Important Useful Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows OS
Copy, paste, and other general keyboard
shortcuts
Press
this key
|
To
do this
|
Ctrl + X
|
Cut the selected item
|
Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert)
|
Copy 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
|
Windows logo key + D
|
Display and hide the desktop
|
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 + F8
|
Show your password on the sign-in
screen
|
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
|
Ctrl + F4
|
Close the active document (in apps
that are full-screen and let you have multiple documents open at the same
time)
|
Ctrl + A
|
Select all items in a document or
window
|
Ctrl + D (or Delete)
|
Delete the selected item and move
it to the Recycle Bin
|
Ctrl + R (or F5)
|
Refresh the active window
|
Ctrl + Y
|
Redo 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
|
Alt + Shift + arrow keys
|
When a group or tile is in focus
on the Start menu, move it in the direction specified
|
Ctrl + Shift + arrow keys
|
When a tile is in focus on the
Start menu, move it into another tile to create a folder
|
Ctrl + arrow keys
|
Resize the Start menu when it's
open
|
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 in 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 keyboard shortcuts
Press
this key
|
To
do this
|
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 +
C
|
Open Cortana in listening mode
Notes
·
This
shortcut is turned off by default. To turn it on, select Start > Settings > Cortana,
and turn on the toggle under Let Cortana listen for my commands when
I press the Windows logo key + C.
·
Cortana
is available only in certain countries/regions, and some Cortana features
might not be available everywhere. If Cortana isn't available or is turned
off, you can still use search.
|
Windows logo key +
Shift + C
|
Open the charms menu
|
Windows logo key +
D
|
Display and hide the desktop
|
Windows logo key +
Alt + D
|
Display and hide the date and time
on the desktop
|
Windows logo key +
E
|
Open File Explorer
|
Windows logo key +
F
|
Open Feedback Hub and take a
screenshot
|
Windows logo key +
G
|
Open Game bar when a game is open
|
Windows logo key +
H
|
Start dictation
|
Windows logo key + I
|
Open Settings
|
Windows logo key + J
|
Set focus to a Windows tip
when one is available.
When a Windows tip appears, bring focus to the Tip. Pressing the keyboard shortcuts again to bring focus to the element on the screen to which the Windows tip is anchored. |
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 + Y
|
Switch input between Windows Mixed
Reality and your desktop
|
Windows logo key +
Z
|
Show the commands available in an
app in full-screen mode
|
Windows logo key +
period (.) or semicolon (;)
|
Open emoji panel
|
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 +
number
|
Open the desktop and start the app
pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number. If the app is
already running, switch to that app.
|
Windows logo key +
Shift + number
|
Open the desktop and start a new
instance of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the
number
|
Windows logo key +
Ctrl + number
|
Open the desktop and switch to the
last active window of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated
by the number
|
Windows logo key +
Alt + number
|
Open the desktop and open the Jump
List for the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the
number
|
Windows logo key +
Ctrl + Shift + number
|
Open the desktop and open a new
instance of the app located at the given position on the taskbar as an
administrator
|
Windows logo key +
Tab
|
Open Task view
|
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 except 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 +
Ctrl + Enter
|
Open Narrator
|
Windows logo key + Plus
(+)
|
Open Magnifier
|
Windows logo key +
forward slash (/)
|
Begin IME reconversion
|
Windows logo key + Ctrl
+ V
|
Open shoulder taps
|
Command Prompt keyboard shortcuts
Press
this key
|
To
do this
|
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.
|
Dialog box keyboard shortcuts
Press
this key
|
To
do this
|
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 is used 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
|
File Explorer keyboard shortcuts
Press
this key
|
To
do this
|
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 active 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 panel
|
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
|
Virtual desktops keyboard shortcuts
Press
this key
|
To
do this
|
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
|
Taskbar keyboard shortcuts
Press
this key
|
To
do this
|
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
|
Settings keyboard shortcuts
Press
this key
|
To
do this
|
Windows logo key + I
|
Open settings
|
Backspace
|
Go back to the settings home page
|
Type on any page with search box
|
Search settings
|
Source: https://support.microsoft.com
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