Changing the account picture
Every user account has an associated
picture. The picture is like an icon, giving you a quick visual
reference without having to read the name. The picture you choose can
be any one of several built-in pictures or it can be a picture of your
own choosing.
If you decide to use your own picture, try to
avoid using one that comes straight from a digital camera. The file
size on such pictures is really too large for a user account picture.
Your best bet would be to crop out a section from a photo, and size it
to about 100 × 100 pixels. The picture you choose must be a JPEG, BMP,
PNG, GIF, or PNG file type.
To change the picture for a user account, use the
new Windows 8 User Settings by displaying the Windows Charm and
clicking Settings. Next, click Change PC Settings to display the PC
Settings page, which is shown in Figure 10.
Click Personalize and then click the Account Picture link. Figure 11
shows the Account Picture link selected, with the current picture of
the selected user showing. Click Browse and then click Files to select
the area on your computer to locate a new picture. For example, click
Files and then Pictures to display your Pictures folder. Click the
picture you want to use and then click Choose Image.
You also can use an attached webcam to snap a
picture or a five-second video to use as an account picture. To do
this, you must have a webcam connected to your computer. Next, click
Webcam and do one of the following:
- To snap a still picture, click the screen. Use the cropping and
resizing tools to select the portion of the picture to use. Click OK to
save that picture as your new account picture.
- To take a five-second video, click Video Mode and click the screen
to start the video. Click the screen again to stop the video and to
review the video. Click Retake if you are not satisfied with the video.
Click OK when you want to keep the video and to set it as your account
picture.
The picture or video you selected replaces the original picture.
