Friday, October 21, 2011
Keyboard and mouse shortcuts and tips for Windows 8 Developer Preview users on a PC without a touch-screen.
Windows key shortcuts:
- Windows + Spacebar switch the input language and keyboard layout
- Windows + Tab cycles through apps
- Windows + Q brings up Application search
- Windows + W brings up Settings search
- Windows + F brings Files search
- Windows + I brings up settings charm
- Windows + O brings rotation lock
- Windows + C brings up the Charm menu, as does hovering over the lower-left hand corner of the screen
- Windows + F brings up the Search screen, though simply typing (when on the Start screen) is more convenient
- Windows + Z in a fullscreen app brings up the contextual menus
- Windows + D takes you to the desktop
- Windows + L locks the PC, invoking the lock screen
- Windows + P pulls up multi-monitor settings
- Windows + I brings up the Settings charm
- Windows + E invokes Windows Explorer, as ever
- Windows + R brings up the Run prompt
- Windows + Y makes all your open windows (and the Metro UI) transparent, so you can see the desktop beneath
- Windows + X shows Windows Mobility Center, which appears to serve much the same role as the Settings charm but on the desktop instead
Metro UI tips:
- You can simply start typing with your keyboard on the Start screen to launch applications and search.
- You can use most old keyboard shortcuts such as Win+D or Win+R or Win+L.
- Mouse mode lets you activate the charms/options by putting the mouse at the bottom left edge.
- Mouse mode also lets you active in-app options by right clicking.
- Use the keyboard's arrow keys and page down/up to pick tiles. Use Enter to launch them. The menu button will let you select them.
- The Scroll wheel pans across Start screen, slowly
- Right-click brings up contextual menus in a full screen app
- Left-click on the Start screen brings up options to unpin, resize and uninstall apps
- Ctrl-Alt-Delete summons a screen with options to shut down, switch users, log off or quickly open the Task Manager
- To unlock the lock screen, double tap on your mouse or hit any key on the keyboard instead of dragging to the top
- In any app, right click to bring up the “app bar” to see everything you can do
- To go back to the Start screen, simply use the Windows Key on your keyboard
- Bump your mouse against the left side of the screen to see a thumbnail of your most recently used app. Use the scroll wheel to see all open modern apps
- Modern apps don’t generally need to be closed — they are suspended when they’re not in view. If you really need to close them, use the task manager (via the tile or ctrl+shift+esc) to force quit
- Use the page up and page down keys to move between tile groups on the Start Screen
- Bump your mouse to the left and grab an app, if you pull it towards the right and then bump it to the left it will cycle to the next app
- Pin/unpin tiles or remove apps by right clicking on tiles on the Start Screen
- Activate Semantic Zoom in Metro apps by using Ctrl+ mouse scroll
