Windows 10 has been released recently as an upgrade for Windows 8.1 and is already doing uproar with many users updating their system to the latest Windows 10. Even though Windows has been upgraded to version 10, maximum people are still using popular Windows 7 and next comes Windows 8. In the Windows series, whatever may be the operating system being used, the below given comprehensive list of shortcut keys are very useful and can be utilized. By knowing about these commonly used shortcut keys which we can easily remember by regular practice, we can operate any Windows computer easily.
Comprehensive List of Windows Shortcuts:
| Shortcut Key | Description |
|---|---|
| CTRL + C (Copy) | These two keys are used for copying. |
| CTRL + X (Cut) | These two keys are useful to cut the selected portion. |
| CTRL + V (Paste) | These two keys are useful to paste the cut or copied portion in another place. |
| CTRL + Z (Undo) | To withdraw the actions applied by us these two keys are useful. |
| NOTE: Above said four kinds of keyboard shortcut keys are useful not only in Windows but also in every application. Shortcut keys for Cut, Copy, Paste, and Undo is alike in every application. Besides using shortcut keys this Copy, Cut and Paste options can be obtained by doing a right-click. | |
| Delete key | Useful to delete the file or folder or data which is selected. All these deleted data will go to recycle bin. |
| SHIFT + Delete | This key combination is useful to delete the item selected permanently without going to recycle bin. So, when important data are selected, we have to take care for not pressing SHIFT + Delete keys. |
| CTRL (While dragging an item) | While dragging an item or any number of items duly selecting, at the same time if the CTRL key is pressed those items will be copied. |
| CTRL + SHIFT (While dragging an item) | When an item is selected and being dragged, by pressing CTRL and SHIFT keys a shortcut for that item(s) will be made. |
| F2 Key | To rename the selected item F2 key is used. |
| CTRL + Right Arrow → | Used to bring the cursor or insert point in front of the next word. |
| CTRL + Left Arrow ← | Used to bring the cursor or insert point to the starting of the word. |
| CTRL + Down Arrow ↓ | Moves the cursor or insert point to next paragraph. |
| CTRL + Up Arrow ↑ | Moves the cursor or insert point to the start of the paragraph. |
| CTRL + SHIFT | After pressing these two keys, pressing the arrow keys can move the text highlighting. By doing like this text can be selected in blocks. By pressing only SHIFT key anything more than one item can be selected. Likewise text can also be selected. This is the specialty of the SHIFT key. |
| CTRL + A | To select all, press these two keys. |
| F3 key | To launch the search for files and folders it is enough if pressed F3 key. |
| ALT + Enter | To get the properties dialogue box of the item selected, press these two keys. |
| ALT + F4 | This will close the active window or program. |
| CTRL + ALT + Del | By pressing these three keys, Windows Task Manager will be displayed. Due to any program if the Windows is struck, selecting it in Task Manager we can click End Task. |
| CTRL + F4 | Close the active documents in the program. |
| ALT + SPACEBAR | The active window will display the shortcut menu or system menu with options to minimize, maximize, restore, move and close the window. |
| ALT + TAB | This key is useful to switch the opened items and go to any item required. To say it is useful to change from one window to another window. |
| ALT + Esc | This shortcut is useful to switch or cycle between the opened items in order. |
| F4 Key | Displays the address bar list in the My Computer or Windows Explorer. |
| F6 Key | Useful to cycle in between the screen elements on desktop or in a windows. |
| SHIFT + F10 | Displays the shortcut menu for the selected item which is nothing but the menu that shows up with mouse right-click. |
| CTRL + Esc | Using this key combination Windows start menu will be displayed. |
| ALT + Underlined letter in a menu name | If a letter is underlined in the menu bar options, with ALT key if that letter is pressed, that menu will be displayed. In the same way, for the commands in the menu displayed, if the underlined letter option is pressed with ALT key that command will be applied. |
| ALT + P | We browse files, photos in Windows Explorer. To see the preview of those in full size, doing right-click we need not go to the ‘Photo Viewer’. Being in the Files library only, we can use the shortcut ALT + P and it is enough to see the full size preview. Using this shortcut key photos and PDF files preview will be found there itself. |
| F10 Key | The active menu bar in the active program will be activated. |
| Backspace | In ‘My Computer’ or ‘Windows Explorer’, Backspace key is useful to view a folder in a level up. In the same way, if any fault arises in typing letters, with Backspace key those we can delete. |
| Esc | To cancel the current running task. |
| SHIFT | At the time of running DVD or CD in the Drive, some CDs or DVDs will start playing automatically. To restrict the auto-play immediately on inserting CD/DVD, press the SHIFT key. |
| CTRL + TAB | When there are TAB pages in a dialogue box, and if it is required to switch between these tabs, press these CTRL + TAB keys. |
| CTRL + SHIFT + TAB | In a dialogue box having many TAB pages to move to the tabs in backward directions while in between tabs this shortcut is useful. |
| TAB | To move in between the options, press TAB key. |
| SHIFT + TAB | To move in backward direction in between the options press these two keys. |
| Enter ↵ | Active option or the command related to the button will apply. |
| SPACEBAR | If the check box is as active option, without the need of using the mouse, through SPACEBAR either select or clear checkbox can be done easily. |
| Arrow Keys | In the active window or button, if there is more than one option, to select those, arrow keys is useful. |
| F1 key | Displays Help and Support. |
| Windows Logo | All keyboards contain a key with Windows logo and if it is pressed Start menu will be displayed and if pressed again Start menu hide will take place. |
| Windows Logo + Pause Break | Useful to display the System Properties dialogue box. |
| Windows Logo + D | These two keys are useful for the display of desktop. |
| Windows Logo + M | Useful to minimize all opened windows or applications. |
| Windows Logo + SHIFT + M | To restore the minimized window. |
| Windows Logo + E | To open My Computer. |
| Windows Logo + F | To search for Files and Folders. |
| CTRL + Windows Logo + F | To search for the computer with computer name. |
| Windows Logo + L | To Lock the computer and to unlock the computer, either administrator or user accounts with administrator privileges is required. |
| Windows Logo + R | Opens the Windows Run dialogue box. In this, typing any command or program .exe we can open directly. |
| Windows Logo + U | Opens Utility Manager. |
| SHIFT key (pressed 5 times) | By pressing the SHIFT key 5 times StickyKeys can be turned on or off. As you may already know, StickyKeys lets you use the SHIFT, CTRL, ALT, or Windows Logo keys by pressing one at a time. |
| NOTE: The seven shortcut keys from here are being used in Windows Explorer. | |
| End | Displays the active window which is situated beneath. |
| Home | Top of the windows will be displayed. |
| Num Lock + Asterisk sign (*) | Displays sub-folders in the selected folder. |
| Num Lock + Plus sign (+) | Used to view the contents in the selected folder. |
| Num Lock + Minus sign (-) | Used to collapse the folders selected. |
| Left Arrow | Collapses present selection or if it is in expanded position parent folder will be selected. |
| Right Arrow | Displays current selection. In case it is in expanded condition clicking right-arrow selects first sub-folder. |
| NOTE: During the time of editing texts or working with applications like MS Word, Adobe PageMaker and other text editors like this, we use different types of shortcut keys. Here are some of the most commonly used shortcut keys which will be useful in such times of working with text editors like Microsoft Word. | |
| Right Arrow | Moves the cursor to the right side or goes to the starting of the next line. |
| Left Arrow | Moves the cursor left side or reaches to the end of the last line. |
| Up Arrow | Moves the cursor up by one row. |
| Down Arrow | Moves the cursor down one row. |
| Page Up | Used to move up one screen at a time. |
| Page Down | Used to move down one screen at a time. |
| Home | Used to move to the beginning of the line. |
| CTRL + Home | Used to move to the first character in the document. |
| CTRL + End | Used to move to the end of the document. |
| CTRL + O | Opens the saved document. |
| CTRL + N | Opens new document or file. |
| CTRL + S | To save the active document. |
| CTRL + F4 | Closes the document. |
| CTRL + P | For the printing of document. |
| CTRL + B | Bold the selected text. |
| CTRL+ I | Italicize the selected text. |
| CTRL + U | Underline the selected text. |
| CTRL + > | Increases the font size. |
| CTRL + < | Decreases the font size. |
| CTRL + Backspace | Delete the previous word. |
| CTRL + Del | Deletes the next word. |
| CTRL + F | Find some text in the current document. |
| CTRL + Z | Undo your last action. |