Basic keys for creating combinations

Perhaps you have never paid attention, but keyboard is not only made up of letters and numbers. There are also function keys, which are usually located in the bottom and top rows. Each of them can participate in combinations by executing certain commands. Let's get to know them better.

Fn (Function, Function) - modifier that allows you to change standard action of the buttons. Thanks to Fn, many manufacturers have abandoned additional physical buttons, which made it possible to create compact models without sacrificing functionality. Yes, and the cost is also reflected in better. Fn is usually placed on bottom row of the keyboard. Specific location is determined only by manufacturers.

Fn key on keyboard.

Fn modifier works in combination with F1 - F12 function block to emulate multimedia and hardware capabilities. Each manufacturer decides for himself what functionality to put in his keyboard, but most often Hotkey Fn + F allows you to perform following actions: volume control, keyboard backlight, screen brightness, music player (pause, stop, play, previous and next track), activation and disabling touchpad (in case of a laptop), Wi-Fi wireless module, expanding the screen, launching an email program, calculator, browser, shutting down the OS, sleep or flight mode, locking Fn key.

Assignment of function keys F1 - F12.

CTRL (Control, Management) is the most popular and sought-after modifier key that allows you to create huge number of hotkeys (including those with other function buttons) to simplify working with OS, text, applications and files.

CTRL key on keyboard.

ALT (Alternative, Alternative) - key that allows you to expand (use alternative) commands and quickly insert character, text data, numbers, punctuation marks, emoticons and much more. Effective in combination with numeric values, such as Alt+0151 (insert em dash -). In this case, numeric input must be performed precisely through Num-Lock. In practice, there are very large number of various options for inserting characters, which it does not make sense to display in article.

Modifier is often used in conjunction with CTRL and SHIFT. Usually placed near space, although other options may occur.

Alt key on keyboard.

SHIFT is well-known button that allows you to make letters capital (capital). However, it has wider application, which can be useful even to an ordinary PC user. For example, while pressing SHIFT, you can copy text using arrow keys. But more often it acts as an additional modifier when creating other hotkeys.

SHIFT key on keyboard.

Win - button to call Start menu, launch Microsoft products (Word, Excel, settings for basic and additional features of Windows OS. It is actively used by IT specialists, allows you to create service Hot Keys. Usually located between CTRL and Alt and can have several signature options - Win or Microsoft logo.

Win key on keyboard.

Commonly used hotkeys

Each user at home and in office, when working on computer, faces everyday tasks that can be solved not in three steps, but in one. Most often, this is elementary copying, renaming, working with office applications, but in fact there can be lot of such commands. It is worth noting that often the same combinations are relevant for Explorer, text and image editors, browsers from different developers. Let's learn how to simplify already simple with the help of commonly used hotkeys.

Table of commonly used hotkeys
Hotkeys Action
CTRL+C (CTRL+INSERT) Copy selected item
CTRL+X Cut selected element
CTRL+V (SHIFT+INSERT) Paste selected item
CTRL+A Select all elements in document or window
CTRL+Z Cancel action
CTRL+Y Redo an action or rollback last undone action
CTRL+D (DELETE) Delete selected item to recycle bin
SHIFT+DELETE Delete selected item without first placing it in recycle bin
ALT+TAB Switch between open applications
ALT+F4 Close active item or exit active application
ALT+F8 Display password on login screen
ALT+ENTER Display properties of selected element
ALT+SPACE Open context menu of active window
CTRL+R (F5) Update active window
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW Move cursor to the beginning of the next word
CTRL+LEFT ARROW Move cursor to the beginning of the previous word
CTRL+DOWN ARROW Move cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph
CTRL+UP ARROW Move cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph
CTRL+SHIFT+ESC Open task manager
CTRL+ESC Open start menu
CTRL+SHIFT (ALT+SHIFT) Switch input language
SHIFT+any arrow key Character-by-character selection of text or one-by-one selection of files
F1 Calling up help
F2 Rename selected item
F3 Search for file or folder
F4 Display address bar list
F5 Update active window
F6 Cycle through screen elements in window or desktop
F10 Activate menu bar in active application
CTRL+P Menu for printing document or page

Hotkeys for Chrome browser

Since any activity on computer is closely related to Internet, users have to interact with browser for lot of time to search for information, send mail, watch movies, and more. Chrome developers have provided support for keyboard hotkeys that will simplify familiar tasks.

Hotkeys table for Chrome browser
Hotkeys Action
CTRL+N Open new window
CTRL+SHIFT+N Open new window in incognito mode
CTRL+T Open new tab and go to it
Alt+Home Open homepage in current tab
Alt+Left Arrow Open previous page from browsing history in current tab
Alt+Right Arrow Open next page from browsing history in current tab
CTRL+W (CTRL+F4) Close active tab
CTRL+SHIFT+W (Alt+F4) Close current window
CTRL+SHIFT+T Reopen last closed tab
Alt+Space+N Reduce current window size
Alt+Space+X Increase current window size
Alt+F (Alt+E) Open Chrome settings menu
CTRL+SHIFT+B Show/hide bookmarks bar
CTRL+SHIFT+O Open bookmark manager
CTRL+H Open browsing history in new tab
CTRL+J Open downloaded files in new tab
CTRL+F (F3) Open search bar to find text on current page
CTRL+SHIFT+J (F12) Open developer tools
CTRL+SHIFT+Delete Open clear history window
CTRL+SHIFT+M Change user or switch to guest mode
SHIFT+ESC Open browser task manager
CTRL+D Bookmark this page
CTRL+SHIFT+D Bookmark all pages
CTRL+L (Alt+D or F6) Go to address bar
SHIFT+F5 (CTRL+SHIFT+R) Refresh current page without regard to cache
CTRL+S Save current page
F11 Enable or disable full screen mode
CTRL and + Zoom in page
CTRL and - Zoom out Page
CTRL+0 Restore default page scale

In practice, many combinations will work in other browsers that are based on Google's Blink engine, such as Opera.

Service combinations with Win key

Win button, in combination with others, performs more specific, service tasks that IT specialists need more to configure operating system. However, many hotkeys will also be useful to an amateur at home.

Table of combinations with Win key
Hotkeys Action
Win+B Go to notification area (tray)
win+shift+c Call charms menu
Win+D Show and hide desktop
win+alt+d Show or hide date and time on desktop
Win+E Open file explorer
Win+H Start dictation (voice input)
Win+I Options menu
Win+K Invoking "Connect" quick action
Win+L Computer lock or account change
Win+M Minimize all windows
win+shift+m Restore minimized windows on desktop
Win+O Device orientation lock
Win+P Select presentation display mode
Win+R Open run dialog box
Win+S Open search box
win+shift+s Take screenshot of part of the screen
Win+dot (.) or semicolon (;) Open emoji panel
Win+PAUSE System properties
Win+CTRL+F Search for computers (if network is available)
win+number Open desktop and launch an application pinned to taskbar with specified number. If application is already running - switch to this application
Win+LEFT ARROW Maximize an application or desktop window to the left edge of the screen
Win+RIGHT ARROW Maximize an application or desktop window to the right edge of the screen
Win+DOWN ARROW Minimize active desktop window
Win+SPACE Switch input language and keyboard layout
Win+CTRL+SPACE Return to previously selected input language
win+alt+b Enable or disable HDR

Hotkeys for working in MS Office

Effectiveness of typing depends not only on the speed of printing, but also on ability to quickly and correctly format the information presented. Using certain hot keys, you can easily create table, choose the style, size, color and other text attributes. Let's take a look at the most important combinations that are relevant for Microsoft office applications.

MS Office hotkey table
Hotkeys Action
CTRL+O Open document
CTRL+N Create document
CTRL+S Save document
CTRL+W Close document
CTRL+X Cut selected content to clipboard
CTRL+C Copy selected content to clipboard
CTRL+V Paste clipboard contents
CTRL+A Select all document content
CTRL+B Apply bold formatting to text
CTRL+I Apply italic formatting to text
CTRL+U Apply underlining to text
CTRL+Left Bracket ([) Decrease font size by one point
CTRL+Right bracket (]) Increase font size by one point
CTRL+E Align text to the center
CTRL+L Align text to the left
CTRL+R Align text to the right
CTRL+Z Undo last action
CTRL+Y Repeat previous step
CTRL+ALT+S Split document window
CTRL+LEFT ARROW Move cursor one word to the left
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW Move cursor one word to the right
CTRL+UP ARROW Move cursor up one paragraph
CTRL+DOWN ARROW Move cursor down one paragraph
END Move cursor to the end of the current line
HOME Move cursor to the beginning of the current line
PAGE UP Scroll document up one screen
PAGE DOWN Scroll document down one screen
CTRL+END Move cursor to the end of the document
CTRL+HOME Move cursor to the beginning of the document
SHIFT+F5 Move cursor to the location of the previous revision
CTRL+P Print document
CTRL+ALT+I Open preview window
SHIFT+arrow keys Character-by-character text selection
CTRL+SHIFT+arrow keys Word highlight
CTRL+M Indent aragraph
CTRL+SHIFT+M Remove paragraph indent
CTRL+1 Apply single spacing to paragraph
CTRL+2 Apply double spacing to paragraph
CTRL+5 Apply 1.5 line spacing to paragraph
CTRL+0 Remove space before paragraph
CTRL+SHIFT+N Apply Normal style
CTRL+SHIFT+L Add bulleted list
CTRL+Alt+minus sign (on numeric keypad) Add an em dash (—)
CTRL+minus sign (on numeric keypad) Add en dash (-)
CTRL+ALT+C Add copyright symbol (©)
CTRL+ALT+R Add registered trademark symbol (®)
CTRL+ALT+T Add trademark symbol (™)
CTRL+K Add hyperlink
CTRL+Alt+M Add note
ALT+SHIFT+D Add DATE field
CTRL+ALT+L Add LISTNUM field
ALT+SHIFT+P Add PAGE field
ALT+SHIFT+T Add TIME field

Despite belonging to MS Office hot keys, many of them can be successfully used in other office applications and text editors.

Hotkeys in File Explorer

Almost all actions on computer are performed using File Explorer program. In fact, this is graphical shell with which we are accustomed to interact in the operating system. If even simpler, then this is the window that opens when you click, for example, item "My Computer". In practice, Explorer allows you to navigate through logical drives in search of the necessary files and folders to run them, copy or change content. All actions in Explorer are also amenable to optimization using hotkeys.

Hotkey table for working in Explorer
Hotkeys Action
ALT+D Address bar selection
CTRL+E (CTRL+F) Search field selection
CTRL+N Open new window
CTRL+W Close active window
CTRL+mouse scroll wheel Change size and appearance of file and folder icons
CTRL+SHIFT+E Display all folders that contain selected folder
CTRL+SHIFT+N Create new folder
ALT+ENTER Open properties for selected element
F11 Maximize or minimize active window

Using Macros

An interesting fact is that most keyboards are customizable. To do this, you can use standard tools (for example, in MS Office) or proprietary software that manufacturers attach to the product sold for free.

Thus, users can set their own Hotkeys or change existing ones (except for certain combinations that are reserved by the system for performing service tasks). If in work, study, gaming or everyday use you often need to perform certain procedure, then macros are provided for this. For example, you can assign hotkey to perform super hit in game. So, by pressing one combination, you can perform complex algorithm of actions that uses not only keyboard buttons, but also mouse buttons. If you work with tables, then you can program macro to insert ready-made template with certain number of rows, columns and their necessary parameters.

Self-development is the path to excellence

Personal computers are designed to facilitate and increase the efficiency of the work of users, enterprises, government agencies, so all manufacturers, each new program also try to achieve this goal.

Windows operating system provides all the necessary tools for this, including hot keys for Explorer, office applications, and browser. Some are universal, others work in specific environment. Having studied the combinations described in article, you can get huge advantage during the interview for position, complete the tasks set by management in shortest possible time, or simply become master in gaming battles.