Keyboard shortcuts are keys or combinations of keys that provide an alternative way to do something that you’d typically do with a mouse. If you are trying to take a screenshot or screengrab, see How to take and annotate screenshots.
To improve your productivity, here’s the list of essential keyboard shortcuts in Windows 10, and — in addition — some of our favorite “old but gold” shortcuts known from previous versions of Windows:
| Keyboard shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| Win | Show the Windows 10 Start Menu |
| Win + Tab | Launch Windows 10 Task View |
| Win + Q | Search the web and Windows with Cortana (speech) |
| Win + S | Search the web and Windows with Cortana (keyboard input) |
| Win + I | Open Windows 10 settings |
| Win + A | Open Windows 10 notifications |
| Win + L | Lock your Windows 10 device |
| Win + Ctrl + D | Create new virtual desktop |
| Win + Ctrl + F4 | Close current virtual desktop |
| Win + Ctrl + ⬅️Left/➡️Right | Switch between virtual desktops |
| Win + ⬅️Left/➡️Right/⬆️Up/⬇️Down | Position windows on your screen E.g. Win + ⬅️Left moves the current window to the left half of your screen. If you use Win + ⬆️Up afterwards, the current window will be placed in the upper left quarter of your screen. And, what’s very handy in my opinion: If you release the Win key after positioning a window, Task View shows up on the opposite side of the positioned window to select and position another app. |
| Win + H | Share content (if supported by current app) |
| Win + K | Connect to wireless displays and audio devices |
| Win + X | Open Start button context menu |
| Win + G | Opens the Windows 10 Game Bar to take game screenshots and record gaming videos of Windows 10 games (works in any game app, e.g. Microsoft Solitaire Collection) |
And, of course, these “old but gold” shortcuts known from previous Windows versions still work:
| Keyboard shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| Win + D | Show Windows desktop |
| Win + E | Open Windows Explorer |
| Win + Space | Switch keyboard input language (if you have added at least a second one) |
| Win + Shift + ⬅️Left/➡️Right | Move current Window from one monitor to another (when using a multiple monitor setup) |
| Win + 1,2,3,… | Open programs that are pinned to task bar E.g. if first pinned program on your task bar is Windows Explorer (from left to right), the shortcut Win + 1 opens Windows Explorer for you. |
| Win + R | Run a command |
| Ctrl + Shift + Esc | Open the Windows Task Manager |
| Win + P | Project a screen |
| Alt + Tab | Switch to previous window |
| Alt + Space | Restore, move, size, minimize, maximize or close current window. Also works like a charm for Windows 10 modern apps. |
| Alt + F4 | a) Close current window b) If you’re on your Windows 10 desktop, open Power dialogue to shut down or restart Windows, put your device in sleep mode, sign out or switch the current user |
Additional shortcuts (not just Windows keyboard shortcuts):
| Keyboard shortcut | Description |
|---|---|
| Win + ⬇️Down arrow | Minimize current window |
| Win + ⬆️Up arrow | Maximize current window |
| Win + M | Minimize all windows |
| Win + Shift + ⬆️Up arrow | Stretch windows to top and bottom but retain width |
| Win + Enter | Open narrator |
| Win + Shift + M | Restore all minimize windows (useful after a Win + M) |
| Win + Home | Minimize all windows except the one you’re actively using |
| Alt + ⬆️Up | Go up one level in File Explorer (aka Windows Explorer) |
| Alt + ⬅️Left | go to the previous folder in File Explorer |
| Alt + ➡️Right | go to the next folder in File Explorer |
| Win + O | Lock orientation |
| Win + Prtsc | Screen grab to image to Pictures\Screenshots You can still just press Prtsc and then Ctrl + V to paste it in Word, PPT, and/or your favorite image manipulation program. |
| Win + “+” | Magnify in |
| Win + “-“ | Magnify out |
| Win + Esc | Exit magnify |
| Win + T | Cycle through taskbar apps |
| Win + F1 | Open help support in browser? Really should open new app |
| Win + B | Focus to notification area |
| Win + “,” | Desktop peek (temporarily hide apps to briefly show the desktop) |
| Win + Shift + Number | Open new instance of pinned taskbar item E.g. Win + 2 launches the app in your second taskbar slot. |
| Win + Ctrl + Shift + Number | Same as above, but launch the app with admin powers enabled |
| Win + U | Open the Ease of Access Center |
| Win + Space | Switch input language and keyboard |
| F2 | Rename the selected item |
| Shift + ⬅️Left | Highlight text to the left of the cursor |
| Shift + ➡️Right | Highlight text to the right of the cursor |
| Ctrl + Shift + ⬅️Left (or ➡️Right) | Highlight blocks of text instead of just characters at a time |
| Ctrl + A | Select all item |
| Ctrl + X | Cut (i.e. to move) the selected item |
| Ctrl + C | Copy the selected item |
| Ctrl + V | Paste copied/cut item |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo an action (changes) |
| Ctrl + Y | Redo an action (changes) |
| Shift + Delete | Delete files without sending them to the Recycle Bin |
| Alt + Enter | Show the properties of the currently selected file |
| Ctrl + Shift + Enter | Run the selected app as an administrator |
Find even more Windows keyboard shortcuts at this link.
I’m pretty sure there are much more keyboard shortcuts you can use to speed up your work with Windows OS. If I miss one of your favorite(s), please let me know! I will try to keep the above list up to date.
