better PC users as well.
Techniques
Windows hidden "god
mode" folder Windows offers a centralized Control Panel
for all of the OS settings, which makes it easy for users to tweak everything
from desktop background to setting up a VPN. To enter this mode, create a new
folder with this exact name (copy and paste it): God Mode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}.
The folder icon will change to a Control Panel-style icon, and you will be able
to jump in and change all kinds of settings. Note: Don't
try this on Windows Vista 64-bit as it's known to cause a reboot loop.
Use Problem Steps Recorder This handy tool automatically records any
mouse clicks and takes screenshots for you. If you need tech assistance with
your computer, go to Run by typing Windows + R, and then type "psr."
Use the tool and by the time you are finished, you can send this information,
neatly compiled automatically, to the person helping you with the issue. It
will make the process of finding the problem much easier for them, which means
you will be able to get your system up and running faster.
Find/Delete large files wasting
space A handy
tool called WinDirStat (Windows Directory
Statistics)can be used to easily find which files and folders are
taking up the most space on your drive. From there, you can delete them and
open up a ton of storage space.
Reduce the number of programs
running at startup If your
PC is taking too long to boot, it’s probably because you have far too many
programs running at startup. Reducing this is easy, it will make your PC launch
noticeably faster and lighter upon first load. To change the items running at
startup, go to Run using the hotkey Windows key + R, and type
"msconfig." A small window will appear (see the screenshot below),
select the Startup tab. From here you will be able to turn off many startup
programs, which can shave several seconds (or minutes) off your boot time.
(Note Windows 8 has moved this functionality to the Task Manager). Try to make
sure you research what you are turning off as some processes might be needed by
third party programs or drivers you have installed.
Cloud backup important files If you’re working on a critical paper for
school, work, or any other major project, make sure you are backing up the file
not just locally. You can use services like Dropbox, Google Drive, or any of
the other popular cloud storage solution which will do the legwork for you on
the background. Of course, you can also throw the files on a thumb drive or
external HDD just to be safe but backing up to the cloud can be done seamlessly
which is twice the advantage.
Typing
Tricks
Delete an entire word Instead of deleting a single letter,
pressing CTRL + BKSP will delete the entire word behind the cursor. This makes
deleting text quicker if you screw up a whole word.
Move Cursor to beginning of the
next or previous word Moving
the cursor around manually while typing is a great way to make your work take
longer than it needs to. To speed of the process, move the cursor around with
keyboard shortcuts. To move it to the beginning of the previous word, use CTRL
+ Left Arrow. To move it to the beginning of the next word, use CTRL + Right
Arrow. In OS X you can accomplish the same using the Option key.
Making sub and superscript text If you need to make sub or superscript text
(think exponents for superscript), press CTRL + = for subscript and CTRL +
SHIFT + = for superscript.
Paste plain text of what was
copied When
you copy text from any source, programs will usually copy any formatting that
comes with it. To paste this as plain text, press CTRL + Shift + V instead of
the standard CTRL + V, and the system will paste unformatted text.
Note that many programs follow this parameter (Chrome, Firefox, etc.) but not all, particularly Microsoft programs like Word or Outlook. For those there's a few alternatives that go beyond copying and pasting in Notepad: 1) CTRL + ALT + V will show a 'paste special' dialog box. 2) CTRL + Spacebar will remove formatting in already pasted text. 3) Download Puretext and choose a hotkey to always paste plain text with it.
Note that many programs follow this parameter (Chrome, Firefox, etc.) but not all, particularly Microsoft programs like Word or Outlook. For those there's a few alternatives that go beyond copying and pasting in Notepad: 1) CTRL + ALT + V will show a 'paste special' dialog box. 2) CTRL + Spacebar will remove formatting in already pasted text. 3) Download Puretext and choose a hotkey to always paste plain text with it.
Keyboard
Shortcuts
Copy only active window to
clipboard Normally,
the Print Screen key copies the entire display (or two displays if you got
them), ALT + Print Screen only copies the currently active window to the
clipboard. Whether taking a screenshot to diagnose a problem, or just because
you want to show something to a friend, this will come in handy.
Fix those little mistakes Did you know you can undo almost any
action? CTRL + Z is the ultimate hot key, and for sure you knew about it
already, however note that undo doesn’t just apply to typing. If you
accidentally delete or move a file, you can hit CTRL + Z to bring it right back
to where it was. In Chrome and Firefox you can also undo closing a tab using
CTRL + SHIFT + T.
Cycle through open windows Pressing ALT+TAB allows you to cycle
through currently open windows. This makes switching back and forth between
running processes quick and painless. If you want a more stylish method of cycling
through open programs, Windows + TAB will do the job for you.
Interrupt all processes CTRL + ALT + Delete is one of the most
common PC shortcuts, and one almost everyone is familiar with. The important
thing to note is that it interrupts all processes, including the one that is
bogging down your system, which can mean the difference between needing to
restart or not.
Close the current program Typing ALT + F4 will close the program that
is running. This is useful as it saves you time mousing over the "X"
and clicking. People will often use this as a joke, telling you to press ALT +
F4 to fix a problem. Don’t fall for it unless you want to close what you are
doing.
Minimize all windows Sometimes you have a bunch of stuff
running, and you want it all to go away so you can get to the desktop. Simply
pressing Windows + D will minimize everything you have up, which will save you
some time pressing the minimize button for each window. It should be noted that
Windows + M offers similar functionality, but there is no undoing, so Windows +
D is the more favorable approach.
Open the task manager directly If you want to bypass the interrupt that
happens when pressing CTRL + ALT + DEL and jump right to the task manager,
typing CTRL + Shift + ESC launches it directly.
Close the current window/tab Stick of moving all the way to that X
button? Press CTRL + W and the current window will close. (Don’t do it now, or
you will miss the rest of the tricks!)
Bring up the system information
window This is
so much quicker than digging this out the traditional way... Just press Windows
+ Pause/Break and the System Information panel will be ready to go. This might
be the only use for the Pause/Break key you will ever find, so enjoy it!
Better multiple monitor control There are several useful keyboard shortcuts
for controlling open windows on multiple monitors. Pressing the Windows Key +
Arrow Keys will cause a window to quickly snap to each side of either monitor.
Alternatively, hitting Shift + Windows Key + Arrows will cause the window to
jump to the other monitor. Lastly, pressing Windows + P will allow you to
quickly set up a second display or projector.
Web
Browsing Tricks
Automatically add www. and .com
to a URL You can
shave off a couple of seconds typing in a URL by simply click CTRL + Enter after
you type the name of the site. Need .net instead of .com, press CTRL + Shift +
Enter instead.
Jump to address bar There are a number of ways to jump right to
the address bar from anywhere in browser. Pressing CTRL + L, F6, and ALT + D
all accomplish this goal.
Bring back a closed tab We covered this already, but it's super
useful. Accidentally closed a tab? Simply press CTRL + Shift + T to reopen the
most recently closed tab and get back to what you were doing.
Use private browsing The uses for not having cookies and history
saved are obvious for certain activities, you know, like shopping for gifts on
a shared computer (of course!). Pressing CTRL + Shift + N will launch a new
private in Chrome, CTRL + Shift + P will do it in Firefox and Internet
Explorer.
Cycle through open tabs Pressing CTRL + TAB while in a browser will
flip between each one. This can be much faster than moving the mouse and
clicking on a tab. CTRL + NUM (1, 2, 3, 4, n..) will also take you to certain
tab in that numeric order.
File
Management Tricks
Rename a file quickly Right-clicking and selecting rename is not
very efficient. Instead, simply press F2 while a file is selected to change its
name. To alter the name of another file, type TAB without deselecting the
current file.
Rename files sequentially in
Windows You
actually don’t need to download any programs to perform a batch file rename in
Windows. Instead, you can select all the files you want to change, right-click
the first one in the list, select rename (or use F2), and type in the name.
This will automatically change all the other files with the same root name with
a suffix: (1), (2), and so on.
Select multiple files using the
keyboard To
select a bunch of files using your keyboard, you can press Shift + down arrow
to select a single file or Shift + Page Down to select a large group of files
at one time.
Security
Tips
Run programs on an infected PC Often times, malware will prevent a
computer from running certain programs. Changing the name of the .exe file can
often override this. If that doesn’t work, changing the extension to .com is
another useful alternative, and the program will still be able to run in spite
of the extension change.
Read installers Even major programs can install toolbars
and other unwanted pieces of software during installation. Take a few seconds
to read each step to make sure you are not agreeing to install something other
than the program you were actually seeking. Far too often people just push next
over and over, and end up with a browser covered in various search bars that
just aren't needed. In the worst of scenarios, these can have nefarious
intentions.
Lock your computer if you get
up Sick of
your "friends" going onto your computer at work or home and posting
things on your Facebook/Twitter page on your behalf? It’s certainly an
annoyance, but an easy one to prevent. Windows + L will lock your system right
away, requiring a password (if you've set one) to log in again.
Program-Specific
Tricks
Photoshop: Drag the marquee
without losing the ability to size it The marquee tool is, at its most basic
level, designed for selecting a part of an image. It’s used constantly in Photoshop, and
there is a handy trick many users miss. While dragging it around, you can press
space, which will allow you to size it while moving it. This saves time by
letting your perform two key functions at the same time.
Steam: Move games to another
drive or partition By
default, Steam installs all games to the same HDD or
partition, but what happens if that fills up? The solution: download Steamtool Library Manager.
It makes it easy to move games to another hard drive without messing with the
functionality of Steam.
VLC: Fix unsynced audio and
subtitles In the
popular media player VLC, if your audio
loses sync with the video or subtitles, there is an easy way to fix this.
Simply pressing J or K will move the audio forward or backwards. Similarly, to
sync the subtitles you can press H or G.
The combination of using these tips and tricks on a daily basis
will most certainly make your computer life much more enjoyable, or at least
more practical. And so, did you learn a thing or two that you didn't know
before?
Vijay Ptlr
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