Keyboard shortcuts are keys or combinations of keys that provide an alternate way to do something that you’d typically do with a mouse.
Copy, paste, and other general keyboard shortcuts
Press this key | To do this |
---|---|
Ctrl + X | Cut the selected item |
Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert) | Copy 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 |
Windows logo key + D | Display and hide the desktop |
F2 | Rename the selected item |
F3 | Search for a file or folder in File Explorer |
F4 | Display the address bar list in File Explorer |
F5 | Refresh the active window |
F6 | Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop |
F10 | Activate the Menu bar in the active app |
Alt + F8 | Show your password on the sign-in screen |
Alt + Esc | Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened |
Alt + underlined letter | Perform the command for that letter |
Alt + Enter | Display properties for the selected item |
Alt + Spacebar | Open the shortcut menu for the active window |
Alt + Left arrow | Go back |
Alt + Right arrow | Go forward |
Alt + Page Up | Move up one screen |
Alt + Page Down | Move down one screen |
Ctrl + F4 | Close the active document (in apps that are full-screen and let you have multiple documents open at the same time) |
Ctrl + A | Select all items in a document or window |
Ctrl + D (or Delete) | Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin |
Ctrl + R (or F5) | Refresh the active window |
Ctrl + Y | Redo an action |
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 + Alt + Tab | Use the arrow keys to switch between all open apps |
Ctrl + Alt + Shift + arrow keys | When a group or tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it in the direction specified |
Ctrl + arrow key (to move to an item) + Spacebar | Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop |
Ctrl + Shift with an arrow key | Select a block of text |
Ctrl + Esc | Open Start |
Ctrl + Shift + Esc | Open Task Manager |
Ctrl + Shift | Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are available |
Ctrl + Spacebar | Turn the Chinese input method editor (IME) on or off |
Shift + F10 | Display the shortcut menu for the selected item |
Shift with any arrow key | Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document |
Shift + Delete | Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first |
Right arrow | Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu |
Left arrow | Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu |
Esc | Stop or leave the current task |