Computer Basics · Mouse, Touchpad & Keyboard · Lesson 4 of 5

Shortcuts That Save Time

Copy, cut, paste, undo and save with two keys at once.

Copy, cut and paste

A keyboard shortcut is a quick way to do something by pressing two keys together. You hold the first key, then tap the second.

Most shortcuts on Windows use the Ctrl key, short for Control. It sits in the bottom corners of the keyboard. Ctrl+C means hold Ctrl, press C, then let go.

First, you select the text, which means highlighting it. Drag across the words with the mouse. Or press Ctrl+A to select all of it.

Now the big three:

• Ctrl+C copies. The text stays where it is, and the computer keeps a copy.
• Ctrl+X cuts. The text is taken away from where it was, and the computer keeps it.
• Ctrl+V pastes. It puts the kept text where your cursor is.

So copy leaves the original in place. Cut takes it away, so you can move it somewhere else.

The place the computer keeps it is called the clipboard. When you copy something new, it replaces what was there.

On a Mac, use the Command key, marked with the ⌘ symbol, instead of Ctrl. Command+C copies and Command+V pastes.

On the practice computer, press Ctrl+A to select the note, then Ctrl+C to copy it. Click the empty box, press Ctrl+V to paste, then press Ctrl+Z.

Undo and save

Two more shortcuts can save you from a bad day.

Ctrl+Z is undo. It takes back the last thing you did. Deleted a paragraph by mistake? Press Ctrl+Z, and it comes back. In most apps, you can press it again to undo the step before that.

An app is a program on the computer, like email, a calculator or a notes app.

Ctrl+S is save. Saving stores your work so it is still there later. If the computer turns off before you save, new work can be lost. Make Ctrl+S a habit every few minutes.

The first time you save something new, a box may ask for a name and a place. After that, Ctrl+S saves quietly.

Here are all six together:

• Ctrl+A select all
• Ctrl+C copy
• Ctrl+X cut
• Ctrl+V paste
• Ctrl+Z undo
• Ctrl+S save

On a Mac, swap Ctrl for Command. Command+Z undoes, and Command+S saves.

Most apps also have buttons or menus for these. Shortcuts are just faster.