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.
Contents
- Keyboard Shortcuts That Will Make You A Windows Expert
- General keyboard hotkeys:
- 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:
- File Explorer shortcuts:
- Taskbar shortcuts:
- 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:
- Remote Desktop Connection shortcuts:
- Help and Support shortcuts:
- Application management shortcuts in Metro Interface:
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:
Shortcuts with Windows key:
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:
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:
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:
Remote Desktop Connection shortcuts:
Help and Support shortcuts:
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.