Whether you are a seasoned veteran when it comes to using Windows, or you are a less experienced user, sometimes it can be frustrating to spend all that time clicking through menus and messing with settings when trying to get work done. While you may know copy (CTRL + C) and paste (CTRL + V), there are tons of other handy shortcuts that can be used to make your tasks less tedious. Here are ten must-know keyboard shortcuts to improve your everyday life when using your Windows computer.
1) Windows Key + L: Instantly locks the computer
This incredibly important shortcut allows the user to secure their computer quickly if they need to step away. It is essential and good practice to use this if you ever have to keep your PC unattended. It will keep your computer secure without completely signing out.
2) Web Browser Shortcut – CTRL + Shift + T: Reopens last closed tab
This shortcut is a handy way to immediately reopen your most recently closed tab. It can be pressed multiple times to reopen the last several tabs as well.
3) Windows Key + Left/Right Arrow Key: Snaps your current window to exactly half of the screen
Use this shortcut if you want to have multiple windows open on one screen. You can press either the left or right arrow key to choose the direction the window will snap. This is useful for if you have only one monitor and you need to reference different tabs, allowing you to avoid having to constantly switch tabs, boosting productivity.
4) CTRL + F: Find
An incredibly useful shortcut, it is most used to search a page for specific text, reducing the time needed to locate a certain sentence or word. However, it can also be used in File Explorer (The folder icon on the bottom of your screen) to locate a specific file on your computer.
5) Windows Key + V: Clipboard history menu
By pressing this shortcut, it will open a menu that can show you the last 25 things that were copied. This is useful for when you forgot what you copied before and you need to reference it again. If it hasn’t been turned on, it will tell you to do so when first opened. This can be done by clicking the “Turn on” button found in the window. It is worth noting that it will not track any of your items that were copied before turning this feature on. Also, unless specific copied items are pinned, they will be gone after a restart.
6) Windows Key + Tab: Switch between active windows and applications
This shortcut brings up a screen of all open windows and applications, allowing the user to quickly switch to their desired window or application.
7) Windows Key + P: Change how your PC projects
Instead of having to search for it in the settings menu, this shortcut allows you to change how your computer projects if it is hooked up to a projector or CleverTouch board. Use this to switch between duplicate and extend.
8) CTRL + Shift + V: Paste text unformatted
A less well-known way to paste information that was copied. This will allow text to be pasted unformatted. Useful for when you want to copy something but don’t want to keep the way it was formatted. This often happens when copying text from a webpage into another textbox or word document.
9) Windows Key + D: Show desktop
This shortcut immediately minimizes all windows and shows the desktop. This is useful for when you need to access the desktop quickly, allowing you to bypass minimizing all tabs yourself.
10) Windows Key + I: Show settings menu
It can often feel burdensome when attempting to locate and open the settings menu. However, with Windows Key + I, it will bring up the settings menu without all the work of looking for it.
While there are many other useful Windows keyboard shortcuts, these ten are essential to have in your repertoire to streamline your Windows experience. If you have any questions about these shortcuts or features, or run into any issues with your device, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Tech Department via the help desk.