Windows 7 Shortcuts
There are a number of keyboard and mouse shortcuts in Windows 7, not all of them are common knowledge.
Here's a list of the ones we've found so far, if there's anything missing, feel free to edit the article or post your suggestions as a comment below!
Window Shortcuts
These shortcuts allow you to manage and manipulate the window(s) currently open on your computer.
Keyboard Shortcuts
- Win & Home: Minimise all but the current active window
- Win & Space: Make all open windows transparent so you can see the desktop
- Win & Up arrow: Maximise the currently active window
- Shift & Win & Up arrow: Maximise the currently active window vertically
- Win & Down arrow: Minimise the currently active window
- Win & Left/Right arrows: Dock the window at either side of the monitor and fill that half of the screen
- Shift & Win & Left/Right arrows: Move the window to the monitor on the left or right (if you're using multiple displays)
- Ctrl & Shift & N: Create a new folder in Windows Explorer
- Alt & Up: Go up a folder level in Windows Explorer
- Alt & P: Show or hide the preview panel in Windows Explorer
- Win & P: Switch between available display options (useful for multiple monitor/projector setups)
- Win & (+ or -): Zoom in or out
- Win & G: Cycle between open Windows Gadgets
Mouse Shortcuts
- Drag window to the top: Maximise the window
- Drag window left/right: Dock the window to fill that half of the screen
- Drag and shake window: Minimise everything but the window you are shaking
- Double-Click Top Window Border (on the edge): Maximise window vertically
Keyboard & Mouse Shortcuts
- Shift & Right click on a file: Adds Copy as Path and extra locations to the Send To menu (Copy as Path copies the full path to that file to the clipboard so you can paste it elsewhere)
- Shift & Right click on a folder: Adds Open Command Window Here (meaning you can open a command prompt which starts in that folder), Copy as Path and Open in a new process
Taskbar Shortcuts
These shortcuts are for use specifically with the Windows 7 taskbar.
Keyboard Shortcuts
- Win & 1-9: Starts the application pinned to the taskbar in that position, or switches to that program
- Shift & Win & 1-9: Starts a new instance of the application pinned to the taskbar in that position (useful for opening multiple web browser windows)
- Ctrl & Win & 1-9: Cycles through open windows for the application pinned to the taskbar in that position
- Alt & Win & 1-9: Opens the Jump List for the application pinned to the taskbar in that position
- Win & T: Focus and scroll through items on the taskbar
- Win & B: Focuses the System Tray icons
Keyboard & Mouse Shortcuts
- Shift & Left click on a taskbar icon: Open another instance of a program
- Ctrl & Shift & Left click on a taskbar icon: Open the program as an administrator
- Shift & Right click on a taskbar icon: Show the window menu for the program (as per previous versions of Windows, this allows you to stack and cascade windows)
- Shift & Right click on a grouped taskbar icon: Show the window menu for the group
- Ctrl & Left click on a grouped taskbar icon: Maximise and cycle through the windows of the group