Increase Your Productivity with These Uncommon Keyboard Shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts are similar to hidden magic spells. Master them, and you can complete activities that might otherwise take more time and clicks. However, certain handy but lesser-known keyboard shortcuts can significantly increase your productivity.
Here are some uncommon but effective productivity-boosting keyboard shortcuts for Windows and Mac.
Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows:
Instant Desktop Peek: Windows+Comma. This shortcut allows you to rapidly check your desktop without minimising all of your open windows. To turn on this feature. Click on the Windows Start menu and select Settings. Navigate to Personalization and then to Taskbar on the left panel. Toggle the Use Peek to preview desktop option on or off.
Highlight URL in Address Bar: F6 or Alt+D to highlight the URL in the Address Bar. These shortcuts allow you to quickly highlight the URL in the address bar of your web browser, ready to input a new one or copy the existing one.
Open Emoji Keyboard: Windows+. (Windows plus period) to open Emoji Keyboard. This activates the emoji keyboard in any text field, allowing you to add emojis effortlessly.
Instant Screenshot: Windows+Shift+S. This shortcut launches the Snip & Sketch tool, which allows you to screenshot a specific area of your screen.
Access Clipboard History: This is one of our favourites. To access the Clipboard History, use Windows+V. This feature, debuted in Windows 10, allows you to examine and use items from your clipboard history. On first use, you’ll need to activate the functionality by pressing Windows+V once and selecting to turn on the feature.
Move/Resize Current Window: Press Alt+Space, then choose ‘Move’ or ‘Size’. You can move or resize your current window by using the arrow keys.
Keyboard Shortcuts for Mac
Summarise Text: Command+Shift+Y. In many programs, this underutilised function delivers a quick summary of the chosen text.
Quick Look: Space. Use this shortcut when a file is selected in the Finder to rapidly preview it without opening the corresponding program.
Dictionary: Control+Command+D. Hover your cursor over a word to bring up its definition.
Cycle through open applications: Command+Tab allows you to cycle through available applications. This will enable you to move between open applications easily.
Hide/Show Dock: Command+Option+D to hide/show Dock. This immediately hides or reveals the Dock, giving you more screen space when needed.
Switch Between Windows of Same Application: Command+’. This comes in handy when you have numerous windows open from the same application and need to switch between them.
Shortcuts for Capitalising and Uncapitalising in MS Office:
Shortcuts for Capitalising and Uncapitalising in Microsoft Office: Shift+F3 This handy shortcut in Microsoft Word allows you to change the case of the chosen text. You can switch between lowercase, uppercase, and title case without retyping anything.
Remember that efficiency is the key to productivity, and these keyboard shortcuts are your tools for a more streamlined, efficient work process. The more you use them, the faster and more instinctive they will become, saving you valuable seconds over time.
