Below you’ll find a list of shortcuts that are ideal for teachers, whether you want to become savvy with your computer skills or more efficient at work; there are plenty of different shortcuts that can make your life easier.
Ctrl+F: Search a document
If you are looking for a particular word or phrase on a document or webpage, use this shortcut to search and highlight what you’re looking for.
Whether it is hunting for a student name on a spreadsheet of hundreds, or you’re looking for a reference in a multi-page document, Ctrl+F is a must for saving time.
Ctrl+K: Add a hyperlink
This shortcut is great for when you may want to share a link to an online resource in a piece of work you’re creating.
Rather than searching for that small link icon, you can simply highlight the text you need to link, hit Ctrl+K and the box to enter the link will appear.
This shortcut works in most text editors and is a particularly handy shortcut to commit to memory.
Ctrl+N: Create a new document
This is a simple shortcut that will allow you to instantly create a new document.
Ctrl+S: Save document
It can be extremely frustrating to lose unsaved work. With this shortcut, you can periodically save with ease whilst you type.
Ctrl+J: Open recent downloads
Sometimes we can get carried away with downloading resources that we forget where we saved them.
With this shortcut, you can open a list of your recently downloaded files whilst using your internet browser.
Ctrl+Shift+T: Reopen a browser tab
It can be incredibly easy to close a tab that you need by accident. With this shortcut, you can reopen any of the tabs you had previously closed.
Ctrl+Y: Redo an action
Most people are familiar with the shortcut to undo (Ctrl+Z) but did you know that you can also use Ctrl+Y to redo something?
This can be useful if you remove something and then realise that you actually want the piece of information or element back.
Windows key+L: Lock screen
By pressing the Windows key and L you can instantly lock your computer. This makes it a great shortcut if you need to get away from your computer and take a break.
Windows key+M: Minimise all windows
A very useful one to know if you share your screen and then realise there’s something open that shouldn’t be there.
Windows key + M will minimise all open windows leaving your display on your desktop.
Shortcuts for working with text
Here are some quick shortcuts that are great for when you’re working with text, whether that’s on a document, email or even when using social media.
- Ctrl+X: Cut the selected text.
- Ctrl+C: Copy the selected text.
- Ctrl+V: Paste the copied or cut text.
- Ctrl+A: Select all text on the page or in the active window.
- Ctrl+B: Bold the selected text.
- Ctrl+I: Italicize the selected text.
- Ctrl+U: Underline the selected text.
If you’re looking for further support and training for your staff, take a look at our Digital Education Support (DES).
This includes:
✅ A dedicated help desk with telephone, email and video support
✅ Skills audits – analyse and enhance the way your staff use technology
✅ Comprehensive online training sessions
✅ Closed community of interest – collaborate by sharing skills and resources with other professionals
Contact us for a free consultation.
Published: June 8