Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

From: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/keyboard-shortcuts-in-windows-dcc61a57-8ff0-cffe-9796-cb9706c75eec





Press this key

To do this

Copilot key  The Microsoft Copilot icon.

Copilot key  The Microsoft Copilot icon.
(Copilot in Windows not available or disabled)

Open or close Copilot in Windows.

Open or close Windows search.

Press this key

To do this

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 + Shift + V

Paste as plain text

Ctrl + Z

Undo an action.

Alt + Tab

Switch between open apps.

Alt + F4

Close the active item, or exit the active app.

Windows logo key  + L

Lock your PC.

Windows logo 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 + A

Set focus to the first icon in the Suggested actions menu.

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 (in apps that are full-screen and let you have multiple documents open at the same time).

Ctrl + A

Select all items in a document or window.

Ctrl + D (or Delete)

Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin.

Ctrl + E

Open Search (in most apps).

Ctrl + R (or F5)

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 (to move to an item) + 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.

Ctrl + Spacebar

Turn the Chinese input method editor (IME) on or off.

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. 

Note: You can change this shortcut so it also opens screen snipping, which lets you edit your screenshot. Select Start  > Settings  > Accessibility  > Keyboard , and set Use the Print Screen button to open screen snipping to On.

Use PrtScn key to open screen snipping

Press this key

To do this

Windows logo key 

Open or close Start.

Windows logo key  + A

Open Quick Settings. Updated in Windows 11.

Windows logo key  + B

Set focus to the first icon in the Taskbar corner.

Windows logo key  + C

Open Windows Copilot. Updated in Windows 11.

Windows logo key  + Shift + C

Open the charms menu.

Windows logo key  + Ctrl + C

Turn on color filters (enable this shortcut first in Color Filter settings).

Windows logo key  + D

Display and hide the desktop.

Windows logo key  + E

Open File Explorer.

Windows logo key  + F

Open Feedback Hub and take a screenshot.

Windows logo key  + G

Open Xbox Game Bar when a game is open.

Windows logo key  + Alt + B

Turn HDR on or off.

Note: Applies to the Xbox Game Bar app version 5.721.7292.0 or newer. To update your Xbox Game Bar, go to the Microsoft Store app and check for updates.

Windows logo key  + H

Launch voice typing. Updated in Windows 11.

Windows logo key  + I

Open Settings.

Windows logo key  + J

Set focus to a Windows tip when one is available.

When a Windows tip appears, bring focus to the Tip.  Pressing the keyboard shortcuts again to bring focus to the element on the screen to which the Windows tip is anchored.

Windows logo key  + K

Open Cast from Quick Settings. Updated in Windows 11.

Windows logo key  + Alt + K

Toggle microphone mute in apps that support Call Mute. Available starting in Windows 11, version 22H2.

Windows logo key  + L

Lock your PC or switch accounts.

Windows logo key  + M

Minimize all windows.

Windows logo key  + Shift + M

Restore minimized windows on the desktop.

Windows logo key  + N

Open notification center and calendar. Updated in Windows 11.

Windows logo key  + O

Lock device orientation.

Windows logo key  + P

Choose a presentation display mode.

Windows logo key  + Ctrl + Q

Open Quick Assist.

Windows logo key  + R

Open the Run dialog box.

Windows logo key  + Alt + R

Record video of game window in focus (using Xbox Game Bar).

Windows logo key  + S

Open search.

Windows logo key  + Shift + S

Take a screenshot of part of your screen.

Windows logo key  + T

Cycle through apps on the taskbar.

Windows logo key  + U

Open Accessibility Settings.

Windows logo key  + V

Open the clipboard history. 

Note: Clipboard history isn't turned on by default. If you'd like to turn it on, use this keyboard shortcut and then select the prompt to turn on history. Or you can select Start  > Settings  > System  > Clipboard , and set Clipboard history to On.

Windows logo key  + Shift + V

Set focus to a notification.

Windows logo key  + W

Open Widgets. Updated in Windows 11.

Windows logo key  + X

Open the Quick Link menu.

Windows logo key  + Y

Switch input between Windows Mixed Reality and your desktop.

Windows logo key  + Z

Open the snap layouts. Updated in Windows 11.

Windows logo key  + period (.) or semicolon (;)

Open emoji panel.

Windows logo key  + comma (,)

Temporarily peek at the desktop.

Windows logo key  + Pause

Opens Start  > Settings  > System  > About .

Windows logo key  + Ctrl + F

Search for PCs (if you're on a network).

Windows logo 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 logo 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 logo 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 logo 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 logo 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 logo key  + Tab

Open Task view.

Windows logo key  + Up arrow

Maximize the window.

Windows logo key  + Alt + Up arrow

Snap window in focus to top half of screen. New with Windows 11.

Windows logo key  + Down arrow

Remove current app from screen or minimize the desktop window.

Windows logo key  + Alt + Down arrow

Snap window in focus to bottom half of screen. New with Windows 11.

Windows logo key  + Left arrow

Maximize the app or desktop window to the left side of the screen.

Windows logo key  + Right arrow

Maximize the app or desktop window to the right side of the screen.

Windows logo key  + Home

Minimize all except the active desktop window (restores all windows on second stroke).

Windows logo key  + Shift + Up arrow

Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen.

Windows logo key  + Shift + Down arrow

Restore/minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width.

Windows logo key  + Shift + Left arrow or Right arrow

Move an app or window in the desktop from one monitor to another.

Windows logo key  + Shift + Spacebar

Cycle backwards through language and keyboard layout.

Windows logo key  + Spacebar

Switch input language and keyboard layout.

Windows logo key  + Ctrl + Spacebar

Change to a previously selected input.

Windows logo key  + Ctrl + Enter

Turn on Narrator.

Windows logo key  + Plus (+)

Open Magnifier and zoom in.

Windows logo key  + Minus (-)

Zoom out in Magnifier.

Windows logo key  + Esc

Close Magnifier.

Windows logo key  + forward slash (/)

Begin IME reconversion.

Windows logo key  + Ctrl + Shift + B

Wake PC from blank or black screen.

Windows logo key  + PrtScn

Save full screen screenshot to file.

Windows logo key  + Alt + PrtScn

Save screenshot of game window in focus to file (using Xbox Game Bar).

Windows logo key  + Alt + Enter (on taskbar item focus)

Open taskbar settings.

Press this key

To do this

Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert)

Copy the selected text.

Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert)

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 (History navigation)

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 (History navigation)

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.

Press this key

To do this

F4

Display the items in the active list.

Ctrl + Tab

Move forward through tabs.

Ctrl + Shift + Tab

Move back through tabs.

Ctrl + 1, 2, 3,...

Move to that tab number.

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 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.

Press this key

To do this

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 + T

Open a new tab and switch to it. 

Ctrl + W

Closes the active tab. Closes the window if there's only one tab open.

Ctrl + Tab

Move to the next tab.

Ctrl + Shift + Tab

Move to the previous tab. 

Ctrl + Shift + Left Arrow

Decrease column width. 

Ctrl + Shift + Right Arrow

Increase column width. 

Ctrl + 1, 2, 3,...

Move to that tab number. 

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.

Press this key

To do this

Windows logo key  + Tab

Open Task view.

Windows logo key  + Ctrl + D

Add a virtual desktop.

Windows logo key  + Ctrl + Right arrow

Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the right.

Windows logo key  + Ctrl + Left arrow

Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the left.

Windows logo key  + Ctrl + F4

Close the virtual desktop you're using.

Press this key

To do this

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.

Press this key

To do this

Windows logo key  + I

Open settings.

Backspace

Go back to the settings home page.

Type on any page with search box

Search settings.