It’s probably not news to you that there are literally hundreds of keyboard shortcuts that you can use when using Windows. From simple shortcuts to complicated ones that you’ll never remember, there’s no shortage of keyboard shortcuts. If you’re looking for a shortcut for something, there’s a good chance one exists. However, trying to remember which shortcut does what in each application can feel impossible. Thankfully, some keyboard shortcuts are the same across many Microsoft and third-party applications. If you memorize them once, you’ll be able to use them in most, if not all, applications.
Check out these nine keyboard shortcuts that will make your life easier and aren’t too hard to remember.
1. Ctrl+A
If you want to select everything in a file or an application window, press Ctrl+A.
2. Ctrl+Home and CTRL+End
Working on a long document with multiple pages? Scrolling back and forth can be a hassle. If you need to jump to the top of your file, use Ctrl+Home to move your cursor immediately to the top without scrolling. Similarly, Ctrl+End will jump your cursor to the end of the document.
3. Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V
These might be the most well-known and most frequently used keyboard shortcuts. No matter what application you’re using, you’ll probably need to copy and paste text, images, or other items at some point. Press Ctrl+C to copy an item, then press Ctrl+V to paste it.
4. Ctrl+X
Sometimes you want to move an item or piece of text altogether, rather than duplicate (copy) it. This is referred to as cutting. To cut an item, press Ctrl+X. When you use this keyboard shortcut, the item you removed is placed on your clipboard. As a result, you can press Ctrl+V to paste the item back in if you realize you should not have cut it. However, if you have copied something else before pasting what you cut, you will lose what you cut. (Ctrl+Z is your friend in that case.) You can also paste the item in a different location.
5. Ctrl+Backspace
Instead of deleting one character at a time by pressing the Backspace key, you can hold down Ctrl and tap Backspace to delete one word at a time. This keyboard shortcut allows you to delete sentences much quicker and without a mouse.
6. Ctrl+S
We’ve all experienced the frustration and sheer panic of losing an unsaved document. Frequently saving your work reduces the risk of this, especially if the application you’re working in crashes unexpectedly. Save yourself some stress by pressing Ctrl+S periodically to save your work as you go.
7. Ctrl+Z
If you want to undo your last action, press Ctrl+Z. Press the keyboard shortcut multiple times to continue undoing past actions.
8. Ctrl+Y
If you want to repeat your last action, press Ctrl+Y. You can also use this keyboard shortcut to redo an action that you just undid with Ctrl+Z.
9. Ctrl+B, Ctrl+I, and Ctrl+U
In applications where you can boldface, italicize, and underline text, there are several keyboard shortcuts that quickly apply the formatting. To make text bold, use Ctrl+B. Press Ctrl+I to make text italic. Finally, to underline text, press Ctrl+U.
Did you learn something new today? Share this blog post with a coworker or friend who values their time!