How to Spot (and Avoid) Fake Android Apps in the Play Store

Fake Android apps in the Play Store are a problem. People create listings designed to look exactly like popular apps, often using the same icon and name, to trick you into downloading it—then bombarding you with ads (or worse, malware).

This issue has been especially prominent lately. A fake version of WhatsApp was downloaded by more than one million people last year, and just this week Reddit’s /r/android community found a fake version of the popular SwiftKey keyboard and an ad-riddled version of VLC on the Play Store. The first two were removed after making headlines, and while Google was initially reluctant to remove the faux-VLC app, it was finally taken down last night after being at the top of the Android subreddit all day. Good work, you guys!

These types of apps are not something to take lightly. Behind the scenes, they’re often doing some very gnarly stuff—like stealing all of your personal info, tracking every move you make, or even worse. ABC News actually did a good analysis of what fake apps are capable of—it’s worth a watch.

So how do these fake apps trick so many people, and what can you do about it?

How These Fake Apps Trick Users

That fake version of WhatsApp—arguably one of the most successful fake apps yet—was nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. Even the developer name was visually identical. The fraudulent company placed a special hidden character at the end of the developer name, which made look like “WhatsApp Inc.”, but it was technically different thanks to the hidden whitespace at the end of the name. Very clever.

 

Left: The legitimate WhatsApp Inc. listing; Right: The fake listing.

And again, that app was downloaded over a million times before Google removed it from the Play Store. It was so successful because it was so similar to the real WhatsApp listing—the icon, verbiage, and developer name were all similar enough that many users didn’t even raise an eyebrow.

The aforementioned VLC ripoff is a bit different. It’s using VLC’s open-source code and Media Player Classic’s icon, and has over five million downloads. The “developer” here did little more than take a popular (open source) player, load it with ads, then use another player’s icon.

While it didn’t appear to be stealing data or harboring other malicious code, it’s still a fake app being used to make money. They’re taking legitimate developers’ work, filling it with ads, and capitalizing off of it. It’s disgusting. I’m glad Google did the right thing by pulling it.

What Google Is Doing to Combat This Issue

This isn’t a new problem. In fact, it’s been happening for years—and I honestly can’t tell if it’s getting worse, if it’s getting more attention in the media, or if the cases that are being spotted are just bigger.

But it really doesn’t matter, because even if the number of offending apps is getting smaller, the fakes are getting better—and getting more downloads. That’s the biggest issue here.

Fortunately, Google is starting to address the issue with Google Play Protect—a security system to verify apps in the Play Store. It scans apps upon entry into Google Play, which I’m sure weeds out a lot of the fakes and other malicious apps. Google also says it removed over 700,000 malicious apps last year. But, as we’ve already noted, there are still some big ones getting through.

Play Protect was announced less than a year ago, so it’s still a relatively new system. As with most, there will be bumps along the way—we’re just hoping Google uses this system to figure out a better way to control malicious content in its official app store.

How to Spot (and Avoid) These Fake Apps

So here’s the big thing: making sure your device and your data are safe is, well, kind of on you. Google can only do so much, and regardless of how good Play Protect actually gets, there’s always going to be a certain percentage of malicious apps that find their way into the Store.

That’s why it’s pertinent to pay attention. The absolute best thing you can do to make sure you’re not installing a bunch of crap is to take a couple of minutes to look over the app listing before you install it. A little due diligence goes a long way.

Take a Close Look at the Search Results

If you search the Play Store for the app you want to install, take a few seconds to glance at all the entries—especially if you see the same icon more than once.

Fake apps will almost always use the icon from the app they’re trying to mimic, so it should immediately cause suspicion if you see the same icon more than once (assuming the second one isn’t a pro version of the app, of course). This is the first way fake apps trick people into installing them.

If the icons are the same, turn to the names.

Check the App Name and Developer

Take a close look at the app name and the developer. In the case of the fake WhatsApp, the developer name was visually identical, but the name of the app should’ve raised a red flag—I can’t think of a single time a legitimate app added the word “Update” to its name.

The fake SwiftKey app that recently landed was called “Swift Keyboard”—something that users unfamiliar with SwiftKey could easily mistake for the real application. But the developer name was “Designer Superman”—a clear indicator that something isn’t right since SwiftKey is developed by a company of the same name (and owned by Microsoft).

The fake SwiftKey listing.

If the developer name isn’t an immediate indicator, you should also check their other apps. You can do this on the web by clicking on the developer name on the Play Store listing; on your phone, just scroll down close to the bottom of the app listing to see more apps from that developer.

If something doesn’t look right here, it probably isn’t.

Check the Download Count

If you’re downloading a popular app, always take a quick look at the download number. Let’s say you’re installing the Facebook app—one of the most downloaded apps in Google Play with over a billion installs at the time of writing.

But what if the listing you’re looking at only has, say 5,000? Guess what? It’s probably the wrong listing. There’s not much of a chance a fake app will last in the Store long enough to get that many downloads, so it’s an easy way to spot a fraud, assuming you’re looking at a popular app.

If it’s not so popular, however, this won’t help as much. Of course, a fake app should always have fewer downloads than the app it’s imitating—again, just pay attention to the numbers.

Read the Description and Look at the Screenshots

This is an important step. If everything else looks close enough, the description can often be the thing that gives it away. If the wording seems off (think bot-like) or is written in broken English, that should raise the red flag.

Most legitimate developers do a good job of providing clear communication as to what their apps do. Most use good, clean formatting in the listing. Again, if something feels weird here, it probably is.

The same applies to the images. Now, there’s a chance these could be stolen from the legitimate Play Store listing (just like the icon), but you should take a closer look anyway. For example, look at the fake SwiftKey we’ve talked about several times already:

The images look pretty good, but “Typing like flying Swift”? What the hell does that even mean? To me, it means “yeah, I’m not installing this.”

Finally, Read the Reviews

After you’ve looked at all the details, spend some time reading a few of the reviews. Fake apps will often have fake reviews, but there are also likely to be some legitimate reviews from users who realized the app was bogus after installing it. A quick skim will generally be all it takes—look for the negative reviews and see what the issues are. If it’s fake, hopefully someone has called it out in the reviews.

What to Do if You Spot a Fake App

If you happen to spot a fake app, there are things you should do (aside from, you know, not installing it). The first is to report it—let Google know it’s a fake!

To do this, scroll to the bottom of the page (regardless of whether you’re on the web or mobile) and click or tap on “Flag as Inappropriate.”

On the web, this will take you to a Google Play help page—which is actually sort of annoying—where you’ll need to also click on the “report inappropriate developer reply form” link, and fill it out accordingly.

Fortunately, it’s a lot easier on mobile. After you click on Flag as Inappropriate, choose the reason why you’re reporting the app—for fakes, use the “Copycat or Impersonation” option.

 

Tap submit, and it’ll get shipped off to Google, which will (hopefully) review it.

Now that you’ve done your part, share this info! Post it on Twitter, Reddit, Facebook, or wherever else you frequent. The absolute best thing you can do is raise awareness, because then more people will report the app for fraudulent activity. In turn, Google should react more quickly. The developers of the legitimate apps often lend their opinions and support in such cases, too.

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Again, any of these things can be faked if the malicious developer is working hard enough. That fake WhatsApp app had an identical developer name, and had enough downloads that it looked like the real thing. But if you look at all of these things put together, you’ll generally be able to spot something that doesn’t look right. You just need to pay attention to the details.

And ultimately, if you’re still not sure—just don’t install the app. You want to be confident that what you’re installing is the right thing, so if you’re questioning that, a bit more research is going to be be necessary before you tap that green button. You can always go to the app’s home page (like SwiftKey.com) and click their button to “Get It on Google Play”, which will ensure you go to the real thing.

How to check if an Android app is safe to install

hough Google does its best to keep viruses and malware out of the Play Store, malicious Android apps often attract millions of downloads before they’re taken down. So how can you avoid becoming a victim? In this how-to, we'll share a few techniques to double check an app is legit.

Can you get viruses or malware on your phone?

The short answer: YES you absolutely can don’t let anyone tell you otherwise or we’re all gonna...

The long answer is that while Android smartphones or tablets can’t get viruses, they can get other forms of malware — primarily when you inadvertently install untrustworthy apps.

It’s important to note the difference between the two: Malware, or malicious software, is any piece of software designed to harm the user or the device. A virus is a kind of malware which replicates itself to the point of corrupting user or system files on a device. This doesn’t happen on Android devices.

Android devices can't get viruses — but they can get other forms of malware

You’ve probably heard the terms adware, spyware, and Trojans(oh my!). But did you know these different types of malware can infect your phone, as well as your computer?

Consider the money-stealing malware “ExpensiveWall”, which was downloaded between one million and 4.2 million times this year. Without any indication, ExpensiveWall charged victims’ accounts for fake services like premium SMS messages. Or the infamous Faketoken Trojan that steals your credit card information by impersonating the interfaces of taxi-booking apps.

And that’s just the tip of the malware-berg. There are tons of malware variants, each capable of harming your device in its own unique way. For instance, malicious malware apps such as Android/KingRoot, Android/Generic, and Android/deng (which was detected in app files com.android.incallui and com.android.provision.confirm as recently as July) could potentially be adware waiting to flood your device with unwanted advertisements or pop-ups, or worse, waiting patiently to compromise your personal information.

Malware apps like Android/ztorg (detected in app file org.rain.ball.update in June) could access your private information and disrupt your life in a number of ways:

• Stealing your contacts and sensitive photos
• Following your every move with a location tracker
• Reading your private text messages
• Saving your passwords after you type them in
• Jacking up your phone bill with tons of SMS messages to premium numbers
• Going on shopping sprees with your bank account

Mobile malware is clearly no joke — and the best way to protect yourself is to know what you’re up against.

How can I keep malware and viruses off my phone?

• STEP 1: Avoid third-party app stores
• STEP 2: Look out for fake apps and scams
• STEP 3: Check app permissions

Step 1: Avoid third-party app stores

All app stores are not created equal, and using third-party app stores is risky in a big “infecting your device with malware” kind of way. Sure, stores such as the Amazon Appstore and GetJar may seem like a thrifty alternative to official stores like Google Play. With free and discounted apps as far as thee I can see, who wouldn’t want to venture outside the confines of Google Play in search of the best deal? But of course, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Installing apps from outside of Google Play is a surefire way to put yourself in danger

By installing apps from third-party stores, you’re bypassing security measures put in place to vet apps for malware threats, making it much easier for a hacker to infiltrate your device with an infected app. So while you may think you’re staying ahead of the Android curve by downloading the new Super Mario Run app, you might actually be downloading a Marcher trojan that steals the login information for all of your apps, including your banking apps. Suddenly, some stranger is on a losing streak in Vegas, funded by you.

Step 2: Look out for fake apps and scams

Knowledge is power. And in the wake of one of the most successful app store scams ever, knowing how to recognize app scams is an invaluable skill.

While third-party app stores pose a greater risk when it comes to downloading fake, malware-riddled apps, they also sneak their way into Google Play from time to time.

So how do you know if an app is safe? Similar to our test for spotting email scams, here are a few major things to look out for:

Find out who the developer is

Look at the developer’s name found right below the app’s name. A quick Google search should provide you with verified info about the developer, such as a website. If the developer has created a number of apps, they are more likely to be trustworthy.

Number of downloads

Check to see how many times the app has been downloaded. If it has lots of downloads, it’s more likely to be legit.

Date published

If you’re downloading Facebook Messenger and suddenly notice it was published just a few months ago, that’s a telltale sign the app is fake. Instead, look for an “updated on” date.

You can find all of these details under "Read more" on any app page in the Google Play store:

How to spot an untrustworthy app

Today, you could ask almost any Aussie which smartphone or tablet apps they like to use and they’ll be able to list off a few in a heartbeat. If you ask someone to recommend you an app, one of its main “selling” points will probably be that it’s free: all you have to do is download it, create an account (or just link your Facebook profile) and then you can use it without paying.

Sadly, many of these free apps can come with a hidden cost: safety. In recent news alone, at least 76 iOS apps have been reported as vulnerable to security attacks, including apps which handle sensitive information such as health and financial details.

We’ve put together some info to help you make some smart moves when it comes to the apps you choose, so have a read before you give any apps your personal details, especially those free ones. Remember, while paid apps are usually more “legit”, they’re not immune to questionable practices or security issues, so this advice should be helpful no matter which apps you use.

If it’s free to use, the “product” may just be you

When it comes to free apps, one of the biggest risks is to your privacy. It can be helpful to look into exactly how an app makes its money. It’s all well and good for an app to have in-app purchases available or show you advertisements, but if there’s a sneaky clause in the Terms of Agreement that lets the app sell your personal information to third-party marketing agencies, that’s a no-go.

Reading the entire Terms and Conditions can be an exhausting chore for any app, big or small. Thankfully, there are easier ways to get the most important details hiding in those bloated legal documents. Terms of Service; Didn’t Read is an ongoing project with an aim to clearly display what you, as a user, need to know about using an app or service (without the mumbo-jumbo).

Knowledge is power

Another way to check up on an app’s security cred is to read reviews made by other people. Both iTunes and the Google Play store allow users to leave reviews on the app’s listing, so that’s the best place to start. Just remember to be suspicious if there are too many glowing, 5-star reviews which lack substance. The developers may have paid a third party to write a ton of fake reviews to make their app look good, or they may have built the app to require all users to leave a review (typically encouraging 5 stars) before the rest of the app will be unlocked.

You’d also be amazed at what you can find with a bit of Googling – if there’s something shady going on with an app’s agreements, it’s a safe bet that there’s already a forum discussion or tech news article about it. This can be particularly helpful with finding out about stuff you may not necessarily know much about, such as data leaks or security flaws.

Think of the children

If you think it’s rough enough keeping track of your privacy and safety in today’s digital world, imagine being a kid. Apps that are popular with younger demographics typically also see an increased risk of stranger-danger and cyber-bullying.

Apps like Instagram have recently made improvements to empower users against cyber-bullying, but not all apps are so careful to create a safe and friendly environment for their users. Family Education has some in-depth information for parents about the latest apps that are popular with kids and teenagers.

It’s important to discuss the risks of using these apps with your children so they can understand the potential consequences of their online behaviour. Simply grabbing their phone and deleting a ton of apps will most likely put them on the fast track to secretive behavior – remember, they use some of these apps to keep in touch with their closest friends.

When you chat with your kids about which apps they use and how they use them, here’s a few important questions to keep in mind:

• Does the app allow users to be completely anonymous? This should be a big red flag – “anonymous” typically means virtually no consequences for bullies and predators.
• Does the app have the ability to block others if needed? This is an important step in handling cyber-bullying.
• Is the app intended to be used by their age group? It’s pretty unlikely that a dating app is appropriate for anyone under 18.
• Is there a way to minimise the risk? Agreeing on ways to use apps safely (such as keeping accounts private or only adding friends they know in person) can reduce the risk of your child being exposed to bullying or inappropriate content.
• Do they feel comfortable coming to you for help? Building a trusting relationship with your child means they’re more likely to come to you when something is wrong so you can help them fix the problem.

windows_command_line_sheet

100+ keyboard Shortcuts

CTRL+C (Copy)
CTRL + Insert = Copy
CTRL+X (Cut)
CTRL+V (Paste)
CTRL+Z (Undo)
CTRL+A (Select all)
CTRL+ESC (Display the Start menu)
CTRL+RIGHT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word)
CTRL+LEFT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word)
CTRL+DOWN ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph)
CTRL+UP ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph)
CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Highlight a block of text)
CTRL while dragging an item (Copy the selected item)
CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item (Create a shortcut to the selected item)
CTRL+F4 (Close the active document in programs that enable you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)
ALT+ENTER (View the properties for the selected item)
ALT+F4 (Close the active item, or quit the active program)
ALT+ENTER (Display the properties of the selected object)
ALT+SPACEBAR (Open the shortcut menu for the active window)
ALT+TAB (Switch between the open items)
ALT+ESC (Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened)
ALT+ Underlined letter in a menu name (Display the corresponding menu)
F2 key (Rename the selected item)
F3 key (Search for a file or a folder)
F4 key (Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
F5 key (Update the active window)
F6 key (Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop)
F10 key (Activate the menu bar in the active program)
SHIFT with any arrow keys (Select more than one item in a window or on desktop, or select text in a document)
SHIFT when you insert a CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive (Prevent the CD-ROM from automatically playing)
SHIFT+DELETE (Delete the selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin)
SHIFT+F10 (Display the shortcut menu for the selected item)
SHIFT + Insert = Paste.
Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu (Perform the corresponding command)
RIGHT ARROW (Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu)
LEFT ARROW (Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu)
BACKSPACE (View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
ESC (Cancel the current task)

Dialog Box Keyboard Shortcuts
CTRL+TAB (Move forward through the tabs)
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the tabs)
CTRL+ Windows Logo+ F (Search for computers
TAB (Move forward through the options)
SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the options)
ALT+ Underlined letter (Perform the corresponding command or select the corresponding option)
ENTER (Perform the command for the active option or button)
SPACEBAR (Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box)

Arrow keys (Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons)
F1 key (Display Help)
F4 key (Display the items in the active list)
BACKSPACE (Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box)
Windows Logo (Display or hide the Start menu)
Windows Logo+ BREAK (Display the System Properties dialog box)
Windows Logo+ D (Display the desktop)
Windows Logo+ M (Minimize all of the windows)
Windows Logo+ SHIFT+M (Restore the minimized windows)
Windows Logo+ E (Open My Computer)
Windows Logo+ F (Search for a file or a folder)
Windows Logo+ F1 (Display Windows Help)
Windows Logo+ L (Lock the keyboard)
Windows Logo+ R (Open the Run dialog box)
Windows Logo+ U (Open Utility Manager)

Accessibility Keyboard Shortcuts
Right SHIFT for eight seconds (Switch Filter Keys either on or off)
Left ALT+ left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN (Switch High Contrast either on or off)
Left ALT+ left SHIFT+NUM LOCK (Switch the MouseKeys either on or off)
SHIFT five times (Switch the Sticky Keys either on or off)
NUM LOCK for five seconds (Switch the ToggleKeys either on or off)
Windows Logo +U (Open Utility Manager)
Windows Explorer Keyboard Shortcuts
END (Display the bottom of the active window)
HOME (Display the top of the active window)
NUM LOCK+ Asterisk sign (*) (Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder)
NUM LOCK+ Plus sign (+) (Display the contents of the selected folder)
NUM LOCK+ Minus sign (-) (Collapse the selected folder)
LEFT ARROW (Collapse the current selection if it is expanded, or select the parent folder)
RIGHT ARROW (Display the current selection if it is collapsed, or select the first subfolder)

Shortcut Keys for Character Map
Double-click a character on the grid of characters = move through the grid with keyboard shortcuts:
RIGHT ARROW (Move to the right or to the beginning of the next line)
LEFT ARROW (Move to the left or to the end of the previous line)
UP ARROW (Move up one row)
DOWN ARROW (Move down one row)
PAGE UP (Move up one screen at a time)
PAGE DOWN (Move down one screen at a time)
HOME (Move to the beginning of the line)
END (Move to the end of the line)
CTRL+HOME (Move to the first character)
CTRL+END (Move to the last character)
SPACEBAR (Switch between Enlarged and Nor mal mode when a character is selected)
Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Main Window Keyboard Shortcuts
CTRL+ F10 (Maximize the active console window)
CTRL+ F4 (Close active window. When only one window open~ closes the console.
CTRL+ F5 (Restore the active console window)
CTRL+ O (Open a saved console)
CTRL+ N (Open a new console)
CTRL+ S (Save the open console)

CTRL+M (Add or remove a console item)
CTRL+P (Print the current page or active pane)
CTRL+W (Open a new window)
ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the MMC window menu)
ALT+F4 (Close the console)
ALT+A (Display the Action menu)
ALT+V (Display the View menu)
ALT+F (Display the File menu)
ALT+O (Display the Favorites menu)
ALT+ Minus sign (-) (Display the window menu for the active console window)
SHIFT+F10 (Display the Action shortcut menu for the selected item)
F1 key (Open the Help topic, if any, for the selected item)
F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)
F2 key (Rename the selected item)

Remote Desktop Connection Navigation
ALT+PAGE UP (Switch between programs from left to right)
ALT+PAGE DOWN (Switch between programs from right to left)
ALT+INSERT (Cycle through the programs in most recently used order)
ALT+HOME (Display the Start menu)
ALT+DELETE (Display the Windows menu)
CTRL+ALT+BREAK (Switch the client computer between a window and a full screen)
CTRL+ALT+ Minus sign (-) Place snapshot of the active window in the clipboard ~ same as PRINT SCREEN
CTRL+ALT+ Plus sign (+) Place snapshot of entire window area on the clipboard ~ same as ALT+PRINT SCREEN
CTRL+ALT+ END (Open MS Windows NT Security dialog box)

Internet Explorer navigation
CTRL+B (Open the Organize Favorites dialog box)
CTRL+D doesn’t minimize all windows for me.
CTRL+E (Open the Search bar)
CTRL+F (Start the Find utility)
CTRL+H (Open the History bar)
CTRL+I (Open the Favorites bar)
CTRL+L (Open the Open dialog box)
CTRL+N (Start another instance of the browser with the same Web address)
CTRL+O (Open the Open dialog box, the same as CTRL+L)
CTRL+P (Open the Print dialog box)
CTRL+R (Update the current Web page)
CTRL+W (Close the current window)
ALT+ D > Address Bar... with Alt you have all the stuff..
ALT+ SPACEBAR (Open the shortcut menu for the active window)
ALT+ SPACEBAR (Display the System menu for the active window)
ALT+ SPACEBAR + N = Shrink (minimize) current window
ALT+ SPACEBAR + X = Maximize current window
ALT+ SPACEBAR + M = Move current windows with arrow keys
ALT+ SPACEBAR + M + any arrow key once, then move the mouse to position the window where you like.
ALT+ SPACEBAR + C =CLOSE
ALT+ SPACEBAR + R=RESTORE

Additional Comments/ Suggestions
Typing in IE - hongkiat, and then pressing CTRL-Enter fills in the www, and the .com
Firefox, Ctrl=Shift-Enter adds .org, and shift-enter fills in .net,
CTRL+ Shift+ ESC opens the Task manager- but on some keyboards it turns off the computer
Windows + L actually logs you off, it doesn’t lock the keyboard.
Mouse over the text; clicking twice selects the word and clicking three times selects the current line of text.
SHIFT ESC (Displays the task manager in windows)
CTRL+SPACEBAR+C or CTRL+W to close active window/programs.
Ctrl-Shift (and the plus sign on the Num pad) resizes all columns to fit (removes elipsis)
If you have an alternate keyboard char mapping installed (like U.S.-English keyboard and Spanish keyboard) then
you can Left ALT, Left SHIFT to toggle between the keyboard layouts.
In Microsoft Excel, when editing graphs, as you cycle through parts of the graph using arrow keys, you can change
formatting – ALT +return to copy the same formatting to the next part. [E.g.: change x axis minor grid lines to grey,
and fine width (by selecting x axis minor grid lines then changing properties) then give y axis minors same format –
ALT + return.]
ALT + typing in a 3 number sequence will create the alphabet or symbols. for example holding down ALT + type the
numbers of 099 will create the letter c .. but you can only use these in a word document or notepad.
CTRL + “move mouse scroll/wheel” = zoom in or out. Can use to increase/decrease the font when on the net
WINDOWS+TAB –> switch between the entries in the taskbar
WINDOWS+BREAK –> open system properties.
PRINT SCREEN BUTTON –> makes a screenshot
ALT+PRINT SCREEN BUTTON –> makes screenshot of current window
Shift key + Print Screen key. This will COPY EVERYTHING that is currently displayed onto the clipboard and you
need to open a program to PASTE it there. I paste mine into M/S WORD and then press FORMAT and select
PICTURE (which it now is) to CROP out the things I do not want.
Restart shortcut key is CTRL+ALT+DELETE (press 2x)
Ctrl+Shift+N creates a new folder.
Widows startup keys + D
Alt+F W N is too long and involves your mouse. In mac its so simple. Apple+Shift+N.
To find any file- open My Computer by pressing logo key + E. and just press tab one time after type drive after press
tab than type the file name & enter it.
Ctrl+Spacebar+C doesn’t close the window but Ctrl+W closes it, Win+U+U can close the window.
Alt – F – W – F {use them one after the other – eg press alt – release alt – press F – release F and s on}Page setup in
document: double click in ruler on the left of screen.
CTRL+ENTER for a quick URL ~ or just type google CTRL+ENTER ~it’ll add the “http://www.” and the “.com”
Windows+ R for Run
CTRL + E
CTRL +ALT+TAB
Arrange four open windows on desktop in a way that you can see all four at one time, open all 4 ~ if it is Windows
XP, right click an empty spot on the task bar and click “Tile windows horizontally” (or vertically). For Vista and 7, I
think the option is called “Stack windows side by side”.
I don’t know of an easy keyboard shortcut other than changing focus to the system tray and using the context key (on
the keyboard next to the windows key). It would go something like: WIN KEY, ESCAPE, TAB, TAB, TAB, RIGHT
ARROW (until the focus is over the clock), CONTEXT KEY
How to make a check like this √ ? I just copy paste it, but I want to know the short cut?
CTR + ALT + Down arrow or Side arrow or Up arrow ~ turns page sideways, upside down, or right side.

Mozilla Tricks

Save Folder Setting Preferences

Sometimes when we customize a folder and upon restarting we realize that the changes haven't been saved. In some cases the settings work for few days and then XP forgets it. Ever wondered why this happens? Well, this is due to that fact that Windows XP remembers the settings for only 400 folders, by default. When you customize more folders the old settings are lost. To prevent Windows XP forgetting the folder customization, we can increase the limit till 8000 (which is the upper limit). Set the BagMRU Size to 6000 (Decimal) in the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellHKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam Let me remind you that the value that we set is in Decimal and not hex.

Make your Folders Private

•Open My Computer
•Double-click the drive where Windows is installed (usually drive (C:), unless you have more than one drive on your computer).
•If the contents of the drive are hidden, under System Tasks, click Show the contents of this drive.
•Double-click the Documents and Settings folder.
•Double-click your user folder.
•Right-click any folder in your user profile, and then click Properties.
•On the Sharing tab, select the Make this folder private so that only I have access to it check box.

Note

•To open My Computer, click Start, and then click My Computer.
•This option is only available for folders included in your user profile. Folders in your user profile include My Documents and its subfolders, Desktop, Start Menu, Cookies, and Favorites. If you do not make these folders private, they are available to everyone who uses your computer.
•When you make a folder private, all of its subfolders are private as well. For example, when you make My Documents private, you also make My Music and My Pictures private. When you share a folder, you also share all of its subfolders unless you make them private.
•You cannot make your folders private if your drive is not formatted as NTFS For information about converting your drive to NTFS

Open Icons In Vista With Single Click Instead Of Double Click

Well... many people have been used to the single click format in the previous versions of Windows. So here I am to show you people how to customize the same in Windows Vista. To do so, you need to follow the simple steps given below:

• Open My Computer.
• Click on the Organize drop down menu located at the top left corner of the windows just below the Back & Forward buttons.
• In the dropdown menu click on Folder & Search Options.
• A new dialog box will appear in which you need to select Single Click To Open An Item(Point To Select).
• Click on Apply & then on OK and you are done.
• Enjoy the Single Click experience..........

Create Keyboard Shortcuts To Open Any Folder

Do you have a folder that you'd like to be able to open quickly and easily whenever you want? If you create a keyboard shortcut for that folder, you can open it anytime by pressing a key combination, no matter which other programs you have open.

To create a keyboard shortcut to open a folder, follow as below:

1.	Click on Start, All Programs, Accessories, and then click Windows Explorer.
2.	In Windows Explorer (the program that appears when you open folders such as My Computer, My Documents, My Pictures, or My Music), right-click the folder to which you want instant access, click Send To, and then click Desktop.
3.	On your desktop, right-click the new shortcut, and then click Properties.
4.	On the Shortcut tab, click in the Shortcut key box. Now press the letter on your keyboard that you want to use to open the folder. Note: In the Shortcut key box, Microsoft Windows XP automatically adds CTRL+ALT before the key you press, because to use the shortcut to open a folder, you have to hold down both the CTRL and ALT keys simultaneously, while pressing the letter you chose. This way, your folder won't open every time you type that letter.
5.	Click OK.
6.	Now test your shortcut. Hold down the CTRL and ALT keys, and then press the letter you chose.

This tip can be applied to folders, programs, and text file shortcuts that are placed on the desktop.

Add a Safe Mode Option To The Boot Menu In Windows XP

Follow these steps to add a Safe Mode option to the Boot menu.
When you're experiencing a problem with Windows XP, you may need to boot the system into Safe Mode more than once. However, doing so can be a tiresome process. When the Boot menu appears, you must press [F8], and then you must select Safe Mode from yet another menu.
Wouldn't it be nice if Safe Mode were available from the Boot menu? In fact, it's relatively easy to add a Safe Mode option to the Boot menu.
Here's how.
1. Press [Windows][Break] to open the System Properties dialog box.
2. On the Advanced tab, click the Settings button in the Startup And Recovery section.
3. In the System Startup section, click the Edit button.
4. When the Boot.ini file opens in Notepad, locate the line that ends with the /fastdetect switch.
5. Highlight and copy that line and paste it in the line below.
6. Change the section on the line that reads WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" to WINDOWS="Safe Mode."
7. Add the following to the end of the line:
/safeboot:minimal /sos /bootlog

Using Boot Defragment

A very important new feature in Microsoft Windows XP is the ability to do a boot defragment. This basically means that all boot files are placed next to each other on the disk drive to allow for faster booting. By default this option is enabled but some upgrade users have reported that it isn't on their setup.

1. Start Regedit.

2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction

3. Select Enable from the list on the right.

4. Right on it and select Modify.

5. Change the value to Y to enable and N to disable.

6. Reboot your computer.

Check Whether Your System Is Capable Of Runing Windows Vista 64-bit

Windows Vista comes in 32-bit and 64-bit editions depending on which CPU type you have. The 64-bit version will only work on 64-bit processors, however the 32-bit version can run on all types.

Some users will have a processor capable of running the 64-bit version of Vista but have the 32-bit version installed by default. This won't cause any problems, but it does mean you may miss out on some advantages (such as being able to utilise large amounts of memory). If you are in this situation, you can check to see if your computer can handle the 64-bit version of Windows Vista using the following steps.

First, open the Control Panel by clicking on the Start Menu > Control Panel.
Then click System and Maintenance.
Then select Performance Information and Tools.
This will display your computers performance index rating, allowing you to View and Print details.

In the System information section, you will notice a "64-Bit Capable" box. If this says Yes (like below), then you can run the 64-bit edition of Vista.

REPARTITION YOUR HARD DRIVE WITHOUT FORMATING IT

If you are logged in as an administrator, you can repartition your hard disk by using the Shrink feature in Disk Management. You can shrink an existing partition or volume to create unallocated disk space, from which you can create a new partition or volume. (Note that the terms partition and volume are often used interchangeably.)

1. Open Computer Management by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Security, clicking Administrative Tools, and then double-clicking Computer Management.‌  If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
2. In the left pane, under Storage, click Disk Management.
3. Right-click the volume you want to shrink, and then click Shrink Volume.
4. Follow the instructions.

Understand (and Get Rid of) the Mysterious Small Partition

If you install Windows 7 on a clean disk with no existing partitions, it creates a System Reserved partition at the beginning of the disk and uses the remainder of the unallocated space to create your system drive.That small partition isn’t assigned a drive letter, so you won’t even know it exists unless you look in the Disk Management console or use a low-level utility, such as Diskpart, to inspect the disk structure.

This “stub” of a partition, which is new in Windows 7, serves two functions. First, it holds the Boot Manager code and the Boot Configuration Database. Sec¬ond, it reserves space for the startup files required by the BitLocker Drive Encryption feature. If you ever decide to encrypt your system drive using BitLocker, you won’t have to repartition your system drive to make it possible.

If you’re confident you’ll never use BitLocker and prefer to do without the additional complexity of this System Reserved partition, your best bet is to make sure it’s never created. For a truly clean installation starting from an unformatted hard drive, you must use a different disk-management utility, such as the setup disk available from many hard-disk manufacturers or a startup disk from Windows Vista. Create a single primary partition using all unallocated space, and then point the installer to the newly created partition as the setup location. (Note that you cannot use the graphical disk-management tools available from the Windows 7 DVD to perform this task.) After you use the alternative tool to create a partition on the drive, you can point the Win¬dows 7 installer to that location and it will proceed.

If you’re comfortable with command-line disk management tools, you can use the Diskpart utility from the setup program to create the necessary partition. At the begin¬ning of setup, before you select the location where you want to install Windows:

1. Press Shift+F10 to open a Command Prompt window
2. Type diskpart to enter the Diskpart environment
3. Assuming you have a single clean hard disk, use select disk 0 and create partition primary to manually create a new partition
4. Proceed with the Windows 7 setup, using this new partition as the setup location

INTERNET EXPLORER 9 KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS

VIEWING AND EXPLORING WEB PAGES

To do this	Press this
Display Help	F1
Toggle between full-screen and regular views of the browser window	F11
Move forward through the items on a webpage, the Address bar, or the Favorites bar	TAB
Move back through the items on a webpage, the Address bar, or the Favorites bar	SHIFT+TAB
Start Caret Browsing	F7
Go to your home page	ALT+HOME
Go to the next page	ALT+RIGHT ARROW
Go to the previous page	ALT+LEFT ARROW or BACKSPACE
Display a shortcut menu for a link	SHIFT+F10
Move forward through frames and browser elements	CTRL+TAB or F6
Scroll toward the beginning of a document	UP ARROW
Scroll toward the end of a document	DOWN ARROW
Scroll toward the beginning of a document in larger increments	PAGE UP
Scroll toward the end of a document in larger increments	PAGE DOWN
Move to the beginning of a document	HOME
Move to the end of a document	END
Find on this page	CTRL+F
Refresh the current webpage	F5
Refresh the current webpage, even if the time stamp for the web version and your locally stored version are the same	CTRL+F5
Stop downloading a page	ESC
Open a new website or page	CTRL+O
Open a new window	CTRL+N
Open a new InPrivate Browsing window	CTRL+SHIFT+P
Duplicate tab (open current tab in a new tab)	CTRL+K
Reopen the last tab you closed	CTRL+SHIFT+T
Close the current window (if you only have one tab open)	CTRL+W
Save the current page	CTRL+S
Print the current page or active frame	CTRL+P
Activate a selected link	ENTER
Open Favorites	CTRL+I
Open History	CTRL+H
Open Feeds	CTRL+J
Open the Page menu	ALT+P
Open the Tools menu	ALT+T
Open the Help menu	ALT+H

WORKING WITH TABS

The following table describes shortcuts used when working with tabs.

To do this	Press this
Open links in a new tab in the background	CTRL+click
Open links in a new tab in the foreground	CTRL+SHIFT+click
Open a new tab in the foreground	CTRL+T
Switch between tabs	CTRL+TAB or CTRL+SHIFT+TAB
Close current tab (or the current window if tabbed browsing is disabled)	CTRL+W
Open a new tab in the foreground from the Address bar	ALT+ENTER
Switch to a specific tab number	CTRL+n (where n is a number between 1 and 8)
Switch to the last tab	CTRL+9
Close other tabs	CTRL+ALT+F4
Toggle Quick Tabs (thumbnail view) on or off	CTRL+Q

USING ZOOM:

To do this	Press this
Increase zoom (+ 10%)	CTRL+PLUS SIGN
Decrease zoom (- 10%)	CTRL+MINUS SIGN
Zoom to 100%	CTRL+0

USING SEARCH:

To do this	Press this
Go to the search box	CTRL+E
Open your search query in a new tab	ALT+ENTER
Open the search provider menu	CTRL+DOWN ARROW

USING PRINT PREVIEW:

To do this	Press this
Set printing options and print the page	ALT+P
Change paper, headers and footers, orientation, and margins for this page	ALT+U
Display the first page to be printed	ALT+HOME
Display the previous page to be printed	ALT+LEFT ARROW
Type the number of the page you want displayed	ALT+A
Display the next page to be printed	ALT+RIGHT ARROW
Display the last page to be printed	ALT+END
Specify how you want frames to print (this option is available only if you are printing a webpage that uses frames)	ALT+F
Close Print Preview	ALT+C

USING THE ADDRESS BAR:

To do this	Press this
Select the text in the Address bar	ALT+D
Display a list of addresses you've typed	F4
When in the Address bar, move the cursor left to the next logical break in the address (period or slash)	CTRL+LEFT ARROW
When in the Address bar, move the cursor right to the next logical break in the address (period or slash)	CTRL+RIGHT ARROW
Add "www." to the beginning and ".com" to the end of the text typed in the Address bar	CTRL+ENTER
Move forward through the list of AutoComplete matches	UP ARROW
Move back through the list of AutoComplete matches	DOWN ARROW

OPENING IE TOOLBAR MENU:

To do this	Press this
Open the Home menu	ALT+M
Open the Print menu	ALT+R
Open the RSS menu	ALT+J
Open the Tools menu	ALT+O
Open the Safety menu	ALT+S
Open the Help menu	ALT+L

WORKING WITH FEED, HISTORY AND FAVOURITES:

To do this	Press this
Add the current page to your favorites (or subscribe to the feed when in feed preview)	CTRL+D
Delete browsing history	CTRL+SHIFT+DEL
Open an InPrivate Browsing window	CTRL+SHIFT+P
Open the Organize Favorites dialog box	CTRL+B
Move selected item up in the Favorites list in the Organize Favorites dialog box	ALT+UP ARROW
Move selected item down in the Favorites list in the Organize Favorites dialog box	ALT+DOWN ARROW
Open Favorites Center and display your favorites	ALT+C
Open Favorites Center and display your history	CTRL+H
Open Favorites Center and display your feeds	CTRL+J
Open and dock the Favorites Center and display your feeds	CTRL+SHIFT+J
Open the Add to Favorites menu (or open Subscribe to feed when in feed preview)	ALT+Z
Open the Favorites menu from the menu bar	ALT+A
Display all feeds (when in feed view)	ALT+I
Mark a feed as read (when in feed view)	ALT+M
Put cursor in Search box in feed view	ALT+S

EDITING:

To do this	Press this
Remove the selected items and copy them to the Clipboard	CTRL+X
Copy the selected items to the Clipboard	CTRL+C
Insert the contents of the Clipboard at the selected location	CTRL+V
Select all items on the current webpage	CTRL+A
Open Internet Explorer Developer Tools	F12

USING INFORMATION BAR:

To do this	Press this
Move focus to the Information bar	ALT+N
Click the Information bar	SPACEBAR