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Using your keyboard

Windows 8.1
Whether you're writing a letter or calculating numerical data, your keyboard is the main way to enter information into your
computer. But did you know you can also use your keyboard to control your computer? Learning a few simple keyboard
commands(instructions to your computer) can help you work more efficiently.

How the keys are organized

The keys on your keyboard can be divided into several groups based on function:

 Typing (alphanumeric) keys. These keys include the same letter, number, punctuation, and symbol keys found
on a traditional typewriter.
 Control keys. These keys are used alone or in combination with other keys to perform certain actions. The
most frequently used control keys are Ctrl, Alt, the Windows logo key , and Esc.
 Function keys. The function keys are used to perform specific tasks. They are labeled as F1, F2, F3, and so on,
up to F12. The functionality of these keys differs from program to program.
 Navigation keys. These keys are used for moving around in documents or webpages and editing text. They
include the arrow keys, Home, End, Page Up, Page Down, Delete, and Insert.
 Numeric keypad. The numeric keypad is handy for entering numbers quickly. The keys are grouped together
in a block like a conventional calculator or adding machine.

The following illustration shows how these keys are arranged on a typical keyboard. Your keyboard layout might be
different.
Typing text

Whenever you need to type something in a program, e-mail message, or text box, you'll see a blinking vertical line ( )
called the cursor or insertion point. It shows where the text that you type will begin. You can move the cursor by clicking in
the desired location with the mouse, or by using the navigation keys (see the "Using navigation keys" section of this
article).

In addition to letters, numerals, punctuation marks, and symbols, the typing keys also include Shift, Caps Lock, Tab, Enter,
the Spacebar, and Backspace.
Key name How to use it
Shift Press Shift in combination with a letter to type an
uppercase letter. Press Shift in combination with
another key to type the symbol shown on the upper
part of that key.
Caps Lock Press Caps Lock once to type all letters as uppercase.
Press Caps Lock again to turn this function off. Your
keyboard might have a light indicating whether Caps
Lock is on.
Tab Press Tab to move the cursor several spaces forward.
You can also press Tab to move to the next text box
on a form.
Enter Press Enter to move the cursor to the beginning of the
next line. In a dialog box, press Enter to select the
highlighted button.
Key name How to use it
Spacebar Press the Spacebar to move the cursor one space
forward.
Backspac Press Backspace to delete the character before the
e cursor, or the selected text.

Using keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcutsare ways to perform actions by using your keyboard. They're called shortcuts because they help you
work faster. In fact, almost any action or command you can perform with a mouse can be performed faster using one or
more keys on your keyboard.

In Help topics, a plus sign (+) between two or more keys indicates that those keys should be pressed in combination. For
example, Ctrl + A means to press and hold Ctrl and then press A. Ctrl + Shift + A means to press and hold Ctrl and Shift
and then press A.
Find program shortcuts
You can do things in most programs by using the keyboard. To see which commands have keyboard shortcuts, open a
menu. The shortcuts (if available) are shown next to the menu items.

Keyboard shortcuts appear next to menu items.

Choose menus, commands, and options
You can open menus and choose commands and other options using your keyboard. In a program that has menus with
underlined letters, press Alt and an underlined letter to open the corresponding menu. Press the underlined letter in a
menu item to choose that command. For programs that use the ribbon, such as Paint and WordPad, pressing Alt overlays
(rather than underlines) a letter that can be pressed.
Press Alt + F to open the File menu, then press P to choose the Print command.

This trick works in dialog boxes too. Whenever you see an underlined letter attached to an option in a dialog box, it means
you can press Alt plus that letter to choose that option.

Useful shortcuts
The following table lists some of the most useful keyboard shortcuts. For a more detailed list, see Keyboard shortcuts.

Press this To do this

Windows logo Open the Start menu
key
Alt + Tab Switch between open programs or windows
Alt + F4 Close the active item, or exit the active program
Ctrl + S Save the current file or document (works in
most programs)
Ctrl + C Copy the selected item
Ctrl + X Cut the selected item
Ctrl + V Paste the selected item
Ctrl + Z Undo an action
Ctrl + A Select all items in a document or window
F1 Display Help for a program or Windows
Windows logo Display Windows Help and Support
Press this To do this
key + F1
Esc Cancel the current task
Application key Open a menu of commands related to a
selection in a program. Equivalent to right-
clicking the selection.

Using navigation keys

The navigation keys allow you to move the cursor, move around in documents and webpages, and edit text. The following
table lists some common functions of these keys.

Press this To do this

Left Arrow, Right Move the cursor or selection one space or line
Press this To do this
Arrow, Up in the direction of the arrow, or scroll a
Arrow, or Down webpage in the direction of the arrow
Arrow
Home Move the cursor to the end of a line or move to
the top of a webpage
End Move the cursor to the end of a line or move to
the bottom of a webpage
Ctrl + Home Move to the top of a document
Ctrl + End Move to the bottom of a document
Page Up Move the cursor or page up one screen
Page Down Move the cursor or page down one screen
Delete Delete the character after the cursor, or the
selected text; in Windows, delete the selected
item and move it to the Recycle Bin
Insert Turn Insert mode off or on. When Insert mode
Press this To do this
is on, text that you type is inserted at the cursor.
When Insert mode is off, text that you type
replaces existing characters.

Using the numeric keypad

The numeric keypad arranges the numerals 0 though 9, the arithmetic operators + (addition), - (subtraction), *
(multiplication), and / (division), and the decimal point as they would appear on a calculator or adding machine. These
characters are duplicated elsewhere on the keyboard, of course, but the keypad arrangement allows you to rapidly enter
numerical data or mathematical operations with one hand.
Numeric Keyboard

To use the numeric keypad to enter numbers, press Num Lock. Most keyboards have a light that indicates whether Num
Lock is on or off. When Num Lock is off, the numeric keypad functions as a second set of navigation keys (these functions
are printed on the keys next to the numerals or symbols).

You can use your numeric keypad to perform simple calculations with Calculator.

Operate Calculator with the numeric keypad

Three odd keys

So far, we've discussed almost every key you're likely to use. But for the truly inquisitive, let's explore the three most
mysterious keys on the keyboard: PrtScn, Scroll Lock, and Pause/Break.

PrtScn (or Print Screen)

A long time ago, this key actually did what it says—it sent the current screen of text to your printer. Nowadays, pressing
PrtScn captures an image of your entire screen (a "screen shot") and copies it to the Clipboard in your computer's
memory. From there you can paste it (Ctrl + V) into Microsoft Paint or another program and, if you want, print it from that
program.

More obscure is SYS RQ, which shares the key with PrtScn on some keyboards. Historically, SYS RQ was designed to be a
"system request," but this command is not enabled in Windows.

Tip: Press Alt + PrtScn to capture an image of just the active window, instead of the entire screen.

ScrLk (or Scroll Lock)

In most programs, pressing Scroll Lock has no effect. In a few programs, pressing Scroll Lock changes the behavior of the
arrow keys and the Page Up and Page Down keys; pressing these keys causes the document to scroll without changing the
position of the cursor or selection. Your keyboard might have a light indicating whether Scroll Lock is on.

Pause/Break
This key is rarely used. In some older programs, pressing this key pauses the program or, in combination with Ctrl, stops it
from running.

Other keys

Some modern keyboards come with "hot keys" or buttons that give you quick, one-press access to programs, files, or
commands. Other models have volume controls, scroll wheels, zoom wheels, and other gadgets. For details about these
features, check the information that came with your keyboard or computer, or go to the manufacturer's website.

Tips for using your keyboard safely

Using your keyboard properly can help avoid soreness or injury to your wrists, hands, and arms, particularly if you use your
computer for long periods. Here are a few tips to help improve keyboard use:

 Place your keyboard at elbow level. Your upper arms should be relaxed at your sides.
 Center your keyboard in front of you. If your keyboard has a numeric keypad, you can use the spacebar as the
centering point.
 Type with your hands and wrists floating above the keyboard, so that you can use your whole arm to reach for
distant keys instead of stretching your fingers.
 Avoid resting your palms or wrists on any type of surface while typing. If your keyboard has a palm rest, use it
only during breaks from typing.
 While typing, use a light touch and keep your wrists straight.
 When you're not typing, relax your arms and hands.
 Take short breaks from computer use every 15 to 20 minutes.