Keyboard shortcuts


Keyboard shortcuts are combinations of two or more keys that you can use to perform a task that would typically require a mouse or other pointing device. Keyboard shortcuts can make it easier to work with your PC, saving you time and effort as you work with Windows and other apps.

Most apps also provide accelerator keys that can make it easier to work with menus and other commands. Check the menus of apps for accelerator keys. If a letter of a word is underlined in a menu, it usually means you can press the Alt key and the underlined key together instead of clicking that menu item. When you’re using a touch keyboard, you can also see some shortcuts when you press the Ctrl key.

Pressing the Alt key in some apps, such as Paint and WordPad, shows commands that are labeled with additional keys that you can press to use them.

Note

Using Windows

Show all

Top keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains common keyboard shortcuts for Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1.

Press this key
To do this

Ctrl+C (or Ctrl+Insert)

Copy the selected item

Ctrl+X

Cut the selected item

Ctrl+V (or Shift+Insert)

Paste the selected item

Ctrl+Z

Undo an action

Alt+Tab

Switch between open apps (except desktop apps)

Alt+F4

Close the active item, or exit the active app

Windows logo key Windows logo key +L

Lock your PC or switch people

Windows logo key Windows logo key +D

Display and hide the desktop

General keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains general keyboard shortcuts that you can use in Windows.

Press this key To do this

F1

Display Help

F2

Rename the selected item

F3

Search for a file or folder

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+F4

Close the active item, or exit the active app

Alt+Esc

Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened

Alt+underlined letter

Perform the command for that letter

Alt+Enter

Display properties for the selected item

Alt+Spacebar

Open the shortcut menu for the active window

Alt+Left arrow

Back

Alt+Right arrow

Forward

Alt+Page Up

Move up one screen

Alt+Page Down

Move down one screen

Alt+Tab

Switch between open apps (except desktop apps)

Ctrl+F4

Close the active document (in apps that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)

Ctrl+A

Select all items in a document or window

Ctrl+C (or Ctrl+Insert)

Copy the selected item

Ctrl+D (or Delete)

Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin

Ctrl+R (or F5)

Refresh the active window

Ctrl+V (or Shift+Insert)

Paste the selected item

Ctrl+X

Cut the selected item

Ctrl+Y

Redo an action

Ctrl+Z

Undo an action

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

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

Ctrl+ mouse scroll wheel

Change the size of desktop icons or zoom in or out of a large number of items, like apps pinned to the Start screen

Ctrl+Right arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word

Ctrl+Left arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word

Ctrl+Down arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph

Ctrl+Up arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph

Ctrl+Alt+Tab

Use the arrow keys to switch between all open apps

Ctrl+arrow key (to move to an item)+Spacebar

Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop

Ctrl+Shift with an arrow key

Select a block of text

Ctrl+Esc

Open the Start screen

Ctrl+Shift+Esc

Open Task Manager

Ctrl+Shift

Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are available

Ctrl+Spacebar

Turn the Chinese input method editor (IME) on or off

Shift+F10

Display the shortcut menu for the selected item

Shift with any arrow key

Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document

Shift+Delete

Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first

Right arrow

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

Left arrow

Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu

Esc

Stop or leave the current task

Windows logo key keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains keyboard shortcuts that use the Windows logo key Windows logo key.
Press this key To do this
Windows logo key Windows logo key +F1

Open Windows Help and Support

Windows logo key Windows logo key

Display or hide the Start screen

Windows logo key Windows logo key +B

Set focus in the notification area

Windows logo key Windows logo key +C

Open the Charms

Windows logo key Windows logo key +D

Display and hide the desktop

Windows logo key Windows logo key +E

Open File Explorer

Windows logo key Windows logo key +F

Open the Search charm and search for files

Windows logo key Windows logo key +H

Open the Share charm

Windows logo key Windows logo key +I

Open the Settings charm

Windows logo key Windows logo key +K

Open the Devices charm

Windows logo key Windows logo key +L

Lock your PC or switch people

Windows logo key Windows logo key +M

Minimize all windows

Windows logo key Windows logo key +O

Lock device orientation

Windows logo key Windows logo key +P

Choose a presentation display mode

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Q

Open the Search charm to search everywhere or within the open app (if the app supports app search)

Windows logo key Windows logo key +R

Open the Run dialog box

Windows logo key Windows logo key +S

Open the Search charm to search Windows and the web

Windows logo key Windows logo key +T

Cycle through apps on the taskbar

Windows logo key Windows logo key +U

Open Ease of Access Center

Windows logo key Windows logo key +V

Cycle through notifications

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Shift+V

Cycle through notifications in reverse order

Windows logo key Windows logo key +W

Open the Search charm and search for settings

Windows logo key Windows logo key +X

Open the Quick Link menu

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Z

Show the commands available in the app

Note

  • You can also see some settings and options by going to the Settingscharm when the app is open.

Windows logo key Windows logo key +,

Temporarily peek at the desktop

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Pause

Display the System Properties dialog box

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Ctrl+F

Search for PCs (if you’re on a network)

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Shift+M

Restore minimized windows on the desktop

Windows logo key Windows logo key +number

Open the desktop and start the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number. If the app is already running, switch to that app.

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Shift+number

Open the desktop and start a new instance of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Ctrl+number

Open the desktop and switch to the last active window of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Alt+number

Open the desktop and open the Jump List for the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Ctrl+Shift+number

Open the desktop and open a new instance of the app located at the given position on the taskbar as an administrator

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Tab

Cycle through recently used apps (except desktop apps)

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Ctrl+Tab

Cycle through recently used apps (except desktop apps)

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Shift+Tab

Cycle through recently used apps (except desktop apps) in reverse order

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Ctrl+B

Switch to the app that displayed a message in the notification area

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Up arrow

Maximize the window

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Down arrow

Remove current app from screen or minimize the desktop window

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Left arrow

Maximize the app or desktop window to the left side of the screen

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Right arrow

Maximize the app or desktop window to the right side of the screen

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Home

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

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Shift+Up arrow

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

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Shift+Down arrow

Restore/minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Shift+Left arrow or Right arrow

Move an app or window in the desktop from one monitor to another

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Spacebar

Switch input language and keyboard layout

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Ctrl+Spacebar

Change to a previously selected input

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Enter

Open Narrator

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Shift+period (.)

Cycle through open apps

Windows logo key Windows logo key +period (.)

Cycle through open apps

Windows logo key Windows logo key +/

Initiate IME reconversion

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Alt+Enter

Open WindowsMedia Center

Windows logo key Windows logo key +plus (+) or minus (-)

Zoom in or out using Magnifier

Windows logo key Windows logo key +Esc

Exit Magnifier

Internet Explorer keyboard shortcuts

You can see shortcuts for Internet Explorer at Internet Explorer shortcuts.

For more info about using keyboard shortcuts in Windows, see the Getting around your PC tutorial.

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