Windows 10 shortcut keys – the simple, complete list

Ctrl+C (or Ctrl+Insert)

Copy the selected item

Ctrl+X

Cut the selected item

Ctrl+V (or Shift+Insert)

Paste the selected item

Ctrl+Z

Undo an action

Alt+Tab

Switch between open apps

Alt+F4

Close the active item, or exit the active app

Lock your PC or switch accounts

Display and hide the desktop

Open Action center

Open search

Open Cortana in listening mode

Open Task view

Add a virtual desktop

Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the right

Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the left

Close the virtual desktop you’re using

F2

Rename the selected item

F3

Search for a file or folder in File Explorer

F4

Display the address bar list in File Explorer

F5

Refresh the active window

F6

Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop

F10

Activate the Menu bar in the active app

Alt+F4

Close the active item, or exit the active app

Alt+Esc

Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened

Alt+underlined letter

Perform the command for that letter

Alt+Enter

Display properties for the selected item

Alt+Spacebar

Open the shortcut menu for the active window

Alt+Left arrow

Go back

Alt+Right arrow

Go forward

Alt+Page Up

Move up one screen

Alt+Page Down

Move down one screen

Alt+Tab

Switch between open apps

Ctrl+F4

Close the active document (in apps that are full-screen and allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)

Ctrl+A

Select all items in a document or window

Ctrl+C (or Ctrl+Insert)

Copy the selected item

Ctrl+D (or Delete)

Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin

Ctrl+R (or F5)

Refresh the active window

Ctrl+V (or Shift+Insert)

Paste the selected item

Ctrl+X

Cut the selected item

Ctrl+Y

Redo an action

Ctrl+Z

Undo an action

Ctrl+Right arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word

Ctrl+Left arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word

Ctrl+Down arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph

Ctrl+Up arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph

Ctrl+Alt+Tab

Use the arrow keys to switch between all open apps

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

Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop

Ctrl+Shift with an arrow key

Select a block of text

Ctrl+Esc

Open Start

Ctrl+Shift+Esc

Open Task Manager

Ctrl+Shift

Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are available

Ctrl+Spacebar

Turn the Chinese input method editor (IME) on or off

Shift+F10

Display the shortcut menu for the selected item

Shift with any arrow key

Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document

Shift+Delete

Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first

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

Esc

Stop or leave the current task

Open or close Start

Open Action center

Set focus in the notification area

Open Cortana in listening mode

Display and hide the desktop

Open File Explorer

Open Game bar when a game is open

Open the Share charm

Open Settings

Open the Connect quick action

Lock your PC or switch accounts

Minimize all windows

Lock device orientation

Choose a presentation display mode

Open the Run dialog box

Open Search

Cycle through apps on the taskbar

Open Ease of Access Center

Cycle through notifications

Cycle through notifications in reverse order

Open the Quick Link menu

Show the commands available in an app in full-screen mode

Temporarily peek at the desktop

Display the System Properties dialog box

Search for PCs (if you’re on a network)

Restore minimized windows on the desktop

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

Open the desktop and start a new instance of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number

Open the desktop and switch to the last active window of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number

Open the desktop and open the Jump List for the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number

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

Open Task view

Switch to the app that displayed a message in the notification area

Maximize the window

Remove current app from screen or minimize the desktop window

Maximize the app or desktop window to the left side of the screen

Maximize the app or desktop window to the right side of the screen

Minimize all but the active desktop window (restores all windows on second stroke)

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

Restore/minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width

Move an app or window in the desktop from one monitor to another

Switch input language and keyboard layout

Change to a previously selected input

Open Narrator

Initiate IME reconversion

Zoom in or out using Magnifier

Exit Magnifier

Ctrl+C (or Ctrl+Insert)

Copy the selected text

Ctrl+V (or 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+number (number 1-9)

Move to nth tab

Tab

Move forward through options

Shift+Tab

Move back through options

Alt+underlined letter

Perform the command (or select the option) that goes 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

Ctrl+E

Select the search box

Ctrl+F

Select the search box

Ctrl+N

Open a new window

Ctrl+W

Close the current window

Ctrl+mouse scroll wheel

Change the size and appearance of file and folder icons

Ctrl+Shift+E

Display all folders above the selected folder

Ctrl+Shift+N

Create a new folder

Num Lock+asterisk (*)

Display all subfolders under the selected folder

Num Lock+plus (+)

Display the contents of the selected folder

Num Lock+minus (-)

Collapse the selected folder

Alt+P

Display the preview pane

Alt+Enter

Open the Properties dialog box for the selected item

Alt+Right arrow

View the next folder

Alt+Up arrow

View the folder that the folder was in

Alt+Left arrow

View the previous folder

Backspace

View the previous folder

Right arrow

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

Left arrow

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

End

Display the bottom of the active window

Home

Display the top of the active window

F11

Maximize or minimize the active window

Open Task view

Add a virtual desktop

Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the right

Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the left

Close the virtual desktop you’re using

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

Shift+right-click a taskbar button

Show the window menu for the app

Shift+right-click a grouped taskbar button

Show the window menu for the group

Ctrl+click a grouped taskbar button

Cycle through the windows of the group

Right Shift for eight seconds

Turn Filter Keys on and off

Left Alt+left Shift+Print Screen

Turn High Contrast on or off

Left Alt+left Shift+Num Lock

Turn Mouse Keys on or off

Shift five times

Turn Sticky Keys on or off

Num Lock for five seconds

Turn Toggle Keys on or off

Open the Ease of Access Center

Zoom in or out

Ctrl+Alt+Spacebar

Preview the desktop in full-screen mode

Ctrl+Alt+D

Switch to docked mode

Ctrl+Alt+F

Switch to full-screen mode

Ctrl+Alt+I

Invert colors

Ctrl+Alt+L

Switch to lens mode

Ctrl+Alt+R

Resize the lens

Ctrl+Alt+arrow keys

Pan in the direction of the arrow keys

Exit Magnifier

Open Narrator

Spacebar or Enter

Activate current item

Tab and arrow keys

Move around on the screen

Ctrl

Stop reading

Caps Lock+D

Read item

Caps Lock+M

Start reading

Caps Lock+H

Read document

Caps Lock+V

Repeat phrase

Caps Lock+W

Read window

Caps Lock+Page Up or Page Down

Increase or decrease the volume of the voice

Caps Lock+plus (+) or minus (-)

Increase or decrease the speed of the voice

Caps Lock+Spacebar

Do default action

Caps Lock+Left or Right arrows

Move to previous/next item

Caps Lock+F2

Show commands for current item

Press Caps Lock twice in quick succession

Turn Caps Lock on or off

Caps+Esc

Exit Narrator

Tap once with two fingers

Stop Narrator from reading

Tap three times with four fingers

Show all Narrator commands (including the ones not in this list)

Double-tap

Activate primary action

Triple-tap

Activate secondary action

Touch or drag a single finger

Read what’s under your fingers

Flick left/right with one finger

Move to next or previous item

Swipe left/right/up/down with two fingers

Scroll

Swipe down with three fingers

Start reading on explorable text