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Computer basics for seniors: what to learn first, in order

A computer can feel like a wall of buttons. It gets much easier when you learn a few skills in the right order, one at a time, and practice each one until it feels normal. Here is that order, with a free step-by-step lesson for every skill.

Before you start: make the screen comfortable

Most beginners struggle with small text and a tiny pointer before anything else. Fix that first, it takes two minutes: make the text bigger, make the mouse pointer bigger, and if you need more, turn on the magnifier. Sit straight in front of the screen, with the mouse on a flat surface beside the keyboard.

The 7 basics, in order

1The mouse

Everything starts here. Learn one click, then the double-click that opens things, then scrolling to move down a page. The right button opens a small menu of choices. Lessons: open with a double-click, scroll through a page, discover the right-click.

2The Start menu and windows

Every program opens in a window. Know how to find a program, and how to make its window bigger, smaller or put it away. Lessons: the Start menu, maximize, minimize, restore, close from the taskbar.

3Typing, and undoing a mistake

You don't need to type fast. You need to know how to make a capital letter, fix a mistake, and undo the last thing you did. Lessons: capital letters, fix a typing mistake, undo a mistake (Ctrl+Z), then write in Notepad and save your text.

4The web

Searching for something and going to a website you know are two different things, and beginners often mix them up. Lessons: do a search, go straight to a website, open a result and go back.

5Email

Reading, answering and sending email covers most of what family will ask for. Lessons: send an email, read an email and save a photo you received, email a photo to someone.

6Video calls

Seeing the grandchildren is often the reason to learn in the first place. Lessons: make a video call, answer a video call, mute your microphone during a call.

7Staying safe

Learn this early, not last. Scam emails and fake "your computer has a virus" pop-ups reach beginners in their first weeks online. Lessons: spot a scam email, close a fake virus warning, check the padlock before typing anything, someone asks for your code.

Where to practice

Reading the steps helps, but skills come from doing. Three good options, often mixed:

• A class or a helper. Many public libraries and senior centers offer free computer classes or drop-in help. A person can answer "why did that happen?".
• Your own computer, with a few habits. Practice the skills that can't go wrong first (text size, scrolling, opening and closing windows). Don't click links in emails you weren't expecting.
• A pretend computer in the browser. This is what we make. SafePC is a pretend computer (Windows style or Mac style) that runs in the web browser. Each lesson says what to do in plain English, and on the Beginner level a red ring shows where to click. Nothing in it is real: no real emails, downloads or payments, and it never touches your real files or money. It includes practice scam emails and fake virus warnings, so you can learn the warning signs safely. You can try a SafePC lesson without an account; the first 5 lessons are free with no card, and the full set is on the plans page.

A plan for the first two weeks

Days	Learn	Done when
Days 1–3	Comfortable screen, the mouse	You can open something with a double-click and scroll a page
Days 4–5	Start menu and windows	You can open a program, make it bigger, and close it
Days 6–7	Typing and undo	You can write a short note, fix a mistake and save it
Days 8–9	The web	You can search for the weather and go back
Days 10–12	Email and a scam email	You can send an email and say why a scam email is fake
Days 13–14	A video call	You can answer a call and mute yourself

About 15 minutes a day is enough. Start each day by repeating yesterday's skill once, and stop on a success. Helping a parent? The tips in our guide on how to teach a parent to use a smartphone work for computers too. All computer lessons are free to read.

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