Set up Windows 8

After you've installed Windows 8, follow the on-screen steps to get it set up how you want.

Personalize

Choose a color you like—you can always change this later, along with your background, colors, and account picture.

Settings

To get through setup faster, click Use express settings. Or, if you want to go through the details, click Customize. Either way, you can change your settings at any time.

Sign in to your PC

With Windows 8, instead of signing in with a user name and password, you can use your email address to sign in to your PC. This combination of your email address and the password you enter is your Microsoft account. Enter the email address you use for the things you care about the most—your social networking sites, favorite email account, photo sharing sites—and when you sign in to Windows 8 your favorite things come with you. For example:

• Your friends’ contact info and status can automatically stay up to date from places like Outlook.com, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
• You can get to and share your photos, documents, and other files from places like SkyDrive, Facebook, and Flickr.
• You can buy and download apps from the Windows Store, and use them on up to five PCs running Windows 8 or Windows RT.
• Your personal settings are automatically synced online and between the Windows 8 and Windows RT PCs you use. This includes your themes, language preferences, browser favorites and history, and content for Microsoft apps and services.

If you’d still rather sign in with a user name and password, click Sign in without a Microsoft account.

You're done

Windows will finalize your choices and then take you to your new Windows 8 Start screen. See the tutorial to help you set up your PC.

Haven't yet upgraded your PC? Get Windows 8 now.