There are 3 types of computer users: the ones who use their mouse, those who use their keyboard, and those who prefer talking to Cortana or Siri. No matter which category you fall into, you can’t deny the immense usefulness of certain shortcuts and hacks that reveal the unknown possibilities your computer always had. These smart tricks improve your everyday computer experience and give an absolute boost in your productivity and in your security.
Here at Bright Side we collected 14 computer hacks that will be massively helpful to anyone using their computer for fun or business.
1. Ctrl + T opens a new tab
When you work a lot on your PC and your web browser is your number one tool, opening new tabs is an action that you do countless times during the day. Instead of doing it manually with your mouse, you can simply press “ctrl” and the letter T and a new tab will open. If you are using a MacBook, you will press “command” instead of “ctrl.”
2. Ask Google about any problem you’re facing before going to a PC expert.
Most IT problems are simple issues that can easily be resolved by following a few steps. However, most people panic when anything wrong happens and run to the nearest PC expert. Just remember to be cool and slow down. You can type your problem into the Google search bar and read what Microsoft or the various tech forums have to tell you. You will probably find the solution there and won’t need to spend money on an expert.
3. For currency conversions, use the Google search bar instead of a calculator.
Who needs calculators when you have something as precious as Google? If you’re traveling abroad and you need to see how much money you will get with the exchange, you can simply write down the amount of money and the currencies of the country where you’re traveling. A simple “100 dollars to euros” will be enough to learn how much you’ll win or lose from the exchange.
4. A laptop battery charges faster when in airplane mode.
When your laptop is on airplane mode it means that many features, like your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, are disabled. This takes some pressure off your battery and allows it to charge faster than if operating normally. Expect to see your laptop fully charged 10-15 minutes faster than if you had the airplane mode off.
5. Download any Google image automatically by pressing Alt and clicking on it.
Most people right click on images and select the “save” option, but there is a much easier and faster way to download a photo on your computer. You can simply push “alt” and then left click on an image and it will be automatically saved on your computer in your Downloads folder. On a MacBook you can press control and then click on the image, it will then give you a drop-down menu where you can select Copy Image.
6. Hide your IP address so that nobody sees what you’re doing
There are various ways that can hide your IP address and make your browsing invisible. First of all, you need to install a good VPN on your internet browser so that it changes your real location. Then, you can download PeerBlock, which also hides your address, and gives you the ability to do whatever you want with nobody knowing.
7. Download “f.lux” to make your computer’s screen brightness adjust automatically to its surroundings.
There are many of you who work on your computers from various environments and know how hard it is to be in a dark space with an extremely bright screen. Most computers have the night shift mode, which adjusts the brightness during the night. You can also download and install f.lux, which automatically adjusts the screen’s brightness based on every environment it’s placed in. It’s a great alternative if the night shift mode isn’t satisfactory for you.
8. A clean desktop means a faster computer.
If you are having problems with your computer’s speed, it might be the fact that your desktop is full of icons. Instead of having a folder for every little thing on your desktop, you can create one folder and organize everything in there. Next put all your apps in the task bar and you will be left will an almost empty desktop. This action will instantly maximize your computer’s speed.
Isn’t it annoying when your connection is slow because someone else is taking advantage of your Wi-Fi? If you don’t just want to change your password, but also find out who the thief (or thieves) are, then you can download Who Is on My Wi-Fi and maybe go confront them. There is nothing more embarrassing than telling someone that you know they’ve been stealing from you.
10. You can recover deleted files even if you’ve emptied the recycle bin.
Deleting files and then emptying the recycling bin can prove to be very frustrating, since you may realize afterward that in that pile there was a file that you really needed. What you can do is download Recuva, which is the top program to recover permanently deleted files. You just choose what type of file you’re looking for and the program searches everything for you. If it has been a long time since you deleted a file, it’s possible that the program won’t be able to locate it.
11. If you notice these signs, your computer has been hacked.
Millions of people get hacked every day and you might be one of them at some point. Seeing your antivirus being turned off is one of the first serious signs. Also, when you try to log in your computer and suddenly your password doesn’t work, this is another serious indication that something is wrong. Lastly, a sure sign that you have been hacked is if you see your cursor moving on its own. In this case, take your laptop to an expert and try to resolve the issue.
12. Windows + C enables you to start talking to Cortana.
For users who have bought Microsoft laptops or use PCs with the latest windows 10 version, Cortana is the digital person that can guide you through anything you need. If you don’t know how to perform a certain action or are bored of using the mouse, you can press “windows” and the letter C and ask Cortana anything you want. She will ask you questions in order to guide you to the action you need to perform. If on the other hand you’re using a MacBook, you will need to press “command” and then the space bar in order to start talking to Siri.
13. Ctrl + Q quits your web browser.
Another tremendously useful shortcut is the one that exits your web browser. In this case, you press “ctrl” and then the letter Q. Once again, if you are using a MacBook you use the “command” button instead of the “ctrl” button. This way everything happens a bit faster.
14. Ctrl + I turns the text style into italics.
When combining the “ctrl” key and the letter I there are various things that can happen in a total of 147 different programs. However, the most ordinary and common use of the combo is to turn text in Word and other text editing programs from normal style into italics. All you need to do is highlight the word or words you want and press the 2 keys. For Mac users, you should press the command key and then the letter I in order to perform the same action.
How useful were the above keyboard hacks and how much time will they save you in your daily routine? Please tell us what you think down in the comment section.
