There’s a lot more to Windows than most people realize, and there are many ways to make all kinds of tasks much easier. It’s not unusual for a computer user to just learn the standard functions of the Windows operating system and never delve any further into all the innovative ways that Windows can help make your PC experience more efficient. Read below to learn more about the other ways you can use Windows to make your computing even more enjoyable and efficient.
You can make your life easier by using the Windows taskbar in the most efficient possible way. The taskbar is what you use when you want to launch a program, and also when you want to switch from one program that’s running to another one. If you want, or need, to run more than one version of the same program at the same time, this can limit you. The way things work usually is that if you click again on the icon for a program you are running, it will open the running version again. This
situation can easily be overcome if you depress and hold the SHIFT key and then click on the icon for the program that is already running. Do this as many times as you need to. Each time, you will open a new copy of the program.
It doesn’t hurt to have a spare copy of your Windows operating system in the event it needs reinstalled.
An easy way to do this is to load Windows onto an USB drive so you can have a copy of it with you if you ever need it. Whether you carry it around with you or keep it in your desk, it’s reassuring to know that you can always install Windows on any computer whenever you need to. Flash memory is quicker for installing an operating system than either a disk or from a website.
If you’ve had your computer for any length of time, chances are you have lots of files on it. Hopefully, you have a good system in place to keep track of everything, because it can be hard to find a particular file if you don’t. Windows Vista and Windows XP help you with this with their "My Documents", "My Music", and "My Pictures" folders. Inside of these folders, you can categorize your files in different subgroups. There are many options to choose from, such as file size, date, and what type of file it is. You have even more control, and organizational abilities, if you are using Windows 7, which uses a Library system to keep you organized. You can create any number of libraries and put the appropriate files where they most make sense. For example, the Document Library can have faxes, documents, and scanned documents. Using the Library system of organization makes keeping your files easy to find in a convenient, more advanced, format.
When you are ready to search for shortcuts to make using Windows more efficient, you will find numerous tips and tricks you can use. You certainly won’t want to learn how to use every shortcut you find. The wisest course is to focus on ways you can make using Windows easier and more convenient for yourself. Take the time to research more Windows shortcuts. These are just the tip of the iceberg.