Windows 10 Keyboard Shortcuts: The Ultimate Guide

4 years ago

by Elsie Otachi

If you use a mouse or touchpad a lot, it can be frustrating when either or both of them slow you down or stop working altogether. With a keyboard though, you can quickly accomplish any task you’d typically do with your mouse or touchpad through a simple simultaneous press of two or more keys.

As helpful as they are, keyboard shortcuts can also be daunting to memorize and use at first, but once you get the hang of it, they’ll enhance your Windows 10 experience.

Table of Contents

In this definitive guide, we’re going to show you the commonly used and new Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts for easier navigation and better productivity.

Windows 10 Keyboard Shortcuts

Clipboard Shortcut Keys
App Keyboard Shortcuts
System Hotkeys
Function Keys
Moving Cursor
Arrow Key Shortcuts
Tabs And Windows
File Explorer Shortcuts
Dialog Box Shortcuts
Cortana Keyboard Shortcuts
Game Bar Shortcuts
Groove Music Shortcuts
Snip & Sketch Shortcuts
Windows Logo Key Shortcuts (Commonly Used)
TV and Movies Shortcuts

Clipboard Shortcut Keys

Select all items in window or document: CTRL + A

Copy: CTRL + C or CTRL + INSERT

Cut: CTRL + X

Paste: CTRL + V or SHIFT + INSERT

Take a screenshot: Windows logo key + PrtScn (Print Screen) or Fn + Windows logo key + Space Bar

App Keyboard Shortcuts

Hide open apps and go to desktop: Windows + D

Minimize all open windows and apps: Windows + M

Snap a window or app to the left side of the screen: Windows + Left Arrow

Snap window or app to the right side of the screen: Windows + Right Arrow

Minimize all windows and apps: Windows + Down arrow

Maximize all open windows and apps that have been minimized: Windows + Up arrow

Open Task Manager: CTRL + SHIFT + ESC

Switch between open apps: ALT + TAB

Show open apps: CTRL + ALT + TAB

Open Sticky Notes app: Windows + 0 (zero)

Close active item or exit active app: ALT + F4

Show password on sign-in screen: ALT + F8

Switch between windows in order of their opening: ALT + ESC

Display the selected item’s properties: ALT + SPACEBAR

Go back to the previous folder: ALT + LEFT ARROW

Go forward/View the next folder: ALT + RIGHT ARROW

Move up one screen: ALT + PAGE UP

Move down one screen: ALT + PAGE DOWN

System Hotkeys

Open and close Start Menu: Windows key

Open Start: CTRL + ESC

Open Settings: Windows + I

Open Action Center: Windows + A

Open File Explorer: Windows + E

Task View: Windows + Tab

Display/Hide desktop: Windows + D

Shutdown options: Windows + X

Lock PC: Windows + L

Maximize window: Windows + Up Arrow

Open Xbox Game bar when playing a game on your laptop or computer: Windows + G

Activate Connect menu to link your Windows 10 device and another via Bluetooth: Windows + K

Lock Windows 10 device and go back to sign-in screen: Windows + L

Switch between language and keyboard options: Windows + Space bar

Stop or leave current task: ESC

Delete selected item permanently (without moving to Recycle Bin first): SHIFT + DELETE

Close active document: CTRL + F4

Function Keys

Open Help window or page: F1

Rename selected item: F2

Search for a file or folder in File Explorer: F3

Display address bar list in File Explorer: F4

Refresh active window: F5 or CTRL+R

Cycle through screen elements on desktop or in a window: F6

Activate menu bar in active app: F10

Moving Cursor

Move the cursor to the start of the next word: CTRL + Right Arrow

Move the cursor back to the start of the previous word: CTRL + Left Arrow

Move the cursor back to the start of the previous paragraph: CTRL + Up Arrow

Move the cursor to the start of the next paragraph: CTRL + Down Arrow

Go to the start of a document: CTRL + Left arrow

Go to the end of a document: CTRL + Right arrow

Arrow Key Shortcuts

Switch between all open apps: CTRL + ALT + TAB

Move group or tile in the specified direction: ALT + SHIFT + Arrow keys

Move a tile into another tile to create a folder on the Start menu: CTRL + SHIFT + Arrow keys

Resize the Start menu when open: CTRL + Arrow keys

Select multiple individual items on the desktop or in a window: CTRL + Arrow key + Spacebar

Select a block of text: CTRL + SHIFT with an arrow key

Switch keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are available: CTRL + SHIFT

Turn Chinese Input Method Editor on/off: CTRL + Spacebar

Display shortcut menu for selected item: SHIFT + F10

Select more than one item on the desktop or in a window, or select text in a document: SHIFT + any arrow key

Open a submenu or the next menu to the right: Right arrow

Open a submenu or the next menu to the left: Left arrow

Tabs And Windows

Open a new tab in your web browser: CTRL + T

Reopen a tab you just closed: CTRL + SHIFT + T

View your browsing history: CTRL+H

Close a window: CTRL + W

File Explorer Shortcuts

Select the address bar: ALT + D

Select the Search box: CTRL + E or CTRL + F

Open a new window: CTRL + N

Close the active window: CTRL + W

Change the size and appearance of the file and folder icons: CTRL + Mouse scroll wheel

Display all folders above the selected folder: CTRL + SHIFT + E

Create a new folder: CTRL + SHIFT + N

Display subfolders under the selected folder: NUM LOCK + Asterisk (*)

Display contents of the selected folder: NUM LOCK + Plus (+)

Collapse the selected folder: NUM LOCK + Minus (-)

Show preview panel: ALT + P

View next folder: ALT + Right arrow

View the location folder: ALT + Up arrow

View previous folder: ALT + Left arrow or Backspace

Display current selection if collapsed, or select first subfolder: Right arrow

Open the next menu to the left or close a submenu: Left arrow

Display bottom of the active window: End key

Display top of the active window: Home key

Minimize or maximize active window: F11

Dialog Box Shortcuts

Display active list items: F4

Move forward through tabs: CTRL + TAB

Move back through tabs: CTRL + SHIFT + TAB

Move to a certain tab: CTRL + Number (between 1 and 9)

Move forward through options: TAB

Move back through options: SHIFT + TAB

Perform command or select option used with a letter: ALT + Underlined Letter

Clear or select checkbox if the active option is a checkbox: Spacebar

Open a folder one level up if the folder is selected in the Open or Save As dialog box: Backspace

Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons: Arrow keys

Cortana Keyboard Shortcuts

Open Search: Windows + S

Open Cortana in listening mode to speak without pressing microphone button: Windows + C

Note: By default, this shortcut is disabled. To activate it, press Windows + I to open Settings, select Cortana and then select the switch just under Let Cortana listen for my commands when I press Windows logo key + C. If it’s On, the shortcut will work.