Keyboard shortcuts are keys or combinations of keys that provide an alternative way to do something that you’d typically do with a mouse. Using keyboard shortcuts can dramatically improve your productivity.
| Press this key | To do this |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + X | Cut the selected item. |
| Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert) | Copy the selected item. |
| Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert) | Paste the selected item. |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo an action. |
| Alt + Tab | Switch between open apps. |
| Alt + F4 | Close the active item, or exit the active app. |
| Windows logo key + L | Lock your PC. |
| Windows logo key + D | Display and hide the desktop. |
| F2 | Rename the selected item. |
| F3 | Search for a file or folder in File Explorer. |
| 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 + F8 | Show your password on the sign-in screen. |
| 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 | Go back. |
| Alt + Right arrow | Go forward. |
| Alt + Page Up | Move up one screen. |
| Alt + Page Down | Move down one screen. |
| Ctrl + F4 | Close the active document (in apps that are full-screen and let you have multiple documents open at the same time). |
| Ctrl + A | Select all items in a document or window. |
| Ctrl + D (or Delete) | Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin. |
| Ctrl + E | Open Search (in most apps). |
| Ctrl + R (or F5) | Refresh the active window. |
| Ctrl + Y | Redo an action. |
| 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. |
| Alt + Shift + arrow keys | When a group or tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it in the direction specified. |
| Ctrl + Shift + arrow keys | When a tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it into another tile to create a folder. |
| Ctrl + arrow keys | Resize the Start menu when it’s open. |
| 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 Start. |
| 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 in 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. |
