How to use Windows 7 keyboard shortcuts for application windows

Windows 7 - Microsofts answer to your OS needs

Windows 7 is all about the user experience. With that in mind Microsoft made moving around on your computer much easier. Now you can spend more time computing and less time worrying about your operating system. I'll talk about some basic, yet powerful keyboard shortcuts that will make using your new Windows that much easier.

Things You'll Need

• Windows 7
• Know where your "Windows" button is

Instructions

1. 

   Lets begin with the docking effect. You can stick windows to either side of your screen, maximize it, or minimize it with some simple movements. You can dock windows to either side by simply dragging them all the way to that side. You'll see a ghost box appear where your screen will go if you've done it right. You can also move it to the top of the screen by dragging the window to the top of the screen. This is convenient when you want to work with two windows at the same time (ie. watch a video while taking notes).

   You can also do the same thing by using simple keyboard shortcuts.
   Windows key + Left arrow = Move window to left side
   Windows key + Right arrow = Move window to right side
   Windows key + Up arrow = Maximize screen
   Windows key + Down arrow= Minimize screen

   If you keep pressing the arrow key + Windows key, the window will shuffle between either side of the screen.

2. 

   Windows 7 has a simplified task bar that puts all your program screens in one location. If you have multiple instances of one program, they will be grouped together. You can preview the windows by hovering your mouse over the icon on your task bar.

   Another neat feature is the pull-up bar for each program. If you click and drag up on an icon, a menu will appear. Depending on the program a lot of different things will be displayed. For example, with Microsoft Office you'll see recent documents, and for Windows Media Player you'll see some recently played songs.

3. 

   Now you'll want an easier way to open your programs. You can quickly open multiple instances of a program by holding the Shift key and clicking on an icon. If you want to open a new instance with Admin rights simply hold Ctrl + Shift while clicking.

4. You can also quickly open programs on your task bar by holding the Windows Key + Program Number. The Program Number is the position of the program on the Task Bar.