Cool Keyboard Tricks

Using shortcuts for performing certain tasks on the computer provide a range of interesting options to do a variety of things. It can also enhance your knowledge about many features of a computer keyboard.

For instance, shortcuts including the F-keys may not work with Windows Vista. Nevertheless, a brief idea about these cool keyboard tricks is fun, and a few of these are given here.

• Shift+F1: This will display the formatting of an MS Word Document.
• Ctrl+Shift+F1: This changes the font of your text.
• Shift+F2: This copies the text.
• Shift+F3: This changes the text casing in the document.
• Alt+F3: This provides a building block in MS Word.

• F4: This will repeat the last action. If the last action was the changing of font size, simply pressing F4 without selecting, and going through the dialog boxes will repeat the procedure.
• Ctrl+0 (zero): It adds a spacing before a paragraph.
• Ctrl+slash key /+ C: It adds cents symbol in the document.

• Ctrl+' apostrophe key followed by a character: This adds an accent mark to that character.
• Windows+R: After this, type 'magnify' in the command window, this will magnify the text highlighted by the cursor.

• Shift+F3: If, by mistake, you type an entire paragraph in the upper case, do not delete and retype the entire block. Simply select the text, and press Shift+F3. The selection will change to lower case. 

On pressing Shift+F3 one more time, the selection will change to title case. Thus, every sentence will begin with a capital and the rest of the text is in lower case, saving much of your effort.

• Ctrl+PgUp/Ctrl+PgDn: This will switch between the worksheet tabs from left to right and right to left respectively.
• Ctrl+Shift+~: This applies the general number format.
• Ctrl+Shift+$: This applies the currency format with two decimal places (negative numbers in parentheses).

• Ctrl+Shift+!: This applies the number format with two decimal places, thousands separator, and minus sign (-) for negative values.
• Ctrl+Shift+*: This selects the current region around the active cell (the data area enclosed by blank rows and blank columns). In a PivotTable, it selects the entire PivotTable report.

• F1: It displays the Excel Help task pane. Ctrl+F1 displays or hides the ribbon. Alt+F1 creates an embedded chart of the data in the current range. Alt+Shift+F1 inserts a new worksheet.

• F6: It switches between the worksheet, ribbon, task pane, and Zoom controls. In a worksheet that has been split (View menu, Manage This Window, Freeze Panes, Split Window command), F6 includes the split panes when switching between panes and the ribbon area.

• Shift+F6 switches between the worksheet, Zoom controls, task pane, and ribbon. Ctrl+F6 switches to the next workbook window when more than one workbook window is open.

• F8: It turns the extend mode on or off. In this mode, the Extended Selection appears in the status line, and the arrow keys extend the selection. Shift+F8 enables you to add a nonadjacent cell or range to a selection of cells by using the arrow keys. 

• Ctrl+F8 performs the Size command (on the Control menu for the workbook window) when a workbook is not maximized. Alt+F8 displays the Macro dialog box to create, run, edit, or delete a macro.

• F9: It calculates all worksheets in all open workbooks. Shift+F9 calculates the active worksheet. Ctrl+Alt+F9 calculates all worksheets in all open workbooks, regardless of whether they have changed since the last calculation. 

• Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F9 rechecks dependent formulas, and then calculates all cells in all open workbooks, including cells not marked as needing to be calculated. Ctrl+F9 minimizes a workbook window to an icon.

In order to take a screen-shot from a motion video, follow the steps mentioned.

• Press Ctrl+I when the video is streaming/playing or it in paused state.

• The 'save as' screen will appear, and you can simply save the file as a JPEG image.

• If the shortcut does not work, check the option which says, 'Use Video Mixing Renderer'. It is found in certain operating systems under Tools > Options > Performance > and Advanced.

The Ctrl+Alt+ arrow keys will invert the screen accordingly. For example, on clicking Ctrl, Alt, and right arrow key simultaneously, the screen will rotate 90 degrees in the right direction. On pressing Ctrl, Alt, and UP arrow key, the screen can be brought into the original position.

• Windows key+Pause/Break: This directs to system properties.
• F8 key: It is used for booting a Windows system in safe mode.
• Shift+Alt+Print Screen: It changes to high contrast setting on clicking OK in the window that pops up. Enter the same combination to revert to the original settings.

• Windows key+E: It opens the Windows Explorer.
• Windows key+M: It minimizes all the windows, and leaves you with just the Desktop.
• Alt+Tab: This helps you scroll through all the open windows.

• Windows key followed by Right arrow key 3 times and R key will restart the computer.

• Windows key followed by Right arrow key 3 times and U or Enter key will shut down the computer.

• Windows key followed by Right arrow key 3 times and W key will switch users.

• Windows key followed by Right arrow key 1 time and then Enter key will make the PC go in 'Sleep' mode.

Last but the most important tip is to save the original settings to revert to the original form before trying out all the tricks.