Surface Pro 3 Tips & Tricks

[jedge]

WARNING - this is not supported by Google and could cause problems later on. That said this is an extremely simple hack because the code is already written, it's just not on by default. In fact you could just edit the registry yourself in about 30 seconds.

*Before doing anything you might want to backup your registry. That's just common sense.

Here is the site i followed: Chrome High DPI: How To Enable It In Windows 8, 8.1 (v34+) | Ubergizmo

Double-check to make sure you are running Chrome version 35.x, then scroll down and follow the instructions under Solution (Chrome 35.x). Ignore the rest.

Basically it's just downloading a registry key, running it, allowing it to make changes, then RESTARTING your entire computer. After that Chrome is beautiful.
In addition i also download the "undo" key, just in case a future Chrome update breaks this.

Enjoy

 

[ctitanic]

that was a nice trick! I love it!

 

[jedge]

I did a search but couldn't find a good ole' general tips and tricks thread. So lets start one:
Here are some of the best ones I've found:

How to take a screenshot on your Surface
Method 1: Press and hold the Windows button, and press down on the lower volume button on the side of your Surface. Your screen will dim a little for a moment when you do this. (this saves to \Pictures\Screenshots)
Method 2: Double-press the pen top button. (this will import it directly to OneNote)
Method 3: On the keyboard, press Fn + Win + SpaceBar. (this also saves to \Pictures\Screenshots)
Method 4: Swipe left to open Charms -> Share. Click the tiny down arrow and tap "Screenshot". (this will further prompt you where you want to share it to, i.e. mail, paint, facebook, etc..)

Close Apps Easily
Drag or swipe down from the very top of the screen right to the very bottom - and if you don't quite swipe all the way, the window just reappears and you have to start again.
If you want to get Windows to close the app without you having to travel quite so far. Here is a link to the steps to do this.

Restarting an App
Need to restart an app you’re running? No problem, you can do that in three simple steps.
1. Drag app down from the top of the screen.
2. Hold app at the bottom until it flips.
3. Drag app back up to the middle the screen.

CTRL-ALT-DEL screen without a keyboard
Press the Windows button + Power
*You can also long-press on the Desktop Windows button (bottom left corner) to get to a menu including Task Manger, if that's what you want.

Teach Windows 8 to learn your handwriting
Control Panel -> Language -> Language Options -> Personalize handwriting recognition
*actually, if you look under the Advanced -> Automatic learning settings windows is set by default to do this. But the above option is a great way to teach Windows 8 specific letters or words that it frequently misinterprets!

Turn your Windows Tablet into an Android Tablet
In case you forgot, Bluestacks is supported on Windows 8. And you now have a fully functioning tablet device. Put the two together!
BlueStacks
Tip: First thing you want to do after running Bluestacks is download a launcher like Nova Launcher or ADW Launcher and set it as default. That way when it opens it really LOOKS like an Android Tablet.
There are TONS of tutorials and help online for this.

Logon using Picture Password
Swipe left to open Charms -> Change PC Settings (at the bottom) -> Accounts -> Sign-in options
*Instead of typing in a password, it shows you a picture and you have to perform 3 "gestures" to unlock it. You get to choose the picture and gestures. If you forget you can still type in a password.

Turn on/off Rotation Lock
If you want to disable the auto-rotate on your screen temporarily, swipe left to open Charms -> Settings -> Screen. Above the slider for brightness is a little screen/arrow picture, touch this and it will lock the screen in whatever orientation it currently is in.

OneNote: Add features like Favorites, Image Cropping, Macros and more
Install Onetastic from Try the Onetastic add-in to bring tons of new features to OneNote | Office Blogs

Add an additional row of Cards in Modern UI
Swipe left to open Charms -> Settings -> Tiles. Click "Show more tiles on the Start screen".

Enable High-Resolution in Google Chrome
Chrome High DPI: How To Enable It In Windows 8, 8.1 (v34+) | Ubergizmo, or download Google Chrome Canary has the newest of the new Chrome features.
Be forewarned: it's designed for developers and early adopters, and can sometimes break down completely

App Drawer Opens by Default
This is when you swipe from the left to cycle through previous Apps you were working in. By default it brings it over full screen, but you can push it back left a bit and then it shows you all the previous Apps in a stack. That's the App Drawer.
Swipe left to open Charms -> Settings -> Change PC Settings -> PC and Devices -> Corners and Edges. Uncheck "When i swipe from the left edge, switch between my recent apps instead of showing a list of them"

Get to Administrator Functions Fast + More
In desktop mode, left-click-hold on the Windows button (bottom left corner)
If using a mouse jut right-click.

Show Every Control Panel Options at Once, aka GodMode
1. Right-click on the desktop and select New Folder.
3. Right-click -> Rename
4. Type in GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} and press enter. FYI: sometimes copy/pasting doesn't work, you have to type it in manually.

Boot Directly to the Desktop (instead of the Start Screen)
Right-click on the Taskbar -> Properties -> Navigation
Check "When i sign in or close all apps on a screen, go to the desktop instead of Start"

Match Your Modern UI Wallpaper to Your Desktop Wallpaper
Method 1: Go into the Modern UI / Start Screen. Swipe left for Charms -> Settings -> Personalize. There will be a group of background images at the top right. In that group, the last one will ALWAYS be your desktop wallpaper.
Method 2: If you want them to ALWAYS be the same: In desktop mode right-click the taskbar -> Properties -> Navigation. Check "Show my desktop background on Start"

Lock the Function Keys
On the Type Cover, the Function keys by default are actually hot keys. If you want to put switch it so they act like a normal keyboard, press FN+CAPS. There's nothing on the keyboard or screen that indicates what mode you're in, so i guess you just have to remember.

Increase/Decrease the Brightness of the Backlit Keyboard
The F1 and F2 keys that show the little brightness icon... those are for the keyboard backlight, NOT the screen, which is weird.
Even weirder, there is still a way to change your SCREEN brightness using the keyboard, it's FN+DEL or FN+BACKSPACE.








Sources:
Tips & Tricks Archives | Surface Blog
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqD1vWlpai9SUvfNfzVvUqA
62 Windows 8 tips, tricks and secrets | News | TechRadar
Microsoft Surface | How to Take a Screenshot
Buying the Surface Pro 3? Here are the apps, games, programs and accessories you need
Try the Onetastic add-in to bring tons of new features to OneNote | Office Blogs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv1...on_id=channel:533bb64f-0-2c99-9931-1a1134950c
Chrome High DPI: How To Enable It In Windows 8, 8.1 (v34+) | Ubergizmo
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMnQvLStvmswNg2cvAgM8yg/videos
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbzi2PwNDYMb7TigGa-DDZQ/videos
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMkhrrPkmx7xxlolSP9qEsA
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMb3lp0IfG6EXVngmYg77ng

 

[leeshor]

It would seem you are correct. Making this a sticky thread.

 

[ipaq_101]

Thank you for this tip! Makes such an amazing difference.

 

[leeshor]

New thread - merged other threads.

 

[cdf3]

Access custom On-Screen Keyboard for the Surface Pro (has more features than default touch keyboard)

1) Open Charms Menu

2) Search for 'Control Panel'

3) Open Control Panel and click on the green link for 'Ease of Access'

4) On the next screen click on the green link for 'Ease of Access Center'

5) On the next screen scroll down to the bottom and click on the link for 'Make touch and tablets easier to use'

6) On the drop down menu, change 'Narrator' to 'On-screen keyboard,

7) Click Apply and OK

8) To access the custom keyboard Press and hold the Windows Button on bezel of the Surface Pro, and the Volume Up button at the same time.

9) Press the Options button on the On-Screen keyboard to change settings (Click sound on or off, Show numeric pad, etc.). Press NumLock to switch between Navigation Keys and Number Keys if numeric key pad is enabled.

 

[scottysize]

WARNING - this is not supported by Google and could cause problems later on. That said this is an extremely simple hack because the code is already written, it's just not on by default. In fact you could just edit the registry yourself in about 30 seconds.

*Before doing anything you might want to backup your registry. That's just common sense.

Here is the site i followed: Chrome High DPI: How To Enable It In Windows 8, 8.1 (v34+) | Ubergizmo

Double-check to make sure you are running Chrome version 35.x, then scroll down and follow the instructions under Solution (Chrome 35.x). Ignore the rest.

Basically it's just downloading a registry key, running it, allowing it to make changes, then RESTARTING your entire computer. After that Chrome is beautiful.
In addition i also download the "undo" key, just in case a future Chrome update breaks this.

Enjoy

Didn't work well for me. It made all of my icons tiny tiny tiny so tiny that I couldn't see the home button. However, the disable script works well.

 

[scottysize]

I did a search but couldn't find a good ole' general tips and tricks thread. So lets start one:
Here are some of the best ones I've found:

How to take a screenshot on your Surface
Press and hold the Windows button, and press down on the lower volume button on the side of your Surface. Your screen will dim a little for a moment when you do this. Your screenshots will be saved their own separate folder inside your Pictures folder.

Geez. That doesn't work for me either.

 

[cdf3]

Geez. That doesn't work for me either.

Be sure to press the Windows Button on the bezel of the device + Volume Down button.
Pressing the Windows Button on the Type Cover doesn't work.

 

[scottysize]

Be sure to press the Windows Button on the bezel of the device + Volume Down button.
Pressing the Windows Button on the Type Cover doesn't work.

Yup. Trust me. Held my thumb on the little Widows sign on the right side of the screen, then pressed the volume down key. All it does is lower my volume.

UPDATE: I even tried volume up. All it does is raise my volume.

 

[jedge]

Didn't work well for me. It made all of my icons tiny tiny tiny so tiny that I couldn't see the home button. However, the disable script works well.

Just do the part where you run the registry key fix. Don't do the part where you disable scaling.
Make sure to restart afterwards.

Didn't work well for me. It made all of my icons tiny tiny tiny so tiny that I couldn't see the home button. However, the disable script works well.

Works fine for me. Press the Windows Button then immediately the Volume Down and you will see the screen dim slightly. Unlike my Android phone it's very fast. That's it, the screenshot will be in \Pictures\Screenshots