While we wish life outside technology offered this sort of efficiency, it’s nice to know that these quick keys are there when we need them. They won’t solve all of your woes this semester, but they may create a little more time to make them easier to handle.

Find what you are looking for, instantly.

Want to know when an internet article mentions a certain concept or name? Hit CTRL + F. This Find function will not only tell you how many times the word or name occurs, but it will also highlight them throughout the document. Use the F3 key to toggle in between mentions. Want to find something in your files? Use the WINDOWS + E quick key to search File Explorer.

Want to use this quick key to find something more valuable? Give it a whirl. Click CTRL + F and type “sanity” in the field. <--See? Win.

Go back in time.

I’m guessing you already know the ever-useful CTRL + Z quick key to recover previous material and undo the most recent change.

Add to the time traveling ability while also eliminating the minutes (hours?) you spend moving your hand down to the trackpad or mouse to hit the back button on your web browser by using the CTRL + LEFT ARROW instead. Use the time you’ve saved to close the 13 tabs you aren’t using (and CTRL + SHIFT + T to open them all again).

Improve your vocabulary.

We all want to keep our conversations and papers engrossing, succinct, and perspicacious, which is why it’s nice that a thesaurus is just a SHIFT + F7 away.

Be in two (or more) places at once.

When you want to output your screen to a projector, broadcast to a wireless display or connect to one or more external monitors, you can find all of your options with the WINDOWS + P command. It will bring up an interface screen that will provide you with display options, all at the click of a button.

Start over.

We all need a do-over button once in a while, and your Windows machine has several to choose from. CTRL + R will refresh your browser. CTRL + ALT + DELETE will restart your computer. There’s also the handy power button quick-key for when you really feel like shutting down.

Want to learn how to save time with your educational technology in other ways? We can help with that.