Acer A315-21G User Manual Download Page 1

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USER’S MANUAL

Summary of Contents for A315-21G

Page 2: ...ormation please visit the Acer BYOC website www acer com byoc start Model number _________________________________ Serial number _________________________________ Date of purchase ______________________________ Place of purchase ______________________________ Important This manual contains proprietary information that is protected by copyright laws The information contained in this manual is subje...

Page 3: ...e 36 Setting passwords 36 Power management 37 Saving power 37 Battery pack 39 Battery characteristics 39 Charging the battery 39 Optimizing battery life 40 Checking the battery level 41 Battery low warning 41 Traveling with your computer 42 Disconnecting from the desktop 42 Moving around 42 Preparing the computer 42 What to bring to meetings 43 Taking the computer home 43 Preparing the computer 43...

Page 4: ...g for your computer and your health Where to find the power button ports and connectors Tips and tricks for using the touchpad and keyboard How to create recovery backups Guidelines for connecting to a network and using Bluetooth Information on using Acer s bundled software ...

Page 5: ...hooting Once you have connected to the internet you can download updates for your computer from http go acer com id 17883 1 The link will open the Acer Service Support webpage 2 Scroll down to Drivers and Manuals and search for your model by pasting in or manually entering the serial number SNID or product model 3 From this page you can also download and install the Acer identification utility tha...

Page 6: ... device Do not expose the computer to direct sunlight Do not place it near sources of heat such as a radiator Do not expose the computer to temperatures below 0º C 32º F or above 50º C 122º F Do not subject the computer to magnetic fields Do not expose the computer to rain or moisture Do not spill water or any liquid on the computer Do not subject the computer to heavy shock or vibration Do not ex...

Page 7: ...he total ampere ratings of the equipment plugged in should not exceed the ampere rating of the cord if you are using an extension cord Also the total current rating of all equipment plugged into a single wall outlet should not exceed the fuse rating Cleaning and servicing When cleaning the computer follow these steps 1 Turn off the computer 2 Disconnect the AC adapter 3 Use a soft moist cloth Do n...

Page 8: ...uide let us show you around your new Acer computer Screen view 1 3 2 Icon Item Description 1 Webcam Web camera for video communication A light next to the webcam indicates that the webcam is active 2 Screen with lay flat hinge Displays computer output 3 Microphone Internal digital microphone for sound recording ...

Page 9: ...r See Using the keyboard on page 13 2 Touchpad Touch sensitive pointing device The touchpad and selection buttons form a single surface Press down firmly on the touchpad surface to perform a left click Press down firmly on the lower right corner to perform a right click 3 Power button Turns the computer on and off ...

Page 10: ...ible security lock 2 Ethernet RJ 45 port Connects to an Ethernet 10 100 1000 based network Pull the lip down to open the port fully 3 HDMI port Supports high definition digital video connections 4 USB ports Connect to USB devices 5 SD card reader Accepts one Secure Digital SD or SDHC card Only one card can operate at a time ...

Page 11: ...e computer s power status Battery indicator Indicates the computer s battery status Charging The light shows amber when the battery is charging Fully charged The light shows blue when in AC mode 4 DC in jack Connects to an AC adapter USB 3 0 information USB 3 0 compatible ports are blue Compatible with USB 3 0 and earlier devices For optimal performance use USB 3 0 certified devices Defined by the...

Page 12: ... the battery Insert a paperclip into the hole and press for four seconds 3 Main storage compartment Houses the computer s main storage You may upgrade your computer s main storage Acer recommends asking an approved service center to do this Memory compartment Houses the computer s memory You may upgrade your computer s mmemory Acer recommends asking an approved service center to do this 4 Speakers...

Page 13: ...on Caps Lock When Caps Lock is on all alphabetic characters typed are in uppercase Num Lock When Num Lock is on the keypad is in numeric mode The keys function as a calculator complete with the arithmetic operators and Use this mode when you need to do a lot of numeric data entry Scroll Lock Fn F12 When Scroll Lock is on the screen moves one line up or down when you press the up or down arrow keys...

Page 14: ...n Decreases the screen brightness Fn Volume up Increases the sound volume Fn Volume down Decreases the sound volume Fn Home Play Pause Play or pause a selected media file Fn Pg Up Stop Stop playing the selected media file Fn Pg Dn Previous Return to the previous media file Fn End Next Jump to the next media file Hotkey Icon Function Description Key Description Windows key Pressed alone it returns ...

Page 15: ...Slide a finger across the touchpad to move the cursor Single finger press or tap Press the touchpad down or lightly tap the touchpad with your finger to perform a click which will select or start an item Quickly repeat the tap to perform a double tap or double click Two finger press Lightly tap the touchpad with two fingers to perform a right click In the Start screen this will toggle the app comm...

Page 16: ...r press Lightly tap the touchpad with three fingers to open Cortana if your computer supports Cortana or open the Action Center if your computer does not support Cortana Three finger swipe Swipe across the touchpad with three fingers Swipe up to open Task View Move the cursor over a window and tap the touchpad to select that window or swipe downwards to exit Task View Swipe down to minimize all op...

Page 17: ...ings to suit your personal needs You can change the primary button for left or right handed use turn the touchpad off if you prefer to use a mouse or set a delay to prevent the cursor from moving if you accidentally tap the touchpad with your palm while working Scroll down to see more settings ...

Page 18: ...kup Backup allows you to quickly and easily back up your operating system installed apps and data 1 From Start select All apps then Acer Select Acer Recovery Management in the list of Acer apps Note Acer Care Center is only available with a pre installed Windows operating system Important We recommend that you create a Factory Default Backup as soon as possible In certain situations a full recover...

Page 19: ...k Get Started for Create Factory Default Backup to open the Recovery Drive window 3 Make sure Backup system files to the recovery drive is selected and click Next 4 Plug in the USB drive and wait for the PC to detect the USB drive then click Next ...

Page 20: ...process until it completes 8 After creating the recovery backup you can choose to delete the recovery information on your computer If you delete this information you can only use the USB recovery backup to restore your computer if you lose or erase the USB drive you cannot restore your computer 9 Unplug the USB drive and label it clearly Important Write a unique descriptive label on the backup suc...

Page 21: ...p tab and click Get started for Backup wireless and LAN drivers Choose a folder to save your drivers and select OK Restoring your computer Recovery Management allows you to quickly and easily restore your computer back to its default status You can choose to keep your files or remove them before reinstalling Windows Reset this PC and keep my files 1 From Start select All apps then Acer Select Acer...

Page 22: ...gress on the screen The screen will turn off during the reset process 6 The screen will turn back on when it is installing Windows Your PC will restart several times during the reset process 7 Follow the process until it completes 8 When your PC has completed the reset process Windows will have been reset back to its factory default settings without removing your personal files Reset this PC and r...

Page 23: ...tory default This process will reinstall your operating system and remove all of your personal files apps and settings 4 Select Just remove my files if you are keeping your computer This will be quicker but less secure Files may still be recovered with a file recovery program Select Remove files and clean the drive if you are not keeping ...

Page 24: ...reen will turn back on when it is installing Windows Your PC will restart several times during the reset process 8 Follow the process until it completes 9 When your PC has completed the reset process Windows will use factory default settings Warning Selecting Remove files and clean the drive will remove all of your personal files and accounts along with pre existing drivers that may affect your Wi...

Page 25: ...computer s USB port if no internal Bluetooth adapter is available Enable Bluetooth and add a device Every new device must first be paired with your computer s Bluetooth adapter This means it must first be authenticated for security purposes You only need to pair once After that simply turning on the Bluetooth adapter of both devices will connect them Bluetooth on your computer is disabled by defau...

Page 26: ...ng the Notifications icon in the lower right hand corner of the screen to open the Notifications pane From here you can enable or disable Bluetooth or right click on Bluetooth Go to settings to enter the Bluetooth settings Note Some devices using older versions of the Bluetooth technology require both devices to enter a PIN In the case of one of the devices not having any inputs as in a headset th...

Page 27: ...ea network which can link two or more computers without using wires Once connected to WLAN you can access the internet You can also share files other devices and even your internet connection itself Your computer s wireless connection is turned on by default and Windows will detect and display a list of available networks during setup Select your network and enter the password if required Acer not...

Page 28: ...ss network s name and password if necessary If you are trying to connect to a public network such as at a coffeeshop make sure you have the wireless network s name 2 In the icon tray in the lower right hand corner of the screen select the Notifications icon to open the Notifications pane 3 Select All settings 4 Select Network internet Note Please refer to your ISP or router documentation for detai...

Page 29: ...Connecting to the Internet 29 5 Make sure Wi Fi is On and select Show available networks 6 You will see a list of available wireless networks Select the one you wish to use ...

Page 30: ...30 Connecting to the Internet 7 Once you select a wireless network select Connect 8 If required enter the network s password ...

Page 31: ...a port on your router refer to the image below Then you ll be ready to get online Connecting to a cellular network If your computer has a SIM slot you can connect to the internet using a cellular phone network To do this you must have a compatible SIM card and a data contract with your cellular provider Contact your cellular provider for more information on connecting to the internet using a cellu...

Page 32: ...fferent modes to fit your needs No Item Description 1 Low Reduction Reduces blue light emission from the LED backlit screen by 10 to 25 for basic protection 2 Medium Reduction Reduces blue light emission from the LED backlit screen by 26 to 45 to protect your eyes 3 High Reduction Reduces blue light emission from the LED backlit screen by 46 to 65 for maximum protection 4 Long Hour Mode Profession...

Page 33: ...Keeping your computer and data safe In this section you will find How to secure your computer Setting passwords What you need to prepare when you re traveling How to get the most out of your battery ...

Page 34: ...authorized access Setting these passwords creates several different levels of protection for your computer and data Supervisor Password prevents unauthorized entry into the BIOS utility Once set you must enter this password to gain access to the BIOS utility See Setting passwords on page 36 User Password secures your computer against unauthorized use Combine the use of this password with password ...

Page 35: ...ge appears Try again and press Enter When the User Password is set and the password on boot parameter is enabled a prompt appears at boot up Type the User Password and press Enter to use the computer If you enter the password incorrectly a warning message appears Try again and press Enter Important You have three chances to enter a password If you fail to enter the password correctly after three t...

Page 36: ...ayed Boot sequence To set the boot sequence in the BIOS utility activate the BIOS utility then select Boot from the categories listed on the left of the screen Setting passwords To set a password on boot activate the BIOS utility then select Security from the categories listed on the left of the screen Find Set Supervisor Password and enter a password to enable this feature Once you have entered a...

Page 37: ...ower Disable Fast startup Your computer uses Fast startup to start quickly but also uses a small amount of power to check for signals to start These checks will slowly drain your computer s battery If you prefer to reduce your computer s power requirements and environmental impact turn off Fast startup 1 Open the desktop 2 Click Power Options in the Notification area 3 Select More Power Options 4 ...

Page 38: ...38 Power management 5 Select Change settings that are currently unavailable 6 Scroll down and disable Turn on fast startup 7 Select Save changes ...

Page 39: ... adapter into the computer and connect to a mains power outlet Conditioning a new battery pack Before you use a battery pack for the first time there is a conditioning process that you should follow 1 Connect the AC adapter and fully charge the battery 2 Turn on the computer and complete setting up the operating system 3 Disconnect the AC adapter 4 Operate the computer using battery power 5 Reconn...

Page 40: ...fective life An embedded battery has a life span of more than 1 000 charge discharge cycles Optimizing battery life Optimizing battery life helps you get the most out of battery operation prolonging the charge recharge cycle and improving recharging efficiency You are advised to follow the suggestions set out below Use AC power whenever possible reserving battery for mobile use Remove accessories ...

Page 41: ...portant Connect the AC adapter as soon as possible after the battery low warning appears Data may be lost if the battery is allowed to become fully depleted and the computer shuts down Situation Recommended Action The AC adapter and a power outlet are available 1 Plug the AC adapter into the computer and then connect to the main power supply 2 Save all necessary files 3 Resume work Turn off the co...

Page 42: ...ternal monitor and other external devices 7 Disconnect the Kensington lock if you are using one to secure the computer Moving around When you are just moving within short distances for example from your office desk to a meeting room Preparing the computer Before moving the computer close and latch the display cover to place it in Sleep mode You can now safely take the computer anywhere you go with...

Page 43: ... putting the computer in Sleep mode Press the Sleep hotkey or close the display cover whenever you are not actively using the computer Taking the computer home When you are moving from your office to your home or vice versa Preparing the computer After disconnecting the computer from your desktop follow these steps to prepare the computer for the trip home Check that you have removed all media and...

Page 44: ...s in temperature and humidity can cause condensation Allow the computer to return to room temperature and inspect the screen for condensation before turning on the computer If the temperature change is greater than 10 C 18 F allow the computer to come to room temperature slowly If possible leave the computer for 30 minutes in an environment with a temperature between outside and room temperature S...

Page 45: ...dapter Additional printer driver files if you plan to use another printer Special considerations In addition to the guidelines for taking the computer home follow these guidelines to protect your computer while traveling Always take the computer as carry on luggage If possible have the computer inspected by hand Airport security X ray machines are safe but do not put the computer through a metal d...

Page 46: ...velers Warranty passport Special considerations Follow the same special considerations as when traveling with the computer In addition these tips are useful when traveling internationally When traveling in another country check that the local AC voltage and the AC adapter power cord specifications are compatible If not purchase a power cord that is compatible with the local AC voltage Do not use c...

Page 47: ...In this section you will find Information on the ports and connectors fitted to your computer Ports and connectors ...

Page 48: ...e devices to a single USB port Note Two USB standards are currently available on Acer computers USB 2 0 High speed USB and USB 3 0 SuperSpeed USB USB 2 0 ports on Acer computers have a black tongue in the port while USB 3 0 ports have a blue tongue For best performance USB 3 0 devices should always be plugged into USB 3 0 ports Consult your device s documentation to see which standard it supports ...

Page 49: ...s depends on the contents of the card and ask you if you wish to use a program to access the contents of the card SD SDHC and SDXC cards Different types of SD cards cover different capacities while using the same overall design SD cards contain up to 4 GB SDHC cards contain up to 32 GB and SDXC cards can contain up to 2048 GB 2 TB Your computer provides an SDHC or SDXC compatible card reader Impor...

Page 50: ...y compatible digital audio video source such as your computer a set top box DVD player and audio video receiver to any compatible digital audio and or video monitor such as a digital television DTV with a single cable The single cable keeps everything neat and tidy while ensuring easy connection and the best audio and visual quality ...

Page 51: ...uestion In this section you will find Frequently asked questions Tips for using Windows 10 Troubleshooting information How to protect yourself while online Where to find Acer service center contact information ...

Page 52: ...plied to the computer check the following Do you have a USB storage device USB drive CD drive or smartphone plugged into your computer Unplug it and press Ctrl Alt Del to restart the system Nothing appears on the screen The computer s power management system automatically blanks the screen to save power Press any key to turn the display back on If pressing a key does not turn the display back on t...

Page 53: ...t and that it is turned on Make sure that the printer cable is connected securely to a USB port and the corresponding port on the printer I want to restore my computer to its original settings This recovery process helps you restore the C drive with the original software content that is installed when you purchased your computer Before performing a restore operation please check the BIOS settings ...

Page 54: ...o the ITW passport If the country you are traveling in does not have an Acer authorized ITW service site you can still get in contact with our offices worldwide Please visit www acer com Before you call Please have the following information available when you call Acer for online service and please be at your computer when you call With your support we can reduce the amount of time a call takes an...

Page 55: ...ndows Start button and tap the power icon Shut down Can I turn off notifications You can turn off notifications so that you can leave your computer running but not be disturbed by notifications Tap the Windows Start button and tap Settings System Notifications actions From here you can enable disable notifications for all of your apps or choose which apps to enable disable How do I unlock my compu...

Page 56: ...rom the lock screen slideshow 5 Change the other settings to suit your needs How do I move tiles Tap on a tile and drag it to the place on Start that you want it to appear Other tiles will be moved to accommodate the tile in its new location Can I arrange tiles in groups Yes you can Tap and hold a tile until you see the screen dim Drag the tile to arrange Start to your liking Can I make tiles bigg...

Page 57: ... or PM 5 Choose which days the alarm should go off 6 Select the sound notification 7 Select the snooze time 8 Tap the Save icon in the bottom right hand corner to save the alarm 9 Select On or Off to activate or deactivate the alarm Where are my apps Tap Search and type the name of the app you would like to open using the pop up keyboard To view the complete list of apps tap the Windows Start butt...

Page 58: ...pps from Store You will need to have a Microsoft ID to purchase and download apps from Store I can t find apps like Notepad and Paint Where are they Tap Search and type the name of the app you would like to open using the pop up keyboard Alternatively open All apps and scroll to Windows Accessories to see the list of legacy programs What is a Microsoft ID account A Microsoft account is an email ad...

Page 59: ...utton Settings Accounts Sign in with a Microsoft account and follow the onscreen instructions How do I check for Windows updates Tap the Windows Start button Settings Update recovery Windows Update Tap Advanced options to configure the settings Where can I get more information For more information please visit the following pages Windows 10 information go acer com windows tutorial Support FAQs sup...

Page 60: ...ror messages If you receive an error message note the message and take the corrective action The following table lists the error messages in alphabetical order together with the recommended course of action Error messages Corrective action CMOS battery bad Contact your dealer or an authorized service center CMOS checksum error Contact your dealer or an authorized service center Disk boot failure I...

Page 61: ...ed service center for assistance Keyboard error or no keyboard connected Contact your dealer or an authorized service center Keyboard interface error Contact your dealer or an authorized service center Memory size mismatch Press F2 during POST to enter the BIOS utility then press Exit in the BIOS utility to reboot Error messages Corrective action ...

Page 62: ...et Service Provider ISP which supplies the connection between your computer and the internet You should research the ISPs available in your region not forgetting to talk to friends and family about their experiences or to check reviews and consumer reports The ISP you select will provide instructions on how to connect to the internet you may need additional software or a special box that connects ...

Page 63: ...es fast and always on internet service via a cable television line This service is generally available in large cities You can use your telephone and watch cable TV at the same time you are connected to the internet Cellular A cellular connection allows you to use cellular networks such as those used by a mobile phone to connect to the internet while away from home The socket for a SIM card may be...

Page 64: ...k Mobility Wireless LAN systems allow you and other users of your home network to share access to files and devices connected to the network for example a printer or scanner Also you can share an internet connection with other computers in your home Installation speed and simplicity Installing a wireless LAN system can be fast and easy and eliminates the need to pull cables through walls and ceili...

Page 65: ...alled an internet browser Microsoft Edge provides an easy and secure web browsing experience As soon as you have your internet access installed and you are connected from the Start Menu click the Microsoft Edge tile or the icon located in the taskbar and take your internet experience to a new level Acer website To get you started why not visit our website www acer com Acer is dedicated to provide ...

Page 66: ...ately after a software manufacturer announces an update hackers are ready with malware that can breach holes in the software that would have been patched if the update was installed How to stay safe Perform any and all software updates as soon as they are available Keep a lookout for fake or phishing emails Beware of emails that appear to be from a friend or business colleague that you know but se...

Page 67: ...ecific decryption key Once the ransomware installs itself it will display a warning message that the computer is now locked The user is given a specific amount of money to pay as a fine and a timeframe in which to pay Even if paid the criminal might choose to not unencrypt the files anyway What to do if you re infected Avoid getting infected in the first place by staying protected with internet se...

Page 68: ...Security and think you may have a virus contact Norton s on call technicians to help eliminate the virus Take special precautions when using public Wi Fi Public Wi Fi is available just about everywhere from the local coffee shop to the hotels and airports you visit while traveling While public Wi Fi has made our lives a little easier it also poses security risks to the personal information availab...

Page 69: ... software on your devices to help protect yourself from the latest threats Protect your computer with Windows security tools Windows provides a variety of protection applications Windows Updates If you have an active internet connection Windows can check for important updates for your computer and install them automatically These updates include security patches and program updates that can improv...

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