Windows 10 and 11 both come with a variety of different features that help those using it complete their tasks easier. Some of these great features include some pretty cool keyboard shortcuts that will save time and eliminate some of the repetitive hassle that comes with completing tasks. In this blog, we have put together a short list of our favorite keyboard shortcuts featured on Windows 10 and 11 that you might find useful.
Snap
Snap is a feature that allows you to separate you desktop windows into multiple, smaller views. This makes it easier to view documents side by side or allows you to have more viewable windows open at once. Use these keyboard shortcuts to utilize Snap:
- Windows Key + Left Arrow: Quickly snaps your current tab to the left portion of your screen.
- Windows Key + Right Arrow: Quickly snaps your current tab to the right portion of your screen.
- Windows Key + Alt + Up Arrow (For Windows 11 only): Snaps your current tab to the top portion of your screen.
- Windows Key + Alt + Down Arrow (Windows 11 only): Snaps your current tab to the bottom portion of your screen.
You can also simply move a snapped window around your screen by pressing the windows icon + Up/Down/Left/Right arrow to get it to a specific corner of your screen.
Taskbar
The next keyboard shortcut we have for you allows you to navigate around your task bar by simply hitting a few keys simultaneously:
- Windows Key + T – This shortcut allows you to switch between apps pinned at the bottom of your taskbar.
- Windows Key + (number) – Open the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number. If the app is already running, pressing this shortcut will switch to that app.
- Windows Key + Shift + (number) – This will open up a new instance of the application even if one is already open. The numbers for the applications start with the far left being 1, next would be 2, and so on.
Task View
The Task View keyboard shortcut allows you to see all the opened windows on your computer so you can quickly switch to a specific application, document, or page. This feature tends to be the most useful for those who have a few different windows open at once.
- Windows Key + Tab – Opens the Task View interface and shows you a zoomed out screen of all your open windows.
- Alt + Tab – Allows your to cycle through and switch between your open windows quickly.
- Ctrl + Alt + Tab – This shortcut is similar to “Alt + Tab” except it keeps the thumbnails on the screen even after you release the keys.
Virtual Desktop
This handy feature enables you to create a new desktop that can display different open windows and apps. You can dedicate virtual desktops for certain functions. For instance, one virtual desktop could be used solely for work and another one for entertainment.
You can quickly manage your virtual desktops using the following keyboard shortcuts:
- Windows Key + Ctrl + D – opens a new virtual desktop
- Windows Key + Ctrl + F4 – closes the current virtual desktop
- Windows Key + Ctrl + Left/Right – switches to the virtual desktop on the left or right
If you’re looking for more time-saving technology tips or have any questions about how Windows 10 or 11 can help streamline your operations, just give us a call at (847) 303-1194 or visit www.rj2t.com. Our IT experts are more than happy to assist you.
