| Copy, Paste, and other general keyboard shortcuts |
| 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 |
| Alt + Shift + arrow keys | When a group or tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it in the direction specified |
| Ctrl + Shift + arrow keys | When a tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it into another tile to create a folder |
| Ctrl + arrow keys | Resize the Start menu when it's open |
| 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 |
| PrtScn | Take a screenshot of your whole screen and copy it to the clipboard.
Note: You can change this shortcut so it also opens screen snipping, which lets you edit your screenshot. Select Start > Settings > Ease of Access > Keyboard, and turn on the toggle under Print Screen shortcut.
Use PrtScn key to open screen snippin |
| Windows logo key keyboard shortcuts |
| Windows logo key | Open or close Start |
| Windows logo key + A | Open Action center |
| Windows logo key + B | Set focus in the notification area |
| Windows logo key + C | Open Cortana in listening mode. Notes: this shortcut is turned off by default. To turn it on, select Start > Settings > Cortana, and turn on the toggle under Let Cortana listen for my commands when I press the Windows logo key + C.
Cortana is available only 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 |
| Windows logo key + Shift + C | Open the charms menu |
| Windows logo key + D | Display and hide the desktop |
| Windows logo key + Alt + D | Display and hide the date and time on the desktop |
| Windows logo key + E | Open File Explorer |
| Windows logo key + F | Open Feedback Hub and take a screenshot |
| Windows logo key + G | Open Game bar when a game is open |
| Windows logo key + Alt + B | Turn HDR on or off.
Note: Applies to the Xbox Game Bar app version 5.721.7292.0 or newer. To update your Xbox Game Bar, go to the Microsoft Store app and check for updates |
| Windows logo key + H | Start dictation |
| Windows logo key + I | Open Settings |
| Windows logo key + J | Set focus to a Windows tip when one is available.
When a Windows tip appears, bring focus to the Tip. Pressing the keyboard shortcuts again to bring focus to the element on the screen to which the Windows tip is anchored |
| Windows logo key + K | Open the Connect quick action |
| Windows logo key + L | Lock your PC or switch accounts |
| Windows logo key + M | Minimize all windows |
| Windows logo key + O | Lock device orientation |
| Windows logo key + P | Choose a presentation display mode |
| Windows logo key + Ctrl + Q | Open Quick Assist |
| Windows logo key + R | Open the Run dialog box |
| Windows logo key + S | Open search |
| Windows logo key + Shift + S | Take a screenshot of part of your screen |
| Windows logo key + T | Cycle through apps on the taskbar |
| Windows logo key + U | Open Ease of Access Center |
| Windows logo key + V | Open the clipboard.
Note:
To activate this shortcut, select Start > Settings > System > Clipboard, and turn on the toggle under Clipboard history |
| Windows logo key + Shift + V | Cycle through notifications |
| Windows logo key + X | Open the Quick Link menu |
| Windows logo key + Y | Switch input between Windows Mixed Reality and your desktop |
| Windows logo key + Z | Show the commands available in an app in full-screen mode |
| Windows logo key + period (.) or semicolon (;) | Open emoji panel |
| Windows logo key + comma (,) | Temporarily peek at the desktop |
| Windows logo key + Pause | Display the System Properties dialog box |
| Windows logo key + Ctrl + F | Search for PCs (if you're on a network) |
| Windows logo key + Shift + M | Restore minimized windows on the desktop |
| Windows logo key + number | 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 |
| Windows logo key + Shift + number | Open the desktop and start a new instance of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number |
| Windows logo key + Ctrl + number | Open the desktop and switch to the last active window of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number |
| Windows logo key + Alt + number | Open the desktop and open the Jump List for the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number |
| Windows logo key + Ctrl + Shift + number | Open the desktop and open a new instance of the app located at the given position on the taskbar as an administrator |
| Windows logo key + Tab | Open Task view |
| Windows logo key + Up arrow | Maximize the window |
| Windows logo key + Down arrow | Remove current app from screen or minimize the desktop window |
| Windows logo key + Left arrow | Maximize the app or desktop window to the left side of the screen |
| Windows logo key + Right arrow | Maximize the app or desktop window to the right side of the screen |
| Windows logo key + Home | Minimize all except the active desktop window (restores all windows on second stroke) |
| Windows logo key + Shift + Up arrow | Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen |
| Windows logo key + Shift + Down arrow | Restore/minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width |
| Windows logo key + Shift + Left arrow or Right arrow | Move an app or window in the desktop from one monitor to another |
| Windows logo key + Spacebar | Switch input language and keyboard layout |
| Windows logo key + Ctrl + Spacebar | Change to a previously selected input |
| Windows logo key + Ctrl + Enter | Turn on Narrator |
| Windows logo key + Plus (+) | Open Magnifier |
| Windows logo key + forward slash (/) | Begin IME reconversion |
| Windows logo key + Ctrl + V | Open shoulder taps |
| Windows logo key + Ctrl + Shift + B | Wake PC from blank or black screen |
| Windows logo key + Alt + Enter (on taskbar item focus) | Open taskbar settings |
| Command Prompt keyboard shortcuts |
| Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert) | Copy the selected text |
| Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert) | Paste the selected text |
| Ctrl + M | Enter Mark mode |
| Alt + selection key | Begin selection in block mode |
| Arrow keys | Move the cursor in the direction specified |
| Page up | Move the cursor by one page up |
| Page down | Move the cursor by one page down |
| Ctrl + Home (Mark mode) | Move the cursor to the beginning of the buffer |
| Ctrl + End (Mark mode) | Move the cursor to the end of the buffer |
| Ctrl + Up arrow | Move up one line in the output history |
| Ctrl + Down arrow | Move down one line in the output history |
| Ctrl + Home (History navigation) | 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 |
| Ctrl + End (History navigation) | 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 |
| File Explorer keyboard shortcuts |
| Alt + D | Select the address bar |
| Ctrl + E | Select the search box |
| Ctrl + F | Select the search box |
| Ctrl + N | Open a new window |
| Ctrl + W | Close the active window |
| Ctrl + mouse scroll wheel | Change the size and appearance of file and folder icons |
| Ctrl + Shift + E | Display all folders above the selected folder |
| Ctrl + Shift + N | Create a new folder |
| Num Lock + asterisk (*) | Display all subfolders under the selected folder |
| Num Lock + plus (+) | Display the contents of the selected folder |
| Num Lock + minus (-) | Collapse the selected folder |
| Alt + P | Display the preview panel |
| Alt + Enter | Open the Properties dialog box for the selected item |
| Alt + Right arrow | View the next folder |
| Alt + Up arrow | View the folder that the folder was in |
| Alt + Left arrow | View the previous folder |
| Backspace | View the previous folder |
| Right arrow | Display the current selection (if it's collapsed), or select the first subfolder |
| Left arrow | Collapse the current selection (if it's expanded), or select the folder that the folder was in |
| End | Display the bottom of the active window |
| Home | Display the top of the active window |
| F11 | Maximize or minimize the active window |