WORDS TO KNOW

Computer words, explained

The words used in our lessons, each in one plain line. You’ll learn them as you go, so there’s no need to memorise this list. It’s here for when a word slips your mind.

Accessibility
The part of Settings that makes the computer easier to see, hear and use. Windows 10 calls it Ease of Access. A bigger mouse pointer
account
Your own space on a website, such as email or the library, that you sign in to. Why passwords matter
address bar
The long box at the top of the browser. It shows the web address, and you can type an address or words to search for. Go to a website
album
A collection of photos of one thing, such as a holiday, kept together in the Photos app. Make an album
app
A program that does one job, like Calculator or Clock. Also called a program. Windows Starter, lesson 3: The Start menu
arrow keys
The four keys with arrows. They move between files, or through your typing. Keys that matter
attachment
A photo or file sent with an email. It has a paperclip beside it. Open a photo someone sent
Backspace
Rubs out the letter just before the cursor. Typing
basket
Where a shop’s website keeps what you’ve chosen to buy, until you pay. Like a basket in a real shop. How online shopping works
brightness
How bright the screen is. Dimmer is kinder to your eyes in a dark room. Brightness and Night light
browser
The app you use to visit websites, such as Edge or Chrome. Meet the web browser
checkout
Where you pay on a shop’s website, with your card. How online shopping works
click
Press the left mouse button once and let go, or tap the touchpad once. Point and click
copy
Make a second copy of a file. The original stays where it was. Copy a file
cursor
The flashing line where your typing will appear. Click to move it. Typing
cut
Pick up a file to move it. It moves when you paste it somewhere else. Move a file to a folder
Delete key
Deletes the selected file, or the letter just after the cursor. Keys that matter
desktop
The whole screen you see once you’ve signed in, like the top of a real desk. Windows Starter, lesson 2: A tour of the desktop
desktop background
The picture behind everything on your desktop. It can be one of your own photos. Put a photo on your desktop
double-click
Click twice, quickly, without moving the mouse. It opens a file or an app. Select and open a file
download
Save a copy of a file from a website onto your computer. It goes in your Downloads folder. Download a file
Downloads
The folder where things you save from the internet go. Where your files live
drag
Press and hold the mouse button on something, move it, then let go to drop it. Drag and drop
email
A message sent from one computer or phone to another, over the internet. It arrives in seconds. Meet your email
email address
Where an email really comes from or goes to. The part after the @ shows whose it is. Meet your email
Enter
Starts a new line when typing, or opens or confirms what's selected. Keys that matter
Esc
The Escape key, top left. It closes a menu without choosing anything. Right-click and menus
favourites
Websites you have saved in the browser with the star, so you can go back to them in one click. Save your favourite websites
file
Something kept on your computer, such as a letter, a list or a photo. Select and open a file
File Explorer
The app that shows the files and folders on your computer. Select and open a file
folder
A place that holds files, like a folder in a filing cabinet. Drag and drop
forward
Send a copy of an email you’ve received to someone else. Forward an email
hacked
When someone else has got into your account, usually with your password. If your account is hacked
icon
A small picture you click to open or change something, such as an app or the sound. Windows Starter, lesson 2: A tour of the desktop
import
Copy photos from your phone or camera onto the computer. Get photos off your phone
Inbox
Where new emails arrive. Ones you haven’t read yet are in bold. Meet your email
internet
Computers all over the world joined together, so they can share websites, email and video calls. Meet the web browser
junk
Unwanted email: adverts and scams. Junk email goes in the Junk folder, out of your Inbox. Junk and scam emails
keyboard
The keys you type with. Each key puts a letter on the screen or does a job. Typing
lock screen
The first screen you see, with the time, the date and a picture. Click or press a key to move it out of the way. Windows Starter, lesson 1: Switching on and signing in
Magnifier
Makes part of the screen bigger, like a magnifying glass that follows your pointer. Use the Magnifier
maximise
Make a window fill the screen. It’s the square at the top right. Windows Starter, lesson 4: Opening and closing an app
microphone
What picks up your voice, so people can hear you. Laptops have one built in. What you need for a video call
minimise
Tuck a window away on the taskbar without closing it. It’s the dash at the top right. Windows Starter, lesson 4: Opening and closing an app
mouse
The small device you slide on the table to move the pointer. Its buttons click. Point and click
mute
Turns the sound off completely, whatever the volume. Click again to turn it back on. Volume and sound
Night light
Gives the screen warmer colours, which are easier on the eyes in the evening. Brightness and Night light
one-time code
A number your bank texts you, to check it’s really you signing in. Never tell anyone, even someone saying they’re the bank. Sign in to your bank
online banking
Your bank’s website, where you sign in to see your money and pay bills. Sign in to your bank
padlock
The little lock by the web address. It means what you type is sent safely, but not that the shop is honest. Is this shop real?
password
Like a PIN, but longer, and it can include letters. Never tell it to anyone who phones you. Sign in to your bank
password manager
Something that remembers all your passwords for you, safely. Edge has one built in. Let Edge remember your passwords
paste
Put down what you cut or copied, in the folder you are in. Move a file to a folder
path
The list of folders at the top of File Explorer showing where you are, such as Documents › Letters. Folders inside folders
Photos app
The app that comes with Windows for looking at your photos, and tidying them up. Your photos on the PC
PIN
A short number you type to sign in. It only works on your computer. Keep it to yourself. Windows Starter, lesson 1: Switching on and signing in
pin
Keep an app on the taskbar, so it's always one click away. Pin your favourite apps
pointer
The arrow on the screen that moves when you move the mouse or touchpad. Point and click
power button
The button that switches the computer on. It has the power symbol: a circle with a line through the top. Windows Starter, lesson 1: Switching on and signing in
Recycle Bin
Where deleted files go. You can get them back from there until it's emptied. Right-click and menus
refresh
Load a page again. The first thing to try when a page hasn’t loaded properly. Back, Forward and Refresh
rename
Give a file or folder a new name. Give a file a better name
reply
Answer an email. It goes back to the person who sent it, with their address filled in. Reply to an email
restart
Switch off and straight back on. The first thing to try if something is acting oddly. Windows Starter, lesson 5: Shut down, restart or sleep?
restore
Take a file out of the Recycle Bin and put it back where it was. The Recycle Bin
right-click
Press the right mouse button once. It opens a menu of things you can do. Right-click and menus
scale
How big text, apps and everything else look on the screen. 125% is a quarter bigger than 100%. Make text and everything bigger
scroll
Move a page up or down to see the rest of it, with the mouse wheel, the touchpad or the keys. Scrolling
scroll bar
The strip at the side of a long page. The bar in it shows where you are, and you can drag it. Scrolling
search engine
A website that finds other websites for you. Type a few words and it shows a list of results. Search the web
select
Click once on something to choose it, ready to open, move or delete. It turns blue. Select and open a file
Settings
The app where you change how your computer looks, sounds and works. It's in Start. Make text and everything bigger
Shift
Hold it down while you press a letter to make a capital letter. Typing
shut down
Switch the computer fully off. Good at the end of the day. Windows Starter, lesson 5: Shut down, restart or sleep?
sign in
Show the computer it’s you, usually by typing your PIN, so you can use it. Windows Starter, lesson 1: Switching on and signing in
sleep
A rest for the computer. It wakes up quickly, just as you left it. Good for a short break. Windows Starter, lesson 5: Shut down, restart or sleep?
snap
Make a window fill exactly half the screen, so two can sit side by side. Two windows side by side
Start button
The button with the Windows logo on the taskbar. It opens the Start menu. Windows Starter, lesson 2: A tour of the desktop
Start menu
The list of everything on your computer, like the contents page of a book. Open it with the Start button. Windows Starter, lesson 3: The Start menu
statement
The list of money going in and out of your account, with the date and who it was. Check your statement
subject
A few words at the top of an email saying what it’s about. Write a new email
tab
One page open in the browser. Tabs sit along the top, so you can have several pages open and click between them. Tabs: several pages at once
taskbar
The strip along the bottom of the screen. It’s always there, whatever you’re doing. Windows Starter, lesson 2: A tour of the desktop
title bar
The strip along the top of a window, with its name. Drag it to move the window. Move and resize a window
touchpad
The flat pad below a laptop's keyboard. Slide a finger on it to move the pointer. Point and click
two-step verification
A second lock on an account: a code sent to your phone when you sign in. Turn on two-step verification
update
Fixes and improvements for your computer. Let them finish, and don’t switch off at the wall. Windows Starter, lesson 5: Shut down, restart or sleep?
video call
A call where you see each other on screen, as well as hear each other. What you need for a video call
volume
How loud the sound is. Volume and sound
web address
Where a website lives, such as www.gov.uk. Read it up to the first single slash to see whose site it is. Go to a website
webcam
The little camera on a computer, usually above the screen, that people see you through on a call. What you need for a video call
website
Pages on the internet from one organisation or person, such as a library or a bus company. Meet the web browser
window
The box an app opens in, with three buttons at the top right: hide, enlarge and close. Windows Starter, lesson 4: Opening and closing an app
Windows key
The key with the Windows logo, between Ctrl and Alt. Pressing it opens the Start menu too. Windows Starter, lesson 3: The Start menu
zoom
Make what you see bigger or smaller, without changing it. Make a web page bigger

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