Shortcut Keys
Here is a small list of shortcut key combinations that work with Windows 11, but some may also work in earlier versions. Some of these combinations use the Windows key located on the keyboard and like this:
Windows key + A — Open the Quick Settings panel. This allows settings for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, airplane mode, adjust the brightness of your screen and computer volume.
Windows key + C — Open Chat with Microsoft Teams.
Windows key + D — Show or hide the desktop.
Windows key + E — Open File Explorer.
Windows key + F — Open the Feedback Hub and immediately take a screenshot.
Windows key + G — Open the Xbox Game Bar.
Windows key + H — Launch voice typing.
Windows key + I — Open the Settings app.
Windows key + K — Open the Cast panel. This lets you connect to wireless displays that support Miracast.
Windows key + Alt + K - Mute your microphone in apps that support Call Mute.
Windows key + L — Lock your PC. This keeps all your apps open, but requires you to unlock your PC before using them again.
Windows key + M — Minimize all your windows.
Windows key + Shift + M — Restore your minimized windows.
Windows key + N — Show the notification center and calendar. This is a new keyboard shortcut in Windows 11.
Windows key + O — Lock device orientation. For tablets and convertibles, this prevents the display from rotating when you rotate your PC.
Windows key + P — Change the display mode for multiple monitors.
Windows key + Q — Open Quick Assist. This allows you to receive or provide help to anothers by connecting remotely.
Windows key + R — Open the Run dialog.
Windows key + S — Open Windows Search.
Windows key + Shift + S — Take a screenshot using the Snipping Tool.
Windows key + U — Open the Accessibility Settings page.
Windows key + Ctrl + C — Turn color filters on or off.
Windows key + V — Open your clipboard history.
Windows key + W — Open the Widgets panel. This new Windows 11.
Windows key + X — Open the Quick Link menu (equivalent to right-clicking the Start icon on your taskbar).
Windows key + Z — Open the snap layouts panel. This feature, added in Windows 11, makes it easier to put multiple apps side by side on your screen.
Windows + . (period) or ; (semi-colon) — Open the emoji panel.
Windows + , (comma) — Peek at the desktop. Your desktop is only visible as long as you hold one of the keys after pressing them, then your windows are restored.
Windows key + + (plus) — Turn on the Magnifier and zoom into the screen.
Windows key + - (minus) — Zoom out with the Magnifier.
Windows key + Esc — Close the Magnifier.
Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + B — Wake up your PC from a blank or black screen.
Windows key + PrtScn(Print Screen, may be represented differently on different keyboards).
Ctrl + Esc — Open the Start menu.
Ctrl + Shift + Esc — Open the Task Manager.
Windows key + Tab — Open Task View.
Alt + Tab — Switch to your last active window.
Ctrl + Alt + Tab — View all your open apps so you can choose one with the keyboard arrow.
Alt + F4 — Close the active window or app.
Windows key + Up arrow — Maximize the active window so it takes up the entire desktop.
Windows key + Alt + Up arrow — Snap the active window to the top half of your monitor. This is a new shortcut in Windows 11.
Windows key + Down arrow — Set the active window to a smaller size if it's maximized.
Windows key + Alt + Down arrow — Snap the active window to the bottom half of the screen.
Windows key + Home — Minimize all windows except the active window. Press again to restore the minimized windows.
Windows key + Ctrl + D — Create a new virtual desktop.
Windows key + Ctrl + F4 — Close the current virtual desktop.
WIndows File Explorer Shortcuts
Alt + D — Set focus to the address bar.
Ctrl + E or Ctrl + F or F3 — Set focus to the search bar.
Ctrl + N — Open a new window.
Ctrl + T - Open a new tab (requires Windows 11 version 22H2). This feature also works on most web browsers.
Ctrl + W — Close the active tab (in Windows 11 version 22H2) or window.
Ctrl + mouse scroll wheel — Change the size of folder and file icons.
Ctrl + Shift + N — Create a new folder.
Ctrl + Shift + E — Displays all the folders in the parent directory.
Num lock + * (asterisk) or + (plus) — Display all the subfolders in the current selected folder on the siderbar.
Num lock + - (minus) — Collapse an expanded folder.
Alt + Enter — View properties of the selected file or folder.
Alt + P — Show the preview panel.
Alt + Left arrow or Backspace — Go back one page (also works in some apps like web browsers).
Home — Go to the top of the current page.
End — Go to the bottom of the current page.
Keyboard shortcuts for dialog boxes
F4 or Spacebar— Display items in an active list.
Arrow keys — Select a button in a group of buttons or option in a list.
Spacebar — Select or deselect an active item if it's a checkbox.
Ctrl + Tab — Switch through different tabs.
Tab — Move through options on the current page.
Keyboard shortcuts for the taskbar
Windows key + T — Cycle through apps on the taskbar.
Windows key + (number) — Start the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.
Windows key + Shift + (number) — Start a new instance of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.
Windows key + Ctrl + (number) — Switch to the last active window of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.
Shift + left mouse click — Open a new instance of the selected app.
Ctrl + Shift + left mouse click — Open the selected app as an administrator.
Shift + right mouse click — Open the window menu for the selected app.
Windows key + A — Open the Quick Settings panel. This allows settings for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, airplane mode, adjust the brightness of your screen and computer volume.
Windows key + C — Open Chat with Microsoft Teams.
Windows key + D — Show or hide the desktop.
Windows key + E — Open File Explorer.
Windows key + F — Open the Feedback Hub and immediately take a screenshot.
Windows key + G — Open the Xbox Game Bar.
Windows key + H — Launch voice typing.
Windows key + I — Open the Settings app.
Windows key + K — Open the Cast panel. This lets you connect to wireless displays that support Miracast.
Windows key + Alt + K - Mute your microphone in apps that support Call Mute.
Windows key + L — Lock your PC. This keeps all your apps open, but requires you to unlock your PC before using them again.
Windows key + M — Minimize all your windows.
Windows key + Shift + M — Restore your minimized windows.
Windows key + N — Show the notification center and calendar. This is a new keyboard shortcut in Windows 11.
Windows key + O — Lock device orientation. For tablets and convertibles, this prevents the display from rotating when you rotate your PC.
Windows key + P — Change the display mode for multiple monitors.
Windows key + Q — Open Quick Assist. This allows you to receive or provide help to anothers by connecting remotely.
Windows key + R — Open the Run dialog.
Windows key + S — Open Windows Search.
Windows key + Shift + S — Take a screenshot using the Snipping Tool.
Windows key + U — Open the Accessibility Settings page.
Windows key + Ctrl + C — Turn color filters on or off.
Windows key + V — Open your clipboard history.
Windows key + W — Open the Widgets panel. This new Windows 11.
Windows key + X — Open the Quick Link menu (equivalent to right-clicking the Start icon on your taskbar).
Windows key + Z — Open the snap layouts panel. This feature, added in Windows 11, makes it easier to put multiple apps side by side on your screen.
Windows + . (period) or ; (semi-colon) — Open the emoji panel.
Windows + , (comma) — Peek at the desktop. Your desktop is only visible as long as you hold one of the keys after pressing them, then your windows are restored.
Windows key + + (plus) — Turn on the Magnifier and zoom into the screen.
Windows key + - (minus) — Zoom out with the Magnifier.
Windows key + Esc — Close the Magnifier.
Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + B — Wake up your PC from a blank or black screen.
Windows key + PrtScn(Print Screen, may be represented differently on different keyboards).
Ctrl + Esc — Open the Start menu.
Ctrl + Shift + Esc — Open the Task Manager.
Windows key + Tab — Open Task View.
Alt + Tab — Switch to your last active window.
Ctrl + Alt + Tab — View all your open apps so you can choose one with the keyboard arrow.
Alt + F4 — Close the active window or app.
Windows key + Up arrow — Maximize the active window so it takes up the entire desktop.
Windows key + Alt + Up arrow — Snap the active window to the top half of your monitor. This is a new shortcut in Windows 11.
Windows key + Down arrow — Set the active window to a smaller size if it's maximized.
Windows key + Alt + Down arrow — Snap the active window to the bottom half of the screen.
Windows key + Home — Minimize all windows except the active window. Press again to restore the minimized windows.
Windows key + Ctrl + D — Create a new virtual desktop.
Windows key + Ctrl + F4 — Close the current virtual desktop.WIndows File Explorer Shortcuts
Alt + D — Set focus to the address bar.
Ctrl + E or Ctrl + F or F3 — Set focus to the search bar.
Ctrl + N — Open a new window.
Ctrl + T - Open a new tab (requires Windows 11 version 22H2). This feature also works on most web browsers.
Ctrl + W — Close the active tab (in Windows 11 version 22H2) or window.
Ctrl + mouse scroll wheel — Change the size of folder and file icons.
Ctrl + Shift + N — Create a new folder.
Ctrl + Shift + E — Displays all the folders in the parent directory.
Num lock + * (asterisk) or + (plus) — Display all the subfolders in the current selected folder on the siderbar.
Num lock + - (minus) — Collapse an expanded folder.
Alt + Enter — View properties of the selected file or folder.
Alt + P — Show the preview panel.
Alt + Left arrow or Backspace — Go back one page (also works in some apps like web browsers).
Home — Go to the top of the current page.
End — Go to the bottom of the current page.Keyboard shortcuts for dialog boxes
F4 or Spacebar— Display items in an active list.
Arrow keys — Select a button in a group of buttons or option in a list.
Spacebar — Select or deselect an active item if it's a checkbox.
Ctrl + Tab — Switch through different tabs.
Tab — Move through options on the current page.Keyboard shortcuts for the taskbar
Windows key + T — Cycle through apps on the taskbar.
Windows key + (number) — Start the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.
Windows key + Shift + (number) — Start a new instance of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.
Windows key + Ctrl + (number) — Switch to the last active window of the app pinned to the taskbar in the position indicated by the number.
Shift + left mouse click — Open a new instance of the selected app.
Ctrl + Shift + left mouse click — Open the selected app as an administrator.
Shift + right mouse click — Open the window menu for the selected app.
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