Hot Key Shortcuts

Welcome to RK Consulting, LTD Tips & Tricks, this space is dedicated to giving information about Technology to our readers. Enjoy the following links and content! The majority of our content is derived from industry articles. Hot Keys have been around for some time and you may be aware of some of the more common ones. Have you tried using the Windows Key? Here are a few Tricks for you! Here are some of the favorites. There are 30 altogether.

Steve Rhoden

7/17/15

 

Show the Desktop. Press again to bring back your open windows
Peek the desktop—releasing brings back all your displaying windows.
Minimize all windows.
Opens the window of the corresponding-numbered Taskbar button, starting from the left as 1, next 2, and so on.
Open Computer window to show drives and their used space and devices in Explorer.
Minimize all but the active window.
Maximize window—this is probably just as easy to do with Aero by dragging the window header to the top of the screen or just double-clicking it.
Stretch the window to the top and bottom of the screen.
Move a window from one monitor to another—this one is a little complicated, but if you use multiple monitors, it pays off.
Lock the system—i.e., log out and require a log-in to use the system.
Show display and projector options.
Open Windows Mobility Center—You may not even know there's such a thing as the Mobility Center, but it gives easy access to things like screen brightness and volume. It also lets presenters turn on an external display.

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Windows 11 Tips and Tricks

Move the Start Button

You will notice that the Start button and incons in the taskbar are centered-this is not something that's to everyone's liking. If you would prefer the Start button to be in the left-hand corner as it always has been, right-click an empty section of the taskbar and select Taskbar settings. Click the Taskbar behaviors section to expand it, and then select Left from the Taskbar alignment drop-down menu

Enable Dark Mode

The option to switch to a darker color is a trend that his hit many different applications, and Windows 11 does not miss out. If you prefer darker tones, right-click an empty section of the desktop and select Personalize before clicking the Color section. From the drop-down menu labeled Choose your mode, select Dark

Use Snap Layouts

(image credit: Future)

If you have several applications running and multiple instances of Explorer open, it can be difficult to orgainize the windows on the screen for easy navigation. Windows 11's Snap feature could be the solution you're looking for. Hover your cursor over the Maximize/Resize button and you can choose a layout to quickly arrange open windows. There are several to choose from, each suited for different taks and screen sizes.

Hide unwanted Taskbar buttons

Next to the Start button, you will see the Task view and Widget buttons. If you don't need these, you can hide them by right-clicking an empty section of the taskbar and selecting Taskbar settings. You can then toggle Task view and Widgets on and off. You can do the same with Search and Chat buttons.

Banish distractions with Focus assist

Focus Assist can be used to prevent notifications from appearing when you need to limit distractions an get on with work. Open Settings and move to the System sectoin followed by Focus assist. If you select Alarms only, alarms are the only notifications that will disturb you. You can use the Priority only option to choose other notifications that should also be permitted, and choose times that Focus assistant should be automatically enabled.

Exlude Edge in Alt+Tab

You're probably used to using the Alt+Tab keyboard shortcut to switch between open applications and windows. With Windows 11, you can also include browser tabs from Edge in the Alt+Tab list for easy navigation. Open Settings and head to Sytem > Multi-tasking, and then use the drop-down menu in the Alt+Tab section to choose Open windows only to ignore Edge tabs

Make Use of Widgets

Widgets are mini-apps that are displayed in a small pop-up window when you click the Widgets button in the taskbar-the blue and white button next to the Start button. You can customize the widgets you see by clicking the button followed by your profile picture to the upper right. Click the + button next to a widget preview to add it to the display. Back at the main widget panel, unwanted widgets can be removed by clicking the x in their upper right-hand corner.

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Start menu shortcuts

Right-click the Start button-or press Windows + X to display a handy menu providing easy access to a number of Windows 11 components. This includes a link to Explorer, Settings and sections of the Control Panel.

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Enhance your Sound

Whether your're listening with speakers or headphones. Windows 11 can make your audio sound better. Right-click the volume icon in the taskbar and select Sound settings. Click the arrow to th right of the audio device you are using, scroll down through the options and move the toggle labeled Enhance audio to the On position.

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Pin frequently used apps

The apps you use most can be pinned to the taskbar or the top of the Start menu for east access. Click the Start button, locate the shortcut for an app you use a lot and right-click it. From the menu that appears, you can select the Pin to Start or Pin to taskbar option - whichever you prefer.

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Customize the Start menu

There is a lot content you can show or hide in the Start menu. Open Settings, head to Personalization > Start and use the toggles to enable or disable recently added apps, most-used apps and recent items. If you click Folders you can add shortcuts to various options - like Settings, Explorer or specific folders-using the appropriate toggles.

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Expanded Right-click Menu

Windows 11 has a redesinged contex menu (the one that appears when you right-click on files and folders in Explorer) and you may find that some options you are used to are missing. You can access the old-style menu by clicking Show more options a the bottom of the context menu, or by selecting a file or folder and pressing Shift + F10.

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Clear the Decks

You can use the keyboard shortcut Windows + D to minimize all open windows but there is another option. Open Settings, go to System > Multi-tasking and move the Title bar window shake toggle to On. Now, when you click the title bar of an open window keep the left mouse button pressed and shake from side to side, all windows except the selected one will be minimized

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Handy Settings shortcut

There are lots of handy shortcuts to learn in Windows 11, but onw of the most useful for anyone who is frequently changing settings is Windows + I. Pressing this key will open the Settings app

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Custom Screenshots

You probably know that you can take a screenshot of what you see in front of you by pressing Print Screen and then pasting the contents of the clipboard into your favorite image editor. But if you press Windows + Shift + S you'll launch the Snipping Tool app, which can be used to take a sreengrab of just a portion of your desktop or any open window

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Quickly launch pinned Apps

If you have shortcuts pinned in the taskbar, you already have an easy way to launch your most frequently used apps. But you can also press Windows + 1 to launch the app whose icon is in the first position, Windows + 2 to open the second, and so on. You can even press multiple numbers at once to launch two or more apps simultaneously - pressing Windows + 3 + 4 will launch the apps whose shortcuts are third and fourth in the taskbar, for instance

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Type faster with Voice typing

If you want to imput text a littel faster, you could try talking to your computer instead of using the keyboard. Press Windows + H to launch Voice typing which you can use to dictate text rather than typing it out by hand.

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Check battery usage

If you're on a laptop you will probably want to maximize the life of your battery. When you're away from a power source, you can check which apps are eating up the most battery by opening Settings and heading to System > Power & battery. Click View detailed info next to the handy green graph of battery usage and you will see a list of bettery-hungary apps. You can close down any that are unnecessary or manage their background activity via the three-dot menu next to the app's entry in the list

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Use Virtural Desktops

It is easy to run out of space on your desktop, or get lost in a sea of windwos - and this is where virtual desktops can help. Click the Task View button next to the Start button and then click New desktop to create a new virtual worksapace. You can use this - and add any more you create- just like your normal desktop. Switch between them by holding Windows + Ctrl and pressing the left or right arrow key.

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Customize Quick Settings

Click the Network/Volume/Power button in the taskbar, and you'll see Quick Settings which gives easy access to key options and settings. You can remove items you don't need or add new ones that are missing by clicking the pencil buttion, then click the 'unpin' button next to an unwanted item. or hit Add to choose more

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