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.
Alt+
back
Alt+
forward

Close Window

Alt+F4
Close window.
Alt+Space c
Close window.
Esc
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+Esc
Next window (no dialog). Skip minimized windows.
Alt+Shift+Esc
Previous window (no dialog). Skip minimized windows.
Ctrl+Alt+Tab
Show all windows.
❖ Windows+Tab
Show all windows.

Hide/Show window

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

Change Windows Size

Open Folder

❖ Windows+e
open file explorer

Launch App

Ctrl+Shift+Esc
launch task manager. 〔see Windows: Task Manager
Ctrl+Esc
Start menu. same as pressing ❖ Windows
❖ Windows
Start menu. Press the Win key then start typing the app's name, will usually let you launch the app quickly.
❖ Windows+r
Run program by name.

Taskbar, Launch App, Switch App

❖ Windows+1
Launch or switch taskbar app 1. ❖ Windows+2 app 2, etc.
❖ Windows+Shift+1
Start a new instance of taskbar app 1.
❖ Windows+Alt+1
List options for taskbar app 1.
❖ Windows+t
Cycle thru apps on task bar.
❖ Windows+Shift+t
Cycle backward thru apps on task bar.

Zoom screen

❖ Windows+=
screen zoom-in
❖ Windows+-
screen zoom-out
❖ Windows+Esc
Exit screen zoom

Drop Down Terminal

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

Switch language, keyboard layout

❖ Windows+Space
Switch language or keyboard layout.

Log Out, Sleep, Shutdown, Restart

❖ Windows+L
Lock screen.
❖ Windows+x u i
Sign out
❖ Windows+x u s
Sleep
❖ Windows+x u u
Shutdown
❖ Windows+x u r
Restart

Settings, Preference

❖ Windows+i
Open settings.
❖ Windows+x n
Settings
❖ Windows+u
Open display settings.
❖ Windows+Pause
Open System Properties.
❖ Windows+x f
Apps and features
❖ Windows+x o
Power options

system admin shortcuts

❖ Windows+x v
Event viewer
❖ Windows+x y
System
❖ Windows+x m
Device manager
❖ Windows+x w
Network connections
❖ Windows+x k
Disk management
❖ Windows+x g
Computer management
❖ Windows+x i
Windows PowerShell
❖ Windows+x a
Windows PowerShell (Admin)

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.
❖ Windows+v
Paste from clipboard history. Must turn on clipboard history in [settings, system, clickboard].
❖ Windows+.
Open emoji panel.
❖ Windows+a
Open action center (notifications).
❖ Windows+h
Start dictation.
❖ Windows+s
Open search.
❖ Windows+g
Open game bar.
❖ Windows+k
Open the Connect quick action.
❖ Windows+x
Opens Quick Link menu.
Windows 10 quick link menu 2021-02-20
❖ Windows+x t
Task manager
❖ Windows+x e
File explorer
❖ Windows+x s
Search
❖ Windows+x r
Run
❖ Windows+x d
Desktop
❖ Windows+b
Select the first icon in the Notification Area.
❖ Windows+p
Choose a presentation display mode (set screen to clone on 2nd monitor, etc.).
❖ Windows+f
Open feedback.
❖ Windows+Alt+Enter
Start Windows Media Center interface.
❖ Windows+F1
Open Windows Help.
❖ Windows+Ctrl+f
Open Search for Computers. Requires Active Directory Domain Services.

Keyboard Shortcut to Launch as Admin in Windows Start Menu

Keyboard Shortcuts

Windows Keyboard Shortcuts