Pretty much in the title, the only time I interact with the windows key in its standard operating condition is getting pissed off that the start menu opened. I use it in other capacities such as taking screen shots and other key commands but I got to wondering if anyone, ever actually uses it to access the start menu.
Also if anyone comes here and posts “dOnT uSe wINdoWs,” you really are cute.
Edit: I am more curious if anyone actually gets utility out of its default behavior (opening the start menu). I am aware that it is used in a number of key commands (although some are new to me).
It is my modifier key for any window management keybind. Using alt or control might overlap with other apps or games. For example, I do super+r to open my app launcher or super+w to close a window. It does not do anything on its own.
I had mostly the same keybinds when I used windows. Ofc I can’t remember how I did them as it was a long time ago.
Start menu is helpful to execute programs quickly as many others have stated previously. Other useful thing with the start menu is that it automatically makes a fullscreen application lose focus. So I can just use the windows key to focus out of a fullscreen app and click on something else on the other monitor.
Constantly.
Open shit on the taskbar.
Win + E for file explorer.
Win key and type stuff for a few programs I don’t want to have icons for.
One of the best keys!
Yes since I use a lot of windowed fullscreen programs and it’s the easiest eay to access the taskbar when I need it.
Yeah, 100%. I hit the windows button and immediately just continue typing the name of the program I’m looking for. It’s extremely convenient.
Windows Key + a lot of other keys are super useful shortcuts.
But I don’t even use the start menu at all. It’s rather pointless these days and also full of garbage.
Also if anyone comes here and posts “dOnT uSe wINdoWs,” you really are cute.
Don’t use windows?
🥺👉👈
You really are cute.
100%
It’s the only way I open the start menu. There is no faster way to get to what I want than Superkey and typing.
PS I have all my OSes set up similarly. OSx has spotlight, my GNOME and KDE are configured to launch searchable menus on Super, and my mobile launcher is set up to search when I swipe up.
Constantly. I’m a keyboard shortcut junky. I use it with several different key combos. The fact that the “super key” works slightly differently in Pop OS kind of drives me crazy. I really need to figure out how to remap it so it’s closer to the same.
Yeah I expect the windows snapping to work with the super key… I need to figure something out. I need my tiling!
Yes! I will complain about MS WIndows all day…but they did do a few things right and this is one of them.
I use it as a modifier chorded with another key in Linux for a number of things, like switching workspaces, opening a terminal or browser window, resizing windows, existing the graphical environment, locking the system, toggling floating windows, starting application launchers, or toggling playing music. I think that as a modifier key, it’s fine. I don’t have tapping it alone do anything, and in general, don’t like single-key operations like that; ditto for F-key operations.
It sounds like one can disable the tap-Windows-key-alone behavior on Windows via the autohotkey macro software package:
Hey buddy, do you want to try some of this GNU/Linux?
You really are cute.
I just use the shortcut key combinations. I haven’t used the start menu in ages since I end up just using the search bar instead.
So you use your mouse to click on the start menu button, scroll through the menu and click again on the program? That sounds awful. I click the Windows button and type the program name.
The real question is who uses the actual start menu, as in tiles and program list. I’ve only ever seen people type the program name
The Windows start menu is inexplicably a huge mess. Like all MS products, they cram their interface with as much as possible.
I preferred their nested menus to what is there now, though I started using search as soon as it became a thing (Windows 7?). They should have really implemented categories (like in Linux) early on rather than having every suite have it’s own sub-menu in the Start Menu.
You can do that yourself, since Chicago first debuted in ~1994.
I don’t want my OS categorizing stuff for me.
My start menu is categorized on the root (where “pinned” items go), and I leave the rest of the menu alone.
I use the tiles to “pin” programs that I use semi-regularly and can’t be bothered remembering the name of. Or that share an inconveniently long prefix with the name of another program. Or that I have multiple versions of installed, with a specific version I usually need.
I don’t like pinning such programs to the task bar because they add unnecessary clutter while not in use.
I prefer OpenShell, since it unfucks the start menu and makes it usable. It’s just like Win7 but easy to customize.
I only ever see the real start menu on other people’s computers. Openshell is like ublock, without it your face tends to contort and twist like you ate a lemon.
I pin programs I frequently use to my task bar like a gentleman.
Is the implication here that you don’t use any other programs?
obviously
Buy top of the line gaming rig
Only check email
Check this… Windows Key + Number corresponding to position of your task bar icon will launch that program. So your 3rd icon from the left = Win+3
Whether you use Windows or Linux, the Windows key is the foundation of many useful keyboard shortcuts. You know, hold it down plus some other key.
Whatever your preferred OS, look them up! You may find a few you would like to start using.
But yeah, on my work computer which is a Windows machine, I often use it to open the start menu and start typing the name of the app I want to launch. It’s faster than clicking on an icon somewhere if your hands are already on the keyboard.
If you read my post I clearly stated I use to for keyboard shortcuts.
You don’t deserve down votes for this. Yes you’re being a touch rude, but they also clearly didn’t read more than the title! The OP was not an unreasonable amount of text. Your irritation is justified
Thank you for your service. And yeah, I was just wondering if anyone used the windows key as a daily-driver to pop-up the start menu (which I guess some people do), but the amount of responses I’ve gotten that are “you can use it other ways which you literally said you use it” have gotten a tad exhausting.
And shortcuts are it’s intended behaviour, always has been.
You’re making a distinction without a meaning.
You ok?
I use:
Win+R constantly
Win+E regularly
Win+D occasionally
Win+M never now that I WFH full time
