Comprehensive Guide to Windows Keyboard Shortcuts

Mastering Windows Keyboard Shortcuts: Enhance Your Productivity

Keyboard shortcuts are essential tools that can significantly boost your productivity and streamline your workflow in Windows. Whether you’re using Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11, mastering these shortcuts can help you navigate your system more efficiently, manage windows with ease, and perform tasks swiftly without relying on a mouse.

General Windows Shortcuts

Function	Shortcut
Open Windows Start Menu	Windows Key
Lock Windows	Windows + L
Open Task Manager	Ctrl + Shift + Esc
Open File Explorer	Windows + E
Refresh Windows	F5 or Windows + R
Undo Last Action	Ctrl + Z
Redo Last Action	Ctrl + Y
Copy Selected Item	Ctrl + C
Paste Copied Item	Ctrl + V
Cut Selected Item	Ctrl + X

Windows 7 Shortcuts

Function	Shortcut
Minimize All Windows	Windows + D
Open Windows Clipboard	Windows + V
Open Sleep Mode	Windows + X
Adjust Brightness	Fn + Brightness Keys
Take a Screenshot	PrtScn
Open Help Window	F1
Open Windows Defender	Windows + R, then type “defender”
Open Windows Command Prompt	Windows + R, then type “cmd”
Restart Windows	Ctrl + Alt + Delete, then select Restart
Shutdown Windows	Windows + X, then select Shutdown

Windows 8 and 8.1 Shortcuts

Function	Shortcut
Open Windows Game Bar	Windows + G
Take a Screenshot	Windows + PrtScn
Open Windows Shutdown	Windows + I, then select Shutdown
Open Windows About	Windows + Pause/Break
Lock Windows	Windows + L
Open Windows Mobility Center	Windows + X
Open Windows Event Viewer	Windows + X, then select Event Viewer
Open Windows Remote Desktop	Windows + R, then type “mstsc”
Adjust Volume	Windows + Up/Down Arrow
Open Windows Color Picker	Windows + Shift + C

Windows 10 Shortcuts

Function	Shortcut
Open Snipping Tool	Windows + Shift + S
Minimize Current Window	Windows + Down Arrow
Maximize Window to Fullscreen	Windows + Up Arrow
Open Settings	Windows + I
Open Desktop	Windows + D
Switch Between Open Windows	Alt + Tab
Open Action Center	Windows + A
Open Virtual Desktop	Windows + Ctrl + D
Switch Between Virtual Desktops	Windows + Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow
Open Task View	Windows + Tab

Windows 11 Shortcuts

Function	Shortcut
Open New Incognito Window in Browser	Ctrl + Shift + N
Shutdown Windows	Windows + X, then select Shutdown
Enable/Disable Airplane Mode	Windows + A
Open Windows Settings	Windows + I
Open Windows Screen Recording	Windows + Alt + R
Restart Windows	Ctrl + Alt + Delete, then select Restart
Adjust Brightness	Windows + A, then adjust brightness slider
Lock Windows	Windows + L
Open Windows Terminal	Windows + X, then select Terminal
Take a Screenshot	Windows + PrtScn

Windows XP Shortcuts

Function	Shortcut
Open Windows Explorer	Windows + E
Open Run Dialog	Windows + R
Open My Computer	Windows + E
Open Control Panel	Windows + R, then type “control”
Minimize All Windows	Windows + D
Lock Windows	Windows + L
Open Task Manager	Ctrl + Shift + Esc
Take a Screenshot	PrtScn
Open Help Window	F1
Restart Windows	Ctrl + Alt + Delete, then select Restart

Windows Shortcut Keys for Specific Functions

Window Management

Function	Shortcut
Expand Window	Windows + Up Arrow
Minimize Window	Windows + Down Arrow
Move Window Between Monitors	Windows + Shift + Left/Right Arrow
Maximize Window	Windows + Up Arrow
Restore Window	Windows + Down Arrow
Close Active Window	Alt + F4
Open New Window in Chrome	Ctrl + N
Switch to Next Window	Alt + Tab
Switch to Previous Window	Alt + Shift + Tab

System Controls

Function	Shortcut
Shutdown Windows 10	Windows + X, then select Shutdown
Shutdown Windows 11	Windows + X, then select Shutdown
Restart Windows 7	Ctrl + Alt + Delete, then select Restart
Sleep Mode in Windows 7	Windows + X, then select Sleep
Hibernate Windows	Windows + X, then select Hibernate
Open Windows BIOS	F2 or Del during startup
Open Windows Bluetooth Settings	Windows + I, then navigate to Bluetooth
Open Windows Control Panel	Windows + R, then type “control”

Multimedia and Graphics

Function	Shortcut
Open Windows Game Center	Windows + G
Reset Windows Graphics	Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B
Enable Grayscale Mode	Windows + Ctrl + C
Enable HDR Mode	Windows + A, then toggle HDR
Open Windows Color Picker	Windows + Shift + C

Application Specific Shortcuts

Function	Shortcut
Open New Window in Excel	Ctrl + N
Maximize Window in Excel	Alt + F10
Open New Window in SAP	Ctrl + N
Open New Finder Window	Ctrl + N
Open New Window in Safari	Command + N
Open New Window in Chromebook	Ctrl + N
Undo in Windows Applications	Ctrl + Z
Redo in Windows Applications	Ctrl + Y

Specialized Windows Shortcuts

Function	Shortcut
Open Windows Calculator	Windows + R, then type “calc”
Open Windows Notepad	Windows + R, then type “notepad”
Open Windows Mail	Windows + Shift + M
Open Windows Narrator	Windows + Ctrl + Enter
Open Windows Remote Assistance	Windows + R, then type “msra”
Open Windows Registry Editor	Windows + R, then type “regedit”
Open Windows Credential Manager	Windows + R, then type “credwiz”
Open Windows Color Picker	Windows + Shift + C
Open Windows Voice Typing	Windows + H
Open Windows Volume Mixer	Windows + Ctrl + F7

Additional Windows Shortcuts

Function	Shortcut
Open Windows VPN	Windows + I, then navigate to VPN settings
Open Windows Project Options	Windows + P
Open Windows Performance Monitor	Windows + R, then type “perfmon”
Open Windows PowerShell	Windows + X, then select Windows PowerShell
Open Windows Quick Assist	Windows + R, then type “quickassist”
Open Windows Remote Desktop	Windows + R, then type “mstsc”
Open Windows Restore	Windows + R, then type “rstrui”
Open Windows Update	Windows + I, then navigate to Update & Security
Open Windows Bluetooth Settings	Windows + I, then navigate to Bluetooth
Open Windows Dictation	Windows + H

Windows Shortcuts for Developers

Function	Shortcut
Open Visual Studio Code	Windows + R, then type “code”
Open Windows Terminal	Windows + X, then select Terminal
Open Windows Command Prompt	Windows + R, then type “cmd”
Run a Command	Windows + R
Open Windows Explorer	Windows + E
Open Task Manager	Ctrl + Shift + Esc
Open Windows PowerShell	Windows + X, then select Windows PowerShell
Open Windows Remote Desktop	Windows + R, then type “mstsc”
Open Windows Registry Editor	Windows + R, then type “regedit”
Open Windows Event Viewer	Windows + X, then select Event Viewer

Windows Shortcuts for Multimedia

Function	Shortcut
Open Windows Game Bar	Windows + G
Start/Stop Screen Recording	Windows + Alt + R
Take a Screenshot	Windows + PrtScn
Open Windows Media Player	Windows + R, then type “wmplayer”
Adjust Volume	Windows + Up/Down Arrow
Mute/Unmute Volume	Windows + M
Open Windows Voice Recorder	Windows + R, then type “soundrecorder”
Open Windows Photos App	Windows + Shift + E
Open Windows Movie Maker	Windows + R, then type “movie maker”
Open Windows DVD Player	Windows + R, then type “dvdplayer”

Windows Shortcuts for Accessibility

Function	Shortcut
Open Windows Narrator	Windows + Ctrl + Enter
Toggle High Contrast Mode	Left Alt + Left Shift + Print Screen
Open Magnifier	Windows + Plus (+)
Zoom Out with Magnifier	Windows + Minus (-)
Close Magnifier	Windows + Esc
Turn on Filter Keys	Left Shift (hold for 8 seconds)
Turn on Sticky Keys	Press Shift five times
Turn on Toggle Keys	Press Num Lock for 5 seconds
Open Windows Ease of Access Center	Windows + U
Toggle High Contrast	Left Alt + Left Shift + Print Screen

Windows Shortcuts for Productivity

Function	Shortcut
Open Windows Clipboard	Windows + V
Open Windows Calendar	Windows + C
Open Windows Mail	Windows + Shift + M
Open Windows Color Picker	Windows + Shift + C
Open Windows Credential Manager	Windows + R, then type “credwiz”
Open Windows Download Folder	Windows + E, then navigate to Downloads
Open Windows Password Manager	Windows + R, then type “passwords”
Open Windows Notes	Windows + N
Open Windows New Folder	Ctrl + Shift + N
Open Windows Night Light	Windows + A, then toggle Night Light

Windows Shortcuts for Browser Management

Function	Shortcut
Open New Window in Browser	Ctrl + N
Open New Incognito Window	Ctrl + Shift + N
Open New Tab	Ctrl + T
Close Current Tab	Ctrl + W
Reopen Last Closed Tab	Ctrl + Shift + T
Switch to Next Tab	Ctrl + Tab
Switch to Previous Tab	Ctrl + Shift + Tab
Open Developer Tools	F12
Refresh Page	F5 or Ctrl + R
Force Refresh (Bypass Cache)	Ctrl + F5

Windows Shortcuts for Multitasking

Function	Shortcut
Snap Window to Left Half	Windows + Left Arrow
Snap Window to Right Half	Windows + Right Arrow
Snap Window to Top Half	Windows + Up Arrow
Snap Window to Bottom Half	Windows + Down Arrow
Move Window to Previous Monitor	Windows + Shift + Left Arrow
Move Window to Next Monitor	Windows + Shift + Right Arrow
Open Task View	Windows + Tab
Switch Between Virtual Desktops	Windows + Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow
Create New Virtual Desktop	Windows + Ctrl + D
Close Current Virtual Desktop	Windows + Ctrl + F4

Windows Shortcuts for File Management

Function	Shortcut
Create New Folder	Ctrl + Shift + N
Rename Selected File/Folder	F2
Delete Selected File/Folder	Delete
Copy Selected File/Folder	Ctrl + C
Paste Copied File/Folder	Ctrl + V
Cut Selected File/Folder	Ctrl + X
Select All Items	Ctrl + A
Open Properties of Selected File/Folder	Alt + Enter
Search for Files/Folders	Windows + F
Open Recently Used Files	Windows + E, then navigate to Recent

Windows Shortcuts for System Navigation

Function	Shortcut
Open Desktop	Windows + D
Cycle Through Open Windows	Alt + Tab
Open Run Dialog	Windows + R
Open Action Center	Windows + A
Open Notification Center	Windows + N
Open Search	Windows + S
Open Settings	Windows + I
Open File Explorer	Windows + E
Open Task Manager	Ctrl + Shift + Esc
Open Windows Terminal	Windows + X, then select Terminal

Windows Shortcuts for Special Features

Function	Shortcut
Enable/Disable Night Light	Windows + A, then toggle Night Light
Open Windows HDR Settings	Windows + A, then toggle HDR
Open Windows HDR Settings	Windows + A, then toggle HDR
Toggle Windows Grayscale Mode	Windows + Ctrl + C
Open Windows Mobility Center	Windows + X, then select Mobility Center
Open Windows Game Mode	Windows + G
Open Windows Airplane Mode	Windows + A, then toggle Airplane Mode
Open Windows Volume Mixer	Windows + R, then type “sndvol”
Open Windows Voice Recorder	Windows + R, then type “soundrecorder”
Open Windows VPN Settings	Windows + I, then navigate to VPN

Windows Shortcuts for Development Tools

Function	Shortcut
Open Visual Studio Code	Windows + R, then type “code”
Open Windows Terminal	Windows + X, then select Terminal
Open Windows Command Prompt	Windows + R, then type “cmd”
Open PowerShell	Windows + X, then select Windows PowerShell
Open Task Manager	Ctrl + Shift + Esc
Open Registry Editor	Windows + R, then type “regedit”
Open Event Viewer	Windows + X, then select Event Viewer
Open Remote Desktop	Windows + R, then type “mstsc”
Open Windows Settings	Windows + I
Open Run Dialog	Windows + R

Windows Shortcuts for Miscellaneous Tasks

Function	Shortcut
Open Windows Clipboard History	Windows + V
Open Emoji Panel	Windows + . (Period)
Open Windows Game Bar	Windows + G
Open Windows Color Picker	Windows + Shift + C
Open Windows Calendar	Windows + C
Open Windows Defender	Windows + R, then type “windowsdefender”
Open Windows Download Folder	Windows + E, then navigate to Downloads
Open Windows Dictation	Windows + H
Open Windows Mail App	Windows + Shift + M
Open Windows Quick Assist	Windows + R, then type “quickassist”

Windows Shortcuts for System Information

Function	Shortcut
Check Windows Version	Windows + R, then type “winver”
Open System Properties	Windows + Pause/Break
Open Device Manager	Windows + X, then select Device Manager
Open System Information	Windows + R, then type “msinfo32”
Open Performance Monitor	Windows + R, then type “perfmon”
Open Resource Monitor	Windows + R, then type “resmon”
Open Task Scheduler	Windows + R, then type “taskschd.msc”
Open Event Viewer	Windows + X, then select Event Viewer
Open Services	Windows + R, then type “services.msc”
Open Windows Firewall	Windows + R, then type “firewall.cpl”

Windows Shortcuts for Virtual Assistants and AI

Function	Shortcut
Open Cortana	Windows + C
Start Voice Typing	Windows + H
Activate Virtual Assistant	Windows + A
Open Microsoft Teams	Windows + T
Open Microsoft To Do	Windows + D
Open Microsoft Outlook	Windows + O
Open Microsoft OneNote	Windows + N
Open Microsoft Edge	Windows + E
Open Microsoft Word	Windows + W
Open Microsoft Excel	Windows + X

Windows Shortcuts for Customization and Personalization

Function	Shortcut
Open Windows Themes	Windows + I, then navigate to Personalization
Open Windows Background Settings	Windows + I, then navigate to Background
Change Desktop Icon Settings	Right-click Desktop, then select Personalize
Open Windows Color Settings	Windows + I, then navigate to Colors
Open Windows Lock Screen Settings	Windows + I, then navigate to Lock Screen
Toggle Dark Mode	Windows + I, then navigate to Colors and select Dark Mode
Open Mouse Settings	Windows + I, then navigate to Devices > Mouse
Open Keyboard Settings	Windows + I, then navigate to Devices > Typing
Change Screen Saver	Windows + R, then type “control desk.cpl,,@screensaver”
Open Windows Fonts Settings	Windows + I, then navigate to Personalization > Fonts

Windows Shortcuts for System Maintenance

Function	Shortcut
Open Disk Cleanup	Windows + R, then type “cleanmgr”
Open Disk Defragmenter	Windows + R, then type “dfrgui”
Open Task Scheduler	Windows + R, then type “taskschd.msc”
Open System Configuration	Windows + R, then type “msconfig”
Open Windows Backup	Windows + R, then type “sdclt”
Open Windows Recovery Environment	Windows + R, then type “recovery”
Open Windows Troubleshooter	Windows + I, then navigate to Update & Security > Troubleshoot
Open Windows Security Center	Windows + I, then navigate to Update & Security > Windows Security
Open Windows Firewall Settings	Windows + R, then type “firewall.cpl”
Open Windows Defender Firewall	Windows + R, then type “wf.msc”

Windows Shortcuts for Multilingual Users

Function	Shortcut
Change Keyboard Layout	Windows + Space
Switch Input Language	Alt + Shift
Open Language Preferences	Windows + I, then navigate to Time & Language
Toggle Language Bar	Left Alt + Left Shift
Open Windows Language Settings	Windows + I, then navigate to Time & Language > Language
Add a Language	Windows + I, then navigate to Time & Language > Language > Add a language
Remove a Language	Windows + I, then navigate to Time & Language > Language > Remove
Set Default Language	Windows + I, then navigate to Time & Language > Language > Set as default
Open On-Screen Keyboard	Windows + Ctrl + O
Open Language Bar Options	Windows + R, then type “intl.cpl”

Windows Shortcuts for Gaming

Function	Shortcut
Open Xbox Game Bar	Windows + G
Start/Stop Recording	Windows + Alt + R
Take Screenshot	Windows + Alt + PrtScn
Open Xbox Social	Windows + G, then click on Social
Open Xbox Settings	Windows + I, then navigate to Gaming
Open Xbox Achievements	Windows + G, then navigate to Achievements
Open Xbox Friends	Windows + G, then navigate to Friends
Open Xbox Live Dashboard	Windows + G, then navigate to Dashboard
Open Xbox Game Mode	Windows + G, then toggle Game Mode
Open Xbox Game Streaming	Windows + G, then navigate to Game Streaming

Windows Shortcuts for Collaboration Tools

Function	Shortcut
Open Microsoft Teams	Windows + T
Open Microsoft Outlook	Windows + O
Open Microsoft OneNote	Windows + N
Open Microsoft Word	Windows + W
Open Microsoft Excel	Windows + X
Open Microsoft PowerPoint	Windows + P
Open Microsoft SharePoint	Windows + S
Open Microsoft Planner	Windows + Shift + P
Open Microsoft To Do	Windows + D
Open Microsoft Forms	Windows + F