Windows 7 Question

[Ian]

Okay my little technical support team ... I have a stupid Windows 7 question, but it's bugging me and I'd like to see if I can resolve it.

On my Windows XP machine I used to have an icon down on the lower left hand side of the screen (basically right next to the Windows logo that opens the Start menu) that was a shortcut to my desktop. It was nice, because I could quickly jump to my desktop without having to minimize a bunch of windows every time.

My new Windows 7 machine doesn't have it and I can't for the life of me figure out how to add it. I tried all the normal Windows things like drag-n-drop, copy/paste, etc. but nothing has worked.

Any ideas?

[caryrae]

I just tried and when I right click my mouse on the bar at the bottom there is the a botton the says "show the desktop". Maybe not as fast but gets you to the desktop.

[BrerGnat]

Ian, it's really simple. When you highlight your taskbar (we keep it "hidden", so by this I mean "mouse over to make it appear"), you will see, on the FAR RIGHT, a little rectangular section, just to the right of the date/time stamp.

If you hold your mouse over that rectangle, all your open windows will "fade away" and you will see your desktop underneath. In order to switch between all your open programs and the desktop, just click ON the rectangle. All your windows will minimize.

[caryrae]

Yeah that works better then the way I found.

[Goofy4TheWorld]

Ian, it's really simple. When you highlight your taskbar (we keep it "hidden", so by this I mean "mouse over to make it appear"), you will see, on the FAR RIGHT, a little rectangular section, just to the right of the date/time stamp.

If you hold your mouse over that rectangle, all your open windows will "fade away" and you will see your desktop underneath. In order to switch between all your open programs and the desktop, just click ON the rectangle. All your windows will minimize.

This method works to "Show Desktop" but I used a better method to fully restore the full "Quick Launch" function to Windows 7. Let em know if you are interested in that.

[Ian]

Wow that's sort of hidden, isn't it? It does work though ... guess that's good enough.

Thanks! :thumbsup:

[DizneyRox]

Windows Key + D should work and is probably quicker.

[faline]

Windows Key + D should work and is probably quicker.

Wow! Thanks for that!

[mook3y]

Windows Key + D should work and is probably quicker.

Aye my favorite method.

while were on the windows shortcuts, here are the ones I use:

Windows Key + M will minimize everything you have open.
Windows Key + E opens windows explorer
Windows Key + F opens search/find

[DizneyRox]

Keyboard shortcuts are by far one of the most underutilized "features" of Windows.

I admit I don't use them all that often, but it's nice when you're typing to know what does what, and when you're clicking, the mouse way.

[brownie]

Windows key+D to get to the desktop, using it again will bring everything back up.

Some other useful ones are:

Windows key+L to lock the computer
Windows key+tab to cycle through your open windows