Although you may not be as comfortable with new technologies as others, in this generation of technology reliance it is important to be able to keep up. You don’t have to be a geek to utilize a computer. You can take advantage of the technology and learn some really great shortcuts to make your life little bit easier. Hopefully this list of essential keyboard shortcuts for Windows can help you do just that. Note: These keyboard shortcuts are specifically for computers with the Windows operating system.

The basics

These are the essential keyboard shortcuts for Windows you definitely can’t live without.

1. Copy selected item: Ctrl+C

Copy any line of text or photos to your clipboard, while keeping a copy of the text in its original location.

2. Cut selected item: Ctrl+X

Cut a selected line of text or photos. Caution: If done incorrectly, you can lose the item since you no longer have a copy of it in the original location.

3. Paste selected item: Ctrl+V

Paste a selected cut or copied item into a new location. Note: If you need the item pasted in different formats (e.g. text only), you might still need to paste it from the right-click of the mouse.

4. Undo action: Ctrl+Z

Reverses an action. For example, if you accidentally delete a line of text, this keyboard shortcut should bring it back.

5. Redo action: Ctrl+Y

This is the opposite to the ‘undo’ shortcut. Did you accidentally undo something you shouldn’t have? Don’t worry, this keyboard shortcut should redo it.

6. Select everything: Ctrl+A

Selects every item on the page. Useful for when you need to copy whole webpages into Word documents.

7. Print page(s): Ctrl+P

The quickest way to bring up the print options. Printing takes long enough as it is, why not save some time?

8. Take screenshot of current screen: PrntSc

Takes a screenshot of whatever you can see on your screen to the clipboard. You can then paste the image anywhere from Paint to Word documents.

9. Save file*: Ctrl+S

Using this keyboard shortcut every few minutes or so ensures a lowered chance of losing precious work progress.

10. Create new file*: Ctrl+N

Immediately brings up a new, blank page for you to start working on. It is definitely easier that going through the normal tedious process of creating a new blank document.

11. Open file*: Ctrl+O

Brings up a window where you can choose to open a previous saved file, image, video, etc. *Use for programs such as Microsoft Office, Paint, Adobe, etc. Does not work for everything, especially over the internet.

Changing Format of Selected Text

Especially useful in Word documents or notepads

12. Underline text: Ctrl+U

13. Bold text: Ctrl+B

14. Italic text: Ctrl+I

Highlight a selection of text and use any of these shortcuts to change the text format. It is much easier than having to look for the appropriate button on the toolbar. Note: These shortcuts don’t work in situations where you are unable to manipulate text (e.g. social networking)

15. Switch between open windows: Alt+Tab

Brings up all open windows onto the screen, including Internet Explorer, Word documents, media player, etc. Hold Alt and continue pressing Tab until you have reached the desired window.

16. Refresh the page: F5

You will often be required to reload/refresh your browser, and you can do so quite easily with the push of a single button.

17. Rename a file: F2

Select the file or files and press this key to rename. Note: To rename all files in a folder, use the shortcut Ctrl+A then press F2

18. Power down: Ctrl+Alt+Delete

This famous keyboard shortcut brings you to a page where you are able to select whether you want to put the computer on sleep, shut down, log out, lock the device, etc.

19. Move through tabs: Ctrl+Tab

In a browser, this shortcut will allow you to move through tabs which you can see at the very top of the page.

20. Close current window: Ctrl+W

If you are working with a lot of unnecessary windows open, this keyboard shortcut should close the window you are currently on.

21. Move to bottom of current page: End

There is often important information displayed at the bottom of a webpage. This key will bring you straight there.

22. Visit browser home page: Alt+Home

This keyboard shortcut brings you back to the default home page of your browser.

Technology has taken a vantage leap in providing solutions for man. Before now, technology used to appear complex and would require a great deal of expertise to handle solutions available. Today, we have technology applicable in the simplest human activities as smart products with intelligent algorithms powering them as they make error-free judgments and provide intelligent and analytic solutions.

Does technology have all the answers?

This article from Credit Suisse, tells us that technology does not have all the answers because it has been found to exhibit “similar biases,” as humans. No one can discredit the impact of technology, but it is not totally free of human input and this is the reason we experience these biases in many areas we have technology holding foot.

Creating technological solutions transparently

This article suggests that the process of creating technological solutions be made transparent and subject to contribution from many people who would end up as users of the product – male, female, young, old, learned, unlearned and all other preferences as we have them. It also underscores the importance of having women on product development teams. This approach is not sure to eliminate all forms of bias, but it is a good way to start in order to appraise the full benefits of technology.

Technology as the connecting tool

Technology so far has been a major connecting tool amongst us humans. It is used and appreciated by all regardless of race, language and sex. In order to keep it less subjective to these arguments about human biases. I believe we should gather opinions on products and solutions before making them available to the public. This could be done by gathering input from intended target users and receiving feedback across the stages of production.

“Recognizing the problem is a start…success will depend on inclusive technologies that meet this vast untapped market.” This cannot be more apt especially at a time when we look up to technology for solutions. We should not muzzle our progress with technology by battling algorithm bias. The first way to avoid this battle is by reading this article here.