Windows Shortcut Key Quick Reference

This is a list of some of the shortcut key combinations recognized in Microsoft Windows. These are largely universal across different versions of Windows and across different Windows programs. Many of these keyboard shortcuts have been adopted by Linux window managers. Macintosh and Sun's Common Desktop Environment have some shortcuts in common, but not many.

The more of these keyboard shortcuts that you learn, the more efficient you will be at using your computer.

These shortcuts are organized with the most frequently used shortcuts at the top of each category list.

Universal Controls
note: not all keyboards have a Menu Icon key
Ctrl & V	Paste
Ctrl & C	Copy
Ctrl & X	Cut
Ctrl & Z	Undo
Ctrl & A	Highlight all
Ctrl & B	Bold
Ctrl & U	Underline
Ctrl & I	Italic
RightClick	Open the context sensitive menu for the current cursor location
Shift & F10	Open the context sensitive menu for the current cursor location
MenuIcon	Open the context sensitive menu for the current cursor location
F1	Activate the help system for the foreground program
F5	Refresh the current view
Delete	Delete an item in a program or move a file to the Recycle Bin
Shift & Delete	Delete an item permanently, without putting it in the Recycle Bin
Dialog Box and Menu Control
Space	In a dialog box, this clicks the outlined button, toggle the outlined check box, or selects the outlined option
Enter	In a dialog box, click the shadowed button
Esc	In a dialog box, the same as clicking Cancel
Alt & letter	In a dialog box or menu, selects the choice with the letter underlined
letter	In a menu, selects the choice with the letter underlined
Tab	Outline the next control in a dialog box or the next window pane in the program control order
Shift & Tab	Outline the previous control in a dialog box or the previous window pane in the program control order
Ctrl & PageDown	Switch to the tab to the right in a tabbed dialog box
Ctrl & PageUp	Switch to the tab to the left in a tabbed dialog box
Program Control
note: For all running programs, the Z-order represents the order in which they are displayed. The program at the top of the Z-order is displayed in the foreground and the program at the bottom of the Z-order is displayed furthest in the background behind all others.
Alt & Tab	Brings the second program in the Z-order to the foreground (top of the Z-order)
Alt & (Tab & Tab)	Brings the third program in the Z-order to the foreground (top of the Z-order)
Alt & (Tab & Tab & Tab)	Brings the fourth program in the Z-order to the foreground (top of the Z-order)
etc
Alt & F4	Closes the foreground program
Alt & Space	Display the foreground program system menu
Alt & Space N	Minimize the foreground program and put it at the bottom of the Z-order
Alt & Shift & Tab	Brings the program at the bottom of the Z-order to the foreground (top of the Z-order)
Alt & Shift & (Tab & Tab)	Brings the program second to the bottom of the Z-order to the foreground (top of the Z-order)
etc
Alt & Esc	Put the foreground program at the bottom of the Z-order
Alt & Shift & Esc	Bring the program at the bottom of the Z-order to the foreground (top of the Z-order)
Alt	Activate menu bar options
F10	Activate menu bar options
Document and Window Control
Alt & -	Display the Multiple Document Interface (MDI) child window's system menu
Alt & - N	Minimize the foreground MDI child window
Ctrl & Tab	Switch to the next MDI child window
Ctrl & F4	Closes the foreground MDI child window
Alt & F6	Switches between multiple windows in the same program (for example the Find dialog box and the main program window)
List and Explorer Control
arrow keys	Move the cursor within a field or the highlight within a list
Shift & arrows	Move the cursor within a field or the highlight within a list and highlight every element traversed
Ctrl & arrow	Move the cursor within a field by the next larger jump size, such as by words rather than by characters
Ctrl & Shift & arrow	Move the cursor within a field by the next larger jump size, such as by words rather than by characters, and highlight every element traversed
Alt & Enter	View properties of the currently highlighted item
Alt & DoubleClick	Display properties of a file
Shift & Click	Extend highlight from previous cursor location
Ctrl & Click	Add or remove the clicked item from the set of highlighted items
F2	Rename highlighted item
F3	Find files
DragAndDrop	Move or Copy the highlighted item
Ctrl & DragAndDrop	Copy or Move the highlighted item
Ctrl & Shift & DragAndDrop	Create a shortcut to the highlighted item
Backspace	Switch to the parent folder
NumberPad+	Expand the currently highlighted folder
RightArrow	Expand the currently highlighted folder if collapsed, otherwise go to the first child
NumberPad*	Expand full tree under the currently highlighted folder
NumberPad-	Collapse the currently highlighted folder
LeftArrow	Collapse the currently highlighted folder if expanded, otherwise go to the parent
Operating System Control
note: not all keyboards have a Windows Logo key
Ctrl & Esc	Opens the start menu
WindowsLogo	Opens the start menu
Ctrl & Esc Tab	Activate the task bar
WindowsLogo Tab	Activate the task bar
Ctrl & Esc P	Opens the list of installed programs
Ctrl & Esc S C	Opens the Control Panel
Ctrl & Esc U	Shuts down the computer
WindowsLogo & L	Log off Windows
WindowsLogo & E	Opens the Windows Explorer for browsing local and mapped network drives
WindowsLogo & E	Windows Explorer
WindowsLogo & R	Run dialog box
WindowsLogo & M	Minimize all (this may change the order of the recently used programs list)
Shift & WindowsLogo & M	Undo minimize all (this may change the order of the recently used programs list)
WindowsLogo & D	Minimize all open windows and display the desktop (this may change the order of the recently used programs list)
WindowsLogo & F	Find files or folders
Ctrl & WindowsLogo & F	Find computer
Ctrl & WindowsLogo & Tab	Move focus from Start, to the Quick Launch toolbar, to the system tray
WindowsLogo & Tab	Cycle through task bar buttons
WindowsLogo & Break	System Properties dialog box
Shift & InsertCD	Bypass the CD automatic run feature