Your computer's mouse is pretty handy. It lets you select things, place the cursor and get to those right-click menus. Once you learn how many keyboard shortcuts are available, though, you might decide you don't need the mouse - at least not as much as you thought you did.
Function Keys
The "function keys" are the "F" keys usually above the row of number keys at the top of the keyboard. The shortcuts provided by these keys may vary depending on software installed on your computer, but here is a list of the most common function key shortcuts.
- F1 - Opens the Help menu for the current program (pressing the Windows key + F1 will bring up Windows Help and Support).
- F2 - A shortcut to Rename, found on the right-click menu for folders and other items.
- F3 - A shortcut to the Find dialog box.
- F4 - Activates the address bar of a window. Alt+F4 is a shortcut to close the active window.
- F5 - Refreshes the page. This is a handy shortcut for those last minute online auctions!
- F6 - A shortcut to cycle through open windows.
- F7 - Does not have a preinstalled Windows shortcut.
- F8 - Used to enter Safe Mode during startup (you must tap it repeatedly as the computer boots up).
- F9 - Another function key without a shortcut attached, although it might have a shortcut in specific programs.
- F10 - A shortcut to the toolbar menu. You can then use the arrow keys to navigate through these menus.
- F11 - This shortcut hides the taskbar and toolbar and makes the current window full screen. This might be one you have hit on accident in the past and wondered, "Where did everything go?" Simply press F11 again to bring back the taskbar and toolbar.
- F12 - This final function key has no specific Windows shortcut, although it has uses in other applications.
Photo Credit: sxc.hu/florinf
Alt Key Shortcuts
The Alt key, just to the right of the spacebar, is worthy of its own list of shortcuts. You may want to print or memorize this handy list.
- Alt Key - On its own, activates the toolbar menu
- Alt+Tab - Switches between all open windows.
- Alt+Escape - Goes back through all open windows
- Alt+Spacebar - Brings up the System menu, from which you can choose to restore, maximize, minimize and so on.
- Alt+ Down Arrow - Opens a drop-down list.
- Alt+ Underlined Letter - In any open dialog, will activate that command.
Check out the large, printable list of Ctrl key shortcuts on the next page.