When using a mouse, users hover over the top left corner to switch applications hover in the top right corner and then pull the cursor down to show the Charms menu. For instance, in Internet Explorer 10 swiping up or down will display the address bar and any open tabs. Swiping from the top or bottom edge shows you the options for a given app. Swiping from the left edge of the pad lets you switch between applications, while swiping from the right displays the Charms menu (with shortcuts for Search, Share, Start, Devices and Settings).

When using the touchpad, Windows 8 largely mirrors the touch-screen experience.