To save some time… as always it is faster to use keyboard commands instead of removing your hands from the keyboard and using the mouse.

If you need to print a document, webpage, pdf or any other item all you need to do is press “ctrl” and “p” buttons to initiate the print options (see image below).  This will save you several seconds instead of taking your hand off the keyboard to go to the mouse and going to “file” then “print”.

Example:
1. You are browsing the internet and want to print a page

2. Press “ctrl” and “p”

3. You press enter if you don’t need to change any options.

4.  You printed your document without even moving your hands from the keyboard

Regardless of your computer experience, there is always a need to copy text from one application and paste into another.  I feel that most of my clients have the experience to highlight the text you want to copy and then they go up to the menu bar and select copy.

But there is an easier way to copy/paste so that you don’t have to take your hands off the keyboard.

1. Highlight the text, web address, picture, or any file that you want to copy and press “Ctrl” and “c” to copy the item.

2. Select the destination where you want to paste the copied item and press “Ctrl” and “v” to paste the item.

That is it!  This seems like a trivial item which will only save you a second or two, but it will simplify the way you copy/paste.  Enjoy.

So whether your burning files to a cd, copy/pasting, or any other task that you need to select multiple files it can be time consuming and tedious if you select one file at a time.  This should help for all sorts of tasks where you need to select multiple files and in the past have selected one at a time.

Their are several ways to select multiple files:

If continuous (file 1 – 100 for example):

1. Click on the first file, then hold the “Shift” key and click on the last file.  Every file in between will be selected.

If you want random files but not everything in between:

1. Click on the first file you want, then hold the “Ctrl” key and select the next file, then the next file, and so on.

If you want to select all the files within a folder:

1. Press and hold the “Ctrl” key, then press “A“, and all files will be selected.

So there are several ways to open Windows Explorer (Explorer shown below) and I will give you several methods for easily accessing Windows Explorer to view files on your hard drive.  I prefer the option #1, due to the fact that the less time you take your hands off the keyboard the quicker you can accomplish the task you are sitting at the computer to accomplish.

Methods:

1.  Press and “E“.

2.  Right mouse click on the Windows logo on bottom left and click “Explore” or “Windows Explorer“.

3.  Open “My Computer“.

Windows Explorer

So maybe you’re at work and need to hide Facebook or maybe you just need to minimize all programs to get to a document on your desktop, there is an easier way to do that.  If you press the (Windows key) and then press D it will minimize all running programs and show you the desktop.  After all programs are minimized if you press the   + D again it will restore all applications to their maximized state and you can continue updating your Facebook status without your boss harping on you again….. this time.

Enjoy

Throughout this blog I am going to be sharing some Windows shortcuts that can make your everyday computing easier.  Today I will tell you how to switch back and forth to different applications you have open.

Press and hold the  “Alt” button & then press the  “Tab” buttons and you will see a dialog box pop up with all applications currently running.  You can continue to press the “Tab” key to scroll through to the other applications. (see image below).  When you release the “Alt” button you will go to the application selected without taking your hands off the keyboard.