Windows 8 Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet

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Uncomplicating the complicated

Win

Open the charms

Win+B

Gets you out of the Modern interface and into the desktop, then selects the
tray notification area. If you're already on the desktop, this just selects the
tray notification area.

Win+C

Opens the "Charms" menu. This menu allows you to quickly access Windows
settings and features such as search, shutdown, and restart.

Win+D

Brings you to the desktop. Pressing the key combination again will bring you
back to the original active window.

Win+E

Opens Windows Explorer. This quickly lets you browse the contents of your
device.

Win+F

Opens Search charm. It's a quick way to search through all your apps.
Alternatively, you can just type away in the Start screen. The app search
console appears immediately as you start typing in the Start screen.

Win+H

Opens Share charm. Allows you to share a selected item to your friends and
other people you know.

Win+I

Opens Settings charm. Here, you may configure PC settings such as

resolution, app notifications, and user accounts.

Win+J

Switch the main app and snapped app

Win+K

Opens Devices charm. Allows you to see a list of devices connected to your
computer.

Win+L

Locks the screen. You may have to log back in to the computer to unlock it.
Keep this in mind when using this shortcut.

Win+M / Win+Shift+M Minimizes every window. It works like Win+D, but it isn't reversible when you
press the combination again. You must press "Shift" along with it in order to
restore the windows.
Win+O

Lock the screen orientation (portrait or landscape)

Win+P

Choose the display mode. You may duplicate the image on two displays,
extend the display onto a second monitor, move the image to a projector, or
keep the image on one single monitor.

Win+Q

Search through apps installed on your computer.

Win+R

Opens the ever-friendly "Run" dialog box for running things such as the
command prompt. (An easier alternative would just be to type your search
term in the Start screen)

Win+T

Cycle through pinned programs on the taskbar. If you reach a pinned

application that's not currently opened, you can open it with "Enter."

Win+U

Opens the Ease of Access Center. This lets you access tools such as the
magnifier, which zooms in on portions of the screen.

Win+V / Win+Shift+V

Cycle through "toast" notifications. It shows you different notifications your

apps generate. "Win+Shift+V" does this in reverse order.

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Win+W

Search through your settings.

Win+X

On the Windows 8 desktop, this displays a context menu that leads you to
various locations. It comes up on the lower left corner of the screen, where
the Windows 7 Start button used to be.

Win+Z

Brings up the app bar in the Modern interface.

Win+Period (.)

Snaps an app to the right of the screen. Pressing "Shift" along with this
combination snaps the app to the left.

Win+Print Screen

Takes a screenshot and saves it to your Pictures folder. Pressing "Print

Screen" on its own will just save the image to your clipboard, and you'll have
to paste it into a photo editor. This is much more convenient.

Shift+Delete

Bypass the Recycle Bin and just delete the selected file permanently.

Win+0-9

Launch a particular application pinned to the taskbar or bring it into view.

Win+Shift+0-9

Launch a new instance of an application pinned to the taskbar. This launches

a new clone even if the application is already open.

Win+Spacebar

Display the current language and keyboard layout. In Windows 7, this

combination would show you a peek into the desktop.

Win+Ctrl+Spacebar

Change to a previously selected input

Win+Plus (+) /
Win+Minus (-)

Opens the magnifier and zooms the view in or out, depending on the
character used. Obviously, the plus sign zooms in and the minus sign zooms
out.

Win+Esc

Gets out of the magnifier application.

Win+Tab /
Win+Shift+Tab

Cycles through Metro/Modern apps. The "Shift" key indicates, as usual,

reverse order. In Windows 7, this triggered a feature called "Aero Flip," which
flipped through open windows in a three-dimensional plane.

Win+Ctrl+Tab

Cycle through open apps (except desktop apps) and snap them as they are
cycled

Win+Comma (,)

Get a peek into the desktop. In Windows 7, the combination used to be

"Win+Spacebar."

Win+PageUp

Move the Start screen and apps to the monitor on the left (Apps in the
desktop won't change monitors)

Win+PageDown

Move the Start screen and apps to the monitor on the right (apps in the
desktop won't change monitors)

Win+Down Arrow /
Win+Up Arrow

Minimizes or maximizes the current window. Minimize with the down arrow
and maximize with the up arrow.

Win+Left Arrow /
Win+Right Arrow

Maximizes the current desktop application on the side of the screen indicated
by the direction of the arrow you pressed. "Win+Left Arrow" will maximize the
current window on the left side. This works much like app snapping in the
Modern interface.

Win+Shift+Up Arrow

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

Win+Shift+Down
Arrow

Restore/minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width

Win+Home

Minimize all but the active desktop window (restores all windows on second
stroke)

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Win+Enter

Brings up the narrator. It will read the text you have in front of you.

Win+Start typing

Search your PC

Ctrl+plus (+) or
Ctrl+minus (-) or
Ctrl+scroll wheel

Zoom in or out of a large number of items, like apps pinned to the Start
screen

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