I’ve always liked that Windows gives me multiple ways to perform popular tasks. Say you want to print something. You could go to the File menu and select the Print command, or you can press the Ctrl button and the letter P. Ctrl+P is just one example of a keyboard shortcut. Shortcuts combine two or more keys to do something special that neither key does alone.
Chances are, you use your PC to do a lot of things at once. I prefer to use shortcuts whenever possible. It’s kind of amazing how much time you can save by cutting out mouse clicks. Here are my top 20 shortcuts that you might not know about—but should.
There are certain shortcuts I use all day, every day. They work whether I’m doing stuff with photos, music, documents, or spreadsheets.
- Copy a selected item: Ctrl+C
- Cut a selected item: Ctrl+X
- Paste a selected item: Ctrl+V
- Undo an action: Ctrl+Z
- Redo that thing I just undid: Ctrl+Y
- Select everything: Ctrl+A
- Print: Ctrl+P
Get even funkier with these addtional shortcuts
- Switch between open windows
Alt+Tab
- Clear away everything and show the desktop
Windows logo key +D - Minimize the window
Windows logo key +Down Arrow - Maximize the window
Windows logo key +Up Arrow - Compare and contrast in a snap
Windows logo key +Left Arrow or Right Arrow - Multitask with multiple monitors
Windows logo key +Shift+Right Arrow or Left Arrow - Open Task Manager
Ctrl+Shift+Esc - Lock your PC or switch users
Windows logo key +L - Choose a presentation display mode
Windows logo key +P
- Zoom in, zoom out
Windows logo key +Plus Sign or Minus Sign
- Search for files and folders
Windows logo key +F
- Open a new instance of a program
Windows logo key +Shift+Click a taskbar icon
- And when you need it …get help
Windows logo key +F1
It’s the simplest shortcut out there. When all else fails, and you’re just not sure what to do, press F1.
For more details on the above shortcuts visit http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/explore/20-pc-shortcuts
