ctrl-shift-esc

Ctrl+Shift+Esc is an alternative key command to Ctrl+Alt+Del, for systems with Windows Vista or higher/newer installed. It may also be available in older versions of Windows, depending on system configurations (i.e. multiple user accounts are registered to the system/computer). Pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del will typically bring up the Windows Security screen. From there the Task Manager is accessible, among other options (log off, change password, shut down, etc.). In contrast, pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc will launch the Task Manager directly, skipping the step of navigating the Windows Security screen. Both are equally effective. It is up to the individual user to determine which is most convenient.

In campus library:

Student: "WTF! My laptop froze AGAIN!! I'm never gonna get this assignment done..." -reaches to hold power button down-

Student's friend: "Whoa, wait a sec! Try hitting control, shift, escape. It might be not be Office that's crashing. Save yourself some hassle."

Person across table: -looks over at the two, confused- "Don't you mean control, alt, delete?"

Student's friend: "Same idea, but this is a little quicker."

Person across table: "Oh. I hadn't heard of that. Never mind, then." -shrugs and returns to reading-

Student's friend: -presses ctrl-shift-esc, then navigates Task Manager to look for unresponsive program(s) to close- "See, it was the media player you had going. You would've lost a whole page if you just shut it off like that."

Student: "That's awesome! Thank you!"

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