Like earlier versions of Windows, Windows 10 also comes with loads of keyboard shortcuts for the users to use. Whether you’re in a File Explorer window, Command Prompt, or just on your desktop, there’s a keyboard shortcut for pretty much any function that you want to use.
Here we list some of the useful Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts that we think you should learn.
| Shortcut Key | Function |
|---|---|
| General | |
| Ctrl + X | Cut selected items |
| Ctrl + C, Ctrl + Insert | Copy selected items |
| Ctrl + V, Shift + Insert | Paste selected items |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo |
| Alt + Tab | Switch between running apps |
| Alt + F4 | Quit the active app |
| Windows Key + L | Lock the PC |
| Windows Key + D | Display and hide the desktop |
| F2 | Rename an item |
| F3 | Focus on the search box in File Explorer |
| F4 | Focus on the address bar in File Explorer |
| F5, Ctrl + R | Refresh the current window |
| F6 | Cycle through screen items |
| F10 | Focus on the Menu bar in the active app |
| Alt + F8 | Reveal password on the sign-in screen |
| Alt + Esc | Cycle through items in the order they were opened |
| Alt + Underlined Letter | Access the command for that letter |
| Alt + Enter | Access properties for the active item |
| Alt + Spacebar | Access the shortcut menu for the current window |
| Alt + Left Arrow | Go to the previous item |
| Alt + Right Arrow | Go to the next item |
| Alt + Page Up | Go up one screen |
| Alt + Page Down | Go down one screen |
| Ctrl + F4 | Close the active file in an app |
| Ctrl + A | Select all |
| Ctrl + D, Ctrl + Delete | Delete the selected item |
| Ctrl + Y | Redo |
| Ctrl + Right Arrow | Go to the beginning of the next word |
| Ctrl + Left Arrow | Go to the beginning of the previous word |
| Ctrl + Down Arrow | Go to the beginning of the next paragraph |
| Ctrl + Up Arrow | Go to the beginning of the previous paragraph |
| Ctrl + Alt + Tab | Switch between running apps using arrow keys |
| Alt + Shift + Arrow Keys | Move the selected group or tile in Start menu in the selected direction |
| Ctrl + Shift + Arrow Keys | Move the selected tile and create a new folder |
| Ctrl + Arrow Keys | Change the Start menu size |
| Ctrl + Arrow Key + Spacebar | Select multiple individual items |
| Ctrl + Shift + Arrow Key | Select a block of text |
| Ctrl + Esc | Access the Start menu |
| Ctrl + Shift + Esc | Access Task Manager |
| Ctrl + Shift | Switch the keyboard layout |
| Ctrl + Spacebar | Toggle the Chinese input method editor on/off |
| Shift + F10 | View the shortcut menu for the selected item |
| Shift + Arrow Key | Select multiple items |
| Shift + Delete | Permanently delete the selected item |
| Right Arrow | Access the next menu |
| Left Arrow | Access the previous menu |
| Esc | Stop or quit the current task |
| PrtScn | Capture a screenshot and copy it to clipboard |
| Windows Key | |
| Windows Key | Open or close the Start menu |
| Windows Key + A | Access Action center |
| Windows Key + B | Focus on the notification panel |
| Windows Key + C | Launch Cortana in listening mode |
| Windows Key + Shift + C | Access the charms menu |
| Windows Key + D | Display and hide the desktop |
| Windows Key + Alt + D | Hide/unhide the date and time on the desktop |
| Windows + E | Launch File Explorer |
| Windows Key + F | Launch Feedback Hub and capture a screenshot |
| Windows Key + G | Launch Game bar when a game is running |
| Windows Key + H | Begin dictation |
| Windows Key + I | Launch Settings |
| Windows Key + J | Focus on the Windows tip |
| Windows Key + K | Access the Connect quick action |
| Windows Key + L | Lock the PC or switch accounts |
| Windows Key + M | Minimize all open windows |
| Windows Key + O | Lock the device orientation |
| Windows Key + P | Select a presentation display mode |
| Windows Key + Ctrl + Q | Launch Quick Assist |
| Windows Key + R | Launch the Run box |
| Windows Key + S | Launch the search function |
| Windows + Shift + S | Capture a screenshot of part of your screen |
| Windows Key + T | Switch apps on the taskbar |
| Windows Key + U | Launch Ease of Access Center |
| Windows Key + V | Access the clipboard |
| Windows Key + Shift + V | Cycle through notifications |
| Windows Key + X | Access the Quick Link menu |
| Windows Key + Y | Switch between Windows Mixed Reality and your desktop |
| Windows Key + Z | View the available commands in an app in full-screen mode |
| Windows Key + . (dot) | Access the emoji panel |
| Windows Key + , (comma) | Peek at the desktop |
| Windows Key + Pause | View the System Properties box |
| Windows Key + Ctrl + F | Search for PCs on a network |
| Windows Key + Shift + M | Restore all minimized windows |
| Windows Key + Number | Open the specified number app on the taskbar |
| Windows Key + Shift + Number | Open a fresh instance of the specified number app on the taskbar |
| Windows Key + Ctrl + Number | Access the last active window of the specified number app on the taskbar |
| Windows Key + Alt + Number | Access the Jump List for the specified number app on the taskbar |
| Windows Key + Ctrl + Shift + Number | Open a fresh instance of the specified number app on the taskbar as an admin |
| Windows Key + Tab | Access the Task view |
| Windows Key + Up Arrow | Maximize the current window |
| Windows Key + Down Arrow | Remove current app from the screen |
| Windows Key + Left Arrow | Maximize the app or desktop to the left of the screen |
| Windows Key + Right Arrow | Maximize the app or desktop to the right of the screen |
| Windows Key + Home | Minimize all windows except for the active desktop window |
| Windows Key + Shift + Up Arrow | Stretch the desktop to the top and bottom |
| Windows Key + Shift + Down Arrow | Restore/minimize windows vertically while keeping their width |
| Windows Key + Shift + Left Arrow or Right Arrow | Move an app/window to another monitor |
| Windows Key + Spacebar | Switch between input languages and keyboard layouts |
| Windows Key + Ctrl + Spacebar | Switch to the previously selected input |
| Windows Key + Ctrl + Enter | Enable Narrator |
| Windows Key + + | Launch Magnifier |
| Windows Key + / | Start IME reconversion |
| Windows Key + Ctrl + V | Launch shoulder taps |
| Windows Key + Ctrl + Shift + B | Wake Windows from blank or black screen |
| Command Prompt | |
| Ctrl + C, Ctrl + Insert | Copy selected text |
| Ctrl + V, Shift + Insert | Paste selected text |
| Ctrl + M | Use Mark mode |
| Alt + Selection Key | Start selection in block mode |
| Arrow Keys | Move the cursor |
| Page Up | Go one page up |
| Page Down | Go one page down |
| Ctrl + Home | Go to the beginning of the buffer |
| Ctrl + End | Go to the end of the buffer |
| Ctrl + Up Arrow | Go one line up in the output history |
| Ctrl + Down Arrow | Go one line down in the output history |
| Ctrl + Home | Go to the top of the buffer if the command line is blank; otherwise delete all characters to the left of the cursor |
| Ctrl + End | Move the viewport to the command line if the command line is blank; otherwise delete all characters to the right of the cursor |
| Dialog Box | |
| F4 | Display active list items |
| Ctrl + Tab | Go forward through tabs |
| Ctrl + Shift + Tab | Go backward through tabs |
| Ctrl + Number | Move to the specified tab number |
| Tab | Go forward through options |
| Shift + Tab | Go backward through options |
| Alt + Underlined Letter | Perform the underlined letter action |
| Spacebar | Tick or untick the check box |
| Backspace | Go one folder up in Save As or Open dialog box |
| Arrow Keys | Select a button in a group of buttons |
| File Explorer | |
| Alt + D | Access the address bar |
| Ctrl + E, Ctrl + F | Access the search box |
| Ctrl + N | Launch a new window |
| Ctrl + W | Quit the current window |
| Ctrl + Mouse Scroll Wheel | Change the folder/file icon size |
| Ctrl + Shift + E | Display all folders above the selected folder |
| Ctrl + Shift + N | Make a new folder |
| Num Lock + * | Expand subfolders for the selected folder |
| Num Lock + + | View the contents of the selected folder |
| Num Lock + – | Collapse the selected folder |
| Alt + P | View the preview panel |
| Alt + Enter | Open Properties for the selected item |
| Alt + Right Arrow | Access the next folder |
| Alt + Up Arrow | Access the parent folder |
| Alt + Left Arrow, Backspace | Access the previous folder |
| Right Arrow | View the current selection (if it’s collapsed), or select the first subfolder |
| Left Arrow | Collapse the current selection (if it’s expanded), or select the parent folder |
| End | Go to the bottom of the current window |
| Home | Go to the top of the current window |
| F11 | Toggle maximize/minimize current window |
| Virtual Desktop | |
| Windows Key + Tab | Access Task view |
| Windows Key + Ctrl + D | Add a virtual desktop |
| Windows Key + Ctrl + Right Arrow | Switch between virtual desktops on the right |
| Windows Key + Ctrl + Left Arrow | Switch between virtual desktops on the left |
| Windows Key + Ctrl + F4 | Close the current virtual desktop |
| Taskbar | |
| Shift + Click a Taskbar Button | Launch an app or launch another instance of an app |
| Ctrl + Shift + Click a Taskbar Button | Launch an app as an admin |
| Shift + Right Click a Taskbar Button | View the window menu for the app |
| Shift + Right Click a Grouped Taskbar Button | View the window menu for the group |
| Ctrl + Click a Grouped Taskbar Button | Go through the windows of the group |
| Settings | |
| Windows Key + I | Launch Settings |
| Backspace | Access the Settings home page |
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