Use a Keyboard
A typewriter-like keyboard is a traditional device for controlling a computer and is especially useful when you must enter a lot of text. Special key combinations, called shortcut keys, are often the quickest way to do anything (though they require some memorization).
The following keys are particularly noteworthy. No offense intended to fans of keys not noted here. Although you won’t use all these keys immediately, you’ll find it helpful to locate each one on your keyboard.
: Called the Windows key, this key is usually located on either side of the spacebar, which is the largest key. works by itself, as you’ll soon see, and also in combination with many other keys. Throughout the book, I specify these combinations where you might use them. There will be a quiz later. (Kidding! No quizzes.)
Tab: Press the Tab key to highlight an item. Press Tab repeatedly to skip items you don’t intend to select.
Arrow keys: Press the arrow keys to move the cursor or selection of an object in the direction the keys point (left, right, up, or down). In some contexts, Tab and the right arrow do the same thing. Sorry to be vague, but context matters at times.
Enter: In most cases, the Enter key on the keyboard chooses a selection, much as clicking or tapping does. However, you may need to use the Tab key or an arrow key to select an item before pressing the Enter key.
Ctrl, Alt, and Shift keys: These keys are used with other keys for commands. For example, press Ctrl+C to copy selected text or an object. (That is, while pressing and holding down the Ctrl key, press the C key — no need to press Shift for an uppercase C. Then release both keys.) The Shift key is used with another key for uppercase.
Backspace: As you enter text, each press of Backspace erases the character to the left of the cursor.
Delete: As you enter text, each press of the Delete key erases the character to the right of the cursor. On some keyboards, this key is labeled Del.
Function keys: All keys function, but Function keys are labeled F1 through F12. You don’t use these much in this book, but you should locate them. Laptops often have a separate Function Lock key to turn these keys on or off.
Page keys: Locate the Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down keys for future reference. Use these to move the screen, a page, or the cursor. (On some keyboards, the Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down keys work as numbers when the Num Lock key is activated.)
View the Touch Keyboard
Windows 10 can display a touch keyboard onscreen. This feature is vital for devices that have a touchscreen and no physical keyboard. With a touchscreen, the touch keyboard appears automatically when the cursor (a blinking vertical bar) indicates that you can enter text in a box. If the touch keyboard doesn't appear automatically, you may also see a separate box floating above or below the text box. Tap that floating box to display the keyboard. To type using the keyboard, simply tap or click a letter, number, or symbol key.
The standard layout (also called QWERTY) appears automatically (see Figure 1-1). The Enter key changes depending on the context.
The uppercase layout, shown in Figure 1-2, appears when you tap the Shift key on the standard layout.
The numbers and symbols layout, shown in Figure 1-3, appears when you tap the &123 key on the standard layout. Tap the &123 key again to return to the standard layout.
The control keys overlay (see Figure 1-4) appears on five keys on the standard layout when you tap the Ctrl key. The Ctrl keys are used in common tasks, such as copying (Ctrl+C) or moving (Ctrl+X) selected text. The overlay disappears automatically after you tap one of the control keys (A, Z, X, C, or V).
The emoji layout, shown in Figure 1-5, appears when you tap the Smiley Face key. Tap the Smiley Face key again to return to the standard layout. (Emojis are also called emoticons or smileys.)
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