6 Simple Mouse Gestures to Help You Navigate Windows 8

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When Microsoft released Windows 8 they knew it would cause a storm amongst critics and divide experts as to whether it was the way forward in operating system design or the next Windows Vista. Early reviews suggested that it was a bit of both, with many features being praised whilst others, notably the lack of an integrated start bar on the desktop, were scolded for making Windows 8 difficult to navigate for people used to the familiar UI of old.

Whatever the case may be, Windows 8 is here to stay for a good few years before we get any hint of a Windows 9 being released, and until then it will pay off in the future to make yourself accustomed to Windows 8 mastering mouse gestures in order to increase your productivity and have a more enjoyable time on your machine. This especially rings true if your monitor or laptop is not touch screen enabled.

Find below 6 simple and easy mouse gestures which will help you make the most of Windows 8. If you are a new user of Windows 8, be sure to bookmark this post for further reading in the future. Enjoy!

Select or Perform an action

Performing an action in Windows 8 is essentially exactly the same as in Windows 7, Vista or XP. All you need to do is right-click anywhere to see commands, of which will be different depending on what you right click on. Files with have different options available compared to apps, for example.

Utilizing commands for apps

This is really easy. When on the default Windows start screen, i.e. the app based interface, right click on any app to see a list of options. Usually this includes turning live tile off, uninstalling an app, or changing the size of the tile to suit your tastes.

Dragging icons and apps

Have you ever used a touch screen smartphone? On most, dragging apps and icons requires you to hold and drag them. It is exactly the same in Windows 8 with your mouse, Left click and hold any app you like and drag them around to your heart's content.

Switching between apps

You do not have to repeatedly return to your tile interface to access an app you were just in. To switch between apps, simply hover your mouse curser in the top left corner of your display and all of your recently opened apps will be there waiting for you.

Finding recently used apps and accessing search

The biggest change to Windows 8 is finding recently used programs and apps. To do this, drag your mouse curser up to the top right of your screen and by default it will pop up search, share, start, devices and settings. Click any of these to open.

Zooming in and out

This is an essential feature for anybody who has display issues or less than ideal eye sight. To zoom in and out of web pages, as well as some apps, simply hold [Ctrl] and scroll with your mouse wheel. This is a simple solution for web pages with extremely small text.

Overall Windows 8 was designed to be used either alongside a touch screen display or by mouse. Some would testify that using Windows 8 with a touch screen is the best way to make full use of Windows 8 and its capabilities, however for some, the notion of using a touch screen in their office for real work doesn't seem that productive. Either way with the mouse gestures above using Windows 8 does not have to be as drastic a change from Windows 7 as you may think.

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