Find out your computer's operating system

Now that you know some basics of how to use a computer, it's time to learn more about your computer's operating system. We will talk about the two most popular operating systems in this article, which are Microsoft Windows and macOS.

Find out your computer's operating system Picture 1 Find out your computer's operating system

Most computers come with an operating system pre-installed. If your computer does not have an operating system installed or you want to reinstall another operating system for your computer, please see the instructions on how to install Windows 

Get familiar with the interface of the operating system

Both PC and Mac use graphical user interface - GUI and they each have their own interface. After the operating system on the computer has finished booting, the desktop - Desktop will appear with the program's icons ready for you to use.

Windows operating system

Find out your computer's operating system Picture 2 Windows operating system interface

Desktop - Desktop

The desktop is the main workspace on your computer. From here, you can access your files, folders, application programs, and more.

You can also customize the desktop by choosing a different wallpaper for the screen, also known as Wallpaper .  

Items - Item

You can see folders - Folders , files - Files and icons - Icons or shortcuts - Shortcuts   on the desktop for easy access to them. You can tell them apart by their shape and they are all collectively referred to as Item .

Recycle Bin - Recycle Bin

When you delete a file, it is moved to the recycle bin. This allows you to restore files if you change your mind.

To permanently delete files in the recycle bin, you will need to empty the recycle bin.

Start Button - Start Button

In most versions of Windows, you will click the Start button to open the Start Menu - Start Menu . There are many things that you need to find out.

Taskbar - Taskbar

The taskbar contains shortcuts for applications. When you open a program or file, it appears on the taskbar and you can easily switch between different programs by clicking to select them on the taskbar.

Shortcuts on the Taskbar

Some programs will have a shortcut on the taskbar for easy access. You can completely add or remove shortcuts on the taskbar.

Notification Area - Notification Area

In the area to the right of the taskbar is the notification area aka the System Tray , you will also see the date and time. There will also be shortcuts to various settings, like Internet connection settings and sound.

macOS OS

Find out your computer's operating system Picture 3 macOS operating system interface

Desktop - Desktop

The desktop is the main workspace on your computer. From here, you can access your files, folders, application programs, and more. 

You can also customize the desktop by choosing a background image for the display, also known as Wallpaper . 

Items - Item

You can see folders - Folders , files - Files and icons - Icons or shortcuts - Shortcuts  on the desktop for easy access to them.

You can tell them apart by their shape and they are all collectively referred to as Item .

Trash - Trash

When you delete a file, it is moved to the recycle bin. This allows you to restore files if you change your mind.

To permanently delete files in the recycle bin, you will need to empty the recycle bin.

Apple Icons - Apple Icon

In the top left corner of the screen is an apple icon, which you can click to access system preferences - System Preferences , recently opened documents - Recent Documents and more. You can also use it to shut down - Shut Down your computer.

Menu Bar - Menu Bar

The Menu Bar will contain different Menu options and change depending on the program you are using. 

Notification Center - Notification Center

In the area to the right of the Menu bar is the notification display area, you will also see the date and time. There will also be shortcuts to various settings, like Internet connection settings and sound.

Dock

The Dock is an area that can contain shortcuts to applications, files, and folders. If you have multiple programs open, they will show up here and you can quickly switch between them.

Launchpad

Launchpad lets you see a list of all your apps. It's designed to make it easier for you to find and organize your apps.

You can also press the Launchpad key on your Mac's keyboard.

Windows and Dialogs

Regardless of the operating system, you will see windows of application programs called Window or App Window. 

Dialog - Dialog Box usually appears in response to your action and requires you to take some action.

For example, in the image below, when you close the Paint application window , a dialog box will appear asking if you want to save the changes to this file. Click the Save button if you want to save it, click the Don't save button if you don't want to save it, or click the Cancel button to cancel the command to close the window and continue working with this application. 

Find out your computer's operating system Picture 4 Windows and Dialogs

Open and close the program

1. When you want to open a program, click on that Item. Normally, if the items are on the desktop, you have to double-click the left mouse button to open them. If they are on the Menu bar , Taskbar or Dock , just click the left mouse button once. 
2. Depending on what the Item is, it will open full screen - Full Screen or open in a window - Windows of the respective program. You can open multiple programs, each program will be opened in a separate window and you can switch back and forth to use at the same time.
3. When you want to close a program window, you can click the red X button in the upper right corner for Windows or the left side for Mac. Or you can also access the File menu and then choose Close or Exit .

Find out your computer's operating system Picture 5 Close a program window in Windows

Adjust your computer settings

When you start using a new computer, you can start by adjusting your computer's settings. Adjusting your settings can range from simple tasks like changing the desktop background to more advanced tasks like adjusting keyboard or privacy settings.

1. In Windows 10, click the Start button - Start Button , then select Settings . In Windows 8.1 and earlier, click the Start button - Start Button , then select Control Panel - Control Panel .

Find out your computer's operating system Picture 6 Adjust computer settings in windows

1. On a Mac, click the Apple icon , then select System Preferences .

Find out your computer's operating system Picture 7 Adjust desktop settings in macOS

Turn off your computer

Unlike electrical appliances, you cannot normally turn off your computer with the power button. When you're done using your computer and want to shut it down, it's important to shut it down properly called Shut Down .

1. To turn off a computer using the Windows operating system, click the Start button - Start Button , then select Shut down from the Menu. In some other versions of Windows, this icon may be Turn Off Computer or look like the power button - Power icon .

Find out your computer's operating system Picture 8 Turn off the computer using the Windows operating system

1. To shut down your Mac, click the Apple icon , then select Shut Down .

Find out your computer's operating system Picture 9 Turn off the computer using the macOS operating system

1. After the computer has turned off, all you have to do is press the power button on the computer screen to turn it off.

You may not need to unplug the computer from the outlet or disconnect the power from the outlet after the computer Shut Down .

Kareem Winters

Update 08 May 2023