Bob Milliken
Bob Milliken

Using keyboard shortcuts can greatly increase your productivity, reduce repetitive strain, and help keep you focused. For example, to copy text, you can highlight text and press the Ctrl+C shortcut. Or to open the Windows Task Manager simply use the shortcut Ctrl-Shift-Esc. Without the shortcut, you would have to search for the task manager (for instance in the start menu) to load it from there.

Let’s get productive! Shortcuts are always faster than moving your hands from the keyboard, using the house, and then returning to the keyboard.

Here are the top 23 keyboard shortcuts we recommend everyone memorize and use.

Program Shortcuts

  • Ctrl-ahighlights everything in a folder or document.
  • Ctrl-ccopies the selected item or text to the clipboard.
  • Ctrl-vpastes the contents of the clipboard into the active program.
  • Ctrl-fopens the search in many programs. All web browsers and the majority of Office applications for instance support this. F3 may work sometimes as well.
  • Ctlr-ssaves a document or web page in many programs, including Office and web browsers.
  • Ctrl-zwill undo the last action.
  • Ctrl-left arrow moves the cursor to the beginning of the previous word, while Ctrl-right arrowto the beginning of the next word.
  • Ctrl-Shift-left arrowor right arrow highlights the full previous or next word.
  • Ctrl-Backspacedeletes the word on the left of the cursor.
  • Ctrl-Homemoves the cursor to the top of the document, while Ctrl-End to the end of it.
  • Esccancels the current task.

 KeyboardWindows Shortcuts

  • Ctrl-Shift-Escopens the Windows Task Manager. (Windows 7 and newer)
  • Ctrl-Shift-clickon a taskbar icon to open the program with administrative privileges. (Windows 7 and newer)
  • Shift-clickon a taskbar icon to launch another instance of the program
  • Alt-Tablets you switch between open programs and windows, Alt-Shift-Tab walks through the listing backwards.
  • Alt-F4closes the active item or exits the active program
  • Alt-Esccycles through the list of open programs in the order they have been opened.
  • Windows-ddisplays the desktop, while Windows-m minimizes all windows to show the desktop, and Windows-Shift-m restores the windows to their original position.
  • Windows-eopens My Computer in Windows Explorer
  • Windows-ropens the run box to start programs from there.
  • Spacebar moves the scrollbar down a page – Shift+spacebar moves the scrollbar up one page.
  • Ctrl-popens a print preview of the page or document currently being viewed.
  • F2 after highlighting or selecting a file, pressing F2 changes the file name to be editable, allowing you to quickly rename the file.

Take Away …

Our 23 keyboard shortcuts include the key shortcuts for all recent Microsoft operating systems and other Microsoft products such as Office or Internet Explorer. To learn about other production improvements with keyboard shortcuts, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today!

Bob Milliken is the TheITguy@CascadiaSystemsGroup.com specializing in helping businesses with their IT needs. Discover how great local IT services can be.  604.270.1730.