We all know how to use Windows 7 in the traditional sense. But do you know all of the built in shortcuts you can do using the keyboard and the mouse?

Let’s start with some of the most basic, and most commonly used shortcuts:

At the bottom left of the keyboard there is the “ctrl” key (control). By first pressing the ctrl key, and then holding until you press the next key

Windows key combinations to execute a shortcuts

General Windows shortcuts:

• ctrl+alt+delete: open the task manager. can also help you if your system freezes or stalls

• F1: Open up the help menu

• ctrl+esc: open up the windows start menu

• alt+tab: switch between open programs to make the next one in line active

• alt+f4: close active program

• shift+delete: works like delete, expect it avoids going to the recycle bin

• windows key+l: log off the computer

Program Key Combo’s

• ctrl+c: copy selected into clipboard

• ctrl+x: cut selected into clipboard

• ctrl+v: paste selected into clipboard (note, this doesn’t erase it from the clipboard, and you can paste multiple times)

• ctrl+z: undo last action

• ctrl+b: bold the current selection

• ctrl+u: underline the current selection

• ctrl+i: italicize the current selection

Other useful shortcuts

• ctrl+p: print current page

• ctrl+z: undo last action

• ctrl+y: redo last action

• ctrl+g: search

• ctrl+a: select all in current document

• ctrl+f: find text in the current document

There are many more shortcuts that you can use, but these are the most commonly used ones, and if you get used to using them instead of finding these options in the menu, you will start to see a lot more efficiency when working on your Windows 7 pc.

Keep in mind, some programs react to keyboard shortcuts in a different or specific way, and not all keys are globally accepted to do the same thing.

UPDATE: Posted a windows 7 shortcut video for additional reference