101 software tips, tweaks and tricks

Windows XP & Vista

012.

 View all files in Windows Explorer
By default, Windows Explorer hides a lot of files from the user. It's easy enough to turn them back on, and if you want to poke around your system it's the only way to fly.

  1. Open Windows Explorer.
  2. Go to the Tools menu, and select Folder Options....
  3. Select the View tab, and under Hidden Files and Folders, select Show hidden files and folders.
  4. Beneath this, deselect Hide extensions for known file types. This means you should now be able to see whether a file is a .JPG or a .PNG for example.
  5. You can optionally deselect Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) under this, however most people won't need this, and unless you really want to see a Desktop.ini file in every folder, it's best to just leave it off.

Make sure you can see all your files, not just the ones Microsoft wants you to see. (Credit: CNET.com.au)

013.

 Turn on the Quick Launch bar
So many don't even know it exists! The Quick Launch bar is a handy little toolbar into which you can drag application shortcuts that you regularly use. This way you can click once to launch them, rather than having to go through the Start menu.



  • Right click on an empty spot on the taskbar, and mouse over Toolbars. Click Quick Launch.
  • If the little handle doesn't appear for you to resize the Quick Launch bar (in case you need more room for your shortcuts), right click on an empty spot on the taskbar and make sure Lock the taskbar is unticked. If it's not, simply click on it to unlock the taskbar. You may choose to relock it once you're done resizing.
  • You can delete icons from here by right clicking on them and choosing Delete; can reorder them by clicking on them and holding down the left mouse button, then dragging; or add new icons simply by dragging them from elsewhere in Windows. You can also drag icons from the Start menu — but make sure to hold down CTRL at the same time so it copies the shortcut rather than moves it.

    • The Quick Launch bar gives you quick access to your applications. The vertical line the two arrows are pointing to is the handle, which by left clicking on and dragging you can adjust the size of the bar. (Credit: CNET.com.au)

014.

 Keep your desktop icons in order
Simple one this — right click on the desktop in an empty spot. In Windows XP, mouse over Arrange Icons By, and make sure Auto Arrange and Align to Grid are selected. By deault this orders all icons on the left hand side in alphabetic order, although you can also choose from Size, Type and Modified order. Or for the ultimate clean desktop, simply deselect Show Desktop Icons.

In Windows Vista, it's a little different. Right click on the desktop in an empty space, and mouse over View. Here you have the same Auto Arrange, Align to Grid and Show Desktop Icons options, however gone are the arrange options, instead giving access to Large Icons, Medium Icons and Classic Icons. You can find the extra order options under the Sort By menu, below View.

Get those desktop icons to do what you want. (Credit: CNET.com.au)

015.

 Know your keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts can make using your PC a heck of a lot quicker. Listed below are some of the essentials — note that a plus symbol (+) indicates striking keys simultaneously.


Universal shortcuts
Opens Start menu. You can also use CTRL + ESC
+ R Open Run dialog
+ E Open Windows Explorer
+ D Show desktop
+ L Lock computer
+ PAUSE or BREAK Load system properties
+ B Make the system tray active. Use Enter to simulate a double click, or use the arrow keys to select the icons
+ TAB Windows XP: Cycle forward through applications in the taskbar
Windows Vista: Cycle forward through Flip 3D
+ T cycles the taskbar forward in Vista
+ SHIFT + TAB Windows XP: Cycle backward through applications in the taskbar
Windows Vista: Cycle backward through Flip 3D
+ SHIFT + T cycles the taskbar backward in Vista
ALT + TAB Cycle forward in task switcher
ALT + SHIFT + TAB Cycle backward in task switcher
CTRL + ALT + DEL Bring up the Windows Security dialog, allowing you to log out, change password, lock the computer, shutdown or run the Task Manager
CTRL + SHIFT + ESC Load the Task Manager
PrintScreen Take a screenshot, and copy it to the clipboard. To retrieve it, you'll need to paste it into an imaging program like Paint and save it

Windows Vista Only
+ any number Hotkeys for the appropriate entry in the QuickLaunch bar. For example, + 1 will execute the first shortcut, + 2 the second, and so on.

File operations in Windows Explorer
CTRL + C Copy the file
CTRL + X Cut the file
CTRL + V Paste the file. If you previously performed the copy shortcut, the file will be copied to the chosen location. If you previously performed the cut shortcut, the file will be moved to the chosen location
CTRL + Z Undo the previous file operation
Holding CTRL when click dragging a file Upon release of mouse button, force the file to copy to the new location
Holding ALT when click dragging a file Upon release of mouse button, create a shortcut to the file in the new location
Holding SHIFT when click dragging a file Upon release of mouse button, force the file to move to the new location
ALT + ENTER or
ALT + double left click on icons		 Load the properties dialog
SHIFT + DEL Delete file immediately, without sending it to the Recycle Bin.
SHIFT + arrow keys, or HOME/END Group select/deselect multiple sequential files
CTRL + left click Select/deselect multiple specific files
F2 Rename file
F3 Open search Explorer bar
F4 Go to address bar
F5 Refresh contents
Numpad * Expand entire selected folder tree
CTRL+ A Select all files in current window
or numpad + Expand current folder
or numpad - Collapse current folder
BACKSPACE Go up to parent folder

Shortcuts with text
CTRL + or
Place the cursor at the beginning or the end of the current word.
CTRL + END
 Send the cursor to the end of the document
CTRL + HOME Send the cursor to the beginning of the document
Double click Quick select the clicked word
Triple click Quick select the clicked paragraph
SHIFT + arrows, HOME, END, PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN Select text

Navigation without a mouse
SHIFT + F10 Same as right clicking a file
TAB Navigate menu elements forward
SHIFT + TAB Navigate menu elements backward
ALT + F4 Close the current application
ALT + SPACEBAR Display application system menu
ALT + Underlined letter in menu Open that menu
SPACEBAR If a checkbox or radio box is selected, activates this. If a button is selected, clicks it
ENTER Click the default button (usually OK)
ESC Equivalent to clicking the CANCEL button

016.

 Turn on QuickEdit mode in Command Prompt
If you use the Command Prompt a bit, this little tip can be invaluable, allowing you to select text by clicking and dragging with the left mouse button, copy it by right clicking when text is selected, and pasting using the right mouse button when nothing else is selected.



  1. Open Command Prompt (usually found in Start > Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt)
  2. Click on the icon in the top left, and click Properties
  3. Check the box that says QuickEdit Mode, click OK
  4. A pop up will appear. Select Modify shortcut that started this window

QuickEdit in action. (Credit: CNET.com.au)

017.

 Auto-tile applications vertically or horizontally
If you want to easily set up windows so they tile vertically or horizontally, hold down the CTRL key, click on the applications you want to tile in the task bar, and right click. If you're in Windows XP, you can choose Tile Horizontally or Tile Vertically, in Vista it's known as Show Windows Stacked and Show Windows Side By Side. You can also Cascade selected applications in both, however you're not likely to find this useful.

Sometimes you just need to show three things at once on screen. (Credit: CNET.com.au)

018.

 Stop that annoying click sound
Windows by default plays a "click" sound every time you click on a folder in Windows Explorer, or a link in Internet Explorer. It's superfluous and annoying, given the mouse already clicks for you. To turn it off in Windows XP:

  1. Click on the Start button
  2. Mouse over Settings and select Control Panel, then open Sounds and Audio Devices
  3. Click on the Sounds tab
  4. Under Program events, scroll down to Start Navigation
  5. Under Sounds at the bottom of the dialog, change the drop down box to (None).
  6. Click OK
To turn it off in Vista:

  1. Click the Windows button, and click Control Panel
    • If you're using the default view, click the green Hardware and Sound link, then under the Sound category, click the Change system sounds link.
    • If you're using Classic View, just double click the Sounds icon.
  3. Click the Sounds tab
  4. Under Program, scroll down to Start Navigation
  5. Under Sounds at the bottom of the dialog, change the drop down box to (None)
  6. Click OK

For the love of all things silence — stop clicking! (Credit: CNET.com.au)

019.

 Maximise/restore window quickly
To maximise or restore a window quickly, simply double click on the title bar.

020.

 Expanded context menu
To get extra options when right clicking on a file, hold down SHIFT first.

021.

 Reduce crash recovery time
If you're not a sysadmin, there's a good chance you're not going to use logging or even understand a kernel dump. With that in mind, we can turn both features off when a blue-screen or crash happens, so you can restart things quicker.
  1. In the Control Panel, open System. If you're using Vista, you have one more step: on the left hand side of the pane that opens, click the Advanced system settings link.
  2. Click the Advanced tab, and in the Startup and Recovery section click the Settings button.
  3. Deselect Write an event to the system log, Automatically restart and set Write debugging information to (None)
  4. Click OK, then OK again.

Keeping crash time to a minimum. (Credit: CNET.com.au)

022.

 Turn off security warning when running files
Needless to say you do this one at your own risk. If you download an executable or file that's seen as a security risk, Internet Explorer tags it so the operating system asks for your confirmation before running. The behaviour also extends to running files off a network, and we've seen cases where it can continue asking this even after you've told it not to.

Here's how to limit how much this not so lovely feature annoys:

  1. Click the Start button, then click Run — if you're using Vista, just click the Windows button
  2. Type gpedit.msc and hit enter
  3. The Group Policy editor has now loaded. On the left, expand User Configuration
  4. Expand Administrative Templates
  5. Expand Windows Components
  6. Click on Attachment Manager
  7. Double click Inclusion list for low file types, and set the radio button to Enabled. In the field that appears below, enter the filetypes causing you issues, separated by semicolons. For example: .exe;.doc;.ppt;.xls. Click OK when you're done
  8. Restart your machine for it to take effect
If you'd prefer to leave the feature on, but just unblock one file:

  1. Right click the file and click on Properties
  2. Click on the Unblock button and click OK

Yes. We're sure we want to run it. That's why we clicked on it, right? (Credit: CNET.com.au)

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Talkback 9 comments

    Ignore "tip" #7 Dean -- 26/09/08

    I didn't bother reading them all, but "tip" #7 (turn off UAC) is totally irresponsible. DO NOT TURN OFF UAC! Demand that your vendor fix their application to work correctly with UAC.

    I am a software developer, and on a daily basis, I see maybe 1 or 2 UAC dialog prompts. For a non-developer, you should practically *never* see the UAC prompt in day-to-day activities.

    But they don't apply to my PC Anonymous -- 27/09/08

    "Our insider secrets will help you master your PC and its most important applications"

    Where are the tips and tricks for Apple and Linux users? Barely any of these 101 tips and tricks apply to MY PC or the applications I use on it.

    Craig and Luis, not everyone in the world uses a Windows PC. Most, but not all. I was more than a little disappointed not to see these facts acknowledged.

    Hamish

    Good Work Anonymous -- 29/09/08

    There's some handy tips in there. Good Stuff.

    A safer alternative to turning off UAC would be using TweakUAC and selecting silent mode.

    party Anonymous -- 29/09/08 (in reply to #320112953)

    Wuz up

    #1 tip for a windows PC Anonymous -- 29/09/08

    I suggest that the number one tip to turn your Win PC into a fast, secure, reliable and productive machine is to install any one of the Linux flavors and remove your buggy, virus ridden, DRM controlled Win partition.

    Re Anonymous -- 30/09/08 (in reply to #320112989)

    I did that. Now life is good

    Another PrintScreen Shortcut Joel Potgieter -- 03/10/08

    You can also get a printscreen of only the window that has current focus [nto the whole screen] by using ALT-PrintSCRN. Also works for dialog boxes.

    Tip 51: Outlook - get rid of the large [emails] Anonymous -- 03/10/08

    If you want to keep the email but delete its (large) attachment, Open the email then go to Edit then Edit Message. Delete the attachment and re-save the email.

    Tip 048 Lookout Anonymous -- 13/07/09

    Nice article, there are really some good tips in there!
    But with one point I am not do not really agree with you...I wouldn�´t recommend Lookout, because it is an old an undeveloped tool! I think it would make more sense to work in Outlook with an modern, supported and developed tool, for example Lookeen( www.lookeen.net)! In my opinion this search tool is the best of all!

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