So many times I watch Windows users spending lots of time doing task that should just take a few seconds but instead are taking several minutes because they are taking the long way around to get the task completed.

Here are some examples that I see people doing and below I will show you how to get them done the easiest way possible.

  1. Getting 2 programs side by side half screened
  2. Navigating in Windows Explorer to find the Visual Studio solution or project directory
  3. Open programs as an administrator
  4. Just opening up task manager.

Note: All of these shortcuts are built directly into Windows.

Moving Program between half screen, full screen and monitors

  • Move program to half screen on the left side: Windows Key + Left Arrow
  • Move Program to half screen on the right side: Windows Key + Right Arrow
  • Move to next monitor in same position: Add Shift key to commands
  • Minimze Program: Windows Key + Down Arrow
  • Maximize Program: Windows Key + Up Arrow

Start Program as Administrator

Windows 8:

  1. Windows Key
  2. Start typing program name to bring up search bar
  3. Find the program that you want to open as admin in the results list
  4. Either Ctrl + Shift + Left Mouse Click or Ctrl + Shift + Enter
  5. When prompted to open as adminstrative, click the yes button

Quickly Opening up Visual Studio Solutions

Windows has a feature called Jump List that allows you to pick items to an icon in the taskbar that are available when you right-click on the icons.

Example:

  1. Pin Visual Studio icon to taskbar
  2. Open a Visual Studio Solution
  3. Right-click on Visual Studio icon in taskbar
  4. Find the project that you just opened and click the pin icon next to it
  5. Now instead of having to open Visual Studio and navigating to the solution file, you can right-click on the Visual Studio icon and select the solution from the pinned item.

Quickly Opening Task Manager

Ctrl+Shift+Esc

Windows Explorer Favorites

Windows explorer has the favorites links section that you can drag folders onto.

This is a great place to put commonly used folders such as the folders for current project that you are working on.

Note: That adding or removing folders from the Favorites list does not have any affect on the actual folder, it only removes it from the Favorites list.