USEFUL TIPS

Computer tips and tricks everyone should know

One of the best ways to refine your abilities when it comes to using your PC is to pick up small tips and tricks, many of which may seem small, but significantly improve your productivity and efficiency when put to regular use. Incorporating these tips turns your workflow into smoother sailing, and everyone who uses a PC in some capacity at all should be made aware of them to get more out of their Windows experience

The best keyboard tricks while typing:

These tricks are a lifesaver to use when you are typing anything up, and can save you many common frustrations that would otherwise arise.

     • Copying text without formatting

When you’re copying and pasting text, the majority of programs will keep the original source’s formatting for said text. However, if you want to paste it as plain text, instead of hitting Ctrl + V, instead hit Ctrl + Shift + V, which will paste the text without any formatting.

     • Deleting whole words at a time

Instead of deleting words letter by letter or character by character, press Ctrl + Backspace, and the entire word itself will be deleted, making any editing process quicker.

     • Moving the cursor across words and paragraphs

In the same vein, you can move the cursor from word to word as you are typing to speed up the process. This is done by pressing Ctrl+ left arrow to move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word, and to the beginning of the following word by pressing Ctrl+ right arrow.

To select full words and paragraphs as you go, hit Ctrl + Shift + Arrow. Hitting the up or down arrow will select the full body of text.

     • Creating Subscript and Superscript

Simply press Ctrl + to create subscript, and Ctrl + Shift + = for superscript.

Everything about tabs

Quite a few of the most helpful computer tricks are related to tabs; there’s more than one might expect, and each of them makes a world of a difference when used. 

     • Bringing back a tab you accidentally closed

Closing a tab by mistake is a common dilemma that can be solved in no time by hitting Ctrl + Shift + T which brings back the last tab that you have closed.

     • Switching between tabs

This may seem self-explanatory based on the keys involved, but many are unaware that if you want to switch between tabs on a browse, all you need to do is press Ctrl + Tab, and you switch to the next tab in line. Press Ctrl + Shift + Tab to go back a tab.

In addition to this, if you want to go directly to a tab amongst a line of open tabs, press Ctrl + the number key for the order which that tab falls under. This takes you right to it without needing to jump through each tab before or after it. Hitting Ctrl + 9 takes you to the last tab, even if its number in the tab order is greater than nine.

     • Opening a new tab

When you have an internet browser open, press Ctrl + T to open a new tab immediately.

     • Closing tabs

If you have multiple sites open and need to close them, simply press Ctrl + W to close your current tab, and repeat as many times a needed until all unnecessary tabs are closed.

     • Opening links in a new tab.

If you hold down Ctrl while clicking on a link, it opens in a new tab in your browser. You can also do this by clicking on the “middle” button on your mouse over a link as well.

Basic tricks for navigating programs

When you’re working with multiple windows and have different programs launched, it’s important to know which tricks can help you make your way through them much more easily.

     • Cut down the number number of programs running when starting up

If you are starting up your PC and too many programs are attempting to start up, causing it to lag, then you can hit Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the task manager, allowing you to configure which programs are launched and which ones are halted.

     • Launching programs through your keyboard

If you are using Windows, then hit the Windows Key + the number which syncs with where the program is lined up on the Windows taskbar.

     • Closing current programs

Simply press Alt + F4 to close the program that is running at the moment on your PC.

     • Cycling through programs

If you have multiple different programs or windows open, such as Word, a browser, Excel, or any others, you can cycle though them by hitting Alt + Tab without having to switch to your mouse or trackpad and manually go through them.

     • Minimizing all programs

To minimize all of the programs that you have launched and return to your desktop, clear of any of these running programs, then hit Windows + D.

     • Opening all programs

If you are already on your desktop and wish to open up all of the programs running, then you again hit Windows + D and they will re-open.

     • Moving your window to a side of your screen

If you press the Windows Key + Arrow Key, then your current window will move to the side of the screen which corresponds to the arrow that you pressed.

     • Multiple monitor window switching

If you are using multiple monitors, then pressing the Windows Key + Arrow Keys will snap the current window to either monitor on each side. Pressing the Windows Key + Arrows + Shift will cause the window to move to the other monitor completely. 

Using command prompt for Windows

Command prompt for Windows is something that comes with its own set of tricks.

     • Opening command prompt for a directory

Opening Windows file explorer and typing “cmd” into the address bar opens up the command prompt for that particular directory.

Alternatively, you can hold Shift and right click to open it as well.

     • Creating a command prompt hotkey

By running your account as an Admin, you can set up a hotkey for command prompt by right clicking on the shortcut. One of the properties that is visible is a “shortcut key” where you can type in a custom launch key.

     • Customizing the command prompt tool

After opening up the command prompt, if you right click on the top bar of the window, and then click “Properties”, you are able to customize the tool. Options to change the controls, layout, font, cursor, and colors within the command prompt are made available to you. 

Additional tips and tricks for the best windows experience

These are some must-know tips for making any task on your PC worlds more convenient.

     • Undo anything

One of the most well-known computer tips is pressing Ctrl + Z to undo something you may have typed. However, this is not limited to only typing, and can undo most anything, from recovering files which may have been deleted by mistake, to undoing a line drawn in Photoshop. 

     • Switching between virtual desktops

You can quickly jump between different virtual desktops, which is a great way to organize and separate what you are working on; for example different desktops for work and your personal use. In order to do this, click on the “Task View” icon in the taskbar to view all your open windows and desktops. You can then drag any of them over to where it says “New Desktop”, which creates a new virtual desktop. When you click out of Task View, you can toggle between these virtual desktops by pressing the Windows Key + Ctrl + Arrows, left and right respectively.

     • Improve your screenshots

You can take a screenshot by hitting the print screen key on your keyboard. However, you can also decide which area of the screen is captured by navigating to “Start” and then “Snipping Tool” which is available on Windows 10.

     • Creating copies of a file

By holding down Ctrl, you can click and drag a file to create a new copy of it, and drop it into place where you want it to go by unclicking it.

     • Locking your PC

Just hit the Windows Key + L to lock your system, requiring a password to log in again, if you ever need to leave it for a moment to keep it safe.

     • Clear your cache and refresh your page

If you need to quickly clear your cache, then simply press Ctrl + Shift + R. This will simultaneously refresh the page that you are on.  

     • Repeating the last command in Excel

By pressing F4 in Excel, you can repeats the last command. One of the simplest examples of this is if you select a cell and highlight it yellow, then you can select and highlight any other cell(s) to yellow by pressing F4.

     • Copying information with a clipboard manager

Everyone uses the Windows clipboard to copy or cut and paste information, but there is also a way to save multiple items at once. ClipClip is a free clipboard manager for Windows, and allows you to copy multiple different items, from text and images to files. Pressing Ctrl + Shift + V shows you a list of all of your past clips as well.