In Windows 7, you can utilize screen savers to create a Boss Key — a central combination that you can press to make the PC immediately switch over to running the screen saver so your boss doesn't see what you're really upward to. Cheers to the improvements that Microsoft made to the Search function in Windows 7, setting up the Boss Central is quite simple now.

Even though the Boss Key triggers a screen saver, it is actually carve up from the master screen saver settings. The screen saver settings yous fix up to run on your computer when information technology's idle are completely unaffected past the Boss Key. The screen saver is merely a handy program that doesn't look the least bit suspicious if your boss glances at your PC's monitor.

  1. Choose Kickoff→Computer. In the Search box, in the upper-correct corner, type *.scr and press Enter.

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    Windows responds with a list of all .scr files — all the screen savers — on your computer.

  2. Right-click the screen saver y'all want to utilize for the Boss Fundamental and choose Ship To→Desktop (Create Shortcut).

    Well-nigh filenames are patently associated with specific screen savers, simply a couple of them are tricky. A shortcut to the corresponding .scr file appears on your desktop.

    Not sure which file to use? This tabular array gives you a breakdown of the screen savers that ship with Windows vii.

    Screen Saver File
    3D Text ssText3d.scr
    Aurora Aurora.scr
    Blank scrnsave.scr
    Bubbling Bubbling.scr
    Mystify ssmyst.scr
    Photos PhotoScreensaver.scr
    Ribbons Ribbons.scr
    Windows Energy ssBranded.scr
    Windows Logo logon.scr

  3. On the desktop, correct-click the new shortcut and choose Properties.

    The Shortcut Backdrop dialog box appears.

  4. Click one time in the Shortcut Key field, and and so printing the fundamental combination you want to employ to activate the Boss Key.

    You lot tin use any central combination, such as Alt+F10.

    If you lot want to customize your Boss Key screen saver, right-click the shortcut and cull Configure. You can change all the screen saver'south settings.

  5. Click the OK button and your Boss Central is complete.

    Test it — press the key combination you chose. The congenital-in screen saver springs to life.

Test the Boss Key before y'all actually need to use information technology, okay? You lot might observe that your chosen key combination doesn't piece of work (this means that another program has already claimed that combination). If it doesn't piece of work, assign a unlike primal combination.

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Well-nigh the book author:

Woody Leonhard describes himself as a "Windows victim." Since 1992, he's been sharing the solutions to his own tech problems with millions of readers. In addition to writing several books in the For Dummies serial, Woody is a Contributing Editor for Windows Secrets newsletter. He likewise runs his own blog at AskWoody.com.

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