Life at Your Computer
Chapter 2

Lesson 1: Searching and Shortcuts

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Basic Computer Operations: Searching and Shortcuts

  1. Global Search on Your Computer:

    • Whether on a PC or Mac, the global search bar is one of the easiest ways to find files, applications, or settings on your computer.

    • On a PC, the search bar is located at the bottom-left corner of your screen. On a Mac, it’s in the top-right corner, called Spotlight Search.

    • Tip: Type in keywords like “photos” or the name of a program to quickly access it without scrolling through menus.

    • Visual Example: How to Use Global Search on PC and Mac.

  2. Using Shortcuts to Speed Up Your Workflow:

    • Keyboard shortcuts can save you time when performing basic tasks. Here are a few essential ones:

      • Ctrl + T (PC) or Cmd + T (Mac): Open a new browser tab.

      • Ctrl + N (PC) or Cmd + N (Mac): Open a new window.

      • Ctrl + S (PC) or Cmd + S (Mac): Save a file.

    • Tip: If you don’t want to use a mouse, mastering shortcuts will make your computer experience more efficient.

  3. Right-Click Options:

    • On both PCs and Macs, right-clicking on a file, folder, or icon will bring up a context menu with additional options, such as copy, delete, or move.

    • Tip: On a Mac, if you don’t have a right-click button, you can hold down the Control key while clicking to simulate a right-click.

  4. Pinning Applications to Your Taskbar or Dock:

    • Frequently used applications like your browser or email can be pinned to your taskbar (PC) or dock (Mac) for easy access.

    • PC: Right-click the app icon and select “Pin to Taskbar.”

    • Mac: Right-click the app icon in the dock and select “Keep in Dock.”

    • Visual Example: Pinning Apps in Windows.

SIDE BOX: What to Do When You Can’t Find a File

Scenario: You can’t remember where you saved a file and are having trouble finding it.

Solution:

  1. Open the global search bar (bottom-left on PC, top-right on Mac).

  2. Type in keywords from the file name or type (e.g., “report” or “PDF”).

  3. If the file still doesn’t appear, make sure you are searching “This PC” or “All My Files” to include all locations on your computer.

  • How to Customize Quick Access on a PC:

    1. Pin Folders to Quick Access: Open File Explorer, navigate to a folder, right-click, and select Pin to Quick Access.

    2. Remove Pinned Items: Right-click a folder in Quick Access and choose Unpin from Quick Access.

    3. Show Recent Files and Frequent Folders: Go to the View tab in File Explorer, click Options, and under the General tab, check Show recently used files or Show frequently used folders in Quick Access.

    4. Clear Quick Access History: In the same Options window, under Privacy, click Clear to remove history from Quick Access.