The F keys, ( and the "Control Keys, explained below) sometimes are called "shortcuts",  and are programmed to do different things within each specific program.  The F1 key in one program may be a shortcut to "Save", but in another program, the F1 key may bring up a help menu.  Let's look at some examples.

The first menu above, from Notepad, shows it uses two F keys in the Edit menu.  F3 will bring up a search box to help you find specific words in your document.  F5 will automatically insert the time and date into your document.  The second menu, from Internet Explorer, also has two F keys,  F5 will refresh your page, F11 will give you a full screen view of your web page.  Notice that BOTH programs use the F5 key, but for different purposes.  Once you know a program's shortcut keys,  using them is quick and easy.  You'll know why they are called "shortcuts!"

There are other shortcut keys besides the F keys.  These are the Control Keys.  You can see the control keys in Notepad's edit menu above.  A control key is shown as "Ctrl + some letter."   Many Control Key shortcuts are common in all programs, so once you learn them in one program, you can apply that same shortcut to many others.  To activate the shortcut keys, you need to hold down the Control key while you type the letter associated with it.  The control key is on the far left and the far right of the bottom row of your keyboard.  It says "ctrl" on it.  Hold down either control key, then hit the letter.  This will cause its associated function to occur.  Here are the three most commonly used shortcuts:

• CUT  (Ctrl + X) -- You can cut text from word documents, files from folders, folders from folders or desktops.  This is one way to move folders and files.  You need to highlight whatever you want to cut first, then hold the control key down, hit X, and Poof!  It is cut out, but not gone!  It has been moved to the computer's "clipboard."  The clipboard is a mysterious section of your computer used to hold your cut or copied files.  They are just waiting to be PASTED into a new (or the same) place.  (See below.)

• COPY  (Ctrl + C) --You can copy pictures, text, files, even programs with this shortcut.  Highlight what you want to copy to select it, then hold down the control key and hit C.  Nothing appears to happen, but fear not!  Now you have two copies, one just where it was, and one on the clipboard.  Use the PASTE shortcut below to put the second copy  wherever you like.

• PASTE  (Ctrl + V) -- After you cut or copy something, you can use this shortcut to move it somewhere else, or put it back where you started.  Hold down the Control key, and hit V.  Voila! There it is!

Using shortcut keys becomes almost automatic after awhile.  You can usually find Cut/Copy/Paste in the Edit menus, and you can click on them there as well, but you will appreciate the ease of these shortcuts (and others) once you get the hang of it!