A Handy List of Microsoft Windows 8 Shortcuts

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mcd023

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[citation][nom]blazorthon[/nom]Great. So Microsoft is trying to compensate for Metro. Why even have it at that point? I guess this might be able to make up for it most of the time.[/citation]
They've always had a lot of shortcuts. they just added more and I don't mind! If I can use the mouse less when I want my fingers on the keyboard, then let's have it!
 

bloc97

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Windows 8 Was mainly made for Handheld devices... Why do they make so much keyboard shortcuts?

Do you see me using a big clumsy keyboard with my tablet?
 
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Where's the shortcut to delete the partition so you can reinstall Win7? :p
 

alidan

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[citation][nom]confish21[/nom]"not everyone will be comfortable enough to learn"I've been thinking of a nice way to put it. TY![/citation]

no one wants to learn keyboard shortcuts, just like who wants to learn dos commands... if there was a better way to do it, than do it.

i know keyboard shortcuts for photoshop, and general shortcuts for web browsers (that is all mapped to my naga now, so don't need them memorized anymore) because there is no good alternative.

i mean at this point its not about being stupid, its just not caring about this... i dont know how much win 8 changed it all... but if any of these are required to know now, and had an easier option before... huge backlash to come.
 

headscratcher

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I have played with it for a while. The regular Windows desktop is there whenever you want it. The charms seem to very touch screen optimized and maybe not so great for a mouse. I do like all of the keyboard shortcuts, so I can type and not have to go for the mouse as often. I was never able to get the swipe down gesture to bring out the charms very reliably with a mouse (kind of awkward on a big screen), so a keyboard shortcut is nice for that.

I mainly messed around with installing a few things and trying to customize all the tiles and move them around. I don't see why the hate on the live tiles vs. desktop thing. If you don't like the tiles, use the desktop; it's not hard, both UIs are there. Hell, you can even open a command prompt and type it all DOS style if you want to be truly hard-headed.
 

sporkimus

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The problem with this Windows 8 is that everything has been jumbled around. Even advanced users have to relearn where to find everything again. The Start button that we've grown accustomed to for the last 17 years is no longer there, so it requires everyone to learn how to access things all over again.

As for the classic UI, it's not even that helpful either. You have to use Windows Explorer to find everything you need. Put the Start button back in the classic UI, then I'll actually consider the switch to Windows 8. Until then, no way. The Metro UI is awful to use with a mouse. They are taking a touchscreen OS and having us use it without the touchscreen capability. That's like giving you a Windows tablet and saying "The screen is broke, but here's a keyboard and mouse to help you get by."

As for adding tiles to the Metro UI, I found it to be a total pain. Any shortcuts that you wanted to create, you have to go through a giant process of making it, and then hopefully it worked. Gone are the days of simply right-clicking and then selecting "Create Shortcut".

Anyway, I tried it out for a full weekend. While the performance of Windows 8 was fantastic, the user interface needed serious improvements. Those who install the OS probably sat at the Metro UI asking themself the common question, "Ok, how do I make it work?".
 

livebriand

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Windows 8 isn't very practical if you actually want to get something done. The metro UI wastes space and is unintuitive on a desktop or laptop. The lack of a start menu in the desktop interface makes it harder to use. You can't do much multitasking in the metro UI (the OS is called "WINDOWS"!!!!). Basically... this will fail badly. (unless they give people an option to let them disable metro).
 

fritters

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*tests shortcuts in windows 7*
aside from the charm shortcuts, here is what does not work in windows 7
1: i put magnifier here, but actually the magnifier works in windows 7 and all of the key binds seem to work too (once magnifier has been engaged (windows+numpad_plus))
2: switch focus between snapped and larger apps (i guess alt tab isn't cool anymore?)
3: lock screen orientation... i didn't bother testing it. this probably doesn't apply to desktops too much.
4: cycle through notifications. i can't test this.
5: quick link power user commands. it did not open windows mobility center. i don't know what mobility center is.
6: open app bar.
7: "peek at the desktop" is rebound from windows space to windows+comma.
8: narrator (there might be a key for this. i don't know it because i hate microsoft sam and all his damned family!)
9: properties ??
10: switch input language and keyboard layout (maybe there is a key for it in windows 7, but i don't know it because i have never changed my keyboard layout or input language)

SO from that list of shortcuts, aside from the exceptions noted above they will work in windows 7.

i'd like to draw attention to some windows 7 things.
WINDOWS+LEFT(or right) will fill half your screen with the active window and move it left or right across your monitors. if you have many monitors as you press left the window will move across the monitors. this is extremely handy. you can also snap windows with your mouse (by dragging a window to the extreme top, left, or right edge of your desktop,) but this doesn't work so great with multiple monitors. i do this more at work, where i only have a single monitor to play with.
WINDOWS+UP will maximize a window DOWN will... uh.. un-maximize it
WINDOWS KEY. you press it. you type what you're looking for. you access what you were looking for. at work on our windows 7 machines i have all of the important docs indexed and this is the best way i have found to search for shit. most of the time if i want to run a game i hit windows, type 3 letters of the name, and hit enter. i honestly don't see how windows 8 improved on this from when i watched a video on it.

 

johnfrink

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Clicked on Remote Desktop then changed my mind. For several minutes could not figure out how to get out of RD login screen. DO NOT WANT.
 

memadmax

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So, instead of ease of use where people can sit down, easily use the OS, even without freakin instructions.... now... we need a "guide" for basic functionality.....

fail.

GIVE IT UP MICROSOFT. Turn it into a tablet OS or else make Metro a feature and put a normal startbar in there or else this OS is gonna go into the same category as vista....

I can tell you guys are trying to stuff two dissimilar OS's into one.... but it ain't gonna work!
 

playingwithplato

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I love Windows 8. Metro is easy to use, but I recommend turning up the acceleration on your mouse so "swiping" motions for navigating through Metro work in a manner much more similar to "finger to touchscreen". The desktop is super easy to get to, I don't see the problem. If you hit the Windows button you arrive at a list of your most commonly used apps. The speed is the best of any O.S. out there, easily, and the search is fantastic. Finally, I don't cringe using search in Windows. I only wish I can change the margin on the edge of the screen so I can have the pop-in windows display more quickly. Anyone know how to do this?
 

dimar

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I tested Windows 8 on my netbook, and came to conclution that I'm staying with Windows 7.
Don't like metro thingy. I want a highly customizable Start Menu. I wish MS would stick with Programs, not apps. Stop copying apple.
 

bison88

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I believe a "Registry Edit List" of needed tweaks after installation of Windows 8 would be far better for desktop users at this point than a shortcut list. Going to have to tweak the hell out of it just to do simple things like:

Disable Metro UI on startup/after login screen instead of having to constantly hit the WINDOWS key

Enable a classic Start Button

and I'm sure there are others but those will be the biggest tweaks. Tweaks are going to be necessities for anyone risking making Windows 8 there default OS when it's released. I for one am with the others. Windows 7 will be my new Windows XP. Maybe Windows 9 or 10 or what not will actually discover there identity, right now Windows 8 just isn't geared toward PC users at all.
 
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This free app will give you the start menu that you are probably looking for:

http://stardock.com/products/start8/
 

osserc

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I just have to LOL at all you computer experts having such a hard time with a GUI change. It's priceless.

This shortcut list is for you morons, since all the soccer moms out there don't seem to be having any issues wrapping their heads around Win8.

Bottom line; things change, get over it. Oh, and it's Windows, so you know for a fact that there will be some freeware out there to put everything back the way you want it, notably the example above, there is already an app out there to replace your precious start button.
 
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ok what the hell is up with all these folks and the need for a start menu, 8/10 times i find it faster to hit the winkey and then type in the first 4 letters of the app i want, heck even metatags works so it understands stuff like partition (disk manager pops up as a suggestion), beats navigating menus and the stuff i use regularly i pin to the start bar (with quick list this is a no brainer)

yes you gotta learn some new stuff for win8, but i have found for my regular day to day stuff, i can get to what i need much faster, and i have to say having a different start bar for each monitor moves things along wonderfully once you got it all setup
 
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