Critical keyboard shortcuts to use your computer like a master

I've you're reading this you probably use computers a lot.

They are a basic tool for many school or work tasks and almost everybody has to deal with them at some point. There's a thing that makes using the computer much faster and more enjoyable - shortcuts. Learning just a few of them can save us a lot of time and frustration.

Most people's personal computer is a laptop. And this is where the benefits are especially obvious. The trackpad is, in my opinion, a special kind of torture device. So slow and clunky. So anything that lets me use the trackpad less interests me a lot.

Compared to using a keyboard shortcut, doing things with the mouse or trackpad takes a few seconds more to do. When using the computer multiple hours each day, those seconds start to add up. Every little tasks takes a bit longer. 

Still, the time savings aren't that obvious. They exists and they do add up. But there's a bigger benefit to using shortcuts in my opinion.

Shortcuts reduce frustration.

Everything is smoother, faster and more efficient if you use keyboard shortcuts. No more misclicks. No more sliding the finger fifteen times on the trackpad just to get to a button. Or perhaps, even worse, trying to hit a button and constantly missing, because the trackpad is too sensitive. No. Just a quick and snappy keyboard shortcut. You learn them once, and then you're breezing through tasks without thought or frustration. Like a concert pianist, you're effortlessly creating music with your smooth alt-tabbing and Ctrl-Xing.

So what shortcuts can we learn, to make our lives easier? Below are the ones we use the most.

We're going to sort them from Critical to Nice to know.

These are for Windows computers. If you're using a Mac, try replacing Ctrl with Command on some of the basic ones, and it will probably work. If not, use Google to find Mac equivalents for the most important ones. It is worth it.

Critical shortcuts everyone should be using:

Ctrl + C -> Copy selected text

Ctrl + V -> Paste copied text

Ctrl + X -> Cut selected text

Ctrl + Z -> Undo action (you can press it multiple times in most programs)

Ctrl + Shift + Z -> Redo action (you can press it multiple times in most programs)

Alt + Tab -> Switch windows

Nice to know:

Internet browsers:

Ctrl + T -> Open New tab

Ctrl + Shift + T -> Reopen closed tab

Ctrl + W -> Close tab

Ctrl + Shift + N -> Open incognito window (Chrome, Edge), Ctrl + Shift + P -> Open incognito window (Firefox)

Small detour:

What's an Incognito window? It is a browser window that does NOT save browsing history. When you close it, whatever you were doing gets deleted. This is especially useful when logging into your accounts on public computers.

Once you close the window, all your passwords get deleted, so you don't have to worry about someone accessing your accounts.

I also like to use it when I don't want to see ads related to my searches. When I was studying I often searched for all sorts of diseases. Then I would get ads for antifungal products, various supplements, magical cures etc. Also useful when I'm interested in a product, but I don't want to see ads about it later that would manipulate me into buying things.

End of detour. 

Anki specific ones, if you're a student:

A - New card

B - Browse cards

E - edit current card

Space - good

1 - again

2 - good

3 - easy

Ctrl + Z - Undo last card (if you make a mistake with Again/Good for example)

Honorable mention:

This is not strictly a keyboard shortcut, but I'll include it anyway. It is one I have learned recently. This will allow you to select text quickly, even entire pages or documents.

Two steps:

1. Click on the beginning of the text you wish to select to place your cursor. Then find the end of the text you wish to select.

2. Hold Shift and click at the end of the text.

That will highlight the entire text between the starting cursor position and the end position. Then you can easily copy it, delete it or do whatever you want with it.

 Conclusion

Pick one shortcut you're not using yet and start practicing it. After it becomes a part of your work, add another one. Trying too many at once is a good way to get frustrated and to give up. Do one at a time, and you'll know them all in no time.

A craftsman is a master of his tools. Whether that is a chisel, a paintbrush, or a table saw, they know how to use their tools to get the job done. For many of us, the main tool is a computer. And yet often, we use them inefficiently. Learning some basic shortcuts is one small step we can take to better use computers. And that allows us to be better at our craft.

Please, if we're missing an obvious and important one, let us know. Help us improve our computer using lives.

P.S. If you're having a hard time deciding which shortcut to try first, you can try Ctrl+C to copy the link to this article, and Ctrl+V to paste it and send it to someone you know. ;)