How to Use the Windows Surface tablets

The Surface delivers Microsoft's great Surface design in a smaller size. This tablet comes with a padded zipper carrying case and a powered touch screen pen. 


TABLE OF CONTENTS


Logging In 

Inside of the carrying case for each Surface Tablet you will find the password for logging into the tablet. 


  1. Start by charging the tablet fully. 
  2. Press and hold the power button to switch it on. 
  3. Follow the on-screen instructions to choose language, region, and connect to a Wi-Fi network. 
  4. Log In to the tablet
    • Username: learning_design
    • Password: Briggs_230


Please Note: Do not log into the tablet or the Windows Whiteboard app with any Davidson Davie credentials as these profiles will be saved on the tablet and are difficult to clear from the tablet once entered. While using the tablet, you can log into websites and services such as Gmail and Zoom, just be sure to logout before you turn the tablet back in.  


How to connect to Wi-Fi on the Windows Surface Tablet? 

1. Open the Start menu and click on the Settings (gear) icon. 

2. In the Settings menu, select Network & Internet. 

3. Under Wi-Fi, make sure the toggle switch is set to "On". 



4. Click on your desired Wi-Fi network from the available options and enter the network password if required. 


5. Once connected, you'll see the Wi-Fi icon in the system tray indicating your connection status.


Short Cut:

Need to connect to the Wi-Fi quickly? 

1. Click on the icon on the bottom right with a globe. This will pull up a quick settings selection.

Arrow pointing to globe icon meaning no WiFi connection

2. Click on the arrow beside the same icon in this window.

Arrow pointing to WiFi setting in quick settings selection

3. Select your Wi-Fi network, type in your password, and you're ready to go!

Arrow pointing to WiFi network to select


Using the Surface Pen

  • Press the button on the pen to link the pen with the tablet (Bluetooth settings)
  • How to “right click” with the stylus - Click the side button on the pen.
  • If you Pen battery dies, request a replacement battery from the Creation Studio staff.

red arrow pointing to button on the side of the surface pen


How to install apps on the Windows Surface Tablet?

  1. Open the Microsoft Store app on your tablet.
  2. Search for the app you want to install using the search bar.
  3. Once you’ve found the app, click on it to view its details.
  4. Click on the “Get" or “Install" button, and the app will be downloaded and installed on your device.
  5. You can find the installed apps on your Start menu or by searching from the taskbar.

Below is an example of what the process is to install an app.

black arrow pointing to install button on Adobe Acrobat Reader DC app displayed on Microsoft Store


How to take a screenshot on the Windows Surface Tablet? 

1. Press the Windows logo key + Volume Up button at the same time. 

2. The screen will dim temporarily, and a screenshot will be saved to the Pictures > Screenshots folder in the File Explorer. 

3. You can access your captured screenshots by opening the File Explorer and navigating to the mentioned folder. 

red arrows pointing to the power and volume up button on the Surface tablet



Want to capture a portion of the screen rather than the full screen? Type "snipping tool" in the search bar and select the app. Once the app is open:

  1. Tap the "new" button. The screen will pause and become darker.
  2. Click and drag to select a box of the screen that you want to screenshot.
  3. Options appear at the top or bottom of the window depending on how large the window is. These options include a pen, highlighter, circling items, and cropping the image further to make the screenshot fit your needs.
  4. Once you are done, you can click the floppy disk icon to save or the icon with squares overlapping each other to copy the image to paste it somewhere else.

Below displays the location of the main options you will be using with this app.

red arrows pointing to the "New" button, the toolbar for photo editing, and the location of the save and copy buttons


How to use the Windows Ink Workspace on the Windows Surface Tablet? 

1. Tap the pen icon in the notification area on the taskbar. 

2. The Windows Ink Workspace will appear, providing various pen and ink-related features such as Sticky Notes, Sketchpad, Screen Sketch, and more. 

3. Click on any of these options to utilize the related features, such as jotting down notes, sketching, or capturing specific areas of the screen. 


How to use Windows Ink on the Windows Surface Tablet for drawing and sketching?  

Windows Ink provides a range of drawing and sketching tools on the Surface. Press and hold the button on the digital pen to open the Windows Ink Workspace. From there, you can access various apps like Sketchpad, Screen Sketch, or Whiteboard to create drawings, take screenshots, or annotate documents. 


How to use Microsoft Journal App

Wanting to have your own digital notebook to jot down notes, brainstorm ideas, tutor students or more? Check out the Microsoft Journal app tutorial!