Menu
Aug 15, 2011 A Better Way to Switch Between Open Windows. (If you're a total newbie when it comes to keyboard shortcuts, make sure you hold down the Alt key, then tap Esc again and again until you land on the window you want. Then you can release Alt.) This works especially well if you have just two windows open; Alt-Esc functions like a toggle switch. Keyboard shortcuts are keys or combinations of keys that provide another way to do something that you’d typically do with a mouse. The following are common keyboard shortcuts in many of the Microsoft apps that come with Windows 10. This includes shortcuts for: Microsoft Edge.
If you are multilingual or find yourself working on a keyboard that is different from what you're used to, it can be very frustrating to have to click around your screen in order to get your computer to recognize and accept the use of a 'foreign' language. Luckily, Windows offers a very simple way to toggle back and forth between registered languages using a keyboard shortcut. How To Change Your Keyboard Layout on Windows After you enable the keyboard layout for two or more languages on a Windows operating system, you can either use the Language bar or a keyboard shortcut to switch between languages that use different keyboard layouts. By default, the Language bar appears in the taskbar along the bottom of a Windows screen upon registration of two or more keyboard layouts. The Language bar will not be shown if only one language is registered or if a user has elected to hide it. To switch keyboard layouts using the Language bar, click on the language abbreviation on the screen. ('French,' for example, is abbreviated as 'FR,' while 'English' appears as 'EN.'
) A menu of registered keyboards will appear. Simply select the desired language to change keyboard layouts. If you'd like to make this process even easier, you can also just press the ALT + Shift keys simultaneously to toggle between keyboard layouts. Image: © Elxan Nagiyev - Shutterstock.com.
![Between Between](/uploads/1/2/5/6/125650591/915191798.png)
If you are like me, you often have a number of applications and files open at the same time. Since I usually want to switch back and forth among the open windows, I need something easier than hunting down each window so I can click on it. Windows 7 with Aero themes does provide thumbnails on the taskbar for easy clicking but often I want a keyboard shortcut. Here are three that work in a variety of systems.
Alt + Tab – (Task switcher) This old standby dating back to Windows 3.1 works in all current Windows versions from XP on up. However, there are some differences in its behavior between XP and Vista/7. For example, the order in which windows are displayed is different. See for more details on this point.
Also, in Vista/7 the exact behavior may vary depending on your hardware and software setup. In Windows XP or non-Aero Vista/7, Alt+Tab provides a bar displaying icons for all open windows (and the desktop in Vista/7). Hold down Alt and tap the Tab key to cycle through the icons. Release Alt to bring a selected window to the forefront. In Windows 7 systems with Aero Peek, tapping the Tab key may cycle through the open Windows themselves instead of their icons. Alt + Esc – Another oldie from way back that still works. It cycles through the icons of open windows on the taskbar.
If a window is open and not minimized, displays the window. The taskbar icons of minimized windows are highlighted but the window is not displayed. Hold down the Alt key and tap Esc until the desired window is reached.
Then release the Alt key. Windows key + Tab – (Flip 3D) This was introduced in Windows Vista and continued in Windows 7. It cycles through a 3D stack of open windows plus the desktop. Requires an Aero theme and supporting graphics.
Hold down the Windows key and tap Tab until the desired window is displayed. Then release the Windows key. A variation of Flip 3D is given by the slightly different and lesser known shortcut Ctrl + Windows key + Tab. This shortcut makes it possible to cycle through the open windows with the arrow keys or with the mouse scroll button. In I will show how to use Flip 3D in Windows 7 using only the mouse. Get your own favorite tip published! Know a neat tech tip or trick?
Then why not have it published here and receive full credit? This tips section is maintained by Vic Laurie. Vic runs several websites with Windows how-to's and tutorials, including a and a site for learning about. For more items like this.
Better still, get Tech Tips delivered or alternatively, have the direct to your in-box. Please rate this article.