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  Seven Cool Tweaks for Windows 7

  Jayesh Limaye, Oct 25, 2009 1016 hrs IST

  Get more out of Windows 7 with these interesting tips

  

Page 1 - Cool Tweaks for Windows 7 Page 2 - Cool Tweaks for Windows 7 cont.

Windows 7 is already out and is touted as one of the best Windows operating systems so far. Try out these few tweaks and we guarantee that these will surely make things even better.

1. Pin to Start Menu or Windows Taskbar

While you do not have the Quick Launch Bar, which made things so much convenient in Windows XP, you can easily "Pin" frequently used items and programs to the Start Menu as well as to the Windows Taskbar by simply right-clicking on the item in the Taskbar and selecting "Pin to Start Menu" or "Pin to Taskbar" as required. The item or program then becomes readily available at your easy disposal and your desktop becomes clutter-free.

2. Get back the Quick Launch bar

While the new Taskbar is good, there are many XP users amongst us who would miss the Quick Launch bar and its convenience. Well, worry not, as there is a way to get the Quick Launch bar in Windows 7 as well. Here's how to do it.

1. Right click on an empty space on the Taskbar, mouseover to Toolbars in the context menu and click on New Toolbar.
2. Enter "%userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch" in the Folder line of the New Toolbar dialogbox and click on Select Folder.
Lo and behold, you have the Quick Launch bar. You can add your favorite programs to it as you did in Windows XP.

3. Turn off Aero Snap

Aero Snap is a new feature in Windows 7 which makes your application windows automatically snap into a preconfigured place when you drag it to the edges of the screen. When you drag it to the right or the left edge, it sizes itself to fill half the screen. When dragged to the top, it maximizes to fill the whole screen. While this may come handy, it may not be desirable for some who prefer that the window retains the original size.

For these people, Aero Snap can be turned off in the following way.

1. Click on Start, select Control Panel and click on Ease of Access Center.
2. Click on Make the Mouse Easier to Use.
3. Select the "Prevent Windows From Being Automatically Arranged When Moved To The Edge Of The Screen" check box and click OK.

4. Sticky Notes - format the text

One of the new features in Windows 7, which many of us would like, is the built-in Sticky Notes application. While you may know that you can change the color of the notes, format the text to bold or italics, you can also add bullets or make numbered lists or also increase or decrease the text size. All this can be done quickly done by using keyboard shortcuts.

• Ctrl + Shift + L (once) for bulleted list
• Ctrl + Shift + L (twice) for numbered list
• Ctrl + Shift + L (thrice) for lower case alphabetical bullets
• Ctrl + Shift + L (four times) for upper case alphabetical bullets
• Ctrl + Shift + L (five times) for lower case Roman numeral bullets
• Ctrl + Shift + L (six times) for upper case Roman numeral bullets
• Ctrl + Shift + > to increase text size
• Ctrl + Shift + < to decrease text size
• Ctrl + T to Strikethrough
  
  

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