The best way to be a power Windows 7 user is to use keyboard shortcuts. Using the keyboard streamlines your tasks and speeds up your workflow. I have found some very useful and cool effects that if you use a few times, will become standard procedure. With Windows 7 comes some very cool new shortcuts.

Alt + P

If you wish to preview your files in a separate preview windows in Windows Explorer, then this is the shortcut for you. It opens a preview window on the right. It works for just about any file.

Windows + + (plus key)

Windows + - (minus key)

The Magnifier. Zoom in and out of anything. It lets you zoom in on the entire desktop or open a rectangular magnifying lens to zoom in and out of parts of your screen. By clicking the magnifying glass, it will open the menu bar to customize your experience. (The Magnifier only works when the Aero desktop is enabled)

Windows + Up

Windows + Down

If a window is not maximized, pressing Windows + Up will fill it to your screen. Windows + Down will minimize that active window. Unfortunately, pressing Windows + Up again while a window is minimized won’t return it to its former state.

Windows + Shift + Up

Similar to the shortcut above, hitting these three keys while a window is active will stretch it vertically to the maximum desktop height. The width of the window will however stay the same. Pressing Windows + Down will restore it to its previous size.

Windows + Left

Windows + Right

A new feature of Windows 7 is the ability to automatically make a window fill up half of your screen by resizing to the left or right. Once a window is fixed to one side of the screen, you can repeat the left or right function repeatedly to flip it to the other side. This is very useful trick if you’re using multiple monitors. It retains its aspect ratio and position so you do not have to readjust the windows. A very handy shortcut

Windows + Home

This shortcut performs a similar function to hovering over a window’s peek menu thumbnail in the Taskbar. The active window will stay on your desktop while every other open application is minimized. Pressing this shortcut again will restore all the other windows.

Windows + E

Automatically opens up a new Explorer window to show your Libraries folder.

Windows + P

Manage your multiple-monitor more efficiently with this handy shortcut. Windows + P opens up 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 + Pause/Break

Opens up your Windows 7 system window. this where you u will find out the power of your CPU, installed memory, what version of windows you are running, what workgroup/homegroup you belong to, your system rating, and many other interesting things about your computer.

Windows + Shift + Left

Windows + Shift + Right

If you are using two or more displays (and who isn’t, these days?), 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 his useful when working with multiple documents. Utilize that real estate!

Windows + [Number]

Programs (and new instances) pinned to your Taskbar can be launched by hitting Windows and the number corresponding to its placement on the Taskbar. Windows + 1, for example, launches the first application, while Windows + 4 will launch the fourth. We realize that this is actually one key-press more than just clicking the icon with your mouse, but it saves your hand the trouble of leaving the comfort of the keyboard.

Windows + T

Like Alt + Tab (still our all time favorite Windows specific shortcut), Windows + T cycles through your open programs via the Taskbar’s peek menu.

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 so you can view your desktop. The windows only remain transparent as long as you’re holding down the Windows key.

Ctrl + Shift + Click

Hold down Ctrl and Shift while launching an application from the Taskbar or start menu to launch it with full administrative rights.

Ctrl + Click

Hold down Ctrl while repeatedly clicking a program icon in the Taskbar will toggle between the instances of that application, like multiple Firefox windows (though not browser tabs).