Little-Known Tech Tips Teachers Wish They Knew Sooner

 Teachers don’t need another app to log into or a fancy new tool to learn. Sometimes the biggest time-savers are already built into the tech you use every day. You just might not know about them.

Here are 10 little-known shortcuts and features that can save you hours (and maybe your sanity) in the classroom.

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1. Split Screen Shortcut

• Windows: Windows Key + Left/Right Arrow

• Mac: Hold the green “maximize” button → Tile to left or right.
  👉 Stop flipping tabs — grade in one window while your lesson plan is open in another.

  
  
  

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2. Voice Typing in Google Docs

• Tools → Voice Typing → talk and watch it transcribe.
  👉 Great for feedback, lesson ideas, or even sub notes when you’re tired of typing.

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3. Reopen a Closed Tab

• Shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + T (or Command + Shift + T on Mac).
  👉 Instantly brings back that tab you closed by accident.

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4. Quick Screenshot Tricks

• Windows: Windows + Shift + S

• Mac: Command + Shift + 4
  👉 Capture just the part of the screen you need for student examples, error messages, or lesson visuals.

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5. Search a Page Fast

Shortcut: Ctrl + F (or Command + F).

👉 Jump straight to a word in a long PDF or document. Perfect for standards, IEPs, or lesson resources.

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6. Pin Tabs in Chrome

Right-click a tab → Pin.
👉 Keeps gradebook, email, or Google Classroom locked in place so it never gets lost.

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7. Timer in Google Search

Type “5 minute timer” into Google.
👉 Classroom management without hunting for an app.

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Bonus Tracks:

8. Drag + Drop Between Tabs

• Highlight text or an image → drag it straight into another tab (like Google Slides or Docs).
  👉 No need to copy/paste back and forth.
  

9. Email Search Shortcuts (Gmail or Outlook)

• Example: has:attachment, older_than:6m, from:[name].
  👉 Find exactly what you need, no endless scrolling.
  

10. Undo Typing Everywhere

• Shortcut: Ctrl + Z (or Command + Z).
  👉 Works in Google Docs, Gmail, slides, even gradebook entries. Saving lives since forever.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need more tech — you just need to use the tools you already have in smarter ways. Try one of these tips this week and watch how much smoother your classroom runs.

👉 Want a one-page PDF with all these shortcuts? CLICK HERE