Cheat Sheet
PCs All-in-One For Dummies
To help you get the most out of your computer, we present Mark Chamber's most commonly used keyboard shortcuts for Windows 8, a handy Windows 8 maintenance checklist, and a guide to common PC file formats.
Windows 8 Windows-Key Shortcuts
Use these keyboard shortcuts to quickly navigate through Windows 8 using the Windows logo key. You'll find the keyboard an efficient alternative to your mouse.
| Key or Key Combo | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Win | Cycles between the Start screen and the last used application |
| Win+C | Displays the Charms bar |
| Win+D | Displays the Desktop |
| Win+E | Opens a File Explorer window called Computer |
| Win+F | Opens the File Search pane |
| Win+Ctrl+F | Displays the Search window for networked computers |
| Win+H | Displays the Share charm |
| Win+I | Displays the Settings charm |
| Win+K | Displays the Devices charm |
| Win+L | Displays the Lock screen |
| Win+M | Minimizes all open windows |
| Win+Shift+M | Restores all windows minimized with Win+M |
| Win+Q | Opens the Apps Search pane |
| Win+R | Opens the Run dialog box |
| Win+T | Cycles through taskbar programs |
| Win+U | Displays the Ease of Access Center |
| Win+W | Opens the Settings Search pane |
| Win+F1 | Displays Windows Help |
| Win+Up Arrow | Maximizes the current Desktop window |
| Win+Down Arrow | Minimizes/restores the current Desktop window |
| Win+Left Arrow | Tiles the window on the left side of the screen |
| Win+Right Arrow | Tiles the window on the right side of the screen |
| Win+Print Screen | Takes a screen capture and saves it to the Pictures folder |
| Win+Tab | Cycles through open Metro apps |
| Win+Break | Displays the System Properties dialog box |
Windows 8 Maintenance Checklist
Stick to this recommended maintenance schedule for your PC and you'll help keep Windows 8 and your hardware running like a race car! Print the checklist and display it somewhere near your system as a reminder.
| Task | Schedule |
|---|---|
| Check for updates with Windows Update | Automatically |
| Check all hard drives for errors | Once a week |
| Run Disk Cleanup Wizard | Once a week |
| Scan and optimize all hard drives | Once a month |
| Manually scan for viruses (avast! Free Antivirus) | Once a month |
| Back up your hard drives | Once a month (at minimum) |
| Check for latest video and sound card drivers | Once a month |
| Check Device Manager for hardware problems | Once a month |
Guide to Common File Formats
You'll encounter these digital media and archival file formats everywhere on the web and on your PC, so it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with their use and which applications will load them.
| Name or Extension | Type | File Use |
|---|---|---|
| AAC/M4P | Audio | Play music with iTunes |
| AVI | Video | Play video clips on any PC with Windows Media Player |
| BMP | Image | Store archive images on CD or DVD with Windows Paint |
| JPEG | Image | Send photos through e-mail or display them on the web |
| MOV | Video | Play video clips on PCs and Macs with Apple QuickTime Player |
| MP3 | Audio | Play music on your hard drive or MP3 player with Media Player |
| MPEG | Video | Play video clips on PCs, Macs, and Linux computers |
| Document | Share and print high-quality electronic documents | |
| PNG | Image | Display images on a web page |
| RAR | Archive | Archive and compress multiple files into one file |
| TIFF | Image | Share files between PCs, Macs, and Linux computers |
| WAV | Audio | Add sound effects within Windows 8 |
| ZIP | Archive | Archive and compress multiple files into one file |
