Beyond the basics

With Windows 8 and Windows RT, you can make quick changes when you need them, or spend time tweaking and refining. Quickly adjust settings like screen brightness or sound without leaving the app you're using. Dive into the details like CPU, memory, and disk usage so you can run or stop apps for better performance. Or simply be a master of multitasking with multiple monitors and the ability to work from anywhere.

The Start menu is now the Start screen and, unlike the Start menu, you can customize it, by grouping and resizing things on your Start screen, to give it the organized layout that works best for you. You may choose, for example, to put all the apps you use for work in a group called “Work.” Or, you may want to pin your friends and put them all into a “Friends” group. The Start screen is flexible so that you can set it up to work best for you.