If you find yourself working with multiple windows on your screen often and you struggle to drag out each one to make them all fit perfectly, then the following keyboard shortcut information is for you.
There are definitely ways to be more efficient that we help a lot of our Red Deer Managed IT services customers with. Here are a number of different keyboard shortcuts that can help you easily manipulate your window sizes and locations on the screen to save you time, effort, and frustration.
Full-Screen Mode
While Windows 10 is designed to be completely user-friendly with a mouse, including resizing windows to your preferred setting, there may be times you want to use the keyboard for efficiency. Depending on the application you are using to switch to full-screen mode, the method of switching can differ from one application to the next. Not to mention, other shortcuts may be disabled with each use.
A very common shortcut, particularly for browsers, is the F11 key. It can take your screen into and out of full-screen mode quickly and easily.
When using a document type of application, like Word, pressing the WINKEY and the up arrow can maximize your window for you. Conversely, the down arrow will reduce the window’s size for a look at what is behind it.
Another very useful tool in this series of shortcut keys is the WINKEY with the left or right arrows. These will shift the screen you are working on to either the left or the right side of the screen so you can access other windows at the same time.
Note that these are for Windows-based systems. Running a Mac will require a different set of keyboard strokes. For example, the shortcut for full-screen mode on a Mac is CTRL with CMD and F.
Other Great Shortcuts
There are a number of keyboard shortcuts you may want to use, some of them could be useful in your attempts to be more efficient.
-Resizing: Besides full screen and minimizing, you may also want to resize your screen. Once again press the ALT and SPACE keys together, and then click the S key. This will change your cursor to four arrows, allowing you to then use your arrow keys to size your window the way you like it.
-Switch Between Applications: To quickly move between multiple screens the ALT and TAB keys together will do the trick.
-Start: There are two ways to bring up the Windows Start Menu. Simply click the CTRL and ESC keys together, or you can press the WINKEY for even easier access.
-Media in Full Screen: If you are watching a video or playing a game on your computer and want to access it in full-screen mode instead of in a window, click ALT and ENTER together to go into and out of full screen.
-And if you are done with a program ALT+F4 will close it out.
There are many ways to achieve the view you want with keyboard shortcuts. Try each of them out to find what works the most efficiently and easily for you.
