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Here's the Windows keyboard shortcuts you need to know
Windows key shortcuts are especially versatile.

While people tend to think of Windows as a mouse-driven operating system, the truth is that veterans use keyboard shortcuts all the time to speed things up. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of all the major shortcuts available — and where needed, we’ll tell you which ones only apply to Windows 11 instead of 10, or vice versa.
JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS
Ctrl key shortcuts

- Ctrl + X: Cut
- Ctrl + C: Copy
- Ctrl + V: Paste
- Ctrl + Z: Undo
- Ctrl + F4: Close the active document (in fullscreen apps that support multiple documents)
- Ctrl + A: Select every item in an app or window
- Ctrl + D: Delete
- Ctrl + E: Open Search (some apps may not support this)
- Ctrl + R: Refresh
- Ctrl + Y: Redo
- Ctrl + right arrow: Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word
- Ctrl + left arrow: Move the cursor to the start of the previous word
- Ctrl + down arrow: Move the cursor to the start of the next paragraph
- Ctrl + up arrow: Move the cursor to the head of the previous paragraph
- Ctrl + Alt + Tab: Open the app switcher — use Tab to switch between apps
- Ctrl + Shift + arrow keys: Move Start menu tiles or select a block of text
- Ctrl + arrow keys + Spacebar: Select multiple individual items in a window/desktop
- Ctrl + Esc: Open the Start menu
- Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open Task Manager
- Ctrl + Shift: Switch keyboard layouts (when available)
- Ctrl + T: Open a new tab (in apps that support it, like File Explorer or Notepad)
- Ctrl + N: Open a new File Explorer window
- Ctrl + W: Close the active tab
- Ctrl + Tab: Move to the next tab
- Ctrl + Shift + Tab: Move to the previous tab
- Ctrl + 1, 2, 3, etc..: Move to a File Explorer tab number
- Ctrl + mouse scrollwheel: Change the size of icons or fonts
- Ctrl + Shift + N: Create a new folder
- Ctrl + Shift + click a taskbar button: Open an app as Administrator
- Ctrl + click a grouped taskbar button: Cycle through windows in a group
Alt key shortcuts
- Alt (hold) + Tab: Open the app switcher, using Tab to switch apps
- Alt + F4: Close the current active item or app
- Alt + F8: Show your password at the sign-in screen
- Alt + Esc: Cycle through windows in the order they were opened
- Alt + Enter: Display properties for an item
- Alt + Spacebar: Open the shortcut menu for an active window
- Alt + left arrow: Go back
- Alt + right arrow: Go forward
- Alt + Page Up: Scroll up one screen
- Alt + Page Down: Scroll down one screen
- Alt + Shift + arrow keys: Move a group or tile in the Start menu
- Alt + D: Select the address bar in File Explorer
- Alt + P: Display File Explorer’s preview panel
Shift key shortcuts
- Shift + F10: Display the shortcut menu for a selected item
- Shift + arrow keys: Select multiple items in a window/desktop, or text in a document
- Shift + Delete: Delete an item completely (skips the Recycle Bin)
- Shift + click a taskbar button: Open an app or another instance of a previously-opened app
- Shift + right-click a taskbar button: Show the window menu for an app
- Shift + right-click a grouped taskbar button: Show the window menu for a group
Windows key shortcuts

- Windows key: Open the Start menu
- Windows + A: Open the Action Center (Windows 10) or Quick Settings (Windows 11)
- Windows + B: Set focus in the notification area (Windows 10) or to the first icon in the taskbar corner (Windows 11)
- Windows + D: Display the desktop (use again to go back to open apps)
- Windows + E: Open File Explorer
- Windows + G: Open the Game Bar (when a compatible game is running)
- Windows + Alt + B: Turn HDR on or off via the Game Bar
- Windows + H: Start voice dictation
- Windows + I: Open the Settings app
- Windows + K: Open the Connect quick action (Windows 10) or Cast from Quick Settings (Windows 11)
- Windows + L: Lock your PC or switch user accounts
- Windows + M: Minimize all windows
- Windows + O: Lock device orientation (on tablets/convertible laptops)
- Windows + P: Choose a presentation display mode
- Windows + Ctrl + Q: Open Quick Assist remote help session
- Windows + R: Open the Run dialog box
- Windows + S: Open Search
- Windows + Shift + S: Take a screenshot of part of your screen
- Windows + T: Cycle through apps in the taskbar
- Windows + U: Open Accessibility (Windows 11) or Ease of Access (Windows 10) options
- Windows + V: Open the clipboard (when multiple clipboard items are enabled via Settings)
- Windows + W: Open widgets (Windows 11)
- Windows + Z: Show commands available in a fullscreen app (Windows 10) or open snap layouts (Windows 11)
- Windows + .: Open the emojis panel (in Windows 11, this also includes GIFs, symbols, and kaomojis)
- Windows + Pause: Show the System Properties dialog box
- Windows + Ctrl +F: Search for PCs on a network
- Windows + Shift + M: Restore minimized windows
- Windows + N: Open the notification center and calendar (Windows 11)
- Windows + Tab: Open Task view
- Windows + up arrow: Maximize a window
- Windows + down arrow: Minimize a window or remove the current app from the screen
- Windows + left arrow: Maximize a window on the left side of the screen
- Windows + right arrow: Maximize a window on the right side of the screen
- Windows + Home: Minimizes everything except the selected window (use again to restore)
- Windows + Shift + up arrow: Stretch a window to the top and bottom of the screen
- Windows + Shift + down arrow: Restore or minimize active desktop windows vertically
- Windows + Shift + left or right arrow: Move a window from one monitor to another
- Windows + Spacebar: Switch input language and keyboard layout
- Windows + Ctrl + Enter: Turn on Narrator
- Windows + plus key: Open Magnifier
- Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B: Wake a PC from a blank/black screen
- Windows + Alt + up arrow: Snap a window in focus to the top half of the screen (Windows 11)
- Windows + Alt + down arrow: Snap a window in focus to the bottom half of the screen (Windows 11)
Other keyboard shortcuts you should know

Microsoft
- F2: Rename a selected item
- F3: Search for a file or folder in File Explorer
- F5: Refresh the current window
- F6: Cycle through screen elements in a window/desktop
- F10: Bring up the Menu bar in the current app
- Esc: Stop or exit the current task
- PrtScn: Take a screenshot of your full display (switch this to snipping using Settings > Accessibility [Ease of Access in Windows 10] > Keyboard)
- Shift (x5): Enable Sticky Keys (disable this via Settings)
- Tab: Cycle through options
- Shift-Tab: Cycle backwards through options
- Spacebar: Check or uncheck a checkbox
- Arrow keys: Cycle through buttons if a group of them is already highlighted