Create your own keyboard shortcuts

Are you a heavy user of Excel who likes to press F2 to edit a cell, but somehow, your fingers usually fall on the F1 key? Well, you're not alone. And you goolge for answers when you really need Excel support, instead of pressing F1 for help? If you fall into this scenario, you'll find the Excel F1 key most annoying. Especially because it can not be disabled.

There is a solution, however. Using a software to create custom defined keyboard shortcuts, like AutoHotKey, it is a matter of defining a new shortcut attached to the F1 key.

;--------------------------
; F1 Disable help key in Excel
;---------------------------
#IfWinActive ahk_exe EXCEL.EXE
{
              F1::
              return
}
#IfWinActive

Now, make sure this AutoHotKey script starts automatically when you log in to Windows (e.g. by running a batch file on start up) and you'll get real help by not having the Excel Help.

By the way, having already AutoHotKey running, why not loading a library with all your nice keyboard shortcuts? Here is an example of a few more that you might find useful.

;--------------------------
; CTRL+< Text–only paste from clipboard
;--------------------------
^<::    
	str_temp  := ClipBoard
	ClipBoard := str_temp . ""
	Send ^v 
	return


;--------------------------
; CTRL+q Send ALT-F4, except in Outlook (keep behavior)
;--------------------------
#IfWinActive ahk_exe OUTLOOK.EXE
{
	$^q::
	Send ^q
    return
}
#IfWinActive
^q::
Send !{F4}
return


;--------------------------
; CTRL+SPACE Set/unset window always on top
;--------------------------
^SPACE::  Winset, Alwaysontop, , A
return

Have fun!