What is that Windows® Key for?

The Windows® Logo Key

Some keyboards designed specifically to work with Windows® 95 or 98 contain two extra types of keys-Application keys and Windows® Logo keys-that provide fast keyboard alternatives to many operations you'd usually perform with a mouse. For example, you can use the Windows® Logo keys to open the Start menu, instead of clicking the Start button at the lower-left corner of the desktop. What is that Windows® Key for? If your keyboard has a [WindowsKey], you have some built in shortcuts: To perform this action: If you don't have the [WindowsKey], here are your shortcuts: [WindowsKey]+[D] Show Desktop If you have Windows® 98, you should have a Desktop icon near your Start button. Click on it and it will minimize ALL your windows. Click on it again to maximize the same Windows® again. [WindowsKey]+[SHIFT]+[D] (any Windows® that were minimized with the above command will be maximized again) Undo Show Desktop [WindowsKey]+[E] Windows® Explorer None [WindowsKey]+[F] or [CTRL]+[F] Find Files or Folders... Click anywhere on the desktop and Press [F3] on your keyboard. [WindowsKey]+[M] (works like the [WindowsKey]+[D] listed above) Minimize All Windows (see above) [WindowsKey]+[SHIFT]+[M] (any Windows® that were minimized with the above command will be maximized again) Undo Minimize All [WindowsKey]+[R] Run... None [WindowsKey]+[TAB] (press Enter when you are on the one you want) Scroll through open windows [ALT]+[TAB] - this will show you a dialog box with icons representing all the open windows. Hold the Alt key and press Tab until the program you want is highlighted, then release the both keys. [WindowsKey]+[BREAK] System Properties Right-click on My Computer and choose Properties [WindowsKey]+[F1] Windows® Help Click anywhere on the desktop and press F1 Other Windows Keys [F1] General Windows Keys Displays Help information for the active object or the window as a whole. [CTRL]+[ALT]+[DELETE] Windows 95 Opens the Close Program dialog box that contains a list box of applications to be closed and command buttons for Ending Task, Shutting Down, and Cancel. [CTRL]+[ALT]+[DELETE] Windows NT Opens the Windows NT Security dialog box, with the following options: Lock Workstation, Logoff, Shut Down, Change Password, Task Manager, and Cancel. If you are not logged on, brings up the logon dialog box. [DELETE] Deletes the selected item(s) If the items are files, moves them to the Recycle Bin. [SHIFT]+[DELETE]+[Y] Delete the selected item(s) If the items are files, destroys them immediately without moving them to the Recycle Bin. [CTRL]+[N] Opens the New dialog box (This can also be opened from the File menu.) [CTRL]+[O] Opens the Open dialog box (This can also be opened from the File menu.) [CTRL]+[P] Opens the Print dialog box (This can also be opened from the File menu.) [CTRL]+[S] Opens the Save dialog box (This can also be opened from the File menu.) [CTRL]+[X] Cuts the selected item(s) to the clipboard. (This can also be opened from the File menu.) [CTRL]+[INSERT] or [CTRL]+[C] Copies the selected item(s) to the clipboard. (This can also be opened from the Edit menu.) [SHIFT]+[INSERT] or [CTRL]+[V] Pastes the selected item(s) to the clipboard. (This can also be opened from the Edit menu.) [ALT]+[BACKSPACE] or [CTRL+[Z] Undoes the last action. Note that not all actions, such as shutting down, can be undone. (This can also be opened from the Edit menu.) [ALT]+[SHIFT]+[BACKSPACE] Redoes the previously undone action. (This can also be opened from the Edit menu.) [SHIFT]+[F10] (also the right mouse click) Opens the shortcut menu for the active item. This can be selected text, a toolbar button, a taskbar button, or other item. [SHIFT] Press down and hold the SHIFT key while you insert a CD-ROM to bypass the AutoPlay feature. Hold down the SHIFT key while Microsoft Word is loading to suppress the AutoExec macro.