My favorite Windows 7 keyboard shortcuts

There are a number of ways that I am “old school.” I prefer a command prompt or the run box for quick tasks like pinging a host to check connectivity, or to open calc or mspaint. I will still occasionally write quick and dirty code in QuickBasic to parse a text file, or create a comma delimited file to import into Excel.

I also like to use keyboard shortcuts in Windows – if I don’t have to take my hand off the keyboard to use the mouse, why should I? Check out my list below and then tell me about any of your favorites that I missed.

Here are some of my favorites that are either still available or new in:

Windows 7

• or Ctrl-Esc Open the Start Menu
• -D Minimizes all open programs (also -M)
• - Makes all open windows transparent so you can see your desktop
• -E Opens Explorer (not IE) window
• Alt-Tab Cycle through open programs – updated nicely for Windows 7
• -Tab Cycle through open programs – in Flip 3-D
• -P Projector – use an externally connected display
• -R Open the Run Box
• Alt-F4 Close active application
• -L Lock the computer – quicker than Ctrl-Alt-Del then Alt-K
• -T Cycles through items on the taskbar

IE 8

• Ctrl-N Open a new Window
• Ctrl-T Open a new Tab
• Ctrl-F Find on open page

Classic Office Application Keyboard Shortcuts

• Ctrl-A Select All
• Ctrl-C Copy selected
• Ctrl-X Cut selected
• Ctrl-V Paste cut or copied items
• Ctrl-Y Redo last action
• Ctrl-Z or Alt-Bksp Undo previous action
• Ctrl-Alt-1, 2, 3 Apply heading style 1, 2 or 3 to selection in Word