Many hardcore calculator users might consider themselves to a higher place learning new tricks, but there are e'er new ways to sharpen your skills on the PC and we bet that yous will find at to the lowest degree one useful affair hither that you lot didn't know earlier.

We've compiled some of the most handy computer tricks you should be taking advantage of. The ultimate goal is to help yous become more productive by shaving valuable seconds off your workflow. Of course, you can always pass along these tips to your non-so-savvy friends and family members to assist them get better PC users as well.

The original tips & tricks guide was published back in 2022. We've since revised the article, pulled some tips that are no longer relevant, and added many more than that we find to be must-haves on this listing. The original guide was also very Windows-centric, and information technology continues to exist nevertheless we've added a lot of macOS equivalents and information relating to shortcuts more often than not used past desktop power users.

General Tricks

Bring dorsum a closed tab Nosotros have dedicated a section to web browsing further downwardly below, just this ane is too useful to exist missed. Accidentally closed a tab? Simply press Ctrl + Shift + T to reopen the most recently closed tab and get back to what y'all were doing (Cmd + Shift + T on Macs).

Window snapping and multiple monitor control Pressing the Windows Key + Arrow Keys will cause a window to apace snap to each side of either monitor. Alternatively, hitting Shift + Windows Key + Arrows will cause the window to jump to the other monitor. While pressing Windows + P volition allow you lot to quickly ready a second display or projector.

Every bit mentioned earlier, in macOS we favor leveraging the power of Mission Command to handle virtual desktops, switching between apps, and peaking at your desktop beautifully. Though Macs don't back up window snapping out of the box, a $0.99 app called Magnet comes highly recommended.

Password-protect files A uncomplicated way to lock down access to certain files is to create an encrypted archive. Odds are you already have installed a copy of vii-Nada, WinRAR, or The Unarchiver (Mac) or some equivalent. Create a new archive, select to encrypt its contents and password protect them.

Undo everywhere to fix those little mistakes Did you lot know you can undo almost any action? Ctrl + Z is the ultimate hot key, and for certain you knew virtually it already, still note that disengage doesn't only apply to typing. If you accidentally delete or motility a file, you lot tin can hit Ctrl + Z to bring information technology correct back to where it was (Ctrl + Y will redo whatever you undid).

YouTube keyboard shortcuts If you thought using the spacebar to pause a YouTube video was effective (except when focus is elsewhere and it doesn't work), instead try using K for pausing, while J and L will step backward/frontward x seconds. G works for mute. Super handy.

Find your Wi-Fi password In Windows, go to the "Network and Sharing Middle." Right click on the Wi-Fi network connection icon > Wireless Properties. Click on Show Characters box to testify your Wi-Fi password.

  • In macOS all passwords are stored in the Keychain app. Utilize Spotlight to notice "Keychain Access." Open the app and find your Wi-Fi network proper name in the listing of saved credentials. Double click it and then click the box to show your password (it volition require your Os level password).

Prefer a Clipboard manager Once you're used to relying on a clipboard manager, the productivity boost works out similarly as how you get more efficient with multiple monitors or virtual desktops. Nosotros have an article dedicated to this, but in short, for Windows attempt ClipClip. For macOS use Flycut.

Screenshot like yous mean it Simply striking print screen on your keyboard is the easiest way to capture a screenshot. But Windows and macOS provide several other ways to screenshot, many of which are better options. But and so, at that place's grabbing a screenshot and annotating. Nosotros love Monosnap for doing just that thanks to its simplicity, speed, and cantankerous-platform support.

Grab a photograph from your phone How frequently have yous found yourself wanting to accept a picture and move that immediately to your workflow in your PC.

  • Mac users Apple tree simplified this for macOS/iPhone owners with Continuity Camera. In any supported app, just become to the top menu: select Edit > Insert From Your iPhone or iPad > "Take Photo" or "Scan Document." This will activate the camera on your iPhone, take a photo and it will automatically evidence upwardly on your desktop.
  • Windows Microsoft developed a side project to do the same with iOS and Android phones, though it's unfortunately not well maintained. Two good alternatives are AirDroid and Portal, or simply sync with Dropbox or Google Photos.

Windows Power User Card You tin can open a quick list of mutual ability user destinations in Windows by right clicking the bottom left of the start button on Windows viii and 10 which opens a context menu with shortcuts to power options, the event viewer, device director and and then on. This carte du jour is as well accessible by pressing the Windows key + 10.

Easily extract images from a Word (.docx) file Change the file name from .docx to .zip and open up the file. The pictures volition be in 1 of the directories.

Enable 'Night Mode' on all your devices If you often work at night or simply like to read on a screen before going to sleep, this can be a game changer. Nosotros recommend using F.lux on both Mac and Windows, although both operating systems take some support for this already built-in. Same goes for your mobile devices.

Observe/delete large files wasting space A handy tool chosen Space Sniffer can be used to easily observe which files and folders are taking upward the most space on your drive. From there, you tin can delete them and open up a ton of storage infinite. Other Windows alternatives (complimentary) include WinDirStat and TreeSize. On macOS you lot can use Finder or Siri to find large files with no 3rd party app, but nosotros similar to use GrandPerspective.

Delete the Windows.old folder. If y'all take plenty of free space and don't heed the untidiness, you can merely ignore the binder and information technology should be deleted automatically 30 days after the update. Merely if you are strapped for storage space, you can apply Windows' own tools to remove it with ease.

Command prompt here In the Windows File Explorer, type "cmd" into the address bar and it will open the control prompt in that directory.

Reduce the number of programs running at startup If your PC is taking too long to boot, it'due south probably because you lot take far besides many programs running at startup. It's easy to reduce these and it will brand your PC launch noticeably faster. Make sure you lot research what y'all are turning off as some processes might be needed by 3rd party programs yous have installed.

  • Windows: Open the chore managing director (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and caput to the startup tab to configure what programs you want to launch with your system.
  • Windows 7 and prior: Open run (Windows key + R) and enter msconfig to access a window with a like startup section.
  • macOS: Become to System Preferences > Users & Groups > Select your user and click on the Login Items tab. You can remove or hide startup applications from here.

Windows hidden "god fashion" binder Windows offers a centralized Control Panel for all of the Os settings, making it easy for users to tweak everything from desktop background to setting upward a VPN. To enter this manner, create a new binder with this exact name (re-create and paste it): God Mode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}. The folder icon will change to a Control Panel-style icon, and yous volition be able to jump in and change all kinds of settings.

Typing Tricks

Paste the manifestly text of what was copied When you re-create text from any source, programs will usually include whatsoever formatting that comes with information technology. To paste this every bit patently text, press Ctrl + Shift + 5 instead of the standard Ctrl + V, and the system volition paste unformatted text. This also works on Mac: Cmd + Shift + 5.

Notation that many just not all programs follow this parameter, particularly Microsoft programs like Word or Outlook don't, which is annoying. There are a few alternatives that go beyond copying and pasting in Notepad: 1) Ctrl + Alt + Five 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.

Delete an unabridged word Instead of deleting a single alphabetic character, pressing Ctrl + Backspace will delete the unabridged word backside 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 manner to make your work accept longer than it needs to. To speed up the process, move the cursor around with keyboard shortcuts. To movement it to the starting time of the previous word, use Ctrl + Left Pointer. To move it to the beginning of the adjacent word, apply Ctrl + Right Pointer. In macOS y'all tin can accomplish the same using the Option key. To select words/paragraphs as you lot're going, hold Shift + Ctrl + Arrow (upwards or down will select entire bodies of text).

Emoji keyboard If you're fond to using emoji, know desktop OS back up them natively simply similar mobiles do. On Windows press the Windows Key + . (period) and on macOS Cmd + Control + Spacebar. An Emoji panel will appear so you lot can carry on as usual using all the expressions you want.

Making sub and superscript text If you need to brand sub or superscript text (recall exponents for superscript), printing Ctrl + = for subscript and Ctrl + Shift + = for superscript.

Use Windows' character map to identify and create foreign symbols Search the Beginning menu for "graphic symbol map" and you should find a utility that lets you copy every character imaginable and even provides an Alt + Numpad code for later apply. For example, the euro sign (€) tin can be made with Alt + 0128.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Open up the task manager directly If you want to bypass the interrupt that happens when pressing Ctrl + Alt + Del and bound right to the chore manager, hit Ctrl + Shift + Esc will launch it directly.

Use Spotlight Windows built-in search is not useless, only information technology certainly is unreliable and slow. macOS' Spotlight on the other paw is brilliant. Hit Cmd + Spacebar to open up an app by typing simply the first 2-3 messages of its name, search for files, or even do calculations.

Interrupt all processes Ctrl + Alt + Delete used to exist a common PC shortcut, and ane almost all power users are familiar with. The important thing to note is that information technology interrupts all processes, including the one that is bogging down your system, which can hateful the difference betwixt needing to restart or non. In macOS, you tin can also summon the Force Quit dialog box by using Cmd + Shift + Esc.

Cycle through open windows Pressing Alt + Tab allows you to bike through currently open windows (Alt + Shift + Tab will bike backwards). This makes switching back and forth between running processes quick and painless. In macOS the shortcut is Cmd + Tab.

Launch programs with your own hotkeys Correct click the shortcut to any application in Windows, head into the properties and in the shortcut tab you lot should come across a "shortcut primal" field where you lot can type your preferred launch combo. Also of note, if you lot click the "advanced" options in the shortcut tab, y'all can set it to run as an Administrator, which is especially useful for creating a shortcut to an elevated Command Prompt. This could be set to launch with the keys Ctrl + Alt + Numpad 1 for example.

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 volition often use this as a joke, telling you to printing Alt + F4 to gear up a problem. Don't fall for it unless you want to close what you are doing.

Minimize all windows Sometimes you lot accept a bunch of stuff running, and you lot desire it all to become away so yous can get to the desktop. Simply pressing Windows key + D will minimize everything you have upwards, which will save you lot some time pressing the minimize button for each window. Information technology should be noted that Windows + Thousand offers similar functionality, simply there is no undoing, then Windows + D is the more favorable approach. In macOS we favor leveraging the ability of Mission Control to handle virtual desktops, switching between apps, and peaking at your desktop beautifully.

Y'all can use the menu primal on a keyboard to right click Not every keyboard has the key (shown to a higher place), just many do. Pressing the button will right click whatever you have in focus/selected in Windows.

Close the current window/tab Stick of moving all the way to that X button? Press Ctrl + W and the current window volition close. (Don't practice it now, or you will miss the remainder of the tricks!)

Bring up the system information window This is so much quicker than digging this out the traditional mode... Just printing Windows + Break/Interruption and the System Information panel will be ready to go. This might exist the only utilise for the Pause/Break key y'all will ever find, so enjoy information technology!

Use your keyboard to launch programs on the Windows taskbar Tapping the Windows key + the number that corresponds to the position of the program is a quick way to open them. For instance if Chrome were the second icon on your taskbar and that's what you wanted to open, you'd hit Windows key + ii.

Use your keyboard to navigate system tray icons Borer the Windows key + B volition automatically select the system tray area at which betoken you simply have to highlight something with the arrow keys and striking enter to open it.

Enable re-create and paste in the Windows command prompt While you lot're tinkering with the command prompt shortcut, if you lot right click information technology > caput to Properties > Options > and check the box next to "QuickEdit mode" you will exist able to select text with left click, copy with enter and paste with right click.

Spider web Browsing Tricks

Jump to address bar At that place are a number of ways to spring correct to the address bar from anywhere in browser. Pressing Ctrl + L, F6, and Alt + D all accomplish this goal.

Automatically add www. and .com to a URL You can shave off a couple of seconds typing in a URL by just click Ctrl + Enter after you type the name of the site. Need .net instead of .com? Press Ctrl + Shift + Enter instead.

Cycle through open up tabs Pressing Ctrl + Tab while in a browser will flip between each one (Ctrl + Shift + Tab to become backwards). This tin can be much faster than moving the mouse and clicking on a tab. Ctrl + Num (1, ii, 3, 4, northward..) will also have y'all to sure tab in that numeric order. Ctrl + ix always brings you lot to the very last tab, even if it's across the ninth one.

Scroll through pages with the spacebar Borer the spacebar on a website will scroll down in full page chunks and hitting shift + space will have you lot back up.

Instant epitome search (Chrome just) If you hold down the "S" central and right click on an image, information technology will open an image search on a new tab.

Use individual 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 volition launch a new private in Chrome, Ctrl + Shift + P will do information technology in Firefox and Internet Explorer.

Convert your browser into a notepad Blazon this into the address bar and you tin write notes. Alternatively, while non as fast. Utilise Google Keep or Gmail'due south compose mail service to write notes and have those saved on the cloud as you type and go.

Icon-only bookmarks on your toolbar You can delete the name of your bookmarks leaving simply the icon so they take up less infinite on the toolbar. In Chrome: right click the bookmark > edit > delete the name and salve.

Utilize the curl bicycle Put your heart mouse button to apply by clicking on links to automatically open them in a new tab/window. As well if you use the scroll wheel button on a tab, it volition shut it.

Re-create links quicker Right click the link like usual simply tap Eastward on your keyboard to copy the link.

Brand content editable Bring up the console on Chrome or Firefox (correct click, Audit). On the console enter the control document.designMode = "on" that will let you edit any text on the screen.

Zoom In, Reset Zoom Utilise the browser magnifier to adjust a website for more comfortable reading. Ctrl/Cmd + (plus/minus sign) does the trick. To reset to the default zoom level use Ctrl + 0.

File Management Tricks

Rename a file quickly Correct-clicking and selecting rename is not very efficient. Instead press F2 while a file is selected to change its proper noun. To alter the name of another file, type Tab without deselecting the current file. On Macs, hitting Enter will rename (which may sound counter-intuitive to Windows users) while Cmd + O is used to open up.

Cloud backup important files If you're working on a critical project, brand sure you aren't backing up locally just. Services like Dropbox, Google Drive, or any of the other pop deject storage solutions will do the legwork for you in the groundwork. Of course, yous can also throw the files on a thumb drive or external HDD to be extra safe, only backing up to the cloud can be done seamlessly.

Rename files sequentially in Windows or Mac Y'all actually don't need to download any programs to perform a batch file rename. Instead, you tin can select all the files you desire to alter, right-click the first one in the list, select rename (or apply F2), and type in the name. This will automatically change all the other files with the aforementioned root name with a suffix: (ane), (two), and so on.

On Mac, you tin practise something similar. Select the files, then right click and an option to rename the whole batch as a series volition show upwardly.

Select multiple files using the keyboard To select a agglomeration of files using your keyboard, you lot can press Shift + Down Arrow to select a unmarried file or Shift + Page Downward to select a large group of files at one time. Ctrl + A volition select everything.

Correct click elevate files and folders in Windows And you'll be presented with a context carte du jour containing options to movement, copy, nil or create a shortcut.

Security Tips

Lock your figurer if you get up Ill of your "friends" going onto your calculator at work or abode and posting things on your Facebook/Twitter page on your behalf? It's certainly an annoyance, but an easy one to prevent.

Windows + L volition lock your system right away, requiring a password (if y'all've set i) to log in again.

On macOS use Cmd + Pick + Power to log off. On the latest revision of macOS (Loftier Sierra) a quicker option to simply lock the screen was added which works using the shortcut Cmd + Ctrl + Q.

Browse suspicious files with VirusTotal If you're worried about a file being infected, you can upload it to VirusTotal to have it checked past a few dozen antivirus engines from the cloud. Oftentimes times someone has already uploaded the same file, sparing you the await.

Encounter who is logged on to your router Software such as Wireless Network Watcher makes this specially easy and even has alarms for when someone new appears. You can likewise do this by logging into your router (mutual router IP addresses) and checking for a listing of wireless clients which should display the name of the device, its currently assigned IP accost and its MAC address.

Permanently remove deleted data so software such as Recuva can't undelete files/folders Open up a command prompt and enter naught /due west:C: to wipe deleted files from your C: drive (alter the alphabetic character to target a different bulldoze or folder). If you lot demand to get the extra mile and use a file shredder program, check out Eraser (Windows) and FileShredder (Mac).

Read installers Even major programs tin install toolbars and other unwanted pieces of software during installation. Take a few seconds to read each step to brand sure you are not like-minded to install something other than the programme you were actually seeking. Far too oft people but push button 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.

Run programs on an infected PC Malware may prevent a computer from running certain programs. Changing the proper noun of the .exe file can often override this. If that doesn't piece of work, irresolute the extension to .com is another useful culling, and the program will yet be able to run despite the extension change.

Other Third-Party App Tricks

Steam: Move games to some other drive or partitioning Software such as Steam Mover used to be required for this process and although these 3rd party solutions should still work, Steam now provides the ability to store games on multiple drives:

Become to Steam > Settings > Downloads > Steam Library Folders, make a new Steam library folder on the new drive, and so right click on an already installed game in your Steam library > Properties > Local Files tab > Move install folder... > Choose the directory > Move folder.

Repeat last command in Excel Pressing F4 in Excel repeats the last command. A great example we constitute on Reddit: if you select a jail cell and highlight it xanthous, you can then highlight any other selected cells yellow by pressing F4.

Utilize Windows' Trouble Steps Recorder This handy tool automatically records whatever mouse clicks and takes screenshots for you. If y'all demand tech assistance with your computer, go to Start and search for "steps recorder". Use the tool and by the time you are finished, y'all can transport this data, neatly compiled automatically, to the person helping you with the issue. It will brand the process of finding the problem much easier for them, which means you will be able to go your system upwards and running faster.

VLC: Fix unsynced sound and subtitles In the popular media player VLC, if your audio loses sync with the video or subtitles, in that location is an easy style to prepare this. Simply pressing J or One thousand will move the sound forward or backwards. Similarly, to sync the subtitles you can press H or K.

Expand your text to full page width in Microsoft Word Nosotros don't meet this feature used quite plenty and by default Discussion leaves a lot of unused space toward the margins. Caput to View > Zoom > and cull Text Width > OK. Now any yous're writing should make full out most of the Word page.

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Using these tips and tricks on a daily basis volition most certainly brand your time on the calculator more than enjoyable, or at least more than applied.

So, did you learn something that you didn't know before?