There is key, usually on the lower left side of the Windows keyboard, with the symbol of Microsoft Windows. It is also called the Windows key .

The most common usage of this key is to Start the Program Menu. But there is more to the Windows Key than that.

There are over 10 essential short cut operations that you could perform using the Windows Key with either the CTRL (Control) key or the ALT (Alternate) key on your keyboard.

1. Keyboard Shortcut with WIn Key – window switching

The most fascinating operation is using this key to switch between multiple open windows. You can do this by using the ALT + TAB keys too, but then a tiny screen pops up and you have to keep on hitting the TAB key till you reach your window. The screen sizes that pop up are so small that it could be confusing when you have more than 5 windows open.

Using the Windows + TAB key also helps you move from one active window to another. But then the display is usually much bigger and you could flip through all the open windows & choose yours. The big display of the individual windows makes it easy for you to choose the right one. The image shows how you could flip.

2. Keyboard Shortcut with WIn Key – Locking your computer in 1 step

Windows + L : This is another shortcut that could save you a lot of time. You can use this to lock your computer in one shot instead of the usual CTRL + ALT + DELETE + <ENTER> operation that many of us use to lock their laptop or desktop.
3. Keyboard Shortcut with WIn Key – File Explorer

Windows + E : Opens a new File Explorer

4. Keyboard Shortcut with WIn Key -View Desktop

Windows + D : You can use this combination to toggle between minimizing all the Windows to view the desktop & then use the combination again to return to the previous, or last active window.

5. Keyboard Shortcut with WIn Key – Minimize & Show Windows

This is similar to the View Desktop Operation except that it does not toggle.

Windows + M : You can use this shortcut to minimize all open windows on your computer.

Windows + SHIFT + M : This reverses the minimizing action & returns you back to the last window that was active.

6. Keyboard Shortcut with WIn Key – File & Folder Search

Windows + F : This is a Search shortcut & opens up the Search dialog box that you can use to search files & folders on your computer.

7. Keyboard Shortcut with WIn Key – Open Run Command

Windows + R : If you need to open up an executable (.exe) file on the fly, like a Notepad or the Calculator for example, you can use this windows shortcut to open the Run command panel.

8. Keyboard Shortcut with WIn Key – Computer Systems Panel

Windows + Pause Break : The Pause / Break windows key is probably one of the rarest keys on the keyboard. But this shortcut using the Pause Break key with the Windows key you could open up the System Control Panel.

9. Keyboard Shortcut with WIn Key – Windows Help

Windows + F1 : This shortcut opens up the Windows Help File on your computer.

10. Keyboard Shortcut with WIn Key – Start Menu

Windows : Simply pressing the Windows key will open up the Start Menu on your computer.

Free Downloads

• Free Crawler MP3 Radio Player
• Digsby IM to combine MSN, Yahoo, AIM, ICQ, Jabber, Facebook & Google accounts into one
• Great American Photo Contest to WIN $2,500
• Create Custom Avatars for MySpace Hi5 Blogger profiles with Zwinky
• Free Photos, Exclusive 3-D Animations & Popular Screensavers