Tip of the week # 441
30 January 2015


Display the right-click drop-down menu using a key on your keyboard (Microsoft Windows)

Today's tip is inspired by one of our brilliant trainers, Leon Dessels. Like me, he favours shortcuts and over the years he's made me fall in love with various keys. (F12 springs to mind; see tip_344.php.) Last week we were working on a brainstorming session we were going to co-facilitate and I had one of those "How did you do that" moments when he pressed a key on the keyboard and Microsoft's context-sensitive menu popped up, as if he had used a right-mouse click. Keen to find out more?

Here's how:

  1. Position the mouse pointer in the location or item you want to display a drop-down menu for.
  2. Locate and press the menu key, typically to the right of your spacebar, between the Windows and Ctrl keys.

Use your imagination and you will spot that the picture on the key resembles the drop-down menu, along with a pointer. If you cannot locate it or don't like it, see whether SHIFT + F10 suits you. Give it a go. keyboard shortcuts will help you work faster and perhaps even with less aches and pains in your hands and shoulder, because you will limit the repetitive movements you make with your hands and arm.