Windows Tips
Keyboard Shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts can make your life a lot easier. They can also help to avoid neck pain through overuse of the mouse.
Note: With 2 key shortcuts you tap the second key while holding down
the first key.
With 3 key shortcuts you tap the third key while holding down the first
two.
Some shortcuts act like a toggle switch. The same key combo applies an action and reverses it.
Here are the Windows Shortcuts I find most useful:
| Ctrl+C | Copy | Copy text or graphic into the clipboard | Ctrl+B | Bold | Convert text to Bold type. Toggles on or off. |
| Ctrl+V | Insert | Insert text or graphic from the clipboard. Think of the V as an insertion arrow. | Ctrl+I | Italic | Convert text to Italic type. Toggles on or off. |
| Ctrl+X | Cut | Delete text or graphic and retain in the clipboard | Ctrl+U | Underline | Convert text to Underline type. Toggles on or off. |
| Ctrl+A | Select All | Selects all text in a page. | Ctrl+P | Print Menu | Brings up the print menu. OK? |
| Ctrl+O | Open | Brings up the Open File dialogue box. | F7 | Spell Check | In applicable programs starts the spellchecker. |
| F1 | Help! | In most programs (even on the Desktop) opens the Help files. | Shift + F7 | Synonym Check | In applicable programs starts the thesaurus. |
| Alt+F4 | Close Active Window | Closes the active window. The window with a default blue title bar. | Alt+Tab | Cycle Windows | Hold Alt and each time you tap Tab you select the next window. |
| Ctrl+F4 | Close Current Document | Closes the document, but not the program window or other open documents. |
 +D |
Show the Desktop | Minimizes all open Windows to the Taskbar. Toggles. |
|
+E |
Open Windows Explorer | Allows you to navigate around your computer. Move, copy and find files. |
+D |
Restore the Desktop | Restores all open Windows to the Desktop. Toggles. |
| Backspace | Back to Previous Web Page | This applies in Internet Explorer or other web browsers. | Ctrl+F | Find | To search for text in a document or web page. |
| Shift | While double clicking a folder icon or My Computer icon. | Opens Windows Explorer with the navigation pane open. | Shift | While deleting a file. | Bypasses the Recycle Bin. Permanent deletion. Take care! It's gone for good. |
When you've become accustomed to those, try these:
Internet Explorer Shortcuts
Most of the shortcuts tabled above will work in IE. here are some extras
Alt+Home Go to your Home page Control+N Open a new window Backspace Go to the previous page Control+W Close the current window Shift+Backspace Go to the next page Control+E Open Search in Explorer bar Home Move to the beginning of a document Control+I Open Favorites in Explorer bar End Move to the end of a document Control+D Add the current page to your Favorites Shift+Tab Move back through the items on a webpage Alt+D Select the text in the Address bar Tab Move forward through the items on a webpage Esc Stop loading the page Ctrl+H Show History Bar Ctrl+Shift +I Show Favorites Bar
Internet Explorer 7 onlyCtrl+Shift+H Display and pin History Ctrl+Shift +I Display and pin Favorites
That's enough for a start. There are plenty more shortcuts here: http://support.Microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q126449
For Microsoft Office shortcuts try here: http://office.Microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011407361033.aspx. Prepare for overload!
