Computer 101: The Keyboard Shortcuts

The keyboard is one of the main input devices that we used to access the computer, the other is the mouse and all its different variety and another is the voice operated software which is not new but is not yet common among computer user especially for ordinary user. The keyboard can be found in all types of electronic device that we used today whether it is a physical keyboard or an on-screen keyboard. We used the keyboard to put our mind in writing via different type of word processor and compute for the daily amounts of calcium that we take for health conscious one or other things that needs to be on the computer. We are master of the keyboard but in order to truly make full use of the key board we also need to know the different keyboard shortcut that we can use to quickly access certain function by pressing one key or pressing several key combinations. One example of the most commonly used keyboard short is the very famous Ctrl+Alt+Del key combination. Back during the DOS days, by simply pressing this key combination would automatically restart the computer, therefore losing all unsaved files. Today the same key combination still has the same task but need a confirmation or the person who activated it need to press another button to confirm the requested function of the key combination. 

Keyboard shortcuts are combinations of two or more keys that, when pressed, can be used to perform a task that would typically require a mouse or other pointing device. Keyboard shortcuts can make it easier to interact with your computer, saving you time and effort as you work with Windows and other programs. Most programs also provide accelerator keys that can make it easier to work with menus and other commands. Check the menus of programs for accelerator keys. If a letter is underlined in a menu, which usually means that pressing the Alt key in combination with the underlined key will have the same effect as clicking that menu item. Pressing the Alt key in some programs, such as Paint and Word Pad, shows commands that are labeled with additional keys that you can press to use them.

Ease of Access keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains keyboard shortcuts that can help make your computer easier to use.

Press this key	To do this function
Right Shift for eight seconds	Turn Filter Keys on and off
Left Alt+Left Shift+PrtScn (or PrtScn)	Turn High Contrast on or off
Left Alt+Left Shift+Num Lock	Turn Mouse Keys on or off
Shift five times	Turn Sticky Keys on or off
Num Lock for five seconds	Turn Toggle Keys on or off
Windows logo key +U	Open the Ease of Access Center

General keyboard shortcuts

 

The following table contains general keyboard shortcuts.

Press this key	To do this Function
F1	Display Help
Ctrl+C	Copy the selected item
Ctrl+X	Cut the selected item
Ctrl+V	Paste the selected item
Ctrl+Z	Undo an action
Ctrl+Y	Redo an action
Delete	Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin
Shift+Delete	Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first
F2	Rename the selected item
Ctrl+Right Arrow	Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word
Ctrl+Left Arrow	Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word
Ctrl+Down Arrow	Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph
Ctrl+Up Arrow	Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph
Ctrl+Shift with an arrow key	Select a block of text
Shift with any arrow key	Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document
Ctrl with any arrow key+Spacebar	Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop
Ctrl+A	Select all items in a document or window
F3	Search for a file or folder
Alt+Enter	Display properties for the selected item
Alt+F4	Close the active item, or exit the active program
Alt+Spacebar	Open the shortcut menu for the active window
Ctrl+F4	Close the active document (in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)
Alt+Tab	Switch between open items
Ctrl+Alt+Tab	Use the arrow keys to switch between open items
Ctrl+Mouse scroll wheel	Change the size of icons on the desktop
Windows logo key +Tab	Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D
Ctrl+Windows logo key +Tab	Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D
Alt+Esc	Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened
F6	Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop
F4	Display the address bar list in Windows Explorer
Shift+F10	Display the shortcut menu for the selected item
Ctrl+Esc	Open the Start menu
Alt+underlined letter	Display the corresponding menu
Alt+underlined letter	Perform the menu command (or other underlined command)
F10	Activate the menu bar in the active program
Right Arrow	Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu
Left Arrow	Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu
F5	Refresh the active window
Alt+Up Arrow	View the folder one level up in Windows Explorer
Esc	Cancel the current task
Ctrl+Shift+Esc	Open Task Manager
Shift when you insert a CD	Prevent the CD from automatically playing

Dialog box keyboard shortcuts

 

The following table contains keyboard shortcuts for use in dialog boxes.

Press this key	To do this function
Ctrl+Tab	Move forward through tabs
Ctrl+Shift+Tab	Move back through tabs
Tab	Move forward through options
Shift+Tab	Move back through options
Alt+underlined letter	Perform the command (or select the option) that goes with that letter
Enter	Replaces clicking the mouse for many selected commands
Spacebar	Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box
Arrow keys	Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons
F1	Display Help
F4	Display the items in the active list
Backspace	Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box

Mastering the simple keyboard shortcut is just one way of showing that we really knew how to maximize the things that a regular keyboard can offer. It also shows how technically depth we are compare to the average person in knowledge and understanding in using the keyboard.

How about you any keyboard shortcut key that you like to share?