Now here are two ways in which you can make any open window the active window, with just a click of
the mouse:
Click on any visible portion of the window that you want to make active.
Alternatively, click the toolbar button for the window you want to make active (very handy if
that window is completely covered by other windows on the desktop!).
Instantly, the window pops to the top of the stack, no longer obscured by other windows. You then can
use the keyboard to work within that window if you like.
You also can use the keyboard, if you want, to make any open window the active window. Just hold
down the Alt key, and press the Tab key. A small box containing an icon for each open window appears.
Without releasing the Alt key, press the Tab key repeatedly until the title of the window you want to
make active displays. Then release the Alt key.
Tip The buttons in the taskbar will get smaller and smaller as you open more windows.
If you cannot read a toolbar button’s label, just point to the button. The full label will
appear in a ToolTip.
The bottom line is this: If you do something at the keyboard, and nothing happens (or something
unexpected happens), there’s a good chance that you weren’t paying attention to which window was the
active window at the moment. You can easily make any open window the active window by clicking
anywhere on that window, or by clicking the window’s toolbar button.