Hello There,

I would like to share some common but very useful shortcut keys that we can use in our daily computing practices. Some of them are very well-known & common in use but rest are less-known and very useful shortcut keys that can save our time while computing.

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 the program pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the

number. If the program is already running, switch to that program.

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

Hope you found it useful/helpful. Suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks for the Visit 🙂