Notabilia

Computers

Hints, Tips And Tricks

Keyboard Shortcuts

Using keyboard shortcuts can dramatically increase your work efficiency, especially for repetitive tasks, so try to get into the habit of using your keyboard instead of your mouse.

Undo your last action. This works in both Windows and Mac machines and, like CTRL C for copy and CTRL V for paste, is a universal keyboard command. Undo is handy for quickly erasing your last action in just about any program. (Hint: Easily accessible by left-handed people.)

Close the application window that has the focus.

In Internet Explorer, this will take you to the start page.

Cycle through the task manager icons.

In Internet Explorer, this will take you back to the pervious page.

Closes most dialog boxes, without applying any changes that may have been made through the dialog box. Use it to stop .GIF animated images from animating in Internet Explorer.

In Windows applications, and in the operating system, F1 is a universal call to the app's help system.

In Windows Explorer, use F2 to rename files or folders. This is faster than right-clicking and easier than clicking inside the file or folder name and waiting for the input field to become available.

In Windows Explorer, use F3 to open the find files or folders window.

This is a universal "Refresh" command, which works in many Windows applications. Use it to refresh your Explorer file system, browser and html editors.

Select all the items in the current window. This is a great shortcut, which in combination with Copy and Paste, will have you flying around your screen!

Copy.

Your Start menu appears.

CTRL INSERT

Copy. (Hint: Easily accessible by left-handed people.)

Clone the current Internet Explorer window.

Paste.

Undo your last action. This works in both Windows and Mac machines and, like CTRL C for copy and CTRL V for paste, is a universal keyboard command. Undo is handy for quickly erasing your last action in just about any program.

Increases or decreases the font size of the current web page displayed in Internet Explorer. Other windows applications may also support this function. Microsoft Word is such an example.

Hit this key. You can paste the clipboard contents, into any application that can handle images, Microsoft Word for example.

You can press this key while inserting a CD into the CD drive, in order to avoid the auto-run feature which may be automatically invoked when a CD is loaded. If you fail, repeat the process, pressing the Shift key a little longer.

Deletes an item, without placing it in the Recycle Bin. Works in most Explorer sub-systems, or program navigations. This is also a shortcut for cut. (Hint: Easily accessible by left-handed people.)

Paste. (Hint: Easily accessible by left-handed people.)

In Internet Explorer, use this on a link, to open it in a new window.

This will take you to the pervious, or to the next web page in Internet Explorer.

If your keyboard has the Windows Logo Key (WLK), a key with the Windows logo on it, usually found between the Ctrl and Alt keys, you have access to additional keyboard shortcuts in Windows.

Hit this key and your Start menu appears; is that not faster than going over with your mouse and clicking?

Display the Systems Properties dialog box.

Minimize all windows.

Open Windows Explorer.

Find files or folders. This saves you time from opening the Windows Explorer and selecting find from the menu. Now you have a one-click computer search!

Open the Help window.

Minimize all windows.

Open the Run dialog box.

Cycle through the taskbar icons.

Undo Minimize all windows.

If your keyboard has the Right Click Key (RCK), a key with a menu and a mouse pointer over it, usually found between the Windows Logo and Ctrl keys, you can hit it instead of clicking the right mouse button.

10-02-2003