23 invaluable keyboard shortcuts

Posted on 11 Mar 2008 at 12:43

F2
Renaming files in a hurry can easily catch you out - click too quickly and you've accidentally opened the file. It's simpler to press F2 when the file is selected.

F6
Whichever side of the browser wars you're on, F6 will highlight the address bar, shaving microseconds off your browsing time.

Shift + F3
Forget highlighting text, right-clicking on it and changing the formatting to make it UPPER CASE. Simply highlight your text, hit <Shift-F3>, and the selected text cycles through First Letter Capitalisation, ALL CAPS, and lower caps.

Shift + right-click
Right-click was one of the best additions to Windows 95, and you can make it more useful by holding Shift while you click. Do it on a folder for the option to open a command line window. On other files, you get the option to pin the file to the Start Menu, or to add it to the quick launch bar.

Windows + B
Amid the clutter of icons in your System Tray are a few essential applications - use this keystroke to select the first System Tray icon, the arrow keys to select the one you want, and Enter to launch it. This is particularly useful because it makes hiding constantly used programs in the System Tray more viable, creating space on the taskbar.

Windows + E
Windows Explorer is the gateway to your files and documents, but opening it often involves getting to the desktop or Start Menu. <Windows-E> will launch an instance of Explorer from any window, with Computer (My Computer under XP) as the default location.

Windows + F
Finding files can be a problem if you're a document hoarder, and it's easy to waste time hunting for a file that Windows Search could find in seconds. Use <Windows-F> to open a search window and fill in as much information as you can about the file you're looking for.

Windows + L
This instantly locks your PC. No more waiting till your screensaver fires up before you can pop out to lunch.

Windows + M
By the end of a working day, everyone's built up a collection of open windows. <Windows-M> will clear these away to reveal the desktop, while <Shift-Windows- M> will restore things to how they were.

Windows + R
The Run dialog box was a huge timesaver under XP, but then came Vista, sweeping it out of view. It's still there in the background, though, and <Windows-R> opens it (the same shortcut works under XP). From here, you can launch all manner of applications without the mouse.

Windows + F1
While F1 will give you the Help file in most applications, <Windows-F1> will open Windows Help. This can save you time when you can't remember how to change a setting or find a certain feature.

Windows + Tab
Switching between two programs into which you're typing is a nuisance: you have to stop, reach for the mouse, select the other program, then resume typing. But, in XP, you can switch windows by pressing <Windows-Tab> to select a taskbar item (with a grey - not white - highlight), then scroll up or down with the arrow key. Enter will give that window focus.

Windows + Pause/Break
For upgraders and hardware tweakers, accessing Device Manager and performance settings is a regular task. This shortcut brings up the necessary window.

Shift + Delete
The Recycle Bin is great for those who delete without thinking, but it has the potential to allow sensitive files to linger long after you'd rather they were consigned to the confidential dump. Hold <Shift-Delete> (or hold Shift while dragging a file or batch of files to the Recycle Bin), and the files will be deleted instantly.