Windows 8: Cheat Sheet

Windows 8 is full speed ahead, and if you are like me, you are in the process of moving all your devices into it. Since we will be stuck with non-touch screens for a bit until the screen hardware catches up, you need to learn not only the touch gestures, but also the mouse and keyboard short cuts on the new OS. Here is the must-know cheat sheet for Windows 8.

Touch Screen

• Start Screen: swipe into the screen from the right hand border, then tap the Windows logo (start).
• Charms Panel: swipe into the screen from the right hand border.
• App Bar & App Menu: swipe a short distance into screen from top or bottom of the screen.
• Next App: swipe into the screen from the left hand border.
• App Switch: swipe into the screen from the left hand border and then back off the screen. A vertical column of the running app icons will appear.
• Split the screen: swipe into the screen slowly from the left border. Drop the next app on the left or right borders of the screen. Alternatively, you can swipe down from the top border of the screen, hold your finger to drag the app, and then move to the left of right of the screen to drop the app.
• Close App: Swipe down from the top border of the screen, almost to the bottom of it.
• Right Click or Context Menu: swipe down from a tile on the start screen to mark it. The context menu will appear. You can also press and hold with your finger on the traditional desktop mode to bring the familiar context menu.
• Zoom In/Out: pinch two fingers on the screen.
• Search: swipe into the screen from the right border to bring the Charms Panel, then select the Search charm. Tap Apps, Files or Settings  to search for the relevant item.
• External Monitor/Connect to a Projector: swipe into the screen from the right border to bring the Charms Panel, then tap on Devices, and then tap on Second Screen.

Mouse

• Start Screen: point to the lower left corner of your screen, and then click on the screen icon.
• Charms Panel: point to any of the right hand corners of the screen.
• App Bar & App Menu: right click anywhere on the window.
• Next App: point to the upper left corner of the screen.
• App Switch: point to the upper left corner of the screen, then click and hold on the icons that pops out, and drag it back to the left (like trying to grab it out of the screen). A vertical column of the running app icons will appear.
• Split the screen: point to the upper left corner, click on the apps icon to bring the list of running apps, and then just click and drag any app icon into the left or right border of the screen.
• Close App: point to the top of the window to make the grabber handle appear. Then drag it all the way down the screen.
• Right Click or Context Menu: right click.
• Zoom In/Out: press Ctrl + Mouse Wheel.
• Search: point to the left lower or upper corner of the screen to bring the charms bar. Then click on the Search charm to bring up the Search panel. Click on Apps, Files or Settings to search for the relevant item.
• External Monitor/Connect to a Projector: swipe into the screen from the right border to bring the Charms Panel, then select the Devices charm and click on Second Screen.

Keyboard

• Start Screen: press the windows key.
• Charms Panel: press Windows + C.
• Share Panel: press Windows + H.
• Settings Panel: press Windows + I.
• Devices Panel: press Windows + K.
• App Bar & App Menu: press Windows + Z.
• Next App: press and release Windows + Tab.
• App Switch: press Alt + Tab (hold down Alt) or Windows + Alt (hold down Windows).
• Split the screen: press Windows+Left or Windows + Right.
• Close App: press Alt + F4.
• Right Click or Context Menu: press the menu key (generally between the left Alt and Ctrl keys).
• Zoom In/Out: press Ctrl + Minus Key or Ctrl + Plus Key.
• Search: press Windows + F to search for files. Press Windows + Q for searching settings. You can also just start typing on the start screen.
• External Monitor/Connect to a Projector: press Windows + P.