Keyboard shortcuts are keys or combinations of keys that provide an alternative way to do something that you’d typically do with a mouse. Below is a list of some of the keyboard shortcuts available in Windows.
Copy, paste, and other general keyboard shortcuts
| 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 + 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 + 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 + 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. |
| 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
|
Windows logo key keyboard shortcuts
| Press this key | To do this |
|---|---|
| Windows logo key | Open or close Start. |
| Windows logo key + A | Open Action center. |
| Windows logo key + B | Set focus in the notification area. |
| Windows logo key + C | Open Cortana in listening mode.
|
| Windows logo key + D | Display and hide the desktop. |
| Windows logo key + Alt + D | Display and hide the date and time on the desktop. |
| Windows logo key + E | Open File Explorer. |
| Windows logo key + G | Open Game bar when a game is open. |
| Windows logo key + H | Start dictation. |
| 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 the Connect quick action. |
| Windows logo key + L | Lock your PC or switch accounts. |
| Windows logo key + M | Minimize all windows. |
| 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 + 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 Ease of Access Center. |
| Windows logo key + V | Open the clipboard. Note
|
| Windows logo key + Shift + V | Cycle through notifications. |
| 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 | Show the commands available in an app in full-screen mode. |
| Windows logo key + period (.) or semicolon (;) | Open emoji panel. |
| Windows logo key + comma (,) | Temporarily peek at the desktop. |
| Windows logo key + Pause | Display the System Properties dialog box. |
| Windows logo key + Ctrl + F | Search for PCs (if you're on a network). |
| Windows logo key + Shift + M | Restore minimized windows on the desktop. |
| 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 + Down arrow | Remove current app from screen or minimize the desktop window. |
| 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 + 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. |
| Windows logo key + forward slash (/) | Begin IME reconversion. |
| Windows logo key + Ctrl + V | Open shoulder taps. |