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Friday tech tip: save time and find things faster with CTRL + F

Friday tech tip: save time and find things faster with CTRL + F

October 04, 2013 by John McGarvey

CTRL + F — timesaving shortcut

Sometimes it's the simplest IT tips that can save you most time. So, for this week's Friday tech tip, we've identified a simple shortcut that'll help you find what you're looking for more quickly.

It works in almost every application, but it's particularly useful when you're looking for information on a lengthy web page, in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet or Word document.

Instead of scrolling through pages of text and figures to find the thing you need, hit this easy shortcut:

CTRL + F

(That means hold down the CTRL key, tap the F key, then release the CTRL key. If you use a Mac, hit CMD + F instead.)

In almost every major piece of software on your computer, a 'find' box will appear or pop up. Just enter in some text to identify what you're looking for, and hit the Enter key. The display on screen will highlight where that text appears.

This simple time saver is one I use several times a day. Once you become accustomed to it, you'll be using it to make life easier in all kinds of circumstances.

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