20 Most Important Shortcuts For Windows

Who steers Windows especially with the mouse, loses a lot of time. With some useful keyboard shortcuts, many actions can be done in seconds - if you know what combinations it is. FOCUS Online shows the best shortcuts.

Working on the computer can be tedious. Copying texts, changing frames, formatting documents or searching for programs: What sounds simple in theory is sometimes much more complicated in practice - at least if you want to perform these actions with the mouse. With the keyboard, such processes are faster by the hand. However, the user needs to know the appropriate keyboard shortcuts (shortcuts).

The Keyboard Shortcuts in the Overview

Copy: Ctrl + C

Function: With this shortcut you copy selected texts, files or pictures into the clipboard, from which you can insert them elsewhere.

Paste: Ctrl + V

Function: Use this key combination to copy the cached content (Ctrl + C) to another text location.

Cut: Ctrl + X

Function: This shortcut also saves files or texts to the clipboard, but unlike copying (Ctrl + C), the items in question will disappear at the point of origin.

Previous: Ctrl + Z

Function: This shortcut undoes unwanted changes.

Repeat: Ctrl + Y

Function: The key combination restores undone actions.

Save: Ctrl + S

Function: Save text documents, files or web pages.

Open: Ctrl + O

Function: This shortcut opens saved documents, files or web pages within a program.

Print: Ctrl + P

Function: This keyboard shortcut makes it easy to print documents.

Find: Ctrl + F

Function: On web pages or in documents, you can use this shortcut to search for specific words.

New: Ctrl + N

Function: This shortcut opens a new text document or a new web page in the browser .

Edit texts: Bold: Ctrl + B / Underline: Ctrl + U / Italic: Ctrl + I

Function: The three shortcuts are suitable for formatting texts. This makes it possible to grease certain passages (Ctrl + B) in order to highlight them.

Open Windows Explorer: Windows key + E

Function: The shortcut opens the Windows Explorer, which gives an overview of the programs installed on the hard disk.

Switch To The Desktop: Windows key + D

Function: The key combination brings you immediately to the desktop.

Windows Help: Windows Key + F1

Function: If you do not know, you can open Windows Help, which answers many basic questions - but some do not.

Switch Between Windows: Alt + Tab

Function: With this key combination you can switch between different windows. If you keep the keys pressed, all open windows will be displayed at a glance.

Exit: Alt + F4

Function: Once in the keys, use this combination to immediately quit programs or shut down the computer.

Program change: Alt + Esc

Function: This shortcut makes it easier to work with several programs: At the press of a button, you can switch to the next window.

Screenshot: Print button

Function: With this button a screenshot is created and saved in the clipboard. Then, for example, you can copy the screenshot to a graphics program like Photoshop (Ctrl + V).

Final Delete: Shift + Delete

Function: If you want to permanently delete files, documents or pictures, use these two buttons.

Minimize / Maximize Window: Windows key + down / up arrow

Function: If the current window is at maximum size you can slightly reduce it (Windows key + down arrow). Pressing the key combination a second time will minimize the window. Use the shortcut "Windows key + up arrow", the program window is larger again.

At first, all these combinations may be too much of a burden, but over time, the shortcuts become more and more effective and noticeably ease the operation of the computer. The user should proceed step by step and initially make only a few shortcuts. Once they have gone into flesh and blood, the next combinations can follow. Sticky notes on the monitor can also help with learning.