Welcome back readers! On this occasion we enter the exciting world of computers to teach you a new skill: How to drive and navigate windows using only the keyboard. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where we don’t have a mouse for the PC or the one we have is broken/not working?
Basically, the mouse is still an accessory, and the truth is that navigating through Windows folders, menus and windows is not strictly necessary: we can do all this and more with the keys of our keyboard. Next, we’ll show you the key keyboard shortcuts you need to know to navigate your operating system like a fish in water.
- Open the start menu: Windows key.
- close current window:Alt+F4.
- Switch between open apps: Alt + Tab.
- Copy: Ctrl + C
- Cut: Ctrl + X
- paste: Ctrl + V
- Cancel: Ctrl + Z
- Navigate through the menu options: Up and down arrows.
- Select menu options: Right arrow.
- Go back to the menu options: Left arrow.
- Open File Explorer: Windows key + E
- Browse files and folders: Windows key + F
- Minimize all windows: Windows key + D
- Open the Accessibility Options screen: Windows key + U
- de-register: Windows key + L
These are just some of the top keyboard shortcuts you can use to navigate Windows without a mouse. Practice these commands and you’ll soon find that you can move around your computer much faster.
In addition, there are other, more advanced keyboard shortcuts that you may find useful in certain situations. Some of them are:
- Open Task Manager: Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
- Take a screenshot: Windows key + print screen
- Switch between the input languages: Windows key + Spacebar.
- Open an item’s context menu: Menu key (usually between the Ctrl key and the Windows key).
- Open the Settings window: Windows key + I
If you use these key combinations and combine them with normal mouse use, you will see your productivity increase significantly and you will be able to make better use of your computer time. It’s time to stop relying on the mouse so much and master the keyboard!