Windows 7 comes up with interesting and useful shortcut key additions (take for instance the new windows logo key shortcuts) that are well worthy of being memorized/used. You can use this list of Windows 7 shortcut keys for reference. If you updated to newer versions you might want to check the shortcuts for Windows 8 or Windows 10.
PS: You can also launch Windows programs and components from run command with their short names
General keyboard shortcuts | Ease of Access keyboard shortcuts | ||
F1 |
Display Help |
Right Shift for eight seconds |
Turn Filter Keys on and off |
Ctrl+C (or Ctrl+Insert) |
Copy the selected item |
Left Alt+Left Shift+PrtScn (or PrtScn) |
Turn High Contrast on or off |
Ctrl+X |
Cut the selected item |
Left Alt+Left Shift+Num Lock |
Turn Mouse Keys on or off |
Ctrl+V (or Shift+Insert) |
Paste the selected item |
Shift five times |
Turn Sticky Keys on or off |
Ctrl+Z |
Undo an action |
Num Lock for five seconds |
Turn Toggle Keys on or off |
Ctrl+Y |
Redo an action |
Windows logo key +U |
Open the Ease of Access Center |
Delete (or Ctrl+D) |
Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin |
Windows logo key keyboard shortcut | |
Shift+Delete |
Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first |
Windows logo key |
Open or close the Start menu. |
F2 |
Rename the selected item |
Windows logo key +Pause |
Display the System Properties dialog box. |
Ctrl+Right Arrow |
Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word |
Windows logo key +D |
Display the desktop. |
Ctrl+Left Arrow |
Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word |
Windows logo key +M |
Minimize all windows. |
Ctrl+Down Arrow |
Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph |
Windows logo key +Shift+M |
Restore minimized windows to the desktop. |
Ctrl+Up Arrow |
Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph |
Windows logo key +E |
Open Computer. |
Ctrl+Shift with an arrow key |
Select a block of text |
Windows logo key +F |
Search for a file or folder. |
Shift with any arrow key |
Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document |
Ctrl+Windows logo key +F |
Search for computers (if you're on a network). |
Ctrl with any arrow key+Spacebar |
Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop |
Windows logo key +L |
Lock your computer or switch users. |
Ctrl+A |
Select all items in a document or window |
Windows logo key +R |
Open the Run dialog box. |
F3 |
Search for a file or folder |
Windows logo key +T |
Cycle through programs on the taskbar. |
Alt+Enter |
Display properties for the selected item |
Windows logo key +number |
Start |
Alt+F4 |
Close the active item, or exit the active program |
Shift+Windows logo key +number |
Start a new instance of the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number. |
Alt+Spacebar |
Open the shortcut menu for the active window |
Ctrl+Windows logo key +number |
Switch to the last active window of the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number. |
Ctrl+F4 |
Close the active document (in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously) |
Alt+Windows logo key +number |
Open the Jump List for the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number. |
Alt+Tab |
Switch between open items |
Windows logo key +Tab |
Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D. |
Ctrl+Alt+Tab |
Use the arrow keys to switch between open items |
Ctrl+Windows logo key +Tab |
Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D. |
Ctrl+Mouse scroll wheel |
Change the size of icons on the desktop |
Ctrl+Windows logo key +B |
Switch to the program that displayed a message in the notification area. |
Windows logo key +Tab |
Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D |
Windows logo key +Spacebar |
Preview the desktop. |
Ctrl+Windows logo key +Tab |
Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D |
Windows logo key +Up Arrow |
Maximize the window. |
Alt+Esc |
Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened |
Windows logo key +Left Arrow |
Maximize the window to the left side of the screen. |
F6 |
Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop |
Windows logo key +Right Arrow |
Maximize the window to the right side of the screen. |
F4 |
Display the address bar list in Windows Explorer |
Windows logo key +Down Arrow |
Minimize the window. |
Shift+F10 |
Display the shortcut menu for the selected item |
Windows logo key +Home |
Minimize all but the active window. |
Ctrl+Esc |
Open the Start menu |
Windows logo key +Shift+Up Arrow |
Stretch the window to the top and bottom of the screen. |
Alt+underlined letter |
Display the corresponding menu |
Windows logo key +Shift+Left Arrow or Right Arrow |
Move a window from one monitor to another. |
Alt+underlined letter |
Perform the menu command (or other underlined command) |
Windows logo key +P |
Choose a presentation display mode. |
F10 |
Activate the menu bar in the active program |
Windows logo key +G |
Cycle through gadgets. |
Right Arrow |
Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu |
Windows logo key +U |
Open Ease of Access Center. |
Left Arrow |
Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu |
Windows logo key +X |
Open Windows Mobility Center. |
F5 (or Ctrl+R) |
Refresh the active window |
Taskbar keyboard shortcuts | |
Alt+Up Arrow |
View the folder one level up in Windows Explorer |
Shift+Click on a taskbar button |
Open a program or quickly open another instance of a program |
Esc |
Cancel the current task |
Ctrl+Shift+Click on a taskbar button |
Open a program as an administrator |
Ctrl+Shift+Esc |
Open Task Manager |
Shift+Right-click on a taskbar button |
Show the window menu for the program |
Shift when you insert a CD |
Prevent the CD from automatically playing |
Shift+Right-click on a grouped taskbar button |
Show the window menu for the group |
Left Alt+Shift |
Switch the input language when multiple input languages are enabled |
Ctrl+Click on a grouped taskbar button |
Cycle through the windows of the group |
Ctrl+Shift |
Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are enabled |
||
Right or Left Ctrl+Shift |
Change the reading direction of text in right-to-left reading languages |
||
Dialog box keyboard shortcuts | |||
Ctrl+Tab |
Move forward through tabs |
||
Ctrl+Shift+Tab |
Move back through tabs |
||
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 |
||
Enter |
Replaces clicking the mouse for many selected commands |
||
Spacebar |
Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box |
||
Arrow keys |
Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons |
||
F1 |
Display Help |
||
F4 |
Display the items in the active list |
||
Backspace |
Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box |