Windows Livewriter essential features you should know

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Windows Live Writer is a blog publishing tool which is very helpful in publishing blog content directly from your desktop. For writing the post you need not to be online and you can add rich media very easily as compared to your Wordpress or Blogger dashboard.

To know more about Windows Live Writer you may read:

7 Reasons Why You should use Windows Live Writer

There are few things which you should keep in mind while using Livewriter to boost your blogging experience:

1) Windows Livewriter shortcuts: You should know about WLW shortcuts to save your precious time

New Post Ctrl + N

Open Ctrl + O

Save Drafts Locally Ctrl + S

Print Ctrl + P

Toggle theme usage CTRL+F11

Paste Special CTRL+Shift+V

Insert Hyperlink CTRL+K

Insert Picture CTRL+L

New Page CTRL+G

Hide/Post Properties F2

Redo an Undo CTRL+Y

Insert Image Ctrl + L

Check Spelling F7

Normal View Ctrl + F11

Web Layout View F11

Web Preview F12

HTML Code Shift + F11

Publish Post CTRL+Shift+P

Edit/Set Categories CTRL+Shift+C

Toggle WLW Sidebar Options F9

2) Post draft to blog: When you click on the save draft option given on the top of the Livewriter window, it automatically save your article on draft. But you cannot access it from another computer. You need to Post draft to blog to view it from any other computer. Go to Save Draft> Post draft to blog. To view your post go to your blogging platform dashboard> Edit post option.

3) Use Auto Linking: Auto linking automatically add link to any word which you use frequently in your blog post. For example if I use shoutmeloud in my post then it automatically link it to www.shoutmeloud.com. Auto linking save your precious time because you need not type URL again and again to link any word which occur frequently.

To use Auto linking go to Tools> Option> Auto Linking

4) Use Paste Special: It is different from Paste (Ctrl+V) in which all the font styles and hyperlinks appear same as in source. When you use paste special (ctrl+shft+K) you will have an three options:

(i) Removes all formatting except for line breaks. Preserves links and pictures. Use to copy content only.Thinned HTML.

(ii) Removes extra formatting, such as MS Office specific formatting, CSS styles, and tables. Preserves relative heading sizes, basic formatting, and aligns with your blog theme.

(iii) Keep Formatting Maintains all the formatting, including those which may not display correctly in your blog. For security reasons, scripts are stripped out.

You can use any of the three given option to paste any content.

5) Spelling check: You need to turn on spelling checker. If you will write any word with wrong spelling then Livewriter automatically mark it with red underline.

Go to Tools> Options> Spelling

Under Dictionary language choose your Language.

Tagged as: autolinking, blog tool, livewriter, livewriter shortcuts, paste special, spelling check, windows live writer

{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

1 djashish July 24, 2009 at 16:24: Mind blowing,i knew very less about Windows Live writer and never tried to explore it but after this it’s gona save a lot of time. Thanx himanshu.
.-= djashish ´s last blog ..How To Sell Your Brand:Sports Celebrity Endorsement best practice to sell your product. =-.

2 Har-money July 24, 2009 at 17:05: I love windows live writer it makes blogging very eazy. Thanx microsoft.
.-= Har-money ´s last blog ..Ultimate Easy Money Making Blogging Guide 1 =-.

3 Mohan July 24, 2009 at 19:09: I still not tried this WLW, i think i have to try now

4 Nihar August 3, 2009 at 16:51: Thanks for the shortcuts list.
.-= Nihar ´s last blog ..Download Nero 9 Free =-.

5 Amandeep Singh December 17, 2009 at 16:03: Thanks for the post Himanshu,

Till now I knew that there are such desktop blogging tools but did not know that there is so much ease in using them. It would save so much of my time. Thanks a lot again… I am surely gonna give it a try…