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These are the keyboard shortcuts that you will find useful

Because there are more useful ones than Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V.

CONSIDERING HOW MUCH time we spend on our computers typing, it’s worth knowing the many keyboard shortcuts there are at your disposal.

Chances are you already know the basics, but what about capturing screenshots, hiding all of your windows or deleting words quickly?

If you aren’t familiar with them, of you would like to refresh your memory, here are a pick of the more useful shortcuts out there.

(For Mac users, you can usually replace Ctrl with Cmd in most cases, but specific commands can be found further below)

General actions

The ones that will get you started (and you may already know about).

Ctrl + C: Copy.
Ctrl + X: Cut.
Ctrl + V: Paste.
Ctrl + Shift + V: Paste as plain text (Removes formatting)
Ctrl + Z: Undo.
Ctrl + B: Bold.
Ctrl + U: Underline.
Ctrl + I: Italics.

Ctrl + Esc: Open Start Menu (Windows only).
Alt + F4: Close selected window/programme.
Alt + F6: Switches between windows of the same programme.
Win + D: Clears desktop (Minimises all windows).
Alt + F4: Brings up shut down/reset window.
(Mac) Shift + Cmd + 3: Captures screenshot of desktop and saves.
(Mac) Shift + Cmd + 4: Allows you to capture part of screen (press space bar to capture entire window.

Files

Drag file + hold down Ctrl: copies file in new location.
Drag file + hold down Ctrl + Shift: Creates shortcut for said file.
Select file + F2: Rename file.
Select file + Alt + Enter: 
Open up properties for said file.

Browser

Certain shortcuts will vary somewhat between different browsers, otherwise these will work.

Ctrl + F: Search for word.
Ctrl + T: Opens new tab.
Ctrl + Shift + T : Opens last tab you closed.
Ctrl + Shift + N: Opens last window you closed.
Ctrl + N: Open new window.
Ctrl + Shift + N: Open Incognito/Private Browsing window

Shift + Tab: Move down between commands.
Ctrl + Shift +Tab: Move up between commands.
Ctrl + H: Bring up history.
Ctrl + W: Close current tab.
Ctrl + Tab: Goes to next tab.
Backspace: Return to previous page.

Ctrl + Plus/Minus sign: Zoom in/out.
Ctrl + D: Bookmark page.

Typing

Ctrl + Backspace: Delete whole word instead of letter.
Home: Goes to start of line.
End:
Goes to end of line.
Ctrl + Home: Goes to start of document.
Ctrl + End: Goes to end of document.

Mac Users

Some of the more unique shortcuts available to those with a Mac.

Cmd + W: Close current tab.
Shift + Cmd + 3: 
Captures screenshot of desktop.
Shift + Cmd + 4: 
Allows you to capture part of screen (press space bar to capture entire window).
Cmd + Option + M:
Minimises all windows.
Option + Backspace:
Deletes entire words.

Option + Shift + F11/F12: Lower/Raises volume by smaller amounts.
Ctrl + Cmd + D:
Provides definition for highlighted word.
Ctrl + Cmd + V: Pastes text without original formatting.
Ctrl + Option + Command + Eject/Power: Shut down Mac instantly.

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28 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Jones
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    Nov 19th 2014, 12:15 PM

    Ctrl + Alt + Delete – locks your PC so you can head off for lunch…

    151
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute B
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    Nov 19th 2014, 12:31 PM

    Windows Key + L does the same function

    68
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Clancy
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    Nov 19th 2014, 12:42 PM

    Windows L will lock screen too( in case you only have use of one hand)

    36
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Anto O Rourke
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    Nov 19th 2014, 12:26 PM

    Alt J = creates music.

    127
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Larry K
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    Nov 19th 2014, 1:23 PM

    And damn fine music it is

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Róisín Byrne
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    Nov 19th 2014, 1:17 PM

    Ctrl + Alt + vowel, gives you the fada áéíóú

    67
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Twink's Teddy
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    Nov 19th 2014, 1:23 PM

    Cóól

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Siobhán Albrecht
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    Nov 19th 2014, 2:12 PM

    So does Alt Gr + vowel

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephanie G
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    Nov 19th 2014, 2:48 PM

    Ctrl +Alt + ⬇️ turns the screen upside down confusing the hell out of a lot of your co workers.

    50
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pearse Mc Mullen
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    Nov 19th 2014, 12:59 PM

    I find the best thing that works on Windows 8 is a brick…..

    46
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bob Goodbear
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    Nov 19th 2014, 8:30 PM

    Is that not ctrl – shift – B, no?

    4
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    Mute Dust
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    Nov 19th 2014, 12:16 PM

    CTRL-Shift-P or CTRL-Alt-P

    Opens an incognito tab. Used by many teenagers.

    41
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Twink's Teddy
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    Nov 19th 2014, 12:56 PM

    Alt + f4 speeds up your internet connection

    37
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Teresa Scanlon
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    Nov 19th 2014, 1:40 PM

    While on Internet pressing F6 will place your cursor inside Address Bar and highlight address ready to be changed without touching the mouse.

    28
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Inntalitarian
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    Nov 19th 2014, 12:45 PM

    “Ctrl + Esc: Open Start Menu (Windows only).”

    Windows Key is handier

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Inntalitarian
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    Nov 19th 2014, 12:46 PM

    Shift + tab does the reverse of tab, I find it pretty useful.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Teresa Scanlon
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    Nov 19th 2014, 1:37 PM

    Press Prt/Scr or Print Screen will take a picture of what is on your screen. As its copied to clipboard you can paste it into Paint and crop any piece out of it or paste into Word or into an Email.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Twink's Teddy
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    Nov 19th 2014, 1:45 PM

    Alt + PrtScrn takes a screengrab of your active window

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave Cunningham
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    Nov 19th 2014, 4:30 PM

    Now that’s handy! I’ve always just PrtScn’d and then cropped in paint!

    4
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Twink's Teddy
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    Nov 19th 2014, 4:39 PM

    Go to Start > Search > and type in Snipping Tool, depending on your version of Windows, Snipping Tool might be on your computer too.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen Sheridan
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    Nov 19th 2014, 7:09 PM

    Press any-key to start , where is the any-key

    10
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    Mute King Richard
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    Nov 19th 2014, 1:19 PM

    Ctrl + Alt + Left/Right = Spin compiz cube left/right…

    6
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    Mute dstaffx
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    Nov 19th 2014, 1:20 PM

    In Adobe CTRL & SHIFT & + (or -) rotates 90 degrees

    5
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    Mute John Doyle
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    Nov 19th 2014, 2:09 PM

    Ctrl + F4 Closes the current tab on a tabbed window, i.e. browser or IDE etc.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ron North
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    Nov 19th 2014, 7:12 PM

    Ctrl + shift + left or right arrow selects text one word at a time
    Ctrl + shift + up or down arrow selects text one line at a time

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Roche
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    Nov 19th 2014, 7:44 PM

    How can you omit CTRL-A?

    1
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    Mute RS
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    Nov 19th 2014, 2:37 PM
    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Emily O'Reilly
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    Nov 19th 2014, 2:58 PM

    Win + E brings you to my computer
    Alt + Tab quick way to switch to different windows/ programme pages that are already open

    1
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