There are generally three types of computer users: those who rely on their mouse, those who use their keyboard, and those who prefer voice commands through digital assistants like Cortana or Siri. Regardless of your preference, certain shortcuts and tips can significantly enhance your computer experience, boosting both productivity and security.
At My Journal Space, we’ve compiled 13 practical computer hacks designed to be beneficial for anyone, whether you’re using your computer for leisure or work.
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 can press “command” instead of “ctrl.”
If you are using Microsoft Excel on your computer, pressing these buttons opens up the Create Table dialog box. In PowerPoint, you can use Ctrl+T to open the Format Text box, which helps you with the style — font size and type. In Photoshop, this can help you choose an element with the Move Tool, and can adjust the size and rotate your selection.
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 search using the phrase that includes 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.
If you want a quick and simple calculator, you can also use Google. Plus, you can use it on both Windows and Mac. For example, you can type 36+72-51 on the search bar and click enter to get your answer. It’s one of the best tricks you can use to get your answers faster. It is also very easy to use Google as a converter. If it doesn’t have to have anything to do with currencies — you could be looking for lengths. All you have to do is simply type 20.2 cm in inches into the Google search bar to get your result.
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 you were operating it normally. Expect to see your laptop fully charged 10-15 minutes faster than if you had airplane mode turned off.
When your phone is on airplane mode, it isn’t connected to a tower the whole time, and it doesn’t search for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and your Location. It also doesn’t let the apps on your phone communicate constantly with servers. This mode is best to use for other hacks too. You can check your messages on Facebook or Viber without leaving people on “read” or showing them “seen” receipts, so they won’t know whether you saw their message or not. It’s also a good hack to use when you want to screenshot something. For example, if someone sent you an image on Instagram or Snapchat, it won’t let them know that you took a screenshot even if you did. When it comes to your mental well-being, it’s always good to disconnect from your device for a while. You can use airplane mode as a hack to disconnect your mind from technology, and you won’t be bombarded with emails, texts, or calls.
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, when you press control and then click on the image, it will then give you a drop-down menu where you can select Copy Image.
