Keyboard shortcuts can help you stay focused, lessen repeated effort, and greatly boost your productivity. For instance, you may select text and use the shortcut Ctrl+C to copy it. The shortcut is quicker than lifting your hands off the keyboard, using the mouse to highlight, right-clicking, choosing copy, and then putting them back on the keyboard.
There are several keyboard shortcuts offered in Windows, but you do not need to master them all. Just the ones that will make your life simpler and increase productivity should be kept in mind.
These are the major keyboard shortcuts that every Windows user needs to be familiar with:
| Keyboard shortcut | Action |
| Ctrl + A | Select all content. |
| Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert) | Copy selected items to clipboard. |
| Ctrl + X | Cut selected items to clipboard. |
| Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert) | Paste content from clipboard. |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo an action, including undelete files (limited). |
| Ctrl + Y | Redo an action. |
| Ctrl + Shift + N | Create new folder on desktop or File Explorer. |
| Alt + F4 | Close active window. (If no active window is present, a shutdown box appears.) |
| Ctrl + D (Del) | Delete selected item to the Recycle Bin. |
| Shift + Delete | Delete the selected item permanently, skipping Recycle Bin. |
| F2 | Rename selected item. |
| Esc | Close current task. |
| Alt + Tab | Switch between open apps. |
| PrtScn | Take a screenshot and stores it in the clipboard. |
| Windows key + I | Open Settings app. |
| Windows key + E | Open File Explorer. |
| Windows key + A | Open Action center. |
| Windows key + D | Display and hide the desktop. |
| Windows key + L | Lock device. |
| Windows key + V | Open Clipboard bin. |
| Windows key + Period (.) or Semicolon (;) | Open emoji panel. |
| Windows key + PrtScn | Capture a full screenshot in the “Screenshots” folder. |
| Windows key + Shift + S | Capture part of the screen with Snip & Sketch. |
| Windows key + Left arrow key | Snap app or window left. |
| Windows key + Right arrow key | Snap app or window right. |
Desktop shortcuts
On Windows, 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. |
