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