Windows 8 Essential Shortcuts

Agreed upon the fact that Windows 8 is a very Touch friendly OS, its not that partial to its keyboard fan boys either. Windows 8 has a very rich set of keyboard shortcuts to boost your productivity if your hands are resting upon keyboard most of the time. Below are a selected list of 15 shortcuts which I found useful.
Caution: All the shortcuts are Windows Key centric.

1. Windows Key + C : Displays Charms menu.
2. Windows Key + X : Brings up a menu of advanced system options, including Windows Control Panel, Command Prompt, Task Manager and File Explorer.
3. Windows Key + I : Displays the Settings menu for the current app. For example, if you’re in Internet Explorer 10, this key shows Internet options. If you’re on the Start menu, it shows general OS settings.
4. Windows Key + Q : Brings up the apps search menu that allows you to search your list of installed programs.
5. Windows Key + D : Activates desktop mode.
6. Windows Key + Tab : Brings up the Task Switcher and toggles between Windows 8-style apps.
7. Windows Key + H : Brings up Share menu for the current app. For example, hitting Windows Key + H in Bing Maps, lets you email or share map information on social networks.
8. Windows Key + M : Opens desktop mode and minimizes all windows.
9. Windows Key + W : Opens universal search menu and sets it to search settings.
10. Windows Key + F : Opens universal search menu and sets it to search files.
11. Windows Key + R : Opens Run menu where you can launch programs by typing in their executable file names.
12. Windows Key + E : Opens File Explorer to the “My Computer” view which shows all your drives.
13. Windows Key + Number Key (1-9) : Switch to desktop mode and make the Nth application on the task bar active where N is the number key you hit and 1 is the furthest taskbar icon to the left.
14. Windows Key + . (period key) : Docks the current Windows 8-style application to the right or left, depending on how many times you hit it.
15. Windows Key + Z : Brings up app menu, which shows contextual options for the active app.

Happy keyboarding.