Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

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General Shortcuts

These are applicable to nearly all Windows programs.

[F1]
Display Help. When in Windows Explorer or viewing the desktop, this shows you Windows Help. Otherwise, shows you the active program’s documentation.

[Ctrl] + [C]
Copy the selected item or text

[Ctrl] + [X]
Cut the selected item or text

[Ctrl] + [V]
Paste the selected item or text

[Ctrl] + [Z]
Undo the last action

[Ctrl] + [Y]
Redo the last action

[Delete]
Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin

[[Shift]] + [Delete]
Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first

[F2]
Rename the selected item

[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] + [[Shift]] + an arrow key
Select a block of text

[[Shift]] with any arrow key
Selectmore than one itemin a window or on the desktop, or select
text within a document

[Ctrl] with any arrow key + [Space]
Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop

[Ctrl] + [A]
Select all items in a document or window

[F3]
Search for a file or folder

[Alt] + [Enter]
Display properties for the selected item

[Alt] + [F4]
Exit the active program

[Alt] + [Space]
Open the shortcut menu for the active window

[Ctrl] + [F4]
Close the active document (in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)

[Alt] + [Tab]
Switch between open programs or items

[Ctrl]+ [Alt] + [Tab]
Use the arrow keys to switch between open items (Vista only). Hit [Enter] to select the program you want to switch to

[Ctrl] + Mouse scroll wheel
Change the size of icons on the desktop – (Vista only)

[Windows] + [Tab]
Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Windows Flip 3D (Vista only). In XP, cycle through programs using the taskbar buttons and hit [Enter] to select a program

[Ctrl] + [Windows] + [Tab]
Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Windows Flip 3D (Vista only). Hit [Enter] to select the program you want to switch to

[Alt] + [Esc]
Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened

[F6]
Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop

[F4]
Display the Address bar list in Windows Explorer

[[Shift]] + [F10]
Display the right-click menu for the selected item

[Ctrl] + [Esc] or [Windows]
Open the Start menu

[Alt] + underlined letter (in program menu)
Display the corresponding menu – for Example, [Alt] + [F] in a program opens the File menu

[F10]
Activate the menu bar in the active program

[Right Arrow] (in menu bar)
Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu

[Left Arrow] (in menu bar)
Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu

[F5]
Refresh the active window

[Alt] + [Up Arrow]
View the folder one level up in Windows Explorer

[Esc]
Cancel the current task

[Ctrl] + [[Shift]] + [Esc]
Open Task Manager. Also [Ctrl] + [Alt] + [Delete] in Windows XP Hold down [[Shift]] when you insert a CD / DVD Prevent the CD / DVD from automatically playing

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Dialog Box Shortcuts

Use these in dialog boxes – Control Panel items, Save and Open
dialogs and so on.

[Ctrl] + [Tab]
Move forward through tabs

[Ctrl] + [Shift] + [Tab]
Move back through tabs

[Tab]
Move forward through options

[Shift] + [Tab]
Move back through options

[Alt] + underlined letter
Perform the command (or select the option) that goes with that letter

[Enter]
Replaces clicking the mouse for many selected commands. Also equivalent to hitting the OK button

[Space]
Change the state of a check box or radio button. Also to click on selected button – the button is clicked after you release the spacebar.

Arrow keys
Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons

[F4]
Display the items in the active drop-down menu

[Backspace]
Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box

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Windows Explorer Shortcuts

[Ctrl] + [N]
Open a new window (Vista only)

[End]
Display the bottom of the active window

[Home]
Display the top of the active window

[F11]
Maximise or minimise the active window (Vista). Go full-screen

(XP)

• on keypad (Num Lock on)

Display all subfolders under the selected folder

• on keypad (Num Lock on)

Display the contents of the selected folder

[-] on keypad (Num Lock on)
Collapse the selected folder

[Left Arrow]
Collapse the current selection (if it is expanded), or select the parent folder

[Alt] + [Left Arrow]
View the previous folder

[Right Arrow]
Display the current selection (if it is collapsed). If not, select the first subfolder (Vista only)

[Alt] + [Right Arrow]
View the next folder

[Ctrl] + Mouse scroll wheel
Change the size and appearance of file and folder icons (Vista only)

[Alt] + [D]
Select the Address bar

Windows Key Shortcuts

[Windows]
Open or close the Start menu

[Windows] + PAUSE
Display the System Properties dialog box

[Windows] +D
Display the desktop

[Windows] +M
Minimize all windows

[Windows] +SHIFT+M
Restore minimized windows to the desktop

[Windows] +E
Open Computer

[Windows] +F
Search for a file or folder

CTRL+[Windows] +F
Search for computers (if you are on a network)

[Windows] +L
Lock your computer or switch users

[Windows] +R
Open the Run dialog box

[Windows] +T
Cycle through programs on the taskbar

[Windows] +TAB
Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Windows Flip 3-D

CTRL+[Windows] +TAB
Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Windows Flip 3-D

[Windows] +SPACEBAR
Bring all gadgets to the front and select Windows Sidebar

[Windows] +G
Cycle through Sidebar gadgets

[Windows] +U
Open Ease of Access Center

[Windows] +X
Open Windows Mobility Center

[Windows] with any number key
Open the Quick Launch shortcut that is in the position that corresponds to the number. For example, [Windows] +1 to launch the first shortcut in the Quick Launch menu.

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Ease Of Access Shortcuts

You can turn these off too.

Right [Shift] for eight seconds
Turn Filter Keys on and off

Left [Alt] + left [Shift] + [Print Screen] (or [PrtScrn])
Turn High Contrast on or off

Left [Alt] + left [Shift] + [Num Lock]
Turn Mouse Keys on or off

[Shift] five times
Turn Sticky Keys on or off

[Num Lock] for five seconds
Turn Toggle Keys on or off

Windows logo key +
Open the Ease of Access Center

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Shortcuts For Shortcuts

You can also assign your own keyboard shortcuts to programs you use often. We assume that there’s already a shortcut to this program in the Start Menu or on your desktop. Right-click on that shortcut and choose Properties. In the dialog box, click in the Shortcut Key text box and press your shortcut combination.

You can use [Ctrl], [Alt] and [Shift] in your shortcut, but unfortunately not the Windows key. If you’re going to use [Ctrl] + [Alt], you don’t even need to press them. Windows adds the combination before your shortcut key, so if you hit, [3], your shortcut automatically becomes [Ctrl] + [Alt] + [3].