Windows: Keyboard Shortcuts

By Xah Lee. Date: . Last updated: .

Here's list of Microsoft Windows keyboard shortcuts.

Browser Tabs

Ctrl+w Close tab.
Ctrl+Tab Next tab.
Ctrl+Shift+Tab Previous tab.
Ctrl+PageDown Next tab.
Ctrl+PageUp Previous tab.
Ctrl+t New tab.
Ctrl+Shift+t Open last closed tab.
Ctrl+ back
Ctrl+ forward

Close Window

Alt+F4 Close window.
Alt+Space c Close window.
Escape Close dialog.
Ctrl+F4 Close tab or window. Only in some apps.

Switch Window

Alt+Tab Switch to last window.
Alt+Shift+Tab Previous window.
Alt+Escape Next window (no dialog). Skip minimized windows.
Alt+Shift+Escape Previous window (no dialog). Skip minimized windows.
Ctrl+Alt+Tab Show all windows.
❖ Window+Tab Show all windows.

Hide/Show window

Alt+Space n Minimize window.
❖ Window+d Show desktop by minimize all windows.
❖ Window+m Minimize all windows. ❖ Window+Shift+m restores, if pressed right away.
❖ Window+Home Hide other windows. Press again to show.

Change Windows Size

Open Folder, Launch App

Ctrl+Shift+Escape launch task manager. 〔see Windows: Task Manager
Ctrl+Escape Start menu. same as pressing ❖ Window
❖ Window Start menu. Press the Win key then start typing the app's name, will usually let you launch the app quickly.
❖ Window+r Run program by name.
❖ Window+e open file explorer
❖ Window+1 Launch or switch taskbar app 1. ❖ Window+2 app 2, etc.
❖ Window+Shift+1 Start a new instance of taskbar app 1.
❖ Window+Alt+1 List options for taskbar app 1.
❖ Window+t Cycle thru apps on task bar.

Zoom screen

❖ Window+= screen zoom-in
❖ Window+- screen zoom-out
❖ Window+Escape Exit screen zoom

Drop Down Terminal

❖ Windows+`toggles drop down terminal. (need to have Windows Terminal started once.)

Misc

Alt Activate menu. After pressing Alt, use arrow keys to navigate, or press keys of the underlined letters.
Alt+Space popup menu to move/resize/min/max/close window.
F5 Refresh, in browsers and Explorer and most other apps that makes sense.
❖ Window+v Paste from clipboard history. Must turn on clipboard history in [settings, system, clickboard].
❖ Window+. Open emoji panel.
❖ Window+L Lock screen.
❖ Window+a Open action center (notifications).
❖ Window+h Start dictation.
❖ Window+s Open search.
❖ Window+g Open game bar.
❖ Window+k Open the Connect quick action.
❖ Window+Space Switch language or keyboard layout.
❖ Window+Pause Open System Properties.
❖ Window+i Open settings.
❖ Window+u Open display settings.
❖ Window+x Opens Quick Link menu.
Windows 10 quick link menu 2021-02-20
❖ Window+x f Apps and features
❖ Window+x o Power options
❖ Window+x v Event viewer
❖ Window+x y System
❖ Window+x m Device manager
❖ Window+x w Network connections
❖ Window+x k Disk management
❖ Window+x g Computer management
❖ Window+x i Windows PowerShell
❖ Window+x a Windows PowerShell (Admin)
❖ Window+x t Task manager
❖ Window+x n Settings
❖ Window+x e File explorer
❖ Window+x s Search
❖ Window+x r Run
❖ Window+x u i Sign out
❖ Window+x u s Sleep
❖ Window+x u u Shutdown
❖ Window+x u r Restart
❖ Window+x d Desktop
❖ Window+b Select the first icon in the Notification Area.
❖ Window+p Choose a presentation display mode (set screen to clone on 2nd monitor, etc.).
❖ Window+f Open feedback.
❖ Window+Alt+Enter Start Windows Media Center interface.
❖ Window+F1 Open Windows Help.
❖ Window+Ctrl+f Open Search for Computers. Requires Active Directory Domain Services.

in Windows 10 start menu, is there a key to launch the admin version of app?

Windows 10 Start menu PowerShell 2021-02-20
Windows 10 Start menu PowerShell 2021-02-20

In the Win10 menu, press Ctrl+❖ Window+Shift+Return to launch as administrator. Ctrl+❖ Window+Shift+1 to launch the first application of the menu bar as administrator (2 for the second etc.)

2021-02-19 thanks to Amine Chadly for help on key to launch admin.

Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard Shortcuts