keyboard shortcuts

Navigate your computer more easily with the push of a few buttons

Most expert computer users know the basic keyboard shortcuts, like pressing Control-P on a PC to print a document.  But did you know there are plenty of other useful – not to mention pretty darn cool – key combinations out there?  From instantly zooming in to a larger view to quickly closing your browser window, these shortcuts will put the World Wide Web and more at your fingertips – because every second counts.

Add a Bookmark 

Keep forgetting the link for eforms, your property website, or any other webpage you use often?  While you are viewing the webpage you can quickly create a bookmark so you have it stored in your “Favorites”.  To do this, just click Control+D and a box will pop up allowing you to instantly save to your “Favorites”.  To find these in the future just click the star icon on the top right of your web browser.

Delete Forever

When you know you want to nix a file forever – instead of sending it to clog up the recycling bin first.  Shift+Delete

Close Browser

If you need to close your browser and your mouse isn’t working you can use this keyboard shortcut.  Alt+F4

Show Desktop

If you have lots of windows open on your computer and you want quick access to your desktop you can use this keyboard shortcut.  Window Key+D

Find Files or Folders

Forget painstakingly searching all of your folders to find one file.  This shortcut will do the searching for you.  Window Key+F

Change Zoom Level

Whether you’re working on the Web or in a word processing program, zoom in or out with this command Control+Scroll Mouse Wheel

Reopen Previous Tab in Browser

Have you ever accidentally closed the browser tab you were looking at and had to spend time backtracking to find it again?  This shortcut will restore that page to you almost instantly.  Control+Shift+T

Switch Between Open Programs

Navigating between open screens can get confusing.  Make it easy to move among all your programs with this quick trick.  Alt+Tab

Take a Screen Shot

Capture an image of what you’re working on instantly with a screen grab – it’s particularly useful for Web pages you can’t copy and paste.  Print Screen (then paste [Control+V] into a Word document)

Refresh a Webpage

Refresh your browser when you’re waiting for a new email to arrive or checking the latest Craigslist Postings by using this keyboard shorcut  F5, or Control+R

Go to a Previous Location in a Browser

Time travel with a neat shortcut, which lets you quickly go back to the webpage you were looking at before your current one.  Alt+Back Arrow

Spelling/Grammar Check

No more excuses: Perfect spelling and grammar is just one keystroke away.  F7

Add “http://www.” to Your Browser’s Address Bar

The quickest route to your online destination? Just type the name of the webpage you’d like to go to (for example, type “Google”), then press the following keys to add the “http://www.” to the beginning and “.com” to the end Control+Enter

Select the Address Bar 

When you want to quickly type a new URL into your browser, this shortcut will easily select the address bar for you, so you can start typing without moving your mouse.  Control+L or F6

Launch the Windows Start Menu

Just tap these keys for an easy way to view your Start Menu options.  Window Key, or Control+Esc

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