This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Vigneshwaran Vijayakumar
General Shortcuts
| Shortcut Key | Description |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + A | Select all items |
| Ctrl + C | Copy selected items |
| Ctrl + X | Cut selected items |
| Ctrl + V | Paste copied items |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo an action |
| Ctrl + Y | Redo an action |
| Ctrl + Shift + N | Create a new folder |
| Ctrl + Shift + Esc | Open Task Manager |
| Alt + Tab | Switch between open apps |
| Alt + F4 | Close the active window |
Windows Key Shortcuts
| Shortcut Key | Description |
|---|---|
| Win + D | Display and hide the desktop |
| Win + L | Lock your PC |
| Win + M | Minimize all windows |
| Win + Shift + M | Restore minimized windows on the desktop |
| Win + E | Open File Explorer |
| Win + R | Open the Run dialog box |
| Win + I | Open Settings |
| Win + S | Open Search |
| Win + X | Open the Quick Link menu |
| Win + P | Project a screen |
| Win + A | Open Action Center |
| Win + K | Open the Connect quick action |
| Win + H | Open the Share charm |
| Win + Ctrl + D | Add a virtual desktop |
| Win + Ctrl + Left Arrow | Switch to the virtual desktop on the left |
| Win + Ctrl + Right Arrow | Switch to the virtual desktop on the right |
| Win + Ctrl + F4 | Close the active virtual desktop |
| Win + G | Open Game Bar |
| Win + Alt + R | Start/stop recording using Game Bar |
| Win + PrtScn | Capture a screenshot and save it to the Pictures folder |
| Win + Shift + S | Capture part of the screen with Snipping Tool |
File Explorer Shortcuts
| Shortcut Key | Description |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + N | Open a new window |
| Ctrl + W | Close the current window |
| Ctrl + Shift + E | Display all folders above the selected folder |
| Alt + D | Select the address bar |
| Alt + P | Show/hide the preview pane in File Explorer |
Taskbar Shortcuts
| Shortcut Key | Description |
|---|---|
| Win + T | Cycle through apps on the taskbar |
| Win + B | Focus on the first item in the notification area |
| Win + Number (1-9) | Open the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number |
| Shift + Click a taskbar button | Open an app or quickly open another instance of an app |
| Ctrl + Shift + Click a taskbar button | Open an app as an administrator |
Settings and Utilities
| Shortcut Key | Description |
|---|---|
| Win + Pause/Break | Display the System Properties dialog box |
| Win + U | Open Ease of Access Center |
| Win + Ctrl + Enter | Turn Narrator on or off |
| Win + Plus (+) | Open Magnifier and zoom in |
| Win + Minus (-) | Zoom out in Magnifier |
Windows Management
| Shortcut Key | Description |
|---|---|
| Win + Up Arrow | Maximize the window |
| Win + Down Arrow | Remove current app from screen or minimize the desktop window |
| Win + Left Arrow | Maximize the app or desktop window to the left side of the screen |
| Win + Right Arrow | Maximize the app or desktop window to the right side of the screen |
| Win + Home | Minimize all but the active desktop window |
| Win + Z | Open Snap Layouts |
| Win + Arrow Keys | Snap windows in various layouts |
| Win + Spacebar | Switch input language and keyboard layout |
| Win + , (Comma) | Peek at the desktop |
| Win + . (Period) or Win + ; (Semicolon) | Open Emoji panel |
| Win + Shift + . (Period) | Move the selected window to the right monitor |
| Win + Shift + , (Comma) | Move the selected window to the left monitor |
| Win + Shift + Left Arrow or Right Arrow | Move an app or window in the desktop from one monitor to another |
| Win + Shift + Up Arrow | Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen |
| Win + Shift + Down Arrow | Restore/minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width |
| Win + Ctrl + C | Turn color filters on or off (enable in Color Filter settings) |
Clipboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut Key | Description |
|---|---|
| Win + V | Open Clipboard history (must be enabled) |
| Ctrl + C twice | Open Clipboard history |
Game Bar Shortcuts
| Shortcut Key | Description |
|---|---|
| Win + G | Open Game Bar |
| Win + Alt + G | Record the last 30 seconds |
| Win + Alt + R | Start/stop recording |
| Win + Alt + Print Screen | Take a screenshot of your game |
| Win + Alt + B | Turn HDR on or off |
Narrator Shortcuts
| Shortcut Key | Description |
|---|---|
| Win + Ctrl + Enter | Turn Narrator on or off |
| Win + Ctrl + N | Open Narrator settings |
Miscellaneous Shortcuts
| Shortcut Key | Description |
|---|---|
| Win + , (comma) | Peek at the desktop |
| Win + Pause | Display the System Properties dialog box |
| Win + PrtScn | Capture a screenshot and save it to the Screenshots folder |
| Win + T | Cycle through apps on the taskbar |
| Win + B | Focus on the first icon in the notification area |
| Shift + Click on a taskbar button | Open an app or quickly open another instance of an app |
| Ctrl + Shift + Click on a taskbar button | Open an app as an administrator |
| Shift + Right-click on a taskbar button | Show the window menu for the app |
| Shift + Right-click on a grouped taskbar button | Show the window menu for the group |
| Win + Alt + D | Show or hide the date and time on the desktop |
| Win + Alt + P | Show or hide the preview pane in File Explorer |
| Win + / | Begin IME reconversion |
| Win + Ctrl + Shift + B | Wake up your PC from a black or blank screen |
| Win + G | Open Game Bar |
| Win + Tab | Open Task View |
| Win + Esc | Exit Magnifier |
| Win + Ctrl + Left Arrow | Switch to the virtual desktop on the left |
| Win + Ctrl + Right Arrow | Switch to the virtual desktop on the right |
| Win + Ctrl + F4 | Close the current virtual desktop |
| Win + C | Open Copilot in listening mode |
| Win + U | Open Ease of Access Center |
| Win + Ctrl + Shift + B | Wake up your PC from a black or blank screen |
Browsers (Chrome, Edge, Safari, & Firefox)
| Shortcut Key | Description |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + Shift + T | Reopen the last closed tab |
| Ctrl + Tab | Switch to the next tab |
| Ctrl + Shift + Tab | Switch to the previous tab |
| Ctrl + 1 to 8 | Switch to the specified tab |
| Ctrl + 9 | Switch to the last tab |
| Ctrl + T | Open a new tab |
| Ctrl + N | Open a new window |
| Ctrl + Shift + N | Open a new window in Incognito mode |
| Ctrl + Shift + W | Close the current window |
| Ctrl + W | Close the current tab |
| Ctrl + L | Focus the address bar |
| Ctrl + D | Bookmark the current page |
| Ctrl + Shift + Delete | Open the Clear browsing data options |
| Ctrl + J | Open the Downloads page |
| Ctrl + H | Open the History page |
| Ctrl + Shift + B | Show or hide the bookmarks bar |
| Ctrl + U | View the source code of the current page |
| Ctrl + F | Open the Find bar |
| F5 | Refresh the current page |
| Ctrl + R | Refresh the current page |
| Ctrl + Shift + R | Hard refresh the current page |
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Vigneshwaran Vijayakumar