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A Beginners Guide To Getting Connected

A virtual assistant created by Tablet: A touchscreen device that is technology companies like Apple, Amazon, portable and connects to the internet. Google, Microsoft and others to be helpful, Tablets are larger than smartphones but harmless, and honest. Assistants are smaller than laptops. Popular tablets include programmed to answer questions, set iPads from Apple and Android tablets from reminders, make lists, find information, brands like Samsung. control smart devices and more. Popular assistants include Siri (Apple), Alexa Tap: To tap means to gently touch the (Amazon), Google Assistant, Cortana screen of a touchscreen device, such as
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
20 views40 pages

A Beginners Guide To Getting Connected

A virtual assistant created by Tablet: A touchscreen device that is technology companies like Apple, Amazon, portable and connects to the internet. Google, Microsoft and others to be helpful, Tablets are larger than smartphones but harmless, and honest. Assistants are smaller than laptops. Popular tablets include programmed to answer questions, set iPads from Apple and Android tablets from reminders, make lists, find information, brands like Samsung. control smart devices and more. Popular assistants include Siri (Apple), Alexa Tap: To tap means to gently touch the (Amazon), Google Assistant, Cortana screen of a touchscreen device, such as
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 40

A beginner’s guide to

connecting to the internet


Helping you get online
Contents
1. Introducing you to the internet 3

2. Using this guide 5

3. Understanding key terminology 7

4. How to connect to the internet in your home 11

Types of broadband connection 12

How to choose a broadband provider 13

Protecting your device from viruses 20

5. How to find information online 21

Downloading Google Chrome 22

• To download Google Chrome to your Android 24

• To download Google Chrome to your iPhone and iPad 26

Downloading Microsoft Edge 28

• To download Microsoft Edge to your Android 29

• To download Microsoft Edge to your iPhone and iPad: 30

Using a search engine to find information online 31

6. How to use different navigation functions 33

Going back to the previous webpage 34

Scrolling up and down on a webpage 35

• Scrolling on a smartphone or tablet 35

Zooming in and out on a webpage 37

• Zooming in and out on your laptop or computer 37

• Zooming in and out on a smartphone or tablet 39

2 | A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet


1. Introducing
you to the internet

3 | A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet


1. Introducing you to the internet

Hello,
Welcome to Age UK’s ‘Beginner’s guide to getting connected to
the internet’. This guide will show you how to set up an internet
connection – also known as getting online – in your home. It will
also show you how to search for information online, so you can, for
example, look up opening times for the supermarket or plan a day out.
Firstly, let’s answer the big question: what is the internet? It’s a global
system of networks that connect computers all over the world. You
can use a device, such as a computer, tablet or a smartphone, to
connect to the internet and access information and services.
The internet is a really exciting tool. Before I started using it, I didn’t
realise how much you could do with it. You can check emails, do online
shopping and banking, keep in touch with family and friends, read the
news, watch television and use social media.
Getting online can be beneficial to your everyday life. You can use it
to look up any topic you’re interested in, from the times of local buses
to finding out the potential side effects of a medication you’ve been
prescribed.

Learning at your own pace


You can work through the guide by yourself, with the support of an Age UK Digital
Champion, or friends, family and carers. It’s best to work through the guide at your own
pace, repeating any sections you want to focus on. Try to take the time to reflect on what
you’ve learned and make notes, as this will help to build your skills and confidence.

If you’ve got any questions as you work your way through the guide, you may be able to
get support from your local Age UK or local Age Cymru. You can find your local Age UK at
www.ageuk.org.uk/services/in-your-area/

Once you’re feeling comfortable with the information in this guide, you can move onto
our intermediate guide to learn how to connect to Wi-Fi when you’re out and use more
advanced tools to search for information online.

Now, it’s time to get you connected to the internet.

Ruth, 75

4 | A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet


2. Using this guide

5 | A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet


2. Using this guide

This is a beginner’s guide for people who’d like to know how to use the internet
at home and search for basic information online. To use this guide you’ll need:

• access to a device like a desktop computer, laptop or tablet.

• an internet connection

You can read ‘A guide to choosing a device’ to help you find the right technology for
your needs.

6 | A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet


 . Understanding
3
key terminology

7 | A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet


3. Understanding key terminology

We’ve explained some key terms below to help you understand


what is involved in connecting to the internet. These are in
alphabetical order so you can refer to them when working through
the guide:

Address bar: The address bar is at the Broadband: Broadband is a generic term
top of your web browser, such as Google for the internet connection which allows
Chrome or Microsoft Edge. It’s where the you to access the internet. To get home
address of a webpage (or URL) appears. broadband, you’ll need to set up a contract
You can type a web address straight into with a broadband provider, such as BT, Sky
the address bar, for example, typing ‘www. or Virgin.
ageuk.org.uk’ will take you to our website.

Broadband/internet provider: This is a


Application, or ‘app’: A type of program company that provides your broadband/
that you can download for your computer, internet connection, such as BT, Sky
laptop, tablet or smartphone. There are lots or Virgin. They will charge you for the
of apps available, from games and puzzles equipment needed to connect your
to banking. smartphone, tablet, laptop or computer to
the internet.

Apple: A brand of phones and tablets.


Apple phones are known as iPhones and Click: This is when you tap on a mouse or
tablets are called iPads. If your device isn’t the touch pad on a laptop to open a file
Apple, it’s likely to be an Android device. or webpage. Sometimes you may need to
click twice, known as double clicking. For
example, you might double click to open a
App Store: An official, pre-installed document in an email.
program on iPhones and iPads which gives
you access to apps.
Device: A general term for a smartphone,
tablet, laptop or computer.
Android: The name of the software that
many devices use to function. Phones and
tablets from lots of different brands fall Drag: If your device has a touchscreen, you
into the bracket of Android devices. These put your finger on the screen of your device
brands include Alcatel, Google, HTC, LG, and move it across, up, down, left or right.
Moto, Samsung and Sony.

Drag click: If you’re using a mouse, or


Bandwidth: The amount of data that a touchpad on a laptop, to interact with
can be transferred through your internet your device, you need to ‘click’ first, before
connection. The lower the bandwidth, ‘dragging’. Click on the object that you want
the slower the speed of the internet to move on the screen. You can move it
connection. If your bandwidth is low, while keeping your finger pressed down on
it could mean webpages load slowly, your mouse.
especially if they have images. Or you may
struggle to watch videos online.

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3. Understanding key terminology

Fibre optic broadband: A type of Search bar: A box in a search engine where
broadband that uses fibre cables made of you can enter a topic to search.
plastic or glass, rather than copper wires.
These carry more data at higher speeds so
the internet connection is faster. Search engine: These help you to find
information on the internet. Popular search
engines include Google and Bing. You can
Hardware: This describes the physical parts type in keywords in the space provided.
of a computer such as the screen, mouse The search engine will search through
and keyboard. relevant webpages and display them in
a list. Someone might tell you to ‘Google’
something, which means looking up
Icon: An image or symbol which represents information online using Google. You access
an app or function on your phone, tablet search engines through a web browser (see
or computer screen. You usually ‘tap’ (see below).
definition below) on an icon to open an
app.
Smartphone: A mobile phone which
connects to the internet. You can use it
Internet: Also known as the world wide to do everything from sending emails to
web (www), this a large network that making video calls.
connects computers and devices around
the world through which you can access
information. You’ll see the abbreviation Spyware: An unwanted program that runs
‘www’ at the beginning of web addresses. on your device, which can make it slow and
For example, our website is www.ageuk. unreliable or make you a target for online
org.uk. criminals. Anti-spyware software helps
protect your device against security threats
caused by spyware.
Operating system: The software that
manages different programs on a
computer, phone or tablet. Examples Tablet: A small portable computer with a
include Android for certain smartphones, touch screen. You tap the screen with your
such as Samsung and Sony, and iOS for finger or a special pen, often referred to
Apple devices. as a ‘stylus’, to use the device rather than
using a keyboard and ‘mouse’.

Play Store: An official, pre-installed


program on Android devices which gives Tap: This is when you touch and then lift
you access to apps. your finger off the touch screen of your
device to carry out an action. This could be
to move to a new screen or open an app on
Router: A device that connects your your device. It’s the equivalent of clicking a
computer, phone or tablet to a broadband- mouse on a computer. You can read more
ready telephone line and sends out your about this in ‘A guide to making your device
home internet signal. easier to use’.

9 | A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet


3. Understanding key terminology

Touch screen: A type of screen on a Webcam: A video camera that allows other
device that allows you to use your finger, people to see you on video calls, such as
or a stylus, to navigate and interact with Skype or Zoom. Most smartphones, tablets
content. This is an alternative to a mouse and computers have inbuilt webcams.
and keyboard. You may also hear people just call them
cameras. If you have an older computer,
you might need to buy a separate webcam
Viruses: These are programs that spread if you want to be seen on video calls.
from one computer to another by email
or through websites. They can slow your
computer down, display unwanted pop-up WhatsApp: An app that allows you to
messages and delete files. message friends and family, make phone
and video calls, and send and receive
photos and videos. It uses your internet
Web/internet browser: A program that connection rather than your mobile
runs on your device. It allows you to access phone’s text or call allowances. This guide
webpages on the internet. Common will show you how to use WhatsApp to
web browsers include Microsoft Internet receive and make video calls.
Explorer or Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla
Firefox and Apple Safari.
Wireless network, or ‘WiFi’: How
your phone, tablet, laptop or computer
Webpage: Webpages provide information connects to the internet without using
through text, images and videos, and are wires or cables. You can access public
displayed on your web browser, such as WiFi networks, for example when out
Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. Websites and about, or arrange a contract with
are made up of webpages, just like a book an internet provider so you can use WiFi
is made up of pages. at home.

Website: A set of related webpages owned Zoom: A type of video calling tool, which
by one person or organisation. For example, you can install as an app on your phone,
Age UK’s website is made up of hundreds tablet, laptop or computer, or access
of individual webpages on different topics, through your internet browser. This guide
but all the webpages begin with ‘www. will show you how to join Zoom calls on a
ageuk.org.uk’. You visit websites on your laptop or computer without installing the
web browser, such as Google Chrome and app or setting up an account.
Microsoft Edge.

Wireless network, or ‘Wi-Fi’: How


your phone, tablet, laptop or computer
connects to the internet without using
wires or cables. You can access public
Wi-Fi networks, for example when out
and about, or arrange a contract with an
internet provider so you can use Wi-Fi at
home.

10 | A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet


4. How to connect to
the internet in your home

11 | A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet


4. How to connect to the internet in your home

To get online, you need to have a device that connects to the internet. This could be a
computer, laptop, smartphone or tablet. You then need to set up a broadband connection
with a broadband provider, such as BT, Sky or Virgin.

Types of broadband connection


Broadband allows you to connect your computer, laptop, smartphone or tablet to the
internet. It uses data from the internet – known as downloading – and sends data – called
uploading – to the internet.

Broadband speeds are measured in megabits per second (Mbps). The higher the number,
the faster your connection.

Here are the most common types of broadband in the UK:

• Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line

It runs on traditional copper telephone lines which can slow down data the further it
travels. Your distance from the nearest telephone exchange can affect the speed of
your internet. This type of broadband is available to 99.9% of homes in the UK.

• Fibre optic broadband

This runs on fibre optic cables made out of plastic or glass rather than copper lines so
data can move at a faster rate. This isn’t available all over the country.

• Satellite broadband

This uses a satellite connection to bounce data to and from your home. It’s available
across most of the UK.

• Mobile broadband

You can get online using a 3G, 4G or 5G connection on your mobile phone. To do this,
you need good mobile coverage.

TOP TIP

When choosing an internet provider, make sure you pick a package with a
broadband speed that meets your needs. From visiting a website to watching a
video, everything you do online uses data. As mentioned above, broadband speed
is essentially how quickly you can upload or download data using your internet
connection and is measure in megabits per second (Mbps). For example, you’ll
find that videos load quicker if you have a higher speed (the higher the number,
the faster your connection).

You can check your internet speed with the Which? speed checker at www.which.
co.uk/reviews/broadband/article/broadband-speed-test-check-and-fix-your-
internet-speed-aqNtT3s3Rlix

Or you can visit www.paessler.com/it-explained/bandwidth for more


information about bandwidth.

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4. How to connect to the internet in your home

How to choose an internet provider


The first step to choosing a provider is to check which providers offer broadband in your
local area. Use a website that is accredited by the communications regulator Ofcom to
compare the different options and the monthly costs. This will help you to choose the right
deal for you. These include www.broadbandcompared.co.uk and www.broadband.co.uk.

When you speak to broadband providers, find out what estimated speed the internet
connection they can provide is. The speed offered can differ depending on where you live.
If it’s too low, you may find it takes a while to load webpages or download files. Many
providers offer fibre optic broadband which provides a faster internet connection. This is
especially helpful if you plan to download or share photos and videos.

It’s a good idea to speak to family and friends who already have internet connections to
find out which providers they use, especially if they live locally. They may be able to offer
advice.

Once you’ve decided which broadband provider to go with, you’ll need to sign a contract.
Once signed and agreed, they’ll send you the equipment you need to connect to the
internet. This is normally a router. An engineer will arrange a time to visit your home
and install the router. You will be given a password and details on how to access the
connection with your equipment.

TOP TIP

Protect your wireless network. You will need to set up a password for your Wi-Fi
so that people living nearby can’t access it. Your wireless router may come with
instructions on how to set up a password, or you may be directed to instructions
online. Setting a password will stop others from accessing the internet through
your router. Some routers will already have a password set up to make them
secure.

TOP TIP

The strength of a Wi-Fi network is shown


next to its name. If more bars are showing
white, then the connection is stronger.

13 | A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet


4. How to connect to the internet in your home

Using an Android phone or tablet to access Wi-Fi at home


1. Go to ‘Settings’ on your device, then tap on ‘Connections’ which is the first option on the menu.

2. Tap on ‘Wi-Fi. It will give you a list of ‘Available networks’. The Wi-Fi you’re looking for will be listed. Tap on
the Wi-Fi network.

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4. How to connect to the internet in your home

3. Next, you’ll be asked to enter the password. Type this into the space provided. Tap the
blue ‘Connect’ button below to connect to Wi-Fi. When you’re connected, the name of
the network will turn from black to blue text and it will say ‘Connected’ underneath.

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4. How to connect to the internet in your home

Using an iPhone or iPad to access Wi-Fi


at home
1. Tap on the ‘Settings’ icon on your device.

2. Next tap ‘Wi-Fi’ in the settings menu.

3. When you go onto the next screen, slide the circle in the slider to the right so it turns
green. Your device will search for available Wi-Fi networks.

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4. How to connect to the internet in your home

4. Tap the Wi-Fi network you want to use. You’ll be asked to enter the password. When
you’re connected to this network, there will be a blue tick to the left of the name of
the network. The Wi-Fi network you are connected to will appear above the ‘Networks’
section in the ‘Wi-Fi’ menu.

Using a Windows laptop to access Wi-Fi at home


1. Go to ‘Settings’ on your laptop.

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4. How to connect to the internet in your home

2. Click on ‘Network & Internet’.

3. Then click on ‘Wi-Fi’ which is the second option in the left-hand menu.

4. Click on the ‘Wi-Fi’ icon at the top of the screen to show the available Wi-Fi networks.
The icon will turn blue.

18 | A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet


4. How to connect to the internet in your home

5. Click the blue link underneath the icon which says: ‘Show available networks’. A list of
available Wi-Fi networks will appear in a box on the right-hand side of the screen. Click
on the one you need.

6. You’ll see a tick box saying: ‘Connect automatically’. Tick this to save entering your
password each time you connect to the internet. You’ll automatically connect to the
Wi-Fi when you turn device on. Next, click the blue ‘Connect’ button below.

7. It will then ask you to enter the password.

Using a Mac to access Wi-Fi at home


1. Click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar.

2. If Wi-Fi is off, choose ‘Turn Wi-Fi on’.

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4. How to connect to the internet in your home

3. Select a nearby Wi-Fi network from the list. Click on this.

4. Enter your password.

Protecting your device from viruses


Going online can leave your device at risk from viruses. You can protect it by installing
anti-virus and anti-spyware software. Anti-virus software will look for and remove viruses
before they can infect your computer. Anti-spyware software prevents unwanted adverts
from popping up and stops programs from tracking your activities and scanning your
computer for private data, such as bank details.

You can buy a package from a reputable provider, such as McAfee or Norton, either online
or from a computer shop. There are also free security software programs available online,
such as AVG, Avast and Microsoft Security Essentials.

20 | A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet


 . How to find
5
information online

21 | A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet


5. How to find information online

Whether you’re looking for the opening times of your local post office or researching a
holiday, finding information online is straightforward once you get the hang of it.

Your device will probably come with a web browser that is already installed. If you want
to download another web browser on your laptop or computer, you will need to use your
existing browser to do this. For your smartphone or tablet, you can download the browser
using the App or Play Store.

Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are two of the most popular browsers which we’ll
take you through in this guide. There are other browsers, such as Safari, which is for Apple
devices, and Mozilla Firefox for Windows, Macs, Android devices, and iPhones and iPads.

To download Google Chrome to your Windows computer:


1. Go to www.google.co.uk/chrome

2. Click on the blue ‘Download’ button in the middle of the screen

For Windows:
1. If prompted, click ‘Run’ or ‘Save’.

2. If you chose ‘Save’, double-click the download to start installing.

3. Start Chrome:

There are different types of Windows operating systems. The higher the number, the
latest version of Windows you have. Having the latest version will mean your device runs
faster.

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5. How to find information online

• Windows 7: A Chrome window opens once everything is done.

• Windows 8 and 8.1: A welcome window appears. Click ‘Next’ to select what browser
you’d prefer to use as a default.

• Windows 10: A Chrome window opens after everything is done. You can make Chrome
your preferred browser.

To download Google Chrome to your Apple mac:


1. Open the downloads folder and double click the file called ‘googlechrome.dmg’.
This will install it to your computer.

2. Then drag Google Chrome to the ‘Applications’ folder. This will copy Chrome to your
device.

3. Double click on Google Chrome to start using it.

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5. How to find information online

To download Google Chrome to your Android:


1. Open the Play Store in your phone or tablet’s menu by tapping on the ‘Play Store’ icon.

2. First, you’ll need to set up a Google account or login to your Google account. This is
the account you will use to access other Google services, like Gmail, a type of email
account.

It’s important to set up a strong password to stay safe when using the internet and to
never write it down as someone could find it. If you need a written reminder, write down a
hint that only you’ll understand, rather than the actual password.

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5. How to find information online

3. Search for ‘Google Chrome’ by typing it into the search bar at the top of your screen.

4. When you see it in the list that comes up, tap on the name of the app – ‘Google
Chrome: Fast & Secure’.

5. Tap ‘Install’, which is a green button underneath the Google Chrome icon.

6. Google Chrome will download and automatically be added to your menu. If you’ve
got a lot of apps already, you may run out of room for new icons. You’ll need to ‘swipe’
across the screen to see the new Google Chrome icon.

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5. How to find information online

To download Google Chrome to your iPhone and iPad:


1. Open the App Store in your iPhone or iPad’s menu by tapping on the App Store icon.

2. You’ll need to set up an Apple ID or login to your existing Apple ID account. This is the
account you will use to access Apple services.

TOP TIP

It’s important to set up a strong password to stay safe when using the internet
and to never write it down as someone could find it. If you need a written
reminder, try to write a hint that only you’ll understand, rather than the actual
password.

26 | A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet


5. How to find information online

3. Click the ‘Search’ icon at the bottom right of the screen. It has a magnifying glass icon.
Search for ‘Google Chrome’ by typing in the search bar.

4. When you see it in the list that comes up, tap on the name of the app. Tap on ‘Google
Chrome: Fast & Secure Web Browser’.

5. Tap ‘Get’ which is a blue button next to the icon symbol.

6. Google Chrome will download and automatically be added to your menu. If you have
a lot of apps in your menu, you may run out of room for new icons, and you’ll need to
‘swipe’ across the page to see the new icon.

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5. How to find information online

To download Microsoft Edge


This is for Windows laptops and computers, Macs, iPhones and iPads, and Android devices.

To download Microsoft Edge to your laptop or computer:


1. Go to www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge

2. Click on the blue ‘Download Edge’ button in the middle of the screen. This will take you
through to a new screen.

3. Choose either ‘Microsoft Edge for Windows’ or ‘Microsoft Edge for macOS’. Click the
blue ‘Download’ button underneath the one you choose. There are five options for
Windows: Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Server 2016 and Windows
Server 2019.

4. Follow the instructions to download the browser to your device.

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5. How to find information online

To download Microsoft Edge to your Android:


1. Open the Play Store in your phone or tablet’s menu by tapping on the Play Store icon.

2. First, you’ll need to set up a Google account or login to your Google account. This is
the account you will use to access other Google services, like Gmail, a type of email
account.

It’s important to set up a strong password to stay safe when using the internet and to
never write it down as someone could find it. If you need a written reminder, write down a
hint that only you’ll understand, rather than the actual password.

3. Search for ‘Microsoft Edge’ by typing it into the search bar at the top of your screen.

4. When you see it in the list that comes up, tap on the name of the app – ‘Microsoft
Edge’

5. Tap ‘Install’, which is a green button underneath the Microsoft Edge icon.

6. Microsoft Edge will download and automatically be added to your menu. If you’ve got
a lot of apps already, you may run out of room for new icons. You’ll need to ‘swipe’
across the screen to see the new WhatsApp icon.

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5. How to find information online

To download Microsoft Edge to your iPhone and iPad:


1. Open the App Store in your iPhone or iPad’s menu by tapping on the App Store icon.

2. You’ll need to set up an Apple ID or login to your existing Apple ID account. This is the
account you will use to access Apple services.

It’s important to set up a strong password to stay safe when using the internet and to
never write it down as someone could find it. If you need a written reminder, try to write a
hint that only you’ll understand, rather than the actual password.

30 | A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet


5. How to find information online

3. Click the ‘Search’ icon at the bottom right of the screen. It has a magnifying glass icon.
Search for ‘Microsoft Edge’ by typing in the search bar.

4. Tap on ‘Microsoft Edge: Web Browser’.

5. Tap ‘Get’ which is a blue button next to the icon symbol.

6. Microsoft Edge will download and automatically be added to your menu. If you have
a lot of apps in your menu, you may run out of room for new icons, and you’ll need to
‘swipe’ across the page to see the new icon.

Using a search engine to find information


1. Click on the web browser and wait for it to open.

2. This will sometimes load up a search engine. Different web browsers use different
search engines. For example, Google Chrome uses Google and Microsoft Edge uses
Bing. If it doesn’t bring up a search engine, go to the address bar at the top of the
page and type in www.google.co.uk or www.bing.com. This will take you to the search
engine. Here, you can search for information you’re looking for.

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5. How to find information online

3. You’ll see a search bar, a space for you to enter information. This is usually in the
middle of the screen.

4. Type what you’re looking for into the search bar and press the enter key. A list of
relevant webpages will display in a list. Click or tap on the webpage depending on the
device you’re using.

TOP TIP

If you know the website address you want to


go to, you can type it into the address bar at
the top of the web browser.

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6. How to use different
navigation functions

33 | A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet


6. How to use different navigation functions

Once you’re familiar with finding information online, you can learn how to use tools that
will help you to read webpages more easily.

Going back or returning to a previous page


When you’re reading information online, you may want to go back to something you read
on a previous page. Luckily, there’s a handy tool that lets you do this quickly.

On a tablet, laptop or computer, you’ll see a backward-facing arrow in the top left-hand
corner of the screen. Clicking on this arrow will take you back to the webpage you were
looking at before. On a tablet, you’ll need to tap the arrow to go back to the previous page.

This arrow may look different on different devices and when using different web browsers.

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6. How to use different navigation functions

On a smartphone, the arrow will typically be in the bottom right of the screen.

Scrolling up and down


This is when you move up and down on the screen of your device to see different
information.

Scrolling on a laptop or computer:


There are two ways to scroll:

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6. How to use different navigation functions

1. Use the touchpad on the laptop or the mouse to click the downward and upward
arrows on the right-hand side of the screen.

2. You can use the down and up arrow keys on your keyboard to move down and up the
screen.

Scrolling on a smartphone or tablet


1. Go to the webpage you want to look at.

2. Use your finger to drag the page up or down. You do this by moving your finger down
or up the screen.

36 | A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet


6. How to use different navigation functions

Zooming in and out


This is a really useful tool for those of us who have difficulty with our eyesight. When you
‘zoom in’ this increases the size of the text on a page. When you ‘zoom out’ this reduces
the size of the text on a page. Different web browsers have different ways to zoom in and
out.

Zooming in and out on your laptop or computer:


Zooming in and out using Google Chrome
1. Open the Google Chrome browser.

2. Click on the three vertical dots in the right-hand corner of the screen.

3. From the drop-down menu, you will see ‘Zoom’. Click on the ‘+’ or ‘–’ button to zoom in
and out.

4. Click on the screen to close the menu down.

TOP TIP

Shortcut: You can also press ‘ctrl’ and the ‘+’ keys at the same time to zoom in.
Then ‘ctrl’ and the ‘-’ to zoom out.

37 | A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet


6. How to use different navigation functions

Zooming in and out using Microsoft Edge


1. Open Microsoft Edge.

2. Click on the three horizontal dots in the right-hand corner.

3. On the drop-down menu, you will see ‘Zoom’. Click on the ‘+’ or ‘–’ button to zoom in
and out.

4. Click on the screen to close the menu down.

TOP TIP

Shortcut: You can also press ‘ctrl’ and the ‘+’ keys at the same time to zoom in.
Then ‘ctrl’ and the ‘-’ to zoom out.

38 | A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet


6. How to use different navigation functions

Zooming in and out on a smartphone or tablet:


Place two fingers on the area of the screen you would like to zoom into and slowly move
your fingertips apart to zoom in. To zoom back out, pull the two fingers together in a
pinching motion.

Staying safe online


For many people the internet has made life easier and is an excellent source of
information. But it’s important to use the internet safely and protect any device that
connects to the internet. You can protect yourself from scams, fraud and viruses by
knowing what to look out for and taking steps to avoid them. You can find out more in our
‘Beginner’s guide to staying safe online’.

39 | A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet


We hope you’ve enjoyed working your way through this guide and
now understand how to get connected to the internet.
If you feel you need some extra support, your local Age UK or local Age Cymru may be
able to help. You can find your local Age UK at www.ageuk.org.uk/services/in-your-area

My Digital Champion

Telephone number:

Notes

We provide advice and information for people in later life through our
Age UK Advice line, publications and online.
Age UK Advice: 0800 678 1602
Lines are open seven days a week from 8am to 7pm.
You can find more information at www.ageuk.org.uk

Age UK is a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales (registered charity number 1128267 and registered company number
6825798). Registered address: Age UK, 7th Floor, One America Square, 17 Crosswall, London EC3N 2LB. Age UK and its subsidiary companies and charities form the
Age UK Group, dedicated to helping more people love later life. ID204747 02/21

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