Windows 8 Survival Guide for IT Pros

  • Article

Information and handy tips for using the new UI in Windows Server 8 and Windows 8. Do you have a tip to add? For instructions on adding information, check this topic: Wiki: How to Contribute Content to TechNet Wiki (en-US)

The first tip that helps most people is that if you want to find something, just press the Windows Logo key (also called the windows key) and then start typing. No need to place your cursor in a dialog box before you type. Windows 8 launches the Search app as soon as you begin typing, showing results by number and kind as you type.

OR

Launch the Search app from the Charm buttons by tapping or clicking the Search icon.

 

To shut down the machine, ctrl+alt+delete still works, look for the power button icon in the bottom right of the screen.

OR

  • Open the Charms bar, tap or click the Settings charm.  
  • Tap or click the Power icon, and then tap or click Sleep, Shut Down, or Restart.

IT Pros will probably use this tip the most: Windows Key+X gives you this desktop quick menu:

Paul Thurrott's blog post shows how you can Edit the Power User Tasks Menu.

If you, like me, find that you type in more addresses than click on links, here's a handy Win8CP trick:

  1. Right click on the taskbar > Toolbars > and then click Address
  2. Click Lock the Taskbar

    You get this:

This visual reminder is handy when first using the new UI (click here to download from Skydrive for free):
**

Mouse - to - Touch Translation Guide**

Action

Mouse

Touch

Start/open

  • Click

  • Double-click

  • Tap

  • Double-tap

Select an item in the new UI for Win 8

Right-click

Swipe down/up

Drag-and-drop

Drag

Slide

Zoom in and out

  • Mouse scroll wheel

  • UI control

Stretch or pinch

See more info

Point to

Press and hold

Open context menu

Right-click

Tap text

Common Management Tasks and Navigation in Windows Server "8"  

Keyboard shortcuts that are new for Windows 8 and Windows Server 8

Key Combo Windows 8 or Windows Server 8 Functionality
Windows key+(0-9) Start the pinned app (1 is the leftmost and 0 the the tenth in order right to left)

Windows key+spacebar

Switch input language and keyboard layout
Windows key+D Open Desktop

Windows key+L

Locks/signs out
Windows key+X Opens Handy Admin Tools menu

Windows key+Y

Temporarily displays the desktop

Windows key+V

Cycles through notifications

Windows key+Shift+V

Cycles through notifications in reverse order

Windows key+I

Opens Settings pane

Windows key+K

Opens Devices pane

Windows key+Q

Opens Search pane

Windows key+F

Opens File Search app
Windows key + E Open Windows Explorer
Windows key + L
Alt + D 		 Opens address bar (including frequent and pinned pages)

Windows key+C

Opens Charms bar

Windows key+H

Opens Share pane

Windows key+W

Opens Settings Search app

Windows key+Tab

Cycles through Windows 8 apps

Windows key+Shift+Tab

Cycles through Windows 8 apps in reverse order

Windows key+Ctrl+Tab

Cycles through Windows 8 apps and snaps them as they are cycled

Windows key+Z

Opens app bar
Alt+F4 Closes current app

See Also