The computer and technology world had always been a unique place. Some people call me a power user, advanced user, techie, etc… but then other friends and acquaintances would consider me more beginner or intermediate, not realizing how far advanced they are. One thing is for sure – there are a lot of tricks I use on a daily basis which appear to be complicated, but are actually incredibly simple and result in a muscle memory power move.
Now, you might be in the party that quivers in fear upon hearing the words “shortcut” or “hot key”, but fear not! Take some time, and just try some of these out. Shortcuts are something which will feel weird, foreign, maybe even counter-productive at first, but after using them a few times you might be surprised how useful they are.
The more I talk to friends, the more I realize how many keyboard shortcuts, hot-keys, and commands I use in order to navigate a computer. They allow me to keep my hands on the keys and not move drastically to use the mouse. They allow me to quickly access parts of the computer using words rather than eyesight, something which is nice for someone with poor eyes!
So this is what #TechTuesday is all about – me sharing some of my expertise in keyboard commands. Some will be mainstream commands that you already use, but others are going to be more obscure. I challenge you to intentionally try some of these trips and tricks and see what you think – the results in the end might surprise you!
Round 1 – The Clipboard Commands!
You might not know what the clipboard is, but I a can guarantee you have used it. The clipboard is the storage in your computer where “copy & paste” information is stored! Out of any shortcut key, this family of shortcuts are ones I use on a daily basis and couldn’t see myself going without. Some applications don’t even offer copy or paste as an option in the right-click menu, but you will discover the keyboard commands still work in many of those situations.
The basic clipboard commands are as follows:
- The Copy Command: Ctrl+C on Windows; CMD+C on Mac
- This allows you to copy any information selected on your screen, usually text and numbers but sometimes pictures, files, and other things.
- Way to remember: This one is simply C for Copy, and the others are situated around it.
- The Paste Command: Ctrl+V on Windows; CMD+V on Mac
- This allows you to paste previously copied information, usually text or images, This command combined with the copy command allows for very quick and efficient transfer of information from one source to another., and the keyboard shortcuts make it that much quicker and smoother!
- Way to remember: This one doesn’t have a clear connection other than it is beside the copy key.
If you need something specific, you can think of the V key as an arrow for “inserting” copied information.
- The Cut Command: Ctrl+X on Windows; CMD+X on Mac
- This allows you to select information to be moved to a new source. It is similar to Copy&Paste, except after Cut&Paste the original information that was selected is removed, and only exists in the new pasted location.
- Way to remember: Think of the X as representing scissors for “cutting” information.
Bonus Command
You might think “Hey, Webster, you mentioned 4 commands but Copy, Cut, and Paste is only three!” and you would be correct. The last command isn’t explicitly a clipboard command, but it is almost always used for clipboard operations. This is the Select All shortcut.
- Select All: Ctrl+A on Windows; CMD+A on Mac
- This selects all available text or data where your cursor currently is placed (e.g. in a textbox, on a word document, the website in a web browser, all of the icons in a folder or explorer window).
- Very useful if you are duplicating or moving information quickly. Select all paired with the Cut or Copy shortcuts lets you quickly move a large amount of information with very little movement.
- Way to remember: A for All