Since the late 1980s, when the mouse became the main way people invoked actions from the applications they use, the art of the keyboard shortcut has slowly disappeared. I started using a PC in the time when a pointing device was an expensive option on laptops. So, I became pretty adept at using keyboard shortcuts. But it turns out the creators of our software still include them even though we are more likely to use a touchpad, mouse or touchscreen these days. What are some of the lesser known keyboard shortcuts you can use with Windows?

Mac: If you frequently access the same System Preferences pane on your Mac, you can add a shortcut directly to your Dock. Here’s how.

Mac: Here’s a silly shortcut that will come in handy some day. In some apps, ⌘-. does the same thing as the escape key. So if that key is broken, or your stupid Touch Bar is hiding your stupid virtual escape key, or your hands can’t reach the corner of your keyboard, or you just like the ergonomics better, then go for it.

Of course, you may not need all 60 of these, but knowing them will make you flexible, fast, and ready to work with whatever tool you're presented with, whether it's a Windows PC, a Mac, an Excel spreadsheet, or a Powerpoint slideshow. Plus, there are extras in here for Gmail and Chrome to boot.

Mac: Sometimes you want to Google (or Bing? up to you...) something, but opening up another browser tab feels like a touch too much effort. If you use macOS, try this handy keyboard command that makes search queries from Spotlight automatically open in your default browser’s search engine.

Doing stuff with your mouse is cool. Doing stuff with your keyboard is cooler. These are the most important keyboard shortcuts, ranked from best to worst. (Unless noted, we've listed the Windows shortcuts; Mac users substitute Cmd for Ctrl.) With one exception, despite any flaws, all the shortcuts below are fundamentally good.

We wrote about Vimium, the Chrome extension that adds customisable keyboard shortcuts, back in 2010 and 2012. But I think we buried the lede: If you install Vimium, you can open links without using your mouse, and without hitting the tab key over and over.

Even if you use Microsoft Excel regularly, there's a fair chance you might not be getting as much out of it as you can. Improve your Excel efficiency and proficiency with these basic shortcuts and functions that absolutely everyone needs to know.

Whether you're doing some Spanish homework or exchanging jokes with your French-speaking amoureux, nailing spelling in a foreign language is pretty important if you're trying to get your point across without looking like a dunce. Adding accents is easy now, thanks to improved keyboard controls on nearly every device. No matter what phone, laptop, or desktop you're on, you can add accented characters pretty easily, as long as you know where to look.

Looking up directions on Google Maps is a little clunky on the desktop. You have to select your starting location, your destination and your method of transport. But if you're on Chrome, you can build three shortcuts to get directions right from the address bar, without a single click.

Many of us spend a great deal of time on YouTube. Sure, there's a lot of educational content on the video sharing website but time is mainly wasted watching viral videos. You might as well make the most of it by learning some shortcuts that will save you time (so you can watch even more useless videos).

Mac: Spotlight is a great way to search for just about anything on your Mac, but it's usually a couple more clicks to get to the Get Info panel if you need it. OS X Daily points out you can get there quickly with a keyboard shortcut.

We're huge advocates of keyboard shortcuts here at Lifehacker. They only take a few minutes to learn and result in hours of regained productivity time over the long run. Here are 60 essential keyboard shortcuts every office worker should commit to memory.

There's a lot of stuff out there on the web, and you want to be able to get around all of it fast. You can of course make use of your mouse but there are always times when a keyboard combo is more efficient and more convenient. The ones we've listed here have all been tested with Google Chrome, but many will work with other browsers too.

Chrome: In the newest version of Chrome, Google changed the backspace key's behaviour so it no longer works as a keyboard shortcut to go back a page. Go Back with Backspace is a Google developed extension that brings that behaviour back.

Mac: Spotlight search is great, but some search terms come up with a ton of different document categories. OS X Daily points out that you can easy jump between those different categories with a keyboard shortcut.

Mac: The best part of working in the command line is the fact you never really need to touch your mouse, but navigating through the commands you've used can be a bit cumbersome. Over on How-To Geek, they point out a simple way to jump between prior commands using the mark feature.

If you've ever lost a form you're filling out because the Backspace key sends you to the previous page, get ready to be happy. In the newest Canary builds of Chrome, Google has added the ability to stop using the Backspace key as a Back browser button.

Custom macro keypads are great for shortcuts in video games, document editing, or anywhere else a good keyboard shortcut comes in handy. The problem is they tend to get expensive, especially when you look at higher-end models. Luckily, it's easy and cheap to build your own.