Learning the Basics

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Starting a program

Starting a program

The easiest way to start a program is to double-click the name of the file that contains the information you want to work on. To find the file, use My Computer or Windows® Explorer.

If you prefer to open the program first, you have four options. You can:

Double-click the icon for the program on your desktop

Use the Start menu

Use Windows® Explorer or My Computer to locate the program file

Use the Run dialog box

The next three sections explain how to start a program from the Start menu, Explorer and the Run dialog box.

Starting a program from the Start menu

When you install a program, the operating system usually puts an icon in the All Programs menu. To start a program that has an icon in the All Programs menu, follow these steps, which use the Windows® WordPad program as an example:

1Click Start, and then All Programs.

The Windows® operating system displays the All Programs menu, which lists programs and program groups. If your program is listed, go to step 3, otherwise, continue with step 2.

2Click the program group, in this example, Accessories. The Accessories menu is displayed.

3Click the program, in this example, WordPad. WordPad opens.

To close the program, click the Close button in the upper-right corner of the program’s window.