Don’t you love those ‘a ha!’ moments, where you realize that things you’ve seen every day for the past five years actually have a use … and could save you time! No, I’m not talking about the moment you realize that your kids are old enough to do the dishes on their own. That’s always nice too … the Windows logo key is the subject of our forced ‘aha’ today.

See what using the Windows logo key too much can do to you ... just be careful!

For years, I thought this was just another piece of Microsoft marketing, and ignored it. Then my toddler pressed it, along with some other funky buttons one day, and shut down my computer, losing my work in the process. Hmm, better watch out for that one, I thought. Then I stumbled across a blog post on how to use the thing, apart from keeping little fingers in your house away from it, and I saw the light!

If you are currently uninitiated in the joys of the Windows logo key (or indeed, any other handy computer shortcuts), let me introduce you to its ecstasy (and sometimes agony!). Use the Windows logo key to:

Use the Windows Logo key to have more time for fun stuff!

• Minimize all applications – Logo + M
  This is great for getting back to the desktop, or you can press Logo + D to do exactly the same thing.
• Pull up the Start menu – Logo by itself
  I don’t use this one that often, since you usually need the mouse to navigate that menu anyway, and it’s right there. But, horses for courses.
• Lock your computer desktop – Logo +L
  I love this one for office situations. You just need to pop your computer password in after you get back from lunch to unlock it – another Logo+L doesn’t do the trick, fortunately.
• Open Windows Explorer – Logo+E
  Now, if only they could make all the blasted subfolders mind controlled, I’d really be saving some time.
• Open your Find dialog to search for files and folders – Logo+F
  This is actually the easiest way I have found to look for anything in Vista. I much prefer XP for search.
• Flip through all your open applications like a 3D book – Logo+Tab
  If you are the sort of person that has fifty programs open during the day, and each has an obscure title or is grouped with five others so you can’t easily get to them, this is a great one.

There’s a complete list of shortcuts for the Windows logo key at Wikipedia.

You can also get third-party programs to personalize Windows logo key functions – let us know your thoughts on the best of them. You can use the time you’ve saved navigating your Windows to drop us a line in the comments!