Using your keyboard

 Keyboard is the main way to enter

information into your computer.
 You can also use your keyboard to
control your computer.
 Learning just a few simple keyboard
commands (instructions to your
computer) can help you work more
efficiently.
How the keys are organized
 The keys on the keyboard can be divided into several groups
based on function:
 Typing (alphanumeric) keys. These keys include the same
letter, number, punctuation, and symbol keys found on a
traditional typewriter.
 Control keys - These keys are used alone or in combination
with other keys to perform certain actions. The most
frequently used control keys are Ctrl, Alt, the Windows logo
key and Esc.
 Function keys. The function keys are used to perform specific
tasks. They are labeled as F1, F2, F3 and so on, up to F12. The
functionality of these keys differs from program to program.
 Navigation keys - These keys are used for moving around in
documents or webpages and editing text. They include the
arrow keys, Home, End, Page Up, Page Down, Delete, and
Insert.
 Numeric keypad - The numeric keypad is handy for entering
numbers quickly. The keys are grouped together in a block like
a conventional calculator or adding machine.
 The following illustration shows how these keys are
arranged on a typical keyboard. Some keyboard layout
might be different.
Typing text
 Whenever you need to type something in a
program, e-mail message or text box, you'll see a
blinking vertical line (I).
 That's the cursor also called the insertion point.
 It shows where the text that you type will begin.
 You can move the cursor by clicking in the
desired location with the mouse, or by using the
navigation keys.
 In addition to letters, numerals, punctuation
marks, and symbols, Typing keys also include Shift,
Caps Lock, Tab, Enter, the Spacebar and
Backspace.
Key name How to use it

Press Shift in combination with a letter to type an uppercase letter. Press Shift in
Shift combination with another key to type the symbol shown on the upper part of that
key.

Press Caps Lock once to type all letters as uppercase. Press Caps Lock again to turn
Caps Lock
this function off.Your keyboard might have a light indicating whether Caps Lock is on.

Press Tab to move the cursor several spaces forward. You can also press Tab to move
Tab
to the next text box on a form.

Press Enter to move the cursor to the beginning of the next line. In a dialog box, press
Enter
Enter to select the highlighted button.

Spacebar Press the Spacebar to move the cursor one space forward.

Backspace Press Backspace to delete the character before the cursor, or the selected text.
Using keyboard shortcuts
 Keyboard shortcuts are ways to perform
actions by using your keyboard.
 They're called shortcuts because they help
you work faster.
 Almost any action or command performed
with a mouse can be performed faster using
one or more keys on the keyboard.
 A plus sign (+) between two or more keys
indicates that those keys should be pressed
in combination.
◦ E.g. Ctrl+A means to press and hold Ctrl and
then press A. Ctrl+Shift+A means to press and
hold Ctrl and Shift and then press A.
Find program shortcuts
 You can do things in most programs by using the keyboard. To see
which commands have keyboard shortcuts, open a menu. The
shortcuts (if available) are shown next to the menu items.
 Useful shortcuts

The following table lists some of the most useful keyboard shortcuts .
Press this To do this
Windows logo key Open the Start menu

Alt+Tab Switch between open programs or windows

Alt+F4 Close the active item, or exit the active program

Ctrl+S Save the current file or document (works in most programs)

Ctrl+C Copy the selected item

Ctrl+X Cut the selected item
Ctrl+V Paste the selected item
Ctrl+Z Undo an action

Ctrl+A Select all items in a document or window

F1 Display Help for a program or Windows

Windows logo key +F1 Display Windows Help and Support

Esc Cancel the current task

Open a menu of commands related to a selection in a program. Equivalent

Application key
to right-clicking the selection.
Press this To do this

Move the cursor or selection one space or line in the

Left Arrow, Right Arrow, Up Arrow, or Down Arrow direction of the arrow, or scroll a webpage in the direction
of the arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of a line or move to the

Home
top of a webpage

Move the cursor to the end of a line or move to the

End
bottom of a webpage

Ctrl+Home Move to the top of a document

Ctrl+End Move to the bottom of a document

Page Up Move the cursor or page up one screen

Page Down Move the cursor or page down one screen

Delete the character after the cursor, or the selected text;

Delete in Windows, delete the selected item and move it to the
Recycle Bin

Turn Insert mode off or on. When Insert mode is on, text
Insert that you type is inserted at the cursor. When Insert mode
is off, text that you type replaces existing characters.
Using the numeric keypad
 The numeric keypad arranges the numerals 0 though 9, the arithmetic
operators + (addition), - (subtraction), * (multiplication), and /
(division), and the decimal point as they would appear on a calculator
or adding machine.
 These characters are duplicated elsewhere on the keyboard, but the
keypad arrangement allows you to quickly enter numerical data or
mathematical operations with one hand.
 To use the numeric keypad to enter numbers, press
Num Lock.
 Most keyboards have a light that indicates whether
Num Lock is on or off.
 When Num Lock is off, the numeric keypad functions
as a second set of navigation keys (these functions
are printed on the keys next to the numerals or
symbols).
 You can use numeric keypad to perform simple
calculations with Calculator.
Three odd keys
 Let's explore the three most mysterious keys on the keyboard: PrtScn, Scroll Lock and
Pause/Break.
PrtScn (or Print Screen)
 A long time ago, this key actually did what it says—it sent the current screen of text to
your printer. Nowadays, pressing PrtScn captures an image of your entire screen (a
"screen shot") and copies it to the Clipboard in the computer's memory. From there you
can paste it (Ctrl+V) into Microsoft Paint or another program and, if you want, print it
from that program.
 More obscure is SYS RQ, which shares the key with PrtScn on some keyboards.
Historically, SYS RQ was designed to be a "system request," but this command is not
enabled in Windows.
Tip
 Press Alt+PrtScn to capture an image of just the active window, instead of the entire
screen.
ScrLk (or Scroll Lock)
 In most programs, pressing Scroll Lock has no effect. In a few programs, pressing Scroll
Lock changes the behavior of the arrow keys and the Page Up and Page Down keys;
pressing these keys causes the document to scroll without changing the position of the
cursor or selection.Your keyboard might have a light indicating whether Scroll Lock is on.
Pause/Break
 This key is rarely used. In some older programs, pressing this key pauses the program or,
in combination with Ctrl, stops it from running.
Tips for using your keyboard safely
 Using your keyboard properly can help avoid soreness or injury to
your wrists, hands, and arms, particularly if you use your computer
for long periods of time.
 Here are some tips to help you avoid problems:
 Place your keyboard at elbow level.Your upper arms should be
relaxed at your sides.
 Center your keyboard in front of you. If your keyboard has a
numeric keypad, you can use the spacebar as the centering point.
 Type with your hands and wrists floating above the keyboard, so
that you can use your whole arm to reach for distant keys instead
of stretching your fingers.
 Avoid resting your palms or wrists on any type of surface while
typing. If your keyboard has a palm rest, use it only during breaks
from typing.
 While typing, use a light touch and keep your wrists straight.
 When you're not typing, relax your arms and hands.
 Take short breaks from computer use every 15 to 20 minutes.