Windows Task Manager
Windows Task Manager shows all of the programs that you have running on your computer, at the bottom center of the Windows screen. On the left bottom of the Windows screen is the icon or button for the Start menu, to the right of the Start menu is the Taskbar icons, to the right of the Taskbar is the Task Manager, and to the right of the Task Manager is the System Tray. For example, if you have Word and Internet Explorer open, Windows Task Manager will display these programs at the bottom center of the Windows screen as icon type items. There are many ways to open programs, from shortcut key commands, to Windows Desktop icons, to the Windows Start and All Programs menus. Following are two quick methods for opening programs. In all cases, you can quickly move through the programs you have running by holding down the Alt key and hitting the Tab key again-and-again to move through them. Remember to keep the Alt key held down and Tab slowly so that you can hear the name of the program or item. When you hear the one you want, release the Alt key. Practice the following to develop skills in opening programs and moving between them, using the Alt Tab for the Windows Task Manager. There are headings on this web page for ease of moving between the activities. Hitting the letter h will move you forward, and Shift h will move you backward through the headings. When you are finished move to the link at the bottom of this page titled "BACK" to go to the "Simple Windows Lessons" web page.
1. Hit the Windows key one time.
2. Type "notepad" (without the quotes).
3. Down arrow to the "Notepad" item.
4. Hit the Enter key one time and the "Notepad" program will come up.
5. Hit the Windows key one time.
6. Type "calculator" (without the quotes).
7. Down arrow to the "Calculator" item.
8. Hit the Enter key one time and the "Calculator" program will come up.
9. Hit the Windows key one time.
10. Type "www.google.com" and hit the Enter key one time. The Internet will come up.
11. Press and hold down the Windows key and hit the letter d or m to minimize all running programs and move to the Windows Desktop.
12. Press and hold (keep down) the Alt key and slowly hit the Tab key again-and-again and listen as you hear "notepad, calculator, www.google.com."
13. Alt Tab to the "Calculator" program.
14. Release the Alt key and the "Calculator" program will come up and be ready to use.
15. Alt Tab to the "Notepad" program.
16. Release the Alt key and the "Notepad" program will be ready to use.
17. Alt Tab to the "www.google.com" item.
18. Release the Alt key and "www.google.com" will come up and be ready to use.
19. Press and hold down the Alt key and hit the F4 key one time to close "www.google.com.
20. Alt Tab to the "Calculator" program and then release the Alt key.
21. Press Alt F4 to close the "Calculator" program.
22. Alt Tab to the "Notepad" program and then release the Alt key.
23. Alt F4 to close the "Notepad" program.
24. Practice the above steps until you are quick and accurate, using any programs you want.