ICDL Computer & Online Essentials (ICDL) common mistakes
ICDL Computer & Online Essentials · Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
Shutting down or restarting the computer by holding the power button or unplugging it, instead of using the Start menu shutdown option.
Candidates treat the power button like a light switch and have never been shown the difference between a normal shutdown and a forced power-off.
What to do instead
Practise the Start > Power > Shut down / Restart sequence repeatedly, and be able to explain that holding the power button is only for a frozen system because it can lose unsaved work.
Deleting files with Delete on the keyboard and then reporting the file as gone, when it is still recoverable in the Recycle Bin.
Candidates do not distinguish 'move to Recycle Bin' from permanent deletion, and do not know where the Recycle Bin sits.
What to do instead
Learn both routes: Delete sends to the Recycle Bin, Shift+Delete bypasses it. Practise restoring a file from the Recycle Bin and emptying it, and know that files deleted from a USB drive usually skip the Recycle Bin.
Confusing file extensions with file names, e.g. saving 'report' as a .txt when a .docx or .pdf is required, or being unable to say what type an unknown file is.
Extensions are often hidden by default in Windows, so candidates never see them and never connect the letters after the dot to the file type.
What to do instead
Turn on file name extensions in File Explorer's View tab, then practise identifying and changing types via Save As and the file's Properties, and match each extension to its program.
Not being able to say where a file physically lives, e.g. not knowing the difference between a folder on the desktop, a folder in Documents, and a folder on a USB stick, or where a downloaded file went.
Candidates navigate by clicking recent items rather than by reading the address bar, so they have no mental model of the folder tree.
What to do instead
Use the address bar and breadcrumb path in File Explorer for every navigation task; practise creating a folder, moving a file into it, and stating its full path out loud.
Leaving default settings in place when asked to change a desktop or system setting, such as not finding where to change the screen resolution, date/time, or default printer.
Candidates look only in the app they are using rather than in Settings or Control Panel, and are unfamiliar with the categories there.
What to do instead
Walk through Settings categories (System, Devices, Personalisation, Time & Language) and Control Panel once each, and practise locating one specific setting per category.
Treating a strong password as merely a long one, and being unable to explain why reusing the same password across sites or writing it on a sticky note is a security risk.
Candidates memorise 'use a long password' as a slogan without understanding the concepts of complexity, reuse, and safe storage.
What to do instead
Practise composing a passphrase with mixed case, digits and symbols, and be ready to state two concrete risks of reuse and two safer storage options such as a password manager.
Typing a full web address into a search engine box instead of the browser's address bar, or failing to notice that a search result is an advert rather than the official site.
The search box is the most visually prominent field on most pages, and candidates do not read the small 'Ad' or 'Sponsored' labels.
What to do instead
Practise going directly to a known address in the address bar and compare the result with searching for the same site; learn to check the URL, the padlock and the domain name before trusting a page.
Filling in an online form and clicking Submit before checking required fields, then losing the entered data or submitting wrong details.
Candidates rush to finish and do not expect validation errors, and some forms clear on error or on refresh.
What to do instead
Read the whole form first, note required-field markers, and use Tab between fields. Before submitting, re-read each entry; know that refreshing or using Back can wipe a form, so complete it in one pass.
Replying to all recipients, or forwarding a message with the previous recipients' addresses still visible, when only one person should receive it.
Candidates click the most obvious Reply button and never open the To/Cc/Bcc fields, so they do not see who is included.
What to do instead
Practise distinguishing Reply, Reply All, Forward, Cc and Bcc on a sample message, and check the To and Cc lines before sending. Use Bcc when addressing a group who should not see each other's addresses.
Saving or sending an email attachment without checking its size, format or location, so the file cannot be found later or is rejected by the recipient's mailbox.
Candidates attach the first file with a similar name, or save an attachment to a default Downloads folder and then cannot locate it.
What to do instead
Practise attaching a named file from a known folder, noting its size, and saving an incoming attachment to a chosen folder via Save As rather than opening it directly. Know the common size limits for email attachments.