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Cover image for The Best Windows Keyboard Shortcuts
Saeid Javadi
Saeid Javadi

Posted on • Edited on

The Best Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

#windows #keyboard #shortcuts #top

Best Windows Shortcuts on Your Keyboard

Copy selected content (Ctrl + C can also abort commands):

Ctrl + C
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Paste copied content:

Ctrl + V
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Paste unformatted content:

Ctrl + Shift + V
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Delete and copy selected content (good for moving text, files, etc.):

Ctrl + X
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Select all available content in focus:

Ctrl + A
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Undo the previous action:

Ctrl + Z
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Redo the previous action:

Ctrl + Y
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Save what you're working on:

Ctrl + S
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Open a new file:

Ctrl + O
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Open the print dialog box:

Ctrl + P
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Open the search tool to find something on the page:

Ctrl + F
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Refresh the contents on the screen (only F5 works in some cases):

Ctrl + R
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Close the active program:

Alt + F4
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Enter full-screen mode:

F11
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Stop or close a prompt or process:

Esc
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Keyboard Shortcuts for Navigating Windows

Lock your user account:

Win + L
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Open File Explorer:

Win + E
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Open Windows Settings:

Win + i
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Move focus to the navigation bar to edit or copy the folder path:

Alt + D
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Go to the folder the current folder is stored in:

Alt + Up
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Show your password on the sign-in screen:

Alt + F8
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Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Alt + Del works, too):

Ctrl + Shift + Esc
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Open the Run dialog box to run commands:

Win + R
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Quickly switch to the desktop:

Win + D
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Open the selected item's Properties window:

Alt + [Enter or double-click]
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Add a Virtual Desktop:

Win + Ctrl + D
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Switch to the virtual desktop on the left or right:

Win + Ctrl + [Left or Right]
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Show All Open Desktops:

WIN + Tab
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Close Current Virtual Desktop:

WIN + Ctrl + F4
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Select noncontiguous items (like files or folders):

Ctrl + Click
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A possible fix for when your screen is black:

Win + Ctrl + Shift + B
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Select every item between the first and last select items:

Shift + Click
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Permanently delete a file or folder (it skips the Recycle Bin):

Shift + Del
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Switch to the last used window:

Alt + Tab
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Snap the active window to one side of the screen:

Win + [Arrow]
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Rename the selected file or folder:

F2
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Open the Power User Menu:

Win + X
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Open a new instance of that app:

Shift + Click Taskbar Icon
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Launch that item from the taskbar:

Win + [number]
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Make a new folder:

Ctrl + Shift + N
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Open the Windows About page:

Win + Pause
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Keyboard Shortcuts for Screenshots

Screenshot just the active window:

Alt + PrtScn
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Auto-save full-screen screenshot to Pictures > Screenshots:

Win + PrtScn
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Choose a part of the screen to make a screenshot:

Win + Shift + S
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Record video from the screen

Win + G
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Keyboard Shortcuts for Text Manipulation

Bold the selected text:

Ctrl + B
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Italicize the selected text:

Ctrl + i
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Underline the selected text:

Ctrl + U
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Insert a hyperlink into the selected text:

Ctrl + K
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Open the Find and Replace tool (confirmed in MS Word and Google Docs):

Ctrl + H
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Pick an arrow key with this shortcut to quickly highlight a whole word or paragraph:

Shift + Ctrl + [Arrow]
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Highlight everything from the cursor to the beginning or end of the line:

Shift + [Home or End]
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Delete the word to the right of the cursor:

Ctrl + Del
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Keyboard Shortcuts for Web Browsers

Open a new tab:

Ctrl + T
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Reopen the most recently closed tab:

Ctrl + Shift + T
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Close the active tab:

Ctrl + W
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Open the link in a new tab:

Ctrl + [Link]
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

View your web browsing history:

Ctrl + H
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

View recent or active downloads:

Ctrl + J
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Start a search using the default search engine:

Ctrl + E
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Jump to the tab in that position from the left (e.g., Ctrl + 4):

Ctrl + [number]
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Open the options to delete browsing data:

Ctrl + Shift + Del
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Go back or forward a page:

Alt + [Left or Right]
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Adjust the size of the text (scroll up with the mouse to increase the size):

Ctrl + [Zoom]
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Add .com to the end of the text in the address bar, and then visit the page:

Ctrl + Enter
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Refresh the page, but skip the cache:

Ctrl + F5
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Open LinkedIn (or Teams, Word Online):

Ctrl + Shift + Alt + Win + L
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Windows Shortcuts in Run Command

  • The quickest way to access the Run command window is to use the keyboard shortcut Windows + R
Command Description
sysdm.cpl Windows Propertes
compmgmt.msc Component Managment
winver Windows Version
appwiz.cpl Programs And Fuatchers
resmon The Resource Monitor window will open, displaying real-time performance data
taskmgr Task Manager
explorer Windows Explorer
ncpa.cpl Network Connection
Firewall.cpl Firewall
wf.msc Windows Firewall Advanced
intl.cpl Time And Date Options
timedate.cpl Time And Date Settings
mstsc Remote Desktop
osk Keybord Virtual
charmap Character Map
devmgmt.msc Device Managment
desk.cpl Desktop Resuliation
dfrgui program for configuring the scheduled task for disk defragmentation
diskmgmt.msc Disk Managare
fsmgmt.msc Show Folders Share
inetcpl.cpl Internet Explorer options
logoff Log Off
magnify Show Magnifier
mmsys.cpl Sound settings
msconfig System settings
msinfo32 Show system all info
systeminfo Show system info
netplwiz System Users info
perfmon.msc Start Windows Reliability and Performance Monitor in a specific standalone mode
powercfg.cpl Power options
services.msc Services
shrpubw Shared Folder Wizard
write WordPad
control Control Panel
Control Printers Device And Printers
dxdiag Show System Information Hardware
tracert Trace Route
printui /s /t2 Print Server Properties
printui /s Show Printer Drivers
PrintManagement.msc Printers Management , show all printers with drivers
shell:appsfolder Show App Folder
shutdown /r /t 5 Restart the system after 5 seconds
shutdown /s /t 5 System shutdown after 5 seconds
shutdown /r /fw Bios Login from windows

Create God Mode Folder

create a new folder on your desktop with this exact name (copy and paste it): GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

  • The folder icon will change to a Control Panel-style icon, and you will be able to jump in and change all kinds of settings

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