Double your Work from Home Productivity
By: The Essentialist
Tags: Keyboard Shortcuts, Lifestyle, Productivity, Work From Home, Time Management

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Speed typing is an important skill, as I mentioned in one of my previous articles Essential skills as well. To make your typing experience smooth, to make your lifestyle more productive, and to amaze you, here are all the essential keyboard shortcuts you need to know. I have researched and these are the only ones you will need in your daily tasks, so don’t worry about checking about some other article about Keyboard shortcuts as well. After reading this, you won’t have to.

THE WINDOW KEY SHORTCUTS

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The window is the fundamental key that offers numerous shortcuts. As you are reading this, I’d suggest you try them out right now.

Window + left/right → Move the current program to extreme left or right

Window + up/down →Maximise/reduce the size of the current program

Windows + 1/2/3…→ open the respective apps of the taskbar

Window+R → type cmd → Control+shift+Enter — Run CMD as administrator

Window +. or Window+; → Emojis

Window+, → A glimpse of Desktop

Windows+M →Minimize

Window+A→ Windows Action Center

Windows+X→Start menu options

Windows+E→File Explorer

Windows+R→Run

Windows+U→Open Display Settings

Window+Q→Search

Windows+W→Whiteboard and Full-Screen snip

Windows+T→Show current program in Taskbar

Windows+I→Open Settings

Windows+P→Project current Screen

Windows+S→Start Search

Windows+F→Feedback Hub

Windows+H→Open Dictation

Windows+K→Connect to wireless Devices

Windows+V→Open Clipboard where you have a history of all the things you pasted

Windows+B→Show Hidden files from the left most corner of Taskbar

Windows+Spacebar→Change Language of Keyboard

Windows+F1→Internet Search for Help in Windows 10

Window+PrtScn→Save Screenshot and Copy it to the clipboard as well

Window + (+/-) →Magnifying the page

Windows + Control + D → Add new Display

Window + Control + left/right → Switch between multiple Displays

Window+Shift+Esc→Task Manager

Window+Shift+S→ Take Screenshot

THE CONTROL KEY SHORTCUTS

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Control + Shift + V →Paste as plain text

Control+Shift+N →New folder

Control+left/right →To move the cursor word to word instead of usual text to text

Control + Esc→Open Start menu, an alternative to Windows key in case the key stop working

Control + alt + up/down/left/right →Change orientation of your desktop.

Control+tab →Switch between different tabs

Control +C/V/X→Copy/Paste/Cut

Control+I/B/U→ Italicise/Bold/Underline Text

Control +A/Z/Y→Select all/Undo/Redo

Control+F/G — Find/Find and Replace

Control +K/W→Insert Hyperlink/Close the current window

Control + 1 →Single-space lines

Control + 2→Double-space lines

Control+ 5→1.5-line spacing

Control + Alt + 1 → Change text to H1

Control + Alt + 2→ Change text to H2

Control + Alt + 3 →Change text to H3

Control +Home/End→Jump to Beginning/End of the page

Control+shift+T→Previously opened browser. Sorry, teenagers.

Control+left mouse click→Open link in a new tab without leaving the Current one

Control+D /P/O→ Bookmark/Print/Open

Control+1/2/3…→Jump to respective tabs within a browser

Control+(+,-)→ Zoom In/Out while adjusting the width of the Screen

Control+F4 →Close current Window

OTHER IMPORTANT SHORTCUTS

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Shift+alt+PrtScn → High contrast

Alt+Enter→ To open the properties of the selected file(s).

Tab and Shift+Tab→ Move to next/previous dialogue box

Shift+delete→ Permanent Delete file

Alt+tab→ Jump between multiple programs

F11/F12→ Full-Screen view in browser/ Open Console in the browser

F2/F5/F3→Rename/Refresh/Search files

Alt+D →Directly go to address bar

Alt+F →File menu of any application

THE ALTERNATIVES

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There are times when one key of your keyboard don’t want to work, for whatever reason. That can be really annoying since it is not a good bargain to purchase a new keyboard just for one key. Worry not, I got you covered, here are the important alternatives, that will some your money, maybe you should consider taking Medium Membership.

Shift+Insert = Paste / Ctrl+V

Shift+Delete= Cut /Ctrl+X

Control+Esc= Window Start

Spacebar and Shift+Spacebar=Page up and Page down

Shift+F12=Save

Shift+F10=Right Click

Window+Delete=BackSpace

BONUS: CREATE YOUR OWN SHORTCUTS

Feeling like The Weeknd? It is true. You can customize your own keyboard shortcuts in order to open your desired application. Just follow the steps.

Steps:

a) Add the application’s shortcut to the Desktop whom you want open using your desired shortcut

b) Open Properties: You should see a column named Shortcut which is none right now.

c) Add your desired shortcut.

d) Save your time

Please note that I am not telling you these are all the shortcuts in the world. I am not an employee of Microsoft, I couldn’t know all of them. But I researched and found them to be the most practical and essentials. I am sure you won’t be using other than these. Exceptions can be everywhere. So, if you think there is something I need to add, respond for the same.