Using the Windows Key

In this entry, we will focus on some Windows tips that you may find useful. Specifically, we will look at utilizing the Windows Key. The Windows Key (the key containing the Windows logo normally located between the Alt and Ctrl keys) is a handy, often underutilized key on the keyboard.

The primary use for the Windows Key is for quickly accessing the Windows Start menu. If you are using Windows 8 or Windows 10, you can pin frequently-used programs to the Start Menu allowing you to quickly access programs by hitting the Windows Key and clicking on your application.

To quickly show your desktop, hold the Windows Key and press “D”. Then, to toggle back to your active windows, hold the Windows Key and press “D” again.

To quickly lock your machine, hold the Windows Key and press “L”.

To view all of your open windows at one time, hold the Windows Key and press “TAB”.

Another handy use of the Windows Key is in quickly opening File Explorer to access your files. Simply hold the Windows Key and press “E” and File Explorer will open.

Finally, you can also use the Windows Key to quickly open those items that are pinned to your taskbar. You can press the Windows Key and then the number of the ordinal position of the icon to open the application. For example, looking in the screenshot below, pressing Windows Key plus 2 would open Chrome, where Windows Key plus 4 would open Outlook.