Good day, friends! Let's talk today about an interesting and, I would even say, controversial topic - how to use a keyboard without a mouse in a way that is convenient and functional. For what? Tell me, which of us hasn’t had a situation when we need to do something on the computer, but the mouse is out of order? Did it break on its own or, if wireless, did the battery die?

I am more than sure that almost every person has encountered this. In this case, it makes no difference whether you have a stationary computer with a conventional manipulator or.

How to enable and configure cursor control

I’d like to point out right away that it’s worth getting used to this method of control. There are no problems with the mouse - I hovered the cursor, clicked on the button and opened a window, launched the document, minimized the application, called up the context menu, and so on. Using the keyboard exclusively is a little more difficult, but for you and me there are no barriers!

Before turning on the mode, do not forget to remove the mouse from the system unit or laptop. No manipulations are required with the touchpad.

In order to switch control from the mouse to the keyboard, you need to press the key combination ALT+SHIFT+Num Lock, then confirm turning on the emulator in the window that appears.

IMPORTANT: Use the buttons only on the left side of the keyboard, pressing them on the right in this mode will not do any good!


In the same window, the system will prompt you to go to the accessibility center, where you can make more detailed settings for the pointer.

When emulation mode is running, a small mouse-shaped icon will appear in the system tray. This will mean that the control mode is enabled and you can use it in full.

Further control is carried out through the so-called numeric keyboard - the one located on the right side and represented by numbers. All the buttons here are responsible for moving the cursor across the working surface of the screen in the order shown in the picture below:

The “5” and “0” buttons do not move the cursor, they act as buttons. So, for example, pressing the “5” button will give the same effect as pressing the left button on the mouse, and the “0” key, respectively, the right one. A quick double press of “5” will result in a standard double click with the mouse. That is, selecting and opening a specific file or shortcut.

The Shift and Ctrl keys help you move the pointer faster or slower. You may have noticed the settings of these functions on the initial screen for setting parameters (see screenshot above).

After you have restored the functionality of your mouse or purchased a new one, the emulation mode can be turned off by pressing the same key combination that was used to turn it on - this ALT+SHIFT+Num Lock.

Keyboard navigation - an easier way

If the previous option seemed too difficult for you to master, then you can easily use the next one. Here you will need a good memory or active use of those hotkey combinations, which I will talk about a little later.

Arrow navigation. To quickly and easily move through files (within an open folder), you can press the most common arrows on the keyboard. To do this you will need to press the button " Tab” until the very first file becomes highlighted (active).

This key is also necessary to navigate through all sections and elements within an open window on your computer. A striking example: you enter your login on some site, then press “Tab” and the cursor automatically moves to the password entry field. In this case, the “Enter” button will act as the left mouse button, and the special key located between the right “Alt” and “Ctrl” will act as the right one. Here, in general, you will not see the cursor moving, but you will clearly notice how the lights will be highlighted the areas, files, folders, or controls you selected.

Useful hotkey combinations

Now let me tell you about the most necessary, important and truly... First, commands for working with files and folders (from the context menu list):

  • Ctrl+A – selecting all objects within the active window (text in the document);
  • Ctrl+C – copy selection;
  • Ctrl+X – cutting the selection;
  • Ctrl+V – paste selection;
  • Ctrl+N – create a new document or open a new window in Explorer (by default “My Computer”);
  • Ctrl+P – print the document;
  • Ctrl+Z – undo the last action.
  • Alt+Tab – switch between open windows and applications;
  • Alt+F6 – switching between several windows within one open application (browser tabs when working on the Internet, for example);
  • Win+D – minimize all windows and go to the desktop;
  • Win+F – open a search window within the active window;

Here, in principle, are all the combinations that are needed for more or less comfortable work at a computer or laptop without a mouse. Of course, there are many more of them, but others are not so much needed.

What if we have different versions of Windows?

Don't despair, friends. Absolutely all versions of this popular one (starting with Windows 7) have identical settings and key combinations. The only difference is the design of the OS, so in versions 8 and 10 all the necessary elements, windows and functions may look slightly different.

It doesn’t matter whether you use the emulation mode or take a simpler path - you will achieve what you want. You can learn to control your computer with a keyboard instead of a mouse, even if it takes some practice.

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Operating a computer without a mouse is a necessary skill for an advanced user. Personally, I prefer to use it instead of a mouse - in my opinion, it is much more convenient to use than a mouse.

Using a mouse for many hours every day often causes a very unpleasant serious disease - carpal tunnel syndrome or carpal tunnel syndrome. People called it computer mouse syndrome.

See details about this disease.

Operating a computer without a mouse is a must-have to master and improve, as it helps protect you from wrist pain and also often speeds up computer control.

Many actions to manage programs can be performed without a mouse: on the keyboard, using special key combinations and navigation keys.

Since an advanced user usually has both hands on the keyboard when working on a computer, it is faster to issue commands through the keyboard, since there is no need to waste time moving the hand to the mouse.

Here are some useful tips:

1. If you have Windows 7 or Vista operating system, press the key combination Alt + Shift + NumLock. This will enable you to control the cursor from the keyboard.

A beep will sound, after which it will be possible to move the cursor using the numeric keypad keys.

2. Review the numeric keypad. In addition to numbers, the keys have arrows. Using them, you can move the cursor vertically and horizontally.

Diagonal movement is carried out using the keys 7 left and up), 1 (left and down), 3 (right and down) and 9 (right and up). Clicking the left mouse button is replaced by pressing the number 5 key.

3. To increase movement speed, change the appropriate settings. Open Control Panel. Press the combination Alt + Shift + NumLock again.

In the window that appears, select “parameters”. On the “mouse” tab, click on the settings button and adjust the cursor speed.

4. Use other hotkeys to get the most out of your computer without a mouse. Switch between open windows using the combinations Alt+Tab and Alt+Shift+Tab (moving in the opposite direction).

To perform this action, you can also use the combinations Alt+Esc and Alt+Shift+Esc.

5. Press Alt+F4 to close the active window. The same key combination can be used to activate exiting Windows OS if all active windows are already closed.

6. Use the Win key to work with windows. The Win+E combination opens the “My Computer” folder. Combination Win+M minimizes all windows, and Win+Shift+M maximizes them.

7. When working with text, you can use the Ctrl+X combination to cut the selected fragment. It can be copied using Ctrl+C and pasted using Ctrl+V.

You can select a piece of text using the key Shift and arrow keys.

A combination will help you cancel an erroneous action: Ctrl+Z.

Here is a fairly detailed list of Hot Keys:

Windows and Explorer hotkeys:

Win + B - Move the cursor to the tray area.
Win + D - Show desktop (minimize all windows).
Win + E - My Computer.
Win + F - Open a search window.

Win + G - Show gadgets on top of windows.
Win + L - Lock your computer.
Win + M - Minimize all windows.
Win + P - Projector control dialog.

Win + R - Open the Run... window.
Win + T - Take turns moving the focus sequentially according to the taskbar icons.
Win + U - Ease of Access Center.
Win + X - Call Mobility Center (laptops and netbooks).

Win + Tab - Call Flip 3D.
Win + Space - View desktop (Aero Peak, make all windows transparent).

Win + Arrow - Control the position of the active window (Up - maximize, down - minimize, left - snap to left, right - snap to
right edge).
Win + Pause - System Properties.

Win + Home - Minimize all windows except the active one (same as Aero Shake (shake the window)).
Win + Shift + Up - Maximize the window vertically.

Shift + Win + Left/Right - Redirect the window to an adjacent monitor.

Win + Icon number in the taskbar - Select this window, and make the rest transparent (Aero Peak).
Alt + Tab - Switch between windows

Shift + Ctrl + N - Create a new folder
Ctrl + Shift + Esc - Open task manager
Alt + F4 - Close active window +++
F1 - Help +++ (i.e. Understood, Appreciated, Apply)
F5 - Refresh window +++
Esc - Cancel operation +++

If, when changing the height of a window, you move it to the top edge of the monitor until the rings appear, the window will expand to its maximum height.

If you click on it with the wheel in the window preview, it will close.

Pressing Ctrl and rotating the mouse wheel on the desktop and explorer changes the size of the icons.

If you grab a window by its title and “wave” it, all windows except it will be minimized.

Open the program as administrator Ctrl + Shift + click on the icon.

To open the old menu, you need to press the Shift key and right-click.

Activate the next window from the group - hold Ctrl and left-click.

Operations with text and files:

Ctrl + C - Copy +++
Ctrl + A – Select all +++
Ctrl + X - Cut +++
Ctrl + V - Paste +++
Ctrl + Z - Undo +++
Ctrl + Y - Repeat action +++
Ctrl + B - Make it bold(text only) +++
Delete — Delete the selected element +++

If you master several Windows hotkeys every day for a month, by the end of the month you can significantly increase the speed of your work.

I invite everyone to speak out in

How to control a mouse without a mouse? A strange question that, unfortunately, users encounter quite often. Although it was asked, it should be noted, illiterately. It would be more appropriate to ask about how to control the cursor without a mouse.

General information

It should be noted that not many people know the answer to the question of how to control a mouse without a mouse, without a keyboard or controls. And since the first is more common than the second, the main attention will be paid to it. It doesn’t matter what the cause of the technical malfunction is - the USB cable is broken, problems with drivers or something else.

If you have an extended keyboard, then you can bypass the malfunctions. Only for this you need certain support. What is an extended keyboard? Look at its right side - if there are numbers, then this is what you need. The answer to the question of how to control a mouse without a mouse is very simple, but few people know it.

Hotkeys

This is one of the most versatile ways to control the cursor. The key combination allows you not to waste time launching programs, selecting the necessary options, and even creating the illusion of the presence of additional equipment, including a mouse. So, to activate the cursor control mode using hot keys, you need to press the left Alt without releasing it, hold down Shift and, without lifting your fingers, NumLock.

After this, a beep will sound and a window will appear on the desktop asking you to enable the ability to control the pointer using the keyboard. By default, “Yes” is highlighted, that is, consent. To activate this keyboard function, you must press the enter button. To deactivate this feature, you only need to press NumLock once. It should be noted that while this feature is active, it will not be possible to enter numbers or use the keyboard extension.

What to do then?

Those who use our advice while reading the article probably noticed that everything seems to have been done correctly - the mode is activated, but there is no result. The fact is that this is a push-type mechanism with which you can literally move pixel by pixel. And speaking about how to control the cursor without a mouse, it should be especially noted that if the pointer needs to be moved a significant distance, then you should hold down the corresponding key.

Let's look at a small example. So, our computer boots up, and the cursor is in the center of the screen. And we need to launch the program shortcut, which is located on the left. We activate the mode of using the keyboard as a mouse and hold down the number 3 under NumLock. Initially the cursor will barely move. But after a few seconds it will accelerate to a fairly good speed, and the shortcut can be selected.

Emulation Control

We continue to look at how to control a mouse without a mouse. We have already learned how to move the cursor. But how to interact with something? How, for example, can I select and activate the same shortcut? The number five, located under NumLock, helps with this. Oh yes, we forgot to say something else! Using the Shift and Ctrl keys, you can increase or decrease the speed of cursor movement. If you want to change these settings, then you should find the mouse symbol in the lower right corner, select it and change them in the emulation parameter in the window that opens. If you want to double-click, the plus button, located on the same NumLock, will help with this.

Other keys are also used. So, if you click on /, the mouse emulation will switch to left-click mode. Using “-” we switch to the right one. If you click on *, the emulation will work in the mode of both buttons. In order to hold something, you need to press 0. If you need to release it, use “.”. In order to know about the current state and activity of the team, you should look at the system tray. But emulation is not necessary in order to perform certain actions. How to control the keyboard without a mouse? Physical equipment will help you perform certain actions even in standard mode. The only question is which ones. And is this functionality enough?

Interaction with a regular keyboard

How to control a computer without a mouse, having only buttons? To do this, you need to know what the existing keys are responsible for. Thus, the enter button (aka Enter) successfully replaces a double click. If you need to send an object to the trash, then Delete will help. If you need to navigate between different shortcuts, documents and files, you should use Tab. But these are ordinary buttons that most people know about.

Is there anything else you need to know? Yes, and these are combinations. If you press Win + L, the computer will be locked. The Win + E combination helps launch File Explorer. If you use Win + F, the search bar will also be displayed. Pressing Win + R opens the “Run a Program” dialog. To switch focus to the system tray, you need to use the combination Win + B. If you want to access the context menu of the current object (or simply imitate a right-click), you can use Shift + F10.

To the question of how to control a computer without a mouse, there are, as you can see, quite a few different answers. It should be noted that the keyboard layout does not matter. It doesn’t matter whether you press R in English or K in Russian, the result will be the same.

Quickly activate shortcuts

When talking about how to control a computer without a mouse, it is difficult to ignore such an interesting topic as calling a program. This is done through hotkeys and shortcuts located on the desktop. First you need to open the properties dialog box. After this, you need to go to the “Shortcut” tab and place the cursor in the field called “Shortcut”. After this, you need to press a certain key combination. For example, Ctrl +<буква>. If you are not sure that you will remember a large number of hot combinations, then you can use a little trick. Initially, you need to make a screensaver on your desktop, where all the combinations will be written. And as soon as some combination slips out of your head, you can quickly find it using Win + D. As you can see, it's not very difficult.

Difficult, but possible. Much more convenient than working only with a mouse without a keyboard. It’s clear that if a mouse-type manipulator is dead, you need to run to the store for a new one. But if it’s night, and you REALLY NEED to do something...

So, let's start from the very beginning.

The Windows OS loaded, orphaned without a cursor.
It would seem that the situation is hopeless. In fact, there are at least two ways out.

The first is to press the key with the Windows logo (this is a four-part flag at the bottom of the keyboard, look on the sides of the spacebar) and the Latin “M” (or “D”, in this case it’s a matter of taste). You are on the desktop (see the active icon highlighted? Press “Enter”, also known as “Enter” - the program will start).

The second option is the Tab key, on the left side of the keyboard. Press it several times - and one of the icons on the desktop will take on a characteristic “highlighted” appearance. Next, use the arrows to select whatever your heart desires, press “Enter” and work.

If you need the Start menu, press the same Windows key or just hit Tab. As soon as “Start” is activated (you will understand that this has happened by any change in its appearance), press “Enter” - and look at the menu that opens.

Generally speaking, using Tab, the focus (that is, the asset, what to work with) sequentially moves from the desktop (with icons) to the “Start” key, then to the “quick launch” panel (to the right of “Start”), after to the taskbar (this is where minimized applications are located), then to the language-time menu - and back to the desktop. There may be slight variations - just watch carefully what gets activated. If you missed the desired option with a running start, do not throw the heavy and clumsy one at the monitor. Press Shift+Tab to go back one position.

If you are unlucky and there are several users on the computer, and there is still no window asking who came and what the password is, all is not lost. The window is called by the “magic” Ctrl+Alt+Delete. Enter your login (that is, who you are), and to go to the password window, use Tab.

The Tab key is useful in any application. Where the arrow's capabilities end, it helps out. For example, in mail - move from folders to messages and back.

Okay, you have started working. We launched one program, now we need a second one.
No problem. Press Windows+M. All windows will be minimized, the focus will be on the “desktop”. Use the arrows to navigate and launch what you need. You can press “D” instead of “M” - all windows will also be minimized, and when you press Windows + D again, all windows will open. This number will not work with the “M” key.

Now you have two programs (or more) running at once. How to jump from one to another? This is even easier than poking mice into the windows below. Alt+Tab - will open a window with icons of all running programs. Hold Alt, press Tab until you select what you need. Release the keys - you are where you wanted to be.

Usually, every program has a menu at the top - you get there with the Alt key, back, if you pressed it by accident - Esc, at the top left is a separate button, who doesn’t know. It also removes dialog boxes, those where there is a choice of OK or Cancel. To select OK, press Enter. Another option, especially if the choice is between Yes, No, Cancel, is to select the desired button using the arrows or the same Tab.

Everything that can be done in the program is in one of the menu items (travel through them using arrows, left and right, try “down” - you won’t regret it!). There, in the menu there is usually a combination of “hot keys”, by pressing which you will get what you wanted - without a workaround through the menu. By default, this option can be disabled, so if everything works for you, but you do not count on the quality of your mouse, you must indicate in advance in “Settings” that you want to see information about “hot keys”.

A few more “tricks” for popular programs.

The “erase” key (aka BackSpace) is on the right, above “Enter” - go up one level in the directories.

Selection. Ctrl+A - select all objects. If objects are located in a row, hold Shift and run down/up. If it’s not in a row, the situation is more complicated, but we’ll manage. Point at the first object and press Ctrl. Do not release the key until we select everything. We move with arrows to the next “client”. Press spacebar and add to selection. You see - everything is simple, but you were afraid!

Ctrl+C - copy, Ctrl+V - paste, Ctrl+X - cut (not only in Word, in Explorer too!).

Ctrl+Z - cancel, or “roll back” one step back. How many steps you can roll back and whether it is possible at all depends on the specific program. Pair this combination with Ctrl+Y, to go back one step forward if you have “rolled back” too far.

Remember! If combinations with letters do not work, check, maybe your language is simply not English? I hope you know how to switch the language without a mouse (it can be configured in different ways, but most often either Ctrl+Shift or Alt+Shift works).

Two words about working on the Internet.
If you have Internet Explorer, you can enter the address entry window using the Tab. Update - usually F5. Return - BackSpace (“erase”). Select something from your Favorites - Alt jump to the menu, use the arrows to go to “Favorites”, down arrow - and select your favorite site. On the page you can use Tab to navigate between hyperlinks.

So you did everything you wanted, saying a kind word to the mouse more than once.
The program closes Alt+F4.
Close all programs, try pressing the combination again.
Well, were you surprised? For my taste, it is much more convenient than poking at “Start” - “Turn off”.

Remember all the tips - you never know what will come in handy in life. Although I sincerely wish you that the mice do not break and you can work as you are used to!

Sooner or later, small force majeure circumstances still happen without asking our consent. A breakdown of equipment always throws you out of your working rhythm, and the failure of a small but irreplaceable tool - a computer mouse - is compared to the loss of the functionality of a hand. For example, a problem may arise with the control of the computer, and you will have to decide for yourself how to work without a mouse.

Undoubtedly, things rarely break in an instant; most often, we can observe unpleasant signs within a few days before. But the fact becomes clear: the mouse has lost its mobility, and something needs to be done about it!

How to control the cursor without a mouse

The most important advice: go to the store and buy a new mouse.

Although there is one secret how to survive the time before going to the store and finish the work you started to the end.

If your mouse is dead, press the Shift + Left Alt + Num Lock buttons on your keyboard at the same time. You will see a window:

Press the keys as written in the picture above, and the following icon will appear in the tray, indicating that you can work without a mouse.

Now you can control the cursor, but you need to know how:

A few secret ways: how to work without a mouse

To control the cursor, you will need to work with the numeric keypad using the number keys.

  • down diagonally to the left – number 1
  • down vertically – number 2
  • down diagonally to the right - number 3
  • to the left horizontally – number 4
  • left click – number 5
  • to the right horizontally – number 6
  • up diagonally to the left – number 7
  • up vertically - number 8
  • up diagonally to the right - number 9
  • Right click - +

In order to work without a mouse and control the cursor, you need to press a key and hold it for the required amount of time.

Important note: if you double-click the tray icon, you can increase or decrease the cursor speed in the settings.

I believe that with such secret information, you can successfully complete the computer work you started earlier, and after that, in a good mood, go to the store for a new assistant - a computer mouse. Happy shopping - choose the best!

Do you use hotkeys on your keyboard? Watch an interesting video, after watching which you will want to learn all the keyboard shortcuts in order to work on the computer faster and more efficiently.