19 Tips Every Windows 7 User Needs to Know
19 Tips Every Windows 7 User Needs to Know
Posted 04/23/2010 at 1:42pm
| by Norman Chan, Mark Soper & Jon Phillips
41
Comments
Print
Your OS drives your whole PC experience, so it's your job as an enthusiast to keep it in a high state of tune
Twist cap carefully. Only pour into Maximum PC-approved computer tanks.
After installing a new OS, most people just jump right in and start driving it through all their favorite applications and games. Makes sense, right? The operating system, after all, should be a background player in the computing experience—a means to an end, with the end being web surfing, content editing, and wanton destruction in the first-person shooter of one’s choice.
The problem, however, is that most people, even a lot of self-described power users, never take the time to really tune the new OS, exploring its menus and setting up the interface for the fastest, most convenient operation based on personal preferences. And as operating systems offer more and more user controls, it’s the curious, performance-minded enthusiast who has the most to gain from tuning an OS to his or her liking.
It’s been about six months since Windows 7 hit the market, so we figure most of our readers have made their upgrades. For those who’ve made that jump, we present a bottle of our favorite Windows 7 tips, each designed to help you extract the very last bits of convenience and GUI-navigating performance from your own personal dream machine. And if you haven’t yet upgraded to Win7, we trust you will after reading this article, as its core features—let alone its actual Lab-benchmarked performance—kicks Vista and XP ass.
We close out our tuning session with a tip designed to supercharge the process of installing the OS. By loading Windows 7 onto a USB key, and making that key a bootable drive, you can do an end-run around slow optical-drive technology and install your OS in (pardon the pun) a flash.
It’s time to get started. Park your computer, but don’t shut down. This is one PC tune-up that can only be done with your engine running.
Keyboard Shortcuts for Committed Mouse Abolitionists
Let’s kick off this power-user party with keyboard shortcuts—tricks every enthusiast should memorize when mastering a new OS. We’re confident the following time-saving keystrokes will save you precious neural processing cycles, and make your mouse jealous with neglect.
Alt + P
In Windows Explorer, this shortcut activates a preview pane of your selected file, be it an image, sound, or video document. This panel is great for previewing images in your photos directory, obviating the need for fancier third-party software.
Windows + Up and Windows + Down
If a window isn’t maximized, pressing the Windows + Up arrow key will make it fill your entire screen. Windows + Down arrow will minimize that active window.
Windows + Shift + Up and Windows + Shift + Down
Hitting these three keys will vertically stretch an active window to the maximum desktop height (the width of the window, however, will stay the same). Pressing Windows + Shift+ Down will restore the window to its previous dimensions.
Windows + + and Windows + -
Pressing the Windows button with either the plus or minus key activates the Magnifier, letting you zoom in on the entire desktop or open a rectangular magnifying lens to zoom in on (and out of) parts of your screen. You can also customize the Magnifier to follow your mouse pointer or keyboard cursor.
Windows + Left and Windows + Right
These two shortcuts will make your active window fill up exactly one half of your screen—depending on which arrow key you use. And once a window is fixed to one side of the screen, you can repeat the shortcut with the same arrow key to flip it to the other side.
Windows + Home
This shortcut minimizes every open window on your desktop except the active window. Pressing this shortcut again restores all the minimized windows.
Windows + T
Like Alt + Tab (still our all-time-favorite Windows shortcut), Windows + T cycles through thumbnails of your open programs via the Taskbar’s peek menu.
Windows + E
Automatically opens up a new Explorer window to show your Libraries folder.
Windows + P
Manage your multiple-monitor setup more efficiently with this handy shortcut. Windows + P opens a small overlay that lets you configure a second display or projector. You can switch from a single monitor to dual-display in either mirror or extend-desktop mode.
Windows + Shift + Left and Windows + Shift + Right
If you’re using two or more displays—and you are, aren’t you?—memorize this shortcut to easily move a window from one screen to the other. The window retains its size and relative position on the new screen, which is useful when working with multiple documents.
Windows + [Number]
Programs (and new instances) pinned to your Taskbar can be launched by hitting Windows and the appropriate number key. Windows + 1, for example, launches the first application in the taskbar, while Windows + 4 will launch the fourth.
Windows + Space
This combo performs the same function as moving your mouse to the bottom right of the Taskbar: It makes every active window transparent (save faint outlines) so you can view the desktop underneath.
Track Your Actions with Problem Step Recorder
To aid their development of Windows 7 beta versions, the Microsoft engineers built in a diagnostic tool called Problem Steps Recorder that combines screen captures with mouse tracking to record your actions. You can launch this program from the Start Menu by typing psr.exe in the search field. Hit the Record button and the applet tracks your mouse and keyboard input while taking screenshots that correspond with each new action. When you stop recording, your session is saved to an HTML slide show recreating your steps, to which you can add comments and annotations. This tool is insanely useful if you need to create a tutorial for a computer-illiterate relative. Hi Mom, hi Dad!
Master Your New Font Manager
Font management is much improved in Windows 7. The Add Fonts dialog is history, and in its place is new functionality within the Fonts folder itself. First, the folder now shows font previews via each font file’s icon (visible with Large or Extra Large icon views). Second, fonts from a single set will no longer show up as different fonts; they’re now combined as a single family, which can be expanded by double-clicking the icon. Third, you can now toggle fonts on and off by right-clicking a font icon and selecting the Hide option. This prevents applications from loading the font (thus saving memory), but still keeps the file retained in the Font folder. Finally, Windows 7 includes a new fancy, free-flowing font called Gabriola that shows off the advanced antialiasing, text rendering, and “stylistic alternate” font flourishes afforded by DirectWrite (Microsoft’s API for 2D text rendering) and OpenType.
Next Page: Windows 7 Tips continued >>
More like this
41
Comments
Comments are closed on this article
SteveBrad
March 23, 2012 at 11:21pm
Alas!!!
I finally have somebody who has written just the way I think. Though a bad luck that I cannot write equally well like you, but you did it on my behalf and I am thankful of you to have understood the problem and written on as there are as many of people who undergo the torture just like me.
Best Regards:- Callpills Pharma Inc
Humiliateme
November 12, 2011 at 6:17am
Elating Article! I am besieged with your description. Thanks for giving out your imaginative mind's eye. Phone Sex
sophiasmith941
August 17, 2011 at 8:48pm
I have windows 7 operating system..and its totally new for us..I was looking for the guide for this..I think,this is the right place where I could get all the information about windows 7..
<a href="http://www.raymeds.com">buy generic viagra online</a>
JohnRocks
May 24, 2011 at 11:16pm
I must say that I have changed to windows 7 from vista couple of days ago and I love it! It may be applicable to vista which was crap and I would love to make the windows bar more slim, but did not find a solution I guess I have to patch and install another visual style. 1U Rackmount LCD
m.rizwanbaloch
April 21, 2011 at 1:37am
I am paradisaical to cerebrate so numerous adaptative noesis here in the job, we pauperism fix numerous strategies in this coronal, thanks for picture.
<a href="http://www.bestfunnylifequotes.net/">funny life quotes</a>
Angel_88
April 13, 2011 at 10:00pm
This are great tips. Surely will apply it to my win7. thanks.
myblogs:http://www.knowifagirllikesyou.com |http://www.makeagirlfallinlove.org/
Garyburse
March 01, 2011 at 8:53pm
This is great post. You are rock.
my blogs: cityville cheats | master cleanse
akky1987
November 02, 2010 at 6:42pm
*Off topic* agreed some people just take the P**S no need for that arguing and such. We just want to learn relevent or not, you dont have anything nice or constructive criticism then just keep it shut. AND agreed that we should have had more advanced sys/reg tweak, check out tweakhound. first class articles over there, big shout out to them guys.
ANYWAYS how to put my quite expesive 16gb flash drive back to normal, failed attempt to locate windows7 folder on desktop. so I thought id just go through first few steps again to CLEAN part to wipe all partitions and other hidden sectors but now i cant format my drive or even get it to recognise in my reader, doh!
thanks guys Lee
ps big up bob marley, spreading love all around the world. dont carry knives!!!!!!!!
WhateverWorks1728
October 26, 2010 at 4:28pm
I was a die-hard XP user. There was no power in the multi-verse that was going to get me to switch up to Vista.
Then came Win 7, and I started to think about making the switch. Through articles in your magazine, I learned a lot of tips & tricks and really cool things that Win 7 could do. It helped a great deal in finally taking the plunge and making the jump to Win 7.
Thank you, MaximumPC for making that journey a little less alien. Cheers!
jlsrenton
September 19, 2010 at 3:45pm
Tried to create a bootable flash drive per your tutorial but it did not work. Have Win 7 pro and was able to follow instructions to step 4, but when I entered "CD BOOT" the system responded that this was an invalid command. Whats wrong with this article?
joewe345
September 05, 2010 at 4:45pm
Every time I try to run the power consumption command always get invalid command any ideas out there??
SirJaxx
July 06, 2010 at 11:56am
You can also flip your screen around, by hitting CNTL + Alt + Left (or Right, or Down) Arrow, and then to get your screen back to normal, CNTL + Alt + Up Arrow! Pretty kewl if you want to share your screen around a table without having to reposition your laptop.
Danduhman
May 02, 2010 at 9:20pm
Tried that power consumption thing. It could never find the folder when I tried to open it from the folder.
SamCal
May 02, 2010 at 1:21pm
I liked the article explaining how to install bootable Win 7 on a USB stick, and was looking forward to trying it out. Step 4 "Copy DVD to a Desktop Folder" made me pause. First, the photo depicts copying source files from from the C: drive - not the DVD - to the USB stick. That photo goes with the STep 6 content, right?Second, I have Win 7 Ultimate UPGRADE (from Vista) DVD - not a vanilla install DVD. What changes (any?) are necessary?
Thanks for a good article and for the always-pithy content. Some folks are complaining these tips have been around (true) but it was nice to be reminded of some of 'em and to find everything in one, small article. (Actually, I did not know about built-in ISO burning, cttune, or dccw - so I found some useful nuggets...)
Cheers,
SamCal
wingyoo
April 27, 2010 at 11:55am
Wow, amazing tips. I had no idea so many shortcuts existed. So cool.
Lou
www.anon-vpn.se.tc
Mighty BOB!
April 24, 2010 at 5:26am
Ugh, I like* how the stupid filter seems to be completely random in what it filters, making it impossible to guess which word it is hanging on. That and how it goes after random words, but lets profanity slide right on by...
*Sarcasm.
Cruzg10
April 24, 2010 at 2:33pm
The irony of the spam filter is all of the articles MaxPC has done on other companies using bastardly DRM schemes and lowballing their customers yada yada yada. then they go and put the spam filter in place.
well i guess it's do as i say and not as i do.
well played MaxPC
justchad
April 24, 2010 at 10:24am
you know its bad when you see a comment on every article page about how much the filter sucks. Well I better copy this b4 I post.
-Chad
omen3330
April 24, 2010 at 1:12am
I found a couple of new things but for the most part this was a refresher, still good though.
djremix71
April 23, 2010 at 8:45pm
Can I just say that your choice to use an Alienware m11x for your screenshots was impecable. Undoubtably the best laptop I have ever owned.
aerotive
April 23, 2010 at 7:16pm
Changing the taskbar back to Vista style is one of the first Windows 7 configuration steps that I made. The default is awful. Why Mac users like that style I'll never know. Will continue to "cling desperately" permanently.
Danthrax66
April 23, 2010 at 6:44pm
This isn't really for all windows 7 users more for people that think they know what they are doing with computers but actually don't. Not a bad article; I guess this would be useful for kids interested in computers too.
Primus2112
April 23, 2010 at 5:38pm
Thanks guys. Nice tips. I especially liked the keyboard shortcuts. And the hidden wallpaper!
BAMT
April 23, 2010 at 2:19pm
"Windows 7 eliminates the option to use the classic grey Windows 2000–style Taskbar."
I don't know what kind of disc you have, but the Home Premium my laptop used to have had the classic style and all the Win7/Vista/XP computers on my domain have enforced classic style. It's a theme under "personalizing" the desktop and can be forced with Group Policy Manager. Then apply the "Vista"-like tweaks and you have 2000 style.
On a side note, what's up with "nix_friction_your_win7_system?" Did Linux have lots of fun with my Windows partition?
Jewell Gonzalez
April 23, 2010 at 2:05pm
wow, can I get the 10 minutes of my life back that I just wasted reading this article!?? B-O-R-I-N-G...
J. Gonzalez
USAF (SRA)
"ABOVE ALL"
nedwards
April 23, 2010 at 2:30pm
On your first couple comments you claimed you were Army. Now you say you're Air Force?
Jewell Gonzalez
April 23, 2010 at 4:12pm
My brother is a PFC in the Army, We share the same account. Anything else? or would you like my Military ID # as well?
J. Gonzalez
USAF (SRA)
"ABOVE ALL"
Cruzg10
April 24, 2010 at 2:31am
Military IDs dont have their own number, they use your social security number, date of birth, and geneva convention type
mrvander
April 23, 2010 at 6:36pm
And you're 'brother' also happens to sign his comments as J Gonzalez and can't be bothered to use his own account or his own sig? Riiiight. You're sad, dude, sad.
Keith E. Whisman
April 23, 2010 at 1:40pm
Where are all the kick ass Registry tweaks? A few here are neat I guess but some power user Registry tweaks would have been better.
Neufeldt2002
April 23, 2010 at 1:28pm
You know, I used to think these minor tweaks were important. Now I find they really don't do much, unless you need them for work, or computer hobby like photo editing. Not saying you shouldn't setup your OS, I do, just pick what is important and leave the rest.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Please fix the spam filter it does not work right.
Connect with MaximumPC
Featured Content
The gang discusses the GTX 690, Trinity, Ivy Bridge, Amazon, big-box stores, MMOs,...
This month's issue
Feature
Build a PC On Any Budget
Feature
Cloud Services Showdown
How-To
Encrypt Your External Drive
Build It
Upgrade an X58 Rig
Most Commented Articles
Latest Max PC Tweets
- maximumpc: Want to work at Maximum PC? Our Online Managing Editor, Alex, is moving away, so we need a new one. http://t.co/9Z7JCh0E14 hours 22 min ago
- maximumpc: Fraps 3.5.2 fixes lots of bugs, so if your motto, like @PCGamer's, is "always be frapsing," you should pick it up http://t.co/3DW3WUI016 hours 47 min ago
- maximumpc: Google Chrome Becomes World's Most-Used Web Browser, Kinda http://t.co/Xqgscmrp1 day 10 hours ago
