Who doesn’t love a shortcut?! Whether it’s a quicker route home or an easy hack to make daily tasks simpler. Here are a few of the best keyboard shortcuts everyone should know. We’ve included some Microsoft Word shortcuts, browser shortcuts and general shortcuts to help speed up your computing.
Most importantly, we’ve included Windows Keyboard Shortcuts and Mac Keyboard Shortcuts, so no matter the keyboard layout, you can speed up your day with shortcuts!
Windows Keyboard Shortcuts
Perhaps you’ve just shifted to a Windows device, or you’re looking to speed up some daily tasks. There are a few keys that repeat themselves often in these shortcuts, so make sure you know where to find them. These include the Windows Key or WinKey, the Ctrl (Control) key and the Shift key. Once you’ve familiarised yourself with these handy keys, you’re ready to go!
Windows System Keyboard Shortcuts
| W | Opens and closes the Windows Start Menu |
| W + D | Minimises all open windows and shows the Desktop |
| W + M | Minimises all open windows |
| W + F1 | Opens the Windows Help Menu |
| W + U | Opens the Utility Manager |
Word Processing and Common General Shortcuts
| Ctrl + C | Copy selected text or file |
| Ctrl + V | Paste copied text or file |
| Ctrl + X | Cut selected text or file |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo most recent action |
| Ctrl + A | Select/highlight all text or files |
| Ctrl + B | Boldface the selected text/turn on or off |
| Ctrl+ I | Italicise the selected text/turn on or off |
| Ctrl+ K | Add a web link to the selected text |
| Ctrl + U | Underline the selected text/turn on or off |
| Ctrl + S | Save the current file |
Web-Browsing Keyboard Shortcuts
Make sure you have a browser window open and selected when trying these shortcuts.
| Ctrl + R | Refresh the browser window |
| Ctrl + V | Paste copied text or file |
| Ctrl + D | Bookmark your current page |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo most recent action |
| Ctrl + H | Open the History bar |
Mac Keyboard Shortcuts
Whether you use an iMac or MacBook Pro, Mac Keyboard Shortcuts are sure to make daily tasks a whole lot quicker. Similarly to Windows computers, you’ll want to familiarise yourself with a few key keys (pun most definitely intended). These are the
⌘ Command Key, the Shift key ⇧ and the Option key ⌥. If you’re familiar with these then you’re all set to go.
Apple Mac System Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shift + Command + 5 | Take a screenshot or make a screen recording |
| Control + Command + N | Create a new folder containing selected items |
| Option + Command + M | Minimise all windows of the front app |
| Command + H | Hide the front window |
| Space Bar | Preview a file before instead of fully opening it |
Apple Mac Text Editing and Common General Shortcuts
| Command + C | Copy selected text or file |
| Command + V | Paste copied text or file |
| Command + X | Cut selected text or file |
| Command + Z | Undo most recent action |
| Command + A | Select/highlight all text or files |
| Command + B | Boldface the selected text/turn on or off |
| Command + I | Italicise the selected text/turn on or off |
| Command + K | Add a web link to the selected text |
| Command + U | Underline the selected text/turn on or off |
| Command + S | Save the current file |
There are thousands more shortcuts you could learn to make tasks simpler than ever. Many specialist software programs have unique shortcuts. For example, if you’re a designer, you may want to learn about Adobe Illustrator Shortcuts, or if you’re a video editor, then Premier Pro Shortcuts can help cut down your editing time. Whatever the task, shortcuts can make life easier!
If you need help learning all the ins and outs of your Windows or Mac device, then make sure to reach out to Geeks on Wheels. From Keyboard shortcuts to operating system breakdowns and handy user tips, we can help!
