Windows 7 mouse shortcuts

Super Windows 7 Mouse/Keyboard Shortcuts

Whenever Microsoft rolls out a new OS, it’s always interesting to see what kinds of shortcuts get eliminated, added, or changed in that process. From my own experience, Windows7 offers plenty of neat and usable shortcuts to help savvy users make the most of its runtime environment. Thus, for example, my personal favorite at the moment is a quick right-click on any icon in the task bar. Instead of opening the linked application (or providing a list of active windows if it’s already running) as it would with a left click, this pops up a jump list of previously accessed views, documents, or related data objects (above the line), and gives you the option to close any open Windows, unpin the app from the taskbar, or launch a new instance of the same application in its own window instead (below the line).

Above, frequently or recently accessed items, below launch unpin or close commands

But that’s just the tip of a formidable iceberg of hidden, or at least, non-obvious shortcuts that Windows 7 makes available to it users. Here’s a list of interesting resources on this subject that you should find entertaining, if not downright useful, as you begin climbing the Windows 7 learning curve:

• Lifehacker.com: Best New Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home: Keyboard Shortcuts (organized into 13 categories, of which general keyboard shortcuts and Windows logo key keyboard shortcuts are very much worth exploring)
• ExtremeTech: 12 Must-Know Windows 7 Shortcuts

Shoot! I’ve even written an article/guide on this topic myself (with my frequent “partner in grime,” Justin Korelc) for InformIT.com. As soon as that story posts, I’ll add it to this list. In the meantime, the preceding items should give you plenty to chew on and play with. Enjoy!