Posts tagged windows shortcuts
Windows Quick Tip: Set up keyboard shortcuts for your most used icons.
Apr 5th
It’s very annoying and counter productive for your hands to leave the keyboard as you use your mouse to click, click, clickity click click away at something.
Join the ranks of power users to add keyboard shortcuts for every computer task you do. Yup Any Task!
Built into Windows is the ability to let you assign a keyboard command to any shortcut icon just right-click the shortcut you want to assign a Shortcut to, click Properties, and click in the ‘Shortcut key’ field. Then press the combo you want to assign to launch the shortcut; it has to have one standard (A-Z 1-0) plus two or three of , , or .
Also, did you know that the Windows Key + R launched the Run box and Windows Key + E opens Windows Explorer?
Consider yourself more productive!
And of course you remember AtA’s lock your computer dumb fast with Windows Key-L.
Are you feeling that productivity boost?
How can I resize windows that are stubborn?
Dec 24th
Adam Pash covered this tiny app on LifeHacker a while back. This Resizeable goodness is ever so cleverly called resizeenable and it lets you resize system windows that you normally could not. You guys always seem to find what I am looking for before I’m looking for it! Thanks LifeHacker…
Some of you may wonder why we are so anal-retentive that we need to do this (is there a hyphen in that – wow now that’s anal)…
Well screen real estate is a commodity (much like sleep these days) that we can never have enough of.
Take your resizing self over to the authors site and grab this app and you will be resizing like a pro in no time. Its 39k and the screen contents scale down or up to what ever size you choose.
I moved my window off screen. Can you help me get it back?
Oct 3rd
From AtA’s earlier days:
Reader Elizabeth (who knew we had so many female readers!) wrote to us that she moved her Word document off the screen so she can only see the bottom half of it.
She didn’t save it and can not move or close it. We have all done this before, moving windows around willey nilley to see whats behind it or just to see the pretty trails… for fun :).
No matter what program you are using or why you did it you can use a quick keyboard combo to remedy your situation.
Alt + Space Bar
Go ahead try it out – we’ll wait…
You see you get a menu in the upper left corner that allows you to move, resize, maximize, minimize or close the window. Now even if that menu is off the screen you can hit the letter of the command you want and Windows will issue it. For example we moved our browser off screen and want to get it back.
The easiest way to accomplish this is to hit Alt + Space Bar and then X to maximize the window. Try it out – it works like a charm. You can also hit Alt + Space Bar and then M to move the window. Then you use your arrow keys to move it all about (Very Hokey Pokey-esque eh?) Alt + Space Bar and then N will minimize your window to the taskbar and finally C will close the window. X maximizes and C closes – got it?
Good.
Feeling the keyboard shortcuts? Shift F10 is the same thing as right clicking…
Useful Windows Keyboard Shortcuts for IT Pros – Part 2
Nov 13th
Following on from Part 1, where I shared some useful keyboard shortcuts for general Windows usage, Part 2 covers useful shortcuts for working with Files and Text.
Working with Files and Text
F2
Rename the highlighted file in Explorer. Edits a Cell in Excel / OpenOffice Calc.
Alt + Enter
View properties of the selected item. Works in Explorer, but also works in other places, including Outlook.
Shift + Drag file
Moves files instead of copying them to separate volumes or disks.
Control + A
Selects all text, or all files in a directory. Very useful when you need to highlight everything and then Copy or Move (Cut) it somewhere.
Control + C
Copies the highlighted item (could be text, or a file/folder). Also, Control + X cuts the highlighted item.
Control + V
Pastes whatever you just copied.
Control + Z
Undoes your last action. This even applies when you’ve deleted a file and want to restore it. Always useful when writing up blog posts ;)
Control + Y
Reapplies the action you just “undid”.
Text Specific
Control + B
Emboldens selected text, or starts to embolden text after you’ve used the shortcut. Use it again to turn off emboldening.
Control + I
Italicises selected text, or starts to italicise text after you’ve used the shortcut. Use it again to turn off italicise.
Control + U
Underlines selected text, or starts to underline text after you’ve used the shortcut. Use it again to turn off underline.
Control + Left or Right Arrow
Move forward to back a word.
Control + Shift + Left or Right Arrow
Highlight a word, backwards or forwards. Keep tapping to highlight more words
Control + Up or Down Arrow
Move to beginning or end of a line.
Shift + Up or Down Arrow
Highlight an entire line up or down.
Control + Backspace
Deletes one word to the left (behind).
Control + Delete
Deletes one word to the right (in front).
Have I missed any useful ones? What shortcuts do you use? Let me know in the comments! :)
Article originally published at Mind Circus – Inside the mind of a young IT Professional
This article describes the keyboard shortcuts that are available in Windows XP.
Sep 28th
This article describes the keyboard shortcuts that are available in Windows XP.
CTRL+C (Copy)
•
CTRL+X (Cut)
•
CTRL+V (Paste)
•
CTRL+Z (Undo)
•
DELETE (Delete)
•
SHIFT+DELETE (Delete the selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin)
•
CTRL while dragging an item (Copy the selected item)
•
CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item (Create a shortcut to the selected item)
•
F2 key (Rename the selected item)
•
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word)
•
CTRL+LEFT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word)
•
CTRL+DOWN ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph)
•
CTRL+UP ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph)
•
CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Highlight a block of text)
•
SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document)
•
CTRL+A (Select all)
•
F3 key (Search for a file or a folder)
•
ALT+ENTER (View the properties for the selected item)
•
ALT+F4 (Close the active item, or quit the active program)
•
ALT+ENTER (Display the properties of the selected object)
•
ALT+SPACEBAR (Open the shortcut menu for the active window)
•
CTRL+F4 (Close the active document in programs that enable you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)
•
ALT+TAB (Switch between the open items)
•
ALT+ESC (Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened)
•
F6 key (Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop)
•
F4 key (Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
•
SHIFT+F10 (Display the shortcut menu for the selected item)
•
ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the System menu for the active window)
•
CTRL+ESC (Display the Start menu)
•
ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name (Display the corresponding menu)
•
Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu (Perform the corresponding command)
•
F10 key (Activate the menu bar in the active program)
•
RIGHT ARROW (Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu)
•
LEFT ARROW (Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu)
•
F5 key (Update the active window)
•
BACKSPACE (View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
•
ESC (Cancel the current task)
•
SHIFT when you insert a CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive (Prevent the CD-ROM from automatically playing)
•
CTRL+SHIFT+ESC (Open Task Manager)
•
If you press SHIFT+F8 in extended selection list boxes, you enable extended selection mode. In this mode, you can use an arrow key to move a cursor without changing the selection. You can press CTRL+SPACEBAR or SHIFT+SPACEBAR to adjust the selection. To cancel extended selection mode, press SHIFT+F8 again. Extended selection mode cancels itself when you move the focus to another control.
•
CTRL+TAB (Move forward through the tabs)
•
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the tabs)
•
TAB (Move forward through the options)
•
SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the options)
•
ALT+Underlined letter (Perform the corresponding command or select the corresponding option)
•
ENTER (Perform the command for the active option or button)
•
SPACEBAR (Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box)
•
Arrow keys (Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons)
•
F1 key (Display Help)
•
F4 key (Display the items in the active list)
•
BACKSPACE (Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box)
•
Windows Logo (Display or hide the Start menu)
•
Windows Logo+BREAK (Display the System Properties dialog box)
•
Windows Logo+D (Display the desktop)
•
Windows Logo+M (Minimize all of the windows)
•
Windows Logo+SHIFT+M (Restore the minimized windows)
•
Windows Logo+E (Open My Computer)
•
Windows Logo+F (Search for a file or a folder)
•
CTRL+Windows Logo+F (Search for computers)
•
Windows Logo+F1 (Display Windows Help)
•
Windows Logo+ L (Lock the keyboard)
•
Windows Logo+R (Open the Run dialog box)
•
Windows Logo+U (Open Utility Manager)
•
Right SHIFT for eight seconds (Switch FilterKeys either on or off)
•
Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN (Switch High Contrast either on or off)
•
Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK (Switch the MouseKeys either on or off)
•
SHIFT five times (Switch the StickyKeys either on or off)
•
NUM LOCK for five seconds (Switch the ToggleKeys either on or off)
•
Windows Logo +U (Open Utility Manager)
•
END (Display the bottom of the active window)
•
HOME (Display the top of the active window)
•
NUM LOCK+Asterisk sign (*) (Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder)
•
NUM LOCK+Plus sign (+) (Display the contents of the selected folder)
•
NUM LOCK+Minus sign (-) (Collapse the selected folder)
•
LEFT ARROW (Collapse the current selection if it is expanded, or select the parent folder)
•
RIGHT ARROW (Display the current selection if it is collapsed, or select the first subfolder)
•
After you double-click a character on the grid of characters, you can move through the grid by using the keyboard shortcuts:
•
RIGHT ARROW (Move to the right or to the beginning of the next line)
•
LEFT ARROW (Move to the left or to the end of the previous line)
•
UP ARROW (Move up one row)
•
DOWN ARROW (Move down one row)
•
PAGE UP (Move up one screen at a time)
•
PAGE DOWN (Move down one screen at a time)
•
HOME (Move to the beginning of the line)
•
END (Move to the end of the line)
•
CTRL+HOME (Move to the first character)
•
CTRL+END (Move to the last character)
•
SPACEBAR (Switch between Enlarged and Normal mode when a character is selected
•
CTRL+O (Open a saved console)
•
CTRL+N (Open a new console)
•
CTRL+S (Save the open console)
•
CTRL+M (Add or remove a console item)
•
CTRL+W (Open a new window)
•
F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)
•
ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the MMC window menu)
•
ALT+F4 (Close the console)
•
ALT+A (Display the Action menu)
•
ALT+V (Display the View menu)
•
ALT+F (Display the File menu)
•
ALT+O (Display the Favorites menu)
•
CTRL+P (Print the current page or active pane)
•
ALT+Minus sign (-) (Display the window menu for the active console window)
•
SHIFT+F10 (Display the Action shortcut menu for the selected item)
•
F1 key (Open the Help topic, if any, for the selected item)
•
F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)
•
CTRL+F10 (Maximize the active console window)
•
CTRL+F5 (Restore the active console window)
•
ALT+ENTER (Display the Properties dialog box, if any, for the selected item)
•
F2 key (Rename the selected item)
•
CTRL+F4 (Close the active console window. When a console has only one console window, this shortcut closes the console)
•
CTRL+ALT+END (Open the Microsoft Windows NT Security dialog box)
•
ALT+PAGE UP (Switch between programs from left to right)
•
ALT+PAGE DOWN (Switch between programs from right to left)
•
ALT+INSERT (Cycle through the programs in most recently used order)
•
ALT+HOME (Display the Start menu)
•
CTRL+ALT+BREAK (Switch the client computer between a window and a full screen)
•
ALT+DELETE (Display the Windows menu)
•
CTRL+ALT+Minus sign (-) (Place a snapshot of the entire client window area on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing ALT+PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)
•
CTRL+ALT+Plus sign (+) (Place a snapshot of the active window in the client on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)
•
CTRL+B (Open the Organize Favorites dialog box)
•
CTRL+E (Open the Search bar)
•
CTRL+F (Start the Find utility)
•
CTRL+H (Open the History bar)
•
CTRL+I (Open the Favorites bar)
•
CTRL+L (Open the Open dialog box)
•
CTRL+N (Start another instance of the browser with the same Web address)
•
CTRL+O (Open the Open dialog box, the same as CTRL+L)
•
CTRL+P (Open the Print dialog box)
•
CTRL+R (Update the current Web page)
•
CTRL+W (Close the current window)
•
Some keyboard shortcuts may not work if StickyKeys is turned on in Accessibility Options.
•
Some of the Terminal Services client shortcuts that are similar to the shortcuts in Remote Desktop Sharing are not available when you use Remote Assistance in Windows XP Home Edition.
•
Some of the other Microsoft Knowledge Base articles that have similar information as this article are:
126449 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/126449/) Keyboard shortcuts for Windows
255090 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/255090/) Keystroke navigation in Windows 2000 Help•
Refer to Help for the most current information regarding keyboard navigation and visit the following Microsoft Accessibility Web site for additional information that relates to keyboard shortcuts and keyboard navigation in Windows and other Microsoft products:
http://www.microsoft.com/enable (http://www.microsoft.com/enable)
