Popular Windows 10 & 11 Keyboard Shortcuts

Ctrl + C

Copy.

Ctrl + V

Paste.

Ctrl + X

Cut.

Windows Key

Open / close start menu.

Windows Key + D

Show / hide desktop.

Windows Key + E

Opens File Explorer.

Windows Key + I

Opens the Settings menu.

Windows Key + L

Locks your computer.

Windows Key + S

Search Windows.

Windows Key + R

Opens the Run dialogue box.

One of the many uses is to access your control panel. Hit the 'Windows Key + R', type in 'control' and hit enter.

Windows Key + V

Open the clipboard.

To activate this shortcut, select Start > Settings > System > Clipboard, and turn on the toggle under Clipboard history.

Windows Key + X

Opens the Windows hidden menu.

Windows Key + Y

Redo an action.

Windows Key + Z

Undo an action.

Windows Key + Fullstop (.) or Semicolon (;)

Open emoji panel.

Windows Key + PrtScr

Takes a screenshot and saves it as a .png file in a Screenshots folder which you will find inside your Pictures folder.

Windows Key + Up Arrow

Maximizes a selected window.

Windows Key + Down Arrow

Minimizes a selected window.

Windows Key + Left Arrow

Snaps selected window to the left of your screen.

Windows Key + Right Arrow

Snaps selected window to the right of your screen.

Windows Key

Open or close Start Menu.

Windows Key + A

Open Action center.

Does not apply to Windows 11 - see the section further down.

Windows Key + B

Set focus in the notification area.

Windows Key + C

Opens Cortana - Microsoft's personal assistant.

Windows Key + D

Toggle to display and hide the desktop.

Windows Key + Alt + D

Display and hide the date and time on the desktop.

Windows Key + Ctrl + D

Add a new virtual desktop - WARNING - before trying this note how to undo it below!

To go back to your original desktop: Windows Key + Ctrl + F4

Windows Key + E

Open File Explorer.

Windows Key + F

Open Feedback Hub and take a screenshot.

Windows Key + G

Open Game bar when a game is open.

Windows Key + H

Start dictation.

Windows Key + I

Opens the Settings window.

Windows Key + K

Open the Connect quick action.

Windows Key + L

Lock your PC. You will then see the login screen.

Windows Key + M

Minimize all windows.

Windows Key + O

Lock device orientation.

Windows Key + P

Choose a presentation display mode.

Windows Key + Ctrl + Q

Open Quick Assist.

Windows Key + R

Open the Run dialog box.

Windows Key + S

Opens Windows search.

Windows Key + Shift + S

Take a screenshot of part of your screen.

Windows Key + T

Cycle through apps on the taskbar.

Windows Key + U

Open Ease of Access Centre.

Windows Key + V

Open the clipboard.

To activate this shortcut, select Start > Settings > System > Clipboard, and turn on the toggle under Clipboard history.

Windows Key + Shift + V

Cycle through notifications.

Windows Key + X

Open the Quick Link menu.

Windows Key + PrtScn

Save a screenshot whole screen

This will take a screenshot of the whole screen and saves it as a PNG file in the Screenshots folder inside your Pictures folder. This action will also copy the image to the clipboard.

Windows Key + left arrow

Snaps a selected window to open two side-by-side with the selected window to the left.

Windows Key + right arrow

Snaps a selected window to open two side-by-side with the selected window to the right.

Windows Key + up arrow

Makes a selected window open full screen.

Windows Key + down arrow

Reduces the size of an open full screen selected window reduced.

Windows Key + Tab

Toggle to open & 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.

Windows Key + Fullstop (.) or Semicolon (;)

Open emoji panel.

Windows Key + comma (,)

Quick peek at the desktop.

Windows Key + Ctrl + F

Search for other computers on a network.

Windows Key + Tab

Open Task view.

Windows Key + Up arrow

Maximize the window.

Windows Key + Down arrow

Remove current app from screen or minimize the desktop window.

Windows Key + Left arrow

Maximize the app or desktop window to the left side of the screen.

Windows Key + Right arrow

Maximize the app or desktop window to the right side of the screen.

Windows Key + Home

Minimize all except the active desktop window (restores all windows on second key-press).

Windows Key + Shift + Up arrow

Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen.

Windows Key + Shift + Down arrow

Restore / minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width.

Windows Key + Spacebar

Switch input language and keyboard layout - us the spacebar to scroll through any languages that are set up on your computer.

Windows Key + Ctrl + Spacebar

Change to a previously selected input.

Windows Key + Plus (+)

Open Magnifier.

Windows Key + Minus (-)

Reduce magnification.

Windows Key + Ctrl + Shift + B

Wake PC from blank or black screen

Windows Key + Tab

Open Task view.

Windows Key + Ctrl + D

Add a virtual desktop.

Windows Key + Ctrl + Right arrow

Switch between virtual desktops you?ve created on the right.

Windows Key + Ctrl + Left arrow

Switch between virtual desktops you?ve created on the left.

Windows Key + Ctrl + F4

Close the virtual desktop you're using.

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 Maryistrator.

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.

Windows Key + A

Opens the quick settings flyout.

Windows Key + N

Opens the notification centre flyout.

Windows Key + W

Opens the widgets selection panel.

Windows Key + Z

Opens the snap layouts menu.

Alt + F4

Close an active item or exit an active app.

Alt + Left arrow

Go back.

Alt + Right arrow

Go forward.

Alt + Page Up

Move up one screen.

Alt + Page Down

Move down one screen.

Alt + PrtScn

Save a screenshot active window

This will take a screenshot of an active window (select the window first) and copy it to the clipboard but not save it to any location. Simply paste it into a programme such as Paint. You can also paste the screenshot image into a Word document.

Alt + Spacebar

Brings up a browser or window menu

Alt + Tab

Switch between open apps by pressing the Tab key.

Ctrl + A

Select all items in a document or window.

Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert)

Copy the selected item.

Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert)

Paste the selected item.

Ctrl + X

Cut the selected item.

Ctrl + F4

Close selected window.

Ctrl + D (or Delete)

Delete a selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin.

Ctrl + R

Refresh the active window.

Ctrl + Y

Redo an action.

Ctrl + Z

Undo an action.

Ctrl + Esc

Open the Start menu - a useful alternative if your keyboard doesn't have a Window key.

Ctrl + Alt + Browser Refresh Button

A better way to perform a Browser refresh.

Hold down Ctrl & Alt without letting go and then at the same time left click your browser refresh button so all 3 actions are performed simultaneously.

Ctrl + Alt + Del (Delete)

Opens a menu that includes Lock, Switch user, Sign out, Change a (Windows login) Password & Task Manager.

On earlier versions of Windows this was a popular way when held down simultaneously to close an application that is not responding, reboot the computer, log in, etc.

Ctrl + Shift + Esc

Open the Task Manager

Ctrl + Tab

Move forward through tabs.

Ctrl + Shift + Tab

Move back through tabs.

Ctrl + number (number 1?9)

Move to nth tab.

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.

Ctrl + arrow keys

Resize the Start menu when it's open.

Ctrl + Shift with an arrow key

Select a block of text.

Ctrl + Esc

Opens the Start Menu.

Ctrl + Shift + Esc

Opens the Task Manager.

Ctrl + Tab

Move forward through tabs.

Ctrl + Shift + Tab

Move back through tabs.

Ctrl + number (number 1?9)

Move to nth tab.

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

Browser refresh

Works on a selected browser window.

F6

Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop.

F10

Activate the Menu bar in the active app.

Tab

Move forward through options.

Shift + Tab

Move back through options.

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.

Arrow - Left

Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu.

Arrow - Right

Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu.

Backspace

Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box.

Esc

Stop or leave the current task.

PrtScn

Take a screenshot of your whole screen and copy it to the clipboard.

Shift + Tab

Move back through options.

Spacebar

Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box.

Tab

Move forward through options.