The Keyboard

There are three ways to give commands on a PC:

1. Open menus and select a command from the list;
2. Click on buttons in toolbars; and
3. Type commands using the keyboard, called keyboard shortcuts.

Keyboard shortcuts are very convenient. They can be difficult to learn at first, but once you have practiced them, they can be easy to use and you can use the computer much faster.

Keyboard shortcuts use special keys, usually 2 or more keys in combination. When you press these keys, the computer will do certain things.

Some keys can be used by themselves to do something. These include the Windows key (there are two at the bottom of the keyboard, on both sides of the space bar) and the Function keys (at the top of the keyboard, usually F1~F12 or F1~F15).

      

For example, if you press the Windows key, the Start Menu will open. F1 is the "Help" key, it always opens up a window which can help you with problems. Here is a list of the more common function-key commands:

F1 Activates the "Help" command for Windows or any active application
F2 When an icon is selected, F2 will allow you to rename the icon easily
F3 Activates the Search window
F4 In Internet Explorer, it jumps you to the address bar so you can type in a web address. ALT-F4 will close a window, and the application
F5 Refresh either a web page or a window; brings the information in the window up to date
F6 Will sometimes (not always) select the next window or possible link
F11 Will change an application, especially a browser, into full-screen mode, making the menu, status and task bars disappear

Function keys can also have different functions in programs, like MS Word, for example.

However, most keyboard shortcuts use a combination of keys. Usually they use the CONTROL, ALT, or WINDOWS keys plus other keys.
Control
Alt
Windows

Here are some common keyboard commands:

CTRL
+
 O Open
CTRL
+
 P Print
CTRL
+
 N New (Document)
CTRL
+
 S Save
CTRL
+
W Close Window
CTRL
+
 A Select All
CTRL
+
 X Cut
CTRL
+
 C Copy
CTRL
+
 V Paste
CTRL
+
 Z Undo
CTRL
+
 B Bold (for word processing)
CTRL
+
 I Italic (for word processing)
CTRL
+
 U Undrline (for word processing)
ALT
+
 TAB Switch Window (see below)
ALT
+
 F4 Close Window / Quit Program
WIND
+
 D Show the Desktop
WIND
+
 F Find Window
WIND
+
 E Open "My Computer" Window

By using the ALT+TAB shortcut, you can see this, which will allow you to change windows:

There are also shortcuts with more than two keys:

CTRL
+
ALT
+
DELETE
 Brings up Task Manager

The MENU key is the same as right-click (clicking the right-side button on the mouse). In the example below, you do not have to hold down the "menu" key. Just type the keys normally.

MENU
,
W
,
F
 Creates a New Folder on the Desktop or in a Window

ALT Menus

You can use the ALT key in order to control menus with the keyboard. Try it. Push the ALT key. You will notice that the FILE menu becomes selected. Now you can use the ARROW KEYS to go down and up the menu, or from one menu to another menu. Hit ENTER when you have found the right command, and the computer will do it.

You can also use letter keys. Notice that the commands in the menus all have little underlines beneath one letter:

Here you can see the underlines beneath one letter in each menu or command name. For example, the red arrow shows that the "N" in "New..." is underlined.

Therefore, after you press the ALT key, if you then press the N key, then the computer will do the NEW... command. If you type ALT and O, it will do the OPEN... command.

Notice that menus also have these. Type ALT and E, and you can see the EDIT menu and choose from one of those commands.

Other Keyboard Tricks

There are other things you can do with the keyboard also:

  • In a window, the BACKSPACE key will mo to the next highest window;
  • On the Desktop or in a window, CTRL + INSERT will copy something you selected;
  • On the Desktop or in a window, SHIFT + INSERT will paste something you selected;
  • PRINT SCREEN will take a picture of the whole screen, which you can paste into a program;
  • ALT + PRINT SCREEN will take a picture only of the window you are looking at.
  • The SHIFT key is like a "Addition" key, it usually allows you to add things.

There are many more, but these are the most well-known ones.

Try to use these shortcuts and get used to them!