Sometimes, reaching for your mouse to take simple actions on your PC or desktop is a huge bother. Other times, you don’t have a choice; your mouse and trackpad aren’t working, you need to find an alternative. Sometimes you just want to hear more clacking from your box jade switches on your mechanical keyboard.
That’s where keyboard shortcuts come in.
If you’re looking for keyboard shortcuts to make your windows keyboard experience a breeze, you’re in the right place. Below, we outline different shortcuts you might have never heard of to boost your productivity while using a Windows PC.
What is a Keyboard Shortcut?
Keyboard shortcuts are keys or combinations of keys on a keyboard that one uses to perform actions that you typically use a mouse for.
General Shortcuts
These are general keyboard shortcuts that you should find easy to use and remember:
- 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.
- Windows key + L: Lock your PC.
- Windows 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.
- Ctrl + A: Select all items.
- 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 + 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.
- 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 is open.
- Ctrl + arrow key + Spacebar: Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop.
- Ctrl + Shift with an arrow key: Select a text block.
- Ctrl + Esc: Open Start.
- Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open Task Manager.
- Ctrl + Shift: Switch the keyboard layout in the case of multiple keyboard layouts
- Ctrl + Spacebar: Turn the Chinese Input Method Editor (IME) on or off.
- Shift + F10: Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.
- Shift + 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.
- Right arrow: Open the next menu to the right or a submenu.
- Left arrow: Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu.
- Esc: Stop or leave the current task.
- PrtScn: Take a screenshot of the current screen and copy it to the clipboard.
Windows Navigation Shortcuts
The following shortcuts help you navigate through apps with ease:
- Alt + Tab: Switch between open apps.
- Alt + F4: Close the active item, or exit the active app.
Advanced Windows Shortcut Tricks
These cool shortcut tricks minimize long tasks to mere keystrokes:
- Rotate Screen: Ctrl + Alt + Up/Down/Left/Right Arrow
- Windows key + R, type CMD, hold ctrl + Shift, hit Enter: Run Command Prompt as Administrator
- Windows key + X, U, I / U / R / H / S: Shut Down
Dialog Box Shortcuts
These shortcuts are used when a dialog box is open:
- 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) 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 Shortcuts
Use the following shortcuts when you open File Explorer:
- Alt + D: Select the address bar.
- Ctrl + E: 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 + *: 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 contains the current folder.
- Alt + Left arrow: 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.
Taskbar Shortcuts
You can use these shortcuts to navigate the taskbar easily:
- 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.
Ease of Access Shortcuts
These shortcuts are to help you use your PC with a keyboard or assistive device:
- 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 key + U: Open the Ease of Access Center
- Windows key + Ctrl + C: Turn color filters on or off
- Windows key + Ctrl + N: Open Narrator settings
- Windows key + Ctrl + S: Turn on Windows Speech Recognition
- Windows key + Ctrl + O: Turn on the On-Screen Keyboard
Magnifier Shortcuts
These are very relevant shortcuts for people who would like to zoom in on the visuals on their PCs:
- Windows logo key + Plus sign (+): Turn Magnifier on
- Windows key + (+) or (-): Zoom in and out using magnifier
- Windows key + Esc: Exit magnifier
Narrator Shortcuts
You can choose what modifier key you want to use in Narrator commands. Both the Caps lock and Insert keys serve as your Narrator key by default.
- Windows key + Ctrl + Enter: Start or stop Narrator
- Narrator + Esc: Exit Narrator
- Narrator + F12: Read current time and date
- Narrator + Plus sign (+): Increase voice speed
- Narrator + Minus sign (-): Decrease voice speed
Snap Assist and Virtual Desktop Shortcuts
Using a virtual desktop? Try the following shortcuts:
- 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.
Remote Desktop Connections Shortcuts
If you set up your desktop remotely and you still need to access it, these shortcuts will come in handy:
- Alt+Home: Open the Start Menu or Start screen.
- Alt+Page Up: Display the Alt+Tab switcher where pressing Page Up while Alt is held down will switch programs from left to right.
- Alt+Page Down: Display the Alt+Tab switcher where pressing Page Down while Alt is held down will switch programs from right to left.
- Alt+Insert: Cycle through open apps in the most recently used order.
- Ctrl+Alt+End: Send Secure Attention Sequence to the host.
- Ctrl+Alt+Break: Toggle the RDP window between full-screen mode and window mode.
- Ctrl+Alt+Up/Down arrow: View session selection bar.
- Ctrl+Alt+Left/Right arrow: Switch between sessions.
- Ctrl+Alt+Home: Activate connection bar in full-screen mode.
- Ctrl+Alt+Insert: Scroll the session.
- Ctrl + Alt + Right arrow: ‘Tab’ out of the Remote Desktop controls to control the host app.
App Rearranging Shortcuts
These shortcuts can be used to rearrange apps on a Metro screen:
- Windows key + Period sign (.): Enter Rearrange mode and select apps or dividers across monitors
- Windows key + left arrow: Move app divider left
- Windows key + right arrow: Move app divider right
- Windows key + up arrow: Maximize app
- Windows key + down arrow: Close app
- Windows key + Esc: Exit Rearrange mode
The Windows Key
Use the famous Windows key to perform the following tasks:
- Windows key: Open or close Start.
- Windows key + A: Open the Action Center.
- Windows key + S: Open Cortana in text mode, then type in the search bar.
- Windows key + C: Open Cortana in listening mode
- Windows key + E: Open File Explorer.
- Windows key + F: Open the Windows 10 Feedback Hub.
- Windows key + Ctrl + F: Search for PCs on a network.
- Windows key + G: Open the Game bar.
- Windows key + H: Open the Share sidebar.
- Windows key + I: Open the Settings menu.
- Windows key + K: Open the Connect sidebar
- Windows key + L: Lock your computer.
- Windows key + O: Lock screen orientation.
- Windows key + P: Open presentation or projection sidebar.
- Windows key + Q: Open Quick Assist.
- Windows key + R: Open the Run window.
- Windows key + S: Open Search.
- Windows key + T: Cycle through apps on the taskbar.
- Windows key + U: Open Ease of Access center.
- Windows key + V: Open the clipboard.
- Windows key + W: Open the Windows Ink Workspace
- Windows key + X: Open the Quick Link menu.
- Windows key + Y: Switch input between Windows Mixed Reality and your desktop.
- Windows key + Z: Show the commands available in an app in full-screen mode.
- Windows 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 key + Ctrl + F: Search for PCs
- Windows key + Shift + C: Open the charms menu.
- Windows key + Shift + M: Restore minimized windows on the desktop.
- Windows key + Shift + S: Take a screenshot of part of your screen.
- Windows key + Shift + V: Cycle through notifications.
Command Prompt
Use these in the Windows 10 Command Prompt:
- Ctrl + C or Ctrl + Insert: Copy selected text to the clipboard.
- Ctrl + V or Shift + Insert: Paste copied text inside the Command Prompt.
- Ctrl + A: Select all text on the current line. (If the current line has no text, all text inside the Command Prompt will be selected.)
- Ctrl + Up or Down: Move screen one line up or down.
- Ctrl + F: Search Command Prompt via Find window.
- Ctrl + M: Enter Mark mode
- Shift + Up or Down: Move the cursor up or down one line and select text.
- Shift + Left or Right: Move cursor left or right one character and select text.
- Ctrl + Shift + Left or Right: Move cursor left or right one word and select text.
- Shift + Page Up or Page Down: Move cursor up or down one screen and select text.
- Shift + Home or End: Move the cursor to the beginning or the end of the current line and select text.
- Ctrl + Shift + Home/End: Move the cursor to begin or end of screen buffer and select text and beginning or end of Command Prompt’s output.
Wrapping Things Up
Do you want to increase your productivity or are you simply making do with a PC that does not have a mouse? Or maybe you’re itching to get the most out of your beautiful mechanical keyboard. Whichever is the case, keep these windows keyboard shortcuts in mind and you’ll be a shortcut wizard.
