Almost everything that your mouse performs, you can also do on the keyboard itself. This is possible through keyboard shortcuts. They accurately have ‘shortcuts’ in their name because they are a much quicker way of doing things without reaching out to your mouse every other second. They are time-saving and boost your overall productivity by getting work done a lot easier and in a shorter period.
This makes them very efficient and truly helpful for those on their computers for a significant part of their day. In addition to that, they don’t just help with your virtual world; they are also beneficial for your hand. By not using the mouse, for the most part, you are protecting yourself from injuries like RSI.
Here are some of the magical keyboard shortcuts that will make your life much easier than ever before.
CTRL+Z
The most well-known by people from all the fields is the shortcut CTRL+Z. It is to undo any of the actions that you just performed on your computer. By doing so, you would be able to correct the mistakes more conveniently. It is a shortcut available on all the applications that are on your computer. Most applications let you CTRL+Z and undo your actions till the starting point of your task. It keeps rolling back the more times you use it.
CTRL+W
CTRL+W lets you close whichever window that you are working on. It is a feature that is not accessible on all applications and does nothing in applications like the FL Studio. This is why people prefer closing it manually, but using it occasionally does undoubtedly help speed up the process.
ALT+F4
The superior to CTRL+W is ALT+F4. It closes the current window you are working on. This shortcut is available on all applications and can shut down the entire computer. It is a powerful tool for some people when their particular application stops responding and the cursor doesn’t move. Indeed, very helpful once your hands get used to it.
CTRL+A
A fantastic shortcut that is extremely useful when you have a large chunk of data or files to select. CTRL+A lets you choose all the material that you are currently working on in that specific work window. For example, if you are working on Microsoft Word, CTRL+A would select all the text you typed in one press. It is undoubtedly helpful to move files from one device to another, like from the camera’s SD card to your laptop or computer.
ALT+Tab
ALT+Tab lets you switch tabs. So if you are researching from the internet and typing out your research paper, you can just switch tabs with this shortcut. This motion happens in a second rather than clicking on the app again and again. This is a speed booster without a doubt, and you would realize that after the first time you use it.
Additional Shortcuts
- Win+D – To switch from desktop to apps and vice versa.
- Win+Left/Right Arrow – Opening two windows side by side to refer back and forth without switching the main window quickly.
- Win+L – Locks your computer without shutting it down.
- Win+I – This lets you open the settings option of your computer.
- CTRL+Shift+Esc – This lets you open the task manager. It is helpful when your window freezes and none of the other shortcuts are working. You can use this, go to the task manager and close the particular program which is not responding.
- Win+CTRL+D – Add a virtual desktop to keep your work organized and get extra space for arranging your files.
- CTRL+C – Copies the select items or material from the work window.
- CTRL+P – Pastes the selected items or material in this work window.
- CTRL+Y – Redo. It does the opposite of CTRL+Z, and it redoes the action.
Conclusion
There are many other shortcut keys that you can keep on exploring as per your requirements. Every application has its shortcuts, too, and it is always better to know them to save time browsing with your mouse. Keep practicing using these shortcuts, and within a few days, you will get the hang of them, and then you will glide through all your work.
