Compared to reaching for the mouse or navigating a menu, a single keyboard shortcut shaves a moment off your task. This might not seem like much, but add up all those saved moments over a week or a month, and you’re gaining a substantial chunk of time.
- Keyboard Shortcuts Mac
- Keyboard Shortcuts Windows 10
- Keyboard Shortcuts For Accents
- Keyboard Shortcuts For Mac
- Keyboard Shortcuts Bing
- Keyboard Shortcuts Windows 10
- Keyboard Shortcuts For Symbols
That’s why it’s important to know as many shortcuts as possible for your operating system. Try a keyboard command a few times, and you’ll find out just how useful it can be. Here are 20 of the most indispensable keyboard shortcuts for a Microsoft Windows computer.
Most Windows keyboard shortcuts rely on the Windows logo key, Alt, and Ctrl keys. These are the 43 most useful keyboard shortcuts for Windows for working with apps, directly in Windows, virtual. Windows 10 Keyboard Shortcuts list for CMD, Dialog boxes, File Explorer, Continuum, Surface Hub, Ease of Access, Settings, Store Apps, Virtual, etc. Available in this.
Basic Windows keyboard shortcuts
Ctrl+Z: Undo
No matter what program you’re running, Ctrl+Z will roll back your last action. Whether you’ve just overwritten an entire paragraph in Microsoft Word or deleted a file you didn’t mean to, this one is an absolute lifesaver.
Ctrl+W: Close
Another shortcut that works just about everywhere, Ctrl+W will close down whatever you’re viewing. Shut that File Explorer window, browser tab, or open image file without bothering to hone in on the close button.
Ctrl+A: Select all
This command lets you highlight all the text in a document or select all the files in a folder. Hitting Ctrl+A can save you time you’d otherwise spend clicking and dragging your mouse.
Alt+Tab: Switch apps
This baby is one of the classic Windows shortcuts, and it can be hugely useful when you’re running multiple applications. Just press Alt+Tab and you’ll be able to quickly flick through all your open windows.
Keyboard Shortcuts Mac
Alt+F4: Close apps
Another old-school shortcut, Alt+F4 shuts down active apps so you can skip the process of hunting down their on-screen menus. Don’t worry about losing unsaved work with this command—it will prompt you to save your documents before closing them.
Windows navigation shortcuts
Win+D: Show or hide the desktop
This keyboard combo minimizes all your open windows, bringing your home screen into view. If you store rows and rows of files and shortcuts on your desktop, Win+D will let you access them in in moments.
Win+left arrow or Win+right arrow: Snap windows
Snapping a window simply opens it on one side of the screen (left or right, depending on which arrow you hit). This allows you to compare two windows side-by-side and keeps your workspace organized.
Win+Tab: Open the Task view
Like Alt+Tab, this shortcut lets you switch apps, but it does so by opening an updated Windows application switcher. The latest version shows thumbnails of all your open programs on the screen.
Tab and Shift+Tab: Move backward and forward through options
When you open a dialog box, these commands move you forward (Tab) or backward (Shift+Tab) through the available options, saving you a click. If you’re dealing with a dialog box that has multiple tabs, hit Ctrl+Tab or Ctrl+Shift+Tab to navigate through them.
Ctrl+Esc: Open the Start menu
If you’re using a keyboard that doesn’t have a Windows key, this shortcut will open the Start menu. Otherwise, a quick tap of the Windows key will do the same thing. From there, you can stay on the keyboard and navigate the Start menu with the cursor keys, Tab, and Shift+Tab.
Advanced Windows shortcut tricks
F2: Rename
Simply highlight a file and hit F2 to give it a new name. This command also lets you edit text in other programs—tap F2 in Microsoft Excel, for example, and you’ll be able to edit the contents of the cell you’re in.
F5: Refresh
Keyboard Shortcuts Windows 10
While you’re exploring the function key row, take a look at F5. This key will refresh a page—a good trick when you’re using File Explorer or your web browser. After the refresh, you’ll see the latest version of the page you’re viewing.
Win+L: Lock your computer
Keep your computer safe from any prying eyes by using this keyboard combo right before you step away. Win+L locks the machine and returns you to the login screen, so any snoops will need your user account password to regain access.
Win+I: Open Settings
Any time you want to configure the way Windows works, hit this keyboard shortcut to bring up the Settings dialog. Alternatively, use Win+A to open up the Action Center panel, which shows notifications and provides quick access to certain settings.
Win+S: Search Windows
The Windows taskbar has a handy search box that lets you quiz Cortana or sift through your applications and saved files. Jump straight to it with this keyboard shortcut, then type in your search terms.
Win+PrtScn: Save a screenshot
No need to open a dedicated screenshot tool: Win+PrtScn grabs the whole screen and saves it as a PNG file in a Screenshots folder inside your Pictures folder. At the same time, Windows will also copy the image to the clipboard. If you don’t want to snap the whole screen, the Alt+PrtScn combination will take a screenshot of just the active window, but it will only copy this image to the clipboard, so you won’t get a saved file.
Ctrl+Shift+Esc: Open the Task Manager
The Task Manager is your window into everything running on your Windows system, from the open programs to the background processes. This shortcut will call up the Task Manager, no matter what application you’re using.
Win+C: Start talking to Cortana
This shortcut puts Cortana in listening mode, but you must activate it before you can give it a whirl. To do so, open Cortana from the taskbar search box, click the cog icon, and turn on the keyboard shortcut. Once you’ve enabled the shortcut, hit the Win+C whenever you want to talk to the digital assistant. You can do this instead of, or in addition to, saying, “Hey Cortana.”
Win+Ctrl+D: Add a new virtual desktop
Virtual desktops create secondary screens where you can stash some of your open applications and windows, giving you extra workspace. This shortcut lets you create one. Once you have, click the Task View button to the right of the taskbar search box to switch from one desktop to another. Or stick with shortcuts: Win+Ctrl+arrow will cycle through your open desktops, and Win+Ctrl+F4 will close whichever one you’re currently viewing and shift your open windows and apps to the next available virtual desktop.
Win+X: Open the hidden menu
Windows has a hidden Start menu, called the Quick Link menu, that allows you to access all the key areas of the system. From here, you can jump straight to Device Manager to review and configure any hardware, such as printers or keyboards, that are currently attached to the system. Or you can quickly bring up the PowerShell command prompt window to access advanced Windows commands.
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Using keyboard shortcuts can greatly increase your productivity, reduce repetitive strain, and help keep you focused. For example, to copy text, you can highlight text and press the Ctrl+C shortcut. The shortcut is faster than moving your hands from the keyboard, highlighting with the mouse, right-clicking, selecting copy, and returning to the keyboard.
Below are the top 10 keyboard shortcuts we recommend everyone memorize and use.
Ctrl+C or Ctrl+Insert and Ctrl+X
Both Ctrl+C and Ctrl+Insert will copy highlighted text or a selected item. If you want to cut an item instead of copying it, press Ctrl+X. This action removes the text or item and stores it in the clipboard , rather than copying it to the clipboard.
Apple computer users can substitute the Ctrl key for the Command on their computers. For example, pressing Command+C copies highlighted text.
Ctrl+V or Shift+Insert
Both the Ctrl+V and Shift+Insert will paste the text or object that's stored in the clipboard.
On Apple computers, use Command+V instead.
Practice
Use the above text input fields to highlight the 'Cut or copy this text' text and press either Ctrl+C to copy or Ctrl+X to cut the text. Once cut, move to the next field and press Ctrl+V or Shift+Insert to paste the text. For further demonstration, visit the following link.
Ctrl+Z and Ctrl+Y
Pressing Ctrl+Z will undo any change. For example, if you cut text, pressing this key combination will undo the cut. These shortcuts can also be pressed multiple times to undo or redo multiple changes. Pressing Ctrl+Y would redo the undo.
On Apple computers, use Command+Z and Command+Y to undo and redo.
Use the above text input field to highlight some or all the text and then press Ctrl+X to cut the text. Once the text has disappeared, press the Ctrl+Z to undo the cut.
TipIf you did the first example as well (cut and paste text) and you continue to press Ctrl+Z, it will undo that change.
Ctrl+F and Ctrl+G
Keyboard Shortcuts For Accents
Pressing Ctrl+F opens the Find field, which allows you to search the text currently displayed in any program that supports it. For example, Ctrl+F can be used in your Internet browser to find text on the current page. Press Ctrl+F now to open the Find in your browser and search for 'shortcut' to display each time shortcut is mentioned on this page.
On Apple computers, use Command+F to find.
Ctrl+G may be used to repeat a search (from using Ctrl+F) in a document or on a web page.
Alt+Tab or Ctrl+Tab
Pressing Alt+Tab switches between open programs moving forward. For example, if you have your browser window open and other programs running in the background, press and hold Alt, then press the Tab key to cycle through each open program.
On Apple computers, instead of using the Alt key use the Command (Cmd) key. For example, Command+Tab to switch between open programs.
Bonus TipPress Ctrl+Tab to switch between tabs in a program. For example, if you have multiple tabs open in your Internet browser, press Ctrl+Tab to switch between them.
Bonus TipAdding the Shift key to Alt+Tab or Ctrl+Tab moves backward. For example, if you are pressing Alt+Tab and pass the program you want to use, press Alt+Shift+Tab to move back to that program.
Bonus TipWindows Vista, 7, 8, and 10 users can also press the Windows key+Tab to switch through open programs in a full screenshot of the window.
Ctrl+Backspace and Ctrl+Left or Right arrow
NoteThe following shortcuts are for PC users only and do not work on Apple computers.
Pressing Ctrl+Backspace deletes a full word at a time instead of a single character.
Keyboard Shortcuts For Mac
Holding down the Ctrl while pressing the left or right arrow moves the cursor one word at a time instead of one character at a time. If you want to highlight one word at a time, hold down Ctrl+Shift, then press the left or right arrow key. Your highlighted selection moves one word at a time in that direction.
Keyboard Shortcuts Bing
Ctrl+S
Keyboard Shortcuts Windows 10
While working on a document or another file in almost every program, pressing Ctrl+Ssaves that file. Use this shortcut key frequently when working on anything important in case of an error, lost power, or any other issues causing you to lose work since the last save.
On Apple computers, use Command+S to save a file.
Ctrl+Home or Ctrl+End
Ctrl+Home moves the cursor to the beginning of the document, and Ctrl+End moves the cursor to the end of a document. These shortcuts work with most documents, and web pages.
Keyboard Shortcuts For Symbols
On Apple computers, use the Command+Up arrow to get to the beginning or Command+Down arrow to get to the end of a document or text.
Ctrl+P
Ctrl+P is used to open a print preview of the page or document currently being viewed. For example, press Ctrl+P now to view a print preview of this page.
On Apple computers, use Command+P to open the print preview.
Page Up, Spacebar, and Page Down
As you may have guessed, pressing either the Pg Up or Pg Dn key moves to the next or previous page. When browsing the Internet, pressing the spacebar moves the scrollbar down a page. Similarly, Shift+spacebar moves the scrollbar up one page.
Additional information
- See our keyboard definition for a further information and related link on computer keyboards.