Keyboard shortcuts
Applies to Windows 10
Keyboard shortcuts are combinations of two or more keys that perform a task that would typically require a mouse or other pointing device. Keyboard shortcuts can save you time and effort as you use Windows and other apps.
Check the menus of apps for accelerator keys. Most of them provide accelerator keys to help make it easier to work with menus and other commands. If a letter of a word is underlined in a menu, it usually means you can press the Alt key and the underlined key together instead of clicking that menu item. With a touch keyboard, you can see some shortcuts when you press the Ctrl key.
Pressing the Alt key in some apps, such as Paint and WordPad, shows commands that are labeled with additional keys needed to create shortcuts.
The following table contains common keyboard shortcuts for Windows 10.
Press this key
To do this
Ctrl+C (or Ctrl+Insert)
Copy the selected item
Ctrl+X
Cut 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 or switch accounts
Windows logo key +D
Display and hide the desktop
The following table contains new keyboard shortcuts that you can use in Windows.
Press this key
To do this
Press this key
Windows logo key +A
To do this
Open Action center
Press this key
Windows logo key +S
To do this
Open search
Press this key
Windows logo key +C
To do this
Open Cortana in listening mode
Note
Cortana is only available in certain countries/regions, and some Cortana features might not be available everywhere. If Cortana isn't available or is turned off, you can still use search.
Press this key
Windows logo key +Tab
To do this
Open Task view
Press this key
Windows logo key +Ctrl+D
To do this
Add a virtual desktop
Press this key
Windows logo key +Ctrl+Right arrow
To do this
Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the right
Press this key
Windows logo key +Ctrl+Left arrow
To do this
Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the left
Press this key
Windows logo key +Ctrl+F4
To do this
Close the virtual desktop you’re using
The following table contains general keyboard shortcuts in Windows.
Press this key
To do this
Press this key
F2
To do this
Rename the selected item
Press this key
F3
To do this
Search for a file or folder in File Explorer
Press this key
F4
To do this
Display the address bar list in File Explorer
Press this key
F5
To do this
Refresh the active window
Press this key
F6
To do this
Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop
Press this key
F10
To do this
Activate the Menu bar in the active app
Press this key
Alt+F4
To do this
Close the active item, or exit the active app
Press this key
Alt+Esc
To do this
Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened
Press this key
Alt+underlined letter
To do this
Perform the command for that letter
Press this key
Alt+Enter
To do this
Display properties for the selected item
Press this key
Alt+Spacebar
To do this
Open the shortcut menu for the active window
Press this key
Alt+Left arrow
To do this
Go back
Press this key
Alt+Right arrow
To do this
Go forward
Press this key
Alt+Page Up
To do this
Move up one screen
Press this key
Alt+Page Down
To do this
Move down one screen
Press this key
Alt+Tab
To do this
Switch between open apps
Press this key
Ctrl+F4
To do this
Close the active document (in apps that are full-screen and allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)
Press this key
Ctrl+A
To do this
Select all items in a document or window
Press this key
Ctrl+C (or Ctrl+Insert)
To do this
Copy the selected item
Press this key
Ctrl+D (or Delete)
To do this
Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin
Press this key
Ctrl+R (or F5)
To do this
Refresh the active window
Press this key
Ctrl+V (or Shift+Insert)
To do this
Paste the selected item
Press this key
Ctrl+X
To do this
Cut the selected item
Press this key
Ctrl+Y
To do this
Redo an action
Press this key
Ctrl+Z
To do this
Undo an action
Press this key
Ctrl+Right arrow
To do this
Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word
Press this key
Ctrl+Left arrow
To do this
Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word
Press this key
Ctrl+Down arrow
To do this
Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph
Press this key
Ctrl+Up arrow
To do this
Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph
Press this key
Ctrl+Alt+Tab
To do this
Use the arrow keys to switch between all open apps
Press this key
Ctrl+arrow key (to move to an item)+Spacebar
To do this
Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop
Press this key
Ctrl+Shift with an arrow key
To do this
Select a block of text
Press this key
Ctrl+Esc
To do this
Open Start
Press this key
Ctrl+Shift+Esc
To do this
Open Task Manager
Press this key
Ctrl+Shift
To do this
Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are available
Press this key
Ctrl+Spacebar
To do this
Turn the Chinese input method editor (IME) on or off
Press this key
Shift+F10
To do this
Display the shortcut menu for the selected item
Press this key
Shift with any arrow key
To do this
Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document
Press this key
Shift+Delete
To do this
Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first
Press this key
Right arrow
To do this
Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu
Press this key
Left arrow
To do this
Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu
Press this key
Esc
To do this
Stop or leave the current task
The following table contains keyboard shortcuts that use the Windows logo key .
Press this key
To do this
Press this key
Windows logo key
To do this
Open or close Start
Press this key
Windows logo key +A
To do this
Open Action center
Press this key
Windows logo key +B
To do this
Set focus in the notification area
Press this key
Windows logo key +C
To do this
Open Cortana in listening mode
Note
Cortana is only available in certain countries/regions, and some Cortana features might not be available everywhere. If Cortana isn't available or is turned off, you can still use search.
Press this key
Windows logo key +D
To do this
Display and hide the desktop
Press this key
Windows logo key +E
To do this
Open File Explorer
Press this key
Windows logo key +G
To do this
Open Game bar when a game is open
Press this key
Windows logo key +H
To do this
Open the Share charm
Press this key
Windows logo key +I
To do this
Open Settings
Press this key
Windows logo key +K
To do this
Open the Connect quick action
Press this key
Windows logo key +L
To do this
Lock your PC or switch accounts
Press this key
Windows logo key +M
To do this
Minimize all windows
Press this key
Windows logo key +O
To do this
Lock device orientation
Press this key
Windows logo key +P
To do this
Choose a presentation display mode
Press this key
Windows logo key +R
To do this
Open the Run dialog box
Press this key
Windows logo key +S
To do this
Open Search
Press this key
Windows logo key +T
To do this
Cycle through apps on the taskbar
Press this key
Windows logo key +U
To do this
Open Ease of Access Center
Press this key
Windows logo key +V
To do this
Cycle through notifications
Press this key
Windows logo key +Shift+V
To do this
Cycle through notifications in reverse order
Press this key
Windows logo key +X
To do this
Open the Quick Link menu
Press this key
Windows logo key +Z
To do this
Show the commands available in an app in full-screen mode
Press this key
Windows logo key +comma (,)
To do this
Temporarily peek at the desktop
Press this key
Windows logo key +Pause
To do this
Display the System Properties dialog box
Press this key
Windows logo key +Ctrl+F
To do this
Search for PCs (if you're on a network)
Press this key
Windows logo key +Shift+M
To do this
Restore minimized windows on the desktop
Press this key
Windows logo key +number
To do this
Open the desktop and start the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number. If the app is already running, switch to that app.
Press this key
Windows logo key +Shift+number
To do this
Open the desktop and start a new instance of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Press this key
Windows logo key +Ctrl+number
To do this
Open the desktop and switch to the last active window of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Press this key
Windows logo key +Alt+number
To do this
Open the desktop and open the Jump List for the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Press this key
Windows logo key +Ctrl+Shift+number
To do this
Open the desktop and open a new instance of the app located at the given position on the taskbar as an administrator
Press this key
Windows logo key +Tab
To do this
Open Task view
Press this key
Windows logo key +Ctrl+B
To do this
Switch to the app that displayed a message in the notification area
Press this key
Windows logo key +Up arrow
To do this
Maximize the window
Press this key
Windows logo key +Down arrow
To do this
Remove current app from screen or minimize the desktop window
Press this key
Windows logo key +Left arrow
To do this
Maximize the app or desktop window to the left side of the screen
Press this key
Windows logo key +Right arrow
To do this
Maximize the app or desktop window to the right side of the screen
Press this key
Windows logo key +Home
To do this
Minimize all but the active desktop window (restores all windows on second stroke)
Press this key
Windows logo key +Shift+Up arrow
To do this
Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen
Press this key
Windows logo key +Shift+Down arrow
To do this
Restore/minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width
Press this key
Windows logo key +Shift+Left arrow or Right arrow
To do this
Move an app or window in the desktop from one monitor to another
Press this key
Windows logo key +Spacebar
To do this
Switch input language and keyboard layout
Press this key
Windows logo key +Ctrl+Spacebar
To do this
Change to a previously selected input
Press this key
Windows logo key +Enter
To do this
Open Narrator
Press this key
Windows logo key +forward slash (/)
To do this
Initiate IME reconversion
Press this key
Windows logo key +plus (+) or minus (-)
To do this
Zoom in or out using Magnifier
Press this key
Windows logo key +Esc
To do this
Exit Magnifier
The following table contains keyboard shortcuts that you can use in Command Prompt.
Press this key
To do this
Press this key
Ctrl+C (or Ctrl+Insert)
To do this
Copy the selected text
Press this key
Ctrl+V (or Shift+Insert)
To do this
Paste the selected text
Press this key
Ctrl+M
To do this
Enter Mark mode
Press this key
Alt+selection key
To do this
Begin selection in block mode
Press this key
Arrow keys
To do this
Move the cursor in the direction specified
Press this key
Page up
To do this
Move the cursor by one page up
Press this key
Page down
To do this
Move the cursor by one page down
Press this key
Ctrl+Home (Mark mode)
To do this
Move the cursor to the beginning of the buffer
Press this key
Ctrl+End (Mark mode)
To do this
Move the cursor to the end of the buffer
Press this key
Ctrl+Up arrow
To do this
Move up one line in the output history
Press this key
Ctrl+Down arrow
To do this
Move down one line in the output history
Press this key
Ctrl+Home (History navigation)
To do this
If the command line is empty, move the viewport to the top of the buffer. Otherwise, delete all the characters to the left of the cursor in the command line.
Press this key
Ctrl+End (History navigation)
To do this
If the command line is empty, move the viewport to the command line. Otherwise, delete all the characters to the right of the cursor in the command line.
The following table contains keyboard shortcuts that you can use in dialog boxes.
Press this key
To do this
Press this key
F4
To do this
Display the items in the active list
Press this key
Ctrl+Tab
To do this
Move forward through tabs
Press this key
Ctrl+Shift+Tab
To do this
Move back through tabs
Press this key
Ctrl+number (number 1-9)
To do this
Move to nth tab
Press this key
Tab
To do this
Move forward through options
Press this key
Shift+Tab
To do this
Move back through options
Press this key
Alt+underlined letter
To do this
Perform the command (or select the option) that goes with that letter
Press this key
Spacebar
To do this
Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box
Press this key
Backspace
To do this
Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box
Press this key
Arrow keys
To do this
Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons
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