{"id":14510,"date":"2019-09-09T14:43:57","date_gmt":"2019-09-09T21:43:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hellotech.com\/?p=14510"},"modified":"2023-01-20T14:32:59","modified_gmt":"2023-01-20T22:32:59","slug":"the-most-useful-windows-keyboard-shortcuts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hellotech.com\/blog\/the-most-useful-windows-keyboard-shortcuts","title":{"rendered":"The Most Useful Windows Keyboard Shortcuts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Most people don\u2019t bother memorizing keyboard shortcuts because they rely on their mouse. But certain Windows keyboard shortcuts can save you a lot of time and effort, especially if you\u2019re doing repetitive tasks. Below are some Windows keyboard shortcuts to help you be more productive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Keyboard Shortcuts to Navigate Windows<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Most tasks that require you to move your mouse around can also be accomplished with hotkeys. Save a few mouse clicks by using the Windows keyboard shortcuts below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Windows key (<\/strong>\u229e)<\/strong> + D <\/strong>to access your desktop<\/strong>. You don\u2019t need to minimize all your windows and applications to see your desktop. After you use this keyboard shortcut to look at your desktop, you can use it again to bring your applications back to where they were before.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n
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Windows + Comma<\/strong> to peek at your desktop<\/strong>. Use this keyboard shortcut to quickly see your desktop. Once you let go of the comma key, your windows and applications will return to where they were before.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n
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Windows + down arrow<\/strong> to minimize the current window. <\/strong>Use this shortcut to hide your current window or application in the taskbar. You can then bring it back up by hitting the Windows + arrow up keys.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n
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Windows + M <\/strong>to minimize all open windows. <\/strong>Use this keyboard shortcut if you\u2019re tired of seeing all your windows and applications. Once you use this keyboard shortcut, you will have to manually click on your applications and windows to bring them back up.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Windows + E <\/strong>to open File Explorer.<\/strong> If you don\u2019t have File Explorer pinned to your taskbar, this is another way to access it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Windows + L to <\/strong>lock your computer<\/strong>. This will immediately bring you back to your sign-in screen. Once you sign in, your applications and windows will be right where they were before.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Windows + S <\/strong>\u2013 Open the Windows search bar. You can type in a search term and search your apps, documents, settings, or email, and more<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n
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Windows + T <\/strong>to scroll through taskbar<\/strong>. Use this keyboard shortcut to see all the windows you have opened across all your applications. From there, you can use your arrow keys to navigate or open a program by hitting Enter when it has a white box around it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n
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Windows + number to<\/strong> open an app on the taskbar<\/strong>. Use this keyboard shortcut to open an application based on the number specified. If you have Google Chrome as the third item in your taskbar, for example, you can open it by hitting the Windows + 3 keys.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Alt + Tab<\/strong> to switch between applications<\/strong>. If you have more than two programs running, hold down the Alt button, then press the Tab button. This will open up the Task Switcher window. From here, you can navigate between apps by pressing the Tab button. You can also close apps by clicking the red X in the upper-right corner of each app.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n
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Shift + F10 <\/strong>to open contextual menu<\/strong>. Use this keyboard shortcut in place of right-clicking with your mouse. It opens up a contextual menu, with the options varying depending on what kind of program you have open.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n
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Once you are in the contextual menu, you\u2019ll be given options to Restore, Move, Minimize, Size, Maximize, or Close a window. Some options are grayed out depending on what kind of program you are using.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to Close a Window with Shortcuts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
To close a window, you would normally move your cursor to the X or Exit button on a program and click on it using a mouse. You can accomplish the same task on a keyboard with the following shortcuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Alt + F4<\/strong> to force quit a program.<\/strong> Use this keyboard shortcut to force an application to quit. This is especially helpful when a program becomes unresponsive.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Ctrl + F4 to <\/strong>close a window without exiting the application<\/strong>. Use this keyboard shortcut when you want to close one window without quitting the application. You can also use Control + W to do the same task, but it will only close tabs in Google Chrome.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n
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