The Complete List Of Windows 10 Keyboard Shortcuts

Windows 10 was typically designed keeping touchscreens in mind. But Microsoft still provides keyboard shortcuts for traditional PC users.

They help you in quick navigation and operation with a single press of the keys that may take several clicks to accomplish the task.

You might not be memorizing all the keyboard shortcuts but for your convenience, I am jotting down each probable Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts.

Windows 10 Keyboard Shortcuts

Table of Contents

There are plenty of built-in keyboard shortcuts along with some fresh shortcuts for Command Prompt for the convenience of the physical keyboard users.

Here I present a comprehensive list of the most useful Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts segregated in various categories.

Let us now focus on the frequent use of the keyboard shortcuts helping you work with more efficacy.

1) Basics Yet The Most Essentials

The following keyboard shortcuts are the basic ones yet I may refer to them as the most essential ones to help you accomplish your work in a much swift manner.

Ctrl + A: Select all.
Ctrl + C or Ctrl + Insert: Copy highlighted or selected items like images, texts to clipboard.

Ctrl + X: Cut selected items.
Ctrl + V or Shift + Insert: Paste selected items.
Ctrl + Z: Undo the previous action.

Ctrl + Y: Redo the action.
Ctrl D: Delete the selected items.
Ctrl + N: Open a new folder on Desktop or File Explorer.

Alt + F4: Close the currently active window or app.
Shift + Delete: Delete the selected items permanently by skipping the Recycle Bin.
Alt + Tab: Switch between the open apps.

F2 Rename selected item.
ESC Close current task.
Alt + Tab Switch between open apps.

Print Screen: Takes screenshot that gets stored in the clipboard.
Windows key + Print Screen: Capture full screenshot and saves the same in the Screenshots folder.
Windows key + I: Open Settings.

Windows key + E: Open File Explorer.
Windows key + A: Open Manage Notification Center.
Windows key + D: Display and hide your desktop.

Windows key + L: Lock the device.
Windows key + V: Open Clipboard bin.
Windows key + Period (.) or semicolon (;): Open emoji section.

Windows key + Shift + S: Capture partial screen with Snip & Sketch.
Windows key + Left arrow key: Window left or Snap App.
Windows key + Right arrow key: Window right or Snap App.

Windows key + F1: Open Bing search for How to get help in Windows 10 in the default browser.

2) Command Prompt Shortcuts

When you use the Command prompt, the following windows 10 shortcuts are going to make your work easier and more efficient. Check this out!

Ctrl + A: Select all the content.

Ctrl + C / Ctrl + Insert: Copy selected items to clipboard
Ctrl + V (or Shift + Insert): Paste the content.
Ctrl + M: Gets into Mark Mode.

Ctrl + Up Arrow key: Move screen one line up.
Ctrl + Down Arrow key: Move screen one line down.
Ctrl + F: Open Search.

Up or Down Arrow keys: Takes you through command history.
Page up: Move cursor one page up.
Page down: Move the cursor one page down.

Ctrl + Home: Scroll to the beginning of the page.
Ctrl + End: Scroll to the end of the page.
Left / Right Arrow keys: Move cursor left / right.

3) Desktop Shortcuts

The Windows 10 desktop shortcut can be used for opening, closing, navigating, and accomplishing specific tasks quickly.

Use your keyboard to perform the tasks with just one or two keys rather than more clicks.

Explore the shortcuts with a taskbar, Start menu, Settings, etc.

Windows key / Ctrl + Esc: Display Start Menu.
Ctrl + Arrow keys: Change the size of the Start menu.
Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open Task Manager.

Ctrl + Shift: Switch Keyboard layout.
Alt + F4: Close the current window or Open the Shutdown Box.
Ctrl + F5 / Ctrl + R: Refresh Window.

Ctrl + Alt + Tab: Check Open apps.
Ctrl + Arrow keys (for selecting) + Spacebar: Select Multiple items.
Ctrl + Left arrow key: Take to the beginning of the previous word.

Ctrl + Right arrow key: Take to the beginning of the next word.
Ctrl + Up Arrow key: Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph.
Ctrl + Down arrow key: Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph.

Ctrl + Shift + Arrow key: Select a text block.
Ctrl + Spacebar: Enable or Disable Chinese IME.
Ctrl + Mouse scroll button: Zoom in or Zoom out.

Shift + F10: Open the context menu for the selected item.
F10: Open app menu bar.
Alt + Underlined letter: Run command for the underlined letter in apps.

Alt + Tab: Switch between open apps.
Alt + Left arrow key: Move back.
Alt + Right arrow key: Move forward.

Alt + Page Up: Move one screen up.
Alt + Page down: Move one screen down.
Alt + Esc: Check Open windows.

Alt + Spacebar: Display Context menu for the current window.
Shift + Arrow keys: Select multiple items.
Windows key + X: Open Quick Link menu.

Windows key + Number (0-9): Open app in number position from the taskbar.
Windows key + T: Take you through the apps in the taskbar.
Windows key + Alt + Number (0-9): Open Jump List of the app in number position from the taskbar.

Windows key + D: Hide and Display the desktop.
Windows key + M: Minimize Windows.
Windows key + Right arrow key: Window right.

Windows Key +Q / S: Open Search.
Windows key + Alt + D: Date and time in the taskbar.
Windows key + Tab: Open Task View.

Windows key + Ctrl + D: Create new virtual desktop.
Windows key + Ctrl + F4: Close active virtual desktop.
Windows key + Ctrl + Right arrow key: Switch to the right virtual desktop.

Windows key + Ctrl + Left arrow key: Switch to the left virtual desktop.
Windows key + P: Open Project Settings.
Windows key + A: Open Manage Notifications Center.

Windows key + I: Open Settings app.
Backspace: Return to Settings app home page.

4) File Explorer Shortcuts

Now here are the File Explorer shortcuts that are going to help you complete your job mush quickly.

Check these useful shortcuts for File Explorer:

Windows key + E: Open File Explorer.
Alt + D: Select address bar.

Ctrl + E /F: Select search box.
Ctrl + N: Open new window.
Ctrl + W: Close active window.

Ctrl + F /F3: Start Search.
Ctrl + Mouse scroll wheel: Change view of the file and folder.
Ctrl + Shift + E: Expands all folders in the navigation pane.

Ctrl + Shift + N: Create new folder.
Ctrl + L: Focus on the address bar.
Ctrl + Shift + Number -1-8: Changes Folder view.

F2: Rename selected item.
F4: Switch focus to address bar.
F5: Refresh File Explorer’s current view.

F6: Cycle through elements on the screen.
F11: Switch active window full-screen mode.
Alt + P: Display Preview Panel.

Alt + Enter: Open Properties Settings for the selected item.
Alt + Right arrow key: View next folder.
Alt + Left arrow key / Backspace: View previous folder.

Alt + Up Arrow key: Move up in the folder path.
Home Button: Scroll to the top of the page.
End Button: Scroll to the bottom of the window.

5) Windows Key Shortcuts

Use the following windows 10 shortcut keys to make your job easier, equipped, and swift.

With these, you can do your useful tasks like launching Settings, File Explorer, Run command, or open Magnifier or Narrator.

Windows key: Open the Start menu.

Windows key + A: Open Action Center.
Windows key + S/ Q: Open Search.
Windows key + D: Hide and Display desktop.

Windows key + L: Lock computer.
Windows key + M: Minimize windows.
Windows key + B: Focus notification area in the taskbar.

Windows key + C: Open Cortana.
Windows key + F: Open Feedback Hub Center.
Windows key + G: Launch Game bar.

Windows key + O: Lock the device orientation.
Windows key + T: Check through the apps in the taskbar.
Windows key + H: Open the dictation feature through the microphone.

Windows key + E: Open File Explorer.
Windows key + I: Open Settings.
Windows key + R: Open Run command.

Windows key + K: Open Connect settings.
Windows key + X: Open Quick Link menu.
Windows key + V: Open Clipboard bin.

Windows key + W: Open the Windows Ink Workspace.
Windows key + U: Open Ease of Access settings.
Windows key + P: Open Project settings.

Windows key + Ctrl + Enter: Open Narrator.
Windows key + Plus Sign: Zoom in.
Windows key + Minus Sign: Zoom out.

Windows key + Esc: Exit magnifier.
Windows key + Forward-slash (/): Start IME reconversion.
Windows key + Comma (,): Temporarily peek at the desktop.

Windows key + Up Arrow key: Maximize app windows.
Windows key + Down arrow key: Minimize app windows.
Windows key + Home: Minimize or maximize all but the currently active desktop window.

Windows key + Shift + M: Restore minimized windows on the desktop.
Windows key + Shift + Up Arrow key: Stretch the desktop window to the top and bottom of the screen.
Windows key + Shift + Down Arrow key: Maximize or minimize active windows vertically while maintaining width.

Windows key + Shift + Left Arrow key: Move the active window on the left.
Windows key + Shift + Right Arrow key: Move the active window on the right.
Windows key + Tab: Open Task View.
Windows key + Ctrl + D: Create a virtual desktop.
Windows key + Ctrl + F4: Close the active virtual desktop.
Windows key + Ctrl + Right arrow key: Switch to the virtual desktop on the right.
Windows key + Ctrl + Left arrow key: Switch to the virtual desktop on the left.
Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + B: Wake up the device when black or a blank screen.
Windows key + Print Screen: Capture full screenshot and saves it in the Screenshots folder.
Windows key + Shift + S: Create part of the screen screenshot.
Windows key + Left arrow key: Window left.
Windows key + Right arrow key: Window right.
Windows key + Number (0-9): Open app in number position in the taskbar.
Windows key + Shift + Number (0-9): Open another instance of the app in the number position in the taskbar.
Windows key + Ctrl + Number (0-9): Switch to the last active window of the app in the number position in the taskbar.
Windows key + Alt + Number (0-9): Open Jump List of the app in number position in the taskbar.
Windows key + Ctrl + Shift + Number (0-9): Open another instance as an administrator of the app in the number position in the taskbar.
Windows key + Ctrl + Spacebar: Change the previously selected input option.
Windows key + Spacebar: Change input language and keyboard layout.
Windows key + Shift + V: Help you check notifications.
Windows key + Ctrl + F: Open search for the device on a domain network.
Windows key + Ctrl + Q: Open Quick Assist.
Windows key + Alt + D: Open date and time in the taskbar.
Windows key + Period (.) or semicolon (;): Open the emoji panel.
Windows key + Pause: Open System Properties.