Microsoft adds standardized shortcuts in all recent editions of Windows, but they are not well known to system users. It is possible, for example, to access programs fixed on the taskbar more quickly using the keyboard and thus save time on the computer. In addition, the operating system allows the user to customize their own shortcuts to save time and be able to memorize commands more easily. Here are five little-known but useful keyboard shortcuts for Windows 10.
READ: Generation 90: website releases everything from Windows 95 on your PC
Windows allows you to configure custom shortcuts on the system â Photo: Carolina Oschendorf / dnetc
Want to buy cell phones, TV and other discounted products? Discover Compare dnetc
1. Quick start lists
You can add shortcuts to the taskbar to save time and gain more agility when opening files. The option is present in the list of options accessed from a program attached to the bar. It displays the latest projects made within the software, so it is possible to quickly select the desired document, without having to search for it in the computerâs folders.
Step 1. Right-click on the program icon on the taskbar;
Choose the program you want to use â Photo: Reproduction / Gabrielle Ferreira
Step 2. Then, select the document you want to open from the list of options;
The system displays a list of the last documents opened in the program â Photo: Reproduction / Gabrielle Ferreira
Step 3. It is possible to pin a document at the top of the list of options by selecting the pin icon to the right of the desired file name. The function is ideal for pinning a document that is often used by the user.
It is possible to fix a document so that it always appears â Photo: Reproduction / Gabrielle Ferreira
2. Launch taskbar shortcuts with keyboard shortcuts
Windows has a little hidden function that allows you to open programs pinned to the taskbar from keyboard shortcuts, without the need for a mouse. Learn how to use it in the walkthrough below.
Step 1. To open a program on the taskbar, press the Win + T keys at the same time. The Win key is represented on the keyboard by the Windows icon. Then press Enter to open the first program option set on the bar;
The first option to appear will be the first program on the left â Photo: Reproduction / Gabrielle Ferreira
Step 2. If the desired program is not the first one on the bar, press the Win + T command again, until you reach the application you want to open. Later, it is necessary to press Enter to open the program.
Choose the desired program and press Enter â Photo: Reproduction / Gabrielle Ferreira
3. Configure your own keyboard shortcuts
Although Windows offers standardized keyboard shortcuts, it is possible to customize new commands to access a specific program in a practical way. A useful tip is to place the first letter of the program as a shortcut key, to facilitate memorization.
Step 1. With the right mouse button, select the icon of the chosen program and, in the menu that appears, press the option «Create Shortcut»;
Create a program shortcut on the desktop â Photo: Reproduction / Gabrielle Ferreira
Step 2. A new program icon will be created. Right-click on it and select «Properties»;
In the Property menu, you can create keyboard shortcuts â Photo: Reproduction / Gabrielle Ferreira
Step 3. In the window that opens, access the «Shortcut» tab;
Look for the shortcuts tab â Photo: Reproduction / Gabrielle Ferreira
Step 4. Go to the «Shortcut Key» option and enter the desired key to serve as a shortcut to the program. Here, the key chosen as an example was P. The system automatically creates the shortcut «Ctrl + Alt + chosen key».
The shortcut will work in the format «Ctrl + Alt + key» â Photo: Reproduction / Gabrielle Ferreira
4. Configure the Send Menu
Another option to maximize the use of your time and keep your computer organized by creating quick access folders. This feature gathers the most used files and creates keyboard shortcuts to access them from the «Send to âŠÂ» option
It is accessed after clicking on a file, and its function is to forward the documents directly to a specific path on the PC. Learn how to include the quick access folder in the upload options list, so you can quickly send files to the folder.
Step 1. Create a folder for your most used files and make the custom keyboard shortcut, following the instructions in the previous topic. Then, copy the created folder;
Create a folder with quick access shortcut â Photo: Reproduction / Gabrielle Ferreira
Step 2. Search the search bar for «Run», and select the corresponding option;
The Search Bar is the bar at the bottom left of the screen â Photo: Reproduction / Gabrielle Ferreira
Step 3. In the Run Menu, type the command «shell: sendto» (without quotes) and press «Ok»;
The command will open the «Send To» destination windows â Photo: Reproduction / Gabrielle Ferreira
Step 4. The file explorer will open a window containing all the options that appear in the «Send to» menu;
Window shows the existing shipping destinations â Photo: Reproduction / Gabrielle Ferreira
Step 5. Paste the folder on the page so that it is listed in the «Send To» menu options;
The paste option can also be used by the shortcut «Ctrl + V» â Photo: Reproduction / Gabrielle Ferreira
Step 6. To make sure that the configuration was well done, select any document and click with the right mouse button and check if in the «Send to» section the folder option will appear.
Check if the created folder appears in the destinations option â Photo: Reproduction / Gabrielle Ferreira
5. Quick Access or My Computer?
Windows 10 displays a page with documents and folders most accessed on the system when opening the file menu. The functionality can be useful for those who want to quickly access their files, but if you have created quick shortcuts with the most used documents, such a function may not be as necessary. On the contrary, the file window can be used as a way to access files that are rarely accessed, or through normal viewing by folders and subfolders.
Step 1. To change the displayed initial files, open the file menu and go to the «View» tab. Then select «Options»;
Open the computerâs File Explorer â Photo: Reproduction / Gabrielle Ferreira
Step 2. In the new window that opens, access the «General» tab and then select the «Open Explorer for:» option. Choose «My Computer» and press «Ok». The file explorer will exit quick access mode.
The displayed folders will now be sorted by their place of origin â Photo: Reproduction / Gabrielle Ferreira
Windows cannot format a USB stick; what to do? Ask questions in the dnetc Forum.
How to find your current networkâs Wi-Fi password in Windows
