Press this To do this

key

Ctrl + X Cut the selected item.

Ctrl + C Copy the selected item.

(or Ctrl +
Insert)

Ctrl + V Paste the selected item.

(or Shift +
Insert)

Ctrl + Z Undo an action.

Alt + Tab Switch between open apps.

Alt + F4 Close the active item, or exit the active app.

Windows Lock your PC.

logo
key + L

Windows Display and hide the desktop.

logo
key + D

F2 Rename the selected item.

Press this To do this
key

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 + A Set focus to the first icon in the Suggested actions

menu.

Alt + F8 Show your password on the sign-in screen.

Alt + Esc Cycle through items in the order in which they were
opened.

Alt + Perform the command for that letter.

underline
d letter
Press this To do this
key

Alt + Display properties for the selected item.

Enter

Alt + Open the shortcut menu for the active window.

Spacebar

Alt + Left Go back.

arrow

Alt + Go forward.
Right
arrow

Alt + Move up one screen.

Page Up

Alt + Move down one screen.

Page
Down

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.

Press this To do this
key

Ctrl + D Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle

(or Bin.
Delete)

Ctrl + E Open Search (in most apps).

Ctrl + R Refresh the active window.

(or F5)

Ctrl + Y Redo an action.

Ctrl + Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word.

Right
arrow

Ctrl + Left Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous

arrow word.

Ctrl + Move the cursor to the beginning of the next

Down paragraph.
arrow

Ctrl + Up Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous

arrow paragraph.
Press this To do this
key

Ctrl + Alt Use the arrow keys to switch between all open apps.
+ Tab

Alt + Shift When a group or tile is in focus on the Start menu,

+ arrow move it in the direction specified.
keys

Ctrl + When a tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it

Shift + into another tile to create a folder.
arrow
keys

Ctrl + Resize the Start menu when it's open.

arrow
keys

Ctrl + Select multiple individual items in a window or on

arrow key the desktop.
(to move
to an
item) +
Spacebar

Ctrl + Select a block of text.

Shift with
an arrow
Press this To do this
key

key

Ctrl + Esc Open Start.

Ctrl + Open Task Manager.

Shift +
Esc

Ctrl + Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard

Shift layouts are available.

Ctrl + Turn the Chinese input method editor (IME) on or

Spacebar off.

Shift + Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.

F10

Shift with Select more than one item in a window or on the

any arrow desktop, or select text in a document.
key

Shift + Delete the selected item without moving it to the

Delete Recycle Bin first.

Right Open the next menu to the right, or open a

Press this To do this
key

arrow submenu.

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

Esc Stop or leave the current task.

PrtScn Take a screenshot of your whole screen and copy it

to the clipboard.
Note: You can change this shortcut so it also
opens screen snipping, which lets you edit your
screenshot.
Select Start > Settings > Accessibility > Keyboar
d , and set Use the Print Screen button to open
screen snipping to On.
Use PrtScn key to open screen snipping

Windows logo key keyboard shortcuts

Press this key To do this

Windows Open or close Start.

logo key

Windows Open Quick Settings. Updated in Windows 11.

logo key + A
Press this key To do this

Windows log Set focus to the first icon in the Taskbar corner.
o key + B

Windows Open Windows Copilot. Updated in Windows 11.

logo key + C

Windows Open the charms menu.

logo key +
Shift + C

Windows Turn on color filters (enable this shortcut first in

logo key + Color Filter settings).
Ctrl + C

Windows Display and hide the desktop.

logo key + D

Windows Open File Explorer.

logo key + E

Windows Open Feedback Hub and take a screenshot.

logo key + F

Windows Open Xbox Game Bar when a game is open.

logo key + G
Press this key To do this

Windows Turn HDR on or off.

logo key + Note: Applies to the Xbox Game Bar app version 5.721.7292.0 or newer. To
Alt + B update your Xbox Game Bar, go to the Microsoft Store app and check for
updates.

Windows Launch voice typing. Updated in Windows 11.

logo key + H

Windows Open Settings.

logo key + I

Windows Set focus to a Windows tip when one is available.

logo key + J
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 Open Cast from Quick Settings. Updated in

logo key + K Windows 11.

Windows Toggle microphone mute in apps that support

logo key + Call Mute. Available starting in Windows 11,
Alt + K version 22H2.

Windows Lock your PC or switch accounts.

logo key + L
Press this key To do this

Windows Minimize all windows.

logo key + M

Windows Restore minimized windows on the desktop.

logo key +
Shift + M

Windows Open notification center and calendar. Updated

logo key + N in Windows 11.

Windows Lock device orientation.

logo key + O

Windows Choose a presentation display mode.

logo key + P

Windows Open Quick Assist.

logo key +
Ctrl + Q

Windows Open the Run dialog box.

logo key + R

Windows Record video of game window in focus (using

logo key + Xbox Game Bar).
Alt + R
Press this key To do this

Windows Open search.

logo key + S

Windows Take a screenshot of part of your screen.

logo key +
Shift + S

Windows Cycle through apps on the taskbar.

logo key + T

Windows Open Accessibility Settings.

logo key + U

Windows Open the clipboard history.

logo key + V
Note: Clipboard history isn't turned on by
default. If you'd like to turn it on, use this
keyboard shortcut and then select the prompt to
turn on history. Or you can
select Start > Settings > System > Clipboard
, and set Clipboard history to On.

Windows Set focus to a notification.

logo key +
Shift + V

Windows Open Widgets. Updated in Windows 11.

Press this key To do this

logo key + W

Windows Open the Quick Link menu.

logo key + X

Windows Switch input between Windows Mixed Reality

logo key + Y and your desktop.

Windows Open the snap layouts. Updated in Windows 11.

logo key + Z

Windows Open emoji panel.

logo key +
period (.) or
semicolon (;)

Windows Temporarily peek at the desktop.

logo key +
comma (,)

Windows Opens Start > Settings > System > About .

logo key +
Pause

Windows Search for PCs (if you're on a network).

logo key +
Press this key To do this

Ctrl + F

Windows Open the desktop and start the app pinned to

logo key + the taskbar in the position indicated by the
number number. If the app is already running, switch to
that app.

Windows Open the desktop and start a new instance of

logo key + the app pinned to the taskbar in the position
Shift + indicated by the number.
number

Windows Open the desktop and switch to the last active

logo key + window of the app pinned to the taskbar in the
Ctrl + number position indicated by the number.

Windows Open the desktop and open the Jump List for
logo key + the app pinned to the taskbar in the position
Alt + number indicated by the number.

Windows Open the desktop and open a new instance of

logo key + the app located at the given position on the
Ctrl + Shift + taskbar as an administrator.
number

Windows Open Task view.

Press this key To do this

logo key +
Tab

Windows Maximize the window.

logo key +
Up arrow

Windows Snap window in focus to top half of screen. New

logo key + with Windows 11.
Alt + Up
arrow

Windows Remove current app from screen or minimize the

logo key + desktop window.
Down arrow

Windows Snap window in focus to bottom half of

logo key + screen. New with Windows 11.
Alt + Down
arrow

Windows Maximize the app or desktop window to the left

logo key + side of the screen.
Left arrow

Windows Maximize the app or desktop window to the

Press this key To do this

logo key + right side of the screen.

Right arrow

Windows Minimize all except the active desktop window

logo key + (restores all windows on second stroke).
Home

Windows Stretch the desktop window to the top and

logo key + bottom of the screen.
Shift + Up
arrow

Windows Restore/minimize active desktop windows

logo key + vertically, maintaining width.
Shift + Down
arrow

Windows Move an app or window in the desktop from one

logo key + monitor to another.
Shift + Left
arrow or
Right arrow

Windows Cycle backwards through language and

logo key + keyboard layout.
Shift +
Press this key To do this

Spacebar

Windows Switch input language and keyboard layout.

logo key +
Spacebar

Windows Change to a previously selected input.

logo key +
Ctrl +
Spacebar

Windows Turn on Narrator.

logo key +
Ctrl + Enter

Windows Open Magnifier and zoom in.

logo key +
Plus (+)

Windows Zoom out in Magnifier.

logo key +
Minus (-)

Windows Close Magnifier.

logo key +
Esc
Press this key To do this

Windows Begin IME reconversion.

logo key +
forward slash
(/)

Windows Wake PC from blank or black screen.

logo key +
Ctrl + Shift +
B

Windows Save full screen screenshot to file.

logo key +
PrtScn

Windows Save screenshot of game window in focus to file

logo key + (using Xbox Game Bar).
Alt + PrtScn

Windows Open taskbar settings.

logo key +
Alt +
Enter (on
taskbar item
focus)
Command Prompt keyboard shortcuts
Press this key To do this

Ctrl + C (or Ctrl Copy the selected text.

+ Insert)

Ctrl + V (or Shift Paste the selected text.

+ Insert)

Ctrl + M Enter Mark mode.

Alt + selection Begin selection in block mode.

key

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 Move the cursor to the beginning of the

(Mark mode) buffer.

Ctrl + End (Mark Move the cursor to the end of the buffer.
mode)

Ctrl + Up arrow Move up one line in the output history.

Ctrl + Down Move down one line in the output history.

Press this key To do this

arrow

Ctrl + Home If the command line is empty, move the

(History viewport to the top of the buffer. Otherwise,
navigation) delete all the characters to the left of the
cursor in the command line.

Ctrl + End If the command line is empty, move the

(History viewport to the command line. Otherwise,
navigation) 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 + Move back through tabs.

Tab

Ctrl + 1, 2, 3,... Move to that tab number.

Tab Move forward through options.

Press this key To do this

Shift + Tab Move back through options.

Alt + underlined Perform the command (or select the option)

letter 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 + T Open a new tab and switch to it.

Press this key To do this

Ctrl + W Closes the active tab. Closes the window if

there's only one tab open.

Ctrl + Tab Move to the next tab.

Ctrl + Shift + Move to the previous tab.

Tab

Ctrl + 1, 2, 3,... Move to that tab number.

Ctrl + mouse Change the size and appearance of file and

scroll wheel folder icons.

Ctrl + Shift + E Display all folders above the selected folder.

Ctrl + Shift + N Create a new folder.

Num Lock + Display all subfolders under the selected

asterisk (*) folder.

Num Lock + Display the contents of the selected folder.

plus (+)

Num Lock + Collapse the selected folder.

Press this key To do this

minus (-)

Alt + P Display the preview panel.

Alt + Enter Open the Properties dialog box for the

selected item.

Alt + Right View the next folder.

arrow

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.

Press this key To do this

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 Add a virtual desktop.

+D

Windows logo key + Ctrl Switch between virtual desktops

+ Right arrow you’ve created on the right.

Windows logo key + Ctrl Switch between virtual desktops

+ Left arrow you’ve created on the left.

Windows logo key + Ctrl Close the virtual desktop you're

+ F4 using.
Taskbar keyboard shortcuts

Press this key To do this

Shift + click a taskbar Open an app or quickly open

button another instance of an app.
Press this key To do this

Ctrl + Shift + click a Open an app as an administrator.

taskbar button

Shift + right-click a Show the window menu for the app.

taskbar button

Shift + right-click a Show the window menu for the

grouped taskbar button group.

Ctrl + click a grouped Cycle through the windows of the

taskbar button 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 Search settings.

box