Keyboard shortcuts in Windows

Windows key Open or close Start.

Windows key + A Open Action center.

Windows key + B Set focus in the notification area.

Windows key + Shift + C Open the charms menu.

Windows key + D Display and hide the desktop.

Windows key + Alt + D Display and hide the date and time on the desktop.

Windows key + E Open File Explorer.

Windows key + F Open Feedback Hub and take a screenshot.

Windows key + G Open Game bar when a game is open.

Windows key + H Start dictation.

Windows key + I Open Settings.

Windows key + K Open the Connect quick action.

Windows key + L Lock your PC or switch accounts.

Windows key + M Minimize all windows.

Windows key + O Lock device orientation.

Windows key + P Choose a presentation display mode.

Windows key + Ctrl + Q Open Quick Assist.

Windows key + R Open the Run dialog box.

Windows key + S Open search.

Windows key + Shift + S Take a screenshot of part of your screen.

Windows key + T Cycle through apps on the taskbar.

Windows key + U Open Ease of Access Center.

Windows key + Shift + V Cycle through notifications.

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 + period (.) or semicolon (;) Open emoji panel.

Windows key + comma (,) Temporarily peek at the desktop.

Windows key + Pause Display the System Properties dialog box.

Windows key + Ctrl + F Search for PCs.

Windows key + Shift + M Restore minimized windows on the desktop.

Windows key + number Open the desktop and start the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number. If the app is already running, switch to that app.

Windows key + Shift + number Open the desktop and start a new instance of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.

Windows key + Ctrl + number Open the desktop and switch to the last active window of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.

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 + Shift + number Open the desktop and open a new instance of the app located at the given position on the taskbar as an administrator.

Windows key + Tab Open Task view.

Windows key + Up arrow Maximize the window.

Windows key + Down arrow Remove current app from screen or minimize the desktop window.

Windows key + Left arrow Maximize the app or desktop window to the left side of the screen.

Windows key + Right arrow Maximize the app or desktop window to the right side of the screen.

Windows key + Home Minimize all except the active desktop window (restores all windows on second stroke).

Windows key + Shift + Up arrow Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen.

Windows key + Shift + Down arrow Restore/minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width.

Windows key + Shift + Left arrow or Right arrow Move an app or window in the desktop from one monitor to another.

Windows key + Spacebar Switch input language and keyboard layout.

Windows key + Ctrl + Spacebar Change to a previously selected input.

Windows key + Ctrl + Enter Turn on Narrator.

Windows key + Plus (+) Open Magnifier.

Windows key + forward slash (/) Begin IME reconversion.

Windows key + Ctrl + V Open shoulder taps.

Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + B Wake PC from blank or black screen

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.

Alt + Tab Switch between open apps.

Alt + F4 Close the active item, or exit the active app.

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 in a document or window.

Ctrl + D Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin.

Ctrl + R Refresh the active window.

Ctrl + Y Redo 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.

Ctrl + Alt + Tab Use the arrow keys to switch between all open apps.

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's open.

Ctrl + arrow key + Spacebar Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop.

Ctrl + Shift with an arrow key Select a block of text.

Ctrl + Esc Open Start.

Ctrl + Shift + Esc Open Task Manager.

Ctrl + Shift Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are available.

Shift + F10 Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.

Shift with 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 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.

PrtScn Take a screenshot of your whole screen and copy it to the clipboard.

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.

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.

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 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 + asterisk (*) 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 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.

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) that is used with that letter.

Spacebar Select or clear the checkbox if the active option is a checkbox.

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.

Ctrl + C Copy the selected text.

Ctrl + V Paste the selected text.

Ctrl + M Enter Mark mode.

Alt + selection key Begin selection in block mode.

Arrow keys Move the cursor in the direction specified.

Page up Move the cursor by one page up.

Page down Move the cursor by one page down.

Ctrl + Home (Mark mode) Move the cursor to the beginning of the buffer.

Ctrl + End (Mark mode) Move the cursor to the end of the buffer.

Ctrl + Up arrow Move up one line in the output history.

Ctrl + Down arrow Move down one line in the output history.

Ctrl + Home If the command line is empty, move the viewport to the top of the buffer. Otherwise, delete all the characters to the left of the cursor in the command line.

Ctrl + End If the command line is empty, move the viewport to the command line. Otherwise, delete all the characters to the right of the cursor in the command line.