Keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts are combinations of two or more keys that, when pressed, can be used to perform a
task that would typically require a mouse or other pointing device. Keyboard shortcuts can make it easier
to interact with your computer, saving you time and effort as you work with Windows and other
programs.
Most programs also provide accelerator keys that can make it easier to work with menus and other
commands. Check the menus of programs for accelerator keys. If a letter is underlined in a menu, that
usually means that pressing the Alt key in combination with the underlined key will have the same effect
as clicking that menu item.
Pressing the Alt key in some programs, such as Paint and WordPad, shows commands that are labeled
with additional keys that you can press to use them.
You can also create new keyboard shortcuts to open programs. For more information, see Create
keyboard shortcuts to open programs.
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Ease of Access keyboard shortcuts
The following table contains keyboard shortcuts that can help make your computer easier to use.
Press this key To do this
Right Shift for eight seconds Turn Filter Keys on and off
Left Alt+Left Shift+PrtScn (or PrtScn) Turn High Contrast on or off
Left Alt+Left Shift+Num Lock Turn Mouse Keys on or off
Shift five times Turn Sticky Keys on or off
Num Lock for five seconds Turn Toggle Keys on or off
Windows logo key +U Open the Ease of Access Center
General keyboard shortcuts
The following table contains general keyboard shortcuts.
Press this key To do this
F1 Display Help
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
Ctrl+Y Redo an action
Delete (or Ctrl+D) Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin
Shift+Delete Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first
F2 Rename the selected item
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+Shift with an arrow Select a block of text
key
Shift with any arrow key Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text
within a document
Press this key To do this
Ctrl with any arrow Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop
key+Spacebar
Ctrl+A Select all items in a document or window
F3 Search for a file or folder
Alt+Enter Display properties for the selected item
Alt+F4 Close the active item, or exit the active program
Alt+Spacebar Open the shortcut menu for the active window
Ctrl+F4 Close the active document (in programs that allow you to have multiple
documents open simultaneously)
Alt+Tab Switch between open items
Ctrl+Alt+Tab Use the arrow keys to switch between open items
Ctrl+Mouse scroll wheel Change the size of icons on the desktop
Windows logo key Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D
+Tab
Ctrl+Windows logo key Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using
+Tab Aero Flip 3-D
Alt+Esc Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened
F6 Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop
F4 Display the address bar list in Windows Explorer
Press this key To do this
Shift+F10 Display the shortcut menu for the selected item
Ctrl+Esc Open the Start menu
Alt+underlined letter Display the corresponding menu
Alt+underlined letter Perform the menu command (or other underlined command)
F10 Activate the menu bar in the active program
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
F5 (or Ctrl+R) Refresh the active window
Alt+Up Arrow View the folder one level up in Windows Explorer
Esc Cancel the current task
Ctrl+Shift+Esc Open Task Manager
Shift when you insert a CD Prevent the CD from automatically playing
Left Alt+Shift Switch the input language when multiple input languages are enabled
Ctrl+Shift Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are enabled
Right or Left Ctrl+Shift Change the reading direction of text in right-to-left reading languages
Press this key To do this
Dialog box keyboard shortcuts
The following table contains keyboard shortcuts for use in dialog boxes.
Press this key To do this
Ctrl+Tab Move forward through tabs
Ctrl+Shift+Tab Move back through tabs
Tab Move forward through options
Shift+Tab Move back through options
Alt+underlined Perform the command (or select the option) that goes with that letter
letter
Enter Replaces clicking the mouse for many selected commands
Spacebar Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box
Arrow keys Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons
F1 Display Help
F4 Display the items in the active list
Backspace Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog
box
Windows logo key keyboard shortcuts
The following table contains keyboard shortcuts that use the Windows logo key .
Press this key To do this
Windows logo key Open or close the Start menu.
Windows logo key +Pause Display the System Properties dialog box.
Windows logo key +D Display the desktop.
Windows logo key +M Minimize all windows.
Windows logo key +Shift+M Restore minimized windows to the desktop.
Windows logo key +E Open Computer.
Windows logo key +F Search for a file or folder.
Ctrl+Windows logo key +F Search for computers (if you're on a network).
Windows logo key +L Lock your computer or switch users.
Windows logo key +R Open the Run dialog box.
Windows logo key +T Cycle through programs on the taskbar.
Windows logo key +number Start the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by
the number. If the program is already running, switch to that
program.
Shift+Windows logo key Start a new instance of the program pinned to the taskbar in the
+number position indicated by the number.
Ctrl+Windows logo key Switch to the last active window of the program pinned to the
+number taskbar in the position indicated by the number.
Press this key To do this
Alt+Windows logo key Open the Jump List for the program pinned to the taskbar in the
+number position indicated by the number.
Windows logo key +Tab Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D.
Ctrl+Windows logo key +Tab Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by
using Aero Flip 3-D.
Ctrl+Windows logo key +B Switch to the program that displayed a message in the notification
area.
Windows logo key +Spacebar Preview the desktop.
Windows logo key +Up Maximize the window.
Arrow
Windows logo key +Left Maximize the window to the left side of the screen.
Arrow
Windows logo key +Right Maximize the window to the right side of the screen.
Arrow
Windows logo key +Down Minimize the window.
Arrow
Windows logo key +Home Minimize all but the active window.
Windows logo key +Shift+Up Stretch the window to the top and bottom of the screen.
Arrow
Windows logo key Move a window from one monitor to another.
+Shift+Left Arrow or Right
Arrow
Press this key To do this
Windows logo key +P Choose a presentation display mode.
Windows logo key +G Cycle through gadgets.
Windows logo key +U Open Ease of Access Center.
Windows logo key +X Open Windows Mobility Center.
Windows Explorer keyboard shortcuts
The following table contains keyboard shortcuts for working with Windows Explorer windows or folders.
Press this key To do this
Ctrl+N Open a new window
Ctrl+W Close the current window
Ctrl+Shift+N Create a new folder
End Display the bottom of the active window
Home Display the top of the active window
F11 Maximize or minimize the active window
Ctrl+Period (.) Rotate a picture clockwise
Ctrl+Comma (,) Rotate a picture counter-clockwise
Num Lock+Asterisk (*) on numeric Display all subfolders under the selected folder
keypad
Press this key To do this
Num Lock+Plus Sign (+) on numeric Display the contents of the selected folder
keypad
Num Lock+Minus Sign (-) on numeric Collapse the selected folder
keypad
Left Arrow Collapse the current selection (if it's expanded), or select the
parent folder
Alt+Enter Open the Properties dialog box for the selected item
Alt+P Display the preview pane
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
Alt+Right Arrow View the next folder
Alt+Up Arrow View the parent folder
Ctrl+Shift+E Display all folders above the selected folder
Ctrl+Mouse scroll wheel Change the size and appearance of file and folder icons
Alt+D Select the address bar
Ctrl+E Select the search box
Press this key To do this
Ctrl+F Select the search box
Taskbar keyboard shortcuts
The following table contains keyboard shortcuts for working with items on the taskbar.
Press this key To do this
Shift+Click on a taskbar button Open a program or quickly open another instance of a
program
Ctrl+Shift+Click on a taskbar button Open a program as an administrator
Shift+Right-click on a taskbar button Show the window menu for the program
Shift+Right-click on a grouped taskbar Show the window menu for the group
button
Ctrl+Click on a grouped taskbar button Cycle through the windows of the group
Magnifier keyboard shortcuts
The following table contains keyboard shortcuts for working with Magnifier.
Press this key To do this
Windows logo key + Plus Sign (+) or Minus Sign (-) Zoom in or out
Ctrl+Alt+Spacebar Preview the desktop in full-screen mode
Ctrl+Alt+F Switch to full-screen mode
Ctrl+Alt+L Switch to lens mode
Ctrl+Alt+D Switch to docked mode
Press this key To do this
Ctrl+Alt+I Invert colors
Ctrl+Alt+arrow keys Pan in the direction of the arrow keys
Ctrl+Alt+R Resize the lens
Windows logo key + Esc Exit Magnifier
Remote Desktop Connection keyboard shortcuts
The following table contains keyboard shortcuts for working with Remote Desktop Connection.
Press this key To do this
Alt+Page Up Move between programs from left to right.
Alt+Page Down Move between programs from right to left.
Alt+Insert Cycle through programs in the order that they were started in.
Alt+Home Display the Start menu.
Ctrl+Alt+Break Switch between a window and full screen.
Ctrl+Alt+End Display the Windows Security dialog box.
Alt+Delete Display the system menu.
Ctrl+Alt+Minus Sign (-) Place a copy of the active window, within the client, on the Terminal server
on the numeric keypad clipboard (provides the same functionality as pressing Alt+PrtScn on a
local computer).
Press this key To do this
Ctrl+Alt+Plus Sign (+) on Place a copy of the entire client window area on the Terminal server
the numeric keypad clipboard (provides the same functionality as pressing PrtScn on a local
computer).
Ctrl+Alt+Right Arrow “Tab” out of the Remote Desktop controls to a control in the host program
(for example, a button or a text box). Useful when the Remote Desktop
controls are embedded in another (host) program.
Ctrl+Alt+Left Arrow “Tab” out of the Remote Desktop controls to a control in the host program
(for example, a button or a text box). Useful when the Remote Desktop
controls are embedded in another (host) program.
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Note
Ctrl+Alt+Break and Ctrl+Alt+End are available in all Remote Desktop sessions, even when you've set up
the remote computer to recognize Windows keyboard shortcuts.