Category: Taking Ctrl

For the keyboard shortcuts mini series.

Taking Ctrl: Ctrl Taken

control taken, wrapping up the taking control series

Thanks to everyone who submitted their favourite keyboard shortcuts. Here is a round up of all the shortcuts mentioned:

ShortcutFunction
Windows key +EOpen File Explorer
Windows: Ctrl + Shift + V
Mac: Option + Shift + Cmd + V		Paste text without Formatting
Windows: Ctrl + Z
Mac: Cmd + Z		Undo
Windows: Ctrl + Shift + Z or Ctrl + Y
Mac: Cmd + Shift + Z		Redo
Windows: Windows key + L
Mac: Control + Cmd + Q		Lock your Computer
Windows: Ctrl + Shift + T
Mac: Cmd + Shift + T		Reopen Closed Tabs
Reopen a tab in Chrome
Chrome: Ctrl/ Cmd + Shift + N
Firefox: Ctrl/ Cmd + Shift + P
Safari: Cmd + Shift + N		Incognito Mode
Windows: Windows + Shift + S
Mac: Shift + Cmd + 4		Snipping Tool
Windows: Ctrl + K
Mac: Cmd + K		Insert a Link
Windows key + left/right/up/downArrange Windows
Windows: F12
Mac: Cmd + Opt + I		Developer Tools Device Mode
Windows: Window + A > Focus Assist
Mac: Option + click Notification Center icon		Focus Assist/Do not disturb
Summary Table

We will be starting a new and exciting series in 2024!

Taking Ctrl: Focus Assist – Managing Your Digital Wellbeing

Managing Your Digital Wellbeing
Managing Your Digital Wellbeing

The Problem

With a constant influx of notifications, emails, and alerts on our computers, staying focused on the task at hand can be a challenge. Distractions break our concentration, decrease productivity, and contribute to digital fatigue. How can you ensure a distraction-free environment when you need to concentrate on your work?

The Solution

Windows: Focus Assist

  • Quick Toggle: Windows key + A (to open the Action Center), then click on Focus Assist to toggle it between Off, Priority Only, or Alarms Only.
  • Customise: Go to Settings > System > Focus Assist to customize which notifications you want to see and when.

Mac: Do Not Disturb

  • Quick Toggle: Option + click the Notification Center icon at the top right of your screen.
  • Schedule: Go to System Preferences > Notifications > Do Not Disturb to set a schedule for when you want to silence notifications.

The Result

Activating Focus Assist on Windows or Do Not Disturb on Mac allows you to control when and how notifications appear. This can lead to better focus, improved productivity, and more significant periods of uninterrupted work. Plus, managing your digital wellbeing can reduce stress and enhance your overall experience while working on your computer.

Taking Ctrl: Device Mode

The Problem

When you’re putting together course materials, it’s important to think about how it’ll look to your students. Laptops and monitors come in all shapes and sizes, so what looks good on your screen might not on someone else’s.

It is also becoming increasingly common for students to access content on their mobile phones and tablets. How can you efficiently ensure that everything appears visually pleasing and functional across these diverse devices?

The Solution

Windows: F12
Mac: Cmd + Opt + I

This opens the developer tools, which includes a ‘device mode’ where you can see how your content will look and function on different devices. The below example is using Chrome on a windows machine:

Example showing responsive and iphone views

Learn more: Chrome Documentation

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Taking Ctrl: Reopen a tab in Chrome

The Problem

We’ve all been there.
That tab that we had open ten minutes ago has just disappeared!
Luckily, theres a solution for that.

The Solution

Pressing Ctrl + Shift + T (Command + Shift + T on a mac) will reopen crashed or closed Chrome tabs.
You can repeat this shortcut until it runs out of tabs and closed windows to restore from your history.

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Taking Ctrl: Arrange Windows

The Problem

When working on one screen it can be quite fiddly to view windows side by side.

The Solution

A quick way to manage how windows are arranged on screen is to use the Windows key + the directional arrows (the ones on the number pad work too).

Windows + left/right will move your current window to that side of the screen. Keep tapping the direction arrow to move it across further, or to the next monitor along in a multi-monitor setup.

Windows + up makes your current window full screen, while Windows + down will stop it being full screen.

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Taking Ctrl: Insert a Link

The Method

Highlight the text you want to make into a link and then…

  • Windows: Ctrl + K
  • Mac: Command + K

Applications

Ctrl/Command +K will insert a hyperlink in:

  • Excel, Word, PowerPoint
  • Outlook – within the message body and also searches the address book for names typed in the address fields
  • Rich Content Editors, including Canvas, MLE and WordPress

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Taking Ctrl: Snipping Tool

What is it?

A snipping tool allows users to capture a portion of their screen. This can be very useful if you need to share information, create instructional images, report bugs or issues, or save visual content for reference.

The Method

Mac: Shift + Command + 4
Creates a thumbnail in the corner of your screen, click it to edit or wait for the screenshot to be saved to your desktop.

Windows: Windows + Shift + S
Opens a quick snipping tool and saves the resulting snip to the clipboard.

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Taking Ctrl: Incognito Mode

The Problem

You’d like to quickly open an incognito browser window in Google Chrome. Usually you would click on the three dots on the top right and click New incognito window.

The Solution

Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge

Windows: CTRL + Shift + N

Mac: Command+Shift+N

Firefox

Windows: Ctrl-Shift-P

Mac: Command-Shift-P

Safari

Mac: Command+Shift+N

The Result

A new incognito window opens instantly. You can browse the web without Chrome recording every page and activity in its history.

Taking Ctrl: Reopen Closed Tabs

The Problem

You’ve closed some tabs in your browser, but you want them back. How can you do this quickly?

The Solution

The following works for Chrome, Safari, and Firefox.

Windows: Ctrl+Shift+T

Mac: Command+Shift+T

The Result

If you key that shortcut once, it’ll bring up the last tab you closed. Hit it again, and it’ll bring up the one before that. And so on.

Taking Ctrl: Lock your Computer

The Problem

Locking your computer is good practice when you have to leave it to go somewhere. If you’re in a hurry you want a quick way of doing this.

The Method

  • Windows: Windows key + L
  • Mac: Control + Command + Q

The Result

This quick shortcut locks your computer much faster than going through the menu to do so, and very important in shared spaces. Pressing this key combo will instantly lock your computer and show the login screen.

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