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Thread: What Are The Most Useful Tips For Windows 7?

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    Junior Member jcannon's Avatar
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    Default What Are The Most Useful Tips For Windows 7?

    I keep finding these stupid yet life-changing hot keys and tricks for optimizing Windows 7. Things that you guys would probably find to be at a toddler's level. For instance - that thing where if you grab a window and shake it, it minimizes everything else. And that Windows Key + D will minimize to desktop, and pressing it again will bring everything back up, just the way that it was.

    I would love to have a collection of tips like that for those of us that aren't necessarily NEW to Windows 7, but just never tried to increase our efficiency with it.

    What's changed your Windows life?



Look Here ->
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    Crazy Diamond
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    the easy way to find all the shortcuts is to hold down the Windows Key then press another key, then press d to return to desktop, repeat, hours of endless fun.

    Handy ones to know are:

    Windows + R == Run

    W + X == Menu of Admin tasks

    W + P == Screen share options.
    Cheers, Tiny
    "You can lead a person to knowledge, but you can't make them think? If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.
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    The hot keys are even more important in Windows 8 / Server 2012, where the GUI is just plain broken IMHO.

    • <Windows> <R> (already listed above) is my most used one.
    • <Ctrl><Esc> - pops up the start menu
    • <SHIFT> + Right-click in Explorer adds the option "Open command window here" - i.e launch a command prompt already "cd" to the folder you are browsing. This was an add in PowerToy in Win XP.
    • <SHIFT> + Right-click on an application adds the option to runas a different user (not just admin)
    • <CTRL><SHIFT><ESC> pops up task manager from anywhere
    • <WINDOWS><HOME> - minimise all windows other than current.
    • <WINDOWS><1>... <WINDOWS><9> = Bring running app to foreground (numbered from left to right across the task bar) 0 counts as the 10th app
    Last edited by shred; 20-11-13 at 10:03 AM.

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    Here's a link to a great information site that has a ton of the short cuts for Windows 7. I look at it randomly and try to learn new ones to make life easier. I use my Windows 7 computer for work only so I'm not really up to date anymore on the short cuts can I can at least get around it without using my mouse if I need to.

    But here's the link, check it out...



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    alt + F4 closes latest open window
    i love sticky keys
    ctrl ctrl = lock ctrl key
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    Thanks for this, I must admit, I have not explored any shortcuts being happy enough with the wimp but some of those look quite useful. I tend to use shortcuts in word, excel and Firefox but not Windoze......

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    Using the mouse, you can drag-”˜n-dock windows to either side of the screen, or drag it to the top to maximize it. These keyboard shortcuts are even faster:

    Win+Left Arrow and Win+Right Arrow dock the window to the left and right side of the screen
    Win+Up Arrow and Win+Down Arrow maximize and restore/minimize
    Win+M minimizes everything
    Alt+Up, Alt+Left Arrow, Alt+Right Arrow navigate to parent folder, or browse Back and Forward through folders in Explorer
    Win+Home minimizes/restores all open windows except the active window
    Alt+Win+# accesses the Jump List of program number ‘#’ on the taskbar

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    dont upgrade to windows 8
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    Can't believe nobody's said it

    Alt+Tab cycles between windows.
    Ctrl+Windows+Tab does it prettier.

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    God Mode for windows 7 it put it all in one place

    Step 1: Right click.


    Step 2: Click create folder.


    Step 3: Name your sparkly, new folder this, GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} and press enter.


    Step 4: Blink as the folder changes form to look like the control panel.

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    double post error
    Last edited by Uncle Fester; 20-12-13 at 04:35 PM.
    Update: A deletion of features that work well and ain't broke but are deemed outdated in order to add things that are up to date and broken.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Philquad View Post
    dont upgrade to windows 8
    Many of the keyboard short cuts apply to all flavours of Windows.

    Windows has always been designed to be fully accessible, better and faster without a mouse.
    That would be disappointing if WIN8 has removed that functionality (in the desktop) as well. I don't use that many, but they all worked when I tried Wn8 and got me out of trouble with the missing "start button".

    A true geek of course has the mouse for decorative purpose only.
    He might move the mouse occasionally to see if he has to re-boot Windows
    Update: A deletion of features that work well and ain't broke but are deemed outdated in order to add things that are up to date and broken.
    Compatibility: A word soon to be deleted from our dictionaries as it is outdated.
    Humans: Entities that are not only outdated but broken... AI-self-learning-update-error...terminate...terminate...

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    try this for me
    pretend ( no actually do it)
    you cant move your fingers & use only 1 hand (you need the other arm to balance)
    now work your keyboard & mouse
    remember, no cheating
    your fingers dont move, you can tape a pencil to your hand if you want
    let me know
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    Quote Originally Posted by Philquad View Post
    try this for me
    pretend ( no actually do it)
    you cant move your fingers & use only 1 hand (you need the other arm to balance)
    now work your keyboard & mouse
    remember, no cheating
    your fingers dont move, you can tape a pencil to your hand if you want
    let me know
    The modern ergonomic mice are not so good but the old style flat mouse was easier to click with the palm of my hand. I managed marking text and succeeded a drag and drop but I was not happy with the mouse.
    So I taped a pencil to my nose with a band aid(I assume someone could also assist me with that attachment), the type with an eraser on the end and I could click the keyboard buttons without slipping, probably as fast as a council officer in the administration of bureaucracy.

    If I am allowed to twist my wrist, I can press the keys individually with the side of my small finger that is supported with all the other motionless fingers, while holding down the Windows key or control key with the nose pencil.
    I have been using the almighty Wincommander(later Totalcommander) since Windows 3xx and all the functions were comfortable to access. You mark multiple files simply with the space button or just right click, no holding down Ctrl. The most commonly used commands are simply F-buttons.


    I then Googled with my nose “voice command keyboard” and found this:



    I would have the pencil or similar extension with rubber tip attached to my spectacles for a more permanent solution.
    Update: A deletion of features that work well and ain't broke but are deemed outdated in order to add things that are up to date and broken.
    Compatibility: A word soon to be deleted from our dictionaries as it is outdated.
    Humans: Entities that are not only outdated but broken... AI-self-learning-update-error...terminate...terminate...

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    yep, thats how you do it, well done
    although, a trackball mouse makes life easier (yes u can roll your wrist)
    lots of guys use a mouth stick to type with (that sux)
    i really need my mouse though, having a 3rd button as a drag lock changed everything
    click & drag is no option for me
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