They’re So Hot

HotKeyThis is a little list of useful “hot keys“, the keyboard combinations to execute operations quickly in Windows XP, that aren’t too much known.

Windows Key + D :: Show the Desktop
Windows Key + M :: Minimize All & Show The Desktop
Windows Key + L :: Switch User
Windows Key + E :: Open Windows Explore
Windows Key + R :: Open “Run…”
CTRL+A :: Select all
ALT+PrintScreen (in the upper-right corner) :: Take a screenshot of the current window in the clipboard
CTRL+W :: Close current window, like ALT+F4
Backspace :: “Back” function
CTRL+Enter :: Add www. and .com to what is currently written in the Internet Explorer address bar

There are a lot of hot keys, and I didn’t mentioned the most famous ones like CTRL+C (copy), CTRL+V (paste), etc.
If you know others that you find useful, leave a comment! ;)

This content was posted Thursday 20 April 2006 on 10:17 am in category Tricks. You can follow the comments in this article with its dedicated feed in RSS 2.0. Here you can leave an answer. Pinging is not enabled.

6 commenti

  1. younkq said:
    April 20th, 2006

    Windows Key + D :: Show the Desktop
    Windows Key, ALT+M :: Minimize all

    The correction is

    Windows Key + M :: Minimize All & Show The Desktop

  2. riccardo said:
    April 20th, 2006

    Thank you, I fixed the article!

  3. Sean said:
    April 25th, 2006

    Windows Keys:
    Windows Key :: Display or hide the Start menu.
    Windows Key +BREAK Display the System Properties dialog box.
    Windows Key +D Show the desktop.
    Windows Key +M Minimize all windows.
    Windows Key +Shift+M Restores minimized windows.
    Windows Key +E Open My Computer.
    Windows Key +F Search for a file or folder.
    CTRL+ Windows Key +F Search for computers.
    Windows Key +F1 Display Windows Help.
    Windows Key + L Lock your computer if you are connected to a network domain, or switch users if you are not connected to a network domain.
    Windows Key +R Open the Run dialog box.
    Shortcut Key (Right side of keyboard, net=xt to CTRL key) Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.
    Windows Key +U Open Utility Manager.

    CTRL+C Copy.
    CTRL+X Cut.
    CTRL+V Paste.
    CTRL+Z Undo.
    DELETE Delete.
    SHIFT+DELETE Delete selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin.
    CTRL while dragging an item Copy selected item.
    CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item Create shortcut to selected item.
    F2 Rename selected item.
    CTRL+RIGHT ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word.
    CTRL+LEFT ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word.
    CTRL+DOWN ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph.
    CTRL+UP ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph.
    CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys Highlight a block of text.
    SHIFT with any of the arrow keys Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document.
    CTRL+A Select all.
    F3 Search for a file or folder.
    ALT+ENTER View properties for the selected item.
    ALT+F4 Close the active item, or quit the active program.
    ALT+Enter Displays the properties of the selected object.
    ALT+SPACEBAR Opens the shortcut menu for the active window.
    CTRL+F4 Close the active document in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously.
    ALT+TAB Switch between open items.
    ALT+ESC Cycle through items in the order they were opened.
    F6 Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop.
    F4 Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer.
    SHIFT+F10 Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.
    ALT+SPACEBAR Display the System menu for the active window.
    CTRL+ESC Display the Start menu.
    ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name Display the corresponding menu.
    Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu Carry out the corresponding command.
    F10 Activate the menu bar in the active program.
    RIGHT ARROW Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu.
    LEFT ARROW Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu.
    F5 Refresh the active window.
    BACKSPACE View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer.
    ESC Cancel the current task.
    SHIFT when you insert a CD into the CD-ROM drive Prevent the CD from automatically playing.

    Search windows help for “Windows keyboard shortcuts overview” to get a complete list

  4. Anon said:
    April 25th, 2006

    But the by far most lacking hotkey is the key for making a new folder… Those 2 clicks by the mouse are so damn frustrating

  5. shaun said:
    January 19th, 2007

    WinKey + M doesnt work well on multiple monitor setups… it minimizes all on my primary monitor but doesnt minimize anything on the other.

    WinKey + D does all monitors (im assuming.. i have a dual setup and it does both)

  6. Simon said:
    April 2nd, 2008

    Good useful stuff for us silver surfers, thanks.

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