Here's today's tip. Use both hands to make your work more efficient. Mastering keyboard shortcuts can drastically improve productivity and help you breeze through tasks. In fact, that's the reason I passed down my MacBook Pro to my daughter and jumped back onto a PC - the family access to shortcuts with my left hand. Here is a list of shortcuts that have simplified my workflow and made writing much more efficient. If I've left anything out, or if you have some hacks of your own, please share them in a comment below. Happy shortcutting!
- Alt + Esc – Cycle through open windows seamlessly.
- Alt + Tab – Switch between open apps quickly. Hold Alt and press Tab repeatedly to toggle between applications.
- Alt + Left Arrow Key – Go back in apps and browsers.
- Alt + Right Arrow Key – Move forward in apps and browsers.
- Alt + Page Down/Page Up – Move up or down by one screen in a document or web page.
- Alt + Spacebar – Open the context menu for the active window.
- Ctrl + Alt + Tab – View all open apps without having to hold the keys down.
- Ctrl + Arrow Keys + Spacebar – Select multiple files or items in File Explorer or on the desktop.
- Ctrl + Click a Grouped App Button – Cycle through open windows in the group from the Taskbar.
- Ctrl + F5 / Ctrl + R – Refresh the current window or webpage.
- Ctrl + Shift + Esc – Open Task Manager instantly.
- Ctrl + Arrow Keys – Navigate through text efficiently:
- Ctrl + Left Arrow Key – Move to the beginning of the previous word.
- Ctrl + Right Arrow Key – Move to the beginning of the next word.
- Ctrl + Up/Down Arrow Key – Move to the beginning of the previous or next paragraph.
Harness the power of the Windows key to perform a variety of tasks:
- Windows Key – Open the Start menu.
- Windows Key + A – Open the Action Center for notifications and quick settings.
- Windows Key + D – Show or hide the desktop instantly.
- Windows Key + E – Open File Explorer.
- Windows Key + L – Lock your computer when you step away.
- Windows Key + PrtScn – Capture and save a screenshot automatically.
- Windows Key + R – Open the Run dialog to quickly launch apps.
- Windows Key + S – Open Search to find files, apps, or settings.
- Windows Key + T – Cycle through apps pinned to the Taskbar.
- Windows Key + Up/Down/Left/Right Arrow Keys – Manage window layouts:Up Arrow Key – Maximize the window.Down Arrow Key – Minimize the window.Left/Right Arrow Key – Snap the window to the left or right side of the screen.
- Windows Key + V – Access the Clipboard history.
- Windows Key + H – Open the dictation tool for voice typing.
- Windows Key + Period (.) or Semicolon (;) – Open the emoji panel.
Once you've mastered the basics, level up with these more advanced shortcuts:
- Ctrl + A – Select all items in a window or document.
- Ctrl + C / Ctrl + X / Ctrl + V – Copy, cut, or paste selected items (works across most applications).
- Ctrl + Shift + V – Paste as plain text without formatting.
- Ctrl + Z / Ctrl + Y – Undo or redo actions.
- Shift + Delete – Permanently delete an item without moving it to the Recycle Bin.
- F2 – Rename a selected item.
- F5 – Refresh the active window or page.
- Ctrl + F4 – Close the active document in multi-document apps.
- PrtScn – Take a screenshot of your entire screen and copy it to the clipboard.
- Double Click – Select a word by double-clicking it.
- Triple Click – Select an entire paragraph or sentence by triple-clicking it.
- Esc – Cancel or close the current task or dialog box.
Using keyboard shortcuts saves me a significant amount of time every day by reducing the need to switch between the keyboard and mouse. Shortcuts allow you to streamline common tasks like window management, text navigation, and app switching, enabling you to work more efficiently. This is particularly important while presenting to others, teaching a class or "Zooming".
Ready to give this a shot? Screenshot the shortcuts above and add them as your wallpaper to your desktop. Any time you need a reminder, simply press the Windows Key + D to access the desktop and there you go. Soon, you'll find yourself moving through tasks with newfound speed and ease.
