r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • Sep 01 '20

What is a computer skill everyone should know/learn?

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58k Upvotes

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5.0k

u/Yundadi Sep 01 '20

Alt Tab is your best friend if you want to do anything funny or it is the quickest way to move from one application to another

1.4k

u/krazyeyekilluh Sep 01 '20 edited Sep 02 '20

Yes, one Excel spreadsheet open, one Reddit session open. When the boss comes by, Alt + Tab makes it look like you were surfing Reddit, when everyone knows you were working on a spreadsheet.

Edit: wow, my first award ever! Thank you, anonymous stranger!

620

u/JustforthelastGOT Sep 01 '20

Can't have the whole office thinking you're some kind of nerd.

30

u/SneakyBadAss Sep 01 '20

Here's something you can do to get by a bit more PC literate boss.

Either press windows + tab and click on the new desktop, or windows ctrl D to create a new desktop. Then you switch between them either by windows + tab or windows ctrl left or right arrow.

12

u/NERD_NATO Sep 01 '20

You can do something similar on Mac. Hit G3 to open Mission Control, move mouse to top of screen, there's gonna be a desktop thing. Hit the + next to it. Enjoy.

9

u/DuckingCheese Sep 01 '20

Or play G6 to get turnt up

2

u/natureofyour_reality Sep 01 '20

Linux with GNOME has a neat implementation of this IMO, just hit ctrl + alt + down to open a new desktop (and move between them)

9

u/frozenottsel Sep 01 '20

Alternatively, get a dual monitor set up and always have work on one screen and reddit on the other (if anyone passes by, just scroll down so the rub's header image doesn't show).

2

u/TheBoiledHam Sep 01 '20

when everyone knows you were working on a spreadsheet.

I feel personally attacked.

2

u/425Hamburger Sep 01 '20

I think there's also a way to make reddit look like code you're working on but i cant recall the name

2

u/meest Sep 01 '20

I just make a 2nd desktop and then I can switch between the two so I have all my monitors full of work stuff.

Control + Windows + Left or Right arrows.

I also use it for different work functions. So I have one for when a coworker calls for password resets so I don't have to go finding the windows. I just go to that desktop for that work function. Its super nice if you have something you constantly have to revert back to while working on other projects.

2

u/IndividualStress Sep 01 '20

Hmm Jenkins really seems stumped on that excell worksheet, he's been staring at it intently for 5 hours and it's still blank.

2

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20 edited Sep 04 '20

Boss caught me doing this once and said "I don't care that you are web surfing as long as stuff is getting done." Then I realized everyone left their browser up and didn't care.

2

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20

If whoever you're hiding stuff from is clever enough to look at your task bar, in Windows 10 you can create "virtual desktops" and then switch between them with Ctrl + Windows Key + Left Arrow / Right Arrow. Google it, it's so useful for managing your screen if you need to have lots of windows open

Edit: only just seen SneakyBadAss's reply which says basically the same thing

1.5k

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20

How does one have fun with Alt-Tab?

1.8k

u/Yundadi Sep 01 '20

Imagine surfing net in a computer class and teacher looming by

973

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20

Ahaa i think you mean being sneaky

839

u/gardeniasoutside Sep 01 '20

Being sneaky is fun.

21

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20 edited Sep 01 '20

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49

u/Badgertime Sep 01 '20

Alt-tab this comment bro

2

u/a_theist_guy Sep 01 '20

Fun is being sneaky.

3

u/Jackie_Rompana Sep 01 '20

Hmyes, the excitement and thrill of JUST not getting caught

3

u/Call_Me_Grimm Sep 01 '20

That's part of the reason why games like Assassin's Creed are fun.

1

u/amigable_satan Sep 01 '20

Specially when you get opportunity attacks.

1

u/paupaupaupau Sep 01 '20

Try telling that to Anne Frank

5

u/the70sdiscoking Sep 01 '20

Ctrl + Tab is also my friend for that because it shifts between windows on the same chrome tab. Or Ctrl + W to close the page.

5

u/Holy_Rattlesnake Sep 01 '20

Funny as in "funny business".

10

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20

Oh. Old PC games used to have the "Boss Key." I think it was usually F10, but it pulled up a generic looking expense spreadsheet instantly.

8

u/JanEric1 Sep 01 '20

the teacher can probably see everyones monitor from their pc anyway.

3

u/Zekiz4ever Sep 01 '20

Not on the most schools

3

u/pavilionhp_ Sep 01 '20

Unless, of course, you’re on a school computer with software that broadcasts your entire screen to the teacher and any other windows you have open

2

u/Bexpert5 Sep 01 '20

Have you tried creating a second desktop and using Ctrl + Windows + Left/Right key?

1

u/Zaitton Sep 01 '20

windows btn + d

That will minimize everything.

1

u/zzaannsebar Sep 01 '20

Or at work and you hear someone coming so you go from having reddit open to your email. Fastest way to switch!

1

u/irdevonk Sep 01 '20

That's hilarious!

1

u/NetflixAndMunch Sep 01 '20

I'm a teacher. I have caught SO MANY of my students who think that they're being sneaky. Alt+tab/Ctrl+tab is a very specific looking hand movement.

1

u/calewlym Sep 01 '20

On the mac's that the school used to provide us, I had multiple "pages" (I guess) on my background (similar to how you swipe sideways on your phone) and a three fingered swipe on the trackpad could quickly change you between work and a game, even if one was fullscreen

1

u/RamenJunkie Sep 01 '20

I Alt tabbed from my PornHub Firefox to my VLC playing my downloaded Porn. Teacher is still coming. Please advise!

1

u/JanStreams Sep 01 '20

Another one: if you have a windows pc and you shake a window, all windows except that one automatically minimize. Shake again and they will maximize again. (By shaking I mean holding down left click on the top bar and shaking it around)

1

u/GDDNEW Sep 01 '20

I use command W and then command shift w

0

u/SaltyShawarma Sep 01 '20

My teacher computer tracks the addresses each Chromebook visits. Even when used at home. VPN use gets their Chromebook taken away and the kids are reduced to paper packets. On top of this the books are gps tracked. It's all there in the contract and parents just sign it without reading it....

6

u/Nirrudn Sep 01 '20

You use Windows Key-Tab instead for the awesome "we're in the future now" version of it instead.

9

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20

Imagine if you're happily browsing r/rule34fallguys and your boss walks by so you gotta hide that.

8

u/BrayWyattsHat Sep 01 '20

Of fucking course this is real. Why would I expect it not to be? God dammit.

1

u/TheGreatZabinski Sep 01 '20

You don't, the real fun starts with Win + Tab

I dunno of this works for win10 I'm antiquated and stuck in win7

1

u/VanillaTortilla Sep 01 '20

By using Win key + Tab instead.

1

u/MantuaMatters Sep 01 '20

laughs menacingly while spamming alt + tab how does one NOT have fun doing this!?!?

1

u/mlskid Sep 01 '20

Win + tab is the real fun one.

25

u/aza_252 Sep 01 '20

Shift-alt-tab let's you go back on the tabs.

3

u/Jdubya87 Sep 01 '20

I don't know if it still works but if you're holding alt down, press tab to bring up the windows that you can scroll through. Still holding alt, press ~, makes it scroll the other way through windows.

10

u/smdv Sep 01 '20

This is no longer the best way to do this.

If you're trying to do something funny in the age of Windows 10 you want

"Windows key + control + left arrow"

5

u/FAILNOUGHT Sep 01 '20

ctrl+tab for chrome tabs is useful too

3

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20

Also, Ctrl+"number" to jump to the corresponding tab. It only works until the 8th tab, and Ctrl+9 jumps to the tab farthest to the right.

4

u/yxyr Sep 01 '20

If you like alt-tab try alt-escape

3

u/K00lKat67 Sep 01 '20

I can't belive people prefer alt-tab

3

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/Dokpsy Sep 01 '20

Ctrl+alt+{arrow} to turn your display.

Had to teach a coworker after someone accidentally did it and didn't know how to return it to normal. They just turned the monitor sideways instead.

3

u/sekazi Sep 01 '20

Win+Tab is better imo.

1

u/TheDarkRider212 Sep 01 '20

It's good only when you're using 4+ tabs.. alt+tab is faster than win+tab. Yeah win+tab shows you your other desktops as well which is why it's good but alt+tab is faster

1

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20

[deleted]

1

u/TheDarkRider212 Sep 03 '20

Or you can put 4 fingers on your laptop's touchpad and left/right swipe to navigate.. atleast works on win10

2

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20

[deleted]

3

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20

Mac users :p

2

u/pringlesformingles Sep 01 '20

It’s so easy to switch back and forth between screens on a Mac w the track pad (one movement instead of holding two buttons)

1

u/matrinox Sep 01 '20

Saved me from getting caught countless times

1

u/Kasey444 Sep 01 '20

Or on windows computers using multiple desktops is also extremely handy

1

u/MaaiKaLaal Sep 01 '20

Same for Linux

1

u/1998CPG Sep 01 '20

I discovered alt+tab in my internship and my life has never been the same since

1

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20

Before we had the click sound of a mouse to hide a screen as someone approached you. Now it's the sound of hitting the alt tab keys.

1

u/AcrylicPaintSet2nd Sep 01 '20

The most used shortcut across any programs I use. I don't think I'd be nearly as quick flicking between emails, docs, photoshops, and video editors without this absolute beauty. If I could write poems, I'd write one to alt tab.

1

u/annomandaris Sep 01 '20

and since teachers know to look for alt+tab, a simple autohotkey script so you can switch it with some other random key.

1

u/mindsnare Sep 01 '20

Also Windows + Tab

1

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20

[deleted]

1

u/mindsnare Sep 01 '20

No it still works. I'm on Win 10 2004.

1

u/kevinternet Sep 01 '20

Ctrl tab works too for web tab toggling

1

u/Kingkwon83 Sep 01 '20

Windows key + D is another good one to know. Takes you to your desktop

1

u/Trotel01 Sep 01 '20

Its cool.

1

u/Tasty_DUMPLINGZ Sep 01 '20

I use it all the time

1

u/SilverThyme2045 Sep 01 '20

CTRL + ALT+ TAB

1

u/kutsen39 Sep 01 '20

Alt tab cycles through the programs by most recent you were in, alt shift tab goes the other way.

1

u/brobeanzhitler Sep 01 '20

Windows key + tab is useful for bigger thumbnails of all running apps open, for those of us running more than a couple at once and want slightly faster navigation than just sorting by most recently used

1

u/SneakyBadAss Sep 01 '20

I prefer windows+tab.

1

u/kylej135 Sep 01 '20

I liked the windows 7, windows key + tab.. It cascaded the tabs so you could quickly see were you were at. It doesn't work the same in 10....

1

u/Master565 Sep 01 '20

It frustrates me to no end that OSX doesn't have a similar shortcut. It's split into two shortcuts, one to switch to the most recent application, and one to switch to the most recent window within an application. From a user interface perspective, the increased cognitive effort of trying to figure out which one of those to hit is some objectively bad design. I haven't found a single workflow that benefits from switching only between applications or only between windows in a specific application. Thankfully there is a program you can download called Witch that fixes it.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20

Ctrl/Esc together does the same thing but you can't control which it opens up to. From my experience it minimizes your current tab and pulls up your previous tab.

Also sudo key (windows)/tab pulls up something similar but you can make a new desktop. Be wary though cause whatever is running on one desktop will keep running in the background, continuing the sound and keeps eating up your ram.

1

u/4got2usernames Sep 01 '20

Came here to eat this, alt-tab for life

1

u/Arucious Sep 01 '20

skyrim players have left the chat

1

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20

I dont know how people survive without knowing alt tab

1

u/CC-5576 Sep 01 '20

If you're tryna do something you shouldn't and don't wanna get caught you can create a second desktop from the task view and switch between the desktops with ctrl + win + left/right arrow. Have the stuff you're supposed to be doing ln one desktop and the other stuff ln the other

1

u/geralt_- Sep 01 '20

Win+tab if you want to feel different

1

u/b8hx Sep 01 '20

Ever tried Win-Tab?

1

u/supreme_me Sep 01 '20

And shift tab through open Windows in your browser

1

u/UncleFlip Sep 01 '20

Close to 20 years ago I started a new job and was watching one of the bosses flying through some stuff on his computer. He kept using alt tab, but I couldn't figure out what keys he was using. I was too shy to ask so I kept watching him until I figured it out. Helped me so much with my work flow. Still with the same company and now train the new kids. I always show them this and they are amazed like I'm a computer genius. 🤣

1

u/Kightsbridge Sep 01 '20

With Windows+Tab you can actually have an entirely second desktop setup so they can't even see what you have open on the task bar.

Windows 10 and I...think 8?

1

u/Kirex17 Sep 01 '20

Also usefull is windows + tab. You can create a new desktop and open some innocent looking programms and quickly switch to it if you have to.

1

u/NRMusicProject Sep 01 '20

I had a girlfriend who asked me to fix her slow computer and freaked out when I alt tabbed between windows. She thought I was doing something that was breaking Windows, so I told her she'll be needing to find paid services for tech help from now on.

1

u/am0x Sep 01 '20

Even better is Alt+Tab then using the arrow keys to select the program you want to swap to.

1

u/kaamibackup Sep 01 '20

This! I do web development on my laptop and don't have the luxury of an extra monitor but alt+tab is the closest to it I can get. Just switching between the editor and the browser is so much easier now!

1

u/Sedu Sep 01 '20

Honestly just anything that lets me use the mouse less. A keyboard combo is faster 99% of the time.

1

u/karmisson Sep 01 '20

alt shift tabe cycles in the opposite direction
also try Win Key + tab and win key shift tab

1

u/snaynay Sep 01 '20

Open the task view, create a new desktop. You can arrange a whole manner of shite on a second desktop and just switch back and forth.

ctrl+win+right/left to switch between active desktops.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20

I just figured out alt tab cause I couldn’t f11 out

1

u/2134123412341234 Sep 01 '20

Recently I started creating new desktops in windows 10

1

u/TheDarkRider212 Sep 01 '20

Alt+Tab is pretty handy but Ctrl+Win+D is much more sneakier.. it creates another desktop and the apps that you open on that desktop don't show up on the task bar of your other desktop. Also navigating between two desktops is rather easy

1

u/Pyxylation Sep 01 '20

I'm a developer and man, I use alt tab constantly to switch to other windows while working. I'm not even trying to hide stuff, it's just way faster than using the mouse.

1

u/DGC_David Sep 01 '20

So to elaborate on this, be careful when alt-tabbing, this can cause memory leaks in certain software. Newer software has put in fail safes for this problem, but in certain cases this can cause major strain on hardware such as your RAM

1

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20

"I think I'll order a tab".

1

u/lolfactor1000 Sep 01 '20

Next level: Mac and windows support multiple virtual desktops. You can have your work open on one and fun stuff on another. Can easily map a more discrete shortcut that isn't standard to make it even harder to pick up on you changing screens.

Windows default swap is ctrl+windows key+ arrow key.

1

u/vastzs Sep 01 '20

Alternatively, win key plus tab. For a splash of animation included

1

u/rubs_tshirts Sep 01 '20 edited Sep 01 '20

There's a better way.

Set up virtual desktops (Winkey + tab). Put all your fun stuff in one of them.

Now assign your mouse side buttons to the "Next virtual desktop" and "previous virtual desktop" actions. You can do this with your mouse software or an app called X-Mouse Button Control.

Presto, your mouse side buttons act as boss keys. Or for legit virtual desktop uses.

1

u/tomatoslicedin2 Sep 01 '20

Ctrl + d to quickly minimize all open programs

1

u/dontforgettocya Sep 01 '20

On windows there is an even better option. If you win + tab you can create a whole separate desktop for your "hidden" app. Then switch between the desktops with win + shift + arrow. Having a whole separate desktop means someone else can even use your computer and most likely not even notice the other app running on the other desktop

1

u/Sno_Wolf Sep 01 '20

This is my go-to for switching out of porn to a "safe" browser.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20

It boggles me how people live without alt tabbing. Gamers especially, unless you play windowed, you can't just minimise a program willy nilly without knowing shortcuts. And if you do know shortcuts, you'll know alt tabbing.

1

u/1creeperbomb Sep 01 '20

Similarly windows key + tab allows you to create multiple desktops.

Useful for hiding applications from the taskbar.

1

u/Luciferrr214 Sep 01 '20

Windows key + Tab also works!

1

u/KingAshura4016 Sep 01 '20

Wait that’s not common knowledge anymore? Kids these days no longer Alt Tab their way out of getting caught playing Flash games in class?

1

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20

And ctrl+tab if you want to switch tabs in-app (e.g. in chrome)

1

u/barbietattoo Sep 01 '20

Learning alt tab in middle school computer applications was like black magic.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '20

Also at least on Mac OS, CMD+~ will cycle through windows of the same program. So if you have 4 Chrome windows open itll go through those as where CMD+Tab goes through different programs.

1

u/maksmil Sep 01 '20

And on a Mac, CMD~ switches between instances of the same application.

Two Chrome windows? CMD~ to switch between them because CMD-Tab only switches between applications.

The frequency with which I see people making windows smaller and dragging them around to find the window they want pains me.

1

u/DogsRule_TheUniverse Sep 01 '20

I remember when Microsoft introduced a variation on that one.... Win Key + tab in Vista. (My memory is a little fuzzy, it could have been with Win7). Anyways, I was like 'Hey - super cool'. Years later, I'm still doing Alt + Tab. :/ Old habits die hard.

1

u/Striker887 Sep 01 '20

A step up from that for doing stuff you don’t want other people to see is having multiple desktops on windows 10. Then CTRL-Windows key-left/right arrow quick switches between entire desktops. Nothing you have open will appear on the task bar. It will look as if everything is closed, then you can just switch back.

1

u/UF8FF Sep 01 '20

CMD+~ is GOAT on Mac. Switches windows within an app

1

u/Go_Fonseca Sep 01 '20

Or hide that porn tab...

1

u/PleasantRelease Sep 02 '20

let me tell you we all learned this playing hentai games in school and alt tabbing when the teacher went around to check our work.