How to quickly minimize all windows in Windows XP and 7

To get to the icons on the desktop, you must first collapse all the windows, and open them can be very much. Clicking on a special icon on each window is inconvenient and long. If a lot of resource-intensive processes are loaded in the RAM, everything is slow. We must wait until one window is minimized, then the next, etc. But in Windows there are several ways at once how to minimize all windows very quickly. If you use them, the problem with the hang of windows will not be terrible.

Hotkeys

For any version of Windows, from the oldest to the modern 7 and 8, the keys work the same way. To minimize all windows, there are two combinations:

• Win + M;
• Win + D.

Where Win is a function key with the image of the proprietary flag, and M and D are letters in the Latin layout. (Just like other hotkeys, combinations work independently of the active layout).

As you can see, the M key is closer to the right edge of the keyboard, and D to the left. Therefore, everyone can use the combination that is more convenient at the moment.

For those who know English, this way can be mnemonically remembered: M = minimize - "reduce", D = down - "down".

Let's talk about a couple of interesting combinations, which, unfortunately, do not work in all systems. Win + Home and Win + PgDown allow you to minimize all windows except active. This option is also needed, so check, perhaps, on your computer reception will work.

Windows XP

A special button "Collapse all windows" XP shows in the Quick Launch toolbar (to the right of the "Start" button on the taskbar). To quickly use the folding function, do not place in this panel many programs - a maximum of three icons, counting the button itself.

If the panel is not displayed, turn it on this way:

• Right-click over the Start button.
• Stop at the "Properties".
• In the suggested window, select the "Taskbar" tab.
• Activate the option to display the Quick Launch toolbar.
• To exit, click OK or Apply.

When all windows are minimized, you can restore them by pressing the button again (with hotkeys this will not work).

Windows 7

Instead of minimizing all windows, Windows 7 will show Desktop. The difference is small, but so far only the systems of the family * nix have been received.

The function button is located at the very edge of the taskbar, to the right of the clock. Just like in the previous case, the button can be pressed again to bring the layout and appearance of the windows to their original appearance.

You can also display the desktop by right-clicking on the context menu of the taskbar and highlighting the item in the menu.

In both versions of the OS, you can also create the Desktop toolbar. It contains links to all desktop icons, you can use it instead of minimizing windows.

Do not forget yet that a quick start exists just so you do not have to switch to the desktop to open a specific program. Some applications during the installation themselves offer "to register" in a quick start, others you can insert there using tools for tweaking Windows - tweaking programs.