Top 10 Windows xp shortcuts

1. [SHIFT] + [alt] + [PrntScrn] – high contrast

A window will open, click OK or simply hit [Enter]. This will enlarge the font on all open Windows and change colors to high contrast. For example the desktop will turn black, what was black text on white background will be reversed. Clicking the same key combination again reverts the changes.

2. [Ctrl] + [alt] + [up/down/left/right arrow] – rotate screen

This won’t work on every machine as it depends on your graphics card and video drivers. However, if it does work, it will rotate your desktop.

3. [Ctrl] + select items from taskbar, right-click selected – mass control open windows


You need to hold the [Ctrl] key while selecting open windows from the taskbar. To open the menu seen on the left, right-click any of the selected items.

With this trick you can simultaneously close a group of applications at once or show them side by side or stacked or in a cascade.

This can save a ton of time wasted on rearranging windows.


4. [Alt] + [Tab] – switch between running programs

A little window will launch showing all open programs. Click the [Tab] key to jump to the next application, release keys to open the selected one.

5. [SHIFT] + [Del] – bypass Recycle Bin

Selecting a file and pressing the combination above will invoke a delete confirmation dialog. Clicking ‘Yes’ will delete the file without sending it to the Recycle Bin.

6. [Windows] + [D] – show desktop or restore open windows

This is the keyboard shortcut to the respective quick launch taskbar icon.

7. [Windows] + [L] – lock system

An easy way to quickly protect and lock your system. When you log back in, all programs will still be running and windows will appear just the way you left them.

8. [Ctrl] + [Z] and [Ctrl] + [Y] – undo and redo

I’m sure you all know that you can undo changes using the [Ctrl] + [Z] shortcut. Wouldn’t it be awesome to have this feature outside the computer?  Anyways, you can undo an undo, i.e. redo what you did using the [Ctrl] + [Y] key combination.

9. [Windows] + [R], type cmd, hold [Ctrl] + [SHIFT] and hit Enter – run command prompt as Administrator

The command prompt will now be run as Administrator.

10. Create your own keyboard trick!

Are there folders or applications you need a lot?  Why not create your own keyboard shortcut to quickly access these tools?
This will only work for shortcuts located on your desktop!
First you need to create an actual desktop shortcut. Right-click on the application and select > Create Shortcut from the context menu. Make sure the shortcut sits on your desktop. Now right-click the shortcut and select > Properties. You should see a line that says “Shortcut Key: <none>”. Click that line and then click a letter ony our keyboard, for example P. A shortcut will be created, in this example [Ctrl] + [alt] + [P]. And there you go, now you have your own personal shortcut key.