Windows keyboard shortcuts

Windows keyboard shortcuts overview
Use shortcut keys as an alternative to the mouse when working in Windows. You can open, close, and navigate the Start menu, desktop, menus, dialog boxes, and Web pages using keyboard shortcuts. Keyboard shortcuts may also make it easier for you to interact with your computer.
Click a heading, or press TAB to highlight a heading, and then press ENTER.

General Keyboard shortcuts

• CTRL+C Copy.

• CTRL+X Cut.

• CTRL+V Paste.

• CTRL+Z Undo.

• DELETE Delete.

• SHIFT+DELETE Delete selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin.

• CTRL while dragging an item Copy selected item.

• CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item Create shortcut to selected item.

• F2 Rename selected item.

• CTRL+RIGHT ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word.

• CTRL+LEFT ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word.

• CTRL+DOWN ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph.

• CTRL+UP ARROW Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph.

• CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys Highlight a block of text.

• SHIFT with any of the arrow keys Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document.

• CTRL+A Select all.

• F3 Search for a file or folder.

• ALT+ENTER View properties for the selected item.

• ALT+F4 Close the active item, or quit the active program.

• ALT+Enter Displays the properties of the selected object.

• ALT+SPACEBAR Opens the shortcut menu for the active window.

• CTRL+F4 Close the active document in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously.

• ALT+TAB Switch between open items.

• ALT+ESC Cycle through items in the order they were opened.

• F6 Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop.

• F4 Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer.

• SHIFT+F10 Display the shortcut menu for the selected item.

• ALT+SPACEBAR Display the System menu for the active window.

• CTRL+ESC Display the Start menu.

• ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name Display the corresponding menu.

Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu Carry out the corresponding command.

• F10 Activate the menu bar in the active program.

• 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.

• F5 Refresh the active window.

• BACKSPACE View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer.

• ESC Cancel the current task.

• SHIFT when you insert a CD into the CD-ROM drive Prevent the CD from automatically playing.

Dialog keyboard shortcuts

• CTRL+TAB Move forward through tabs.

• CTRL+SHIFT+TAB Move backward through tabs.

• TAB Move forward through options.

• SHIFT+TAB Move backward through options.

• ALT+Underlined letter Carry out the corresponding command or select the corresponding option.

• ENTER Carry out the command for the active option or button.

• SPACEBAR Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box.

• Arrow keys Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons.

• F1 Display Help.

• F4 Display the items in the active list.

• BACKSPACE Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box.

Natural keyboard shotcuts
You can use the following keyboard shortcuts with a Microsoft Natural Keyboard or any other compatible keyboard that includes the Windows logo key ( ) and the Application key ( ).


Display or hide the Start menu.

• Windows+BREAK Display the System Properties dialog box.

• Windows+D Show the desktop.

• Windows+M Minimize all windows.

• Windows+Shift+MRestores minimized windows.

• Windows+E Open My Computer.

• Windows+F Search for a file or folder.

• CTRL+ +F Search for computers.

• Windows+ L Lock your computer if you are connected to a network domain, or switch users if you are not connected to a network domain.

• Windows+R Open the Run dialog box.

• Windows+UOpen Utility Manager.

Accessibility keyboard shotcuts

• Right SHIFT for eight seconds Switch FilterKeys on and off.

• Left ALT +left SHIFT +PRINT SCREEN Switch High Contrast on and off.

• Left ALT +left SHIFT +NUM LOCK Switch MouseKeys on and off.

• SHIFT five times Switch StickyKeys on and off.

• NUM LOCK for five seconds Switch ToggleKeys on and off.

• Windows+U Open Utility Manager.

Windows Explorer keyboard shortcuts

• END Display the bottom of the active window.

• HOME Display the top of the active window.

• NUM LOCK+ASTERISK on numeric keypad (*) Display all subfolders under the selected folder.

• NUM LOCK+PLUS SIGN on numeric keypad (+) Display the contents of the selected folder.

• NUM LOCK+MINUS SIGN on numeric keypad (-) Collapse the selected folder.

• LEFT ARROW Collapse current selection if it's expanded, or select parent folder.

• RIGHT ARROW Display current selection if it's collapsed, or select first subfolder.

Notes
• You must associate a password with your user account to secure it from unauthorized access. If you do not have a password associated with your user account, pressing the +L will not prevent other users from accessing your account information.
• Some keyboard shortcuts may not work if StickyKeys is turned on in Accessibility Options.
• If you are connected to Windows through Microsoft Terminal Services Client, some shortcuts have changed. For more information, see the online documentation for Terminal Services Client.
using Help and Support keyboard shortcuts
If your mouse is unavailable or if you prefer using your keyboard, you can use the following keyboard commands to navigate within Help and Support Center.
To expand the headings below by using the keyboard, press F6 or CTRL+TAB to switch to the content pane where this text appears. Press TAB to select the keyboard shortcut heading you want, and then press ENTER to expand the listing.

Help and Support Keyboard Shortcuts

• ALT+SPACEBAR Display the System menu.

• SHIFT+F10 Display the Help and Support shortcut menu.

• ALT+TAB Switch between the Help and Support Center and other open windows.

• CTRL+TAB Switch to the next pane.

• CTRL+SHIFT+TAB Switch to the previous pane.

• UP ARROW Move up one item in the Index, search results, or list of Help topics.

• DOWN ARROW Move down one item in the Index, search results, or list of Help topics.

• PAGE UP Move up one page in the Index, search results, or list of Help topics.

• PAGE DOWN Move down one page in the Index, search results, or list of Help topics.

• F6 Switch focus between the different panes in Help and Support Center.

• UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW Scroll through a topic.

• CTRL+HOME Move to the beginning of a topic.

• CTRL+END Move to the end of a topic.

• CTRL+A Select all text in a pane.

• CTRL+P Print a topic.

• ALT+LEFT ARROW Move back to the previously viewed topic.

• ALT+RIGHT ARROW Move forward to the next (previously viewed) topic.

• ALT+F4 Close Help and Support Center.

Index Keyboard Shortcuts

• TAB to Index, and then press ENTER Display the Index.

• TAB Place the cursor in the list of keywords.

• UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW Select a keyword in the list.

• ALT+D or ENTER Display the associated topic.

Search Keyboard Shortcuts

• ALT+S Start a search.

• TAB or SHIFT+TAB Select a search result in the list.

• ENTER Display the selected search result.

Using Terminal Server shortcut keys
If you choose not to apply Windows key combinations to your Remote Desktop sessions, you can use these Terminal Server shortcut keys to perform many of the same functions. For more information about applying Windows key combinations, see (hyperlinks) To configure windows shortcut keys in a session.
Shortcut key Description
ALT+PAGE UP Switches between programs from left to right.
ALT+PAGE DOWN Switches between programs from right to left.
ALT+INSERT Cycles through the programs in the order they were started.
ALT+HOME Displays the Start menu.
CTRL+ALT+BREAK Switches the client between a window and full screen.
CTRL+ALT+END Brings up the Windows Security dialog box.
ALT+DELETE Displays the Windows menu.
CTRL+ALT+Minus (-) symbol on the numeric keypad Places a snapshot of the active window, within the client, on the Terminal server clipboard (provides the same functionality as pressing PrintScrn on a local computer.)
CTRL+ALT+Plus (+) symbol on the numeric keypad Places a snapshot of the entire client window area on the Terminal server clipboard (provides the same functionality as pressing ALT+PrintScrn on a local computer.)

Notes
• On an NEC98, these shortcut keys are different in two cases:
o CTRL+ALT+BREAK is replaced by F12.
o CTRL+ALT+END is replaced by F15.
• CTRL+ALT+BREAK and CTRL+ALT+END are available in all Remote Desktop Connection sessions, even when you have chosen to apply Windows key combinations on the remote computer.
Shortcut keys for Magnifier
To do this Press this
Copy the screen to the Clipboard, including the mouse cursor. +PRINT SCREEN
Copy the screen to the Clipboard, without the mouse cursor. +SCROLL LOCK

Invert the colors of the magnification window. +PAGE UP

Follow the mouse cursor through the magnified area. +PAGE DOWN

Increase magnification. +UP ARROW

Decrease magnification. +DOWN ARROW
Using accessibility shortcut keys
To do this Press this
Switch FilterKeys on or off Right SHIFT for eight seconds
Switch High Contrast on or off Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN
Switch MouseKeys on or off Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK
Switch StickyKeys on or off SHIFT five times
Switch ToggleKeys on or off NUM LOCK for five seconds

Notes
• To use the accessibility shortcut keys, they must be enabled. For more information, click Related Topics.
• There are no keyboard shortcuts to turn SoundSentry, Showsounds, and SerialKeys on or off.

Using Help viewer keyboard shortcuts
If your mouse is unavailable or if you prefer to use your keyboard, you can use the following keyboard commands to navigate within the Help viewer. These shortcuts apply to the Help viewer only, not to Help and Support Center.
To expand the headings below using the keyboard, press F6 to switch from the Help navigation pane to the topic pane. Press TAB to select the desired keyboard shortcut heading, and then press ENTER to expand the listing.
Help Viewer Keyboard Shortcuts
Press To
ALT+SPACEBAR Display the system menu.
SHIFT+F10 Display the Help viewer shortcut menu.
ALT+TAB Switch between the Help viewer and other open windows.
ALT+O Display the Options menu.
ALT+O, and then press T Hide or show the navigation pane.
CTRL+TAB Switch to the next tab in the navigation pane.
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB Switch to the previous tab in the navigation pane.
UP ARROW Move up one topic in the table of contents, index, or search results list.
DOWN ARROW Move down one topic in the table of contents, index, or search results list.
PAGE UP Move up one page in the table of contents, index, or search results list.
PAGE DOWN Move down one page in the table of contents, index, or search results list.
F6 Switch focus between the navigation pane and the topic pane.
ALT+O, and then press R Refresh the topic that appears in the topic pane.
UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW Scroll through a topic.
CTRL+HOME Move to the beginning of a topic.
CTRL+END Move to the end of a topic.
CTRL+A Highlight all text in the topic pane.
ALT+O, and then press P Print a topic.
ALT+O, and then press B Move back to the previously viewed topic.
ALT+O, and then press F Move forward to the next (previously viewed) topic.
ALT+F4 Close the Help viewer.
Contens Tab Keyboard Shortcuts
Press To
ALT+C Display the Contents tab.
RIGHT ARROW Open a book.
LEFT ARROW Close a book.
BACKSPACE Return to the previous open book.
UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW Select a topic.
ENTER Display the selected topic.
Index Tab Keyboard Shortcuts
Press To
ALT+N Display the Index tab.
UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW Select a keyword in the list.
ALT+D or ENTER Display the associated topic.
Search Tab Keyboard Shortcuts
Press To
ALT+S Display the Search tab.
ALT+L Start a search.
ALT+D or ENTER Display the selected topic.