The mouse is a great tool for navigating your computer.  However, sometimes it is faster to use the keyboard.  The integrated touchpads on laptops can also slow you down sometimes.  Here are some great tips to help you make the most of your keyboard. 

The Basics:

Most of the keyboard shortcuts below are used by hitting a combination of keys.  The first key listed is pressed and held and then the second key is pressed so that BOTH are being held at once.  Then both can be released at the same time.

Everyone should know Cut/Copy/Paste and Undo.  These are the bread and butter of every day keyboarding.

Ctrl-C = Copy

Ctrl-X = Cut

Ctrl-V = Paste

Ctrl-Z = Undo

You can easily highlight a block of text in a web browser, Word document, even a .PDF file and hold the Control (Ctrl) key on the keyboard then also press the ‘C’ key to copy all of the text into the clipboard so you can paste it into an eMail, Spreadsheet, Word document or Microsoft OneNote (for example) by simply opening the desired application, putting the cursor where you want it to end up and pressing Ctrl-V to paste.

This works with whole files and folders too.  So if you want to move (cut) files or copy them to a different folder, you can select the files, press Ctrl-X, navigate to the target folder and use Ctrl-V to paste.  (Be VERY careful moving files around, it is MUCH safer to copy to a new location, verify that the file is where you want it to be, and then delete it from the original location.)

The Undo command is very useful for a variety of tasks.  It can undo a move or a copy of a file.  It can sometimes undelete a file you have accidently deleted.  It can put things back when you have accidently renamed a file.  It can step you back through changes you have made in a Word document (even undoing typing that you have entered.)  Whenever you make a mistake, try Ctrl-Z, you might be surprised at its effectiveness.

Windows Navigation:

Windows Navigation will rely heavily on the "Windows Key."  Here is a photo to show what we are referring to:



You can quickly open the start menu by pressing the Windows key or by pressing Ctrl-Esc.  (Once open, the arrow keys can move you around the menu, and enter is used to launch a program.)

Alt-Tab is the fast task switcher.  It allows you to switch between running applications.  In Windows Vista and Windows 7 you can use the Windows Key-Tab to get a more visual interface for task swapping.  Although, Alt-Tab still works.

A few quick shortcuts, all used with the Windows key:

Windows Key – D will display the Desktop

Windows Key – M will minimize all open windows (Which is pretty similar to the previous one.)

Windows Key – E to open “My Computer”

Windows Key – F to search the computer (or “find” something.)

Windows Key – R to open the “Run” dialog to quickly launch something

Within most applications

The cut/copy/paste/undo commands from above will work in most applications. 

But let’s add in Ctrl-A to Select All.  It can save you the trouble when you want to copy everything to another location.

Here are a few more to add to your bag of tricks:

F1 is for Help

Ctrl-F is for Find.  It will search the current page.
Ctrl-P is to Print
Ctrl-S is to quickly Save
Ctrl-B is to make text Bold

Ctrl-I is to make text Italic

Ctrl-U is to make text Underlined

  (If you highlight text that is already Bold, Italic, and/or Underlined, pressing the appropriate command again will remove that attribute.)

There are many, many more keyboard shortcuts.  This list is not meant to be comprehensive.  I just wanted to get you started with the best, most useful keyboard shortcuts.