Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows

Using a Windows operating system can be made easier with the use of keyboard shortcuts. This article lists the most shortcuts used for different Windows applications, including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Windows System

Windows Key will open the Start menu.

Windows Key+Break will display the System Properties dialog box.

Windows Key+D will minimize all windows to display the Desktop.

Windows Key+E will open Internet Explorer.

Windows Key+F will open the Search option for files and folders.

Windows Key+F+CTRL will open the Search option for the entire computer.

Windows Key+F1 will display the Help/Assistance option.

Windows Key+L will lock your Desktop.

Windows Key+M will minimize or restore all windows.

Windows Key+R will open the RUN option.

Windows Key+TAB will switch between open items.

Windows Key+U will open the Utility Manager.

ALT+ ENTER will display the properties of a selected object.

ALT+ ESC will shuffle through selected items in the order that they were opened.

ALT+ F4 will close all of the windows that are open.

ALT+ SPACEBAR will display the System menu.

ALT+TAB will switch from one open program to another on your task bar.

F1 is used to request help/assistance.

SHIFT If you press and hold down the SHIFT key while inserting a CD-ROM, it will skip the automatic run feature.

SHIFT+DELETE will delete a file permanently.

CTRL+ESC will open the Start menu.

In a General Folder and Text Programs

Ctrl + A will select all items.

Ctrl + B will organize your Favorites in Internet Explorer.

Ctrl + C will copy the selected item.

Ctrl + F will open the Search option.

Ctrl + H will allow you to replace designated text.

Ctrl + N will create a new folder.

Ctrl + O will open a new document.

Ctrl + P will print the selected document.

Ctrl + S will save the current document.

Ctrl + V will copy the selected item.

Ctrl + W will close the current window.

Ctrl + X will cut the selected item.

Ctrl + Y will repeat the last action that has been cancelled.

Ctrl + Z will undo the last action.

In a General Folder

F10 will open Menu Bar options.

CTRL+F4 will list the address menu paths.

SHIFT+F10 will open the right-click shortcut menu.

ALT+DOWN ARROW will open a drop-down list box.

ALT+SPACE will show the window’s System menu.

For a Selected Item in a Folder

F2 is used to rename a selected item.

F3 will open the Search option.

F5 will refresh the current folder.

F6 will move along the panes in Windows Explorer.

CTRL+ X will cut an item.

CTRL+ C will copy an item.

CTRL+ V will paste an item.

SHIFT+DELETE will delete the selected item permanently.

ALT+ENTER will open the properties option for the selected item.

CTRL+ G will open the Go To Folder tool (in Windows 95 Windows Explorer only).

CTRL+ A will select all the items in the current window.

BACKSPACE will switch to the parent folder.

For Microsoft Word

CTRL+ N will promptly open a Word document.

CTRL+ O will open a previously saved Word document.

CTRL+ W will close the current window without exiting Word.

CTRL+ S will save the current document.

CTRL+ P will promptly print the current document.

CTRL+ Z will undo the last action.

CTRL+ Y will restore an undone action.

CTRL+ X will cut the selected text.

CTRL+ C will copy the selected text.

CTRL+ V will paste the selected text.

CTRL+ A will select the whole document.

CTRL+ F will search for specific text in the current document.

CTRL+ B will bold the selected text.

CTRL+ I will put in italics the selected text.

CTRL+ U will underline the selected text.

For Microsoft Excel

CTRL+ N will promptly open an Excel document.

CTRL+ O will open a previously saved Excel document.

CTRL+ W will close the current window without exiting Excel.

CTRL+ S will save the current document.

CTRL+ P will promptly print the current document.

CTRL+ Z will undo the last action.

CTRL+ Y will restore an undone action.

CTRL+ X will cut the selected text.

CTRL+ C will copy the selected text.

CTRL+ V will paste the selected text.

CTRL+ A will select the whole document.

CTRL+ F will search for specific text in the current document.

CTRL+ B will bold the selected text.

CTRL+ I will put in italics the selected text.

CTRL+ U will underline the selected text.

F1 will prompt the Help option.

F2 will edit the document.

F3 will paste the name.

F4 will repeat the last action.

F5 will open the Go To option.

F6 will switch to the next pane.

F7 will launch the Spell Check option.

F8 will enable Extend Mode.

F9 will recalculate all workbooks.

F10 will activate the menu bar.

F11 will open a new chart.

F12 will save the document.

For Microsoft PowerPoint

F4 will repeat the last action.

F5 will start a slide show.

F6 will switch to the next pane in a clockwise direction.

CTRL+ EQUAL SIGN will apply a subscript formatting.

CTRL+ ADDITION SIGN will apply a superscript formatting.

CTRL+ BACKSPACE will delete a word.

CTRL+ F will find a word/words in the text.

CTRL+ K will insert a hyperlink.

CTRL+ M will insert a slide.

CTRL+ I will set the text into italics.

CTRL+ D will copy the current slide.

CTRL+ O will open a previously saved PowerPoint file.

CTRL+ T will open a Font dialogue box.

CTRL+ Y will repeat last action.

CTRL+ G to view guides.

SHIFT+ ALT+ LEFT ARROW will start a new paragraph.

SHIFT+ F3 will capitalize selected text.

SHIFT+ALT+ RIGHT ARROW will remove a paragraph.

SHIFT+F6 will turn the previous pane counterclockwise.

For Internet Explorer

F1 will display the help option.

F11 will allow the full screen option.

TAB KEY will enable you to move through the items, address bar, and links on your webpage.

ALT+HOME will go to your home page.

ALT+LEFT ARROW will go to the previous page.

SHIFT+F10 will display a shortcut menu for the link.

CTRL+TAB will move forward between tabs.

SHIFT+CTRL+TAB will move back between frames.

UP ARROW KEY will scroll toward the beginning of the webpage.

DOWN ARROW KEY will scroll toward the end of the webpage.

PAGE UP will scroll by sections toward the beginning of the webpage.

PAGE DOWN will scroll by sections toward the end of the webpage.

HOME will move directly to the beginning of the webpage.

END will move directly to the end of the webpage.

CTRL+F will find chosen text on the page.

F5 will refresh the current page.

ESC will stop loading the page.

CTRL+ N will open a new window.

CTRL+ E will open the Search option in the Explorer bar.

CTRL+ I will open the Favorites option in Explorer bar.

CTRL+ H will open the History option in Explorer bar.

For Windows Media Player

ALT + 1 (2 or 3) will zoom in 50% (100% or 200%).

ALT + Enter will toggle ON and OFF full screen.

Esc will exit full screen.

ALT + Left arrow will take a step back in your navigation history.

ALT + Right arrow will move forward in your navigation history.

CTRL + 1 will switch to full screen.

CTRL + 2 will switch to skin mode.

CTRL + B will go to the previous item or chapter.

CTRL + F will go to the next item or chapter.

CTRL + M will toggle shuffle.

CTRL + T will toggle repeat.

CTRL + M will show/hide the Classic Menus.

CTRL + N will create a new playlist.

CTRL + O will open a file.

CTRL + P will toggle Play/Pause.

CTRL + U will specify a URL or file path.

Ctrl + Shift + C will enable/disable captions and subtitles.

F2 will rename the selected item.

F3 will add media files to the library.

F5 will update information.

F6 will increase the size of the album cover.

Shift + F6 will reduce the size of the album cover.

20 essential Windows keyboard shortcuts that will make you forget your mouse

Let your fingertips fly.

By David Nield March 24, 2021

This post has been updated. It was originally published on 09/26/19.

Compared to reaching for the mouse or navigating a menu, a single Windows keyboard shortcut shaves a moment off your task. This might not seem like much, but add up all those saved moments over a week or a month, and you’re gaining a substantial chunk of time.

That’s why it’s important to know as many shortcuts as possible for your operating system. Try a keyboard command a few times, and you’ll find out just how useful it can be. Here are 20 of the most indispensable keyboard shortcuts for a Microsoft Windows computer.

Basic Windows keyboard shortcuts

Ctrl+Z: Undo

No matter what program you’re running, Ctrl+Z will roll back your last action. Whether you’ve just overwritten an entire paragraph in Microsoft Word or deleted a file you didn’t mean to, this one is an absolute lifesaver.

Ctrl+W: Close

Another shortcut that works just about everywhere, Ctrl+W will close down whatever you’re viewing. Shut that File Explorer window, browser tab, or open image file without bothering to hone in on the close button.

Ctrl+A: Select all

This command lets you highlight all the text in a document or select all the files in a folder. Hitting Ctrl+A can save you time you’d otherwise spend clicking and dragging your mouse.

Alt+Tab: Switch apps

This baby is one of the classic Windows shortcuts, and it can be hugely useful when you’re running multiple applications. Just press Alt+Tab and you’ll be able to quickly flick through all your open windows.

Alt+F4: Close apps

Another old-school shortcut, Alt+F4 shuts down active apps so you can skip the process of hunting down their on-screen menus. Don’t worry about losing unsaved work with this command—it will prompt you to save your documents before closing them.

Windows shortcuts for navigation

Win+D: Show or hide the desktop

This keyboard combo minimizes all your open windows, bringing your home screen into view. If you store rows and rows of files and shortcuts on your desktop, Win+D will let you access them in moments.

Win+left arrow or Win+right arrow: Snap windows

Snapping a window simply opens it on one side of the screen (left or right, depending on which arrow you hit). This allows you to compare two windows side-by-side and keeps your workspace organized.

Win+Tab: Open the Task view

Like Alt+Tab, this shortcut lets you switch apps, but it does so by opening an updated Windows application switcher. The latest version shows thumbnails of all your open programs on the screen.

Tab and Shift+Tab: Move backward and forward through options

When you open a dialog box, these commands move you forward (Tab) or backward (Shift+Tab) through the available options, saving you a click. If you’re dealing with a dialog box with multiple tabs, or a very busy browsing session, hit Ctrl+Tab or Ctrl+Shift+Tab to navigate through them.

Ctrl+Esc: Open the Start menu

If you’re using a keyboard that doesn’t have a Windows key, this shortcut will open the Start menu. Otherwise, a quick tap of the Windows key will do the same thing. From there, you can stay on the keyboard and navigate the Start menu with the cursor keys, Tab, and Shift+Tab.

Advanced Windows hotkeys

F2: Rename

Simply highlight a file and hit F2 to give it a new name. This command also lets you edit text in other programs—tap F2 in Microsoft Excel, for example, and you’ll be able to edit the contents of the cell you’re in.

F5: Refresh

While you’re exploring the function key row, take a look at F5. This key will refresh a page—a good trick when you’re using File Explorer or your web browser. After the refresh, you’ll see the latest version of the page you’re viewing.

Win+L: Lock your computer

Keep your computer safe from any prying eyes by using this keyboard combo right before you step away. Win+L locks the machine and returns you to the login screen, so any snoops will need your user account password to regain access.

Win+I: Open Settings

Any time you want to configure the way Windows works, hit this keyboard shortcut to bring up the Settings dialog. Alternatively, use Win+A to open up the Action Center panel, which shows notifications and provides quick access to certain settings.

Win+S: Search Windows

The Windows taskbar has a handy search box that lets you quiz Cortana or sift through your applications and saved files. Jump straight to it with this keyboard shortcut, then type in your search terms.

Win+PrtScn: Save a screenshot

No need to open a dedicated screenshot tool: Win+PrtScn grabs the whole screen and saves it as a PNG file in a Screenshots folder inside your Pictures folder. At the same time, Windows will also copy the image to the clipboard. If you don’t want to snap the whole screen, the Alt+PrtScn combination will take a screenshot of just the active window, but it will only copy this image to the clipboard, so you won’t get a saved file.

Ctrl+Shift+Esc: Open the Task Manager

The Task Manager is your window into everything running on your Windows system, from the open programs to the background processes. This shortcut will call up the Task Manager, no matter what application you’re using.

Win+C: Start talking to Cortana

This shortcut puts Cortana in listening mode, but you must activate it before you can give it a whirl. To do so, open Cortana from the taskbar search box, click the cog icon, and turn on the keyboard shortcut. Once you’ve enabled the shortcut, hit the Win+C whenever you want to talk to the digital assistant. You can do this instead of, or in addition to, saying, “Hey Cortana.”

Win+Ctrl+D: Add a new virtual desktop

Virtual desktops create secondary screens where you can stash some of your open applications and windows, giving you extra workspace. This shortcut lets you create one. Once you have, click the Task View button to the right of the taskbar search box to switch from one desktop to another. Or stick with shortcuts: Win+Ctrl+arrow will cycle through your open desktops, and Win+Ctrl+F4 will close whichever one you’re currently viewing and shift your open windows and apps to the next available virtual desktop.

Win+X: Open the hidden menu

Windows has a hidden Start menu, called the Quick Link menu, that allows you to access all the key areas of the system. From here, you can jump straight to Device Manager to review and configure any hardware, such as printers or keyboards, that are currently attached to the system. Or you can quickly bring up the PowerShell command prompt window to access advanced Windows commands.