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Windows Keyboard Ninja: Shortcuts to Master

Windows has evolved and became a complex OS system at the backend as they make it simpler and simpler for the users (or atleast Microsoft tries to do that).

Shortcut keys make work easy if you know them all, Windows has a shortcut key for each and every task, if you master these you can easily operate without the use of a mouse (almost).

Windows Logo Key +B sets the focus to Notification area or + D shows or hides the Desktop. One of the most handy shortcut can be cycling through Apps on the taskbar by pressing +T.

In this article you will find 152 Windows Keyboard Shortcuts apart from the few you read above. These Key combos you can use to become a Keyboard Ninja (the literal one not the annoying one). The most useful and interesting ones have been highlighted for your ease.

Windows Keyboard shortcuts have been grouped in following classification for easy reference and help :

  • Copy,Paste and other General Keyboard Shortcuts
  • Windows Logo Key Keyboard Shortcuts
  • Command Prompt Keyboard Shortcuts
  • Dialog Box Keyboard Shortcuts
  • File Explorer Keyboard Shortcuts
  • Virtual Desktop Keyboard Shortcuts
  • Taskbar Keyboard Shortcuts
  • Windows Settings Keyboard Shortcuts

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Copy, paste, and other general keyboard shortcuts

Press this key To do this
Ctrl + X Cut the selected item
Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert) Copy the selected item
Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert) Paste the selected item
Ctrl + Z Undo an action
Alt + Tab Switch between open apps
Alt + F4 Close the active item, or exit the active app
Windows logo key  + L Lock your PC
Windows logo key  + D Display and hide the desktop
F2 Rename the selected item
F3 Search for a file or folder in File Explorer
F4 Display the address bar list in File Explorer
F5 Refresh the active window
F6 Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop
F10 Activate the Menu bar in the active app
Alt + F8 Show your password on the sign-in screen
Alt + Esc Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened
Alt + underlined letter Perform the command for that letter
Alt + Enter Display properties for the selected item
Alt + Spacebar Open the shortcut menu for the active window
Alt + Left arrow Go back
Alt + Right arrow Go forward
Alt + Page Up Move up one screen
Alt + Page Down Move down one screen
Ctrl + F4 Close the active document (in apps that are full-screen and let you have multiple documents open at the same time)
Ctrl + A Select all items in a document or window
Ctrl + D (or Delete) Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin
Ctrl + R (or F5) Refresh the active window
Ctrl + Y Redo an action
Ctrl + Right arrow Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word
Ctrl + Left arrow Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word
Ctrl + Down arrow Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph
Ctrl + Up arrow Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph
Ctrl + Alt + Tab Use the arrow keys to switch between all open apps
Alt + Shift + arrow keys When a group or tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it in the direction specified
Ctrl + Shift + arrow keys When a tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it into another tile to create a folder
Ctrl + arrow keys Resize the Start menu when it’s open
Ctrl + arrow key (to move to an item) + Spacebar Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop
Ctrl + Shift with an arrow key Select a block of text
Ctrl + Esc Open Start
Ctrl + Shift + Esc Open Task Manager
Ctrl + Shift Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are available
Ctrl + Spacebar Turn the Chinese input method editor (IME) on or off
Shift + F10 Display the shortcut menu for the selected item
Shift with any arrow key Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document
Shift + Delete Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first
Right arrow Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu
Left arrow Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu
Esc Stop or leave the current task

Windows logo key keyboard shortcuts

Press this key To do this
Windows logo key  Open or close Start
Windows logo key  + A Open Action center
Windows logo key  + B Set focus in the notification area
Windows logo key  + C

Open Cortana in listening mode

Notes

  • This shortcut is turned off by default. To turn it on, select Start  > Settings  > Cortana, and turn on the toggle under Let Cortana listen for my commands when I press the Windows logo key + C.
  • Cortana is available only in certain countries/regions, and some Cortana features might not be available everywhere. If Cortana isn’t available or is turned off, you can still use search.
Windows logo key  + Shift + C Open the charms menu
Windows logo key  + D Display and hide the desktop
Windows logo key  + Alt + D Display and hide the date and time on the desktop
Windows logo key  + E Open File Explorer
Windows logo key  + F Open Feedback Hub and take a screenshot
Windows logo key  + G Open Game bar when a game is open
Windows logo key  + H Start dictation
Windows logo key  + I Open Settings
Windows logo key  + J  Set focus to a Windows tip when one is available.

When a Windows tip appears, bring focus to the Tip.  Pressing the keyboard shortcuts again to bring focus to the element on the screen to which the Windows tip is anchored.

Windows logo key  + K Open the Connect quick action
Windows logo key  + L Lock your PC or switch accounts
Windows logo key  + M Minimize all windows
Windows logo key  + O Lock device orientation
Windows logo key  + P Choose a presentation display mode
Windows logo key  + R Open the Run dialog box
Windows logo key  + S Open search
Windows logo key  + T Cycle through apps on the taskbar
Windows logo key  + U Open Ease of Access Center
Windows logo key  + V Cycle through notifications
Windows logo key  + Shift + V Cycle through notifications in reverse order
Windows logo key  + X Open the Quick Link menu
Windows logo key  + Y Switch input between Windows Mixed Reality and your desktop
Windows logo key  + Z Show the commands available in an app in full-screen mode
Windows logo key  + period (.) or semicolon (;) Open emoji panel
Windows logo key  + comma (,) Temporarily peek at the desktop
Windows logo key  + Pause Display the System Properties dialog box
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + F Search for PCs (if you’re on a network)
Windows logo key  + Shift + M Restore minimized windows on the desktop
Windows logo key  + number 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  + Shift + 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  + Ctrl + 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  + Alt + 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  + Ctrl + Shift + 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  + Tab Open Task view
Windows logo key  + Up arrow Maximize the window
Windows logo key  + Down arrow Remove current app from screen or minimize the desktop window
Windows logo key  + Left arrow Maximize the app or desktop window to the left side of the screen
Windows logo key  + Right arrow Maximize the app or desktop window to the right side of the screen
Windows logo key  + Home Minimize all except the active desktop window (restores all windows on second stroke)
Windows logo key  + Shift + Up arrow Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen
Windows logo key  + Shift + Down arrow Restore/minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width
Windows logo key  + Shift + Left arrow or Right arrow Move an app or window in the desktop from one monitor to another
Windows logo key  + Spacebar Switch input language and keyboard layout
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + Spacebar Change to a previously selected input
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + Enter Open Narrator
Windows logo key  + Plus (+) Open Magnifier
Windows logo key  + forward slash (/) Begin IME reconversion
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + V Open shoulder taps

Command Prompt keyboard shortcuts

Press this key To do this
Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert) Copy the selected text
Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert) Paste the selected text
Ctrl + M Enter Mark mode
Alt + selection key Begin selection in block mode
Arrow keys Move the cursor in the direction specified
Page up Move the cursor by one page up
Page down Move the cursor by one page down
Ctrl + Home (Mark mode) Move the cursor to the beginning of the buffer
Ctrl + End (Mark mode) Move the cursor to the end of the buffer
Ctrl + Up arrow Move up one line in the output history
Ctrl + Down arrow Move down one line in the output history
Ctrl + Home (History navigation) If the command line is empty, move the view-port to the top of the buffer. Otherwise, delete all the characters to the left of the cursor in the command line.
Ctrl + End (History navigation) If the command line is empty, move the view port to the command line. Otherwise, delete all the characters to the right of the cursor in the command line.

Dialog box keyboard shortcuts

Press this key To do this
F4 Display the items in the active list
Ctrl + Tab Move forward through tabs
Ctrl + Shift + Tab Move back through tabs
Ctrl + number (number 1–9) Move to nth tab
Tab Move forward through options
Shift + Tab Move back through options
Alt + underlined letter Perform the command (or select the option) that is used with that letter
Spacebar Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box
Backspace Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box
Arrow keys Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons

File Explorer keyboard shortcuts

Press this key To do this
Alt + D Select the address bar
Ctrl + E Select the search box
Ctrl + F Select the search box
Ctrl + N Open a new window
Ctrl + W Close the active window
Ctrl + mouse scroll wheel Change the size and appearance of file and folder icons
Ctrl + Shift + E Display all folders above the selected folder
Ctrl + Shift + N Create a new folder
Num Lock + asterisk (*) Display all subfolders under the selected folder
Num Lock + plus (+) Display the contents of the selected folder
Num Lock + minus (-) Collapse the selected folder
Alt + P Display the preview panel
Alt + Enter Open the Properties dialog box for the selected item
Alt + Right arrow View the next folder
Alt + Up arrow View the folder that the folder was in
Alt + Left arrow View the previous folder
Backspace View the previous folder
Right arrow Display 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 folder that the folder was in
End Display the bottom of the active window
Home Display the top of the active window
F11 Maximize or minimize the active window

Virtual desktops keyboard shortcuts

Press this key To do this
Windows logo key  + Tab Open Task view
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + D Add a virtual desktop
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + Right arrow Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the right
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + Left arrow Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the left
Windows logo key  + Ctrl + F4 Close the virtual desktop you’re using

Taskbar keyboard shortcuts

Press this key To do this
Shift + click a taskbar button Open an app or quickly open another instance of an app
Ctrl + Shift + click a taskbar button Open an app as an administrator
Shift + right-click a taskbar button Show the window menu for the app
Shift + right-click a grouped taskbar button Show the window menu for the group
Ctrl + click a grouped taskbar button Cycle through the windows of the group

Settings keyboard shortcuts

Press this key To do this
Windows logo key  + I Open settings
Backspace Go back to the settings home page
Type on any page with search box Search settings

[/sociallocker]

How to Master them All ?

Now when I have shared the whole list, the question is how do you remember them ? You can start off by first practicing the ones which are frequently used or you can get a lamination print of the Short Cut Keys. Ironically there are Books, related to various Microsoft Office Products and their Shortcuts

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