If you haven’t gone through the Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts list yet, you may be wondering if it’s possible to open all the windows which are grouped under a single icon in the Taskbar. Luckily, there is a keyboard shortcut available for this so that you don’t have to open each window in the group one at a time.
Restore all windows in a group
To restore all windows in a group, press the SHIFT key down, right-click on the group icon in the Taskbar. You’ll see a menu with the following options.
- Cascade
- Show windows stacked
- Show windows side by side
- Restore all windows
- Minimize all windows
- Close all windows
Click Restore all windows.
Open windows one at a time
To open each window at a time, hold the CTRL key and click on the group icon. This cycles through the windows in that group.
Check out the Windows 7 Keyboard shortcuts list and make the most use of it. Additionally, you’d like to read about the Hidden context menu items in Windows 7.
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MaxMonkey has a “restore all” function. You just right click on the “monkey” icon and it’s right there. I’m trying to find a way to add this as a hotkey. Windows-Sihft-M doesn’t quite work. :(
@ Stephen:
I have the exact same issue. I often want to show the desktop so i can get to a folder (to copy or drag something from it), then I press Win+D to restore everything i had open, and nothing. I have to manually go back and click everything in the task bar (especially annoying if there are grouped windows), or use alt+tab+click (also annoying as it reorders everything as you select, and every thumbnail looks the same in there).
I too am a Mac user, so I guess I’m a bit spoiled by the AWESOME Expose feature. Windows has nothing that comes even close. Sigh…sorry about the rant. Windows 7 finally pissed me off this morning. Maybe I’ll go find a suggestions form at Microsoft. right….
I haven’t been able to find a way. Mac has this handy feature.
My issue is, once I Win + D, to access the desktop, do some work, Win + D doesn’t work. I can not restore all open windows.
Argh!!!!
Is there a way to Restore All minimized windows? For example, I click Show Desktop so I can get to an icon and I open a program. Now if I click on Show Desktop, I simply toggle between the Desktop and that new program. All I really want to do is get back all the windows I had open before the first Show Desktop. The MS guys are probably all shouting “use the Start Menu to start your new program.” I don’t know about most users, but I can’t stand the Start Menu. It takes a lot of searching and mousing, and the exploded subcategories are always going away before I can click on my selection.