Microsoft Windows Keyboard Shortcuts for Controlling Windows
General
F1: Universal Help in almost every Windows program.
F2 : Rename a selected file
F6 : Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop
Window
ALT + F4 : Exit/Quit the active application
ALT+SPACE: Displays the main window's System menu (from the System menu,
you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the window)
F11: Maximize or minimize the active window.
Switching Windows
ALT+F6 : Switch between multiple windows in the same program (for example, when the two window of Microsoft Word displayed, ALT+F6 switches between the two window of Microsoft Word).
Ctrl+Tab : Switch between multiple workbook windows in the Microsoft Excel program.
Alt + Tab (toggle between open programs)
Ctrl + Alt + Tab: Use the arrow keys to switch between open items
Alt + Esc: Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened.
Windows button + M (show desktop, i.e., minimize all windows)
SHIFT+Windows Logo+M: Undo minimize all
Windows Logo+D: Displays the desktop or show opening windows.
Begin from windows vista
Windows button + Tab (show all active windows in task bar)
Ctrl+Windows logo key+ Tab: Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D.
If window has a MDI (Multiple Document Interface) / Multi Window :
ALT+- (ALT+hyphen): Displays the MDI child window's System menu (from the MDI child window's System menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the child window)
Ctrl + F4: Close the active document (in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously).
Ctrl + W: Close the current window.
If window has a menu:
F10: Activate the Menu bar in the active application.
ALT+
underlined letter in menu: Opens the menu
Application key: Displays a shortcut menu for the selected item
SHIFT+F10 Opens a shortcut menu for the selected item (this is the same as right-clicking an object).
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.
Dialog box keyboard commands
TAB: Move to the next control in the dialog box
SHIFT+TAB: Move to the previous control in the dialog box
SPACEBAR: If the current control is a button, this clicks the button. If the current control is a check box, this toggles the check box. If the current control is an option, this selects the option.
ENTER: Equivalent to clicking the selected button (the button with the outline)
ESC: Equivalent to clicking the Cancel button
Arrow keys: Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons or group of command button.
F4: Display the items or focus in the active list/combo box, list box, drop down list.
Backspace: Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box.
Inside properties menu and (Dialog) windows that may has a menu not a ribbon.
CTRL+TAB/CTRL+SHIFT+TAB: Move through the property tabs.
Remote Desktop Connection on the desktop keyboard shortcuts
Alt + Page Up: Move between apps from left to right
Alt + Page Down: Move between apps from right to left
Alt + Insert: Cycle through programs in the order that they were started in.
Ctrl + Alt + Break: Switch between a window and full screen.
Alt + Delete: Display the system menu.
Ctrl + Alt + Minus Sign (-) on the numeric keypad: Place a copy of the active window, within the client, on the Terminal server clipboard (provides the same functionality as pressing Alt+PrtScn on a local computer).
Ctrl + Alt + Plus Sign (+) on the numeric keypad: Place a copy of the entire client window area on the Terminal server 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.
Microsoft Windows Oriented
Ctrl + Esc : Opens the
START menu
Ctrl + Shift + Esc
Opens Windows Task Manager
Ctrl + Alt + Del : Open the Windows option screen for locking computer, switching user, Task Manager, etc.
Windows 7
manipulating the active window:
- Win+Left arrow: Snap to the left half of the screen
- Win+Right arrow: Snap to the right half of the screen
- Win+Up arrow: Maximize the window, Without snapping window left or right.
- Win+Down arrow: Minimize/Restore if it's maximized, Without snapping window left or right.
- Windows logo key+ Shift + Up Arrow: Stretch the window to the top and bottom of the screen.
If you have more than one monitor:
- Win+Shift+Left arrow: Move window to the monitor on the left
- Win+Shift+Right arrow: Move window to the monitor on the right
Windows 10
- Windows key + Up or Down: Snap window to a quadrant: After snapping the window left or right.
- Task view (view all virtual desktops): Windows key + Tab.
- Create new virtual desktop: Windows key + Ctrl + D.
- Close current virtual desktop: Windows key + Ctrl + F4.
- Move to next virtual desktop: Windows key + Ctrl + Right.
- Go back to previous virtual desktop: Windows key + Ctrl + Left.
For Items or Text (items = icon, file, or folder)
CTRL + A : Select all items in a document or window
CTRL + C or CTRL + INSERT : Copy the selected item
CTRL + V or SHIFT + INSERT : Paste the selected item
CTRL + X or SHIFT + DEL : Cut the selected item
CTRL + Y : Redo an action
CTRL + Z : Undo an action
Alt + Backspace : Undo an action (some new programs remain support this key).
Alt + Enter : Open the Properties for the selected item (file, folder, shortcut, etc.)
Alt + double-click : Display the properties of the object you double-click on.
Home : Goes to beginning of current line.
Ctrl + Home : Goes to beginning of document.
End : Goes to end of current line.
Ctrl + End : Goes to end of document.
Shift + Home : Highlights from current position to beginning of line.
Shift + End : Highlights from current position to end of line.
Ctrl + Shift and then press the left or right arrow key : to move one word at a time in that direction while highlighting each item.
F2 : Renames a highlighted item in all versions of Windows.
For Text
Ctrl + B : Change selected text to be Bold
Ctrl + I : Change selected text to be in Italics
Ctrl + U : Change selected text to be Underlined
Ctrl + Left arrow : Moves one word to the left at a time.
Ctrl + Right arrow : Moves one word to the right at a time.
for text (work for many programs)
Ctrl + Backspace : will delete a full word at a time instead of a single character.
For Many Programs
Ctrl + F : Open find window for current document or window.
Ctrl + S : Save current document file.
Ctrl + N : Create a new, blank document in some software programs
Ctrl + O : Open a file in current software program
Ctrl + P : Print the current page or document.
page up or page down key : will move that page one page at a time in that direction.
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