Windows Tips: Right-Click for Faster Windows Navigation

Why click through three menus, two windows, and a couple of dialog boxes just to get to a file, folder, or application? Left-brainers can remember shortcut keys; but everyone else, think right! Your right mouse button's shortcuts take you where you're going fast. So limber up those fingers and get ready to right-click.

Manage multiple windows simultaneously: If you want to close, tile, minimize, maximize, or otherwise arrange several application windows, don't fuss with each individually. Hold down Ctrl as you click the taskbar buttons of the windows you want to arrange or close. Then right-click one of the depressed buttons and choose the action you want from the menu.

Speed up disk maintenance: You can launch Backup (if it's installed), ScanDisk, Disk Cleanup, or Disk Defragmenter by choosing Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, but if Windows Explorer is open, it's faster simply to right-click the drive you want to work on and choose Properties. In the General tab, click Disk Cleanup to launch that tool for the disk you right-clicked (in Windows 98, 2000, and Me), or select the Tools tab to open one of Windows' other system utilities.

Click twice for Computer Management: Windows 2000 and XP provide fast access to the Computer Management utility. To get there, right-click My Computer and choose Manage (see FIGURE 1).

Reset your clock: Don't open the Control Panel to set the date, time, or time zone. Instead, right-click the clock in the taskbar and choose Adjust Date/Time. Better yet, double-click the clock.

Adjust your display the easy way: Control Panel isn't the fastest route to your display properties, either. Just right-click your desktop and choose Properties. Right-click the taskbar and choose Minimize All Windows to expose the desktop, and right-click the taskbar and select Undo Minimize All to restore your windows.

Get to System Properties without Control Panel: To access System Properties, right-click My Computer and choose Properties. If the My Computer window is already open, right-click the system menu icon in the upper-left corner of the window (near the File menu) to see the same menu, minus the Rename option.

A faster trip to Network Neighborhood: The quickest way to reach your network settings is to right-click the Network Neighborhood icon on the desktop (My Network Places in Windows Me) and choose Properties. As with My Computer, if the Network Neighborhood window is already open, right-click the system menu icon in the upper-left corner of the window (near the File menu) to see the same menu, again without the Rename option.

Map or disconnect network drives: To map a network drive to your computer--or to disconnect a drive that's already there-- right-click either Network Neighborhood (My Network Places in Windows Me) or My Computer and choose Map Network Drive or Disconnect Network Drive.