Windows: Desktop shortcuts

Windows: Desktop shortcuts

Windows: Desktop shortcuts


The following desktop keyboard shortcuts allows you to efficiently open, close, navigate, and perform tasks across the desktop environment, including the Start menu, Taskbar, Settings, and more.

  • Alt + Esc  -  Cycle through open windows.
  • Alt + F4  -  Close active window. (If no active window is present, a shutdown box appears.)
  • Alt + F8  -  Reveals typed password in Sign-in screen.
  • Alt + Left arrow key  -  Go back.
  • Alt + Page Down  -  Move down one screen.
  • Alt + Page Up  -  Move up one screen.
  • Alt + Right arrow key  -  Go forward.
  • Alt + Spacebar  -  Open context menu for the active window.
  • Alt + Tab  -  Switch between open apps while pressing Tab multiple times.
  • Alt + Underlined letter  -  Runs command for the underlined letter in apps.
  • Ctrl + Alt + Tab  -  View open apps.
  • Ctrl + Arrow keys  -  Change Start menu size.
  • Ctrl + Arrow keys (to select) + Spacebar  -  Select multiple items on desktop or File Explorer.
  • Ctrl + Click a grouped app button  -  Cycle through windows in the group from the Taskbar.
  • Ctrl + Down arrow key  -  Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph.
  • Ctrl + F5 (or) Ctrl + R  -  Refresh current window.
  • Ctrl + Left arrow key  -  Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word.
  • Ctrl + Right arrow key  -  Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word.
  • Ctrl + Shift  -  Switch keyboard layout.
  • Ctrl + Shift + Arrow key  -  Select block of text.
  • Ctrl + Shift + Click app button  -  Run app as administrator from the Taskbar.
  • Ctrl + Shift + Esc  -  Open Task Manager.
  • Ctrl + Spacebar  -  Enable or disable Chinese IME.
  • Ctrl + Up arrow key  -  Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph
  • Shift + Arrow keys  -  Select multiple items.
  • Shift + Click app button  -  Open another instance of an app from the Taskbar.
  • Shift + F10  -  Open context menu for selected item.
  • Shift + Right-click app button  -  Show window menu for the app from the Taskbar.
  • Shift + Right-click grouped app button  -  Show window menu for the group from the Taskbar.

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