How to tell if games are appropriate for children
Most games have game ratings that you can use to help you decide whether the game is appropriate for your children. Game ratings are set by a game ratings board, which is an organization that establishes guidelines for video game content for different regions and countries. How can I tell if a game is appropriate for my child? How do I find out what a game is rated? How can I see all of the games that are on this computer and what their ratings are? Can I control which games are played on this computer? What are game rating boards and how do they work? What do the ratings and content descriptors mean?

---

Learn about Windows games
Windows comes with a variety of games to play. There are board games, card games, multiplayer Internet games, and even games for kids. You'll find them all in the Games folder. To start playing, just open the folder and double-click a game icon.

---

What can I control with Parental Controls?
You can use Parental Controls to set limits on the hours that children can use the computer, the types of games they can play, and the programs they can run.

---

Control when children can use the computer
You can choose which hours your children can use the computer. You can set which hours are allowed for each day of the week and block all the rest. Watch this video to learn how to control when children can use the computer.

---

Set up Parental Controls
You can use Parental Controls to help manage how your children use the computer. For example, you can set limits on the hours that your children can use the computer, the games they can play, and the programs they can run. When Parental Controls blocks access to a game or program, a notification is displayed that the program has been blocked. Your child can click a link in the notification to request permission for access to that game or program. You can allow access by entering your account information.

---

Where are my games?
Games that come with Windows, and any new games you choose to install, appear in the Games folder.

---

Internet Spades: how to play
Invented in the United States in the 1930s, Spades remains one of the most popular trick-taking card games-and ideal for online play. Now you can play this game against other people over the Internet.

---

Internet Checkers: how to play
Checkers is one of the oldest and most popular board games. Now you can play against other people over the Internet.

---

Change the ratings system used to control games
If your computer is connected to a domain, Parental Controls aren't available. You can choose which ratings systems Parental Controls uses to control games.

---

Working with the Games folder
The Games folder is more than just the central repository for games on your computer. In Windows 7, the Games folder offers game updates, statistics, news feeds, and more.

---

Shuffle and repeat items in Windows Media Player
In Windows Media Player, items that you play appear in the list pane in Now Playing mode and in the Player Library. You can change the order in which the items play by turning on shuffle, which will make items play in a random order. You can also choose to play the items repeatedly. When you turn on repeat, all items in the list pane will play once and then begin playing again. You can also turn on both shuffle and repeat at the same time. It's not possible to shuffle or repeat DVDs. Watch this video to learn how to shuffle and repeat in Windows Media Player.

---

Play To
Play To, new in Windows 7, makes it easy to play music and video on other networked PCs, TVs, or stereos around the house. Just right-click the tracks you want to enjoy, or add them to your Windows Media Player 12 playlist, and select Play To-now you're a DJ.

---

How to Hide or Unhide Games
This will show you how to hide specific games from being displayed in the Windows 7 Games explorer folder, or to unhide all hidden games to have them displayed again.

---

Parental Controls
Even when you're not looking over their shoulders, you can set limits on your kids' computer use and help them be safer online, too. In Windows 7, Parental Controls helps you limit how much computer time children have, as well as which programs and games they can use (and perhaps more importantly, when). With the Parental Controls in Windows Media Center, you can also block access to objectionable TV shows and movies.

---

How to Restore the Default Games
This will show you how to restore the default Windows 7 More Games, Chess Titans, FreeCell, Hearts, Internet Backgammon, Internet Checkers, Internet Spades, Mahjong Titans, Minesweep, Purple Place, Solitaire, and Spider Solitaire games in the Games folder.

---

Install a game in the Games folder
The Games folder is more than just the central repository for all games on your computer. It also offers game updates, statistics, rating information, RSS feeds, and more.

---

How to Create a Games Explorer Shortcut
This will show you how to create or download a Games Explorer shortcut instead of one to the hidden C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Games folder. You can also Pin to Taskbar or Pin to Start Menu this shortcut, or move where you like for easy use.

---

Radio in Windows Media Center: frequently asked questions
With the right equipment, you can play FM radio in Windows Media Center. Here are answers to some common questions about playing FM radio in Windows Media Center. What do I need to play FM radio in Media Center? Why doesn't my FM radio play? Why did the FM radio stop playing unexpectedly? Why doesn't fast forward or rewind work when I'm playing FM radio? Why can't I see the option to play FM radio on the start screen? Where can I find Internet radio stations in Media Center?

---

Play a CD or DVD in Windows Media Player
In Windows Media Player, you can play audio CDs, data CDs, and data DVDs that contain music or video files (also known as media CDs). You can also play video CDs (VCDs), which are similar to DVDs, although the video quality isn't as high. If you have a DVD drive and a compatible DVD decoder installed on your computer, you can use Windows Media Player to play a DVD-Video disc-this is the type of DVD that movies are distributed on. If you encounter an error indicating that you are missing a DVD decoder, click Web Help on the error message dialog box to determine how to obtain a decoder. Watch this video to learn how to play a CD or DVD in Windows Media Player.

---

Windows Media Player Library
The Player Library is the location in Windows Media Player where you can manage all of your favorite music, videos, and pictures on your computer. It lets you easily find and play your digital media files, as well as choose content that you want to burn to a CD or sync to a portable device. To learn more about using the Player Library, click one of the following links:

---

Play an audio or video file
You can use Windows Media Player to play digital media files that are in your Player Library, on your computer or a network folder, or on a website.

---

Using the Play To feature to stream media
You can use the Play To feature to stream video, music, or picture files stored on your computer to a separate playback device on your home network. That device could be another computer, TV, or stereo connected to your network. You can use the Play To feature in Window Media Player or anywhere you store media files on your computer.

---

Codecs: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about codecs. What is a codec? Which codecs are included with the Player? Why do I get a message that says my computer is missing a codec? How do I find a codec? What is a DVD decoder? Why can't I play a file at work that I can play at home? I installed a missing codec, but I still can't play the file. Why? How do I tell which codecs are installed on my computer? How do I tell which codec was used to compress a file and what format a file is in? Are codecs and file formats the same?

---

Internet Backgammon: how to play
Backgammon is a popular two-player board game with pieces called stones. The deceivingly simple goal? Move all your stones off the table first. Now you can play this game against other people over the Internet.

---

How to Delete a Game
This will show you how to delete a game that is displayed in the Windows 7 Games explorer folder. This can be handy if you had uninstalled the game, but it is still displayed in the Games folder.

---

Play a CD or DVD in Windows Media Center
In Windows Media Center, you can play audio CDs and DVD movies. You can also play data CDs and DVDs (discs that contain digital media files, such as MP3, WMV, and JPEG files). Playing CDs and DVDs in Media Center is best experienced using a Media Center remote control. Make sure that the type of Media Center remote control you use is compatible with your computer.

---

Touch Pack: How to play Microsoft Rebound
Microsoft Rebound is a game in which you use your fingertips to move Tesla balls with an electrical field between them to try and catapult a metal game ball into your opponent's goal. Play against the computer or challenge a friend and battle it out in the electronic court for the championship of the Microsoft Rebound circuit.

---

How to Setup Parental Controls
In this article I will show how to enable Parental Controls and how to set access rules for your children.

---

AutoPlay: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about AutoPlay. I set a default action for a device or type of media but now I don't like that action. How do I change it? How can I stop AutoPlay from asking me what program I want to use? How can I make sure I'm asked each time for the action I want to choose? How can I run or install a program from a device or disc? Why does AutoPlay behave differently when my media program is open? What is an enhanced audio CD or an enhanced DVD movie? What does "software and games" include? What would keep a device from appearing under "Devices" in AutoPlay? How can I open AutoPlay, even if the default setting doesn't open it?

---

Play an audio or video file: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about playing audio or video files in Windows Media Player. What can I do about audio problems, such as popping, crackling, or sound that plays too fast or too slow? What can I do about video problems, such as lines appearing in the video, flickering or choppy video, and so on? Why does the Player display a visualization instead of the video (or display an error message) when I play a video file? How do I make Windows Media Player the default player for a file type? Why do I get an error when I try to play streams from certain servers? Why does Windows Media Player frequently become unresponsive or close unexpectedly? How do I prevent videos from automatically playing in full-screen mode?

---

Change or choose a search provider in Internet Explorer
You can choose which provider you would like to use when you search for information on the Internet. You can change the search provider for a specific search (Internet Explorer will use that search provider until you choose another one or until you close Internet Explorer) and you can specify which search provider you prefer to use by default. When you first install Internet Explorer, you might have only one provider installed. Watch this video to learn how to change your search provider.

---

Backup and Restore
Backup and Restore improved for Windows 7 creates safety copies of your most important personal files, so you're always prepared for the worst. Let Windows choose what to back up, or pick individual folders, libraries, and drives yourself. Windows can back up files on whatever schedule you choose just set it and forget it.

---

Prevent children from using specific programs
You can use Parental Controls to determine which specific programs your child can use. For example, if you use a program to keep track of your finances, you can prevent your child from opening it and viewing your financial information.

---

How does Windows choose which files to back up?
When you back up your files using Windows Backup, you can let Windows choose what is backed up or you can select the individual folders and drives that you want to back up. Depending on what you select, your backup will contain the items described in the following sections.

---

Choose a picture for your user account and Start menu
You can choose a picture that will be associated with your user account and shown on screens or menus that display your user name, such as the Welcome screen or Start menu.

---

What's the Microsoft Touch Pack for Windows 7?
The Microsoft Touch Pack for Windows 7 is a collection of games and programs that you interact with using your fingers. To use these games and programs, you need either a laptop with a screen that supports multitouch or a desktop PC connected to a touchscreen that supports multitouch (including all-in-one PCs with touchscreens). To find this capability, look for a laptop, all-in-one PC, or touchscreen with the Windows 7 logo that says it supports Windows Touch. The Touch Pack comes preinstalled on many multitouch PCs running Windows 7.

---

Playing music in Windows Media Center: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about playing music and other audio files in Windows Media Center. How do I make my music appear in Media Center? Why doesn't album information (such as cover art) display? Why isn't there sound? Why doesn't a music file play? How do I play an audio CD or DVD in Media Center? Is there a graphic equalizer in Media Center so I can fine-tune the way my music sounds?

---

Change the program that opens a type of file
If you double-click a file in Windows and it opens in the wrong software program, follow these steps to choose the program you would prefer to use. You can change this setting for an individual file, or you change this setting so Windows opens all files of the same type in the software program you choose.

---

Using Accelerators to find addresses, define words, and do other tasks with selected text
You can use Accelerators with text that you select on a webpage to perform such tasks as opening a street address in a mapping website or looking up the dictionary definition for a word. You can also choose the web services or websites that Accelerators use to handle different types of tasks. Internet Explorer comes with a selection of Accelerators included by default, but you can add or remove them as you like. When you first start Internet Explorer, you can accept a selection of default Accelerators, or you can choose your own from an online list of Accelerators. The list of new Accelerators is frequently updated, so be sure to check back from time to time.

---

Set up Parental Controls
You can use Parental Controls to help manage how your children use the computer. When Parental Controls blocks access to a game or program, a notification is displayed that the program has been blocked. Your child can click a link in the notification to request permission for access to that game or program. You can allow access by entering your account information

---