When I look at most of the colleagues and friends working on your PC mostly with the mouse, as they are not aware of the Windows keyboard shortcuts powerful that will make your life much easier. Some people may be aware of the keyboard shortcuts, but used to work primarily with the mouse and old habits are hard to drop.

In this article I will go step by step so you can learn the keyboard shortcuts that are required to navigate the Windows operating system.

Suppose your machine is booting and due to a faulty mouse or some other problem with your system can not be accessed with the mouse. A user who is not using keyboard shortcuts on a regular basis is completely lost. Ok it is relatively inexpensive to replace the mouse, but what if you had to quickly perform a task that can not wait until a new mouse is acquired or solve the problem is?

Navigating the Start menu in Windows XP

First, it explains how to start an application without using the mouse instead of using keyboard shortcuts. Immediately after startup if you are required to log on, type your password and press Enter. Once the system has completely initialized to be presented with the Windows desktop. As an example we will launch Notepad. Follow the steps as explained below:

Press Ctrl and Esc to open the Start menu or press the Windows logo key. Then press the up arrow until you see the selection rectangle moving upwards in the Start menu. Once the selection rectangle enters the Start menu, press the left arrow to move to the left of the Start menu. Then press the arrow down to "All Programs" is selected. Press the right arrow to expand the "All Programs" menu. Press the down arrow until "Accessories" is selected. Press the right arrow to expand the menu of accessories. Then press the down arrow until the menu item is selected Notepad and press ENTER. This will make the Notepad application to launch.

Armed with this knowledge the basic keyboard shortcuts that you will be able to run any application without using the mouse.

Navigating the Desktop

Frequently users place icons on the desktop for quick access to some applications, files or folders that you use regularly. Now what if the mouse bundles and you have to get that file? Here's how to use the Windows keyboard shortcuts to do that:
Depending on the current status of different measures may be necessary to take into account that you do not have to do all the steps.

Press the Windows logo key and M simultaneously to minimize all windows. Press Ctrl and Esc keys simultaneously and then press Esc again. (Only requires certain conditions to only have to perform this step if you do not get the desired results in the next step). Press the Tab key to release it. Keep pressing and releasing until you see a "rectangle" around one of the icons on the desktop. If there is a lot of icons on the desktop you may need to look carefully if you receive the attention given by the rectangle. Also occasionally use the arrow keys to see if you can move between the different icons if it is difficult to notice the icon rectangle. Normally, the focus moves between the Windows taskbar icon and the last had the focus (selection) on the desktop when you press the Tab key. Once you have the "focus rectangle" on an icon on the desktop is only a matter of moving the icon of your choice with the arrow keys. When the icon is required or approach is selected, press the Enter key to open the file, folder or launch a program.

Working with Windows

Our next step in this Windows keyboard shortcuts article is to manipulate windows in the context of minimizing, maximizing, moving and closing. To minimize the active window press Alt and Spacebar. The Control Menu window appears. Then press N to minimize the window.

To maximize a window or its restored state when minimized to the Windows taskbar, hold down the Alt key and press and release the Tab key until the window is selected. When the selection window is selected also release the Alt key, which will ensure that the window will either be maximized or restored according to their previous state.

If you want to maximize a window of his restored state press Alt and Spacebar. After the control menu, press X to maximize the window. To restore a maximized window press Alt and Spacebar. When the Control Menu press R to get the maximum window of his restored state.

To move a window press Alt and Spacebar. When the menu appears press control M. Now use the arrow keys to move the window to the desired position and press the Enter key to complete this operation.

When you want to resize a window press Alt and Spacebar. When the menu appears press control S. Then press the arrow keys depending on which side you want the window size. Right will take you to the right edge of the window to determine the size and the down arrow takes you to the lower right corner to end in size. Pressing the left of the first that will be left window border to carry out the size of that side. Once you have selected the location of size by pressing the left or right arrows and the arrows pointing up or down to the calibration by using either the arrow keys. When finished, click OK to complete this operation. Pressing the Esc key will leave the original window size intact.

To close the active window press Alt and F4 or Alt-Spacebar, then press C.

Commonly used keyboard shortcuts for Windows

Note that the Windows key is the key with the Windows logo on your keyboard.

ALT + TAB
Displays a list of open programs and switch to the next program.

(Press TAB again to advance to the next program).

ALT + SHIFT + TAB
Displays a list of open programs and switch to the previous program.

(Press TAB again to select the program permeable).

WINDOWS or CTRL + ESC
Displays the Windows Start menu.

WINDOWS + E
Open My Computer.

WINDOWS + D
Show Desktop toggle between open windows and display.

WINDOWS + M
Minimize all windows.

F2
Rename the selected folder, file or shortcut.

CTRL + N
Create a new document for the active application.

CTRL + O
Show the Open dialog box of the active application.

CTRL + S
Saves the current document in the active application.

CTRL + P
Print the current document in the active application.

CTRL + A
Select the entire contents of the current document.

CTRL + X
Cut the selected text or object.

CTRL + C
Copy the selected text or object.

CTRL + V
Paste the clipboard contents into the active document.

CTRL + Z
Undo the last operation.

CTRL + Y
Redo the last undo operation.

CTRL + B
Make selected text bold or remove bold formatting.

CTRL + U
Underline the selected text or remove underlining.

CTRL + I
Make selected text italic or remove italic formatting.

CTRL + F
Displays the Find dialog box.

CTRL + H
Displays the Replace dialog box.