Useful Windows Keyboard Shortcuts for IT Pros - Part 1
Like most IT Professionals, I use a whole array of keyboard shortcuts to speed up my working throughout the day. In this two-part series, I’ll share some of the more useful ones with you.
In this post - Part 1 - I’ll cover shortcuts I use when generally working with, and troubleshooting, Windows. In Part 2, I’ll cover shortcuts for Working with Files and Text.
Part 1 - Working with Windows
Control + Shift + Escape
Instantly brings up Task Manager. Always handy for troubleshooting, and especially useful in a Domain environment, where the traditional Ctrl+Alt+Del brings up a Windows Security panel.
WinKey + D
Shows the Desktop, minimising all windows. Press it again, and all your windows are restored. This shortcut is superior to WinKey+M, as it retains all window positions.
WinKey + L
Locks your workstation. Incredibly useful if you work in IT, and frequently need to leave your PC at a moment’s notice.
Alt + Tab
Switches between open windows. To scroll “backwards” use Alt + Shift + Tab. Sometimes quicker than using the taskbar, sometimes not 
WinKey + Break (sometimes labeled Pause)
Opens up Systems Properties quickly.
WinKey + R
Opens up the Run command, ready for your bidding
Alt + F4
Close the current window. Also, Ctrl + F4 closes the current tab in Firefox and IE7, and many other applications which feature Tabbed navigation.
Control + Tab
Switches tabs in Mozilla Firefox / Internet Explorer 7 (and a lot of other programmes that use Tabs). To go backwards, use Control + Shift + Tab.
Note: WinKey is short for Windows Key. It’s the key with the Windows symbol on it, usually between the Ctrl button and the Space Bar 
Have I missed any useful ones? What shortcuts do you use? Let me know in the comments!
Andy Parkes said,
9 November, 2007 at 1:28 pm
Winkey + L - Lock the workstation
Winkey + F - Find / Search
Phil Wiffen said,
9 November, 2007 at 2:27 pm
Haha. After I posted this, I walked away and locked the workstation (With WinKey+L) - Realised I hadn’t included it, came back and added it, only to realise just now that you’d beat me to it
WinKey + F is another glaring one I missed! Cheers Andy
Useful Windows Keyboard Shortcuts for IT Pros - Part 2 · Mind Circus said,
12 November, 2007 at 7:11 pm
[...] on from Part 1, where I shared some useful keyboard shortcuts for general Windows usage, Part 2 covers useful shortcuts for working with Files and [...]