Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

Windows Keyboard Shortcuts


Keyboard shortcuts are combinations of two or more keys that perform a task that would typically require a mouse or other pointing device. Keyboard shortcuts can save you time and effort as you use Windows and other apps.

Ctrl+C (or Ctrl+Insert)  Copy the selected item

Ctrl+X  Cut the selected item

Ctrl+V (or Shift+Insert)  Paste the selected item

Ctrl+Z Undo an action

Alt+Tab  Switch between open apps

Alt+F4 Close the active item, or exit the active app

Windows logo key  +L   Lock your PC or switch accounts

Windows logo key  +D  Display and hide the desktop

Windows logo key  +A  Open Action center

Windows logo key  +S  Open search

Windows logo key  +C  Open Cortana in listening mode

Windows logo key  +Tab  Open Task view

Windows logo key  +Ctrl+D  Add a virtual desktop

Windows logo key  +Ctrl+Right arrow  Switch between virtual desktops

you’ve created on the right

Windows logo key  +Ctrl+Left arrow  Switch between virtual desktops

you’ve created on the left

Windows logo key  +Ctrl+F4 - Close the virtual desktop you’re using

F2           Rename the selected item

F3           Search for a file or folder in File Explorer

F4           Display the address bar list in File Explorer

F5           Refresh the active window

F6           Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop

F10         Activate the Menu bar in the active app

Alt+F4   Close the active item, or exit the active app

Alt+Esc Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened

Alt+underlined letter     Perform the command for that letter

Alt+Enter             Display properties for the selected item

Alt+Spacebar     Open the shortcut menu for the active window

Alt+Left arrow   Go back

Alt+Right arrow Go forward

Alt+Page Up       Move up one screen

Alt+Page Down Move down one screen

Alt+Tab Switch between open apps

Ctrl+F4  Close the active document

Ctrl+A   Select all items in a document or window

Ctrl+C (or Ctrl+Insert)    Copy the selected item

Ctrl+D (or Delete)            Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin

Ctrl+R (or F5)     Refresh the active window

Ctrl+V (or Shift+Insert)  Paste the selected item

Ctrl+X    Cut the selected item

Ctrl+Y    Redo an action

Ctrl+Z    Undo an action

Ctrl+Right arrow               Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word

Ctrl+Left arrow Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word

Ctrl+Down arrow             Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph

Ctrl+Up arrow   Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph

Ctrl+Alt+Tab       Use the arrow keys to switch between all open apps

Ctrl+arrow key (to move to an item)+Spacebar  Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop

Ctrl+Shift with an arrow key        Select a block of text

Ctrl+Esc                Open Start

Ctrl+Shift+Esc    Open Task Manager

Ctrl+Shift             Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are available

Ctrl+Spacebar    Turn the Chinese input method editor (IME) on or off

Shift+F10             Display the shortcut menu for the selected item

Shift with any arrow key               Select more than one item in a window or on
the desktop, or select text within a document

Shift+Delete      Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first

Right arrow         Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu

Left arrow           Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu

Esc          Stop or leave the current task

Windows logo key           Open or close Start

Windows logo key  +A   Open Action center

Windows logo key  +B    Set focus in the notification area

Windows logo key  +D   Display and hide the desktop

Windows logo key  +E    Open File Explorer

Windows logo key  +G   Open Game bar when a game is open

Windows logo key  +H   Open the Share charm

Windows logo key  +I     Open Settings

Windows logo key  +K    Open the Connect quick action

Windows logo key  +L    Lock your PC or switch accounts

Windows logo key  +M  Minimize all windows

Windows logo key  +O   Lock device orientation

Windows logo key  +P    Choose a presentation display mode

Windows logo key  +R    Open the Run dialog box

Windows logo key  +S    Open Search

Windows logo key  +T    Cycle through apps on the taskbar

Windows logo key  +U   Open Ease of Access Center

Windows logo key  +V   Cycle through notifications

Windows logo key  +Shift+V       Cycle through notifications in reverse order

Windows logo key  +X    Open the Quick Link menu

Windows logo key  +Z    Show the commands available in an app in full-screen mode

Windows logo key  +comma (,)  Temporarily peek at the desktop

Windows logo key  +Pause          Display the System Properties dialog box

Windows logo key  +Ctrl+F          Search for PCs (if you're on a network)

Windows logo key  +Shift+M      Restore minimized windows on the desktop

Windows logo key  +Tab               Open Task view

Windows logo key  +Ctrl+B          Switch to the app that displayed a message in the notification area

Windows logo key  +Up arrow   Maximize the window

Windows logo key  +Down arrow             Remove current app from screen or minimize the desktop window

Windows logo key  +Left arrow Maximize the app or desktop window to the left side of the screen
Windows logo key  +Right arrow               Maximize the app or desktop window to the right side of the screen

Windows logo key  +Home          Minimize all but the active desktop window (restores all windows on second stroke)

Windows logo key  +Shift+Up arrow       Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen

Windows logo key  +Shift+Down arrow Restore/minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width

Windows logo key  +Shift+Left arrow or Right arrow        Move an app or window in the desktop from one monitor to another

Windows logo key  +Spacebar    Switch input language and keyboard layout

Windows logo key  +Ctrl+Spacebar          Change to a previously selected input

Windows logo key  +Enter           Open Narrator

Windows logo key  +forward slash (/)     Initiate IME reconversion

Windows logo key  +plus (+) or minus (-)              Zoom in or out using Magnifier

Windows logo key  +Esc                Exit Magnifier

Ctrl+C (or Ctrl+Insert)    Copy the selected text

Ctrl+V (or Shift+Insert)  Paste the selected text

Ctrl+M  Enter Mark mode

Alt+selection key     Begin selection in block mode

Arrow keys         Move the cursor in the direction specified

Page up              Move the cursor by one page up

Page down         Move the cursor by one page down

Ctrl+Home (Mark mode)   Move the cursor to the beginning of the buffer

Ctrl+End (Mark mode)   Move the cursor to the end of the buffer

Ctrl+Up arrow   Move up one line in the output history

Ctrl+Down arrow             Move down one line in the output history

Ctrl+Home (History navigation) If the command line is empty, move the viewport to the top of the buffer. Otherwise, delete all the characters to the left of the cursor in the command line.

Ctrl+End (History navigation)      If the command line is empty, move the viewport to the command line. Otherwise, delete all the characters to the right of the cursor in the command line.

F4           Display the items in the active list

Ctrl+Tab               Move forward through tabs

Ctrl+Shift+Tab   Move back through tabs

Ctrl+number (number 1-9)          Move to nth tab

Tab         Move forward through options

Shift+Tab             Move back through options

Alt+underlined letter     Perform the command (or select the option) that goes with that letter

Spacebar             Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box

Backspace           Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box

Arrow keys         Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons

Alt+D     Select the address bar

Ctrl+E    Select the search box

Ctrl+F    Select the search box

Ctrl+N   Open a new window

Ctrl+W  Close the current window

Ctrl+mouse scroll wheel               Change the size and appearance of file and folder icons

Ctrl+Shift+E        Display all folders above the selected folder

Ctrl+Shift+N       Create a new folder

Num Lock+asterisk (*)   Display all subfolders under the selected folder

Num Lock+plus (+)          Display the contents of the selected folder

Num Lock+minus (-)       Collapse the selected folder

Alt+P     Display the preview pane

Alt+Enter             Open the Properties dialog box for the selected item

Alt+Right arrow View the next folder

Alt+Up arrow     View the folder that the folder was in

Alt+Left arrow   View the previous folder

Backspace           View the previous folder

Right arrow         Display the current selection (if it's collapsed), or select the first subfolder

Left arrow           Collapse the current selection (if it's expanded), or select the folder that the folder was in

End        Display the bottom of the active window

Home    Display the top of the active window

F11         Maximize or minimize the active window

Windows logo key  +Tab               Open Task view

Windows logo key  +Ctrl+D          Add a virtual desktop

Windows logo key  +Ctrl+Right arrow     Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the right

Windows logo key  +Ctrl+Left arrow        Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the left

Windows logo key  +Ctrl+F4        Close the virtual desktop you’re using

Shift+click a taskbar button         Open an app or quickly open another instance of an app

Ctrl+Shift+click a taskbar button                Open an app as an administrator

Shift+right-click a taskbar button              Show the window menu for the app

Shift+right-click a grouped taskbar button            Show the window menu for the group

Ctrl+click a grouped taskbar button         Cycle through the windows of the group

Right Shift for eight seconds       Turn Filter Keys on and off

Left Alt+left Shift+Print Screen  Turn High Contrast on or off

Left Alt+left Shift+Num Lock       Turn Mouse Keys on or off

Shift five times  Turn Sticky Keys on or off

Num Lock for five seconds           Turn Toggle Keys on or off

Windows logo key  +U   Open the Ease of Access Center

Windows logo key  +plus (+) or minus (-)              Zoom in or out

Ctrl+Alt+Spacebar           Preview the desktop in full-screen mode

Ctrl+Alt+D           Switch to docked mode

Ctrl+Alt+F            Switch to full-screen mode

Ctrl+Alt+I             Invert colors

Ctrl+Alt+L            Switch to lens mode

Ctrl+Alt+R           Resize the lens

Ctrl+Alt+arrow keys        Pan in the direction of the arrow keys

Windows logo key  +Esc                Exit Magnifier

Windows logo key  +Enter           Open Narrator

Spacebar or Enter            Activate current item

Tab and arrow keys         Move around on the screen

Ctrl         Stop reading

Caps Lock+D       Read item

Caps Lock+M     Start reading

Caps Lock+H       Read document

Caps Lock+V       Repeat phrase

Caps Lock+W     Read window

Caps Lock+Page Up or Page Down    Increase or decrease the volume of the voice

Caps Lock+plus (+) or minus (-)  Increase or decrease the speed of the voice

Caps Lock+Space Bar       Do default action

Caps Lock+Left or Right arrows  Move to previous/next item

Caps Lock+F2    Show commands for current item

Press Caps Lock twice in quick succession   Turn Caps Lock on or off


Caps+Esc  Exit Narrator

Find us on Facebook

Categories