Windows Key - Features and Shortcut Tips

That Windows Key

I get a lot of questions about what that little Windows key is for. Well, the simple answer is that when you hit it, the start menu pops up but it’s got a LOT more functionality than that.

It’s actually pretty cool what Windows can do with that key. There’s a whole bunch of key combinations that can really speed up starting and running certain programs or functions of Windows.

Winkey Display or hide the Start menu.
Winkey+BREAK Display the System Properties dialog box.
Winkey+M Minimize or restore all windows.
Winkey+E Open My Computer.
Winkey+F Search for a file or folder.
CTRL+Winkey+F Search for computers.
Winkey+F1 Display Windows 2000 Help.
Winkey+R Open the Run dialog box.
Winkey+TAB Switch between open items.
Winkey+U Open Utility Manager
Winkey+D Show Desktop

IE Browser - Keyboard shortcuts

IE is a great web browser. It’s got a whole bunch for very useful tools in it. There’s also a collection of keyboard shortcuts that help you to get at those tools. Below is a fairly complete list of them.

Create a new IE window ctrl-n
Open (a webpage) ctrl-o
Refresh a webpage (to see new content) ctrl-r
Print (works with almost all Windows programs ctrl-p
Find (something on the page) ctrl-f
Add the current page to your favorites ctrl-d
Get help (works with all Windows programs) F1
Previous page (like clicking the back button) Alt-Left arrow
Next page Alt-Right arrow
Scroll up and down through the document Up and Down arrow keys
Stop downloading a page Esc
Open search Window ctrl-e
Open Favorites Window ctrl-i
Open History Window ctrl-h
Add www. to the start and .com to the end of what’s in the address bar (type yourtechonline and then ctrl-enter) ctrl-enter