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Open a File in Windows 8.1- Tutorial

/ / Latest, Microsoft, Windows 8, Windows 8.1

Open a File in Windows 8.1: Video Lesson

            This video lesson, titled “Opening a File,” shows you how to open a file in Windows 8.1. This video lesson is from our complete introductory Microsoft Windows tutorial, titled “Mastering Windows Made Easy v.8.1.”

Open a File in Windows 8.1: Overview

            In this blog post, you will learn how to open a file in Windows 8.1. To open files in Windows 8.1, you must first open the “File Explorer” windows by clicking the “File Explorer” button shown within the Taskbar at the bottom of the Desktop window. Then use the File Explorer to navigate to the folder that contains the file you want to open in Windows 8.1.

            To open a file in Windows 8.1 that is shown within the right pane of the File Explorer window, double-click the file. Alternately, you can right-click the file to display a pop-up command menu. You can then click the “Open” command within the pop-up menu to open the selected file.

            Alternatively, you can open a file in Windows 8.1 by selecting a file within the right pane of the File Explorer window and then clicking the “Open” or “Edit” buttons that appear within the “Open” button group on the “Home” tab within the Ribbon. Note that the “Edit” button will only appear active for editable files selected within the window.

Open a File in Windows 8.1- Tutorial: A picture of files and folders, and the "Open" and "Edit" buttons within the "Home" tab of the Ribbon, in a File Explorer window.

Open a File in Windows 8.1- Tutorial: A picture of files and folders, and the “Open” and “Edit” buttons within the “Home” tab of the Ribbon, in a File Explorer window.

Open a File in Windows 8.1: Instructions

  1. To open a file in Windows 8.1 that is shown within the right pane of the File Explorer window, double-click the file.
  2. Alternately, you can right-click the file to display a pop-up command menu and then click the “Open” command within the pop-up menu to open the selected file.
  3. Alternatively, you can open a file in Windows 8.1 by selecting a file within the right pane of the File Explorer window and then clicking the “Open” or “Edit” buttons that appear within the “Open” button group on the “Home” tab within the Ribbon.
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