Well, since ancient times, it is said that time is money. And in this modern era, it sure is. So, most of us computer techies know that while working on a computer or a laptop, it is very much irritating and time-consuming to control both mouse and keyboard. However, if you know to take a look at all the windows 10 shortcuts which we provide you will save most of your time.
Most of you people might be thinking that we already know all of them. But take it from me, I didn’t knew most of them myself until writing this blog. If you want to enhance your working experience you must figure out the ones you use frequently which will help you work more efficiently.
All of these shortcut keys are for windows 10 but most of them work on other versions like Windows 7, 8.1 even on Linux systems.
Keyboard shortcuts:
Based on their working and usage we have categorized them into five types.
- Essential shortcuts
- Desktop shortcuts
- File explorer shortcuts
- Command prompt shortcuts
- Windows key shortcuts
1. Essential Shortcuts:
These windows 10 shortcuts are the ones that every computer user must know even the newbies.
| Keyboard Shortcut | Action |
| Ctrl + A | Select all content. |
| Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert) | Copy selected items to clipboard. |
| Ctrl + X | Cut selected items to clipboard. |
| Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert) | Paste content from clipboard. |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo an action, including undelete files (limited). |
| Ctrl + Y | Redo an action. |
| Ctrl + Shift + N | Create new folder on desktop or File Explorer. |
| Ctrl + F4 | Close active window. (If no active window present, then shutdown box appears.) |
| Ctrl + D | Delete selected item to the Recycle Bin. |
| F2 | Rename selected item. |
| ESC | Close current task. |
| Shift + Delete | Delete selected item permanently skipping Recycle Bin. |
| Alt + Tab | Switch between open apps. |
| Windows key + I | Open Settings app. |
| Windows key + E | Open File Explorer. |
| Windows key + A | Open Action center. |
| Windows key + D | To Hide and Display the Desktop |
| Windows key + L | Lock device. |
| Windows key + V | Open Clipboard bin. |
| Windows key + period (.) or semicolon (;) | Open an emoji panel. |
| Windows key + PrtScn | Capture full screenshot in the “Screenshots” folder. |
| Windows key + Shift + S | Capture part of the screen in a screenshot. |
| Windows key + Left arrow key | Snap app or window left. |
| Windows key + Right arrow key | Snap app or window right. |
2. Desktop shortcuts:
These windows 10 shortcuts are the ones which complete specific task regarding settings, start menu, and even the taskbar.
| Keyboard shortcut | Action |
| Ctrl + Esc (or Windows key) | Opens the Start menu. |
| Ctrl + Arrow keys | Change Start menu size. |
| Ctrl + Shift + Esc | Open Task Manager. |
| Ctrl + Shift | Switch keyboard layout. |
| Ctrl + F4 | Close active window. (If no active window present, then shutdown box appears.) |
| Ctrl + F5 (or R) | Refresh current window. |
| Ctrl + Alt + Tab | View open apps. |
| Ctrl + Arrow keys (to select) + Spacebar | Select multiple items on desktop or File Explorer. |
| Alt + Tab | Switch between open apps while pressing Tab multile times. |
| Alt + Left arrow key | Go back. |
| Alt + Right arrow key | Go forward. |
| Alt + Page Up | Move up one screen. |
| Alt + Page down | Move down one screen. |
| Alt + Esc | Cycle through open windows. |
| Alt + Spacebar | Open context menu for the active window. |
| Shift + click app button | Open another instance of an app from the taskbar. |
| Ctrl + Shift + click app button | Run app as administrator from the taskbar. |
| Shift + Right-click app button | Show window menu for the app from the taskbar. |
| Ctrl + Click a grouped app button | Cycle through windows in the group from the taskbar. |
| Shift + Right-click a grouped app button | Show window menu for the group from the taskbar. |
| Ctrl + Left arrow key | Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word. |
| Ctrl + Right arrow key | Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word. |
| Ctrl + Up arrow key | Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph |
| Ctrl + Down arrow key | Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph. |
| Ctrl + Shift + arrow key | Select block of text. |
| Ctrl + Spacebar | Enable or disable Chinese IME. |
| Shift + F10 | Open context menu for selected item. |
| Shift + Arrow keys | Select multiple items. |
| Windows key + X | Open Quick Link menu. |
| Windows key + Number (0-9) | Open app in number position from the taskbar. |
| Windows key + T | Cycle through apps in the taskbar. |
| Windows key + Alt + Number (0-9) | Open Jump List of the app in number position from the taskbar. |
| Windows key + D | To Hide and Display the desktop. |
| Windows key + M | To Minimize all the windows. |
| Windows key + Shift + M | Restore minimized windows on the desktop. |
| Windows key + Home | Minimize or miximize all but the active desktop window. |
| Windows key + Shift + Up arrow key | Stretch desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen. |
| Windows key + Shift + Down arrow key | Maximize or minimize active desktop windows vertically while maintaining width. |
| Windows key + Shift + Left arrow key | Move active window to monitor on the left. |
| Windows key + Shift + Right arrow key | Move active window to monitor on the right. |
| Windows key + Left arrow key | Snap app or window left. |
| Windows key + Right arrow key | Snap app or window right. |
| Windows key + S ( or Q) | Open Search. |
| Windows key + Alt + D | Open date and time in the taskbar. |
| Windows key + Tab | Open Task View. |
| Windows key + Ctrl + D | To Create a new virtual desktop. |
| Windows key + Ctrl + F4 | To Close the active virtual desktop. |
| Windows key + Ctrl + Right arrow | In order to Switch between virtual desktops on right. |
| Windows key + Ctrl + Left arrow | Switch to the virtual desktop on the left. |
| Windows key + P | Open Project settings. |
| Windows key + A | Open Action center. |
| Windows key + I | Open Settings app. |
| Backspace | Return to Settings app home page. |
3. File Explorer Shortcuts:
These windows 10 Shortcuts help you to complete file explorer tasks more efficiently by saving you time.
| Keyboard shortcut | Action |
| Windows key + E | Open File Explorer. |
| Alt + D | Select address bar. |
| Ctrl + E (or F) | Select search box. |
| Ctrl + N | Open new window. |
| Ctrl + W | Close active window. |
| Ctrl + F (or F3) | Start search. |
| Ctrl + mouse scroll wheel | Change view file and folder. |
| Ctrl + Shift + E | Expands all folders from the tree in the navigation pane. |
| Ctrl + Shift + N | Create new folder on desktop or File Explorer. |
| Ctrl + L | Focus on the address bar. |
| Ctrl + Shift + Number (1-8) | Changes the view of folder. |
| Alt + P | Display preview panel. |
| Alt + Enter | Open Properties settings for the selected item. |
| Alt + Right arrow key | View next folder. |
| Alt + Left arrow key (or Backspace) | View previous folder. |
| Alt + Up arrow | Move up a level in the folder path. |
| F11 | Switch active window full screen mode. |
| F5 | Refresh the instance of File Explorer. |
| F2 | Rename selected item. |
| F4 | Switch focus to address bar. |
| F5 | Refresh File Explorer’s current view. |
| F6 | Cycle through elements on the screen. |
| Home | Scroll to top of the window. |
| End | Scroll to bottom of the window. |
4. Command Prompt Shortcut:
If you are a top-notch programmer and spend most of your time on command prompt, these windows 10 shortcuts will help you work more efficiently.
| Keyboard shortcut | Action |
| Ctrl + A | Select all content of the current line. |
| Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert) | Copy selected items to clipboard. |
| Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert) | Paste content from clipboard. |
| Ctrl + M | Starts mark mode. |
| Ctrl + Up arrow key | Move screen up one line. |
| Ctrl + Down arrow key | Move screen down one line. |
| Ctrl + F | Open search for Command Prompt. |
| Left or right arrow keys | Move cursor left or right in the current line. |
| Up or down arrow keys | Cycle through command history of the current session. |
| Page up | Move cursor one page up. |
| Page down | Move cursor one page down. |
| Ctrl + Home | Scroll to top of the console. |
| Ctrl + End | Scroll to the bottom of the console. |
5. Windows key shortcuts:
As the name suggests, these windows 10 shortcuts are to be used by pressing the Windows key in combination with other keys.
| Keyboard shortcut | Action |
| Windows key | Open Start menu. |
| Windows key + A | Open Action center. |
| Windows key + S ( or Q) | Open Search. |
| Windows key + D | To Hide and Display the desktop. |
| Windows key + L | Lock device. |
| Windows key + M | Minimize all windows. |
| Windows key + B | Set focus notification area in the taskbar. |
| Windows key + O | Lock device orientation. |
| Windows key + T | Cycle through apps in the taskbar. |
| Windows key + Z | Switch input between the desktop experience and Windows Mixed Reality. |
| Windows key + G | Open Game bar. |
| Windows key + H | Open dictation feature. |
| Windows key + E | Open File Explorer. |
| Windows key + I | Open Settings. |
| Windows key + R | Open Run command. |
| Windows key + K | Open Connect settings. |
| Windows key + X | Open Quick Link menu. |
| Windows key + V | Open Clipboard bin. |
| Windows key + W | Opens the Windows Workspace. |
| Windows key + U | To Open the Ease of Access settings. |
| Windows key + Ctrl + Enter | Open Narrator. |
| Windows key + Plus (+) | Zoom in using the magnifier. |
| Windows key + Minus (-) | Zoom out using the magnifier. |
| Windows key + Esc | Exit magnifier. |
| Windows key + forward-slash (/) | Start IME reconversion. |
| Windows key + Comma (,) | In order to peek at the desktop temporarily. |
| Windows key + Up arrow key | Maximize app windows to size of screen. |
| Windows key + Down arrow key | Minimize app windows to smaller size. |
| Windows key + Home | Minimize or miximize all but the active desktop window. |
| Windows key + Shift + M | Restore windows which are minimized on the desktop. |
| Windows key + Shift + Up arrow key | Stretch desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen. |
| Windows key + Shift + Down arrow key | Maximize or minimize active windows vertically while maintaining width. |
| Windows key + Shift + Left arrow key | Move active window to monitor on the left. |
| Windows key + Shift + Right arrow key | Move active window to monitor on the right. |
| Windows key + Left arrow key | Snap app or window left. |
| Windows key + Right arrow key | Snap app or window right. |
| Windows key + Number (0-9) | Open app in number position in the taskbar. |
| Windows key + Shift + Number (0-9) | Open another instance of the app in number position in the taskbar. |
| Windows key + Ctrl + Number (0-9) | Switch to last active window of the app in number position in the taskbar. |
| Windows key + Alt + Number (0-9) | Open Jump List of the app in number position in the taskbar. |
| Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + Number (0-9) | Open another instance as an administrator of the app in number position in the taskbar. |
| Windows key + + Ctrl + Spacebar | Change previous selected input option. |
| Windows key + Tab | Open Task View. |
| Windows key + Ctrl + D | In order to create a virtual desktop. |
| Windows key + Ctrl + F4 | In order to close active virtual desktop. |
| Windows key + Ctrl + Right arrow | To Switch between the virtual desktops on the right. |
| Windows key + Ctrl + Left arrow | Switch to the virtual desktop on the left. |
| Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + B | Wake up the device when black or a blank screen. |
| Windows key + PrtScn | Capture full screenshot in the “Screenshots” folder. |
| Windows key + Shift + S | Create part of the screen screenshot. |
| Windows key + Shift + V | Go through All the notifications.. |
| Windows key + Ctrl + F | Open search for device on a domain network. |
| Windows key + Ctrl + Q | Open Quick Assist. |
| Windows key + Alt + D | Open date and time in the taskbar. |
| Windows key + period (.) or semicolon (;) | Open emoji panel. |
| Windows key + Pause | Show System Properties dialog box. |
So, these are all the possible windows 10 shortcuts used. Moreover, most of these also work on other versions of windows and even on Linux systems. Let us know in the comment section which of these shortcuts, you didn’t know.
Moreover, don’t forget to check out our blog for more CS-related blogs.
