Keyboard Shortcuts Everyone Should Know

How to use a computer effectively was a 5 minute interlude during a meeting on Holding Effective Meetings with a client on Monday. That discussion resulted in this quick, and hopefully relevant & useful, pair of tips because these seasoned computer users were eager to learn the tips and hadn't learned them in all their years using PCs.

Searching your folders is often done via Explore in windows. The quick way to open the explore window is to hold down the windows logo key (between the ctrl & alt keys on most keyboards) then tap the e key (for explore).

  Try it now!

 

The quick way to open the find dialog is to type windows key then tap the f key (for find).

Try it now!

Will that save you time? Keep you on the keyboard rather than grabbing the mouse?  If yes, use it at least 3 times every day for the next week and they'll be as automatic as typing words are today.

Comments

[iHanna]

Didn't know about the E, that's great advice for access to memory cards etc. I like the window + M too to get to the desktop! :-) M for minimize. though d works too

Thanks!

[Susan Sabo]

@ Dustin ~
thanks for adding to the list... doing the basics frequently and well has a big payoff!

[Dustin Emhart]

Also in this handy family of shortcuts is Win-D, which shows the Desktop - and minimizes all windows.

I have a laptop and go to my clients' offices often. If they come in with a question, not only does this let me hide what's on my screen quickly in case it's sensitive, but it also hides any distracting windows on my screen so I can focus on their question.

(If I get up from my computer, I hit Ctrl-Alt-Del, K to lock the computer and protect it from prying eyes and fingers.)