Keyboard shortcuts in Windows - Windows Help Page 1 of 12

Keyboard shortcuts in Windows

Applies to: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7

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Windows 10 

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Windows 10

Keyboard shortcuts are keys or combinations of keys that provide an

alternative way to do something that you’d typically do with a mouse.
Click an option below, and it'll open to display a table of related
shortcuts:

Hide all

 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.
Close the active item, or exit
Alt + F4
the active app.
Windows logo key  + L Lock your PC.
Windows logo key  + D Display and hide the desktop.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12445/windows-keyboard-shortcuts 8/16/2019
Keyboard shortcuts in Windows - Windows Help Page 2 of 12

F2 Rename the selected item.

Search for a file or folder in File
F3
Explorer.
Display the address bar list in
F4
File Explorer.
F5 Refresh the active window.
Cycle through screen elements
F6
in a window or on the desktop.
Activate the Menu bar in the
F10
active app.
Show your password on the
Alt + F8
sign-in screen.
Cycle through items in the
Alt + Esc order in which they were
opened.
Perform the command for that
Alt + underlined letter
letter.
Display properties for the
Alt + Enter
selected item.
Open the shortcut menu for the
Alt + Spacebar
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.
Close the active document (in
apps that are full-screen and let
Ctrl + F4
you have multiple documents
open at the same time).
Select all items in a document
Ctrl + A
or window.
Delete the selected item and
Ctrl + D (or Delete)
move it to the Recycle Bin.
Ctrl + R (or F5) Refresh the active window.
Ctrl + Y Redo an action.
Ctrl + Right arrow

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12445/windows-keyboard-shortcuts 8/16/2019
Keyboard shortcuts in Windows - Windows Help
Ctrl + Left arrow
Ctrl + Down arrow
Ctrl + Up arrow
Ctrl + Alt + Tab
Alt + Shift + arrow keys
Ctrl + Shift + arrow keys
Ctrl + arrow keys
Ctrl + arrow key (to move to an Select multiple individual items
item) + Spacebar
Ctrl + Shift with an arrow key
Ctrl + Esc
Ctrl + Shift + Esc
Ctrl + Shift
Ctrl + Spacebar
Shift + F10
Shift with any arrow key
Shift + Delete
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12445/windows-keyboard-shortcuts
Page 3 of 12
Move the cursor to the
beginning of the next word.
Move the cursor to the
beginning of the previous
word.
Move the cursor to the
beginning of the next
paragraph.
Move the cursor to the
beginning of the previous
paragraph.
Use the arrow keys to switch
between all open apps.
When a group or tile is in focus
on the Start menu, move it in
the direction specified.
When a tile is in focus on the
Start menu, move it into
another tile to create a folder.
Resize the Start menu when it's
open.
in a window or on the desktop.
Select a block of text.
Open Start.
Open Task Manager.
Switch the keyboard layout
when multiple keyboard layouts
are available.
Turn the Chinese input method
editor (IME) on or off.
Display the shortcut menu for
the selected item.
Select more than one item in a
window or on the desktop, or
select text in a document.
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Keyboard shortcuts in Windows - Windows Help Page 4 of 12

Delete the selected item

without moving it to the
Recycle Bin first.
Open the next menu to the
Right arrow
right, or open a submenu.
Open the next menu to the left,
Left arrow
or close a submenu.
Esc Stop or leave the current task.
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
PrtScn you edit your screenshot.
Select Start  > Settings 
> Ease of Access >
Keyboard, and turn on the
toggle under Print Screen
shortcut.

Use PrtScn key to open screen snipping

 Windows logo key keyboard shortcuts

Press this key
Windows logo key 
Windows logo key  + A
Windows logo key  + B
Windows logo key  + C
To do this
Open or close Start.
Open Action center.
Set focus in the notification
area.
Open Cortana in listening
mode.

Notes
• This shortcut is turned off
by default. To turn it on,
select Start  > Settings 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12445/windows-keyboard-shortcuts 8/16/2019
Keyboard shortcuts in Windows - Windows Help
Windows logo key  + Shift +
C
Windows logo key  + D
Windows logo key  + Alt + D
Windows logo key  + E
Windows logo key  + F
Windows logo key  + G
Windows logo key  + H
Windows logo key  + I
Windows logo key  + J
Windows logo key  + K
Windows logo key  + L
Windows logo key  + M
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12445/windows-keyboard-shortcuts
Page 5 of 12
 > Cortana, and turn on
the toggle under Let
Cortana listen for my
commands when I press
the Windows logo key +
C.
• Cortana is available only in
certain countries/regions,
and some Cortana features
might not be available
everywhere. If Cortana isn't
available or is turned off,
you can still use search.
Open the charms menu.
Display and hide the desktop.
Display and hide the date and
time on the desktop.
Open File Explorer.
Open Feedback Hub and take a
screenshot.
Open Game bar when a game
is open.
Start dictation.
Open Settings.
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.
Open the Connect quick action.
Lock your PC or switch
accounts.
Minimize all windows.
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Keyboard shortcuts in Windows - Windows Help Page 6 of 12

Windows logo key  + O Lock device orientation.

Windows logo key  + P
Windows logo key  + Ctrl +
Q
Windows logo key  + R
Windows logo key  + S
Windows logo key  + Shift +
S your screen.
Windows logo key  + T
Windows logo key  + U
Choose a presentation display
mode.
Open Quick Assist.
Open the Run dialog box.
Open search.
Take a screenshot of part of 
 
Cycle through apps on the
taskbar.
Open Ease of Access Center.
Open the clipboard. 

Note

• To activate this shortcut,

Windows logo key  + V
select Start  > Settings
 > System  >
Clipboard, and turn on the
toggle under Clipboard
history. 

Windows logo key  + Shift +

Cycle through notifications.
V
Windows logo key  + X Open the Quick Link menu.
Switch input between Windows
Windows logo key  + Y Mixed Reality and your
desktop.
Show the commands available
Windows logo key  + Z
in an app in full-screen mode.
Windows logo key  + period
Open emoji panel.
(.) or semicolon (;)
Windows logo key  + comma Temporarily peek at the
(,) desktop.
Display the System Properties
Windows logo key  + Pause
dialog box.
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + F

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Keyboard shortcuts in Windows - Windows Help Page 7 of 12

Search for PCs (if you're on a

network).
Windows logo key  + Shift + Restore minimized windows on
M the desktop.
Open the desktop and start the
app pinned to the taskbar in
Windows logo key  + number the position indicated by the
number. If the app is already
running, switch to that app.
Open the desktop and start a
Windows logo key  + Shift + new instance of the app pinned
number to the taskbar in the position
indicated by the number.
Open the desktop and switch
to the last active window of the
Windows logo key  + Ctrl +
app pinned to the taskbar in
number
the position indicated by the
number.
Open the desktop and open
the Jump List for the app
Windows logo key  + Alt +
pinned to the taskbar in the
number
position indicated by the
number.
Open the desktop and open a
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + new instance of the app located
Shift + number at the given position on the
taskbar as an administrator.
Windows logo key  + Tab Open Task view.
Windows logo key  + Up
Maximize the window.
arrow
Remove current app from
Windows logo key  + Down
screen or minimize the desktop
arrow
window.
Maximize the app or desktop
Windows logo key  + Left
window to the left side of the
arrow
screen.
Maximize the app or desktop
Windows logo key  + Right
window to the right side of the
arrow
screen.
Windows logo key  + Home

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12445/windows-keyboard-shortcuts 8/16/2019
Keyboard shortcuts in Windows - Windows Help Page 8 of 12

Minimize all except the active

Windows logo key  + Shift +
Up arrow
Windows logo key  + Shift +
Down arrow
Windows logo key  + Shift +
Left arrow or Right arrow
Windows logo key  +
Spacebar
Windows logo key  + Ctrl +
Spacebar
Windows logo key  + Ctrl +
Enter
Windows logo key  + Plus (+) Open Magnifier.
Windows logo key  + forward
Begin IME reconversion.
slash (/)
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + V Open shoulder taps.
Windows logo key  + Ctrl +
Shift + B
 Command Prompt keyboard shortcuts
Press this key
Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert)
Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert)
Ctrl + M
Alt + selection key
Arrow keys
Page up
Page down
Ctrl + Home (Mark mode)
desktop window (restores all
windows on second stroke).
Stretch the desktop window to
the top and bottom of the
screen.
Restore/minimize active
desktop windows vertically,
maintaining width.
Move an app or window in the
desktop from one monitor to
another.
Switch input language and
keyboard layout.
Change to a previously selected
input.
Turn on Narrator.
Wake PC from blank or black
screen
To do this
Copy the selected text.
Paste the selected text.
Enter Mark mode.
Begin selection in block mode.
Move the cursor in the
direction specified.
Move the cursor by one page
up.
Move the cursor by one page
down.

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Keyboard shortcuts in Windows - Windows Help Page 9 of 12

Move the cursor to the

beginning of the buffer.
Move the cursor to the end of
Ctrl + End (Mark mode)
the buffer.
Move up one line in the output
Ctrl + Up arrow
history.
Move down one line in the
Ctrl + Down arrow
output history.
If the command line is empty,
move the viewport to the top
Ctrl + Home (History
of the buffer. Otherwise, delete
navigation)
all the characters to the left of
the cursor in the command line.
If the command line is empty,
move the viewport to the
command line. Otherwise,
Ctrl + End (History navigation)
delete all the characters to the
right of the cursor in the
command line.
 Dialog box keyboard shortcuts
Press this key To do this
Display the items in the active
F4
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.
Perform the command (or
Alt + underlined letter select the option) that is used
with that letter.
Select or clear the check box if
Spacebar
the active option is a check box.
Open a folder one level up if a
Backspace folder is selected in the Save As
or Open dialog box.
Arrow keys

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Keyboard shortcuts in Windows - Windows Help Page 10 of 12

Select a button if the active

option is a group of option
buttons.
 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.
Change the size and
Ctrl + mouse scroll wheel appearance of file and folder
icons.
Display all folders above the
Ctrl + Shift + E
selected folder.
Ctrl + Shift + N Create a new folder.
Display all subfolders under the
Num Lock + asterisk (*)
selected folder.
Display the contents of the
Num Lock + plus (+)
selected folder.
Num Lock + minus (-) Collapse the selected folder.
Alt + P Display the preview panel.
Open the Properties dialog box
Alt + Enter
for the selected item.
Alt + Right arrow View the next folder.
View the folder that the folder
Alt + Up arrow
was in.
Alt + Left arrow View the previous folder.
Backspace View the previous folder.
Display the current selection (if
Right arrow it's collapsed), or select the first
subfolder.
Collapse the current selection
Left arrow (if it's expanded), or select the
folder that the folder was in.
End

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Keyboard shortcuts in Windows - Windows Help Page 11 of 12

Display the bottom of the

active window.
Display the top of the active
Home
window.
Maximize or minimize the
F11
active window.
 Virtual desktops keyboard shortcuts
Press this key To do this
Windows logo key  + Tab Open Task view.
Windows logo key  + Ctrl +
Add a virtual desktop.
D
Switch between virtual
Windows logo key  + Ctrl +
desktops you’ve created on the
Right arrow
right.
Switch between virtual
Windows logo key  + Ctrl +
desktops you’ve created on the
Left arrow
left.
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + Close the virtual desktop you're
F4 using.
 Taskbar keyboard shortcuts
Press this key To do this
Open an app or quickly open
Shift + click a taskbar button
another instance of an app.
Ctrl + Shift + click a taskbar Open an app as an
button administrator.
Shift + right-click a taskbar Show the window menu for the
button app.
Shift + right-click a grouped Show the window menu for the
taskbar button group.
Ctrl + click a grouped taskbar Cycle through the windows of
button the group.
 Settings keyboard shortcuts
Press this key To do this
Windows logo key  + I Open settings.
Go back to the settings home
Backspace
page.
Type on any page with search Search settings.
box

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12445/windows-keyboard-shortcuts 8/16/2019
Keyboard shortcuts in Windows - Windows Help Page 12 of 12

Additional keyboard shortcuts

• Keyboard shortcuts in apps

• Windows keyboard shortcuts for accessibility
• Microsoft Surface Hub keyboard shortcuts
• Keyboard shortcuts in Continuum for phones

Last Updated: Aug 6, 2019

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https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12445/windows-keyboard-shortcuts 8/16/2019