Keyboard shortcuts on Windows 10 provide a quick way to navigate and operate experiences and features using one or more key combos, which would otherwise take several clicks and longer to do with a mouse.
Memorizing all the keyboard shortcuts can be overwhelming. However, you don't need to learn every shortcut available on Windows 10. You need to focus only on the ones you need more often to make your life a little easier and improve productivity.
Required shortcuts
Here is a list of essential keyboard shortcuts that every Windows 10 user should know.
Keyboard shortcuts
Ctrl + A Select all content.
Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert) Copy the selected item to the clipboard.
Ctrl + X Cut selected objects to the clipboard.
Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert) Paste content from the clipboard.
Ctrl+Z Undo an action, including (limited) undeleting files.
Ctrl + Y Redo an action.
Ctrl+Shift+N Create new folder on Desktop or File Explorer.
Alt + F4 Close the active window. (If no active window is present, a shutdown box appears.)
Ctrl + D (Del) Delete the selected item to the Recycle Bin.
Shift + Delete permanently delete the selected item, leaving the Recycle Bin.
F2 Rename the selected item.
ESC Close the current task.
Alt + Tab Switch between open apps.
PRTSCN Take a screenshot and store it in the clipboard.
Windows Key + I Open the Settings app.
Windows Key + E Open File Explorer.
Windows Key + A Open Action Center.
Windows Key + D Display and hide desktop.
Windows Key + L Lock mechanism.
Windows Key + V Open Clipboard Bin.
Windows key + period (.) or semicolon ;) Open the emoji panel.
Windows Key + Prison, Capture full screenshot in "Screenshots" folder.
Capture part of the screen with Windows Key + Shift + S Snip & Sketch.
Windows Key + Left Arrow Key Snap app or window left.
Windows Key + Right Arrow Key Snap app or window right.
Desktop shortcut
You can use these keyboard shortcuts to open, close, navigate, and perform tasks more quickly throughout the desktop experience, including the Start menu, taskbar, settings, and more.
Keyboard shortcuts
Windows Key (or Ctrl + Esc) Open the Start Menu.
Ctrl + Arrow keys Resize the Start menu.
Ctrl + Shift + Esc Open Task Manager.
Ctrl + Shift Switch keyboard layout.
Alt + F4 Close the active window. (If no active window is present, a shutdown box appears.)
Ctrl + F5 (or Ctrl + R) Refresh the current window.
Ctrl + Alt + Tab View open apps.
Ctrl + Arrow keys (to select) + Space bar Select multiple items on the desktop or File Explorer.
Alt + Underlined Letter Runs the command for underlined letter in apps.
Switch between open apps by pressing Alt+Tab multiple times.
Alt + LEFT ARROW KEY Go back.
Alt + Right Arrow Keys Go forward.
Alt + Page Up Move up one screen.
Alt + Page Down, move one screen down.
Alt + Esc Cycle through open windows.
Alt + Space bar Open the context menu for the active window.
Alt + F8 Reveals the password typed in the sign-in screen.
Shift + Click the App button to open another instance of the app from the taskbar.
Ctrl+Shift+click on app button, Run app as administrator from taskbar.
Shift + Right-click the app button show window menu for an app from the taskbar.
Ctrl+Click the Grouped Apps button to cycle through the windows in a group from the taskbar.
Shift + Right-click the grouped app button, show window menu for group from taskbar.
CTRL + LEFT ARROW KEY Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word.
CTRL + RIGHT ARROW KEY Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word.
CTRL + UP ARROW KEY Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph
Ctrl + Down Arrow Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph.
Ctrl + Shift + Arrow Keys Select a block of text.
Ctrl + Space bar enable or disable the Chinese IME.
Shift + F10 Open the context menu for the selected item.
F10 Enable app menu bar.
SHIFT + ARROW KEYS Select multiple items.
Windows Key + X Open the Quick Links menu.
Windows Key + Number (0-9) Open the app from the taskbar in the number position.
Windows Key + T Cycle through apps in the taskbar.
Windows Key + Alt + Number (0-9) Open jump list of app from taskbar to number position.
Windows Key + D Display and hide desktop.
Windows Key + M Minimize all windows.
Windows Key + Shift + M Restore minimized windows to desktop.
Windows Key + Home Minimize or maximize all but the active desktop window.
Windows Key + Shift + Up Arrow Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen.
Vertically maximize or minimize the active desktop window while maintaining the width of Windows Key + Shift + Down Arrow.
Windows Key + Shift + Left Arrow Key to move the active window to the monitor to the left.
Windows Key + Shift + Right Arrow Keys Move the active window to the right of the monitor.
Windows Key + Left Arrow Key Snap app or window left.
Windows Key + Right Arrow Key Snap app or window right.
Windows Key + S (or Q) Open Search.
Windows Key + Alt + D Open Date & Time in the taskbar.
Windows Key + Tab Open Task View.
Windows Key + Ctrl + D Create a new virtual desktop.
Windows Key + Ctrl + F4 Close active virtual desktops.
Windows Key + Ctrl + Right Arrow Switch right to the virtual desktop.
Windows Key + Ctrl + Left Arrow Switch to the virtual desktop on the left.
Windows Key + P Open Project Settings.
Windows Key + A Open Action Center.
Windows Key + I Open the Settings app.
Return to the Backspace Settings app home page.
File explorer shortcut
File Explorer includes several keyboard shortcuts to help you speed things up a bit on Windows 10.
This is a list of the most useful shortcuts for File Explorer.
Keyboard shortcuts
Windows Key + E Open File Explorer.
Alt + D Select the address bar.
Ctrl + E (or F) Select the search box.
Ctrl + N Open new window.
Ctrl + W Close the active window.
Start searching Ctrl + F (or F3).
Ctrl + mouse scroll wheel to change view file and folder.
Ctrl+Shift+E Expands all folders from the tree in the Navigation Pane.
Ctrl+Shift+N Creates a new folder on the desktop or File Explorer.
Ctrl + L Note the address bar.
Ctrl + Shift + Number (1-8) Changes the folder view.
Alt + P Display the preview panel.
Alt + Enter Open the properties settings for the selected item.
Alt + Right Arrow Key, Next View folder.
Alt + LEFT ARROW KEY (or Backspace) to view the previous folder.
Alt + Up Arrow Move the folder path up one level.
F11 Switch the active window full-screen mode.
F5 Refresh the instance of File Explorer.
F2 Rename the selected item.
F4 Switch the focus to the address bar.
F5 Refresh the current view of File Explorer.
F6 Cycle through the elements on the screen.
Scroll to the top of the Home window.
Scroll to the bottom of the Finish window.
Settings page shortcut
Here is a list of keyboard shortcuts you can use in the dialog box's legacy settings page (for example, Folder Options).
Keyboard shortcuts
Ctrl + Tab Cycle forward through tabs.
Ctrl+Shift+Tab Cycles back through tabs.
Ctrl + Number of tabs jumps to the tab position.
The tab leads through the settings.
Shift + Tab goes back through the settings.
Alt + Underline Actions the setting identified by the letter.
The space bar checks or clears the option in focus.
Backspace opens the folder one level app in the Open or Save As dialog.
Arrow Keys Select a button of the active setting.
Command prompt shortcut
If you use Command Prompt on Windows 10, these keyboard shortcuts will help you work a little more efficiently.
Keyboard shortcuts
Ctrl + A Select all the contents of the current line.
Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert) Copy the selected item to the clipboard.
Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert) Paste content from the clipboard.
Ctrl + M starts mark mode.
CTRL + UP ARROW KEY Move the screen up one line.
Ctrl + Down Arrow Move the screen down one line.
Ctrl + F Search Open for Command Prompt.
LEFT or RIGHT ARROW KEYS Move the cursor left or right in the current line.
UP or DOWN ARROW KEYS Cycle through the command history of the current session.
Page Up Move the cursor up one page.
Page down, move the cursor one page down.
Ctrl + Scroll to the top of the Home console.
Ctrl + End Scroll to the bottom of the console.
Windows key shortcut
The Windows key combined with other keys allows you to perform many useful functions, such as launch settings, File Explorer, run commands, apps pinned to the taskbar, or open specific features such as Narrator or Magnifier. You can also complete tasks such as controlling windows, virtual desktops, taking screenshots, locking the computer and much more.
Here is a list of all the most common keyboard shortcuts using the Windows Key.
Keyboard shortcuts
Windows key Open the start menu.
Windows Key + A Open Action Center.
Windows Key + S (or Q) Open Search.
Windows Key + D Display and hide desktop.
Windows Key + L Locks the computer.
Windows Key + M Minimize all windows.
Windows Key + B Set focus notification area in the taskbar.
Windows Key + C Launch Cortana app.
Windows Key + F Launch the Feedback Hub app.
Windows Key + G Launch the Game Bar app.
Windows Key + Y Change input between Desktop and Mixed Reality.
Windows key + O Lock device orientation.
Windows Key + T Cycle through apps in the taskbar.
Windows Key + Z Switch input between Desktop Experience and Windows Mixed Reality.
A Tip for Windows 10 Set focus when Windows Key + J is applied.
Windows Key + H Open the dictation feature.
Windows Key + E Open File Explorer.
Windows Key + I open Settings.
Windows Key + R Open Run command.
Windows Key + K Open Connect Settings.
Windows Key + X Open the Quick Links menu.
Windows Key + V Open Clipboard Bin.
Windows Key + W Open Windows Ink Workspace.
Windows Key + U Open Ease of Access Settings.
Windows Key + P Open Project Settings.
Windows Key + Ctrl + Enter Open Narrator.
Zoom in using Windows Key + Plus (+) Magnifier.
Zoom out using Windows Key + Minus (-) Magnifier.
Windows Key + Esc Quit Magnifier.
Windows Key + Forward-Slash (/) Start IME Reconversion.
Windows Key + Comma Temporarily peek at desktop.
Windows Key + Up Arrow Key Maximize app window.
Windows Key + Down Arrow Key Minimize app windows.
Windows Key + Home Minimize or maximize all but the active desktop window.
Windows Key + Shift + M Restore minimized windows to desktop.
Windows Key + Shift + Up Arrow Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen.
Windows Key + Shift + Down Arrow Maximize or minimize the active window vertically while maintaining the width.
Windows Key + Shift + Left Arrow Key to move the active window to the monitor to the left.
Windows Key + Shift + Right Arrow Keys Move the active window to the right of the monitor.
Windows Key + Left Arrow Key Snap app or window left.
Windows Key + Right Arrow Key Snap app or window right.
Windows Key + Number (0-9) Open the app in the number position in the taskbar.
Windows Key + Shift + Number (0-9) Open another app instance at the number position in the taskbar.
Windows Key + Ctrl + Number (0-9) Switch to the last active window of the app at the number position in the taskbar.
Windows Key + Alt + Number (0-9) Open jump list of apps at the number position in the taskbar.
Windows Key + Ctrl + Shift + Number (0-9) Open another instance of the app as administrator at the number position in the taskbar.
Windows Key + Ctrl + Space bar Replace the last selected input option.
Windows Key + Space bar Change keyboard layout and input language.
Windows Key + Tab Open Task View.
Windows Key + Ctrl + D Create a virtual desktop.
Windows Key + Ctrl + F4 Close active virtual desktops.
Windows Key + Ctrl + Right Arrow Switch right to the virtual desktop.
Windows Key + Ctrl + Left Arrow Switch to the virtual desktop on the left.
Windows Key + Ctrl + Shift + B Wake the device when there is a black or blank screen.
Windows Key + prison, Capture full screenshot in "Screenshots" folder.
Windows Key + Shift + S Make part of the screen screenshot.
Windows Key + Shift + V Cycle through notifications.
Windows Key + Ctrl + F Open search for devices on a domain network.
Windows Key + Ctrl + Q Open Quick Help.
Windows Key + Alt + D Open Date & Time in the taskbar.
Windows key + period (.) or semicolon ;) Open the emoji panel.
Windows Key + Pause Show System Properties dialog box.
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