not hit Enter at this time.
3. Right arrow again and a sub menu of items will come up. These items are: "Switch User, Log Off, Lock, Restart, Sleep and Hibernate."
4. Hit the Windows key to close the Windows Start menu.
Audio Demonstration of the Windows 7 Start Menu and Sub Menus Link