Microsoft Surface RT - v1.0 User Guide

Surface RT User Guide

Published: April 9, 2013

Version 1.0

BlueTrack Technology, ClearType, Excel, Hotmail, Internet Explorer, Microsoft, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint, SkyDrive, Windows, Xbox, and Xbox Live are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Surface, VaporMg, Skype, and Wedge are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Bluetooth is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc.

This document is provided “as-is.” Information in this document, including URL and other Internet Web site references, may change without notice.

Contents

Meet Surface RT ................................................................................................................................. 1

About this guide ........................................................................................................................... 1

Highlights ........................................................................................................................................ 2

What is Windows RT? ................................................................................................................. 4

Surface accessories ...................................................................................................................... 4

Setup ...................................................................................................................................................... 6

Plug in and turn on ..................................................................................................................... 6

Surface setup ................................................................................................................................. 7

Lock screen and signing in ....................................................................................................... 7

The basics ............................................................................................................................................. 8

Start screen: Your favorite things ........................................................................................... 8

Charms, commands, and switching apps ............................................................................ 9

Touch: tap, slide, and beyond ............................................................................................... 10

The charms: Search, Share, Start, Devices, and Settings ............................................. 12

The familiar desktop ................................................................................................................. 14

How to search ............................................................................................................................. 15

Get to know Surface ...................................................................................................................... 17

Power states: On, off, standby, and restart ...................................................................... 17

The touchscreen ......................................................................................................................... 19

Add your accounts..................................................................................................................... 20

On-screen keyboard ................................................................................................................. 22

Sound features ............................................................................................................................ 23

Battery and power ..................................................................................................................... 24

Share photos, links, and more ............................................................................................... 26

Change your settings ................................................................................................................ 27

Touch, keyboard, mouse, and pen ........................................................................................... 29

Touch .............................................................................................................................................. 29

Keyboard ....................................................................................................................................... 29

Mouse ............................................................................................................................................. 33

Capacitive pen ............................................................................................................................. 33

Accounts ............................................................................................................................................ 34

What type of account do I have? ......................................................................................... 34

Multiple user accounts ............................................................................................................. 35

Manage accounts ....................................................................................................................... 36

Family Safety ................................................................................................................................ 36

Account security ......................................................................................................................... 37

Sign in and out ................................................................................................................................ 38

Sign in ............................................................................................................................................. 38

Sign out or lock........................................................................................................................... 38

Switch to another account ...................................................................................................... 39

Other sign in options ................................................................................................................ 39

Account password ..................................................................................................................... 40

All about apps .................................................................................................................................. 42

Built-in apps ................................................................................................................................. 42

Find an app ................................................................................................................................... 43

Start an app .................................................................................................................................. 43

Switch between apps ................................................................................................................ 43

Use two apps side by side (snap apps) .............................................................................. 45

Close apps..................................................................................................................................... 45

App commands: Where are they? ....................................................................................... 46

App settings ................................................................................................................................. 47

App help and troubleshooting ............................................................................................. 47

Windows Store ................................................................................................................................ 48

Sign in with your Microsoft account ................................................................................... 48

Find and install apps ................................................................................................................. 48

Uninstall an app .......................................................................................................................... 49

App updates ................................................................................................................................. 50

Add or change a payment option ....................................................................................... 50

View your billing history .......................................................................................................... 50

Family Safety and the Windows Store ............................................................................... 51

Install apps that you installed on other PCs .................................................................... 51

Personalize your Surface .............................................................................................................. 52

Add your accounts..................................................................................................................... 52

Change your lock screen picture, colors, and account picture ................................. 52

Customize the Start screen .................................................................................................... 53

Sync your settings ...................................................................................................................... 55

Notifications ................................................................................................................................. 55

Add languages ............................................................................................................................ 56

Customize the desktop ............................................................................................................ 56

Connect devices .............................................................................................................................. 57

Printing ........................................................................................................................................... 57

Add, view, and manage your devices and printers ....................................................... 59

Storage, files, and backup ........................................................................................................... 64

How much local storage space do I have? ....................................................................... 64

Surface storage options........................................................................................................... 64

Files and folders .......................................................................................................................... 65

Back up files using File History ............................................................................................. 67

Networking ....................................................................................................................................... 68

Connect to a wireless network .............................................................................................. 68

Disconnect from a wireless network ................................................................................... 68

Join a homegroup ...................................................................................................................... 69

Access files on other computers .......................................................................................... 69

Airplane mode ............................................................................................................................. 70

Built-in apps ...................................................................................................................................... 71

Office Home & Student 2013 RT ......................................................................................... 71

OneNote ........................................................................................................................................ 74

Internet Explorer ......................................................................................................................... 75

Mail .................................................................................................................................................. 78

People ............................................................................................................................................. 82

Calendar......................................................................................................................................... 84

Camera ........................................................................................................................................... 86

Xbox Music ................................................................................................................................... 87

Photos ............................................................................................................................................ 90

Import photos or videos ......................................................................................................... 90

Xbox Video ................................................................................................................................... 91

Skype .............................................................................................................................................. 93

SkyDrive ......................................................................................................................................... 94

Maps ............................................................................................................................................... 95

Xbox Games ................................................................................................................................. 97

Xbox SmartGlass ......................................................................................................................... 99

More built-in apps .................................................................................................................. 100

Additional info you should know ........................................................................................... 102

Keep Surface up to date ....................................................................................................... 102

Tethering: Use your phone’s data connection ............................................................. 103

Windows Defender and Windows Firewall .................................................................... 104

Keyboard shortcuts ................................................................................................................ 104

Accessibility ............................................................................................................................... 105

Speech recognition ................................................................................................................ 106

Work with files and apps on another PC ....................................................................... 106

Take a screen shot .................................................................................................................. 106

Refresh Surface ........................................................................................................................ 107

Reset Surface ............................................................................................................................ 107

BitLocker recovery key .......................................................................................................... 108

Clean and care for Surface ........................................................................................................ 108

Touchscreen care .................................................................................................................... 108

Cover and keyboard care ..................................................................................................... 108

Battery care ............................................................................................................................... 109

Get Help and Support ................................................................................................................. 109

That’s it! ............................................................................................................................................ 109

Meet Surface RT

Ultra-thin and light, Surface with Windows RT is the on-thego tablet.

With Xbox Music and Video, games, email, and web surfing,

you’ll never run out of ways to play.

And when it’s time to get work done, Surface RT is loaded

with Office Home & Student 2013 RT Preview or the final

version, which includes touch-optimized versions of Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and OneNote.1

If the Preview edition is installed, the final Office version will be installed via Windows Update when available (free download; ISP fees apply). Some features not supported. For more info, see

http://office.com/officeRT.

About this guide

This guide walks you through everything you need to know about Surface RT.

Whether you read this from beginning to end or jump all around, we hope you find this guide useful as you get to know Surface. As you read through this guide it’s helpful to have your Surface handy so you can try things out.

To jump between sections using the Reader app:

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen, tap the More button ( ), and then tap

Bookmarks.

2. Tap a bookmark to jump to a section in this guide.

To search this guide using the Reader app:

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen, tap the Find button.

2. Type what you want to find and press Enter.

Highlights

Touchscreen

Like a smartphone, you can browse the web or your email using touch. The touchscreen, with its 16:9 aspect ratio and ClearType technology, is great for watching HD movies, browsing the web, and using the included Office apps.

Keyboard covers

And touch isn’t the only option. Choose from two unique keyboards that double as a protective cover. This way you’ll always have a keyboard with

you (sold separately).

Two cameras—front and back

Two cameras that you can use for video calls or taking pictures.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Connect to a wireless network and use devices with Bluetooth such as mice, printers, and headsets.

Dual microphones

Built-in microphones make it easy to record videos and call people using your Surface.

Real quick, here are some features of your Surface RT:

Kickstand

Flip out the kickstand when you want to be productive or kick back and have some fun.

Stereo speakers, headset jack, and volume

Listen to music, radio stations, podcasts, or audio books using apps from the Windows Store or Internet Explorer.

Ports

Yes, Surface has ports.

 Full-size USB 2.0 port

Connect USB accessories that have been certified for Windows RT, such as a mouse or printer.

 microSDXC card slot

Behind the kickstand, there’s a microSDXC card slot that you can use for extra storage (up to 64 GB) or transferring files.

 HD video out port

Share what’s on your Surface by connecting it to an HDTV, monitor, or projector (video adapters required and sold separately).

Software

And there are plenty of apps for work and play.

 Office Home & Student 2013 RT Preview

Touch-optimized versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote are preinstalled.

 Apps

A great collection of built-in apps plus many more apps in the Windows Store.

Keyboards

Add a unique click-in keyboard that doubles as a cover. There are two types to choose from (sold separately or bundled with Surface):

 Touch Cover is a super-thin, pressure sensitive

keyboard and trackpad. Express your personal style by choosing a color or design. To have a look at

what’s available, see Covers on Surface.com. 2

 Type Cover is a slim version of a traditional laptop

keyboard with moving keys and trackpad buttons.

Both keyboards work with Surface RT and Surface Pro.

Colors and designs vary by market.

What is Windows RT?

Surface RT uses a new version of the Windows operating system called Windows RT. This new version of Windows is optimized for thin and light PCs that have an ARM processor (the processor commonly used in mobile phones).

The key benefits are:

 Great battery life With up to 8 hours of battery life, Surface RT lasts the whole day.  Instant on and always up to date Like a smartphone, Surface RT stays connected to email, social

networks, and apps. It’s ready when you are.*

To learn more about Windows RT, see Windows RT: Frequently asked questions on Windows.com.

* Internet required (ISP fees apply).

Surface accessories

Accessories add to your experience with Surface.

Video adapters

Surface video adapters let you connect your Surface to an HDTV, monitor, or projector (adapters are sold separately).

Learn more about this in the Connect Surface to a TV,

monitor, or projector section of this guide.

Power supply

Surface RT includes a 24-watt power supply.

For more info, see the Battery and power section in this guide.

Wedge Touch Mouse Surface Edition

This special edition Wedge Touch Mouse is small enough to fit in your pocket and wirelessly connects to your Surface using Bluetooth.

To learn more, see Wedge Touch Mouse Surface Edition on Surface.com.

To find out how to connect this mouse to your Surface, see Wedge Touch

Mouse Surface Edition at Surface.com.

Find out about all of the Surface accessories at Surface.com/Accessories.

Setup

Ready to set up Surface? Grab your Surface and let’s go!

Note It’s best to have a wireless network available when you set up Surface.

Plug in and turn on

Plug in Surface and turn it on. Here's how:

1. If you have one, attach the Touch Cover or Type Cover keyboard to your Surface. When the keyboard

gets close to Surface, it clicks into place.

2. Flip out the kickstand on the back of Surface.

3. Plug the power cord into a wall outlet or power strip.

4. Connect the power cord on the lower right side of your Surface.

The connector clicks into place (either direction works). The small light at the end of the connector means Surface is getting power.

5. Press and release the power button on the top right edge of your Surface.

Surface setup

Setup runs the first time you turn on Surface. During setup you'll be able to customize things like the language, color, and name for your Surface. You can change these things later if you'd like.

Two key things happen during setup:

 You connect to a wireless network.

Setup finds and displays the available wireless networks so that you can get online.

 You create a user account for Surface.

We recommended using a Microsoft account—an email address and password. When you sign in with a Microsoft account, your Surface lights up with content from Microsoft services such as SkyDrive, Outlook.com, your Windows Phone and Xbox, as well as your contacts and calendar from your email account.

Already have a Microsoft account? A Microsoft account (formerly known as a Windows Live ID) is the email address and password that you use to sign in to Microsoft services like Outlook.com, SkyDrive, Xbox Live, or your Windows Phone. If you've used these services, then you already have a Microsoft account.

Have more than one Microsoft account? If you have more than one Microsoft account, you’ll need to choose one to sign in with on your Surface. To help you figure out how to get down to just one Microsoft account, see

Choose a Microsoft account at WindowsPhone.com (English only).

To learn more about local and Microsoft accounts, see the Accounts section in this guide.

Lock screen and signing in

When you turn on or wake Surface, you'll see the Windows lock screen. To dismiss the lock screen, press a key or swipe up from the bottom of the screen.

Next you'll see the Windows sign-in screen. Here you'll sign in using the account you created during setup. For more info about signing in, see the Sign in topic in this guide.

After you sign in to Windows, you'll see the Start screen. What is the Start screen? See the next section to find out.

Note Make it yours—be sure to read the Add your accounts topic after the Basics section.

The basics

There are a few things you need to know about the new Windows.

Important If you read nothing else in this guide, be sure and read this section and practice on your Surface.

Start screen: Your favorite things

The Start screen is your home base. You can customize Start to have all the info you care about in one place. Each tile on Start is connected to a person, app, website, playlist, or whatever else is important to you.

Watch closely! This isn't a wall of static icons. The tiles animate with the latest information—such as status updates, weather forecasts, and appointments—and you'll see live updates before you even open a single app.

You can pin as many tiles to Start as you want and move them where you want. Find out all about this in the

Customize the Start screen section of this guide.

To go to the Start screen, do any of the following:

 Touch Press the Windows logo on Surface, or swipe in from the right edge of the screen and then

tap Start.

 Keyboard Press the Windows logo key on Touch Cover or Type Cover.

 Mouse or trackpad Move the pointer into the lower-left corner. When Start appears, click in the corner.

Charms, commands, and switching apps

Right edge: Charms

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen to see the charms. Charms help you do the things you do most often, like search, share, print, and change settings.

The charms are always available on the right side of your screen—just swipe in to see them.

Learn about charms later in this section.

Top or bottom edge: App commands

Swipe up from the bottom or down from the top edge of the screen to see a bar of commands related to where you are and what you’re doing.

For example, if you’re in an app you’ll see commands for that app.

Left edge: Switch apps

And finally, swipe in from the left edge of the screen to switch between open apps. For more info, see the Switch

between apps topic in this guide.

When you swipe in from the different edges of the screen different things happen:

Touch: tap, slide, and beyond

What we say

How to do it

What it does

Tap

Tap once on something.

Opens what you tap.

Press and hold

Press and hold your finger on something for a couple seconds, and when a box appears let go.

Shows options related to what you’re

doing (the same as a right-click with a mouse).

Slide to scroll

Drag your finger across the screen.

Scrolls through what’s on the screen.

Pinch or stretch

Pinch your thumb and forefinger together or move them apart.

Zooms in or out of a website, map, or picture.

Now that you know about swiping in from the edge, here are some more things you can do with touch:

What we say

How to do it

What it does

Rotate

Put two or more fingers on an item and then turn your hand.

Rotates things that can be rotated.

Slide to rearrange

Tap and drag an item to a new location, and then let go.

Moves an item, just like dragging with a mouse does.

To learn how to rearrange tiles on Start, see Customize the Start screen section in this guide.

Swipe to select

Slide an item a short distance, opposite to how the page scrolls. (For example, if the screen scrolls left to right, slide the item up or down.) A quick, short movement works best.

Selects an item, like an app tile or photo. Do this at the top or bottom of an app window to show app commands.

Swipe from edge

Swipe in from the edge of the screen.

See the previous topic for info about this.

How do I right-click using touch?

The equivalent of a right-click with your mouse is to press and hold your finger on something for a couple seconds, then let go and tap the option you want.

To try this out, try copying and pasting text using touch.

Copy, and paste using touch

Here’s how to copy and paste text using touch:

Select text Tap a word. To extend the selection, press and hold either circle and slide your finger. Let go when the selection is what you want.

Copy Now, tap the highlighted text and then tap Copy.

Paste Move to where you want to insert the text. Press and hold a couple seconds, then let go and tap Paste.

Tip

You can also press Ctrl+C to copy and Ctrl+V to paste.

The charms: Search, Share, Start, Devices, and Settings

No matter where you are, the charms help you do the things you do most often—like search, share links and photos, print, and change settings. The charms are context sensitive, meaning that what you can do depends on where you are. For example, if you open the Settings charm from the Start screen, you’ll see settings related to the Start screen. And if you open the Settings charm from an app, you’ll see settings for that app.

The five charms—Search, Share, Start, Devices, and Settings—are always available on the right side of your screen.

Here’s how to open the charms:

Touch

Swipe in from the right edge, and then tap the one you want.

Mouse

Move your pointer into the upper-right or lower-right corner, and then move it up or down and click the one you want.

Keyboard

Press Windows logo key +C. To open a specific charm, press one of the charm keys on Touch Cover or Type Cover (they’re on the top row).

Here's what you can do with the charms:

Search Search for anything. Search the app you're in, another app, or search Surface for an app, setting, or file. For more info, see the How to search section in this guide.

Share Share files and info with people you know or send info to another app without leaving the app you're in. You can email photos to your mom or send a link to a note-taking app like OneNote. For more info, see the Share photos, links, and more section in this guide.

Start Go to your Start screen. Or if you're already on Start, you can use this charm to go back to the last app you were using.

Devices Use devices that are connected to your Surface, both wired and wireless. You can

print from an app or stream your latest home movie to your TV.

Settings Change settings for apps and Surface.

When you open Settings, the items in the upper-right corner change depending on where you are. For example, if you open Settings from an app, you’ll see settings for that app.

When you open Settings, the items in lower-right corner are always the same. Here you’ll find PC settings like network connection, volume, brightness, notifications, power (shutdown and restart), and keyboard. For more info, see the Change your settings section in this guide.

The familiar desktop

After introducing all this new stuff, here’s something familiar. The Windows desktop—with its taskbar, folders, and icons—is still here, with a new taskbar and streamlined file management.

To get to the desktop:

 With touch, from the Start screen, tap or click

Desktop. (It is a tile.)

 With a keyboard, press the Windows logo key

+D.

The Office apps run in the desktop. And you’ll need to go to the desktop to do things like copy files or use Control Panel. File Explorer (formerly called Windows Explorer) is the app you use to browse files and folders, both on Surface or your network. Learn more about this in the Files and Folders section of this guide.

Tip

When you’re at the desktop, remember you can quickly go back to Start by pressing the Windows logo on Surface or your keyboard. To switch back and forth, use the Windows logo key +D to go to the desktop and the Windows logo key to go to Start.

How to search

You can use the Search charm to find apps, settings, and files. If you are on the Start screen, you can just start typing. Here’s how:

 Go to the Start screen and start typing what you want to find. The search results update as you type.

Search defaults to Apps, but you can choose Settings or Files depending on what you’re looking for.

You can also search within an app by using the Search charm. For example, you can use the Search charm to find a song in the Music app.

To search for messages in the Mail app:

1. Open the Mail app (from the Start screen, tap or click Mail).

2. If you have multiple email accounts, select an email account in the lower-left corner.

3. Open the Search charm and type what you want to find in the search box.

To search the Internet:

 Open the Search charm, type what you want to find in the search box, and then choose Internet Explorer

from the list of apps.

Tips

 Change search settings: Open the Settings charm, then tap or click Change PC settings. Then tap or

click Search.

 You can also search for files using File Explorer. For more info, see Search for files in File Explorer on

Windows.com.

Get to know Surface

On or wake

When Surface is off, press and release the power button. If nothing happens, Surface might need to be recharged. Connect the power supply and then press the power button again.

Off

Open the Settings charm, tap or click Power , and then choose Shut down. You can also tap or click the Power icon on the sign in screen (lower-right corner) to quickly shut down.

Standby

When Surface is on, press and release the power button or close Type Cover or Touch Cover.

Restart

Open the Settings charm, tap or click Power , and then choose Restart.

Now that you know the basics, let’s go a little deeper.

Power states: On, off, standby, and restart

Here’s what you need to know about the Surface power states.

On, off, standby, and restart

Standby

There's really no need to turn off (shut down) Surface completely. If you don’t use Surface for a few minutes the screen turns off and locks, just like a smartphone. When this happens, Surface goes into connected standby mode. This means that Surface stays connected to your wireless network, waiting for you to use it. App notifications appear on the lock screen, so you can see quickly see updates such as how many new email messages you have.

Change when the screen dims and turns off

You can change when the screen dims or turns off. Here’s how:

1. Open the Search charm, type edit power plan, and then tap or click Settings.

2. Tap or click Edit power plan from the search results.

3. Choose the display settings that you want to use when Surface is running on battery and when it's

plugged in.

4. Tap or click Save changes.

Note

A power plan is a collection of hardware and system settings that control how your Surface uses power. For more info about power plans, see the topic Power Plans: Frequently asked questions on Windows.com (Surface RT supports connected standby).

Wake

To wake up Surface, do this:

1. Do either of the following things:

 Press the power button or open the cover.  Press a key or the Windows logo on Surface.

The lock screen appears with notifications for apps that have had activity—for example, a mail icon appears if you have new email. For more info about this, see the Notifications topic in this guide.

2. Unlock your Surface by swiping up from the bottom edge of the screen or by pressing a key.

3. If the sign-in screen appears, type your password and Surface is ready to use. If you need help signing in,

see the Sign in and out section in this guide.

Tip

 You can set the duration before a password is required for unlocking your Surface. For info, see Choose

when a password is required in this guide.

Lock

To lock Surface, do either of the following:

 Press the power button or close the cover.  Tap or click your name in the upper-right corner of the Start screen, and then tap or click Lock.

The touchscreen

The 10.6-inch diagonal, multi-touch screen has a 16:9 aspect ratio—perfect for watching HD videos and optimized for multi-tasking with side-by-side apps. Like a smartphone, you can interact with Surface by touching the screen. For example, you can drag your finger down a page to scroll. To learn more about using touch, see Touch: tap,

slide, and beyond in this guide.

Screen rotation

When you rotate Surface, the screen content automatically rotates to the new orientation. For example, you might use landscape orientation for webpages and portrait orientation when reading a book.

Lock the screen orientation

If you don’t want the screen to automatically rotate, you can lock the orientation. Here’s how:

1. Rotate Surface to the orientation you want.

2. Open the Settings charm, and then tap or click Screen.

3. Tap or click the screen rotation icon, which is a rectangle with arrows.

A lock appears on the screen icon when screen rotation is locked.

Screen brightness

By default, Surface automatically adjusts screen brightness for the light conditions. You can change this or set the brightness to whatever you’d like. Here’s how:

1. Open the Settings charm, and then tap or click Change PC settings.

2. Tap or click General.

3. Scroll down to Screen and then set Adjust my Screen Brightness Automatically to No.

To manually adjust the screen brightness:

 Open the Settings charm, tap or click Screen, and then move the slider to adjust the brightness.

Other screen settings

To change when the screen dims, turns off, or when Surface goes to sleep, see Change when the screen dims and

turns off in this guide.

You can use the Search charm to find more settings. Here's how:

 Open the Search charm, type display, and then tap or click Settings. Choose a setting from the search

results.

Connect Surface a second monitor

You can connect Surface to a second monitor if you’d like. For info on how to do this, see Connect to a TV,

monitor, or projector in this guide.

Add your accounts

One of the first things you’ll want to do with your new Surface is add your accounts—like Outlook.com, Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. Once you add your accounts, your contacts, calendar, and email will appear in the Mail, People, and Calendar apps. And you can quickly get to your photos and files from services like SkyDrive, Facebook, or Flickr.

Add your email accounts

You can add your email accounts from Outlook, Gmail, AOL, Yahoo!, and even your work email (Exchange ActiveSync).

To add an email account:

1. Open Mail (from the Start screen, tap or click Mail).

2. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap or click Settings.

3. Tap or click Accounts.

4. Tap or click Add an account, the type of account you want to add, and then follow the on-screen

instructions.

5. Repeat steps 2-4 for each of your email accounts.

Most accounts can be added with only your user name and password. In some cases, you’ll be asked for more

details, which you can usually find on your email account’s website.

You can change your email account settings at any time by opening the Settings charm while in the Mail app, choosing Accounts, and then selecting the account that you want to change.

After you add an email account…

 Contacts from your email account appear in the People app.  Appointments appear in the Calendar app. If you have the most recent version of Mail, your Google

calendar will not sync with the Calendar app. See the info below.

POP email

Mail doesn't support email accounts that use POP (Post Office Protocol). If your email account uses POP, see

the options in Using email accounts over POP on Windows.com.

Google email

To find out how to sync your Google email, contacts, and calendar, see How to sync Google services on Windows.com.

Microsoft Exchange account

To find out how to set how to set up a Microsoft Exchange account and troubleshoot connectivity problems, see

How to configure an Exchange account.

Outlook Express, Windows Mail, or Windows Live Mail

If you’ve been using Outlook Express, Windows Mail, or Windows Live Mail, you can move your email and address book from your old PC to the cloud. Once you do this, you can access your email and contacts in the Mail and People apps on Surface. For info on how to move your email and address book to the cloud, see Move your mail

and contacts off your old PC on Windows.com.

Add social network accounts to the People app

Add your social network accounts such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and you’ll get all the latest updates, Tweets, and pictures from these accounts all in one place—the People app. To add your social network accounts:

1. From the Start screen, tap or click People.

2. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap or click Settings.

3. Tap or click Accounts.

4. Tap or click Add an account, select the type of account you want to add, and then follow the on-screen

instructions.

Add a photo service to the Photos app

The Photos app automatically shows the photos saved on your Surface, but it can also include your photos from SkyDrive, Facebook, or Flickr. Here's how:

1. From the Start screen, tap or click Photos.

2. Tap or click the tile for the photo service you want to add (such as SkyDrive, Facebook, or Flickr).

3. Follow the instructions to add your account.

You might need to wait a few minutes before photos from the new account begin to appear.

On-screen keyboard

Surface has an on-screen, touch keyboard that appears when you need it.

Show the keyboard

When you want to use the on-screen keyboard, fold back the cover or remove it. Now tap where you want to type. The on-screen keyboard appears.

Show the keyboard from the desktop

The on-screen keyboard doesn’t automatically appear if you’re in the desktop. Instead, you need to tap or click the Keyboard icon on the taskbar (lower-right corner of the screen).

To open the on-screen keyboard manually:

1. Open the Settings charm, and then tap or click Keyboard (lower-right corner).

2. Tap or click Touch keyboard and handwriting panel.

Hide the keyboard

To hide the on-screen keyboard:

 Tap an area where text can’t be typed.

–or–

 Tap the Keyboard button in the lower-right corner and

then tap the image with the down arrow (see picture).

Tips

 You can use keyboard shortcuts by tapping the Ctrl key

and then another key. For example, you can use Ctrl+C for Copy and Ctrl+V for Paste.

 Turn Caps Lock on and off by double-tapping the Up Arrow key.  Automatically insert a period by double-tapping the Spacebar.

Change the on-screen keyboard settings

You can change the on-screen keyboard settings in PC settings. Here’s how:

1. Open the Settings charm, and then tap or click Change PC settings.

2. Tap or click General and then make changes under Touch Keyboard.

Sound features

Surface has two stereo speakers and a headset jack for listening to music or watching movies. The internal microphones come in handy when making calls or recording videos.

Adjust the volume

You can control the volume in a few places:

 Volume rocker Use the volume rocker along the left edge of your Surface.  Touch Cover and Type Cover Press the volume down or up down keys (F2 or F3 on Type Cover).  Start screen Open the Settings charm, then tap the sound icon and adjust the slider. (This is the same as

using the volume rocker.)

 Desktop Tap the sound icon on the taskbar.

 Apps Some apps have a volume control within the app.

Tips

 To quickly pause audio, press the volume rocker and then tap the on-screen pause button.  To quick mute audio, press the mute key on Touch Cover or Type Cover (F1).

Media keys on Type Cover: Mute, volume down, volume up, and play/pause

Add sound accessories

The headset jack works for both audio output and microphone input. You can plug headphones or a headset with a microphone into the headset jack or the USB port. For bigger sound, connect an external USB or Bluetooth speaker. For more info, see the Add, view, and manage your devices section in this guide.

Battery and power

Surface RT has an internal lithium-ion battery with up to 8 hours of battery life.

If you don’t use Surface for a few minutes the screen turns off and locks, just like a smartphone. When this happens, Surface goes into connected standby mode. This means that Surface stays connected to the Internet, waiting for you to use it.

How much battery charge is left?

The battery status appears in a few different places.

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