1.2 Windows Settings

AI Summary of This Section

This section covers the key configuration of the Windows system: ways to open Settings, resolution and scaling, dark mode, power and sleep settings, storage management (changing save locations, Storage Sense, Disk Cleanup), app management (uninstalling, startup items, installation cautions), accounts and sign-in (PIN, fingerprint), environment variables and PATH changes, determining the processor architecture, and system updates and security. After finishing it, you can keep your computer in a state suitable for development.

1. Opening Settings

2. Display and Personalization

2.1 Resolution and Scaling

Settings path: Settings → System → Display

2.2 Dark Mode

Staring at a screen for a long time causes eye strain; dark mode can relieve some of the discomfort.

Settings path: Settings → Personalization → Colors → Choose your mode → Dark

2.3 Desktop Icons

By default, the Windows desktop only shows the Recycle Bin. To display icons like "This PC", do the following:

Right-click the desktop → Personalization → Themes → Desktop icon settings → check the icons you want → Apply → OK.

3. Power and Sleep

3.1 Setting the Sleep Timer

Settings path: Settings → System → Power & battery (Power & sleep on Windows 10).

3.2 Lid Close Behavior (Laptop)

Laptops sleep by default when the lid is closed, but if you're downloading large files or running long tasks, you can temporarily set it to "Do nothing":

Settings path: Settings → System → Power & battery → Lid, power and sleep button controls → When I close the lid → Do nothing

4. Storage Management

4.1 Checking Disk Usage

Settings path: Settings → System → Storage

Here you can see the used and free space of each drive; clicking in also shows how much "Apps", "Temporary files", and "Documents" each occupy. When the C: drive is nearly full, come here first to find out what's taking up space.

4.2 Changing Where Files and Apps Are Saved

When installing apps, prefer the location options provided by the installer or the app store, and install to another drive (such as the D: drive). If you really need to move user folders such as Desktop, Documents, or Downloads, back them up first, then use the folder's Properties → Location → Move; after moving, check that the software you use regularly can still find the original files.

4.3 Storage Sense: Automatic Cleanup

Storage Sense can clean up temporary files and Recycle Bin contents on the system drive. By default, it only manages the system drive; whether the Downloads folder and cloud files are processed depends on the specific configuration in Storage Sense, so after enabling it for the first time, check the cleanup schedule item by item.

Settings path: Settings → System → Storage → Storage Sense

4.4 Disk Cleanup

To free up space manually, use the built-in "Disk Cleanup" tool:

Search for "Disk Cleanup" in the Start menu → select the drive to clean → check the file types to delete.

5. App Management

5.1 Installing and Uninstalling

5.2 Managing Startup Items

Too much software starting automatically at boot will severely slow down the computer's startup, especially on lower-end machines. We should manage auto-start software and disable auto-start for unnecessary programs.

Settings path: Settings → Apps → Startup → turn off apps that don't need to start at boot.

Task Manager can also manage startup items:

Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager → switch to the Startup apps tab (Windows 10) or the Startup icon on the left (Windows 11).

5.3 Cautions When Installing Software

6. Accounts and Sign-in

6.1 Microsoft Account vs. Local Account

Considering that most users are already forced to sign in with a Microsoft account when activating a new machine, no recommendation is made here.

If you want to change it, you can switch to a local account in Settings → Accounts → Your info.

6.2 Setting Up a PIN or Fingerprint

Passwords are too long and tedious to type every time; it's recommended to set up a PIN or fingerprint (if supported): Settings → Accounts → Sign-in options.

7. Environment Variables

7.1 What Are Environment Variables

Environment variables are system-level configuration values, most commonly used to tell the system where a program is.

For example, you install Python, but typing python in the terminal says "is not recognized as an internal or external command..."; this is usually because Python's path wasn't added to the PATH environment variable.

7.2 Viewing and Modifying

7.3 The PATH Variable in Detail

PATH is the most important environment variable; it's a list of directory paths separated by semicolons. When we type a command (such as python) in the terminal, the system searches these directories in order for the matching executable; it runs it if found and reports an error if not.

Adding a new program to PATH:

1. Find the directory containing the program's executable, e.g., D:\Python\Python314
2. Type "Environment Variables" in Windows Search → click Edit the system environment variables → in the System Properties window that pops up, click Environment Variables → find Path under system variables and double-click to open it
3. Click New → paste the directory path → OK
4. Reopen the terminal (old terminal windows won't pick up the change)

7.4 How to Determine the Processor Architecture

When downloading software, you often need to know whether the system is 64-bit or 32-bit, and whether it's x64 or ARM:

8. Windows Update

8.1 Why Update

System updates aren't just about new features; more importantly, they patch security vulnerabilities. Ransomware and trojans often exploit old vulnerabilities that were already patched.

Nowadays, with good computer habits, even "running naked" (not using third-party security software and disabling the system's own security features) greatly reduces the risk of infection. Considering that Windows updates have had some negative impact on performance and daily use recently, you may choose to download updates automatically and then install them manually, rather than installing them automatically.

8.2 Update Settings

Settings path: Settings → Windows Update

9. TODO Checklist

• Resolution and scaling are kept at the system-recommended values or match personal preference
• Sleep, lid, and power policies match the current usage scenario and personal habits
• Storage Sense is enabled with its cleanup scope and schedule configured
• Only necessary startup items are kept
• Can confidently install software to non-system drives, and proactively reviews custom options and unchecks unnecessary ones before installing
• Can distinguish user variables from system variables and knows how to modify the PATH variable
• The latest security updates are installed and the necessary restarts are done

10. Questions Worth Thinking About

Why can't software be uninstalled by directly deleting its shortcut?

In Windows, an ordinary shortcut is essentially a file with the .lnk extension.

It doesn't store the actual content of the target file; instead, it records the target's location, startup arguments, and other information.

Why do some programs report errors when installed in directories containing Chinese characters?

Windows itself supports Chinese paths. The errors usually occur because the program or its dependencies don't handle Unicode characters properly, causing the path to get garbled when read, passed, or saved.

Therefore, when installing development tools, games, and command-line programs, it's recommended to prefer pure-English paths.

After installing a system update, the system suffers severe performance drops or daily lag. How do I uninstall the update?

You can uninstall recently installed updates via Settings → Windows Update → Update history → click Uninstall updates under the related settings at the bottom.

Note: after uninstalling an update, the system may restart automatically; save all files you're working on before the restart.