For many people the use of the computer is done only by mouse click on the launch icons of the programs and the use of the keyboard only to write texts or internet addresses. Those who work on a Windows PC should instead discover, in a world of hidden features, at least the simplest tricks to perform the various operations and to move freely on the system, in a fluid way, without always looking for the button to press or l option to change.
You can be a Windows user for years and still not be aware of the many shortcuts and possibilities for using it to the fullest.
Fortunately, there is me, with another article in the series " simple tricks to know for Windows " (we talk about Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and 10), to read and to share with friends and less experienced relatives.
1) Shake the window to hide all the others .
When there are many windows open on the screen and there is a bit of confusion that forces us to minimize the windows one by one or to enlarge what we need.
To do much earlier, just put the mouse cursor on the window title, click and hold and move the mouse left and right quickly for a second.
Thanks to this movement or shaking or shaking, all other windows are iconized on the taskbar and hidden, leaving only the shaken window on the screen.
This feature is called Aero Shake and is present on Windows 7, 8 and 10.
2) Rotating backgrounds
You can make the desktop wallpaper change automatically after a certain period of time by showing a new image.
Right click on the desktop, go to Personalize> Wallpaper and then click on Desktop Wallpaper at the bottom.
The window where to set the background will open and it will be possible to select multiple images and then activate the option below to automatically rotate them by choosing after how many hours to change the background and in what order.
If you do not have particular images, you can rotate the backgrounds of Bing, very beautiful and quality.
3) Quickly open programs on the taskbar
By holding down the Windows key and then pressing a number, the corresponding program opens, counting from left to right.
For example, Windows + 1 opens the program whose icon is closest to the Start button.
You can then sort the icons and move them on the taskbar to automatically assign them a different order number than the current one.
Another trick to know is that pressing the mouse on the icon in the system tray of an already open program, holding down the Shift key, opens a new window of that program.
In this regard, I point out the guide to customize the Windows taskbar in 10 ways.
4) Task Manager, Control Panel and Resource Monitor
There are Windows tools that are often used to check the health of the system (the task manager) and to access internet settings (the Control Panel).
Instead of looking for them and starting them with the mouse making a thousand clicks, it is better to know the shortcut:
- For the Control Panel, press Windows - C (or Windows - I on Windows 8).
- For the task manager or task manager, press CTRL - Shift - Esc together .
- To open the system settings press Windows - Pause / interr )
- To open the Windows resource monitor, convenient to understand what is going on on the computer in case of slowdowns or problems, open the Start Menu and write on the search box or on Run: resmon .
READ ALSO: 10 most useful system tools hidden in Windows
5) Restore deletions quickly
Probably (I hope) everyone knows the key combinations Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V to copy and paste text and files.
Fewer people know the shortcut Ctrl + Z which is used to undo the last action done in each program and on the Windows system.
For example, if a file has been deleted and moved to the recycle bin, pressing CTRL -Z returns it to its original location.
This keyboard shortcut also works in text boxes for reporting deleted words and on most software for restoring actions.
READ ALSO: PC keys most important to know and know how to use
6) See the type of file, for each file in the various folders .
On Windows, for security reasons, file extensions that identify their format or type are hidden by default.
It is always worth discovering and seeing the file extensions to avoid running hidden viruses and to always know with which program to open a certain type of file.
7) Close windows quickly .
There are three ways to close any open window quickly:
- by clicking on the X in the upper right corner
- double clicking with the mouse on the upper left corner
- pressing the ALT - F4 keys together
ALT-F4, if pressed when there is no window open, they bring up the menu to turn off the computer.
8) Copy, paste and cut, for left-handed people
We all know that the CTRL-C and CTRL-V shortcuts can be used to copy and paste.
On the other hand, almost nobody knows that there are shortcuts for left-handed people, with their right hand, to copy and paste, explained in another article.
9) As learned from another guide, you can turn off your PC with the power / power button without problems .
10) From other articles, I finally remember other collections of tips and tricks for Windows:
- 10 Windows tricks that you must use and know on your PC
- Quick ways to move between files and folders on Windows
- Windows 7 cheats for "explore resources" and slow folders
- 10 tricks with the mouse: clicks and keys in different ways
