Computer keyboard shortcut keys

Shortcut keys ABCs

Shortcut keys help provide an easier and quicker method of navigating and executing commands in the computer software. Shortcut keys are performed using the Alt key (on IBM compatible computers), Command (on Apple computers), Ctrl key, or Shift key in conjunction with another key. The de facto standard for listing a shortcut is listing the modifier key, a plus symbol, and another key. In other words, «Ctrl+S» is telling you to press and hold the Ctrl , and then press the S at the same time.

You can also find the shortcut keys in popular programs by looking for underlined letters in their menus. For example, the file menu image has an underline on the «F» in File, which means you can press the Alt key and F key to access the file menu.

Some programs require the user to press and hold Alt to see the underlined characters. In the image above, you can see that some of the common features, such as Open (Ctrl+O) and Save (Ctrl+S), have shortcut keys assigned to them. As you begin to memorize shortcut keys, you’ll notice that many applications share them. We have a list of the most commonly shared ones in the basic PC shortcut keys section.

Non-English versions of Microsoft Windows may not be able to use all of the below shortcut keys.

Basic PC shortcut keys

Below is a list of some of the most commonly used basic shortcut keys that work with IBM compatible computers and software. We highly recommended that all users keep a reference to these shortcut keys or try to memorize them. Doing so will dramatically increase your productivity.

Besides the special character shortcuts listed here, some are also on the number keys (below the F1 — F12 keys). You can enter these special characters by pressing the Shift key and the number key with the special character listed on it.

Shortcut Keys	Description
Alt+F	File menu options in current program.
Alt+E	Open Edit options in current program.
Alt+Tab	Switch between open programs.
F1	View help information (F1 is used by almost every Windows program to display help).
F2	Rename a selected file.
F5	Refresh the current program window.
Ctrl+D	Bookmarks the current page in most Internet browsers.
Ctrl+N	Create a new or blank document in some software, or open a new tab in most Internet browsers.
Ctrl+O	Open a file in the current software.
Ctrl+A	Select all text.
Ctrl+B	Change selected text to be bold.
Ctrl+I	Change selected text to be in italics.
Ctrl+U	Change selected text to be underlined.
Ctrl+F	Open find window for current document or window.
Ctrl+S	Save current document file.
Ctrl+X	Cut selected item.
Shift+Del	Cut selected item.
Ctrl+C	Copy selected item.
Ctrl+Ins	Copy selected item
Ctrl+V	Paste
Shift+Ins	Paste
Ctrl+Y	Redo last action.
Ctrl+Z	Undo last action.
Ctrl+K	Insert hyperlink for selected text.
Ctrl+P	Print the current page or document.
Home	Goes to beginning of current line.
Ctrl+Home	Goes to beginning of document.
End	Goes to end of current line.
Ctrl+End	Goes to end of document.
Shift+Home	Highlights from current position to beginning of line.
Shift+End	Highlights from current position to end of line.
Ctrl+Left arrow	Moves one word to the left at a time.
Ctrl+Right arrow	Moves one word to the right at a time.
Ctrl+Esc	Open the Start menu.
Ctrl+Shift+Esc	Open Windows Task Manager.
Alt+F4	Close the currently active program.
Alt+Enter	Open the properties for the selected item (file, folder, shortcut, etc.).

PC shortcut keys for special characters

Many special characters can be created using keyboard shortcuts. Below are some of the more common and popular special characters and the keyboard shortcuts to create them.

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.

List of all Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts: The ultimate guide

Source: Daniel Rubino/Windows Central

On Windows 10, keyboard shortcuts provide a quick way to navigate and operate the experience and features using a single press of one or multiple keys, which otherwise will take several clicks and more time to accomplish using the mouse.

Although it can be overwhelming trying to memorize all the available keyboard shortcuts, it’s important to consider that most people don’t need to learn every shortcut on Windows 10. Only focusing on those you need to use more frequently can noticeably make things easier and help you to work more efficiently.

In this Windows 10 guide, we’ll show you all the most useful keyboard shortcuts to navigate and operate the desktop and apps. Also, we’ll outline the shortcuts that are essential for all users.

Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts

This comprehensive list includes the most useful keyboard shortcuts to perform tasks on Windows 10 a little faster.

Essential shortcuts

These are the essential keyboard shortcuts that every Windows 10 user should know.

Keyboard shortcut	Action
Ctrl + A	Select all content.
Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert)	Copy selected items to clipboard.
Ctrl + X	Cut selected items to clipboard.
Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert)	Paste content from clipboard.
Ctrl + Z	Undo an action, including undelete files (limited).
Ctrl + Y	Redo an action.
Ctrl + Shift + N	Create new folder on desktop or File Explorer.
Alt + F4	Close active window. (If no active window present, then shutdown box appears.)
Ctrl + D (Del)	Delete selected item to the Recycle Bin.
Shift + Delete	Delete selected item permanently skipping Recycle Bin.
F2	Rename selected item.
ESC	Close current task.
Alt + Tab	Switch between open apps.
PrtScn	Take screenshot and stores it in clipboard.
Windows key + I	Open Settings app.
Windows key + E	Open File Explorer.
Windows key + A	Open Action center.
Windows key + D	Display and hide the desktop.
Windows key + L	Lock device.
Windows key + V	Open Clipboard bin.
Windows key + Period (.) or semicolon (;)	Open emoji panel.
Windows key + PrtScn	Capture full screenshot in the «Screenshots» folder.
Windows key + Shift + S	Capture part of the screen with Snip & Sketch.
Windows key + Left arrow key	Snap app or window left.
Windows key + Right arrow key	Snap app or window right.

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Desktop shortcuts

You can use these keyboard shortcuts to open, close, navigate, and complete specific tasks more quickly throughout the desktop experience, including on Start menu, taskbar, Settings, and more.

Keyboard shortcut	Action
Windows key (or Ctrl + Esc)	Open Start menu.
Ctrl + Arrow keys	Change Start menu size.
Ctrl + Shift + Esc	Open Task Manager.
Ctrl + Shift	Switch keyboard layout.
Alt + F4	Close active window. (If no active window present, then shutdown box appears.)
Ctrl + F5 (or Ctrl + R)	Refresh current window.
Ctrl + Alt + Tab	View open apps.
Ctrl + Arrow keys (to select) + Spacebar	Select multiple items on desktop or File Explorer.
Alt + Underlined letter	Runs command for the underlined letter in apps.
Alt + Tab	Switch between open apps while pressing Tab multiple times.
Alt + Left arrow key	Go back.
Alt + Right arrow key	Go forward.
Alt + Page Up	Move up one screen.
Alt + Page down	Move down one screen.
Alt + Esc	Cycle through open windows.
Alt + Spacebar	Open context menu for the active window.
Alt + F8	Reveals typed password in Sign-in screen.
Shift + Click app button	Open another instance of an app from the taskbar.
Ctrl + Shift + Click app button	Run app as administrator from the taskbar.
Shift + Right-click app button	Show window menu for the app from the taskbar.
Ctrl + Click a grouped app button	Cycle through windows in the group from the taskbar.
Shift + Right-click grouped app button	Show window menu for the group from the taskbar.
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 + Up arrow key	Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph
Ctrl + Down arrow key	Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph.
Ctrl + Shift + Arrow key	Select block of text.
Ctrl + Spacebar	Enable or disable Chinese IME.
Shift + F10	Open context menu for selected item.
F10	Enable app menu bar.
Shift + Arrow keys	Select multiple items.
Windows key + X	Open Quick Link menu.
Windows key + Number (0-9)	Open app in number position from the taskbar.
Windows key + T	Cycle through apps in the taskbar.
Windows key + Alt + Number (0-9)	Open Jump List of the app in number position from the taskbar.
Windows key + D	Display and hide the desktop.
Windows key + M	Minimize all windows.
Windows key + Shift + M	Restore minimized windows on the desktop.
Windows key + Home	Minimize or maximize all but the active desktop window.
Windows key + Shift + Up arrow key	Stretch desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen.
Windows key + Shift + Down arrow key	Maximize or minimize active desktop windows vertically while maintaining width.
Windows key + Shift + Left arrow key	Move active window to monitor on the left.
Windows key + Shift + Right arrow key	Move active window to monitor on the right.
Windows key + Left arrow key	Snap app or window left.
Windows key + Right arrow key	Snap app or window right.
Windows key + S ( or Q)	Open Search.
Windows key + Alt + D	Open date and time in the taskbar.
Windows key + Tab	Open Task View.
Windows key + Ctrl + D	Create new virtual desktop.
Windows key + Ctrl + F4	Close active virtual desktop.
Windows key + Ctrl + Right arrow	Switch to the virtual desktop on the right.
Windows key + Ctrl + Left arrow	Switch to the virtual desktop on the left.
Windows key + P	Open Project settings.
Windows key + A	Open Action center.
Windows key + I	Open Settings app.
Backspace	Return to Settings app home page.

File Explorer shortcuts

On Windows 10, File Explorer includes many keyboard shortcuts to help you complete tasks a little quicker.

Here’s a list with the most useful shortcuts for File Explorer.

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

Command Prompt shortcuts

If you use Command Prompt, you can use these keyboard shortcuts to work a little more efficiently.

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

Windows key shortcuts

Using the Windows key combined with other keys, you can perform many useful tasks, such as launch Settings, File Explorer, Run command, apps pinned in the taskbar, or you can open specific features like Narrator or Magnifier. You can also accomplish tasks like controlling windows, virtual desktops, taking screenshots, locking your device, and a lot more.

Here’s a list with all the most common keyboard shortcuts using the Windows key.

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

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

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