By Howard Miles, IT Manager
Microsoft Windows and Google Mail both have a large number of keyboard shortcuts available for use. These shortcuts can save you time and effort, especially if you find yourself moving between the keyboard and mouse and performing repetitive mouse clicks.
The shortcuts won’t completely eliminate the need for a mouse or other pointing device, but they can cut down on hand movements between the devices, thereby saving you time.
The following lists are not exhaustive, but are the shortcuts that you are probably more likely to use.
Windows General Keyboard Shortcuts
F1
Display help
Ctrl + c
Copy the selected item
Ctrl + x
Cut the selected item
Ctrl + v
Paste the selected item
Ctrl + z
Undo an action
Ctrl + y
Redo an action
Delete (or Ctrl +d)
Delete the selected item and move it to the recycle bin
Shift + Delete
Permanently delete the selected item, skipping the recycle bin
F2
Rename the selected item
Ctrl + right arrow
Move to the beginning of the next word
Ctrl + left arrow
Move to the beginning of the previous word
Ctrl + down arrow
Move to the beginning of the next paragraph
Ctrl + up arrow
Move to the beginning of the previous paragraph
Ctrl + Shift + arrow
Select a block of text
Shift + arrow
Select more than one item, or select text within a document
Ctrl + a
Select all items
F3
Search
Alt + Enter
Display properties for the selected item
Alt + F4
Close the active item, or exit the program
Alt + Spacebar
Open the shortcut menu for the active window
Ctrl + F4
Close the active document
Alt + Tab
Switch between open items
Shift + F10
Display the shortcut menu for the selected item
Ctrl + Esc
Open the Start menu
Alt + underlined letter
Display the corresponding menu or perform the menu command
F10
Activate the menu bar
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 (or Ctrl + r)
Refresh the active window
Esc
Cancel the current task
Ctrl + Shift + Esc
Open Task Manager
Windows logo key shortcuts
These shortcuts use the Windows logo key
Logo
Open or close the Start menu
Logo + d
Display the desktop
Logo + m
Minimize all windows
Logo + Shift + m
Restore minimized windows
Logo + e
Open computer (Windows Explorer)
Logo + L
Lock your computer
Logo + r
Open the Run dialog box
Logo + up arrow
Maximize the window
Logo + down arrow
Minimize the window
Logo + Home
Minimize all but the active window
Google Mail shortcuts
In Google Mail some of the shortcuts will not work unless you turn on shortcuts in settings. To turn them on, open your mail account, click on the gear in the upper right, click settings, scroll down to “Keyboard shortcuts,” select “Keyboard shortcuts on,” scroll to the bottom of the page and click “Save Changes.”
P
Previous message in an open conversation
N
Next message in an open conversation
Ctrl + Enter
Send
Ctrl + Shift + c
Add cc recipients
Ctrl + Shift + b
Add bcc recipients
Ctrl + k
Insert a link
Ctrl + m
Open spelling selections
Ctrl + Shift + –
Decrease text size
Ctrl + Shift + +
Increase text size
Ctrl + b
Bold
Ctrl + i
Italics
Ctrl + u
Underline
Ctrl + Shift + 7
Numbered list
Ctrl + Shift + 8
Bulleted list
Ctrl + Shift + 9
Quote
Ctrl + [
Indent less
Ctrl + ]
Indent more
Ctrl + Shift + L
Align left
Ctrl + Shift + r
Align right
Ctrl + Shift + e
Align center
Ctrl + \
Remove formatting
X
Select conversation
E
Archive
!
Report as spam
#
Delete
R
Reply
A
Reply all
F
Forward
Z
Undo last action
Shift + i
Mark as read
Shift + u
Mark as unread
= or +
Mark as important
–
Mark as not important
;
Expand entire conversation
:
Collapse entire conversation
G + i
Go to inbox
G + s
Go to starred conversations
G + t
Go to sent messages
G + d
Go to drafts
G + a
Go to All Mail
G + c
Go to contacts
G + k
Go to tasks
C
Compose
D
Compose in a new tab
.
Open “more actions” menu
V
Open “move to” menu
L
Open “label as” menu
Other apps
Most applications have their own set of shortcuts. For example, the calculator app that is included in Windows has 5 pages of shortcuts specific to itself. And in most applications some combination of keys including the question mark (such as ctrl + ?) will bring up help, just like pressing the F1 key in Windows.