OK…we’ve featured Windows key shortcuts several times, but sadly not enough to convince some of you just how much of a time-saver Windows key shortcuts can be.<\/span><\/p>\n Casting “Zulu” from my laptop to my Roku\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Just last evening, I was using my laptop and wanted to watch something on TV via my Roku player. I subscribe to a streaming service (which I will not mention here for obvious reasons). When I watch this particular streaming service (I’ll call it Zulu for convenience) on my TV, I have to watch all of the commercials because I’m too cheap to pay the extra $6.95 a month to buy the ad-free version of “Zulu.”<\/span><\/p>\n I discovered, however, that if I log into “Zulu” on my laptop and “cast” it from my laptop to my TV, good old uBlock Origin blocks all the ads on “Zulu” and effectively gives me the ad-free version at no extra moolah. Is this cheating? I don’t know – it was accidentally discovered, so I think not.<\/span><\/p>\n What the heck does this have to do with Windows key shortcuts? A lot actually. I use the Windows key + K shortcut to open the “Cast” dialog in Windows 11 (it works on Windows 10 too). When the Cast dialog opens I can see my 3 Roku players (2 Roku Express and 1 Roku Ultra).<\/span><\/p>\n Using the Windows key + K shortcut opens the “Cast” dialog immediately. And\u00a0I use the Windows key + K shortcut just about every day. <\/span><\/p>\n And not many days pass by that I don’t use the Windows key + R (Run box), Windows key + I (Settings), the Windows key + V to paste from the extended clipboard, Windows key + X to open the Start button right-click menu, Windows key + S to open a search box, and many others.<\/span><\/p>\n Let this be a reminder that using Windows key shortcuts can save you a lot of time and the more you use them the more you’ll remember them and the more you remember the more they’ll become part of your computer skill set.<\/span><\/p>\n What is the Windows key and where can you find it?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n We’re glad you asked. Some of you are afraid to ask where the Windows key is because you think it’s a stupid question. But you know, the only stupid question is the one you don’t ask.<\/span><\/p>\n The Windows key is on the bottom of the keyboard between the Ctrl key and the Alt key… or if you’re using a laptop it is usually between the Fn key and the Alt key. You can find it easily as it’s the only key with the Microsoft Windows logo on it.<\/span><\/p>\n And when we say, for example, Windows key + R (or Winkey+R), what we mean is that you hold down the Windows key while tapping the “R” key. So, Windows key + means holding down the Windows key while tapping the key after the “+” (plus) sign. To further shorten our Windows key shortcuts we use “Winkey” instead of “Windows key” – but they are the same. Easy peasy, right?<\/span><\/p>\n Here’s a list of some great Windows Key shortcuts for you<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Pressing the Windows key (Winkey) by itself opens the Windows Start menu<\/span> There are many more but these will get you started!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Using Windows Key Shortcuts Saves You Time OK…we’ve featured Windows key shortcuts several times, but sadly not enough to convince some of you just how much of a time-saver Windows key shortcuts can be. Casting “Zulu” from my laptop to my Roku\u00a0 Just last evening, I was using my laptop and wanted to watch something on\u2026 Read More »<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13977,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4411,3948,4299,4447],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29957"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29957"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29957\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29958,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29957\/revisions\/29958"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13977"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29957"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29957"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29957"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Casting](\"https:\/\/thundercloud.net\/infoave\/images\/2025\/cast.png\")
<\/span><\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/thundercloud.net\/infoave\/images\/2022\/winky22.png\")
<\/span><\/p>\n
\nWinkey + E\u00a0 Opens File Explorer<\/span>
\nWinkey + A\u00a0 Displays the Action Center<\/span>
\nWinkey + D Shows the Desktop<\/span>
\nWinkey + G Activates the Xbox game bar to let you record games or take screenshots.<\/span>
\nWinkey + H\u00a0 Opens Microsoft speech services (Dictation)<\/span>
\nWinkey + I\u00a0 Opens the Windows Settings app<\/span>
\nWinkey + K Activates the Connect (Cast) feature to stream to wireless displays\/audio devices<\/span>
\nWinkey + L Locks your computer<\/span>
\nWinkey + M\u00a0 Minimizes all open Windows<\/span>
\nWinkey+Ctrl + M\u00a0 Opens Windows Magnifier settings<\/span>
\nWinkey + R Opens a Run box.<\/span>
\nWinkey + S\u00a0 Opens Search<\/span>
\nWinkey + Q\u00a0 Opens Search or Cortana (Windows 10)<\/span>
\nWinkey + U\u00a0 Opens the Ease of Access Center (Accessibility on Windows11)<\/span>
\nWinkey+ PrtScr key Takes a screenshot of your computer screen<\/span>
\nWinkey+ Fn + PrtScr key Takes a screenshot of your computer screen (some laptops)<\/span>
\nWinkey + X Opens power user features (Same as right-clicking the Windows Start button.)<\/span>
\nWinkey + Ctrl + D Creates a new virtual desktop<\/span>
\nWinkey + Ctrl + F4 Close virtual desktop<\/span>
\nWinkey + Ctrl + Left or Right arrow Switches between virtual desktops<\/span><\/p>\n