USER’S MANUAL
- © 2020. All Rights Reserved. TravelMate P4 Covers: P414-51 / P414-51G This revision: July 2020 Important This manual contains proprietary information that is protected by copyright laws. The information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice. Some features described in this manual may not be supported depending on the Operating System version. Images provided herein are for reference only and may contain information or features that do not apply to your computer.
Table of contents - 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS First things first 6 Your guides ............................................. 6 Basic care and tips for using your computer.................................................. 6 Turning your computer off........................... 6 Taking care of your computer ..................... 7 Taking care of your AC adapter .................. 8 Cleaning and servicing................................ 8 Guidelines for safe battery usage ............... 9 Internal battery......
- Table of contents MicroSD card reader 76 Video and audio connectors 77 Connecting a monitor ............................ 77 Headphones and microphone ............... 77 HDMI 78 Frequently asked questions 80 Requesting service ................................ 82 Tips and hints for using Windows 10..... 83 How do I get to Start? ............................... 83 How do I turn off my computer?................ 83 How do I unlock my computer?................. 83 How do I set the alarm? ................
Getting started...
- First things first FIRST THINGS FIRST We would like to thank you for making this Acer notebook your choice for meeting your mobile computing needs. Your guides To help you use your Acer notebook, we have designed a set of guides: First off, the Setup Guide helps you get started with setting up your computer. The Quick Guide introduces you to the basic features and functions of your new computer. For more on how your computer can help you to be more productive, please refer to the User’s Manual.
First things first - 7 • Right-click the Windows Start button > Shut down or sign out > Shut down. If you need to power down the computer for a short while, but don’t want to completely shut it down, you can put it to Sleep by doing any of the following: • Press the power button. • Press the sleep hotkey. • Press the Windows key or select the Windows Start button, select Power > Sleep. • Right-click the Windows Start button > Shut down or sign out > Sleep.
- First things first Taking care of your AC adapter Here are some ways to take care of your AC adapter: • Do not connect the adapter to any other device. • Do not step on the power cord or place heavy objects on top of it. Route the power cord and any cables away from where people walk. • When unplugging the power cord, do not pull on the cord itself but pull on the plug.
First things first - 9 Guidelines for safe battery usage Warning When using a charging cart or a small space to simultaneously charge or operate multiple devices , the area must be well- ventilated and the temperature kept between 0 °C (32 °F) to 35 °C (95 °F) and battery charging must be stopped when 100% capacity is reached. Continuous charging can cause deformation or damage to the battery/ device.
- First things first • ONLY CHARGE THE BATTERY IN A CLEAN, WELL VENTILATED AREA. Warning Batteries may explode if not handled properly. Do not disassemble or dispose of batteries in fire. Do not short external contacts, crush, puncture or otherwise tamper with batteries. Keep batteries away from children. Follow local regulations when disposing of used batteries.
First things first - 11 Use the battery only for its intended purpose. Never use any charger or battery that is damaged. Do not short-circuit the battery. Accidental short-circuiting can occur when a metallic object such as a coin, clip or pen causes direct connection of the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals of the battery. (These look like metal strips on the battery.) This might happen, for example, when you carry a spare battery in your pocket or purse.
- Your Acer notebook tour YOUR ACER NOTEBOOK TOUR After setting up your computer as illustrated in the Setup Guide, let us show you around your new Acer computer. Screen view Note Illustrations are for reference only. Actual products specifications may vary.
Your Acer notebook tour - 13 # Icon Item Description 1 Microphones Internal digital microphones for sound recording. 2 Webcam shutter Slide the shutter to the right to cover the webcam. Slide left to open it. 3 Webcam Web camera for video communication, and detects Infrared signal for face authentication. A light next to the webcam indicates that the webcam is active. 4 Infrared LED Emits Infrered light for the webcam and face authentication.
- Your Acer notebook tour Keyboard view 1 2 4 3 # Icon Item Description 1 Speakers Deliver stereo audio output. 2 Keyboard For entering data into your computer. See "Using the keyboard" on page 19. 3 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.
Your Acer notebook tour - 15 Left view 1 2 # 4 5 6 Item Description 1 DC-in jack Connects to an AC adapter. 2 Ethernet (RJ-45) port Connects to an Ethernet 10/100/1000-based network. 3 HDMI port Supports high-definition digital video connections. 4 USB port Connects to USB devices. 5 USB port with Connects to USB devices. power-off charging 6 Icon 3 Connects to the USB Type-C power adapter and to USB devices with a USB Type-C with USB Type-C connector.
- Your Acer notebook tour • DC-in: requires power adapter or power source providing 65 W at 12/18~20V. For optimal performance, please use a certified Acer power adapter or USB Power Delivery device.
Your Acer notebook tour - 17 Right view 1 2 3 4 # Icon Item 5 6 Description Press to turn the computer on and Power button with off. fingerprint reader Touch lightly to use fingerprint reader for Windows Hello and security. 1 Power indicator Indicates the 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.
- Your Acer notebook tour Front view 1 # Icon Item Description 1 SC Accepts one smart card. Smart Card reader Only one smart card can be read at a (optional) time. Base view 1 2 # 1 2 Icon Item Description Ventilation and cooling fan Allows the computer to stay cool. Do not cover or obstruct the openings. Battery reset pinhole Simulates removing and reinstalling the battery. Insert a paperclip into the hole and press for four seconds.
Using the keyboard - 19 USING THE KEYBOARD The keyboard has full-sized keys, a numeric keypad, separate cursor, lock, Windows keys and hotkeys. Lock keys The keyboard has lock keys which you can use to turn keyboard functions on and off. Lock key Description 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 /).
- Using the keyboard Hotkey Function Description Fn + F6 Display off Turns the display screen backlight off to save power. Press any key to return. Fn + F7 Touchpad toggle Turns the built-in touchpad on and off. Fn + F8 Keyboard backlight toggle Turns the keyboard backlight on and off. Fn + F9 Speaker toggle Turns the speakers on and off. Fn + F10 Volume down Decreases the sound volume. Fn + F11 Volume up Increases the sound volume.
Using the Precision Touchpad - 21 USING THE PRECISION TOUCHPAD The touchpad controls the arrow (or 'cursor') on the screen. As you slide your finger across the touchpad, the cursor will follow this movement. The Precision Touchpad (PTP) is designed to provide a more uniform, smooth, and accurate touchpad experience. Many applications support precision touchpad gestures that use one or more fingers, however, some gestures may not be supported by the specific application or program you are using.
- Using the Precision Touchpad Three-finger press Lightly tap the touchpad with three fingers to open the Search Windows. 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 open windows and show Desktop; swipe upwards to restore the minimized windows. • Swipe left or right to switch between open windows.
Using the Precision Touchpad - 23 Changing touchpad settings To change the touchpad settings to suit your personal requirements, please do the following. 1. In the icon tray in the lower right-hand corner of the screen, select the Notifications icon to open the Notifications pane. 2. Select All settings. 3. Select Devices > Touchpad 4. Now you can adjust the settings to suit your personal needs. You can switch off the touchpad if you prefer to use a mouse.
- Recovery RECOVERY If you are having trouble with your computer, and the frequently asked questions (see Got a question? on page 79) do not help, you can recover your computer. This section describes the recovery tools available on your computer. Acer provides Acer ControlCenter, which allows you to reset your PC, refresh your PC, or create a factory default backup. If you cannot access Acer ControlCenter, click Settings in the Start menu, select Update & Security and then click Recovery.
Recovery - 25 1. From Start, select Control Center then Recovery Management. 2. Select the Backup tab and click Get started for Create backup to open the Backup window. 3. If you would like to backup not only your files but also the entire system, select Go to Backup and Restore (Windows 7).
- Recovery 4. Select Security and Maintenance in the left pane. 5. Select Recovery to open the Advanced recovery tools window.
Recovery - 27 6. Select Create a recovery drive to open the Recovery Drive window. 7. Make sure Back up system files to the recovery drive is selected and click Next.
- Recovery 8. Plug in the USB drive and wait for the PC to detect the USB drive then click Next. 9. Everything on the drive will be deleted. Click Create to continue. 10.You will be shown the backup progress on the screen. 11.Follow the process until it completes. 12.Unplug the USB drive and label it clearly. Important Write a unique, descriptive label on the backup, such as 'Windows Recovery Backup'. Make sure you keep the backup in a safe place that you will remember.
Recovery - 29 Reset this PC and keep my files 1. From Start, select Control Center then Recovery Management. 2. Select the Restore tab and click Get started to open the Recovery window. 3. Click Get started under Reset this PC.
- Recovery 4. Select Keep my files to refresh your PC and reinstall your operating system without removing your personal files. Click Next to continue. Important If you have apps installed on your PC, they will be removed. 5. Resetting the PC will reinstall Windows, change settings back to their factory defaults and remove all preinstalled apps and programs without removing your personal files. Click Reset to continue. 6. You will be shown the reset progress on the screen.
Recovery - 31 2. Select the Restore tab and click Get started to open the Recovery window. 3. Click Get started under Reset this PC. 4. Select Remove everything to reset your PC back to its factory default. This process will reinstall your operating system and remove all of your personal files, apps, and settings.
- Recovery 5. Click Change settings to let you choose the Data erasure options. 6. Select Data erasure Off if you are keeping your computer. This will be quicker, but less secure. Files may still be recovered with a file recovery program. Select Data erasure On if you are not keeping your computer. This process will take longer, but will be more secure. Click Confirm then Next to continue.
Recovery - 33 8. You will be shown the reset progress on the screen. The screen will turn off during the reset process. 9. The screen will turn back on when it is installing Windows. Your PC will restart several times during the reset process. 10.Follow the process until it completes. 11.When your PC has completed the reset process, Windows will use factory default settings.
- Using a Bluetooth connection USING A BLUETOOTH CONNECTION Bluetooth is a technology enabling you to transfer data wirelessly over short distances between many different types of devices. Bluetoothenabled devices include computers, cell phones, tablets, wireless headsets, and keyboards. To use Bluetooth, you must ensure the following: 1. Bluetooth is enabled on both devices. 2. Your devices are "paired" (or connected).
Using a Bluetooth connection - 35 4. Select the device you wish to pair from the list of discovered devices. 5. After pairing, if there is a code displaying on the screen, enter that code on the device to proceed the connection. 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), the passcode is hardcoded into the device (usually "0000" or "1234").
- Connecting to the Internet CONNECTING T O TH E INTERNET This chapter includes general information on types of connections, and getting connected to the internet. For detailed information, please refer to Network connections on page 92. Your computer’s built-in network features make it easy for you to connect your computer to the internet.
Connecting to the Internet - 37 To connect to a wireless network, please follow the steps below. 1. Ensure you have a wireless router/access point and current internet connection through the ISP of your choice. Make a note of the wireless 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. Note Please refer to your ISP or router documentation for details on connecting to the internet. 2.
- Connecting to the Internet 4. Once you select a wireless network, select Connect. 5. If required, enter the network’s password.
Connecting to the Internet - 39 Connecting with a cable Built-in network feature If your computer has a network port, plug one end of a network cable into the network port on your computer, and the other end into 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.
- Connecting to the Internet 3. Select Mobile on the left, then click Connect. 4. Click Network icon in the notification area to ensure your connection with a data plan.
F r e qu e nt ly a sk Near Field Communication - 41 N E A R F IE LD C O M M U N I C A T I O N Near Field Communication (NFC) enables your computer to wirelessly communicate with other NFC devices across a short distance. Both devices must have NFC enabled. An NFC transmitter is located on the right of the touchpad on your computer. To use the NFC, do the following: 1. Press the Windows key or select the Windows Start button, click Settings in the Start menu. 2. Select the Network & Internet to continue.
- Bluelight Shield BLUELIGHT SHIELD The Bluelight Shield can be enabled to reduce blue-light emissions from the screen to protect your eyes. To configure the Bluelight Shield, search for ’Quick Access’ in the Start Menu. From here you can toggle Bluelight Shield on or off, and you can choose from four different 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.
Keeping your computer and data safe...
- Acer ProShield ACER PROSHIELD Overview An all-in-one security solution, Acer ProShield provides an embedded security solution to address the following points of vulnerability: • Securing the device against unauthorized access • Protecting local storage • Securing the network Acer ProShield includes four modules that will secure your device from unauthorized access and intrusion. Note Your computer may not have all the modules mentioned below.
Acer ProShield - 45 Click Start to begin. You will be required to set a password, and can choose to create a Personal Secure Drive. Note Select a password that you will remember, but is difficult to guess. Do not use words that can be found in a dictionary. It is advisable to use a combination of letters and numbers. Once you have set a password, you can click Next to proceed to setting up a Personal Secure Drive or click Finish to exit the wizard.
- Acer ProShield Personal Secure Drive The Personal Secure Disk (PSD) is a secure section of your hard disk where you can save files. You can only get access to the PSD via password or fingerprint authentication. Once setup is finished, you can go to the ProShield Console to manage your computer or make changes to the settings. Use the menu in the left-hand pane to make changes. Credential Manager Here you can set and manage your ProShield password.
Acer ProShield - 47 You can change your ProShield passwords, back up or restore credential information. Data Protection Here you can select files for encryption or decryption, and manage your Personal Secure Drive.
- Acer ProShield Data Removal Here you can select files to be completely removed from the hard disk. The File Shredder overwrites the data to make recovering the data impossible. Warning Make sure you select only the information you want to shred. Once you have shredded a file or folder, it is impossible to recover the data.
Securing your computer - 49 SECURING Y O U R C O MP U TE R Your computer is a valuable investment that you need to take care of. Learn how to protect and take care of your computer. Security features include hardware and software locks — a security notch and passwords. Using a computer security lock The computer comes with a computer security slot for a security lock. Wrap a computer security lock cable around an immovable object such as a table or handle of a locked drawer.
- Securing your computer Entering passwords When a password is set, a password prompt appears in the center of the display screen. • When the Supervisor Password is set, a prompt appears when you enter the BIOS utility. • Type the Supervisor Password and press Enter to access the BIOS utility. If you enter the password incorrectly, a warning message 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.
Fingerprint Reader - 51 FINGERPRINT READER In addition to using an account password or PIN to sign in to Windows apps and services, you can also use the fingerprint reader to sign-in and unlock your Acer notebook. In order to use the fingerprint reader, you must first configure the fingerprint reader to recognize your fingerprint to confirm your identity. How to use the fingerprint reader Select the Start button, then select Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options to set up Windows Hello. 1. Set a password.
- Fingerprint Reader 2. Set a PIN code. 3. In Windows Hello Fingerprint, select Set up to configure the fingerprint reader.
Fingerprint Reader - 53 4. In the Windows Hello set up window, select Get started to begin the fingerprint configuration. 5. Enter your PIN to confirm your identity.
- Fingerprint Reader 6. When the Windows Hello setup window appears, follow the onscreen directions. Press and hold your finger on the fingerprint sensor and then lift. Repeat this step until the fingerprint configuration is complete.
Fingerprint Reader - 55 7. Once the fingerprint configuration is complete, you will be able to sign in or unlock your computer by placing your fingerprint on the fingerprint reader. You may select Add another finger to add another fingerprint to unlock the computer. Note If the notebook has multiple accounts, you can set up access separately and automatically switch between accounts.
- Face Recognition FACE RECOGNITION If your computer is equipped with an IR LED, it will works with the camera and the Windows Hello Face Recognition to provide a more secure and personal way for you to access your computer. In order to use the Face Recognition function, you must first configure the it to recognize your face to confirm your identity. How to use the Face Recognition Select the Start button, then select Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options to set up Windows Hello. 1. Set a password.
Face Recognition - 57 2. Set a PIN code. 3. In Windows Hello, select Set up to configure the Face Recognition.
