In the technology-savvy era, users want to make their work smarter, and they do everything they can to become efficient. Even the youngest school-going generation knows how to start a computer or use a smartphone. Though most of us understand the basic computing know-how, we usually avoid grabbing the ways to use these smart devices proficiently to make our work even simpler.
The article is dedicated to the most commonly used computer tasks and the ways to make them easier. The purpose is to make users more efficient while working on computers so that they can get more from their devices. Let’s start with the basics.
Copy and Paste
To copy a text or a file from one location to another, you need to select it and press Ctrl + C. Further, to paste the selected item to another location on the computer, go to the desired location and press Ctrl + V keys altogether. This will save you considerable time and effort that you spend on copying text and then pasting it somewhere else using a mouse.
Mac users can use Command + C to copy the file and then Command + V to paste the selected file to a folder, desktop, or any other location on the computer.
Convert Files
Sometimes, you need to convert the files saved on your computer to make it compatible to run over various operating systems. A lot of file formats are not supported over macOS, while some cannot be accessible on Windows.
No matter if you use a Mac or a Windows computer, PDF comes to the rescue when you want to access or share sensitive information. It is easy to convert pdf files, and you can do it manually or using third-party tools.
These files are secure, they are universal, and come with many bonus advantages, such as they cannot be edited by an unauthorized user.
Open the Finder
Searching for any specific word in the whole article or web search is a very tedious task. You can’t just read the whole article to get a specific word if you don’t have time. For that, you can open the Finder window in macOS by pressing Ctrl + F. Type in the word to search it on the computer and the internet.
You can find almost everything from the Finder window. Apple offers this useful utility to all its macOS users for better productivity.
Switch between Tabs/Windows/Apps
Suppose you are working on multiple apps simultaneously and wish to change to the previous one that you were working with a few minutes ago. Windows users can press Alt + Tab keys to switch between the multiple tabs or windows or apps that are opened on your computer.
Apple users can use Command + Tab keys to switch between the programs. Also, if you have multiple tabs open in a browser and wish to change to a different tab without influencing the ongoing tasks, you can do this by pressing Command + Tab keys.
Move the Cursor
While working on a document, if you wish to move to the beginning of the first page without moving the cursor up, then this tip is for you. In Windows, press the Ctrl + Home button, your cursor will directly move at the top of the document. To move to the end of the document, press Ctrl + End keys altogether, and you will directly be placed at the end of your document.
macOS users can press the Command + up arrow keys to go to the beginning of your document and the Command + down arrow keys to get to the end of it.
Go Incognito
If you don’t want your browser to save your search history or cookies, then you can do private browsing by going into Incognito mode. This mode can be used while you are accessing a banking site or making online payments. Since Incognito does not allow anyone to browse the users’ online activities, it is considered safe and secure.
To go incognito in Google Chrome, press Ctrl + Shift + N. While if you use Firefox or Internet Explorer, press Ctrl + Shift + P to browse the web without any fears of online threats. You may go incognito while streaming a movie, shopping, playing online browser games, or doing other activities.
Lock Your Screen
When you are taking a break from your computer, and you don’t want anyone else to look into your work, you may lock the screen. This feature is simple and will add extra security to your data. You would never want your younger sibling or kids to ruin your project work.
You can lock your screen instantly when you are leaving your desk and can unlock it only by entering the password. To lock the screen of your Windows computer, press Windows + L keys simultaneously. macOS users can press Command + Option + Power to log off. For macOS versions higher than Sierra, press Command + Ctrl + Q.
