Copy, paste, and other general keyboard shortcuts


Cut the selected item

Ctrl + X

Copy the selected item

Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert)

Paste the selected item

Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert)

Undo an action

Ctrl + Z

Switch between open apps

Alt + Tab

Close the active item, or exit the active app

Alt + F4

Lock your PC

Windows logo key + L

Display and hide the desktop

Windows logo key + D

Rename the selected item

F2

Search for a file or folder in File Explorer

F3

Display the address bar list in File Explorer

F4

Refresh the active window

F5

Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop

F6

Activate the Menu bar in the active app

F10

Show your password on the sign-in screen

Alt + F8

Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened

Alt + Esc

Perform the command for that letter

Alt + underlined letter

Display properties for the selected item

Alt + Enter

Open the shortcut menu for the active window

Alt + Spacebar

Go back

Alt + Left arrow

Go forward

Alt + Right arrow

Move up one screen

Alt + Page Up

Move down one screen

Alt + Page Down

Close the active document (in apps that are full-screen and let you have multiple documents open at the same time)

Ctrl + F4

Select all items in a document or window

Ctrl + A

Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin

Ctrl + D (or Delete)

Refresh the active window

Ctrl + R (or F5)

Redo an action

Ctrl + Y

Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word

Ctrl + Right arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word

Ctrl + Left arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph

Ctrl + Down arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph

Ctrl + Up arrow

Use the arrow keys to switch between all open apps

Ctrl + Alt + Tab

When a group or tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it in the direction specified

Alt + Shift + arrow keys

When a tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it into another tile to create a folder

Ctrl + Shift + arrow keys

Resize the Start menu when it's open

Ctrl + arrow keys

Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop

Ctrl + arrow key (to move to an item) + Spacebar

Select a block of text

Ctrl + Shift with an arrow key

Open Start

Ctrl + Esc

Open Task Manager

Ctrl + Shift + Esc

Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are available

Ctrl + Shift

Turn the Chinese input method editor (IME) on or off

Ctrl + Spacebar

Display the shortcut menu for the selected item

Shift + F10

Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document

Shift with any arrow key

Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first

Shift + Delete

Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu

Right arrow

Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu

Left arrow

Stop or leave the current task

Esc

Windows logo key keyboard shortcuts


Open or close Start

Windows logo key

Open Action center

Windows logo key + A

Set focus in the notification area

Windows logo key + B

Open Cortana in listening mode

Windows logo key + C

Open the charms menu

Windows logo key + Shift + C

Display and hide the desktop

Windows logo key + D

Display and hide the date and time on the desktop

Windows logo key + Alt + D

Open File Explorer

Windows logo key + E

Open Feedback Hub and take a screenshot

Windows logo key + F

Open Game bar when a game is open

Windows logo key + G

Start dictation

Windows logo key + H

Open Settings

Windows logo key + I

Set focus to a Windows tip when one is available.

Windows logo key + J

Open the Connect quick action

Windows logo key + K

Lock your PC or switch accounts

Windows logo key + L

Minimize all windows

Windows logo key + M

Lock device orientation

Windows logo key + O

Choose a presentation display mode

Windows logo key + P

Open the Run dialog box

Windows logo key + R

Open search

Windows logo key + S

Cycle through apps on the taskbar

Windows logo key + T

Open Ease of Access Center

Windows logo key + U

Cycle through notifications

Windows logo key + V

Cycle through notifications in reverse order

Windows logo key + Shift + V

Open the Quick Link menu

Windows logo key + X

Switch input between Windows Mixed Reality and your desktop

Windows logo key + Y

Show the commands available in an app in full-screen mode

Windows logo key + Z

Open emoji panel

Windows logo key + period (.) or semicolon (;)

Temporarily peek at the desktop

Windows logo key + comma (,)

Display the System Properties dialog box

Windows logo key + Pause

Search for PCs (if you're on a network)

Windows logo key + Ctrl + F

Restore minimized windows on the desktop

Windows logo key + Shift + M

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 + 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 + Shift + 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 + Ctrl + 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 + Alt + 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 + Ctrl + Shift + number

Open Task view

Windows logo key + Tab

Maximize the window

Windows logo key + Up arrow

Remove current app from screen or minimize the desktop window

Windows logo key + Down arrow

Maximize the app or desktop window to the left side of the screen

Windows logo key + Left arrow

Maximize the app or desktop window to the right side of the screen

Windows logo key + Right arrow

Minimize all except the active desktop window (restores all windows on second stroke)

Windows logo key + Home

Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen

Windows logo key + Shift + Up arrow

Restore/minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width

Windows logo key + Shift + Down arrow

Move an app or window in the desktop from one monitor to another

Windows logo key + Shift + Left arrow or Right arrow

Switch input language and keyboard layout

Windows logo key + Spacebar

Change to a previously selected input

Windows logo key + Ctrl + Spacebar

Open Narrator

Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter

Begin IME reconversion

Windows logo key + forward slash (/)

Open shoulder taps

Windows logo key + Ctrl + V

Command Prompt keyboard shortcuts


Copy the selected text

Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert)

Paste the selected text

Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert)

Enter Mark mode

Ctrl + M

Begin selection in block mode

Alt + selection key

Move the cursor in the direction specified

Arrow keys

Move the cursor by one page up

Page up

Move the cursor by one page down

Page down

Move the cursor to the beginning of the buffer

Ctrl + Home (Mark mode)

Move the cursor to the end of the buffer

Ctrl + End (Mark mode)

Move up one line in the output history

Ctrl + Up arrow

Move down one line in the output history

Ctrl + Down arrow

If the command line is empty, move the viewport to the top of the buffer. Otherwise, delete all the characters to the left of the cursor in the command line.

Ctrl + Home (History navigation)

If the command line is empty, move the viewport to the command line. Otherwise, delete all the characters to the right of the cursor in the command line.

Ctrl + End (History navigation)

Dialog box keyboard shortcuts


Display the items in the active list

F4

Move forward through tabs

Ctrl + Tab

Move back through tabs

Ctrl + Shift + Tab

Move to nth tab

Ctrl + number (number 1–9)

Move forward through options

Tab

Move back through options

Shift + Tab

Perform the command (or select the option) that is used with that letter

Alt + underlined letter

Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box

Spacebar

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

Backspace

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

Arrow keys

File Explorer keyboard shortcuts


Select the address bar

Alt + D

Select the search box

Ctrl + E

Select the search box

Ctrl + F

Open a new window

Ctrl + N

Close the active window

Ctrl + W

Change the size and appearance of file and folder icons

Ctrl + mouse scroll wheel

Display all folders above the selected folder

Ctrl + Shift + E

Create a new folder

Ctrl + Shift + N

Display all subfolders under the selected folder

Num Lock + asterisk (*)

Display the contents of the selected folder

Num Lock + plus (+)

Collapse the selected folder

Num Lock + minus (-)

Display the preview panel

Alt + P

Open the Properties dialog box for the selected item

Alt + Enter

View the next folder

Alt + Right arrow

View the folder that the folder was in

Alt + Up arrow

View the previous folder

Alt + Left arrow

View the previous folder

Backspace

Display the current selection (if it's collapsed), or select the first subfolder

Right arrow

Collapse the current selection (if it's expanded), or select the folder that the folder was in

Left arrow

Display the bottom of the active window

End

Display the top of the active window

Home

Maximize or minimize the active window

F11

Virtual desktops keyboard shortcuts


Open Task view

Windows logo key + Tab

Add a virtual desktop

Windows logo key + Ctrl + D

Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the right

Windows logo key + Ctrl + Right arrow

Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the left

Windows logo key + Ctrl + Left arrow

Close the virtual desktop you're using

Windows logo key + Ctrl + F4

Taskbar keyboard shortcuts


Open an app or quickly open another instance of an app

Shift + click a taskbar button

Open an app as an administrator

Ctrl + Shift + click a taskbar button

Show the window menu for the app

Shift + right-click a taskbar button

Show the window menu for the group

Shift + right-click a grouped taskbar button

Cycle through the windows of the group

Ctrl + click a grouped taskbar button

Settings keyboard shortcuts


Open settings

Windows logo key + I

Go back to the settings home page

Backspace

Search settings

Type on any page with search box