Keyboard shortcuts, we all use plenty of them, but here is a list of the most popular ones:
Whether we’re using our computers in work or at home, we want to complete tasks as quickly and efficiently as possible. Here we have compiled a list of some of the most popular keyboard shortcuts available to you while you’re working on your PC. Once you’ve used them a couple of times they’ll become second nature. Never again will you be frantically searching through menus to perform these everyday actions. Enjoy!
F1 – Help
CTRL + ESC – Open Start menu
ALT + TAB – Switch between open programs
ALT + F4 – Quit program
SHIFT + DELETE – Delete item permanently
Windows Logo + L – Lock the computer (without using CTRL+ALT+DELETE)
CTRL + C – Copy
CTRL + X – Cut
CTRL + V – Paste
CTRL + Z – Underline
CTRL + B – Bold
CTRL + U – Underline
CTRL + I – Italic
CTRL + Z – Undo the last command
CTRL + Y – Redo the last undo command (not all apps)
CTRL + A – Select all the items in the current window
SHIFT + right click – Displays a shortcut menu containing alternative commands
SHIFT + double click – Runs the alternate default command (the second item on the menu)
ALT + double click – Displays properties
SHIFT + DELETE – Deletes an item immediately without placing it in the Recycle Bin
F1 – Starts Windows Help
F10 – Activates menu bar options
SHIFT + F10 – Opens a shortcut menu for the selected item (this is the same as right-clicking an object)
CTRL + ESC – Opens the Start menu (use the ARROW keys to select an item)
CTRL + SHIFT + ESC – Opens Windows Task Manager
ALT + TAB – Switch to another running program (hold down the ALT key and then press the TAB key to view the task-switching window)
ALT + SPACE – Displays the main window’s System menu (from the System menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the window)
CTRL + TAB – Switch to the next child window of a Multiple Document Interface (MDI) program
ALT + underlined letter in menu – Opens the menu
ALT + F4 – Closes the current window
CTRL + F4 – Closes the current tab
ALT + F6 – Switch between multiple windows in the same program (for example, when the Notepad Find dialog box is displayed, ALT+F6 switches between the Find dialog box and the main Notepad window)
F2 – Rename object
F3 – Find all files
SHIFT + DELETE – Delete selection immediately, without moving the item to the Recycle Bin
ALT + ENTER – Open the properties for the selected object
Press and hold down the CTRL key while you drag the file to another folder.
Press and hold down CTRL + SHIFT while you drag a file to the desktop or a folder.
F4 – Selects the Go To A Different Folder box and moves down the entries in the box (if the toolbar is active in Windows Explorer)
F5 – Refreshes the current window.
F6 – Moves among panes in Windows Explorer
BACKSPACE – Switch to the parent folder
SHIFT + click + Close button – For folders, close the current folder plus all parent folders
RIGHT ARROW – Expands the current selection if it is not expanded, otherwise goes to the first child
LEFT ARROW – Collapses the current selection if it is expanded, otherwise goes to the parent
Press SHIFT five times – Toggles StickyKeys on and off
Press down and hold the right SHIFT key for eight seconds – Toggles FilterKeys on and off
Press down and hold the NUM LOCK key for five seconds – Toggles ToggleKeys on and off
Left ALT + left SHIFT + NUM LOCK – Toggles MouseKeys on and off
Left ALT + left SHIFT + PRINT SCREEN – Toggles high contrast on and off
Windows Logo – Start menu (Start screen on Windows 8 / 8.1)
Windows Logo + R – Run dialog box
Windows Logo + M – Minimize all
SHIFT + Windows Logo + M – Undo minimize all
Windows Logo + E – Windows Explorer
Windows Logo + F – Find files or folders
Windows Logo + D – Minimizes all open windows and displays the desktop
Windows Logo + TAB – Cycle through taskbar buttons (or Windows Store Apps on Windows 8 / 8.1)
Windows Logo + Break – System Properties dialog box
Application key – Displays a shortcut menu for the selected item
TAB – Move to the next control in the dialog box
SHIFT + TAB – Move to the previous control in the dialog box
SPACEBAR – If the current control is a button, this clicks the button. If the current control is a check box, this toggles the check box. If the current control is an option, this selects the option.
ENTER – Equivalent to clicking the selected button (the button with the outline)
ESC – Equivalent to clicking the Cancel button
ALT + underlined letter in dialog box item – Move to the corresponding item