Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

Windows has numerous keyboard shortcuts available. Ā Very handy for touch typists. These shortcuts should works for all versions of Windows since at least Windows XP.

Shortcuts

Windows key: Switch between Modern Desktop Start screen and the last accessed applicationĀ 
Windows key + C: Access the charms barĀ 
Windows key + D: Show/Hide Desktop (minimize/restore all windows)
Windows key + Tab: Access the Modern Desktop TaskbarĀ 
Windows key + I: Access the Settings charmĀ 
Windows key + H: Access the Share charmĀ 
Windows key + K: Access the Devices charmĀ 
Windows key + Q: Access the Apps Search screenĀ 
Windows key + F: Access the Files Search screenĀ 
Windows key + W: Access the Settings Search screenĀ 
Windows key + P: Access the Second Screen barĀ 
Windows key + Z: Brings up the App Bar when you have a Modern Desktop App runningĀ 
Windows key + X: Access the Windows Tools MenuĀ 
Windows key + O: Lock screen orientationĀ 
Windows key + .Ā : Move the screen split to the rightĀ 
Windows key + Shift + .Ā : Move the screen split to the leftĀ 
Windows key + V: View all active Toasts/NotificationsĀ 
Windows key + Shift + V: View all active Toasts/Notifications in reverse orderĀ 
Windows key + PrtScn: Takes a screenshot of the screen and automatically saves it in the Pictures folder as ScreenshotĀ 
Windows key + Enter: Launch Narrator Ā  Ā  Ā  Ā Ā 
Windows key + E: Open ComputerĀ 
Windows key + R: Open the Run dialog boxĀ 
Windows key + U: Open Ease of Access CenterĀ 
Windows key + Ctrl + F: Open Find Computers dialog boxĀ 
Windows key + Pause/Break: Open the System pageĀ 
Windows key + 1..10: Launch a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the numberĀ 
Windows key + Shift + 1..10: Launch a new instance of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the numberĀ 
Windows key + Ctrl + 1..10: Access the last active instance of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the numberĀ 
Windows key + Alt + 1..10: Access the Jump List of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the numberĀ 
Windows key + B: Select the first item in the Notification Area and then use the arrow keys to cycle through the items Press Enter to open the selected itemĀ 
Windows key + Ctrl + B: Access the program that is displaying a message in the Notification AreaĀ 
Windows key + T: Cycle through the items on the TaskbarĀ 
Windows key + M: Minimize all windowsĀ 
Windows key + Shift + M: Restore all minimized windowsĀ 
Windows key + L: Lock computerĀ 
Windows key + Up Arrow: Maximize current windowĀ 
Windows key + Down Arrow: Minimize/restore current windowĀ 
Windows key + Home: Minimize all but the current windowĀ 
Windows key + Left Arrow: Tile window on the left side of the screenĀ 
Windows key + Right Arrow: Tile window on the right side of the screenĀ 
Windows key + Shift + Up Arrow: Extend current window from the top to the bottom of the screenĀ 
Windows key + Shift + Left/Right Arrow: Move the current window from one monitor to the nextĀ 
Windows key + F1: Launch Windows Help and Support

Ā 

PageUp: Scroll forward on the Modern Desktop Start screenĀ 
PageDown: Scroll backward on the Modern Desktop Start screenĀ 
Esc: CloseĀ  a charmĀ 
Ctrl + Esc: Switch between Modern Desktop Start screen and the last accessed applicationĀ 
Ctrl + Mouse scroll wheel: Activate the Semantic Zoom on the Modern Desktop screen

Ā 

Alt: Display a hidden Menu BarĀ 
Alt + D: Select the Address BarĀ 
Alt + P: Display the Preview Pane in Windows ExplorerĀ 
Alt + Tab: Cycle forward through open windowsĀ 
Alt + Shift + Tab: Cycle backward through open windowsĀ 
Alt + F: Close the current window Open the Shut Down Windows dialog box from the DesktopĀ 
Alt + Spacebar: Access the Shortcut menu for current windowĀ 
Alt + Esc: Cycle between open programs in the order that they were openedĀ 
Alt + Enter: Open the Properties dialog box of the selected itemĀ 
Alt + PrtScn: Take a screen shot of the active Window and place it in the clipboardĀ 
Alt + Up Arrow: Move up one folder level in Windows Explorer (Like the Up Arrow in XP)Ā 
Alt + Left Arrow: Display the previous folderĀ 
Alt + Right Arrow: Display the next folderĀ 
Shift + Insert: CD/DVD Load CD/DVD without triggering Autoplay or AutorunĀ 
Shift + Delete: Permanently delete the item (rather than sending it to the Recycle Bin)Ā 
Shift + F6: Cycle backward through elements in a window or dialog boxĀ 
Shift + F10: Access the context menu for the selected itemĀ 
Shift + Tab: Cycle backward through elements in a window or dialog boxĀ 
Shift + Click: Select a consecutive group of itemsĀ 
Shift + Click on a Taskbar button: Launch a new instance of a programĀ 
Shift + Right-click on a Taskbar button: Access the context menu for the selected itemĀ 
Ctrl + A: Select all itemsĀ 
Ctrl + C: Copy the selected itemĀ 
Ctrl + X: Cut the selected itemĀ 
Ctrl + V: Paste the selected itemĀ 
Ctrl + D: Delete selected itemĀ 
Ctrl + Z: Undo an actionĀ 
Ctrl + Y: Redo an actionĀ 
Ctrl + N: Open a new window in Windows ExplorerĀ 
Ctrl + W: Close current window in Windows ExplorerĀ 
Ctrl + E: Select the Search box in the upper right corner of a windowĀ 
Ctrl + Shift + N: Create new folderĀ 
Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open the Windows Task ManagerĀ 
Ctrl + Alt + Tab: Use arrow keys to cycle through open windowsĀ 
Ctrl + Alt + Delete: Access the Windows Security screenĀ Ā 
Ctrl + Click: Select multiple individual itemsĀ 
Ctrl + Click and drag an item: Copies that item in the same folderĀ 
Ctrl + Shift + Click and drag an item: Creates a shortcut for that item in the same folderĀ 
Ctrl + Tab:Ā  Move forward through tabsĀ 
Ctrl + Shift + Tab: Move backward through tabsĀ 
Ctrl + Shift + Click on a Taskbar button: Launch a new instance of a program as an AdministratorĀ 
Ctrl + Click on a grouped Taskbar button: Cycle through the instances of a program in the groupĀ 
F1: Display HelpĀ 
F2: Rename a fileĀ 
F3: Open SearchĀ 
F4: Display the Address Bar listĀ 
F5: Refresh displayĀ 
F6: Cycle forward through elements in a window or dialog boxĀ 
F7: Display command history in a Command PromptĀ 
F10: Display hidden Menu BarĀ 
F11: Toggle full screen displayĀ 
Tab: Cycle forward through elements in a window or dialog boxĀ 
PrtScn: Take a screen shot of the entire screen and place it in the clipboardĀ 
Home: Move to the top of the active windowĀ 
End: Move to the bottom of the active windowĀ 
Delete: Delete the selected itemĀ 
Backspace: Display the previous folder in Windows ExplorerĀ  Move up one folder level in Open or Save dialog boxĀ 
Esc: Close a dialog boxĀ 
Num Lock Enabled + Plus (+): Display the contents of the selected folderĀ Ā 
Num Lock Enabled + Minus (-): Collapse the selected folderĀ 
Num Lock Enabled + Asterisk (*): Expand all subfolders under the selected folderĀ Ā Ā Ā 

Press Shift 5 times Turn StickyKeys on or offĀ 
Hold down right Shift for 8 seconds Turn FilterKeys on or offĀ 
Hold down Num Lock for 5 seconds Turn ToggleKeys on or off

For assistance with an issue, please contact the Knox College ITS Help Desk.
Log into MyKnox and search this link: https://my.knox.edu/ICS/Help_Desk/