Study has shown (or someone should should study and show) that good use of hot keys will reduce time waste, avoid frustration, and prolong user’s life span. Below are a few hot keys that I use most often which are not trivial (I think everyone knows how to cut and paste? Ctrl X, Ctrl V?)

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For Windows:

Windows + R = run a program, eg: ‘notepad’, ‘firefox’ , ‘mspaint’ for Paint

Windows + M = minimize all windows

Alt + Tab (+Shift) = cycle through opened windows (reverse)

Alt + F4 = close the opened window

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For text editing:

Ctrl + ‘=’ = subscript (in Word 2007)

Ctrl + left or right = move cursor by word

Ctrl + backspace (delete) = delete previous (next) word

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Navigation:

Tab = move to next input box (great for entering email -> password)

Shift + Tab = move to previous input box (great for entering email again cuz you typed it wrong the first time)

Ctrl + end = go to end of document/window (cuz you got tired of reading)

Ctrl + home = go to start of document/window

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Good programs usually have its own hot keys built in.

For example, let’s say you like to create new tabs in Firefox, but you don’t like using the mouse to click around looking dumb. So you opened “File” (if you did that by using Alt+F, good for you, geek), and see that next to the “New Tab” item, it says “Ctrl+T“. That’s not decoration ladies and gentlemen. That means you can use Ctrl + T to create a new tab the right way.

If you really want to know more, some real geek prepared a comprehensive list of windows hotkeys.

Enjoy the computer like you’ve never enjoyed it before! :)



6 Responses to “Hot keys I think everyone should know”  

  1. I tend to use Windows+D for minimizing windows rather than Windows+M, since pressing Windows+D Again will call all of them back :P

    And if you closed a Firefox tab by accident, Ctrl+Shift+T will bring it back :D A recently discovered function and much more easier than going to History > Recently Closed tabs

  2. Sweet deal! Thanks 小N!

  3. 3 stlc

    For firefox, ctrl + tab = browse through the tabs
    ctrl + w = close the current tab
    ctrl + r = refresh the page

    you should mention
    ctrl + x = cut
    ctrl + c = copy
    ctrl + v = paste
    sadly, not many people know about this sweet trick

    zeroratio:
    Yeah, I thought about the really basic ones, and decided to leave them out.
    Not many people know about these ones eh?
    Then this post has a purpose :D

  4. This blog will be a useful exercise for me to try over the break!

  5. 5 inmate1972

    I have been looking for this kind of list forever!! I’m seriously crushing on you whoever you are…

  6. Tina:
    The sooner you start, the sooner you will get reconciliation with your computer :P

    inmate1972:
    I am a random guy who got a ridiculous amount of overnight traffic because of a ridiculously mysterious police incident on my UBC campus, but why, thanks :)
    Enjoy the tricks!


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