Windows gives users multiple ways to perform popular tasks. Using shortcuts is a great way to save your time compared to the mouse clicks. Here are some essential Windows keyboard shortcuts that you might not know about, but should.
#1. Lock your PC or switch users rapidly
Press Windows key + L to locks your PC and instantly displays the login screen.
#2. Quickly Search for files and folders on your computer
Press Windows key + F to quickly search for files and folders on your PC.
#3. Clear away everything and show your PC desktop
Press Windows logo key+D to show your desktop.
Use this shortcut when you want to minimize a lot of open windows at once to check something on your desktop. Clutter-to-clean with two fingers.
#4. Quickly Switch between open windows on PC
Press Alt+Tab to switch between open windows
If you have lots of open windows and you’re not sure exactly which one you need, press Alt+Tab, and get a quick thumbnail view of all open windows. Then, while holding down the Alt key, press the Tab key multiple times until you get to the window you want.
#5. Instantly Open Task Manager
You might already be using a shortcut—Ctrl+Alt+Delete—to open up Task Manager or to lock your computer. But there are shortcuts for this shortcut. Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager without any intermediary steps.
#6. Minimize the window on your PC screen
Press Windows + Down Arrow to minimize the window.
Minimizing a window is a surefire way to see what’s underneath it. And it’s fast to use the shortcut. If the window is maximized already (covering the entire screen) it’ll go to “normal” size. And if it’s normal size, it’ll minimize entirely.
#7. Maximize the window on your PC screen
Press Windows + Up Arrow to maximize the window.
#8. Zoom in, zoom out anything on your PC screen
Press Windows logo key +Plus Sign or Minus Sign
When you use a browser, such as Firefox and IE, you know you can quickly zoom in or out by pressing Ctrl + + or Ctrl + -. But this shortcut can zoom in or zoom out anything on the screen of your Windows PC.