Windows 10 Settings (Apps)

This settings section is associated with of where to download applications from, choosing default applications, and others. I am going to be explaining everything in this section one after the another. Don't jump any area, just take it step by step and you will understand everything

(i) Apps and Features

This is the first section in the Windows 10 Apps settings

The first heading here is (Choose where to get apps). Under this heading, you will find a selection option. When you click on this selection button you can choose from the following options:

• (a) Anywhere
• (b) Anywhere, but let me know if there is a comparable app in the Microsoft store
• (c) Anywhere, but warn me before installing an app which is not from Microsoft store
• (d) The Microsoft store only

The second heading here is (Apps and Features).

Under this heading are two links. The first one is Optional Features. When you click on this link, it takes you another page for optional features, where you can add a feature - by clicking on the Add a feature area, see optional feature history by clicking on the link and also view all installed features.

You can also uninstall a feature, when you click directly on it, an uninstall button shows up which when clicked uninstalls that feature from this list.

At the right side of this page, under the related settings heading you will find a link More Windows Features. When you click on this link, it opens a dialog box which you can use to turn ON a feature by clicking the checkbox beside the feature.

On going back to the main page, the second link under the heading Apps and feature is the App execution aliases. When you click on this link it takes you to another page, where you can switch ON/OFF the name of an app to use in the command prompt if there are multiple app use the same name.

Lastly, when you go back to the main page, the next area is the area where you will find the list of all applications in your system.
But before the list of application, there is a search input field which you can use to easily bring out the application you want easily and faster by typing the application name. Also, you can click on the Sort by to arrange your apps either by name, size or installed date.
You can also click on the Filter By to show only apps from All Drives or Only Local Disk.
For the application list, when you click on any of them, two buttons will appear at the bottom which are the Modify and Uninstall button.
Modify button is used to adjust the application program, while the uninstall button is used for removing the application from your computer system. So, depending on what you want to do, make sure you click the button that is meant for it.

At the right side of this page, under the related settings is the Programs and Features link, which when clicked on, takes you to the Program and Features settings in the control panel.

(ii) Default Apps

In the default apps page, you get to select the default application that will be used for your computer system when a program requires it. For example, when you open a picture, by default one of the photo application in your computer will open it for you. If you want a different photo applications to open that picture you will have to right click, go to open with and select the application. This might take more time doing, so instead of that, you can come to the default apps settings and set your preferred default applications.

On this page under the heading (Choose default apps)you will find a list of things that you need to set a default application for. When you click on the application or the add default app below the title name, a dialog box will appear which contains list of applications that you can choose from.

• The first here is the Email, which you are familiar with for sending and receiving messages between computer devices. You can select a default app for this by clicking on it, which brings up the Choose an app dialog box for you to select a default application from.

• The second one is the Map which is used to show the diagram of an area or a location.

• The third one is the Music Player which is used to play audio files.

• The fourth one is the Photo Viewer which is used to view pictures of different types (jpeg, png, jpg etc).

• The fifth one is the Video Player which is used to play videos of different types.

• The sixth one is the Web Browser which is used to browse the internet and search for information online

The next option, is the Reset to Microsoft Recommended defaults which has a Reset button below it. When you click on this button, it will reset all your defaults to the recommended default settings that comes with it.

After the reset button, the next options are the following links:

• Choose default apps by file type - When you click on this link, it takes you to a page where you can select your default application by the file type (jpeg, png, doc etc). It is not very common to set default apps by file type because it might take a while due to the fact that there is a lot of file types for different files.

• Choose default apps by protocol - Protocols are set of rules for group of application(s). When you click on this link, it takes you to the page where you can choose your default application by protocol.

• Set defaults by apps - This link, when clicked on, takes you to the page where you can set your default programs.
  
  On the default program page you can also, click on any of the application and the Manage button will appear. When you click on the manage button, it takes you to another page where you will see the file type and protocol association for that particular application you clicked on.

• Recommended browser settings - This link when clicked on, takes you to another page where you can confirm (by clicking on the Confirm button) to use Microsoft browser recommended settings. There is also a link get more info which you can use to get more information for this settings from the internet.

(iii) Offline Maps

Offline maps can be used when you are connected to the internet to search for places and locations. In this settings page, under the first heading (Maps), after the brief details you will see an option Download Maps with a plus sign symbol

When you click on the option download map, it takes you to another page, where you will need to choose the continent you want to download the map from.

Clicking on any continent of your choice, also takes you to another page, where you will need to choose the country you want to download the map from. (Note that the size of the Map is shown, so you can see how many megabytes it will cost you to download the map)

When your map has successfully downloaded, it will show below the Download maps option. If there is network issue or no internet connection, it will also show an message tell you about the network problem.

The next button is the Delete all maps. If you click on this button, it will display a dialog message telling you to confirm by clicking on the Delete all button.

The second heading here is the (Storage Location). Under this heading, you can click on the selection menu box to change where you want your offline maps to be stored when downloaded.

The second heading here is the (Metered connections). Metered connection allows you to have control of the amount of data that is being used by setting its limitations. For this settings section, if you turn ON the metered connection your maps will download anytime you have data, but if it is turned OFF, it will only download when you have free wireless network or unlimited data. There is already a brief description on how this works.

The last heading here is the (Map Updates). Under this settings heading you can turn ON/OFF automatic updates which will automatically update map when you have internet connection.
There is also the Check now button, that you can click on to check for recents updates for maps.

The last link on this page is the Data Supplier. This link when clicked on, takes you online using your default browser to check on data suppliers.

(iv) Apps for Websites

This settings section is for associated applications with websites, which you can switch ON/OFF. If you turn it OFF, it will open the website with a browser, but if it is turn ON, it will open the website with the application.

(v) Video Playback

The video playback page contains settings which is used to enhance video playbacks or reduce the resolution of video which will help to save bandwidth.

From this very settings page, you will see brief descriptions and details that will guide you. After the first brief paragraph, the first link here is Learn more which when you click on it, takes you to your default browser to open more details on the video playback settings. After this, you will find a preview video that will show you what your video will look like with your current setting state.

Next is when you click on the Windows HD Color settings which takes you to another page. This page shows you where you can choose display, list display capabilities, shows you where you can preview and also see battery options (where you can select to optimize for battery life or optimize for image quality).

On going back to the main page, you will see a few options before the battery options heading.
The first one is Automatically process video to enhance it. If you switch ON this option, anytime you play a video it will automatically enhance it. (That is your video will be adjusted for best quality, colors etc.)
The next check option is I prefer video to play at a lower resolution. When this option is enabled (checked), all your videos will play at lower resolution which helps to save your network bandwidth.

Under the heading Battery Options you have option two options to select from when watching movies and videos on power.
First is to optimize for battery life (when this option is selected it will play the HDR movies as SDR videos).
Second is to optimize for video quality (when this option is selected, it will retain image quality.
The next check option is I prefer video to play at a lower resolution. When this option is enabled (checked), all your videos will play at lower resolution which helps to save your network bandwidth.

(vi) Startup

The startup section setting is a page where you can turn ON/OFF app to startup when you log in.