The Best Windows Keyboard Shortcuts
Tags: windows, keyboard, shortcuts, top
Published: 2024-03-13 20:01:48

- [Best Windows Shortcuts on Your Keyboard](#best-windows-shortcuts-on-your-keyboard)
- [Keyboard Shortcuts for Navigating Windows](#keyboard-shortcuts-for-navigating-windows)
- [Keyboard Shortcuts for Screenshots](#keyboard-shortcuts-for-screenshots)
- [Keyboard Shortcuts for Text Manipulation](#keyboard-shortcuts-for-text-manipulation)
- [Keyboard Shortcuts for Web Browsers](#keyboard-shortcuts-for-web-browsers)

# Best Windows Shortcuts on Your Keyboard

 Copy selected content (Ctrl + C can also abort commands):

```
Ctrl + C
```

 Paste copied content:

```
Ctrl + V
```

 Paste unformatted content:

```
Ctrl + Shift + V
```

 Delete and copy selected content (good for moving text, files, etc.):

```
Ctrl + X
```

 Select all available content in focus:

```
Ctrl + A
```

 Undo the previous action:

```
Ctrl + Z
```

 Redo the previous action:

```
Ctrl + Y
```

 Save what you're working on:

```
Ctrl + S
```

 Open a new file:

```
Ctrl + O
```

 Open the print dialog box:

```
Ctrl + P
```

 Open the search tool to find something on the page:

```
Ctrl + F
```

 Refresh the contents on the screen (only F5 works in some cases):

```
Ctrl + R
```

 Close the active program:

```
Alt + F4
```

 Enter full-screen mode:

```
F11
```

 Stop or close a prompt or process:

```
Esc
```

# Keyboard Shortcuts for Navigating Windows

 Lock your user account:

```
Win + L
```

 Open File Explorer:

```
Win + E
```

 Open Windows Settings:

```
Win + i
```

 Move focus to the navigation bar to edit or copy the folder path:

```
Alt + D
```

 Go to the folder the current folder is stored in:

```
Alt + Up
```

 Show your password on the sign-in screen:

```
Alt + F8
```

 Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Alt + Del works, too):

```
Ctrl + Shift + Esc
```

 Open the Run dialog box to run commands:

```
Win + R
```

 Quickly switch to the desktop:

```
Win + D
```

  Open the selected item's Properties window:

```
Alt + [Enter or double-click]
```

 Add a Virtual Desktop:

```
Win + Ctrl + D
```

 Switch to the virtual desktop on the left or right:

```
Win + Ctrl + [Left or Right]
```

 Show All Open Desktops:

```
WIN + Tab
```

 Close Current Virtual Desktop:

```
WIN + Ctrl + F4
```

 Select noncontiguous items (like files or folders):

```
Ctrl + Click
```

 A possible fix for when your screen is black:

```
Win + Ctrl + Shift + B
```

 Select every item between the first and last select items:

```
Shift + Click
```

 Permanently delete a file or folder (it skips the Recycle Bin):

```
Shift + Del
```

 Switch to the last used window:

```
Alt + Tab
```

 Snap the active window to one side of the screen:

```
Win + [Arrow]
```

 Rename the selected file or folder:

```
F2
```

 Open the Power User Menu:

```
Win + X
```

 Open a new instance of that app:

```
Shift + Click Taskbar Icon
```

 Launch that item from the taskbar:

```
Win + [number]
```

 Make a new folder:

```
Ctrl + Shift + N
```

 Open the Windows About page:

```
Win + Pause
```

# Keyboard Shortcuts for Screenshots

 Screenshot just the active window:

```
Alt + PrtScn
```

 Auto-save full-screen screenshot to Pictures > Screenshots:

```
Win + PrtScn
```

 Choose a part of the screen to make a screenshot:

```
Win + Shift + S
```

# Keyboard Shortcuts for Text Manipulation

 Bold the selected text:

```
Ctrl + B
```

 Italicize the selected text:

```
Ctrl + i
```

 Underline the selected text:

```
Ctrl + U
```

 Insert a hyperlink into the selected text:

```
Ctrl + K
```

 Open the Find and Replace tool (confirmed in MS Word and Google Docs):

```
Ctrl + H
```

 Pick an arrow key with this shortcut to quickly highlight a whole word or paragraph:

```
Shift + Ctrl + [Arrow]
```

 Highlight everything from the cursor to the beginning or end of the line:

```
Shift + [Home or End]
```

 Delete the word to the right of the cursor:

```
Ctrl + Del
```

# Keyboard Shortcuts for Web Browsers

 Open a new tab:

```
Ctrl + T
```

 Reopen the most recently closed tab:

```
Ctrl + Shift + T
```

 Close the active tab:

```
Ctrl + W
```

 Open the link in a new tab:

```
Ctrl + [Link]
```

 View your web browsing history:

```
Ctrl + H
```

 View recent or active downloads:

```
Ctrl + J
```

 Start a search using the default search engine:

```
Ctrl + E
```

 Jump to the tab in that position from the left (e.g., Ctrl + 4):

```
Ctrl + [number]
```

 Open the options to delete browsing data:

```
Ctrl + Shift + Del
```

 Go back or forward a page:

```
Alt + [Left or Right]
```

 Adjust the size of the text (scroll up with the mouse to increase the size):

```
Ctrl + [Zoom]
```

 Add .com to the end of the text in the address bar, and then visit the page:

```
Ctrl + Enter
```

 Refresh the page, but skip the cache:

```
Ctrl + F5
```

 Open LinkedIn (or Teams, Word Online):

```
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + Win + L
```