Five Ctrl Key Shortcuts Every Windows User Should Know

By | January 1, 2017
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Five Ctrl Key Shortcuts Every Windows User Should Know

After working with thousands of people with our Cloudeight Direct Computer Care service, one thing we’ve noticed is that not many of you use fundamental, time-saving shortcuts. So today, we’re going to show you five shortcuts you really need to know.

OK ready? Let’s say you’re reading a page on the Web and you’re looking for a particular word. Do you:

a.) Scan the page manually for the word?

b.) Use the browser’s search feature in the browser toolbar?

c.) Press Cntrl+F to open the page search dialog?

d.) None of the above.

No, EB, the answer is C. If you’re looking for a word on a page in your web browser, word processer, text editor, PDF viewer, and many others, just press Ctrl+F to open the “Find” dialog. Just remember F stands for Find. Sure, you can use the program’s search feature too, but why? CTRL + F is faster.

If you’re on a page you want to print, do you search for “print” on the toolbar, or look for a printer icons, or just press Ctrl+P? Right! You press Cntrl+P to print the page. It’s the fastest way to print.

Let’s say you’re using your browser and you want to open a new window? Do you just click the browser’s shortcut to open a new browser window? Nah, just press Ctrl+N. Same thing if you’re using an email program and you want to open a new window to compose an email.

If you’re working on a document and you want to save it, you can press CTRL+S  instead of clicking ‘File’ ‘Save’. If you want “File” “Save as” – Ctrl+S/ works in many applications.

If you want to view your browser’s history, use Ctrl+H.   And if you want to view a list of downloads, with your browser open press Ctrl+J.

Let’s review:

Ctrl+F = Find something on a page – in a browser, text editor, PDF editor, ebook, etc. To remember this easily, think F = FIND.

Ctrl+P = Print the document you have open. Whether it’s a web page, a Word doc, PDF file, text file, etc. Think P = PRINT.

Ctrl+N = Opens  new window in the program that’s running. Think N = NEW.

Ctrl+S = Saves the document you’re working on. Think S = SAVE.

Ctrl+H = Shows your browser’s history. Think H = History

Ctrl+J = Shows a list of downloads in your browser. Think J= ? I give up! J=Downloads!

What? You’re right EB, that’s six not five  I’m sorry. I will learn to count sometime. Consider it a bonus to our friends who read this.  And to mention:

Ctrl+A = Select All

Ctrl+C = Copy

Ctrl+V = Paste

And finally, my favorite of all…

Ctrl+EB = EB disappears.

 

6 thoughts on “Five Ctrl Key Shortcuts Every Windows User Should Know

  1. Charles Heineke

    When using a web browser, you may want to open a new Tab instead of a new Window. So, instead of using Ctrl+n, to open a new browser window, use Ctrl+t to open a new browser tab.

    Reply
  2. Rich

    Also, Ctrl+w closes the current tab. Don’t know what w could stand for.

    Reply
  3. Jeff

    And if you want to open a link in a new tab—pres Ctrl Shift and click the link—very handy when you want to keep the current tab as well. ♪♪♪

    Reply
    1. infoave Post author

      And if you want to open a link in a new window, forget the CTRL key. Hold down the shift key and click the link. Thanks, Jeff.

      Reply

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