BEST COMMANDS AND TRICKS FOR WINDOWS 7

1. Managing 'Windows' in Windows 7

Move and Resize Active Window:-
Win+Arrow Down	Set window to Restored (if Maximized) or Minimized (if Restored)
Win+Arrow Up	Maximize window (if Restored)
Win+Shift+Arrow Down/Win+Shift+Arrow Up	Maximize Restored window vertically / Restore window to previous state
Win+Arrow Right/Win+Arrow Left	Move Restored window to left/center/right. Works across multiple monitors
Win+Shift+Arrow Right/Win+Shift+Arrow Left	Move window to left monitor / to right monitor when using multiple monitors
Alt+Space	Opens the title bar menu
Alt+Space+Enter	Restore Window
Alt+Space+x	Maximize Window
Alt+Space+n	Minimize Window
F11	Turn full page view on or off
'Maximized' means full screen, 'Restored' means variable window size, and 'Minimized' means minimized to taskbar.

Switch between Applications
Alt+tab, alt+Shift+Tab	Cycles through open programs in taskbar. Hold alt and continuously press tab to move forward between applications. Release keys to switch to application selected. Add shift to reverse direction.
Alt+Ctrl+tab, then   use arrow keys to select application	Cycles through open programs in taskbar without needing to hold alt continuously. Press alt+ctrl+tab once, then continue with arrow keys and press enter on application.
Alt+Esc/Alt+Shift+Esc	Cycle through programs on taskbar in the order they were opened or accessed
Win+Tab	Cycle through programs using Aero Flip 3D
Ctrl+Win+Tab	Cycle through programs on Taskbar using Aero Flip 3D
Win+G	Cycle through Gadget Window

Manage Multiple Windows
Win+d	Minimize all windows on all Monitors. Press again to restore previous state
Win+m	Minimize all windows on current Monitor
Win+Shift+m	Restore previously minimized windows on current Monitor
Win+Home	Set all windows to Minimized on current Monitor except active
Win+Space	preview desktop / make windows transparent (may not work with all settings)

2. Accessing Windows Features
Win+e	Start Windows Explorer (in My Computer)
Win+r	Open the Run window
Win+f	Open Windows Search. f3 on empty desktop works, too.
Win+l	Lock the keyboard/ computer
Win+F1	Display Windows Help
Alt+Shift	Change keyboard language layout if multiple language layouts are active*
shift when inserting CD or DVD	Prevent CD or DVD from automatically playing
Win+p	Choose Presentation Display Mode
Win+x	Open Mobility Center
* When working with multiple Keyboards Layouts (e.g. Spanish/English/German). Add unlimited Layouts under Regional settings and activate language bar in Taskbar to see current language. Switch with shortcut any time.

3. Windows 7 Taskbar
win or ctrl+Esc	Activate Start Button. Then use arrow keys, space and enter to navigate within Start Menu
Win+t	Go to first item in taskbar, continue with arrow keys
Win+b	Go to first item in system tray
Shift+click on a taskbar item	Start new instance of taskbar item
Ctrl+Shift+click on a taskbar item	Start new instance of taskbar item as administrator
Shift+right-click on a taskbar item	Show the window menu for the program
Win+1...9	Switch to application in position N on taskbar (or launch pinned application)
Shift+Win+1...9	Start new instance of taskbar item in position N on taskbar
Unfortunately, Microsoft removed the possibility to select multiple taskbar items in Windows 7

4. Navigating Desktop
Arrow Keys	Navigate between and select single icons on desktop (when focus is on the desktop)
Home/End	Select first / select last object on desktop
Enter	Launch active icon
Shift+F10	Activate context menu of active icon by simulates right mouse button. Once in the context menu use arrow keys, a-z and enter to select item
tab, shift+tab on empty desktop	Navigate between desktop, the quick-launch bar, task bar and notification bar. Then use arrow keys and enter or space to activate specific icons
a, b, c, ...	Pressing the initial letter of the name of any objects will highlight the respective application or folder. Continue typing the object name if multiple objects start with the same letter

5. Windows Explorer

Basics
Win+e	Start Windows Explorer (My Computer)
Alt+Arrow Up	Go up one folder
Alt+Arrow Left/Alt+Arrow Right	Go to previous folder / go to next folder
Tab/Shift+Tab	Switch focus forward/ backward between Address bar, Search Bar, Toolbar, Navigation Pane, and File List (Default is usually File List)
Alt+d or f4	Jump to the Address bar and select absolute address. Copy address with ctrl+c if desired
Ctrl+e or ctrl+f	Jump to Search Box in Explorer
Ctrl+n	Open new instance of Windows Explorer
F11	Maximize window

Navigate File List and Navigation Pane
Arrow Keys	Navigate between files and folders
Enter	Open folder or start application
Home/End	Jump to first / jump to last item
F2	Change the file name of active item
f2, then arrow left/Arrow Right	Move one character to the left / to the right in item name
f2, then ctrl+Arrow Left/Ctrl+Arrow Right	Jump one word to the left / to the right of item name
f2, then home /End	Jump to beginning / jump to end of item name
f2, then ctrl+a	Select complete object name including suffix (default excludes suffix)
Arrow Left/Arrow Right	Expand folder / collapse folder (navigation pane only)

File List
Alt+p	Display or hide Preview Pane
Alt+v then d	View details. Check View menu for more options
Alt+v then x	View extra-large icons. Check View menu for more options
Ctrl+mouse scroll wheel	Change size of icons

Select Items in File List and Navigation Pane
Shift+Arrow Up/Arrow Down	Select multiple adjacent items (directly above or below)
ctrl with arrow keys and space	Select multiple non-adjacent items. Hold ctrl, use arrow keys to move to next item, and press space to add/remove from selection
Ctrl+a	Select all
a ...z and 1..9	Press the initial letter any item to jump to it. Continue typing the full name if multiple items start with the same letter

Manipulate Items in Explorer
Ctrl+c, ctrl+x, ctrl+v	ctrl+c for copy, ctrl+x for cut and ctrl+v for paste
Ctrl+z	Undo an action
Ctrl+y	Redo an action
Delete	Delete an item and place it into the Recycle Bin
Shift+Delete	Delete an item permanently without placing it into the Recycle Bin
Shift+F10	Activate context menu of active object. Replaces the right mouse button. Once in the context menu use arrow keys, a-z and enter to get to the selection
Ctrl+Shift+n	Create new folder
Alt+Enter	Open Properties dialog box

6. Photo Viewer
Arrow Left/Arrow Right	Go to next / go to previous photo
Ctrl+.	Rotate photo clockwise
Ctrl+,	Rotate photo counter-clockwise
[+]/-	Zoom in / zoom out (or mouse wheel)
Ctrl+0 (zero)	Fit to Window
Delete	Delete current photo
Shift+Delete	Permanently delete current photo
Alt+Enter	Show properties of current photo
Alt+e or ctrl+s	Email current photo
Ctrl+c	Copy current photo file to clipboard
Alt+o	Open current photo in other application (e.g. Paint of Office)

7. Dialog Boxes
Ctrl+Tab/Ctrl+Shift+Tab	Move forward / move backwards through tabs
Tab/Shift+Tab	Move forward / move backwards through options
Alt+underlined letter	Perform the command (or select the option) that goes with that letter
Enter	Replaces clicking the mouse for many selected commands
Space	Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box
Arrow Keys	Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons
F4	Display the items in the active list
Backspace	Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box

8. Windows Admin

Admin Tasks
Ctrl+Win+f	Search for Computers (with Active Directory activated)
Win+pause/break	Display System Properties which holds system properties, computer name, device manager and so on
Ctrl+Shift+Esc	Opens Windows Task Manager

Remote Desktop
Alt+Page Up/Alt+Page Down	Move between programs from left to right / from right to left
Alt+Insert	Cycle through programs in the order that they were started in
Alt+Home	Display the Start menu
Ctrl+Alt+pause/break	Switch between a window and full screen
Ctrl+Alt+End	Display the Windows Security dialog box
Alt+Delete	Display the system menu

9. Windows Help
Tab	Move between links
Alt+c	Display the Table of Contents
Alt+n	Display the Connection Settings menu
F10	Display the Options menu
Alt+Arrow Left/Alt+Arrow Right	Move back / move forward to the previously/ next viewed topic
Alt+a	Display the customer support page
Alt+Home	Display the Help and Support home page
Home/End	Move to the beginning / to the end of a topic
Ctrl+f	Search the current topic. Press tab to leave
Ctrl+p	Print a topic
F3	Move the cursor to the search box. Press tab to leave

10. Ease of Access and Magnifier

Ease of Access
Win+u	Open Ease of Access Center
Press shift five times.	Turn Sticky Keys on or off
Press num lock for five seconds	Turn Toggle Keys on or off
Right shift for eight seconds	Turn Filter Keys on or off
left alt + left shift +Num Lock	Turn Mouse Keys on or off
left alt + left shift + prtScn	Turn High Contract on or off (Careful, will change theme!)

Magnifier
Win+[+]	Start Magnifier and zoom in
Win+-	Zoom out with Magnifier active
Ctrl+Alt+i	Invert colors in Magnifier display
Win+Esc	Exit Magnifier
Ctrl+Alt+Arrow Keys	Move the Magnifier windows
Note: Microsoft lists more shortcuts for Magnifier, but not all of them seem to work.