Welcome to our section on Windows shortcut keys! (This is a rather large page - give it a few seconds to fully load.) In this section you will find many different sub-topics involving shortcut keys related to Windows and its applications. (You may click on any of the topics below to jump to it.) They are:
Some of these shortcuts will work throughout Windows, while others will only work in their certain section, or under certain applications.
There are a few simple things to keep in mind - when a shortcut says "CTRL+C" this means you press and HOLD the "Control" key, then tap the "C" key, then let go of "CTRL". If you try to press them both at the same time, you might not time it correctly. On the other hand, if you try to hold them both down for awhile, you may find yourself executing the shortcut a bunch of times in a row! (Both instances will only give you a headache.)
Having problems? Got a question? Just ask!
|
Function |
Keyboard shortcut |
| Help | F1 |
| Open Start menu | CTRL+ESC |
| Switch between open programs | ALT+TAB |
| Switch to Taskbar's "next" open window | ALT+ESC |
| Quit program | ALT+F4 |
| Delete items permanently - bypass Recycle Bin | SHIFT+DELETE |
| Display Close Program dialog box | CTRL+ALT+DELETE |
|
Function |
Keyboard shortcut |
| Select all | CTRL+A |
| Copy | CTRL+C (or)
CTRL+INSERT |
| Cut | CTRL+X |
| Paste | CTRL+V (or)
SHIFT+INSERT |
| Undo | CTRL+Z |
| Bold | CTRL+B |
| Underline | CTRL+U |
| Italic | CTRL+I |
|
Function |
Keyboard/Mouse shortcut |
| Displays a context menu containing alternative verbs | SHIFT+RIGHT-CLICK |
| Runs the alternate default command (the second menu item) | SHIFT+DOUBLE-CLICK |
| Displays properties | ALT+DOUBLE-CLICK |
|
Function |
Keyboard shortcut |
| Starts up Windows help | F1 |
| Activates menu bar options | F10 |
| Opens a context menu for the selected item - Same as right-click | SHIFT+F10 |
| Switch focus to menu commands (in any Explorer window) | CTRL+F10 |
| Opens the Start menu - Use the arrow keys to select an item | CTRL+ESC |
| Selects the Start button - Press TAB to select the taskbar, or press SHIFT+F10 for a context menu | CTRL+ESC, ESC |
| Opens a drop-down list box | ALT+DOWN-ARROW |
| Switch to another running application - Hold down the ALT key and then press the TAB key to view the task-switching window | ALT+TAB |
| Press down and hold the SHIFT key while you insert a CD-ROM to bypass the auto-start/play feature | SHIFT |
| Displays the main window's System menu - From the System menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the window. | ALT+SPACEBAR |
| Displays the Multiple Document Interface (MDI) child window's System menu - From the MDI child window's System menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the child window. | ALT+- (hyphen) |
| Switch to the next child window of a Multiple Document Interface (MDI) application | CTRL+TAB |
| Opens the corresponding menu | ALT+(underlined letter in menu) |
| Closes the current window | ALT+F4 |
| Closes the current Multiple Document Interface (MDI) window | CTRL+F4 |
| Switch between multiple windows in the same program - For example, when the "Notepad Find" dialog box is displayed, ALT+F6 switches between the "Find" dialog box and the main Notepad window | ALT+F6 |
|
Function |
Keyboard shortcut |
| Rename object | F2 |
| Find: All Files | F3 |
| Open the property sheet for the selected object | ALT+ENTER |
| To copy the file: Press down and hold the CTRL key while you drag the file to another folder | |
| To create a shortcut to the file: Press down and hold CTRL+SHIFT while you drag a file to the desktop or a folder | |
|
Function |
Keyboard shortcut |
| Selects the "Go To A Different Folder" box and moves the entries down in the box (if the toolbar is active in Windows Explorer) | F4 |
| Refreshes the current window | F5 |
| Moves among panes in Windows Explorer | F6 |
| Opens the "Go To Folder" tool (Windows 95 Explorer only) | CTRL+G |
| Switch to the parent folder | BACKSPACE |
| For folders, close the current folder plus all parent folders | SHIFT+CLICK close button |
|
Function |
Keyboard shortcut |
| Expands everything under the current selection | Numeric Keypad * |
| Expands the current selection | Numeric Keypad + |
| Collapses the current selection | Numeric Keypad - |
| Expands the current selection if it isn't, otherwise goes to the first child | RIGHT ARROW |
| Collapses the current selection if it's expanded, otherwise goes to the parent | LEFT ARROW |
|
Function |
Keyboard shortcut |
| Move through the property tabs (Forward) | CTRL+TAB |
| Move through the property tabs (Backward) | CTRL+SHIFT+TAB |
|
Function |
Keyboard shortcut |
| Toggles StickyKeys on and off | Tap SHIFT 5 times |
| Toggles FilterKeys on and off | Press down and hold the right SHIFT key for 8 seconds |
| Toggles ToggleKeys on and off | Press down and hold the NUM LOCK key for 5 seconds |
| Toggles MouseKeys on and off | Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK |
| Toggles High Contrast on and off | Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN |
|
Function |
Keyboard shortcut |
| Start Menu | WINDOWS |
| Run dialog box | WINDOWS+R |
| Minimize All | WINDOWS+M |
| Undo Minimize All | SHIFT+WINDOWS+M |
| Help | WINDOWS+F1 |
| Windows Explorer | WINDOWS+E |
| Find Files or Folders | WINDOWS+F |
| Minimizes all open windows and displays the desktop | WINDOWS+D |
| Find Computer | CTRL+WINDOWS+F |
| Moves focus from Start, to Quick Launch bar, to System Tray - Use RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW to move focus to items on Quick Launch bar and System Tray | CTRL+WINDOWS+TAB |
| Cycle through Taskbar buttons | WINDOWS+TAB |
| System Properties dialog box Application key Displays a context menu for the selected item | WINDOWS+BREAK |
|
Function |
Keyboard shortcut |
| Log off Windows | WINDOWS+L |
| Opens Print Manager | WINDOWS+P |
| Opens Control Panel | WINDOWS+C |
| Opens Clipboard | WINDOWS+V |
| Opens Keyboard Properties dialog box | WINDOWS+K |
| Opens Mouse Properties dialog box | WINDOWS+I |
| Opens Accessibility Options (if installed) | WINDOWS+A |
| Displays the list of IntelliType Hotkeys | WINDOWS+SPACEBAR |
| Toggles the CAP LOCK key on and off | WINDOWS+S |
|
Function |
Keyboard shortcut |
| Move to the next control in the dialog box | TAB |
| Move to the previous control in the dialog box | SHIFT+TAB |
| If the current control is a button, this clicks the button. If the current control is a check box, this toggles the check box. If the current control is an option button, this selects the option button | SPACEBAR |
| Equivalent to clicking the selected button (the button with the outline) | ENTER |
| Equivalent to clicking the Cancel button | ESC |
|
Here's a quick way to find spelling or grammar errors in your Word document (as long as the "Check spelling as you type" option is selected. To do so, go through: "Tools -> Options -> Spelling & Grammar" so you get the red and green squiggly lines under the offending items.)
Press ALT+F7. Not only will you jump to the next error, but the right mouse menu will open up to show any suggested fixes |
Tips and Tricks HOME Quick link menu
Portions of this page were taken from the Microsoft Knowledge Base
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