Windows Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows Users
Here are basic windows keyboard shortcuts for windows users to make your windows experience a lot easier. They include the following: Let us start the list with the most common shortcuts that you will often use.
Windows Keyboard Shortcuts (General Shortcuts)
F1 [This will display the windows help and support menu]
F2 [ this will rename the selected item]
F3 [If you want to search for a file or folder]
F4 [To display the address bar list in File Explorer]
F5 [To refresh the active window you are on]
F6 [ To cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop of your computer]
F10 [To activate the Menu bar in the active item or app]
ALT + ENTER [This will display properties for the selected item]
ALT + SPACEBAR [ This will open the shortcut menu for the active window]
ALT + PAGE UP [To move up one screen]
ALT + PAGE DOWN [To move down one screen]
ALT + F4 [To close or exit the active item or app]
ALT + ESC [To cycle or move through items in the order in which they were opened]
ALT + underlined letter in menus and dialog box options [ This will help you perform the command for that letter underlined]
ALT + LEFT ARROW [To Go Back]
ALT + RIGHT ARROW [To Go Forward]
ALT + TAB [To switch between already open apps but does not work for desktop apps]
CTRL + F4 [To close the active document and in apps that allow you to have multiple documents open at the same time]
CTRL + R or F5 [To refresh the active/current window]
CTRL + D / DELETE [To delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin]
CTRL + A [To select all items in a window or document]
SHIFT + INSERT or CTRL + V [ To paste the selected item]
CTRL + X [To cut the selected item]
CTRL + INSERT or CTRL + C [To copy the selected item]
CTRL + Z [To undo an action]
CTRL + Y [To redo an action]
CTRL + + or CTRL + – [This will Zoom in or out of items, like apps pinned to the Start screen]
CTRL + mouse scroll wheel [To change the size of desktop icons or zoom in or out of a large number of items]
CTRL + DOWN ARROW [To move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph]
CTRL + UP ARROW [To move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph]
CTRL + LEFT ARROW [To move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word]
CTRL + RIGHT ARROW [To move the cursor to the beginning of the next word]
CTRL + ALT + TAB [To use the arrow keys to switch between all open windows and apps]
CTRL + ARROW + SPACEBAR [To select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop of your computer]
CTRL + SHIFT + ARROW [To select a block of text]
CTRL + ESC [To open the Start Menu]
CTRL + SHIFT + ESC [To open Task Manager]
CTRL + SHIFT [To switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are available]
CTRL + SPACEBAR [To turn the Chinese input method editor (IME) on or off]
SHIFT + F10 [This will display the shortcut menu for the selected item]
SHIFT + DELETE [This will delete the selected item without being moved to the Recycle Bin first]
SHIFT + ARROW [To select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document]
LEFT ARROW [To open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu]
RIGHT ARROW [To open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu]
ESC [To stop or leave the current activity or task]
Windows Keyboard Shortcuts (Windows Key Shortcuts)
These are keyboard shortcuts that involve the Windows logo key. Most of these keyboard shortcut keys were introduced in Windows 8’s Metro UI, and can be used in Windows 8 and above.
Win + F1 [To open Windows Help and support]
Win [To display or hide the Start Menu]
Win + B [To Set focus in the notification area]
Win + I [To open the Settings charm]
Win + K [To open the Devices charm]
Win + H [To open the Share charm]
Win + L [To lock your PC or switch Users]
Win + C [To open Charms]
Win + O [To lock device orientation]
Win + D [To display and hide the desktop]
Win + F [To open the Search charm and search for files]
Win + Q [To open the Search charm to search everywhere or within the open app (if the app supports app search)]
Win + V [To cycle through notifications]
Win + E [To open File Explorer]
Win + P [To choose a presentation display mode]
Win + S [To open the Search charm to search Windows and the web]
Win + M [To minimize all windows]
Win + R [To open the Run dialog box]
Win + X [To open the Quick Link menu]
Win + , [To temporarily peek at the desktop]
Win + T [To switch through apps on the taskbar]
Win + U [To open Ease of Access Center]
Win + SHIFT + V [To cycle through notifications in reverse order]
Win + SHIFT + M [To restore minimized windows on the desktop]
Win + W [To open the Search charm and search for settings]
Win + Z [To show the commands available in the app]
Win + PAUSE [To display the System Properties dialog box]
Win + CTRL + F [To search for PCs if you are on a network]
Win + (NUMBER 1-9) [To open the desktop and start the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number]
Win + SHIFT + (NUMBER 1-9) [To open the desktop and start a new instance of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number]
Win + CTRL + (NUMBER 1-9) [To open the desktop and switch to the last active window of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number]
Win + ALT + (NUMBER 1-9) [Open the desktop and open the Jump List for the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number]
Win + CTRL + SHIFT + (NUMBER 1-9) [Open the desktop and open a new instance of the app located at the given position on the taskbar as an administrator]
Win + TAB [Cycle through recently used apps (except desktop apps)]
Win + CTRL + TAB [Cycle through recently used apps but does not work on desktop apps)]
Win + SHIFT + TAB [To switch through recently used apps in reverse order but does not work on desktop apps]
Win + CTRL + B [To switch to the app that displayed a message in the notification area]
Win + UP ARROW [To maximize the window]
Win + DOWN ARROW [To remove current app from screen or minimize the desktop window]
Win + LEFT ARROW [To maximize the app or desktop window to the LEFT side of the screen]
Win + RIGHT ARROW [To maximize the app or desktop window to the RIGHT side of the screen]
Win + HOME [To minimize all but the active desktop window (restores all windows on second stroke)]
Win + SHIFT + UP ARROW [To stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen]
Win + SHIFT + DOWN ARROW [To restore or minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width]
Win + SHIFT + LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW [To move an app or window in the desktop from one monitor to another]
Win + SPACEBAR [To switch input language and keyboard layout]
Win + CTRL + SPACEBAR [To change to a previously selected input]
Win + ENTER [To open Narrator]
Win + SHIFT + . [To cycle through open apps]
Win + . [To cycle through open apps]
Win + / [To initiate IME reconversion]
Win + ALT + ENTER [To open WindowsMedia Center]
Win + +/- [To zoom in or out using Magnifier]
Win + ESC [To exit Magnifier]
Windows Keyboard Shortcuts (Dialog Box Shortcuts)
F1 [To display Help]
F4 [To display the items in the active list]
CTRL + TAB [To move forward through tabs]
CTRL + SHIFT + TAB [To move back through tabs]
CTRL + (NUMBER 1-9) [To move to nth tab]
TAB [To move forward through options]
SHIFT + TAB [To move back through options]
ALT + underlined letter in menus and dialog box options [To perform the command that goes with that letter]
SPACEBAR [To Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box]
BACKSPACE [To open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box]
ARROW keys [To select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons]
Windows Keyboard Shortcuts (File Explorer Shortcuts)
CTRL + W [To close the current window]
CTRL + mouse scroll wheel [To change the size and appearance of file and folder icons]
NUM LOCK + + [To display the contents of a selected folder]
CTRL + N [To open a new window]
ALT + P [To display the preview pane]
ALT + UP ARROW [To view the folder that the folder was in]
ALT + LEFT ARROW [To view the previous folder]
NUM LOCK + * [To display all subfolders under a selected folder]
NUM LOCK + – [To collapse a selected folder]
BACKSPACE [To view the previous folder]
CTRL + SHIFT + N [To create a new folder]
ALT + ENTER [To open the Properties dialog box for a selected item]
CTRL + F [To select the search box]
ALT + RIGHT ARROW [To view the next folder]
ALT + D [To select the address bar]
CTRL + E [To select the search box]
CTRL + SHIFT + E [To display all folders above a selected folder]
RIGHT ARROW [To display the current selection if it’s collapsed, or select the first subfolder]
LEFT ARROW [To collapse the current selection if it’s expanded or select the folder that the folder was in]
HOME [To display the top of the active window]
END [To display the bottom of the active window]
F11 [To maximize or minimize the active window]
Windows Keyboard Shortcuts (Taskbar Shortcuts)
SHIFT + Right-click a taskbar button [To show the window menu for the app]
CTRL + SHIFT + Click a taskbar button [To open an app as an administrator]
SHIFT + Click a taskbar button [To open an app or quickly open another instance of an app]
SHIFT + Right-click a grouped taskbar button [To show the window menu for the groUP]
CTRL + Click a grouped taskbar button [To cycle through the windows of the groUP]
Windows Keyboard Shortcuts (Ease of Access Shortcuts)
Press SHIFT five times [To turn Sticky Keys on or off]
LEFT ALT + LEFT SHIFT + PRINT SCREEN [To turn High Contrast on or off]
LEFT ALT + LEFT SHIFT + NUM LOCK [To turn Mouse Keys on or off]
Win + U [To open the Ease of Access Center]
Press NUM LOCK for five seconds [To turn Toggle Keys on or off]
Hold RIGHT SHIFT for eight seconds [To turn Filter Keys on and off]
Windows Keyboard Shortcuts (Magnifier Shortcuts)
Win + + [To zoom in]
Win + – [To zoom out]
CTRL + ALT + SPACEBAR [To preview the desktop in full-screen mode]
CTRL + ALT + D [To switch to docked mode]
CTRL + ALT + F [To switch to full-screen mode]
CTRL + ALT + I [To invert colors]
CTRL + ALT + L [To switch to lens mode]
CTRL + ALT + R [To resize the lens]
CTRL + ALT + ARROW keys [To pan in the direction of the ARROW keys]
Win + ESC [To Exit Magnifier]
Windows Keyboard Shortcuts (Narrator Shortcuts)
These are the keyboard shortcuts to help you use Narrator.
SPACEBAR or ENTER [To activate current item]
TAB + ARROW keys [To move around on the screen]
CTRL [To stop reading]
CAPS LOCK + D [To read and item]
CAPS LOCK + M [To start reading an item]
CAPS LOCK + H [To read document]
CAPS LOCK + V [To repeat phrase]
CAPS LOCK + W [To read window]
CAPS LOCK + PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN [To increase or decrease the volume of the voice]
CAPS LOCK + +/- [To increase or decrease the speed of the voice]
CAPS LOCK + SPACEBAR [To do default action]
CAPS LOCK + LEFT or RIGHT ARROW [To move to previous/next item]
CAPS LOCK + F2 [To show commands for current item]
Caps + ESC [To exit Narrator]
Windows Keyboard Shortcuts (Remote Desktop Connection Shortcuts)
ALT + PAGE UP [To move between apps, left to right]
ALT + PAGE DOWN [To move between apps, right to left]
ALT + INSERT [To cycle through apps in the order that they were started]
ALT + HOME [To display the Start screen]
CTRL + ALT + BREAK [To switch between a window and full screen]
CTRL + ALT + END [To display the Windows Security dialog box]
CTRL + ALT + HOME [In full-screen mode, activate the connection bar]
ALT + DELETE [To display the system menu]
CTRL + ALT + –[ To place a copy of the active window, within the client, on the Terminal server clipboard. It is similar to ALT + PRINT SCREEN on a local PC)]
CTRL + ALT + +[ To place a copy of the entire client window area on the Terminal server clipboard. It is similar to Print Screen on a local PC)]
CTRL + ALT + RIGHT ARROW [TAB out of the Remote Desktop controls to a control in the host app.
CTRL + ALT + LEFT ARROW [TABout of the Remote Desktop controls to a control in the host app.
Windows Keyboard Shortcuts (Help Viewer Shortcuts)
F3 [To move the cursor to the search box]
F10 [To display the Options menu]
HOME [To move to the beginning of a topic]
END [To move to the end of a topic]
ALT + LEFT ARROW [To move back to the previously viewed topic]
ALT + RIGHT ARROW [To move to the next (previously viewed) topic]
ALT + HOME [To display the Help and support home page]
ALT + A [To display the customer support page]
ALT + C [To display the table of Contents]
ALT + N [To display the Connection Settings menu]
CTRL + F [To search the current topic]
CTRL + P [To print a topic]
Onilne Resource: www.microsoft.com
Photo Credit: blog.stevemould.com
