There are some legendary computer hotkeys on Windows. ALT + TAB and CTRL + ALT + F4 are some of these shortcuts. However, the shortcuts in our article are of the kind that will allow you to gain speed, regardless of which Windows service you are using.

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Keyboard Shortcuts That Will Make You A Windows Expert

It is not easy to let go of habits. However, it can be very beneficial to get out of habits when necessary. One of the best examples of this situation is the computer hotkeys. Windows has shortcuts that allow you to perform most daily operations with the help of a mouse by pressing a few keys on the keyboard.

Among these shortcuts, there are many options ranging from enabling you to open the magnifying glass feature that you would normally be too lazy to open with the press of two keys, to letting you do file naming with a single keystroke. If you wish, let’s take a look at the list of computer shortcut keys that greatly reduce the time of your computer operations.

  • Windows hotkeys
  • General shortcuts
  • Windows key shortcuts
  • Dialog shortcuts
  • File Explorer shortcuts
  • Taskbar shortcuts
  • Ease of Access Center shortcuts
  • Magnifier shortcuts
  • Narrator shortcuts
  • Remote Desktop Connection shortcuts
  • Help viewer shortcuts

Application management shortcuts in the Metro Interface

Before going on to explain all the shortcuts mentioned above one by one, some of the shortcuts we have provided may not work from Windows versions prior to Windows 8. Some of them are shortcuts newly added to Windows.

General keyboard hotkeys:

F1 = View help
F2 = Rename selected file
F3 = Searches a file or directory
F4 = Shows the address bar list in File Explorer
F5 = Refreshes the front window
F6 = Cycle through items in a window or on the desktop
F10 = Shows letter shortcuts in File Explorer
ALT + F4 = Closes the program running in front
ALT + ESC = Highlights running programs in the order they were opened
ALT + Underlined letter = Shows letter shortcuts in the front running application.
ALT + Enter = Shows the properties of the selected file
ALT + Space = Shows the shortcut menu of the front running window.
ALT + Left arrow key = Go back to the previous tab
ALT + Right arrow key = Go back to the next tab
ALT + Page Up = Move up one page length
ALT + Page Down = Move down one page
ALT + TAB = List open applications
CTRL + F4 = Closes the leading application
CTRL + A = Selects all items on the front page
CTRL + C or CTRL + Insert = Copies the selected item
CTRL + D or Delete = Sends the selected file to the Recycle Bin
CTRL + R = Refreshes the selected page
CTRL + V or Shift + Insert = Pastes the copied item
CTRL + X = Cuts the selected item
CTRL + Z = Undo an action
CTRL + Y = Redo the undo
CTRL + plus sign (+) or CTRL + minus sign (-) = Zooms in or out when reviewing multiple files
CTRL + Mouse scroll key = Adjusts the size of the icons in File Explorer and the desktop
CTRL + Right arrow key = Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word
CTRL + Left arrow key = Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word
CTRL + Down arrow key = Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph
CTRL + Up arrow key = Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph
CTRL + ALT + TAB = Keeps the open application screen open until you choose to apply
CTRL + Arrow keys + Space = Select multiple items in a window or desktop
CTRL + Shift + Arrow keys = Select a block within a text
CTRL + ESC = Opens the Start screen
CTRL + Shift + ESC = Open Task Manager
CTRL + Shift = Change keyboard layout (If there is more than one keyboard layout)
Shift + F10 = First shows shortcut menu of running application
Shift + Delete = Deletes the selected item permanently (does not send it to the Recycle Bin)

Shortcuts with Windows key:

Windows key = Open or close the Start menu
Windows key + F1 = Redirects to Get Help page
Windows key + B = Highlight the hidden icons menu
Windows key + C = Open the Charms tab (except for Windows 10)
Windows key + D = Show or hide the desktop
Windows key + E = Opens File Explorer
Windows key + F = opens the Search section in the Charms tab (except Windows 10)
Windows key + H = opens the Share section in the Charms tab (except for Windows 10)
Windows key + I = opens Settings in the Charms tab (except for Windows 10)
Windows key + K = Opens Devices section in Charms tab (except Windows 10)
Windows key + L = Locks the computer or opens the user switching screen
Windows key + M = Minimize all windows
Windows key + P = Sorts mirror options
Windows key + R = opens Run
Windows key + S = opens the Search section of the Start menu
Windows key + T = navigate through icons on the Taskbar
Windows key + U = opens Ease of Access Center
Windows key + V = Open copy history
Windows key + W = opens the Pen
Windows key + X = opens the Quick Link menu
Windows key + Z = Displays commands available in full screen mode in an application
Windows key + comma sign (,) = Shows desktop as long as pressed
Windows key + Pause = Displays system properties
Windows key + CTRL + F = Opens Find Computer
Windows key + Shift + M = Restores windows that were minimized to the desktop
Windows key + Number keys = Opens the applications on the Taskbar in order
Windows key + Shift + Number keys = Opens a new window of applications on the Taskbar
Windows key + CTRL + Number keys = Opens the last active window of the applications on the Taskbar
Windows key + ALT + Number keys = Opens the Jump List of applications on the Taskbar
Windows key + CTRL + Shift + Number keys = Runs the application on the Taskbar as an administrator
Windows key + B = Lists recently used apps
Windows key + CTRL + TAB = Cycle through recently used apps
Windows key + Shift + TAB = Cycles through recently used apps in reverse direction
Windows key + CTRL + B = Switch to the application sending the notification
Windows key + Up arrow key = Maximize the running window
Windows key + Down arrow key = Minimize the running window
Windows key + Left arrow key = Maximizes the running window on the left side
Windows key + Right arrow key = Maximizes the running window to the right
Windows key + Home = Minimizes all desktops except active desktop
Windows key + Shift + Up arrow key = Extend the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen
Windows key + Shift + Down arrow key = Minimizes active desktop windows to their previous size while maintaining width
Windows key + Shift + Left arrow key = Moves the application running in front to the left side monitor
Windows key + Shift + Right arrow key = Moves the application running in front to the right monitor

Windows key + Space = Switches input language and keyboard layout (If there is more than one)
Windows key + CTRL + Space = Switch to the previous selected input and keyboard layout
Windows key + Enter = Opens Narrator
Windows key + slash (/) = Starts IME reconversion
Windows key + CTRL + V = Turns shoulder taps on
Windows key + CTRL + Shift + B = Wakes up the computer from a blank or black screen
Windows key + plus sign (+) = Opens Magnifier
Windows key + plus sign (+) or Windows key + minus sign (-) = Adjusts the magnifier’s zoom
Windows key + ESC = Close Magnifier

Shortcuts for dialog:

F1 = opens Help
F4 = Displays the items in the active list
CTRL + TAB = Move forward between tabs
CTRL + Shift + TAB = Move back between tabs
CTRL + Number keys = Go to the pressed numbered tab
TAB = Move forward through options
Shift + TAB = Move back through options
ALT + Underlined key = Shows letter shortcuts in front running dialog
Space = Selects or deselects the active box.
Backspace = Opens the selected folder in the “Save As” or “Open” dialog box one level up
Arrow keys = Select buttons if the active option is an option group

File Explorer shortcuts:

ALT + D = Selects the address bar
CTRL + E = Selects the search box
CTRL + F = Selects the search box
CTRL + N = Opens a new window
CTRL + W = Closes the active window
CTRL + Mouse scroll key = Changes the size and appearance of file and folder icons
CTRL + Shift + E = Displays all folders above the selected folder
CTRL + Shift + N = Create new folder
Num Lock + asterisk (*) = Display all folders under the selected folder
Num Lock + plus sign (+) = Displays the contents of the selected folder
Num Lock + minus sign (-) = Collapse selected folder
ALT + P = Displays the preview panel
ALT + Enter = Opens the properties box of the selected item
ALT + Right arrow = Displays the next folder
ALT + Up arrow = Displays the folder the folder is in
ALT + Left arrow = Displays the previous folder
Backspace = Displays the previous folder
Right arrow = Shows the current selection or selects the first subfolder
Left arrow = Collapse the current selection or show the folder the folder is in
End = Displays the bottom of the active window
Home = Displays the top of the active window
F11 = Maximize the active window or minimize the active window

Taskbar shortcuts:

Shift + One taskbar button = Open an application or another instance of the application
CTRL + Shift + A taskbar button = Opens an application as an administrator
Shift + Right click on a taskbar button = Display the window menu for the application
Shift + Right click on a grouped taskbar button = Display the window menu for the group
CTRL + Grouped taskbar button = Cycle through group windows

Ease of Access Center shortcuts:

Pressing Right Shift key for 8 seconds = Turns Filter Keys on or off
Left ALT + Left Shift + Print Screen = Turn High Contrast on or off
Left ALT + Left Shift + Num Lock = Turn the Mouse Keys on or off
5 presses of Shift = Turns Sticky Keys on or off
Pressing Num Lock 5 times = Turns the Toggle Keys on or off
Windows key + U = opens Ease of Access Center

Windows key + plus sign (+) = Zoom in
Windows key + minus sign (-) = Zoom out
CTRL + ALT + Space = Displays the desktop in full screen mode
CTRL + ALT + I = Inverts colors
CTRL + ALT + L = Switch to lens view
CTRL + ALT + D = Switch to docked view
CTRL + ALT + M = Cycle through views
CTRL + ALT + R = Resizes the lens with the mouse
Shift + ALT + Arrow keys = Resize lens with keyboard
CTRL + ALT + Spacebar = Quickly look at desktop in full screen mode

Narrator shortcuts:

Space + Enter = Activate the selected item
TAB + Arrow keys = Navigate the screen
CTRL = Stops reading
Caps Lock + D = Reads item
Caps Lock + M = Starts reading
Caps Lock + H = Reads the document
Caps Lock + V = Repeats sentence
Caps Lock + W = Reads the window
Caps Lock + Page Up + Page Down = Increase or decrease the volume of the voice
Caps Lock + plus sign (+) or minus sign (-) = Increase or decrease the speed of the voice
Caps Lock + Space = Performs default action
Caps Lock + Left or right arrow key = Moves to the previous or next item
Caps Lock + F2 = Sorts commands for the selected item
Caps Lock + ESC = Turn off Narrator

Remote Desktop Connection shortcuts:

ALT + Page Up = Cycle through apps from left to right
ALT + Page Down = Cycle through apps from right to left
ALT + Insert = Cycle through applications in their starting order
ALT + Home = Displays the Start screen
CTRL + ALT + Brake = Cycle between window and full screen views
CTRL + ALT + End = Displays the Windows Security dialog box
CTRL + ALT + Home = Activate link bar in full screen view
ALT + Delete = Displays the system menu
CTRL + ALT + minus sign (-) = Takes screenshot of the front running application on the computer you are connected to
CTRL + ALT + plus sign (+) = Takes a screenshot of the entire screen on the computer you are connected to

Help and Support shortcuts:

F3 = Move cursor to search box
F10 = Displays the options menu.
Home = returns to the beginning of the topic
End = goes to the end of the topic
ALT + Left arrow key = Displays the previous topic
ALT + Right arrow key = Displays the next topic
ALT + Home = Displays the home page of Help and Support
ALT + A = Displays the customer support page
ALT + C = Displays the Table of Contents
ALT + N = Displays the Connection Settings menu
CTRL + F = Searches current topic
CTRL + P = Outputs the current topic

Application management shortcuts in Metro Interface:

Windows key + period (.) = Opens application management mode
Windows key + Left arrow key = Move the app divider to the left
Windows key + Right arrow key = Move the application divider to the right
Windows key + Up arrow key = Makes apps full screen
Windows key + Down arrow key = Closes the application
Windows key + ESC = Turn off application management mode

We have come to the end of our article on keyboard shortcut keys in Windows itself. If you use computer hotkeys, you won’t even be able to save time setting up for the job you’re busy with. Unfortunately it is not possible to change Windows keyboard shortcuts. For this reason, it is useful to memorize the paths on the list.

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