Windows 10 Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet
A comprehensive guide to Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts covering system operations, file management, and more.
Copy, Paste, and General
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Cut selected item. | Ctrl + X |
| Copy selected item. | Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert) |
| Paste selected item. | Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert) |
| Undo an action. | Ctrl + Z |
| Switch between open apps. | Alt + Tab |
| Close the active item, or exit the active app. | Alt + F4 |
| Lock your PC. | Windows Logo Key + L |
| Display and hide the desktop. | Windows Logo Key + D |
| Rename the selected item. | F2 |
| Search for a file or folder in File Explorer. | F3 |
| Display the address bar list in File Explorer. | F4 |
| Refresh the active window. | F5 |
| Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop. | F6 |
| Activate the menu bar in the active app. | F10 |
| Show your password on the sign-in screen. | Alt + F8 |
| Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened. | Alt + Esc |
| Perform the command for that letter. | Alt + underlined letter |
| Display properties for the selected item. | Alt + Enter |
| Open the shortcut menu for the active window. | Alt + Spacebar |
| Go back. | Alt + Left arrow |
| Go forward. | Alt + Right arrow |
| Move up one screen. | Alt + Page Up |
| Move down one screen. | Alt + Page Down |
| Close the active document. | Ctrl + F4 |
| Select all items in a document or window. | Ctrl + A |
| Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin. | Ctrl + D (or Delete) |
| Refresh the active window. | Ctrl + R (or F5) |
| Redo an action. | Ctrl + Y |
| Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word. | Ctrl + Right arrow |
| Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word. | Ctrl + Left arrow |
| Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph. | Ctrl + Down arrow |
| Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph. | Ctrl + Up arrow |
| Use the arrow keys to switch between all open apps. | Ctrl + Alt + Tab |
| When a group or tile has focus on the Start menu, move it in the direction specified. | Alt + Shift + arrow keys |
| When a tile has focus on the Start menu, move it into another tile to create a folder. | Ctrl + Shift + arrow keys |
| Resize the Start menu when it’s open. | Ctrl + arrow keys |
| Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop. | Ctrl + arrow key (to move to an item) + Spacebar |
| Select a block of text. | Ctrl + Shift (with an arrow key) |
| Open the Start menu. | Ctrl + Esc |
| Open Task Manager. | Ctrl + Shift + Esc |
| Switch the keyboard layout when multiple keyboard layouts are available. | Ctrl + Shift |
| Turn the Chinese input method editor (IME) on or off. | Ctrl + Spacebar |
| Display the shortcut menu for the selected item. | Shift + F10 |
| Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document. | Any arrow key with Shift |
| Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first. | Shift + Delete |
| Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu. | Right arrow |
| Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu. | Left arrow |
| Stop or leave the current task. | Esc |
| Capture a screenshot of your entire screen and copy it to the clipboard. | PrtScn |
Taskbar
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open an app or quickly open another instance of an app. | Shift + click a taskbar button |
| Open an app as an administrator. | Ctrl + Shift + click a taskbar button |
| Show the window menu for the app. | Shift + right-click a taskbar button |
| Show the window menu for the group. | Shift + right-click a grouped taskbar button |
| Cycle through the windows of the group. | Ctrl + click a grouped taskbar button |
Settings
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open Settings. | Windows Logo Key + I |
| Go back to the Settings home page. | Backspace |
| Search settings. | Type on any page with a search box |
Windows Logo Key
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open or close Start. | Windows Logo Key |
| Open Action Center. | Windows Logo Key + A |
| Set focus in the notification area. | Windows Logo Key + B |
| Open Cortana in listening mode. | Windows Logo Key + C |
| Open the Charms menu. | Windows Logo Key + Shift + C |
| Display and hide the desktop. | Windows Logo Key + D |
| Display and hide the date and time on the desktop. | Windows Logo Key + Alt + D |
| Open File Explorer. | Windows Logo Key + E |
| Open Feedback Hub and take a screenshot. | Windows Logo Key + F |
| Open Game bar. | Windows Logo Key + G |
| Start dictation. | Windows Logo Key + H |
| Open Settings. | Windows Logo Key + I |
| Set focus to a Windows tip when one is available. | Windows Logo Key + J |
| Open the Connect quick action. | Windows Logo Key + K |
| Lock your PC or switch accounts. | Windows Logo Key + L |
| Minimize all windows. | Windows Logo Key + M |
| Lock device orientation. | Windows Logo Key + O |
| Choose a presentation display mode. | Windows Logo Key + P |
| Open Quick Assist. | Windows Logo Key + Ctrl + Q |
| Open Run dialog box. | Windows Logo Key + R |
| Open search. | Windows Logo Key + S |
| Take a screenshot of part of your screen. | Windows Logo Key + Shift + S |
| Cycle through apps on the taskbar. | Windows Logo Key + T |
| Open Ease of Access Center. | Windows Logo Key + U |
| Open the clipboard bin. | Windows Logo Key + V |
| Cycle through notifications. | Windows Logo Key + Shift + V |
| Open Quick Link menu. | Windows Logo Key + X |
| Switch input between Windows Mixed Reality and your desktop. | Windows Logo Key + Y |
| Show the commands available in an app in full-screen mode. | Windows Logo Key + Z |
| Open emoji panel. | Windows Logo Key + period (.) or semicolon (;) |
| Temporarily peek at the desktop. | Windows Logo Key + comma (,) |
| Display the System Properties dialog box. | Windows Logo Key + Pause |
| Search for PCs (if you’re on a network). | Windows Logo Key + Ctrl + F |
| Restore minimized windows on the desktop. | Windows Logo Key + Shift + M |
| Open the desktop and start the app pinned to the taskbar. | Windows Logo Key + number |
| Open the desktop and start a new instance of the app pinned to the taskbar. | Windows Logo Key + Shift + number |
| Open the desktop and switch to the last active window of the app pinned to the taskbar. | Windows Logo Key + Ctrl + number |
| Open the desktop and open the Jump List for the app pinned to the taskbar. | Windows Logo Key + Alt + number |
| Open the desktop and open a new instance of the app located at the given position on the taskbar as an administrator. | Windows Logo Key + Ctrl + Shift + number |
| Open Task view. | Windows Logo Key + Tab |
| Maximize the window. | Windows Logo Key + Up arrow |
| Remove current app from screen or minimize the desktop window. | Windows Logo Key + Down arrow |
| Maximize the app or desktop window to the left side of the screen. | Windows Logo Key + Left arrow |
| Maximize the app or desktop window to the right side of the screen. | Windows Logo Key + Right arrow |
| Minimize all but the active desktop window. | Windows Logo Key + Home |
| Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen. | Windows Logo Key + Shift + Up arrow |
| Restore/minimize active desktop windows vertically, maintaining width. | Windows Logo Key + Shift + Down arrow |
| Move an app or window in the desktop from one monitor to another. | Windows Logo Key + Shift + Left arrow or Right arrow |
| Switch input language and keyboard layout. | Windows Logo Key + Spacebar |
| Change to a previously selected input. | Windows Logo Key + Ctrl + Spacebar |
| Turn on Narrator. | Windows Logo Key + Ctrl + Enter |
| Open Magnifier. | Windows Logo Key + Plus (+) |
| Begin IME reconversion. | Windows Logo Key + slash (/) |
| Open the shoulder tap experience. | Windows Logo Key + Ctrl + V |
| Wake up from a blank or black screen. | Windows Logo Key + Ctrl + Shift + B |
Command Prompt
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Copy selected text. | Ctrl + C (or Ctrl + Insert) |
| Paste selected text. | Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert) |
| Enter mark mode. | Ctrl + M |
| Start selection in block mode. | Alt + selection key |
| Move the cursor in the direction specified. | Arrow keys |
| Move the cursor up one page. | Page Up |
| Move the cursor down one page. | Page Down |
| Move the cursor to the beginning of the buffer. | Ctrl + Home (Mark mode) |
| Move the cursor to the end of the buffer. | Ctrl + End (Mark mode) |
| Move up one line in the output history. | Ctrl + Up arrow |
| Move down one line in the output history. | Ctrl + Down arrow |
| If the command line is empty, move the viewport to the top of the buffer. Otherwise, delete all characters to the left of the cursor in the command line. | Ctrl + Home (History navigation) |
| If the command line is empty, move the viewport to the command line. | Ctrl + End (History navigation) |
Dialog Boxes
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Display the items in the active list. | F4 |
| Move forward through tabs. | Ctrl + Tab |
| Move back through tabs. | Ctrl + Shift + Tab |
| Move to the n-th tab. | Ctrl + number (number 1–9) |
| Move forward through options. | Tab |
| Move back through options. | Shift + Tab |
| Perform the command (or select the option) that goes with that letter. | Alt + underlined letter |
| Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box. | Spacebar |
| Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box. | Backspace |
| Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons. | Arrow keys |
File Explorer
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Select the address bar. | Alt + D |
| Select the search box. | Ctrl + E |
| Select the search box. | Ctrl + F |
| Open a new window. | Ctrl + N |
| Close the active window. | Ctrl + W |
| Change the size and appearance of file and folder icons. | Ctrl + Mouse scroll wheel |
| Display all folders above the selected folder. | Ctrl + Shift + E |
| Create a new folder. | Ctrl + Shift + N |
| Display all subfolders under the selected folder. | Num Lock + asterisk (*) |
| Display the contents of the selected folder. | Num Lock + plus (+) |
| Collapse the selected folder. | Num Lock + minus (-) |
| Display the preview panel. | Alt + P |
| Open the Properties dialog box for the selected item. | Alt + Enter |
| View the next folder. | Alt + Right arrow |
| View the folder that the folder was in. | Alt + Up arrow |
| View the previous folder. | Alt + Left arrow |
| View the previous folder. | Backspace |
| Display the current selection (if it’s collapsed), or select the first subfolder. | Right arrow |
| Collapse the current selection (if it’s expanded), or select the folder that the folder was in. | Left arrow |
| Display the bottom of the active window. | End |
| Display the top of the active window. | Home |
| Maximize or minimize the active window. | F11 |
Virtual Desktops
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open Task view. | Windows Logo Key + Tab |
| Add a virtual desktop. | Windows Logo Key + Ctrl + D |
| Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the right. | Windows Logo Key + Ctrl + Right arrow |
| Switch between virtual desktops you’ve created on the left. | Windows Logo Key + Ctrl + Left arrow |
| Close the virtual desktop you’re using. | Windows Logo Key + Ctrl + F4 |