Keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts are combinations of two or more keys that, when pressed, can be used to perform a
task that would typically require a mouse or other pointing device. Keyboard shortcuts can make it easier
to interact with your computer, saving you time and effort as you work with Windows and other
programs.

Most programs also provide accelerator keys that can make it easier to work with menus and other
commands. Check the menus of programs for accelerator keys. If a letter is underlined in a menu, that
usually means that pressing the Alt key in combination with the underlined key will have the same effect
as clicking that menu item.

Pressing the Alt key in some programs, such as Paint and WordPad, shows commands that are labeled
with additional keys that you can press to use them.

You can also create new keyboard shortcuts to open programs. For more information, see Create
keyboard shortcuts to open programs.

Hide all

Ease of Access keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains keyboard shortcuts that can help make your computer easier to use.

Press this key To do this

Right Shift for eight seconds Turn Filter Keys on and off

Left Alt+Left Shift+PrtScn (or PrtScn) Turn High Contrast on or off

Left Alt+Left Shift+Num Lock Turn Mouse Keys on or off

Shift five times Turn Sticky Keys on or off

Num Lock for five seconds Turn Toggle Keys on or off

Windows logo key +U Open the Ease of Access Center

General keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains general keyboard shortcuts.

Press this key To do this

F1 Display Help

Ctrl+C (or Ctrl+Insert) Copy the selected item

Ctrl+X Cut the selected item

Ctrl+V (or Shift+Insert) Paste the selected item

Ctrl+Z Undo an action

Ctrl+Y Redo an action

Delete (or Ctrl+D) Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin

Shift+Delete Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first

F2 Rename the selected item

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+Shift with an arrow Select a block of text

key

Shift with any arrow key Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text
within a document
Press this key To do this

Ctrl with any arrow Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop
key+Spacebar

Ctrl+A Select all items in a document or window

F3 Search for a file or folder

Alt+Enter Display properties for the selected item

Alt+F4 Close the active item, or exit the active program

Alt+Spacebar Open 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

Ctrl+Alt+Tab Use the arrow keys to switch between open items

Ctrl+Mouse scroll wheel Change the size of icons on the desktop

Windows logo key Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D
+Tab

Ctrl+Windows logo key Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using
+Tab Aero Flip 3-D

Alt+Esc Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened

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

F4 Display the address bar list in Windows Explorer

Press this key To do this

Shift+F10 Display the shortcut menu for the selected item

Ctrl+Esc Open the Start menu

Alt+underlined letter Display the corresponding menu

Alt+underlined letter Perform the menu command (or other underlined 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 (or Ctrl+R) Refresh the active window

Alt+Up Arrow View the folder one level up in Windows Explorer

Esc Cancel the current task

Ctrl+Shift+Esc Open Task Manager

Shift when you insert a CD Prevent the CD from automatically playing

Left Alt+Shift Switch the input language when multiple input languages are enabled

Ctrl+Shift Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are enabled

Right or Left Ctrl+Shift Change the reading direction of text in right-to-left reading languages
 Press this key To do this

Dialog box keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains keyboard shortcuts for use in dialog boxes.

Press this key To do this

Ctrl+Tab Move forward through tabs

Ctrl+Shift+Tab Move back through tabs

Tab Move forward through options

Shift+Tab Move back through options

Alt+underlined Perform the command (or select the option) that goes with that letter
letter

Enter Replaces clicking the mouse for many selected commands

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

Windows logo key keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains keyboard shortcuts that use the Windows logo key .
Press this key To do this

Windows logo key Open or close the Start menu.

Windows logo key +Pause Display the System Properties dialog box.

Windows logo key +D Display the desktop.

Windows logo key +M Minimize all windows.

Windows logo key +Shift+M Restore minimized windows to the desktop.

Windows logo key +E Open Computer.

Windows logo key +F Search for a file or folder.

Ctrl+Windows logo key +F Search for computers (if you're on a network).

Windows logo key +L Lock your computer or switch users.

Windows logo key +R Open the Run dialog box.

Windows logo key +T Cycle through programs on the taskbar.

Windows logo key +number Start the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by
the number. If the program is already running, switch to that
program.

Shift+Windows logo key Start a new instance of the program pinned to the taskbar in the
+number position indicated by the number.

Ctrl+Windows logo key Switch to the last active window of the program pinned to the
+number taskbar in the position indicated by the number.
Press this key To do this

Alt+Windows logo key Open the Jump List for the program pinned to the taskbar in the
+number position indicated by the number.

Windows logo key +Tab Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D.

Ctrl+Windows logo key +Tab Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by
using Aero Flip 3-D.

Ctrl+Windows logo key +B Switch to the program that displayed a message in the notification
area.

Windows logo key +Spacebar Preview the desktop.

Windows logo key +Up Maximize the window.

Arrow

Windows logo key +Left Maximize the window to the left side of the screen.
Arrow

Windows logo key +Right Maximize the window to the right side of the screen.
Arrow

Windows logo key +Down Minimize the window.

Arrow

Windows logo key +Home Minimize all but the active window.

Windows logo key +Shift+Up Stretch the window to the top and bottom of the screen.
Arrow

Windows logo key Move a window from one monitor to another.

+Shift+Left Arrow or Right
Arrow
 Press this key To do this

Windows logo key +P Choose a presentation display mode.

Windows logo key +G Cycle through gadgets.

Windows logo key +U Open Ease of Access Center.

Windows logo key +X Open Windows Mobility Center.

Windows Explorer keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains keyboard shortcuts for working with Windows Explorer windows or folders.

Press this key To do this

Ctrl+N Open a new window

Ctrl+W Close the current window

Ctrl+Shift+N Create a new folder

End Display the bottom of the active window

Home Display the top of the active window

F11 Maximize or minimize the active window

Ctrl+Period (.) Rotate a picture clockwise

Ctrl+Comma (,) Rotate a picture counter-clockwise

Num Lock+Asterisk (*) on numeric Display all subfolders under the selected folder
keypad
Press this key To do this

Num Lock+Plus Sign (+) on numeric Display the contents of the selected folder
keypad

Num Lock+Minus Sign (-) on numeric Collapse the selected folder

keypad

Left Arrow Collapse the current selection (if it's expanded), or select the
parent folder

Alt+Enter Open the Properties dialog box for the selected item

Alt+P Display the preview pane

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

Alt+Right Arrow View the next folder

Alt+Up Arrow View the parent folder

Ctrl+Shift+E Display all folders above the selected folder

Ctrl+Mouse scroll wheel Change the size and appearance of file and folder icons

Alt+D Select the address bar

Ctrl+E Select the search box

 Press this key To do this

Ctrl+F Select the search box

Taskbar keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains keyboard shortcuts for working with items on the taskbar.

Press this key To do this

Shift+Click on a taskbar button Open a program or quickly open another instance of a

program

Ctrl+Shift+Click on a taskbar button Open a program as an administrator

Shift+Right-click on a taskbar button Show the window menu for the program

Shift+Right-click on a grouped taskbar Show the window menu for the group
button

Ctrl+Click on a grouped taskbar button Cycle through the windows of the group

Magnifier keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains keyboard shortcuts for working with Magnifier.

Press this key To do this

Windows logo key + Plus Sign (+) or Minus Sign (-) Zoom in or out

Ctrl+Alt+Spacebar Preview the desktop in full-screen mode

Ctrl+Alt+F Switch to full-screen mode

Ctrl+Alt+L Switch to lens mode

Ctrl+Alt+D Switch to docked mode

 Press this key To do this

Ctrl+Alt+I Invert colors

Ctrl+Alt+arrow keys Pan in the direction of the arrow keys

Ctrl+Alt+R Resize the lens

Windows logo key + Esc Exit Magnifier

Remote Desktop Connection keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains keyboard shortcuts for working with Remote Desktop Connection.

Press this key To do this

Alt+Page Up Move between programs from left to right.

Alt+Page Down Move between programs from right to left.

Alt+Insert Cycle through programs in the order that they were started in.

Alt+Home Display the Start menu.

Ctrl+Alt+Break Switch between a window and full screen.

Ctrl+Alt+End Display the Windows Security dialog box.

Alt+Delete Display the system menu.

Ctrl+Alt+Minus Sign (-) Place a copy of the active window, within the client, on the Terminal server
on the numeric keypad clipboard (provides the same functionality as pressing Alt+PrtScn on a
local computer).
 Press this key To do this

Ctrl+Alt+Plus Sign (+) on Place a copy of the entire client window area on the Terminal server
the numeric keypad clipboard (provides the same functionality as pressing PrtScn on a local
computer).

Ctrl+Alt+Right Arrow “Tab” out of the Remote Desktop controls to a control in the host program
(for example, a button or a text box). Useful when the Remote Desktop
controls are embedded in another (host) program.

Ctrl+Alt+Left Arrow “Tab” out of the Remote Desktop controls to a control in the host program
(for example, a button or a text box). Useful when the Remote Desktop
controls are embedded in another (host) program.

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Note
Ctrl+Alt+Break and Ctrl+Alt+End are available in all Remote Desktop sessions, even when you've set up
the remote computer to recognize Windows keyboard shortcuts.