A Common Computer Habit
Closing and reopening everything creates unnecessary work.
It is common to see someone working in one program, need information from another program, and close the first one to get to the second.
Then they discover they still need something from the program they just closed. So they reopen it—and repeat the process.
The same thing happens with browser tabs.
There is a much easier way. Your computer is designed to let you have several things open at the same time and move between them whenever you need to.
The key idea
If you are not finished with something, you don't have to close it.
Leave it open, switch to what you need, then come back.
Our Computer 101 office
- Windows = the office
- Processor = the worker
- RAM = the desk
- Storage = the filing cabinet
- Programs = the tools
- Files = the documents
Think About Your Desk
You would not throw away one paper just because you need to look at another.
Imagine you are working with a bill, a bank statement, a calculator, a notepad, and an insurance document.
You would simply put one paper aside, look at another, and then return to the first one when you need it again.
Your computer works the same way.
Closing vs. Switching
These are two very different instructions.
When you close a program or window, you are telling the computer: “I am finished with this for now.”
When you switch to another program, you are saying: “Keep this open. I need to look at something else for a moment.”
If you think you may need something again during the same task, switching usually makes more sense than closing.
Remember
- Close = I am finished with this
- Switch = keep it open while I look elsewhere
You might have open
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Excel
- Outlook
- Chrome or Edge
- File Explorer
What Is a Window?
Several program windows can stay open at the same time.
A program usually appears inside a rectangular area on the screen called a window.
Only one window may be directly in front of you, but the others have not disappeared. They may simply be behind it or minimized.
The Taskbar
Look at the taskbar before reopening something.
The taskbar at the bottom of Windows is one of the easiest ways to move between programs that are already open.
If Word, Excel, Chrome, and File Explorer are open, click the program you want on the taskbar and Windows brings it to the front.
Then click another program to return to it.
A useful habit
Before opening another copy of a program, check whether it is already open on the taskbar.
The three window buttons
- — Minimize
- □ Maximize or Restore
- X Close
Minimize Is Not Close
Minimize puts the window aside without ending your work.
Think of Minimize as placing a paper off to the side of your desk.
The program remains open and can be brought back by clicking its taskbar icon.
Maximize makes the window fill most or all of the screen. Restore returns it to a smaller size. Close tells the program you are finished.
Alt + Tab
One of the most useful Windows shortcuts switches between open programs.
Hold Alt and press Tab.
Windows shows the programs and windows you currently have open. Continue holding Alt and press Tab until the one you want is selected. Then release Alt.
This is especially useful when moving back and forth between two programs.
Example
- Read an amount from a PDF.
- Alt + Tab to Excel.
- Enter the amount.
- Alt + Tab back to the PDF.
- Repeat as needed.
Browser tabs can hold
- Your bank
- Amazon
- Google Search
- Travel reservations
- Reference pages
Browser Tabs
One browser window can contain many websites at the same time.
Think of browser tabs like open pages in a binder.
Clicking another tab simply moves you to another page. The first page is still there.
You usually do not need to close a tab merely because you need to look at another website.
Ctrl + T
Open a new browser tab without leaving the page you already have.
Press Ctrl + T.
Suppose you are reading an article and need to search Google for something. Open a new tab, do the search, and leave the original article open.
Moving between browser tabs
- Ctrl + Tab — next tab
- Ctrl + Shift + Tab — previous tab
Shortcut
Ctrl + Shift + T
Accidentally Closed a Tab?
Your browser can often bring it right back.
Press Ctrl + Shift + T to reopen the tab you just closed.
Press it again and many browsers will reopen another recently closed tab.
This is one of those shortcuts that can save a surprising amount of frustration.
Open Links in New Tabs
Keep your current page while investigating another link.
Hold Ctrl while clicking a link to open it in a new browser tab.
On many mice, clicking a link with the middle mouse button or scroll wheel also opens it in a new tab.
This is especially useful when researching several options from the same page.
Browser navigation
- Alt + Left Arrow — Back
- Alt + Right Arrow — Forward
Copy and paste
- Ctrl + C — Copy
- Ctrl + V — Paste
- Ctrl + X — Cut
Move Information Without Retyping
Copy and paste can save time and reduce typing mistakes.
Highlight the information you need, press Ctrl + C, switch to the other program, and press Ctrl + V.
Copy leaves the original in place. Cut is normally used when you want to move something instead.
Ctrl + Z
Undo is often the first thing to try after an accidental change.
Press Ctrl + Z to undo the previous action in many programs.
It may restore accidentally deleted text, undo a formatting change, or reverse another recent action.
Undo is not available for absolutely everything, but it is an extremely useful habit.
Other everyday shortcuts
- Ctrl + S — Save
- Ctrl + F — Find
- Ctrl + A — Select All
Windows shortcuts
- Windows + E — Open File Explorer
- Windows + D — Show the Desktop
- Windows + L — Lock the computer
Use the Windows Key
A few Windows-key shortcuts can eliminate several mouse clicks.
Windows + E opens File Explorer—the filing cabinet from Lesson 1.
Windows + D quickly shows your Desktop without closing all your programs.
Windows + L locks the computer when you step away while leaving your work open.
Programs vs. Tabs
Two shortcuts are especially useful to keep straight.
Alt + Tab moves between programs and windows.
Ctrl + Tab usually moves between tabs inside a program, especially a web browser.
A simple memory aid
- Alt + Tab = another application
- Ctrl + Tab = another tab
Start With Just a Few
You do not need to memorize dozens of shortcuts.
Learn the shortcuts that remove unnecessary steps from the things you already do every day.
A good starting set is:
Alt + Tab — Switch programs
Ctrl + T — New browser tab
Ctrl + Shift + T — Reopen a closed browser tab
Ctrl + C — Copy
Ctrl + V — Paste
Ctrl + Z — Undo
Ctrl + S — Save
Ctrl + F — Find
A Practical Example
Leave the information you need open while completing the task.
Imagine you are entering information on a website from an email.
Instead of repeatedly closing and reopening the website and Outlook, keep both open.
Alt + Tab to the email, Ctrl + C to copy the information, Alt + Tab back to the website, and Ctrl + V to paste it.
The easier workflow
- Leave the website open.
- Leave Outlook open.
- Alt + Tab to Outlook.
- Ctrl + C to copy.
- Alt + Tab back.
- Ctrl + V to paste.
Close something when
- You are finished with it
- You no longer need the information
- You want to reduce clutter
- The program needs to be restarted
- You have too many things open to manage comfortably
- Computer resources are becoming limited
Several Things Open Is Normal
Modern computers are designed to work with multiple programs and tabs.
Keeping Word, Excel, email, a browser, and File Explorer open during normal work is not doing anything wrong.
As we learned in Lesson 3, RAM is your desk. Having several things open simply means you are using some of that working space.
Close something because you are finished with it—not merely because you need to look at something else.
Computer 101
Work with your computer, not against it.
A computer is designed to help you work with several pieces of information at once.
Leave useful programs and tabs open. Switch between them. Copy information instead of retyping it. Undo mistakes. Reopen accidentally closed tabs.
If you are not finished with something, you don't have to close it.
Put it aside, look at what you need, then come back to it—just like papers on a desk.
Shortcut Cheat Sheet
Useful keyboard shortcuts for everyday Windows use.
- Alt + Tab — Switch between open programs
- Ctrl + T — Open a new browser tab
- Ctrl + Tab — Move to the next browser tab
- Ctrl + Shift + T — Reopen a closed browser tab
- Ctrl + C — Copy
- Ctrl + V — Paste
- Ctrl + X — Cut
- Ctrl + Z — Undo
- Ctrl + S — Save
- Ctrl + F — Find
- Ctrl + A — Select All
- Windows + E — Open File Explorer
- Windows + D — Show the Desktop
- Windows + L — Lock the computer
- Alt + Left Arrow — Browser Back
Need Help Becoming More Comfortable With Your Computer?
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