Closing the Window

When the user closes a window, that action triggers a sequence of window messages.

The user can close an application window by clicking the Close button, or by using a keyboard shortcut such as ALT+F4. Any of these actions causes the window to receive a WM_CLOSE message. The WM_CLOSE message gives you an opportunity to prompt the user before closing the window. If you really do want to close the window, call the DestroyWindow function. Otherwise, simply return zero from the WM_CLOSE message, and the operating system will ignore the message and not destroy the window.

Here is an example of how a program might handle WM_CLOSE.

In this example, the MessageBox function shows a modal dialog that contains OK and Cancel buttons. If the user clicks OK, the program calls DestroyWindow. Otherwise, if the user clicks Cancel, the call to DestroyWindow is skipped, and the window remains open. In either case, return zero to indicate that you handled the message.

If you want to close the window without prompting the user, you could simply call DestroyWindow without the call to MessageBox. However, there is a shortcut in this case. Recall that DefWindowProc executes the default action for any window message. In the case of WM_CLOSE, DefWindowProc automatically calls DestroyWindow. That means if you ignore the WM_CLOSE message in your switch statement, the window is destroyed by default.

When a window is about to be destroyed, it receives a WM_DESTROY message. This message is sent after the window is removed from the screen, but before the destruction occurs (in particular, before any child windows are destroyed).

In your main application window, you will typically respond to WM_DESTROY by calling PostQuitMessage.

We saw in the Window Messages section that PostQuitMessage puts a WM_QUIT message on the message queue, causing the message loop to end.

Here is a flow chart showing the typical way to process WM_CLOSE and WM_DESTROY messages:

Quickly Close Open Windows Using Shortcut Keys

How to type your way out of a mess with Windows keyboard shortcuts

One of the advantages of Microsoft Windows PCs is that you can have many different programs and windows open at the same time. This advantage becomes a disadvantage, however, when you have to close dozens of open windows. Fortunately, you can carry out repetitive actions like closing windows with keyboard shortcuts.

Instructions in this article apply to Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

How to Close Windows With Alt + Spacebar + C

One option for closing windows with keyboard shortcuts is as follows:

Open the window that you would like to close using your mouse.

Press and hold down the Alt key, then press the Spacebar to reveal the right-click context menu at the top of the program window you’re trying to close.

Release both keys and press the letter C. This will cause the window to close.

If you can execute this sequence using one hand while the other hand controls the mouse, you’ll be able to close roughly a dozen windows in about as many seconds.

How to Close Windows With Fn + Alt + F4

Another option is to select the window you want to close and then press Fn+Alt+F4. You’ll probably need two hands for this one.

Although the shortcut is officially listed as Alt+F4, you must hold down the Function (Fn) key for it to work.

How to Close Tabs With CTRL + W

The Ctrl+W shortcut only closes the current file you’re working on, but it leaves the program open. This feature can be handy if you want to leave the desktop program open but get rid of all the files you’re working on in quick succession.

Ctrl+W works in most browsers too, so you can close the current tab you’re looking at without taking your hands off the keyboard. If you use Ctrl+W when only one browser tab is open, then the program window will close.

How to Select Open Windows With Alt + Tab

It’s possible to select an open window without using the mouse. Press Alt+Tab to cycle through your open windows. Use this shortcut in conjunction with the other shortcuts to close all open windows without taking your hands off the keyboard.

How to See Your Desktop With Windows Key + D

Sometimes you don’t actually want to close all those windows; what you really want to do is just look at your desktop. To quickly access your desktop, press the Windows Key+D. Use the same shortcut to bring back all your windows.

If you are running Windows 7 or later, there are multiple ways to access your Windows desktop.

How to Close a Group of Windows With the Mouse

When you have numerous files open in the same program, like a bunch of emails in Outlook, Word files, or several spreadsheets in Excel, you can close all of them at once using the mouse. Right-click the program in the Windows taskbar and select Close all windows (or Close Group in older versions of Windows).

200 Keyboard Shortcuts (Windows) to Boost Your Productivity

Keyboard shortcuts can boost your productivity if your daily job relies heavily on using Windows. They just don’t get the work done quickly, but also improves the efficiency. Give them a try and you just might find yourself getting addicted to keyboard shortcuts.

We’ve compiled a list of keyboard shortcuts for Windows 190 + shortcuts grouped into categories for easy access. If we missed some shortcut in this list, kindly let us know through the comments section.

Here are the shortcuts to get to the shortcuts:

Note: Some of the shortcuts given below may not work for versions below Windows 8.

General Shortcuts

Let’s kickstart the list with the most common shortcuts that you’ll often use.

• F1 [Display Help]
• F2 [Rename the selected item]
• F3 [Search for a file or folder]
• 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 + F4 [Close the active item, or exit the active app]
• ALT + ESC [Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened]
• ALT + underlined letter in menus and dialog box options [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 [Back]
• ALT + RIGHT ARROW [Forward]
• ALT + PAGE UP [Move up one screen]
• ALT + PAGE DOWN [Move down one screen]
• ALT + TAB [Switch between open apps (except desktop apps)]
• CTRL + F4 [Close the active document (in apps that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)]
• CTRL + A [Select all items in a document or window]
• CTRL + C or CTRL + INSERT [Copy the selected item]
• CTRL + D / DELETE [DELETE the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin]
• CTRL + R or F5 [Refresh the active window]
• 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]
• CTRL + + or CTRL + – [Zoom in or out of a large NUMBER of items, like apps pinned to the Start screen]
• CTRL + mouse scroll wheel [Change the size of desktop icons or zoom in or out of a large NUMBER of items, like apps pinned to the Start screen]
• 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]
• CTRL + ALT + TAB [Use the arrow keys to switch between all open apps]
• CTRL + ARROW + SPACEBAR [Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop]
• CTRL + SHIFT + ARROW [Select a block of text]
• CTRL + ESC [Open the Start screen]
• CTRL + SHIFT + ESC [Open Task Manager]
• CTRL + SHIFT [Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are available]
• CTRL + SPACEBAR [Turn the Chinese input method editor (IME) on or off]
• SHIFT + F10 [Display the shortcut menu for the selected item]
• SHIFT + ARROW [Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document]
• SHIFT + DELETE [Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first]
• RIGHT ARROW [Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu]
• LEFT ARROW [Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu]
• ESC [Stop or leave the current task]

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Windows key Shortcuts

Let’s check the keyboard shortcuts involving the Windows logo key. Most of them are introduced in Windows 8’s Metro UI, and can be used in Windows 8 and above.

• Win + F1 [Open Windows Help and support]
• Win [Display or hide the Start screen]
• Win + B [Set focus in the notification area]
• Win + C [Open Charms]
• Win + D [Display and hide the desktop]
• Win + E [Open File Explorer]
• Win + F [Open the Search charm and search for files]
• Win + H [Open the Share charm]
• Win + I [Open the Settings charm]
• Win + K [Open the Devices charm]
• Win + L [Lock your PC or switch people]
• Win + M [Minimize all windows]
• Win + O [Lock device orientation]
• Win + P [Choose a presentation display mode]
• Win + Q [Open the Search charm to search everywhere or within the open app (if the app supports app search)]
• Win + R [Open the Run dialog box]
• Win + S [Open the Search charm to search Windows and the web]
• Win + T [Cycle through apps on the taskbar]
• Win + U [Open Ease of Access Center]
• Win + V [Cycle through notifications]
• Win + SHIFT + V [Cycle through notifications in reverse order]
• Win + W [Open the Search charm and search for settings]
• Win + X [Open the Quick Link menu]
• Win + Z [Show the commands available in the app]
• Win + , [Temporarily peek at the desktop]
• Win + PAUSE [Display the System Properties dialog box]
• Win + CTRL + F [Search for PCs (if you’re on a network)]
• Win + SHIFT + M [Restore minimized windows on the desktop]
• Win + (NUMBER 1-9) [Open the desktop and start the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number. If the app is already running, it switches to that app.]
• Win + SHIFT + (NUMBER 1-9) [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) [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 (except desktop apps)]
• Win + SHIFT + TAB [Cycle through recently used apps (except desktop apps) in reverse order]
• Win + CTRL + B [Switch to the app that displayed a message in the notification area]
• Win + UP ARROW [Maximize the window]
• Win + DOWN ARROW [Remove current app from screen or minimize the desktop window]
• Win + LEFT ARROW [Maximize the app or desktop window to the LEFT side of the screen]
• Win + RIGHT ARROW [Maximize the app or desktop window to the RIGHT side of the screen]
• Win + HOME [Minimize all but the active desktop window (restores all windows on second stroke)]
• Win + SHIFT + UP ARROW [Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen]
• Win + SHIFT + DOWN ARROW [Restore/minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width]
• Win + SHIFT + LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW [Move an app or window in the desktop from one monitor to another]
• Win + SPACEBAR [Switch input language and keyboard layout]
• Win + CTRL + SPACEBAR [Change to a previously selected input]
• Win + ENTER [Open Narrator]
• Win + SHIFT + . [Cycle through open apps]
• Win + . [Cycle through open apps]
• Win + / [Initiate IME reconversion]
• Win + ALT + ENTER [Open WindowsMedia Center]
• Win + +/- [Zoom in or out using Magnifier]
• Win + ESC [Exit Magnifier]

Dialog box Shortcuts

These are the keyboard shortcuts that can be used in dialog boxes.

• F1 [Display Help]
• F4 [Display the items in the active list]
• CTRL + TAB [Move forward through tabs]
• CTRL + SHIFT + TAB [Move back through tabs]
• CTRL + (NUMBER 1-9) [Move to nth tab]
• TAB [Move forward through options]
• SHIFT + TAB [Move back through options]
• ALT + underlined letter in menus and dialog box options [Perform the command (or select the option) that goes 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

These are the shortcuts that can be used to work with File Explorer’s windows or folders.

• ALT + D [Select the address bar]
• CTRL + E [Select the search box]
• CTRL + F [Select the search box]
• CTRL + N [Open a new window]
• CTRL + W [Close the current 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 + + [Display the contents of the selected folder]
• NUM LOCK + – [Collapse the selected folder]
• ALT + P [Display the preview pane]
• 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 the folder was in]
• ALT + LEFT ARROW [View the previous folder]
• BACKSPACE [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

Here are the keyboard shortcuts to work with items on the Desktop’s taskbar.

• 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 are the keyboard shortcuts to help you use your computer easily.

• Hold 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]
• Press SHIFT five times [Turn Sticky Keys on or off]
• Press NUM LOCK for five seconds [Turn Toggle Keys on or off]
• Win + U [Open the Ease of Access Center]

Magnifier Shortcuts

Here are the keyboard shortcuts to help you use Magnifier.

• Win + + [Zoom in]
• Win + – [Zoom out]
• CTRL + ALT + SPACEBAR [Preview the desktop in full-screen mode]
• CTRL + ALT + D [Switch to docked mode]
• CTRL + ALT + F [Switch to full-screen mode]
• CTRL + ALT + I [Invert colors]
• CTRL + ALT + L [Switch to lens mode]
• CTRL + ALT + R [Resize the lens]
• CTRL + ALT + ARROW keys [Pan in the direction of the ARROW keys]
• Win + ESC [Exit Magnifier]

Narrator Shortcuts

These are the keyboard shortcuts to help you use Narrator.

• SPACEBAR or ENTER [Activate current item]
• TAB + ARROW keys [Move around on the screen]
• CTRL [Stop reading]
• CAPS LOCK + D [Read item]
• CAPS LOCK + M [Start reading]
• CAPS LOCK + H [Read document]
• CAPS LOCK + V [Repeat phrase]
• CAPS LOCK + W [Read window]
• CAPS LOCK + PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN [Increase or decrease the volume of the voice]
• CAPS LOCK + +/- [Increase or decrease the speed of the voice]
• CAPS LOCK + SPACEBAR [Do default action]
• CAPS LOCK + LEFT or RIGHT ARROW [Move to previous/next item]
• CAPS LOCK + F2 [Show commands for current item]
• Caps + ESC [Exit Narrator]

Remote desktop connection Shortcuts

These are the keyboard shortcuts to ease the use of remote desktop connection.

• ALT + PAGE UP [Move between apps, left to right]
• ALT + PAGE DOWN [Move between apps, right to left]
• ALT + INSERT [Cycle through apps in the order that they were started]
• ALT + HOME [Display the Start screen]
• CTRL + ALT + BREAK [Switch between a window and full screen]
• CTRL + ALT + END [Display the Windows Security dialog box]
• CTRL + ALT + HOME [In full-screen mode, activate the connection bar]
• ALT + DELETE [Display the system menu]

• CTRL + ALT + – [Place a copy of the active window, within the client, on the Terminal server clipboard (similar to ALT + PRINT SCREEN on a local PC)]
• CTRL + ALT + + [Place a copy of the entire client window area on the Terminal server clipboard (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 (for example, a button or a text box). Useful when the Remote Desktop controls are embedded in another (host) app.]
• CTRL + ALT + LEFT ARROW [ TAB out of the Remote Desktop controls to a control in the host app (for example, a button or a text box). Useful when the Remote Desktop controls are embedded in another (host) app.]

Help viewer Shortcuts

These are the keyboard shortcuts that can be used with the help viewer.

• F3 [Move the cursor to the search box]
• F10 [Display the Options menu]
• HOME [Move to the beginning of a topic]
• END [Move to the end of a topic]
• ALT + LEFT ARROW [Move back to the previously viewed topic]
• ALT + RIGHT ARROW [Move to the next (previously viewed) topic]
• ALT + HOME [Display the Help and support home page]
• ALT + A [Display the customer support page]
• ALT + C [Display the TABle of Contents]
• ALT + N [Display the Connection Settings menu]
• CTRL + F [Search the current topic]
• CTRL + P [Print a topic]

App rearranging Shortcuts (Metro)

Here are the keyboard shortcuts that can be used to rearrange apps on Metro screen. You should keep the Windows key pressed down continuously once you enter in the rearrange mode, then use the various commands. When you’re done rearranging apps, then release the Windows key.

• Win + . [Enter Rearrange mode and select apps or dividers across monitors]
• Win + LEFT ARROW [Move app divider left]
• Win + RIGHT ARROW [Move app divider right]
• Win + UP ARROW [Maximize app]
• Win + DOWN ARROW [Close app]
• Win + ESC [Exit Rearrange mode]