In the busy world of tourism, time is always of the essence. These shortcuts may only save you sixty seconds or less, but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth knowing. We’ve put together a list for you of the main six must-know keyboard shortcuts for both Windows PCs and Macs. These will speed up your processes just enough to leave you extra time to get a little more work out of the way this week.
Search
You can cut down your reading by knowing this function. It allows you to locate words in a document, and therefore the sections relevant to your research or reading without searching through manually. This saves you from getting lost in a sea of words that aren’t relevant to your task.
Also, it’s worth knowing that on a PC you can search for a programs and documents on your computer by pressing the Windows Key and immediately typing in your keyword. This begins the search of the PC without having to open the File or Computer applications.
Windows: Ctrl + F
Mac: Command + F
Copy, cut, paste
Although these can be accessed by highlighting and right-clicking your mouse, it’s a shorter process to use the keyboard. Text can easily be moved around with a few simple taps, making writing copy and editing it a much simpler process.
Windows:
Copy: Ctrl + C
Cut: Ctrl +
Paste: Ctrl + V
Mac:
Copy: Command + C
Cut: Command + X
Paste: Command + V
Switching between applications
This is an easy way to keep track of what you have open in front of you, and to change between the different applications you may need, especially if you’re limited to one screen.
Windows: Alt + Tab
Mac: Command + Tab; Command + Shift + Tab specifically to switch through the applications that are open.
Printing
Some applications unintentionally hide the print function, which makes it difficult to find, especially in a new program or on a new computer. This function will always lead you to the printing screen, no matter where on the computer you may be located.
Windows: Ctrl + P
Mac: Command + P
New tab
Quickly continue your work and research by opening a new tab without lifting your hands from the keyboard.
Windows: Ctrl + T
Mac: Command + T
Bonus: on a Mac, the keys Command + Shift + T will open the most recently closed tab, in case you accidentally shut something before you mean to.
Lock your screen
If you have to leave momentarily, it’s always a good idea to lock your screen. This will ensure no one moves things around in your absence or loses all your hard work.
Windows: Windows Key + L
Mac: Ctrl + Shift + Power
Access Task Manager
This shortcut will show you your central options for use of the computer. By selecting and accessing Task Manager, you can review the way your computer is performing. If a screen has frozen, Task Manager will allow you to exit and close the program before the situation worsens. This is a very useful function for getting you away from unresponsive applications.
