It can be a serious annoyance to have to constantly resize or minimize windows you are using in order to locate a needed shortcut to a program. While the quicklaunch bar can alleviate this to some degree, it still provides an un-needed distraction from your work.

Fortunately Windows XP allows users to bind certain key combinations with shortcuts, allowing you to open the program you need with a simple keystroke. Once you adjust to this, you will find it makes working with multiple programs much smoother and less distracting.

To create a keyboard shortcut:
Select the folder or program icon that you wish to use. Create a shortcut for it by right clicking on the item and selecting 'create shortcut' from the menu. Place your newly created shortcut on the desktop by dragging or cut/pasting. Right click the shortcut and select 'properties.'

Next, select the 'shortcut' tab and enter the key combination you wish to use (XP will automatically edit the combination if it is not acceptable. Just entering 'e' for example, will get you an actual key combination of ctrl + alt + e). Click 'ok.'

Now you can open the specified shortcut by entering the key combination you designated.

68. Create a custom shortcuts toolbar

Windows XP allows considerable flexibility in the selection of toolbars that you can add to your desktop to speed up your computing. Unfortunately, it also packs the conventional taskbar at the bottom of the screen so full of stuff that it can be hard to use at times. Even the quicklaunch bar, once you enable it, tends to be dwarfed by the various applications and icons that quickly fill the taskbar.

If you use a number of programs often and don't wish to clutter your desktop with shortcuts, there is an easy way to pack your favourite shortcuts into a toolbar for quick access.

To do this create a folder on your c: drive called 'programs' or something similar, and copy all the shortcuts you require into this folder.

Right click on an empty area of the toolbar and choose 'toolbars' then 'new toolbar.' Navigate to the folder you created and select it.

You now have a new toolbar that contains all your favourite shortcuts. If you'd like to relocate it to another area of the desktop, right click an empty area of the taskbar and uncheck 'lock toolbar.' By clicking and dragging on the dotted area to the left of your new shortcut toolbar, you can move it to another area of the desktop.

Once it is situated where you want it, right click your new toolbar and select 'always on top' and auto-hide' to keep it out of the way until needed.

69. Using ALT+TAB to switch between applications

One of the most useful keyboard shortcuts built into all version of Windows is the ALT+TAB combination. Pressing and holding the ALT button while tapping the TAB button brings up a menu box with icons for all your open programs. By tapping the TAB button you can scroll through these icons.

When you get the one you want, release the keys and that program will be restored as the active window. This is especially handy when using full-screen programs like most games, as the ALT+TAB combination can drop you back to the desktop when needed without (generally) halting your game.