You generally is a seasoned Home windows consumer, however you should still not know each shortcut accessible. For instance, earlier this month I realized a brand new keyboard shortcut I hadn’t identified earlier than. It was so easy and apparent, but felt like a whole secret till that second.
I additionally found that there are a complete lot extra I’ve been sleeping on.
The unique tip got here by way of Twitter (now often called X) courtesy of Jen Gentleman, a Home windows engineering crew member at Microsoft. However the assist doesn’t cease there. She very generously has an entire list of such tricks pinned to the highest of her feed, too. I eagerly jumped down that rabbit gap and got here away with a strong record of recent shortcuts to include into each day use.
To avoid wasting you time, I’ve shared my favorites under. They work in each Home windows 10 and 11. In the event you like them, make sure to try Gentleman’s Twitter account—not solely do you get useful Home windows ideas, she posts spot-on inside monologues about video video games, too. (I really feel this one fairly deep in my soul.)
1. Copy textual content from a Home windows dialog window
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Working up in opposition to an error message in Home windows? No must painstakingly transcribe the error code. As an alternative, when the pop-up is the lively window, hit Ctrl + C in your keyboard, then paste the textual content right into a doc. The entire message is copied, so you possibly can extract no matter components of it you need from the textual content dump.
2. Swap to the proper app window quick
If in case you have multiple window open for an app, you possibly can hover your mouse over this system’s icon in your taskbar, then select the proper window—supplied you can also make out which one it’s from the tiny preview.
Another that’s simply as quick? Maintain Ctrl after which click on on the app’s icon. You’ll cycle via all its open home windows. I now use this solely when flipping between two open home windows. It’s as environment friendly as alt+tab, however app-specific.
3. Open a brand new occasion of an app
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Seems in the event you maintain Shift whereas clicking together with your mouse on a taskbar icon, it opens a brand new occasion of that app. That’s, operating this system a second time or extra. It’s barely completely different than opening a brand new window—for instance, a second occasion of Chrome permits you to load a distinct profile whereas the primary one is logged in. Or having two textual content information open on the identical time in Notepad.
You may middle-click in your mouse to execute this identical command, too—that’s in all probability your scroll wheel when you’ve got a contemporary mouse.
4. Make Home windows UWP apps fullscreen
Whereas urgent Win + the up arrow key will maximize any window, it doesn’t make the applying full display. For apps you put in via the Microsoft Retailer app (aka Home windows UWP apps), you can also make them full display by tapping three keys: Win + Shift + Enter.
5. Run apps with elevated permissions
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By default, apps don’t run with admin permissions, a safety measure that restricts how a program can behave inside Home windows. For instance, the KeePassXC password supervisor can’t entry 2FA {hardware} keys (like a Yubikey) plugged right into a PC when opened usually.
To shortly launch software program with elevated permissions, simply maintain Ctrl + Shift whereas double-clicking the app to open it. No must right-click on this system’s icon or shortcut after which select to run as admin.
6. Open a brand new window for an app
Each app in your taskbar has a quantity assigned to its place—no less than, for the primary 10. You would possibly already know this and make use of the keyboard shortcut that allows you to open apps (or bounce to them, if already open) pinned to your taskbar: the Home windows key plus a quantity from 0 via 9.
However do you know in the event you maintain Win + Shift after which the quantity you need, a brand new window for that app will open? This one isn’t common (the software program has to help this shortcut), however for people who do, it’s a incredible time saver.
7. Fast entry to emoji (and kaomoji!)
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Wish to insert an emoji (or extra importantly, a kaomoji) into no matter you’re typing? Skip the web search and as an alternative press Win + ; or Win + . in your keyboard. It brings up Home windows’ on-screen emoji keyboard, which features a kaomoji keyboard and particular characters keyboard, too. Home windows 11 additionally will get a GIF keyboard and direct entry to the clipboard. ╰(*°▽°*)╯
8. Repair a black display
Did your display all of the sudden go clean, although your PC was behaving usually beforehand and nonetheless continues to run? You don’t must exhausting reboot instantly. As an alternative, first strive urgent Win + Ctr + Shift + B in your keyboard. Home windows will know you’ve encountered a black display and can attempt to repair it for you.
9. Entry your Command Immediate historical past
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Seems the Command Immediate (aka cmd) retains a historical past, and you’ll name it as much as see what instructions you ran—and rerun them from that menu. All you do is faucet F7 in your keyboard.
No lie, my face rivaled that meme of Chris Pratt’s astonished face in The Workplace once I tried this one out. I find it irresistible.
10. Open file properties immediately
You may right-click on a file to entry its properties, however why undergo all that bother? As an alternative, maintain down Alt whereas double clicking on it. It’s lighting quick.
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Generally your PC acts up, and you have to use Home windows’ heavy-hitting troubleshoot choices like protected mode, startup restore, and system restoration. You may entry them throughout boot by urgent F8 throughout startup—or extra merely, holding Shift earlier than selecting to restart your PC from the Home windows energy menu.
12. Reorder objects in an inventory
Okay, this one is a little bit of a cheat—it’s a Microsoft Phrase shortcut, although Google Docs additionally helps it. However as somebody who makes use of bulleted lists in paperwork typically, I couldn’t resist highlighting this one from Jen Gentleman’s record, too. To reorder objects in a bulleted or numerical record, simply spotlight it, then maintain Shift + Alt whereas utilizing the Up or Down arrow key.
So environment friendly.
Bonus: 7 extra useful Home windows shortcuts
As talked about, an entire slew of Home windows shortcuts exist. You’ll see a few of the keyboard selection get talked about typically in finest Home windows keyboard shortcut round-ups, however plenty of individuals nonetheless don’t use them each day.
A number of of those popped up amongst Jen Gentleman’s ideas, and so they’re price calling consideration to but once more—lots of people I do know don’t use them commonly. Memorize them too, and also you’ll save much more time and trouble whereas navigating Home windows.
Win + Shift + S:Opens the Home windows Snipping Software for simple screenshotsWin + I:Opens the Settings appWin + X:Opens the Fast Hyperlink menu (identical as right-clicking on Begin button)Win + E:Opens a File Explorer windowWin + Dwelling:Minimizes all home windows however the lively oneWin + Tab:Reveals all open home windows per monitorWin + H:Opens the Home windows dictation menu
Hungry for but extra Home windows keyboard shortcuts? You can also make your individual! Simply set up PowerToys, an set of superior utilities you need to use to supercharge Home windows. It features a module referred to as Keyboard Supervisor that allows you to remap keys and create customized shortcuts.
