Tips & tricks

Slack search: from:, in:, before:

Operators narrow a search to a specific person, channel, and time period — instead of scrolling through history.

Formatting in Slack: code, quotes, lists

Backticks turn text into code, three of them make a code block. A readable message saves time on both ends.

Remind yourself about a message when you'll have time for it

“Remind me about this” brings a message back at a time you choose. Slack stops being the place where tasks get lost.

Slack: Ctrl+K jumps to any channel or teammate

Ctrl+K

The quick switcher finds a channel, a message, or a person in a few keystrokes. Slack's single most important shortcut.

Color categories: an email's status at a glance

A category like “Waiting on reply” or “Client A” colors emails across folders — and you find them with one click.

The two-minute rule for your inbox

Anything that takes less than two minutes, do right when you read it. Longer things go to your task list — and archive the email.

Email three times a day in blocks, not sixty times in drips

Constantly checking your inbox shreds your focus into pieces. Three fixed blocks a day are enough for 95% of jobs.

Delayed delivery in Outlook

Even in Outlook, an email can wait until Monday morning. The new version has Schedule Send right next to the Send button.

Essential Outlook shortcuts: reply, send, switch modules

Ctrl+R

Ctrl+R replies, Ctrl+Enter sends, Ctrl+1/2/3 switches between mail, calendar, and people.

Quick Steps in Outlook: three actions in one click

A Quick Step can move a message, mark it read, and forward it all at once. Turn a repeated sequence into a single button.

Outlook rules: let your inbox sort itself

Automatic rules move system notifications, reports, and CCs into folders — your inbox stays reserved for messages that actually need you.

Drag an email onto your calendar and it becomes a meeting

In Outlook, drag a message onto the calendar icon — it creates an event with the email's text inside. No more retyping.

Windows Search: extend the index to your working folders

Win+S

When Windows can't “find” your files, it's probably not indexing the right folders. One search setting fixes it all.

Automatically restoring apps after a restart

Windows can reopen the apps that were running before a restart. An overnight update doesn't have to mean rebuilding your workspace in the morning.

Print to PDF: turn anything into a PDF

Ctrl+P

The virtual printer “Microsoft Print to PDF” makes a PDF out of any app that can print — a webpage, an email, even an invoice from your accounting software.

Clipboard sync across computers

Win+V

Clipboard history (Win+V) can sync through your Microsoft account — copy something on your work PC, paste it on your laptop.

Night light: warmer colors after sunset

Blue light in the evening delays falling asleep. Windows can automatically warm up the screen after sunset.

Alt+Space: the window menu that rescues a lost window

Alt+Space

The system window menu can move a window with arrow keys — a lifesaver when a window ends up off-screen after unplugging a monitor.

Snap Layouts: window arrangements from the maximize preview

Win+Z

Hover over the maximize button (or press Win+Z) and pick where the window belongs — halves, thirds, a grid.

Move a window to the other monitor without touching the mouse

Win+Shift+→

Win+Shift+arrow throws the active window onto the neighboring monitor — with its size and position preserved.

Win+I: straight into Settings

Win+I

Open Windows Settings with a shortcut — and the search box inside gets you to a specific option faster than clicking through menus.

Focus sessions: built-in Pomodoro in Windows

The Clock app in Windows 11 has Focus sessions — a timer, task linking, and an overview of how much focused work you got done today.

Quick settings and notifications without a mouse

Win+A

Win+A opens quick settings (Wi-Fi, volume, focus), Win+N opens the notification center with a calendar.

Win+X: the hidden power-user menu

Win+X

Right-click the Start button (or press Win+X) to open a menu with Device Manager, Settings, Terminal — all two keystrokes away.

Win+H: dictate instead of typing

Win+H

Voice typing in Windows works in your language and starts wherever the cursor is blinking. Dictate a first draft of an email in a third of the time.

PowerToys Run: a launcher like Spotlight on the Mac

Alt+Space

Alt+Space opens a bar that launches apps, finds files, does math, and converts units. The Start menu can retire.

PowerToys FancyZones: windows into your own grid

A free tool from Microsoft that splits your monitor into zones — windows snap into them on their own. A must on a wide monitor.

Task Manager in one shortcut

Ctrl+Shift+Esc

Ctrl+Shift+Esc opens Task Manager directly — no detour through Ctrl+Alt+Delete. Kill a frozen app in a few seconds.

Virtual desktops: keep work and communication apart

Win+Ctrl+→

Win+Ctrl+D creates a new desktop, Win+Ctrl+arrows switch between them. Slack on one, focused work on the other.

Win+period: emoji, symbols, and special characters

Win+.

A panel of emoji, kaomoji, and symbols — including em dashes, arrows, and math symbols. With search.