Computer Basics · Meet Your Computer · Lesson 2 of 5

On, Off & Restart

Turn it on, sign in, and pick Sleep, Restart or Shut down.

Turning it on and off

Let's start at the very beginning: turning the computer on.

Find the power button. It often shows a circle with a short line through the top. On a laptop, it is usually above the keyboard or on the side. Press it once and let go.

The screen lights up. Soon you see the sign-in screen. This is where you type your password or PIN to show the computer is yours. A PIN is a short number code, like the one for a bank card.

After you sign in, you see the desktop. The desktop is the main screen you start from, with a picture in the background.

When you are done, you have three choices. Click the Start button, the Windows logo on the bottom strip. Then click the power symbol. You will see:

• Sleep: the screen goes dark, but your work stays open. It wakes up in a second or two.
• Shut down: the computer turns fully off. Everything closes.
• Restart: the computer turns off and then right back on, fresh.

On a Mac, click the Apple logo in the top-left corner. Sleep, Restart and Shut Down are in that menu.

Don't worry about pressing the wrong one. You can't break the computer by clicking around.

On the practice computer, press the power button and sign in. Then try Sleep, Restart and Shut down from Start, then Power.

Why restarting fixes things

Sometimes a computer acts strange. It gets slow, the sound stops, or a program won't open. The first thing experts try is simple: restart it.

Why does this work? While the computer runs, small problems can pile up. A restart clears them away. The computer starts fresh, a bit like a good night's sleep.

A restart also finishes updates. An update is a free fix or improvement from the company that made the software. Many updates only finish when you restart. Windows may show an option called Update and restart in the power menu.

Before you restart, save your work so nothing is lost.

What if the computer is frozen? Frozen means nothing moves, and the mouse and keys do nothing. First, wait a minute or two. It may just be busy.

If it is still stuck, you can force it off:

1. Press and hold the power button for about 10 seconds.
2. Let go when the screen goes dark.
3. Wait a few seconds, then press it once to turn it back on.

This is called a forced shutdown. Use it only when the computer is truly frozen. Anything you had not saved will be lost.

On a Mac, it works the same way. Press and hold the power button until the Mac turns off.