Keyboard shortcuts
The section contains sets of shortcuts for Windows and Windows applications and utilities that can be used for their automating, for example, when setting key combinations for the Keyboard action.
General
| Press | To do this |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + X | Cut the selected item |
| Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert) | Copy 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 |
| Windows logo key + L | Lock your PC |
| Windows logo key + D | Display and hide the desktop |
| F2 | Rename the selected item |
| F3 | Search for a file or a 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 + F8 | Show your password on the sign-in screen |
| Alt + Esc | Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened |
| Alt + underlined letter | Perform the command for the selected 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 |
| Ctrl + F4 | Close the active document (in apps that are full-screen, and let you have multiple documents open at the same time) |
| Ctrl + A | Select all items in a document or a window |
| Ctrl + D (or Delete) | Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin |
| Ctrl + R (or F5) | Refresh the active window |
| Ctrl + Y | Redo 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 + Alt + Shift + arrow keys | When a group or a tile is in focus on the Start menu, move it in the direction specified |
| Ctrl + arrow key (to move to an item) + Spacebar | Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop |
| Ctrl + Shift with any 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 in 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 |
tip
See also Microsoft Windows keyboard shortcuts.
Windows Explorer shortcuts
| Press | To do this |
|---|---|
| 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 active 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 panel |
| 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 |
Command prompt shortcuts
| Press | To do this |
|---|---|
| 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. |
Dialog box shortcuts
| Press | To do this |
|---|---|
| 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 the nth tab |
| Tab | Move forward through options |
| Shift + Tab | Move back through options |
| Alt + underlined letter | Perform the command (or select the option) that is used with the selected letter |
| Spacebar | Select or clear the checkbox if the active option is a checkbox |
| 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 |
Excel shortcuts
| Press | To do this |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + O | Open a spreadsheet |
| Ctrl + W | Close a spreadsheet |
| Ctrl + S | Save a spreadsheet |
| Alt + H | Go to the Home tab |
| Alt + N | Go to the Insert tab |
| Alt + P | Go to the Page Layout tab |
| Alt + A | Go to the Data tab |
| Alt + W | Go to the View tab |
| Alt + M | Go to the Formula tab |
| Ctrl + C | Copy |
| Ctrl + V | Paste |
| Ctrl + Z | Undo |
| Ctrl + X | Cut |
| Alt + H, H | Choose a fill color |
| Ctrl + B | Bold |
| Alt + H, A, then C | Center align cell contents |
| Alt + H, B | Add borders |
| Alt + H, B | Delete column |
| Alt + H, D, then R | Delete row |
| Alt + H, D, then S | Delete sheet |
| Delete key | Remove cell contents |
| Ctrl + 9 | Hide the selected rows |
| Ctrl + 0 | Hide the selected columns |
| Shift + F10, or Context key | Open context menu |
| Ctrl + Shift + 8 | Select a range |
| Ctrl + G, or F5 | Go to cell |
tip
See also Microsoft Excel keyboard shortcuts.