Keyboard shortcuts in Windows

Copilot key 

Copilot key 
(Copilot not available or disabled)

Open Copilot.

Open or close Windows search.

Backspace

Delete characters to the left of the cursor.

Ctrl + A

Select all text.

Ctrl + B

Apply the bold format to the selected text.

Ctrl + Backspace

Delete words to the left of the cursor.

Ctrl + C
Ctrl + Insert

Copy the selected text.

Ctrl + Del

Delete words to the right of the cursor.

Ctrl + Down arrow

Move the cursor forward to the beginning of the next paragraph.

Ctrl + End

Move the cursor forward to the end of the document.

Ctrl + F

Find text.

Ctrl + H

Find and replace text.

Ctrl + Home

Move the cursor backward to the beginning of the document.

Ctrl + I

Apply the italic format to the selected text.

Ctrl + Left arrow

Move the cursor backward to the beginning of the previous word.

Ctrl + Right arrow

Move the cursor forward to the beginning of the next word.

Ctrl + Shift + V

Paste as plain text.

Ctrl + U

Apply the underline format to the selected text.

Ctrl + Up arrow

Move the cursor backward to the beginning of the previous paragraph.

Ctrl + V
Shift + Insert

Paste the last item from the clipboard.

Ctrl + X

Cut the selected text.

Ctrl + Y

Redo typing that was undone with Ctrl + Z.

Ctrl + Z

Undo the last typing.

Del or Delete

Delete characters to the right of the cursor.

Down arrow

Move the cursor forward to the next line.

End

Move the cursor forward to the end of the line.

Home

Move the cursor backward to the beginning of the line.

Left arrow

Move the cursor backward to the previous character.

Page down or PgDn

Move the cursor forward by one page.

Page up or PgUp

Move the cursor backward by one page.

Right arrow

Move the cursor forward to the next character.

Shift + Ctrl + Down arrow

Select paragraphs forward from the current cursor position.

Shift + Ctrl + End

Select text between the current cursor position and the end of the document.

Shift + Ctrl + Home

Select text between the current cursor position and the beginning of the document.

Shift + Ctrl + Left

Select words backward from the current cursor position.

Shift + Ctrl + Right

Select words forward from the current cursor position.

Shift + Ctrl + Up

Select paragraphs backward the current cursor position.

Shift + Down arrow

Select lines forward from the current cursor position.

Shift + End

Select text from the current cursor position to the end of the current line.

Shift + Home

Select text from the current cursor position to the beginning of the current line.

Shift + Left arrow

Select characters backward from the current cursor position.

Shift + Page Down

Select one page of text forward from the current cursor position.

Shift + Page Up

Select one page of text backward from the current cursor position.

Shift + Right arrow

Select characters forward from the current cursor position.

Shift + Up arrow

Select lines backward from the current cursor position.

Tab

Indent the cursor one tab stop.

Up arrow

Move the cursor backward to the previous line.

Alt + A

Set focus to the first icon in the Suggested actions menu.

Alt + Esc

Cycle through windows in the order in which they were opened.

Alt + F4

Close the active window. If no windows are open, prompt to shutdown.

Alt + F8

Show your password on the sign-in screen.

Alt + Left arrow

Go back.

Alt + Page Down

Move down one screen.

Alt + Page Up

Move up one screen.

Alt + PrtScn

Capture a screenshot of the active window and copy it to the clipboard.

Alt + Right arrow

Go forward.

Alt + Shift + arrow keys

When a group or tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it in the specified direction.

Alt + Spacebar

Open the context menu for the active window.

Alt + Tab

Switch between open windows. To cycle through multiple windows, continue to hold the Alt key and press Tab multiple times.

Alt + underlined letter

For actions in command or context menus, some windows and apps specify keyboard shortcuts by underlining a character in the action name. Press Alt and then the letter to do that action.

Ctrl + A

Select all items in a window.

Ctrl + Alt + Del

Switch to the security screen where you can lock the desktop, switch user, sign out, change a password, or open Task Manager.

Ctrl + Alt + Tab

View a thumbnail of all open apps. Use the arrow keys to switch between open apps.

Ctrl + Esc

Open the Start menu.

Ctrl + F4

In apps that are full-screen and let you have multiple documents open at the same time, close the active document but not the entire app.

Ctrl + F5
Ctrl + R

Refresh the current window.

Ctrl + Shift

When multiple keyboard layouts are available, switch the keyboard layout.

Ctrl + Shift + arrow keys

When a tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it into another tile to create a folder.

Ctrl + Shift + Esc

Open Task Manager.

Ctrl + Spacebar

Enable or disable the Chinese input method editor (IME). For more information, see Microsoft Simplified Chinese IME and Microsoft Traditional Chinese IME.

Ctrl + Y

Redo an action that was previously undone with Ctrl + Z.

Ctrl + Z

Undo the previous action.

Esc or Escape

Stop or leave the current task, or dismiss a dialog box.

F5

Refresh the active window.

F6

Cycle through elements in a window or on the desktop.

F10

Activate the menu bar in the active window.

PrtScn or Print Screen

Select a region of the screen to capture a screenshot to the clipboard. You can then open the Snipping Tool to share or markup the image.

Note: You can turn off this default behavior. Select Start > Settings > Accessibility > Keyboard , and set Use the Print Screen button to open screen snipping to Off.

Open the Settings app

Windows key

Open or close the Start menu.

Windows key  + A

Open the Windows 11 action center.

Windows key  + Alt + B

Turn high dynamic range (HDR) on or off. For more information, see What is HDR in Windows?.

Windows key  + Alt + D

Display and hide the date and time on the desktop.

Windows key  + Alt + Down arrow

Snap the active window to the bottom half of the screen.

Windows key  + Alt + H

When voice typing is open, set the focus to the keyboard.

Windows key  + Alt + K

Mute or unmute the microphone in supported apps.

Windows key  + Alt + Up arrow

Snap the active window to the top half of the screen.

Windows key  + comma (,)

Temporarily peek at the desktop.

Windows key  + Ctrl + C

If turned on in settings, enable or disable color filters.

Open the Settings app

Windows key  + Ctrl + Enter

Open Narrator.

Windows key  + Ctrl + F

Search for devices on a network.

Windows key + Ctrl + Q

Open Quick Assist.

Windows key  + Ctrl + Shift + B

Wake up the device when the screen is blank or black.

Windows key + Ctrl + Spacebar

Change to a previously selected input option.

Windows key + Ctrl + V

Open the sound output page of quick settings, which includes settings for the output device, spatial sound, and the volume mixer.

Windows key  + D

Display and hide the desktop.

Windows key + Down arrow

Minimize the active window.

Windows key  + E

Open File Explorer.

Windows key  + Esc

Close Magnifier.

Windows key  + F

Open Feedback Hub.

Windows key  + forward slash (/)

Start input method editor (IME) reconversion.

Windows key  + G

Open the Game Bar. For more information, see Keyboard shortcuts for Game Bar.

Windows key  + H

Open voice dictation.

Windows key  + Home

Minimize or restore all windows except the active window.

Windows key  + I

Open Settings.

Windows key  + J

Set focus to a Windows tip when one is available.

When a Windows tip appears, bring focus to the tip. Press the keys again to bring focus to the element on the screen to which the Windows tip is anchored.

Windows key  + K

Open Cast from Quick Settings to connect to a display. For more information, see Screen mirroring and projecting to your PC or wireless display.

Windows key  + L

Lock the computer.

Windows key  + Left arrow

Snap the window to the left side of the screen.

Windows key  + M

Minimize all windows.

Windows key  + Minus (-)

Zoom out in Magnifier.

Windows key  + N

Open notification center and calendar.

Windows key  + O

Lock the device orientation.

Windows key  + P

Open project settings to choose a presentation display mode.

Windows key  + Pause

Opens the Settings app to the System > About page.

Windows key  + Period (.)
Windows key  + Semicolon (;)

Open the emoji panel.

Windows key  + Plus (+)

Zoom in with the Magnifier.

Windows key  + PrtScn

Capture a full screen screenshot and save it to a file in the Screenshots subfolder of the Pictures folder.

Windows key  + Q

Open search.

Windows key  + R

Open the Run dialog box.

Windows key  + Right arrow

Snap the window to the right side of the screen.

Windows key  + S

Open search.

Windows key  + Shift + Down arrow

If a window is snapped or maximized, restore it.

Windows key  + Shift + Enter

If the active window is a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app, make it full screen.

Windows key  + Shift + Left arrow

Move the active window to the monitor on the left.

Windows key  + Shift + M

Restore minimized windows.

Windows key  + Shift + R

Select a region of the screen to record a video. It then opens the screen recording in the Snipping Tool. By default, this screen recording is automatically saved as an MP4 file in the Screen Recordings subfolder of your Videos folder.

Windows key  + Shift + Right arrow

Move the active window to the monitor on the right.

Windows key  + Shift + S

Select a region of the screen to capture a screenshot to the clipboard. You can then open the Snipping Tool to share or markup the image.

Windows key  + Shift + Spacebar

Switch backward through input languages and keyboard layouts.

Windows key  + Shift + Up arrow

Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen.

Windows key  + Shift + V

Cycle through notifications.

Windows key + Spacebar

Switch forward through input languages and keyboard layouts.

Windows key + Tab

Open Task View.

Windows key + U

Open the Settings app to the Accessibility section.

Windows key + Up arrow

Maximize the active window.

Windows key  + V

Open the clipboard history.

Note: Clipboard history isn't turned on by default. To turn it on, use this keyboard shortcut and then select the prompt to turn on history. You can also turn it on in the Settings app > System > Clipboard , and set Clipboard history to On.

Open the Settings app

Windows key  + W

Open Widgets.

Windows key  + X

Open the Quick Link menu. This shortcut is the same action as right-click on the Start menu.

Windows key  + Y

Switch input between Windows Mixed Reality and your desktop.

Windows key  + Z

Open the snap layouts.

Ctrl + C
Ctrl + Insert

Copy the selected text.

Ctrl + V
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.

F4

Display the items in the active list.

Ctrl + Tab

Move forward through tabs.

Ctrl + Shift + Tab

Move back through tabs.

Ctrl + 1, 2, 3,...

Move to that tab number.

Tab

Move forward through options.

Shift + Tab

Move back through options.

Alt + underlined letter

Perform the command (or select the option) that is used with that letter.

Spacebar

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

Backspace

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

Arrow keys

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

Alt + D

Select the address bar.

Alt + Enter

Display properties for the selected item.

Alt + Left arrow
Backspace

Navigate to the previous folder.

Alt + mouse drag a file

When you drop the file, create a shortcut to the original file in that location.

Alt + P

Show or hide the preview pane.

Alt + Right arrow

View the next folder.

Alt + Shift + P

Show or hide the details pane.

Alt + Up arrow

Move up a level in the folder path.

Ctrl + Arrow key (to move to an item) + Spacebar

Select multiple individual items.

Ctrl + D
Delete

Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin.

Ctrl + E
Ctrl + F

Select the search box.

Ctrl + L

Focus on the address bar.

Ctrl + mouse drag a file

When you drop the file, create a copy in that location.

Ctrl + mouse scroll wheel

Change the size and appearance of file and folder icons.

Ctrl + N

Open a new window.

Ctrl + Number (1-9)

Move to that tab number. 

Ctrl + Plus (+)

Resize all columns to fit text.

Note: This shortcut requires using a numeric keypad.

Ctrl + Shift + E

Expands all folders from the tree in the navigation pane.

Ctrl + Shift + N

Create a new folder.

Ctrl + Shift + Number (1-9)

Change the view style. For example, 2 is Large icons and 6 is Details.

Ctrl + Shift + Tab

Move to the previous tab. 

Ctrl + T

Open a new tab and switch to it. 

Ctrl + W

Closes the active tab. Closes the window if there's only one tab open.

Ctrl + Tab

Move to the next tab.

End

Scroll to the bottom of the active window.

F2

Rename the selected item.

F3

Search for a file or folder.

F4

Select the address bar to change the current path.

F5

Refresh the window.

F6

Cycle through elements in the window.

F11

Maximize or minimize the active window.

Home

Scroll to the top of the active window.

Left arrow

Collapse the current selection (if it's expanded), or select the folder that the folder was in.

Right arrow

Display the current selection (if it's collapsed), or select the first subfolder.

Shift + Arrow keys

Select multiple items.

Shift + Delete

Permanently delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin.

Shift + F10

Display the context menu for the selected item.

Shift + mouse drag a file

When you drop the file, move it to that location.

Shift + mouse right-click

Display the Show more options context menu for the selected item.

Windows key  + E

Open File Explorer.

Windows key  + Tab

Open Task view.

Windows key  + Ctrl + D

Create another desktop.

Windows key  + Ctrl + Right arrow

Switch between other desktops you've created on the right.

Windows key  + Ctrl + Left arrow

Switch between other desktops you've created on the left.

Windows key  + Ctrl + F4

Close the desktop you're using.

Alt + Shift + Arrow

When an app icon is in focus, move it's position in the direction of the arrow.

Ctrl + select a grouped app icon on the taskbar

When multiple windows for the same app are grouped on the taskbar, press Ctrl as you select the taskbar icon to shift focus through the windows in the app group.

Ctrl + Shift + select an app icon on the taskbar

Open the app as an administrator.

Shift + right-click an app icon on the taskbar

Show the window menu for the app.

Shift + right-click a grouped taskbar button

Show the window menu for the group.

Shift + select an app icon on the taskbar

Open another instance of the app.

Windows key  + Alt + Enter (on taskbar item focus)

Open taskbar settings.

Windows key  + Alt + number (0-9)

Open the jump list for the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.

Windows key  + B

Set the focus to the first icon in the notification area of the taskbar.

Windows key  + Ctrl + number (0-9)

Switch to the last active window of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.

Windows key  + Ctrl + Shift + number (0-9)

Open as an administrator a new instance of the app located at the given position on the taskbar.

Windows key  + number (0-9)

Open the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number. If the app is already running, switch to that app.

Windows key  + Shift + Number (0-9)

Start a new instance of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.

Windows key + T

Cycle through apps in the taskbar.

Arrow keys

Move focus through the currently selected region.

Scroll the page.

Backspace

Navigate backwards.

Enter
Spacebar

Select the current item in focus.

Shift + Tab

Cycle backward through regions.

Tab

Cycle forward through regions.

Windows key  + I

Open the Settings app.