Setting Up Your New Windows Computer

Owned by Josh Forest
Last updated: Nov 18, 2024 by A.J. Newman
6 min read

Employees who are issued a Windows computer can set their computer up without the assistance of ITS.

This procedure is applicable only to university-owned computers. If you are student and looking to install Microsoft 365 apps on your personal device, see this article: Installing Microsoft 365 apps

Prerequisites

You do not need to be on-campus to set up your laptop.

  • Computer is plugged in or fully charged.

    • Automated setup can take some time and if the computer dies during setup, it will need to be re-prepared by your IT support.

  • Stable internet connection.

  • About a half-hour for setup time.

    • Most of the setup process is automated and does not require intervention.

  • Active UConn email.

    • University affiliates must have an email address created by their account sponsor to use a university computer.

  • You are the primary user of the machine.

    • If this computer is intended to be shared by multiple users (for example, in a lab or as a student employee workstation), please notify your IT contact so that the computer can be set up as a shared-use machine.

Setup instructions

Part 1: Get connected

If you are not the primary user of the device, do not continue with setup. The initial setup must be done by the primary user.

  1. Plug the included power supply/charger into the USB-C port at the left of your laptop.

  2. Press the power button near the top right of the keyboard to power the device on.

  3. You will be prompted to select the correct country or region. Choose United States, and press the blue Yes button.

  4. You will be prompted to choose the correct keyboard layout. Choose US keyboard layout, and press the blue Yes button.

  5. You will be prompted to connect to the internet. Connect to either your home network if you are remote or to UConn’s network if you are on-campus (UCONN-SECURE). You can use a wireless connection or a wired (Ethernet connection) if your new computer supports it. Once successfully connected, press Next.

  1. The device will now take a few minutes to check for updates and will restart.

Part 2: Sign in

  1. Sign in with your UConn email and password, then press the blue Next button.

  2. You will be prompted with Duo 2-factor authentication. You may click “Yes, this is my device.”

  3. The Setting up for work or school window will appear and will advance through Device Preparation, Device Setup, then Account Setup. This step may take a while.

  4. You will then be brought to the Windows 11 login screen. Please use your UConn email address and password to log into the device.

  5. During first setup, you will be prompted with Windows Hello. This allows for additional login methods such as fingerprint scan, face scan, or PIN. Biometric sign-in methods are optional, but you must set up a PIN. To set up, click Yes, set up.

  1. You can proceed through (or skip) the biometrics setup steps, following the instructions on-screen.

  2. You will now be prompted to create a PIN. Click Next.

  3. A new window will appear prompting the setup of Microsoft Authenticator.

  1. Click Next and follow the steps to download Microsoft Authenticator on a mobile device. Once downloaded, click Next and follow the installation instructions to add your profile.

    1. If you do not want to use Microsoft Authenticator and would prefer to use SMS or a phone call for authentication, follow these steps: Setting up Authentication for Windows Hello

  1. You must now set up a 6+ digit PIN. You can just use numbers or click the “Include letters and symbols” to include more characters. You can continue once you have set a PIN.

  2. You should now be at the desktop of your computer.

Helpful information

  • Once you login to the machine, you will be automatically signed into other Microsoft 365 apps, including OneDrive.

  • Your Desktop and Documents folder will both sync their contents to your OneDrive at regular intervals. This feature can not be disabled. It may take a few minutes for this setting to be enforced.

  • The first signed-in user gains administrator rights on the machine, and has full control of the device. Please ensure the first logged in user is the primary user of the device.

    • If the device is handed to a different user, they will be prompted with needing Admin credentials. If the primary user changes, please bring back to ITS to reformat the device to be set for that user.

Printer Setup

If you have a department printer, you should add it according to these instructions: Connect to an On-Campus Network Printer (Staff)

Software Installation

Microsoft 365 apps are pre-installed. To install additional applications, such as Google Chrome, follow steps below:

  1. Press the search button at the bottom center of your screen, and type Company Portal. Click to open the Company Portal.

    1. This should also be located on the left side of your Desktop screen.

  2. Click the Apps Button at the left side.

  3. Find the app you’d like to install, click it, then choose Install.

  4. Additional software is available for download here: https://software.uconn.edu/

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