Below is a list of useful Windows keyboard shortcuts and their functions.
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 |
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 |
Notes
| Windows logo key + Shift + C | Open the charms menu |
| 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 + F | Open Feedback Hub and take a screenshot |
| 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 + R | Open the Run dialog box |
| Windows logo key + S | Open search |
| Windows logo key + T | Cycle through apps on the taskbar |
| Windows logo key + U | Open Ease of Access Center |
| Windows logo key + V | Cycle through notifications |
| Windows logo key + Shift + V | Cycle through notifications in reverse order |
| 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 | Open Narrator |
| Windows logo key + forward slash (/) | Begin IME reconversion |
| Windows logo key + Ctrl + V | Open shoulder taps |
File Explorer keyboard shortcuts
| 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 + 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 |
Taskbar keyboard shortcuts
| 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 |