Desktop shortcuts

On Windows 10, you can use these keyboard shortcuts to open, close, navigate, and perform tasks more quickly throughout the desktop experience, including the Start menu, Taskbar, Settings, and more.

Keyboard shortcut                          Action

Windows key (or Ctrl + Esc)            Open Start menu.

Ctrl + Arrow keys                             Change Start menu size.

Ctrl + Shift + Esc                             Open Task Manager.

Ctrl + Shift                                       Switch keyboard layout.

Alt + F4                                  Close active window. (If no active window is present, a shutdown box appears.)

Ctrl + F5 (or Ctrl + R)                       Refresh current window.

Ctrl + Alt + Tab                                View open apps.

Ctrl + Arrow keys (to select) + Spacebar  Select multiple items on desktop or File Explorer.

Alt + Underlined letter                      Runs command for the underlined letter in apps.

Alt + Tab                                          Switch between open apps while pressing Tab multiple times.

Alt + Left arrow key                          Go back.

Alt + Right arrow key                        Go forward.

Alt + Page Up                                  Move up one screen.

Alt + Page Down                              Move down one screen.

Alt + Esc                                          Cycle through open windows.

Alt + Spacebar                                 Open context menu for the active window.

Alt + F8                                            Reveals typed password in Sign-in screen.

Shift + Click app button                     Open another instance of an app from the Taskbar.

Ctrl + Shift + Click app button            Run app as administrator from the Taskbar.

Shift + Right-click app button             Show window menu for the app from the Taskbar.

Ctrl + Click a grouped app button       Cycle through windows in the group from the Taskbar.

Shift + Right-click grouped app button Show window menu for the group from the Taskbar.

Ctrl + Left arrow key                            Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word.

Ctrl + Right arrow key                          Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word.

Ctrl + Up arrow key                              Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph

Ctrl + Down arrow key                         Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph.

Ctrl + Shift + Arrow key                        Select block of text.

Ctrl + Spacebar                                   Enable or disable Chinese IME.

Shift + F10                                          Open context menu for selected item.

F10                                                     Enable app menu bar.

Shift + Arrow keys                                Select multiple items.

Windows key + X                                 Open Quick Link menu.

Windows key + Number (0-9)               Open the app in number position from the Taskbar.

Windows key + T                                  Cycle through apps in the Taskbar.

Windows key + Alt + Number (0-9)        Open Jump List of the app in number position from the Taskbar.

Windows key + D                                  Display and hide the desktop.

Windows key + M                                  Minimize all windows.

Windows key + Shift + M                       Restore minimized windows on the desktop.

Windows key + Home                           Minimize or maximize all but the active desktop window.

Windows key + Shift + Up arrow key      Stretch desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen.

Windows key + Shift + Down arrow key  Maximize or minimize active desktop windows vertically while maintaining width.

Windows key + Shift + Left arrow key     Move active window to monitor on the left.

Windows key + Shift + Right arrow key   Move active window to monitor on the right.

Windows key + Left arrow key                Snap app or window left.

Windows key + Right arrow key             Snap app or window right.

Windows key + S (or Q)                         Open Search.

Windows key + Alt + D                            Open date and time in the Taskbar.

Windows key + Tab                                 Open Task View.

Windows key + Ctrl + D                          Create new virtual desktop.

Windows key + Ctrl + F4                         Close active virtual desktop.

Windows key + Ctrl + Right arrow            Switch to the virtual desktop on the right.

Windows key + Ctrl + Left arrow               Switch to the virtual desktop on the left.

Windows key + P                                     Open Project settings.

Windows key + A                                     Open Action center.

Windows key + I                                      Open Settings app.

Backspace                                              Return to the Settings app home page.