Windows Tips and Tricks
Here is a quick list of some tools, shortcuts and tips that you may not know about. Hopefully you'll find them
to be of some use.
Table Of Contents
Tools--------------------- Access hidden tools in Windows you may not even know you have!
Shortcuts---------------- Lots of shortcut keys you may not even be aware of!
Browser Shortcuts----- Quickly fill in the web address you want.
Folders------------------- Easily hide folders from prying eyes!
Hidden Tools in Windows
There are tools and utilities that I bet you never knew you had that can be accessed through the Run feature.
(Start Menu->Run)
The main reason most people don't use the Run feature is because they don't know the Commands. So, to
solve that problem, I decided to put together the following listing, which lists 101 Run Commands and what
they correspond too...
To access…. Type this run command
Accessibility Controls....access.cpl
Add Hardware Wizard....hdwwiz.cpl
Add/Remove Programs....appwiz.cpl
Administrative Tools....control.exe admintools
Automatic Updates....wuaucpl.cpl
Bluetooth Transfer Wizard....fsquirt
Calculator....calc
Certificate Manager....certmgr.msc
Character Map....charmap
Check Disk Utility....chkdsk
Clipboard Viewer....clipbrd
Command Prompt....cmd
Component Services....dcomcnfg
Computer Management....compmgmt.msc
Date and Time Properties....timedate.cpl
DDE Shares....ddeshare
Device Manager....devmgmt.msc
Direct X Control Panel (if installed)*....directx.cpl
Direct X Troubleshooter....dxdiag
Disk Cleanup Utility....cleanmgr
Disk Defragment....dfrg.msc
Disk Management....diskmgmt.msc
Disk Partition Manager....diskpart
Display Properties....control.exe desktop
Display Properties....desk.cpl
Display Properties (w/Appearance Tab Preselected)....control.exe color
Dr. Watson System Troubleshooting Utility....drwtsn32
Driver Verifier Utility....verifier
Event Viewer....eventvwr.msc
File Signature Verification Tool....sigverif
Findfast....findfast.cpl
Folders Properties....control.exe folders
Fonts....control.exe fonts
Fonts Folder....fonts
Free Cell Card Game....freecell
Game Controllers....joy.cpl
Group Policy Editor (XP Prof)....gpedit.msc
Hearts Card Game....mshearts
Iexpress Wizard....iexpress
Indexing Service....ciadv.msc
Internet Properties....inetcpl.cpl
Java Control Panel (if installed)....jpicpl32.cpl
Java Control Panel (if installed)....javaws
Keyboard Properties....control.exe keyboard
Local Security Settings....secpol.msc
Local Users and Groups....lusrmgr.msc
Logs You Out Of Windows....logoff
Microsoft Chat....winchat
Minesweeper Game....winmine
Mouse Properties....control.exe mouse
Mouse Properties....main.cpl
Network Connections....control.exe netconnections
Network Connections....ncpa.cpl
Network Setup Wizard....netsetup.cpl
Nview Desktop Manager (if installed)....nvtuicpl.cpl
Object Packager....packager
ODBC Data Source Administrator....odbccp32.cpl
On Screen Keyboard....osk
Opens AC3 Filter (if installed)....ac3filter.cpl
Password Properties....password.cpl
Performance Monitor....perfmon.msc
Performance Monitor....perfmon
Phone and Modem Options....telephon.cpl
Power Configuration....powercfg.cpl
Printers and Faxes....control.exe printers
Printers Folder....printers
Private Character Editor....eudcedit
Quicktime (If Installed)....QuickTime.cpl
Regional Settings....intl.cpl
Registry Editor....regedit
Registry Editor....regedit32
Removable Storage....ntmsmgr.msc
Removable Storage Operator Requests....ntmsoprq.msc
Resultant Set of Policy....rsop.msc
Resultant Set of Policy (XP Prof)....rsop.msc
Scanners and Cameras....sticpl.cpl
Scheduled Tasks....control.exe schedtasks
Security Center....wscui.cpl
Services....services.msc
Shared Folders....fsmgmt.msc
Shuts Down Windows....shutdown
Sounds and Audio....mmsys.cpl
Spider Solitare Card Game....spider
SQL Client Configuration....cliconfg
System Configuration Editor....sysedit
System Configuration Utility....msconfig
System File Checker Utility....sfc
System Properties....sysdm.cpl
Task Manager....taskmgr
Telnet Client....telnet
User Account Management....nusrmgr.cpl
Utility Manager....utilman
Windows Firewall....firewall.cpl
Windows Magnifier....magnify
Windows Management Infrastructure....wmimgmt.msc
Windows System Security Tool....syskey
Windows Update Launches....wupdmgr
Windows XP Tour Wizard....tourstart
Wordpad....write
ShortCuts
Microsoft windows keyboard shortcuts. You might know most of these shortcuts, but I'm guessing a few may
be new to you.
CTRL+C (Copy)
CTRL+X (Cut)
CTRL+V (Paste)
CTRL+Z (Undo)
DELETE (Delete)
SHIFT+DELETE (Delete the selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin)
CTRL while dragging an item (Copy the selected item)
CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item (Create a shortcut to the selected item)
F2 key (Rename the selected item)
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word)
CTRL+LEFT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word)
CTRL+DOWN ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph)
CTRL+UP ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph)
CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Highlight a block of text)
SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text
in a document)
CTRL+A (Select all)
F3 key (Search for a file or a folder)
ALT+ENTER (View the properties for the selected item)
ALT+F4 (Close the active item, or quit the active program)
ALT+ENTER (Display the properties of the selected object)
ALT+SPACEBAR (Open the shortcut menu for the active window)
CTRL+F4 (Close the active document in programs that enable you to have multiple documents open
simultaneously)
ALT+TAB (Switch between the open items)
ALT+ESC (Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened)
F6 key (Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop)
F4 key (Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
SHIFT+F10 (Display the shortcut menu for the selected item)
ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the System menu for the active window)
CTRL+ESC (Display the Start menu)
ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name (Display the corresponding menu)
Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu (Perform the corresponding command)
F10 key (Activate the menu bar in the active program)
RIGHT ARROW (Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu)
LEFT ARROW (Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu)
F5 key (Update the active window)
BACKSPACE (View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
ESC (Cancel the current task)
SHIFT when you insert a CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive (Prevent the CD-ROM from automatically
playing)
Dialog Box Keyboard Shortcuts
CTRL+TAB (Move forward through the tabs)
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the tabs)
TAB (Move forward through the options)
SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the options)
ALT+Underlined letter (Perform the corresponding command or select the corresponding option)
ENTER (Perform the command for the active option or button)
SPACEBAR (Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box)
Arrow keys (Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons)
F1 key (Display Help)
F4 key (Display the items in the active list)
BACKSPACE (Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box)
Microsoft Natural Keyboard Shortcuts
Windows Logo (Display or hide the Start menu)
Windows Logo+BREAK (Display the System Properties dialog box)
Windows Logo+D (Display the desktop)
Windows Logo+M (Minimize all of the windows)
Windows Logo+SHIFT+M (Restore the minimized windows)
Windows Logo+E (Open My Computer)
Windows Logo+F (Search for a file or a folder)
CTRL+Windows Logo+F (Search for computers)
Windows Logo+F1 (Display Windows Help)
Windows Logo+ L (Lock the keyboard)
Windows Logo+R (Open the Run dialog box)
Windows Logo+U (Open Utility Manager)
Accessibility Keyboard Shortcuts
Right SHIFT for eight seconds (Switch FilterKeys either on or off)
Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN (Switch High Contrast either on or off)
Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK (Switch the MouseKeys either on or off)
SHIFT five times (Switch the StickyKeys either on or off)
NUM LOCK for five seconds (Switch the ToggleKeys either on or off)
Windows Logo +U (Open Utility Manager)
Windows Explorer Keyboard Shortcuts
END (Display the bottom of the active window)
HOME (Display the top of the active window)
NUM LOCK+Asterisk sign (*) (Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder)
NUM LOCK+Plus sign (+) (Display the contents of the selected folder)
NUM LOCK+Minus sign (-) (Collapse the selected folder)
LEFT ARROW (Collapse the current selection if it is expanded, or select the parent folder)
RIGHT ARROW (Display the current selection if it is collapsed, or select the first subfolder)
Shortcut Keys for Character Map
After you double-click a character on the grid of characters, you can move through the grid by
using the keyboard shortcuts:
RIGHT ARROW (Move to the right or to the beginning of the next line)
LEFT ARROW (Move to the left or to the end of the previous line)
UP ARROW (Move up one row)
DOWN ARROW (Move down one row)
PAGE UP (Move up one screen at a time)
PAGE DOWN (Move down one screen at a time)
HOME (Move to the beginning of the line)
END (Move to the end of the line)
CTRL+HOME (Move to the first character)
CTRL+END (Move to the last character)
SPACEBAR (Switch between Enlarged and Nor mal mode when a character is selected)
Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Main Window Keyboard Shortcuts
CTRL+O (Open a saved console)
CTRL+N (Open a new console)
CTRL+S (Save the open console)
CTRL+M (Add or remove a console item)
CTRL+W (Open a new window)
F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)
ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the MMC window menu)
ALT+F4 (Close the console)
ALT+A (Display the Action menu)
ALT+V (Display the View menu)
ALT+F (Display the File menu)
ALT+O (Display the Favorites menu)
MMC Console Window Keyboard Shortcuts
CTRL+P (Print the current page or active pane)
ALT+Minus sign (-) (Display the window menu for the active console window)
SHIFT+F10 (Display the Action shortcut menu for the selected item)
F1 key (Open the Help topic, if any, for the selected item)
F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)
CTRL+F10 (Maximize the active console window)
CTRL+F5 (Restore the active console window)
ALT+ENTER (Display the Properties dialog box, if any, for the selected item)
F2 key (Rename the selected item)
CTRL+F4 (Close the active console window. When a console has only one console window, this shortcut
closes the console)
Remote Desktop Connection Navigation
CTRL+ALT+END (Open the m*cro$oft Windows NT Security dialog box)
ALT+PAGE UP (Switch between programs from left to right)
ALT+PAGE DOWN (Switch between programs from right to left)
ALT+INSERT (Cycle through the programs in most recently used order)
ALT+HOME (Display the Start menu)
CTRL+ALT+BREAK (Switch the client computer between a window and a full screen)
ALT+DELETE (Display the Windows menu)
CTRL+ALT+Minus sign (-) (Place a snapshot of the active window in the client on the Terminal server
clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)
CTRL+ALT+Plus sign (+) (Place a snapshot of the entire client window area on the Terminal server
clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing ALT+PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)
Capturing screen shots
Print Scr - Captures the current desktop to the clipboard as an image.
ALT+Print Scr - Captures the currently active window to the clipboard as an image.
Internet Explorer navigation
CTRL+B (Open the Organize Favorites dialog box)
CTRL+E (Open the Search bar)
CTRL+F (Start the Find utility)
CTRL+H (Open the History bar)
CTRL+I (Open the Favorites bar)
CTRL+L (Open the Open dialog box)
CTRL+N (Start another instance of the browser with the same Web address)
CTRL+O (Open the Open dialog box, the same as CTRL+L)
CTRL+P (Open the Print dialog box)
CTRL+R (Update the current Web page)
CTRL+W (Close the current window)
Additional:
ALT+SPACEBAR (Open the shortcut menu for the active window)
ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the System menu for the active window)
ALT+SPACEBAR + N = Shrink (minimize) current window
ALT+SPACEBAR + X = Maximize current window
ALT+SPACEBAR + M = Move current windows with arrow keys
Also, don't forget for internet browsing,
In IE, typing in google, and then pressing CTRL+Enter fills in the www, and the .com, and if you use Firefox,
Ctrl+Shift+Enter adds .org, and Shift-Enter fills in .net!!
Hiding Folders
Did you know that you can lock folders so they cannot be viewed by other people, without having special
security software installed on your computer? It's easy! Suppose you want to lock the folder myfiles in d:
which has the path D:\MyFiles In the same drive create a text file and type
ren MyFiles MyFiles.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}
Now save this text file as Lock.bat
Create another text file and type in it:
ren MyFiles.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} MyFiles
Now save this second text file as UnLock.bat
Now you can see 2 batch files Lock.bat and UnLock.bat. Click on the file named Lock.bat and the folder
MyFiles will change to control panel and you cannot view its contents. Click on the file named UnLock.bat
and you will get back your original folder.
Try it out!!!!!!!