Windows key finally serves a purpose in Windows 7!

The Windows key has always come off as useless to me.  I mean, you don’t really use it for anything.  It just sits there…looking at you (as all inanimate objects do).  With Windows 7 introducing so many new features and tricks, it’s easy to miss something.  Luckily, Brandon Paddock, a Microsoft employee working on the Windows 7 team took the time to iron out a list of all the “hot keys” used in Windows 7.  One feature of the new Windows key that is truly awesome is the ability to press “Win + (number key)” which will in turn list the corresponding app on the new start/launch bar.  If Word is the first app on your launch bar and you click Win + 1, up pops word.  Cool!  Simply Cool!  Continue on for the list of Windows key shortcuts provided by Brandon.

 

General
Win+Up Maximize
Win+Down Restore / Minimize
Win+Left Snap to left
Win+Right Snap to right
Win+Shift+Left Jump to left monitor
Win+Shift+Right Jump to right monitor
Win+Home Minimize / Restore all other windows
Win+T Focus the first taskbar entry
Pressing again will cycle through them, you can can arrow around.
Win+Shift+T cycles backwards.
Win+Space Peek at the desktop
Win+G Bring gadgets to the top of the Z-order
Win+P External display options (mirror, extend desktop, etc)
Win+X Mobility Center (same as Vista, but still handy!)
Win+#
(# = a number key) Launches a new instance of the application in the Nth slot on the taskbar.
Example: Win+1 launches first pinned app, Win+2 launches second, etc.
Win + +
Win + – (plus or minus key) Zoom in or out.

Explorer
Alt+P Show/hide Preview Pane

Taskbar modifiers
Shift + Click on icon Open a new instance
Middle click on icon Open a new instance
Ctrl + Shift + Click on icon Open a new instance with Admin privileges
Shift + Right-click on icon Show window menu (Restore / Minimize / Move / etc)
Note: Normally you can just right-click on the window thumbnail to get this menu
Shift + Right-click on grouped icon Menu with Restore All / Minimize All / Close All, etc.
Ctrl + Click on grouped icon Cycle between the windows (or tabs) in the group

 

As you can see, the Windows key starts acting a lot like Mac OS X and the dashboard…and I love dashboard.  Seriously.  I constantly use it.  1 point for Redmond.  As the layers of 7 are revealed we’re sure to see even more great things come!

Source: Gizmodo, Brandon Live