Windows 7 features

Homegroup:

If you ever find yourself emailing docs to the computer in the next room so you can print them, HomeGroup was designed for you. Now, you can easily connect two or more PCs running Windows 7 on your home network to automatically start sharing printers—and your media and document libraries—with other people in your home.

Concerned about privacy? So are we. That’s why HomeGroup is password-protected and puts you in total control. You decide what gets shared—and what stays private. You can also make your files "read only," so other people can look at—but not touch—your stuff.

You can join a homegroup in any edition of Windows 7, but you can only create one inWindows 7 Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, or Enterprise editions.

Jump Lists

Jump Lists—new in Windows 7—take you right to the documents, pictures, songs, or websites you turn to each day. To open a Jump List, just right-click a program button on the Windows 7 taskbar. (You can also get to Jump Lists by clicking the arrow next to the program name on the Start menu.)

What you see in a Jump List depends entirely on the program. The Jump List forInternet Explorer shows frequently viewed websites. Windows Media Player 12 lists commonly played tunes. Is your Jump List missing a favorite? You can "pin" whatever files you like there.

Jump Lists don't just show shortcuts to files. Sometimes they also provide quick access to commands for things like composing new email messages or playing music.

Snap

Snap is a quick (and fun) new way to resize open windows, simply by dragging them to the edges of your screen.

Depending on where you drag a window, you can make it expand vertically, take up the entire screen, or appear side-by-side with another window. Snap makes reading, organizing, and comparing windows a...well, you get the picture.

If you like Snap, check out two new related features: Peek and Shake.

Windows Taskbar

Sure, the new Windows 7 taskbar is still the same familiar place for switching between windows. But now it's easier to see, more flexible, and more powerful.

Jump Lists

With Jump Lists, you can get right to the documents, pictures, songs, and websites you use most often simply by right-clicking a program button on the taskbar. You'll also find Jump Lists on the Start menu—just click the arrow next to the program name.

Jump Lists take you straight to your favorites.

Pinning

In Windows 7 you can pin favorite programs anywhere on the taskbar for easy access. Not crazy about the button lineup? Rearrange them any way you like by clicking and dragging. You can even pin individual documents and websites to Jump Lists on your taskbar.

Pin a program to your taskbar for easy access.

Live taskbar previews

In Windows 7, you can point to a taskbar button to see a live preview of its open windows—including webpages and live video. Move your mouse over a thumbnail to preview the window full screen, and click it to go open the window. You can even close windows and pause video and songs from the thumbnail previews—a big time saver.

Live taskbar previews are available only in the Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions of Windows 7.

The new taskbar previews show you what's happening on your desktop.

Make sure to check out Peek and Action Center, two related taskbar features.

64-bit Support

If you’ve gone PC shopping lately, you’ve probably noticed more computers with 64-bit processors, and you may have wondered what advantages they offer.

Put simply, a 64-bit PC can handle larger amounts of information than a 32-bit system. Since it can use more RAM—4 GB and up—a 64-bit computer can be more responsive when you're running lots of programs at once.

Whichever system you choose, Windows 7 is ready. All packaged retail editions ofWindows 7 (except for Home Basic) include both 32- and 64-bit software.

Wondering whether a program or device works with your 64-bit PC? Look for products that carry the "Compatible with Windows 7" logo, which means they were tested on both 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows 7. Or visit the Windows 7 Compatibility Center to search a regularly updated list of programs and devices.

Check Control Panel to see whether your PC is capable of running the 64-bit version of Windows 7.

Desktop

With Windows 7, we’ve made it easier to get more done on the desktop.

New ways to juggle windows

Overwhelmed by open windows? Windows 7 comes with three simple yet powerful new features called Shake, Peek, and Snap to help you instantly clear through desktop clutter.

Peek-a-boo: Peek turns open windows translucent so you can see what's on your desktop.

Spectacular new wallpapers

We spend a lot of time staring at our PCs. Aesthetics shouldn't just be an afterthought. That's why Windows 7 includes a slew of new desktop backgrounds—wallpapers—that range from sublime to silly. Or try the new desktop slide show, which displays a rotating series of pictures (ours or yours). Your desktop will never be dull again.

Visit the Personalization Gallery to download free Windows 7 themes and desktop backgrounds (wallpaper).

Windows 7 makes it easy to express your personality with creative new themes and other custom touches.

Retooled taskbar

Since Windows 95, the taskbar has served as the go-to spot for launching programs and switching windows. Times and PC habits have changed. So in Windows 7, the taskbar has been completely redesigned to help you work smarter, cut clutter, and get more done.

Improvements to the new Windows 7 taskbar include thumbnail previews of webpages, documents—even running video.

Improved gadgets

Gadgets, the popular mini-programs introduced in Windows Vista, are now more flexible and fun. Based on your feedback, we've done away with the Sidebar, so you can stick your gadgets anywhere on the desktop.

Favorite gadgets can go anywhere on your Windows 7 desktop.

Note: Not all features mentioned above are available in all editions ofWindows 7. See the individual feature pages for details.

Performance improvements

Nobody likes to wait. Which is why we designed Windows 7 to be more nimble, efficient, and responsive. Key performance improvements include:

Sleep

Windows 7 is designed to sleep, resume, and reconnect to your wireless network more quickly.

Search

When hunting for something, you want answers, not delays. In Windows 7, search results pop up faster. Sorting and grouping of search results is also significantly quicker.

USB devices

When you plug in a portable flash drive or other USB device for the first time, Windows 7can have it ready for you in seconds. If you have used it before, the wait is even shorter.

Better memory use

Windows 7 has under-the-hood tune-ups that can boost your PC's overall speed and performance. It uses less memory when it's idle and less graphics memory when you launch and switch between windows. It's also designed to run background services like Bluetooth only when you need them.

If memory does run low, ReadyBoost can speed up your computer by using storage space on most USB flash drives and flash memory cards.

Play To

Play To, new in Windows 7, makes it easy to stream music, video, and photos from your computer to other PCs, TVs, or stereos on your home network. You can stream music from your PC to your home entertainment system or stream slide shows and videos to another computer or to your TV. Just right-click the tracks you want to enjoy, or add them to your Windows Media Player 12 playlist, and click Play To. Now you're hearing—or watching—what you want, where you want it.

Play To works with other PCs running Windows 7 and devices that carry the "Compatible with Windows 7" logo. To find one, visit the Windows 7 Compatibility Center.

Windows Touch

Move over mouse: When you pair Windows 7 with a touchscreen PC, you can browse online newspapers, flick through photo albums, and shuffle files and folders—using nothing but your fingers.

Limited one-finger touch capability has been available in Windows for years. ButWindows 7 is the first to fully embrace multitouch technology. Need to zoom in on something? Place two fingers on the screen of a multitouch-compatible PC and spread them apart. To right‑click a file, touch it with one finger and tap the screen with a second.

Windows Touch—available only in the Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate editions of Windows 7—is fun to learn and easy to use. The Start menu and taskbar now sport larger, fingertip-friendly icons. All your favorite Windows 7 programs are also touch-ready. You can even finger-paint in Paint!

To find out which displays are compatible with Windows Touch, go to the Windows 7Compatibility Center website.