Simple Computer Tips for Beginners

What to do when your computer stops responding

If your computer is frozen and does not respond to the mouse, keyboard, or touchpad, try shutting it down safely before forcing it to turn off.

1. Press and hold the power button for about one second.
2. Wait to see whether the computer starts shutting down normally.
3. If nothing happens, press and hold the power button for about 10 to 20 seconds until the computer turns off.
4. Wait a few seconds, then turn the computer back on.

Only use the forced shutdown option when the computer is completely unresponsive, because unsaved work may be lost.

Use Windows Task Manager to end a frozen program

If one program stops responding but the rest of Windows still works, you can close the frozen application using Task Manager.

1. Press Ctrl + Alt + Del on your keyboard.
2. Select Task Manager.
3. If Task Manager opens in simple view, select More details.
4. Find the application that is not responding.
5. Select the application and click End task.

This can help you close a stuck program without restarting the whole computer.

Beginner-friendly keyboard shortcuts for Windows and web browsers

Keyboard shortcuts can save time when copying text, pasting information, reopening browser tabs, or refreshing web pages.

Basic requirements for sending scanned documents by email

Many multifunction printers can scan a document and send it directly to an email address. This feature is often called scan to email.

Before you start, check the following:

• You can open the printer’s web management page.
• You have the printer administrator password.
• You have the email account username and password.
• You know the SMTP server settings for the email account.

If you use Microsoft 365 email:

• The printer should support modern authentication or OAuth where possible.
• SMTP authentication must be enabled for the mailbox if required.
• The account must have an active mailbox.
• If the printer does not support the required authentication method, an SMTP relay may be needed.

If you use Gmail:

• Multi-factor authentication should be enabled.
• You may need to create an app password.
• Use the correct Gmail SMTP server settings.

After entering the email settings, use the printer’s test function if available. Send a test scan to confirm that the configuration works.

Use scan to network share or SMB scanning

Some multifunction printers can scan documents directly to a shared folder on a computer, server, or NAS device. This is commonly called scan to network folder or scan to SMB.

Before you start, prepare the following:

• The printer administrator password.
• The IP address or hostname of the file server or NAS.
• The shared folder name.
• A username with permission to access the shared folder.
• The password for that user account.

Basic setup steps:

1. Open the printer’s web management page in a browser.
2. Sign in using the administrator password.
3. Go to the scan, address book, or SMB/network folder settings.
4. Enter the server IP address or hostname.
5. Enter the shared folder path.
6. Enter the username and password.
7. Save the settings.
8. Use the test button if the printer provides one.

If the test fails, check the folder permissions, username, password, firewall settings, and whether SMB access is allowed on the destination computer or server.