KEY POINTS:
Windows 7, Microsoft's latest Windows has been soft-launched as a beta offering to the public for over a fortnight. While umpteen acres of Brazilian rainforest have been used to supply the bazillion odd metric tonnes of Windows 7 reviews already written, virtually no one has talked about the really nifty keyboard shortcuts built into the system. Until now that is, here's the definitive list of hidden keyboard shortcuts for quick conversion to Windows 7 power user status.
Windows + Up and Windows + Down
Hitting the Windows key and the Up arrow cursor key maximises your current window so it fills your PCs screen. Funnily enough, pressing the Windows and the Down arrow keys minimises the active window.
Windows + Shift + Up
As per the previous keyboard shortcut, using the shift, the windows key and the cursor up key stretches the active window to your desktop's maximum height whilst preserving its width. Pressing Windows + down arrow restores it to its previous size.
Windows + Left or Windows + Right
With Windows 7 you can drag a window to your screens left or right hand sides and it'll maximise to half the screen (which is incredibly handy for copying files between folders). Holding down the Windows key plus the left or right arrow keys does exactly the same trick and you can even flip windows to either side of your screen. If you're operating two or more screens this keyboard shortcut can be really handy.
Windows + Shift + Left/Windows + Shift + Right
Dual screen users will be hard pressed to do without this super handy Windows 7 keyboard combo, which will quickly move windows between screens.
Windows + P
Staying with dual screen setups, this keyboard shortcut will pop up an on screen configuration option for setting up a secondary display or projector that makes switching from a plain vanilla single monitor setup to a hoopy dual-display configuration criminally easy.
Alt + P
Hitting the Alt and P keys gives you an additional file preview pane in windows explorer which is really nifty for previewing images.
Windows and the + key/ Windows and the - key
The Windows and plus or minus key shortcut kicks Windows built in Magnifier into action, letting you zoom in or out on parts of your screen. Even more useful, the Magnifier can be tricked out to follow your mouse pointer or cursor.
Windows + Home
Pressing this shortcut key combo will make the active window will minimise all windows whilst leaving the active window unmolested. Hitting the same key combo again restores all windows.
Windows + E
Mash the Windows and E keys and you'll open up an Explorer window displaying the Libraries folder. Who would've thought?
Windows + [number keys 1-9]
Programs pinned to windows 7 Taskbar can be quickly fired up by hitting Windows and the number key corresponding to its placement on the Taskbar. For example, tapping both the Windows and 1 key runs the first application on your taskbar, whilst Windows + 3 fires up the third application.
Windows + T
Like Vista's Alt+Tab combo, this shortcut lets you quickly trundle through a list of active apps via Windows 7 peek menu.
Windows + Space
If you've got a gazillion Windows 7 gadgets fired up, this keyboard shortcut is a great way to quickly access desktop widgets by making all windows transparent, magically re-materialising them once you stop holding down the shortcut keys.
Ctrl + Shift + Click
This keyboard shortcut combo lets you launch an app with full administrative rights.
Ctrl + Click
Keeping your finger firmly on the Ctrl key whilst repeatedly clicking a programme pinned to Windows 7 taskbar allows you to quickly shuffle between separate instances of that programme.
