The release of Windows 8 (which you can always download for free and try on your PC) has caused quite a few justified controversies in the computer world. Microsoft has made a lot of changes to its operating system by operating a real revolution, which will force everyone to get used to a new way of working on the computer.
The biggest news is the disappearance of the Start button from the desktop and the program start menu replaced by the Metro interface, a screen of buttons with interactive capabilities.
As described more widely in the post on the new Windows 8 Start Menu, when you go to the desktop of the new Microsoft system, you are truly blown away and you feel almost powerless not knowing what to do.
The fact is that, since Windows 8 is designed to work on touchscreen tablets, when used on a normal computer it almost requires the use of keyboard combinations to manage operations.
It seems as if you are taking a step back in the evolution of computers: the old computer keyboard becomes a fundamental component for using Windows on your computer.
Even to turn off the PC with Windows 8, unless you have to do a rather boring mouse ride, it is better to use the keyboard.
Those who are trying Windows 8 will certainly have noticed the inconvenience of using corners on the desktop .
Basically, to return to the Metro interface and then to the program launch panel (which, in fact, replaces the Start menu, you need to move the mouse to the bottom left corner and then click on the thumbnail.
Maybe not everyone has discovered that, by right-clicking on the Metro thumbnail that appears in the lower left corner of the desktop, a context menu appears to enter all Windows 8 functions .
This feature has been little publicized by Microsoft although it is very important.
This hidden menu contains buttons for quick access, among others, to the settings:
- Programs and features
- Energy saving options
- System settings
- Device Manager
- Command prompt
- Task Manager
- Control panel
- Search for
- Run
In addition, the items on this menu can also be changed by changing the links that are included in the folder C: \ Users \ username \ AppData \ Local \ Microsoft \ Windows \ WinX \ where there are three folders called Group1, Group2 and Group3 which include the quick start links of this hidden menu.
To quickly call up the hidden menu to access the settings and functions of Windows 8, you can press the Win-X key combination.
If with previous versions of Windows you could ignore the keyboard shortcuts, with Windows 8 they become essential to move quickly on the system without getting lost and without having to search for hidden menus.
It is understood that this is a nice change that many people will struggle to get used to; we'll see if in the final version of Windows 8 it will still be so.
Meanwhile, those who are already using Windows 8 Consumer Preview, should learn the following keyboard shortcuts based almost all on the Windows key (the one between Alt and Ctrl).
The most important keyboard shortcuts, the basic ones, for Windows 8 are:
- The Windows key allows you to switch between Metro and desktop and vice versa;
- Win-X Opens the quick access menu to the settings and functions of Windows 8;
- Win-Stamp allows you to automatically save a screenshot of the screen in the Images folder (this is a nice novelty);
- Win-C Opens the "spells" menu, the right bar with the settings button (from which you can turn off the computer);
- Win-I Opens the Settings panel directly;
- Win-Tab allows you to switch from one open application to another;
- Ctrl-F1 Minimize / maximize the folder menu.
- Ctrl-Tab from Metro launches the list of all programs;
- Win-Q Opens the program search on Metro
- Win-D shows the desktop;
- Win-E Opens the resource explorer;
- Win-F Opens the file search from the Metro screen;
- Win-L Lock the PC;
- Win-M Minimize all windows on the desktop;
- Win-O Locks the orientation of the screen (on tablets);
- Win-R Opens the Run window;
- Win-M minimizes all windows on the desktop.
- Windows + T is a shortcut that is used to display the taskbar also on the Start screen.
- Windows + comma and then left and right arrows allows you to scroll through open applications and view them together by dividing the screen into two parts.
- The Home and End keys, if pressed on the Start screen, place the selection on the first and last application of the list respectively.
If pressed on the desktop instead they select the first and last icon starting from the upper left corner.
- The Esc key pressed on the Start screen returns to the desktop instead pressed on the desktop does nothing.
In practice it is similar to the Windows key which instead allows you to switch from the Start screen to the desktop and vice versa.
- Windows + down arrow is a combination of keys to close an application even if it will then remain in the background, visible in the taskbar on the desktop.
- Alt + F4 is not a new shortcut on Windows 8.1, but remains one of the most useful to use.
This combination closes the featured app.
If pressed several times, everything closes until the computer is turned off in the fastest way.
The full list of keyboard combinations for Windows 8 can be found on the Microsoft blog.
Finally, note two small curiosities of Windows 8:
- To enter safe mode on Windows, up to Windows 7, you have to press the F8 key when the computer is turned on, when the black screen appears.
In Windows 8 this has been changed (incomprehensibly) and to enter safe mode in Windows 8.1 there are other ways.
- To see the applications open in Metro, move the cursor to the top left corner and see the thumbnails appear (you can also see them with the Win-Tab shortcut).
By right-clicking on one of the thumbnails, the application can be closed.
To close open applications in Metro, the fastest way is, once again, via a combination of keys: Alt-F4 .
