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.

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.
Ctrl+Alt+Tab
Show all windows.
Alt+Shift+Tab
Previous window.
Alt+Escape
Next window (no dialog). Skip minimized windows.
Alt+Shift+Escape
Previous window (no dialog). Skip minimized 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

F11
Full Screen.
❖ Window+
Maximize window.
❖ Window+
Restore window size.
❖ Window+Shift+
Maximize window vertically.
❖ Window+Shift+
Restore vertical size or hide window.
❖ Window+
Align window to the left side, max it vertically.
❖ Window+
Align window to the right side, max it vertically.
❖ Window+Shift+
Move window to the previous monitor.
❖ Window+Shift+
Move window to the next monitor.

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

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