Microsoft Windows shortcut keys
Windows System Key Combinations
- CTRL+ESC - Open Start menu
- ALT+TAB - Switch between open programs
- ALT+F4 - Quit program
- SHIFT+DELETE - Delete items permanently
Windows Program Key Combinations
- CTRL+C - Copy
- CTRL+X - Cut
- CTRL+V - Paste
- CTRL+Z - Undo
- CTRL+B - Bold
- CTRL+U - Underline
- CTRL+I - Italic
Mouse Click/Keyboard Modifier Combinations for Shell Objects
- SHIFT+RIGHT CLICK - Displays a context menu containing alternative verbs.
- SHIFT+DOUBLE CLICK - Runs the alternate default command (the second item on the menu).
- ALT+DOUBLE CLICK - Displays properties.
- SHIFT+DELETE - Deletes an item immediately without placing it in the Recycle Bin.
General Keyboard-Only Commands
- F1 - Starts Windows Help.
- F10 - Activates menu bar options.
- SHIFT+F10 - Opens a context menu for the selected item. This is the same as right-clicking an object.
- CTRL+ESC - Opens the Start menu. Use the ARROW keys to select an item.
- CTRL+ESC, ESC - Selects the Start button. (Press TAB to select quick launch, the taskbar, system tray)
- ALT+DOWN ARROW - Opens a drop-down list box.
- ALT+TAB - Switch to another running application. Hold down the ALT key and then press the TAB key to view the task-switching window.
- Press down and hold the SHIFT key while you insert a CD-ROM to bypass the auto-run feature.
- ALT+SPACE - Displays the main window's System menu. From the System menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the window.
- ALT+- (ALT+hyphen) - Displays the Multiple Document Interface (MDI) child window's System menu. From the MDI child window's System menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the child window.
- CTRL+TAB - Switch to the next child window of a Multiple Document Interface (MDI) application.
- ALT+ - Opens the corresponding menu.
- ALT+F4 - Closes the current window.
- ALT+DOWN ARROW - Opens a drop-down list box.
- CTRL+F4 - Closes the current Multiple Document Interface (MDI) window.
- ALT+F6 - Switch between multiple windows in the same program. For example, when the Notepad Find dialog box is displayed, ALT+F6 switches between the Find dialog box and the main Notepad window.
Shell Objects and General Folder/Windows Explorer Shortcuts
- F2 - Rename object
- F3 - Find: All Files
- CTRL+X - Cut
- CTRL+C - Copy
- CTRL+V - Paste
- SHIFT+DEL - Delete selection immediately, without moving the item to the Recycle Bin.
- ALT+ENTER - Open the property sheet for the selected object.
- To Copy a File - Press down and hold the CTRL key while you drag the file to another folder.
- To Create a Shortcut - Press down and hold CTRL+SHIFT while you drag a file to the desktop or a folder.
General Folder/Shortcut Control
- F4 - Selects the Go To A Different Folder box and moves down the entries in the box (if the toolbar is active in Windows Explorer).
- F5 - Refreshes the current window.
- F6 - Moves among panes in Windows Explorer.
- CTRL+G - Opens the Go To Folder tool (in Windows 95 Windows Explorer only).
- CTRL+Z - Undo the last command.
- CTRL+A - Select all the items in the current window.
- BACKSPACE - Switch to the parent folder.
- SHIFT+CLICK - Close Button For folders, close the current folder plus all parent folders.
Windows Explorer Tree Control
- Numeric Keypad * - Expands everything under the current selection.
- Numeric Keypad + - Expands the current selection.
- Numeric Keypad - - Collapses the current selection.
- RIGHT ARROW - Expands the current selection if it is not expanded, otherwise goes to the first child.
- LEFT ARROW - Collapses the current selection if it is expanded, otherwise goes to the parent.
Property Sheet Control
- CTRL+TAB/CTRL+SHIFT+TAB - Move through the property tabs.
Accessibility Shortcuts
- Tap SHIFT 5 times - Toggles StickyKeys on and off.
- Press down and hold the right SHIFT key for 8 seconds - Toggles FilterKeys on and off.
- Press down and hold the NUM LOCK key for 5 seconds - Toggles ToggleKeys on and off.
- Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK - Toggles MouseKeys on and off.
- Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN - Toggles High Contrast on and off.
Microsoft Natural Keyboard Keys
- WINDOWS - Start Menu
- WINDOWS+R - Run dialog box
- WINDOWS+M - Minimize All
- SHIFT+WINDOWS+M - Undo Minimize All
- WINDOWS+F1 - Help
- WINDOWS+E - Windows Explorer
- WINDOWS+F - Find Files or Folders
- WINDOWS+D - Minimizes all open windows and displays the desktop
- CTRL+WINDOWS+F - Find Computer
- CTRL+WINDOWS+TAB - Moves focus from Start, to Quick Launch bar, to System Tray. Use RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW to move focus to items on Quick Launch bar and System Tray
- WINDOWS+TAB - Cycle through taskbar buttons
- WINDOWS+BREAK - System Properties dialog box
- Application key - Displays a context menu for the selected item
Microsoft Natural Keyboard with IntelliType Software Installed
- WINDOWS+L - Log off Windows
- WINDOWS+P - Opens Print Manager
- WINDOWS+C - Opens Control Panel
- WINDOWS+V - Opens Clipboard
- WINDOWS+K - Opens Keyboard Properties dialog box
- WINDOWS+I - Opens Mouse Properties dialog box
- WINDOWS+A - Opens Accessibility Options(if installed)
- WINDOWS+SPACEBAR - Displays the list of IntelliType Hotkeys
- WINDOWS+S - Toggles the CAP LOCK key on and off
Dialog Box Keyboard Commands
- TAB - Move to the next control in the dialog box.
- SHIFT+TAB - Move to the previous control in the dialog box.
- SPACEBAR - If the current control is a button, this clicks the button. If the current control is a check box, this toggles the check box. If the current control is an option button, this selects the option button.
- ENTER - Equivalent to clicking the selected button (the button with the outline).
- ESC - Equivalent to clicking the Cancel button.
- ALT+ - Select menu item.