Six Windows Tips We Use Almost Every Day
Here are a few Windows tips we use almost every day. These tips save time and are super easy and we’re going to share them with you. These tips work in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
1: Bring up the Lock Screen
If you press the Windows Key + L, it will bring up the lock screen in Windows 10. If you use a password Windows Key + L will “lock” your Windows PC until you enter your password or PIN.
2: Make any word or phrase a hyperlink
If you want to make a link out of a word or a phrase, like “Visit our InfoAve Website“, it’s super easy to do. Select the word or words you want to make into a hyperlink and press CTRL+K. A dialog will appear. In the dialog type or paste the URL (website address) and press Enter. If you did that correctly, the word or words you highlighted are now a clickable hyperlink. This works with most word processors and email programs. It also works in Gmail. Try it!
3: Open a new instance of a program with just the click of your mouse
Did you know on most computer mice, you can click the scroll wheel? You can and we call it the “middle mouse button”. If you middle-click on the taskbar of an open program, it will open a new instance of that program. Try it. It works with Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Edge Dev, Notepad, File Explorer (Windows 10), (Windows Explorer in Windows 7), Thunderbird, and many other programs. This will work with any program that allows multiple instances to run.
4: Open the Task Manager with a keyboard shortcut
Just press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC and Task Manager will open.
5: Hide all open windows in a hurry
If you want to clear all open windows from your screen quickly, press the Windows Key and the M key. To reopen them again, press Windows Key+SHIFT+ M.
6: Get the full right-click menu on Windows 11
By default, Windows 11’s right-click context menu is limited; you have to click “Show more options” to see the entire menu. If you want to see the full context menu, hold down the CTRL key while you right-click a file or folder.
Number 3 does not work for me. I’ve tried it with Notepad, Chrome. I have Windows 10.
As the article says it does not work with all programs. It does work with Notepad and Chrome on Windows 10 and Windows 11, it does not work with Chrome. If your mouse has a wheel or middle button and you have a program open you can open a new instance of the program by clicking on its taskbar icon by pressing down on mouse wheel or middle button. You must have at least one instance of the program already open.