Using Sticky Notes in Windows 7

Post-It Notes for Your Computer

One of Windows 7's cool new features is "Sticky Notes." They are ways to quickly write yourself a reminder or other note. In fact, they're about as useful as real paper sticky notes.

Here's how to find Sticky Notes (see Figure 1):

1. Click the Start button.
2. At the bottom of the screen will be a window that says "Search programs and files". Place your cursor into that window and type "sticky notes."
3. The program Sticky Notes will appear at the top of the popup window; left-click it to open.
   

Once open, you'll see a note appear on your screen. At that point, you can just start typing. To add a new note, click the plus sign in the top left corner; it will add a new note, without deleting or overwriting the previous note. To delete a note, click the "X" in the top right corner.

For those with Tablet PCs (ones on which you can draw with a stylus), Sticky Notes are even better. You can jot down your information right on the note itself; just start writing.  

If you find yourself using Sticky Notes a lot, you might want to add it to the Taskbar for easy access. The Taskbar is the bar at the very bottom of your screen that contains the Start button and other frequently-accessed applications. Here's what you need to do (see Figure 2):

1. Navigate to the Sticky Notes icon.
2. Right-click on the icon. This will bring up a menu of actions you can take.
3. Left-click "Pin to Taskbar".

This will add the Sticky Notes icon to the Taskbar, giving you instant access to your Notes anytime.