Essential shortcuts

These are the essential keyboard shortcuts that every Windows 10 user should know.

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.

Close active window. (If no active window present, then

Alt + F4
shutdown box appears.)

Ctrl + D (Del) Delete selected item to the Recycle Bin.

Shift + Delete Delete selected item permanently skipping Recycle Bin.

F2 Rename selected item.

ESC Close current task.

Alt + Tab Switch between open apps.

 Keyboard shortcut Action

PrtScn Take screenshot and stores it in 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

Open emoji panel.
semicolon (;)

Windows key + PrtScn Capture 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

Snap app or window right.
key

Desktop shortcuts

You can use these keyboard shortcuts to open, close, navigate, and complete specific tasks more
quickly throughout the desktop experience, including on 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.

Close active window. (If no active window present, then

Alt + F4
shutdown box appears.)

Ctrl + F5 (or Ctrl + R) Refresh current window.

Ctrl + Alt + Tab View open apps.

Ctrl + Arrow keys (to select) +

Select multiple items on desktop or File Explorer.
Spacebar

Alt + Underlined letter Runs command for the underlined letter in apps.

Switch between open apps while pressing Tab multiple

Alt + Tab
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.

 Keyboard shortcut Action

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

Cycle through windows in the group from the taskbar.
button

Shift + Right-click grouped

Show window menu for the group from the taskbar.
app button

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.

 Keyboard shortcut Action

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 app in number position from the taskbar.

Windows key + T Cycle through apps in the taskbar.

Windows key + Alt + Number Open Jump List of the app in number position from the
(0-9) 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 Stretch desktop window to the top and bottom of the
arrow key screen.
 Keyboard shortcut Action

Windows key + Shift + Down Maximize or minimize active desktop windows vertically
arrow key while maintaining width.

Windows key + Shift + Left

Move active window to monitor on the left.
arrow key

Windows key + Shift + Right

Move active window to monitor on the right.
arrow key

Windows key + Left arrow

Snap app or window left.
key

Windows key + Right arrow

Snap app or window right.
key

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

Switch to the virtual desktop on the right.
arrow

Windows key + Ctrl + Left

Switch to the virtual desktop on the left.
arrow
 Keyboard shortcut Action

Windows key + P Open Project settings.

Windows key + A Open Action center.

Windows key + I Open Settings app.

Backspace Return to Settings app home page.

File Explorer shortcuts

On Windows 10, File Explorer includes many keyboard shortcuts to help you complete tasks a
little quicker.

Here's a list with the most useful shortcuts for File Explorer.

Keyboard shortcut Action

Windows key + E Open File Explorer.

Alt + D Select address bar.

Ctrl + E (or F) Select search box.

Ctrl + N Open new window.

Ctrl + W Close active window.

Ctrl + F (or F3) Start search.

Ctrl + Mouse scroll wheel Change view file and folder.

 Keyboard shortcut Action

Expands all folders from the tree in the navigation

Ctrl + Shift + E
pane.

Ctrl + Shift + N Create new folder on desktop or File Explorer.

Ctrl + L Focus on the address bar.

Ctrl + Shift + Number (1-8) Changes folder view.

Alt + P Display preview panel.

Alt + Enter Open Properties settings for the selected item.

Alt + Right arrow key View next folder.

Alt + Left arrow key (or

View previous folder.
Backspace)

Alt + Up arrow Move up a level in the folder path.

F11 Switch active window full-screen mode.

F5 Refresh the instance of File Explorer.

F2 Rename selected item.

F4 Switch focus to address bar.

 Keyboard shortcut Action

F5 Refresh File Explorer's current view.

F6 Cycle through elements on the screen.

Home Scroll to top of the window.

End Scroll to bottom of window.

Command Prompt shortcuts

If you use Command Prompt, you can use these keyboard shortcuts to work a little more
efficiently.

Keyboard shortcut Action

Ctrl + A Select all content of the current line.

Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert) Copy selected items to clipboard.

Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert) Paste content from clipboard.

Ctrl + M Starts mark mode.

Ctrl + Up arrow key Move screen up one line.

Ctrl + Down arrow key Move screen down one line.

Ctrl + F Open search for Command Prompt.

Left or right arrow keys Move cursor left or right in the current line.
 Keyboard shortcut Action

Up or down arrow keys Cycle through command history of the current session.

Page up Move cursor one page up.

Page down Move cursor one page down.

Ctrl + Home Scroll to top of the console.

Ctrl + End Scroll to the bottom of the console.

Windows key shortcuts

Using the Windows key combined with other keys, you can perform many useful tasks, such as
launch Settings, File Explorer, Run command, apps pinned in the taskbar, or you can open
specific features like Narrator or Magnifier. You can also accomplish tasks like controlling
windows, virtual desktops, taking screenshots, locking your device, and a lot more.

Here's a list with all the most common keyboard shortcuts using the Windows key.

Keyboard shortcut Action

Windows key Open Start menu.

Windows key + A Open Action center.

Windows key + S ( or Q) Open Search.

Windows key + D Display and hide the desktop.

 Keyboard shortcut Action

Windows key + L Locks computer.

Windows key + M Minimize all windows.

Windows key + B Set focus notification area in the taskbar.

Windows key + C Launch Cortana app.

Windows key + F Launch Feedback Hub app.

Windows key + G Launch Game bar app.

Windows key + Y Change input between desktop and Mixed Reality.

Windows key + O Lock device orientation.

Windows key + T Cycle through apps in the taskbar.

Switch input between the desktop experience and

Windows key + Z
Windows Mixed Reality.

Windows key + J Set focus on a tip for Windows 10 when applicable.k

Windows key + H Open dictation feature.

Windows key + E Open File Explorer.

Windows key + I Open Settings.

 Keyboard shortcut Action

Windows key + R Open Run command.

Windows key + K Open Connect settings.

Windows key + X Open Quick Link menu.

Windows key + V Open Clipboard bin.

Windows key + W Open the Windows Ink Workspace.

Windows key + U Open Ease of Access settings.

Windows key + P Open Project settings.

Windows key + Ctrl + Enter Open Narrator.

Windows key + Plus (+) Zoom in using the magnifier.

Windows key + Minus (-) Zoom out using the magnifier.

Windows key + Esc Exit magnifier.

Windows key + Forward-slash

Start IME reconversion.
(/)

Windows key + Comma (,) Temporarily peek at the desktop.

Windows key + Up arrow key Maximize app windows.

 Keyboard shortcut Action

Windows key + Down arrow

Minimize app windows.
key

Windows key + Home Minimize or maximize all but the active desktop window.

Windows key + Shift + M Restore minimized windows on the desktop.

Windows key + Shift + Up Stretch desktop window to the top and bottom of the
arrow key screen.

Windows key + Shift + Down Maximize or minimize active windows vertically while
arrow key maintaining width.

Windows key + Shift + Left

Move active window to monitor on the left.
arrow key

Windows key + Shift + Right

Move active window to monitor on the right.
arrow key

Windows key + Left arrow key Snap app or window left.

Windows key + Right arrow

Snap app or window right.
key

Windows key + Number (0-9) Open app in number position in the taskbar.

Windows key + Shift + Open another instance of the app in number position in the
Number (0-9) taskbar.

Windows key + Ctrl + Number Switch to last active window of the app in number position
(0-9) in the taskbar.
 Keyboard shortcut Action

Windows key + Alt + Number Open Jump List of the app in number position in the
(0-9) taskbar.

Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + Open another instance as an administrator of the app in
Number (0-9) number position in the taskbar.

Windows key + Ctrl +

Change previous selected input option.
Spacebar

Windows key + Spacebar Change keyboard layout and input language.

Windows key + Tab Open Task View.

Windows key + Ctrl + D Create a virtual desktop.

Windows key + Ctrl + F4 Close active virtual desktop.

Windows key + Ctrl + Right

Switch to the virtual desktop on the right.
arrow

Windows key + Ctrl + Left

Switch to the virtual desktop on the left.
arrow

Windows key + Ctrl + Shift +

Wake up the device when black or a blank screen.
B

Windows key + PrtScn Capture full screenshot in the "Screenshots" folder.

Windows key + Shift + S Create part of the screen screenshot.

Windows key + Shift + V Cycle through notifications..

 Keyboard shortcut Action

Windows key + Ctrl + F Open search for device on domain network.

Windows key + Ctrl + Q Open Quick Assist.

Windows key + Alt + D Open date and time in the taskbar.

Windows key + Period (.) or

Open emoji panel.
semicolon (;)

Windows key + Pause Show System Properties dialog box.