Silver's Weblog - Start Shortcuts

Start Shortcuts

So I was bored, and reading Faux's weblog archive, and found this one on mouseless use.

That got me thinking - just how many shortcuts does Windows have, that most people don't know? I'd wager it's more than you think.

The most well-known set are <Win> plus a letter. So here's the list for Windows XP Professional x64:

<Win> - Start menu
<Win>+B - Focus Shell Notification Area
<Win>+D - Show Desktop (toggle)
<Win>+E - Open Explorer
<Win>+F - Open Find for Files
<Win>+<Control>+F - Open Find for Computers
<Win>+L - Lock Workstation
<Win>+M - Minimise all windows (<Win>+<Shift>+M to undo)
<Win>+R - Run dialog
<Win>+U - Run Utility Manager (accessibility stuff lies this way)

<Win>+B took me by surprise, so I figure not everyone knows all of the above list, however common some of them are.

The others, people only seem to know a few, and I suspect there will be at least one new one here for everyone.

<Win>+F1 - Open Help and Support Center
<Win>+<Break> - System Properties
<Win>+<Tab> - Focus and select taskbar programs (try this - you'll like it)
<Control>+D - Delete in Explorer
<Control>+<Esc> - Start menu for luser keyboards
<Control>+<Shift>+<Esc> - Task Manager
<Shift>+<Menu> - Extra context items (like Run As and Open With)
<Shift>+F10 - Context menu (<Shift>+<Menu> for luser keyboards)
<Shift>+[No] on Explorer dialogs - No to all

Those are all the ones I can remember and/or find right now. I am certain that there are more, but they will have to be documented another day.

The reason for all this was because Faux's description of using <Win>+D then <Tab> to get to the start menu button seemed excessive, and has the side-effect of minimising all running programs. <Win>, <Esc> is much easier to focus the button, but for what he's suggesting, you just need to hit <Win> and use the arrow keys. Or, if you want to play with your open applications, <Win>, <Esc> then <Tab> to the taskbar, though I prefer <Win>+<Tab> to do that directly.

Now if only my weblog had a shortcut for [Post]...

Permalink | Author: Silver | Tags: Windows | Posted: 03:26PM on Saturday, 30 September, 2006 | Comments: 2

Hrm. I'm mildly surprised that I knew most of them, actually - I would have hoped there were more. I regularly use:

Ctrl+Shift+Esc (though by the time I resort to getting task manager out it unfortunately tends to be broken too - long story).

Win-E

Win-R

Win-F

Win

Menu, Shift-Menu (and shift-right click, which does the same)

Ctrl-Esc on luser keyboards, Shift-F10 on luser keyboards

I didn't know Win-Ctrl-F, but never use windows in an environment where I give a ... about my local network.

I didn't know Win-L, but never use windows in an environment where I either can lock my workstation (it's disallowed at uni - as in, unpossible) or want to (at home, where I'm alone, I have no reason to do so).

I didn't know Win-B, and I'm fairly curious what that'd look/work like, but that'll have to wait till I'm back on a windows machine.

I didn't know Win-U and am wondering what the utility manager really is (my Windows is, and has always been, in Dutch, so it's not obvious). Will try that out, see previous paragraph.

I didn't know Ctrl-D, but why use that and not just [Del] ? Or rather, Shift-[Del], because when I want something gone I want it really gone, and not just in the recycling bin.

I didn't know Ctrl-[No], not sure where the no key is? Or do you mean the access key for no? I'm sort of confused. I don't know of any case where I'd want to use it, but anyway...

In order not to make this a brainless repetition of your post, something I never understood is why Ctrl-Alt-Del gives one a task manager on my machine, and a modal 6-button (IIRC) dialog on my old highschool machines. Both run/ran Win XP Pro, I believe. The 6 buttons are task manager, lock, logout, and some random other stuff I don't remember. D'you know what gives? :-)

Permalink | Author: Gijs Hannibal | /Posted: 08:48PM on Saturday, 07 October, 2006

<Win>+B just puts the focus on the first tray icon (or the "expander" if there are hidden icons), from which you can move about with the arrow keys and use the <Menu> key to open context menus. There appears to be a bug in Windows XP and 2003 relating to this, though, that makes it less useful: using <Win>+B focuses the tray alright, but doesn't enable the focus rectangle for it, so you can't see what icon is focused. If you tab to the tray some other way (e.g. via <Start>, <Esc>) it shows the focus fine.

The Utility Manager (<Win>+U) is a little application that lets you start, stop and set auto-start behaviour for the accessibility applications: magnifier, narrator (text to speach) and the on-screen keyboard.

I only mentioned <Control>+D because it is not listed in the menus against the delete item, and it goes nicely with the other <Control> keys for doing stuff. I found it entirely by accident.

When I say <Control>+[No], I mean holding control down whilst clicking the "No" button in a dialog. I guess you could probably also go for <Control>+N to activate it directly. Trust me, "No to all" has its uses. :-)

As for the task manager thing, then yes, I know what gives. I will explain it in a new post in the next few days.

Permalink | Author: Silver | Posted: 06:08PM on Sunday, 08 October, 2006

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