Open New Explorer Window:  Windows Key+E

What’s the first thing you usually do when you start working at your computer? You open your “My Computer” or “My Documents” Folder to look for the file you’re going to work on.  Use this shortcut to get to your files faster or open multiple windows at once.

 

Copy and Paste:  Copy: Control+C | Paste: Control+V

It’s amazing how many people rely solely on the right click menu method and don’t use this trick.  Save time this year by using your keyboard instead of your mouse when copying and pasting. Bonus: Use Control+X to Cut

 

Switch Between Windows:  Alt+Tab

Don’t waste time searching through your open windows on your task bar.  Tap Alt+Tab once to switch back to the last window you had open, or hold Alt and tap Tab to switch between all open windows.

 

Open Print Menu:  Control+P

Sometimes it’s a daunting task trying to find the print button in a program, especially if you’re unfamiliar with it. Pressing Control+P should get you to where you need to be to start printing without having to explore the crevices of every menu.

 

Lock Your Computer:  Windows Key+L

Okay this one might not make you more productive, but for Pete’s sake people, lock your computer!  Your System Admin does a lot of work to make sure the company’s data is secure.  The least you can do is not leave confidential information unlocked and displayed for prying eyes to see when you’re not around. Imagine your workstation computer as your car in a parking lot and you’re about to walk away…you should probably lock it.

 

Undo:  Control+Z

We all make mistakes, but we all don’t have to go all the way to the edit menu to undo our mistakes.

 

New Folder:  Right Click+W+F

Ever have to make a whole bunch of new folders?  Odds are, you clicked the wrong item in the right click menu a few times along the way.  If you use this trick, you won’t have to worry about having to “X” out of all those “New Shortcut” windows.

 

Select All:  Control+A

Hold shift and the down arrow for an hour, or select all instantly with this keyboard shortcut?  You decide.

 

Select Non-Consecutive Items:  Control+Left Click

When you don’t want every item in a list from beginning to end, press and hold Control and Left Click only the items you want.

 

Back to Desktop:  Windows Key+D

This is for that point in the day when you have so many things open that you just want it all to go away. Windows+D will get you back to your warm and cozy Desktop.