Updated: 11/16/2019 by Computer Hope
My Computer is a Microsoft Windows feature first found in Windows 95 and included with all later versions that allows you to explore and manage the contents of your computer drives. The image shows examples of the My Computer icon in Microsoft Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7, as well as the “This PC” icon in Windows 8 and in Windows 10. Although the name has changed, “This PC” still has the same functionality as “My Computer.”
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How to open My Computer
In all versions of Windows, pressing Windows key+E opens My Computer (Explorer). Your computer’s drives are listed under the “This PC” section on the left.
or
- Get to the Windows desktop and open Start menu, or navigate to the Start Screen if you are using Windows 8.
- In earlier versions of Windows, after clicking Start, select My Computer. Or, on the desktop, double-click the My Computer icon. In Windows Vista and Windows 7, select Computer from the Start menu. In Windows 8 and Windows 10, select This PC from the Window’s File Explorer.
The following images show examples of the My Computer option in both new and old versions of Windows.
Windows XP
In Windows Vista and Windows 7, My Computer is called “Computer” and is accessed through the Start menu, as shown below.
Windows 7
In Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10, My Computer is called “This PC” and is accessed through the Start menu.
Using My Computer
Once My Computer (This PC) is open, you will see all available drives on your computer. The primary location of all your files is the Local Disk (C:), which is the default hard drive that stores all files. Double-click this drive icon to open it and view its contents.
Finding files in My Computer
Most files you create or will want to find are located in your My Documents folder. If you are having trouble finding where a file is stored, you can also use the Windows find feature.
Adjust system settings with My Computer
To manage or view your computer settings, right-click on the My Computer icon and then click Properties. Performing these steps opens your System Properties (the same window accessible through the Control Panel).
Computer, Drive, Explorer, Folder, My Documents, Operating system terms, PC
