You can use the Sync feature to share your PC settings among Windows 8.1 devices so you don’t have to redo the settings on each device. To sync, you have to turn on the sync feature. With the Sync feature turned on, sign into your Windows Live account on another device, and all your settings will be synced from the cloud.

Depending on where you buy your computer, you may have to set the date and time in Windows 8.1. Your computer will keep the time and date through most eventualities, so setting it once is usually more than enough. Press Win+I to display the Settings panel of the Charms bar. In the Settings panel, click Change PC Settings.

The Camera app was new with Windows 8. If your laptop has a camera (in the case of a computer, what you have may be a webcam), you can use the Camera app features to take both still photos and videos. Click the Camera app tile on the Start screen. Aim your laptop towards your subject matter and click the Camera button.

One of the biggest complaints that Microsoft heard about Windows 8 was the lack of a Start Button. Well, the Start Button has come back in Windows 8.1. Here's how the Windows 8.1 Start Button works.You gave instant access to the Start Screen.If you left-click or tap the Windows 8.1 Start Button, you’ll open the Start Screen and have access to all of your apps.

If you have a computer or tablet that runs Windows 8, you really should upgrade to Windows 8.1. If you’re starting out fresh, moving from Windows XP or Windows 7 (or an earlier version), be forewarned that Windows 8.1 is nothing like the Windows of yore. Whether you have a touch screen or use the traditional keyboard and mouse, you'll want to find your way from the Metro Start screen to the desktop and back, uncovering the new Windows 8.

Windows 8.1 enables you to change the background and colors in your Start screen. Although you have the ability to control the colors in Windows 8, it’s much easier to change them in Windows 8.1. To change the background and colors, follow these steps:Choose Settings to begin.Swipe in from the right of the screen (or drag the mouse pointer down from the upper-right corner) and choose Settings.

If you want to wipe your computer and install Windows 8.1 from scratch, do that by booting from a DVD or USB drive and running a clean install. If you’re going to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 8.1, and want to keep your data and programs intact, perform the online upgrade. As long as you stick to upgrading 32-bit Win7 to 32-bit Win8.

If you don’t mind getting your hands a little dirty, the next time you think about running Refresh in Windows 8.1, see whether you can roll your PC back to a previous restore point, manually, and get things working right. System Restore is a nifty feature that works very well. The folks at Microsoft figure it’s too complicated for the general computer- and tablet-buying consumer public.

Windows 8.1 appears in five — count ’em, five — different versions. Three of those versions are available in 32-bit and 64-bit incarnations. That makes eight different versions of Windows to choose from. And if you want Windows Media Center, you only have two choices, and it’ll cost you more. Credit: ©iStockphoto.