The Most Useful Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

Windows may be designed for touchscreens, but thanks to a slew of Windows keyboard shortcuts it's easy to bypass touch and use a just keyboard and mouse. These shortcuts let you do things on your computer by using keys instead of clicking on drop down menus and can save you a bit of time and effort.

Here are some good ones to remember, along with several important carry-overs you may remember from earlier versions of Windows. These are the ones we believe are useful, of the dozens and dozens available. 

Must-Know general Windows shortcuts

You can find the full set of Windows shortcuts on Microsoft.com broken out by operating system, but these are the important ones.

Shortcuts when editing documents

Ctrl + A — Select all items in a document or window

Ctrl + C — Copies selected text or item

Ctrl + X — Cuts selected text or item

Ctrl + V — Pastes text or item on clipboard to your cursor location or designated file location. 

Ctrl + D — Delete selected text or item

Ctrl + Z — Undo something

Ctrl + Y — Redo something

Ctrl + B — Turn on or turn off bold

Ctrl + I — Turn on or turn off italics

Ctrl + U — Turn on or turn off underline

Shift with any arrow key — Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document

Ctrl + Shift with any arrow key — Selects blocks of text by paragraph. Keep holding down first two buttons and each time you hit the arrow key successively more paragraphs are highlighted.

Ctrl + Shift with End key — Selects all text from the cursor to the end of the document.

Ctrl + Shift with Home key — Selects all text from the cursor to the beginning of the document.

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 + either the plus (+) or minus (-) signs — Zooms in or out. 

Ctrl + S — Save a document.

Ctrl + P — Print a document.

Windows key + the period (.) key — Opens the Emoji panel

Shortcuts for navigating the desktop, apps and settings

Ctrl + Shift + Esc — Opens the task manager.

Ctrl+plus (+) or Ctrl+minus (-) — Zoom in or out of a large number of items, like apps pinned to the Start screen

Alt + Tab — Switch between open apps (except desktop apps in Windows 8)

Windows logo key‌ +Tab — Cycle through open apps (except desktop apps in Windows 8)

Shift + Delete — Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first

Windows key + D — Pulls up or hides the Desktop.

Windows logo key + L — Lock your PC or switch users

Windows logo key + M — Minimize all windows

Windows logo key + Shift + M — Restore minimized windows on the desktop

Ctrl + Alt with any arrow key — Rotate entire screen in direction of arrow key. Helpful for viewing photos or videos that aren't right-side up.

Windows 11 shortcuts

Windows logo key + A — Open Quick Settings (Bluetooth, WiFi, Airplane Mode, Battery Saver, Brightness, and more)

Windows logo key + C — Open Chat from Microsoft Teams

Windows key + H — Launch voice typing

Windows key + K — Open Cast from Quick Settings 

Windows logo key + N — Open notification center and calendar

Windows logo key + S —  Search for any file or an app installed on your computer

Windows logo key + W — Open Widgets

Windows logo key + Z — Open the snap layouts

Windows 10 shortcuts

Windows logo key + A —  Access the Action Center menu where you can view your notifications and access commonly used settings like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Windows logo key + I — Access Windows Settings

Windows logo key + C  — Open Cortana in listening mode 

Windows logo key + S —  Search for any file or an app installed on your computer

Windows 8 shortcuts

Windows key + C – Opens the Charms bar, the menu that pops out from the right of your screen that gives you quick access to Search, Share, Start, Devices and Settings. If you use this shortcut within an app it will open app-specific commands.

Windows key‌ + F — Open the Search charm to search files

Windows key‌ + S — Opens the Search charm to search everywhere (including your files, settings and the Web).

Windows key + H — Opens the Share menu for the app you’re using. 

Windows key + I — Opens the Settings charm, which includes often-used functions such as Volume, WiFi Networks and Power.

Windows key + X — Calls up a menu of advanced system tools, such as the Control Panel, Command Prompt, Task Manager and File Explorer.

Windows key + tab — Lets you toggle between all the apps you have open. 

Alt + F4 — Closes an app you’re using. 

Windows key + the period (.) key — Snaps or docks the app you’re using to the right or left 20% of your screen. Press once for right alignment, twice for left alignment and three times to go back to full screen.

Also have a Mac? Check out our list of the most useful Mac keyboard shortcuts.

Updated 5/2/2022 with Windows 11 shortcuts

[image credit: Windows 11 Widgets panel on laptop with man via Techlicious/Smartmockups]

For the past 20+ years, Techlicious founder Suzanne Kantra has been exploring and writing about the world’s most exciting and important science and technology issues. Prior to Techlicious, Suzanne was the Technology Editor for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and the Senior Technology Editor for Popular Science. Suzanne has been featured on CNN, CBS, and NBC.

Topics

Software & Games, Computers and Software, Tips & How-Tos, Tech 101, Time Savers