Windows-7 Keyboard Shortcuts to Increase Productivity

With all the less pleasant verdicts about Vista, Windows 7 is perhaps PC users’ next best news. Code named Blackcomb, this new Microsoft operating system is surely a successor over it’s predecessor Windows XP and definitely Vista. With Microsoft to end their support for Windows XP in 2014, we figured Windows 7 will be completely taking over things in the next year or so.

If you are a Windows users it’s probably time for a change,
or at least tryout this new operating system.
Here are some shortcut keys to help improve your
productivity and user experience with Windows 7.

General Windows 7 Shortcuts

Shortcut Description
Win + UP Arrow Maximize the current window
Win + Down Arrow Restore down or minimize current windows
Win + Left Arrow Dock the current window to the left half of the screen
Win + Right Arrrow Dock the current window to the right half of the screen
Win + [number] Activate and run the program pinned on Windows 7 Taskbar, running program won’t be affected
Win + Home Minimize all but the current window
Win + Space Makes all windows transparent so you can see through to the desktop
Win + Pause/Break Open System Properties
Win + Tab Flip Aero 3D [press Tab to cycle between Windows]
Win + B Move focus to notification tray (the right-most portion of the taskbar)
Win + D Show/Hide desktop
Win + E Windows Explorer is launched
Win + F Search
Win + G Bring all gadgets on top and foreground
Win + L Lock Computer
Win + M Minimize all windows
Win + P Open the projection menu (generally used for laptops connected to projectors)
Win + R Run Command is launched.
Win + S OneNote Screen Clipping Tool
Win + T Show preview thumbnail of running applications in Windows Taskbar one by one without mouse over
Win + X Mobility Center
Win + # Quicklaunch
Win + = Magnifier
Win + [+/-] Enables the magnifier and zooms in/out
Win + Shift + Up Arrow Maximize vertical size
Win + Shift + Down Arrow Restore vertical size
Win + Shift + Left Arrow Jump to left monitor
Win + Shift + Right Arrow Jump to right monitor
Win + Shift + M Undo all window minimization
Win + Shift + T Cycles backwards
Win + Ctrl + F Opens the Active Directory Find Computers dialog
Ctrl + Right Arrow Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word
Ctrl + Left Arrow Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word
Ctrl + Up Arrow Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph
Ctrl + Down Arrow Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph
Ctrl + Click A pinned taskbar icon to cycle through the program’s open windows (e.g. IE)
Ctrl + Win + Tab Persistent flip 3D
Ctrl + Shift with an arrow key Select a block of text
Ctrl with any arrow key + Spacebar Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop
Ctrl + Shift + Esc Open Task Manager directly
Ctrl + Shift + N Create new folder

Incoming and Outgoing Mail Server Settings for Outlook

Google Gmail service offers a SMTP server (outgoing mail server) for Gmail accounts. To use the Google Gmail SMTP server, use the following information:

Google Gmail Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP): smtp.gmail.com
The Gmail SMTP server requires authentication (use the same settings as for the incoming mail server). The Google Gmail SMTP Server requires an encrypted connection (SSL) on port 465.

You have the alternative to send and receive emails through such a mailbox by using a local email client software, such as Outlook Express, Microsoft Outlook, Thunderbird, Thunderbird, etc. In order to properly use it, you need to configure your email software with the incoming and outgoing mail servers of your email provider (Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo! Mail or else).

Mail Server Settings

Hotmail Settings
As other web based email services, Hotmail is using the HTTP protocol for connecting you to your mailbox. If you want to send and receive Hotmail emails using an email client software, then your software must support Hotmail HTTP access for your email account. Some email clients, such as Outlook Express or Microsoft Outlook, offer builtin support for Hotmail accounts, so you only have to select HTTP when you are asked to select your email account type and select Hotmail as the HTTP Mail Service Provider.


Yahoo! Mail Settings
Yahoo! Mail offers standard POP3 access for receiving emails incoming through your Yahoo mailbox, by using your favorite email client software. To setup your email client for working with your Yahoo account, you need to select the POP3 protocol and use the following mail server settings:
Yahoo Incoming Mail Server (POP3) - pop.mail.yahoo.com (port 110)
Yahoo Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP) - smtp.mail.yahoo.com (port 25)

Google GMail Settings
The Google GMail service offers email client access for retrieving and sending emails through your Gmail account. However, for security reasons, GMail uses POP3 over an SSL connection, so make sure your email client supports encrypted SSL connections.

Google Gmail Incoming Mail Server (POP3) - pop.gmail.com (SSL enabled, port 995)
Outgoing Mail Server - use the SMTP mail server address provided by your local ISP or smtp.gmail.com (SSL enabled, port 465)

Lycos Mail Settings
The Lycos Mail Plus service allows you to use POP3 and SMTP servers for accessing your Lycos mailbox.
Lycos Mail Incoming Mail Server (POP3) - pop.mail.lycos.com (port 110)
Outgoing Mail Server - smtp.mail.lycos.com or use your local ISP SMTP mail server

AOL Mail Settings
The AOL email service is a web based system, designed for managing your AOL mailbox via HTTP IMAP access. Unlike Hotmail, you can use any email client to access your AOL mailbox, as long as it supports the IMAP protocol.
AOL Incoming Mail Server (IMAP) - imap.aol.com (port 143)
AOL Outgoing Mail Server - smtp.aol.com or use your local ISP SMTP mail server

Mail.com Mail Settings
The Mail.com email service allows you to use POP3 and SMTP servers for accessing your Mail.com mailbox.
Mail.com Mail Incoming Mail Server (POP3) - pop1.mail.com (port 110)
Outgoing Mail Server - use your local ISP SMTP mail server

Netscape Internet Service Mail Settings
The Netscape e-mail system is web-based, which means you can access their e-mail from any Internet connection. Netscape Internet Service also supports AOL® Communicator, Microsoft® Outlook, Microsoft® Outlook Express, and other POP3 e-mail software. The outgoing mail server needs SSL support, so make sure your email client software supports SSL connections over the SMTP protocol.
Netscape Internet Service Incoming Mail Server (POP3) - pop.3.isp.netscape.com (port 110)
Netscape Internet Service Outgoing Mail Server - smtp.isp.netscape.com (port 25, using a secure SSL connection)

Tiscali Mail Settings
The Tiscali email service allows you to use POP3 and SMTP servers for accessing your Tiscali mailbox.
Tiscali Incoming Mail Server (POP3) - pop.tiscali.com (port 110)
Outgoing Mail Server - use your local ISP SMTP mail server

Supanet Mail Settings
The Supanet email service allows you to use POP3 and SMTP servers for accessing your Supanet mailbox.
Supanet Incoming Mail Server (POP3) - pop.supanet.com (port 110)
Outgoing Mail Server - use your local ISP SMTP mail server

If your email client does not support Hotmail as a Mail Service Provider or if it simply doesn't work with your mail server settings, you can use a 3rd party solution like Hotmail Popper, IzyMail, POP Peeper or Email2Pop. When using such tools, you should define your Hotmail account as a POP3 account and you will need to define your incoming mail server will as 'localhost' (or 127.0.0.1).