In the age of rapid digital tasks and multitasking, the ability to perform actions seamlessly is invaluable. Windows 10 offers an extensive array of keyboard shortcuts designed to speed up navigation and task execution, optimizing the user experience. While the sheer number of these shortcuts can seem overwhelming, the good news is you don’t need to commit them all to memory. Many users will find themselves frequently using just a handful, depending on their daily tasks. However, for those eager to explore, we’ve compiled an expansive list, catering to diverse user needs. In this risewindows guide, we’ll highlight the most beneficial keyboard shortcuts for Windows 10. For enthusiasts looking to stay updated with the latest, we also provide a link to shortcuts tailored for Windows 11. Get ready to elevate your Windows navigation game!
General Shortcuts
- Ctrl + A – Select all content.
- Ctrl + C – Copy selected content to the clipboard.
- Ctrl + X – Cut selected content to the clipboard.
- Ctrl + V – Paste content from the clipboard.
- Ctrl + Z – Undo the last action.
- Ctrl + Y – Redo the last undo action.
- Ctrl + Shift + N – Create a new folder on the desktop or File Explorer.
- Alt + F4 – Close the currently opened window.
- Ctrl + D – Delete selected item to Recycle bin.
- Shift + Delete – Delete the selected item permanently; the thing will not go to Recycle bin.
- F2 – Rename the selected item.
- ESC – Close current task.
- Alt + Tab – Switch between open applications.
- PrtScn – Takes a screenshot of your desktop and saves that to a clipboard.
- Windows key + I – Opens settings app.
- Windows key + E – Open File Explorer.
- Windows key + A – Open Action Center.
- Windows key + D – Display or hide the desktop.
- Windows key + L – Lock the system.
- Windows key + V – Open the clipboard bin.
- Windows key + (.) Period or (;) Semicolon – Open emoji panel.
- Windows key + PrnScn – Capture the full-screen screenshot and save it in the “Screenshot” folder.
- Windows key + Shift + S – Capture part of the screen with snip & sketch.
- Windows key + Left arrow – Snap app or window left.
- Windows key + Right arrow – Snap app or window right.
Desktop Shortcuts
- Ctrl + Arrows keys: Change the Start menu size.
- Windows Key: Open Start Menu.
- Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open Task Manager
- Ctrl + Shift: Switch Keyboard layout.
- Alt + F4: Close Active Window.
- Ctrl + F5: Refresh the current window.
- Ctrl + Alt + Tab: View open applications.
- Ctrl + Arrow keys + Spacebar: Select multiple items on the desktop or File Explorer.
- Alt + Underlined letter: Runs command for underlined letters in apps.
- Alt + Tab: Switch between open apps while pressing Tab multiple times.
- Alt + Left arrow key: Go back.
- Alt + Right arrow: Go forward.
- Alt + Page Up: Move one page up on the screen.
- Alt + Page down: Move one page down on the screen.
- Alt + Esc: Cycle through open windows.
- Alt + Spacebar: Open the context menu for the active window.
- Alt + F8: It reveals a typed password on the Sign-in screen.
- Shift + Click app button: Open another tab on an app from the Taskbar.
- Ctrl + Shift + Click App: Run an app as administrator from the Taskbar.
- Shift + Right-click app button: Show the window menu for the app from the Taskbar.
- Ctrl + Click a grounded app button: Cycle through the window in the group from the Taskbar.
- Shift + Right-click a grounded app button: Show the 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 + Up arrow key: Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph.
- Ctrl + Shift + Arrow key: Select a block of the text.
- Ctrl + Spacebar: Enable or disable Chinese IME.
- Shift + F10: Open the context menu for the selected item.
- F10: Enable the app menu bar.
- Shift + Arrow keys: Select multiple items.
- Windows key + X: Open the Quick Link menu.
- Windows key + Number (0-9): Open the app in the number position from the Taskbar.
- Windows key + T: Cycle through apps in Taskbar.
- Windows key + Alt + Number (0-9): This opens the app’s jump list in the number position from the Taskbar.
- Windows key + D: Display and Hide the desktop.
- Windows key + M: Minimize the windows.
- Windows key + Shift + M: Restore the minimized windows on the desktop.
- Windows key + Home: Minimize or Maximize all but the active desktop window.
- Windows key + Shift + Up arrow: Strech desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen.
- Windows key + Shift + Down arrow: Minimize or Maximize the active desktop windows vertically while maintaining width.
- Windows key + Shift +Left arrow key: Move the active window on the monitor to the left.
- Windows key + Shift +Right arrow key: Move the active window on the monitor to 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 & Time in the Taskbar.
- Windows key + Tab: Open Task view.
- Windows key + Ctrl + D: Create a 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 the Settings app.
- Backspace: Return to the settings app home page.
File Explorer Shortcuts
- Windows key + E: Open File Explorer.
- Alt + D: Select the Address bar.
- Ctrl + E (or F): Select the Search box.
- Ctrl + N: Open a new window.
- Ctrl + W: Close the active window.
- Ctrl + F (or F3): Start a search.
- Ctrl + Mouse scroll wheel: Change view file and folder.
- Ctrl + Shift + E: Expand all folders from the tree in the navigation pane.
- Ctrl + Shift + N: Create a new folder on the desktop or File Explorer.
- Ctrl + L: Focus on the address bar.
- Ctrl + Shift + Number (0-8): Changes folder view.
- Alt + P: Display preview panel.
- Alt + Enter: Open properties settings for the selected items.
- Alt + Right arrow key: View next folder.
- Alt + Left arrow key: View the previous folder.
- Alt + Up arrow: Move up a level in the folder path.
- F11: It switches active windows to full-screen mode.
- F5: Refresh the instance of the File Explorer.
- F2: Rename the selected item.
- F4: Switch focus to the address bar.
- F5: Refresh File Explorer’s current window.
- F6: Cycle through elements on the screen.
- Home: Scroll to the top of the window.
- END: Scroll to the bottom of the window.
Settings Page Shortcuts
- Ctrl + Tab: Cycles forward through the tabs.
- Ctrl + Shift + Tab: Cycles back through the tabs.
- Ctrl + Number of Tab: Jumps to tab position.
- Tab: Moves forward through the settings.
- Shift + Tab: Moves back through the settings.
- Alt + underline letter: Actions in the setting identified by the letter.
- Spacebar: Checks or clears the option in focus.
- Backspace: Opens the folder one-level app in the Open or Save as dialog.
- Arrow keys: Select a button of the active settings.
Command Prompts Settings
- Ctrl + A: Select all content of the current file.
- Ctrl + C: Copy selected items to the clipboard.
- Ctrl + V: Paste content from the clipboard.
- Ctrl + M: Start mark mode.
- Ctrl + Up arrow key: Move the screen up one line.
- Ctrl + Down arrow key: Move the screen down one line
- Ctrl + F: Open search for Command Prompt.
- Left or Right arrow keys: Move the cursor left or right in the same line.
- Up and Down arrow keys: Cycle through the command history of the current session.
- Page up: Move the cursor one page up.
- Page down: Move the cursor one page down.
- Ctrl + Home: Scroll to the top of the console.
- Ctrl + End: Scroll to the bottom of the console.
Windows key Shortcuts
- Windows key: Open the Start menu.
- Windows key + A: Open Action Center.
- Windows key + S: Open Search.
- Windows key + D: Display or Hide the desktop.
- Windows key + L: Lock computer.
- Windows key + M: Minimize all windows.
- Windows key + B: Set focus on the notification area in the taskbar.
- Windows key + C: Launch the Cortana app.
- Windows key + F: Launch the Feedback Hub app.
- Windows key + G: Launch the Game Bar app.
- Windows key + Y: Change input between desktop and Mixed Reality.
- Windows key + O: Lock device orientation (mainly for touch monitor or tablet).
- Windows key + T: Cycle through apps in the Taskbar.
- Windows key + Z: Switch input between the desktop experience and Windows Mixed Reality.
- Windows key + J: Set focus on a tip for Windows 10 when applicable.
- Windows key + H: Open dictation feature.
- Windows key + E: Open File Explorer.
- Windows key + I: Open Settings.
- Windows key + R: Open Run Command.
- Windows key + K: Open Connect Settings.
- Windows key + X: Open Quick Link Menu.
- Windows key + V: Open the Clipboard bin.
- Windows key + W: Open the Windows Ink Workspace.
- Windows key + U: Open Ease of access settings.
- Windows key + P: Open Project settings.
- Windows key + Ctrl +Enter: Open Narrator.
- Windows key + Plus(+): Zoom in using the magnifier.
- Windows key + Minus(-): Zoom out using the magnifier.
- Windows key + Esc: Exit magnifier.
- Windows key + Forward slash (/): Start IME conversion.
- Windows key + Comma(,): Temporary peak on the desktop.
- Windows key + Up arrow key: Maximize app windows.
- Windows key + Down arrow key: Minimize app windows.
- Windows key + Home: Minimize or Maximize all but the active desktop window.
- Windows key + Shift + M: Restore minimized windows on the desktop.
- Windows key + Shift + Up arrow key: Strech desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen.
- Windows key + Shift + Down arrow key: Minimize or Maximize active windows vertically while maintaining width.
- Windows key + Shift + Left arrow key: Move the monitor’s active window to the left.
- Windows key + Shift + Right arrow key: Move the active window to the right of the monitor.
- Windows key + Right arrow key: Snap app or window left.
- Windows key + Right arrow key– Snap app or window right.
- Windows key + Numbers (0-9): Open the app in the number position in the Taskbar.
- Windows key + Shift + Numbers (0-9): Open another app instance in the number position on the Taskbar.
- Windows key + Ctrl + Numbers (0-9): Switch to the last active window of the app in the number position in the taskbar.
- Windows key +Alt + Numbers (0-9): Open the app’s jump list in the number position on the taskbar.
- Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + Numbers (0-9): Open another instance as an app administrator in the number position on the Taskbar.
- Windows key + Ctrl + Spacebar: Change the previously selected input option.
- Windows key + Spacebar: Change keyboard layout and input language.
- Windows key + Tab: Open Task View.
- Windows key + Ctrl + D: Create a virtual desktop.
- Windows key + Ctrl + F4: Close active virtual desktop.
- Windows key + Ctrl + Right arrow key: Switch to the virtual desktop to the right.
- Windows key + Ctrl + Left arrow key: Switch to the virtual desktop to the left.
- Windows key + Ctrl + Shift: Wake up the device when black or has a blank screen.
- Windows key + PrtScn: Capture the full screenshot in the “Screenshot” folder.
- Windows key + Shift + S: Create part of the screen screenshot.
- Windows key + Shift + V: Cycle through notifications.
- Windows key + Ctrl + F: Open search for the device on a domain network.
- Windows key + Ctrl + Q: Open Quick Assist.
- Windows key + Alt + D: Open the date and time in the Taskbar.
- Windows key + Period (.) or Semicolon (;): Open emoji panel.
- Windows key + Pause: Show System Properties dialog box.
With these shortcuts at your fingertips, navigating Windows 10 will become a breeze. They’re not just keystrokes; they’re your ticket to a smoother, faster, and more intuitive Windows experience. Whether you’re juggling multiple tasks, searching for a specific file, or merely wanting to maximize your efficiency, these shortcuts are your trusty allies. Now, gear up and make the most of what Windows 10 has to offer!
