If you are using a Windows computer, you can use your keyboard to enter functions into your system by pressing shortcut keys. Each operating system has different shortcut keys, but here we specifically will list some important Windows shortcut keys to improve your productivity in operating your computer.
A computer keyboard is one of the main parts of computer hardware that is primarily used to enter text into your computer. Almost all activities in front of the computer wouldn’t be quickly done without knowing the quick typing technique. But besides of quick typing technique, there are even hundreds frequently used keyboard shortcut keys which you need to recognize so that you can improve your productivity.
Your keyboard certainly contains A to Z letter buttons letters, 0 to 9 number buttons, and special characters, and keys for particular functions. Those are common keyboard keys which you would probably be knowing their functions. But there are also hundreds of shortcut keys that each of them will be able to execute a certain command. All of them are really helpful to improve your productivity. You will mostly need them especially in a Word, Excel, or PowerPoint document processing.
Commonly, the layouts of all keyboard types or brands are quite similar. But you may find out that there are a few keys differences on laptops’ keyboards. Every laptop manufacturer creates a built-in keyboard that contains its factory shortcut keys. In which they could be different from one brand to another brand.
Key Groups on a Standard Computer Keyboard
Almost all keyboards follow the standard keyboard layout and keys placement. But due to the limited width, laptops are commonly don’t have a numeric keypad which consists of number keys and other calculation functions. The following are the eight key groups that you can find on a standard computer keyboard.
- Character keys: A left side group of keys starts from A to Z, 0 to nine, and special characters.
- Modifier Keys: Shift, Ctrl, and Alt.
- Enter and Editing Keys: Enter, Backspace, Insert and Delete.
- System and GUI Keys: Esc, Windows start menu, PrtSC (Print Screen)/SysRq (System Request), and Pause/Break.
- Navigation Keys: ←, ↑, →, ↓, Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down.
- Function Keys: A group of keys from F1 to F12.
- Numeric Keypad: A left side group of keys starts from 0 to 9 and some calculation functions.
- Lock Keys: Caps Lock, Scroll Lock, and Num Lock
The each of the function keys from F1 to F12 specifically commands a certain task within a certain software program. So, what they do may depend on what you are doing on your computer at the time. In which, a shortcut may include only a single key or two combination keys. But some software applications may include up to three combination keys to perform a particular shortcut.
Windows Keyboard Shortcut Keys
| Shortcut | Function | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ctrl + A | Select All |
| 2. | Ctrl + B | Bold |
| 3. | Ctrl + C | Copy |
| 4. | Ctrl + D | Font Options and Settings |
| 5. | Ctrl + E | Center Alignment |
| 6. | Ctrl + F | Find |
| 7. | Ctrl + G | Go to |
| 8. | Ctrl + H | Replace |
| 9. | Ctrl + I | Italic |
| 10. | Ctrl + J | Justify Alignment |
| 11. | Ctrl + K | Insert Hyperlink |
| 12. | Ctrl + L | Left Alignment |
| 13. | Ctrl + M | Increase Indent |
| 14. | Ctrl + N | New |
| 15. | Ctrl + O | Open |
| 16. | Ctrl + P | |
| 17. | Ctrl + Q | Normal Size |
| 18. | Ctrl + R | Right Alignment |
| 19. | Ctrl + S | Save/Save As |
| 20. | Ctrl + T | Hanging Indent |
| 21. | Ctrl + U | Underline |
| 22. | Ctrl + V | Paste |
| 23. | Ctrl + W | Close |
| 24 | Ctrl + X | Cut |
| 25. | Ctrl + Y | Redo |
| 26. | Ctrl + Z | Undo |
| 27. | Ctrl + 1 | Single Spacing |
| 28. | Ctrl + 2 | Double Spacing |
| 29. | Ctrl + 5 | 1,5 lines |
| 30. | Ctrl + Esc | Start menu |
| 31. | F1 | Help function for Ms. Word. |
| 32. | F2 | Renaming a file |
| 33. | F3 | Auto-text command |
| 34. | F4 | Repeat the previous command. |
| 35. | F5 | Find, Replace, or Goto. |
| 36. | F6 | Float Panel/Other Panel |
| 37. | F7 | Checking for misspelling words. |
| 38. | F8 | Initial highlighting command / to select text or object. |
| 39. | F9 | Update Field (Mail Merge). |
| 40. | F10 | Menu activating |
| 41. | F11 | Enter the next field (Mail Merge). |
| 42. | F12 | Activating "Save as" dialog window. |
| 43. | Esc | Cancel a command or dialog window. |
| 44. | Enter | Perform a selection or end a paragraph. |
| 45. | Tab | Move a text according to the existing tab mark on its horizontal ruler. |
| 46. | Windows | Activating the Windows Start menu. |
| 47. | Shortcut | Activating a shortcut at the cursor position. |
| 48. | Delete | Delete 1 character at the right side of the cursor / delete selected file(s). |
| 49. | Backspace | Delete 1 character at the left side of the cursor. |
| 50. | Insert | Insert a character at the cursor position. |
| 51. | Home | Move the cursor to the beginning of the line |
| 52. | End | Move the cursor to the end of the line. |
| 53. | Page Up | Scroll the screen or page up. |
| 54. | Page Down | Scroll the screen or page down. |
| 55. | ↑ (Up) | Move the cursor 1 line up. |
| 56. | ↓ (Down) | Move the cursor 1 line down. |
| 57. | ← (Left) | Move the cursor 1 character left. |
| 58. | → (Right) | Move the cursor 1 character right. |
| 59. | Num Lock On | Activate the function of number keys and mathematical operators on the numeric keypad. |
| 60. | Num Lock On | The navigation key functions on. |
| 61. | Shift + F10 | Open the shortcuts menu just like right clicking. |
| 62. | Alt | Activating the keys which each of them has no key button combination and only available at the menu bar. |
| 63. | Shift + Delete | Permanently delete selected items without reserving them in the Recycle Bin. |
| 64. | Ctrl + → | Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word. |
| 65. | Ctrl + ← | Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word. |
| 66. | Ctrl + ↓ | Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph. |
| 67. | Ctrl + ↑ | Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph. |
| 68. | Alt + F4 | Close an active item or exit an active program. |
| 69. | Alt + Enter | Displays the properties of a selected object. |
| 70. | Alt + Spacebar | Open the shortcut menu for an active window. |
| 71. | Ctrl + F4 | Close active documents on programs that allow you to run some documents at the same time. |
| 72. | Alt + Tab | Switch between running items. |
| 73. | Alt + Esc | Cycle through running items orderly which have been opened. |
| 74. | Ctrl + Shift + Tab | Move backward through tabs. |
| 75. | Shift + Tab | Moves backward through the options. |
| 76. | Ctrl | Press Ctrl while dragging an item (Copying a selected item). |
| 77. | Ctrl + Shift | Press Ctrl + Shift while dragging an item to create a shortcut to the selected item. |
| 78. | Ctrl + Shift + An Arrow Key | Select text to be highlighted / blocked per word. |
| 79. | Shift + An Arrow Key | Select more than one items in a window or desktop, or select the text in the document per character. |
| 80. | Alt + Enter | Display the properties of a selected object. |
| 81. | Alt + a menu underlined letter | Displaying the menu option. |
| 82. | Windows + Break | Display the System Properties dialog box. |
| 83. | Windows + D | Display desktop |
| 84. | Windows + M | Display all windows |
| 85. | Windows + Shift + M | Restoring the minimized window. |
| 86. | Windows + E | Open "My Computer" |
| 87. | Windows + F | Search for a file of folder |
| 88. | Ctrl + Windows + F | Search for a computer. |
| 89. | Windows + F1 | Display Windows help. |
| 90. | Windows + L | Lock keyboard |
| 91. | Windows + R | Open the Run dialog. |
| 92. | Windows + U | Open Utility Manager |
| 93. | Right Shift (press it for 8 seconds) | Switch keys filter on or off. |
| 94. | Left Alt + Left Shift + PrtSc | Switch High Contrast on or off. |
| 95. | Left Alt + Left Shift + Num Lock | Switch Mouse Buttons on or off. |
| 96. | Press Shift 5 times | Switch sticky keys on or off. |
| 97. | Press Num Lock as long as 5 seconds | Switch Toggle keys on or off. |
| 98. | Num Lock + * | Display all sub-folders that exist under the selected folder. |
| 99. | Num Lock + + | Display the content of a selected folder. |
| 100. | Num Lock + - | Collapse the selected folder. |
| 101. | Alt + - | Display all active windows. |
| 102. | Ctrl + F10 | Maximize an active window. |
| 103. | Ctrl + F5 | Restore an active window. |
| 104. | Ctrl + Alt + End | Open the Ms. Windows Security dialog. |
| 105. | Alt + Page Up | Switch between programs from left to right. |
| 106. | Alt + Page Down | Switch between programs from right to left. |
| 107. | Alt + Insert | Cycle through the last used programs. |
| 108. | Alt + Home | Display Start Menu |
| 109. | Ctrl + Alt + Break | Enter full screen mode. |
| 110. | Alt + Delete | Display Windows menu |
| 111. | Ctrl + Alt + - | Make a snapshot of an active window on the Terminal server clipboard (this is equivalent to Print Screen on a local computer) |
| 112. | Ctrl + Alt + + | Make a snapshot of all active windows on the Terminal server clipboard (this is equivalent to Alt + Print Screen on a local computer) |
| 113. | PrtSc + Active printer | Print the snapshot of an active window. |
| 114. | Alt + PrtSc + Active printer | Print all active windows. |
| 115. | Shift + F3 (1 time) | Change the first letter to uppercase. |
| 116. | Shift + F3 (2 times) | Change all selected letters to uppercase. |
| 117. | Shift + F3 (3 times) | Change all selected letters to lowercase. |
Meanwhile, here Windows combination shortcut keys are divided into seven groups. You can use each of those groups to support your productivity in doing a certain kind of job. In which, all of the listed shortcuts below have been included in the table above.
Common Shortcuts
- Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open Windows Task Manager.
- Ctrl + Esc: Switch between Windows UI and desktop.
- Alt + Tab: Switch between open programs.
- Shift + Delete: Permanently deletes items using File Explorer (not stored in Recycle Bin).
- F10: Enables menu bar option.
- F1: Displays help (Help) for the application that is being opened.
Shortcuts for Editing
- Ctrl + A: Selects all items in the active window.
- Ctrl + B: Bold.
- Ctrl + C: Copy.
- Ctrl + I: Italic.
- Ctrl + X: Cut.
- Ctrl + V: Paste.
- Ctrl + U: Underline.
- Ctrl + Z: Undo.
Shortcuts for User Interface
- Windows + B, D, M, or T: Desktop.
- Windows + C: Charm.
- Windows + E: File Explorer.
- Windows + F: File.
- Windows + H: Share.
- Windows + I: Settings.
- Windows + K: Device.
- Windows + L: Lock Screen.
- Windows + P: Second screen setting.
- Windows + Q: Application.
- Windows + R: Opening the Run dialog on the desktop.
- Windows + U: Ease of Access Center.
- Windows + W: Search Settings.
- Windows + X: The Power User menu is displayed at the bottom-left corner.
- Windows + Z: The toolbar below the All App button.
- Windows + Enter: Run Narrator.
Shortcuts for File Explorer
- F2: Rename selected object.
- F3: Search all files.
- F5: Refresh the active window.
- F6 or Tab: Move between panels in File Explorer.
- Alt + Enter: Open the Properties for the selected object.
- Press and hold the Ctrl + Shift key when dragging a file to a desktop or a folder: Create a shortcut.
Accessibility Shortcuts
- Press-hold Num lock for 5 seconds: Set ToggleKeys on and off.
- Press shift 5 times: Set StickyKeys on and off.
- Press the left mouse button and hold down the right SHIFT key for 8 seconds: Set FilterKeys on and off.
- Left Alt + left Shift + Num Lock: Set MouseKeys on and off.
- Left Alt+ left Shift + PrtSc: Set the High Contrast on and off.
Shortcuts for Desktop
- Windows + F1: Accessing help (Help).
- Windows + M: Minimize everything.
- Windows + Tab: Switch between open applications.
- Shift + Windows + M: Undo all minimized windows.
- Ctrl+ Windows + F: Search for a computer.
Shortcuts for Dialog Box
- Space: If the current control is a button, it will click the button. If the current control is a checkbox, it will fill/empty the checkbox. If the current control is an option, it will select that option.
- Alt + the underlined letter in the dialog box: Towards or unlocking the item.
- Tab: Move to the next control at the dialog box.
- Shift + Tab: Move to the previous control at the dialog box.
- Enter: This is equivalent to clicking a button.
- Esc: This is equivalent to canceling button.
