Useful Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

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Office Functions

  • Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Windows+W – open Word
  • Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Windows+P – open PowerPoint
  • Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Windows+O – open Outlook
  • Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Windows+L – open LinkedIn
  • Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Windows+X – open Excel

Utility Functions

  • Alt + Esc  –  Cycle through open windows.
  • Alt + F4  –  Close active window. (If no active window is present, a shutdown box appears.)
  • Alt + F8  –  Reveals typed password in Sign-in screen.
  • Alt + Left arrow key  –  Go back.
  • Alt + Page Down  –  Move down one screen.
  • Alt + Page Up  –  Move up one screen.
  • Alt + Right arrow key  –  Go forward.
  • Alt + Spacebar  –  Open context menu for the active window.
  • Alt + Tab  –  Switch between open apps while pressing Tab multiple times.
  • Alt + Underlined letter  –  Runs command for the underlined letter in apps.
  • Ctrl + Alt + Tab  –  View open apps.
  • Ctrl + Arrow keys  –  Change Start menu size.
  • Ctrl + Arrow keys (to select) + Spacebar  –  Select multiple items on desktop or File Explorer.
  • Ctrl + Click a grouped app button  –  Cycle through windows in the group from the Taskbar.
  • Ctrl + Down arrow key  –  Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph.
  • Ctrl + F5 (or) Ctrl + R  –  Refresh current window.
  • Ctrl + Left arrow key  –  Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word.
  • Ctrl + Right arrow key  –  Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word.
  • Ctrl + Shift  –  Switch keyboard layout.
  • Ctrl + Shift + Arrow key  –  Select block of text.
  • Ctrl + Shift + Click app button  –  Run app as administrator from the Taskbar.
  • Ctrl + Shift + Esc  –  Open Task Manager.
  • Ctrl + Spacebar  –  Enable or disable Chinese IME.
  • Ctrl + Up arrow key  –  Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph
  • Shift + Arrow keys  –  Select multiple items.
  • Shift + Click app button  –  Open another instance of an app from the Taskbar.
  • Shift + F10  –  Open context menu for selected item.
  • Shift + Right-click app button  –  Show window menu for the app from the Taskbar.
  • Shift + Right-click grouped app button  –  Show window menu for the group from the Taskbar.
  • Windows+Ctrl+V – Bring up volume mixer
  • Windows+Ctrl+Shift+B – Restart Graphics Subsystem (to fix black screen of useless)

Virtual Desktops

  • Windows Key  + Tab  –  Open Task view.
  • Windows Key  + Ctrl + D  –  Add a virtual desktop.
  • Windows Key  + Ctrl + Right arrow  –  Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the right.
  • Windows Key  + Ctrl + Left arrow  –  Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the left.
  • Windows Key  + Ctrl + F4  –  Close the virtual desktop you’re using.

Windows Key Shortcuts

  • Windows Key   –  Open Start menu.
  • Windows Key  + A  –  Open Action center.
  • Windows Key  + Alt + D  –  Open date and time in the Taskbar.
  • Windows Key  + Alt + Number (0-9)  –  Open Jump List of the app in number position in the Taskbar.
  • Windows Key  + B  –  Set focus notification area in the Taskbar.
  • ​​​​​​​Windows Key  + Comma (,)  –  Temporarily peek at the desktop.
  • Windows Key  + Ctrl + D  –  Create a virtual desktop.
  • Windows Key  + Ctrl + Enter  –  Open Narrator.
  • Windows Key  + Ctrl + F  –  Open search for the device on a domain network.
  • Windows Key  + Ctrl + F4  –  Close active virtual desktop.
  • Windows Key  + Ctrl + Left arrow  –  Switch to the virtual desktop on the left.
  • Windows Key  + Ctrl + Number (0-9)  –  Switch to the last active window of the app in the number position in the Taskbar.
  • Windows Key  + Ctrl + Q  –  Open Quick Assist.
  • Windows Key  + Ctrl + Right arrow  –  Switch to the virtual desktop on the right.
  • Windows Key  + Ctrl + Shift + B  –  Wake up the device when black or a blank screen.
  • Windows Key  + Ctrl + Shift + Number (0-9)  –  Open another instance as an administrator of the app in the number position in the Taskbar.
  • Windows Key  + Ctrl + Spacebar  –  Change previous selected input option.
  • Windows Key  + D  –  Display and hide the desktop.
  • Windows Key  + Down arrow key  –  Minimize app windows.
  • Windows Key  + E  –  Open File Explorer.
  • Windows Key  + Esc  –  Exit magnifier.
  • Windows Key  + F  –  Launch Feedback Hub app.
  • Windows Key  + Forward-slash (/)  –  Start IME reconversion.
  • Windows Key  + G  –  Launch Game bar app.
  • Windows Key  + H  –  Open dictation feature.
  • Windows Key  + Home  –  Minimize or maximize all but the active desktop window.
  • Windows Key  + I  –  Open Settings.
  • Windows Key  + J  –  Set focus on a tip for Windows 10 when applicable.
  • Windows Key  + K  –  Open Connect settings.
  • Windows Key  + L  –  Locks computer.
  • Windows Key  + Left arrow key  –  Snap app or window left.
  • Windows Key  + M  –  Minimize all windows.
  • Windows Key  + Minus (-)  –  Zoom out using the magnifier.
  • Windows Key  + Number (0-9)  –  Open the app in number position in the Taskbar.
  • Windows Key  + O  –  Lock device orientation.
  • Windows Key  + P  –  Open Project settings.
  • Windows Key  + Pause  –  Show System Properties dialog box.
  • Windows Key  + Period (.) or Semicolon (;)  –  Open emoji panel.
  • Windows Key  + Plus (+)  –  Zoom in using the magnifier.
  • Windows Key  + PrtScn  –  Capture a full screenshot in the “Screenshots” folder.
  • Windows Key  + R  –  Open Run command.
  • Windows Key  + Right arrow key  –  Snap app or window right.
  • Windows Key  + S (or Q)  –  Open Search.
  • Windows Key  + Shift + Down arrow key  –  Windows 11: Restore the window if it is snapped or maximized. Windows 10: Maximize or minimize active windows vertically while maintaining width.
  • Windows Key  + Shift + Left arrow key  –  Move active window to monitor on the left.
  • Windows Key  + Shift + M  –  Restore minimized windows on the desktop.
  • Windows Key  + Shift + Number (0-9)  –  Open another app instance in the number position in the Taskbar.
  • Windows Key  + Shift + Right arrow key  –  Move active window to monitor on the right.
  • Windows Key  + Shift + S  –  Create part of the screen screenshot.
  • Windows Key  + Shift + Up arrow key  –  Stretch desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen.
  • Windows Key  + Shift + V  –  Cycle through notifications.
  • Windows Key  + Spacebar  –  Change keyboard layout and input language.
  • Windows Key  + T  –  Cycle through apps in the Taskbar.
  • Windows Key  + Tab  –  Open Task View.
  • Windows Key  + U  –  Open Ease of Access settings.
  • Windows Key  + Up arrow key  –  Maximize app windows.
  • Windows Key  + V  –  Open Clipboard bin.
  • Windows Key  + W  –  Open the Windows Ink Workspace.
  • Windows Key  + X  –  Open Quick Link menu.
  • Windows Key  + Y  –  Change input between desktop and Mixed Reality.
  • Windows Key  + Z  –  Switch input between the desktop experience and Windows Mixed

File Explorer

  • Alt + D  –  Select address bar.
  • Alt + Enter  –  Open Properties settings for the selected item.
  • Alt + Left arrow key (or Backspace)  –  View previous folder.
  • Alt + P  –  Display preview panel.
  • Alt + Right arrow key  –  View next folder.
  • Alt + Up arrow  –  Move up a level in the folder path.
  • Ctrl + E (or F)  –  Select search box.
  • Ctrl + F (or F3)  –  Start search.
  • Ctrl + L  –  Focus on the address bar.
  • Ctrl + Mouse scroll wheel  –  Change view file and folder.
  • Ctrl + N  –  Open new window.
  • Ctrl + Shift + E  –  Expands all folders from the tree in the navigation pane.
  • Ctrl + Shift + N  –  Creates a new folder on desktop or File Explorer.
  • Ctrl + Shift + Number (1-8)  –  Changes folder view.
  • Ctrl + W  –  Close active window.
  • End  –  Scroll to the bottom of the window.
  • F11  –  Switch active window full-screen mode.
  • F2  –  Rename selected item.
  • F4  –  Switch focus to address bar.
  • F5  –  Refresh File Explorer’s current view.
  • F6  –  Cycle through elements on the screen.
  • Home  –  Scroll to the top of the window.
  • Windows key  + E  –  Open File Explorer.

Windows Settings

  • Alt + underline letter  –  Actions the setting identified by the letter.
  • Arrow keys  –  Select a button of the active setting.
  • Backspace  –  Opens the folder one-level app in the Open or Save As dialog.
  • Ctrl + number of tab  –  Jumps to tab position.
  • Ctrl + Shift + Tab  –  Cycles back through the tabs.
  • Ctrl + Tab  –  Cycles forward through the tabs.
  • Shift + Tab  –  Moves back through the settings.
  • Spacebar  –  Checks or clears the option in focus.
  • Tab  –  Moves forward through the settings.

Command Prompt

  • Ctrl + A  –  Select all content of the current line.
  • Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert)  –  Copy selected items to clipboard.
  • Ctrl + Down arrow key  –  Move screen down one line.
  • Ctrl + End  –  Scroll to the bottom of the console.
  • Ctrl + F  –  Open search for Command Prompt.
  • Ctrl + Home  –  Scroll to the top of the console.
  • Ctrl + M  –  Starts mark mode.
  • Ctrl + Up arrow key  –  Move the screen up one line.
  • Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert)  –  Paste content from clipboard.
  • Left or right arrow keys  –  Move the cursor left or right in the current line.
  • Page Down  –  Move cursor one page down.
  • Page Up  –  Move cursor one page up.
  • Up or down arrow keys  –  Cycle through the command history of the current session.

Text Editing

  • Backspace  –  Delete characters to the left
  • Ctrl + =  –  Make selected text subscript
  • Ctrl + A  –  Select all text
  • Ctrl + B  –  Make selected text bold
  • Ctrl + Backspace  –  Delete words to the left
  • Ctrl + C  –  Copy text
  • Ctrl + Del  –  Delete words to the right
  • Ctrl + Down Arrow  –  Go to end of line break
  • Ctrl + End  –  Go to the end of the document
  • Ctrl + F  –  Find text
  • Ctrl + H  –  Find and replace text
  • Ctrl + Home  –  Go to the beginning of the document
  • Ctrl + I  –  Make selected text italic
  • Ctrl + Left Arrow  –  Go to beginning of previous word
  • Ctrl + Right Arrow  –  Go to beginning of next word
  • Ctrl + Shift + =  –  Make selected text superscript
  • Ctrl + U  –  Underline selected text
  • Ctrl + Up Arrow  –  Go to beginning of line break
  • Ctrl + V  –  Paste text
  • Ctrl + X  –  Cut text
  • Ctrl + Y  –  Redo text
  • Ctrl + Z  –  Undo text
  • Delete  –  Delete characters to the right
  • Down Arrow  –  Go down one row
  • End  –  Go to the end of the current line
  • Home  –  Go to the beginning of the current line
  • Left Arrow  –  Go to the left or to the end of previous line break
  • Page Down  –  Move down one frame
  • Page Up  –  Move up one frame
  • Right Arrow  –  Go to the right or to the beginning of next line break
  • Shift + Ctrl + Down  –  Select paragraphs to the right
  • Shift + Ctrl + End  –  Select text between the cursor and the end of the document
  • Shift + Ctrl + Home  –  Select text between the cursor and the beginning of the document
  • Shift + Ctrl + Left  –  Select words to the left
  • Shift + Ctrl + Right  –  Select words to the right
  • Shift + Ctrl + Up  –  Select paragraphs to the left
  • Shift + Down Arrow  –  Select lines downwards
  • Shift + End  –  Select text between the cursor and the end of the current line
  • Shift + Home  –  Select text between the cursor and the beginning of the current line
  • Shift + Left Arrow  –  Select characters to the left
  • Shift + Page Down  –  Select one frame at a time of text below the cursor
  • Shift + Page Up  –  Select one frame at a time of text above the cursor
  • Shift + Right Arrow  –  Select characters to the right
  • Shift + Tab  –  Outdent
  • Shift + Up Arrow  –  Select lines upwards
  • Tab  –  Indent
  • Up Arrow  –  Go up one row

Taskbar

  • Ctrl + Shift + click a taskbar button  –  Open an app as an administrator.
  • Ctrl + click a grouped taskbar button  –  Cycle through the windows of the group
  • Shift + click a taskbar button  –  Open an app or quickly open another instance of an app.
  • Shift + right-click a grouped taskbar button  –  Show the window menu for the group.
  • Shift + right-click a taskbar button  –  Show the window menu for the app.

Dialog Boxes

  • Alt + underlined letter  –  Perform the command (or select the option) that is used with that letter.
  • Arrow keys  –  Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons.
  • Backspace  –  Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box.
  • Ctrl + 1, 2, 3,…  –  Move to that tab number.
  • Ctrl + Shift + Tab  –  Move back through tabs.
  • Ctrl + Tab  –  Move forward through tabs.
  • F4  –  Display the items in the active list.
  • Shift + Tab  –  Move back through options.
  • Spacebar  –  Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box.
  • Tab  –  Move forward through options.

General Usage

  • Alt + A  –   Set focus to the first icon in the Suggested actions menu.
  • Alt + Shift + arrow keys  –  When a group or tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it in the direction specified.
  • Ctrl + A  –  Select all items in a document or window.
  • Ctrl + arrow keys  –  Resize the Start menu when it’s open.
  • 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 + E  –  Open Search (in most apps).
  • Ctrl + Esc  –  Open Start.
  • Ctrl + F4  –  Close the active document (in apps that are full-screen and let you have multiple documents open at the same time).
  • Ctrl + Shift + arrow keys  –  When a tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it into another tile to create a folder.
  • Ctrl + Shift + V  –  Paste as plain text
  • Ctrl + Shift with an arrow key  –  Select a block of text.
  • Ctrl + Shift  –  Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are available.
  • Ctrl + Up arrow  –  Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph.
  • 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.
  • Esc  –  Stop or leave the current task.
  • 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.
  • Left arrow  –  Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu.
  • Right arrow  –  Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu.
  • Shift + Delete  –  Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first.
  • Shift with any arrow key  –  Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document.
  • PrtScn  –  Take a screenshot of your whole screen and copy it to the clipboard.

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