⌨️ Windows Tips & Productivity
Work smarter, not harder!
Week 2 of 8 VUB Intermediate Computer Skills⚡ The Speed Challenge
How fast can you open Notepad?
Method 1 (The Long Way)
Click Start → Scroll through apps → Find "Notepad" → Click it
⏱️ Time: About 10–15 seconds
⏱️ Time: About 10–15 seconds
Method 2 (The Fast Way)
Press Windows key → Type "note" → Press Enter
⏱️ Time: About 3 seconds!
⏱️ Time: About 3 seconds!
💬 Discussion: What if you could save time like that on EVERYTHING you do on the computer?
📋 Today's Agenda
2 hours of productivity power-ups
⌨️
Keyboard Shortcuts — The essential shortcuts everyone should know
🪟
Window Management — Snap, resize, and multitask like a pro
📸
Screenshots — Capture anything on your screen
⚙️
Accessibility — Make your computer work for YOU
🔨
Workshop — Hands-on practice with all these skills
🤔 Why Learn Windows Tips?
Save time every single day
⏰
Save Time — Keyboard shortcuts can save 8 days per year for daily computer users
💪
Work Smarter — Do in 2 seconds what used to take 10
🧠
Build Confidence — Feel like a computer expert
🔗
Foundation Skills — These shortcuts work in Word, Excel, Gmail, and every program we'll learn
⌨️ Essential Keyboard Shortcuts
The Big Five you'll use every day
Ctrl
+
C
Copy — Like a photocopy — the original stays
Ctrl
+
V
Paste — Places your copy wherever the cursor is
Ctrl
+
X
Cut — Like moving — original disappears
Ctrl
+
Z
Undo — Your best friend — fixes mistakes instantly!
Ctrl
+
S
Save — Do this often! Saves your work
💡 Remember
These shortcuts work in EVERY program — Word, Excel, Gmail, everywhere!
🚀 More Shortcuts
Navigate and select like a pro
Navigation
Alt
+
Tab
Switch between windows
Win
+
L
Lock your computer
Win
+
D
Show desktop
Win
+
E
Open File Explorer
Alt
+
F4
Close current window
Selection & Editing
Ctrl
+
A
Select All
Ctrl
+
P
Print
Ctrl
+
F
Find / Search
Ctrl
+
Y
Redo
🪟 Window Management
Your screen, your way
Win
+
←
Snap to left half of screen
Win
+
→
Snap to right half of screen
Win
+
↑
Maximize window
Win
+
↓
Minimize / Restore window
📄
Tutorial / Instructions
📝
Your Work
💡 Perfect for: Following a tutorial on one side while working on the other!
🖥️ The Taskbar: Your Command Center
Quick access to everything
☰
🔍 Type here to search
📁
🌐
📧
📄
4:30 PM
2/16/2026
2/16/2026
📌
Pin your favorites — Right-click any program → "Pin to taskbar"
🔄
Rearrange — Drag icons to change their order
🔍
Search — Click the search icon or just press the Windows key and type
📋
Task View — Press Win + Tab to see all open windows at once
📸 Screenshots & Snipping Tool
Capture anything on your screen
PrtScn
Print Screen — Captures entire screen to clipboard
Alt
+
PrtScn
Active Window — Captures only the active window
Win
+
Shift
+
S
THE BEST ONE — Select exactly what you want!
⬜
⭕
▭
◼️
Snip & Sketch overlay — drag to select a region
💡 After using Win+Shift+S, click the notification to annotate and save your screenshot.
👍 Great for
Saving error messages, sharing what's on your screen, keeping receipts
⚙️ Make Your Computer Work for YOU
Accessibility and display settings
🔍
Magnifier — Press Win + + to zoom in, Win + Esc to exit
📏
Text Size — Settings → Display → Scale: change to 125% or 150%
🖱️
Mouse Pointer — Settings → Accessibility → Make pointer larger and more visible
🌙
Night Light — Reduces blue light for comfortable evening use
✅ All these settings can be changed back anytime. Experiment!
🔨 Workshop Time!
Hands-on practice with your new skills
📋 Your instructor will hand out the Windows Workshop
①
Part 1: Keyboard Shortcuts Boot Camp — 15 minutes, guided practice
②
Part 2: Window Management & Multitasking — 15 minutes, guided practice
💡 After the break, you'll continue with Parts 3–4 independently.
☕ Break Time!
10 minutes
Before you go…
💾 Save your work (Ctrl + S)
👀 Stretch and rest your eyes — Look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds
⏱️ We'll continue with screenshots and accessibility after the break
👀 Stretch and rest your eyes — Look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds
⏱️ We'll continue with screenshots and accessibility after the break
🎓 Show & Share
Let's see what you learned!
👥
Show a Partner
- Demo your favorite keyboard shortcut
- Show a screenshot you took
- Show a setting you changed
🏆
Quick Challenge
- Without looking at notes: Copy and paste some text
- Snap two windows side by side
- Take a screenshot of this slide
🎉 You just learned skills that most people never discover!
💪 Your Productivity Challenge
This week's homework
📝
Practice This Week
- Use at least 3 keyboard shortcuts every day this week
- Take a screenshot of something and save it to your Desktop
- Snap two windows side-by-side while working
- Adjust one accessibility setting that helps you
📋 Keep your Keyboard Shortcuts Reference Card at your desk!
📅 Next week: Email Productivity with Gmail — your shortcuts will come in handy!
⌨️
Week 2 Complete!
You're now a Windows power user!
15
Shortcuts Learned
4
New Tools
∞
Time Saved
These skills work in EVERY program you'll learn in this course!