If you’re reading this, the chances are high that you either own or work with a computer. In our modern time people are using computers more and more to work remotely, shop, game with friends and much, much more. In order to keep you quick and efficient in all your computing needs, here is a list of the most useful keyboard shortcuts you should know.
1. Ctrl+C (Copy)
Ctrl+C will allow you to copy all highlighted text to the clipboard, where it will stand in wait for its next command. To perform this copy shortcut:
- Highlight the text you want to copy (Ctrl+A will highlight all text. That’s a bonus shortcut for you.)
- Press and hold Ctrl
- Then press C
Just like that, you have copied text.
2. Ctrl+V (Paste)
What would copying text be without knowing how to paste it somewhere else? Ctrl+V allows you to paste copied text into a viable field, like a Word document, notes apps, anything that would let you type a letter in. If you want to paste something, here’s how it’s done:
- First, you will want to have something copied to your clipboard (use the steps above)
- Next, choose your location with your cursor
- Hold Ctrl and press V
- Your text will then be pasted at your cursor’s current location
3. Ctrl+X (Cut)
Something of a cousin to the copy command, Ctrl+X cuts selected text while still storing it in your clipboard. Let’s say you wrote a really great paragraph but decided that it should have come two paragraphs later. Do this by:
- Highlight your text
- Hold Ctrl and press X (which will make the highlighted text disappear)
- Set your cursor where you want the text to be pasted
- Hold Ctrl and press V to retrieve your missing text
4. Ctrl+Z (Undo)
If you’re prone to making mistakes, Ctrl+Z can be your new best friend. Known as undo, Ctrl+Z undoes the last change made to a document. So, let’s say you moved that text from earlier, but then decided it was better where it was before. To quickly undo previous actions:
- Hold down Ctrl and press Z
- Keep pressing Z until you have undone the action you required
Be aware! If you get trigger happy, you can literally undo your entire document this way.
5. Ctrl+Y (Redo)
I told you to be careful with Ctrl+Z. Now you’ve done it! Your whole document is gone! Never fear, Ctrl+Y is the undo un-doer. Better described as redo. If you have undone anything in your document and want to redo it:
- Hold Ctrl and press Y (which will reverse the effect of Ctrl Z)
So, if you’ve used Ctrl+Z six times, you can Ctrl+Y six times and bring your document back to the version of itself it was before any undo/redo.
6. Ctrl+F (Find In Document)
Ctrl+F is a huge time saver. Ctrl+F is the keyboard shortcut for the ‘Find’ command. This allows you to search for a specific word or phrase in a PDF, webpage, Word Doc, Google Doc, etc. Here’s how you use it:
- Hold Ctrl and press F
- A small window should pop up asking if there is a word or phrase you want to find
- Enter your word or phrase, and the programme will show you each instance that word or phrase shows up
7. Ctrl+Backspace (Delete Entire Words)
I can’t tell you how much time I have saved adding Ctrl to my backspace game. Instead of deleting a single character at a time, this command will allow you to delete entire words at a time. To do it, simply:
- Hold Ctrl when tapping Backspace.
Something to bear in mind when using shortcuts like this and undo together is this: If you delete four words using Ctrl+Backspace, but decide you want two back, undo (Ctrl+Z) will help you. If you want to re-delete one, Redo (Ctrl+Y) is what you’re looking for.
Final Thoughts
Learn these shortcuts, get comfortable using them and you will fly across your keyboard. You’ll see your productivity skyrocket.
There are many shortcuts out there, and the ones that increase your productivity and efficiency the most depend on the way you use your computer, but the seven listed here are guaranteed to put a little zip in your computing game.
Author bio:
Switch Extension is the creator of Switch, a productivity app that helps users accomplish their daily tasks more productively in a single browser with features such as multiple tab and multi-account management.